Extract from Treatise on Revelation (Section 2)

But you will say how can y^e general judgment be in y^e beginning of y^e thousand years, since it is said y^t y^e rest of y^e dead lived not again till y^e thousand years were finished. Understand therefore y^t there is a first death & a second death, a first resurrection & a second resurrection. The first resurrection is from y^e first death, y^e second resurrection from y^e second death. The first death is of mortal bodies cast into y^e grave, y^e second of immortal ones cast into y^e Lake of fire; & therefore as y^e first resurrection is from y^e grave, so y^e second is from y^e Lake of fire. The first resurrection is in y^e beginning of y^e thousand years, y^e second not before y^e end. From y^e time of y^e first resurrection y^e Saints lived & reigned w^th Christ a thousand years, but y^e rest of y^e dead [rose not then to live but died y^e second death &] lived not again till y^e thousand years were finished. Blessed & holy is he y^t hath part in y^e first resurrection on such y^e second wrath [burning y^e thousand years] hath no power [as it hath on all y^e rest] but they shall be Priests to God & Christ & reign w^th him a thousand years. He doth not say y^t at y^e end of y^e thousand years all shall rise again; for y^e Beast & fals Prophet remain still in y^e Lake to be tormented w^th y^e Devil for ever & ever. For there are degrees of reward & degrees of punishment. Some are great in y^e kingdom of heaven & others are y^e least therein Matt. 5.19. It shall be more tollerable for Tyre & Sidon & y^e day of judgment then for Charazin & Bethsaida, for Sodom then for Capernaum Matt. 11.21, 23. Every Man shall be rewarded according to his works. If any man build upon y^e true foundation Gold, Silver, pretious stones, wood, hay, stubble, y^e fire shall try every mans work of what sort it is. If any mans work abide w^ch he hath built thereupon he shall receive a reward: if any man's work be burnt, he shall suffer loss but he himself shall be saved yet so as by fire Is it not y^e prison out of w^ch 1 Cor. 3.15. Is not this Christ's baptizing Men w^th fire? Is it not y^e prison out of w^ch y^e debter comes not till he has paid y^e farthing? For so y^e ancient Christians understood it as \Clemens Alexandrinus/ Tertullian, Origen, Cyprian, Cæsarius, also Gregory Nyssen, Ierom, Ambrose, Austin, & from this tradition corrupted might spring y^e Purgatory of y^e Church of Rome.^[1] The souls of Men are often put for men living in y^e body (as here where y^e Souls of Men lived <136r> & reigned w^th Christ) w^ch language being understood by few y^e erring multitude made a purgatory of y^e Souls of Men before y^e resurrection. We are buried w^th Christ in Baptism, & therefore y^e baptism w^th water is a type of y^e first death & first resurrection: why may it not be so of y^e second also? and why may not Iohn y^e Baptist indicate as much in saying, I baptize you w^th y^e Holy Ghost & w^th fire? If it may be so, then y^e argument against y^e general judgment's beginning w^th y^e thousand years ceases, & if the general judgment begins w^th y^e thousand years it must be also.

Now y^t it begins w^th y^e thousand years is further confirmed by y^e following considerations. In its beginning y^e old heaven & earth flee away from y^e face of him y^t sits upon y^e throne, & then appear new heaven & new earth & a new Ierusalem: & he y^t sat upon y^e throne said Behold I make all things new. These new things appear after y^e first heaven & earth are fled away Apoc. 21.1, & after God begins to sit upon y^e great white throne & therefore they begin not before y^e general judgment. But they begin w^th y^e thousand years, for these reasons. First it is said before y^e battel of y^e word of God & y^e Beast, y^t y^e Lord God omnipotent reigneth, & y^e marriage of y^e Lamb is come & his wife hath made her self ready Apoc. 19.6, 7, & in answer to this God is represented in y^e beginning of y^e general judgment sitting upon a great white throne y^t is reigning in his new kingdom, & y^e new Ierusalem then coming down from God out of heaven is said to be prepared as a bride adorned for her husband Apoc. 21.2. The marriage of y^e Lamb therefore did not precede y^e descent of y^e new Ierusalem, & yet it was at y^e beginning of y^e thousand years, because it was come, & his wife had made her self ready when those years were commencing. Secondly at y^e descent of y^e new Ierusalem there is a great voice from heaven saying, the tabernacle is w^th men & he will dwell w^th them & be their God, & God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, & there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain, for y^e former things are passed away. It descends therefore at y^e end of y^e troubles, afflictions & persecutions of y^e Saints in this world when God wipes away all tears from their eyes, & begins to dwell w^th Men, & this is at y^e coming of y^e Palmbearing multitude out of y^e great tribulation. For they from thence forward are before <137r> y^e throne of God & serve him day & night in his Temple, & he that sitteth on y^e throne dwelleth [or hath his