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Revelation 20:1-15 King James Version (KJV)

1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.


Revelation 20:1-15 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 And G2532 I saw G1492 an angel G32 come down G2597 from G1537 heaven, G3772 having G2192 the key G2807 of the bottomless pit G12 and G2532 a great G3173 chain G254 in G1909 his G846 hand. G5495

2 And G2532 he laid hold on G2902 the dragon, G1404 that old G744 serpent, G3789 which G3739 is G2076 the Devil, G1228 and G2532 Satan, G4567 and G2532 bound G1210 him G846 a thousand G5507 years, G2094

3 And G2532 cast G906 him G846 into G1519 the bottomless pit, G12 and G2532 shut G2808 him G846 up, G2808 and G2532 set a seal G4972 upon G1883 him, G846 that G3363 he should deceive G4105 the nations G1484 no G3363 more, G2089 till G891 the thousand G5507 years G2094 should be fulfilled: G5055 and G2532 after G3326 that G5023 he G846 must G1163 be loosed G3089 a little G3398 season. G5550

4 And G2532 I saw G1492 thrones, G2362 and G2532 they sat G2523 upon G1909 them, G846 and G2532 judgment G2917 was given G1325 unto them: G846 and G2532 I saw the souls G5590 of them that were beheaded G3990 for G1223 the witness G3141 of Jesus, G2424 and G2532 for G1223 the word G3056 of God, G2316 and G2532 which G3748 had G4352 not G3756 worshipped G4352 the beast, G2342 neither G3777 his G846 image, G1504 G2532 neither G3756 had received G2983 his mark G5480 upon G1909 their G846 foreheads, G3359 or G2532 in G1909 their G846 hands; G5495 and G2532 they lived G2198 and G2532 reigned G936 with G3326 Christ G5547 a thousand G5507 years. G2094

5 But G1161 the rest G3062 of the dead G3498 lived G326 not G3756 again G326 until G2193 the thousand G5507 years G2094 were finished. G5055 This G3778 is the first G4413 resurrection. G386

6 Blessed G3107 and G2532 holy G40 is he that hath G2192 part G3313 in G1722 the first G4413 resurrection: G386 on G1909 such G5130 the second G1208 death G2288 hath G2192 no G3756 power, G1849 but G235 they shall be G2071 priests G2409 of God G2316 and G2532 of Christ, G5547 and G2532 shall reign G936 with G3326 him G846 a thousand G5507 years. G2094

7 And G2532 when G3752 the thousand G5507 years G2094 are expired, G5055 Satan G4567 shall be loosed G3089 out of G1537 his G846 prison, G5438

8 And G2532 shall go out G1831 to deceive G4105 the nations G1484 which G3588 are in G1722 the four G5064 quarters G1137 of the earth, G1093 Gog G1136 and G2532 Magog, G3098 to gather G4863 them G846 together G4863 to G1519 battle: G4171 the number G706 of whom G3739 is as G5613 the sand G285 of the sea. G2281

9 And G2532 they went up G305 on G1909 the breadth G4114 of the earth, G1093 and G2532 compassed G2944 the camp G3925 of the saints G40 about, G2944 and G2532 the beloved G25 city: G4172 and G2532 fire G4442 came down G2597 from G575 God G2316 out of G1537 heaven, G3772 and G2532 devoured G2719 them. G846

10 And G2532 the devil G1228 that deceived G4105 them G846 was cast G906 into G1519 the lake G3041 of fire G4442 and G2532 brimstone, G2303 where G3699 the beast G2342 and G2532 the false prophet G5578 are, and G2532 shall be tormented G928 day G2250 and G2532 night G3571 for G1519 ever G165 and ever. G165

11 And G2532 I saw G1492 a great G3173 white G3022 throne, G2362 and G2532 him that sat G2521 on G1909 it, G846 from G575 whose G3739 face G4383 the earth G1093 and G2532 the heaven G3772 fled away; G5343 and G2532 there was found G2147 no G3756 place G5117 for them. G846

12 And G2532 I saw G1492 the dead, G3498 small G3398 and G2532 great, G3173 stand G2476 before G1799 God; G2316 and G2532 the books G975 were opened: G455 and G2532 another G243 book G975 was opened, G455 which G3739 is G2076 the book of life: G2222 and G2532 the dead G3498 were judged G2919 out of G1537 those things which were written G1125 in G1722 the books, G975 according to G2596 their G846 works. G2041

