thousand years shall be finished For they being ended Christ not long after shall come to Judgement which both the living and the dead must expect This is * that first Resurrection In which the Bodies of the Martyrs shall rise in the beginning of those thousand years We must not therefore understand in this place a Spirituall Resurrection by which we are said to rise out of the sleep and death of sinne For that Resurrection is common unto all good men and happeneth daily Wherefore thus we are to think concerning the Word Resurrection when we finde it mentioned in Scripture Resurrection is either of our Spirit Flesh * Particularly in the time of Elisha whose bones raised the the dead man which was thrown upon them Christ Who raised Lazarus and the daughter of the widow of Naim When divers rofe at his hanging upon the Crosse Matth. 27. Paul who raised a dead man to life The 1000. years And this is called the First Resurrection Universally which shall happen in the end of the World And this is the second Resurrection 6. Blessed With a speciall blessing and proper onely to the Martyrs And holy That is Out of singular favour set apart by God for the priviledge of this peculiar blessing Who hat'â— part in that first Resurrection Who shall be in the number of the Martyrs who shall rise in this first Resurrection On him the second death shall have no power The second death is the casting away of the damned to eternall torments Compare the 14. verse with this Otherwise it is called Eternall death But they shall be Priests of God and Christ Not in that common respect whereby all the elect in this life are spirituall Priests who by the Spirit of Christ offer themselves up unto God But by a speciall prerogative whereby the Martyrs being raised from the dead shall obtain chief power in the Church as it were Priests of God and Christ as before these thousand yeares the Priests of Antichrist were cheif And they shall raign with him for a thousand years In the Church the profession of Christianity being no way hindred See Revel. 5.10 and the Questions following Therefore the peculiar happinesse of the Martyrs consisteth in the first Resurrection in their reign with Christ in their Priesthood in the same manner as we have described it 7. And when those thousand years shall be finished To wit of the happinesse of the Church and of a free and universall profession of Christianity Satan shall be loosed out of his prison That is he shall recover his power and liberty to attempt and seduce without restraint which power had lain asleep as it were and been buryed for the thousand years the Angel now giving him leave in whose hands it was according to the pleasure and command of God to binde and loose Satan 8. And he shall go forth That is out of his prison or place of his custody whereof in the foregoing verse namely Out of the bottomelesse pit where he was detained That he may seduce the Nations in the four corners of the earth That is Wicked men who shall heer and there remain in the World at the end of the thousand years These Satan shall seduce urging them to make warre against the Saints Gog and Magog That is those Nations which at that time Satan shall seduce and which at the end of those 1000. yeares shall by warre make an attempt against the Church and shall endeavour to destroy it as in old time Gog and Magog vexed the people of the Iews Therefore by Gog and Magog are heer to be understood all the professed enemies of the Church even as Gog that is the people of the Lesser Asia which environed Iudea on the North and Magog that is the Scythians which inhabited places situate on the South of Iudea were the professed enemies of the Iews Thus then we must understand it The Devill shall seduce the Nations in the four corners of the Earth the Nations I say which are endued with a spirit like that of Gog and Magog Read the 38. and 39. chapters of Ezekiel But you will say How can it be that those wicked men should reassume their power after these thousand years I answer This shall be brought to passe by the just judgement of God whereby not only the great Antichrist shall flourish again but also Pagan and barbarous people and other monsters of the same batch shall gain encrease And shall gather them together to battle Against the profession of Christ in generall that it being quite as it were thrust out of the world they may substitute in the room thereof Antichristianisme Barbarisme and unbelief Whose number shall be aâ—â—he Sand of the Sea So that it shall be a most compleatly furnished army whose like hath never been heretofore And Satan being conâ—ident in the strength of these forces shall hope thereby to swallow up the Church 9. And they went up on the breadth of the Earth So great an army shall be gathered together that no part of the earth shall be free from it All the ground shall be covered with Souldiers They shall come up that is they shall rely upon much force and ayde And here is an allusion to Gog and Magog the Type who being to besiege Ierusalem which was placed upon a hill were of necessity to ascend And thâ—y * encompassed it The allusion to the type still holds For the Church at that time shall be encompassed on every side with enemies as in old time Iudea was encompassed by Gog and Magog those fierce and barbarous people The campe of the Saints That is Wheresoever the true souldiers of Christ were making warre in their own stations And the beloved City The whole Church which is one City at that time scattered through the whole world And fire came down from God out of heaver and devoured them Some such thing verily shall happen as we read of Gen. 19. concerning Sodome and Gomorrha And as the first world perished with the deluge of water so Gog and Magog shall perish in â—â—e end of the world by the destruction of fire 10. And the Devill that deceived thâ—â— was cast Otherwise then in the third verse for here he is so cast that he shall not beloosed again thence for ever Into the lake of fire and brimstone This is a description of Hell Where the beast was That is The former Beast which is described in the 16. chapter v. 13. For that beast is distinguished from the false-Prophet who is the same with the latter beast And the false-Prophet Great Antichrist Apollyon the Babylonian whore who with his subtle wiles seduceth men perswading and pressing a counterfeit religion wholly seeking after the honours and riches of this world no otherwise then the false Prophets in the old Testament were wont to do Wherefore in a speciall manner Antichrist is called the false-Prophet And shall be tormented To wit they three The Devill