Tabernacle] amongst them & they hunger no more neither thurst any more, & God wipes away all tears from their eyes Apoc. 7.15. At y^e sounding of y^e seventh Trumpet when y^e Kingdoms of this world become y^e kingdoms of God & of his Christ, & he begins to reign for ever & ever, then does he y^t sits upon y^e great white throne place his Tabernacle among men & begin to dwell w^th them & to be their God, & to wipe all tears from their eyes. Then are y^e former things [y^e first heaven & y^e first earth] passed away, & God makes all things new. Thirdly y^e words, It is done, coming after y^e words y^e former things are passed away & behold I make all things new, are of y^e same signification w^th y^e words same words It is done spoken at the pouring out of y^e seventh Vial & relate to them. This is y^e great mystery of God to be finished at y^e sounding of y^e Seventh Trumpet, & therefore y^e new heaven & new earth are then created. Fourthly y^e fountains of living water to w^ch y^e Lamb leads y^e Palm-bearing Multitude & y^e food wherewith he feeds them (Apoc. 7.17) are y^e fountains of water of life w^ch God (at y^e descent of y^e new Ierusalem) gives to them y^t are athirst Apoc. 21.6 y^e pure river of water of life w^ch proceeds out of y^e throne, & y^e fruits and leaves of y^e tree of life ch. 22.1, 2. Lastly y^e words w^ch follow y^e descent of y^e new Ierusalem, He y^t overcometh shall inherit all things & I will be his god, & he shall be my Son: but the fearfull & unbeleiving & y^e abominable & whoremongers and sorcerers and Idolaters & all lyars shall have their part in the Lake w^ch burneth w^th fire & brimstone w^ch is y^e second death respect y^t overcoming spoken of in y^e end of every one of the Epistles to y^e seven Churches, & y^e punishment of y^e Beast & fals Prophet & their people called Idolaters & Whoremongers and Sorcerers & fornicators & theives Apoc. 9.20, 21 & Lyars & fals Prophets ch. 2.3 & 3.9. When therefore y^e one are rewarded & y^e other punished, then does y^e new Ierusalem descend from heaven, & this is at y^e beginning of y^e thousand years when y^e Beast & fals Prophet are cast into y^e Lake of fire, & thrones are set & they sit <138r> {upon} them, & judgment {illeg}& {illeg} & they who had not worshipped y^e Beast {illeg} This is at y^e sounding of y^e seventh {Trumpet} {illeg} y^e {illeg} y^e dead is come that they should be judged [{not} a few but all of them] & y^t God should give rewards unto his Servants y^e Prophets & Saints & them that fear his Name Small & great & should destroy them w^ch destroy y^e earth. The {general judgment} therefore begins at y^e Sounding of this Trumpet.

But you will say how then comes it to pass y^t in y^e thousand years there are Mortals on earth? For y^e Nations w^ch are in the four quarters of y^e earth, Gog {sic} & Magog, those whom Satan is loosed out of prison to deceive & gather together to battel &c. are mortal men & therefore y^e camp of y^e Saints, & y^e beloved city w^ch they compass are also mortals. Doth y^e earth last after y^e day of judgment & do mortals live on it, & do y^e Sons of y^e resurrection live among them like {other} Men & reign over them in y^e beloved city? I answer y^t is true y^e beloved city is a city of Mortals & say further y^t y^e glorious description of y^e new Ierusalem under y^e types of pretious stones is a commentary upon this City. For y^e Kings of y^e earth who {bring their} glory & honour into it & y^e Nations whose glory & honour they bring into it (Apoc. 21.24, 26) are Mortals. But to conceive y^t y^e children of y^e resurrection shall live among other men and converse with them daily as mortals do w^th one another, & reign over them after y^e way of temporal kingdoms is very absurd & foolish. Do Men convers w^th Beasts & Fishes or Angels w^th Men? Christ after his resurrection was invisible to Men unless when upon extraordinary occasions he was pleased to appear to them, since his ascension he has been seen but once, & such as his body, such shall ours be. In y^e resurrection they are as y^e Angels of God in heaven Matt. 22.30) And as Christ comes attended w^th an innumerable company of Angels, & by y^t conversation he has w^th them sends them whither he will, so y^e children of y^e resurrection shall have their conversation w^th y^e Angels. And such as has been y^e government of y^e world by \y^e/ Angels, such may be their dominion over Mortals in y^e world to come. Ye are come, <139r> saith y^e Apostle, unto Mount Sion & unto y^e city of y^e living God y^e heavenly Ierusalem & to an innumerable company of Angels, to y^e general assembly & Church of y^e first born w^ch are written in heaven, & to God y^e Iudge of all & to y^e spirits of just Men [by y^e resurrection] made perfect Heb. 12. This is y^t general assembly at y^e last day before God y^e Iudg of all described in the Apocalyps by y^e last judgment & y^e new heaven new earth & new Ierusalem. For y^e new Ierusalem doth not \only/ signify a local city on Earth, but also comprehends mystically y^e whole assembly of Christ and his Angels w^th y^e Saints raised from y^e dead & reigning w^th him in heaven. If you ask where this heavenly city is, I answer, I do not know. It becomes not a blind Man to talk of colours. Further then I am informed by y^e prophecies I know nothing. But this I say y^t as Fishes in water ascend & descend, move whether they will & rest where they will, so may Angels & Christ & y^e Children of y^e resurrection do in y^e air & heavens. 