in Torment Beast and False-prophet 4. By the extremity and endlesness of it And shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever Then what follows the damning of the Dragon viz. The general judgment wherein is to be considered 1. The Majestical Enthronement of the Judge upon his Tribunal or Judgment seat partly by the glory thereof partly by the power of his presence And I saw a great white Throne and him that sat upon it from whose face the Earth and Heaven fled away and there was found no place for them 2. The order and manner of his judicial proceeding 1. By his conventing all before his Tribunal that were to be judged And I saw the Dead both small and great stand before God the Sea giving up the dead which were in it and the Graves delivering up the dead which were in them 2 By his final dooming or sentencing of them wherein note 1. The matrer of fact 2. The evidence produced for coviction And the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of Life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their works 3. The Exccution of the judicial sentence both upon Things and Persons 1. Things And Death and Hell were cast into the lake of fire This is the second Death 2. Persons And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire Having thus laid down the parts the next thing to be considered and enquired into is the meaning of the Spirit and what is held forth to us by this Parabolical and misterious Prophecy For this Book of the Revelations as Mr. Mead well observes is not usually to be taken accoridng to the Letter only as of a certain bare History of things done but as a Prophesie involved with Mysteries Allegories and Types Therefore must we labour to get a right discerning of the meaning of those Parables and Prophetical Misteries which for the most part are Figurative and Tropical and in part borrowed from the Condition of affairs under the Old Testament And that it is alike injurious to truth to take a misterious Allegory in the Letter as to make an Allegory of the plain Scripture to Litterize the Allegory as to Allegorize the Letter Bernard p. 130. As it is composed of similitudes so the words are Figurative the whole Prophesie full of Metaphors and almost altogether Allegorical so as we must take heed that we look further than into the Letter and naked Relation of things as they are set down Otherways the book should be full of absurdities impossibilities falsities and flat contradictions unto other truths of Scripture which are far from the words of Gods holy Spirit which are ever holy and true For who can believe a Lamb to have seven eyes a mountain burning to be cast into the Sea and this thereby to become in a third part blood a star to fall from Heaven Locusts to be of so monstrous a shape as is set down in Chapter 9 h and Horses with Lions heads fire smoke and brimstone coming out of their mouths Dragon and Beast with seven heads and ten horns c. Therefore we must not stick in the Letter but search out the Historical sense which is the truth intended Also we must note this carefully that all this whole prophesie is framed after the state and condition of the antient people of God the Jews and after the words and visions of the antient Prophets as we may see by comparing the words and visions of this Book with Moses and the Prophets First to their sufferings under their three Enemies as Pharaoh in Aegypt called a Dragon 2. By Babel and the Beasts noted in Daniel 3. By Gog and Magog 2. To their whole state viz. By the twelve Tribes the Wilderness Thunder Lightning Earthquake to the Tabernale the Ark of his Testament the Priests to white Raiment a Golden girdle about the paps the Altar Incense Odours Lamps Candlesticks Golden Censer Temple Singing Instruments of Musick smoke filling the Temple to the Trumpets To Jerusalem Kings Thrones Crowns Elders c. Therefore for our better guide herein these known necessary and approved Rules are laid down to be observed in the Exposition of the difficult things in this Chapter viz. That taking it for granted as previous to all there is an absolute necessity of a James 1.17 1 John 1.20 27 Prayer b Rev. 1.3 Acts 8.28 29.30 Reading c Psal 1.12 Meditation d Dan. 12.4 8 13. Conference e Rev. 1.3 Psal 119.98 99. John 7.17 Dan. 12.3 Practise we must diligently observe Rule 1. First to compare any obscure passage or phrase with other Scriptrues and Prophesies alledged or alluded to whereby much light will be gained to many dark places in this book and so Scripture shall expound Scripture which is the best Interpreter as for instance Rev. 11.4 5 6. Wherein the two witnesses are compared to Moses and Aaron Numb 16. to Elijah and â—lisha â— Kings 1. to Zerubbabel and Joshua Zach. 73.11 12 14. The Song of Moses Rev. â—â— 3 with Exod. 15.1 Psal 145.17 mistical Babylon Rev. 17.24 with litteral Babylon Jer. 51.7 To seperate from her Rev. 18.4 with Jer. 51.6 her destruction Rev. 18.7 8. with Isa 47.7 8 9. To rejoyce at it Rev. 18.20 with Jer. 51.48 Saints coming forth in vengeance Rev. 19.13 Isa 63.2 Rev. 19.15 with Psal 29. Isa 63.3 New Heavens and Earth Rev. 21.1 with Isa 65.7 2 Pet. 3.13 c. Rule 2. Secondly To consider what vision or obscure passage the Holy Ghost hath interpreted in the Revelation it self For of all such the Exposition is undoubted and infallible and so will the Revelation be the best Expounder of the Revelation and from those Expositions proportionably borrow light for the discovering of other obscure