thereof and every particular Expreffion therein is fignificative: The Subject here treated of is concerning the State of the Church, when all the Knowledges of Truth from the Word are destroyed, in Confequence whereof Man becoming fenfual perfuadeth himself that Falfities are, Truths. By a Star fallen from Heaven are fignified the Knowledges of Truth deftroyed: By the Sun and Air being darkened is fignified the Light of Truth made Darkness: By Locufts which came forth from the Smoke of the Pit, are fignified Falfes in the Extremes, such as appertain to those who are become fenfual, and who fee and judge all Things according to Fallacies: By a Scorpion is fignified their perfuafive [Principle or Faculty]: By the Locufts appearing as Horfes prepared for Battle, is fignified their Ratiocinations as from the Understanding of Truth: By the Locufts having Crowns like unto Gold upon their Heads, and having Faces as the Faces of Men, is fignified, that they appeared to themselves as Conquerors

and

and as Wife: By their having Hair as the Hair of Women, is fignified, that they appeared to themselves as if they were in the Affection of Truth: By their having Teeth as Lions Teeth, is fignified, that the fenfual Things, which are the Ultimates of the natural Man, appeared to them as if they had Power over all Things: By their having BreastPlates as Breaft-Plates of Iron, are fignified Argumentations grounded in Fallacies, by which they fight and prevail: By the Voice of their Wings being as the Voice of Chariots rushing to Battle, are fignified Ratiocinations as if grounded in the Truths of Doctrine from the Word, for which they were to combat: By their having Tails as Scorpions are fignified Perfuafions: By their having Stings in their Tails are fignified the cunning Arts of deceiving thereby : By their having Power to hurt Men five Months, is fignified that they induce: a Kind of Stupor on thofe who are principled in the Understanding of Truth and in the Perception of Good:

By their having a King over them, an Angel of the Abyfs, whofe Name is Abaddon or Apollyon, is fignified, that their Falfes were from Hell, the Abode of those who are merely natural, and principled in Self-Intelligence. This is the fpiritual Sense of these Words, whereof Nothing appears in the Senfe of the Letter, and the like fpiritual Senfe is contained in every Part of the Book of the Revelation. It is to be obferved, that in the spiritual Sense the Whole has a regular Connection and Coherence, to effect and perfect which, each particular Expreffion in the literal or natural Senfe is conducive, infomuch that if a fingle Word was taken away, the Connection would be broken, and the Coherence perish; therefore, to prevent this, it is added at the End of this prophetical Book, "that not a Word "should be taken away," Rev. xxii. 19. The Cafe is fimilar in Regard to the Books of the Prophets of the Old Testarnent, from which left any Thing fhould be taken away, it was effected by the Divine

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Divine Providence of the Lord, that each Particular therein, even to the Letters, fhould be counted or numbered, which was done by the Maffo retes.*

14. The Lord, in fpeaking to his Difciples concerning the Confummation of the Age, which is the last Time of the Church, at the Clofe of the feveral Predictions refpecting it's fucceffive Changes of State, faith, "Immediately "after the Tribulation of those Days, "the Sun fhall be darkened, and the "Moon fhall not give her Light, and "the Stars fhall fall from Heaven, and "the Powers of the Heavens fhall be "fhaken. And then fhall appear the

*It may be expedient to inform the unlearned Reader, that the Mafforetes were Jewish Doctors, Authors of the Maffora, which was a Critique on the Hebrew Text of the Bible, wherein were numbered the Verfes, Words, and Letters of the Text, and all the Variations of it marked; the Design of which Work was, to secure the Text from any Alterations which might otherwise happen, and to serve, according to the Jewish Ex preffion, as a Hedge to the Law.

Sign of the Son of Man in Heaven; " and then fhall all the Tribes of the "Earth mourn; and they fhall fee the "Son of Man coming in the Clouds of "Heaven with Power and much Glory. "And he fhall fend forth his Angels "with a Trumpet and a great Voice, "and they fhall gather together his Elect "from the four Winds, from one Ex"treme of the Heavens to the other," Matt. xxiv. 29, 30, 31. By thefe Words in a fpiritual Senfe is not meant, that the Sun and Moon fhould be darkened, that the Stars fhould fall from Heaven,' and that a Sign of the Lord fhould appear in Heaven, and that Men should fee him in the Clouds, and his Angels with Trumpets; but by each particular Expreffion is there meant Somewhat fpiritual refpecting the Church, concerning whofe final State thefe Things are fpoken: For in a spiritual Senfe, by the Sun which fhall be darkened, is meant the Lord as to the Principle of Love; by the Moon which fhall not give her Light, is meant the Lord as to the

Principle