13 And G2532 the sea G2281 gave up G1325 the dead G3498 which G3588 were in G1722 it; G846 and G2532 death G2288 and G2532 hell G86 delivered up G1325 the dead G3498 which G3588 were in G1722 them: G846 and G2532 they were judged G2919 every man G1538 according to G2596 their G846 works. G2041

14 And G2532 death G2288 and G2532 hell G86 were cast G906 into G1519 the lake G3041 of fire. G4442 This G3778 is G2076 the second G1208 death. G2288

15 And G2532 whosoever G1536 was G2147 not G3756 found G2147 written G1125 in G1722 the book G976 of life G2222 was cast G906 into G1519 the lake G3041 of fire. G4442


Revelation 20:1-15 American Standard (ASV)

1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.

2 And he laid hold on the dragon, the old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years,

3 and cast him into the abyss, and shut `it', and sealed `it' over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years should be finished: after this he must be loosed for a little time.

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and `I saw' the souls of them that had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God, and such as worshipped not the beast, neither his image, and received not the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they lived, and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

5 The rest of the dead lived not until the thousand years should be finished. This is the first resurrection.

6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: over these the second death hath no power; but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

7 And when the thousand years are finished, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

8 and shall come forth to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

9 And they went up over the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down out of heaven, and devoured them.

10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where are also the beast and the false prophet; and they shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat upon it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne; and books were opened: and another book was opened, which is `the book' of life: and the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead that were in it; and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

14 And death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, `even' the lake of fire.

15 And if any was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.


Revelation 20:1-15 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And I saw a messenger coming down out of the heaven, having the key of the abyss, and a great chain over his hand,

2 and he laid hold on the dragon, the old serpent, who is Devil and Adversary, and did bind him a thousand years,

3 and he cast him to the abyss, and did shut him up, and put a seal upon him, that he may not lead astray the nations any more, till the thousand years may be finished; and after these it behoveth him to be loosed a little time.

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them, and the souls of those who have been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus, and because of the word of God, and who did not bow before the beast, nor his image, and did not receive the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand, and they did live and reign with Christ the thousand years;

5 and the rest of the dead did not live again till the thousand years may be finished; this `is' the first rising again.

6 Happy and holy `is' he who is having part in the first rising again; over these the second death hath not authority, but they shall be priests of God and of the Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

7 And when the thousand years may be finished, the Adversary shall be loosed out of his prison,

8 and he shall go forth to lead the nations astray, that are in the four corners of the earth -- Gog and Magog -- to gather them together to war, of whom the number `is' as the sand of the sea;

9 and they did go up over the breadth of the land, and did surround the camp of the saints, and the beloved city, and there came down fire from God out of the heaven, and devoured them;

10 and the Devil, who is leading them astray, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where `are' the beast and the false prophet, and they shall be tormented day and night -- to the ages of the ages.

11 And I saw a great white throne, and Him who is sitting upon it, from whose face the earth and the heaven did flee away, and place was not found for them;

12 and I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and scrolls were opened, and another scroll was opened, which is that of the life, and the dead were judged out of the things written in the scrolls -- according to their works;

13 and the sea did give up those dead in it, and the death and the hades did give up the dead in them, and they were judged, each one according to their works;

14 and the death and the hades were cast to the lake of the fire -- this `is' the second death;

15 and if any one was not found written in the scroll of the life, he was cast to the lake of the fire.


Revelation 20:1-15 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

1 And I saw an angel descending from the heaven, having the key of the abyss, and a great chain in his hand.

2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the ancient serpent who is [the] devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

3 and cast him into the abyss, and shut [it] and sealed [it] over him, that he should not any more deceive the nations until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be loosed for a little time.

4 And I saw thrones; and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them; and the souls of those beheaded on account of the testimony of Jesus, and on account of the word of God; and those who had not done homage to the beast nor to his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and hand; and they lived and reigned with the Christ a thousand years:

5 the rest of the dead did not live till the thousand years had been completed. This [is] the first resurrection.