passages depending thereupon relating thereto or contemporaneous therewith As for instance Rev. 1.20 The mistery of the seven Stars in his right hand and of the seven Golden Candlesticks interpreted by Christ viz. The seven Stars are the Angels of the seven Churches and the seven Candlesticks are the seven Churches So Rev. 17.7 The mistery of the Woman and of the Beast that carryeth her which hath the seven heads and ten horns and of the waters she sat on explained and expounded by the Holy Spirit The Woman is interpreted to be the great City that then reigned over the Kings of the Earth And the waters where the Whore siteth to be People Multitudes Nations and Tongues The Beasts seven heads to be seven Mountains and seven Kings Ten horns to be ten Kingdoms concerning which interpretation Mr. Mead hath this Remark viz. This is singular in this place nor to be passed over with a slight observation That this vision concerning the great Whore and the Beast bearing her is opened to John and to us by the Angel contrary to his wonted manner with a most plain
is to proceed the Corporeal general Resurrection Upon the Expiration of the said thousand years 7. And when the 1000. years are expired Satan shall be loosed out of his Prison 8. And shall go out to deceive the Nations which are in the four quarters of the Earth Gog and Magog to gather them together to Battle the Number of them is as the sand of the Sea 9. And they went up on the breadth of the Earth and compassed the Camp of the Saints and the beloved City And fire came down from God oâ—t of Heaven and devoured them the Nations revolt from the subjection under Christ's Rule in the hands of the Saints annoying and disturbing them all the World over for a Season though to their own utter ruine and overthrow under the figurative terms of loosing the Devil their Representative out of Prison to deceive the Nations and to gather them in an huge numberless Host called Gog and Magog to besiege a Camp and City an Allusion to Israel of old holding out the Saints politick and setled state by which Emblem of a City is represented also the Enemies setled condition all the world over and holds out their mischievous purpose to ruine the Interest of Christ and to root it up from off the Earth Upon this rebellious design of the Nations in this their treasonable and murderous attempt they are upon the personal coming of Christ to Judgment destroyed by fire who comes in flaming fire rendring Vengeance upon them foretold in the typical destruction of Sodom and Gog and Magog their perfect Types and Predecessors 10. And the Devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of Fire and Brimstone where the Beast and the False-pâ—ophet are and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever And now is the time come that the Devil in a litteral sense who hath been the Mistical head of the Pagan state is to be cast into the lake of fire there to remain for ever But Mistically and Metaphorically is all Heathenish and Worldly Rule and Authorities now utterly destroyed and vacated as the Antechristian Dominion was by casting the Beast and False-prophet into the lake of fire or as when the Devil himself is thither sentenced never any more to come out thence And then in order and according to the whole current of Scripture and scope of it 11. And I saw a great white Throne and him that sat on it from whose face the Earth and the Heavens fled away and there was found no place for them 12. And I saw the Dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of Life and the Dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their works 13. And the Sea gaxe up the Dead which were in it and Death and Hell delivered up the Dead that were in them and they were judged every man according to their works 14. And death and Hell were cast into the lake of fire This is the second Death 15. And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of Fire comes the Resurrection of the Dead and Eternal Judgment in the Order and Method as here laid down to be understood in the Letter from which there is no necessity to depart or to conceive it Allegorical Wherein we have Christ the Judge appearing upon the Throne of Judgment the Heavens and Earth departing at his presence The Dead small and great standing before him the Books opened and Dead judged out of the Books according to their Works c. XXI CHAP. Of the Revelation ANd I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth for the first Heaven and the first Earth were passed away and there was no more Sea 2 And I John saw the holy City new Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband 3 And I heard a great Voice out of Heaven saying Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God 4. