as at Mount Perizim or as in the Vally of Gibeon Or Secondly sometimes in an ordinary way by confounding dispiriting dividing them ingaging them one against the othet as Isa 19.2.14 Jer. 51.46 More especially by raising spiriting and ingaging his own people in the service to the fulfilling of divers promises and prophesies as Gen. 22.17 Psal 110.2 Psal 76. Jer. 51.19 to the 25. Obad. 21. Zach. 13.14.12.3 Mal. 4.4 Rev. 17.14.18.4.19.14 And the fore is the spirit promised to be poured out in the latter day to this as one end Isa 28.6.10.27 Zach. 12.6 Isa 32.15 16. And as Satan inspires and influences his Instruments in an invisible spiritual manner so the Lord Jesus directs guides governs and spirits his Saints and followers And his special presence as of old to accompany his in such great service Joshuah 5.13 14 15. Numb 10.35 36.14.42 Exod. 33.15 Psal 68.1 Isa 51.9 10 11. Mica 2.12 13.7.15 Zeph. 3.8 And why should it be thought more strange to have the work of God in the hands of his Saints in binding and keeping under their Enemies to be represented by an Angel dealing with a Dragon then to have the work in the hand of Constantine against the Pagan Roman power in the behalf of the Man-child the type hereof to be represented by a contest betwixt Michael and the Dragon It being said that Michael and his Angels fought and the Dragon and his Angels when Constantine and his followers in the behalf of Christ fought with and overcame Maxentius and his Heathen crew though both of them influenced no doubt by both the heads and principals as it may be also concluded in this place This contemporizeth with the witnesses rising and Earth-quake Vials out of the Temple the Lambs war and the retaliating of Babilon Of Heaven BY Heaven properly is to be understood either the out-spread Firmament which God called Heaven Gen. 1.8 wherein are the Birds of Heaven Mat. 13.32 the Winds of Heaven Dan. 4.12 the Clouds Rain and Dew of Heaven Or the starry Heaven Gen. 1.17 Or that Heaven of heavens the third Heaven the place of Gods principal Seat Mat. 16.9 2 Cor. 12.2 Figuratively sometimes for the heights and places above us sometimes God himself Luke 20.21 I have sin'd against Heaven Sometimes the Church is called the Kingdom of Heaven and often so represented in this Book Sometimes for Rule Dignity and Soveraignty in the world the place of the Rulers or the Gods Rev. 12.11 States and Kingdoms in the World political are as Mr. Mead observes upon the place much answerable to the condition of the world natural and accordingly represented in Scripture for as the world natural consists of Heaven and Earth and in the Heaven Sun Moon Stars so in each State and Kingdom by Nobility and Laity and Diversity of Orders and degrees in Rule and Government there is the semblance of them which interpretation Dr. Twist highly applauds convincing saith he the Reader of the sense and meaning of the Text which is delivered by him even to admiration wherein he excels greatly in his Preface upon the Key of the Revelations And therefore it is familiarly express'd in Scripture when great desolations happen to a State or Kingdom in subversion of their Rule and Government that the Sun is darkened Moon eclipsed Stars fall from Heaven As Isa 13.10 Vpon Babilons threatned destruction Ezek 32.7 Vpon Aegypts desolation And so the Catastrophe that befalls the Kings and great men of the Earth under tho sixth seal Rev. 6.12 13 14. set forth by like Metaphors by Sun being darkned Moon becoming blood Stars of Heaven falling to the Earth Heaven departing as a Scroll and Mountains removing out of their places Which I take to be the true meaning of Heaven here viz. the seat of authority that the Church was now ascended to after the Victory obtained against her Enemies who now by her Rulers that come forth in Christs name by the righteous Laws which are the cords and Chains of Christs Kingdom and by the visible power and authority in their hand bind and chain up their Enemies new Heavens Isa 65. importing the same Of the Dragons Binding Imprisoning shutting up sealing And bound him and cast him into the botiomless pit and Shut him up and set a Seal upon him that he should deceive the Nations no more THis Binding Casting into Prison shuting up and sealing are all terms of securing as Dan. 6.16 17. Mat. 27.64 65 66. And are Metaphorical expressions taken from the Nature of restraining and safe keeping some notorious desperate Villane from doing of mischief As when some cruel murderous desperate wretch is taken they use to fetter him with heavy Chains cast him into the Dungeon lock the door fast upon him not only to preserve the peace and quiet but to see him forth-coming to the Law day Which here holds out not only an absolute Conquest and subduing of Enemies as before but as much quiet and peace to the Church of God by this their close imprisonment and restraint as the neighbourhood may expect safety and quiet when the murderous Thiefs and Robbers are in Irons in the Dungeon or as the Lamb may enjoy freedom and ease while the Foxes Wolves and Dogs are in Chains As the good Dutchess said to the bloody Gardiner looking out of his prison in Edward the sixt his days that it was well for the Lambs when the Foxes were in Chains For such a righteous Rule by the Laws and Government of Christ shall take place that shall be as Chains Bonds and Cords to all the wicked tyrants and oppressors that they shall have no more liberty and power to domineer and exercise their wonted cruelty over the Saints then as so many men in Fetters and Chains And that such a state of ease peace quiet and rest is to be the portion of the Church after all their trouble disturbance and vexation they have met with from the bloody tyrants and beastly oppressours by this eminent restraint that is to be put upon them appears from the following Scriptures Isa 10 9 10. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy Mountain for the Earth shall be full of the Knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Seas 10. And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse which shall stand for an Ensign of the people to it shall the Gentiles seek and his REST shall be glorious Isa 32.17 And the work of Righteousness shall be peace and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever 18. And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation and in sure dwellings and in quiet resting places Isa 60.17 18. I will also make thy Officers peace and thy Exactors righteousness Violence shall be no more heard in thy Land wasting and destruction within thy Borders but thou shalt call thy Walls Salvation and thy Gates praise 21. Thy people shall be all righteous Isa 2.3 4. Out of Zion shall go forth the
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
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.
