The Saints Rising Out of the Heap, Title page – Preface
foreign, OR The Saints Riſing Out of the Heap or Maſs of dead Bodies contained in the Globe of the Earth and Sea, at the firſt bleſſed Reſurrection Decyphered by Chriſt, Rev. 20.5.
Whereunto, by way of Preface, is here prefixed, The Compriſal of the Subſtance of our former Parcels: With further, and more evident Diſcoveries, which may fitly be called, The Marrow of Divine Revelation Myſteries.
Opened by that Key given By Chriſt himſelf for that uſe and purpoſe, Rev. 20. & 21. & 22.
foreign.
If by any means I might attain unto the Reſurrection of the dead, Phil. 3.11.
The reſt of the Dead lived not till the thouſand years were ended, Rev. 20.5.
Now I ſay that Jeſus Christ was a Miniſter of the Circumciſion, for the truth of God, to confirm the Promiſes made unto the Fathers, Rom. 15.8.
By William Sherwin, Miniſter of the Goſpel.
London, Printed 1674.
The firſt Bodily Reſurrection of the Saints a Thouſand Years before the reſt of the Dead, Rev. 20.5.
1. Proved four wayes.
1. From the Text, with its dependancy as a Revelation, and compared with Chriſts Doctrine thereof, Luke 20.35, 36.
2. From the Context, as an explication of Daniels Viſion of the ſame matter and time, Dan. 7.9, 10, &c.
3. From many other Scriptures, Reaſons and Arguments (together with our whole Syſtem premiſed) proving the ſame.
1. Poſitively, that it is Bodyly.
2. Negatively, that it is not ſpiritual, &c.
4. From ſundry Texts in the Old and New Teſtament, ſpeaking of the ſame thing of which this Revelation, ch. 20, &c. is a ſure Explication, with Anſwers to ſundry Objections.
2. Improved to divers uſes.
1. For Information, in nine particulars.
2. By Reference to Uſes of Terror and Conſolation before.
3. For Admonition and Warning to all that profeſs Chriſtian Religion, now in the due ſeaſon to approve themſelves as Wiſe Virgins, both in preparing and watching for the Bridegrooms coming, ſhortly approaching, Rev. 16.15.
4. For Exhortation alſo, to all ſuch, to thankfulneſs, &c.
The Compriſal of our whole work, and the Divine Myſteries therein explained and confirmed by many ſorts of Arguments, deducted and drawn from the ſame Principles by way of Preface unto a following Tract on Rev. 20.5.
DEar Chriſtians, whoſe part ſhall be in the firſt bleſſed Reſurrection, a thouſand years before the reſt of the Dead. We having been, by Gods ſpecial Grace, formerly lead in the way of Diſcovery, as by many other uſeful diſtinctions contained in our Key, and applyed in our whole work, ſo particularly by our Diſtinctions, Aſſert. 6. of the ſame, of the ſeveral ſenſes of the comings of Chriſt, and more eſpecially having firſt thereupon been led on in the compoſing of our Practical Tract upon Rev. 22.20. ſetting forth Chriſts ſecond Perſonal coming to deſtroy Antichriſt, 1 Theſ. 2.8. Dan. 7.9, 11, 13, 14. many ways diſtinguiſhed from his deſcending a thouſand years after, at the laſt Trump and general Rapture, and glorious change of all the Saints, 1 Theſ. 4.15, 16. & 1 Cor. 15.51, 52. For at the former he brings all the Spirits of the deceaſed Saints that ſleep in Jeſus with him: at the latter, they, and all the reſt of the Saints, departed afterwards, ſhall in the twinkling of an eye be rapt up to meet him in the air. From the former Chriſt withdraws at the end of the thouſand years; after the latter, they ſhall ever be with him the Lord. In the former, he comes in the Clouds, that through them mortal eyes may then behold him: