Throne of God and of the Lamb. 2. In the midst of the street of it and of either side of the River was their the Tree of life which bare twelve manner of fruits and yâ—ilded her fruit every moneth and the leaves of the Tree were for the healing of the Nations is the plentiful rich provision that is provided for the supply both for necessity and delight comprized under the Water and Tree of Life alluding to the Tree of Life in the Garden and Ezekiels River Ezek. 47. Intimating that the glorious presence that had so inricht the Church should by a plentiful rich supply of Spiritual grace flowing from the Throne of Grace so maintain the same continually that each shall have such store that out of their bellies shall flow Rivers of living water Jo. 7.38 Lastly 3. And there shall be no more curse but the Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it and his servants shall serve him 4. And they shall see his face and his name shall be in their Foreheads To Crown this blessed and glorious state there is a Throne erected as well as a Temple wherein his maked servants shall see his Face that serve him Intimating that Satans Seat Rev. 21.13 And the Beasts Throne Rev. 16. That brought the curse being removed the Lambs Throne instead thereof is erected wherein his Servants that are his Sealed ones Eph. 1.13 2 Tim. 2.19 And that by a visible Holy profession bear the Lambs Name in their Foreheads and injoy his presence shall serve him therein and shall as his Substitutes and Vice-gerent manages the affairs of his Kingdom and Soveragnity to his glory and praise as Satans instruments and servants did before order and dispose in the Beasts Kingdom Amen Allelujah The First Question necessary to be spoken to for the better clearing what hath been before asserted relating to the thousand years Reign is WHether the thousand years Reign is not yet past as Brightman Napier Fox c. formerly Hamond Durham Harvey and others more lately do assert from such like reasons as these that follow which I have gathered out of their writings viz 1. Because as they suppose the Dragons casting down to the Earth in the 12th Chapter is one and the same with his being bound and cast into the bottomless pit in the 20th Chapter and therefore must the Epocha of the thousand years of the Saints Reign mentioned Rev. 20. be reckoned from the fall of Heathenism in Constantines time and so is expired many years since 2. Because of the Order of the Prophecy as exprest in the 20th and 21th Chapters the new Heaven and the new Earth and the new Jerusalem containing a visible Kingdom on Earth is so long after not contemporaneous with the thousand years 3. Because Christ is personally to appear in the new Jerusalem so inconsistent with the thousand years state 4. Because of the duration of the new Ierusalem so much beyond the thousand years one being limited the other for ever 5. Because of the agreement of the Heaven and Earth passing away viz. the matteriall Rev. 20.11 with Rev. 21.1 6. Because the Gog-Magog Host cannot come out of the new Heaven To which I reply speaking to them in Order And therefore in answer to the first Reason I say That the subduing of the Dragon with seven Heads and ten Horns with the Crowns upon his Heads and casting him out of Heaven to the Earth by Michael Rev. 12.8 9. Is not nor cannot be the same with his apprehending casting into shutting up and sealing in the bottomless pit for a thousand years by the Angel that comes from Heaven which I prove from these four essential differences 1. From the point of time when each casting down was 2. From the different places where done 3. From the different actions and circumstances in each 4. From the different ends in both First From the difference of time when these two castings down were which may appear in the particulars following viz. 1. That in the 12th Chapter was before the Beasts rise that in the 20th after his ruine 2. That in the 12th was before the 42 Months or 1260 days and that in the 20th after 3. That in the 12th was upon the treading under foot the Holy City and that in the 20th upon the erecting or restoring it 4. That in the 12th takes place under the sixth Seal and that in the 20th not till the seventh Trumpet which is no less then 1260. years difference in time Now that the Dragons casting to the Earth in the 12th was according to these forementioned characteristical notes viz. before the Beasts rise or 42. Moneths taking place when the City was troden under foot and in the time of the sixth Seal is fully owned and asserted And that this binding was not till the Beasts ruine end of fourty Moneths the restoring of the City and the seventh Trumpets sounding I thus prove If the Dragon was not bound but free under the first six Trumpets of the seventh Seal it remaines he must be bound under the seventh and so consequently at the end of the 42 Moneths and Beasts ruine and restoration of the City which are all as contemporaneous as the other four But that he was not bound under the first six Trumpets I thus prove 1. Not under the six first Seals for then he wore the imperial Crown upon his head and so fought Michael under the sixth Seal Chap. 12. 3 7. Chap. 6.12 c. 2. Not under the Six first Trumpets for then was the time of the womans being in the Wilderness wherein the Dragon is so far from being bound that he casts flouds out of his mouth after her and makes War with the remnant of her seed that keep the Commandments of God and the Testimony of Jesus Rev. 12.13 15 17. 3. Neither under the Beasts Reign for they that follow the Beast worship the Dragon Rev. 13.2 3 4. The false prophet also being one of his Leiutenants and delegates works wonders and deceives the Inhabitants of the Earth And how can he be said to be bound and so bound too that he shall not deceive them at all during tha this binding as Rev. 20.3 when he all along this time aforesaid plays such Rex not only by himself but substitutes 4. That he was 〈◊〉 at liberty till the destruction of the Beast which is one and the same time with the six Trumpets appeareth for upon the pouring out of the sixth Vial there is a confederacy combination and conjunction in preparation to the great Battle by sending their Emissaries to the Kings of the Earth to gather them thereto and accordingly we have these three great Leaders with the Kings Captains c. gathered to Armageddon Rev. 16.16 and the success of the Battle Chap. 19. viz. the routing and destruction of the Armies the taking of the three Generals and the Sentence that was past and executed upon them viz. the Beast and false-prophet to
be cast alive into the lake of fire and the Dragon to be bound and cast into the bottomless pit as a close prisoner for 1000. years and afterwards to be cast into the lake where the Beast and false prophet were cast a thousand years before being all one and the same story By which it manifestly appears the Dragon was at liberty and unbound till the Beast and false-prophet were ruined and destroyed Mr. Fox himself doth in p. 130. of his first Book calculate the 1000. years to succeed the 12â—0 days or 42. Months and the Witnesses death and resurrection But withall it is true doth conclude those mistical Numbers to contain no more than 294. years viz. from the Death of John Baptist to the end of Maxentius and Licinius and the 1000. years to commence from Constantine Secondly As these two Actions differ in point of time so also in point of place viz. that of the 12th appears upon the War in Heaven to be a casting down from thence by Michael and his Angels that subdued him But this in the 20th seems to be a Scene acted in another place viz not in Heaven but by an Angel coming down from Heaven viz. to the Earth where the Dragon was and in the Armageddon rout apprehends him upon the Earth and casts him not out of Heaven to the Errth as before but out of the Earth as it were under the Earth into the bottomless pit The one being a casting him out of that Empire he possessed in the Roman world when Constantine as a type of the man-child that must rule the Nations did vanquish Maxentius in the West and Licinius in the East to the possessing