or Dragon and his two companions the Beast and the false-Prophet Day and night Continually without intermission For ever and ever A description of all Eternity 11. And I saw a great white Throne By this Throne a cloud is understood and being termed a great Throne the Universall judgement is figured out and being also called a white one Truth Equity and Justice are thereby signified And one sitting thereon Namely Christ God and Man Now he is said to be seen to sit there that hereby we may be taught That he is prepared and ready to passe judgement From whose face Being both most refâ—lgent and full of austherity The Earth and Heaven fled away That is the fashion of this world passed away and was consumed with fire which went before this Judge and the Creatures the Inhabitants of earth and heaven did all tremble at the sight of him And there was found no place for him By reason of the resplendenâ—y and Majesty of the Judge which no creature could endure without being changed into some other state and condition Therefore there shall be an Universall change of the whole world in that Judgement day 12. And I saw the dead That is Those who had been dead but were now raised and restored unto life Small and great A Dichotomy or division naturally to be understood in regard of quantity morally in regard of quality or dignity So that all must be placed before the Tribunall of Christ Standing before God As expecting his definitive sentence And the Books were opened Books not devised or written by any other then by every one in his own private conscience dictated according to his severall thoughts words and deeds These Books therefore thus written have hitherto been reserved shut up and not taken notice of as it were in some private closet or place of account But now they are opened so that they may be plainly read by every particular man And another book was opened That onely book written by God himself Which is the book of Life That is The secret and hidden Decree of God concerning our Election which there shall in publike be exhibited and made manifest Now it is called The book of Life because therein God hath as it were set down the names of them who through his grace and favour shall become heirs of eternall life Compare Luke 10.20 And the dead were judged A definitive sentence passing upon all acquitting some and condemning others Out of those things which were written in the Book To wit In the books of mens consciences Now these books shall be opened after a severall manner For the books of the Consciences of godly men shall not be so opened that their sinnes shall rise up in judgement against them for in this respect they are still sealed up but they shall be so opened that they may read indeed their sinnes there many and gâ—eat ones but so as they are covered by Christ and the power of them more and more weakened by the Spirit of Christ through repentance and the study of good works Therefore the godly shall reade in their conscience the justice of Christ covering their sinnes and through him bringing forth good works But the condition of the ungodly shall be farre otherwise For they shall read in their consciences their sinnes not pardoned by Christ According to their works Which shall give testimony either of their faith in Christ or else of their impiety and unbeleef 13. And. Tâ—ansitively for After that that is After the sentence of the Judge now passed and published The sea gave up her dead that were in it Bâ—ing drowned or devoured of fiâ—nes And death That is The Fire Aire and Beast of the Earth and Fowls yeelded up their dead which had not been buâ—yed And Hell That is The Grave In these words then is contained partly a description of the generall Resurrection partly a distribution of the bodies of them that were dead into three sorts One of them that were drowned in the Sea Another of those which were not drowned in the Sea but being dead had no buriall as being brought to ashes either by the fire or aire or else devoured by beasts of the earth or by flying fowls A third sort of those who were laid in their graves Gave up their dead By the command and appointment of God Which were in them The very same and not others the same in number And they were judged every man Not any one being excepted According to their works So that no man shall have cause to complain of any injury done unto him 14. And death And for But adversatively Death that is some and indeed most of the dead but not buryed And Hell The Grave which is here put for them that were buryed therein And again not all the buryed are here to be understood but some and indeed most Now by Death and Hell may be understood men deserving both Were cast into the lake of fire That is made subject and slaves to eternall damnation so that the Saints for the time to come need not stand in any danger or fear of them Which is the second Death Or Eternall This Relative Which may either be referred to the word Lake or else may