upon the latter, all Clouds will be aboliſhed, and Heaven and Earth will flee away before his face, and no plaee be found for them, Rev. 20.11. when the rapt Saints eyes and wicked mens then raiſed will be fitted to behold his glory on the great white Throne: at the former the wicked Quick will be judged with temporal deſtruction, viz. Turk and Pope, and ſuch as do offend and work iniquity will be taken out of his Kingdom, Mat. 13.41. at the latter, the Saints will firſt be rapt up before the wicked riſe to be judged: at the former, the Saints will be judged with a judgment of reward in this world in the thouſand years, Rev. 11.19. having before there ſuffered for Chriſt, they ſhall then reign with him, upon the firſt ſaid Reſurrection: at the latter, they ſhall be joyned with Chriſt in judging the wicked: at the former he comes from the right hand of his Father, to make his foes his footſtoole; at the latter, he is ſaid to deſcend with a ſhout, and the voice of an Arch-angel and the Trump of God: at the firſt, he puts down all Rule, and all Authority, and Power that ſtood againſt him, 1 Cor. 15.24. at the latter, he deſtroys the laſt enemy, Death, v. 25. above a thouſand years after: at the former, Ezekiels Gog and Magog, ch. 38. 39. viz. the Turk and Pope will be deſtroyed. The Turk with a complication of Judgments, v. 22. the other, by the laſt Vial, Rev. 16. & Rev. 19. & Rev. 11. 19. before the New Jeruſalem, called Jehovah Shamma, ſhall be ſet up, Ezek. 40. to the end of that book, wherein Daniel agrees, ch. 11.45. and ch. 12.1, 2, 3. at the latter, the laſt Gog and Magog ſhall be conſumed with fire from God out of Heaven, Rev. 20.9. at the former will be the New Heavens, and the New Earth, being the time of the reſtitution of all things; at the latter, will be the end of the world, and the diſſolution of all things: at the former, only the Saints will be raiſed, at the firſt bodily Reſurrection which Chriſt brought with him; but at the latter, all the reſt of the dead, viz. Saints departed ſince that former coming, and all the wicked at the laſt Trump. Theſe, or the like we conſidered in the foreſaid Tract.
We alſo found from Acts 3.19, 20, 21. that God had ſpoken of things to be before in and after the ſaid thouſand years, as we have ſet down in 36. particulars in our firſt convincing Argument in the Word Written) by the mouth of all his holy Prophets ſince the world began, which we have in order made manifeſt from page 44. of our Irenic. but more eſpecially in ch. 5,6,7,8. of the ſame, which may deſerve your ſerious reading, and conſideration, as being another Divine Foundation of the ſame Truths.
Likewiſe upon the drawing up of thoſe 16 Divine Theſes, or Poſitions, page 3, 4, 5, 6. of the Irenicon, in the 11 and 12th of them is contained that needful Diſtinction of the two fold Conſideration of Chriſts execution of his three great Offices. 1. In reſpect of his Univerſal Church in the three great Periods of the world: as the work the Father gave him to do in all times of his Mediatorſhip. 2. In regard of the benefit always flowing from that undertaking to all Gods faithful people by the operation of the holy Spirit in their Souls, &c. The former we have handled in our next Practical piece on Gen. 3.15. confirmed therein by Scripture, Reaſon, Experience, with many improvements made thereof in the ſaid Treatiſe, drawn up upon that ſaid account, which I wiſh may be well conſidered by all Chriſtians as another Foundation of them.
