Gods Judgments upon the Earth that they may be spared when the seal of the living God is seen upon their fore-head for this to be after the Man-child is caught up to God and to his Throne at which time the Gentile Church which I conceive to be the Man-child is to be in the Ark of their safety being caught up to meet the Lord in the ayre and then the Jews that look for their Messiah it being the time that God hath promised that all Israel viz. the natural seed of Abraham shall be saved as it is written Rom. 11. They shall have the Seal of God or the name of God written in their foreheads to distingush them from the worshippers of the Beast who are to have the name of the Beast in their right hand or forehead Revel 13.16 upon whom the seven Angels are to pour out their vials upon the earth that the same persons who have received the mark of the Beast in their foreheads or hands may be tormented and then the executing Angels will pass by all those that have the Seal of God in their forehead so that they shall not be plagued with those Judgments that shall be executed upon the Beast and his worshippers and to this end the Angel of the East forbid the four Angels that had power to hurt the earth that they might not go forth to execute their office till the servants of God were Sealed in their foreheads Revel 7.2 And this agreeth with the manner of Gods dealing with his people when he executes his Judgments upon the earth as you may see Exod. 12.14 Ezek. 9.4 5 6. and to that end was these Israelites Sealed so that none of the plagues either of the four Angels or the seven Angels did them any hurt And thus much at present of the Sealed number who they are and the Cause of their being Sealed and afterwards was seen preserved as a Sealed number Revel 14.1 2 3 4. Chap. 15.2 3 4. And so I pass to give my opinion what the Temple and the outward Court and holy City is Only by the way I thus say that although I have read Mr. Hendens opinion of the outward Court yet I cannot believe it nor adhere to what he saith because I do not find that ecclesiastical order is in any one Text called the outward Court neither doth it hold parallel with the outward Court but rather to the inward Court even the holy of holies into which the Priest was to enter alone who had the ecclesiastical order put upon him by God but because I find not the Scripture warranting such a parable I leave it and now come to speak briefly to that Text Revel 11.1 2. and first I shall cite the Text it self which is thus read And there was given me a reed like unto a rod and the Angel stood saying rise and measure the Temple of God and the Altar and them that worship therein but the Court which is without the Temple leave out and measure it not for it is given unto the Gentiles and the holy City shall they tread under foot forty and two moneths and I will give power to my two witnesses and they shall prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes cloated in sackcloth from this Text with many more we find that Jerusalem and the Temple is to be built again and the Jews are to worship their God according to the Law of Moses at which time they shall earnestly look for their King namely the Son of God according to the words of their Prophets for although they were blind and understood not his coming in the day of his poverty yet they do believe that they have a King viz. Son of God to come in glory and to ragin upon the Throne of David and when God shall give them opportunity to return out of their long captivity then shall they sit upon their building to redifie the City and Temple as I have formerly proved at large read my Zions redemption and that Jerusalem is to be built again which is called the holy City relating to Revel 11.1 2. read the words of the Prophets which saith They shall build the old wast places they shall raise up the former desolations and they shall repair the wast Cities and THE DESOLATIONS OF MANY GENERATIONS behold the day cometh saith the Lord that the City shall be built to the Lord from the Tower of Hanael unto the gate of the corner and the measuring line shall yet go forth over again compare Revel 11.1 2. upon the Hill Garib and shall compass about Goath it shall not be plucked up nor thrown down any more FOR EVER in that day will I raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen and close up the breaches thereof and I will raise up his ruins and I will build it as in the dayes of old and I will plant them upon their Land and they shall be NO MORE plucked out of their Land which I have given them saith the Lord God And Ezekiels vision relates to this very thing where he saith In the vision of God brought he me into the Land of Israel and set me upon a very high Mountain by which was as it were the frame of a City on the South and he brought me thither and behold there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of brass with a line of flax in his hand and a measuring reed so he measured the length thereof twenty cubits and the breadth twenty cubits before the Temple and he said unto me this is the most holy place this is the Law of the house upon the Mountain and these are the measures of the Altar after the Rubites and the name of the City from that day shall be THE LORD IS THERE And that the Cities of Jerusalem is called a holy City read Isa 64.10 chap. 61.4 chap. 60.18 Jer. 30.18 chap. 31.