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A79823 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 10th. 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 prophecies, especially in the pulling down Babylon, and building of Zion, as Maton, and others assert Danvers, Henry, d. 1687. 1672 (1672) Wing C4357; Wing D231; ESTC R229614 117,233 260

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Rev. 11. Witnesses in Sackcloth and slain Witnesses In their cleaving to Christ whilst so many wonder and wander after the the Beast the Lambs followers the Sealed and Marked ones Keepers of the Commandments of God and Testimony of Jesus Rev. 14. In the●r courageous opposition to Tyranny and Idolatry called Victors over the Beasts Image Mark Number Name In their Martial attempts against the Beast and Whore the called chosen and faithful the Lambs Army In her quiet peaceable state Kings and Priests Ascenders of Heaven and the Throne of God Reigners with Christ the Bride the Lambs Wife the new Jerusalem the beloved City the Palme-bearing multitude The false Church being represented also under various Marks Names and Characters as you may find under another Head and amongst the rest they are called the Dead that shall not live this thousand years As Antichrist and his followers dye and go off the Stage so Christ and his followers live and come on The death of the one is the life of the other Of the rest of the Dead that lived not But the rest of the Dead lived not again till the thousand years were finished IN the understanding of this death of the wicked interpreters as much differ as they do about the living of the Saints Some suppose a Corporeal death that is here intended intimating that whilst the Saints and Martyrs are raised to live and Reign with Christ the bodies of the wicked shall not be raised but are to lye in their Graves all the thousand years And others suppose it a spiritual death a death in sin an unconverted unregenerated state that the wicked will be found in during all the thousand years But it is humbly conceived there is the same good ground t' understand this as the former living of the Saints viz. in a metaphorical sense As that living of the Saints is to be taken to be a civil life so this death of the wicked is to be understood a civil death being the direct Antithesis to the former and so indeed no other then a confirmation and illustration of that happy state of the Saints for as when the Beast and Dragon and their worshipers lived viz. were found in the full exercise of power Rule and Authority in the world the Saints then civilly dyed being not only put out of all capacity of that kind but made lyable to all manner of natural deaths and distress for opposing their usurpations and refusing their Idolatrous worship so when the Saints come to take their turns to live in power and authority then shall all the Beasts and Dragons worshipers and followers take their turns in a state of death too not only thrust from all Rule and Authority but rendred lyable to give an account with their lives and liberties for all their cruelties and murders during their tyrannous usurpations When they must have retaliation and be filled in the Cup they have filled to others and be rewarded as they have rewarded the Saints during their reign and rage For how much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much torment and soorrw she must have Object But why called the rest of the Dead that lived not again This also is a proper Character of the false Church holding out their present posture and condition sometimes termed Earth-dwellers Beast-worshipers and Wonderers Babylon Whore a Glorious Queen City of the Nations and here according to their dethroned slaughtered imprisoned captivated state The Dead that lived not But why the Rest of the Dead so read as Pareus after the manner of the Greek the Genetive for the Nomnative the rest of the dead for the rest being dead so Rev. 9.20 rest of the men that is other men The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being other as Eph. 6.10 1 Cor. 7 29. 1 Tim. 4.13 20. The Saints that were dead that would not worship formerly in the Dragons and Beasts life and reign are now alive But the other men that worshiped Beast and Dragon enter now a state of Death and Judgment who are judged to death all the thousand years no more to Rule or Reign either in Civils Militaries or Ecclesiasticks for or under the Beast during that time then they permited the Saints to exercise any such Soveraignty for and in the behalf of Christ during their day for as one goes up the other goes down They are not to live again till the thousand years be finished implying that when the Dragon is loosed there will then be a Military power and jurisdiction at least that they may live to again in opposition unto Christ and the Saints in their encompassing the Camp of the Saints and beloved City which their said raised state makes good and confirms the former interprepretation that their death is mistically and figuratively to be understood of a civil and not litterally of a Corporeal death for if the dead men must not live again till the thousand years be expired and then must be raised out of their Graves and in that Resurrection-state appear in that Military posture is such an absurdity that I presume none will own Wicked men being not raised to make opposition against Christ and his Saints but to appear to judgment being the