be taken collectively In the former acception the Lake is called the second death that is a signe or Symbol of the second or eternall death In the latter the judgement of condemnation committed to execution is called the second death Now this is called the second death because the bodies and souls of the damned do in very deed dye twice For the body dyeth both when it is separated from the soul and also when being again joyned to the body it is seperated from God And the soul dyeth both when in this life it separateth it self from God by sinne and when after this life it is separated from God by everlasting punishment Lastly This punishment is called Death because it taketh away the life of grace and glory with which if the life of nature be compared it is rather to be called death then life 15. And whosoever was not found And for For a copulative particle for a declarative Finding is here applyed to God by an {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or by attributing of humane actions passions and affections to the unlimited power and unsearchable operations of the Deity Written in the book of Life Both in the former book as well through the love and election of God as in the latter by faith hope and charity Was cast into the lake of fire Through the just judgement of God and by his own default 2. A Logicall-Theologicall Analysis This Chapter is divided into five parts I. THe Description of the Angel Vers. 1. II. The Effects or operations of the Angel that is what the Angel did In part of the 1. Verse 2.3 III. The happy estate of the Church which followed upon what the Angel had effected In part of the 2 3 4 5
and troubled Verse 7 8 9 10. 3. Is concerning the throne of Christ the Judge Vers. 11. 4. Is concerning the Vniversall Judgement and the processe thereof Verse 12 13 14 15. IV. The Paraphrase of the Chapter THe condition and estate of the Militant Church being laid open unto me from the yeer of Christ 94 together with the temptations and assaults wherewith it was shaken the labours wherewith it was afflicted the deliverances whereby it was freed the Victory whereby it was ennobled but specially and last of all the fall of Babylon being foretold and declared 1. I saw in my extasie a good Angel the Minister of the Judgements of God such as I had seen in my former Visions Him I say I saw coming down from the heaven of the blessed who had by God entrusted to him the key of the bottomlesse pit of hell that according to the appointment of God he might shut and open it also a great chain in his hand wherewith he might binde some powerfull enemy 2. This Angel laid hold of the Dragon that infernall old Serpent who from the beginning vomited forth his poyson upon man-kinde and deceived them with his winding Sophismes who is both the Devill slandering God before men and on the other side men before God who is also Satan the adversary of God and men of Nature in generall and of the Church This Deceiver being found and apprehended in his Sophistry and Tyranny the good Angel bound with his chain and that for a thousand Solar years and commonly used in the generall course of life 3. Neither was it enough for him to binde him but moreover he cast him being bound and threw him headlong into the bottomlesse pit and being thrown down thither he shut him up and being shut up he sealed the Cover of the bottomlesse pit lest breaking forth by any means he might seduce partly to Idolatry partly to the persecution of the Church any more as he had done before the Nations as well Jews as Gentiles untill the thousand yeers are finished For afterwards he must God so appointing it be Ieâ— loose out of his prison for a short time which God hath limitted and which shall not befor a thousand yeers as the time of his binding and his being shut up was 4. A joyfull Catastrophe or issue shall follow this Tragedy of the Dragon For I saw Thrones set in order and and Christ with his holy Angels sate upon them For unto these power was given to judge partly by giving and executing sentence partly by approving thereof I saw also the souls of them who were beheaded and tormented with innumerable kinds of punishments not indeed for their own offences but for the testimony which they gave concerning Christ the Son of God and onely Advocate of the Church and for the Word of God which they had boldly maintained against the corruptions of men and who had not worshipped that second Beast which I made mention of that I saw it before nor the image of that Beast which is two-fold both in respect of doctrine and life neither had received his mark in their foreheads publikely making shew and witnessing by their words that they belonged to the family of the Beast Lastly they had not so much 〈◊〉 received this mark in their hands expressing the same either in their life manners or actions Such at these lived their bodies being raised again and restored to life Neither did they only live again but also reigned in the Church freed now from Persecutions with Christ that King of kings for a thousand years 5. But the rest of the dead as well the godly who before these 1000 yeers received not the Crown of Martyrdom as the ungodly lived not again till the thousand yeers were finished And this is the first Resurrection due onely to them as a â—rerogative who above others have glorified the Lord Christ in their bodies nothing terrified with the threats curses and torments of men 6. These Martyrs therefore who have their part in the first Resurrection are deservedly esteemed happy above others as also peculiarly separated and set aside by God for the receiving of such a reward For the second death shall have no power over them By reason that though they live the second time here upon earth yet they shall no more by any sin engage themselves