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. chap. 33.12 13 14 15 16 17. Amos 9.14 15. Ezek. 40.3 chap. 3.13 chap. 41.4 chap. 48.35 From all that which hath been said this is the Sum in short that the City Jerusalem and the Temple is to be built again and inhabited and God there worshipped only there will be a stop in the work by the Antichrist before the outward Court is finished and therefore the measuring line is said not to pass over the outward Court or it not measured but that I may be plain and easily understood I shall divide the matter in short and brief particulars The first is the building of the City the which I have spoken already to And the second is of the Temple The third is the outward Court being given into the hands of the Gentiles and the holy City being trod under foot forty and two months And fourthly of the two Witnesses prophecying in Sackcloth one thousand two hundred and threescore dayes That the City and Temple is to be built you have heard somewhat
spoiler or Serpent and the time we also see to be a time and times and halfe a time or a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes or as it is in chap. 11.2 3. called forty and two months which being accounted according to the Jews account thirty dayes for a month it amounts just unto three years and an half for a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes makes forty and two months and forty and two months makes just three years and a half so then the time of Jerusalems being trod under foot and of the wearing out of the Saints of the most high namely the remnant of the Womans seed which abode in Jerusalem and of the Womans abode in the Wilderness is just three years and a half and not a thousand two hundred and threescore years as Mr. Henden and some other expositers saith and further to prove that it is but three years and a half according to the litteral account both in Daniel and the Revelation and not so long a time as before mentioned I shall give a few reasons drawn from the Scriptures to prove it and the first is First Because the scripture saith that the seventh head which is the eighth and to go to perdition which is the man of sin or the Assyrian or vile person or the spoiler that when he cometh forth to raign that his time is but short that is he shall continue but for a short space as a seventh but is to be the eighth is the same that is to wear out the Saints of the most high and it shall be gien into his hands for a time and times and the dividing of time read Revel 17.10 11 12 13. compared with Dan. 7.23 24 25 26 27. so that the seventh head is to have but a short space or time to raign and also the eighth spoken by St. John is to continue but a short space even a Time and Times and half a Time spoken of by Daniel which is just three years and a half as I before in this Treatise have proved by shewing what is to be understood by TIME and TIMES and half a TIME comparing the word TIME and TIMES with the seven TIMES which was the seven years of Nebuchadnezzars being cast out into the open field and eating grass with the Oxen until he did acknowledge the Lord only to rule in the Kingdomes of men and giveth it to whom soever he will Dan. 4.25 So then the TIME is to be understood one year and TIMES in the plural number is to be understood two years and the half TIME or dividing of TIME is to be understood half a year according to the true account of Daniel from the word TIME or TIMES the which amounts to no longer Time than just three years and an half which is that short space that St. John speaks of the Beasts continuance in troubling the Saints or the sealed number Secondly The Time further appears to be but three years and an half because as it is called one thousand two hundred and threescore dayes even so it is also called FORTY AND TWO MONTHS which is just three years and a half and also a Time and Times and half a Time being compared with Forty and two Months sheweth clearly what Time is to be understood by the one thousand two hundred and threescore dayes that it is just three years and a half Thirdly It further appears to be but three years and a half and not so long as a thousand two hundred and threescore years that Jerusalem shall be taken and troden under foot and the people persecuted because this taking of the City and treading of it under foot is to be after the measuring line hath passed over the City in the latter dayes as I before have shewed that when Judah cometh out of her long captivity then shall she sit upon the repairing of her breaches and before she hath finished her Walls and outward Court there shall be a stop put to it by the Antichrist as it was in the dayes of Judah coming out of Babylon that there was a stop in their