Resurrection to them of Damnation as to the raised Saints of Life and Salvation Of Reigning with Christ And I saw Thrones and they sat upon them and Judgment was given unto them c. And they lived and Reigned with Christ a thousand years c. And they shall be Priests to God and Christ c. AFter the Saints are revived and a Spirit of Life entred into them they are called up and ascend into Heaven saith Rev. 1.1 viz. to Rule and Government as Page 39. to Kingly power to sit upon Thrones and have judgment committed to them saith this Text Ensigns of Soveraignty Psal 122.5 Psal 7.21 1. Dan. 7.22 Alluding to the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ after his Death who Ascending Heaven had all power judgment and authority given to him Mat. 28.18 John 5.22 27. So shall it be in like manner with his mistical body in their mistical Resurrection and Ascension They are to Ascend the Throne of Christ and to receive Judgment Rule and Authority from him having suffered with him during Antichrists Reign and are now as Kings to Reign with him in his Kingdom Which Kingly state of the Saints is confirmed by divers Scriptures whereof take some few Rev. 5 10. And hath made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall Reign on the Earth Being part of the new song of the 24 Elders that are said to be about the Throne in Chap. 4.10 with white Raiment and Crowns of Gold casting them down before the Throne interpreted here in the 9. verse of 5. to be the Church of God that were redeemed by his Blood out of every Kindred Tongue people and Nation Compared with Rev. 1.5 Vnto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in
order which is to be at the sounding of the last trumpet The time of the living Saints change the time that is expres'd to be the last day which is the time of his coming and appearing which is the Judgment day But this a thousand years before all Eighthly Because if Corporeal and to be understood of Martyrs only then all the dead at the last day shall be raised to the second death contrary to John 5.24.6.39 40.44 54. Dan. 12.2 And they only as Martyrs Priests to God contrary to 1 Pet. 2.5 9. Rev. 1. ● Ninthly Because if this be understood to be the Resurrection of all the Saints who in that immortal and glorified state are to live and Reign the thousand years in and over the world it necessarily infers these strange absurdities First that glorified and unglorified mortal and immortal bodies must converse together for it necessarily follows if the Saints are raised then is Christ come in Glory and their vile bodies are made like to his glorified body and that Christ and the Saints and Angels in this glorified state converse with the men of the world Ruling Governing and Ordering them in the respective policies by Zions Laws and Edicts contrary to express Scripture 1 Tim. 6.16 Who only hath immortality dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto whom no man hath seen nor can see viz. No mortal man no unglorified man for if Moses that had only a glimps of Gods back parts had such a Glory upon him that the Children of Israel could not converse with him without a vail And the Disciples were not able to stand before Christ in the Transfiguration nor Paul in the Vision how unable will wicked men be to stand before and converse with Christ who appears in transcendent Glory both in his own and the Fathers Glory the Glory of all the Holy Angels and Glory of all Saints as hereafter And it is expresly said that none can see God and live Exod. 33.20 It being impossible that any poor mortal finite Creature can see and stand before the glorious immortal and infinite Being without being consumed Secondly It holds out that some glorified and unglorified Saints shall at this time converse together viz. those that are raised from the dead with those that are then upon the Earth when the Scripture tells us 1 Cor. 15.51 52. that at the same instant that the dead Saints are raised the living Saints are changed at a Moment in the Twinkling of an Eye which must needs be so 1. Because when Christ comes he must have all the Saints come with him who are raised changed and glorified taken up in the Air to meet him and in that state are ever with him not one Saint being to be left behind 2. Because he then appears in flaming fire againt them that know him not nor obey his Gospel the day of Grace being then over and none to be converted after that And therefore are all the exhortations of making ready of getting Oyl in the Vessel and in the Lamp before he comes it being too late to do it after he cometh A third absurdity is that whereas Christ saith The last Enemy is Death here the raised Saints after death are to meet with another Enemy the Gog-Magog Army Tenthly This cannot be the Corporeal Resurrection because it is said expreslly that during this thousand years the new Jerusalem new Heaven and new Earth-state the Saints shall build plant Marry give in Marriage enjoy the works of their hands dispense Laws manage Governments in the world and be lyable to death and dessolution therein which is utterly inconsistent with the Resurrection-state Luke 20.34 The Children of this world marry and are given in marriage 35. But they which shall be accounted worthy to'btain that world and the Resurrection from the Dead neither marry nor are given in marriage neither can they dye any more for they are equal to the Angels and are the childeren of God being the Children of the