so that they need to fear any danger of an eternall death For they shall be here upon earth Priests of God and of Christ not of this world and they shall reigne with Christ not as the kings of the Nations but in the Majesty of the Spirit for these thousand yeers 7. Now when these thousand yeers shâ—â—â— be fulfilled the happinesse of the Church shall on the sudden begin to fail here on earth For Satan in an instant shall be â—et loose out of his prison in which he was most carefully kept for those thousand yeers 8. But being thus set at liberty he shall not rest so but shall return to his old game and so he shall go forth that he may the more freely seduce the Nations which are in the four corners of the earth towards the East and towards the West towards the North and the South Now he shall not onely by heresies of all kindes lead on the blinde world to Apostasie or falling away from the faith but also he shall behave himself as a Captain or Leader to bring on a grievous Persecution upon the Church stirring and raising up against it Gog and Magog the sworn enemies thereof and of God himself such as were of old those people who under these names were bitter enemies to the Iews And having thus stirred them up he shall gather them together to Batteâ—â— farre more cruell and bloody then hath been from the beginning of the world For men shall enter into this Battell barbarous in their monstrous cruelty and monstrous cruell in their barbarousnesse whose number shall be as the sand of the Sea 9. Wherefore these vast forces under the conduct of Satan shall come upon the earth and shall cover the breadth thereof with their multitudes And straightway they shall encompasse the Camp of the Saints wheresoever it shall be and with their utmost diligence and devices shall endeavour quite to deface the Church that beloved City of God But however in the very midst of this their rage and fury being greater then that either of the Cyclops or Giants on a sudden a fire shall come down from Heaven God himself sending forth lightnings and flashings of fire upon them and shooting out his Arrows against them This fire shall devour those his innumerable enemies like stubble 10. But neither shall their Leader the Devill who conducted and seduced them carry it away so without his due punishment for opposing the Church of God by the seduced Nations For he shall be cast into the Lake of fire and brimstone that is into hell it self where his companions the first beast and
can never be able to stand in competition with the holy Word of God and the * sound and undeniable doctrine thereof Such is alwaies my temper and moderation that if by * one conviction thou demonstrate my error much more it the CHVRCH shall interpose her judgement whether it be in matter of opinion or action I will retract the one and relinquish the other And till thou dost this in the matter which we have in hand be not offended if I stand close by my Author but especially to reason and plaine Scripture it selfe alleaged by him Truth it is the onely thing I seâ—ke after for the puâ—â—uiâ— of which no man ought to be blame any more then they are to be execused who wilfully continue in known error and ignorance By the way then good Reader let me tell thee what credit soever I gaine from thee that it was the constant opinion of the Church in the very next age to the Apostles that there should be a resurrection before the generall rising at the last day and an happy condition of the faithfull upon earth for CIO yeeres This we may learne from a Tertullias and b Irenaeus And c Iustin the Martyr who of a Philosopher became a Christian some xxx yeeres after the death of Iohn the Evangelist and Penman of this holy Prophecy tels us plainly that not only himselfe but what d Christian soever in his time were in all respects Orthodox maintained the same grounding their opinion upon these words of Esay * Behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into my mind But be glad and rejoyce for ever in thâ—t which I create I know not whether so great a testimony as this of Iustin Martyrs may be brought concerning any opinion among Christians if you expect the maine articles of our Beliefe And the generall consent of all the orthodox and in the age too next the Apostles is no small argument or prejudice against the contrary opinion or succeeding ages It seemed the Heretiques of those times especially or indeed onely beleeved it not and that for some private respect because admitting thereof they must needs also confesse a resurrection of the flesh and that the same God who was mentioned in the Law and Prophets is also the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ I am sure Cerinthus that Arch Heretique in those daies whom the after-ages do make the first e broacher of this opinion and they would also have him the Author of the f Revelation is never taxed for it by them g who have diligently noted his heresies And perhaps if he had any sensuall conceit hereabout as it seemes he had he was beholding to Judaisme for it and he himselfe being a Iew it was not taken notice of in him But for a Christian to have any such doting imaginations would render him more wild-headed and besides himselfe in sober mens judgements then any Poet of Dithyrambique verse Yet no man ought to be blamed for maintaining a Truth in a Iewes company either in this matter or in any else if with heed he passe by those grosse fancies and stupid absurdities which doe infatuate and blemish the same truth More deservedly may we finde fault with Dionysius of Alexandria and his followers the great impugners of this opinion who when about the end of the third age the dispute about it grew very hot to lessen the authority of the Revelation by the evident and undeniable proofes whereof the matter