building in the dayes of Syrias until the dayes of Darias which was a type of this stop and hinderance in the work as I before have shewed so then if we consider this interruption of Israel and the time when even when they be newly brought out of captivity according to the Prophet Ezekiels words Chap. 38. it clearly sheweth us that the time must be very short agreeing with the Prophet Zechariahs words Chap. 14.1 2 3. which saith Behold the day of the Lord cometh and the spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee and I will gather all Nations against Jerusalem to battail and the City shall be taken agreeing with Revel 11. which saith The holy City shall they tread under foot forty and two months then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those Nations as he fought in the day of battail and his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives This being well observed may clearly be seen to be a thing falling upon Israel in the latter dayes and that the time of their trouble THEN after their great and long time of being scattered amongst the Nations shall be very short and not exceed the time of three years and a half Fourthly and lastly It appears to be but a very short time namely the time before mentioned because the two Prophets are to prophesie all the time of the Womans flight to establish the remnant of the Womans seed and to smite the Antichrist and his followers with plagues as Moses and Aaron did smite Pharaoh King of Egypt for his wickedness against the Children of Israel and that the two Prophets or Witnesses are to Prophesie all the time of the Womans flight and abode in the Wilderness and of the holy Cities being trod under foot is clear from the words of St. John Revel 11.2 3. in these words The holy City shall they tread under foot forty and two months and I will give power unto my two Witnesses and they shall prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes cloathed in sackloth From whence we may see that the time of the Womans flight and abode in the Wilderness and the persecution of the Remnant of her seed which remain in Jerusalem is but for the space of three years and a half because as it is called but for a short space and forty and two Months Time and Times and half a Time even so it is but to endure for the time of the prophesying of the two Prophets in Sackcloth which cannot be long much less one thousand two hundred and threescore years nay it is but the just time that the Scripture calls it take it either way namely a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes or forty and two Months or Time and Times and dividing of Time which is just three years and an half as before said And thus I
the Scriptures as you may read Isa 9.6 7. In these words For unto us a child is born unto us a Son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulders his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of peace Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the THRONE OF DAVID and upon HIS KINGDOME to order it and to establish it with Judgment and with Justice from henceforth even for ever the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform it then shall the Sun be ashamed and the Moon confounded when the Lord of hosts shall raign IN MOVNT ZION AND IN JERVSALEM before his ancients gloriously Isa 24.23 From these Scriptures you may see that Christs Throne is to be in Mount Zion in Jerusalem in the time of his raign as First because God himself hath declared it by the Spirit of prophesie in David Psal 2.6 7. Yet will I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion c. Secondly it is a Doctrine preached by the Angel to the Virgin Mary Luke 1.30.31 32. In these words And the Angel said unto her fear not Mary for thou hast found favour with God And beh 〈◊〉 ld thou shalt coceive in thy wombe and bring forth a Son and shalt call his name Jesus he shall be great and be called the Son of the highest and the Lord shall give unto him the THRONE OF HIS FATHER DAVID c. Thirdly Jerusalem is to be called the Throne of the Lord as faith the Prophet Jer. 3.17 Fourthly The Lord himself saith that he will dwell there Zach. 8.3 In these words Thus saith the Lord I am returned unto Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem and Jerusalem shall be called a City of truth it is a Prophesie of the last times as is very clear from the Text. Fifthly The Lord saith that Zion and Jerusalem is his rest and dwelling place for ever speaking prophetically also by David Psal 132.13 and Isaiah saith Cry out and shout thou inhabitant of Zion for great is the holy one of Israel in the midst of thee Isa 12.6 A clear Prophesie of Christs Kingdome Again Lastly That Christs Seat is to be in Zion in Jerusalem is clear for Micah prophesying of the last dayes and of both the Houses of Israels return viz. Israel and Judahs return out of their last long captivity saith I will make of her that halteth a remnant and her that mas cast off a strong nation and the Lord shall raign over them IN MOVNT ZION henceforth even for