818 A te:rvelationof theApocalyp%.. CHAP.20, fo exalted and advanced, that it eould now give !awes to others, which was wont to take them from others, when the was in molt obfcure andmane eftate,,and.ofno account at all in theworld. Andthe fatale:of themWho were [mitten. Ifthe Verb be put neu- trally, theyfate, there words arc to be referred to the Verb, 1 jaw, and /1007 the foule.ç, &c. Thefe are the foules of the godly. Martyrs, of the firft,Period,who laid downe their lives for Chriff,' under the heathen.Emperours; who do now at laft obraine glory and honour by the means ofCo:ftantine..Btit how can this be,will force fay, fee- ing they were not fubffting upon the earth ? Their foules are Paid tohave been placed upon Thrones, when as thofe who took away their fives unjuftly, were punifhed hilly by Confantine, that is, when as thofe Tyrants were killed, and the Empire was taken from them, which were filch punilhments, as their cruelty deferved. The righteous ¡hall rejoyce, When he feeth the vengeance ofthe wicked, and he Jhall Wafh hisfootPeps in their bloud, as the Pfalmift fingeth, Pfal. .5 8. io. Andagaine, A tWo edged f iùordJhall be put into the hands o f the righteoue, toexecute vengeance on the Heathen, &'c. Which is the ho- nour due toall his Saints, thole Whom the Lordloveth,Pfal. 149. 6,7.9. It is matter of glory for the Saints, that their wrongs fhould not be negleted, but that they fhould be at length requited with due ven- geance fromGod; This is that which the Souks required of God, Chap. 6. i o. And there Thrones are that deliverance, the p romife whereof they obtained by their prayers. And tholethat adore not the Beafl.There allowere placed or fat in thofe feats,&there are the méthat lived during the time of the,fecond Period, whence it is, that he Both not only fpeake of their foules as he fpake right now of the Martyrs foules, which belonged to the former Age;but ofthe wholeman,faying thofe menWho did not adore, &c. Out of which we muff obrerve, that feeing the godly are defcri- bed by theft marks,that.they didnot adore theReaft,nor his7nsage,and that they rufferednot thetnfelves to bebranded Wïth his Afarkeither in the foreheador in the hand;& that during the time of his 2d. Period of thiDragons binding,which took the beginning therofat Confantinc, and 'ailed for a thoufand yeeres from thence, that the Beall was ex- tant all this fpaceofrime.Otherwife the godly that lived in this time could have nocommendation,iffewel and matter oftheir prairehad hid no being. \Vherefore'theBeafl was born together with confan- tine,when the Draçonwas tumbled out of Heaven, and when at his going into p rifon, he gave up his Throne With hispolder and ,;:resit /mnthority
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=