In the next place we have as it were in ſome ſort paſſed per ſaltum unto the 20th chap. of the Revelation: (many others having of late uſefully handled things in the firſt 19 Chapters) by our Abridgments thereof, of the order of the times of the ſeven Seals, Trumpets and Vials; and of the Seal Propheſie, and Book Propheſie, and in the Scheme of the Contemporaries in both, all which we mentioned in our late account, which are almoſt accompliſhed, being all before the Date of the Man of Sin be expired: that we might ſo more ſpeedily come to the conſideration of the thouſand years, ch. 20. wherein Chriſt will reign with his raiſed Saints in the world, as is plainly aſſerted by the repreſentatives, Rev 5.10. which was our main drift, by Gods gracious aſſiſtance, for the uſe of all his faithful people, whoſe concernment we are more and more aſſertained it will ſhortly more and more appear to be exceedingly above what is uſually by moſt Chriſtians apprehended of it: And alſo by Abridgments of Daniels Viſions for the Diſcovery of the Series, and order of both thoſe Myſtical Propheſies of Dan. and the Revel. and thereupon (as the 4th head of our method propounded ch. 1. of the Irenicon) we compoſed our Book of Parallels to manifeſt the Revelation to be a Divine Myſtical Comment upon the ſealed, or ſhut up parts or ſhort hints in Daniels Propheſie; which our Saviour hath orderly (though Myſtically) explained, as we have often ſaid, (and it is a great truth of this nature to be known) whereby many former miſtakes of many men are evidently diſcovered (as we hinted formerly, Aſſert. 5. of the Key) for he that once attains, but competently, to apprehend the ſubject, nature, order of times and ſcope of the book of the Revelation hath made a good progreſs in the ſtudy of that moſt excellent Divine book of Propheſie. I will thus for your benefit a little here touch upon them.
1. Firſt the Subject thereof are the Fates and State of the Church, and her Enemies in the Roman Empire from Chriſts Aſcention to his coming again, to ch. 20. where firſt of the Aſian Churches Declention, and the great Red Dragons 10 Perſecutions till Conſtantines time for above 300 years to the end of the 6th Seal, Rev. 6. And then come on Gods Judgments upon the Empire for perſecuting the Saints before, in ruining the Civil State thereof by the blaſts of the 7 Trumpets, proceeding out of the ſeventh Seal; the 4 firſt whereof being the milder (yet by the barbarous Nations deadly wounded the Weſtern part in the ſixth head of the Emperours, ch. 8.) and about An. 600, The firſt Woe Trumpet the Saracens, Rev. 9.1. fell upon a great part of the Eaſtern Empire, being the King of the South, Dan. 11.40. and about 1100. the Turk began to overflow with his multitudes, Dan. 11.40. being the King of the North, and the 2d Woe Trumpet, Rev. 9.11. and the utter deſolation of the laſt head who healed the deadly wound given to the former head will be at Chriſts appearance and Kingdom, Rev. 11.15.
2. Secondly, The nature of this book is a double Scheme of theſe things that concern the Civil State ond Eccleſiaſtical State, and accordingly twice running over the ſame times, in reſpect of each of them for about 1660. years and more. Firſt in the Seal Propheſie, ch. 6, 7, 8, 9. And then again of the Eccleſiaſtick State in the little book, ch. 10. which begins ch. 12. with the ſaid primative perſecutions in the Battle with the Dragon, &c. and the Churches time, times, and an half from her entering into her wilderneſs condition: wherein the Lords two Witneſſes feed her by their Miniſtry 1260. years, during Antichriſts perſecutions 42. months of years, (which are all the ſame time, ch. 13.) and as the true Church was nouriſhed by the ſaid Witneſſes along her Wilderneſs condition; ſo by their Preaching ſhall Antichriſt in the time of the ſeven Vials be conſumed thereby as by the breath of Chriſts mouth, ch. 14. which Vials are ſet down, ch. 15, 16. and explained and executed to ch. 20. about the time the laſt ſaid Myſtical Trumpet will ſound, ch. 11.15. when the Kingdoms of the world ſhall become the Kingdoms of God, and of his Chriſt.
3. Thirdly for the order and times thereof; See our ſeveral Abridgments mentioned in our Account, p. 4. Inreference to the Parallel a Breviate of which ye may alſo obſerve afterwards in conſidering Davids ſure Mercies to be performed in Chriſt, after he as Gods Commiſſioner upon his receivlng the Book with ſeven Seals given to him by the Father, Rev. 11.1. to open the Seals, and execute the Contents of the ſame, until he ſit upon the Throne of his Father David, Luke 1.32. which will be Davids ſure Mercies reſpecting his Kingdom for ever.