ever for the Lord hath appeared of old unto thee saying I have loved thee with an everlasting love for there shall be a day that the watchmen upon the Mount Ephraim shall cry arise ye and let us go up to ZION VNTO THE LORD OVR GOD. For there shall the glorious Lord be unto thee a place of broad rivers for he shall roar out of Zion and utter his voyce from Jerusalem for the LORD DWELETH IN ZION Micah 4.2 3 4 5 6. Jer. 31.6 Amos 1.2 Isa 31.4 Chap. 33.2 From these and many more Scriptures and reasons that might be given we may see where Christs Throne shall be in the time of his Kingdome which is on Mount Zion in Jerusalem that Throne which was his Father Davids which he took from the Jebusites and Christ will also take it from the Antichrist and will possess it for ever that the everlasting covenant may be made good in him even the sure mercies of David not to want a man to sit upon his Throne but that of the fruit of his loynes according to the flesh he should raise up Christ to sit upon his Throne and so shall the word of the Lord be fulfilled in its time which speaks of Christs Kingdome according to the very letter of the word as it was fulfilled in the letter of the word about his sufferings and thus I pass this particular and come to the sixt and last which is how long Christ shall raign and the estate of the wicked in that time Sixthly As it hath been already proved that Christ and the Saints shal receive a kingdom raign upon earth now I shal proceed to resolve the matter as touching the time and that is also fore-told in the Scriptures to be a thousand yeares which time will contain ten generations it being preconsidered that persons shall live in that day to be an hundred years old according to the words of the Prophet Isa 65.20 which saith There shall be no more thence an infant of dayes nor an old man that hath not filled his dayes for the child shall die an hundred yeares old and the sinner being an hundred yeares old shall be accursed and that curse shall be the same spoken by the Prophet Zech. 14.12 and that the time will be a thousand years is plain from the words of the Lord to John Rev. 20.4 5 6 7. where the Lord shewed John that the godly were to live again after death and to raign with Christ a thousand yeares before the rest of the dead men viz. the wicked were to live again But if it should be demanded of me whether Christ and the Saints shall raign but one thousand yeares I should not say possitively that they are to raign no longer as just to limit the time yet I shall give my judgment as a man who have obtained favour of the Lord and say its like that a thousand yeares may be the set time first because we know that Christ is to give up the Mediator-ship and kingdome into the hands of the Father and then he is to be all in all as you may read 1 Cor. 15.24 and the Son then must be in subjection to the Father so that although Christ be to receive the Kindom and greatness of the Kingdom under the whole heaven and possess it and raign yet he is to leave it again at the time appointed of the Father which seems to be the time before mentioned viz. at the end of the thousand yeares but if it should be objected and said Object That that thousand years raign which you speak of may possibly be but the very time or day that Christ and the Saints shall pass sentence upon the wicked as Christ to judge the righteous to be said to judge as they acknowledg Christs judgement to be just so trample down the wicked because the Apostle saith that one day with the Lord is as a thousand yeares and a thousand yeares as one day 2 Pet. 3.8 Answ It cannot be so understood because Christ is to sit upon the Throne of his father David and to GOVERN IT in which time his dominion shall be from Sea to Sea and from the rivers unto the end of the world they that dwell in the Wilderness shall bow to him his enemies shall lick the dust the Kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring presents
from the Prophets to witness it but further you may see that there will be a Temple although not the union of the sealed number as Mr. Henden supposed which hath been already answered but a material Temple as saith St. Paul 2 Thes 2.4 He viz. the man of Sin or Antichrist shall sit in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God But if the Temple be to be understood to discypher the Mistical union of the one hundred forty and four thousand as Mr. Henden saith then it is impossible that the Man of Sin should sit there for they are not to be hurt and that connot be said to be the Temple of God in a spiritual sense which is the seat of the Man of Sin but in a material Temple it hath been so already and will be so again for saith Christ It is written my House should be a House of Prayer but ye have made it a den of thiefs And secondly that there is to be a Temple is also proved from Revel 15.8 in these words And the Temple was filled with smoak from the glory of God from his power and no MAN was able to enter into the TEMPLE till the seven plagues of the seven Angels were fulfilled From hence