82,o Afrvedation ofthe Apocalypfe. CAP .20. the Beaft, to whom thefe moneths belong, is converfant for a thou- fandyeeres, in the light and in the view ofthe world,as it is dear by thole who were adverfaries unto him for fo long a titne,who fhould not have been enemies at all, if the Beaft had not been extant at all. And they lived and raigned. Both the foules of the Martyrs, and thefe men who refted theBcaft, inlayed a Kingdome with 0u-if?, 211 this time that the `Dragon was bound. Not that any one lived fo long ; but becaufe there never wanted a fuccelfion of the godly that imbraced the truth; howfoever Antichrift made havock here and and there and every where. To acknowledge the truth, is indeed to live and to raign withChrift ; as contrariwife, either not to knowor to defpife the truth, is to be dead while one is alive,&while a man is in the hingea topofRoyall dignity,to be ofa morebale degree,then themolt abjest llave that is ; now lie mentioneth there yeers ofthe l ingdome, not becaufe theSaints ihouid ceafe to raign, when thofe peers were ended (for we fee that the find refurrection followcth prefently after,which thould make the former glory more abundant) but becaufe the Cherch during this time principally feemed tohave been quite perifhedout of the world, while it lived in the Wilder- neffe, and lay lurking in the hidingplace ofthe Temple, Chaps 1. t. and i a. 14. the Holy ghoff therefore teacheth us that Inc lived and raigned withChrifi all this moll ruthfull time. Now this doubt could not arife as touching theSaints in heaven, which we know do injoy everlafting bleffedneffr, afloon as they have departed out of this Vale ofreares. This Kingdome of molt val ant Champions was de- clared before, by that holy army of an hundred and four and forty thoufand, who Fitched their tent in mount Sion, and followed the Liimb whitherfoever he went, Chap. 14. 1, 2. Whereof this verfe is a repetition. Verne. 5 Bret the re fit ofthe dead then. Thus much for the 'late of the Saints, during thofe thoufand yeers of the Dragons bin- dings; Now the cfiate of the multitude of men is touched briefly, that lived in that fpace of time; Thefe men did refufe.the truth, and fleep a long nights tleep, not awaking again all thofe thou find yeers ; fo as -the beam of laving doctrine might thine upon them. And this is that Apoftafie which Tani fail was to come be- fore the appearing of the Lord, z Thef2.3. and which lohn ex- preffed before, by the Whole earth admiring after tIoe Beat, Chap, 1.3. 3. and 17. 8. Tbú. sîbe firji refarrecliota. Herewe are taught what íhould be the.
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