ΠΡΟΔΡΟΜΟΣ: OR THE FORERUNNER OF The Peaceable Consideration of Christ's Peaceful Kingdom upon Earth, Abridged: made useful for those that have the former, and those that have them not. ALSO, Containing many necessary matters, often since referred unto in the following parts of the will work, and briefly pointing out such things as are elsewhere more fully explained, with some Additions, and Amendments. Unto which are Annexed divers things most useful of those contained in the Irenicon; and also directing where the substance of the rest is to be found in the other parcels printed since the year 1666. when many hundreds of all the first four parts were burnt or lost, which may supply the want of them as are particularly set down in the end of this Prodromus.  Mal. 4.5. 
Behold I will send you Elijah the Prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.  Mat. 17.11. 
Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things: but I say unto you, Elias is come already, and they knew him not, etc.  
Post funestam Gogi & Magogi cladem, (i.e. Papae & Turcae)  Ez. 38.39. 
Describitur Nova Jerusalem cui nomen [Jehovah Shamma] Dominus.  Ibid. c. 48. ad finem. 
By W. Sherwin, Minister of the Gospel.  
London, reprinted in the Year, 1674.   

TO THE READER.  
Christian Reader,  
BE pleased to observe with me that the subject of mystical Prophesis respecting the seven Millenniums or a thousand Generations of the World may fitly thus be described: viz. To be Gods appointed space of time divinely couched in his word for the accomplishing of his own great design, for his own infinite glory, concerning his Son Jesus Christ as Mediator, and all those that he hath given him in the world, and for the carrying on of his work of Redemption in his 3 great offices of Prophet, Priest, and King, for his Universal true Church in the said time of his Mediatorshop, until the happy restitution of all things shall be completed in the world by him, both for his Saints and all inferior Creatures in their capacity as in reference to things which will mostly be seen being temporal; until those eternal things shall be obtained, which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor entered into the heart of man to conceive, both for men and Angels for ever more.  
In which way Gods most wonderful and most gracious design towards all those blessed intelligible creatures for his own glory according to his word will gradually be discovered and fully at last obtained by them for all eternity: And this which was first declared in the word will be last accomplished in the world, until from their temporal being they all pass to the confines of eternity.  
To which purpose take notice,  
1. That what was briefly declared, Gen. 3.15. by God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, at man's fall, is the foundation and short comprisal of all future revealed mercy: That the Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpent's head; and with Psal. 110.1. Rev. 19.11. & 20.4.8, 9, 10.  
2. That in God's Covenant with Noah for all flesh, Gen. 8, & 9 for the earth's continuance, not only as a stage to act all future mercies to men and other creatures upon, during the said space, but by its fruitfulness to be for an accommodation to them; but chief in that world which is to come, Joel 3.  
3. By Noah's Prophecy God sets forth the lineal descent of such as for the future should chief be given to Christ, Gen. 9.25, 26, 27. viz. Jews, according to the Covenants and Promises after made to their Fathers, and Gentiles by their first and second calls, etc.  
4. God afterwards accordingly made Covenants with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and for their seed; and though the natural seed of Abraham forfeited their Typical Canaan by breaking their Covenant, Mich. 2.10. yet faithful Abraham through his one divine seed Christ hath obtained for all his spiritual seed that City spoken of Heb. 11.39.40.  
5. God's mercy was after set forth to David, as by a Kingdom first also forfeited by his natural race, to the casting down of David's Tabernacle by the Babylonish Captivity: thereby making way for the long interim, or interruption of David's said Kingdom for the 2300 years of the four Gentil Monarchies: but by his divine seed Christ, God's Covenant is renewed with David for his spiritual seed, 2 Sam. 7. who shall partake of the sure mercies of David's Kingdom, Ezekiel 55.3. with and by Christ in his Mediatory or Davidical Kingdom, Revelation 20.4. & 3.21. when will also be restored to the Saints a Paradise in that world to come instead of that lost by the first Adam on earth, when there will be new heavens and new earth, and the old will not be remembered, etc. When the New Jerusalem state shall be set up for all Abraham's faithful seed, Heb. 11.10, 16. and all Israel shall be saved upon their union with the Gentiles, of which from the possession of Canaan the whole world mostly consists, concerning which particulars, I shall refer you to the intent perusal of our last Treatise on Rev. 10.5. as guiding to the scope and drift of such first so divinely declared, and last in the world to be fulfilled grace; which we all ought to be very diligent and active to obtain.  
W. S.   

THE PRODROMUS.  
1. THis previous intimation (I conceive) may be of good use that these Abridgements of the Prodromus and Irenicon may not only be an helpful introduction to serious enquirers into the mystical part of the Gospel of Christ, respecting that world to come, but may, together with those latter printed principles, serve both for a commentary, as well as a confirmation, of the sum and substance thereof, in the two folded leaves, and other parts therein quoted; which is also illustrated by the practical parts on Rev. 20.5. Gen. 3.15. Jer. 3.17. Rev. 22.20. but may be also as a directing table to find such things as are after supplied in the latter parcels, and relate unto them upon divers accounts.  
And in the Irenicon will be showed how the first intended method, chap. 1. which was many ways first interrupted after the degrees observed, etc.  
2. Instead of those Prodromal texts to page 5. formerly, being after spoken of in our latter Parcels, we here direct to consider well the nature and use of our several books contained in the first leaf of the General Title page, or twelve foundations of faith, the knowledge whereof may much advantage many, and to our account after the Key, where many other useful directions are also included, and to the Key itself, whereby much previous matter against men's mistakes is tendered, Assert. 1. page 2. and very useful and necessary informations of many sorts, not observed by many others, are also observable; as, that daniel's short hints of the subject matter of the Revel. were shut up till the time of the end, but opened since (though mystically divinely) by Christ himself in the book of Revel. the want of which discovery occasioned many learned men to err, as Assert. 5. of the Key; also of several senses of Christ's come 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 Christ's subjects, 1. Raised Saints at his coming. 2. Converted Jews and Gentiles, Assert. 13. and for them two Jerusalem's, Assert. 14. also the twofold consideration of Christ's execution of his three great offices, Assert. 17. not in any former works that I have known, etc. 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 Christ's first coming, so the visible glorious perfecting of Christ's work of Redemption for the bodies of his Saints, with the restitution of all things, etc. will be performed at his second coming, with all promised Mercies and Covenants to and with the Forefathers, 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 Christ's 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 Prophecy, p. 3, 4, 5, 6. which last is largely proved in our System, and in that whole next ensuing Treatise by the use of Christ's own Divine Key, Rev. 20.21, 22. as may appear by this our last and great discovery through divine grace, pertinently applied 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 God's 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 woman's 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 Christ's sentence of approbation, and his delivering up his Mediatory Kingdom for all eternity.  
Which way of these Divine Doctrines I have often in my thoughts compared to the Astronomers teaching that art; the terms of the circles seem strange at first to the learner, as the Polar Circles, Collures, Tropics, Eccliptick Line, Zodiark, Meridian, Orison, with the Zenith, Nadir, and the like, but easy to be understood when their use is discovered: so in the turning of God's great Sphere of the world's 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 Calendar in his 2, & 3, & 8th chap. of the four Gentile Kingdoms, for 2300 years, until the Messiahs' second coming; and his little Calendar 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 Christ's Divine Key of all times, with God's 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 Kingdom 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 easy 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 enlightening and delightful, as Divine Discoveries have ever been formerly, and there is an excellent Divine art to be observed in them, which by practice 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, etc. by a joint mission, 1. from the Devil the old Dragon by instigation, 2. from the Pope's Council of Cardinals, and their associates, by advice. 3. By the Beast himself, by his authorized Commission, pag. 4.  
