The City of God, Exposition of Revelation · Chapter 20 · Paraphrase of chapter
A Paraphraſe upon the 20. of Revelations.
THe Powers and Potentates of the whole World,1. And I ſaw an Angel come down from Heaven, having the Key of the bottomleſs Pit, and a great Chain in his hand. whether Heathen or Antichriſtian being thus vanquiſhed by Chriſt and his followers under the terms of fighting with and overcoming a Dragon, Beaſt and falſe Prophet with the Kings of the Earth, and whole World in the great Battel in the former Chapter, and the Authority conſequently now in the hands of the Saints: John here in a Viſion hath repreſented to him the Churches Soveraignity in a figure, viz. By the Emblematical Repreſentation of a Chain and a Key enſigns of Power in the hand of their Myſtical and Spirirual Head, though in this Viſion (their Repreſentative) the Lord Jeſus is called here an Angel, as Rev. 10.1.12.17.2. And he laid hold on the Dragon, that old Serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him a 1000. years.
And having judged and utterly razed the Antichriſtian ſtate both, in its Magiſtracy, and Miniſtry, (by the figurative Repreſentation of taking a Beaſt, and falſe Prophet and caſting them alive into a Lake of Fire) doth here for the better ſecuring the Churches quiet and peaceable Rule,3. And caſt h…m into the bottomleſs Pit, and ſhut him up, and ſet a Seal upon him, that he ſhould deceive the N…tions no mor…, till the 1000. years ſhould be fulfilled, and after that he muſt be looſed a little ſeaſon. wholy cancel and vacate the Heathen Empire alſo for a thouſand years, as in the Viſion is ſet forth by the taking a Dragon, and caſting him bound into a bottemleſs pit, and ſhutting him up, and Sealing him therein, the proper Emblem of the now ruined Pagan State, the Dragon or Devil being alſo the Spiritual or Myſtical head thereof, and here in the Viſion their repreſentative: As in 12. Chapter by an Angel fighting with, overcoming and caſting to the Earth a Dragon, is held forth the Victory, the Church at that day gets over the Heathen Roman Empire: So here by the Angels binding him in a pit is the utter extinction of that Power (a thouſand years the time limited) plainly diſcovered.
4. And I ſaw Thrones, and they ſat upon them, and Judgement was given to them, and I ſaw the ſouls of them that were beheaded for the witneſs of Jeſus, and for the Word of God, and which had not worſh…pped the Beaſt, neither his Image, neither had received his mark in their Foreheads, or in their right hand, and they lived and Reigned with Chriſts a 1000. 5. But the rest of the dead lived not again, till the 1000. years were finiſht; This is the first Reſurrection. 6. Bleſſed and Holy is he that hath part in the firſt Reſurrection, on ſuch the ſecond death hath no power▪ but they ſhall be Priests of God and of Chriſt, and ſhall Reign with him a 1000. years.The enemies of the Church thus caſheired, and turned off the Stage, John hath a further diſcovery of their ſetled and happy Rule and Authority by the Viſion of the Reſurrection of a company of dead and Martyred Saints, (the proper Emblem of the Church during the Antichriſtian Tyranny, who for witniſſing to Chriſt, and not Worſhipping the Beaſt, cannot (in a civil ſenſe at leaſt) be eſteemed other) aſcending Thrones of Judgement; And as bleſſed and holy ones freed from the ſecond Death, Reigning with or under the Lord Jeſus as Kings and Prieſts, whilſt their enemies the Worſhippers of the Beaſt are now as ſo many dead men at their feet, during this ſpace of a thouſand years, which is called the firſt Reſurrection, viz. The myſtical general Reſurrection, that in order of time 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 o…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-p…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.