presence and co-habitation and not personal and proper which I think will be easily granted by them especially that acknowledge the thousand years inconsistent with the personal presence the Analogy of Faith being to be kept in all our interpretations and expositions But secondly neither is there any thing exprest in these Scriptures that necessitates literal understanding so as to inforce a personal presence much of the same being exprest elsewhere relating to Gospel days of the vertual presence as 2 Cor. 6.16 for ye are the Temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them Rev 2.1 Christ is said to walk in the golden Candlesticks or Churches and the great priviledge of Saintship is to hold Communion with God to maintain fellowship to walk with him to enjoy the light of his Countenance and to see his face The Scriptures I need not quote being so well known Thirdly That the personal presence cannot be in the new Jerusalem state as granted it cannot be in the thousand years I refer you to those many Arguments Reasons and Scriptures given in the former part The fourth Objection is from the duration of the new Heaven or new Jerusalem which is said to be set without date and to be for ever and ever Chap. 22.5 and to remain before God as an immoveable pillar Isa 66.22 and Daniel calls it an everlasting Dominion which a Kingdom expresly bounded with a thousand years cannot be called To which I answer that there is no concluding Argument in this neither for what is more frequent in Scripture than by the terms ever yea ever and ever and everlasting to mean some space of time yea and that sometimes a term short of a thousand years too Is not the Covenant of Circumcision called a perpetual and everlasting Covenant Exod. 31.19 Gen. 17.13 The Priest-hood an everlasting Priest-hood Exod. 40.15 The Temple is said to continue for ever 1 Kings 8.13 with everlasting Gates Psal 24.7 9 The servitude of the Israelites till the Jubile for ever Exod. 21.6 Deut. 15.17 Lev. 25.39 c. The Land of Canaan was given the Children of Israel to inhabit for ever and ever Jer. 25.5 The seventy years Captivity is called perpetual Jer. 25.9 Therefore I conclude that there is no Ground or warranty at all upon such niceties to draw such singular conclusions and not only to slit separate and divide these States but to set them at such a vast distance a thousand years at least which indeed makes a wide breach in the Prophecie and run upon that Rock of setting the thousand years so far off as to be past already which I conceive is not to be reconciled either with the spirits interpretation in this Book the scope of the place or other Scriptures and necessarily runs upon a thousand inconveniences The fifth Objection is that out of the Rev 20.11 where because it is said the Earth and Heaven fled away at Christs appearance so as there was no more place for them therefore it is concluded that it is the same Heaven and Earth viz. that in the 21.1 is said to have past away as the first Heaven and Earth to make way for the new Heaven and Earth or new Jerusalem But I conceive they are as different in their Natures as they are in their times being a thousand years distant at least from each other the one Rev. 21.1 being the mistical Heaven and Earth outward visible Rule Dignity and Soveraignty such as the Dragon Beast and false-prophet have exercised in the fourth Monarchy as is before largely proved not only from the scope of the place and many Scriptures of the Prophets but from the excellent observation of Mr. Mead Assemblies Annotations Mr. Bernard c. in this place for now the old Heavens and Earth in the fourth Monarchy being past away in order to its Antithesis taking place the new Heavens and Earth or new Jerusalem Saints Reign or fifth Monarchy in the thousand years which the 65. Isa 17. c. fully demonstates evincing it to be a state wherein there is to be Building Planting Marrying and giving in Marriage enjoyment of peace and plenty by the Saints and Elect which are utterly inconsistent to the personal Reign of Christ after the erecting of the white Throne in the Judgment day The other in the 20.11 is the material old Heaven and Earth that at Christs coming and personal appearing pass away as 2 Pet. 3.10 where it is said that the day of the Lord shall come as a Thief in the night in which the Heaven shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with servent heat the Earth also and the works therein shall be burnt up and the Heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and that this intendeth the material Heavens and Earth beyond all dispute the seventh verse tells us that as the former Heaven and Earth viz. the old world was by Gods Word destroyed by Water so the Heaven and Earth that is now by the same word are kept in store reserved unto fire against the day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly men and this in order to those material new Heavens and Earth that in this time of restitution of all things must take place wherein Christ and all his Saints in the general Resurrection and Judgement as this Rev. 20.11 in that his misphatical Kingdom after his Davidical or Monarchical kingdom is over shall Reign and Judge Now the same Heaven and Earth that Peter saith shall at Christs presence pass away with a great noise John saith here The Earth and the Heaven fled away at his presence or from his face erecting now his white Throne where he will judge the wicked and ungodly The sixth and last Objection that is to be spoken to and indeed is significantly urged is this viz. that if this thousand years ought to be esteemed the new Heaven and Earth how then can it bring forth such Vipers and Monsters as Gog and Magog who must either be of the first or old Heaven and Earth or of the new Not of the new for they must remain Isa 65. And if of the old how then are they past away To which I reply that this new Heaven and Earth viz. the Monarchical Rule of Christ in the hands of the Saints over the Nations of the Earth hath its date and lasteth but a thousand years during also which time Satan is bound viz. all worldly Empire put down no Government in the hands of any but Saints and the Nations all in perfect subjection But it is according to the decree of Heaven that at the expiration of these thousand years Satan shall be loosed and then the Heathenish Nations instead of subjecting to Christs Rule will universally rebel and conspire against it because they are only under and in subjection to the Government of the new Heavenly state but never of it none of those that ever entred the holy City and so
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
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
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
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
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
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
rage comes now to have a Spirit of Life from God enter into them enabling them to stand upon their feet And then a voice from Heaven or the Orb of Government and Rule for so Heaven here and in the Rev. 12.7 is to be taken calls them up thereto alluding hereby to Christs dead body that was killed raised and ascended into Heaven And so the Prophet Isa 26.19 Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise Awake and Sing ye that dwell in the Dust for thy Dew is as the Dew of Herbs and the Earth shall cast out the Dead And parallel to this Hosea 6.2 After two days he will revive us in the third day he will raise us and we shall live in his sight His mistical body the Church being in a mistical way to conform and suit in a figure to the Death Resurrection and Ascension of his real Body The Prophet Hosea also in the 13 14. ver foretelling this promised restauration to the Church in this mistical manner doth it in terms alluding to the Corporeal Resurrection to which also the Apostle refers 1 Cor. 15.55 when he asserts that Doctrine of the Resurrection I will ransom them from the power of the Grave I will redeem them from Death O Death I will be thy Plagues O Grave I will be thy destruction Repentance shall be hid from my Eyes And again by the Prophet Isa 25.8 Speaking of this very time He will swallow up Death in Victory