The Key of the Revelation, Commentaries
IN THE DIALOGVE OF IVSTINE MARTYR WITH TRYPHO THE IEW there is a notable place concerning the thouſand yeers Raign of Chriſt.
TRYPHO.
BVt tell me the truth; doe you confeſſe the reſtauration of Ieruſalem and doe ye expect the gathering together of your people, that they triumph together with Chriſt, and the Patriarchs, and the Prophets, and our Tribes; or thoſe alſo who before your Chriſt came were Proſelytes? or doe you grant thoſe things that you may ſeeme to get the better of us in diſpute?
IVSTINE.
Trypho. I am not brought to ſuch a pinch, that my words and thoughts ſhould differ. I confeſſed to you heretofore that not only I, but many beſides me doe verily thinke as you well know will come to paſſe foreign. i. But contrariwiſe I have ſignified to thee that many who are not Orthodox and pious Chriſtians deny this. I pointed out thoſe to thee who are in name Chriſtians but indeed Atheiſts and prophane heretiques, becauſe what they teach is altogether blaſphemous wicked and fooliſh. But that I may manifeſt to the world what I ſpeak… to you I will collect all our diſputations into one body wherein I will ſet down in writing what I hold in this point agreeable to what I profeſſe to you: my determination with my ſelf is to follow neither men nor their opinions, but God and his word.
For although ye have conferred with ſome who beare the name of Chriſtians, but are not ſo indeed, but dare blaſpheme the God of Abraham, of Iſaac, and of I…cob, and who ſay that there is no reſurrection of the dead, but that preſently after death their ſouls are received into heaven; yet you muſt not thinke that thoſe are Chriſtians, as neither any man (if he judge aright) will acknowledge the Sadduces or ſuch like heretiques, as thoſe of the Geniſts, M…riſts, Galil…ans, Hell…nians and Phariſees who are Baptiſts to be I…ws (not to trouble you with the expreſſion of all that is in my minde) they be called Iews, and the children of Abraham, and confeſſe God with their mouthes, but their heart (as God himſelf complaineth) is farre from him. foreign, But I, and all entirely Orthodoxe Chriſtians doe both know the future reſurrection of the body, and the thouſand yeers in that Ieruſalem that ſhall be reedified, adorned, and enlarged; as the Prophets Ezekiel and Eſay and others doe declare.
For ſo Eſay of the time of thoſe thouſand yeers foreign. Eſa. 65.17.For there ſhall be a new heaven and a new earth, and the former ſhall not be remembred, neither ſhall they come into their mindes; but they ſhall finde joy and rejoycing in thoſe which I create. For behold I make Ieruſalem to triumph, and my people to rejoyce and ſo forth to the end of the Chapter. But of that (for the dayes of my people ſhall be as the dayes of the tree of life) he addeth. In theſe words we underſtand that the thouſand yeers are impli…itely pointed at. For as it was ſaid to Adam in that day thou eateſt of the tree, in that ſame day thou alſo ſhalt die; we know he did not accompliſh a thouſand yeers: we know alſo (ſaith he) that ſaying, that a day with the Lord is a thouſand yeers, is to our purpoſe. Moreover, a certaine man with us whoſe name is John, being one of the twelve Apoſtles of Chriſt, in that Reve…ation which was ſhewed to him, propheſied that our faithfull members of Chriſt ſhould accompliſh thoſe thouſand yeers at Ieruſalem; and then the generall, and (in a word) the everlaſting reſurrection, and laſt judgement of all joyntly together; even that whereof alſo our Lord ſpake, wherein they ſhall neither marry, nor be given in marriage, but ſhall be equall with the Angels; even ſonnes of the reſurrection of God. For the gifts of propheſie are extant with us, even till this time, &c.
There is another place to this purpoſe in the ſame book.
After the diſcourſe of the great Day of judgement which he calleth foreign; when the Iews ſhould lament Chriſt whom they have crucified, and Chriſt himſelfe inaugurated after the order of Melchiſedech ſhould be the Iudge of quick and dead, preſently he addeth.
At whoſe ſecond coming thinke not ye that Eſay or other Prophets warned us to offer up ſacrifices of blood, or drinke offerings, but true and ſpirituall ſacrifices of praiſe and thankſgiving.
THE OPINIONS OF THE LEARNED HEBREWS CONCERNING the great Day of Judgement, and the Kingdom of CHRIST then to be.
