The Mystery opened of the thousand years Reign.
Rev. 20.5,6.
Thus the Triumphant King and Conqueror (who is possessed of all the Royal Powers and Dignities, that are unfolded in these seven Thunders) hath given his Word, that none of these shall fail in any one that hath the mark of the seventh Conquering Seal broken up in themselves, to whom joint-power and authority will be given, in order to the beginning of that Reign, which is to be setled here on Earth, according to the Prophecy in John’s Revelation; which presseth hard upon me from the Fiery Cloud, that circles round my Spirit for a defensive Banner, which will let nothing of the eclipsing dark Principle come in, whilst the Center deep from the Soul’s fiery Essence opens, and the bright Streamers from the Heart of the glorified Jesus, who meets me in such a peaceable Love-paved-Walk, into which none can come to see or hear what passeth by way of Prospect or Communication; but what, and so much as I am ordered to declare, I shall faithfully give out, according to the mind of my Lord, who sees the effect that shall follow all these Revelations given by him.
The Prophecy of the Thousand Years Reign, mentioned in the Revelations, was set before me and opened. As to the Time, Persons and Place, much Controversie hath been concerning this Mystery, which I shall not meddle with, but shall only faithfully declare what the Morning-Star hath expressly revealed from his own Mouth, who with this Salutation began; Awake ye, who have been under Death and Judgment; know ye not that my Reign is near? The fore-going Prophecy must have its fulfilling, and there are those who are a ripening for it, upon whom my Kingdom shall be fixed. Wherefore do thou warily observe the following Particulars, which are the fore-going Signs of my Personal Reign, whereby it may be known how near it is.
The first Particular concerns those Persons in whom this Reign is to begin, who are such as have been Beheaded, suffering an inward spiritual Martyrdom, for the hope of a Resurrection in a God-head-Body and Spirit. The manner of Death is here to be taken notice of; they are said to have been Beheaded, that is, who have their Head Life, where the rational Understanding is seated, and from whence all sensible operation go forth, cut off, and separated from them, because by means of it the Dragon and Beast have found place to establish their Kingdoms in Man, and have been hereby in all Ages upheld; the main of the Serpent’s strength having always lain in the Craft and Subtilty of Reason, which is the Fore-Head-mark of the Beast. Who then are they who have known this Honourable Death from the flaming Sword in the Hand of the Cherubim, but those who shall hear the Resurrection-Trumpet, to let them know their Thrones are set, and their Conquering-Crowns to their new-risen Heads are fitted, and that all Power and Judgment is given unto them, to personate the mighty King Jesus here upon Earth. For Christ the Lord shall have no need in his own particular glorified Person to come down amongst the Inhabitants of the Earth. There is something to be done first by them, who are to Personate him in the Kingly Dominion; his transparent Body is such, as will not (till this first Reign be finished) be any way bearable to the present consistency of things, which must be first Sublimed. It is sufficient that the Lord is come in his witnessing Power and Presence, through a new-risen Life with and in his Elders, for to reign in the Majesty of his all-governing Eye, which pierceth as devouring Flames, and burning Coals of Fire, which run from each to other, and from one end of the Earth to the other. If the Lord will but supply the visible Humanity with a mighty flow from the Deity, and with a witnessing Omnipotency, it will be sufficient and considerable Glory.
Next, we are to consider where the Reign of Christ is to be manifested, to wit, in Renewed Nature’s center, which is made all Seraphick, in the Soul’s inward Essence, from whence the Serpent and Beast are cast out, and have no more place; they are in this latter Reign chained up, though in the fore-going dominion which the Lord had in the Soul, he was always in Contest with these potent Adversaries, who exerted all their strength to keep their hold in the mixed frame of Nature; all of which being now overturned, they have no place where to establish their Dominion: So that now all Strife ceaseth, because the Lord alone doth reign in Peace over all the Region of Light. For now the Soul is Born a new into the light World, and is most firmly established in its Kingly Power, which is not from received Gifts or Powers, as in the day of Pentecost, but all comes in with the risen Birth, from whence the Powers do naturally and uncessantly flow, and therefore out of all danger of mutability, which might threaten a disappointment of any thing, that is agreed upon by the Kingly Soul, with his seven counselling Spirits, which do continually stand before the Throne in the inward Heavens; which by the scattering Coals from the Deity are made as an enduring burning Element, where the Glory of Christ’s Personality may be seen, but no otherwise detained as to his individual Person, but as the same likeness is risen by virtue of the creating Word in his Members. Who are instructed with this active powerful Body, suitable for the management of such a Kingdom, in which the Soul at first reigns invisibly over all its inward Motions and Properties, as over Peoples, Nations and Languages, all which by Wisdom’s Power are kept in a God-like temperature, such as may express the Lord is come to Personate himself in a righteous and peaceable Government, such as never yet hath been in the World since Adam lost Paradise.
