GREAT BABYLON The Mother of Harlots abominations of That filthy Bloody City Rev. 17. THE CITY of GOD OR Kingdom of Christ IN The thousand years Reign before his Personal coming and appearing further asserted and cleared From the 21th Chapter of the Revelations Wherein you have the Mystery of the two Worlds Christs Anti-christs further explained Wherein you have the Mystery of the two Kingdoms Christs Anti-christs further explained Wherein you have the Mystery of the two Cities Jerusalem and Babylon further explained Wherein you have the Mystery of the two Women Bride and Whore further explained Wherein you have the Mystery of the two Creatures Lamb and Beast further explained Ps 87.3 Glorious things are spoken of thee thou City of God Ps 122.6 They shall prosper that love thee Ps 48.12 13. Walk about Zion and go round about her tell the Towers thereof mark ye well her Bulwarks consider her Pallaces that ye may tell it to the Generations following 〈◊〉 137.8 Oh Daughters of Babylon that art to be destroyed happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us â—â—ch 8.8 So they read in the Book in the Law of God distinctly and gave the sense and caused them to understand the reading London Printed in the Year of our Lord. 1672. THEOPOLIS OR THE CITY of GOD New JERUSALEM IN Opposition to the City of the Nations Great BABYLON Comprehending The blessing and benefit of Christs Kingdom in the thousand years Reign before his personal coming and appearing after the total ruine of the Beast and his Kingdom In a Coment upon the 20th and 21st Chapters of the Revelations With An Additional Answer to these two material Questions 1. Whether the thousand years Reign is not already past as Brightman and others affirm 2. Whether the natural Jew is not most concerned in the latter day Promises and Prophecies especially in the pulling down Babylon and Building of Zion as Maton and others assert Ezek. 4.1 Son of Man take thee a Tyle and Pourtray upon it the City Jerusalem Hos 12.10 I have multiplyed Visions and used similitudes Dan. 12.4 And many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall increase Ps 145.11 They shall speak of the glory of thy Kingdom and talk of thy Power Isa 57.14 Take up the stumbling-block out of the way of my people London Printed by T. Ratcliff and Nat. Thompson for Nathanie Ponder at the Peacock in Chancery-Lane 1672. THE INDEX Of the principal Heads treated of in the 20th Chapter THe Introduction Page 1 The Analasys or part of the Chapter Page 4 Rules to be observed in the exposition Page 9 Who the Dragon Page 13 Of the taking of the Dragon Page 24 Of the Angel that laid hold on the Dragon Page 28 What by Heaven Page 34 Of the Dragons binding Page 36 Of the bottomless Pit Page 40 Of the thousand years Page 43 Of the living of the Martyrs Page 47 Of the rest of the dead that lived not Page 60 Of the Reigning with Christ Page 63 Of being Priests of God Page 104 Of the the Second Death Page 107 Of the Dragons Release Page 109 Of Gog and Magog Page 110 Of the Camp of the Saints and beloved City Page 112 Of Fire from Heaven Page 113 Of the general Judgement Page 113 The Paraphrase Page 115 THE INDEX OF THE XXI CHAPTER in the second Part. THe Text of the 21th of the Revelations and part of the 22th Page 121 The Introduction Page 125 The Analysis or parts of the Chapter Page 130 Of the Angel that discovers the Vision Page 139 Of the Bride the Lambs Wife Page 139 Of the Mountain on which the City stands Page 143 Of Jerusalem that great and Holy City Page 145 Of the City's descent from Heaven Page 149 Of the glory of God upon her Page 151 Of the Wall Page 154 Of the City's four square Cubical figure Page 160 Of the precious Materials Page 162 Of the Tree and Water of Life Page 170 Of there being no Temple in it Page 172 Of the Kings of the Earth that bring their glory to it Page 176 Of the Throne of God and of the Lamb. Page 179 The Paraphrastical Exposition Page 202 The first Question necessary to be spoken to for the better clearing what hath been before asserted relating to the thousand years Reign is Page 211 The second Question Page 235 Gospel Principles to be observed concerning the Jew Page 237 XX. CHAP. Of the Revelations ANd I saw an Angel come down from Heaven having the Key of the bottomless Pit and a great Chain in his hand 2. And he laid hold on the Dragon that old Serpent which is the Devil and Satan and bound him a thousand years 3. And cast him into the bottomless Pit and shut him up and set a Seal upon him that he should deceive the Nations no more till the thousand years should be fulfilled and after that he must be loosed a little season 4. And I saw Thrones and they sat upon them and Judgement was given unto them and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the Word of God and which had not worshipped the Beast neither his Image neither had received their marks upon their foreheads or in their hands and they lived and Reigned with Christ a thousand years 5. But the rest of the dead lived not again till the thousand years were finished This is the first Resurrection 6. Blessed and Holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second death hath no power but they shall be Priests of God and of Christ and shall Reign with him a thousand years 7. And when the thousand years are expired Saton sâ—all be â—â—â—â—d 〈◊〉 of his prison 8. And shall go out to deceive the Nations which are in the quarters of the Earth Gog and Magog to gather them together to battel the number of whom is as the Land