CArpentarius in his Commentary upon Plato his Alcinous, pag. 322. affirmeth; That the ſeventh Millenary, is called by the whole Schoole of the Cabaliſts, The great Day of Iudgement: becauſe then (ſaith he) they ſuppoſe that God will Iudge the ſouls of all men. By the name of the Cabaliſts (if I be not miſtaken) he pointeth at the Doctors of the Talmud; with many of whom it is manifeſt this tradition was frequent, for we reade in Gemara Sanedrin, Perek Chelek. foreign
R. Ketina ſaid; The world doth continue ſixe thouſand yeers, and Eſa. 2.11.17.in one it ſhall be deſtroyed. Of which it is ſaid; And the Lord only ſhall be exalted in that day. But he underſtandeth that deſtruction which ſhall be by fire; whereby the world ſhall be purified as gold, and ſhall be freed from the ſervitude of the curſe, under which it groaneth by reaſon of mans ſinne, into the glorious libertie of the ſonnes of God, Rom. 8. 22. It followeth a little after foreign
That is, Tradition agreeth with R. Ketina; Even as every ſeventh yeere of ſeven yeers, is a yeere of releaſe: ſo of the ſeven thouſand yeers of the world, the ſeventh thouſand yeere, ſhall be the thouſand of releaſe, as it is ſaid: And the Lord alone ſhall be exalted in that day. Likewiſe in the 92 Pſalme (the title) is ſaid to be, A Pſalme (or) ſong for the Sabbath day, that is, the day that is nothing elſe but reſt. Againe it is ſaid in the 90 Pſalme. For a thouſand yeeres in thy ſight are but as yeſterday.
Here let the Reader note two things. Firſt, that the ancient Iews did underſtand that Propheſie in the ſecond of Eſay where theſe words, (And the Lord alone ſhall be exalted in that day) are twiſe taken, for the day of the great judgement, and the kingdom of Chriſt; whoſe ſteps our later Rabbins have ſeemed to imitate. R. Schelomo ſaith. foreign
In that day, that is, in the Day of iudgement. Againe, foreign when he ſhall ariſe to ſhake the earth terribly, that is ſaith he, foreign In the day of iudgement, when the Lord ſhall breake the wicked of the Earth. Rabbi David Kimchi ſaith foreign: In that day, that is, in the dayes of the Meſſaih, when the Lord ſhall execut… his iudgement upon the wicked. That, And the Lord alone ſhall be exalted in that day: is as much as if he had ſaid, foreign: And the Lord ſhall be King over all the earth. The other obſervable thing is that thoſe Rabbins thinke that the title of the Pſalme 92 foreign doth appertaine to the argument of the Pſalme, and ought to be underſtood of the Sabbatiſ…e of the thouſand yeers.
And now I ſuppoſe that it is manifeſtly proved out of theſe Rabbins that the ancient Iews did define that day to be the ſpace of a thouſand yeers, which they called the day of judgement. That which is more confirmed out of Miaraſch tehillius, upon that ſaying in the 90 Pſalme. Make us glad for the dayes (or according to the dayes) wherein thou haſt afflicted us: that is (ſaith he) by the Babylonians, the Grecians, and the Romans, and that in the days of the Meſſiah. And how many are the dayes of Meſſiah … R. Iehoſuas ſaid, that they are two thouſand yeers; as it is ſaid, According to the dayes (foreign) wherein tho… haſt humbled …, that is, according to two dayes: for one day of the holy and bleſſed God are a thouſand yeers, according to that, Becauſe a thouſand yeers in thy fight are but as yeſterday. The Rabbins have alſo ſaid, that according to the time to come (foreign in the world to come, Heb. 2. 5.) The day of the Meſſiah ſhall be one. For God which is holy and bleſſed in the future (that is, in the future age) ſhall make one day to himſelf, of which day we reads, Zach. 14. And there ſhall be one day, which ſhall be knowne to the Lord, not day nor Chap. 20.night; and it ſhall come to paſſe, that at evening time it ſhall be light. This day is the world to come, and the reſurrection of the dead.
But they agree not amongſt themſelves at what millenary this day ſhall be; neither doth the ſeventh millenary like them all. There have been of them, and yet men of no ſmall authoritie, who touching the ſixt millenary, have thought, as the houſe of Eliah; whoſe tradition is yet extant touching the ſpace of 1000 yeeres of the great judgement, in theſe words, foreign &c. foreign
That is, The tradition of the houſe of Elias. The Iuſt whom God ſhall raiſe up (to wit in the firſt reſurrection) ſhall not return into duſt. But if you make enquiry what is like to happen to the Iuſt, in thoſe thouſand yeers, wherein God which is holy and bleſſed ſhall renew his world, touching which it is ſaid, And the Lord alone ſhall be exalted in that day; we muſt know, that the Lord ſhall give them as it were the wings of an Eagle to flie upon the face of the waters. Whereupon we reade (Pſal. 46. 3.) Therefore ſhall we not feare though the Earth be removed. But you will ſay perhaps, they ſhall have affliction: but he preventeth that (Eſay 40. 31.) They that waite upon the Lord, ſhall renew their ſtrength, they ſhall mount up with wings as Eagles.