and the Lord will wipe away tears from all faces and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the Earth for the Lord hath spoken it Which very words of the Prophet are repeated by John and applied to this very time Rev. 21.4 Rev. 7.17 Now as is the Death so must the Resurrection be to the Spiritual Death there is a Spiritual Resurrection to the mistical Death a mistical Resurrection to the Corporeal Death a Corporeal Resurrection To this the Assemblies Annotations upon this place seem to concur also Rev. 20.5 6. After Antichrists destruction there will be such a new face of the Church as if the Saints were all raised up again This Resurrection is not of particular persons but of whole Churches and Nations as Rom. 11.15 alluded to in the raising of dead Bones Ezek 37. in which they are said to have part And that the Corporeal Resurrection of the Saints cannot be understood in this place further appears First Because the Text in the Letter of it speaks not of their Bodies but Souls and of the Souls only of them that were beheaded as Rev. 6.9 And I saw under the Altar the Souls of them that were slain for the Word of God c. Now it is no where said that Souls in a proper sense revive and are raised because they never dye being Immortal and so not capable of Resurrection necessitating therefore another sense Secondly Because if we are here to understand a bodily Resurrection of the Saints Martyrs only being here mentioned and beheaded Martyrs too taking in no other Saints and only such too that suffered under Antichrist then will Christ have but a small Kingdom And then only such Martyrs partaking of that first Resurrection are to share of happiness and freedom from second Death excluding all but such both from happiness and exemption from such a curse contrary to the Analogy of Faith and whole current of Scriptures for what by such Doctrine will become of all the Saints from Abel to this time that were not Martyrs under Antichrist Thirdly Because this will hold out an absurdity of a two-fold Resurrection a thousand years distant each from other of bodies contrary to John 5.28 The hour is coming in which all that are in the Graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth they that have done Good to the Resurrection of Life and they that have done Evil to the Resurrection of Damnation The state of the Resurrection being there held forth by Christ to be general and universal relating to Good and Bad and to be at one time the hour So in John 6. four several times he refers the Saints Resurrection to the last day verse 39.40 44 54. The professed Faith of the Saints in that day John 11.24 And Martha said unto him I know that he shall rise again in the Resurrection at the last day So 1 Cor. 15.51 52. Behold I shew you a mistery 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 Joh 19.25 26. For I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the Earth 26. And though after my skin Worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God So Job 14.12 Man lyeth down and riseth not till the Heavens be no more c. By which two Scriptures in Job the last day and time of the last Trump is explained and limited to Christs personal coming and end of the world or dissolution of the Heavens and the Earth as 2 Pet. 3.10 11 12. Rev. 20.11 Fourthly Because this opinion holds out this to be the first bodily Resurrection contrary to what the Scripture speaks of nine going before it As first the Widow of Sarepta's Son 1. Kin. 17.22 2ly The Son of the Shunnamite 1 Kings 4.35 3ly The man that was raised by the touch of the Prophets Coffin 2 Kings 13.21 4 y The Widow of Naim's Son Luke 7.15 5ly The Daughter of Jairus Luke 8.55 6 y Lazarus John 11.44 7ly Those many that came out of their Graves accompanying Christ at his Resurrection 8ly Tabitha Acts 9.41 9ly Eutichus Acts 20.16 By which several instances it must appear thar either this is not a Corporeal Resurrection spoken of or these nine mentioned were not so for this cannot be said in truth to be the first Corporeal Resurrection when nine went before it but the Tenth Resurrection rather Fifthly The Bodily Resurrection cannot be here meant because that is not to be till a thousand years after this as in this Chapter when all the Elements must give up their Dead Rev. 20.12 13. Sixthly This cannot be the Corporeal Resurection of the Saints for that cannot be till Christs personal coming and appearing and day of Judgment 1 Thes 4.14 Them which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 1 Cor. 15.23 Christ the first fruits afterwards they that are Christs at his coming 2 Tim. 4.1 Who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom And as before Christs personal coming is proved by many arguments not to be till after the thousand years And 't is as clear that the Judgment day is not till after the thousand years and destruction of the Gog Magog Army Seventhly This cannot be the Corporeal Resurrection of the Saints because it inverts Christs
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
Wilderness shall waters break out and streams in the Desert Amos 9.11 In that day will I raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen and close up the breaches thereof and I will raise up his ruines and I will build it as in the days of old 12. That the may possess the Remnant of Edom and of all the Heathen which are called by my name saith the Lord that doth this which is interpreted Acts 15.16 the Conversion of the Gentiles to Christ Jesus Isa 19.24 In that day shall Israel be the third with Aegypt and with Assyria even a blessing in the midst of the Land 25. Whom the Lord of Hosts shall bless saying Blessed be Aegypt my people and Assyrya the work of mine hands and Israel mine Inheritance Zechar. 8.23 Thus saith the Lord of Hosts in those days it shall come to pass that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the Nations even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew saying We will go with you for we have heard that God is with you Rev. 21.24 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 27. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lye but they which are written in the Lamb's Book of life Zech. 12.10 And I will pour upon the House of David and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of Grace and of Supplications and they shall look upon him whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his first born Amos 9.10 And in that day I will raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen c. Rom. 11.15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the World what shall the receiving of them be but life from the Dead So the 23. And they also if they abide not still in unbelief shall be graffed in for God is able to graff them in again 24. For if thou wert cut out of the Olive Tree which is wild by nature and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good Olive Tree how much more shall these which be the natural branches be graffed into their own Olive Tree 25. For I would not Brethren that ye should be ignorant of this Mystery least you should be wise in your own conceits that blindness in part is hapned to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in 25. And so all Israel shall be saved as it is written There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer and shall turn away Vngodliness from Jacob. 4. The abounding of Holiness Isa 35.8 And an Highway shall be there and away and it shall be called the way of Holiness The unclean shall not pass over it but it shall be for those Joel 3.17 Then shall Jerusalem be Holy and there shall no stranger pass through her any more Zech. 14.20 In that day shall there be upon the Bells of the Horses Holiness unto the Lord and the Pots in the Lord's House shall be like the Bowls before the Altar 21. Yea every Pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be Holiness unto the Lord of Hosts and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the House of the Lord of Hosts Hos 9. Ezek. 44.9 Rev. 21.1 Isa 60.21 Thy people shall be all righteous Zeph. 3.13 The Remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity nor speak lyes neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths 2 Pet. 2.13 New Heavens and new Earth wherein dwells righteousness Rev. 21.1 And I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth 2. And I John saw the Holy City new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven c. 3. Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men c. 27. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth c. but they that are written in the Lamb's Book Outward and visible acts of Worship Rev. 88. Rev. 21. Freedom from Sorrow Pain and Sickness Isa 25.8 The Lord will in that day wipe away all tears from all faces and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the Earth for the Lord hath spoken it Isa 54.13 14. Thy Children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy Children In righteousness shalt thou be established thou shalt be far from oppression for thou shalt not fear and from terror for it shall not come near thee Isa 60 15. Whereas thou hast been forsaken I will make thee an eternal excellency violence shall be no more heard in thy Land the days of thy mourning shall be ended Isa 65.19 I will joy in my people and the voice of weeping or crying shall no more be heard in her Rev. 7.16 17. They shall hunger no more For the Lamb in the midst of the Throne shall feed them and wipe away all tears from their eyes Rev. 21.4 God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more sorrowing nor crying nor pain Ezek. 28.24 Jer. 30.10 Superabounding pouring forth of the Spirit Joel 2.28 And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh and your Sons and your Daughters shall Prophecy your old Men shall dream Dreams your Young-men shall see Visions 29. And also upon the Servants and upon the Hand-maids in those days will I pour out my Spirit Isa 32.15 Lastly The restauration of the Creature Isa 65.17 For behold I create a new Heavens and a new Earth and the former shall not be remembred no come into mind 25. The Wolf and the Lamb shall feed together c. Rom. 8.18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which shall be revealed in us 19. For the earnest expectation of the Creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God 21. Because the creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God c. This glorious and happy state of the Church in this your Rule Dignity and Soveraignity is called in Scripture the Kingdom of Christ and is so spoken off as if he was personally present with them in all this work before mentioned both in the conquering as well as peaceable part of the Kingdom First As to the Conquering part or as by way of distinction called the Kingdoms of the Stone it is called his Kingdom and spoke of as if he were personally present Dan. 2.44 And in the days of those Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdom shall not be left to other people c. The interpretation of Verse 34. Thou sawest till that a Stone was cut out without hands which smote the Image upon his
feet that were of Iron and Clay and brake them to pieces Interpreted to be the fourth or last Monarchy Chapt. 7 and Verse 40. of this Chapter 35. And the Stone that smote the Image became a great Mountain and filled the whole Earth Rev. 17.14 These viz. the ten Horns ten Kingdoms or ten Toes of this Image 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 and chosen and faithful Spoken as though personally present in the work and parallel to this Rev. 19.11 And I saw Heaven opened and behold a white Horse and he that sat upon him was called faithful and true and in righteousness he doth judge and make War 13. And he was cloathed in a Vesture dipt in blood taken out of Isa 63.2 c. And his name is called the Word of God 14. And the Armies which are in Heaven followed him upon white Horses cloathed in fine Linnen white and clean 15. 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 16. And he hath on his Vesture and Thigh written King of Kings and Lord of Lords And then there is an invitation to the Fouls of Heaven to feast themselves with the flesh of Kings Captains and Mighty Men in the Supper of the great God And in the 45 Psa a Prophecy of the Kingdom Verse 3. Gird thy Sword upon thy Thigh O most Mighty with thy Glory and thy Majesty 4. And in thy Majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things 5. Thine Arrows are sharp in the heart of the Kings enemies whereby the people fall under thee And then after this Conquest as though in it in person 6. Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever The Scepter of thy Kingdom is a right Scepter c. So Psa 66.3 Isa 42.13 Haggai 2.22 As in Page 23. Isa 35.4 Secondly The Peaceable part of the Kingdom or the Kingdom of the Mountain so spoken of as if Christ was personally present Ps 72.1 Give the King thy judgement O God and thy righteousness unto the Kings Son 2. He shall judge thy people with righteousness and thy poor with judgement 3. The Mountains shall bring peace to the people and the little Hills by righteousness 7 In his days shall the righteous flourish and abundance of peace so long as the Moon endureth 8. He shall have dominion also from Sea to Sea and from the River to the ends of the Earth c. 11. Yea all Kings shall fall down before him all Nations shall serve him c. Dan. 7.14 And there was given him viz. the Son of man Christ Jesus Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all People Nations and Languages should serve him His Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed 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 him Jer. 23.5 6. Behold the days come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a righteous branch and a King shall reign and prosper and shall execute justice and judgment in the Earth 6. In his days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is his name whereby he shall called the Lord our righteousness Ezek. 34.23 24. And I will set up one shepheard over them and he shall feed them even my servant David he shall feed them he shall be their shepherd 24. And I the Lord will be their God and my servant David a Prince among them I the Lord have spoken it Jer. 39.9 They shall serve the Lord their God and David their King whom I will raise up unto them Luke 1.32 He shall be great and shall be called the son of the highest and the Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David 33. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end And so again upon the sounding of the seventh Trumpet Rev. 11.15 The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever And again Rev. 20.4 And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years Rev. 22.3 Object But why then should not we so take it as the Scripture represents it and so plainly lays it down will you be wiser than what is written why should we not so receive and believe it Answ First it must be taken for granted that as the Beasts Kingdom is a mistery so is the Kingdom of Christ no less and threfore is the mind of wisdom called for to reach into the one as the other And as the Apostle 2 Pet. 3.16 speaking of these things in which as he saith there are some things hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest unto their own destruction Which therefore calls for great sear caution and circumspection in our conversing about these great mysteries Secondly It must be taken for granted that in the speaking to these things no sense ought to be given that denyes received fundimental principles nor thwarts the Analogy of Faith nor crosses the current of Scripture Thirdly That it is the genuine sense true scope and intent of the Scripture comparing Scripture with Scripture and spiritual things with spiritual and not only the litteral reading in some places for otherwise the Racovian Catechisme asserting Socinianisme shall go for good pay Nay what Heresie upon that account may not be asserted and proved And therefore Maton well saith whatsoever Text of Scripture is expounded any other ways than god meant by it it is according to its interpretation the word of man and not of God and consequently in adhearing to such interpretations we believe not what God saith but what man doth make him say Lastly That we cannot receive these Scriptures in the sense that many give of them that thus seem to assert Christ personally to be present either in the smiting or peaceable part of his Kingdom during these thousand years Take these following Reasons and weigh them in the fear of the Lord in the true ballance of the Sanctuary wherein we shall first shew why they cannot so be received Secondly In what sense truly according to the mind of Christ they may and ought to be received First That Christ Jesus cannot properly be said to be personally present in the smiting part besides the five Reasons to this thing Page â—5 26 27. Because it is expresly said Psal 110.2 The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou
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
the World which is displayed 1. In her self 2. In her Accessories First In her self Jerusalem is display'd according to 1. Her glorious beauty 2. Excellent Fortifications 3. Accurate Symmetry or proportion 4. Pretious Materials First Her glorious Beauty consisting 1. In her greatness 2. Holiness 3. Original or Heavenly Descent 4. Divine Glory 5. Her Orient Light And he shewed me that great City the Holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God having the Glory of God and her light was like unto a stone most precious even like a Jasper stone clear as Crystal Secondly Her strong and excellent Fortifications consisting in a Wall about the City which is described by 1. It s Constitution 2. Gates 3. Foundations First By the Constitution and Fabrick of it and had a Wall great and high Secondly By the Gates which excell 1. For the Number which is Patriarchal and Apostolical And had Twelve Gates 2. For their Keepers or Porters And at the Gates Twelve Angels 3. For their inscriptions upon them And names written thereon which are the names of the Twelve Tribes of the Children of Israel verse 12. 4. For their uniform order viz. On the East three Gates on the North three Gates on the South three Gates and on the West three Gates Thirdly By the Foundations of the Wall which in Number and Name inscribed upon them relate to Christs Twelve Apostles And the Wall of the City had Twelve Foundations and in them the Names of the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb verse 14. 3. Her Symmetry or proportion as most exact and accurate wherein we may consider First The measurer an Angel Secondly The measuring Instrument a Golden Reed Thirdly The things measured viz. The City and Gates thereof and walls thereof verse 15. Fourthly The figure of the City And the City lyeth four-square and the length is as large as the breadth equilateral Fifthly The measure of the City and wall of the City And he measured the City with the Reed twelve thousand Furlings the length and the bredth and the height are equal verse â—6 And he measured the wall thereof a hundred fourty and four Cubits according to the measure of a man that is of the Angel 4. Her costly and precious materials First The matter of the Wall And the building of the Wall of it was of Jasper Secondly The matter of the whole City And the City was pure Gold like unto clear Glass verse 18. Thirdly The matter and Garnishment of the Walls foundations all manner of precious Stones And the Foundations of the City were garnished with all manner of precious Stones The first foundation was Jasper The second Saphir The third Chalcedony The fourth an Emerald The fifth Sardonix The sixth Sardius The seventh Chrysolyte The eighth Berill The ninth a Topaz The tenth a Chrysophrasus The eleventh an Hyacinth The twelfth an Amethyst verse 19.20 Fourthly The matter of the Twelve Gates And the Twelve Gates were Twelve Pearls every several Gate was of one Pearl Fifthly The matter of the City And the street of the City was pure Gold as it was transparent Glass verse 21. Secondly In her Accessories viz. in those supplies from without her self making up her Beauty and Glory consisting 1. In that singular Spiritual presence of God in Christ in the purity Truth and Spiritualness of Gospel-worship First God and the Lamb are the Temple of it And I saw no Temple therein for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it verse 22. 2. God and the Lamb are the light of it 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 verse 23. 2. The Conflux and great Resort of the Nations unto this City And the Nations of them which are saved shall walk in the Light of it And the Kings of the Earth shall contribute to the happiness thereof And the Kings of the Earth shall bring the Glory and Honour of the Nations into it verse 26. Amplified by the security that shall be there And the Gates of it shall not at all be shut by day as well as freedom from from fraud by night for there shall be no night there As also the purity and integrity of all comers And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lye but they which are written in the Lambs Book of life verse 27. 3. The plenty of all things both for necessity and delight which abundance is comprised under the Water of Life against Thirst and the Tree of Life against Hunger both for the supply of outward and inward man both for Meat and Medicine And he shewed me a pure River of Water of Life clear as Chrystal proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the Street and of either side of the River was there the Tree of Life and yielded her fruit every Month and the Leaves of the Tree were for the healing of the Nations Chap. 22. verse 1 2. 4. The perpetuity of this City and its happiness to compleat its Beauty and Glory which is demonstrated First By removing the Evil that might corrupt or oppose its happiness And there shall be no more Curse Secondly By continuing the Good in which its happiness doth consist viz. the blessing and presence of God and Christ viz. But the Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it Thirdly By the abiding integrity of the Citizens in new obedience and habitual service as their eminent priviledge therein And his Servants shall serve him and they shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads and there shall be no night there and they need no Candle neither the light of the Sun for the Lord God giveth them light and they shall Reign for ever and ever verse 3 4 5. viz. Their Reign shall be begun on Earth and be continued till consummated in Heaven Having thus gone through the parts of this Scripture we shall in the next place further enquire into the Spirits meaning of these Heavenly Mysteries and shall begin at the ninth ver of the 21 Chap where the particular and larger Vision begins The Exposition of the Principal things in the Vision Of the Angel that discovereth the Vision And there came unto me one of the seven Angels which had the seven Vials full of the seven last Plagues THis Angel may be supposed to be the very same that shewed John the Vision of the great Whore in her filthiness abomination and judgment Rev. 17.1 who here discovereth to him her Antithesis the Bride the Lambs wife in all her Dignity Glory and Exaltation Of the Bride the Lambs Wife And talked with me saying Come up hither I will shew the Bride the Lambs Wife verse 9. THus Bride the Lambs Wife one of the Emblematical Characters here given the Church in
