The great MYSTERIE OF GOD OR The Vision of the Evening and the Morning opened Whereby comparing Scripture with acts of Divine Providence will plainly appeare that the Ruine of Mysticall Babylon and the Erecting of spirituall Jerusalem are the ground of these present Commotions which are not to cease till by meanes of this present Parliament The Worke being so compleated That Christ shall in and by his Saints in tranquility reigne on earth one thousand yeeres Revel 1.2 Blessed is he that readeth and they that heare the words of this Prophesie and keep those things that are written therein for the time is at hand Exod. 15.18 The Lord shall reigne for ever and ever Dan. 2.22 For he revealeth deep and secret things he knows what is in the dark and the light dwelleth with him Revel 22.10 Stale not the sayings of the Prophesie of this Booke for the time is at hand LONDON Printed for John Wright in the old Baylâ—y 1645. To the RIGHT HONOURABLE the House of PEERS AND TO THE HONOURABLE the House of COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT at Westminster HIgh and most honoured ever renowned Senators the Lord of his free grace and love having about some two or three yeers since cast my thoughts and meditations upon that great vision shewed unto his servants Prophets Daniel and John concerning the time of the raign and the ruine of these five grand enemies of the Church set forth by the Spirit of God to Daniel to be one Image and to John to be but one Beast all in league together to persecute the Saints of God by comparing the Words of God and the Acts of Gods providence one with the other I finde that these enemies destruction is nigh at hand and Gods peoples finall deliverance neere yea the worke is begun already and will not be long before the Lord will consummate it Withall I humbly conceive that You are those two great Witnesses which the Spirit of Christ foretold long since should be raised up to Heaven the high place of Justice and Judicature though all the people and Saints of God from the yeer of Christ 375. unto 1639. be reckoned for his Witnesses and so looked upon by Christ because they all bore witnesse unto those Truths of Christ which that man of sinne denied yet You in a more especiall manner at this time because You are not onely to protest against Antichrist and his grand lie who said That the power of Churches and States belonged to him But You are that Judgement which should sit and take his Kingdome and Dominion from him Dan. 7.26 raised up to Heaven by the power of Christs Spirit for the same end Dan. 2.34 45. And by that little stone cut out of the Mountaine without hands even by the Spirit of God the day You ascended up into Heaven by this little stone shall you destroy all those enemies and when You have taken all powers from them As will further appeare in the following Treatise Psal 149.6 the Civill power will remaine in Your hands as You are Christs civill Magistrates and all the exercise of the Ecclesiasticall power of Churches shall You give unto the people of God which are the Body of Christ whereof You being Members and sitting with the rest of Your Brethren in Gods House Rev. 21.2 10. shall exercise that spirituall Sword and by Your leave and Authority the Saints of God are to build that holy City new Jerusalem Psal 149.6 where God and the Lambe will have his Throne Rev. 22.1 He who is the meanest and lowest Instrument that ever the Lord Christ made use of for so great a worke doth humbly crave leave to conceale his name and to present these his Labours to Your Honours that the whole world may see and know what great things Christ will by You doe for his Church and people The Lord make good his great and gracious promise unto You Isa 28.6 who hath promised to be a Spirit of Judgement to You that sit in Judgement and Strength to You that have turned the battell to the gate and for a Crowne of glory and for a Diadem of beauty unto the residue of his people The Preface to the Christian Reader THe union and onenesse of all the grand enemies of the Church of God Dan. 8.26 from the evening to the morning with their fury and rage against the people of the most High and the time of their destruction and ruine with the time of the Churches Captivity with those severall Titles which the Spirit of God sets them forth by sutable to their conditions they were to be in and the time of the enemys fall the finall deliverance of the Church together with the ways and means of their Redemption is called The great Mystery of God Rev. 10.7 and 5.1 Dan. 12.9 and 8.19 Rev. 1.1 and 22.6 and 5.3 written in a little booke and sealed on the back side with seven seales and the words closed up and sealed till the time of the end A mystery and vision shewed to Daniel and John But no man was found in Heaven nor in Earth neither under the earth worthy to open and to read the booke Vers 5. neither to looke thereon but the Lord Jesus the Lion of the Tribe of Judah he prevailed and was counted worthy to open this little booke and to loose the seven Seales thereof And you have this Lion or Lambe who had been slain opening all the seven Seales 5 6 7 and 8. Chapters And this mysterie of God or little booke was not finshed or opened till the seven Trumpets sounded Rev. 10.5 and then an Angel that stood upon the sea and upon the earth lift up his hand to Heaven and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever That there should be time no longer that is that the enemies of the Church should have no longer time to tyrannize and raign over the Churches of the Saints nor the mysterie any longer concealed And saith further that in the dayes of the voyce of the seventh Angell when he shall begin to sound the mysterie of God should be finished Vers 7. And we shall finde that this Angel did not begin to sound untill the witnesses were ascended up to Heaven and the tenth part of that Antichristian City fell Rev. 11.5 Therefore though many learned and pious men have undertaken to open this book and to loose the seven Seales thereof Rev. 5.4 yet indeed were not able because they were not found worthy and because this vision was to be shut up for many dayes and the words and booke closed up and sealed with seven Seales till the time of the end Dan. 8.26 and 12.19 Rev. 5.1 Something indeed hath bin done by way of Ecclesiasticall History and paraphrasing upon the Text Vers 9 10. but to open the booke and loose the seven Seals did only belong to that Lamb which was in the midst of
denied the Church power to be in the hands of the Spouse of Christ and that Christ had not left that Ecclesiasticall power of the Church with them but with him that he was Christs Vicegerent sitting in the Temple of God 2 Thes 2.4 lording it over all that is called God To this great truth of Christs Kingly power in his Church do they give testimony and beare witnesse denying that he or any in the world hath power to lord it over the Church and Spouse of Christ in Ecclesiasticall matters Rev. 11.3 for this belongs onely to God and Christ and so they are called Christs Witnesses I will give power to my two Witnesses Rev. 1.1 It was Christ that spake here this book being called the Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him they who give testimony to any truth though it hath been held forth by any other going before such a one is called his witnesse thus God is called Christs witnesse in saying that he was his Sonne Joh. 5.32 John is likewise called Christs witnesse ver 33. the Apostles are called Christs witnesse Acts 1.38.3.15 2 Pet. 1.16 Christ is called the true and faithfull witnesse Rev. 1.5 chap. 3.14 So the people of God and Churches of the Saints are said to be Christs witnesses in the day and yeer that Antichrist entred into the Temple and denied the Kingly office of Christ Anno 375. Secondly Title 2. Rev. 11.4 they are called two Candlesticks and two Olive trees they are set forth by two Candlesticks and two Olive trees to shew to us that at this time they were in a true Church-state as the people of the Jewes formerly were Zach. 4.2 Rev. 1.20 who are set forth by one Candlestick and the seven Churches of Asia by seven Candlesticks and the Officers of the Churches are set forth by two Olive trees that stand before God Zach. 4.12 and are on both sides of the Candlestick to empty the golden Oyle of divine truth out of themselves into the bowle of the Candlestick into the bosome of the Church so it is clear they were at this time in a true Church state Why the people of God are called two Candlesticks Dan. 18.32 being compleat with their Officers two Olive trees they are called but two Candesticks not only to note to us that the people of God were worshiping him aright in a Church way but at this time when Antichrist entred into the Temple denied Christs Kingly office were few in number even two the least of all numbers for many professors at this time did do wickedly against the Covenant even broke that Church Covenant which was amongst them Thirdly Title 3. they are set forth by this title The Saints of the most high or high Saints Dan. 7.21 Rev. 13.7 2 Thes 2.4 Cant. 5.7 Rev. 12.6.14 Antichrist having entred into the Temple and dis-throned the Lord Christ and pluckt the Crowne from his head stripped the Spouse of Christ of her vaile persecuted the Church into the Wildernesse of that Antichristian world and taken away all their Church power which the Lord Jesus gave them in the day of their espousall Dan. 12.7 And therefore he is said to scatter the power of the holy people having so broken them to pieces by his hot persecution in the yeere 375. that they could not neither might be suffered to hold forth the true worship of God in a Church way therefore are called Saints of God Dan. 7.18.21 25 26. Rev. 3.7 and high Saints they being scattered some into one place some into another The fourth title by which the people of God are set forth by Title 4. is a woman cloathed with the Sun and travelling Rev. 12.1 1 5. and pained to be delivered of a man childe that was to rule all Nations with a rod of Iron the Saints of God being broken to peeces by a wicked and unjust Magistrate and scattered up and downe in the wildernesse some here and some there not being suffered to congregate into a true visible Church by that man of sinne for the space of 1260. yeares they having been persecuted by him that full space of time and afterwards slaine and laid dead for three propheticall daies and a halfe And some of their brethren and fellow-witnesses being raised up to the high place of Judicature and Magistracy as was evident in the foregoing chapter Rev. 11.12 The rest of the godly were now with child with this great truth of Christ in point of Civill Government by which the Lord Jesus in and by his Saints was to rule all nations with a rod of Iron Therefore cryed they earnestly to God by zealous and fervent Prayer and to his witnesses their fellow-servants that sate in Heaven by humble request and petition that they might have a godly Magistracie set up in the world and that Antichrist that wicked oppressour who had made the world as a wildernesse Isa 14.17 and destroyed the Cities thereof and that wicked murderer which had devoured the people of God for many ages and slaine his witnesses Rev. 11.7 8. and laide their dead bodies in the streets might be cast now out of heaven the place of Judicature and the people of God and those that would raigne for that man childe Jesus might be left in Heaven to sit as Kings in the Civill Throne * This birth and travell of the people of God was in the yeare 1641. and 1641. And thus the Church and people of God travelled for and tooke great pains to have it come to passe and was much pained and travelled in their minds untill they had accomplished their desires and was delivered of this man child the year of Christ 1641. as shall be shewed more fully when we come to speake of those effects and consequences which followed upon the witnesses ascending up to Heaven Thus you see the Spirit of God set forth the state and condition in which his Church and people were to be in the time of their exile captivity under those five grand enemies of his Saints especially that little horne Antichrist by these severall titles which he gave them very fitting and agreeable with the present condition which they were in at the same time not at any time mentioning some of his people and leaving out others but intending all of them For Antichrist could not deceive any of Gods Elect it was not possible he should Mar. 13.22 From the yeare of Christ 375. to 1635. Therefore all of them as one man did witnesse to that truth of Christ in point of power that he was to sit Lord and King in his Temple and not Antichrist and to be Lord over the consciences of his Saints and Spouse and not man So they were all scattered into the Wildernesse and there did prophecy and speak one to another for their mutuall edification and so are called Saints of the most High and
hurt not the Oyle and Wine Christ here hath a pair of balances in his hand as a righteous and just Judge to weigh all those wrongs and injuries which those Priests and Jesuits had done against his Saints and servants and he will repay them accordingly therefore saith the voyce A measure of Wheat for a penny and three measures of Barly but no hurt must come to the Saints that are the Oyle and Wine of the earth And this we shall see agree with the third Trumpet and Viall Third Trumpet sounds Rev. 1.10 11. the Trumpet when it sounds Then there fell a great Starre from Heaven burning as it were a lampe and it fell upon the third part of the Rivers and Fountaines of water and the name of the Starre is called Wormwood and the third part of the waters became Wormwood and many men dyed of the waters because they were made bitter By Starre is meant an Angell or Minister of the Church see Rev. 1.20 by Heaven is meant the Church by Rivers or Fountaines of waters is meant those Jesuits and Priests that are set forth by Rivers and Fountaines of waters who naturally draw and derive water from the Sea to water the Earth so doe they mystically as Rivers draw and derive their poysonous doctrine from that Antichristian Sea of Rome and so water the whole Antichristian earth The Ministers of the Churches by the preaching of the Gospell shined as a Lamp and these Rivers become blood noted by the the third Viall Rev. 16.4 and likewise made their doctrine to be bitter and loathsome shewing that they by their poysonous doctrine did seduce the people and spiritually slayed men yea further by their doctrine had stirred up the Beast and his Image to slay the Saints and Prophets of Christ as is noted by the third Angell that poured forth his Viall upon them Rev. 16.5 6. therefore they themselves became blood that is their blood is shed and they are put to death in Queene Elizabeths time and since and as Master Cotton well observes thus Christ weighs the wrongs done to his Saints by these Priests and Jesuits who are those Antichristian Rivers and Fountaines of water and so repayes them accordingly This Seale and Trumpet agrees fully with the third Viall The third Viall is poured forth Rev. 16.4 which was poured upon the Rivers and Fountaines of waters so that they became blood not onely appeared by the sounding of the Trumpet to be bloody men such as thirsted after the blood of Gods Saints but their owne blood was shed for they were worthy as the Angell of the waters well notes because they had caused the blood of the Saints to be shed therefore God was just and righteous because he had so judged Rev. 16.5 6. When the Lambe opens the fourth Seale behold a pale horse Fourth Seale opened Rev. 8.7 which notes darknesse and misery and he that 〈◊〉 upon it was Death Now Christ threatens death unto that whole Antichristian state the lights of their Heaven grow pale and darke as is noted by the Angel that sounded the Trumpet and that poured forth the fourth Viall and Death and Hell followed with him and afterward power was given to him over the fourth part of the Earth to kill with the sword with hunger and death and the Beasts of the Earth This horse was a pale horse Fourth Angell sounds Rev. 8.12 betokening blacknesse and darknesse as is noted by the fourth Angel that sounded that when he sounds the the third part of the Sunne Moon and Starres of that Antichristian Heaven Pope Cardinals and Prelats glorious lights of that Heaven when this fourth Angel preacheth the Gospell the late Ministers of our foregoing Age these lights lost the third part of their glory and shined not so bright as they did before by the third part The fourth Angel which poured forth the fourth Viall agrees with this Seale and Trumpet The fourth Viall poured forth Rev. 16.8 who poured his Viall upon that Antichristian Sunne and so notes to us that all the other lights of that Heaven were darkned with it because they drew their lights from it in a mysticall way as the Moone and