Yet he taketh it for granted that the world ſhall continue no longer then ſix thouſand yeers. His tradition is thus. foreign
That is, The world doth continue ſix thouſand yeers, two thouſand before the Law, two thouſand under the Law, and two thouſand yeers the dayes of Chriſt. The one of which two thouſand yeers therefore according to his opinion was that great Day, of which it is ſaid. And the Lord alone ſhall be exalted in that day.
Such was the opinion of R. Aſche the brother of R. Abba in theſe expreſſe words: that is, according to the opinion of R. Chanan the ſonne of Thahalipha: foreign God which is holy and bleſſed ſhall not renew his world but at the ſeventh Millenary: But R. Aſche ſaid that that ſhall be foreign after the fift Millenary.
Moreover, we may in ſome part underſtand by thoſe things which follow, what the ancient Rabbins thought touching the kingdom of the Meſſiah in that great Day to come.
In briefe ſums of R. Eliezer the great (who lived preſently after the ſecond Temple) Chap. 34. thus we reade: foreign
That is, As I live ſaith the Lord, I will raiſe you up in the time to come, in the reſurrection of the dead, and I will gather you with all Iſrael Petrus Galat. 12. book. chap. 1.
Likewiſe the Paraphraſt Ionathan (who lived before Chriſt) upon the 14 Chapter of Hoſea the 8 verſ. They ſhall be gathered together out of the midſt of their captivitie, they ſhall dwell under the protection of their Chriſt, and the dead ſhall live, and good ſhall grow in the land, and there ſhall be a memoriall of their goodneſſe fructifying, and never failing, as the remembrance of the ſound of the Trumpets over the old wine which was wont to be offered in the Sanctuary.
The Targum upon the 50. Pſalme, the 8. verſ. The Iuſt ſhall ſay (foreign) in the day of the great Iudgement: Our God ſhall come, and ſhall not keepe ſilence, that he may revenge his people.
R. Saadas (among thoſe Rabbins whom (foreign) they call excellent) upon that in the 7. Chapter of Daniel, the 10. verſ. And the Iudgement is ſet, and the Bookes are opened, &c. foreign That is, the day of Iudgement, as it is written: *Mal. 4.1.Be…old the day cometh that ſhall burne as an oven. Likewiſe, *Eſay 5. 16. Zeph. 3.8.And the Lord of Hoſtes ſhall be exalted in iudgement. Againe, * Why waite you for me, ſaith the Lord. That is the great day at which time God will riſe to Iudgement.
And a little after: foreign foreign
That is: And know thou, that (the iudgement is ſet, and the the bookes are opened) which I have interpreted formerly of the day of Iudgement, and time of *Wiſd. 3. 7.viſitation: there ſhall be a day wherein all the actions of the ſonnes of men, both quick and dead, ſhall be ſearched into.
The ſame verſ. 18. The Saints of the moſt high God ſhall receive a Kingdome: foreign
That is: Becauſe the children of Iſrael have rebelled againſt the Lord, their kingdome ſhall be taken from them, and ſhall be given to theſe foure Monarchies which ſhall poſſeſſe the kingdome in this world, and ſhall lead Iſrael captive and ſubd…e it to them even till the world to come, untill Meſſiah ſhall reigne.
Compare that of Luk. 21. 25. to wit, The Iewes ſhall be led captive into all Nations, and Ieruſalem ſhall be trodden under foot of the Gentiles, untill the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. Then they ſhall ſee the Sonne of man comming in a cloud, &c.
And that of Tertullian againſt Marcion in his fi…t Book and tenth Chapter. Chriſt the high Prieſt of the Gentiles will vouchſafe to accept and bleſſe the Circumciſion the poſteritie of Abraham, at his laſt coming when they ſhall know him.
With this agreeth that which we finde thus written in the Book Berachoth, Chapter foreign (if we dare truſt Petrus Galatinus) Ben Zuma ſaith, It ſhall come to paſſe, that Iſrael ſhall not remember their departure out of the Land of Egypt in the world to come, and in the dayes of Meſſiah. And how doth this appeare? That which is written in Ieremie the 23. (will prove it) Behold the dayes come, and they ſhall ſay no more, the Lord liveth which brought the children of Iſrael up out of the Land of Egypt, &c. which wiſe men interpret thus, not as if the name of Egypt ſhould be blotted out, (or forgotten) but becauſe the wonders which ſhall be effected in the dayes of the kingdome of Meſſia (that is, when he ſhall deſtroy the Kingdomes of the world) ſhall principally be remembred foreign and their d…parture out of the Land of Egypt foreign that is, ſhall be leſſe ſpoken of.
