The Little Horns Downfall, Treatise 2 · Discourse · Part 3 · Description 4 · Part 4
Of the binding of Satan for a thouſand yeers.
And the next thing I ſhall ſpeak of, as that which is to be done immediately upon this great day of the overthrow of the Saints enemies, and the ſetling of them in peace, ſhall be this: That not onelyonly the external and viſible enemies of the Saints ſhall be ſubdued, and put under the *Mal. 4.feet of Chriſt and his Saints; but that alſo their internal and inviſible enemies ſhall be chained up: for now the Saints wreſtle, not onelyonly with fleſh and blood, but with principalities, and powers, and ſpiritual wickedneſſes in high places; and now their adverſary the devil goeth about as a roaring lion, ſeeking whom he may devour: but then, this adverſary of theirs ſhall have no power to oppoſe them for this thouſand yeers; but he ſhall be bound up: for ſo ſays the holy Spirit, Rev. 20. 1, 2, 3. And I ſaw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomleſs pit, and a great chain in his hand; and he laid hold on the dragon, that old ſerpent, which is the devil and Satan, and bound him a thouſand yeers, 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, until the thouſand yeers ſhould be fulfilled: and after that, he muſt be looſed for a little ſeaſon. Here we ſee, that for this thouſand yeers, after the deſtruction of the Beaſt, and Falſe Prophet, and the Kings of the earth, and all other enemies of the Saints; that grand enemy of the Saints is laid lowe alſo, even that roaring lion. And that ye may be ſure 'tis he that is thus clapt under hatches, he is here ſet out under thoſe ſeveral denominations that the Scripture in ſeveral places gives him. And firſt, he is ſtiled the Dragon: but leſt it ſhould be doubtful what the dragon is, it follows, that he is that old Serpent: and leſt this be not plain enough, it is further ſaid, Which is the devil, and Satan. Thus this enemy of the Saints is, we ſee, to be bound up alſo; and therefore it is ſaid, that an angel, having a great chain in his hand, laid hold of him, and bound him for a thouſand yeers: and he did not onelyonly binde him, but caſt him into the bottomleſs pit: nay, and not onelyonly ſo, but he ſhut him up in the pit, and ſet a ſeal upon him; importing the doing of it to purpoſe, the doing of it ſecurely; that ſo he might deceive the Nations no more, until the thouſand yeers were finiſhed. Thus is it clear, that, in this thouſand yeers, this great enemy of the Saints ſhall have no power to moleſt them. And this is that which Paul alſo ſpeaks of, Rom. 16. 20. The God of peace ſhall tread Satan under your feet ſhortly. In that the Apoſtle ſpeaks of the doing of it in the future time, as that it ſhall be done ſhortly; it is clear, that he means not that treading down of Satan which was then already done, even that which Chriſt had done upon the Croſs, when he conquered ſin and Satan, and ſo, in a ſence, trod Satan under the feet of his Saints; but of a further treading of him under feet, which was to be done in future times. But yet we have not ſeen Satan troden any more under feet then he was in the Apoſtles times: for greater was his prevalencie in the midnight of Popery, then in the Apoſtles time it was: Therefore this treading under foot of Satan, of which Paul ſpeaks, is yet to come: and doubtleſs the Apoſtle ſpeaks of this time when Satan ſhall be bound up, and ſhut up in the bottomleſs pit, and ſealed: And when this time is come, will this prophecie of Paul be made good, The God of peace ſhall tread Satan under your feet ſhortly.
And now, having thus far deſcribed this new world, ſhewing how it ſhall be ſetled in peace by the God of peace, and that Satan ſhall be troden under the feet of his Saints; I ſhall now proceed to declare the great and glorious priviledges that ſhall then and in this kingdom, be conferred upon the Saints.
And they may be referred to two Heads:
1. Spiritual, and internal.
2. Outward, and external.