6 Blessed and holy he who has part in the first resurrection: over these the second death has no power; but they shall be priests of God and of the Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

7 And when the thousand years have been completed, Satan shall be loosed from his prison,

8 and shall go out to deceive the nations which [are] in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war, whose number [is] as the sand of the sea.

9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city: and fire came down [from God] out of the heaven and devoured them.

10 And the devil who deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where [are] both the beast and the false prophet; and they shall be tormented day and night for the ages of ages.

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled, and place was not found for them.

12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is [that] of life. And the dead were judged out of the things written in the books according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead which [were] in it, and death and hades gave up the dead which [were] in them; and they were judged each according to their works:

14 and death and hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, [even] the lake of fire.

15 And if any one was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.


Revelation 20:1-15 World English Bible (WEB)

1 I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.

2 He seized the dragon, the old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole inhabited earth, and bound him for a thousand years,

3 and cast him into the abyss, and shut it, and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years were finished. After this, he must be freed for a short time.

4 I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God, and such as didn't worship the beast nor his image, and didn't receive the mark on their forehead and on their hand. They lived, and reigned with Christ for the thousand years.

5 The rest of the dead didn't live until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over these, the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with him one thousand years.

7 And after the thousand years, Satan will be released from his prison,

8 and he will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war; the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

9 They went up over the breadth of the earth, and surrounded the camp of the saints, and the beloved city. Fire came down out of heaven from God, and devoured them.

10 The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are also. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

11 I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. There was found no place for them.

12 I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works.

13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them. They were judged, each one according to his works.

14 Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.

15 If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.


Revelation 20:1-15 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the great deep and a great chain in his hand.

2 And he took the dragon, the old snake, which is the Evil One and Satan, and put chains on him for a thousand years,

3 And put him into the great deep, and it was shut and locked over him, so that he might put the nations in error no longer, till the thousand years were ended: after this he will be let loose for a little time.

4 And I saw high seats, and they were seated on them, and the right of judging was given to them: and I saw the souls of those who were put to death for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and those who did not give worship to the beast, or to his image, and had not his mark on their brows or on their hands; and they were living and ruling with Christ a thousand years.

5 The rest of the dead did not come to life again till the thousand years were ended. This is the first coming back from the dead.

6 Happy and holy is he who has a part in this first coming: over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will be ruling with him a thousand years.

7 And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be let loose out of his prison,

8 And will go out to put in error the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to get them together to the war, the number of whom is like the sands of the sea.

9 And they went up over the face of the earth, and made a circle about the tents of the saints, and the well loved town: and fire came down out of heaven for their destruction.

10 And the Evil One who put them in error was sent down into the sea of ever-burning fire, where the beast and the false prophet are, and their punishment will go on day and night for ever and ever.

11 And I saw a great white seat, and him who was seated on it, before whose face the earth and the heaven went in flight; and there was no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead, great and small, taking their places before the high seat; and the books were open, and another book was open, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged by the things which were in the books, even by their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and Hell gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged every man by his works.

14 And death and Hell were put into the sea of fire. This is the second death, even the sea of fire.

15 And if anyone's name was not in the book of life, he went down into the sea of fire.

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Revelation 20

Commentary on Revelation 20 Matthew Henry Commentary


Chapter 20

This chapter is thought by some to be the darkest part of all this prophecy: it is very probable that the things contained in it are not yet accomplished; and therefore it is the wiser way to content ourselves with general observations, rather than to be positive and particular in our explications of it. Here we have an account,

  • I. Of the binding of Satan for a thousand years (v. 1-3).
  • II. The reign of the saints with Christ for the same time (v. 4-6).
  • III. Of the loosing of Satan, and the conflict of the church with Gog and Magog (v. 7-10).
  • IV. Of the day of judgment (v. 11-15).