of the Sea 9. And they went up on the breadth of the Earth and compassed the Camp of the Saints about and the beloved City and fire came down from God out of Heaven and devoured them 10. And the Devil that deceived them was cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone where the Beast and false Prophet are and they shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever 11. And I saw a great white Throne and him that sat on it from whose face the Earth and Heaven fled away and there was found no place for them 12. And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of Life and the Dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their works 13. And the Sea gave up their dead which were in it and Hell delivered up the dead which were in them and they were judged every man according to their works 14. And Death
in Torment Beast and False-prophet 4. By the extremity and endlesness of it And shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever Then what follows the damning of the Dragon viz. The general judgment wherein is to be considered 1. The Majestical Enthronement of the Judge upon his Tribunal or Judgment seat partly by the glory thereof partly by the power of his presence And I saw a great white Throne and him that sat upon it from whose face the Earth and Heaven fled away and there was found no place for them 2. The order and manner of his judicial proceeding 1. By his conventing all before his Tribunal that were to be judged And I saw the Dead both small and great stand before God the Sea giving up the dead which were in it and the Graves delivering up the dead which were in them 2 By his final dooming or sentencing of them wherein note 1. The matrer of fact 2. The evidence produced for coviction And the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of Life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their works 3. The Exccution of the judicial sentence both upon Things and Persons 1. Things And Death and Hell were cast into the lake of fire This is the second Death 2. Persons And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire Having thus laid down the parts the next thing to be considered and enquired into is the meaning of the Spirit and what is held forth to us by this Parabolical and misterious Prophecy For this Book of the Revelations as Mr. Mead well observes is not usually to be taken accoridng to the Letter only as of a certain bare History of things done but as a Prophesie involved with Mysteries Allegories and Types Therefore must we labour to get a right discerning of the meaning of those Parables and Prophetical Misteries which for the most part are Figurative and Tropical and in part borrowed from the Condition of affairs under the Old Testament And that it is alike injurious to truth to take a misterious Allegory in the Letter as to make an Allegory of the plain Scripture to Litterize the Allegory as to Allegorize the Letter Bernard p. 130. As it is composed of similitudes so the words are Figurative the whole Prophesie full of Metaphors and almost altogether Allegorical so as we must take heed that we look further than into the Letter and naked Relation of things as they are set down Otherways the book should be full of absurdities impossibilities falsities and flat contradictions unto other truths of Scripture which are far from the words of Gods holy Spirit which are ever holy and true For who can believe a Lamb to have seven eyes a mountain burning to be cast into the Sea and this thereby to become in a third part blood a star to fall from Heaven Locusts to be of so monstrous a shape as is set down in Chapter 9 h and Horses with Lions heads fire smoke and brimstone coming out of their mouths Dragon and Beast with seven heads and ten horns c. Therefore we must not stick in the Letter but search out the Historical sense which is the truth intended Also we must note this carefully that all this whole prophesie is framed after the state and condition of the antient people of God the Jews and after the words and visions of the antient Prophets as we may see by comparing the words and visions of this Book with Moses and the Prophets First to their sufferings under their three Enemies as Pharaoh in Aegypt called a Dragon 2. By Babel and the Beasts noted in Daniel 3. By Gog and Magog 2. To their whole state viz. By the twelve Tribes the Wilderness Thunder Lightning Earthquake to the Tabernale the Ark of his Testament the Priests to white Raiment a Golden girdle about the paps the Altar Incense Odours Lamps Candlesticks Golden Censer Temple Singing Instruments of Musick smoke filling the Temple to the Trumpets To Jerusalem Kings Thrones Crowns Elders c. Therefore for our better guide herein these known necessary and approved Rules are laid down to be observed in the Exposition of the difficult things in this Chapter viz. That taking it for granted as previous to all there is an absolute necessity of a James 1.17 1 John 1.20 27 Prayer b Rev. 1.3 Acts 8.28 29.30 Reading c Psal 1.12 Meditation d Dan. 12.4 8 13. Conference e Rev. 1.3 Psal 119.98 99. John 7.17 Dan. 12.3 Practise we must diligently observe Rule 1. First to compare any obscure passage or phrase with other Scriptrues and Prophesies alledged or alluded to whereby much light will be gained to many dark places in this book and so Scripture shall expound Scripture which is the best Interpreter as for instance Rev. 11.4 5 6. Wherein the two witnesses are compared to Moses and Aaron Numb 16. to Elijah and â—lisha