The latter part of that prophecy 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 ruin 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 empire, 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 Christ's appearance, Rev. 19, & 20. ch. and the description 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 ruin, and by the gathering the Clusters of the Vine, v. 19 the destruction of the Pope; though probably like to be of both suddenly, (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 Gentiles then to be united in one sheepfold.  
The 3d. Prophesy more fully setting forth the destruction of Antichrist is, Rev. 19.11. to the end of the ch. after that joyful exultation (probably) at the Jews Conversion, in the former part thereof when that nation will be born in a day, Isa. 66.8. and the marriage of the Lamb will be, v. 7. Then in v. 11, etc. is set forth the glorious coming of Christ to destroy the said enemies to the end of the ch. when he will eminently make his foes his footstool, as Psal. 110.1. at the Armageddon Battle, p. 7.  
The 4th Prophecy, Rev. 11.13, 14. to the end, concerns the ruin of the Roman Empire, the time whereof shall be no more, as saith that Angel of the Covenant (probably) ch. 10. when the 7th Angel gins to sound, and Christ's visible Dominion is then to take place, etc.  
See the Divine Thesis, ch. 2. p. 3. of the Irenicon.  
November 3. 1663.  
This part of a Letter to a Friend, Nou. 3. 63. now ten years past, I had given order to leave out of the Abridgement, but upon perusal thereof the 7th of April 74. I find it so considerable many ways [being a Summary of my knowledge then of these Doctrines,] that I now order it to be reprinted, and I would have all sorts take notice, that all I have written since, except my last great Discovery of the Scope of Revelation Prophesy on ch. 20.5.] and some other late Discoveries and Distinctions in our Key, and that late Summary occasioned by my late Noble, Learned, & Judicious good Friend Sir Robert Morai, in the 2 folded leaves, and the latter part of the Divine Theses, from the 11 & 12th to the end, with the addition now following them; I say, all others written since, tend chief to the confirmation and explication of the same truth of the mystical part of the Gospel of Christ, both in respect of those Principles and Practicals, as in the first leaf of the 12 Foundations of Faith: and for both purposes also I commend to them the due consideration of our 31 Observations useful for understanding mystical Prophecies, with answers to objections both after the Tract on Rev. 22.20. in the 4th part.  
AS for the New Jerusalem, since the Bar, viz. how Christ could personally make intercession in Heaven, and yet personally reign on earth at the same time, which occasioned my opinion of a mystical reign, etc. was taken away, whereby I have formerly conceived it to be an Article of Faith, which the Scripture expressly declared, viz. [That the Heavens must contain Christ's Person till his coming the second time to Judgement] my meaning was, to the last Judgement: having not then understood his coming in the clouds of heaven, at his appearance and Kingdom to judge quick and dead at the first Resurrection of the Saints 1000 years before the rest of the dead, to be the beginning of his great day of Judgement. I have (I say) found much since in Scripture (but especially in the book of the Revelation) to tend to a coming of Christ, as the great Monarch, to set up his glorious Kingdom, upon the putting down all worldly Powers that stood in opposition to him, 1 Cor. 15. when he will begin to judge the quick and dead, Rev. 11.17, 18. I have lately perused Mr. Archers Book of Christ's Personal Reign, and though in all things therein I am not satisfied, yet I cannot find solid reason in many things, to descent; and in other things it seemeth convincing; and doubtless in his time he was a very discerning Christian, and I had of late, (before I read that, or any other of the like nature, since my most earnest search into mystical Prophecies of the latter times) the same apprehensions of divers passages in Scripture, which I find to agree with his Book: as the applying what our Saviour promised to his Disciples when he came to his Kingdom, [which I find will be in the Thousand years, Rev. 20.4. promised to the New-Jerusalem Inhabitants, Rev. 3.21.] that then they should sit on twelve Thrones, judging the twelve Tribes of Israel. And that of our Saviour, Luke 21.24. that Jerusalem should be trodden under foot till the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled, [but to be raised up again then.] And when he wept over Jerusalem, he said, They (namely the People of the Jews) should not see him henceforth, till they said, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, Mat. 23. ult. denoting that then they should see him. And that promise, Zach. 12.10. to the end, which is in a way of mercy, foreshowing how upon their conversion, they should mourn in humble contrition, and look to him at his appearing [when that Nation shall be born in a day, Isa. 66.8,] which judicious Expositors apply to the expressions, Rev. 1.7. Behold, he comeh with Clouds, and every eye shall see him: and they also that pierced him (that is, the People of the Jews, that after their imprecation on themselves, and on their children, shall be accomplished) will (as the Apostle Paul speaks, Rom. 11. (appear to be beleved for their Father's sake, when those times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord, Act. 3.19. and then all Israel shall be saved (both of Jew and Gentile:) And though many grave Divines for a long time interpreted all that hath been spoken to this purpose, for the most part to a spiritual sense, yet the things that some hold out to the contrary, 〈…〉 answered: so that if this Opinion, or rather matter of Faith, ●e but freed from those evil additions that the subtlety of Satan in the Primitive times thrust upon it (as if it should be a Kingdom of sensual pleasure;) for before these misrepresentations, or false aspersions rather, as Mr. Mede notes, it was very ancient. And freed likewise from that bold presumption and scandalous wickedness of our latter times, for any, under pretence of Christ's Kingdom given to the Saints, to go about by the Sword, or any other unlawful means, to divest Magistrates and Governors of their Offices, to take that Kingdom before Christ give it to them to whom it will belong, as being appointed to them by his Father, in his own time, namely, at Christ's appearing. [Hear consider that Christ saith, he came not to destroy the Law; and Paul saith, he established the Law; and this is necessary to vindicate this Doctrine from scandal, and to warn well-meaning persons that they think not upon seeming-fair pretences of good, to attemp to do evil; God having revealed, that he will set up that Kingdom himself, and that only in his own oppointed time. On the other side, saith our Saviour, He that breaketh the least Commandment, and teacheth men so, shall be the least (that is, none) in the Kingdom of Heaven] as he answered the Mother of Zebedees' Children, Mat. 20.23. It shall be given to them for whom it is appointed by my Father: appointed as well for the time when, as the persons to whom. These and the like errors being removed from it, I think it may have an hnorable and comfortable place in matter of true Christian Faith, as containing the best times of the most holy Catholic 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, etc. 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 sphere to seek to promote it; and I observe the Dutch Notes (though by men of different Judgements) 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 tenor of that blessed book. And as Israel's coming out of Egypt, tended to the actual giving of them, after forty years' space, the possession of Canaan of old: so God's People's 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 God's Name been so comperably hallowed in Earth as it is in Heaven, as than 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 rejoice when the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth; because, as it followeth in the next verse, his Bride hath made herself 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? etc. 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 near 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 rendered 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 Resurrection, while he was not acssended to his Father; but when I consider the many Prophecies of all those great things in the Old Testament, so confirmed in the New, and especially applied 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. etc. 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 rejoicing for all that was in the Book, and after all that should be done and suffered by, and for, and in Christ's 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 abridgement of Reasons and Testimonies following to that purpose.  
1. The New Jerusalem is said to come down from God, chap. 21.2. and not to ascend up, or be taken up unto God, as the Church Triumphant at the last day shall be, 1 Thes. 4.17. Christ will take the Church up to himself, John. 14.3. it shall not come down after the last Judgement to remain here. 2. 

I conceive the New Jerusalem that comes down from God, will he a kind of Triumphant Church, consisting of the raised Saints, though in the thousand years, it be not fully glorified yet perfectly sanctified and saved, Rev. 20. knowing in due season they shall be so glorified, as 1 John. 3.2, 3.  