general name therefore in a figure to the Church of God both under the Law and under the Gospel And which famous City as considered under the Law passed a threefold state all very significant viz. 1. Her pure and primitive state in the days of Solomon 2. Her ruined desolate state in the time of the Babylonish Captivity 3. Her renewed restored state after the return of the Captivity All which were eminently Typical to the Gospel Church First Because her pure and primitive state in the days of Christ and his Apostles answered that of Solomon wherein a City state was asserted Eph. 2.19 Heb. 12.22 A greater then Solomon being there Math 12.42 Secondly Because her Apostate and ruined state in the time of Antichrist wherein her City state was defaced and ruined trode under foot Rev. 11.2 answered that of the Babylonish Captivity Thirdly Her renewed and restored state here foretold and Prophecyed of is to answer that eminent and glorious restoration in the Type wherein the glory of that latter House excelled according to Prophecy the glory of the former Hag. 2.9 Therefore called New Jerusalem because in all respects she is made so in this her Renovation and held forth in all this beauty and splendour not only to answer the Type and to fulfill the words of the Prophets that under the terms of an illusterious beautiful City foretells the Churches order peace purity pollicy gifts grace and flourishing state in the latter day but also that she might confront and utterly confound her Antithesis that great City Babylon that as the Lady and Mistress of Kingdoms a well favoured Harlot has by her counterfit glory inchanted and bewitched the Nations called Great Because as Jerusalem in the Type bore sway over the Nations and had her Inhabitants all the World over and as great Babylon extended her Territories as well as her rule and authority all the world over so must this great City Jerusalem extend â—â— her rule authority and influence all the ver become the joy of the whole Earth to whom the Kings of the Nations must bow and bring presents even all their honour and glory Ps 72.8 9 10 11.15 Rev. 21.24 Called Holy 1. Because of that purity and holiness that through the powering out of the Holy Spirit upon her shall now abound in so much that upon the very Bells of the Horses and upon the Poâ—s in the Sanctuary shall then be Holiness Zach. 14.1 Held out by this golden state the City being all of pure transparent gold as well as the streets thereof of the same implying that the constitution thereof is not only so but the whole course of the conversation is the same also 2. Because of that exact keeping to holy rule and order in the faithful observation of the form of the House and the fashion thereof the Laws Statutes and Ordinances thereof the comings in thereof and the goings out thereof c. which being the law of the House upon the top of the Mountains the whole limit thereof shall be holy Ezek. 43.11 12. Rev. 22 14. 3. Because there is no unclean person or thing to enter or abide in it as Verse 8. and 27. Isa 35.8 9. Rev. 22.15 Zach 14.21 Joel 3.17 4. Because of the abiding of holy presence therein the Tabernacle of God being now with men who himself will dwell and walk with them 21.3 The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb is to be the Temple thereof and the Throne of God and the Lamb shall be in it 22.3 Babylon its true her opposite is represented to us as great and called the great City and reason good Because she is said to Reign over the Kings of the Earth Rev. 17.18 Yet is she not said to be holy but the quit contrary being the unclean filthy polluted and bloody City compared to Sodom and Egypt and apostate Jerusalem Rev. 11. Being the hold and receptacle not onely of every soul Spirit viz. Filthy locusts Rev. 9. Vnclean Frogs said to be the spirits of Devils Rev. 16.13 14. Zâ—im and Jim Esai 13.21 But the cage of every unclean and hateful Bird 18.2 viz. Owls and Satyrs and such like doleful Creatures Isa 13 21. Whose Inhabitants therefore we have set forth under eight Characters Rev. 21.8 viz. To be the fearful the unbelieving the abominable the Murderers the Whoremongers the Sorcerers the Idolaters and the Lyers Of the Cities descent from Heaven And descended out of Heaven from God THat the City or Church of God especially in this state did descend from Heaven may appear if we consider First That all her Members are Heaven-born viz. born of God born of the Spirit born from above John 3.7.1.13 begotten of his Will by the Word of Truth Jam. 1.18 and brought forth in Zion where it must be written that this and that man was born in her Psal 87.4 And therefore called Jerusalem from above the mother of us all Gal. 4.26 Secondly That all the Rules Orders Laws Governments are the Statute-Laws of Heaven her High-priest Prophâ—â— and King coming from thence John 3.13.31 32 33. Heb. 1.1 Thirdly That her raising out of the dust her coming up out of the Grave the return of her Captivity the advancement to this pitch of Beauty and excellency is by the special ordering of Divine power and Providence from first to last and that in such an eminent and visible manner that as the Prophet saith It shall be seen known and understood that the hand of the Lord hath done it and the Holy one of Israel hath created it Fourthly That the Glory and special presence of the Lord hath descended from Heaven resting and remaining upon her The quite contrrry is true of that other opposite City Babylon who ascends with her Head and Governours from beneath even out of the Bottomless pit and therefore hath all her affairs transactions and concerns be managed by that wisdom which cometh from below which is Earthly Sensual Devilish Of the Glory of God upon her Having the Glory of God and her light was like unto a Stone most precious even like a Jasper Stone clear as Chrystal verse 11. THis is a further and fuller discovery that the Church is returned out of her Captivity because the Lord hath returned his Glory unâ—o her When she went into Captivity her Glory departed from her now she returns again she receives therewith her former Glory which begins upon the pouring out of the Vials Chap. 15.8 in allusion to Exod. 40.34 1 Kings 8.10 11. Thus it was in the type when Jerusalem went into Captivity under the King of Babylon it is said the Glory of God departed from them and went by degrees first out of the Temple to the Threshold of the house then off from the City then to the Mountain and so by degrees quite away Ezek. 10.4.18.11.22 23 c. But when their Captivity returned so did the Glory also and that in the same way it departed as Ezek. 40.1 2.3 4 5 6. In
and having on the white Robes the pure fine Linnen which is interpreted to be the righteousness of the Saints in allusion to the linnen Ephod of old do stand at the Altar with much incense in the Golden Censer offering it with the Prayers of all Saints Rev. 8.34 and so serve him day and night in his Temple Rev. 7.15 And this to fulfil what Christ himself affirmed to the Woman of Samaria John 4.23 24. That the hour was coming and then was that the true Worshippers should worship the Father in Spirit and Truth and that he sought to worship him and that in opposition to their going up to this or the other Consecrated and Dedicated place of worship as Samaria or Jerusalem Holding out hereby the truth purity and spirituality of Gospel worship that by the Lords Ministry according to his own order and appointment shall now be performed that will make it like the figure of Heaven it self as before The quit contrary is true concerning Babylon for there is a Temple to be seen in her yea and such a Temple too that is afteâ— the old pattern which is as great a demonstration as any of her Apostate state and that she is old Ierusalem not new the Harlot and not the Bride for have you not there the Cathedral that is just built after the figure and pattern of the Temple with the Porch the Holy and most holy Place with solemn dedication and consecration to Divine worship with all the holy ground it stands upon and is surrounded with and richly adorned with gold and silver and precious stone having also its holy Water Oyl Incense and rich Perfumes Lamps Tapors Candelsticks and Instruments of Musick c. And is their not a Priesthood belonging thereto after the pattern of Aaron to serve at the Altar for have you not a Higst-priest the Pope and chief Priests the Cardinals Bishops Deans Abbots as well as an inferiour Priest-hood like the Levits consisting of several orders and ranks distinguished by their names and Vestments as Parsons Vicars Curates Cannons petty Cannons Bural Deans Choristers Musitians singing Nuns Monks and Fryers of diverse Orders Votaries unnumerable who serve at this Alter day and night and have their tenths first Fruits Oblations to support and maintain the same with their Jubiles new Moons Feasts Fasts and Saints days and a hundred Heathenish additions and inventions to make this their Temple compleat Babylonish and for none of which is their the least sylable in Christs Gospel concerning his new Testament Temple and service Fully demonstrating and fulfilling what the Apostle Paul foretold 2 Thess 2. Concerning this mystery of iniquity and man of sin that shall thus sit in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God who by his thus changing times and Laws Dan. 7.25 Esa 24.5 shall oppose and exalte himself above all that is called God and worshipped And who hereby is truely said Rev. 13.6 To open his mouth in blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven and to tread the Holy City under his feet Rev. 11.2 Of the Kings of the Earth that bring their glory to it And the Kings of the Earth do bring their glory and honour into it 21.24 AS it was in old Ierusalem the Type in Solomons day when it was said 2 Chron. 