we see that there shall be a material Temple which shall be so filled with Gods glory that no MAN shall enter into it until the plagues of the seven Vials be executed and so Christ by the brightness of his coming and excellent glory shall dispossess the Man of Sin of his seat and that the glory of God did shine so of old in his Temple read the words of the Prophet Isa 6 4. Ezek. 10.4 And secondly that the glory of the Lord is to appear or fill his House or material Temple Again read Ezek. 43.5 6 7. in these words So the Spirit took me up and brought me into the inner Court and behold the glory of the Lord filled the House and I heard him speaking unto me out of the House and the man stood by me and he said unto me Son of man the place of my Throne and the place of the sole of my feet where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for EVER and my holy Name shall the House of Israel no more defile Agreeable to Chap. 37.21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28. as you may read at large I could give many reasons more to prove a material Temple and elsewhere I have done it But if it should be objected That God doth not dwell in Temples made with hands I answer and say it is very true that the Temple of Jerusalem they had defiled with their abominations and therefore the Lord destroyed it and for a while took unto himself the instruments of a foolish Shepheard Zech. 11.15 and so was a Gin and a Snare to the House of Israel and so the litteral Zion was to be plowed like a field and Jerusalem to become a heap but it doth nor say that Christ will never dwell in Temples or a Temple made with hands nor that he will never dwell in Mount-Zion litteral in Jerusalem but contrariwise saith in many places that he will come unto his Temple and dwell in Mount-Zion in Jerusalem as I before have proved read the place of Christs Kingly seat in the time of his Reign in my Treatise to Mr. Holland annexed to this I could prove that the Lord will have his seat there at large and that when his Tabernacle shall be with men and his seat where his Father Davids was that then it is to be in material Jerusalem when the Law shall go forth of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem and this was the City and Altar and Temple which was to be measured and the Worshipers which was therein namely the Jews which were to return and at that time shall be returned unto their own Land where they shall worship God according to Moses Law waiting for their Messiah Thirdly what is to be understood by the outward Court not measured or cast out or left out as in reference to measurement it is that after the Israelites be returned before they have finished their outward Courts and walls and the like for their great care and first work shall be upon the chief and principal place viz. their City and Temple the Gentiles namely Gogg the Prince of Meshech and Tubal whose Army shall be of them of Persia Ethiopia and Libia with Gomer and the Family of Togarmah a very great Army of the North Quarters shall be gathered together upon the Mountains of Israel and shall prevail and spoil the Jews for a small season and this shall be done before the outward Court and walls be finished which causeth the Army of the Gentiles to call Jerusalem a Town of unwalled Villages being without Bars and Gates as you may read Ezek. 38.11 in these words And thou shalt say I will go up to the Land of VNWALLED VILLAGES I will go to them that are at rest that dwell safely all of them dwelling without WALS having neither BARS nor GATES to take a spoil to take a prey c. And to this agreeth the words of the Prophet Zecha 2.1 2 3 4 9. which saith I lift up mine eyes again and looked and behold a man with a MEASVRING LINE in his hand Then said I whither goest thou and he said unto me to measure Jerusalem to see what is the breaà th thereof and what is the length thereof And behold the Angel that talked with me went forth and another Angel went out to meet him and said unto him run speak to the young man saying Jerusalem shall be inhabited as a TOWN without WALS c. From these Scriptures and more that might be added we may see that the Walls and outward Court shall not be finished till it is taken and the holy City trod under foot but the time of its oppression is so short as not worth speaking of in comparison of time namely three years and a half so that this Prophet speaks little of the oppression of Israel but doth as it were overlook it because the time of it is so short and speaks of that which is of the greatest moment namely the Enemies destruction but the Prophet Zechariah agreeing with the Revelations sheweth that the City shall for a small time be surprised and taken and the Jews persecuted although the City it self shall not be destroyed but shall be the place of the Enemies Randesvouz and that this is true read the words of the Prophet Daniel compared with Zechariah which saith He shall enter also into the glorious Land and many Countries shall be overthrown but these shall escape out of his hands even EDOM and MOAB and the CHIEF OF THE CHILDREN OF AMMON and he shall plant the Tabernacle of his Pallace between the Seas in the glorious holy mountain yet he shall come to his end and none shall help him And at that time