Starres doe in a naturall way from the naturall Sunne The Ministers of Christ by preaching the Gospell darkned these glorious lights of that Antichristian Heaven and by so doing scorched and burned them with fire that is put them to as much paine and torment as though they had scorched them with naturall fire whereupon they blasphemed the name of God that is spoke more evilly of the wayes and Saints of God and proceeded more harshly and bitterly against them even to their civill slaying and lay their dead bodies in the streets That death and hell followed upon the fourth Seal Trumpet and Viall is noted by an Angel Rev. 8.13 which flies through the midst of Heaven crying Woe woe woe Three woes because of those three Angels which were to sound and three Vials which were to be poured forth upon that Antichristian state to its utter ruine When Christ had opened the fifth Seale The fifth Seal is opened Rev. 6.9 the soules under the Altar come to see what was written within the Roll and there they see Christ and his Witnesses ascend up to Heaven the high place of Judicature to take the Kingdomes and powers from Antichrist presently Rev. 1 1◠they cry for vengeance upon them that had shed their blood These souls are the Saints of God in our age which see themselves slaine for the word of God and the testimony which they held By word of God is meant Christ 1 John 1. and 14. and their testimony is their bearing witnesse unto those truths of Christ which Antichrist denied their slaying was civill all power taken from them that they could not prophesie nor give testimony to the truths of Christ as they had formerly done they are said to be under the Altar by Altar is meant Christ Heb. 13.10 They were under his spirituall power and jurisdiction though civilly slain by Antichrist and laid dead for three dayes and a half these soules that see themselves slaine had white robes given them by Christ and his witnesse in that space of time that the fifth Viall was pouring forth By white robes cannot be meant the righteousnesse of Christ inherent or imputed for that they had before which made them to undergoe that flory try all and suffer civill marty dome which righteousnesse is set forth by gold tryed in the fire Rev. 3.18 Rev. 3.18 but these white robes is that outward government and discipline that is to be set up in all the Churches of the Saints set forth by white rayment Fine gold make the Saints spirituall rich and enable them to endure the fiery tryall eye-salve cleares the eyes of their understandings that they thereby come to see the way of Christ in his house and Temple in what way he will be worshipped white rayment
is the government and discipline of the Church which is to cover the shame of the Churches nakednesse that it doth not appeare unto the world every member of the Church and the Church her selfe walking according to the rule and order of the Gospel Matth. 18.15 16 17. We shall see this Seale agree with the fifth Trumpet and fifth Viall in the sense of it The fifth Angel sounding a Star fals from Heaven unto the Earth The fifth Trumpet sounds Rev. 9.1 Isa 19.15 Rev. 13 1â— unto him was given the Key of the bottomles pit By Star is meant a Minister or Ministers of Christ by Heaven is meant the Church by Key is meant power by bottomlesse pit is meant the depth of the craft and subtilty of that nian of sin in his cursed doctrine traditions So the Ministers of the Churches were invested with power from Christ in the preaching of the Gospel to open the depth of Satan and Antichrist in his cursed doctrine ferched out of that bottomlesse pit especially concerning the usurpation of his power Whereupon commeth a great smoak noting thereby darknesse and therefore it is said That the Sunne and Aire was filled with darknesse and in Rev. 16.10 when the fifth Viall was poured out it said His Kingdome was full of darknesse This smoake notes misery likewise therefore Locusts are said to come out of the smoake unto whom was given power as the Scorpions of the earth have power and they were to torment the men of that Antichristian world five moneths a certaine time set downe for an uncertaine and their torment is very sore as when a Scorpion striketh a man that they shall seek death and shall not find it This is noted further that these Locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battell when Christ and his Saints take the power of Churches and States from Antichrist it is to be pre-supposed that Antichrist will presently raise a very great Army to make warre with them as ye shall see anon fall out to be so by the sounding of the next Trumpet But these men that was counted as Locusts unto Antichrist they have Crownes of gold to note their victory if Antichrist should make warre with them and they have faces like men to note their Majesty and authority and haire as the haire of women to note their terriblenesse and fearcenesse and teeth of Lyons to note their greedinesse to prey upon these Antichristian men to eat their flesh Rev. 19.17 and to burne them with fire And brest-plats of iron to note their strength to encounter with him the sound of their wings being as the sound of Chariots of many horses running to battaile and their tailes like unto Scorpions to torment them Rev. 6.12 and to put them unto grievous paine and he that is King over them is the Angel of the bottomlesse pit even the Lord Christ see Rev. 20.1 2. that will ere long cast the Beast and that false Prophet into it Rev. 19.20 Rev. 20.10 yea and the Devil himselfe and shut him up and set a seale upon it binding him for a thousand yeers verse 1 2. Thus the first woe is past and behold there commeth two woes more herereafter The fifth Angell poured forth the fifth Viall The fifth Vial. poured forth Rev. 16.10 Rev. 16.10 upon the seate of the Beast and then they gnawed their tongues for paine And all this torment was when the fifth Angel poured forth his Viall upon the seat and throne of the Beast Rev. 11.12 Dan. 7.26 even when the Lord Christ and his witnesses ascended up into Heaven 1639. and when the judgement sate and tooke his Kingdome and Dominions from him For wicked and ungodly men to be taken from their high places of honour it is as great a torment to them as when a Scorpion striketh a man when Pope Cardinall and Prelates are cast from the high place of Judicature they that do it are as Locusts unto them and their torment is insufferable they gnaw their tongues for paine and they desire to die and death flees from them When the sixth Seale was opened Behold a great earth-quake Sixth Seale opened Rev. 6.12 and the Sun became black as haire-cloath and the Moon as blood and the stars fall from Heaven unto the Earth and the Heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together and every mountaine and Island were moved out of their places and the Kings and great men and mighty men of the Earth hide themselves in dens and in the rocks of the mountaines that they might be hid from the face of Christ that sits upon the throne because the great day of his wrath is come and they will never be able to abide it Christ and his witnesses being upon the throne takes away Antichrists Kingdome and Dominions from him Rev. 12.7 whereupon there fals out to be war between Christ and Antichrist foretold by the fifth Trumpet In this war there followes a great earth-quake a great slaughter amongst the men of that Antichristian Earth and the Pope the sun of this heaven becomes black as haire-cloath Isa 14.13 and his Cardinals set forth by the Moon become as blood and Popish Lords and Prelates set forth by Stars fals from Heaven those high places where they had their seate and throne even above the stars of Gods in Gods House and Temple and in the civill throne upon the Mount of the Congregation After they are fallen from Heaven their Heaven fel with them and is rolled together as a scroll and all their Mountaines and power of States and Islands is moved out of their place and set in their right place And in this battell and earthquake Kings the great men of the world crie to the Mountaines to fall upon them and to hide them from the face of the Lambe the Lord Christ because now the great day of his wrath is come in which he will take geance upon all these five grand enemies of his Church and upon that Antichristian world But this is noted in Rev. 7.1 2 3 4. that at this time in the midst of all this wrath and fury of Christ against this wicked antichristian crue he takes care of his Elect chosen people especially those that are in a true Church-state as the children of Israel was therefore set forth by them who are said to be upon Mount Sion with the Lambe Rev. 14.1 singing a new Song these must be all sealed and have the marke of God set in their foreheads Rev. 7.1 2 3 4. therefore those foure Angels that stands upon the foure corners of the Earth to hold the foure windes of Gods wrath in their hands ready to blow upon that antichristian World must not let those windes blow untill an Angel hath sealed the servants of Christ and there was sealed 144000. the same number that are upon Mount Sion in a true Church-state with the Lambe the Lord Christ their Lord
all power into his hand both Ecclesiasticall and Civill upon these powers must the witnesses poure forth the fifth Viall that is they are to take all power from Antichrist both in Church and State Dan. 2.26.9 therefore saith Daniel the judgement shall sit and they shall take away his dominions Againe saith he I beheld till the thrones were cast downe And when Jesus Christ sate upon his throne Rev. 6.16 then every mountaine was moved out of his place meaning the powers which Antichrist had in the world Now the meanes by which Christ and his witnesses shall take these powers and dominions from Antichrist and so slay him as he did them is by the power of the civill sword as the Lord saith He that leads into captivity Rev. 13.10 shall go into captivity be that kils with the Sword shall be killed with the Sword Antichrist by the power of the civill sword which he received from the Roman Emperour Rev. 13.2 did carry the people of God captive into the wildernesse for the space of 1260. yeares where they prophesied in sack-cloath and afterwards civilly killed them and laid them dead for three daies and a halfe The like must the witnesses do to Antichrist carry him captive and civilly kill or slay him this was that which the Saints of God beleeved long since and with patience have they waited for it therefore saith the Lord This is the faith and patience of the Saints the Saints beleeved it and patiently did waite for it By this power shall Christ and his witnesses take the Kingdomes and Dominions from Antichrist Dan. 7.26 Dan. 2.45 and consume him to the end which is set forth to be a little stone cut out of the Mountaine without hands By Mountaine is not meant the Church and by little stone Christ Isa 2.2.14.13 Psal 48.1 Mich. 4.1 as some have supposed but by mountaine is meant that great civill power which the foure great Beasts and little horne Anrichrist had in the world set forth by those ten hornes For by Mountaine or Mountaines is meant power or powers either the civill power of States and Kingdomes of the Ecclesiasticall power of Churches usually and frequently set forth by Mountaines That great civill power which these great Beasts had is set forth by a Mountaine Dan. 2.34 35. and there must be a little stone or little power cut out of this great power that must smite this great Image of those five Beasts upon its feet and break it all to peeces and it shall become like the chaffe of the summer threshing-floore that no place shall be found for it And this little stoneâ— shall become a very great Mountaine and fill the whole Earth a little stone shall be cut out of this great mountaine without hands that is a little civill power shall be cut out of that great civill power which Antichrist had in all his ten Kingdomes and this must be done without power of hands not the power of an Hoast or Armes but another way And this wee see fulfilled before our eyes in the yeare of Christ 1639. when the witnesses ascended up to Heaven and the Lord Jesus not only raised them from that dead state and condition and set them upon their feet but tooke them up to the high place of Judicature and by his Spirit hewed or cut a little power out of that great civill power which the Roman Beast and the little Horne had in all these ten Kingdomes By which little power or stone the witnesses in Scotland and they here in England have begun to break this Image and will go on in this and the other eight Kingdomes till they have broken it all to peeces and this little stone in their hands shall become a very great Mountaine and fill the world very shortly So yee see the meanes by which the Lord Christ and his witnesses shall take the Kingdomes and Dominions from Antichrist and consume and destroy him to the end even by the power of the civill sword so far as he hath seated and rooted himselfe in the world but as he hath â—ooted himselfe in the hearts and mindes of men by his cursed errors and heresies 2 Thes 2.8 Eev 19.21 ☜ So the Lord will consume him by the breath of his mouth and brightnesse of his comming even by that spirituall sword of the Gospel which sword proceeds out of his mouth The fifth Viall must be the first worke which Christ and his witnesses shall do after they are ascended up to Heaven and sate upon their throne and this they must do by that little stone cut out of the Mountaine by that little civill power put into their hands which we see done the same time in which they ascended to Heaven in Scotland Did not the godly party by a solemn Oath taken before the most high God cast off Pope and Prelate and all that whole Antichristian rabble out of Heaven for having any more power either in Church or State but to be cast out to the Earth And this was done by vertue of that little civill power which they had as they sate in the place of Judicature This was evident before our eyes 1639. done by the godly party in Scotland and it was foretold to be so by the Spirit of prophesie Rev. 11.13 The same houre was there a great earthquake a great shaking and feare amongst the antichristian party when the tenth part of the City fell By City is not meant the City of Rome but all those ten Kingdomes that are under the government of the Beast and his Image and the tenth part is one of these ten Kingdomes which was Scotland and this fell the same houre and in this earthquake when the tenth part fell there was foure great effects or consequences which followed upon it First there was slaine of men seven thousand Foure effects which follow upon the fall of the tenth part of that Antichristian City a certaine number set down for an uncertaine this slaying is not naturall but a civill slaying a taking away all that power which they had in Church and State affaires so it came to passe in Scotland at the same time when they cast off the power of Antichrist there was civilly slaine a great number of Popish Lords and Prelates Secondly the second effect is the sounding of the seventh Trumpet vers 5. which was the preaching of the Gospel Effect 2. the witnesses being in Heaven gave leave to have the Gospel preached which was denyed by Antichrist at the sounding of which Trumpet the Lord foretold Rev. 10.8 that then the mystery of God which was revealed to his Prophets and written in a little booke Rev. 5.1 Dan. 11.9 Hab. 2.2 3. sealed with seven Seales fast closed up till the end is now finished and is to speake and to be made plaine upon tables The seventh Trumpet is said to sound presently upon the Witnesses ascending up into Heaven because they gave