in question was asserted O foule shame and impiety they fathered it upon I know not whom yet one of the same name against the manifest witnesse of h Iustin Martyr Irenaeus and all the Fathers before them who inscribâ— it to Iohn the beloved Disciple of Christ and Evangelist Neither can Hierome himselfe be exâ—used though a very learned man otherwise but easie to be deceived who with the same Dionysius doth upon an uncertaine report falsâ—ly affix to the opinion of them who according to truth beleeved the thousand yeeres happinesse on earth the i injury of Circumcision the blood of Sacrifices and rest duratiâ—n of all the ceremonies of the Law Which old pieces and rags of Indaisme or perhaps the dreames of some Heretiques being gathered out of a study of contention and ill will were patched to this opinion of the Primitive Church But if he certainely knew that the first Christians and holy Martyrs did expect Circumcision and Sacrifices in the Kingdome of Christ how is he to be blamed that condemned them not for it but k left every man to the freedome of his owne judgement either to approve or dislike thereof But what countenance soever this opinion hath or shall finde in this age let me tell thee this one thing Reader which I will leave to be considered of by thee that seeing there are so manifest proofes of a glorious Kingdome of the Saints here on earth out of the old Testament there will be no better or easier way to deale with the Iewes in matter of their conversion then not to wrest the plaine prophecies of a second and glorious appearance of Christ to his first comming but rather to perswade them that they must expect no other Messias who should fulfill all these promises expecting what is to be expected for we are not herein wholly to agree with the Iewes but to examine all things according to the rules of Christian faith besides that Iesus of Nazareth whom their Ancestors crucified And this way is every where almost through the whole Revelation diligently insisted upon For whilst we force those most cleare prophecies concerning things promised in the second to his first comming the Iewes scorne and deride us and are more and more confirmed in their infidelity But for the cours which I have here set downe I am much mistaken if it be not the same which was observed among them by Peter himselfe Act. 3.19 20 21. 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 And he shall send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you Whom the Heaven must receive untill the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the â—â—uth of all his holy Prophets since the World began But I forget my selfe For indeed I thinke it more fit to set downe and publish what might be safely and piously beleeved concerning this Teneâ— rather in another mans sense and expressions then in mine owne being more willing l modestly to learne and be instructed from the abilities of others then impudently to obtrude mine owne weaknesses upon the world And to this end I have also collected what some of the most eminent Divines of the Church of England Dr. Hakewill Dr. Twisse Mr. Mede c. that thou mightest not thinke it onely an outlandish toy or a
be welcome to us because it contains the last Divine Revelation of Gods will after which no Prophecy following is to be expected and because this Book is very profitaâ—le in this Age in which the lively performance of things hitherto abstruse and concealed is presented before our eyes 2. Of the Subject of this Chapter THis Chapâ—er discourseth of the singular happinesse of the Church both under it's Warfare and Triumph The singular happinesse of the Church during it's warfare or being militant is let down in three respects 1. In its security from the hostile incursions of the wicked for a 1000 yeers 2. In the resurrection of the Martyrs before the generall resurrection 3. In the wonderfull dâ—livâ—rance of the godly from the last persecution of the wicked which shall happen after those thousand yeers The happinesse of the Church Triumphant is hâ—re described so farre forth as the beginning of its Triumph in the last Iudgement That these things may be made more plain I will from the very beginning make a repetition of the state of the Church here upon earth and I will say something briefly concerning the State and condition thereof in Heaven The State of the Church hereupon earth was either that before the fall of the first man and that was wholly Legall or that after the fall and this is wholly Evangelicall Again The State of the Church after the fall is either Internall and perpetuall or Externall and temporall The State of the Church Internall and perpetuall consists in the Union and Communion with Christ as also in the enlightning and guidance of the Spirit Isa. 54.5 Hos. 2.15 19 20. Iob. 6.56 1 Cor. 6 17. Eph. 5.30 1 Cor. 10.17 2 Cor. 11.2 Eph. 3.6 Gal. 3.28 Câ—l 3.15 Hence it is that the Church is one Holy and Invincible The Externall or temporall State of the Church is as well under the Crosse and Persecution as Light and Comfort or refreshing which two changes the Church undergoes here on earth by turns as well under the Old Testament as the New and that either more or lesse For Adam and Eve after their most grievous fall were raised up again by the most sweet promise of the Gospel and after they had begot Cain and Abel and their Sisters they were comforted with this Infancy as it were and first foundation of the Church But no small grief followed hard upon this joy when as Cain slew his brother Abel However this breach was made up again in Seth whose posterity propagated the Church although not without grievous persecution by the race of Cain which had an end put unto it by the delâ—ge in the yeer of the world 1656. From whence the Church was enlarged to