â— Kings 1. to Zerubbabel and Joshua Zach. 73.11 12 14. The Song of Moses Rev. â—â— 3 with Exod. 15.1 Psal 145.17 mistical Babylon Rev. 17.24 with litteral Babylon Jer. 51.7 To seperate from her Rev. 18.4 with Jer. 51.6 her destruction Rev. 18.7 8. with Isa 47.7 8 9. To rejoyce at it Rev. 18.20 with Jer. 51.48 Saints coming forth in vengeance Rev. 19.13 Isa 63.2 Rev. 19.15 with Psal 29. Isa 63.3 New Heavens and Earth Rev. 21.1 with Isa 65.7 2 Pet. 3.13 c. Rule 2. Secondly To consider what vision or obscure passage the Holy Ghost hath interpreted in the Revelation it self For of all such the Exposition is undoubted and infallible and so will the Revelation be the best Expounder of the Revelation and from those Expositions proportionably borrow light for the discovering of other obscure passages depending thereupon relating thereto or contemporaneous therewith As for instance Rev. 1.20 The mistery of the seven Stars in his right hand and of the seven Golden Candlesticks interpreted by Christ viz. The seven Stars are the Angels of the seven Churches and the seven Candlesticks are the seven Churches So Rev. 17.7 The mistery of the Woman and of the Beast that carryeth her which hath the seven heads and ten horns and of the waters she sat on explained and expounded by the Holy Spirit The Woman is interpreted to be the great City that then reigned over the Kings of the Earth And the waters where the Whore siteth to be People Multitudes Nations and Tongues The Beasts seven heads to be seven Mountains and seven Kings Ten horns to be ten Kingdoms concerning which interpretation Mr. Mead hath this Remark viz. This is singular in this place nor to be passed over with a slight observation That this vision concerning the great Whore and the Beast bearing her is opened to John and to us by the Angel contrary to his wonted manner with a most plain
at my right hand until I make thine Enemy thy foot-stool compared with Heb. 10.12 But this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever sat down on the right hand of God from henceforth expecting till his Enemies be made his foot-stool And therefore being as an overcomer he sat down with God upon his Throne and the Earth his foot-stool He is upon that Throne to reign till all his Enemies be brought down as 1 Cor. 15.25 26. For he must Reign till he hath put all Enemies under his feet the last Enemy that shall be destroyed is death So that it is most manifest by this positive position that Jesus Christ is to sit upon the Throne of Heaven at Gods right hand till all his Enemies be subdued yea till death it self as the last Enemy be conquered which will not be till the general Resurrection when it shall be said that death is swallowed up in Victory and Death and Hell shall be cast into the lake of fire Therefore by this received principle Christ shall not leave the Fathers right hand personally to encounter Dragon Beast and False-prophet who are to be fought with as is already proved and vanquished before the general Resurrection Nay before the thousand years at the beginning whereof many suppose is this personal coming and Resurrection of the Saints So that according to their apprehensions that seeming coming of Christ to war with the Saints against the Beast Dragon and False-prophet must admit of another sense which is also expressed Page 27 28. Secondly Neither can be properly be said to be personally present in the peaceable part or mountain state during the thousand years First Because besides the constant concurrence of Scripture the universal consent of all parties is that Christ comes not personally till the bodily Resurrection and that there is no bodily Resurrection either of Saints or sinners in the beginning of the thousand years Take these Eleven Arguments from Page 40. to 44. Secondly It appears from the former Argument of his being at the Fathers right hand till the general resurrection till Death the last Enemy be destroyed and if so then the thousand years is to be first over and the Battle of Gog before the general Resurrection shall take place and that this is true Doctrine appears also from all the considerable places that make mention of his personal coming and appearing viz. First From those Scriptures that assert that when he comes all the Saints shall come with him which cannot be short of the great Resurrection 1 Thes 3.3.13 To the end be may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God even our Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his Saints Luke 13.28 29. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when ye shall see Abram and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God and your selves thrust out And they shall come from the East and from the West and from the North and from the South and shall sit down in the Kingdom of God 1 Thes 4.14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and with the Trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first 17. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Cor. 15.51 52. Behold I shew you a Mystery we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed in a Moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last Trump for the Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed 54. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in Victory 55. O Death c. By which Scriptures it infallibly appears that at the coming of Christ all the Saints shall come with him The living Saints are to be changed and glorified The dead Saints to be raised and glorified But if this coming of Christ and Resurrection be to be understood at the beginning of the thousand years then cannot all the Saints come with him For as page 37 multitudes both of Jews and Gentiles are to be called and converted in the thousand years Therefore cannot it be short of the general Resurrection after the thousand years Secondly From those Scriptures that inform his coming to be at the general Resurrection p. 40. John 5.28 John 6.39 40.44.54 1 Cor. 15.51.52 1 Thess 4.16 Job 14 12. Job 19.25 26. Secondly From those several Scriptures that assign Christs coming to be at the General Judgement to Judge the wicked and the righteous which is also long after this thousand years Reign viz. 1. To Judge the Wicked 2 Thess 1.7 8. c. When the Lord shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels 8. In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 9. Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his Power 10. When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe c. 2 Tim 4.1 I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom Matth. 25.31 When the Son of man shall come in his Glory and all the Holy Angels with him then shall he sit upon the Throne of his Glory 32. And before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepheard divideth his Sheep from the Goats 33. And he shall set the Sheep at his right hand but the Goats on the left 34. And then shall the King say to them on his right hand c. Jude 14 15. Verses And Enoch also the seventh from Adam Prophesyed of these saying Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are Ungodly amongst them c. Rev. 20.12 And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their works 2. To Judge the Righteous Matth. 25.34 Then shall the King say to them on his right hand c. Rev. 20.12 And another Book was opened which is the Book of Life c. Acts 3.19 Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord 20. And he shall send Jesus Christ which before was Preached unto you 21. Whom the
is to proceed the Corporeal general Resurrection Upon the Expiration of the said thousand years 7. And when the 1000. years are expired Satan shall be loosed out of his Prison 8. And shall go out to deceive the Nations which are in the four quarters of the Earth Gog and Magog to gather them together to Battle the Number of them is as the sand of the Sea 9. And they went up on the breadth of the Earth and compassed the Camp of the Saints and the beloved City And fire came down from God oâ—t of Heaven and devoured them the Nations revolt from the subjection under Christ's Rule in the hands of the Saints annoying and disturbing them all the World over for a Season though to their own utter ruine and overthrow under the figurative terms of loosing the Devil their Representative out of Prison to deceive the Nations and to gather them in an huge numberless Host called Gog and Magog to besiege a Camp and City an Allusion to Israel of old holding out the Saints politick and setled state by which Emblem of a City is represented also the Enemies setled condition all the world over and holds out their mischievous purpose to ruine the Interest of Christ and to root it up from off the Earth Upon this rebellious design of the Nations in this their treasonable and murderous attempt they are upon the personal coming of Christ to Judgment destroyed by fire who comes in flaming fire rendring Vengeance upon them foretold in the typical destruction of Sodom and Gog and Magog their perfect Types and Predecessors 10. And the Devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of Fire and Brimstone where the Beast and the False-pâ—ophet are and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever And now is the time come that the Devil in a litteral sense who hath been the Mistical head of the Pagan state is to be cast into the lake of fire there to remain for ever But Mistically and Metaphorically is all Heathenish and Worldly Rule and Authorities now utterly destroyed and vacated as the Antechristian Dominion was by casting the Beast and False-prophet into the lake of fire or as when the Devil himself is thither sentenced never any more to come out thence And then in order and according to the whole current of Scripture and scope of it 11. And I saw a great white Throne and him that sat on it from whose face the Earth and the Heavens fled away and there was found no place for them 12. And I saw the Dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of Life and the Dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their works 13. And the Sea gaxe up the Dead which were in it and Death and Hell delivered up the Dead that were in them and they were judged every man according to their works 14. And death and Hell were cast into the lake of fire This is the second Death 15. And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of Fire comes the Resurrection of the Dead and Eternal Judgment in the Order and Method as here laid down to be understood in the Letter from which there is no necessity to depart or to conceive it Allegorical Wherein we have Christ the Judge appearing upon the Throne of Judgment the Heavens and Earth departing at his presence The Dead small and great standing before him the Books opened and Dead judged out of the Books according to their Works c. XXI CHAP. Of the Revelation ANd I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth for the first Heaven and the first Earth were passed away and there was no more Sea 2 And I John saw the holy City new Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband 3 And I heard a great Voice out of Heaven saying Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God 4. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away 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 faithfull 6 And he said unto me Is it done I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end I will give unto him that is a thirst of the Fountain of the water of life freely 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my son 8 But the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and murderers and Whoremongers and Sorcerers and Idolaters and all Lyars shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death 9 And there came unto me one of the seven Angels which had the seven Viols full of the seven last plagues and talked with me saying Come hither I will shew thee the Bride the Lambs wife 10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high Mountain and shewed me that great City the holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God 11 Having the glory of God and her light was like unto a stone most precious even like a jasper stone clear as Crystal 12 And had a wall great and high and had twelve gates and at the gates twelve Angels and names written thereon which are the names of the twelve Tribes of the Children of Israel 13 On the East three gates on the North three gates on the South three gates and on the West three gates 14 And the wall of the City had twelve foundations and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. 15 And he that talked with me had a golden Reed to measure the City and the gates thereof and the wall thereof 16 And the City lieth four square and the length is as large as the breadth and he measured the City with the Reed twelve thousand furlongs the length and the breadth and the height of it are equal 17 And he measured the wall thereof an hundred and fourty and four cubits according to the measure of a man that is of the Angel 18 And the building of the wall of it was of Jasper and the City was pure gold like unto clear glass 19 And the foundations of the wall of the City were garnished with all manner of precious stones The first foundation was Jasper the second Saphire the third a Chalcedonie the fourth an Emerald 20 The fifth Sardonyx the sixth Sardius the seventh Chrysolite the eighth Beryl the ninth a Topaz the tenth a Chrysoprasus the eleventh a Jacinct the twelfth an
in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth but they who are written in the Lambs book of Life 22.27 The free Denizens of this Glorious Citie are only such that are of a noble Stock of a heavenly Birth and descent born from above the true Jsaacks the sons of Abraham by the free woman who as they are Believers are the only children of promise Gal. 3.16.29 who as the called chosen and faithful are said to have laid Christ and his Apostles and Prophets in the Foundation of their Faith Hope and Practice Eph 2.19 20. and characterized to be the Redeemed from the Earth and amongst men that are not defiled with women in whose mouth there is no guiâ—e that are the Marked Sealed number shall have their fathers name in their foreheads viz. are in a visible profession and Practise of those truths that have his name upon upon them and therefore said to be keepers of his Commandments to have the testimony of Jesus to be servants of the Lamb and followers of him where ever he goes and that are separates and Non conformists to Babylon refusing the Mark Name and Number of the Beasts though without it they can neither buy nor sell and that are overcomers by the Blood of the Lamb and the word of their Testimony not loving their Lives unto death There they are said to be put into the City Records even in the Lambs Book of Life and the having right to the Tree of Life do enter in through the Gate of the City Whereas contrarywise the Inhabitants of the other City are said to have their descent from beneath being of their Father the Devil whose works they do having their Fathers name in their foreheads and right hands who are Earth-dwellers that worship adore and admire the Beast and are in Subjection to his false prophets and particularly are deciphered To be the Unbelievers the Abominable the Murderers the Whoremongers Idolaters Lyers whereby the City becomes as before the hold of every foul spirit and Cage of every unclean and hateful Bird Witnesss their Theaters and houses of debauchery to provoke lust and uncleanness the innumerable company of Stews and Brothel-houses that bring so great a Revenue to the support of the Catholick Sea who are therefore said as Dogs Whoremongers and Sorcerers to be without the City Rev. 22.15 And who must in no wise enter therein Rev. 21.22 Of the Tree and Water of Life And he shewed me a pure River of Water of Life clear as Crystal proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb and in the midst of the street of it and of either side of the River there was the Tree of Life which bore twelve manner of Fruits and yielded her Fruit every Month and the Leaves of the Tree were for healing of the Nations Rev. 22.1 2. HAving shewed us the City her Fashion Glory Inhabitants comes in the next place to discover her Provision and Maintenance whereby her Life Comfort and Refreshing is preserved and mantained 1. This water of Life so pure and clear proceeding out of the Throne is no other than the Graces of the Spirit that floweth from the Throne of Mercy and Grace as Zach. 13.1.14.8 Ezek. 16.9 John 3.5 