But all others of the faithful, in the natural life, shall walk in the light of that Jerusalem, the Mother of us all, Gal. 4. Rev. 21.24. and accordingly the several Texts lelating to either, are to be distinguished.   The Church is said to be prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband, vers. 2. Now the Church Triumphant, for all the Elect gathered together, is not a Bride prepared, but a wife in marriage fully accomplished. 3. Because it is called a Tabernacle, a removing state, and God also said to be with men, and to dwell as in a Tabernacle with them; but concerning the Church Triumphant in Heaven, the manner of speaking is to say [It is with God] 4. Because the Holy Ghost so strongly confirms this renovation of all things, avouching it again and again, vers. 1.5. commanding to write, and affirming the words to be faithful and true, which needed not in so generally approved believed truth. touching the state of the Church Triumphant. 5. Because John is made to ascend on high, to see this new City below him descending out of Heaven from God 6. Because it is said to be measured, and that with the measure of a man, v. 16, 17. which showeth it to be the Church on Earth, which is only measurable, and to be measured, c. 11.1. Zach. 1.16. but not the Triumphant in Heaven. 7. Because here is said, That Nations shall walk in the light of it, and Kings of the Earth shall bring their glory and honour to it, vers. 23, 24. yea the glory and honour of the Nations too, v. 26. But none can bring earthly glory and honour (for of such he speaketh) in Heaven above, to becautifie it withal. 8. This seemeth not unreasonable (though something in the Letter carry our thoughts to a state of full perfection, chap. 21.4. & 22.3, 4, 5. because the like speeches have been used by the Holy Prophets aforetime, to set out the graceful and peaceful state of the Church, Isa. 65.17, 18, 19, 25. & 60.18, 20. & 25.8. & 60.21. and yet farther observe, after those high expressions, it is said, chap. 22.6, These say are faithful and true, the Lord God of the Holy Prophets (who had spoken of old time) sent his Angel to show unto his Servant John the things [which must shortly be done] which words, shortly be done, seem always in this Book to note the state of the Church on earth.  
Now for testimonies in the next place: Some such thing is promised to the Jews, in the Books of the Prophets, which seem not yet to be fulfilled, but deferred till the seventh Trumpet be blown, when the Mystery of God shall ye finished, as hath been declared to his Servants the Prophets; by which words it is clear, that all things in the Prophets are not accomplished, till this Book of the Revelations be fulfilled; for the Prophets have formerly spoken of this Mystery to be finished under the seventh Trumpet. Now that we may not wonder at the New Jerusalem here set forth, look unto the prophecies of old, and mark what by them the Lord did promise unto the Jews after their captivity. 1. He tells them, They shall be brought back again to Jerusalem and to inhabet Judea, Zach. 8.7, 8. & 10.8, 9 Isa. 60.10, 15. & 62.10. And all Nations, Isa. 61.11. 2. He will pour upon them the Spirit of Grace and Supplication, and they shall look upon him whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, Zach. 12.10, 14. 3. He will make them strong to overcome all their enemies, and they shall inhabit Jerusalem again, Zach. 12.6. and build the old wastes; they shall raise up the former desolations: and they shall repair the waste Cities, and the desolations of many Generations, Isa. 61.4, & 58.12. and that by the help of strangers and their Kings, Isa. 62.10. 4. Being so built, where as it had been forsaken and hated, so as no man went thorough it, he will make it an eternal Excellency, and a Joy of many Generations, Isa. 60.15. For, 2. Violence shall no more be heard in the Land, wasting nor destruction within the borders, but her Walls shall be called, Salvation, and her Gates Praise, Isa. 60.18. The Sun shall be no more her light by day, neither for brightness shall the Moon give light unto her. Isa. 60.19, 20. 2dly. All the people shall be righteous, Isa. 60.21, and no cananite there, Zech. 14.21, 3dly. Her Officers shall be Officers of Peace, and her Actors, Righteousness, Isa. 60.17. 4thly. Her Watchmen shall never be silent, Isa. 62.6. neither shall her Vision ever be wanting, Isa. 59.21. But the false Prophet, and the unclean spirit shall be cut off, Zech. 13.2. So as by this glorious and graceful state she shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name, Isa. 62.2. that is, Hephziba, and the Land, Beulah; for the Lord would delight in her, and marry her: or Jehovah there shall be the name of the City, Ezek, 48.35. 5thly, Hereupon they shall be known among the Gentiles and People, and all that see their Seed and Offspring, shall acknowledge them the Seed which the Lord hath blessed, Isa. 61.9. An holy People Redeemed of the Lord sought out, and not forsaken, Isa. 62.12. 6thly, The Gentiles and their Kings shall see her Righteousness and Glory, Isa. 62.12. whereupon they shall come to her, Isa. 60.3. and that with earnest desire, and high estimation of her, Zech. 8.22, 23. and be joined to the Lord, and become his People also with her, Zech. 2.11. These Nations and Kings shall bring to her Sons and Daughters, Isa 60.4. and 49.22. every her mightily with abundance, and precious things, Isa. 60.6, 17. She shall eat the Riches of the Gentiles, Isa. 61.6. and suck the Milk of the Gentiles, and the breasts of Kings, Isa. 60.16. who shall be her Nursing Fathers, and Queens her nursing Mothers, 〈◊〉 ●9. 23. bringing her Presents and Gifts, Isa. 60.6. and 45.14 they shall fall down, and make supplication, Isa. 45.14. they shall worship with their Faces to the Earth, and lick the dust of her Feet, Isa. 49.23. Zech. 14.16. Stranger's shall be her Servants, Isa. 61.5. Yea, such as will not serve her, shall be destroyed, Isa, 60.12. Zech. 14 17. She shall be a Crown of Glory in the hand of the Lord, and a Royal Diadem in the hand of her God, Isa. 62.3. And this her excellency shall never be changed, her days of mourning shall be 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 appendent Errors, cunnigly by Satan affixed on this Truth, as we observed in ancient and modern seducements, not distinguishing between the Depravation and Corruption of that Truth, and Truth itself, which in its Original was pure and untainted (as in other cases many times) when the corrupt superadditions 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 daniel's, 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 Christ's 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 themselves 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 God's 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 World's evil Times. And as our Saviour on Earth directed to search the Scriptures 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 Kingdom, etc.  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 shows 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 superadded 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 largely in the ninth, tenth, and eleventh Chapters of the Epistle to the Romans, yet still he reckons that Doctrine mystical, v. 25, etc. 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 Sceptres, and Kingdoms of the World (not improved in Christ's 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 Abridgement 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. durham's book of Scotland, may to observant Readers give much light to the book of Revelation, and the Scheme of that whole book and summary 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, etc.  