their Dominions with his own which extended over a good part of Asia and Africa and over the greatest part of Europe with the Metropolis and principal seat Rome it self The other a casting him out of the Empire he shall enjoy at the Armageddon Battle which will comprehend no less than three whole parts of the world yea all that the ten horned Crowned Beast possesseth not the Dragons circuit then containing Asia Africa and America whether Turk Mogul Emperours of Persia China India Prester John or America north or South the Beast bearing way in the European Territories only the whole Heathenish Rule being then called Dragon in distinction from the Beast or Antichristian powers and yet both together doth but make up that fourth Monarchy that extends it self to the four parts of the world for they in conjunction as you find Rev. 16.13 14. command and influence the whole world which Christ is to vanquish in the fifth Monarcy that the Kingdoms of this world may become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and the City of God be of as large an extent as the City of the Nations which Constantines Dominion heretofore was not for he had no part of America but part of Asia and Africa and not all Europe and of far less extent is the Turkish Territories supposed to be the Dragon And so upon the Dragons second foil he is neither to have place in Heaven viz. in the Roman world or European Territories the principal part thereof that was possessed by the Beast nor yet in the Earth viz. in the heathenish Rule and Soveraignty all which is to be in the hands of the Saints during the thousand years and the Dragon as far from either as a person that is shut up and fettered and chained in a Dungeon Thirdly From the different Actions and Circumstances relating to the one and the other as exprest in each Chapter nothing related in the 20th appearing to be in the 12th nor any thing in the 12th to be transacted in the 20th In the 20th there are four things related of the Dragon 1. That he was apprehended by an Angel descending from Heaven 2. That he was bound or chayned by the said Angel 3. That he was cast into the Bottomless Pit 4. Shut up and sealed therein for a Thousand years but none of these in the 12th Chapter Neither is that Fighting in Heaven nor casting down of the Dragon from Heaven to Earth as exprest in the 12th once so much as named in the 20th but the contrary as before Fourthly From the different end of the Dragons dealing with in one place and the other Because 1. In the Twelfth Chapter he is cast out into the Earth not there to be bound but to wander up and down at his pleasure which further appears Because he was 2. To torment vex disturb and deceive the Inhabitants of the Earth and therefore is Wo pronounced to them because of that great wrath he comes down to them in verse 12 3. To annoy the Church by persecutions stirring up of War casting Flouds out of his mouth against her as being full of wrath against the woman and the remnant of her feed that keep the Commandments of God and have the Testimony of Jesus Whereas in the 20th it is expresly laid down as one essential reason of his binding and casting into the Pit for a Thousand years That he should deceive the Nations no more till the Thousand years were expired And the Church was to be so far from annoyance and disturbance by him or any of his accomplices that they are said to sit upon the Thrones in a Reigning peaceable posture and all enemies under their subjection which state doth not possibly admit of such Satanical disturbances These things being so it then appears that there is a manifest mistake in that first Reason urged And that the Epocha that is made of the Thousand years in Rev. 20. must not be reckoned from Constantines casting down Heathenism in the downfall of the 10 horned Imperial Dragon which was before the 42 months under the Sixt seal during the treading under foot the holy City before the rise of the Beast But at the binding and restraint of those Heathenish Governments influenced by the Devil that shall be exercised all the World over in distinction from the Beastly or Antichristian powers and at the end of the 42 months the finishing of the Beasts reign the building of the City or new Jerusalem and the sounding of the seventh Trumpet But now in answer to that Objection What Kingdom of Christ in the hands of his Saints could that be that during the Thousand years was so exposed to the Dragons and Beasts rage wrath fury persecution so shut up in the Wilderness so hunted slaughtered and destroyed It is said in answer that it is only an invisible and spiritual Kingdom that is there intended But that it cannot so be understood let the Text it self be the Judge which First assigns Resurrection and Life to be the undoubted marks and characters of the Church of Christ in this their Reign as death and not life to be the mark writ upon Antichrists Church the Antithesis For as durcng the Dragon and Antichrists Reign the true Church was in a state of Death and Bondage viz.
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
interpretation without boubt to this end that by the benefit of the interpretation thereof as being the chiefest vision of all the rest the other Misteries contained in the Revelations hitherto indeed shut up but depending upon it with a wonderful Artifice might be revealed Here therefore give all attention and least the Angel should take this pain in vain as far forth as it concerneth thee Remember this right well right well I say And another thus This prophesie thus lively disclosed may deservedly be stiled the Divine Key of the Revelation whereby many misteries of this book may be unlocked and the Top-Tower or Turret of the Revelations whence the secrets of this Book may be peculiarly and certainly discovered on every side Rule 3. Thirdly Most diligently to observe the scope order and harmony of the Prophecies In the next place we come to consider the Phrases and Terms that call for explanation and unfolding in this Prophecy which we shall take in order as they lye in the several parts of the Chapter viz. First Who the Dragon 2ly What by his apprehending 3ly Who the Angel that thus lays hold upon him that comes from Heaven and what by Heaven 4ly What by the Dragons binding imprisoning and sealing in the pit 5ly What by the bottomless pit 6ly What the thousand years and how to be taken whether definitely and indefinitely 7ly What this living of the Martyrs or first Resurrection 8ly What this Reigning with Christ 9ly What this second Death 10ly What by the rest of the Dead that lived not again 11ly What to be Priests of God and of Christ 12ly What by the Dragons loosing or release and deceiving the Nations 13ly Who Gog and Magog 14ly What the beloved City 15ly What the fire that comes down from Heaven to destroy the Enemies 16ly What by the general judgment And of these we shall endeavour to speak distinctly with inlargement suitable to the point before us Of the Dragon THe first thing to be enquired into is the great subject of this discourse the Dragon Who and what he is The right understanding whereof will let us much into the Mistery of this Prophecy which therefore obliges to the more diligent search and greater exactness keeping close to the rules propounded Dragon or old Serpent in Scripture is taken in a two-fold sence sometimes in a litteral viz. that Creature who as said Gen. 3.1 Was more subtile than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made held forth to be destructive cruel and devouring Jer. 51.34 Eccles 10.11 poisonous and murderous Deut. 52.33 Psal 58.4 Envious and malicious Gen. 3.1 2 4. And sometimes in a figurative or mistical sense viz. Great Tyrants who acting in the Dragons cruel subtile envious and destructive nature are properly so called Therefore Pharaoh that old cruel Enemy of Gods people is called Dragon Isa 51.9 Ezck. 29.3 So also Nebuchadnezzar that other cruel bloody Enemy Isa 27.1 Jer. 51.34 Also the Roman Empire whilst Heathen so murderously bloody to the Saints in distinction from the Beast called Dragon great Red Dragon Rev. 12.30 So the Whale or Leviathan that