shall Michael stand up the GREAT PRINCE which standeth for the Children of THY people and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a Nation For Behold the day of the Lord cometh and thy spoil viz. Jerusalems shall be divided in the midst of thee and I will gather all Nations against JERVSALEM to battail and the CITY shall be taken and the Houses riffled and the Women ravished and half of the City shall go forth into Captivity and the residue of the people shall not be out off from the City this is the Woman that flyeth into the Wilderness and the remnant of her Seed which remains Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those Nations as when he fought in the day of battail and his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives which is before Jerusalem And I said to the man cloathed in Linnen how long shall it be to the end of these wonders namely the troublesome time and the treading down of JERUSALEM underfoot And I heard the man cloathed in Linnen swear by him that liveth for ever and ever It shall be for a Time and Times and half a Time and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people all these things shall be finished From whence we may see that Jerusalem is to be trod under foot according to the saying of the Text Revel 11. and also the time how long which by Daniel is said to be a Time and Times and half a Time and in the Revelations Chap. 11.2 it is said to be Forty and two Months in these words But the Court which is without the Temple leave out and measure it not for it is given unto the Gentiles and the holy City shall they tread under foot forty and two months All which time the Woman shall be fled into the Wilderness for she flyeth at the first of Jerusalems being taken so soon as she is delivered of the Man-child and it is the remnant of her seed which remaineth in Jerusalem over whom the Beast is to have power forty and two Months Revel 13.5 Zech. 14.1 2. Unto whom the two Witnesses is to prophesie and the time of the Womans flight into the Wilderness is the very same time in latitude with the scattering of the power of the holy people spoken by Daniel Chap. 12.7 And the holy City being trod under foot spoken of by St. John Rev. 11.2 And that you may see that the time of the Womans flight into the Wilderness is the very time of the scattering of the holy People namely the People of the Jews which Daniel frequently cals a holy People for then they shall all be holy unto the Lord and also the treading of the holy City underfoot read Revel 12.14 in these words And to the Woman was given two wings of a great Eagle that she might flee into the Wilderness into her place where she is nourished for a Time and Times and half a Time from the face of the Serpent From all which hath been said I gather this Conclusion which materially offereth it self which is That the Court without which is not to be measured is to be undestood that the Jews are to return and build their City and Temple and the Court without not measured but given unto the Gentiles is to be understood that the Families of the Gentiles above spoken of shall come to Jerusalem as to a Town of unwalled Villages before the outward Court and Walls is finished and take it and divide the spoil and the holy City being trod under foot is to be understood the spoil that will be made in Jerusalem for the space of forty and two Months in the which time the two Prophets or Witnesses shall prophesie unto that party of the Jews which do not flie into the Wilderness Zech. 14.1 2. Revel 11.3 Chap. 12.17 the which time of scattering of the holy People Dan. 12.7 for a Time and Times and half a Time and the holy City being trod under foot forty and two Months Revel 11.2 and the two Witnesses prophesying a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes and the Womans being nourished in the Wilderness from the face of the Serpent a Time and Times and half a Time agreeing with Daniel as before cited All these times though in several phrases is one and the same time for latitude in which time the Jews shall be scattered for as it is called by John Revel 11.2 forty and two Months and a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes yet to clear up what he means by that Time he also cals it a Time and Times and half a Time Revel 12.14 in the same phrase with Daniel 12.7 where he cals it a Time Times and a half which is just three Years and a half for a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes considering according to the Jews account thirty dayes to a Month is just forty and two Months and forty and two Months is also three Years and a half and hence it is called by Daniel and also by John a TIME and TIMES and half a TIME And that a Time is to be understood one Year and Times in the plural number is to be understood Years read Dan. 4 25. in these words And