the yeer 1757 without any notable persecution which at that time the building of the Tower of Babel brought and hence sprung the division of Languages In the yeer of the world 2023 the Church was contracted into the Posterity of Abraham only And here begin the four hundred and thirty yeers dwelling of the Israelites in Egypt where Abraham Isaac Iacob and Ioseph underwent manifold changes both of prosperity and affliction And their posterity after the death of Ioseph was detained under a most horrid slavery from the yeer of the world 2360 even to yeer 2453 in which the Israelites were brought out of Egypt From which time to the yeer 2493 they had experience of divers blessings and judgements of God in the Wildernesse Now after they were brought into the Land of Canaan which happened in the yeer of the world 2493. Iosuah with very good successe for the six first yeers conquered the Canaanites vanquishing one and thirty Kings After the death of Iosuah to the yeer of the world 2879 the Israâ—lites were vexed with divers slaveries and persecutions and rescued from the same by severall Judges namely Deborah Gedâ—on Samson and Samuel And now the Kingly power being established in the dayes of Saul or yeer 2879 the Church presently in the very beginning thereof suffered persecution from Saul himself After that it underwent divers chanceâ— and changes namely under David and Solomon it exceedingly flourished under Rehoboam it suffered a great losâ—e ten Tribes falling of to Ieroboam By occasion whereof a most sad rent of the Kingdom happened the Church by little and little degenerating in Israel whose ten Tribes under Hoshea in the yeeâ— of the world 3228. were led away into a most grievous and yet continuing captivity as farre as the Col. hi Iberi c. As for the Church remaining in the Kingdom of Iuda it had severall entercourses of deformation as well as reformation of calamities as well as victories unto the yeer 3350. in which began the Babylonian captivity continuing Lxx yeers In the yeer 3419 Cyrus released this captivity giving the Iews free leave to return into their Country and to establish their own Laws and Religion as farre as their own Country did reach But not withstanding this Priviledge of using their own Laws was many wayes interrupted untill the yeer 3527 that is for 107 yeers From which time to the yeer 3781. the Church of the Iews enjoyed happy and Halcyonian dayes under the Persians and in like manner under Alexander the Great But under the Successors of Alexander especially the Kings of Syria they were divers wayes afflicted untill in the yeer of the world 3783 and so downward the Maccabees fought with happy successe for their Religion and possessions From the yeer 3887. Iudea was laid wast and severall wayes oppressed by the Romans and Parthians so that the whole State thereof was exceedingly troubled Let us now come to the estate of the Church of the New Testament which we will divide into four periods The first period is of the Church of the godly Iews in Iudea from the time of Iohn the Baptist to the Councell of Ierusalem that is from the yeer of the world 3948. to the fiftieth yeer of Christ In all which space of time Christ was born Baptism instituted Iohn put to death the twelve Apostles and Lxx. Disciples called by Christ Christ himself suffered the Holy Ghost was powred out upon the Apostles the Apostles were whipped for their bold preaching of the Doctrine of Christ c. The seâ—ond period is of the Church spread over the whole world and contains the calling and conversion of most nations from the 51. yeer of Christ to the beginning of the thousand yeers And this period hath four branches I. Under the Henthâ—n Roman Emperours till Constâ—ntine the Great 's time wherein the Church was propagated under divers Persecutions of which tenne were more notable from the 64. yeer of Christ to the 3â—3 II. Under Christian Emperours from Constantine the Great to Phocas in which time it was adorned with divers priviledgâ—s by Constantine the Great and other godly Princes yet so That notwithstanding it felt great persecutions by the Arians by Iulian by the Persians Sandals Gothâ—â— c. to the yeer of Christ
6. Verses IV. The troubled State of the Church Vers. 7 8 9 10. V. The Description of the last judgement From the 11. Verseâ—â— the end Of the first Part. The Angel is described 1. From the Person imployed therein who is Iohn the Evangelist whose effect illustrated by the time added is expressed in these words After that I saw 2. From the proper Person or Subject An Angel 3. From the effect which is illustrated by the place Coming down from Heaven 4. From the double adjunct illustrated by a threefold similitude Having the kâ—y of the bottomelesse pit and a great chain in his hand Of the second Part. Five effects of this Angel are recited 1. The first is illustrated by an allegoricall description of the object thus And he laid hold on the Dragon that old Serpent which is the Devill and Satan The second is illustrated by the circumstance of time And he bound him for 1000. years 3. 4. 