devouring tyrannous Sea-monster called Dragon Psal 74.13 14. Hence the Heathenish and Pagan Empire that bears rule in all the World as Turk Tartar c. Is called here in this place Dragon in distinction from the Beast that bore sway only in Euroep and now vanquished and put down as in the former Chapter so that as the Pagan Empire we are to notion Dragon here viz. a State or Empire as the Beast interpreted before not any particular person Object But it is said what need you go so far for an interpretation when you have one so near at hand Is it not here said that he is the Devil and Satan the old Serpent So also Rev. 12.9 the seven headed ten horned red Dragon is called the old Serpent the Devil and Satan and therefore by Dragon here is not to be understood a state or constitution of Government as you suppose but the Devil himself Answ It is true the Dragon in the 12th and here also is said to be the old Serpent Devil and Satan not that he was personally so but figuratively and representatively as it is said the Serpent beguiled Eve 2 Cor 11.3 which was not the Serpent barely considered but the Devil acting the Serpent As the Devil in Samuels shape or mantle or when a man is possessed by the Devil the man is said to speak and act when it is the Devil that speaks and acts him And so is the Heathen Empire called the Devil and Satan Rev. 2.10 Where it is said the Devil shall cast some of you into prison Not that the Devil in person was to do it But the Devil in his Imps Agents Officers Instruments Vicegerents And so Rev. 2.13 It is said Satan dwelt and had his seat there not that the Devil actually and visibly in person dwelt there But the Devil in his Spirit and old enmity acting in his substitutes the Rulers and Magistrates of that place And well might the Heathen Emperours of old be called the Devil and Satan that old Serpent First Because he as God and Prince of this World and of the Air the Abaddon and Apollyon King of the bottomless pit having by Gods permission the dispose of the worldly Governments Luke 4.6 compared Rev. 13.7 is the Head and Soveraign of the Rulers of darkness in this world And therefore are the Beastly and dragonical powers springing from him acting undeâ— him and being influenced by his Spirit as their Lord and Head are called Devils by his name Whereas Gods Rulers deriving from above influenced by his Spirit acting in his name by his Laws and in his Authority are called Gods Secondly Because they acting in that Dragonical subtile tyrannous bloody spirit even the spirit of the Devil are therefore called the Red Dragon Devil and Satan Thirdly Because they set up and impose Idolatry the Devils worship not only thereby worshiping themselves but inforcing others to do the same yea to require divine worship to be done to themselves as Nebuchadnezzar and the Heathen Emperours of old false worship being called the worship of Devils 1 Cor. 10.20 21. 2 Chron 11.15 Deut. 32.17 And that by Dragon is to be understood the Heathen Empire or Government further appears from the interpretation given by Christ himself in this Book Rev. 17.8 9 10. Where the seven headed and ten horned Beast that had the Crowns upon the horns the Image as well as substitute of the Dragon who had seven heads and ten horns also the difference only betwixt them was that the Dragon had his Crowns upon his heads which when he resigned in that part of his Dominion to the Beast the Crowns were put upon the hornes is interpreted by the spirit to be civil Empire and power The ten horns are ten Kingdoms and seven heads are seven Kings five of which were fallen before Johns time and one of the
Types is to be performed gradually First the Antichristian powers and Interest afterwards the Heathenish and pagan Governments in order to the subduing and bringing the whole world under the Dominion and Soveraignty of Jesus Christ who must have the Heathen for his Inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession and must rule from Sea to Sea from the River to the end of the Earth Of the Angel that lays hold on or apprehends the Dragon And I saw an Angel come down from Heaven having the Key of the Bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand and he laid hold c. THe word Angel both in Greek and Hebrew signifies a Messenger taken therefore sometimes for Heavenly Spirit Heb. 1.7 Psal 103.20 Sometimes a Minister of the Gospel or Elder 2 Cor. 5.20 Rev. 2.1 Sometimes for Christ Jesus himself the Archangel So sometimes by an Angel though exprest in the singular Number is meant the whole Eldership or Ministry as Rev. 2 1. So the Angel of the Church of Ephesus is to be understood more than one because they had Elders more than one Acts 20.17 So the Angel is said to pour out the Vials Chap. 16. By it is to be understood those Ministers of Gods wrath that are to execute his judgments upon Babylon And by the Angel in the 14th Chapter that is to Preach the Everlasting Gospel we are to understand the whole Ministry that is then called thereto Which I take to be the import of Angel here viz. the vertue power and authority of Christ the Archangel put forth in and by his Church and people clothed with authority to perform this great service having the Key and Chain Emblems of power and authority put into their hands Christ being their head and representative and the rather so because it is a power and authority in opposition to the Dragon who is a mistical representative of all the Enemies of Christ it being no new thing to represent a whole party by the head and chief that influences them As to say such a King vanquished such a King when neither of the Kings are personally present but vertually so by their commissions impowring their Generals and Armies So Michael and his Angels are said to fight Rev. 12. on the one side and the Dragon and his Angels on the other when neither Christ nor the Devil are personally present but their Agents and Instruments Constantine and his Host in the behalf of the Woman and Man child on the one side and Maxentius and his crew seeking to devour the one and the other on the other side So are the Bloody Tyrannous Antichristian powers that for 1260. years are to oppose the Church represented by a Beast And the filthy Idolatrous Church by a lewd filthy Strumpet a whorish Woman and the true Church of Christ by a Woman Object But is it not said that the Angel comes down from Heaven Therefore it must either be Christ himself in person or some mighty Angel that descends from him out of Heaven to perform his great Service In answer whereto I shall first shew you that by this Angel we cannot understand the person of Christ here descending and coming from Heaven and secondly shew you what we are understand by Heaven First By this Angel we cannot understand the person of Christ First Because this is not the time of his personal coming and appearing which will not be till a thousand years after for this action is but at the beginning of the thousand years His personal coming is not to be till the Judgment day It being said that he muâ—â— judge the quick and dead at his appearing and Kingdom which is not to be till after the thousand years and after the Battle of Gog and Magog Secondly Because when he comes in person it iâ— not to such work as this not to fight and subdue Enemies with material Swords nor to put his people as the Lambs Army and followers upon any such service at that time being then all to be in the Resurrection and glorified state made like himself in glory and as the Angels of God Neither will any of his Enemies be in a capacity to make resistance or opposition who in their own persons shall be destroyed by fire and the very earth they inhabit and all its works burnt up and consumed at whose presence the Earth and Heaven flye away Thirdly Because such an apprehension would make three personal comings of Christ whereas we read but of two Heb. 9.28 who will appear the second time without sin to Salvation Because it is expresly said He sits at the right hand of God till his Enemies be made his footstool Fourthly This conquering fighting work is not by Christ in person at this time of his glorious and