Theopolis, or The City of God New Jerusalem

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 s◊all be ◊◊◊◊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.

p. 1Christ'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 p. 2world 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, p. 3where 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.

p. 3The 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.