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away 5 And he that sat upon the Throne said Behold I make all things new And he said unto me Write for these words are true and faithfull 6 And he said unto me Is it done I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end I will give unto him that is a thirst of the Fountain of the water of life freely 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my son 8 But the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and murderers and Whoremongers and Sorcerers and Idolaters and all Lyars shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death 9 And there came unto me one of the seven Angels which had the seven Viols full of the seven last plagues and talked with me saying Come hither I will shew thee the Bride the Lambs wife 10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high Mountain and shewed me that great City the holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God 11 Having the glory of God and her light was like unto a stone most precious even like a jasper stone clear as Crystal 12 And had a wall great and high and had twelve gates and at the gates twelve Angels and names written thereon which are the names of the twelve Tribes of the Children of Israel 13 On the East three gates on the North three gates on the South three gates and on the West three gates 14 And the wall of the City had twelve foundations and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. 15 And he that talked with me had a golden Reed to measure the City and the gates thereof and the wall thereof 16 And the City lieth four square and the length is as large as the breadth and he measured the City with the Reed twelve thousand furlongs the length and the breadth and the height of it are equal 17 And he measured the wall thereof an hundred and fourty and four cubits according to the measure of a man that is of the Angel 18 And the building of the wall of it was of Jasper and the City was pure gold like unto clear glass 19 And the foundations of the wall of the City were garnished with all manner of precious stones The first foundation was Jasper the second Saphire the third a Chalcedonie the fourth an Emerald 20 The fifth Sardonyx the sixth Sardius the seventh Chrysolite the eighth Beryl the ninth a Topaz the tenth a Chrysoprasus the eleventh a Jacinct the twelfth an
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
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
six of those heads was in Johns time and the seventh afterwards to come and they also signified seven hills interpreted to be that City that then ruled over the Kings of the Earth which was no other than Rome the seat and Metropolis of the Empire as it was then standing upon seven Mountains So that the seven headed red Dragon and seven headed scarlet coloured Beast his Image and Successour in that part of the World Europe was no other by this interpretation than the Soveraign Empire and Rule that first was exercised in Rome Heathen that drew the third part of the Stars of Heaven or powers or potentates of this world during the Dragonical state and in Rome Antichristian during the Beastly state And further it appears that by Dragon we are to understand here the heathen Empire from the extent of his power and jurisdiction For it is said Rev. 16.13 14. that the emissaries of the Dragon Beast and False-Prophet go forth unto the Kings of the Earth and of the whole world to gather them to the Battle of that great day of God Almighty The Beast and False-Prophets power extend no further than the ten Kingdoms But it is the Dragon that commands the rest of the world deceiving the nations and whole world Rev. 12.9 Therefore it is said of him after he is loosed again 20.8 that he goes out again to deceive the Nations which are in the four quarters of the Earth Gog and Magog which great army the number of whom is as the sand of the Sea is said to come up upon the breadth of the Earth and to compass the Camp of the Saints so that it appears plainly to be that power that influences and commands the greater part of the world And again it appears to be the Heathen Empire or State of Government because it is judged to the same ruine and destruction that the Beast and False-prophet were they who were interpreted Rev. 7. the ministerial and magisterial part of Antichrist and said to be taken and cast alive into the lake of Fire und Brimstone viz. that frame of Rule and Government as utterly to be cancelled reverst and vacated and never any more to appear in this world so is the Dragonical Satanical state being adjudged to the same lake of Fire and Brimstone with the Beast and False-prophet utterly also damned and destroyed never any more to appear in the world And again it appears to be no less if you examine thr scope of the place and order of the Prophesies The scope of the Book is to shew as the rise and rage so especially the ruine of the Enemies of Christ and his Church in order to their triumph and Glory which is excellently held forth by Mr. Thomas Goodwin in his Interest of States and Nations in that brief Epitome he gives of the Revelations Which Book saith he is a Tragi-comedy beginning with a Kingdom given to be won by conquest Rev. 6.8 and ending with a Corronation of a King and the Marriage of his Bride and all between is but the removing of all such lets and impediments as stand in the way Now the principal Enemies that Christ and his Church hath to deal with are held forth under the types and terms of a Dragon Beast and False-prophet The Dragon acts two parts one before the rise of the Beast and another presently upon and after the Beasts fall The twelfth Chapter gives an account of the victory that Michael obtained over him when he was cast out of Heaven into the Earth upon which he resigned up his power seat and authority unto the Beast viz. in those territories for 42. Months or 1260. days or years At the latter end of the Beasts or Antichrists Dominion viz. under the sixth Vial there is a confederacy and combination of Dragon Beast and False-prophet to gather the Kings of the Earth and whole world to the Battle of the great Day of God Almighty Accordingly they are assembled