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 Christ's coming in the Flesh; the which said six Seals reached to the time wherein Constantine the Great threw down the Heathenish Idolarry 〈◊〉 Roman Empire, about the year 320. after Christ; they are set ●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 ruin 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 Judgement, or rather to the beginning of the thousand years. The first four Trumpets (which are reckoned the milder miseries upon that World of the Roman Empire) contain somewhat above two hundred years after Constantine, Rev. 8. When the Goths, Vandals, Huns, Almains, etc. by degrees took away the Emperor, who was he that letted the revealing of antichrist, spoken of 2 Thes. 2. The other three Trumpets, called the [Vae, vae, vae, Tubae,] or three Woe-Trumpets, Rev. 8. last vers. are as follows; The first Woe-Trumpet, or fifth Trumpet, is coneived to begin Anno Dommine 622. according to Helvicus, when those Locusts out of the bottomless Pit. viz. the Saracens, subdued and over-ran, one half of the Eastern Roman Empire, bringing in with them that horrible Imposture of Mahomatism, Rev. 9 first part of the Chapter, which continued till about Anno Domini, 1300. When the second Woe-trumpet or sixth Trumpet is conceived to have begun, when the Turks, the other Mahometan Locusts overcame the Sarecens, and overcame likewise the other half of the Eastern Roman Empire, Rev. 9 latter part of the Chapter, which Trumpet will end with the utter perdition of the last Head of the Roman State, viz. the ruin of the Popedom, being the Feet and Toes of the Image expounded by Daniel cap. 2. And for the state of the Church, contemporary with these contained in the little Book in the Angel's Hand, Revelations 10. after a short Chronological Table (as it were) of both Prophecies, chap, 11. to vers. 15. and thence to the end of the Chapter, a short Relation of the sounding of the seventh Trumpet and state of the World, then and thence forward (as after follows.) The first Contemporary State of though Church is set down, chap. 12. dontaining the Primitive times, till Constantine's, and the Dragon's flood of Arrian Pesecution; from those times, till the Woman's, the True Church her flight into the Wilderness, not long after the Year of our Lord 400. when its probable the Date of the Beast began, the false Apostatical Church, when the Western last Head of the fourth Beast, which had received a deadly wound, was again healed, set forth by two Beasts, chap. 13. The first having seven Heads and ten Horns, deciphering the Politic State; the other with two Horns like a Lamb, and speaking like the Dragon, the Ecclesiastical State thereof, whose time is forty two months, the same with the Lord Christ's two Witnesses Prophesying Sackcloth, 1260 days of years, Rev. 11. and the Woman's, the True Church, her abode in the Wilderness, for a time, times, and half a time, as chap. 12.14. where the Lord's said Witnesses nourish her to the end of the said time, and last period of the sixth Trumpet, under which most (if not all) of the seven Vials, the seven last Plagues, Rev. 15.16. are poured out upon the beast, the Popish State and Church, to the utter destruction thereof, whilst the 144000 followers of the Lamb stand with him upon Mount Zion, Rev. 14. harping with their Harps, and singing, as it were, a new Song before the Throne, and the four living Wights, and twenty four Elders, who are excellently described, ver. 4, 5. till all the Angels had done their Messages, and the Son of Man that sat on the White Cloud, had thrust in his sharp Sickle several times, at the request of the last Angels, to reap the Harvest & Grapes of the Earth fully ripe, to the end of the chap. Which Angels seem contemporary (if not the same) with the seven Angels pouring out the seven Vials, chap. 16. particularly set down; And it seems probable that the sixth of those Vials is now pouring out by the Turkish Army, drying-up the great River Euphrates of the Germane Emperor's dominions, and forward towards Rome, whereby the maintenance, honour and defence of the Popedom hath been long upheld and conveyed to it. As the great River Euphrates was useful unto old Babylon, until the great Army of Cyrus, having turned the waters another way, passed thorough the Channel thereof into old Babylon.  
Or, if by such means, with others, as by the conversion of some, and plagues and confusions in others, the Turks Dominions, as the great River Euphrates shall be dried up in the issue, to make way for the Jews, the Kings of the East, to come into Palestine; yet so it will, but the sixth Vial upon the great River Euphrates, and it may not improbably be true of both. The seventh Vial will end the Pope's Being, and all evil Dominion, being poured upon the Air, where the Prince of the power of the Air hath so long prevalently ruled, which is called the end of the second Woe, Rev. 11.14. at the end of which the seventh Trumpet will sound, which is called the Wo-joy Trumpet; first, bringing for the most part destruction to the Wicked in the World, and likewise bringing in great happiness to God's faithful People following in the thousand years, Rev. 20. and other things concerning the New Jerusalem, and the contemporaries therewith in the two last Chapters of the Book of the Revelations: Concerning which state of things in the Church (then) I conceive the not distinguishing between the seventh mystical Trumpet, and the last loud-sounding Trumpet, 1 Thes. 4.16. is the occasion of some misapprehensions of some things to be in the said thousand years, which are also an occasion of stumbling to many, as to the matter of Doctrine of the Kingdom of Christ upon Earth, whence the great and sudden change of all the Faithful is apprehended to be at the beginning of the seventh mystical Trumpet (which I conceive from the Apostle's words) will not be until the other loud-sounding Trumpet, above a thousand years after at the last Resurrection and great day of the last general Judgement at the end of the World, 1 Thes 4. which will follow the last attempt of the Devil by Gog and Magog, Rev. 20. at the end of the thousand years; at which great sudden momentany change, in the twinkling of an eye, at the Voice of the Archangel, and sounding of the said Trumpet, both all those that were raised at the beginning of Christ's Reign, or all along the thousand years, as learned Mede conceives; and all the Faithful that are found alive at last on Earth, must all than pass through that momentany change, and be rapt up with the Faithful likewise, which departed this life in the said 1000 years, then raised to meet Christ in the Air in a glorious condition; For, though such as were raised before 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 than it seems probatile 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 then be changed, both living and dead. All be changed both living and dead, or raised before, namely, all that are faithful; and 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. See this explained in the Treatise on Rev. 20.5. p 56, 57 etc. 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, v. 16. to be prepared by him for the faithful Forefathers that died, not having received the Promises, v. 39, who without us will not be made perfect, ver. last, having all died in Faith; which is probable to to be 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 Juduh, those two sticks united into one, Ezek. 37. together with the converted Gentiles in their fullness 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 spoke of, with very much exemption from the evil of sin and suffering, when Satan is bound, the Church's 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. 61.1. The Seed which the Lord hath blessed Ezek. 37.25. They and their children's 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 liable 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 Saran, 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 God's 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, etc.   

The third Paper of December 7. 1664. of Mr. durham's Book of Scotland, occsionally sent to be perused, etc. and is added here as a Supplement to the two former Papers.  
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 purticularly in the most things handled by him on the three first Chapters of 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 man's eminency should lead us into error, so no man's meanness should make us neglect or despsie 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 only some hints of both, for the most part referring to a former Letter to such purposes, dated May 20. 1664. with the foregoing Key, to both which this Paper may be a supplement; 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 signify the Church, and the Persecutions thereof along the Primitive Times, seem to me more aptly otherwise to denote with Mr. Mede and others, the dispensations of God in the world, (as in Zach. 1.10.) both towards the Church and others with whom they had to do, namely the Roman Empire, called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the New Testament: and though both the Books in the Seal-prophesie, and the little Book, chap. 10. speak much in some sort of both, yet each chief relates to one, as namely the Seal-prophecy for the most part to the Empire, and the Book-prophecy for the most part to the Church, as after may more by God's assistance appear; which is to be observed until the Empire and Church become one under Christ's Kingdom, in the time, or haply after the time of the seventh Trumpet.  
Therefore after the Lamb Christ Jesus had received the Book at the Hand of him that sat upon the Throne, chap. 5. in the Chapter following, John heard the thundering Voice of one of the Beasts, saying, Come and see, when the Lamb opened the first Seal; where he beheld a white Horse, and he that sat on him had a Bow, and a Crown was given to him, and he went conquering, and to conquer; denoting the dispensations of God's Grace in the world through Jesus Christ, who received of the Father this Book of Revelation of the things concerning the Church and her Enemies, and hath all power to fulfil and execute them accordingly here; first, set forth by the white-horse, so tendering Peace by the Preaching of the Gospel, which like a Bow, shoots out Arrows, (as Psal. 45.) piercing the hearts of all sorts it is sent unto, and by which Christ will be Victorious and Glorious, etc. and therefore in the sending abroad of his Gospel, he goes conquering of all sorts thereby, and to conquer and subdue all such as shall oppose and persecute it. This hath been his design ever since this white horse was sent abroad, guided by that Rider; and this is and will be pursued till he fully have the Crown of Victory, when his Enemies shall become his Footstool, Psalm 110. at the day of the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ, Titus 2.13. to begin, at or about, the destruction of Antichrist, 2 Thess. 2.8. when he will come with Clouds, Rev. 1.7. and when all Families of the Earth shall mourn, seeing the Son of man coming in the Clouds with Power and great Glory, Mat. 24.30. and 26.64. of which design the Spirit of God, by the holy Prophet, speaketh eminently, Psal. 45.4. saying, Ride on in thy Majesty because of the Word of Truth, of Meekness and Righteousness, viz. to subdue unto his Obedience by conquering; and his right Hand will teach him terrible things, by conquering and subduing his Enemies, and such as withstand him: And this in all parts of the Revelation will be evident; for persecution will follow the Gospel, as the Shadow the Substance, so long as the Seed of the Serpent and the Seed of the Woman have their abode together in the world: and therefore, in this Book, in the following Seals, God seems thereby to manifest what dispensations he would show towards such persecuting Enemies in all the following Seals and Trumpets, till that time of eminent victory and conquest, begin to be manifest unto men in the World at the foresaid Period, for the great comfort of his Church to be believed from his Word, and which should be applied daily for the warning of wicked men if they will be admonished. Mr. Mede doth very appositely apply the Red, Black, and Pale Horses, to such purposes in the three following Seals, observing from the Histories of the Primitive times how they were accomplished, & (as likewise Mr. Fox observes remarkably) that after the Roman Governors had rejected the offer of receiving Christ, and that Satan had engaged them in Persecutions, above thirty of their Emperors successively came to untimely deaths; but how such Judgements, of Sword, Famine, Pestilence, followed one another upon the Empire, and sometimes altogether besides, as may be observed from the first, second, and third Seals, but especially from the fourth, as more particularly is set down by the aforesaid Mr. Mede.  
