The City of God, Exposition of Revelation · Chapter 20 · Part 1
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 unde… him, and being influenced by his Spirit as their Lord and Head, are called Devils by his name; Whereas Gods Rulers, deriving from above, influenced by his Spirit, acting in his name, by his Laws and in his Authority, are called Gods.
Secondly, Becauſe they acting in that Dragonical, ſubtile, tyrannous, bloody ſpirit, even the ſpirit of the Devil, are therefore called the Red Dragon, Devil, and Satan.
Thirdly. Becauſe they ſet up and impoſe Idolatry, the Devils worſhip, not only thereby worſhiping themſelves, but inforcing others to do the ſame, yea to require divine worſhip to be done to themſelves, as Nebuchadnezzar, and the Heathen Emperours of old, falſe worſhip being called the worſhip of Devils, 1 Cor. 10.20, 21. 2 Chron 11.15. Deut. 32.17. And that by Dragon is to be underſtood the Heathen Empire or Government, further appears from the interpretation given by Chriſt himſelf in this Book, Rev. 17.8, 9, 10. Where the ſeven headed and ten horned Beaſt, that had the Crowns upon the horns (the Image as well as ſubſtitute of the Dragon, who had ſeven heads and ten horns alſo, the difference only betwixt them, was, that the Dragon had his Crowns upon his heads; which when he reſigned in that part of his Dominion to the Beaſt, the Crowns were put upon the hornes) is interpreted by the ſpirit to be civil Empire and power The ten horns are ten Kingdoms, and ſeven heads are ſeven Kings, five of which were fallen before Johns time, and one of the ſix of thoſe heads was in Johns time, and the ſeventh afterwards to come; and they alſo ſignified ſeven hills interpreted to be that City, that then ruled over the Kings of the Earth, which was no other than Rome, the ſeat and Metropolis of the Empire, as it was then ſtanding upon ſeven Mountains.
So that the ſeven headed red Dragon and ſeven headed ſcarlet coloured Beaſt, his Image and Succeſſour, in that part of the World, Europe, was no other by this interpretation than the Soveraign Empire and Rule, that firſt was exerciſed in Rome Heathen (that drew the third part of the Stars of Heaven, or powers or potentates of this world) during the Dragonical ſtate, and in Rome Antichriſtian, during the Beaſtly ſtate.
And further it appears that by Dragon we are to underſtand here the heathen Empire from the extent of his power and juriſdiction. For it is ſaid Rev. 16.13, 14. that the emiſſaries of the Dragon, Beaſt and Falſe-Prophet go forth unto the Kings of the Earth, and of the whole world to gather them to the Battle of that great day of God Almighty. The Beaſt and Falſe-Prophets power extend no further than the ten Kingdoms. But it is the Dragon that commands the reſt of the world, deceiving the nations and whole world, Rev. 12.9 Therefore it is ſaid of him, after he is looſed again, 20.8. that he goes out again to deceive the Nations, which are in the four quarters of the Earth, Gog and Magog, which great army (the number of whom is as the ſand of the Sea) is ſaid to come up upon the breadth of the Earth, and to compaſs the Camp of the Saints: ſo that it appears plainly to be that power that influences and commands, the greater part of the world. And again it appears to be the Heathen Empire or State of Government; becauſe it is judged to the ſame ruine and deſtruction that the Beaſt and Falſe-prophet were (they who were interpreted, Rev. 7. the miniſterial and magiſterial part of Antichriſt) and ſaid to be taken and caſt alive into the lake of Fire und Brimſtone, viz. that frame of Rule and Government, as utterly to be cancelled, reverſt, and vacated, and never any more to appear in this world; ſo is the Dragonical, Satanical ſtate, being adjudged to the ſame lake of Fire and Brimſtone with the Beaſt and Falſe-prophet, utterly alſo damned and deſtroyed, never any more to appear in the world.
And again it appears to be no leſs, if you examine thr ſcope of the place and order of the Propheſies.