terrible appearing because the Execution then upon the Enemies will be sudden and speedy like travail upon a Woman with Child as a Thief in the night like Lightning as it was in the days of Lot and Noah with sudden destruction and as a snare will he come upon all the Inhabitants of the Earth Whereas this work as you have heard is a work of time gradually to be performed The stone smites not the Image all at once but gradually and after smiting beats him to powder and blows it away Then by degrees doth that little stone increase to be a great mountain and to fill the whole Earth first the ten Kingdoms in Europe where the Beast hath ruled must be overcome in order to Whores judging for which there is Hallelujah aad Praise by all the Saints After that is the Dragon to be dealt with viz. The Heathen power and rule all the world through for all the Kingdoms of this world are to become the Kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ this therefore asks time the other is done at an instant suddenly at the sounding of a Trump in the twinkling of an eye Fifthly Neither can Christs personal appearing be at this time because then it must be supposed that Christ being in the Camp of the Saints and beloved City shall suffer himself and all the Glorious Angels and glorified Saints to be besieged and streightned by the Gog-Magog Army Therfore must this be done by his virtual presence power and spirit though spoken as if he did it in person and these great Conquests effected as in the foregoing Chapter is expressed by the Sword coming out of his mouth viz. by his word commission in his name and by his authority But by what ways will the Lord effect this work upon the Enemy Various will be the ways and means that this great work of removing this opposition and subduing these Enemies be brought to pass as the Scripture plentifully makes mention viz. First Sometimes by appearing against them in some extraordinary way of his providence either after the manner of Aegypt by ingaging the Host of Heaven and Stars in their courses against them by Hail-stones and Coals of fire
Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem 2. And he shall judge among the Nations and shall rebuke many people and they shall beat their Swords into Plow shares and their Spears into Pruning-hooks Nation shall not lift up Sword against Nation neither shall they learn War any mere Isa 33.20 Look upon Zion the City of our Solemnities Thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation a Tabernacle that shall not be taken down not one of the Stakes thereof shall ever be removed neither shall any of the Cords thereof be broken Psal 7â— 3 The Mountains shall bring peace and the little hills by righteousness 4. He shall judge the poor of the people he shall save the children of the needy and shall break in pieces the oppresscur 7. In his days shall the righteous flourish and abundance of peace so long as the Mâ—on endureth So Ezek. 34.12 to 16.27 28. Jerem. 50 6. Heb. 4.9 There remaineth therefore a Rest or keeping of a Sabbath to the people of God This is to be the state of the new Heavens and the new Earth wherein righteousness shall dwell when Jerusalem shall be a rejoycing and her people a joy in whom shall no more be heard the voice of weeping nor crying when the Elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands c. This is the new Jerusalems state Isa 65.17 18.66.22 Rev. 21.3 The beloved City now takes place in the ruine of the great City Babilon Rev. 20.9 Now comes the Bride the Lambs wife after the destruction of the Mother of Harlots and Abominations And the Palme bearing multituâ—e now appears Rev. 21.9 10 11.79.10 c. Typed out by Canaan the Land of rest and promise by Solomons reign a time of peace all the Enemies being subdued and brought under Of the Bottomless pit that the Angel casts the Dragon into upon his binding ANd cast him into the bottomless pit The word here rendred bottomless pit is from the Latin Abissus taken from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from α and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Cover for the deep is covered with waters sometimes therefore translated the deep 2 Cor. 11.25 a night and a day in the deep So the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for depth of the Sea Isa 51.10 Psal 42.7 Or for Chaos Gen. 1.2 and so taken herein this Book For the Beast that is said to come out of the Abyss or bottomless pit Rev. 11.7.17.8 is said to rise up out of the Sea â—3 1 compared with Dan 7.1 2 Sea is so called from the gathering together of Waters Gen. 1.10 and Waters in this book are interpreted to be multitudes of People Nations and Tongues Rev. 17.15 Metapharicolly also put for Hell Luke 8.31 Rev. 9.2 So that as the Dragon Chap. 12. was cast by Michael from Heaven viz. from the Rule Dignity and Soveraignty that he enjoyed in the Empire into the Earth as Mead well interprets Heaven here for in no other sense could the Dragon be in Heaven or cast out of Heaven being neither capable of the material Heaven nor the Spiritual Heaven the Church therefore no other but the figurative or metaphorical Heaven in which he resided and out of which upon Michaels cornbate and overthrow he is thus cast out so is he here not only deposed and dethroned but so kept down during the thousand years reign as if he was shut up a close prisoner in a Dungeon or pit And in this sence Earth Sea Deep bottemless pit are much of the same signification the Earth being founded upon the Sea In the 12 Chapt. upon the Dragons casting upon the Earth there is a Woe to the inhabitants of the Earth and of the Sea The first Beast Chapt. 13 rises from the Sea and the second two horned Beast comes from the Earth and they are the Earth dwellers that succour and support him wander after and worship him He was in the 12 Chapt. cast into the Earth though no restraint upon him for he makes reaks there deceives the nations still and by his Vicegerent the Beast to whom he gives power seat and authority casts flouds against the Church still and ingages afresh to their disturbance as Revel 16. But here being cast into the Abyss he is bound an absolute restraint is upon him for this thousand years For during the said term all Empire and Rule is taken from him and he is not onely cast into the Lump and Mass of the people the Earth dwellers from whom he came out but such a restraint laid upon him during Christs Kingdom that the Nations shall know no other Rule or Soveraignty either in Civil Military or Ecclesiastical but Christs only and to which the whole world must be subject will they nill they The mystical Dragon is cast into the Sea Abyss great Waters or into the Earth or among the Earth-dwellers that through the Devils influence he should not deceive the Nations to Idolatry and murderous slaughter and persecution by his tyrannous Rule and Government The Spiritual Dragon influencing in the mean time put into his restraint all that time as if chained in Hell Of the thousand years COncerning the thousand years so often expressed in this Chapter we shall make this three-fold enquiry First How we are to take it whether definitely or indefinitely Secondly If definitely whether only one space of time is intended where a thousand years is so expres'd six several times And Thirdly If so when those thousand years are said to begin and end First whether to take that number of years indefinitely for a great space of time as Psal 91.7 A thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand at thy right hand So Psal 90.4 A thousand years are in thy sight but as yestarday when it is past as a watch in the night for a great while 1 Sam. 18.7 Saul hath slain his thousands and David his ten thousands that is David many more than Saul not just so many Or definitely for the certain express time as here mentioned I conclude the latter for these Reasons First Because that when there is no necessity to take a Scripture in a figurative sense we are to receive it in the Letter but neither the scope of the place Analogy of Faith or other Scriptures lay any such necessity upon us therefore so to take it Secondly Because this same space is so often repeated by the spirit to which we should take the more earnest heed as matter of instruction and information for thrice it is said Satan was bound a thousand years and afterwards loosed 2. 3. 7. Twice it is said the Saints shall reign a thousand years verse 4.6 Once that the rest of the dead lived not again till the thousand years finished verse 5. There being a thousand years of Satans Captivity and the Rest of dead and a thousand years of the Saints Reigning with Christ If so then Secondly Whether these intend one and the same space of time or