Rev 20:1-10

We have here,

  • I. A prophecy of the binding of Satan for a certain term of time, in which he should have much less power and the church much more peace than before. The power of Satan was broken in part by the setting up of the gospel kingdom in the world; it was further reduced by the empire's becoming Christian; it was yet further broken by the downfall of the mystical Babylon; but still this serpent had many heads, and, when one is wounded, another has life remaining in it. Here we have a further limitation and diminution of his power. Observe,
    • 1. To whom this work of binding Satan is committed-to an angel from heaven. It is very probable that this angel is no other than the Lord Jesus Christ; the description of him will hardly agree with any other. He is one who has power to bind the strong man armed, to cast him out, and to spoil his goods; and therefore must be stronger than he.
    • 2. The means he makes use of in this work: he has a chain and a key, a great chain to bind Satan, and the key of the prison in which he was to be confined. Christ never wants proper powers and instruments to break the power of Satan, for he has the powers of heaven and the keys of hell.
    • 3. The execution of this work, v. 2, 3.
      • (1.) He laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil, and Satan. Neither the strength of the dragon, nor the subtlety of the serpent, was sufficient to rescue him out of the hands of Christ; he caught hold, and kept his hold. And,
      • (2.) He cast him into the bottomless pit, cast him down with force, and with a just vengeance, to his own place and prison, from which he had been permitted to break out, and disturb the churches, and deceive the nations; now he is brought back to that prison, and there laid in chains.
      • (3.) He is shut up, and a seal set upon him. Christ shuts, and none can open; he shuts by his power, seals by his authority; and his lock and seal even the devils themselves cannot break open.
      • (4.) We have the term of this confinement of Satan-a thousand years, after which he was to be loosed again for a little season. The church should have a considerable time of peace and prosperity, but all her trials were not yet over.
  • II. An account of the reign of the saints for the same space of time in which Satan continued bound (v. 4-6), and here observe,
    • 1. Who those were that received such honour-those who had suffered for Christ, and all who had faithfully adhered to him, not receiving the mark of the beast, nor worshipping his image; all who had kept themselves clear of pagan and papal idolatry.
    • 2. The honour bestowed upon them.
      • (1.) They were raised from the dead, and restored to life. This may be taken either literally or figuratively; they were in a civil and political sense dead, and had a political resurrection; their liberties and privileges were revived and restored.
      • (2.) Thrones, and power of judgment, were given to them; they were possessed of great honour, and interest, and authority, I suppose rather of a spiritual than of a secular nature.
      • (3.) They reigned with Christ a thousand years. Those who suffer with Christ shall reign with Christ; they shall reign with him in his spiritual and heavenly kingdom, in a glorious conformity to him in wisdom, righteousness, and holiness, beyond what had been known before in the world. This is called the first resurrection, which none but those who have served Christ and suffered for him shall be favoured with. As for the wicked, they shall not be raised up and restored to their power again, till Satan be let loose; this may be called a resurrection, as the conversion of the Jews is said to be life from the dead.
    • 3. The happiness of these servants of God is declared.
      • (1.) They are blessed and holy, v. 6. None can be blessed but those that are holy; and all that are holy shall be blessed. These were holy as a sort of first-fruits to God in this spiritual resurrection, and as such blessed by him.
      • (2.) They are secured from the power of the second death. We know something of what the first death is, and it is awful; but we know not what this second death is. It must be much more dreadful; it is the death of the soul, eternal separation from God. The Lord grant we may never know what it is by experience. Those who have had experience of a spiritual resurrection are saved from the power of the second death.
  • III. An account of the return of the church's troubles, and another mighty conflict, very sharp, but short and decisive. Observe,
    • 1. The restraints laid for a long time on Satan are at length taken off. While this world lasts, Satan's power in it will not be wholly destroyed; it may be limited and lessened, but he will have something still to do for the disturbance of the people of God.
    • 2. No sooner is Satan let loose than he falls to his old work, deceiving the nations, and so stirring them up to make a war with the saints and servants of God, which they would never do if he had not first deceived them. They are deceived both as to the cause they engage in (they believe it to be a good cause when it is indeed a very bad one), and as to the issue: they expect to be successful, but are sure to lose the day.
    • 3. His last efforts seem to be the greatest. The power now permitted to him seems to be more unlimited than before. He had now liberty to beat up for his volunteers in all the four quarters of the earth, and he raised a mighty army, the number of which was as the sand of the sea, v. 8.
    • 4. We have the names of the principal commanders in this army under the dragon-Gog and Magog. We need not be too inquisitive as to what particular powers are meant by these names, since the army was gathered from all parts of the world. These names are found in other parts of scripture. Magog we read of in Gen. 10:2. He was one of the sons of Japheth, and peopled the country called Syria, from which his descendants spread into many other parts. Of Gog and Magog together we only read in Eze. 38:2, a prophecy whence this in Revelation borrows many of its images.
    • 5. We have the march and military disposition of this formidable army (v. 9.): They went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city, that is, the spiritual Jerusalem, in which the most precious interests of the people of God are lodged, and therefore to them a beloved city. The army of the saints is described as drawn forth out of the city, and lying under the walls of it, to defend it; they were encamped about Jerusalem: but the army of the enemy was so much superior to that of the church that they compassed them and their city about.
    • 6. You have an account of the battle, and the issue of this war: Fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured the enemy. Thus the ruin of Gog and Magog is foretold (Eze. 38:22), I will rain upon him and upon his bands an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, and fire and brimstone. God would, in an extraordinary and more immediate manner, fight this last and decisive battle for his people, that the victory might be complete and the glory redound to himself.
    • 7. The doom and punishment of the grand enemy, the devil: he is now cast into hell, with his two great officers, the beast and the false prophet, tyranny and idolatry, and that not for any term of time, but to be there tormented night and day, for ever and ever.