The ſcope of the Book is to ſhew as the riſe and rage, ſo eſpecially the ruine of the Enemies of Chriſt, and his Church in order to their triumph and Glory, which is excellently held forth by Mr. Thomas Goodwin in his Intereſt of States and Nations in that brief Epitome he gives of the Revelations: Which Book (ſaith he) is a Tragi-comedy beginning with a Kingdom, given to be won by conqueſt, Rev. 6.8. and ending with a Corronation of a King and the Marriage of his Bride; and all between is but the removing of all ſuch lets and impediments as ſtand in the way. Now the principal Enemies that Chriſt and his Church hath to deal with, are held forth under the types and terms of a Dragon, Beaſt and Falſe-prophet. The Dragon acts two parts one before the riſe of the Beaſt, and another preſently upon and after the Beaſts fall. The twelfth Chapter gives an account of the victory that Michael obtained over him, when he was caſt out of Heaven into the Earth, upon which he reſigned up his power, ſeat and authority unto the Beaſt, viz. in thoſe territories for 42. Months, or 1260. days or years.
At the latter end of the Beaſts or Antichriſts Dominion, viz. under the ſixth Vial, there is a confederacy and combination of Dragon, Beaſt and Falſe-prophet to gather the Kings of the Earth and whole world to the Battle of the great Day of God Almighty: Accordingly they are aſſembled and ingage Battle with Chriſt and his followers; (not that we are to ſuppoſe that all the world, viz. Europe, Aſia, Africa, and America, are to be gathered into one place: But holding out the Univerſal enmity and oppoſition, that with mutual conſent ſhall be made in the powers of the Earth againſt Chriſt, his people and Government) but with what ſucceſs this Hoſtile league and confederacy is ſtruck, you have already heard: Their powers are broken; their Authority is diſſolved. The Beaſt and Falſe-prophet, viz. the miniſterial and Magiſterial part of Anti-Chriſt is taken and caſt alive into the lake of Fire and Brimſtone. They are wholly gone off the Stage with a ſtink, who have ſo long Lorded it in thoſe ten Kingdoms of Europe. And then alſo is the Dragon taken, and bound, and impriſoned in order to the taking place of Chriſts Kingdom, not only in Europe, but over the whole world, throughout the whole Earth, which was the Dragons or Devils dominions, or that Heatheniſh Empire and Rule, that extends all the world, through both Aſia, Africa, and America in diſtinction from the Beaſtly ſtate, that hath been viſible in the Europian Territories. Now during the time of the Dragons binding, the Church hath peace, reſt and rule over the whole world; but after he is releaſed, and that Empire permitted to perk up again, freſh diſturbance will be given to the Church, called the Camp of the Saints or the beloved City, all the world through, till the Dragons total doom and judgment, which then immediately follows.
In further confirmarion hereof take theſe following inſtances.
The Aſſemblees Annotations upon Rev. 12.3. A great red Dragon, viz the Heathen Roman Emperours ſucceeding one another, who did the Devil ſervice, as in other things, ſo chiefly in perſecuting the Church, Pſal. 74.13, 14. Iſa 27.17, 18.51.9. Ezek. 29.3. He is great becauſe of his large Empire; Red, that is bedewed with the blood of the Saints, as if dyed with it; ſeven heads ſitting on ſeven hills, Chap. 17.9. Ten horns ten Provinces, the ſtrength of it as horns are of Beaſts, Dan. 8.3, 4, 5.6. Seven Crowns ſeven kinds of Governments, one after another on her ſeven hills (Rev. 17.10) on his heads, not his horns; for the Supreme Authority was in Rome on the ſeven hills, not in the Provinces as after: His tayl drew the third part of Heaven, he ſubjected the third part of the Provinces of the world: Did caſt them to the Earth, viz. Put down theſe Princes, whom he ſubdued from the Royal Authorities. And upon Rev. 20.2. Dragon, the Pope being deſtroyed, the Devil would bring in the Turk, who ſeemeth yet to stand, or ſome other Enemy, like the Heathen Emperour called the Dragon, before Rev. 12.3. to perſecute, and war againſt the Chriſtians, but God will not permit it till the thouſand years of the Churches proſperity be done, and upon the 10th verſe, The Devil, viz. the Turk the Devils new Agent, another Dragon, like the Heathen Emperour or ſome other Enemy, no Chriſtian by Profeſſion ſhall be 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 … 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.