I would therefore have observed in the fifth Seal the remarkable different dispensation of God, when most of the ten Persecutions had reged, and sent home such multitudes of believing Christians to blessedness by their sufferings; that by the opening of the fifth Seal, is signified to the Church how God was mindful of the Blood of the Martyrs, by the crying of the Souls under the Altar, for revenge; not that they in Happiness than did complain, or so did really cry for Vengeance, but that God looked upon what had been done to them, as an occasion whereupon he would revenge them, but yet not presently, but after their Brethren, which should soon after suffer as they had done, had been likewise killed; which seemed to have been fulfilled in the Tenth Persecution under Dioclesian, and others, which continued ten years to gether, which probably was the ten days Trial and Tribulation formerly spoken of, Rev. 2.10. but the sufferers under the Beast are included also. And accordingly in the sixth Seal came the great Earthquake, when the Sun became like Sackcloth of Hair, and the Moon like Blood, and the Stars fell, and the mighty men hid themselves in the Caves of the Earth, when the wrath of the Lamb was two ways manifest: first, In dethroneing the Dragon, and casting him down to the Earth, in abandoning the Heathenish Idolatry: and secondly, By curting off his Instruments, the then wicked Rulers of the World, by the means of that Reforming Victorious Conqueror, the Emperor Constantine the Great, when God's hand was so heavy upon Dioclesian, Maximinianus, Galerius, Maximinus, Maxentius, Licinius, and many Governors under their Command, with their Armies; and particularly on Pontitius, Culianus, Theotimus, with many others, as Stories testify.  
And afterward by taking away by degrees the Seat and Throne of the former Beast, who received afterward the deadly wound, upon which the Dragon had so prevailed before to persecute the Saints, as appears in the Trumpets following, which proceeded out of that seventh Seal; all of which sounded their several Wrath and Judgements against it, till it went into utter perdition under every form, both East and West.  
But before the execution of that Wrath, God would (Chap. 7. and 14.) have both his 144000s of the Faithful, sealed, where those Trumpets Blasts should come, who should be saved from the spiritual mischief of them: and after the sealing of those 144000, Cap. 7. are an innumerable company of Palm-bearers, of all Nations and Tongues: which the said Author rightly conceives to be the great confluence of Christians, when the Jews, with the fullness of the Gentiles, shall come in, which will (I doubt not) be in the time of Christ's powerful Reign, (for this is the course observable in this Book, (as may hereafter be more manifest) that the spirit of God first setteth down what blessedness shall ensue the sufferings of his People, before those sufferings come) Now I conceive (with a Learned Author) that these 144000. sealed Ones, Cap. 7. are another from those 144000, Cap. 14. for which he gives divers Reasons, showing those in Cap. 7. were to be preserved in the Greek Church, in the Eastern Empire, and that from the fifth and sixth, and the part of the seventh Wo. Trumpet, that might fall there as towhat evil might there fall at the beginning of the sounding thereof, which said sealed Ones are specially to be preserved and secured at the entrance of the fifth or first Woe-Trumpet, by the Saracen Mahomatan Locusts, Cap. 9.4. and so it is to be noted (which I also add) that the blasts of the first four Trumpets, being the milder miseries on the Empire, were stayed, (Rev. 8.1, 2.) until much Incense was offered by Christ, with the prayers of the Saints, that they might be accepted, where those four Trumpets took effect, namely upon the Western part, from the time the barbarous Nations came in there, for the most part till he that letted, as the Apostle speaks, 2 Thes. 2. should be taken away in the West (as he was there first) to make room for Antichrist, to whom the Dragon by degrees gave his Seat, and Power, and great Authority: And that the 14400 were to arise out of the Greek Church, viz. which were sealed, Cap. 7. Some of the said Authors grounds are farther, namely, That the Angel that would have the four Winds stayed till they were sealed, is said to arise out of the East, and the evil of the Woe-Trumpets was to fall upon the East chief; and that if those sealed ones, Cap. 7. be not of Christians in the East Church, in the times of the Woe-Trnmpets, there is nothing spoken of them in all the Book of Revelation remarkable, which have been so long under such sad tribulation; and their being said to come out of great tribulation, doth more fitly seem to decipher out the Christians of the Greek Church, than any others under those Trumpets: To which I may add, as being of the same Judgement, That they are farther described to have specially washed their Robes in the Blood of the Lamb, whom they would not leave, for Mahomatan impostures at the highest Price of Fears or Favours, and seem to differ from what is set down of those 144000, Cap. 14. with the Lamb in Mount Zion, having their Father's Name in the Forehead, which seems to be in the Western Church, preserved in the darkness of Popery from spiritual ruin by Antichrist, who are called there, The Followers of the Lamb wheresoever he goeth, keeping close to him, and not turning into the Beasts byways and thickets, though he pretended never so much to be the Lamb's Deputy, and Vicar-General on Earth; and they are said to be Virgins, which denotes their avoiding of Anttichrists Idolatry; and have no guile in their mouths, to pretend for Christ, and follow Antichrist, with other particulars observable, Cap. 14. which seem to set them forth to be the sealed one's in Antichrists Dominion, rather than in the East parts, where Mahonetism prevails, etc. and therefore the four Augels stayed their four Winds while the former 144000, Cap. 7. were sealed, which seems to signify they were to be within the reach of their four first Trumpets, that for the most part fell upon the Western Empire, till that Seat of the former Beast was taken away, and preparation should be made for the new Beast, the Dragon's next Substitute, to whom he gave after his Seat, and Power, and great Authority Cap. 13.  