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 were cast into the Lake of Fire Christ's Kingdom in the thousand years Reign before his Personal appearing asserted from the 20th of the Revelations c. THis Chapter contains the last Historical prophesie of the Dragons disaster The twelfth foretels his being subdued by Michael and cast unto the Earth This of his being taken by the Angel and cast bound into the bottomless pit c. being the Epilogue and last act of the whole warfare of the Church as it is subject to dangers and distress s he being the last of her three capital Enemies that here goes off the Stage In the 16th Chapter John hath discovered to him the consederacy and conjunction of Dragon Beast and False-prophet in their call to and combination with the Kings of the Earth and whole world to oppose Christ and his Saints in the great battle In the 19th is the issue of this great undertaking declared viz. a total overthrow and destruction of that great Army the Kings Captains and Mighty men the taking of the Beast and False-prophet and casting them alive into the lake of fire burning with Brimstone And in this 20th you have the account of the Dragons Fate in this great Catastrophe viz. of his taking and how as a wretched Captive he was bound and made close prisoner for a season then after a short Release how brought to judgment and sentenced to the lake of fire with his Companions together with the blessing and advantage that accrues hereby to the Church of Christ A Portion of Scripture worthy our most serious search and enquiry containing most seasonable and necessary truths and of such import that a late learned Author saith thus of it That it contains the Catastrophe Result and Design of all that God hath spoken before in the Old Testament and no less than a Golden Key to unlock the Bible especially the Old Testament Though expressed in such mistical Allegories and Types such Figurative and Tropical Terms as makes it very abstruse and difficult and to that degree so that Brightman saith that a man may see by the commentary of Interpreters how greatly they are puzled and toyled in the interpritation of this Chapter being like an intricate Maze and Labyrinth where there is no winding of a mans self out And Mr. Mead calls it the most abstruse of all the Prophetical Scriptures and most to be admired and so misterious that he dares not enlarge himself into that curious search of the Reasons of several Circumstances lest that of Solomon be laid to his charge Prov. 10.19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin And another thus The particulars contained herein are most abstruse and misterious and that to be too positive and definitive about them and the misteries intended in them would argue too much boldness and temerity The consideration whereof calls therefore for the greater circumspection watiness and sobriety The Method propounded in search after the misteries contained in this Chapter shall be First To lay down the Analisis and parts of the Chapter then treat of each material thing contained in the parts and that by certain known rules as helps and way-marks to steer herein with some remarks upon the same and a brief Paraphrase upon it The Parts of the Chapter THis Chapter contains the doom and judgment of the Dragon as discovered to John in three parts or periods First In his binding and consequents thereof Secondly In his loosing with the effects of it Thirdly In his final and utter judgment and what follows thereon First Of his binding wherein is considerable 1 The Agent by whom an Angel And I saw an Angel come down from Heaven having the Key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand 2. The actions of the Angel 1. In apprehending of him And he laid hold on the Dragon that old Serpent which is the Devil and Satan 2. In binding of him and how long And bound him a thousand years 3. In Imprisoning of him set forth partly by the place and cast him into the bottomless pit partly by his secure way of proceeding And shut him up and set a seal upon him 3. The end of his judicial process with the Dragon viz. That he should deceive the Nations no more till the thousand years were fulfilled amplified by the Dragons release for a little moment After that he must be released a little season Then the consequents of the Dragons binding and as one main reason thereof viz. the Churches happy and glorious condition wherein is considerable First The Resurrection and Reviving state under the denomination of Martyrs And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and the Word of God and which had not worshiped the Beast neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their right hands Secondly Their Enthroning or Reigning And I saw Thrones and they sat upon them and judgment was given to them And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years Then their said state and condition is amplified three ways 1. By the opposite condition of their Enemies But the rest of the Dead lived not again till the thousand years were finished 2 By the denomination given to this condition of the Revived Martyrs This is the first Resurrection 3. By their happiness and holiness partly in respect to the evil they are exempted from partly the good they are called to enjoy 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 Secondly Of the loosing of the Dragon out of Prison wherein is considerable 1. The time when But when the thousand years are expired Satan shall be loosed out of Prison 2. The subtile practises of the Dragon declared in the seducing and stirring up new Enemies against the Church And he shall go out to deceive the Nations described by the extent of of the places whence to be gathered From all the Quarters of the Earth 2ly By their denomination Gog and Magog 3ly By their number As the sand of the Sea 4ly The intent of the gathering For Battle against the Saints 3. The hostile acts of these seduced Enemies partly going up every way against them partly surrounding them on every side And they went up on the breadth of the Earth and encompassed the Camp of the Saints about and the beloved City Then nextly The effects of this great gathering and what became of this Dragonical design and mighty Host And fire came down from God out of Heaven and devoured them Thirdly His final and utter judgment which is described 1. By the Cause And the Devil that deceived them 3. By the place Was cast into the lake of fire 2. By his Companions