and Prelats stood ready to hinder this great designe and birth of the Church by all the power and strength they could make which were cleare and evident to all our sights 1641. when the people of God bestirred themselves both to God by prayer and to the godly party in the Parliament that those popish Lords and Prelats might be cast out Rev. 12.5 Whereupon those Petitions and prayers were heard of Christ and his Witnesses and so the Church did not onely bring forth the man-child or government but it was likewise received up to God and his Throne into the high place of Judicature and the Dragon and the Beast in those popish Lords and Prelats were cast out to the earth by a wonderfull and miraculous hand of divine providence These foure Effects have beene very evidently fulfilled and brought to passe before the eyes of all from the time the Witnesses first ascended up to Heaven 1639. in Scotland to the yeere 1641. when the Popish Prelats were cast out of Heaven here in England Some say that the Church travailed in birth 320. with Constantine who was that man-child and so he was taken up to Heaven and then the Church fled into the Wildernesse But that cannot be the meaning of the Text for the Churches worke at that time as the Spirit of God hath declared was to beare witnesse and to give testimony to that great truth of Christs kingly power in his Churches and so to all other truth which Rev. 11.3 Antichrist would afterward deny all the time of their prophesie 1260. yeers And as for Constantine he was not to rule all nations with a rod of iron this onely belonged to Jesus Christ and to his Saints Rev. 2.21 who were to reigne with him therefore this cannot be meant of Constantine nor of that time but of this very time which we may plainly see by those things which have been done in our sight and for that 6. verse chap. 12. of the woman fleeing into the Wildernesse is brought in as a seale to the prophesie with the 15. verse For from the 7. verse of chap. 11. to the end of the 12. chap. the Spirit of God sets downe nothing but what was to come to passe in our time here amongst us from the day and yeer 1635. when the Witnesses were slaine to the yeer 1641. when the warre fell out to be in Heaven between the Dragon and his Angels and Christ and his Angels onely those two verses 6. and 14. of the 12. chapter of the Church fleeing into the Wildernesse 375. And when this man-child was received up to Heaven and the Dragon and his Angels cast out of Heaven to the earth here in England by Christ and his Witnesses was a second degree of the pouring forth of the fifth Viall upon the Throne of the Beast for this casting him out of Heaven to the Earth is a taking away all his power from him both Civill and Ecclesiasticall in Church and State Thus that proud Lucifer Sonne of the morning Isa 14.10.12 is said to be fallen from Heaven and to be cut downe to the ground and to become weake like the common people of the earth both in Scotland and here in England CHAP. IX The sixt Viall poured upon Antichrist with the way or meanes by which it is done and the Instrument by whom it is poured forth the Beast and the false prophet taken and cast into a Lake of fire with the silence in Heaven about the space of halfe an houre THe Churches of the Saints declaring to all the world that the way to have all oppression and tyranny removed and to bring in all peace and tranquility was to have all those that did formerly tyrannize over them cast out of office and place of government and let the Civill power be put into the hands of Christ and his Witnesses shee bringing forth this man-child into the world is presently received up to Heaven by Christ and his Witnesses the devil and his angels who ruled the world before is now cast out of Heaven to the Earth ☞ Upon this followes warre between the Dragon and his angels and Michael and his angels Rev. 12.7 The Dragon at the same time by his taile drawes the third part of the Starres of Heaven after him verse 4. the devil will not fall from Heaven alone but he will draw some of the Starres with him By Heaven is meant the place of judicature by Starres is meant those men that sits in Parliament And was not this evident did not the third part of the Parliament fall off at the same time and was drawne after the Dragon even with his taile the popish Lords and Prelats who are his taile to make warre with Christ and his Church Rev. 16.13 14 There gâ—es at the same time three uncleane spirits like Frogges out of the mouth of the Dragon the devil and out of the mouth of the Roman Beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet the Pope which are the spirits of devils working miracles That is those Jesuiticall spirits which work with as much policy and craft as though they did work miracles and so deceive and delude men These goe forth to the Kings of the whole world to gather them to the battell of the great God Almighty Rev. 11.15 so the devil is said to cast a flood out of his mouth after the woman the Church which brought forth this man-child a flood of wicked and ungodly men which he had gathered by those three spirits This hath bin partly fulfilled before our eyes Did not those Jesuiticall spirits goâ— up and downe to the Kings of the earth France Spaine c. to gather them together in battell against the Witnesses and the Church of God when they saw that popish Lords and Prelats were cast out of the Parliament 1641. who are still at worke with the Kings of the earth and will be untill the worke be done Christ and his Witnesses seeing this presently they prepare and make ready for to wage warre against Antichrist Therefore he is said in righteousnesse to judge and make warre and shall breake them in pieces like a Potters Vessell Rev. 19.11 Dan. 7.26 Psal 2.9 Rev. 18.6 Rev. 2.27 Sixth Viall poured our Rev. 12.7 8. so the Dragon fought and his angels and Michael and his Angels but saith the holy Ghost they prevailed not neither was their place any more found in Heaven Antichrist shall not prevaile though the warre be long and bloody neither shall he get the power of Church or State any more into his hands after it is once taken out This warre which is in Heaven between the Dragon and his Angels and the Lord Jesus and his Witnesses that sit in Parliament Rev. 17.15 is the pouring forth of the sixth Viall upon that great River Euphrates which must be dryed up before that mysticall Babylon can be taken as that old river Euphrates was before literall Babylon
of their mindes but this is a preposterous way they may sooner root their hearts out of their brests But we see Christs way he useth the Civill Sword to take away all Antichrists power which he got by the Civill Sword Christ useth a spirituall sword to remove and cast out all those errors that are in mens spirits and so slays him carry him captive and likewise dry up that River Euphrates but spiritually to slay men in removeing darknesse and ignorance out of their understanding and so consequently errors and heresies he hath a spirituall Sword fit for the worke So the seventh Angel poured forth the seventh Viall into the aire and then came a great voice out of the Temple of Heaven Rev. 16.17 from the Throne saying It is done By aire is meant that Antichristian ignorance and darknesse wherewith Antichrist had filled the whole world Rev. 16.10 Rev. 14.6.7 By voices is meant the Gospel By Temple is meant the Church or Churches of the Saints 2 Cor. 6.16 This voice came out of the Temple that is the Churches of the Saints sent forth Messengers or Ministers to preach the Gospel Rev. 14.6 to every Nation kinred tongue and people The Temple of Heaven from the civill throne Christ and his witnesses being in Heaven the high place of Judicature where they have their throne the Spirit of God joines the Temple and this Heaven together and Christs civill Magistrates and his Churches go hand in hand and with joint consent send forth Ministers to preach the Gospel Rev. 14.6 therefore it is said I saw an Angel flee through the midst of Heaven having the everlasting Gospel to preach c. saying It is done These Ministers shall declare to all the world that now the worke is done the Kingdomes and Dominions are taken from the Beast Dan. 7.11 12. and their bodies given to the burning flame and their Armles utterly destroyed and given up to the slaughter and so the worke is as good as done Isa 34.2 And another shall come after them and say Rev. 14.8 Babylon is fallen Babylon is fallen And another after him shall come and pronounce the judgments of God against every man that retains and holds fast those Antichristian errors Vers 9 10. saying If any man worship the Beast and his Image and receive his marke in their hands or in their foreheads the same man shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lambe Upon this great voice of the Gospel shall follow two great effects or consequences First the bringing in of the fulnesse of the Gentiles Secondly the calling home of the Jewes First the fulnesse of the Gentiles shall come in declared in these words That there were voices and thundering and lightning Rev. 16.18 and there was a great earthquake By voices lightning c. is meant great stirs and combustions amongst men not in a warlike way as were before but in disputing and arguing about matters of Religion And by earthquake is meant a great falling off and renouncing those Antichristian tenets and errors which they formerly held to imbrace the sincere truths of the Gospel both for Doctrine and Discipline which is called the bringing in of the fulnesse of the Gentiles And this earthquake shall be so mighty and so great as was not the like since men lived on the earth there will be such a generall falling off and renouncing of their errors Rom. 11.25 and such a true and thorow imbracing of the truths of the Gospel as never was since men were upon the earth this is called the first resurection Rev. 20.6 And this great City is said to be divided into three parts Rev. 16.19 one part is to be slaine civilly to have all their civill power taken from them as those seven thousand were slaine in Scotland Rev. 11.13 at the fall of the tenth part of the City by Christ and his witnesses that sit in Heaven Secondly Another part is to be slaine by the naturall sword Rev. 19.11 and 14. by him that sits upon the white Horse and they which follow him upon white Horses in Heaven upon the high places of the field in his Army Thirdly The third part is to be slaine spiritually by that spirituall sword of the Gospel which proceedeth out of the mouth of Christ which is that voice that came out of the Temple So this great City is divided into three parts Vers 21. and thus great Babylon is said to come into remembrance before God and to drinke of the cup of the wine of the fiercenesse of his wrath and fury Thus will the Lord deal with Babylon even deal with her as she did with the Saints yea reward her double Rev. 18.6 she brake the Saints to peeces so shall she be broken to peeces like a Potters Vessell that shall not be set together againe Psal 2.9 Rev. 2.27 she devoured the Saints so shall she be devoured Every man that is found of her shall be thrust through and every one that is joyned to her Isa 13.15 shall fall by the sword She slew the Saints by a civill sword and tooke away all their powers from them and led them into captivity so shall she be civilly slaine by the same Sword and carried captive Rev. 13.10 and shut up as prisoners in a pit and civilly bound for many yeares They laid the witnesses dead bodies in the streets of that spirituall Sodome Isa 24.22 so shall they lye dead and bound with Satan a thousand yeares Rev. 20.3 5. not put into their graves Isa 14.19 nay worse they shall be cast out of their graves like on abominable branch loathsome and vile for all men to behold even as the rayment of him that is thrust through with a Sword and as a carkasse trodden under foot thus shall it be done to mysticall Babylon the mother of Haroots Rev. 17.5 rindx and the abominations of the whole earth the zeale of the Lord of Host will do all this in his appointed time And the Lord gives the reason of all this his fury Esa 37.32 and wrath and indignation against Babylon and saith Isa 34.8 It is the day of the Lords vengeance the yeare of recompences for the controversie of Zion and it is the vengeance of the Lord even the vengeance of his Temple Jer. 50.28 the violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon shall the Inhabitants of Zion say and my blood upon the Inhabitants of Chaldea Jer. 51.35 shall Jerusalem say Thus will the Lord pleade his Churches cause and take vengeance for her The second great effect which followes upon the seventh Vials pouring forth is the calling of the Jewes The
the throne and of the foure beasts and in the midst of foure and twenty Elders he onely was counted worthy because he had beene slaine and redeemed his Church and people not onely from the wrath of God and Hell and Death but out of every kinred and tongue and people and nation and hath made them to God Kings and Priests and they shall reigne with Christ upon the earth 1000. yeers Rev. 20.4 This mysterie being now finished and this little booke and seales broken open Rev. 11 12. which were done the yeere the witnesses ascended up to Heaven 1639 when the tenth part of that Antichristian City fell as shall be shewed at large in its place then the Lord commanded his Prophet to make it plaine upon tables Vers 13. that he may run that readeth it Hab. 2.2 3. Dan. 12.10 And saith further that at the end the vision shall speake and not lye The Lord promising they that are wise shall understand this vision at the time of the end Rev. 1.3 Prov. 1.6 Now they are counted wise and blessed in this respect to understand a vision or mystery and the interpretation thereof Dan. 9.2 the words of the wise God and his darke saying who search and read the books and rolls wherein God hath wrapped and folded up these great mystery of the enemys ruine and the Churches deliverance and that trace and eye God in those secret wayes of his providence as that holy man of God did Psal 107. By which acts the Lord makes his vision and mystery plain upon tables that he that runs may read The Lord of his free love and grace having given some understanding in this great mystery and vision accordingly we will by Gods assistance endeavour to hold forth this light knowing that it is a great and hainous sinne inexcusable before God at that great day either to put our light under a bushell or to hide that talent in the earth which the Lord hath giuen us to trade with for his glory his Churches good and our owne everlasting comfort Therefore we will declare and make knowne what we understand of this great mystery in severall Chapters What is gold and pure mettall will endure the day of fiery triall but what is hay and stubble shall be burned which is my hearts desire THE MYSTERY OF God opened CHAP. I. The Vnion and Onenesse of those five grand enemies of the Church Daniels foure Beasts and little Horne set forth by one Image and one Beast THese foure Beasts and little Horn that carried the Church of God captive at the first into Babylon some 600. yeers before Christ and hath kept them in bondage 1600. yeers and upwards Isa 28.15 all these were confederate together to break devour and trample under their feet with great fury rage Dan. 7.7 and malice all the time of their reigne Isa 21.15 are therefore said to make a Covenant with Hell and Death for the same purpose First Dan. 2.31 the enemies are set forth by one Image the King of Babylon being the head of it who carried the Church of God first captive ver 38. is the first Beast chap. 7.4 The King of Persia which is the Breast and Armes of this Image who took the Kingdome from the King of Babylon Dan. 5.31 was Daniels second Beast Dan. 7.5 The Belly and Thighs of this Image was the King of Graecia who took the Kingdom from the King of Persia Dan. 8.6 7. 20 21. which was Daniels third Beast Dan. 7.6 The Legges and feet was the King of the Romans who took the Kingdome from the Grecians Dan. 11.20 set forth by this Character a raiser of Taxes as indeed he was as we may see plainly Luk. 2.1 2 he was Daniels fourth Beast Dan. 7.7 and was more terrible in his persecuting the people of God then any of the three Kings or Monarchs were that went before him set forth in these words Verse 7. Dreadfull terrible and strong exceedingly and had great iron teeth who devoured and broke in pieces and stomped the residue under his feet Dan. 2.41 And in this Kings dayes this great Kingdome and Monarchy was divided into ten Provinces or Kingdomes set forth by ten hornes Dan. 7.7 and by ten toes Dan. 2.41 which were on his feet but yet all under his power and jurisdiction and therefore he is said to have ten horns ten Kings that had ten powers under him and these ten Kings are not absolute Kings Rev. 17.12 therefore are said to have received no Kingdome but reigne as petty Kings under him and so receive power as Kings one houre with the Beast not distant from him Dan. 7.8 Rev. 13.11 but one with him Now this little horne which Daniel saw come up amongst those ten hornes which is that second Beast which John saw come out of the earth from amongst the common men of the earth as indeed he did was Antichrist for he did not come or issue from any royall race or blood therefore called by the Spirit of God Dan. 11.21 verse 24. a vile person to whom they shall not give the honour of the Kingdome but he shall come in peaceably and obtaine the Kingdome by flatteries as you may read ver 24. So that the Roman Monarch who is set forth by a raiser of Taxes was destroyed neither in anger nor in battell ver 20. but this little horne through his policy caused craft to prosper in his hand Dan. 8.25 he is noted to be very deep and subtill understanding darke sentences ver 23. shewing signes and wonders Marke 13.22 Rev. 13.13 14. and miracles making fire to come downe from Heaven by which signs he deceives the whole world would have seduced the Elect if it had been possible and by his policy and craft he began to work himself into favour with Constantin 320. who gave him the power of the civill sword in Rome and the other places adjacent in his time Rev. 13.2 afterward obtained the whole Kingdom or Monarch by flattery from the Dragon the Roman Emperour and therefore he is said to give him his power seat great authority Rev. 13.2 Dan. 11.23 for after he had made a league with the Roman Emperour about 365. he works deceitfully became strong with a small people therfore saith the Spirit of God his power shall be mighty but not by his own power no Dan. 8.14 for he got the power from the Roman Emperour by flattery and deceit and not by strength of Armes neither did the Romans give him the honour of the Kingdome at the first but he by his policy and craft like a Serpent wound himselfe into the Roman Beast and so became one with him and so this Antichristian Whore made the Roman Emperour her stalking-horse to carry her to the Kings of the earth that shee might commit spirituall fornication with them Rev. 17.3 7. Rev. 18.3 and