'Tis not y^e place but y^e state w^ch makes heaven & happiness. For God is alike in all places. He is substantially omnipresent, & as much present in y^e lowest Hell as in y^e highest heaven, but y^e enjoyment of his blessings {illeg} {various} according to the variety of places, & according to this variety he is said to be more in one place less in another, & where he is most enjoyed and most obeyed, there is heaven & his Tabernacle & Kingdom in y^e language of y^e Prophets. We usually conceive it to be above. When Paul & Stephen saw him in y^e clouds he was in heaven. Whether he ascended after his resurrection where he is now w^th y^e Angels, & from whence he shall together w^th them descend to judgment, there may y^e saints after y^e resurrection & judgment reign with him, & at y^e same time invisibly exercise dominion over Mortals on earth. For Paul tells us y^t at y^e last day y^e Lord shall descend from heaven & y^e dead shall rise & together w^th y^e Saints w^ch then remain alive be caught up in y^e clouds (as Elijah was) to meet y^e Lord in y^e air & so shall be ever w^th y^e Lord. 1 Thes 4. And Christ us {sic} y^t y^e Saints after y^e resurrection shall reign on the earth. He y^t overcometh, saith he, & keepeth my works unto y^e end to him will I give power over y^e Nations, & he shall rule them <140r> with a rod of iron: as y^e Vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers. Apoc. 2.26. For Christ has redeemed us & made us unto our God Kings & Priests & {shall reign on y^e earth chap.} 5.10 & he himself is y^e King of Kings, & y^e Prince of y^e Kings of y^e earth chap. 1.5. {illeg} reign below are replenished with living creatures (not only y^e earth w^th beasts, & sea w^th {fishes} & y^e air w^th Fowls & Insects, but also standing waters, vineger, y^e bodies & blood of Animals & other juices w^th innumerable living creatures too small to be seen without y^e help of magnifying Glasses) so may y^e heavens above be replenished w^th beings whose nature we do not understand. He y^t shall well consider y^e strange & wonderful nature of life & y^e frame of Animals will think nothing beyond y^e possibility of Nature, nothing too hard for the omnipotent power of God. And as y^e Planets remain in their orbs, so may any other bodies subsist at any distance from y^e earth, & much more may beings who have a sufficient power of self motion, move whether they will place themselves where they will, & continue in any regions of y^e heavens whatever, there to enjoy y^e society of one another & by their {own sences} or Angels to rule y^e earth & convers w^th y^e remotest regions. Thus may y^e whole heavens or any part thereof whatever be the habitation of y^e Blessed & at y^e same time y^e earth be subject to their dominion. And to have thus y^e liberty & dominion of y^e whole heavens & y^e choise of y^e happiest places for abode seems a greater happiness then to be confined to any one place whatever. But y^e truth & manner of these things we shall not understand before y^e resurrection. I only speak of the possibility.

And thô 'tis become y^e common opinion y^t y^e globe of y^e earth shal at y^e day of judgment be burnt up & have an end, yet upon considering y^e matter I cannot find any sufficient ground for y^e concept. The original of it seems to be thus, y^t they to whom y^e day of judgment was first revealed deciphered it to y^e common people in y^e prophetick language, representing y^e world politic of y^e nations by y^e world natural of y^e heaven & earth & y^t y^e common people & some of y^e heathen Philosophers who understood not y^e prophetick language took it in y^e litteral sence. The tradition is y^t as y^e world once perished by water so it should perish again <141r> & y^t by fire. So some of y^e heathen Philosophers & so also y^e Author of y^e second epistle commonly ascribed to Peter. Now y^e world w^ch perished by water was y^e world politiqꝫ, & therefore 'tis y^e world politiqꝫ w^ch perisheth by fire, & as y^e Natural heaven & earth remained after y^e first perishing, so it may remain after y^e second. When y^e Whore is burnt w^th fire, & y^e Beast & fals Prophet together w^th all y^e world, whose Names are not written in y^e book of life, are cast into y^e lake of fire, & y^e heaven & earth fly away from y^e face of him y^t sits upon the throne, & God creates all things new; then doth this present world perish by fire & y^e heavens pass away w^th a great noise, & y^e elements (y^e Gold, Silver, pretious stones, wood, hay, stubble, as Paul expresseth it) melt w^th fervent heat, & then y^e Saints according to Gods promise look for new heavens & a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. For as Noah was saved out of y^e waters, so in y^e judgment by fire a remnant may be preserved to replenish y^e earth a second time.