Resurrection the dispensing of Laws managing worldly policies and affairs being as utterly inconsistent with this state also Secondly Neither can this living or rising again intend the Spiritual Resurrection viz. the rising from the death of sin to the life of Grace the converted changed state though that will abundantly be manifested herein both amongst Jews and Gentiles by the preaching of the Gospel 1. Because it is supposed it speaks of the Church that were converted lived a spiritual life 2. Neither was this a life their Enemies could take from them for in this sense they lived all the time of the Beasts and the Dragons rage and rule and in this respect might be said to live most when most lyable to outward death and distresses Thirdly neither can this be the Eternal Life of Glory Because this speaks of a state that precedes that a thousand years Therefore lastly it will follow that if it be neither the Corporeal Spiritual nor Eternal Life that is here meant to which the Saints are raised then must it be the mistical or civil life to which the Prophets give witness as before And the rather so because of that mistical and civil death that all Saints are lyable to and lye under during Antichrists reign because they refuse to worship the Beast or his Image or receive his Mark and Number c. As also bcause the whole Church and all Saints do at this time partake of this life because it is said in the next verse that the rest or others lived not viz. those that did worship the Beast the Character of the Antichristian Church they lived not this thousand years viz. this mistical life But are now to take their turns in the Vally of the shadow of death lyable now to the Prison-state and Gibbet to give an account for all their cruelties and murders to be kill'd all the day long to be fill'd in the Cup they have fill'd and as being thrust in the pit and bound kept from all Rule Dignity and Authority Object But why must the Church be included under these terms or characters of Souls beheaded and that would not worship the Beast Answ Because it may more emphatically and significantly held forth the state they are raised from and raised to Various are the names and Characters the Church is represented by in this Book and yet all suitable to their present posture and station viz. In her primitive purity and lusture a Woman clothed with the Sun and the Moon under her feet and upon her head a Crown of Twelve Stars In her persecuted afflicted state under the Dragon or Rome Heathen Souls under the Altar Rev. 6.9 10. Slain for the Word of God and Testimony they held and so here Souls of the beheaded Rev. 20. In her contests with the Dragon Rev. 12.2 A woman with Child cryed travelling in birth and pained to be delivered Under the Beast tyranny and persecution Rev. 12. A Woman flying into the Wilderness
Heaven must receive untill the times of Restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his Holy Prophets since the World began Hebr. 9.28 To them that look for him will he appear the second time without sin blotting out the sin to Salvation 1 Thess 2.9 For what is our hope or joy or Crown of Rejoycing are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming Col. 3.4 When Christ who is our Life shall appear then shall we appear with him in Glory 1 John ● 2 Now are we Sons of God but it doth not yet appear what we shall be but when he shall appear we shall be like him Phil. 3.20 For our consolation is in Heaven from whence also we look for our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like his glorious body 1 Pet. 5.4 And when the chief Shepheard shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away By which Scriptures it fully appears that Christ's personal coming and appearing is not till the general Resurrection and general Judgement which are after this thousand years Reign Fourthly From those Scriptures that assign the dissolution of the Heavens and the Earth to be at his personal coming and appearing 2 Pet. 3.10 The day of the Lord shall come as a Thief in the Night in which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat The Earth also and the work therein shall be burnt up 12. Wherein the Heavens being on fire shall be dissolved Rev. 20.11 From whose face the Heavens and the Earth fled away with Mark 13.24.25.26 By which it is further manifest that the thousand years Reign must be before Otherwise where will be that Building Planting Rule Government in this World when the Earth and all its works are burnt up Therefore of necessity must these things precede the personal coming and appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ In the next place Christs personal coming and appearing cannot be at this time from arguments taken from his high Priesthood and work of Mediation We read Hebr. 9.7 That the High Priest alone once every year not without blood did enter into the Holy place to offer for himself and the errours of the people c. But Verse 11 Christ being come an High Priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands that is to say not of this Building 12. Neither by the blood of Goats and Calves but by his own blood he entered in once into the Holy Place having obtained eternal redemption for us 15. And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament c. 24. For Christ is not entered into the Holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us c. Hebr. 4.15 And there as our High-priest is he touched with the