and ingage Battle with Christ and his followers not that we are to suppose that all the world viz. Europe Asia Africa and America are to be gathered into one place But holding out the Universal enmity and opposition that with mutual consent shall be made in the powers of the Earth against Christ his people and Government but with what success this Hostile league and confederacy is struck you have already heard Their powers are broken their Authority is dissolved The Beast and False-prophet viz. the ministerial and Magisterial part of Anti-Christ is taken and cast alive into the lake of Fire and Brimstone They are wholly gone off the Stage with a stink who have so long Lorded it in those ten Kingdoms of Europe And then also is the Dragon taken and bound and imprisoned in order to the taking place of Christs Kingdom not only in Europe but over the whole world throughout the whole Earth which was the Dragons or Devils dominions or that Heathenish Empire and Rule that extends all the world through both Asia Africa and America in distinction from the Beastly state that hath been visible in the Europian Territories Now during the time of the Dragons binding the Church hath peace rest and rule over the whole world but after he is released and that Empire permitted to perk up again fresh disturbance will be given to the Church called the Camp of the Saints or the beloved City all the world through till the Dragons total doom and judgment which then immediately follows In further confirmarion hereof take these following instances The Assemblees Annotations upon Rev. 12.3 A great red Dragon viz the Heathen Roman Emperours succeeding one another who did the Devil service as in other things so chiefly in persecuting the Church Psal 74.13 14. Isa 27.17 18.51.9 Ezek. 29.3 He is great because of his large Empire Red that is bedewed with the blood of the Saints as if dyed with it seven heads sitting on seven hills Chap. 17.9 Ten horns ten Provinces the strength of it as horns are of Beasts Dan. 8.3 4 5.6 Seven Crowns seven kinds of Governments one after another on her seven hills Rev. 17.10 on his heads not his horns for the Supreme Authority was in Rome on the seven hills not in the Provinces as after His tayl drew the third part of Heaven he subjected the third part of the Provinces of the world Did cast them to the Earth viz. Put down these Princes whom he subdued from the Royal Authorities And upon Rev. 20.2 Dragon the Pope being destroyed the Devil would bring in the Turk who seemeth yet to stand or some other Enemy like the Heathen Emperour called the Dragon before Rev. 12.3 to persecute and war against the Christians but God will not permit it till the thousand years of the Churches prosperity be done and upon the 10th verse The Devil viz. the Turk the Devils new Agent another Dragon like the Heathen Emperour or some other Enemy no Christian by Profession shall be
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. â— 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-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
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 theâ—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
at my right hand until I make thine Enemy thy foot-stool compared with Heb. 10.12 But this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever sat down on the right hand of God from henceforth expecting till his Enemies be made his foot-stool And therefore being as an overcomer he sat down with God upon his Throne and the Earth his foot-stool He is upon that Throne to reign till all his Enemies be brought down as 1 Cor. 15.25 26. For he must Reign till he hath put all Enemies under his feet the last Enemy that shall be destroyed is death So that it is most manifest by this positive position that Jesus Christ is to sit upon the Throne of Heaven at Gods right hand till all his Enemies be subdued yea till death it self as the last Enemy be conquered which will not be till the general Resurrection when it shall be said that death is swallowed up in Victory and Death and Hell shall be cast into the lake of fire Therefore by this received principle Christ shall not leave the Fathers right hand personally to encounter Dragon Beast and False-prophet who are to be fought with as is already proved and vanquished before the general Resurrection Nay before the thousand years at the beginning whereof many suppose is this personal coming and Resurrection of the Saints So that according to their apprehensions that seeming coming of Christ to war with the Saints against the Beast Dragon and False-prophet must admit of another sense which is also expressed Page 27 28. Secondly Neither can be properly be said to be personally present in the peaceable part or mountain state during the thousand years First Because besides the constant concurrence of Scripture the universal consent of all parties is that Christ comes not personally till the bodily Resurrection and that there is no bodily Resurrection either of Saints or sinners in the beginning of the thousand years Take these Eleven Arguments from Page 40. to 44. Secondly It appears from the former Argument of his being at the Fathers right hand till the general resurrection till Death the last Enemy be destroyed and if so then the thousand years is to be first over and the Battle of Gog before the general Resurrection shall take place and that this is true Doctrine appears also from all the considerable places that make mention of his personal coming and appearing viz. First From those Scriptures that assert that when he comes all the Saints shall come with him which cannot be short of the great Resurrection 1 Thes 3.3.13 To the end be may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God even our Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his Saints Luke 13.28 29. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when ye shall see Abram and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God and your selves thrust out And they shall come from the East and from the West and from the North and from the South and shall sit down in the Kingdom of God 1 Thes 4.14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and with the Trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first 17. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Cor. 15.51 52. Behold I shew you a Mystery we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed in a Moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last Trump for the Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed 54. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in Victory 55. O Death c. By which Scriptures it infallibly appears that at the coming of Christ all the Saints shall come with him The living Saints are to be changed and glorified The dead Saints to be raised and glorified But if this coming of Christ and Resurrection be to be understood at the beginning of the thousand years then cannot all the Saints come with him For as page 37 multitudes both of Jews and Gentiles are to be called and converted in the thousand years Therefore cannot it be short of the general Resurrection after the thousand years Secondly From those Scriptures that inform his coming to be at the general Resurrection p. 40. John 5.28 John 6.39 40.44.54 1 Cor. 15.51.52 1 Thess 4.16 Job 14 12. Job 19.25 26. Secondly From those several Scriptures that assign Christs coming to be at the General Judgement to Judge the wicked and the righteous which is also long after this thousand years Reign viz. 1. To Judge the Wicked 2 Thess 1.7 8. c. When the Lord shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels 8. In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 9. Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his Power 10. When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe c. 2 Tim 4.1 I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom Matth. 25.31 When the Son of man shall come in his Glory and all the Holy Angels with him then shall he sit upon the Throne of his Glory 32. And before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepheard divideth his Sheep from the Goats 33. And he shall set the Sheep at his right hand but the Goats on the left 34. And then shall the King say to them on his right hand c. Jude 14 15. Verses And Enoch also the seventh from Adam Prophesyed of these saying Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are Ungodly amongst them c. Rev. 20.12 And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their works 2. To Judge the Righteous Matth. 25.34 Then shall the King say to them on his right hand c. Rev. 20.12 And another Book was opened which is the Book of Life c. Acts 3.19 Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord 20. And he shall send Jesus Christ which before was Preached unto you 21. Whom the
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 â—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 seconâ— 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 Mâ—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
all covert and open Enemies which new state will abide till Glory come Bringing in of Eastern Kingdoms may well be called a new world And Mr Mede further very significantly to this point upon his sixth Synchronysme in his Clavis Apoc. p. 24. gives the following four substantial Arguments to enforce the same viz. First The Marriage of the Lamb and that Imperial Kingdom of the Almighty Lord God both begin after the destruction of Baâ—ylon where the seventh Trumpet beginneth this appeareth out of the Hymn of the Elders and Beasts which in the former Synchronisme we have commended out of the Nineteenth Chapter verse 6 7. Hallelujah for our Lord God Almighty Reigneth Let us be glad and rejoyce and give honour to him for the Marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made her self ready Put the New Jerusalem is that Bride of the Lamb aborned and prepared for her Husband Chapter 21. verse 2. And I saw saith he the Holy City new Jerusalem coming down from the God out of Heaven as a Bride adorned for her Husband and verse 9. Come and I will shew thee the Bride the Lambs wife c. Secondly Jerusalem is the beloved City but that beloved City forthwith after he thousand years are ended is said to be compassed about by those Troops of Satan then let loose Chapter 20. verse 9. And they compassed the Tents of the Saints and the beloved City therefore it must needs have been extant before while Satan was yet bound Thirdly The seventh Vial being poured out wherewith the Beast is dispatcht and abolished there came a loud voice from the Throne saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is done Chapter 16. verse 17. So also he that sate upon the Throne saith to John beholding new Jerusalem descending from Heaven Chapter 21. verse 5 6. Behold I make all things new 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is done I am Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the