Tit. 5.35 And which is freely tendred and held forth in the Gospel Rev. 22.19 Isa 55.1 and which the Church doth ever had but more plentifully shall enjoy in this latter day of Glory Isa 44 3.35.7 Joel 2.8 John 7.38 with Isa 41.17 18. Ezek. 36.25 26. Called the water of Life because it reviveth from the death of sin Ezek. 47.9 2. Because all spiritual quickning is in it Psal 46.4 Iohn 7.37 It is the spirit that quickneth 3. From the healing vertue that is in it Ezek. 47.9 4. Because they dye no more that drink it Iohn 4.10 14. The Tree of Life is no other than the Lord Jesus with his Blessings and Benefits wherein he alludes to the Tree of Life that was placed in the midst of the Garden of God Gen. 2.9 who is the Tree of Life as well as the Water and Fountain of Life and the Bread of Life which is for shade Cant. 2.3 Hos 14.5 6 7. for Food Ezek. 47.12 Hos 14.8 Cant. 2.13 Ezek. 36.30 for Physick and Medicine the Leaves whereof having a healing property in them as Ezek. 47.12 But of that Food that Babylon affords her Inhabitants may it not truly he said of it as Deut. 32.32 33. That their Vine is as the Vine of Sodom and of the fields of Gomorah their Grapes are the Grapes of Gall their Clusters are bitter their Wine is the poison of Dragons and the cruel Venom of Aspes And that they hatch Cockatrice Eggs and weave the Spiders web he that eateth of their Eggs dyeth c. Isa 59.5 of whose dainties eat you not for poison is in their Cup and death in their pot Of there being no Temple in it And I saw no Temple therein for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it verse 22. THe Temple of old was the place of Gods worship that stood in the City of God which was curiously built by cunning Artificers of Wood and Stone and richly adorned with Gold and precious stone and to which worldly Sanctuary belonged a Priest-hood viz a High-priest Chief-priests and inferiour priests or Levites whereof divers Ranks and Courses and distinguished by different habits wayting at the Altar and attending the Mosaical Service and Ceremony both day and night and maintained by Tenths first-Fruits and Oblations c. besides the Nazarites and Votaries which was typical of the true Tabernacle that was made with hands even the New Testament Temple viz. the mistical body of Christ the Church so called in the Gospel as the Apostle witnesseth 1 Cor. 16.17 2 Cor. 6.16 What Agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols for year the Temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people compared Rev. 21.3 and Heb. 3.5 6. whose house are ye built by Christ the master-builder and which as the spiritual house 1 Pet. 2.4 5 6. is built of living stones and hath belonging to it the Golden Altar spiritual incense and sacrifices a spiritual priest-hood with a great High-priest that lives for ever after the order of Melchisadeck so that in the New Testament day there is no other Temple to be seen but such as Christ and his mistical body makes no such Temple that was to be built after Moses pattern in the Old Testament day for the Vail of that Temple being rent the Altar service sacrifice and Priest-hood Law it self being altered and changed Heb. 7.12 to make way for the new Temple Altar Law-service sacrifice Priesthood the old is no more to be seen but all the Divine worship and service to be performed in the new â—emple where the Priests the sons of Levi Mal. 3.3 being purified
of the Land of Magog the head of Mesheck and Tubal the enemy of Israel Gen 10.3 Ezek. 38.39 For this came out of the North parts ours from the four corners of the Earth This appeared at the beginning of Israels Restoration ours after the 1000. years of the Kingdom of the Saints following the Restoration of Jerusalem This before Christs coming in the Flesh ours before his coming to Judgement But another Gog the enemy of the Church of the Gentiles to come immediately before the Resurrection of the Dead and farther it is plain that this Gog and Magog bear not the room of a subject but a convenient Title by which those Nations of the four Quarters might be declared as if he would have said the Nations in the four Quarters Spiritually called Gog and Magog Of the Camp of the Saints and Beloved City THose terms of Camp and City are allusions to Israels twofold state under the Tabernacle and Temple dispensation Of the order of Israels Camp state we read Numb 2. Wherein the Tabernacle of God with the 24 Courses of the Priests and Levites were placed in the midst all the Tribes under their four Standards pitching their Tents round about it Which is alluded to Rev. 4. And may greatly help the explanation thereof Then the City State was under Solomon after the erecting of the Temple to which glorious and beautiful condition this alludes Rev. 21.10 c. Holds forth the excellency it being câ—lled the great City the Holy Jerusalem where it is described in all its â—lory and Dimensions called here the Beloved City In opposition to the City of the Nations the great City Babylon containing the â—nti-Christian nay whole World in their Policies and Governments So here the Extent of this City and Camp of the Saints is held forth to be no less then the whole Earth as large in extent as the City of the Nations Christ's Government extending all the World over from Sea to Sea Ps 72.8 Isa 44.6 Of the Fire from Heaven that destroyeth Gog. And Fire came down from God out of Heaven and devoured them THis destruction as typt out in the Gog Magog destruction Ezek. 38. Is here alluded to That as fire came down from