4. Fourthly, as for the End, Drift and Scope of Revelation Propheſie, we have of late ſpecially endeavoured to manifeſt it to be to ſhew to the Church of Chriſt what advantage and benefit ſhe ſhall have by means of her former ſufferings for Chriſt, viz. to reign with him in his Davidical Kingdom in the world, which as it may be manifeſt by our 8 Convincing Arguments in the Word Written, and by our 12 Foundations of Faith: and our New Jeruſalem upon Jer. 3.17. and alſo from our Key and account, yet we having of late obtained, by the ſame grace of God, ſome farther Diſcoveries to this purpoſe, concerning this farther Aſſertion reſpecting the drift and ſcope of Revelation Propheſie, namely, That ch. Rev. 20. with the Jeruſalem State ſet forth, Rev. 21, & 22. are the great Key of all antient revealed and promiſed Mercies to the faithful Forefathers and their ſpiritual Seed, chiefly to be fulfilled in that ſtate and time of the ſaid 1000. years; which that they ſhall be in the world, may appear by our 15 Reaſons approved of by the Learned, in our New Jeruſalem, page 9, 10, 11. which excellent uſeful Key, as it is Divinely fitted by our great Prophet the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the faithful and true witneſs, to make a ſtrong, full and clear Diſcovery of the Wiſdom, Power and Juſtice of God againſt his, and his Churches Enemies: ſo eſpecially of the Mercy, Truth and Faithfulneſs of God towards his faithful Servants, as being revealed, carried on, and to be perfected; and that in many particulars, chiefly in thoſe times which all true Chriſtians ſhould in theſe laſt times, wherein they draw on a pace to be fulfilled, know and be well inſtructed in, for their encouragement and comfort, at preſent, to glorifie God aforehand in reſpect of their Faith of them, that ſo they may be better fitted and prepared hereafter ſo to do, when they ſhall find in the enjoyment of them from what antient foundations of Faith, ſuch manifold great happineſs will be then derived unto them, in that world to come, Heb. 2.5. in the renewed ſtate thereof; which I doubt not to manifeſt by the ſame Divine Aſſiſtance, very evidently to all ſerious unprejudiced and underſtanding Chriſtians, in the following Syſteme, of Gods moſt gracious Oeconomie or ordering his Houſhold the Church in the ſame reſpects, of ſuch revealed, promiſed, or convenanted Mercies, chiefly reſpecting thoſe times; but paſſing thence to eternal bleſſedneſs, for on ſuch, the ſecond Death ſhall have no power, &c.
Now as the glory of Gods wonderful free Grace, firſt publiſhed by himſelf to Adam and Eve, Gen. 3.15. was by their faith applyed as to redound to all their faithful Poſterity; ſo hath God been graciouſly pleaſed to derive many rivolets of like grace from the ſame fountain head, running their ſeveral courſes in their ſeveral times, but all falling in their fulleſt ſtreams (Divine Wiſdom and Goodneſs ſo ordering the ſame) as it were into thoſe more narrow Seas or Streights of the ſaid 1000 years, and from thence paſſing into the vaſt Ocean of Eternity, whither they Saints ſhall all be conveighed in due time, order and manner from their happy enjoyments in that ſtate appointed for them; wherein in the mean time his Wiſdom, Mercy, Truth and Faithfulneſs will in ſuch reſpects ſhine out gloriouſly to them in ſo great enjoyments as they ſhall then obtain, and will be thereby many ways more fitted (with the bleſſed Angels) to glorifie God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in their rendering all due praiſe unto him for the ſame, both then, and for ever more: which they could never do if the raiſed Saints at the firſt ſaid Reſurrection of their bodies had not a part in all the happineſs of that tryumphant ſtate of Chriſts Church in the ſaid 1000. years; and in all the benefits and priviledges thereof, viz. of the ſaid revealed Promiſes and Covenants to the Fathers of old and their ſpiritual Seed, which we hope to maniſeſt in what follows, to be according to the word of Gods ſaid Revealed Grace, &c. And to that purpoſe we now proceed to the ſaid Syſteme of Gods declared Mercy at the fall of Man, and in all the ſucceeding Millenniums, or thouſands of years in order following.