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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91909	The mystery of the two witnesses unvailed Wherein wee have a description of their persons time acts death and office. manner of prophecie. sufferings. resurrection. With the consequences that follow. Together with the seaventh trumpet, and the kingdome of Christ explained. by John Robotham, preacher of the Gospel in Dover.	Robotham, John, fl. 1654.	1654 (1654)	Wing R1732; Thomason E1469_3; ESTC R208689	148,859	409

The outward word is but the clothing of the spirit neither hath it life and power but as the spirit doth goe forth in it Then the spirit is the true measure whereby we may take an equall scantlet or true dimention of heavenly things This is that the Apostle doth plainly tell us in 1 Cor. 2. 10. That the Spirit doth reveale the deep things of God So that the deep and hidden things the most secret mysteries of Gospel-truth are revealed unto us by the Spirit Now what man is it that doth not imagine he hath the true measure and rule of the things of God Every man pretends it and lays claime unto it Therefore before I passe this poynt I shall shew upon what grounds many men are mistaken and also make knowne what are the true foundations and principles of the true knowledge and discernnance of the things of God Concerning the false rules whereby men mistake take notice of these which follow First Fleshly wisdome and carnall reason are the principles that many men thinke to finde out truth by and by these principles of nature they would professe to attaine unto the knowledge of divine things but there is an utter inability in man by all his corrupted principles of nature rightly to judge or discerne of spirituall things Christ tells Nicodemus That which is borne of flesh is flesh Jo● 3. 6. Now what doth he meane by flesh he doth not meane materiall flesh and bloud but he meaneth the corrupted principles of mans nature the wisdome will and affections of the n●turall man which cannot enter into the kingdome of God Againe the Apostle tells us of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an animate sensuall or naturall man and of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spirituall man or one enlightned by the spirit of God Now the naturall man is not able to judge of things above the principles of nature for every truth is discerned by principles of light suitable to it selfe Hence it is that the Apostle saith in 1 Cor. 2. 11. No man knoweth the things of man but the spirit of man that is in him Now what are the things of man but all created things of whom man is the epitome or compendium of them all they being all comprehended within him as in a Mapp or short abridgement so as for the secret and hidden things of nature or of the creature there is none can fadome or comprehend them but the spirit of man or the reason wisdome or understanding of man So it falls out in the things of God for saith the Apostle Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God Heavenly things are onely judged and discerned by him that is spirituall who judgeth all things by a true light Then it is in vaine for man to grope in the darknesse of his own wisdome and reason after the knowledge of heavenly truth Mans knowledge is a weak and dimme light as the light of a Candle to the light of the day or like the shine of the Moon unto the glory of the Sun it is a low fleshly and most unperfect light and altogether insufficient to measure divine things by Secondly Many there be that ground their knowledge of divine things upon some barren notion or fruitlesse opinion or meer speculation and when they have got some jejune and dry Maximes of Divinity or some poor lean and saplesse syllogisticall reasonings that then thinke they have attained to a most compleat knowledge of the things of God and that they are well seen in the mystery of truth when alas all these things are not sufficient to present unto the soul the least glimpse of true and saving light Thirdly Others thinke that the whole mystery of truth is bound up or comprehened within some circle or forme of Religion Such as these are apt to say Lo here and lo there as Christ speaks in Luke 17. 21. that is Lo here is Christ in this way of worship in this form of Religion in this opinion and doctrine but saith Christ The kingdome of God is within you That is The kingdome of God is not so much of forme but of power of righteousnesse and peace of light and joy of love and life and all these are best manifested within us for Christ is best knowne where he lives It hath been the practice of Antichrist to cry up the Temple of the Lord while they cry downe the Lord of the Temple and to take up the forme of Religion as a meanes to persecute the power thereof Then t is not an empty and barren forme of Religion that can furnish us with the true light of the kingdome of Christ or the knowledge of his will Fourthly and lastly the most of men thinke that if they have some historicall knowledge of Christ and some literall knowledge of the Scriptures and are trained up as Parrets to speake over such things as they read in books and Treatises and are well versed in the Systems and body of Divinity that then they are sufficiently instructed in the mysteries of the Gospel when alas the truths of God are hidden from their eyes and every word and letter they read are written with an unknowne character which cannot be deciphered without the Spirit of God The most learned Scribe the greatest Rabbie that shall understand the Originall language in which the Text of Scripture was first written as the Hebrew and the Greeke but yet shall want the language of the Spirit cannot give a true interpretation of the hidden and secret truths contained in the Scripture There is not onely a history but also a mystery of Christ there is not onely letter but also Spirit in the Scriptures which the most learned in the world cannot finde out without the Spirit of Christ The Apostle gives in a full testimony unto this in citing of that place which saith I will destroy the wisdome of the wise and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent where is the wise where is the Scribe where is the disputer of this world hath not God made foolishnesse the wisdome of this world 1 Cor. 1. 19 20. Then t is not carnall reason or fleshly wisdome t is not a barren notion or meer speculation t is not a round circle or empty forme t is not a literall knowledge or historicall relation of Christ and the Scriptures that are sound principles of saving light or the true measures or rules by which we may discerne spirituall things Thus having shewen rules and principles whereby men are mistaken in their judgement of divine things Now it followeth in the second place that wee make a discovery of those principles of light and truth whereby we may come to a true sight and knowledge of the things of God First Divine truths are knowne by the Spirit The Apostle tells us in 1 Joh. 5. 6. The spirit is truth The spirit is the fullest the highest the most absolute and the most comprehensive truth it 's

