I do not apprehend that _Christ_ was called the word
of God in any book of the New Testament written before the _Apocalypse_;
and therefore am of opinion, the language was taken from this Prophecy, as
were also many other phrases in this Gospel, such as those of _Christ_'s
being _the light which enlightens the world, the lamb of God which taketh
away the sins of the world, the bridegroom, he that testifieth, he that
came down from heaven, the Son of God_, &c. _Justin Martyr_, who within
thirty years after _John_'s death became a _Christian_, writes expresly
that _a certain man among the _Christians_ whose name was _John_, one of
the twelve Apostles of _Christ_, in the Revelation which was shewed him,
prophesied that those who believed in _Christ_ should live a thousand years
at _Jerusalem__. And a few lines before he saith: _But I, and as many as
are _Christians_, in all things right in their opinions, believe both that
there shall be a resurrection of the flesh, and a thousand years life at
_Jerusalem_ built, adorned and enlarged_. Which is as much as to say, that
all true _Christians_ in that early age received this Prophecy: for in all
ages, as many as believed the thousand years, received the _Apocalypse_ as
the foundation of their opinion: and I do not know one instance to the
contrary. _Papias_ Bishop of _Hierapolis_, a man of the Apostolic age, and
one of _John_'s own disciples, did not only teach the doctrine of the
thousand years, but also [37] asserted the _Apocalypse_ as written by
divine inspiration.
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