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. 6. And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true. And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his Angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.

This is the third time that either God himself, or the Angels confirm the plain literal, and down right mean∣ing of those things that are spoken concerning the New Jerusalem, and the happiness of such as are to dwell there∣in. For I have before proved, Chap. 21.5. that when it is said, These sayings are faithful and true, it is all one as if it had been said, These sayings are evident and certain, and such as do of themselves leave no place for dispute. To esta∣blish which exposition of mine, consider further that the Apostle Paul doth in four several places, namely, 1 Tim. 1.15. and Chap. 3.1. and Chap. 4.9. and Titus 3.8. tell us that such a point is a faithful saying, when the thing whereof he speaketh, conteineth in it self no hard and

mystical sence, but is to be understood according to the plain purpose of the words. Why then should we prefer the imaginations of men before the express language of the Scripture, and adhere to such interpretations of this prophecy, as have no other ground but the bare word of those that obtrude them? When the Angel further ad∣deth that the Lord God of the holy prophets, sent his Angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done; this ought not to be understood of the same Angel that here talketh with John, otherwise he would rather have said, The Lord God of the holy prophets hath sent me. Again, the things which this Angel shewed to John, are so far from being done shortly after, that they are not as yet come to pass. Wherefore this saying, (as will easily ap∣pear from the same words used in both places) hath relation to that other Angel which is mentioned in the very entrance of the Revelation, and who shewed such things to John, as began a little after to be put in execu∣tion. Set Chap. 3.10. where it is said, Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the wold, to try them that dwell upon the earth. See also the opening of the Seals, whereof we read in the sixth Chapter.