make all the Inhabiters of the earth drunk with the wine of her spirituall fornication v. 3. And this is noted in the Scripture of truth that the Roman Beast and all those ten Kings under him had all one mind to enslave themselves to this Antichristian Whore Rev. 17.13 and gave their power and strength to her yea saith the Text God hath put it into their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree and give their Kingdome unto the Beast nutill the word of God be fulfilled ver 17. So yee see he became one with those four great Beasts or Monarchs of the whole world all folded and united into one set forth by an Image Dan. 2.31 Secondly these enemies of the Church of God are set forth by one Beast The Beast which thou sawest was and is not Rev. 17.8 and shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder whose names are not written in the booke of life from the foundation of the world when they behold the Beast that was and is not and yet is ☜ Here is a great mystery in the onenesse of these five great Monarchs the Babylonian the Persian the Grecian the Roman and last of all the Pope or papall Monarch all make up but one Beast who was and is and is not For to understand this aright we must find out the time of this vision when John did see this Beast in which of these Kings reigne it was It is plaine and evident both by Scripture and Ecclesiasticall Histories that John saw this vision when the Roman Monarchy was extant and therefore this Beast is was and is not The Babylonian the Persian and Grecian Monarchs was they all had their time who were considerable with the other two grand enemies of the Church which followed after them Isa 28.15 and had made a Covenant with hell and death to set themselves against God and his Church These three great Beasts were once in being but at this time Dan. 7.8 Rev. 13.11 when John saw this vision were gone and dead That second Beast which John saw come out of the earth is not or is not yet come ver 10. is not and shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit and this is Antichrist he was not come at this time for he could not come till he that did let or hinder his comming was taken out of the way 2 Thes 2.7 saith the Text which was the Roman Emperour And being one with those former Beasts that went before him by covenant and confederacy with them he is said to be this Beast as well as they but being not come the Spirit of God saith he is not or is not yet come Rev. 17.10 Thirdly yet is the three former Beasts was not they were gone the little horne Antichrist he is not yet come but the Roman Monarch he was then extant when John saw this vision and is still in being and that he was extant in Johns time it 's plaine and evident was the Roman Emperour Rev. 13.1 for he is said to have seven heads and ten hornes now none of the other three Monarchs had their Kingdome divided into ten Provinces or Kingdomes over which there was ten Kings Dan. 2.41 42 But this Kingdome in his time the Scriptures note was divided into feet and toes into ten Kingdome which had ten Kings ten heads over them reigning one houre with the Beast a short time Rev. 17.12 And this Roman Beast had seven heads he was not onely mighty strong having ten horns but also full of subtilty and craft set forth by seven heads seven is a number of perfection to note that he was perfect and compleat in pollcy to doe hurt and mischiefe to the Church of Christ These seven heads are set forth by mountaines Rev. 17.9 to note their great power which the Roman Emperour had to destroy the Saints of God not in regard of his ten hornes only but also his seven heads full of subtilty craft which were as so many mountaines of strength and therefore saith the Spirit of God Rev. 17.9 here is the mind that hath wisdome A wise man knowes that wisdome and policy is seated in the head which is the proper seat of wisdome and not any naturall power of flesh which is set forth usually by the Arme Neither are these seven heads seven mountaines on which Rome is built as some have supposed but seven mountaines of wisdome and policy All these ten hornes and seven heads or hils of policy Dan. 11.21 Rev. 17.8 did the Roman Emperour resigne to the vile person Antichrist who is said to come up out of the bottomlesse pit because he was so deep in his subtity and craft The Roman Beast and his ten hornes and Kings had one mind and gave their power and Kingdome to this Antichristian Beast and likewise these seven heads Rev. 17.11 and therefore he is said to be of the seven so the Roman Beast furnisheth him with power and policy to doe as much hurt and villany to the people of God as himselfe did And yet Antichrist is said to bring another head of policy and craft with him beside these seven which the Roman Beast resigned up to him The Beast which was and is not even he is the eighth verse 11. Dan. 8.23 he bringing another head of policy with him and therefore he is said to understand dark sentences and to have policy and craft ver 25. and to shew such signes and wonders as to deceive the Elect if it were possible and doth great wonders Mark 3.22 so that he makes as it were Rev. 13.13 Rev. 17.11 fire to come downe from Heaven in the sight of men this eighth head of policy the Roman Beast had not but Antichrist brings this along with him the Beast that was and is not he is the eighth Thus were these five great Beasts made up into one Beast making over their power and policy successively one to another to persecute and destroy the Church of Christ and the Saints of the most High Isa 28.15 by League and Covenant made with death and hell for many yeares CHAP. II. This Chapter treats of these two witnesses or opens those severall titles which the Spirit of God is pleased to set forth his people by in the time of their exile suitable to the state and condition wherein they were at the same time THe people of the most High are set forth by the Spirit of God by severall titles while they were in their great exile and captivity under these five devouring beasts very suitable to that condition wherein they were at the same time But he sets forth the state of the Church in what condition it was in Antichrists time especially by those titles he put upon them First he cals them his two Witnesses First witnesses because they did beare witnesse against that grand lye of Antichrist who
is noted in the Scripture of truth That he took away the Jewa sacrifice the same yeer called Dan. 9 11. The daily Sacrifice therefore it is said that an host was given him against the daily sacrifice Dan. 6.12 The Spirit of God charactariseth him by a little horne which none of the other Monarchs were ever set forth by and because he is said to wax great to the host of Heaven which none of the other did Vers 12. And by him saith the Text was the daily sacrifice taken away and an host was given him by the Roman Emperour against the daily sacrifice Dan. 11.31 and armes shall stand on his side and they shall pollute the Sanctuary of strength and shall take away the daily seerifice and they shall set up the abomination that maketh desolate Antichrist the Bishop of Rome could not be against the Jews way of worship 1 Thes 1.7 so as to destroy it and take it out of the way nor pollute Gods House and Sanctuary and set up his abomination untill the Roman Emperour was taken out of the way that is untill he had resigned the civill power of the Empire to him or most of it And therefore it is said that an host was given him against the daily sacrifice and armies shall stand on his part So it 's cleare the daily sacrifice was taken away by Antichrist and those armies and hosts were given him by the Roman Emperour and this he did by an host and by the power of aims which was the civill power of the Empire and he tooke the daily sacrifice away about 365. as Carion affirms Carian Chron. lib. 3. But the Spirit of God doth not begin his time when Antichrist took the power of the Empire into his hand nor when he tooke away the Jews daily sacrifice for if he had not entred into the Christians Churches and true Temple of God and dis-throned Christ and stripped his Spouse of her vale and scattered the power of the holy people by the civill sword of the Empire but ruled for God and Christ and the welfare of his people the Spirit of God would not have looked upon him as Antichrist And therefore the Lord begins Antichrists time when he first entred into his Temple 2 Thess 24. and sat as God himselfe lording it over the consciences of men in matters divine which only belong to God and to Christ From this time doth the Spirit of God begin Antichrists reigne and the Churches slavery and bondage under him which he did not doe so soon as he entred upon any of the power of the Empire either 320. or 365. for this is noted of him He came in saith John like a Lambe Rev. 13.11 seeming to all the Churches of the Saints and to the people of the whole Empire to be an innocent Lamb one that would doe no harme which he did not from 320. when he had the civill power of Rome and other places adjacent resigned up to him untill he had through his policy and craft made a League with the Roman Emperour Anno 365. or thereabouts Ban. 11.23 Then after this the Spirit of God notes that he shall worke deceitfully as indeed he did now at the comming in of Constantine that great persecution for 320. yeers against the Churches ceased and the Saints had through Constantines becomming a Christian respite and reviving for now the Roman Beast had such a wound given him at this time as if that he would die presently and not live again But after some few yeers this wound was cured and Antichrist starts up in the former Beasts stead Rev. 13.11 Dan. 7.8 20. and speaks like a Dragon very great things against the people of God and wrought deceitfully against the Saints pretending at the first to be all for them but now having got the civill power in his hand is quite against them and by this civill horne or power enters into the Temple where the people of God was congregated according to the order of the Gospell and takes away their power and so is said to be a Lambe that had two horns two powers the Civill and Ecclesiasticall Eev 13.11 which was done about the yeere of Christ 375. some ten yeers after the daily sacrifice was taken away From this time doth the Lord reckon Antichrist begins his reigne and thus Antichrist is said to begin his reigne 375. and reigns 1260. yeers and the two witnesses to be in sackcloth and to prophesie the full space of time 1260. yeeres Then they are to end in the yeere 1635. for 375. and 1260. makes 1635. untill this time is Antichrist to reigne and the witnesses to prophesie That he began Anno 375. will appeare more fully when we come to speak of the witnesses arising and ascending up to Heaven and Antichrist his fall God having promised Hab. 2.3 That at the end the visâ—on shall speake and not lie Now it must speake by those great acts of Gods providence by which God is pleased to open visions and mysteries For this time of Antichrists reigning over the Saints was hid from all men both in Heaven and Earth he not beginning when he tooke the Civill power as all our former writers have supposed none looking to the time when he entred into the Temple and made war with the Saints which were in a Church way and this he tooke but by parcels And in that he is said not to begin untill he enter into the Temple and when he entred is not recorded in Ecclesiasticall History truly as I conceive the reason may be That it might be hid CHAP. IV. The tyranny and cruelty of Antichrist against the people of God all his time he was to continue and the Saints to prophesie and likewise when they had ended their testimony with the worke and imployment of the Saints and witnesses while they were in sackcloth THe tyranny of Antichrist is set forth by this that he exercised all the power of the former Beast Rev. 13.2 Rev. 17.3 7. the former Beast having given him his seat power and great authority This Antichristian Whore now rides upon the Roman Emperour and makes him her stalking beast Vers 2. not onely to commit spirituall fornication with the Kings of the earth and make all the Inhabiters of the earth drunk with the wine of her fornication but likewise to devour breake in pieces and stamp the residue under his feet even the poore Saints and Churches of Christ for 1260. yeeres and he is said to exercise all the power of the former Beast the Roman Emperour Daniels fourth Beast Rev. 13.14 15 First steps of Antichrist cruelty against the Saints Dan. 11.38 Dan. 11.30 Dan. 11.32 Dan. 11.28 who did the same to the Saints as ye may see Dan. 7.7 And fitly called the Image of the Roman Beast both in his malice cruelty and strength First he breaks the Saints or Churches of Christ in pieces the
day he entred into the Temple 375. and broke that League and Church-covenant which were amongst them and so he and many more that were of them in the same League and Covenant are said to doe wickedly against the Covenant and his heart is said to be against the holy Covenant meaning that Church Covenant that was amongst the people of God for he knew very well that so long as the people of God kept close to that Church Covenant that they would retaine that Ecclesiasticall and Church power amongst themselves and so have kept him from mixing his cup and his inventions with the pure doctrine of the Church therefore his heart was said to be against this hâ—ly Covenant Rev. 12.13 14. Dan. 12.7 and he brake it all to pieces persecuting the Saints into the Wildernesse scattering their power up and downe into the world here one Saint there another and thereupon he takes all the Church power into his hand Thus the Church and Church Covenant was broken all to pieces by him 2 Thes 2.3 8. and so he scattered the Ecclesiasticall Church power for which act of his he is called That man of sinne and That wicked one and saith the Spirit of God He is Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Sonne 1 Joh. 2.22 Antichrist he sits in the Temple of God shewing himselfe to be God in that wicked act of his in exalting or lording himselfe over the consciences of all those that are Gods and so deny Christ to have any power in his Temple in that he denied the Saints of it to whom Christ had given it saying that he was Christ that he hath power over mens consciences in matters of worship therefore saith our Saviour Luke 21.8 False Christs shall come in my name in my power saying that the power belongeth to him and so he denies the Sonne 1 Joh. 2.23 now saith the Scripture He that denies the Sonne denies the Father for he denies that God or Christ hath now the power in their hands but hath delivered over to him all concerning worship in his Church verse 22. and so he indeed is Antichrist This sinne of his is called The Mystery of Iniquity 2 Thes 2.7 It is such a deep and covered sinne as that it is called a Mystery having such faire pretences and glosses going along with it yea and it may be he did really intend to rule for God and the good of his Church as out of doubt it was thus with the Bishop of Rome at this time 375. Therefore men might think surely God and Christ had given him power so to order things both in the State and Church that there might be a uniformity in Religion that men might be all of one mind in the worship and service of God and so both the Church and the whole Empire might live and be in much peace and quietnesse Who would think this to be an evill or sinne If a sinne yet not such a sinne as the Scriptures make it to be no indeed a man would not think it to be so at the first view therefore the Spirit of God saith 2 Thes 2.10 Rev. 11.7.17.8 Dan. 8.25 That he ascended out of the boâ—â—omlesse pit digged deep for this his subtilty and craft and that his working is after the manner of Satan with all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse transforming himselfe into an Angell of light through his craft and policy pretending it is for their good and welfare