feeling of our infirmities being in a l points he was tempted like as we are yet without sin To encourage us to hold fast our profession and to come boldly to the Throne of Grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of our need who can have compassion on the ignorant and them that are out of the way Heb. 5.2 For if any sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous who is the propitiation for our sins c. 1 John 2.1 Who was in all things made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High-priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people For in that he himself suffered being tempted he is also able to succour them that are tempted Heb. 2.17 18. And an High-priest for ever after the order of Melchizedeck Heb. 5.6 Who ever lives to make intercession for us and to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him Hebr. 7.25 And this man because he continueth ever hath an unchangeable Priest-hood Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost c. For such an High-priest became us c. Heb. 7.24 25 26. So that whilest sinners are to be converted Saints are liable to sin suffering and temptation and have need to pray and be found in the use of Ordinances Yea whilst they have any thing to do with God short of eternal Glory they will stand in need of an Advocate Mediatour an Intercessour a Days-man But this is needful to the end of the World in and after the thousand years Therefore there is a necessity for the continuance of Christ's Mediation at the right hand of the Father whilst Sin Satan evil World and Death remain and till the Saints be safely entered into Eternal Rest Neither can he any more come off from that work till he hath completed it then the High-priest was to come off from within the Vail till he had perfected the work for which he entered the Holy Place Therefore it will be very dangerous to hold out any Doctrine that may entrench upon this great office of the Mediatour Again neither can Christ personally appear with all the raised and glorified Saints in the thousand years Reign from the consideration of the special work that is to be transacted therein altogether unsuitable for Glorified Angelical Spiritual Bodies viz. To fight and wage War with material Swords To dispense Laws to manage humane policies in the administration of Judgement and Justice amongst men as well in the execution of Justice upon Transgressours as to encourage the Well-doers to build to plant c. To share of worldly peace and plenty To Preach the Gospel dispense and partake of Ordinances or to partake of the great Spiritual blessing in the pouring out of the Spirit proper onely for natural bodies and humane capacities and how incongruous it is for mortal and immortal glorified and unglorified Heavenly and Earthly bodies to converse and transact together is already manifest Upon which considerations we cannot suppose that Christ can personally be present in either part of the Kingdom necessitating therefore some other sense to those former Scriptures seeming to hold out the same more agreeable to Truth and current of Scripture Object But you will say in what sense can you suppose Christ to be said to come to be with his people to fight against enemies to Reign and sit upon a Throne if not personally To the first concerning Christs coming it is necessary that we should take notice of a fourfold coming of Christ in the Scriptures viz. A Personal a Spiritual a Mystical and a providential coming each of which may also be used in a double sense First He is said to come in person when he came in the flesh to take our Nature upon him 1 John 4.2 and Heb. 10. and also when he comes the second time without sin to
divided into four and twenty courses whose duty and priviledge is held forth in Deut. 33.10 Levit. 10.11 Numb 16.9 Thirdly Judaical of the Tribe of Judah of which Melchizedek the Type Gen. 14.18 Hebr. 7.1 And Jesus Christ the Antetype our great High-Priest Heb. 3.1.4.14 And under him the Spiritual Royal Priesthood Exod. 19 6. Rev 1.6 2 Pet 2.5 9. Importing separation and consecration to God and a nearness and constant communion with him Numb 16.9 Ordering in special the affairs of his Church being appointed and anointed thereto Now as in the Kingdom of Israel the Type of Christ's Kingdom there was an anointed Priesthood a Ministry to manage the affairs of the Church and an anointed Kingship or Magistracy to govern and manage the State So Hath Antichrist in his ●surpations in Imitation of them the Type and as if they were this Kingdom of Christ the Antitype pretended not onely to the Kingship but the Priesthood to the Ministry as well as the Magistracy to the Government of the Church as well as the state putting their Holy Oyl upon the one and the other as most Holy and Sacred things Dedicated to the service of Christ in both Which nevertheless their glorious entitling themselves to such his peculiar service he is pleased as to foretell this horrid blasphemous usurpation so to renounce it with great detestation calling their Magistracy an unclean filthy blasphemous bloody Beast that comes not from him but out of the bottomless Pit and must go into Perdition and the other their Ministry or Priesthood a vile filthy Idolatrous Strumpet that must for her lewd Whoredoms Drunkenness and Witchcrafts have her flesh torn off and burnt with fire But his faithful Saints and Servants that will neither bow the Knee to the one nor the other as being