For by the first Trumpet, Rev. 8. seems to have been weakened the Dominion of the Western Empire, by the incursion of the barbarous Nations; by the second, the great City or Mountain sacked or burnt; by the third, the Emperor in the person of Agustulus, the last of that Order there, utterly taken away, being plucked out of his Throne; and in the fourth, the light and glory of all that Kingdom formerly, by taking away their ancient Senate, by means whereof Rome had so long shined so glorious with all her Lights in that Orb before, was wholly extinct: but in the fifth, or first Wo-Trumpet, (Rev. 9 to vers. 11.) God's Dispensation seemed very evident (not in respect of Antichrist, as the  Author conceived) for all the particulars, Chap. 9 to the 11th verse, seem better to agree to the Sardcens, than to him. [Vide Notes of the Bible on that chapter, & the Sober Guests, etc. with others.] But against the spiritual hurt, falling on the one part of the Eastern Empire by the Incursion and Conquest made by the Saracens, some of those before sealed, chap. 7. were preserved as by means of the two Wings of an Eagle, spoken of chap. 12. on that part where the Saracens settled; and after on the other part, which the Turks took away, besides what the Saracens formerly had; as likewise that Woman, the Church, had her other eagle's Wing in the West, that Eagle denoting the Roman Empire after Constantine had built Constantinople in the East, dividing the Empire into two parts in East and West; and the Eagle, with her two sade-Wings, being the Ensign thereof: upon which advantage, the Woman, the true Church, fled into the Wilderness, chap. 12. about the end of the second Trumpet, or beginning of the third, (when probably Antichrist had his rise, with his ten Kings, or Crowned Horns, soon after the beginning of the fourth Century; from which time the said Woman, the Church, hath been fed by her true Pastors, the two sackcloth-Prophets, in her Wilderness-condition, which she is shortly to come out of, But on the other part, that said Woman, the Church, brought into the East by the other eagle's wing of the Eastern Empire, before into her Wilderness condition, or rather miserable bondage and great tribulation, being cast under the stroke of Mahometan Tyranny by the prevailing of the Saracens, at the beginning of the fifth (or first Woe) Trumpet, about the year of our Lord, 600, or not long after: who then (I say) began to bring her into her great tribulation in the East on one part, wherein she so continued until the second Wo-Trumpet under the Turk, about the year of the Lord 1300, by who the other part of the Eastern Empire was subdued utterly, and Mahometism likewise prevailed wholly over the formerly famous visible Greek-Church, etc. only the said 144000 of sealed ones have been and are still wonderfully preserved amongst them; and even of late, an. 1629. or thereabouts, an excellent Confession of Faith, was sent from Constantinople by Cyril late Patriarch there, well approved by judicious men amongst us, as an evidence of the abiding still of such poor, persecuted, oppressed souls in those parts, whose great tribulation, spoken of chap 7. for about a thousand years now past, and still are like to be under the Turk for his day, and weck, and month, and year, as Mr. Mede computes them, or until his 396 years be expired.  
Now when the Spirit of God (as seems probable) having set forth the Wrath and Judgement upon the very seat of the former Beast in the season of the six first Trumpets, both East and West, where in their order they fell; the greatest part contemporating with Antichrists Tyranny, both which shall be finished at the beginning of the seventh Trumpet, whereby the same spirit of God seems to lead us by the hand (as it were) to the borders of Christ's glorious Kingdom upon Earth, approaching upon the beginning of the seventh Angels sounding, chap. 11. 
2d General Prophecy, Rev. 10.  He then, in the little book, chap. 10. gins again with the affairs of the Church more especially, having set forth God's dispensations in respect of the Empire, both while it was Draconized, and after it had been Christianized.  
Which little Book when John had eaten up, he is told by the mighty Angel of the Covenant, that he must prophesy again before Peoples and Nations, and Tongues, and Kings, so that they might have advantage to know these Prophecies, had they enquired, as he had so prophesied: for as it was otherwise of them, so it was before them; and as he had done it in one respect before, (namely) of the Empire, wherein the Church had her being, so he should do it again in another respect, namely of the Church, who had her being there: but chief under Antichrist in his time, where there was another 144000 followers of the Lamb to arise chap. 14. Therefore after the Table of the Times in part of chap. 11. to ver. 15. wherein we may see, ver. 1. a description of the state of the Primitive Times; in ver. 2. her state in Antichrists forty two months; and ver. 3. the true Church's state, in regard of the most eminent part of it, namely of the two Witnesses, her Pastors, their thousand two hundred and sixty days of years, who should feed the Woman in her Wilderness condition, and stand on Christ's part against Antichrist, powerfully and successfully, till about the time of finishing their Testimony, to ver. 7. and then what should befall the Beast upon his last War against the finishing Witnesses upon their Resurrection and Ascension, after the Beast had killed them, to ver. 17. where is the ending of the second Woe, and thereupon comes in a short Abridgement of the seventh Trumpet, containing the great Changes of the affairs of the World and of the Church, namely, evil to the wicked World, but happy to the true Church: and this excellent Abridgement seemed needful in regard of the great concernment of all sorts, to understand this, as of main use to the whole Book. Again, the foresaid Author faileth in not distinguishing between the first War the Beast makes against the Saints and Servants of Christ, wherein he kills and prevails, whereupon all the World wonder after the Beast; and the second War against the Witnesses, which is dismal and fatal to himself, as Mr. Mede well observes; and hence the said Author reckons the Witnesses slain above an hundred years ago, and so passeth without taking notice of the last finishing Witnesses, as then counting the Beasts forty two months expired, reckoning the Vials in the seventh Trumpet before the second Woe be past, or almost any thing of the Beasts ruin begun; which work the Angels that have the Vials are to begin and finish, as Mr. Mede and others judge upon considerable grounds, etc.  
But in chap. 12. is begun the story of the new Prophecy of the true Church in the Primitive times, which is there represented by a Woman clothed with the Sun, and having the Moon under her feet, and upon her head a Crown of twelve Stars, whereby was described her excellency of the Primitive Church of Christ, which soon contesteed with the great red Dragon and his Angels, till she by Faith and Prayer obtained the Manchild, Constantine the reforming Emperor, by whose means God cast down the great red Dragon from his heaven upon earth, together with his Angels, by which means the Woman had two wings of an Eagle given her, to flee into the Wilderness for a time, times, and half a time; but before her flight into that retired hidden condition, the Serpent cast out his flood of abominable Heresies, chief against the Persons of the Holy Trinity, by Arrius, Eutiches, Macedonius, and others, to have carried her away thereby, which took up probably almost an hundred years before her time, times, and half, with Antichrists 42 months, took place; all which time from Constantine, the forementioned Author reckons within the date of the Beast, and consequently he ends it as much too soon, as may farther appear; and yet for the Earth's opening her Mouth, and swallowing up of the Dragon's flood of Heresies, what he objects against the usual opinion, to wit, That it was not the incursion of the Barbarous Nations, because some of them favoured Arrianism; the same might likewise be objected against what he says of the visible Professing Rulers to be the Earth then opposing those Eerrors in many Councils, though they favoured Superstition, and so might be accounted the Earth; but to that might be answered, amongst them were many in those times good and Orthodox men about the fourth Century, and yet (perhaps) more fitly it might be applied to the Bishops of Rome, and their party, that in those times, to get to themselves pre-eminence, did take upon them to end differences in Religion, and became in a sort famours thereby, getting honour and credit among men thereby, and being to be the Beast out of the Earth, acting for earthly ends, the Earth might be said to help the Woman, by withstanding errors against the Sacred Trinity, yet promoting Superstition, etc. and so might swallow up the flood.  