sent to Hell to keep the Pope and Popish Emperour company Here it may be noted that the foes of the Church that profess not the name of Christ as the Heathen and Turkish Emperour are in this Book compared to Dragons and Serpents and to the Devil himself so the Popes and Popish Emperours who profess Christianity are eompared to wild Beasts And Mr. Mead in his Comment upon the Rev. Chap. 12.3 4. A wonder or representation of Rome Heathen whose marks are every where seven heads and ten horns seven heads indeed as well for the seven hills upon which the City was built as also for the seven sorts of Governours who were successively to Govern that City The ten horns for the ten Kingdoms which were to arise in the time of the last head to which they were to grow Which interpretation is not mine but the Angels Chap. 17. In the mean time another Character of the Roman Emperour is added to these Whereas it is said He drew the third part of the Stars of Heaven with his Tail and did cast them to the Earth that is he subjected the third part of the Princes and Rulers of the World to his Empire For even so much viz the third part of the known world in John's age the dominion of Rome did comprehend within its Limits Add here Bernard upon Rev. 12.3 p. 208. This is expounded to be the old Serpent the Devil and Satan vers 9. by an allusion to Gen. 3. but yet so understanding him as hereby be understood also the special ministry of his fury viz. the Heathen persecuting Emperours of Rome For this prophesie â— of things to be done here on Earth by men Also the Woman noteth out a company here in this world and so must the Dragon note out in like sort such here as be her Adversaries Again the description of this Dragon cannot agree properly to the Devil himself but is indeed the Arms of Rome when it was Heathen and had Heathen Emperours ruling there who worshiped the Devil 1 Cor. 10.20 and were led by him as all the wicked be Eph. 2.2 He persecuting Christians for the very name of Christ so as the battle was against Christ Jesus himself No marvel then that they be called the Dragon that is the Devil who is put for his Instruments Chap. 2.10 As here his Instruments for him Of the Dragons taking or apprehending ANd he laid hold or took A Metaphor borrowed from the seizing of a Prisoner at war and so improved here It is said in the former Chapter he was fought with and vanquished and in this Chapter laid hold off or taken implying a compleat conquest for when a chief General after Battle is taken the business is over Which holds out no less than the absolute victory that Christ and his followers have obtained in pleading his kingly right to the Governments of this world over the Beastly and Dragonical powers of this world who have usurpt and a long time posses'd the same and having not only subdued but absolutely dismissed cashier'd and damned the Antichristian state in both parts of it both Civil and Ecclesiastical even to that degree that they shall never appear to do mischief any more no more than two wicked wretches that are cast alive into Hell fire can ever expect to come forth to act villany any more in this world so now also is the Heathen Pagan state so vanquish'd and brought down and as much out of a capacity to do any more mischief for the season intended then a Baffled Conquered enemy that is apprehended and taken prisoner And that such a season shall be wherein Christ Jesus who hath right to the worlds Government not only by gift purchase covenant and inheritance must yet plead and obtain the same by war and conquest also appears in part from these following Seriptures Numb 24.8 He shall eat up the Nations his Enemies He shall break their bones and pierce them through with his arrows 9. He couched he lay down as a Lyon Who shall raise him up Isa 41.2 Who raised up the righteous man from the East called him to his foot gave the Nations before him and made him rule over Kings He gave them as the dust to his Sword and driven Stubble to his Bow Speaking of Abraham Gen. 14. in his subduing the four Kings Types of the four Monarchies Who hath wrought and done it calling the Generations from the beginning I the Lord the first viz. he that was with Abraham in the Type in the beginning at the first and with the last I am he will also in the conclusion be with the seed of Abraham in the same work in subduing and taking their Antitypes the four Monarches eyes themselves Isa 42.13 The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man He shall stir up jealousie like a man of War He shall cry yea roar He shall prevail against his Enemies 14. I have a long time holden my peace I have been still and refrained my self Now will I cry like a Travelling Woman I will destroy and devour at once 15. I will make wast Mountains and Hills and dry up all their Herbs and I will make the Rivers Islands and I will dry up the Pools c. Haggai 2.22 And I will overthrow the Throne of Kingdoms and will destroy the strength of the Kingdoms of the Heathon and I will overthrow the Chariots and those that ride in them and their Horses and their Riders shall come down every one by the Sword of his Brother Rev. 17.14 These shall make War with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them for he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings and they that are with him are called chosen and faithfull Rev. 19.13 c. And he was clothed in a Vesture dipt in blood and his name is called the Word of God And the Armies which are in Heaven followed him upon white Horses clothed in fine linnen white and clean And out of his Mouth goeth a Sharp Sword that with it he should smite the Nations And he shall rule them with a rod of Iron And he treadeth the Wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God And he hath on his Vesture and on his thigh written King of Kings and Lord of Lords So also Psalms 2.8 9 c. Dan. 2.44 45. Psal 45.3 4 5. Psal 66.3 c Psal 72. 9 10. Isa 24.19 20 21 22. Ezek. 21.26 27. Rev. 14.19 20. Isa 63.1 2 3 4 6. Which dispensation is no other than the pouring out the Vials Chap. 16. The Earth-quake Desolation and Slaughter that attends the Resurrection of the Witnesses Rev. 11. Typed out by Abrams Conquest of the four Kings as before the overturning of Pharaoh and his Host the subduing the thirty one Kings in Canaan by Joshuah in order to give rest to the people in the promised land the destruction of all Enemies by David in order to Solomons quiet and peaceable Reign And this work as in the
his own Blood And hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father to him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Daniel 7.17 These great Beasts which are four are four Kings which shall arise out of the Earth viz. the four Monarchies as interpreted Chap. 2.18 But the Saints of the most high shall take the Kingdom and possess the Kingdom for ever 2â— And judgment was given to the Saints of the most high 26. And the judgment shall sit and they shall take away his Dominion to consume and destroy it to the end 27. And the Kingdom and Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high whose Kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom and all Dominions shall serve and obey him Which is the very same spoken of Dan 2.44 and in the days of these Kings viz four Monarchs typed out by the Image the God of Heaven shall set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdom shall not be left to other people but it shall break in pieces and consume all these Kingdoms and it shall stand for ever Psal 110 2. The Lord shall send the Rod of thy strength viz. his Septer or Ensign of Rule and Dignity out of Zion the new Testament Church Rule thou in the midst of thine Enemies Mica 4.8 And thou O Tower of the Flock the strong hold of the Daughter of Zion unto thee shall it come even the first Dominion the Kingdom shall come to the Daughter of Jerusalem Rev. 2.26 27. And he that overcometh and keepeth my Works unto the end to him will I give power over the Nations and he shall rule them with a Rod of Iron as the Vessels of a Potter shall they be broken to pieces even as I have received of my Father and I will give him the Morning Star Which glorious reign is held forth to us in the particulars following viz. First In the Great Extent Secondly in the Glorious Administration which is first in dispensing Laws 2ly Administring judgment both punishing the Evil and rewarding the Good to the encrease of 1. Peace 2. Plenty and 3. Protection Sixthly the great conversions both of Jews and Gentiles Seventhly the encrease of holiness Eighthly Freedom from sorrow Ninthly Restauration of the Creature First The extent of this Kingdom is no less than the bounds of the Beasts and Dragons Territories even the whole Earth Rev. 16.14 No less than the limits of the four preceding Monarchies as Dan. 7.27 And the Kingdom and Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high whose Kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom and all Dominions shall serve and obey him So Dan. 2.34 35. The Universality whereof is confirmed also by these following Scriptures Isa 60.11 Thy Gates shall be open continually they shall not be shut day nor night that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles and that their Kings may be brought 12. For the Nation and Kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish Yea those Nations shall be utterly wasted Isa 2.2 And it shall come to pass in the last deays that the Mountain of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the Mountains and shall be exalted above the Hills and all Nations shall flow thereunto Agreeable to the first promise to Abram Gen. 12.3 And I will bless them that bless thee and curse them that curse thee and in thee shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed Ratified also by an Oath Gen. 22.16 17 18. By my self have I sworn saith the Lord that in blessing I will bless thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the Stars of Heaven and as the sand which is upon the Sea Shore And thy seed shall possess the Gate of his Enemies And in thy seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed Rev. 11.15 And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great voices in Heaven saying The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever So Psal 2.8 Psal 29.10 Isa 19.23 25. The glorious Administration consists First in dispensing the Righteous Laws of the Lord in opposition to the Laws of the Nations the Statutes of Omri the Lord alone being the Law-giver Mica 4.2 And many Nations shall come and say Come and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord and to the House of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in his paths for the Law shall go forth of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem Therefore it is said Isa 51.4 Hearken unto me my people and give ear unto me Oh my Nation for a Law shall proceed from me and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people 5. My Righteousness is near my Salvation is gone forth and mine Arms shall judge the people the Isles shall wait upon me and upon mine Arm shall they trust Therefore verse the 7th Hearken to me ye that know Right the People in whose heart is my Law Fear not the reproach of men c. Isa 42.2 He shall not fail nor be discouraged till he have set judgment in the Land and the Isles shall wait for his Law Verse 21 The Lord is well pleased for his Righteousness sake He will magnifie the Law and make it Honourable And further as a precept for the day Mal. 4.4 Remember ye the Law of Moses my Servant which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel with the Statutes and Judgments Ezek. 44.23 24. Secondly In Administring Justice and Judgment and Righteousness to the encrease of Peace and plenty and protection the blessings of good Government Isa 1.26 And I will restore thy Judges as at the first and the Councellors as at the beginning afterward thou shalt be called the City of Righteousness the faithful City Ps 72.7 In his days shall the Righteous flourish and abundance of Peace so long as the Moon endureth Verse the 2. of that Psal He shall judge thy people with Righteousness and thy poor with Judgment Verse 11. All Kings stall fall down before him all Nations shall serve him 12. For he shall deliver the needy when he cryeth the poor also and him that hath no helper 13. He shall spare the poor and needy and save the Souls of the needy 14. He shall redeem their Soul from deceit and violence c. Isa 60.17 18. I will also make thy Officers peace and thine exacters Righteousness 18. Violence shall no more be heard in thy Land wasting and destruction within thy Borders But thou shalt call thy walls Salvation and thy Gates praise 21. Thy people also shall be all Righteous they shall inherit thy Land for ever the branch of my planting the work of my hands
Scriptures following Mat. 16.28 There be some standing here that shall not tast death till they see the son of man coming in his Kingdom Which in a figure is performed in the next Chapter Mat. 17.2 And was transfigured before them and his face did shine as the Sun and his Raiment was white as the Light c. Compared with Rev. 1 13 14 15. 2 Pet. 1.16 For we have not followed cunning devised Fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but were eye Witnesses of his Majesty viz. They had a vision of that power and glory that Christs Majesty shall have when he come in his Kingdom Mat. 19.28 Ye which have followed me in the Regeneration when the Son of man shall sit on the Throne of his Glory ye also shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Rev. 3.21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me upon my Throne even as I also overcome and am set down with my Father on his Throne 1 Cor. 15.50 Now this I say Brethren that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God neither doth corruption inherit incorruption Therefore 51. Behold I shew you a mystery we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed Holding out the necessity of the changed immortal incorruptible estate to qualifie them and make them capable to partake of the blessings and benefits of that Kingdom of God which Christ enters upon at the sounding of this last Trump and the general Resurrection and Judgement 2 Tim. 4.1 I charge thee before our Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the Quick and the Dead at his appearing and Kingdom Luke 13.28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God and you your selves thrust out 29. 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 Math 25.31 32. 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 And before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepheard divideth the Sheep from the Goats c. Which fully states and clears up the thing 1. That Christ shall come in his Glory with all the Holy Angels with him 2. That he shall then in his Kingly state as Verse 34 Sit upon the Throne of his Glory 3. That this shall be at the general Resurrection For all Nations good and bad are gathered before him 4. That this shall be at the general Judgement For now is the Judgement and Sentence to be pronounced c. Secondly This shall be upon the Earth Job 19.25 26. For I know that my Redeemer liveth and he shall stand at the latter day upon the Earth And though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God Whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my Reins be consumed within me 1 Thess 4.17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with him in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so shall we ever be with the Lord viz. Not to remain with him in the Air but to meet him to come with him to the Earth For so Acts 1.10 11. And while they looked stedfastly towards Heaven as he went up behold two men stood by them in white Apparel which said Ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into Heaven This same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven With Zach. 14.4 And his Feet shall stand in that day upon Mount Olivet c. Thirdly The manner of his coming to his Throne it shall be first Visible secondly Glorious thirdly Terrible also 1. Visible Rev. 1.7 Behold he cometh with Clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him c. Matth. 27.30 And they shall see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds of Heaven with power and great Glory Acts 1.11 He shall come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven 2. Glorious And therefore well called the Kingdom of Glory Mark 13.26 And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds with Power and great Glory Which great Glory appears First Because it is in the Fathers Glory Mark 8.38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful Generation of him also shall the Son of Man also be ashamed when he cometh in the Glory of his Father with the Holy Angels Secondly In his own Glory with the Father Luke 9.26 Of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his own Glory and in his Fathers c. Thirdly In the Glory of all the Holy Angels Matth. 25.31 When the Son of Man shall come in his Glory and all the Holy Angels with him 2 Thess 1.7 And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels Fourthly In the Glory of all the Saints as is already largely proved from Zech. 4.5 1 Thess 4.14 17. 