The Mystery of the two WITNESSES UNVAILED Wherein wee have a Description of their persons time acts death and office manner of prophecie sufferings resurrection With the Consequences that follow TOGETHER With the seaventh Trumpet and the Kingdome of Christ explained by JOHN ROBOTHAM Preacher of the Gospel in Dover LONDON Printed by M. S. for G. and H. Eversden at the Greyhound in St Pauls Church-yard 1654. TO HIS EXCELLENCY the Lord Generall CROMWELL c. MY LORD IT is not for any worth performed on my part that I have taken the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or boldness here to prefix your name but rather from the subject matter of this ensuing Discourse it being an Exposition of the mystery of the two Witnesses wherein we have a description of their persons and prophesie their time and actions their death and resurrection together with the consequences that follow thereupon all which I humbly conceive may be very suitable for you As well for the greatnesse of your place and imployment as it 's necessary to be retained in your knowledge and judgment Therefore in the first place I present this to your Excellency as unto a choise faithfull witness of the Lord and after to all those that give forth their testimony for the truth and authority of Christ against the falshood and usurpation of Antichrist It 's most certain as the Apostle doth affirme that Antichrist shall be destroyed by the brightnesse of Christ's coming which is no other then his coming forth in the bright beames and glorious rayes of divine light shining forth in his people The Saints of the most High by the testimony they give forth are the rod of his mouth and the breath of his lips Whereby he will bruise his enemies and breake them in pieces Thus the true Spirit of Christ in the Saints shall darken and dry up that counterseit and corrupt Spirit of Antichrist that is abroad in the world But not withstanding the power and authority of the Beast shall be dissipated and broken as it were vi armis And hence it is that in these times the Lord hath appeared among us as a mighty man of warre clothed with his zeale as with a garment and hath indued his people with such masculine vertue strength that their hornes have been as iron and their hoofs as brasse whereby they have threshed the Mountaines and the hills as Chaffe And this they have not done by power or might but by the Spirit of the Lord. It was the glorious appearance of GOD in the midst of his people that hath subdued these three Nations Now though Dutch Dane and French should combine against us yet shall the arme of the LORD awake for his people and shall as in former dayes cut Rachah and wound the Dragon he shall dry up the sea and the waters of the great deep It 's not an arme of flesh can doe this but a divine presence with an Army with whom are the hearts affections prayers and spirits of the Saints with a sweet complyance gathered up into and going along with them This causes the shout of king to be in the midst of us though the king in his person be taken away yet the everlasting King lives and shall take to himself his great power and raigne It 's a most undeniable truth that the sword hath been the originall of all kinds forms of government in the world it 's the mother of all power protection and preservation When any disturbance doth arise in a kingdome or Common-wealth whither do they run but unto a military power for succour and defence as not being able to subsist untill they do as it were resolve into their first principles And though the sword in it's selfe be a dark and sad dispensation eating flesh and drinking bloud it 's proper worke being to wast and destroy yet when t is accompanied with wisdom righteousness goodness and justice it becom good and desireable My Lord I have but three words more to speake The first is of you The second to you The third for you That of you is That the Lord hath so far honor'd you as to make you an instrument of glorious atchievements and hath made you head of your brethren and hath given you a name with the great ones of the earth but above all he hath bestowed on you the spirit of his Son which makes you most acceptable to himselfe and precious in the eyes of his people It 's a true saying Honor est in potestate hono heart and make it suitable to your worke that your will may be drawn forth to the extent of the divine will that your soule may have a true sympathy with God that your heart may be fortified against all stormes without feares within and that you may cast down your wisdome valour honour succeste at the feet of Christ so shall you take all up againe with unspeakeable advantage What ever you expend sor Christ in Christ you shall finde it againe Now that you may enjoy all in Christ spend all for him is the desire of him who shall indeavor to be in all faithfulnesse Your Excellency's humble servant JOHN ROBOTHAM To the Reader THe importunity of diverse Friends caused me to suffer these notes to passe abroad into the world they were taken by writing from my mouth my time and occasions would not permit to cast them into such a forme as would have best becomed the presse therefore thou shalt meet with truth coming forth in it's owne nakednesse without the clothing of humane Eloquence As for the matter it 's mysterious and therefore if in any thing wherein I may possibly be mistaken thy candour and ingenuity is desired to passe it by If thou art Criticall and thy aime be onely to espie out the faults either of the Writer Printer or Preacher I suppose thy time would be more advantagiously spent to search out the defects of thy own heart If thou wilt accept of it as it 's presented to thee with the right hand it 's all that 's desired by him that shall remaine thine in any office of love JOHN ROBOTHAM The Contents of the following Treatise concerning the principall things therein contained SIx things from the Book of the Revelation observed 1. The Author who indited it Pag. 2. 2. The Messenger who brought it idem 3. The Pen-man which writt it p. 3. 4. The forme into which it is cast id 5. The matter that is containes p. 4. 6. The parties unto whom it 's directed id The summe of the whole Chapter p. 5. From verse 1. we have 1. Johns call to measure p. 6 7. 2. His qualification p. 8. 3. The things to be measured 1. The Temple p. 9. 2. The Altar p. 10. 3. The worshippers p. 11. Observations from the words 1. Ob That the Lord doth suitably prepare his people to receive such things as himselfe doth impart unto them p. 12 13 14. 2. Ob