Rev. 13.] Concerning the two Beasts in the thirteenth Chapter, the said Author is very excellent, full and clear, above any I have seen, if he had timed their rising rightly, only he seems to confound the number of his Name, ver. 17. with the number of the Beast, ver. 18. whereas the first denotes evidently the remotest sort of Antichrists followers, that only may be reckoned or numbered amongst his party, which were to be in the last days, as they are described by the Apostle, 2 Tim. 3.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. when others of the Beasts party come in the latter times, which forbidden Marriage, and command to abstain from Meats, etc. 1 Tim. 4.1, 2, 3. But the number of the Beast, ver. 18. belongs to the Beast himself, concerning the Exposition whereof, he giveth a probable conjecture of his many errors, as the Sober Guests and others produce many more, which learned and industrious men have observed, and particularly opposing the Beasts number, to the 144000, or the measure of the Holy City; and I conceive the considering, it as numerus Terminans, as Dan. 5. may be more considerable than many think, as was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in another consideration, setting out 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 Babylon's 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 menifold monstrous Beast, wherein they are to be found in one respect on other; and so the largest comprehensive sense is like to prove the true sense, 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, setting out the opposite state of the true Church, in the same time, not successive (as this Author takes it) though the Beasts ruin 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, Rev. 15, & 16. which appears to be a larger explication of what was spoken of Antichrists downfall and ruin 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, sudden,  and cursed destruction and desolation of Rome about the sixth Vial, after which (probably) will succeed the conversion of the Jews, and the Armageddon Battle, upon 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 Battle of Gog, and Magog, chap. 20. to be the seventh Vial, I conceive to be much differing from the sense of the Scripture; and for that the seven Vials are called the seven last Plagues, which Phrase is the same in sense with the end of the days, Dan. 12. both setting forth the period of wicked Monarcy, 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 ruin, and poured out to accomplish it by degrees, which the last Vial finisheth, and reach no farther; and in this sense learned men understand the Oath 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 World, as after Noah's Flood, wherein Christ's 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, etc. 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 supportors 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 dinstinguishing 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 one 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 Father's 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 Christ's Sufferings, Phil. 3.10, 11. whence the Faithful are called the Children of the Resurrection, Luke 20.36. Yea observe farther, 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 spoke 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 for, for the time to come, and which they greatly exult in, and rejoice in aforehand, for the time to come, as a duty belonging to all Saints in that happy privilege upon Earth till then, and say they (We shall reign upon Earth) which is joined to the other, as an other 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 their 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 farther explained; and to make it clear, it must not be taken for Celestial Eternal Glory, the place is set down where that Reignishall be, namely, on Earth; and for the time, future, noting that it was not their present spiritual Reign, but they shall so reign there, viz. on Earth: What can be spoken more clearly? yet by him all together overlooked: So usual it is for prejudice to blind the eyes, even of otherwise judicious and good men: though some mysteries of God are discovered in their seasons, only to whom, and when, and so far only as he is pleased to reveal them; as Mr. Mede recordeth of a Tradition, that the Apocalypse should be little understood in Antichrists time, till about the twelfth Century, and suitable in some things afterwards, in such times as God sees good, etc.  
Again, he takes notice of another innumerable company, clothed in white, besides the 144000 sealed ones, chap. 7. which innumerable company of all People, Nations, and Languages, having Palms in their hands, he seems to understand of the flourishing state of the Church, when the Jews shall be called; and he hath many considerable Testimonies to that purpose in sundry places of his Book, but yet he doth not observe these of both companies are set forth to be clothed in white, which is after (as likewise before) the clothing of the inhabitants of the New Jerusalem that comes down from God, and makes this 144000, c. 7. & the other 144000, c. 14. the same (though they arise from several parts, as we shown, besides many disserences) But that their clothing in white is the badge of the Jerusalem-Inhabitants, consider how the fundamental Promise made to Christ as Mediator, first, to Adam and Eve, then to Abraham and Sarah, after to David, tend all this way, to advance such a Kingdom of the Mediator Christ Jesus upon Earth. First, after that God's everlasting Gospel, preached by himself when man had forfeited his dominion before-promised, chap. 1.26. and after could have no right to that nor other benefits, but through the promised-Seed; See how this is ascribed to Christ, as his peculiar right belonging to him, in Psal. 8. And see how the Apostle, Heb. 2. expounds it so, and that with referring it unto that world to come, ver. 5, 6, etc. in which world those white on's shall have their share, namely, in their reigning with Christ upon Earth: Having suffered with him, must reign with him there, as their Captain the King of the New-Jerusalem. See this farther in the personal Promise to Abraham first, and his Seed; Not seeds, as of many, but unto Thy Seed: As saith the Apostle, of one, viz. [Christ] concerning the Land of Canaan, who yet personally possessed not a foot, as the Scripture phrase is, save what he purchased for a Burying place with money, to show his part of that Inheritance; and faithful posterities part was to be had after the Resurrection, and their bones, as joseph's, took and have kept possession thereof ever since, and will do, till they be raised to live upon it again. And so after again, the said Promise was renewed to Isaac, the type of Christ, the Seed of the Woman, in a supernatural way, though Abraham's likewise; And to Jacob, that was Israel for prevailing with God, having seen the Vision of God before. And therefore the Apostle saith of them both, They were Heirs with Abraham of the same Promise; to whom it was said, Gen. 17.8. I will give unto thee, and thy Seed after thee. The first right is his own, which is held only by Faith while he lived, and therefore the actual possession yet remains to be enjoyed; 
Vide Gen. 26.3. to Isaac, & Gen. 35.3. the like to Jacob; and to all three Abraham, Isaac and Jacob together, Exod. 6.4, 8. Deut. 11.21. & 30.20.  and so to Isaac and ●acob, who possessed it no more than Abraham in their lives; therefore Gal. 3.16. with Heb. 11.9, 10. they sojourned in that Land of Promise, as Strangers, dwelling in Tabernacles, with those Heirs with him of the same Promise, & v. 17. shows the drift of this Promise was to be fulfilled in Christ the promised Seed, to possess the Land, and the rest by, and with him. Let these Scriptures, and their contexts, be well weighed, with Heb. 11.9, 10. for what these Promises did refer to, is evident, ver. 10 namely, the Jerusalem coming down from Heaven, whose maker and builder is God: and verse. last, he hath provided for them a City: again, ver. 14. They sought a Country [not Mesoptamia] but a better Country, ver. 16. and for which God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a City: To this purpose he tells Moses, Exod. 3.14. that that should be his Memorial throughout all Generations, that he is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: and upon this Foundation are those many promises in Moses and in the following Prophets, that God would reduce their posterity after all their dispersion, to possess that Land, as in Deut. 30. to for 11. and many other places, too many here to rehearse; and in Vision revealed the same to Daniel, chap. 7. both how and when all should be fulfilled, when the Kingdom should be given to the Saints of the most High: which is yet more clear and manifest by Christ himself, Rev. 20. which is the same which this Author misapplyed, c. 11.15. When the Kingdoms of the World are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ; that is, in another manner than at the first revealing of Antichrist (as he understands it) yet gloriously, eminently, visibly, when he hath taken unto himself his Great Power, and Reigned, having begun wonderfully to subdue his enemies under his feet at the destruction of Antichrist: And this is the drift of our Saviour's argument against the Saducees, as Mr. Mede makes evident on Mat. 22. Mark 12. that God was the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: therefore they shall live again to inherit the Premise of the Covenant to possess the Land of Canaan: I do but here briefly hint a few things out of multitudes to the like purpose: Vide the Irenicon.  
And here from the whole Book of Revelation, I may offer this one thing observable, namely, That all sorts of faithful Christians in their several Ages and Conditions, have their special encouragement held out in something referring to the New Jerusalem on Earth, though many overlook them, or at least they have not been revealed to them; for men in this case are like Hagar, till God opened her eyes in a special manner, she saw not the Well of Water before her; so no sort seem to discern these things, till in some remarkable way they be made manifest to them.  
First, The seven Churches of Asia in the first Vision have each their Promises made, in reference to the State of the New Jerusalem upon Earth.  
Secondly, The Representatives of the whole true Church, viz. the four Beasts, and four and twenty Elders, Rev. 5.10. in particular praise for, and rejoice in, their reign upon Earth, to come, which by faith they see aforehand; and more especially that seems to be the encouragement to the Sufferers under the five first Seals; and (as was said) seemed so to be applied by them.  
Afterwards, the sealed one's in the East, chap. 7. under the Woe Trumpets, as Rev. 9.4. they have the New Jerusalem habit upon them, as they shall be there happy, and celebrate God's praise; and so do the innumerable company of the Nations after them, chap. 7. as is evident in the last part of that Chapter.  
Again, The four Angels are stayed from their blowing the four first Trumpets, which fell for the most part upon the Western Empire, until the Angel, chap. 8.3, 4, 5. (probably the Angel of the Covenant) had made intercession for the faithful Christians under those four first Trumpets, with much Incense, with the Prayers of the Saints there abiding, that they might be accepted, who was their spiritual Priest to intercede for them, and their King to protect them spiritually.  