5. The other three are set down with a manifestation of the end for which this was done And cast him into the bottomelesse pit and shut him up and set a seal upon him that he should deceive the nations no more Of the third Part. The happy estate of this Church hereon Earth is either common or proper The common estate of the Church is that of all the godly then living in these words That he should not seduce them any more And it is discribed thus 1. From the extent of the Subject Thaâ— he might not seduce the Nations 2. From the adjunct of time Till the thousand yâ—â—rs should be fulfilled 3. From the destructive cause of their felicity And after that he must be loosed Now as well the efficient cause of the corruption of this felicity is declared namely The decree of God He must be loosed As the manner and forme Be loosed And lastly the adjunct of time For a little season The Proper estate of the Church is that of the Martyr and is consists of their Resurrection and Kingdom The Resurrection of the Martyrs is described 1. From the Person imployed Then I saw 2. From the impulsive procuring cause to wit the Judgement of those heavenly powers which is illustrated from an adjunct and effect metaphoricall thus Thrones and they sate upon them and judgement was given unto them 3. From the recipient subjects which is described from the adjunct passions as also from the its effects And the souls of them who were beheaded for c. The procuring cause also of these passions or sufferings is declared to wit Their confessing of Christ and their refusing of Idolatry 4. From the manner of their Resurrection And they lived agaiâ— The Kingdom of the Martyrs is described from the effect connâ—â— and adjunct time And thâ—y reigned with Christ for a thousand years The Resurrection of the Martyrs is again described 1. From the unlike condition of others But the rest of the dead lived not again untill c. 2. From it's Epithite This is the first Resurrection 3. From four adjunctâ— of which the first second and fourth are peculiar the third common For the Martyrs are described from their particular happynesse Blessed From their particular holinesse And holy From their holy security On such the second death hath no power From the dignity of their Priesthood But they shall be Priests Their Kingdom with the durance thereof is the second time also set down in the 6. Verse Of the fourth Part. The happy estate of the Church shall be troubled by the extreme persecution of the wicked that is to say by the warre of Gog and Magog the cause whereof and the event is described The cause is as well efficient as formal The efficient is either principall The seducing of the Devill or instrumentall The wicked Nations The seducing of the Devill is described 1. From the time When the thousand years shall be finished 2. From the permissive cause Satan shall be loosed out of his prison For he shall be let loose by the Angel God permitting and commanding it 3. From the manner and end And he shall go forth that he may deceive the Nations and gather them to battlâ— The wicked Nations are described 1. From the subject place The Nations which are in the four corners of the earth 2. From the comparison with their like Gog and Magog 3. From the adjunct That he might gather them to battle 4. From the multitude added which is set forth and illustrated by a simile whose number is as the sand of the Sea 5. From a double effect And they came up on one breadth of the earth and encompassed c. The event of this warre of Gog and Magog is in respect 1. Of the Nations But fire came down from heaven 2. Of the Devill whose action is described And the Devill who seduced them and his passion He was cast into the Lake And this punishment is described from his company Where the Beast and the false prophet are And from the durance of time added And they shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever Of the fifth Part. The last Judgement is described 1. From the efficient cause which is the Iudge who is described partly from the limited place to wit The Cloude Then I saw a Throne c. partly from adjunct to wit His Majestie And one sitting thereon before whom the Earth and the Heaven fled away 2. From the Object which are the guilty or the persons to be judged They are described both from their past condition The dead both small and great as also from their present state Standing in the sight of God as likewise from their future condition And they were judged From a tripartite distribution also from the distinct places And the sea gave up no dead and death and helâ—gave up their dead which were in them 3. From the Rule observed in the Judgement thereafter as their works are According to their works This rule is declared from the infallibility thereof which is signified by the books that is the Consciences of men And the books were opâ—ned And by the Book of life also And another book was opened 4. From the execution of the sentence of which one part here is onely mentioned namely the casting of the wicked into the Lake of fire Vers. 14. the other is related in the following chapter Now this casting into the Lake is described partly from what went before And Death and Hell Partly from the forme and manner of it Were cast into the lake of fire which is the second Death And partly also from the impulsive cause And whose names were not found in the book of life were cast into the lake of fire If you like better of it divide this Chapter into four particular Visions Of which the 1. Is concerning the Angel Vers. 1.2.3 2. Is concerning the State of the Church here on Earth as well In a most happy condition Verse 3 4 5 6. As in a most afflicted