1 Cor. 15.51 52. Luke 13.28 Luke 2.36.2 Thess 2.10 There vile bodies being now raised changed made from Earthly to bear the Image of the Heavenly is to be made glorious like Christs glorified Body 1 John 3.1 2. Phil. 3.21 1 Cor. 15.43 44 49. 3. Terrible also With a shout great noise voice of the Archangel with the Trump of God the last Trump with the dissolution of Heaven and Earth as 1 Cor. 15.52 1 Thess 4.17 Math. 24.31 Math. 24.24 2 Pet. 3. Rev. 20. Rev. 22. 4. What shall be done in this Kingdom 2 Thess 1. Christ shall be glorified and admired and praised Saints shall be glorified and rewarded Wicked Men and wicked Angels shall by Christ and the Saints be Judged and Sentenced according to their deeds and demerits Of being Priests of God and Christ But they shall be Priests of God and Christ THis is another part of the Saints Priviledge this thousand years not only to Reign as Kings but be Priests too as Rev. 1.6 â—ev 5.10 And hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall Reign on the Earth Alluding hereby to that Dignity and Priviledge of the Priesthood under the Law who were said to draw nigh to God in a more special and peculiar way in his worship which was First Patriarchal or the Priesthood belonging to the first born Num. 63.12.41.45.8.16 17. Secondly Mosaical or Levitical Numb 3.18.7.22 Exod. 28.1 1 Chron. 6.49 Of whom First High-Priest 1 Chron. 6.14 15. Secondly Chief Priests Numb 20.26 Thirdly Ordinary Priests of the same line Lev. 6.29 Which were
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
the mystery of God and therefore properly applyed to them but short of them can in no sence be either pertinent or true To the second Objection as to the order of the Prophecy I think I need do little but return that Observation for the Solution viz That for the order of things to be done whereof the Revelation speaketh we must search that in the Seal-prophecy which ends with the 11th Chapter all that follows being only a more plentifull declaration of things hinted before and so the order is not so much regarded in this latter prophecy that viz the Order being to be fetcht out of the former Which is true For you will find in this latter Systeme of Prophecies from the 11th Chapter that the former part of the 12th takes place before much of the 11th and the former part of the 13th the latter part of the 12th And good part of the 11th contemporizeth with if not precedes much of the 14th The 18 19 and 20th is an explanation of the 17th or rather all from the 11th Chapter to the end is but an enlargement and exposition of what is epitomized in the 11th where under the witnesses prophecy Death Resurrection and Ascension is held forth the Beasts rise rage and ruine and the taking place of Christs Kingdom which the mind of wisdom warily observing the parallel of Synchronisms must get the distinct knowledge into each as laid down mixedly from the 11th to the end And that no such order as is suggested is to be observed nor any such distance betwixt them as imagined But that the New Jerusalem beloved City new Heaven and Earth or City of God is one with Christs Kingdom in the thousand years may appear from these following considerations viz. First Because upon the destruction of the fourth Monarchy viz. the Whore and Beast or the Magisterial and Ministerial part of Antichrist the thousand years Reign of Christ and the Saints begin or the marriage of the Lamb or new Heavens-state being both one as Rev 19.7.21.2 takes place and therefore are the Hallelujahs sung by the Church for the Salvation Glory Honour and Power that Jesus Christ takes to himself thereupon Rev. 19.6 7 8 9. Secondly Because it is fully manifest that the beloved City is in being during the thousand years For upon the Dragons release he stirs up the Nations against the City of God and accordingly is the Gog-Magog design to besiege and encompass it which is no less in circuit than the whole Earth being the Antithesis to great Babylon the City of the Nations for as one goes down the other goes up in the beginning of the thousand years by which it is undenyable that during the thousand years the beloved City had a being and for better satisfaction herein you may see Mr Mede p. 24. upon his 6th Synchronism Thirdly Because of the Harmonious marks and Characters that accord with both in their taking place in the World viz. 1. Doth the new Jerusalem enter when the seventh Trumpet Soundeth and the Kingdoms of this World become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ Rev. 11.15 18. So doth the thousand years Rev. 20.4 6. comparde with 19.6 2. Doth the new Jerusalem take place upon the pouring out of the Vials and finishing the mystery of God Rev. 10.7 when the Angel of the Vials saith it is done Rev. 21.6 So upon the pouring out of the seventh Vial upon the destruction of the Beast when the thousand years begin as Rev. 19.21 22. Rev. 20.1 It is also said It is done Rev. 16.16 17. 3. Is one the beginning of Christs visible Kingdom upon the Earth so is the other Rev. 20.4 6.19 6. 4. Is one the time of the Marriage of the Lamb with his Church and people Rev. 21.3 9. so is the other Rev. 19 6 7. 5. Is one the time of Jacobs rest from his sorrow and from his fear and from his hard bondage wherein he was made to serve Isa 14.2 So is the other that seventh day or seventh thousand years or great Sabbatism Heb. 4.9 When all enemies Kings of the Earth and their Armies are brought down and Satan bound and Saints as Kings and Priests ascend the throne and peaceably Reign Rev. 20 4 6. 6. Is there to be building planting marrying and giving in marriage procreation enjoyment of Liberty Peace Ease plenty in the new Jerusalem new Heaven and Earth-state as is affirmed from Isai 65.21 33. So also must be the thousand years where Christs virtual presence is in that mystical Resurrection-state For neither before nor after the thousand years shall there be such a state to the Church therefore it must be in the thousand years After the thousand years is the Judgment day Corporeal Resurrection and personal coming of our Lord Jesus as I have at large proved elsewhere when all the Saints are in glorified bodyes as 1 Joh. 3.20 21. Phil. 3.20 21. 1 Thes 4.15 16 17. 1 Cor. 15.51 52. And that as well the changed as raised Saints in which state it is expresly said Luke 20.34 That they who shall be accounted worthy to obtain that World and the Resurrection from the Dead Mark that not onely the raised Saints but whoever shall be accounted worthy to obtain that World taking in the changed also neither marry nor are given in marriage neither can they die any more for they are equal to the Angels and are the Children of God being the Children of the Resurrection so that this above all contradiction asserted that they which partake of the Angelical glorious state in the World to come are not capable of such sensitive enjoyments therefore of necessity must it bee before in this new Heaven new Jerusalem or 1000 years state 7. Is the new Jerusalem or City of God extensive over the whole Earth as great Babylon the City of the Nations was So is the Reign of Christ in the thousand years Rev. 20.9 8. Is this glorious City made up of living not dead stones and materialls so is the Church of Christ in an especial manner during the thousand years Rev. 20.6 Eph 2.19 The third Object against the Harmony or oneness of these two states is because of those Scriptures that so positively in their apprehensions assert Christs personal presence in the new Ierusalem-state so inconsistent with the 1000. years after which is to be the Gog. Magog attempts The Scriptures usually mentioned are Rev. 21.3.22.22.3 The Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and God himself shall be with them The Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it and his servants shall serve him and they shall see his face c. To which I would say in the first place that if I have reasoned right in answer to the former Objection about the order it necessarily and undeniably follows that these Scriptures that speak of Gods Tabernacling and dwelling with men and men beholding his face must be understood of a vertual