as the Serpent did to Eve thereby deceiving the whole world Gen. 3.5 Marke 13.22 John 10.6.8 and would have done the like to the Elect of God and witnesses of Christ if it had been possible But the Sheep would not heare him for they know not the voyce of a stranger but they know the voyce of Christ and will follow him ver 4. But Antichrist that was a stranger they would not follow for they know not his voyce to come from God Whereupon he brake them all to pieces and their Church Covenant and cast the Spouse of Christ out of Gods House and Temple sitting as God himselfe over mens consciences directing and teaching them how to worship God after his owne precepts for which God cals him proud Lucifer Isa 29.13.14.13 who said in his heart I will ascend up to Heaven I will exalt my Throne above the Starres of God I will be like the most High verse 14. Oh proud Lucifer sonne of the morning Therefore the Lord cals him that man of sinne and that wicked one and his sinne 2 Thes 2.3.8 a Mystery We doe not meet with the like expressions in the Scripso high and sublime to note and set forth to us the heinousnesse of this sinne a sinne next to the sinne against the holy Ghost and the depth of his sinne a Mystery For to take the Crown from the Kings head and to take him off from his princely Throne and throw him out of his Palace against law and justice is a horrible thing yea further to force his Queen to make her to prostrate her selfe to a stranger yea to a vile person this is a sin unparaleld but to doe so to the Prince of Princes and of the Kings of the earth Rev. 1.5 and to his Spouse the Church of Christ and Saints of the most High this is a sinne brought out of the bottomlesse pit by Lucifer sonne of the morning even that sonne of perdition the Lord of his free grace and mercy kept his Witnesses from this sinne who now are ascended up to Heaven to execute judgement upon Antichrist for this sinne Yea he hath secretly hinted to us in holy writ that he will keep them from this sinne yea they shall be so farre from this sinne that they shall give some liberty to weak consciences for the present Rev. 6.11 while they are pouring forth the fifth and sixth Viall Secondly Antichrist did not onely breake the Church and people of God and that Church Covenant into pieces but devoured many of the Saints all the time of his reigne witnesse all those holy and godly Martyrs that suffered Martyrdome before and in Queen Maries dayes Thirdly the rest that were left of the Saints he stamped under his feet that is he kept them in slavery and bondage all his reigne by those ten hornes or Kings who gave their power and strength up to him who are set forth by those ten toes that are on his feet Thus Antichrist exercised all the power of the former Roman Beast Rev. 3.12 and exercised as much malice and cruelty against the Saints in breaking them to pieces devouring and trampling those that were left Dan. 7.7 as the Roman Emperour did Object But it will be objected how comes it to passe that that sinne of Antichrist in breaking the Churches and Church Covenant to pieces to be so great in him and not in the Roman Emperour when he did the same thing Dan. 7.7 Answ The
by his Spirit is come and sits upon the Throne to judge Antichrist we shall see it more plainly if we look into and open those foure signes which the Lord Christ gives us of his comming to judge Antichrist One signe is before his comming another just at his comming two after he is come The signes before his comming is First signe of Christs comming to judge Antichrist the Sunne shall be darkned and the Moon shall not give her light we are not to understand this litterally at Christs first comming to judgement to judge Antichrist but at his last comming to judge quick and dead then it may be litterall but not now of those two luminaries but mystically Antichrist is said to have a world Isa 14.13 to ascend up to Heaven In this Heaven here is the Sunne and Moon and Starres himselfe being the Sunne Oh Lucifer Sonne of the morning Isa 14.12 and his Cardinals that receive their light from him are the Moon and the Prelats the Stars of this Heaven for they are in this Heaven in the House and Temple of God where the Stars or Saints of God were and they lorded it over all that was called Gods as though they themselves had been God and they likewise sit in the high place of judicature ☞ Now these two great lights of this Antichristian Heaven were darkned a little before Christ came in the clouds of Heaven they began to grow darke in Luthers time and in King Edward the fixths time and likewise Queene Elizabeths time by the rising and shining of that glorious Sunne of righteousnesse in the preaching of the Gospels truth Matth. 4.2 and the more this Sunne shined the more those Antichristian lights grew paler and darker untill the very time that he came in the clouds of Heaven this signe before Christs comming was and is plainly fulfilled and accomplished before our eyes Secondly the signe at and in the very instant time of his comming and this signe is in Heaven Matth. 24.30 we are to keep the metaphor not litterally to be understood for those naturall Heavens as many have supposed and so have dreamed of a glorious light which was to shine or break forth from those Heavens immediately before Christ came which may be true at his last comming But by those Heavens or Heaven is meant the Heaven or high place where Antichrist had his seat and throne First he had his high place where he sate about Ecclesiasticall affaires and Church matters this is not the Heaven here meant Secondly he had his high place and throne where he sate to determine matters of the State and Common-weale Isa 14.13 Vpon the Mount of the Congregation in the sides of the North where the Judges of the civill law were wont to sit in ancient time this is the Heaven or high place where the signe of the Son of man is to appeare immediately at his comming in the clouds of Heaven and this signe was nothing else but that sudden alteration that was in this Heaven the day or yeer the Witnesses ascended up to this Heaven in the yeere before 1638. Pope and Prelate sate as sole Judges in this Heaven over the Saints and people of God but 1639. the Witnesses are raised up to this Heaven in Scotland and sit as Lord and Judges of them who by a solemn Oath made with the most high God cast out Pope and Prelate out of Heaven never to have to do or to meddle with Church or State affaire but to be cast from Heaven as the Spirit of God foretold Isa 14.2 How art thou fallen from Heaven O Lucifer sonne of the morning and how art thou cut downe to the ground which didst weaken the Nations Rev. 12.9 and againe The great Dragon was cast out into the earth and his Angels with him This is the signe of the Sonne of man in Heaven which appeares plainly by this which our Saviour notes to be at the same time Then saith he shall all the Tribes of the earth mourne when they see the Sonne of man come in the clouds of Heaven Mat. 24.30 Rev. 1.7 Was not this very evident did not all the Tribes of that Antichristian earth mourn when they see the godly party not onely to stand upon their feet which had lien dead three yeers and a halfe but now seeing them ascend to the high place of Judicature they were filled with feare and sorrow supposing some dreadfull thing would follow The Popes Master-piece witnesseth at large what feare and sorrow was not onely here amongst the Antichristian party but at Rome it selfe Thirdly the third signe was that the Starres should fall from Heaven By Starres Matth. 24.29 we shewed was meant those lesser lights of that Antichristian Heaven which was popish Lords and Prelats which were as fixed Starres of this Heaven they fell downe to the earth not to have any more power in the Church or State in Scotland the yeer 1639. and in England 1641. and shall fall from Heaven in all the other eight Kingdomes of the Beast very shortly The fourth and last signe of Christs comming in the clouds of Heaven to judge Antichrist The fourth signe Luke 21.25 is the roaring of the Sea The Sea and the waves thereof shall roare we are to keep to the metaphor Antichrist had a world in that world he had his Heavens and lights therein and he hath an earth and sea by sea in a naturall way is meant Rev. 17.15 Psal 2.1 3. Psal 149.8 Psal 2.6 nothing else but many waters gathered together metaphorically and mystically many people multitudes and nations and tongues and these are said to rage and roare when Jesus Christ in his Saints are about to bind the wicked with cords their Kings in chaines and Nobles in fetters of iron and when God is about to set his King upon his holy hill of Sion And have not we seene the Heathen and the Antichristian party rage and fume even like the waves of the Sea as though they would overwhelme and beare downe all before them but yet this their rage is nothing or but very little to what will be in all the other eight Kingdoms Oh how will they rage and lift up their waves to Heaven when Christ and his witnesse shall come to poure forth the fifth Viall upon the seat and throne of the Beast and the sixt Viall upon the River Euphrates amongst them there which will be as soone as they have poured them forth here Matth. 24.30 Thus have we seene these foure great signes of Christ comming to judge Antichrist in the clouds of Heaven in part fulfilled before our eyes And be is said to come in power and great glory This glory is not an outward luster or glory as some have suposed to be in the firmament Matth. 16.27 Exod. 34.6 Exod. 33.19 which may be true at his last comming but a mysticall and spirituall glory at this time even the
Christ 1639â— at which time God promiseth it shall speake and not lye Hab. 2.3 as indeed it did speak if we could have heard it and understood it But saith the Lord None of the wicked shall understand Dan. 12.10 but the wise shall understand none of the wicked shall understand Isa 29.10 11 12. Priests nor Prophets Rulers nor Seers all hid covered the vision is become to them all as a sealed book if one desire them to read they cannot it is sealed but the Lord gives many reasons why these wise learned Doctors Rabbies could not understand the vision of the time of the end when it is to speak and to be made plain upon Tables Hab. 2.2 3. Isa 29 9. First because they are drunke but not with Wine they stagger but not with strong drinke This drunkennesse is not a drunkennesse with naturall wine but it is a spirituall drunkennesse with the wine of that spirituall fornication Rev. 17.2 with which that Antichristian Whore hath filled her cup and made them drunke with it therefore they erre in vision and stumble in judgement Isa 28.7 Secondly Isa 28.10 they having drunk of this wine of spirituall fornication now a deep sleep of security and spirituall stupidity hath seazed on them and so cannot make use of their understanding nor learning in such a spirituall way as to come to understand a vision or mystery of God It is true there is darknesse as well as light Zach. 4.6 7. but if it were not for this spirituall slumber they might see as well as others though the light be not cleare Thirdly Because they draw nigh to God with their lips verse 13. but their hearts is farre from him Teaching men to feare God by their owne precepts and commands Therefore the Lord will proceed to do a marvelious worke amongst this people even a marvellous worke and a wonder for the wisdome of the wise man shall perish and the understanding of the prudent shall be hid yea such a marvellous worke shall be done in their daies that they will not beleeve it though it be told them Hab. 1.5 Fourthly Vers 15. Because they seek deep to hide their counsels from the Lord and their works are in the darke and they say Who seeth or who knoweth They by their owne policy craft did take counsell together to mingle their owne water with the Saints wine and their drosse with the people of Gods silver Vers 15. their owne traditions with Gods institutions and for this they digged deep wrought in the darke and hid their craft from Gods people and said in their hearts Who seeth us Vers 16 or who knoweth by this means they are said to turn the worship of God up side downe even quite overthrow the whole worship of God and to make his Law of none effect But saith the Lord It shall be counted as Potters clay at the end all broken to peeces and never set together againe Thus none of the wicked shall understand nor but few of the Saints only the wise The wise they shall understand Dan. 12.10 we are to finde out who are said to be wise in this sense which the Spirit of God speakes of in this place This is not that wisdome which makes a man wise unto salvation for with that all the people of God are invested but it is that wisdome which the wise man speakes of Prov. 1.6 To understand a Proverbe and the interpretation thereof the words of the wise and their darke saying Which is to be done two waies First Dan. 9.2 by searching and seriously pondering the bookes and the roles of the Proverbs and Vision as Daniel did which speakes of the vision and mystery which God hath shewed to his Prophets and they that do so are blessed of God and wise Secondly and they that secretly eye God in those secret and hidden acts of his providence by which he usually makes a vision to speak Psal 107.43 and makes it plaine upon tables Who so is wise and considereth these things saith the Text what things why they were the acts of Gods providence all the Psalme over Even they shall understand the loving kindnesse of God to his Church and people And who are those you have seen they are none of the great Rabbies and Doctors of our age but such that are weaned from the milke and drawn from the breasts Isa 28.9 those young babes of Christ that have not drunke of that filthy abominable cup of that Antichristian Whore Them will the Lord teach knowledge and instruct in the way of understanding Thirdly they that have not dranke or sipped of that Antichristian cup but hath overcome that beast and Whore with all their abominable errors and heresies to them hath Christ promised to give the morning Starre Rev. 2.28 By Starre cannot be meant Christ as some have supposed for there is none able to overcome Antichrist his marke or number of his traditions brought in by his power which is called his name but he must first be made one with Christ by faith and draw and derive power and strength from him to enable him thereunto therefore by morning Starre is meant some thing else Rev. 13.14 The morning Star doth rise before the day come an houre or two to give notice the day is not far off but nigh at hand So the Lord Christ by his Spiritin those secret waies of his providence will give to those his servants that overcome Antichrist the bright morning Star That is will discover such a light to them as shall be as the morning Star to give them notice that the glorious day of Jesus Christ shall shortly appeare wherein he and his Saints shall raigne in peace and tranquility for 1000. yeares Thus those that are wise shall understand and they that overcome shall see the first dawning of that glorious day of Christ God doth so loath that abominable cup of spirituall fornication that whosoever drinks or sips thereof shall not lye so neare Christs heart as to have the vision or mystery made knowne to him no they that are the young men they shall see visions even the young babes of Christ Act. 2.17 Mat. 21.16 that out of the mouthes of babes and sucklings he may perfect praise This vision is both meant of Christs comming in the flesh and of his comming to judge Antichrist and none of those great Doctors and Rabbies did understand when Christ should come in the flesh but the young men and poore men they understood and beleeved And so it is with this present age who will beleeve of all our great men and learned Prelates that Jesus Christ is come in the clouds of Heaven and is set downe upon the throne of Judicature in his Saints and witnesses to judge that man of sin CHAP. VII The seventh Chapter openeth the seven Seales Trumpets and Vials shewing that they are