Again, Chap. 11. the two Witnesses prophesying in Sackcloth 1260 days, have as a general Consolation to the Church, all that time foreshowed to them that they shall rise again, and ascend into Heaven at the end of the days; and soon after have the state of the Kingdom of Christ on Earth, foreshowed unto them in the end of the same Chapter.  
So likewise the other 144000 Lamb-followers in the Western Empire, are set forth to be with the Lamb in Mount Zion, and have this Character of the New Jerusalem upon them, That they have his Fathers Name written upon their Foreheads, Chap. 14.1.  
Again, Those that should be Sufferers under Antichrist, towards his fall, they sing the Song of Moses, coming out of their Wilderness-condition, and praise God for his Judgements upon their Persecutors, and have the entrance of Christ's Kingdom upon Earth, set before them, for their comfort, Chap. 15.4, 5. so that unto this scope drive the Consolations of the sufferers and faithful Christians of all times, since this most holy and comfortable Book was given to Christ's Church; and so both those Arms of that Red Sea of Blood, running through the Eastern and Western Empires in the Churches, meet together at the borders of the Land of Canaan, promised to the Forefathers and their Seed, about the end of the sixth Trumpet, and entrance of the seventh: And whether it reacheth further than unto that New World, may seem questionable: First, because it is one of the Woe Trumpets, and no such things seem suitable to the Kingdom of Christ upon Earth in the thousand years: Secondly, because the whole continuance of that is set forth by another Title, for the comfort of the Church; namely, Of the Saints reign with Christ a thousand years, as it were by way of distinction from the former suffering times of the Church: Thirdly, there is nothing clearly said in the Text, that it should continue longer than to bring the Woes upon Antichrists Kingdom, and other Enemies in the World, and seems to end with the last Plagues; so called, because they are the portion of the Church's Persecutors before the thousand years, and utterly bring them to perdition; and as the sixth Vial seems to end with the Armageddon-Battel, Chap. 19 so the seventh binds and shuts up Satan for that thousand years, wherein he must no more seduce the Nations, Chap. 20.  
And what this Author saith of Satan's being cast into the Lake after the thousand years, as a Vial, and the last Vial of the seven, is contrary to the Text, Rev. 16. at the latter end of the Chapter, where it is said, that when the seventh Vial was poured out, the great City was divided into three parts; and then great Babylon came in remembrance before God, executed, Chap. 18. which will be done above a thousand years before Satan's casting into the Lake of fire, where the Beast and the false Prophet were cast so long before: Besides, Satan's casting into the Lake, seems not to be reckoned in the nature of such Vials as gradually brought destruction on the Beast, and other persecuting Enemies on Earth, but as his last doom, at the comsummation of all things, and the dissolution of the World; which is as much a mercy to such as are saved, as a beginning of woe and wrath to Satan, and all damned Men and Devils; but an end only to the being of inferior Creatures, which had long before in the thousand years enjoyed the liberty of the Sons of God; as is said, Rom. 8.21. Again, the drift of the Trumpets were to blow out Wrath and Judgement upon the Earth, and Grass, and Trees, Chap. 9.4, etc. and such things as were upon the Earth belonging to wicked men, till they should be destroyed from off the face of it, and there to end; and Satan was then bound in the Pit, when there was no work for him to seduce such after their destruction, who was their Captain and Counsellor before.  
It is likewise observable what Mr. Mede saith of the thousand years wherein the Saints were to reign, that Satan aforehand, in the time of Antichrist, set them up in a false way of reigning, to eclipse their true reigning that afterward they should have on Earth; and therefore taught Antichrists Followers to set them up superstitiously and idolatrously, to worship and pray to them, and before their Shrines and Images, making them sinfully to have a reign with Christ on Earth, in show, but really against him and his Father: And all that said time of Antichrist, he hath played the Ape, in seeking to pour out the Vials upon Christ's Kingdom to come, as Christ had before declared, that he had seven Angels in their times to pour out seven Vials to the destruction and ruin of Antichrist.  
The first of Satan's seeming Vials was, by imposing Chiliasm upon it, by carnal pleasures, and typical Worship, though upon slight, unjust, and false pretences, as Mr. Mede manifests.  
Secondly, By the advantage thereof, he obtained that some of the Ancient Fathers were so prejudiced that they wrote against it, though the former, for the most part, were for it.  
Thirdly, By such prejudice, and the like, he obtained that good men all along misplaced the thousand years by way of anticipation, though differing in the time they began, and expounding them all along the Pope's time, only of a Spiritual Reign.  
Fourthly, By Popish false Glosses and Expositions upon all the Revelation, and that part in particular, etc.  
Fifthly, By seducing men of latter times, since the Light of Truth began more than of a long time before to break forth, to seek disorderly to set up Christ's Kingdom, which will be God's own work in his own time, to anticipate the same, and that by acting against the Divine Precepts that Christ came to establish in casting off due obedience unto Magistrates, and endeavours to suppress the Ministry, thereby to scandalise the Doctrine of Christ's Kingdom on Earth.  
Sixthly, More lately by such as this Author names in the end of his Book, 
Gr. & Ha.  concerning whom he declares much in a few lines, who would make the Revelation an History of things past, rather than a Prophecy of things so long to come; so that 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 Christ's Reign, whereunto they are not compatible, 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 ways from all the Vials, as well as in time, etc. And thus of Satan's 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 Satan's 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 Triumphant, besides the many considerable reasons to the contrary, in the Letter of Novemb. 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 Catholic Church, (I conceive rightly) and that the beloved City, Cap. 21.2. spoken of Chap 20. as being before the Battle 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 ruin, 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 deciphering 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, etc. and what was said of the ruin of Babylon, Chap. 14. explained by the Vials, Chap. 15, and 16. and further, of the last Vials, Chap. 18, 19, and part of 20. and so somethings in the 19, and 20. further explained, Chap. 21, and 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 St. Paul had in some respect shown 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 Christ's, than 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, etc.) 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 sense in Reason or Religion can fitly be applied 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 solidly 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, etc.  
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, etc. 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 Irenicon, and the forenamed Authors, it is, actum agere, to say much of it, etc.  
And for the number of a thousand years to be taken indefinitely, as it is contrary to the judgement 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, etc. 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 than 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 than they have done in many Ages last passed, when that said Glorious Appearance of Christ, and beginning of the Day of Judgement, and Joyful Resurrection following upon it, do in their order near 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.   

A Paper of Septemb. 27.1664. concerning the Personal Appearance and Reign of Christ, Rev. 20.4.  
AS for the personal appearance of Christ at the destruction of Antichrist, and the general calling of the Jews, when that Nation shall be born in a day, as Isa. 66.8. many Texts of Scripture seem to me fully to evidence it; as first, that great Promise, That they shall look upon him whom they have pierced, and mourn; with such a penitent Contrition promised to them in mercy, Zac. 12.10. compared with Rev. 1.7. with Even so Amen, as a great mercy in its time to be accomplished. And from Saint Peter's Sermon to the Jews, when he tells them, That the times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord, at the restitution of all things, shall come, when God will send Jesus, whom the Heavens must contain till then, Act. 3.19, 20, 21. which the Apostle Paul calls, Christ's appearing at his Kingdom, 2 Tim. 4.1. and in Dan. 7. after the little Horn (the Pope) spoken of before, verse 9 the Ancient of Days did sit, and in 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 deciphered, 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, until 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 judgement, 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 Christ's 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 World's 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 liable 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 immediately appear, vers. 11. And many of the Prophet's 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 veil 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 God's right hand; or in what manner the Ark of God's 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 Rejoicing 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 hid 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 shown on Rev. 20.5. of the first bodily Resurrection 1000 years before the rest of the dead, for at his Appearance and Kingdom, 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, etc. 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, etc.  
FINIS.