Blasphemous Idolatrous Usurpers not only to the opposing but outing Christs Ministry and Magistracy shall be found in this his Kingdom during this thousand years to administer in both these blessed Ordinances being received in Truth Power and Purity to the advantage of his name and Glory viz. as anointed Kings to manage the Affairs of State as Rulers and Magistrates under Christ the King of Kings and as anointed Priests shall under Christ their High-Priest manage his pure Worship and Govern the Affairs of the Church as his Elders and Ministers which in happy conjunction makes up this Blessed and Glorious state of Christs Rule in this his Kingdom Of the second Death On such the second death had no power THis is another Priviledge of the Saints in this happy Estate that they shall not be lyable to the second death By second death in the Letter is to be understood Hell-fire the place of the damned as interpreted Rev. 21.9 But Mistically and Metaphorically taken for utter ruine destruction and perdition As for instance it is said in Rev. 19.20 that the Beast and False-prophet were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with Brimstone which must Metaphorically be understood because as before explained Page 2 by Beast and False-prophet we are not to understand two persons but states viz. the Magistracy and Ministry of Antichrist who being vanquished in the great Battle are now as utterly extinguished and put into perdition never ony more to do mischief as if two persons were cast into Hell fire which gives light to Dan. 7 11. Rev. 17.8 Rev. 18.8 So also Rev. 20.10 It is said the Devil or Dragon that deceived them was cast into the lake of Fire and Brimstone where the Beast and False-prophet are c. which admits the same mistical signification viz. that now the Dragonical or Heathenish power as explained to be Page 2. that was only bound in times past for a season is after the Gog-Magog destruction as utterly ruined raised and destroyed as the Beast and false prophet the Antechristian stare before Yea and as the Devil himself will be when he is cast into the lake at the last day now never more to work mischief in the world And again the Worshippers of the Beast whose names are not in the Lambs book the Beast and Dragon being thus in utter perdition are now to share with the principals in utter ruine and destruction Rev. 14.10 11 13.8.17.8 compared with the 20.15 And lastly it is said that Death and Hell or the Grave are cast into the lake of Fire which is the secon● Death Rev. 20.14 viz. Now after the general Judgment there is to be no more Death Death is swallowed up in Victory a full confirmation of the former Of the Dragons Release And when the Thousand years are expired Satan shall be loosed out of his Prison UPon the expiration of the thousand years it seems Hell is to break loose again the Conquered and subdued Heathen Nations and their Authority that during that space have by the Righteous Laws and Soveraign Authority of Christ been as so many imprisoned fettered Captives yea as so many civil dead men kept down and under subjection whereby universal peace and quiet hath been managed and maintained all the world throughout do now by Gods permission and the Devils inspiration and sedition again perk up for him and in a rebellious manner standing upon their feet again do break off their subjection and Allegeance from Christs Rule and Authority and by combination and confederacy make head against him and engaging under their old Captain general the Devil do rally from the four quarters of the Earth an huge and numberless Host like to the Sand of the Sea which mighty gathering is called here by the spirit Gog and M●gog with design by besieging and compassing the Camp of the Saints and beloved City to raze and destroy the Soveraign Power and Authority of Christ that he hath so long managed by the hands of his Saints in this World upon the breadth of the Earth even as the Syrian Host the Prophet in Dothan The Assyrian Jerusalem the Sodomites Lot 2 Kings 6.14 15. 2 Kings 25.1 Of Gog and Magog 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 Battel This is the Name the Holy Spirit is pleased to give this great and last enemy of the Church upon the Earth which for your better understanding take the pithy exposition given by Mr. Mead. It is saith he to be observed that the Revelation is a Book of the Future estate of the Christian Church set forth by Resemblances and Parables borrowed from the condition of affairs of the Jewish Church under the old Testament in which the Worship of the true God flourished alone the rest of the Nations serving Idols universally Hence therefore that Egypt Babylon in the Revelations are not the Babylon and Egypt of the Israelites but the enemies of the Church of the Gentiles like that Babylon and Egypt being Types and Figures of these In like manner Gog and Magog in the Revelation are not the Gog in Ezekiel
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 c●lled the great City the Holy Jerusalem where it is described in all its ●lory and Dimensions called here the Beloved City In opposition to the City of the Nations the great City Babylon containing the ●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 h●m into the bottomless Pit and shut him up and set a Seal upon him that he should deceive the N●tions no mor● 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 worsh●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