been Indeed Satan was bound at that time but not in that manner and measure as he shall be bound for the thousand years Again by Nations in the place quoted we must understand not the Gentiles onely but also the Iews who truely are yet seduced as also the Indians Turks and others XI Object Is from Revel. 20.1 Where it is said That the Angel which bound Satan came down from Heaven By this Angel therefore we must understand Christ who came down from Heaven Ioh 3.13 Hence we may conclude That these thousand years began about the time of Christs Birth For at that time the Graeâ—es ceased from given Answers Whereupon Apollo being enquired of by Augustus Caesar answered thus Me puer Ebraeus Divos Deus ipse gubernans Codere sede juber tristemque redire sub Orcum Ergo dehine aris tacitus discedito nostris The Hebrew Child himself a God that rules the gods Bids me give place and back unto sad Hell return Silent therefore depart from hence mine Altars leave See the devill himself confesseth That he is bound from this time Answ. 1. As in the former Visions good Angels were the executioners of Gods Judgements so it is likely that a created Angel was used also in this Vision 2. Christ in the 3 of Iohn is said to have come down from Heaven that is To have assumed the humane Nature But the Angel in this place who hath the key of the bottomlesse pit came down from Heaven by a locall motion that he might binde the Devill for a thousand years after the downfall of Antichrist 3. It is true the devill was bound at the time of the Nativity of Christ but not after that manner as is here declared Look before in the Analysis For there are many measures and degrees whereby the devill is bound XII Object Is this This Interpretation concerning the Resurrection of the Martyrs seems to oppose the Article of our Faith I beleeve the Resurrection of the flesh For so a double Resurressiion of the flesh is maintained contrary to the Apostolique Faith Answ. That Article speaketh of the finall and universall Resurrection which shall be in the last day and in which all the dead shall rise again Now this Resurrection is not contradicted or denyed by the Resurrection of the Martyrs which is to go before it no more then by the Resurrection of the Saints who rose again when Christ breathed forth his Spirit hanging upon the Crosse Matth. 27.50 51 52. XIII Object Is taken out of Revel. 20.6 Where all and only they are proclaimed blessed and freed from the second death who have their part in the first Resurrection Whence it follows That either there shall be no Resurrection after the first or that none in the second Resurrection shall be blessed both which are absurd Answ. 1. Nay the latter is onely absurd being granted from the antecedent or foregoing 2. The antecedent is false neither is it in the Text For it is not said there They onely are happy Now that they are in particulars said to be blessed that is in respect of their Prerogative in that they are blessed above others of the faithfull as being to reigne 1000 years with Christ before the last day And this is intended by the word Holy being added whereby is signified that they should be separated from the other faithfull believers and set aside for this happinesse in that they are to rise again to reign with Christ before them 3. Thirdly this blessednesse consists of three parts the first of which being considered apart suits also with the other believers But as it is joyned with the other two parts it cannot be expressed but of the Martyrs only as it will appear to any one that will examine the Context of the 6 verse XIV Object Is taken out of Revel. 20.6 Whence it is gathered That the first Resurrection hath opposed to it the first death Therefore by the first Resurrection the second Life or living again of the soul from the death of sin by Faith and Repentance or in a word Regeneration is to be understood Certainly all and onely the truely regenerate are delivered from the second or eternall death and certainly obtain heavenly happinesse Whence it may be sufficiently proved That the first Resurrection is not particular or bodily Answ. The first Resurrection as it is spoken of in this place is not opposed to the first death of which there is here no mention but it is opposed to the second Resurrection as appears out of these words But the rest of the dead lived not again untill the thousand yeers were finished This is the first Resurrection XV Object Is this The first Resurrection is not a bodily Resurrection because if it be bodily it is not the first For the Resurrection of others namely of those Saints who rose again while Christ hung on the Crosse went before it Answ. That Resurrection of the Martyrs is called the first by way of Excellence by reason also of the multitude of them in respect of which that Resurrection of the Saints comes not within reckoning of by reason of the fewnesse For although many bodies of the Saints are said then to have risen yet in regard of the Martyrs they were but few as which came forth of the Graves onely which were neer unto Hierusalem XVI Object It is a usuall Axiome in the School of Divines That the first Resurrection is the living again of the Souls from the death of sin by faith and repentance which otherwise is called Regeneration and it is opposed to the first death which is a defection and a casting a way of the soul from God But the second Resurrection shall be the raising of the bodies to be united to the souls to eternall life to which the second death is opposed which shall be the casting a way of the damned to eternall torments Ans. Resurrection is tearmed to be the First ambiguously For either it is opposed to the first death and so it is spirituall and is proper to all believers or it is opposed to the second Resurrection and so it is corporeall and of the Martyrs onely XVII Object The thousand years of Satans binding contain an obscure mystery and hidden from us In vain therefore and too boldly we labour in so scrupulous an uniting thereof Ans. 1. There are many Mysteries in the Revelation which in successe of time receive light more and more 2. We dislike all boldnesse but we commend holy diligence and industry XVIII Object From the end of Satans binding the Epocha is to be collected of the thousand years in the Revelation Now the term of his binding expired in the year of Christ 1073. wherein * Gregory the 7 that devillish Juggler and Cozener possessing himself of the Popedome confounded Heaven and earth together and filling the Christian world with Wars and slaughters declared himself to be a singular instrument of Satan let loose from his bonds Hence