By theſe and the like let the Reader learne, why Saint Ierome doth ſo much charge the Millinaries with Iudaiſme: whereon he ſo earneſtly inſiſteth, that this may ſeeme to be his prime argument, whereby he may convince that erroneous opinion. But howſoever that opinion be true or falſe, whether thoſe Fathers were in an error or no; to be of the ſame minde with the Iewes is not alwaies culpable. But if otherwiſe; why doe we not explode the world to come, Gehenna, and Paradiſe? Doe not we Chriſtians conſent with the Iewes in theſe things? Have not we the names likewiſe (of the Kingdome of Heaven and the Day of Iudgement) from the Iewiſh Robbins? For where are thoſe things read in the Old Teſtament? which yet are very frequent among the Iewiſh Doctors.
Moreover, who hearing the opinion of the ancient Iewes touching the one thouſand yeeres of the day of Iudgement, cannot but thinke with himſelfe that he is moved to beleeve it, the Apoſtle Peter with them (for both his Epiſtles are directed to the Iewes) ſpeaking of the Day of Iudgement, and preſently after the mentioning thereof adding, You are not ignorant, that one day with the Lord is as a thouſand yeeres, would confirme the tradition of the Rabbins touching that matter? Eſpecially when thoſe words doe not ſeeme to be taken out of the Pſalme (as the common opinion is) but out of the Vulgar forme and manner of the Iewes making mention of the Day of Iudgement. Yea he will further think; unles Chriſt the Lord and his Apoſtles had uſed the name of the Day of Iudgement being derived from the Rabbins, in the ſame ſenſe with them, why have they not ſome where declared it? Is it not a dangerous matter, yea the high way to deceive men to uſe in doctrine the words and phraſes of ſuch as are erroneous without all caution and note of diſſent?
Seeing theſe things are ſo, I leave it to the judgement of learned men and great Divines to judge, whether this be not the beſt and eaſieſt way to deale with the Iewes; not to wreſt thoſe plaine Propheſies touching things appertaining to the laſt and glorious coming of Chriſt, to his firſt coming; but to perſwade them that they expect none other Meſſiah, who can fulfill all thoſe things, namely changing thoſe things that are to be changed (for a Chriſtian muſt conſent no further with the Iewes in any thing, then his profeſſion doth give him leave) then that Ieſus of Nazareth whom their Fathers have crucified. That which the Relation in ſo many places and ſo carefully doth inculcate. Behold, (ſaith it not farre from the beginning) (Ieſus Chriſt the firſt begotten from the dead, who loved us, and waſhed us from our ſinnes in his blood) cometh in the clouds, and every eye ſhall ſee him, even they that have crucified him, and all Tribes of the Earth ſhall mourne before him. I am Alpha and Omega, the firſt and the laſt, ſaith the Lord, which is, & which was, and which is to come. Likewiſe whileſt it giveth that royall Kingdome to the Lambe, namely to Ieſus that was ſlaine, as in the ſeventh Chapter concerning the multitude with Palmes in their hands: The Lambe ſhall feede them, &c. in the ſeventeenth Chapter, the fourteenth verſ. The Lambe ſhall overcome them, becauſe he is Lord of lords, and King of kings. Chapter 19.7. The Marriage of the Lambe is come. Chapter 21.9. ſpeaking of the New Ieruſalem, I will ſhew thee the Bride of the Lambe. And in the 23. verſ. The Lambe is the light thereof, &c. For whileſt that we wreſt thoſe plaine Propheſies touching things which ſhall be at the ſecond coming of Chriſt to his firſt, the Iewes laugh at us, and they are hardned in their infidelitie.
The Apoſtle Peter uſeth this meanes to convert the Iewes, unleſſe I be much miſtaken, Acts 3. 19. Repent, (ſaith he) and be converted, that your ſinnes may be blotted out, when the times *foreign.of refreſhing ſhall come from the preſence of the Lord, and he ſhall ſend IESUS CHRIST; which was preached unto you: whom the Heavens muſt receive untill the times of reſtitution of all things, which God hath ſpoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets.
1 Theſſ. 5. 21. Prove all things, hold faſt that which is good.
foreign. To our Lord and Saviour Ieſus Chriſt be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
FINIS.