all about one and the same thing THat great mistery of God concerning the ruine of all those enemies of the Church Rev. 5.1 is written within a little books Rev. 5.1 and this booke is in the hand of Christ who sits upon the throne and it hath seven plagnes written within it seven is a number of perfection a perfect number of plagues to be poured upon the enemies of Gods Church Rev. 5.3.45 to their utter ruine These seven plagues are as it were written in seven sheets of parchment and rolled up together and sealed with seven seales as the manner and custome of the Jewes was in all businesses of great consequence The seven Seales could not be opened by any Vers 8 9.10 neither in Heaven or Earth or under the Earth but Christ only the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and he is counted worthy to open this booke by the foure Beast the foure and twenty Elders and to loose the seven seales thereof Whereupon they sing a new song to God and the Lambe giving him glory because he had been slaine and had not onely redeemed them from wrath hell and eternall death but also from the slavery and bondage of wicked and ungodly men yea out of all Nations tongues and people and made them unto God Kings and Priests and they shall raigne with Christ upon the Earth in peace a thousand yeares this is that new Song that they sung and it is sung againe by those sealed ones of God in Rev. 7.4 by the 144000. Which are upon Mount Sion with the Lambe Rev. 14.1 Hence note the quick eye of the Saints faith as soon as Christ takes this booke in his hand they looke upon the worke as done as though their enemies had been quite ruinated and themselves delivered they looke from the beginning to the end of the worke Christ is to open this book and to breake open these seven seales and no other But there are seven Angels with seven Trumpets to sound Rev. 8.2 who were to prepare themselves to sound ver 6 when the seales were to be opened by Christ to declare and make knowne what was written within the Roll even what the viall was which was to be poured upon that Antichristian state And here is likewise seven Angels appointed to poure forth those seven vials upon Antichrist Rev. 15.6 7. which were full of the wrath of God When Christ opened the first Seale then the first Angel sounded his Trumpet and the first Angel poured out the first Viall and so the second and third to the seventh the Seales Trumpets Vials all about one and the same thing First the seven Seales served only to keep those things secret which were written within the rolls The Trumpet or Trumpets to sound and to declare what the Vials were that were written within the roll or rolls The Angel or Angels to poure forth the Viall or Vials upon that Anthristian state That you may see this more plainly we will open and explaine the Seales Trumpets and Vials and compare them one with another and see how they agree At the opening the first Seale by the Lamb First Seale is opened Rev. 6.1 2. John heard the noise of thunder When the Lord Christ goes out first to make war against those grand enemies of his Church he thunders is very tertible he had a bow given him which notes war against that antichristian Earth as yee shall see by the Trumpet and Viall and he is upon a white horse and he hath a Crown given him which notes both his innocency and victory therefore he is said to go forth conquering to conquer This Seale agrees with the first trumpet First Trumpet soundeth Rev. 8.7 that when it sounded Then came haile and fire mingled with blood and they were cast upon that Antichristian Earth even the men of the Earth that seemed to be living trees and green grasse but were burned up by the preaching of the Gospel In this we are to note that the sounding of the trumpets is nothing else but the preaching of the Gospel This Seale and Trumpet agrees with the first Viall which was poured upon that antichristian Earth Rev. 16.2 First Viall is poured forth Rev. 16.2 And there fell upon the men of that Earth which had received the marke of the Beast and that worshipped his Image even a noysome sore By the preaching of the Gospell by the Angels or Ministers of the Churches these men appeared very loath some and vile unto all godly and sober minded men even they who had received the marke of the beast or worshipped his Image and thus Christ goes out with a how in his hand conquering to conquer beginning first with that antichristian Earth When the second Seal was opened Second Seale is opened Rev. 6.3 there appeared a red horse which betokens blood and it was given to him to take peace from the men of this Antichristian earth and that they should kill one another as indeed they did by their impure and cursed doctrine as we shall see anon and a great sword was given unto him which was the sword of the Gospell as we shall see noted by the second Trumpet And when the second Trumpet sounded there appeared a great mountaine burning with fire Second Trumpet soundeth Rev. 8.8 which was cast into the sea and the third part of the sea became blood and the third part of the creatures that were in the sea that had life died and the third part of the ships were destroyed When the second Angel preached the Gospell then a great mountaine burned with fire By mountaine is meant power great power was given to the Ministers in sounding this second Trumpet and this power burned upon that Antichrists sea like fire by sea is meant the doctrine of the Church of Rome and they by the preaching the Gospell against that sea or doctrine of the Church of Rome the third part of it became as blood Bloody doctrine so that they that seeme to live in this sea before now dyed yea now it appeares that they spiritually destroyed one another by this impure and poysonous doctrine and the third part of the ships that traded upon this sea or traded with this doctrine are destroyed This Seale and Trumpet agrees with the second Viall fully Second Viall poured forth which was poured upon the sea and it became as the blood of a dead man and every living soule first and last that dranke of this cursedand poysenous doctrine of the sea of Rome spiritually dyed And when Christ had opened the third Seale Rev. 16.3 Third Seale opened Rev. 6.5 6. loe a black horse which betokened death as we shall see anon and he that sate upon him had a paire of balances in his hand and a voyce cryes in the midst of the foure Officers of the Church and sayes A measure of Wheat for a penny and three measures of Barly for a penny and see thou
and King Rev. 14.1 This sixth Trumpet appeares to be one and the same with the sixth Seale Sixth Trumpet sounds Rev. 9 14. when this Trumpet sounds Those foure Angels which were bound in that great river Euphrates is loosed for an houre day moneth and yeare to slay the third part of those antichristian men a certaine time for an uncertaine as is supposed about the space of 14. yeares beginning in 1641. and ends 1655. By foure Angels is meant a certaine company of men instruments of Gods wrath to destroy Antichrist and his great Army the number of these men are set downe in the next Verse to be two hundred thousand thousand Rev. 17.15 By river Euphrates is meant mystically a great company of People Nations and Tongues on which that antichristian Whore did sit and amongst those was these instruments of Gods wrath bound by that civill power which Antichrist had in his hand Rev. 12.16 before the witnesse ascended up into Heaven but after they were ascended and Christ had cut a little stone out of that great monntaine even a little civill power out of Antichrists great power by vertue of this did Christ and his witnesses loose those foure Angels out of this great river Euphrates and being loosed they presently stand up with Christ and his Saints Rev. 12.16 and open their mouthes and swallow up that flood which the Dragon cast out of his mouth after the woman yea and they shall take part with Christ and his Army and hate the Whore and shall make her desolate At this time is noted in Rev. 10.2 and 8. that this little book was open in the hand of the Angel which had been formerly shut and sealed up yea this Angel sweares by him that liveth for evermore that there should be time no longer that is this mystery of God should now be finished and made plaine that men may now see and understand what was contained within this little booke This Seale and Trumpet agrees with the sixth Viall The sixth Viall poured forth Rev. 16.12 and so appeares to be one and the same Which was poured upon that great river Euphrates whereupon three spirits like froggs goe out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of the false prophets even the Devill and the Roman Emperour and the Pope and these are the spirit of Devils working miracles Priests and Jesuites c. who go forth to the Kings of the Earth to gather together many waters or people unto the battell of the great God Almighty now upon this great river Euphrates or many people doth Christ and his Saints with the men of the Earth that help them poure forth the sixth Viall and so drieup this great river that way may be made for the Kings of the East yea that Christian Kings and Princes may raigne upon the Earth The second woe is past and behold the third woe commeth quickly Rev. 11.14 The seventh Seale being opened silence is in Heaven The seventh Seal is opened Rev. 8.1 the high place of Judicature for the space of halfe an houre see chap. 9. at this time is the Prayers of all Saints offered up to God upon the golden Altar which was before the throne in the Temple that is then shall the Churches of the Saints in and upon that golden Altar Christ offers up praises and thanksgiving unto God for executing vengeance upon his Enemies and for the delivering of his Churches from bondage and misery which hath been the prayers of all Saints from the evening to the morning 2300. yeares almost and now will be fully answered at this time This agrees with the voice of the seventh Trumpet for when it sounded there was great voices heard in Heaven in the Church The seventh Trumpet sounds Rev. 11.15 saying the Kingdomes of this world are now become the Lords and his Christs and now Antichrist is destroyed and the powers of States is in the hands of Christ and his witnesses and therefore he and they shall raigne for ever and ever Whereupon the Church with her officers which sit upon the Seates of their glory in Christs House and Temple fell upon their faces noting thereby their owne humility and their high esteeme of Christ worshipping him and giving thanks to God Almighty which was is and is to come because he hath now taken to him his great power and doth raigne Which Seale and Trumpet argues with the seventh Viall which was poured upon that Antichristian aire The seventh Viall poured forth Rev. 16.17 18. by the peaching of the Gospel which is to be done when the fifth and sixth Viall is poured upon the seate of the Beast and that great River Euphrates Even then came voices out of the Temple which causeth a great spirituall earth-quake amongst those antichristian men that there shall be such infinite store of men converted to the faith and brought home to Christ as never was since men was upon the face of the Earth and then shall an infinite company as it were be before the throne singing Alleluiah saying Salvation and glory and honour and power be unto the Lord our God for executing justice and judgement upon that great Whore Rev. 19.1 2. and 6. Yea the voice of a great multitude and the voice of many waters of many people and of mighty thunderings saying Alleluiah and the foure Beasts and the twenty foure Elders fell downe and worshipped God that sate on the throne saying Vers 6. Amen Alleluiah vers 4. Thus the third woe is come upon that antichristian state to her utter ruine and destruction Thus we have seen the seven Seales and the seven Trumpets and seven Vials to be all about one and the same thing First sealing up Gods judgements for a time afterwards the Seales broke open the Ministers of the Churches by the preaching of the Gospel declares what these judgements are and then the Angels poured forth their Vials upon that Antichristian world The next thing we are to doe in the following Chapters is to shew what the fifth and sixth and seventh Vials are more fully and whom those Angels be which are to poure them forth CHAP. VIII The first worke of the witnesses after they are in Heaven is chiefly the pouring forth of the fifth Viall and the meanes whereby they doe it with those effects which follow upon it THe witnesses being ascended up to Heaven and Christ come in them and sate downe upon the throne to execute judgment upon Antichrist Isa 28.6 Rev. 16.10 Isa 14.13 the first thing we reade shall bee done is the pouring forth the fifth Viall which is poured forth upon the throne and seate of the Beast He is said to have his throne above the Stars of God above his Saints in his Temple and likewise upon the Mount of the Congregation the high place of Judicature It hath appeared to all the world that hee hath taken
liberty to have the Gospel preached which is indeed the pouring forth of the seventh Viall that he that runs may reade it Upon the seventh Trumpet sounding and declaring what was now done in Heaven the high place of Judicature presently there was great voices of confidence and affiance in Heaven the Church that now the Kingdomes of this world should be taken out of that wicked antichristian Beasts hands and given into the hands of Christ and his Saints The people of God seeing Jesus Christ and his witnesses taking but the tenth part of the Kingdoms from Antichrist they looke from the beginning of the work to the end and were confident that the time of the enemies ruine was now come and the Churches sinall deliverance and the civill power of all the Kingdomes in the world should be put into the hands of Christ and his Saints and they shall raigne for ever and ever The same thing was shewed to Daniel almost 2300. yeares since when he saw the ancient of daies sit and the thrones of the Beast cast downe Dan. 7.9.13.14 Then one like the Son of man came to the ancient of daies and there was given him dominions and glory and a Kingdome that all people nations and languages should serve him and not him only but the Saints of the most High and the Kingdomes and Dominions and the greatnesse of the Kingdomes under the whole Heavens shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high and they shall possesse the Kingdome even for ever ever and ever Three terms and sections of times shall the Saints possesse the Kingdoms of the world after Antichrist hath his powers taken out of his hands as we shall shew anon The Churches of Christ do not only expresse their confidence and affiance they had in God for the accomplishment of this great worke that was now begun Vers 16. but they with all humility and reverence fall upon their faces before God and worship him in giving him thanks and praise which is and was and is to come who hath taken to him his great power and hath raigned And they further declare that the Nations of the antichristian world were angry Vers 18. as indeed they were at his great worke now begun and that the time of his wrath against the wicked is now come and the time of the dead that they should now be judged that is that now judgment shall be given to the poore Saints of God and witnesses of Christ that were slaine and lay dead for three daies and a halfe and that he should give a reward unto his servants the Prophets and to the Saints and to them that fear his Name both small and great and should destroy them that have destroyed the Earth which the Lord will accomplish in this present age The third effect is the opening of the Temple by Christ and his witnesses which sate in Heaven Effect 3. Vers 19. and the Temple of God was opvned in Heaven By Temple is meant the Church the people of God By Heaven is meant the high place of Judicature so by the Temple of God being opened in Heaven is nothing else but Christ and his Witnesses giving leave and liberty to the people of God thus congregated to worship Christ in his Temple And this they did first by their connivence and forbearing to trouble them and to molest them as Antichrist and his faction did and afterwards they shall give them some liberty Rev. 6.12 being tender over the consciences of men in matters of worship Rev. 21.6 But at the end of the ruine of Antichrist Then the Temple shall be set wide open that whosoever will shall enter in if they be not such as defile or work abomination This we have seen fulfilled before our eyes that those that were Christs Witnesses Rev. 10. they countenanced and spared to molest the people of God that had joyned themselves in League and Covenant to come out of Babylon Rev. 27. and not to meddle at all with that Antichristian cup of spirituall fornications and to worship their Lord and Husband Christ according to divine institution but those that were of Antichrists side though pretended otherwise they would be stirring up the common people against them untill they were cast out of Heaven to the earth even all those popish affected ones When the Temple of God was thus opened there was seene in his Temple the Arke of his Testament that is verse 19. then the Lord Christ who is the Arke of Gods Testement was seen to be in his Temple in the midst of those people that before was looked upon as factious and seditious men but the Temple being open they prove otherwise And when the Antichristian party saw that Christ and his Witnesses tooke part with these men then there were Voyces and Thunderings and Lightnings and an Earthquake and a great Haile that is then there was great stirs combustions hurliburlies quakings and feares amongst the Antichristian party And last of all these grew to a great haile or great storme and war as weshall see anon between the servants and Witnesses of Christ and those that were for the Dragon and Antichrist in Heaven The fourth effect was A great wonder which appeared in Heaven Effect 4. a Woman cloathed with the Sunne By Woman is meant the Church of God who is cloathed with the Sunne of righteousnesse and which have her Officers in the midst of her officiating and emptying the golden Oyle out of themselves into the bosome of the Church 〈◊〉 4.12 〈◊〉 1.6.20 and are as a Crowne of gold unto her head set forth by 12 Stars after the Tribes of the children of Israel and the Moon is under her feet that is under her feet are all sublunary conentment and delight shee contemning them with holy scorn derision and being great with child cryed travailing in birth and pained to be delivered that is the people of God seeing Christ and some of his Saints and Witnesses in Heaven and many that were with them were against Christ and for the Dragon The Church hereupon is with child as it were and travailes in paine to have a godly Magistracy set up in the world that those which were in Heaven the high place of Judicature that was against Christ and his Government might be cast out that so the Lord Christ that man-childe might in and by his Saints rule the nations with a rod of iron and this they cryed and travailed in paine to God by humble and fervent prayers and to his Witnesses that sate in Heaven by humble petitions from the yeer of Christ 1639. to 1641. ☞ Whereupon another Wonder appeares in Heaven a great red Dragon having ten Hornes and seven Crownes upon his heads he stood ready to devoure this man-child so soone as it was borne The devil and satan in the Roman Beast and his Image the Pope and they in and by those popish Lords