9 23.24 That all the Kings of the Earth sought his presence and brought every man his present Vessels of Silver and Vessels of Gold and Raiment Harness and Spices Horses Mules a rate year by year So must it be in the new Ierusalem there shall be a coming up of the Kings of the Earth with their glory and honour which are to be understood either such Kings or Rulers that are converted to the faith that being instructed become wise do kiss the son Serving the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling Ps 2.11.12 Whilst others are broken to pieces in their opposition or of such that being holy and gracious are made Rulers and Governors for only such that are men of Truth and fear God are to be intrusted therewith And these Kings in the Text that come in to the City can be understood no other for we cannot suppose any wicked unconverted persons have their admission because it is said Rev. 21.27 That in no wise there shall enter into it any thing that defileth or that worketh Abomination or that maketh a lye or that are not written in the Lambs Book of Life And in such a sence that these following Scriptures be fulfilled viz. Beeause of thy Temple which is in Jerusalem shall Kings bring presents to thee the Kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring presents to thee the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall Offer gifts yea all Kings shall fall down before him and all Nations shall serve him the Kings shall see and arise and Princes shall worship because of the Lord c. The Kings shall come to thy Light and Princes to the brightness of thy rising the Kings shall see thy Righteousness and all Kings thy Glory All the Kings of the Earth shall praise thee O Lord when they hear the words of thy mouth yea they shall sing in the ways of the Lord for great is the glory of the Lord Ps 68.29 Es 49.22 23. Ps 72.10 11 12. Isa 47.6 7.60.2 3 4 5.62.2 Psa 138.44 It is true Babylon indeed hath had the Kings of the Earth bringing glory and honour into her whereby she hath gloryfied her self at that monstrous rate saying therefore she shall sit as a Queen and see no sorrow the ten Kings having to fulfil Gods words given their Power Strength and Kingdom to her Rev. 17.4.17 â—ut what Kings are they not such Kings as are before mentioned but such as being made drunk with the Whores Cup commit leudness and fornication with her Rev. 18.9 But yet thus much for her comfort let her know that the day is hastning when the Nations that have supported her shall fall off from her and the ten Kingdoms that by their Power or Horns have born her up shall by their Horns also push her down yea they shall hate the Whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire when those other words of Prophecy shall be fulfilled The delicates that thy soul lusted after thou shalt find them no more at all and Babylon the glory of Kingdoms shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah Isa 13.19 20. And God will be avenged of thee and will not meet thee as a man Isa 47.1 When all that knew thee amongst the people shall be astonished at thee thou shalt be a terrour and never shalt thou be any more Eze 28.12 to 20. And when thou art spoyled what wilt thou do though thou cloathest thy self with Crimson though thou deckest thee with Ornaments of Gold though thou paintest thy face with painting in vain shalt thou make thy self fair
thy lovers shall dispise thee they will seek thy life Jer. 4.30 And these are the true sayings of God Rev 19.9 And this further know that strong is the Lord God that will judge thee Rev. 18.8 Of the Throne of God and of the Lamb. 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 22.3 A Throne or Seat is that principal place where Judgement is administred and from whence it floweth called therefore the Throne of Righteousness the Throne of Justice the Throne of Judgement and sometime put for Dominion and rule 2 Sam. 7.13.16.14.9 Lam. 5.19 Because exercised thereon sometime for dignity and glory because a place of chief renown and eminency sometime for a Kingdom it self Jer. 33.17 1 Sam. 14.9 Because the principal affairs thereof are transacted there And as respecting God sometime for Heaven it self which is called his Throne Ps 11.4 Math. 5.33 Acts 7.49 Because it is his principal place and seat where his Throne of Majesty is and whereon Christ sits with him upon his right hand Heb. 12.3 Holding out most commonly that rule and authority that is exercised in civil states The Throne of God and of the Lamb here shoen by Vision discovered to John to be in the new Jerusalem or new Testament Church hath an allusion to the Throne of God and Christ that was in the old Testament Church and to which we shall have recourse for our better understanding of this mystery And which Throne of Old we find to be two fold viz. either that upon which God was said more petticularly and specially viz. that which was erected in the Tabernacle Exod. 25.17 Or upon that which he was said more ordinarely to sit viz. that which the Judges and Kings of Israel sat in Judgement upon The former whereof we shall in a more particular manner search into because there much lyes in it and much light may be gathered from thence not onely for the understanding this Book of the Revelations but the Prophecies relating to the latter times whereof it was a special Type And which we find was that Throne which God commanded Moses to make and to place over the Ark betwixt the Cherubins called the Mercy Seat or Throne of Grace as Exod. 25.17 And thou shalt make a Mercy Seat above upon the Ark where he promised to sit govern and to give Law to Israel Verse 22. And there I will meet with thee and will commune with thee from above the Mercy Seat from between the Cherubins which are upon the Ark of the Testimony of all things which I will give thee in Commandment unto the children of Israel Which Throne was made accordingly and all things appertaining thereto as Exod. 40. and which no sooner was erected and put into the Tent or Tabernacle according to appointment but the Lord came thereon as Exod 40.34 compared Numb 37. Then a Cloud covered the Tent of the Congregation and the Glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle and Moses was not able to enter into the Seat of the Congregation because the Cloud abode thereon and the Glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle which was no other than that glorious presence that brought them up out of Aegypt whereof we read Exod 13.21 And the Lord went before them by day in a Pillar of a Cloud to lead them by the way and by night in a Pillar of fire to give them light to go by day and night he took not away the Pillar of the Cloud by day nor the Pillar of fire by night from before the people and which was no other than Jesus Christ himself called the Angel of Gods presence Isa 63.0 and therefore said Exod. 23.20 Behold I send an Angel before thee to keep thee in thy way and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared Beware of him and obey his voice provoke him not for he will not pardon your transgressions for my name is in him but if thou shalt indeed obey his voice and do all that I speak then I will be an Enemy to thy Enemies and an Adversary to thy Adversaries for my Angel shall go before thee and bring thee unto the Amorites c. of whom Stephen speaks Acts 7.37 38. This is that Moses which said unto the Children of Israel A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your Brethren like unto me him shall you hear Deut. 18.15 Acts 3.22 23 24 25 26. This is he that was in the Church in the Wilderness with the Angel that spake to him in the Mount Sina and with our Fathers who received the lively Oracles to give unto us to whom our Fathers would not obey but thrust him from them And this is that Spiritual Rock that followed them which was Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 10.4 The Lord Christ being thus upon