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hath Satan inftrumentally been the means of detroying? This is his continual Work Day and Night, feeking and endeavouring, by all the fubtil and crafty Means that poffibly he can devife, to deftroy Mankind, in making of them as miferable as himself. Well, these things being fignified, by the Names given unto the Devil and Satan; and they agreeing with the Nature of all the Devils; they may all be comprised under the. Names of these two; thefe being the head and chief of all the reft; and the chief and head being laid hold upon, and caft into the Lake, it is certain that all. the inferior fort must be included in their Number: So that not one Devil will be left behind at the time of Satan's binding, to tempt or diftrefs the Saints, in all that glorious Reign; no nor never after this will there be any Sin, or a Devil to moleft or annoy them any more for ever.

Verfe 3. And caft him into the bottomless Pit, and fout him up, and fet a Seal upon him, that he fhould deceive the Nations no more, till the thousand Tears fhould be fulfilled: And after that he must be loofed a little Seafon.

Thus we fee the wonderful Effect of this glorious Angel's coming from Heaven with the Key and the great Chain in his hand (ftrong enough to hold and keep all the Devils in Hell, during the time of the thousand Years) hath upon that oldSerpent, the Devil and Satan, in laying hold upon them, cafting of him and all his Company, into

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the bottomlefs or comfortless Pit: Binding of him faft, fhutting of him up, locking the Doors, and fetting a Seal upon him. Thefe Doors are fo ftrong, and this Seal, like the Mountains of Brafs (or the Decrees of God) fo fecure, as that there will be no Poffibility of Satan's getting out, or breaking Prifon, as long as the 1000 Years continue. But for what end is it that Satan and all the Devils are thus fhut up and confined, for fo long a Time? The Reafon is given us in the Text, That he should deceive the Nations no more until &c. Satan hath been the great Deceiver of Souls, a Deceiver of the Nations, in all Ages of the World. But fuch a Time will come, as is here promised, that he fhall deceive the Nations no more, until thefe Years are expired. It is for this end then, that the Devil and Satan is to be fhut up and confined in the bottomlefs Pit, during the Term of fo many Years.

Again, I fhall here briefly confider the grofs Miftakes which I find in fome great and learned Men, who have writ coucerning this Time. Some I perceive do date the Beginning of the thousand Years about the Time of Chrift's Refurrection, when he had compleated the Work of our Redemption. Others at the time of Conftantine the Great, when the Roman Empire (which before was Pagan) began to profefs the Chriftian Faith. Some again have begun their Account no longer than 20 Years ago, in Luther's Day, when there was a Reforma tion of the Church from Popery. But these have all of them certainly miffed it in this Point, as I fhall endeavour to fhew;

First, From the Death and Refurrection of Chrif the thousand Years Reign did not begin; becaufe

Satan

Satan is to be bound at this Time of the Saints reigning) in the bottomless Pit, that he may deceive the Nations no more, until the thousand Tears are ended: And if fo, then I defire any Perfon to tell me, if they can, when it was that Satan, was bound for fo long a time, as not to deceive any of the Nations? Has not the Deceits of Satan been exceeding great, both in the Rife of Mabometifm and Popery? Did not the Mystery of Iniquity work under various Difguifes, in all these forementioned times? Surely it did; though indeed it must be granted, that after the Refurrection and Afcenfion of Jefus Chrift, when the Spirit of God came down in fuch a wonderful Manner upon the Apostles, that there was many thoufands of Souls (both among Jews and Gentiles) converted unto the Lord; and a great Glory upon the primitive Church. Yet this was not the time of the thousand Years Reign, nor of Satan's being bound; for that Glory which was upon the primitive Saints, was fo far from continuing fo long a time, as that it began to decay in the firft Century, or foon after the Death of the Apoftles. Neither was the Church then free from Perfecutions and Troubles from her Enemies; nor yet from Differences and Divifions among themfelves. Now if Satan was bound and fhut up in his Prifon at this time; from whence then did Troubles and Perfecutions come? From whence did Differences and Divifions arise amongst the Saints? Is it poffible that these things fhould be fo, when Satan is confined, and fhut up from deceiving of any of the Nations; and when the Saints all of them fhall fit and Reign with Chrift upon their Thrones in his Kingdom? Sure this

cannot

cannot. Then may we conclude, that the thoufand Years Reign yet remains to be fulfilled. Befides that Text in A&s v. verfe 3. is no lefs than a Demonftration to prove that Satan never yet was bound in that Sense as thefe Words do declare he fhall; because you read in that Place, what the Apoftle Peter faid unto Ananias; why hath Satan filled thine Heart to lie to the holy Ghoft, &c. Is not this a plain Inftance that Satan was not bound, no, not in the time of the Apoftles? For if he had, how could he have filled Ananias's Heart with fuch Deceit, as to Lie to the Holy Ghoft? And therefore Satan was not then bound in the bottomlefs Pit; who did rage at that time as much as ever. Yea that wonderful Glory, which was upon the Church of God in the primitive Day, did but augment and increase the Enmity of Satan into a greater Rage; the difmal Effects of which, did foon appear, not only after the Death, but whilft the Apoftles were living.

Again fecondly, neither did these thousand Years begin at the time, or in the Reign of ConFantine the Great; for what though the Heathen Empire did now profefs the Chriftian Faith, and the Church began to enjoy Peace and Reft on every fide; yet this was fo far from Satan's being bound, and fhut up in his Prifon, and the Saints reigning a thoufand Years, as that this did but make way for Antichrift to arife, and get up into his Seat or Saddle of his Antichriftian Government (as before noted) when there was a Voice heard in the Air, faying, this Day is Poifon poured into the Churches. What a Cloud of Errors and Antichriftian Herefies did foon after arife out of the

Smoke

Smoke of the bottomless Pit, which filled the Air, and darkned the Sun? Yea what a Crowd of Arminianism and Socinian Errors did then begin to thruft it felf into the Church, and fpread it felf all over the Chriftian World? Befdes what dreadful Abomination was acted in the Eaftern Parts of it, by that grand Impoftor Mahomet, when he broached that damnable Alcoran, as if it had been a Divine Oracle dropt from Heaven; through which he deceived many thousands and millions of People. Again, how did the. Beaft of Rome at the fame time deceive the weftern Part of the World, in his Pretence to Infallibility? As if he had Power to give and to difpenfe of Laws as he pleaseth; and fo ufurp'd God's Prerogative, by ruling over the Confciences of Men: And if they did not obey his Tyrannical, or Antichriftian Ufurpation, what Cruelty did he act against the faithful Servants of God? Witness the Book of Martyrs, with other undoubted Hiftory; the true Church being forced to flee into the Wilderness, where the Lord had prepared a Place for her Safety. Now I would appeal unto all confiderate and unbiafs'd Perfons, whether these things could ftand confiftent with the time of the Saints reigning, and Satan's being bound for a thousand Years? Sure I am, that it is as eafy to reconcile Light and Darkness together, as to reconcile this difmal time of Antichrift reigning, unto the time of Satan's binding; this was indeed the time of Antichrift, and not the Saints reigning.

Thirdly, Neither did the time of Satan's being bound begin (as fome would have it) in Luther's Day; though it must be granted, that Luther was an eminent Inftrument in the Lord's Hand, for to

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