could be taken by the King of Persia as the Lord foretold by his Prophet Jeremy as yee shall see in Ieremy 50.38 so see 38. compared with Jer. 51.32 where you shall see the Lord threatning destruction unto literall Babylon with the drying up of that great river Euphrates by stopping up the passages and by burning up the reedes thereof with fire which were done by Darius who tooke this City from the King of Babylon Dan. 5.30 31. so shall this mysticall river Euphrates be dryed up in a mysticall sense By this river is meant those great multitudes of people that shall be gathered together into Armies to destroy Christ and his Witnesses and to keep the Dragon Beast and false prophet in Heaven in their seate and throne And they are said to be gathered together into a place called Armageddon by the Devil the Beast Rev. 16.16 Rev. 17.13 14. and the false prophet and with them those ten Kings which gave their power and strength to the Beast these shall all make war with the Lambe Rev. 17.4 and he shall make war with them and will raise a great Army against them who are said to be called and chosen and faithfull Rev. 12.6 The called ones are the men of the earth who are said to help Christ and his Church Rev. 17.16 and the ten hornes which were upon the Beasts head are to hate the Where and make her desolate and naked and shall eate her flesh and burne her with fire By these hornes is meant the Commons of all those ten Kingdomes which were under the government of the Beast in whom the power of States originally lies and these shall be with the Lambe and take part with him against the Beast as we see Scotland and England hath done already and so will the commons of all the other eight Kingdomes doe for the Word of God must be fulfilled But those ten Kings that were heads of those ten States they shall take part with the Dragon and make warre with Christ Secondly by chosen are meant the Saints of the most High who are said to overcome Antichrist Firstly Rev. 10.11 By the blood of the Lambe Secondly By the word of their testimony And last of all They loved not their lives unto death ☞ They willingly ingaged themselves in this great quarrell between Christ and the Beast Chosen ones will be faithfull but not the called chosen and faithfull The Lord Christ notes this of them that are chosen that they shall be faithfull to him in this war but yet he secretly hints to us that the men of the earth will be trecherous This great Army of Christ shall be raised by that little stone cut out of the Mountaine without hands by that civill power which Christ and his witnesses hath in their hands now they sit in Heaven therefore Heaven is said to be opened Rev. 19.11 that is now there is liberty given by them that sit in Heaven That now men shall take up armes against Antichrist The Lord Christ is upon a white Horse in Heaven as the Captaine of the Lords Army Josh 5.14 and the Armies which followes him is said to be in Heaven being raised by that civill power which the witnesses have in their hand in Heaven and Christ and his Army is said to be upon white Horses which note the innocency of the cause and victory over them in this quarrell it being the custome of the Romans to ride in triumph after victory upon white horses or else their Horses and Chariots covered with white Againe Zach. 14.4 the Lord Christ is said to stand upon his feet upon the Mount of Olives in the day he goes out to fight against those Kings that carried the Church and people of God captive which is meant of this very time By Mount is meant power and there be but two powers in the world the Church power and the State power It is not meant the Church power for then this mount should have been called Mount Sion by which the Church power is alwaies set forth and this Mount should have been in Jerusalem in the Church and not before the Church But this Mount is that civill power of States set forth by that Mount Olives which is before Jerusalem so this civill power is before the Church of God and chiefly for the good of the Church And upon this Mount or power doth Christ stand with his feet By feet he meanes his Saints so the Lord Christ by his Spirit in his Saints and witnesses stands this day upon this Mount Olives And this mount saith the Text shall cleave in the midst towards the East and towards the West towards the North and towards the South This is fulfilled at this day Is not this power or Mount cloven in the middle part of it is in the hands of Christ and his Witnesses as they sit in Heaven and part of it in the hands of Christ and his Army which is in Heaven upon white Horses And this power shall extend it selfe from West to East from North to South to take away the power from Antichrist in all his ten Kingdomes and to dry up that great river Euphrates from one end of the world to another and this power or Mount is to be divided one part in the high place of Judicature and the other part in the Armies as is at this day untill they have poured forth the fifth and sixth Viall and then it shall close and become one in the yeare of Christ 1655. So by that little stone even that little civill power which is in the hands of the Witnesses shall the fifth and sixth Viall be poured upon the Beast and that great River Euphrates This sixth Viall of Gods wrath and indignation Isa 34.2 is said to be poured upon Euphrates upon all Nations and his fury upon all their Armies upon all the ten Nations of Antichrist and upon all their Armies that shall be raised be will utterly destroy them Vers 5. and give them up to the slaughter The sword of the Lord shall be bathed in Heaven upon the high one◠which are on high Isa 24.21 upon the Kings of the Earth upon the Earth it shall be filled with blood Isa 28.18 that the Mountains shall be melted with their blood This is called the overflowing scourge which was to passe over the whole earth and the houre of temptation that should come upon all the world to try them Rev. 3.10 Chap. 19.17 18. and the slaine shall be so many that it is called the supper of the great God and all the fowles of Heaven are to eate the flesh of Kings of Captaines of mighty men of the flesh of horses and them that sit on them and the flesh of all men Rev. 9.18 small and great bond and free Even the third part of men that are upon the Earth shall be slaine in this warre to dry up this great river Euphrates
Isa 13.12 that a man of that Antichristian and mysticall Babylon shall be more precious then fine gold even a man then the golden wedge of Ophir Dan. 7.11 For by fire and by sword will the Lord plead with all flesh and the slaine of the Lord shall be many Isa 66.16 In this war the Roman Beast shall be taken and slaine and his body given to the burning flames and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him Rev. 19.20 with which he deceived them that had received the marke of the Beast These both are cast alive into a lake burning with fire and brimstone this is the purpose which is purposed upon the whole earth and this is the hand that is and shall be stretched out upon all Nations for the Lord of Hosts hath purposed and who shall disanull it and his hand is stretched out and who shall turne it back Isa 14.26 27. Thus we see the fifth and sixth Viall poured upon the seat of the Beast and upon that great river Euphrates all his powers and strength taken from him in heaven himself cast down to the earth yea to hell and his armies utterly destroyed and given to the beasts of the field and to the fowles of Heaven Yet there is another Viall to be poured out namely upon the aire wherein Antichrist breathed but when the Witnesses Christs civill Magistrates that sit in Heaven have done that worke which is proper for them as they are civill Magistrates they shall sit still and keep silence in Heaven about the space of halfe an houre which is the full time that the seventh Viall shall be pouring forth though the Beasts have their Dominions taken from them Yea both the Beast and false prophet are cast into a lake burning with fire and brimstone Dan. 7.12 yet these are said to live still in the hearts of those men in whom those errors and heresies do still abide which they brought into the world by their Antichristian aire and this remnant of men are not to be destroyed by the power of the civill Sword Rev. 19.21 but to be destroyed by a mysticall and spirituall sword which proceeded out of the mouth of him that sits upon the white Horse and by spirituall men sent out of the Temple Rev. 16.17 therefore the civill Magistrate shall keepe silence all the same time even about the space of halfe an houre and sit and rest themselves having done the best worke that ever was done before them or that shall be done after them We cannot suppose this silence to be in Heaven strictly for half an houre no nor half a day moneth or yeare for the seventh Viall must be poured forth upon that Antichristian aire all the ten Kingdomes over in this space of time that this silence is to be in Heaven which cannot be in so short a time neither can it be meant of any longe time Luk. 21.32 because Antichrist must be destroyed in one age and generation of men Christ speaking of the ruine of Antichrist mystically as well as of Jerusalem literally therefore we are to take this silence for the space of half an houre for the space of 45. yeares in which time the seventh Viall is pouring forth as shall appeare more fully when we come to speake of the time or times of the ending of these Vials It is said that this silence was in Heaven when the seventh Seale was opened this we are to note that it was the custome of the Jewes to write those things that were of greater consequence in sheets of parchment and so to roll them up and seale them if they were things secret The Spirit of God alluding to this their custome sets forth to us that every Viall was written in a roll of parchment and every roll was sealed seven Vials were written in seven rolls and every roll had a seale and when the first Viall was to be poured forth then the first seal was broken open and the first trumpet sounded The Seale was broken open that men might see what was written in the roll and the trumpet which was the Gospel in the mouth of the Ministers of the Churches was to declare to that Antichristian world what the Judgement or the Viall was which God was then pouring forth upon them and the Viall or Judgement that they were to feel with paine and anguish when the Lord poured it forth ☜ So when the first Viall was poured forth the first Seal was opened and the first Trumpet sounded and so in order the second and third unto the seventh And when the seventh Seale was opened the seventh Viall was poured forth and then this silence was in Heaven Before we leave speaking of the sixth Viall we are to take notice of this that although the Lord be come in the clouds of our Heaven even in his Witnesses standing upon the Mount Olives and the judgement seat and the Thrones are casting downe yea and the Lord is gone out to fight and make warre with those Kings that carried the Church of God captive and himselfe upon the white horse and much of the worke is done yet at this time the holy Ghost saith Zach. 14.6 Rev. 2.28 That the light shall not be cleare no◠darke the morning Star is but newly risen and a very little light doth yet appeare There is so much darknesse as very few of the Saints themselves doe not see nor know what the Lord Christ is doing either for Churches or States great feares amongst most of the Saints that sorrow and misery will come to both They cannot as yet see how or when the Church of Christ shall be delivered nor the pure way of Christs worship in his House and Temple set up onely a few choyce ones that be wise Dan. 12.3 and they shall shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament That is those godly ones whom the Lord hath made wise to understand the Mystery of pure Ordinances of worship and the way and Government of Christ in his House and Temple at this time wherein the worship of God is so exceedingly corrupted and polluted by the abominations of that Babylonish Whore they shall shine in this Antichristian world as the brightnesse of the Firmament for the present And they that turne many to righteousnesse as the Stars for ever and ever When they shall not onely see and be able to discerne between gold and drosse water and pure wine Christs owne institutions and mens inventions and the false government of Antichrist and the true government of Christ in and over his Church and people but also turne many unto those righteous and pure Ordinances of worship even they saith the Lord shall shine as Starres not in this age and time onely but for ever and ever their names shall be famous unto all the Churches of the Saints For the first ever or terme of time which Christ and his Saints shall reigne in peace even a
