The Christian Doctrine of the Day of Judgment, Postscript
A POSTSCRIPT TO THE READER, Concerning the Thouſand Years, further Cleared.
SInce the Finiſhing of the Fore-going Diſcourſe, as I was in Earneſt Thought about the Clearing the Due Aſſignation of the Thouſand Years; To the Saints of the Firſt Reſurrection Reigning with Chriſt; To the Wicked Raiſed, but not Reigning with Chriſt, and ſo not Living; And to the Saints, the Living and the Remaining, or Left under a Guard of Life, Secur'd from the Sword of Him that Sat on the Horſe, and ſo never Dying. To every of which Claſſes, the Thouſand Years are plainly, and without any violence in the Threefold mention of the Thouſand Years, Verſ. 4, 5, 6. Aſſign'd: It yet ſeem'd a Doubt to Me Worthy of a further Illuſtration, Where the univerſality of the Raiſed Saints; Concerning which, the Apoſtle is ſo clear, That Chriſt brings Them with Him, ſhould be plac'd: Becauſe They could not with ſuch Satisfaction be Repos'd either with the Martyrs and Non-Worſhippers of the Beaſt, &c. Nor with the Partakers of the Firſt Reſurrection, who, though Chang'd, are not …aught up till a Thouſand Years after, which I never yet ſee Diſprov'd: Although becauſe Scripture is ſo Poſitive, All the Dead in Chriſt riſe firſt; They muſt have been Included in One of thoſe Two. And I did accordingly in the foregoing Treatiſe, Incline to place Them among the Martyrs, page 30. line 1. But yet a Deſire of a further Explanation, remain'd with me; And, I hope, I may ſay, without vanity, God hath helped me. And I Found Their Seat is diſtinct, and in the Firſt Place, viz. In thoſe words, I ſaw Thrones and They Sate upon them, and Judgment was given to Them; moſt Agreeable with Daniel's Prophecy. Chap. 7. v. 26, 27. Who therefore are the They who Sate on Thrones? I know it may be ſaid, No More was meant, but that the Thrones were Sat upon, as, They ſhall require thy Soul, Luke 12. 20. and They may Receive You, Chap. 86. v. 9. But conſidering the following words, Judgment was given to Them; cannot be thus any fair way Expounded. I conclude, The [They] muſt Relate to ſome Perſons ſpoken of before, and who ſhould They be, but Thoſe Signified by the Armies of Heaven, Chap. 19 14. who Followed Chriſt on white Horſes, in Linnen white and clean? Moſt Admirably Agreeing with the Prophet Zechary; The Lord my God will come, and All Thy Saints with Thee, Zech. 14, 5: With the Apoſtle Paul, 1 Theſſ. 4. 14. Thoſe that Sleep in Jeſus, will God b…ing with Him; With the Epiſtle of Jude, Reciting Enoch's Prophecy, v. 14. The Lord cometh with Ten Thouſand of his Saints, &c. Wh…n therefore the Prophecy had Diſpoſed of …he ſeveral Enemies of Chriſt; as the Beast, and falſe Prophet, Chap. 19. Cast into ehe Lake, and the Remnant Slain with the Sword of Chriſt's Mo…th, and Satan the Dragon Bound, &c. Then it gives Account of the Armies of Heaven, that were with Chriſt in this Victorious Diſpoſe; And of Them, It ſays, I Saw Thron…s, and They [Thoſe Armies] Sate upon them, and Judgment was given to Them; And ſo being in the Fore-Front, or Firſt, Set on the Thrones, muſt needs Reign with Christ the Thouſand Years. Allowing therefore not only the Scripture-way of giving Account of Things, not in ſuch a Method as Humane Writings obſerve, and much more allowing for the Secrecy of Prophecy; This is to Me a Full Satisfactory Account, and I hope it will not be unworthy the Conſideration of All, who are Serious Conſiderers of theſe Things,
Then follows the Account of All Suffering for the Witneſs of Jeſus, and for the Word of God; Surely from the Beginning of the World; but with an eſpecial Reference to the Roman way of Puniſhment of ſuch Offender…, ſhewing a Direct Eye upon Roman-Martyrdoms, by Beheading; as John the Baptiſt, and the Apoſtle Paul ſaid to be; But moſt particularly the Non-Worſhippers of the Beaſt; who are ſo particularly Recorded for Three Reaſons.
1. Becauſe hereby the Judgment upon Them as Hereticks and Rebels to the Government of Chriſt, as Antichriſt pretended, is as an Attainder by an Illegal Power, Signally taken off.
2. That the Prophecy all along before Inſiſting upon the Beaſt, his Image, &c▪ might have the Due Honour given to it, by placing a peculiar Remark upon the Principal Subjects of it; So that it is moſt Admirable, how any Rational Conſiderer of the Prophecy, can ſuppoſe Pagan Rome, Falling about 300 Years after Chriſt▪s Reſurrection, ſhould Take up ſuch a Prophecy, againſt ſo manifeſt Aſſurances, that it muſt Run on to the End of the World; That even the Wiſeſt Papist cannot Deny it: But what Violence muſt They uſe to it, that Believe the Papacy to be the Beaſt, and yet ſo begin the Thouſand Years; That they muſt be long ago before Him Finiſh'd? Could ſuch a Prejudice be brought from this Prophecy, or Scripture in general againſt my Doctrine of the Thouſand Years Kingdom, or ſuch a Proof againſt me, as I have given, of the Flying away, Revel. 2…. Of the New Heavens, and the New Earth; I would be ſo Retracting indeed, as Immediately to Retract, and even to Recant; In the mean Time, as I have Stated Things, I fear no Acceſſions to Mahomet by My Doctrine of the Kingdom of Christ.
End of the text · Thomas Beverley, The Christian Doctrine of the Day of Judgment (1691)