End therefore new Jerusalem the Bride of the Lamb begins at the last end of the Vials 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Whore being already dispatcht and so it contemporizeth with the space of time which ensueth the destruction of the Beast â—ourthly One of the Angels of the Vials Chapter 17. doth shew unto John the Condemnation of the Whore even while the Vials are in pouring out and at least by one of them to be executed And the same Angel of Vials Chap. 21. verse 10. sheweth to the same John the Bride of the Lamb the great City Holy Jerusalem to become Glorious even when the Vials are now ended that is the Beast and Babylon being destroyed In treating whereof we shall first give you a brief Analysis then a short Explanation of the most material and difficult things in the Vision The Analysis or Parts of the Chapter In this description of the glorious and happy state of the Church we have First A more brief and general account which is given partly by Vision partly by Voice from the first to the ninth Verse Secondly We have a more particular and larger account which is visionally expressed from the ninth of the twenty first to the sixth Verse of the twenty second In the briefer Account we have First By Vision the Churches happiness represented and that First In respect to a new World And I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth for the first Heaven and Earth was past away Secondly In respect to the evils of Commotion and trouble that are to be removed thence And there was no more Sea Thirdly In respect of the new Jerusalem Described by 1. Her Holiness in opposition to the unholy City that was removed 2 Her newness First In respect to old Jerusalem the Type Secondly In respect of her new state and happiness 3. Her Heavenliness or Divine descent 4. Her Bridelike preparedness Verse 2. And I saw the Holy City new Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband Secondly By Voice Tending to explain and confirm the former Vision which is twofold 1. From Heaven 2. From the Throne 1. The Voice from Heaven declares the Churches happiness First Respecting the enjoyment of all good consisting in the enjoyment 1. Of Gods Covenant relating to them 2. His Co-habitation by his presence with them And I heard a voice out of Heaven saying Behold the Tabernacle of God is with Men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God Verse 3. Secondly Respecting the removal of evil by the passing away of former things viz. Distresses Persecutions Slaughters as Rev. 12.2.13.7.14.13 Which shall trouble her no more And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are past away Verse 4. 2. The Voice from the Throne which is thâ—â—e-fold from God himself confirming this happy state 1. Proclaiming himself the Author of this new Fabrick And he that sate upon the Throne said Behold I make all things new 2. Commanding John to Write and Record these words as infallible And he said unto me write for these words are true and faithful Verse 5. 3. Declaring the consummation of this happy state according to Prophecy And he said unto me It is done confirm'd from his Omnipotency I am Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the End described by the nature and excellency of this happiness I will give unto him that is a thirst of thâ— Fountain of the water of Life freely He that over cometh shall inherit all things And I will be his God and he shall be my Son Verse 6 7. Which happy state is illustrated by the contrary miserable condition that must attend the Worshippers of the Beast and Vassals of Anti-christ who are ranked in eight several sorts describing their corruptions But the fearful and unbelieving and the Abominable and Murderers and Whoremongers and Sorcerers and Idolaters and all Lyars shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone which is the second Death Secondly In the larger Account by Vifion to John we have 1. The preparation of John for the Vision 2. The description of the Church and her happy estate as represented in the Vision First The Preparation of John for perceiving and beholding this Vision wherein may be observed 1. Who prepared viz. one of the seven Vial Angels 2. How prepared him partly by words And there came unto me one of the seven Angels which had the seven Vials full of the seven last Plagues and talked with me saying come hither I will shew thee the Bride the Lambs wife And partly by action And he carried me away in the spirit to a great high Mountain Verse 10. Secondly The Churches Description And she is shewed here in the height of magnificency and stateliness transcending all the glory of the Kingdoms of
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-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