Heaven to destroy them So is it here for now is the time that Christ shall come in flaming Fire taking vengeance of his enemies destroying the Heavens also and the Earth and all its works by fire and this in order to the next Scene to be acted viz. The Resurrection of the Dead and Eternal Judgement Of the General Judgement AFter the Saints Reign the Gog Magog gathering and destruction Now in order comes the Lord Jesus in person in the Glory of the Father the Saints Glory and in the glory of all the Holy Angels with the sound of the Trumpet and Voice of the Archangel The Sea Grave and Death giving up their Dead that there may be a general Resurrection of the Just and Unjust And then the preparing of the Throne the sitting of the Judge the opening of the Books the producing of the Witnesses in order to the general Judgement of great and small who are to be judged according to their works by Christ who Judges the quick and dead at his appearing and Kingdom A Paraphrase upon the 20. of Revelations THe Powers and Potentates of the whole World 1. And I saw an Angel come down from Heaven having the Key of the bottomless Pit and a great Chain in his hand whether Heathen or Antichristian being thus vanquished by Christ and his followers under the terms of fighting with and overcoming a Dragon Beast and false Prophet with the Kings of the Earth and whole World in the great Battel in the former Chapter and the Authority consequently now in the hands of the Saints John here in a Vision hath represented to him the Churches Soveraignity in a figure viz. By the Emblematical Representation of a Chain and a Key ensigns of Power in the hand of their Mystical and Spirirual Head though in this Vision their Representative the Lord Jesus is called here an Angel as Rev. 10.1.12.17 2. And he laid hold on the Dragon that old Serpent which is the Devil and Satan and bound him a 1000. years And having judged and utterly razed the Antichristian state both in its Magistracy and Ministry by the figurative Representation of taking a Beast and false Prophet and casting them alive into a Lake of Fire doth here for the better securing the Churches quiet and peaceable Rule 3. And cast hâ—m into the bottomless Pit and shut him up and set a Seal upon him that he should deceive the Nâ—tions no morâ— till the 1000. years should be fulfilled and after that he must be loosed a little season wholy cancel and vacate the Heathen Empire also for a thousand years as in the Vision is set forth by the taking a Dragon and casting him bound into a bottemless pit and shutting him up and Sealing him therein the proper Emblem of the now ruined Pagan State the Dragon or Devil being also the Spiritual or Mystical head thereof and here in the Vision their representative As in 12. Chapter by an Angel fighting with overcoming and casting to the Earth a Dragon is held forth the Victory the Church at that day gets over the Heathen Roman Empire So here by the Angels binding him in a pit is the utter extinction of that Power a thousand years the time limited plainly discovered 4. And I saw Thrones and they sat upon them and Judgement was given to them and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the Word of God and which had not worshâ—pped the Beast neither his Image neither had received his mark in their Foreheads or in their right hand and they lived and Reigned with Christs a 1000. 5. But the rest of the dead lived not again till the 1000. years were finisht This is the first Resurrection 6. Blessed and Holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second death hath no power but they shall be Priests of God and of Christ and shall Reign with him a 1000. years The enemies of the Church thus casheired and turned off the Stage John hath a further discovery of their setled and happy Rule and Authority by the Vision of the Resurrection of a company of dead and Martyred Saints the proper Emblem of the Church during the Antichristian Tyranny who for witnissing to Christ and not Worshipping the Beast cannot in a civil sense at least be esteemed other ascending Thrones of Judgement And as blessed and holy ones freed from the second Death Reigning with or under the Lord Jesus as Kings and Priests whilst their enemies the Worshippers of the Beast are now as so many dead men at their feet during this space of a thousand years which is called the first Resurrection viz. The mystical general Resurrection that in order of time
Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the Glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof Ver. 25. For there shall be no night there Chap. 22.5 And there shall be no night there and they need no candle neither light of the Sun for the Lord God giveth them light and they shall reign for ever and ever which by a continued light as bright as the Jasper and clear as Christal so shined upon it day and night that there was no need of any other light either Candle Sun or Moon to lighten it would have me understand that eminent and glorious presence of Christ that should now rest upon the Church transcending the Glory that shined about the Sanctuary when of old he Tabernacled with men and to which he alludes and by vertue whereof the Christian Doctrine and Grace shall be so splendid and glorious 12. And had a Wa l great and h gh and had twelve Gates and at the Gates twelve Angels and names written thereon which are the names of the twelve Tribes of the Children of Israel 13. On the East three Gates on the North thâ—ee Gates on the South three Gates on the West three Gates 14. And the Wall of the City had twelve Foundations and in them the namer of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. 