the Throne among them you will sind how he acted the part of a King Ruler Governour Shepherd thereon as more fully appears by the particulars following First By giving Law to them as a King and Legislator whereof you have the Account Numb 7.89 And when Moses was gone into the Tabernacle of the Congregation to speak with him viz. with God as in the Margent then he heard the voice of one speaking him from off the Mercy Seat or Throne that was upon the Ark of Testimony from between the two Cherubims And he speak unto him c. and so he goes on in the following Chapters And Jehovah spake unto Moses saying c. Giving him all the Laws Statutes and Judgments from his mouth who rejected saith Stephen the lively Oracles to give to us And therefore you have Moses saying to the People Deut. 4.5 6 7 8. Behold I have taught you Statutes and Judgments even as the Lord my God commanded me that ye should do so keep therefore and do them for this is your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the Nations which shall hear all these Statutes and say surely this great Nation is a wise and understanding people for what Nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for and what Nation is there so great that hath Statutes and Judgments so righteous as all this Law which I set before you this day c. Secondly Because as a Shepherd and Guide he march before him as appeareth Exod. 40 36 37 38. And when the Cloud was taken up from over the Tabernacle the Ch ldren of Israel went onward in all their Jorneys But if the Cloud were not taken up then the Journyed not till the day it was taken up for the Cloud of the Lord was upon the Tabernacle by day and fire was on it by night in the sight of all the house of Israel so again Numb 9.18 At the Commandment of the Lord the Children of Israel Jornyed and at the Commandment of
the Lord they pitched as Long as the Cloud abode upon the Tabernacle they rested in the Tents and when the Cloud tarryed long upon the Tabernacle many days â—hen the Children of Israel kept the charge of the Lord and Jornyed not c. And therefore it is said Exod. 15.13 Thou in thy Mercy hast led forth thy people which thou hast redeemed thou hast guided them in thy strength to thy holy Habitation and again Psal 78.52 But made his own people to go forth like sheep and guided them in the Wilderness like a flock and he led them on safely so that they feared not And Deut. 32.11 12 13. As an Eagle stirreth up her Nest fluttereth over her Young spreadeth abroad her Wings taketh them beareth them on her Wings so the Lord alone did lead him and there was no strange God with him he made him ride on the high places of the Earth that he might eat the encrease of the fields c. Thirdly As a Captain saved deefnded and protected them as Exod. 14.19 20. And the Angel of God which went before the Camp of Israel removed and went behind them and the Pillar of the Cloud went from before their face and stood behind them and it came between the Tents of the Aegyptians and the Camp of Israel and it was a Cloud and darkness to them but it gave light by night to these so that the one came not near the other all the night And therefore it is said Numb 23 2â— The Lord his God is with him and the shout of a King is among them God brought them up out of Aegypt he hath as it were the strength of an Unicorn surely there is no inchantment against Jacob neither is there any Divination gainst Israel according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and Israel what hath God wrought And again Deut. 33.24 to the end There is none like the God of Jesurun who rideth upon the Heaven for thy help and in his excellency on the Skie the Eternal God is thy â—efuge and underneath are the Everlasting Arms and he shall thrust out the Enemy from before thee and shall say destroy them Israel then shall dwell in safety above the Fountain of Jaoob shall be upon a Land of Corn and Wine also his Heavens shall drop down Dew Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O People saved by the Lord the Shield of thy help and who is the Sword of thy excellency and thine Enemies shall be found lyers unto thee and thou shalt tread upon their high places Fourthly For Counsel and direction in all Cases and to that end was the Breast-plate of Judgment made called the Vrim and Thummim that the people might approach the Throne with it and enquire of the Lord on the peoples behalf as the matter required Num. 27.21 And Joshuah shall stand before Eliazar the Priest who shall ask Councel for him after the Judgment of Urim before the Lord at his Word shall they go out and at his Word they shall come in both he and all the Children of Israel with him even all the Congregation of which Breast-plate of Judgment you may read Exod. 28.15.29.30 And again Numb 27.1 That difficult case of the Daughters of Zelophâ—ad was in the fifth Verse brought before the Lord who gave direction therein as appeareth 6 7 8 9 10 11. And Fifthly as a great Captain General To fight their Battles and to give them victory over their Enemies whereof you have divers instances Num. 10.35 36. And it came to pass when the Ark set forward that Moses said Rise up Lord let thine Enemies be scattered and let them that hate thee flee before thee and when it rested he said Return O Lord unto the many thousands of Israeliâ—â—â— Josh 5 14. Nay but as a Captain of the Lords Host am I now come and Joshuah fell on his face to the Earth and did worship him c. From whence Caleb and Joshuah fetcht strength for faith in that difficult hour Numb 14.9 saying to their Brethren only Rebel ye not against the Lord neither fear ye the people of the Land for they are Bread for us their defence is departed from them and the Lord is with us fear them not and it is said the Glory of the Lord appeared in the Tabernacle of the Congregation and by the Ark compassing of Jerico Joshuah 6. the Walls thereof fell down which therefore gave Moses Cause in his Song Exod. 15.3 to say That the Lord was a man of War Jehovah was his name and in the 11. verse that there was none like unto him amongst the Gods being glorious in holiness fearful in praises doing wonders who doth but stretch out his hand and the Earth swallows up his Enemies where y that promise was fulfilled Lev. 26 7 8. And you shall chase your Enemies and they shall fall before you by the Sword and five of you shall chase a hundred and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight and your Enemies shall fall before you by the Sword Deut. 32.30 And again Num. 14.24 Behold the perple shall rise up as a great Lyon and lift up himself as a young Lyon he shall not lye down until he eat of the prey and drink of the Blood of the slain whereby Jerusalem became a burdensome stone to all people for all that burdened themselves with them was cut in pieces and the Governours of Judah became a Harth of fire among the Wood and a Torch of fire in a Sheaf devouring all the people round about on the right hand and on the left Sixthly As a potent Monarch to give them ease and rest Exod. 33.14 And he said my presence shall go with thee and give thee rest Joshuah 2â— 43 44 45. And the Lord gave unto Israel all the Land which he sware to give unto their Fathers and they possessed it and dwelt therein and the Lord gave them rest round about according to all that he sware unto their Fathers and then stood not a man of all their Enemies before them And the Lord delivered all their Enemies into their hand there failed not ought of any good which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel all came to pass From which six Considerations it might well be said as Jer. 8.19 Is not the Lord in Zion is not her King in her and by Gideon when they would have made him King Jug 8.23 I will not rule over neither shall my son rule over you the Lord shall rule over you And well might the Lord say to Samuel when the people would have a King like the Nations 1 Sam. 8.7 That they have not rejected thee but they have rejected me that I should not Reign over them the Lord God being their King 12.12 And no wonder that such Rebellion should be reckoned as one of their greatest sins and iniquities 1 Sam. 12.16 17 18 19 20. with Hos 9.15 Which said Throne with
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