_Caius_, who was
contemporary with _Tertullian_, [7] tells us that _Cerinthus_ wrote his
Revelations as a great Apostle, and pretended the visions were shewn him by
Angels, asserting a _millennium_ of carnal pleasures at _Jerusalem_ after
the resurrection; so that his _Apocalypse_ was plainly written in imitation
of _John_'s: and yet he lived so early, that [8] he resisted the Apostles
at _Jerusalem_ in or before the first year of _Claudius_, that is, 26 years
before the death of _Nero_, and [9] died before _John_.
These reasons may suffice for determining the time; and yet there is one
more, which to considering men may seem a good reason, to others not. I'll
propound it, and leave it to every man's judgment. The _Apocalypse_ seems
to be alluded to in the Epistles of _Peter_ and that to the _Hebrews_ and
therefore to have been written before them. Such allusions in the Epistle
to the _Hebrews_, I take to be the discourses concerning the High-Priest in
the heavenly Tabernacle, who is both Priest and King, as was _Melchisedec_;
and those concerning the _word of God_, with the _sharp two-edged sword_,
the [Greek: sabbatismos], or _millennial_ rest, the _earth whose end is to
be burned_, suppose by the lake of fire, _the judgment and fiery
indignation which shall devour the adversaries_, the _heavenly City which
hath foundations whose builder and maker is God_, the _cloud of witnesses,
mount _Sion_, heavenly _Jerusalem_, general assembly, spirits of just men
made perfect_, viz.
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