Rev 20:11-15

The utter destruction of the devil's kingdom very properly leads to an account of the day of judgment, which will determine every man's everlasting state; and we may be assured there will be a judgment when we see the prince of this world is judged, Jn. 16:11. This will be a great day, the great day, when all shall appear before the judgment-seat of Christ. The Lord help us firmly to believe this doctrine of the judgment to come. It is a doctrine that made Felix tremble. Here we have a description of it, where observe,

  • 1. We behold the throne, and tribunal of judgment, great and white, very glorious and perfectly just and righteous. The throne of iniquity, that establishes wickedness by a law, has no fellowship with this righteous throne and tribunal.
  • 2. The appearance of the Judge, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ, who then puts on such majesty and terror that the earth and the heaven flee from his face, and there is no place found for them; there is a dissolution of the whole frame of nature, 2 Pt. 3:10.
  • 3. The persons to be judged (v. 12): The dead, small and great; that is, young and old, low and high, poor and rich. None are so mean but they have some talents to account for, and none so great as to avoid the jurisdiction of this court; not only those that are found alive at the coming of Christ, but all who have died before; the grave shall surrender the bodies of men, hell shall surrender the souls of the wicked, the sea shall surrender the many who seemed to have been lost in it.
  • 4. The rule of judgment settled: The books were opened. What books? The books of God's omniscience, who is greater than our consciences, and knows all things (there is a book of remembrance with him both for good and bad); and the book of the sinner's conscience, which, though formerly secret, will now be opened. And another book shall be opened-the book of the scriptures, the statute-book of heaven, the rule of life. This book is opened as containing the law, the touchstone by which the hearts and lives of men are to be tried. This book determines matter of right; the other books give evidence of matters of fact. Some, by the other book, called the book of life, understand the book of God's eternal counsels; but that does not seem to belong to the affair of judgment: in eternal election God does not act judicially, but with absolute sovereign freedom.
  • 5. The cause to be tried; and that is, the works of men, what they have done and whether it be good or evil. By their works men shall be justified or condemned; for though God knows their state and their principles, and looks chiefly at these, yet, being to approve himself to angels and men as a righteous God, he will try their principles by their practices, and so will be justified when he speaks and clear when he judges.
  • 6. The issue of the trial and judgment; and this will be according to the evidence of fact, and rule of judgment. All those who have made a covenant with death, and an agreement with hell, shall then be condemned with their infernal confederates, cast with them into the lake of fire, as not being entitled to eternal life, according to the rules of life laid down in the scripture; but those whose names are written in that book (that is, those that are justified and acquitted by the gospel) shall then be justified and acquitted by the Judge, and shall enter into eternal life, having nothing more to fear from death, or hell, or wicked men; for these are all destroyed together. Let it be our great concern to see on what terms we stand with our Bibles, whether they justify us or condemn us now; for the Judge of all will proceed by that rule. Christ shall judge the secrets of all men according to the gospel. Happy are those who have so ordered and stated their cause according to the gospel as to know beforehand that they shall be justified in the great day of the Lord!