Amethyst 21 And the twelve gates were twelve Pearls every several gate was of one Pearl and the street of the City was pure gold as it were transparent glasse 22 And I saw no Temple therein for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it 23 And the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof 24 And the Nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it and the Kings of the Earth do bring their glory and honour into it 25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day for there shall be no night there 26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it 27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lie but they which are written in the Lambs Book of life CHAP. XXII Vers 1.2 3 4 5. And he shewed mea pure River of water of life clear as crystall prodeeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the midst of the street of it and of either side of the River was there the Tree of Life which bare twelve manner of fruits and yeelded her fruit every Moneth and the leaves of the Tree were for the healing of the Nations 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 5 And there shall be no night there and they need no Candle neither light of the Sun for the Lord God giveth them light and they shall Reign for ever and ever The City of God or Kingdom of Christ in the thousand Years Reign further asserted from the 21th and part of the 22th of the Revelations THis portion of Scripture viz. the 21. Chap. to the 6. verse of the 22 doth very elegantly hold forth the happy and Glorious condition of the Church in the thousand years upon her deliverance from her Enemies by their just ruine and destruction wherein the Angel gives John a larger and fuller discovery of that blessed state whereof he had given him some hints and glimpses in the foregoing Chapter so that what he called an enthroning verse 4. and a City state verse 9. he here declares to be no less than a new World a new Heaven and a new Earth Babylons old World her old Heavens and Earth viz. Sun Moon Stars Sea being burnt up and consumed and no other than the taking place of the New Jerusalem that holy and beloved City after the ruine and destruction of that filthy and bloody City or the coming forth of the Spouse the Lambs wife in all her beatiful array prepared for her Husband after the desolation ruine and destruction of that beastly filthy Strumpet that gaudy painted Harlot For you will find it naturally linkt to the foregoing story of the thousand Years and belonging to the State of Grace before the Judgement and not because it is put down after the Vision of the Judgement therefore it must so in order be reckoned and then consequently to belong to the State of Glory as most Interpreters judge For you will find nothing more frequent in this Book then to give brief hints of things in one Chapter and then to prosecute them more fully in the next several occurrences of after dates intervening and coming betwixt As for instance that passage in the eleventh Chapter where he mentions first the slaughter of the witnesses by the Beast then of the Witnesses Resurrection enemies Destruction and Christ's Kingdom yet afterwards in the 13th Chapter returns again to the Beast and gives an account of his rise and rage which must not therefore be supposed to be a Beast rising up after Christ's Kingdom takes place because it is mentioned after it but a further and larger account of that Beast that he had but briefly hinted at before in the eleventh Chapter And that we are not mistaken herein Let first the Prophet himself from whom the Prophecy is fetcht about these new Heavens and new Earth and new Jerusalem which are both one be the Judge For you will find the time when he foretells such a state to take place is not to be in a state of immortality and glory but in this World short of the Resurrection and Judgement because he saith in the 21 22 23. Verses of that 65. Isa It must be in a time when Building Planting and Procreating will be proper which cannot possibly be in the State of Glory and Immortality as our Saviour himself hath over ruled Luke 20.34 35. And Secondly Let it be considered that this new Jerusalem or beloved City was in the thousand Years otherwise why should it be said upon the expiring thereof in the 9th Verse of the 20th that the Gog-Magog Army encompassed the Camp of the Saints and the beloved City And Thirdly Consider that the Church is called here the Spouse the Lambs wife only prepared and made ready for her Husband and not following the Allegory yet in that full enjoyment and fruition which the state of glory brings her to And Fourthly It may be considered that in this state God is said to Tabernacle and dwell with Men which discovers it to be a state of grace here and not in that state when they shall always be with God in the state of glory And that we are not alone herein you have Mr. Forbs upon the 21. Rev. delivering himself thus viz. All the dispensation of God towards this City being committed to the Lamb the Mediatour bespeaks it to be accomplished in this World because in the World to come he gives up the Kingdom to God that he may be all in all 1 Cor. 15.28 And further That nothing is here so magnifickly spoke which the Prophets before have not almost in the same terms uttered of the state of the Church here in Grace we will easily perceive that no such thing is here meant as whereto most part of interpreters have drawn it But even by this amassing together of all the goodly promises in the Prophets of the Churches graceful and peaceable state to let us see that all this time shall be the full performance never any more to be disturbed and so therein the Mystery of God to be finished nothing now resting to be either expected or wished but that the Lord Jesus come quickly And the Assembly in their Annotations upon Rev. 21.1 viz. As the Church is altered so must her dwelling it may be spoken of a Glorious Church on Earih and then the day of Judgment is set before it in the former Chap. That the downfall of the Enemies of Gods Church might be set down altogether and then the Churches felicity after the destruction of the Whore Beast Dragon and