An Essay to the explaining of the Revelation wherein amongst other things of great moment, is proved, that by the beast is meant an universal monarch which shall hereafter arise out of the Roman empire : that there shall be a fifth kingdom upon the earth, (namely that of the saints) together with the manner thereof, and that the New Jerusalem is a city properly so called, which God hath reserved in heaven for the saints.

Vers. 5. And he that sat upon the throne, said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write; for these words are true and faithful.

Vers. 6. And he said unto me, It is done, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end: I will give unto him that is athirst, of the fountain of the Water of life freely.

Vers. 7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

Vers. 8. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whore∣mongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

The making of all things new, is altogether necessary to the happiness of the Saints; yet seeing this was a thing, which for the greatness thereof was likely to finde but little credit amongst men (as we by experience finde it come to pass) God is not content with what others from heaven had spoken of it, but doth himself say to John, Behold, I make all things new; and not only so, but com∣mandeth John to write the same, that it may remain upon Record for ever, alledging this as the reason, namely because the words which both he himself and others had uttered concerning this matter were true and faithful. Which Epithets are not therefore used by God, that he might only signifie that there was no falshood in the words aforesaid, (for then what will become of the emphasis that lieth in the word these, it being impossible that any speech proceeding from God should be false?) but rather to intimate that there was nothing in them obscure and uncertain, as it fareth with sundry other sayings of God, which are very doubtful and hard to be understood. Thus when Daniel had declared to Nebu∣chadnezzar very plainly, both his dream and the inter∣pretation thereof, he saith in the close of his speech, (as the Greek version, not varying from the Original Syriack, hath it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, The dream is true, and the interpretation thereof faithful, or sure, Chap. 2.45. It is also said Chap. 8.26. after that the visions hapning to Daniel at evening on his bed, and in the morning when he was risen up from thence, had been fully explained, the vision of the evening and the morning, which was told, is true. Finally when Daniel Chap. 7. had seen certain visions, and was at first troubled about the sence of them, but afterwards understood it, he writeth thus, verse 16.17, 18, 19. I came neer unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this, so he told me and made me how the interpretation of the

things These great Beasts, which are four, are four Kings, which shall arise out of the earth. But the Saints of the most high shall take the Kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others. From whence it is evident that to know the truth of visions, is to understand the interpretation, and meaning of them. Wherefore to return to the foresaid passage of the Revelation, when it is said, These words are true and faithful, it is all one as if it had been said, These words are plain, and certain, and to be taken as they sound: and consequently such as go about to turn the prophecy touching the New heaven and the New earth, and the descent of the New Jerusalem, and the making of all things new into an allegory, do exceedingly erre from the true and genuine meaning thereof. But God hath not yet ceased to inculcate the making of all things new, because of the infinite consequence thereof. Where∣fore to shew how certain the same is, he speaketh of it though to come, as if it were already past, saying, it is done: he also backeth it with a strong reason, the better to imprint the belief thereof, in the minds of men, whilest he saith that he is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. The connexion of which reason with the thing to be proved thereby, is this, that seeing God is not wont, like frail and fickle man to do his work by halfes, but throughly to effect them, it cannot be but that having once begun the salvation of the Saints, he should at length accomplish the same, and in order thereunto make all things new. God having thus fully declared his purpose to make all things new, doth afterwards invite men to come and partake of the water of life freely, without money and without price. The fountain, where this water springeth, is in the beginning of the following Chapter said to be the throne of God and the Lamb, and therefore we are not to understand any water figuratively

so taken, but such as being received into the body, caus∣eth eternal Life in those that drink it. But the Invitation to drink of this Water is made to none by God, save such as thirst after it, and so have an ardent desire to en∣joy the benefit of the same. What shall we then say to those, who are so far from longing to drink of this Wa∣ter, that they believe there is no such thing, turning all that is said thereof into an Allegory? In the next place God promiseth to them that overcome, that they shall in∣herit all things, namely, both the Heaven and the Earth that now are, and also those that are to come. For they (as I have before shewn) being such as lay down their Lives for the Gospel, have a Privilege above others that dy in the Lord, in that they are admitted to reign with Christ in Heaven long before the general Resurrection, and so like him are the Heirs of all things, and Sons of God in a more perfect manner than the rest of the Faith∣full, who though they enjoy eternal Life with Christ, yet are not vouchsafed the Honour to sit with him in his Throne. See Chap. 3.21. But as God is the God or sove∣raign Benefactour of those that suffer Death for the Con∣firmation of the Truth; so on the contrary, such as dare not out of cowardice to partake in the afflictions of the Go∣spel, or refuse to believe therein, or are filthy in their con∣versation, or unjustly deprive others of their Life, or de∣file themselves with Women, or use the confederacy of evil spirits to produce marvellous effects, or worship either false Gods, or the true God in a false manner, by Images which they make to themselves, or have guile in their mouth, not speaking as they mean, have their por∣tion assigned of God unto them in the Lake of Fire, which is here again said to be the second Death, and that suitably enough. For if the place wherein the Saints en∣joy everlasting pleasure, is in the Scripture called by the name of Life, (as appeareth by the Collation of Mark 9.47.

with Math. 18.9. In the former of which it is said, It is better having but one Eye to enter into the Kingdom of God: In the latter, It is better having but one Eye to enter into Life:) In like manner may Hell-fire, wherein the wicked feel everlasting pain, be styled by the name of Death.