Object. But shall this be an Universal Reign? And after what manner shall it be Modalliz’d in this visible Creation? That which is Internal and Spiritual will not be so much taken notice of, though it comes to this height of Perfection, for it may be hid amongst a small Number, and may be known but only to one another; the generality still abiding under the Beast’s Power and Name, which is his accursed Nature.
This Query was answered me in plainness of Truth, thus; That this glorious Reign would not be Universal, nor break out all at once, but Gradually from the burning Unction, which prepares Christ’s way, and makes room for his Kingdom: There is much to be done first, and here must a Beheading go before, and a plucking up all that hath made desolate, and after all this a coming up again in the Resurrection, which is a rare attainment indeed; for it is a Resurrection to a state wholly sound and sinless, even the same to which our Lord was raised after Death. The Prophecy doth not say, That all the dead were raised up to reign with Christ a Thousand Years; but it is expressly declared, that the rest of the Dead did not rise till the Thousand Years were expired; from whence it was cleared up to me, that many may be going through this Spiritual dying, and yet continue dead, whilst others are raised, according to that Word, Blessed are they who are partakers of this first Resurrection; so that it will not be Universal.
But besides this, there are those who are Unrighteous, of whom it is Prophesied, Let him that is unjust, be unjust still; these shall in no wise enter into Christ’s Kingdom, but be shut out of the holy City, which shall rule over them. For this Kingdom shall not only be inward, in the Properties of the Soul, but shall also exercise its dominion over this visible Principle; and those who are unconverted shall be as Stubble before the bright flaming Cherubims, who in the Lamb’s Power shall reign on the Earth: The Elect shall reap and long enjoy the creating Works of their own Hands; for with no less Power shall the Representatives of Christ the Lord be invested. This declared, must be throughout all Worlds, that Christ will appear in his Saints that are risen again to bear the Trophy of a Death-Conquering-Power.
Now the next enquiry is, When is the time that this may be expected, because hitherto there is but very small appearance of any such thing? that is, Who is yet qualified in such a high degree as this Heavenly Kingdom requires? Who are willing to be Beheaded, and through Death, to be made partakers of this Reign?
But yet notwithstanding all these Objections of Fear and Unbelief, and the whole throng of discouraging Spirits of the sensible Life, whose cry is, Who is able to suffer all this? Faith and Love are given to the worthy pretenders to this Kingdom, whereby they are carried as with Wings, over all the Floods of Fear and Discouragement; neither shall they want either Resolution or Valour to wade through the greatest opposing Difficulties, who are designed for it, and found in the Lamb’s Roll. A double and trebble portion of his Spirit the Lord hath said he will add to them, who first shall abrogate the Law of Sense, which hath been the chief hindrance of his Kingdom, which therefore is to be made void, because it diverts the Soul from fetching all its Supplies from the Rock; neither can Faith arrive to its full strength, till Sense be led into captivity, and cast into a dead Sleep.
Now as to the time of the Lord’s Reign, when it shall be, you will be apt to say, That this is an unknown thing, and that none can prefix the time. It is true, that many have Calculated, and puzzled their Spirits about it in vain: But if we will know how near the time is, we must not look without us, but in the unsealed Book of Life within us; there you will find the fore-going Signs, which are first to be accomplished in your own Heavens and Earth: We may try and prove our selves by what hath been already revealed from the seven Seals and Thunders, how near the Kingdom of our Lord is approached unto us. Let each of us examine our selves, how far the preparative work is advanced in us: We see what the Beast and Dragon’s Kingdom must suffer in us, to make way for this Reign, which cannot be established till all this Trash be taken out of the way. Therefore we shall only know the time by such an one, who shall give the first deadly stroke, and come forth a Conqueror over the whole sensitive Life, and this outward Kingdom, which stands divided between Good and Evil. In such an Overcomer as this my Jesus expressed, he would appear and personate a Kingly Reign; and that we are not to look out for any other Sign at this time; but the Manifestation of this conquering Life: And further He said, There would go forth an Arrow from the Word of Revelation, which should so closely stick in some, as to pierce through the Heart of the Beast, who hath warred to hinder the Lord’s triumphant Reign in his Saints. By all which it is clear, that there is no surer sign of the approaching Personal Reign of Christ, than to see the Beast wounded to the very Heart; for no sooner will the Beast be removed, but his Kingdom will appear, whose Right it is to rule in Heaven and Earth. Who is it now that will suck in the marrow of these precious things, which is the dropping Oil which distills from the Olive-Tree, to make our way smooth, light and clear, and to preserve us from being daunted, though our Portion should be a draught of Blood? For the Life of the Beast must be taken away, before the Lord appear in us like himself, in Power, Glory and Majesty. Oh! what Drawings and Desires may these weighty sayings from the Lord, enkindle in us from his coming to reign in absolute Dominion within us.
The Word came to me, Run hard, there is a rich Prey to be taken, by treading down of the Beast, which may be taken, if pursued to the Victory: Wherefore be Valiant in the Faith, for all Might is in God, to overcome whatsoever opposeth his Reign and Personal Kingdom.
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