25. And the Gates of it shall not be shut at all by day for there shall be no night there The next thing that came to be observed in this glorious structure was an illustrious regular and well fortified Wall planted to the four Quarters and accommodated with proportionable Gates and Guards Giving me to understand hereby the salvation stability and security now attending the Church in her freedom from all danger both from within or without being not only incompassed with an infinite Arm and all-seeing Eye founded and invironed with invincible Apostolical and Prophetical Doctrine and Truth but richly furnished with an Angelical faithful Ministry to defend and keep the same who are continually at the open Gates as to receive and imbrace the faith from every Quarter so as vigilantly to keep out and reject whatever may defile Afterwards the same Angel with a Golden Reed in his hand did measure 15. And he that talked with me had a Golden Reed to measure the City and the Gates thereof and the wall thereof and give me the exact Demensions and Symmetry of the City Gates and Walls Giving me to understand thereby the exactness of Rule and holy Order that the Church will faithfully observe in all her Ministrations who in every thing both as to Doctrine Worship and Manners will lye level to the square of Gods Word that Golden Met wand And that the Cubical square thereof so well answering the Figure of the holy place in the Temple bespeaks the Church in its now conformity to Divine appointment even no less then as a Heaven upon Earth The next thing that so signally called for observation and remark 18. And the building of the Wall of it was of Jasper and the City was pure Gold like unto clear Glass 19. And the Foundations of the Wall of the City were Garnished with all manner of precious Stones the first Foundition was Jasper the second Saphir the third a Chalcedony the fourth an Emerald 20. The fifth Sardonix the sixth Sardius the seventh Chrysolite the eighth Beril the ninth a Topaz the tenth a Chrisoprasus the eleventb a Jacinet the twelfth an Amethist 21. And the twelve Gates were the twelve Pearls every several Gates was of one Pearl and the street of the City was pure Gold as it was trnnsparent Glass was the precious materials and the glorious Garnishings of it which was most manifest in that magnificent Jasper Wall astonishing Golden City and street the most illustrious Pearl-Gates and those wonderful precious Stones that bespangled the Foundations Discovering to me no less than the incomparable excellency of Jesus Christ in his Name Nature and Offices the incomparable precious head of their Glorious body together with his pure and precious Doctrines and the inestimable Gifts and Graces of his spirit as manifested in the Hearts and Lives of the Saints 22. And I saw no Temple therein for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it The City in all its parts being observed the Accessories to render it accomplished in all respects are nextly taken notice of the first whereof is the extraordinary Temple that was in it God and Christ being the Temple thereof which instructed me that it was no litteral and material but a mystical and Spiritual Temple Christ Jesus God Man 24. And the Nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it and the Kings of the Earth do bring their glory and honour unto it 26. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the Nations into it the living precious foundation corner stone and the Saints as living precious stones built upon him making up together this mystical Temple as 1. p. 2. 5. 2 Cor. 6.16 The next thing that heightens the glory and encreaseth the Grandeur of this famous City is the conflux and great resort of the Nations and Kings of the Earth with their riches and honour into it in allusion to Solomons dayes as exprest 2 Cron. 9.22 Intimating that in those days Christianity shall be esteemed the greatest Honour Grace and Godliness and the presence of Christ will be most prized and regarded When there shall be such Kings that will value Christ more then their Crowns as Rev. 4.10 When goodness shall go for true greatness and Godliness for the best gain 27. And their shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lye but they which are written in the Lambs Book of life Then are the Characters of those given that shall have the honour to be admitted into this famous place 1. Negatively viz. no Pagan Idolaters nor Anti-christian lyers that belong to the Beasts Catalogue But 2. Affirmitively such only as by the Lambs Register ought to have entrance Intimating that how ever there shall be such flocking into the Church of Christ and that it shall so wonderfully increase as Isa 54.1 2 3 4. Yet will she not greaten her self as Babylon used to do by taking in good and bad and letting in the World into the Church No there shall be no such admissions but onely such must enter therein as answer the qualifications laid down in Gods Word or Lambs Book that do by living fruits of Faith and Repentance witness Saintship and testifie thereby that they are called chosen and faithful and so entering the Gate Christ do pass by the Watch-men the faithful ministry to share and partake of the Priviledges of the Church The next blessing and benefit accrewing Chap. 22. 1. And he shewed me a pure River of water of life clear as Crystal proceeding out of the