1000. yerres And for ever to the second terme or end of time after the 1000. yeares are ended from the destruction of Gog and Magog unto the end of the world because they were so wise to see and diligent and faithfull to turne many unto the right way of divine worship But there is some light though it be not cleard so that those which are said to be wise can see and understand in part that now the day-starre is risen and the great work concerning the enemies ruine and the Saints finall deliverance is begun and the Sunne of righteousnesse the Lord Christ will ere long arise with healing in his Wings Maal 4.2 But at this time it is not light nor darke Zach. 14.6 7. a day as it were knowne to the Lord onely none else knowing or understanding what God is doing for his people onely a few whom he hath made wise to understand a vision the words of the wise God concerning this great Mystery and the darke sayings thereof Againe this is noted that it is not day nor night The day of the Churches peace is not yet come nor the night of her misery and bondage is not fully upon her as it hath been but shee is between the day and night in the birth and upon the borders of spirituall Aegypt and Canaan But at the even-â—ide when the worke shall be almost at an end Zach. 14.7 then it shall be day-light all shall see what God is doing for his Church and then will that glorious Sunne shine forth in his full brightnesse and glory that the light of the Moone shall be as the Sunne and the Sunne seven-fold then the eyes of the blind shall be opened to see the way of Christ in his House so plainly that way faring men though fooles shall not erre therein Isa 35.8 6 And this is also noted in the Scripture of truth that an Army out of the North shall come up against Babyon and be the chiefe cause of her mine and destruction They come from a farre Country from the end of Heaven Isa 13.5 the Lord and the Weapons of his indignation to destroy the whole Land which is meant of England and Scotland For we are a very remote Country from mystical Babylon from the end of Heaven as Scotland is yea if we look to the men that are to be imployed in this warre we shall see them to be the same which the Lord Christ hath in his Army at this day as we may see in the third verse I have commanded my sanctified ones verse 3. I have also called my mighty ones for my anger even them that rejoyce in my highnesse The Lord meaning his owne servants who are said to retoyce in his highnesse aud are set forth by chosen and faithfull ones which are now with the Lamb Rev. 17.14 following him upon white horses in Heaven Rev. 19.14 who are this day upon the high places of the field and are said to be in Heaven with their Army because they are raised by Christ and his Witnesses who are in Heaven and by that ciuill power which they have in their hands by right as they are lawfully called to that high place Againe wee shall see that the Lord intended England and Scotland to come against this mysticall Babylon if wee looke in Jeremy 50.9 I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an Assembly of great Nations from the North Countrey Now of all Countries in the World England and Scotland is North to mysticall Babylon And againe Dan. 11.44 Tydings out of the East and out of the North shall trouble him By East here surely as may be supposed is meant the Sweedes And by North is meant England and Scotland so consequently they shall joine together against Antichrist Object Rut all these threatnings were against literall Babylon Answ I grant they were in the Letter but as truly as Rome is called mysticall Babylon Rev. 17.5 and as truly as all these threatnings which the Lord hath pronounced against literall Babylon were made good in the Letter against them so will the Lord do against mysticall Babylon in a spirituall and mysticall way Therefore when Scotland and England have dryed up the River Euphrates here they shall not then sit downe on this side Jordan to enjoy peace themselves and leave their brethren in misery beyond the Sea and out of their owne possessions but shall go over Jordan with a strong Army to help their Brethren that they may likewise dry up that River Euphrates there to the utter ruine of Antichrist and for the setling of a perfect peace in the ten States that the powers of States and Churches may be put into the hands of Christ and his Saints that they may live and raigne over the Nations of the earth in peace and tranquility 1000. yeaees CHAP. X. The seventh Viall poured forth two great effects follow thereupon The first is the hringing in the fullnesse of the Gentiles And the second is the calling of the Jewes with the time when the fifth sixth and seventh Viall began and ended and liberty given to the Saints by the Witnesses to build that new Jerusalem THe fifth and sixth Viall being poured upon Antichrists seate and thrones and upon his Armies the Beast and false prophet taken by Christ and his Army that followed him upon white Horses in Heaven and both of them cast into a lake Rev. 19.21 hurning with fire and brimstone Yet there is a remnant of that Antichristian race left whom Antichrist hath poysoned with his Antichristian aire with errors and heresies in whom those five Beasts are said to live Dan. 7.12 though they be dead Therefore the Lord Jesus hath another Viall to poure upon these men as is the maladie such is the medicine Rev. 17.10 and as the disease so is the cure The disease is inward in their spirits their understanding is filled with mists and darknesse which Antichrist brought into the world with which he filled his whole Kingdome Rev. 15.10 This Vial must be poured upon this Antichristian aire and darknesse by the preaching of the Gospell For this being an inward and spirituall worke is fittest for spirituall weapons and spirituall men and such will Christ have to do the worke Rev. 16.17 Therefore voices came forth of the Temple The Ministers of the Churches are to be imployed in this worke and spirituall weapons or swords therefore saith the Scripture The remnant were slaine by the sword of him that sate upon the white horse which sword proceedeth out of his mouth Chap. 19.21 The way of Antichrist hath been to slay such men as they conceive factious and erronious with the civill sword Dan. 8.12 therefore he gets an Host or the power of Princes The civill sword used by Antichrist to root errors out of mens hearts and hales them before Princes and Judges for to root out errors as they pretend out
a Time Times and halfe a Time see the third Chapter At which time then almost all his cruelty against the Saints shall be finished for he did to this very yeare slay the Saints and laid them dead and triumphs over them and make merry sending gifts one to another and at this time Antichrist is said to finish his reigne over the Saints having slaine them and so is one time of his end come Second time of his end is 1290. dayes which time begins saith the Text when thn daily Sacrifice was taken away and that abomination set up which made all desolate Which was done in the yeare of Christ 365. now 365. and 1290. are 1655. which is the second time of his end which is the end of the fifth and sixth Viall pouring forth Carion Chro. lib. 3. Rev. 12.17 18. Dan. 7.11 when all Civill and Ecclesiasticall power shall be taken from him and his Armies destroyed and given to the Fowles of Heaven and their bodies to the burning flames And all the civill power of States put into the hands of the godly but not the Ecclesiasticall power untill the seven plagues of the seven Angels be fulfilled The third time of his end is set down in the 12. verse to be 1335. dayes By dayes he means propheticall dayes a day for a yeare This time is to begin when the 1290. began at the yeare 365. so 365. and 1355. make 1700. which is the third and last time of his end when he shall be spiritually slain and cast out of the hearts minds of men in whom he hath fastly rooted himself by his Antichristian errours Dan. 7.12 in whom he and the rest of the Beast was said to live after they had their Dominions and Kingdomes taken from them At this time the Lord Christ is said to sit upon the Throne Rev. 19.1 6. and much people in Heaven crying Alleluiah and the voyce of a great Multitude and as the voyces of many waters and the voyce of mighty thunderings saying Alleluiah for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth In the yeare 1655. Christ and his Witnesses are to take the powers of all the ten Kingdomes which Antichrist had into their owne hands and shall reigne but yet Christ is not said to reigne fully Christ not said to reigne untill his reigne in and over his Church as well as over Nations untill Antichrist be quite removed out of the hearts of men and the Church way of Christ clearly seene by all his servants both by his Witnesses in Heaven and other of his Saints that so he may reigne not onely upon the thrones of Nations but likewise upon the hill of Sion his Church and then Christ is said to reigne truly which he shall doe at this last terme 1700. Then shall the Lambe Christ be married unto his Church and the new Jerusalem built Antichrist being quite destroyed and cast not onely out of the would but out of the hearts of men and all that Antichristian darknesse and ignorance out of the mindes of men that the way of Church-discipline at that time shall be so plaine Isa 35.8 that wayfaring men yea though fools shall not erre therein and so much light that all shall see the way of Church-discipline Zach. 14.7 which way the uncleane is not to passe over but it shall be for those At even time it shall be light which is meant of this yeare 1700. Rev. 19.7 The Spouse married to Christ by a Church-Covenant even for those that are holy which doe not pollute nor defile and not for the uncleane At which time all the people of God seeing the Church way of Christ so plaine are said to make themselves ready and prepared to be married to Christ not but that they were married to him before in a spirituall way by faith and love Else how could they have this title of Bride or Wife But to be married to him is in an outward way by a solemne League and Covenant in the sight of all the world and Nations round about them which is called the building of that new Jerusalem and holy City Rev. 21.2 10. which is said to come downe from Heaven By Heaven is meant the place of judicature where Christ and his Witnesses sit from this high place or Heaven the Church and Spouse of Christ who is that new Jerusalem or holy City being invested with liberty and leave from Christ and his Witnesses to enter into a true Church-way and to set up such a Government in all the Churches of the Saints Isa 24.22 whereby the Lord Jesus may be Mount Sion and in his new Jerusalem before his anciemts gloriously The Lord Jesus who is the Tree of Life Rev. 22.2 who is in the midst of his Church is said to yeeld twelve manner of fruits twelve sorts of fruits after the twelve Tribes of the Children of Israel That is in him is all kindes of spirituall meats to feed and nourish all the Churches of his Saints though their wants be divers and many And this Tree yeelds his fruit every moneth in the yeare The holy Ghost secretly hinting to those Churches that shall live in those thousand yeares that he would have them to eat of that Tree of Life but once a moneth Now by Tree of life is set forth to us the Lord Christ in that great Ordinance of the Lords Supper who doth fully communicate himself to his Saints by that Ordinance In other Ordinances there is but a communication of Christ by parcels but in this of whole Christ and a participation of all spirituall gifts and graces and therefore the Lord Jesus the Tree of life is said to yeeld his fruit but once a moneth therefore the Saints are not to take fruit from this Tree but as it yeelds it not to pluck the Tree before the fruits be ripe and it is likely this will be the custome of all the Churches in the thousand yeares reigne Though the Churches in the primitive times did receive it every seventh day because they were then in their infancy and childhood and so the Lord Jesus had need to be as a Nurse with his Breasts full of Milke to nourish his young ones every day as it were But when the Church shall be growne up to the age and stature of a man and so to be fed with meat and not with milke then Christ will be a Tree of life in his Church yeelding meat and fruits for strong men every moneth for his Saints at that time are foretold by the holy Ghost to be ancient men ancient Christians Isa 24.23 such that are growne up towards the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Ephes 4.13 before whom he is said to reign in Mount Sion in Jerusalen gloriously This liberty to build this holy City new Jerusalem shal be to the Saints 1700. by the Witnesses in the high place of Judicature therefore it is said againe That
this holy City or new Jerusalem commeth downe out of Heaven from God Rev. 3.12 prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband the Spouse of Christ had before her inward cloathing all of wrought gold standing on the right hand of the King in gold of Ophir Psal 45.9.13 called gold tryed in the fire which made her spiritually rich and beautifull in her soule in the eyes of her Lord and Husband Christ But this is not sufficient shee must also have an outward raiment to make her beautifull without both in the eyes of her Lord that looks upon her and the men of this world therefore it is said that shee shall be brought to the King in a raiment of needle-worke Psal 45.14 Rev. 19.8 curiously wrought and imbroidered even in fine linen clean white which is the righteousnesse of the Saints That which none hath right unto or ought to meddle with but Saints Isa 35.8 it being the Government and Discipline which Christ is to set up and exercise in his owne House and Temple over his Saints and people and this fine linen was granted to her by Christ and his Witnesses and it was also granted to the soules under the Altar which saw themselves slaine for the testimony which they held that they should have white robes given them by Christ and his Witnesses when the fifth Seal was opened which was when the fifth Viall was pouring forth betwixt 1639. and 1655. but not fully to all the Saints untill the end of the seven Vials 1700. Rev. 15.8 And the holy Ghost gives the reason why no man that is not many shall not be able to enter into the Temple because the Temple was filled with smoak from the glory of the Lord and from his power By smoake is noted Gods presence Gods presence in his House and Temple is so glorious and so holy that very few shall be able to endure it his Government in his House will be too strict for loose and formall spirits By smoak is likewise noted darknesse the way of Christs Government in and over all the Churches of the Saints is for the present hard to be found out it lyes deep and is as it were hid in the inmost bowels of holy writ not open in the letter of the Scripture but wrapped up in the spirituall sense thereof And Antichrist hath by his Antichristian ayre which he brought with him into the world out of that bottomlesse pit so darkned the understanding of men yea of many of the deare Saints of God that they cannot see Christs way in his House and Temple Again Antichrist having taken kept this Church power from the Saints 1260. years and therefore they are as it were quite ignorant of this Discipline and Government as well they may therefore not able to enter into the Temple but this Church power shall be granted unto the Saints again by Christ and his Witnesses the year 1700. The Church being thus adorned with pure gold in her inward man and with a broidered garment and fine linen upon her outward man and that by authority from Christs civill Magistrates in the place of Judicature Rev. 21.10 11 is said to descend out of Heaven from God haveing the glory of God and her light was like unto a stone most precious even like unto a Jasper stone Verse 3. clear as Christall And at this time the Tabernacle of God shall be with men even with the Saints and people and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himselfe shall be with them and be their God verse 3. And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more paine All those teares or death sorrow or paine which came by the oppressour shall be taken away for Verse 4. saith he the former things are past away all oppression and tyranny of the enemy and he that sits upon the Throne will make all things new new Heaven and new Earth Verse 5. new Government in the Church and a new Government in the State In this new Jerusalem shall be no Temple nor need of the Sunne or Moone to shine in it That is the Church and people of God shall have no need of outward glory to make them beautifull in the eyes of Nations but God and the Lambe shall have their spirituall Throne there Rev. 22.3 4. and be their light and glory and his servants shall serve him and shall see his face that is the brightnesse of his glory and his Name shall be in their fore-heads Rev. 3.12 22.4 The power of Christ in his Church shal be as visible upon them seen to belong to them at that day as though it were written in their fore-heads And in this City shall be a pure River of life cleare as Chrystall that is Verse 1. all pure Ordinances of worship which proceed from the Throne of God and the Lambe who sits in the midst of his Church and on both sides of those pure Ordinances is Christ the Tree of life communicating himselfe to his Saints Thus shall this holy City and new Jerusalem be built by authority from Christ and his Witnesses in the yeare of Christ 1700. which shall be that great worke of the Witnesses that same yeare throghout all their Dominions Zach. 9.10 Psal 72.8 Dan. 7.13 14. 18. 27. Psal 2.6 8 9. Rev. 5.9 10. Isa 24.23 c. which shall be from sea to sea from the River even to the ends of the Earth after they have kept silence in Heaven halfe an houre At this time will God make good all his promises made unto Christ and his Saints concerning their reigning over the Nations and upon the hill of him in his new Jerusalem CHAP. XI The two Governments of Christ the one over the Nations and another over his new Jerusalem Christ reignes 1000. yeares Satan and wicked men bound all that same time afterwards loosed and utterly destroyed The Saints reigning three Termes CHrist and his Witnesses having taken all power into their hands both Civill and Ecclesiasticall and being to reigne over the Nations and upon Mount Zion and in Jerusalem they must have two Governments set up to rule them by one to rule the Nations another to rule upon Mount Zion That whereby Christ and his Saints is to reign and rule the Nations by is just and righteous Lawes Christs government over the Nation Isa 32.1 Psal 72.2.3.4 Verse 7. Jer. 33.15 A King shall reigne in righteousnesse and Princes shall decree justice he shall judge thy people with righteousnesse and the poore with judgement the mountaines shall bring peace to the people and the little hils by righteousnesse he shall judge the poore of the people he shall save the children of the needy and shall breake in pieces the oppressour and in his dayes shall the righteous flourish