they shall drive thee from men and thy dwelling shall be with the Beasts of the field and seven TIMES shall pass over thee till thou know that the most High ruleth in the Kingdome of men c. From this Text we understand that the seven TIMES is understood the seven Years that Nebuchadnezzar was cast out into the open field to eat grass with the Oxen and to be wet with the dews of heaven until he had humbled himself and acknowledged the Lord So then by TIME in the singular number I understand one Year and by TIMES in the plural number although the least of numbers I understand two Years and by half a TIME I understand half a Year so then the TIME and TIMES and half a TIME is just three Years and a half which is also a thousand two hundred threescore dayes or forty two Months all which being considered with the premises sheweth That although a measuring Line be to pass over Jerusalem yet once again yet before it is finished to wit the Walls or outward Court there will be a stop by the Man of Sin or the great Army before mentioned and the City it self shall be taken and the Houses riffled and it trod under foot three Years and a half and then shall everlasting righteousness be broubt in namely Jesus Christ which shall take the Kindome Dominion greatness of the Kingdoms under the whole Heaven Dan. 7. and sit and raign upon the Throne of his Father David and this is that which I understand from Rev. 11.1 2 3 4. with the fore mentioned Scriptures and many that I could add if I had time the which is plainly signified from
Wilderness of Moab Sixthly The time of her abode in the Wilderness is three years a half Seventhly The people to whom the two Witnesses shall prophesie is the small number of the ten Tribes then in Jerusalem Eightly The two witnesses I understand to be John who saw the vision in the vayl of Patmose and Elijah these things I shall speak to in particular and give my reason why I thus believe and leave the Reader to judge hoping that if any judge me to be deceived in the matter they will rather make me an Object of their pitty rather than an Object of their scorn and shew me their judgment upon the thing in particular and their reason why they so believe and I hope that I shall not slight it but peruse it and weigh it in the ballance of the Sanctuary and if it hold weight to own it and receive it but passing this I come to the matter and first to the first wich is First The Woman that travaileth spoken of in Revel 12.1 2 3 4. I understand to be Zion and Zion I understand to be the two Tribes which was called the Church of Judah and first that Zion is to be understood the two Tribes even Judah and Benjamin which Jeremiah prophesied unto which was carried into Babylon spoken of in his Lamentations chap. 1.17 in these words Zion spread forth her hands and there was none to comfort her she is called Zion more than ten times over and she to wit Judah and Benjamin bears the name Zion in respect of her place and City that God had placed her in which is called Zion the City of David at large in the Scripture and I think none will deny it which makes me forbear citing the Scripture And that this also in the Lamentations is so plainly spoken of Judah and Benjamin called by the name Zion that I think none can deny it that they which went into captivity and are called Zion read Lam. 1.3 4 6 8 17. Chap. 2.10 are to be understood Judah and Benjamin read Ezra 4.1 compared with Lam. 1.3 is also as plain so then where the Prophets speaks of Zion they mean either the City Zion which was a Mounâ— in Jerusalem which David made his seat which was so called or otherwise it is to be understood the worshippers of God or people in that place namely Judah and Benjamin as aforesaid and now having premised these things I come to prove that this travelling Woman is this Zion or Jerusalem viz. Judah and Benjamin the two Tribes for so I would be understood when I speak of Zion and that she is the Woman which is to travail and afterwards to flie into the Wilderness read Micah 4.7 8 9 10. in these words I will make HER that HALTETH a Remnant and HER that WAS CAST OFF a strong Nation and the Lord shall raign over them in MOVNT ZION from henceforth and for ever And thou O Tower of the flock the strong hold of the Daughter of ZION unto thee shall it come even the first dominion the KINGDOME SHAL COME TO THE DAVGHTER OF JERVSALEM Now why dost thou cry out aloud is there no King in thee is thy Counsellors perished for pangs have taken thee as a Woman in travail Be in pain and labour to bring forth O daughter of Zion like a Woman in travail for now thou shalt go forth out of the City and thou shalt dwell in the field and thou shalt go even unto Babylon there shalt thou be delivered there the Lord shall redeem thee from the hands of thy enemies From these words we may understand that the Woman spoken of which was to travail and bring forth was the two Tribes as from these words for pains have taken hold on THEE as on a Woman in travail Who THEE even THEE Judah which halted pains hath taken hold of THEE Why so Because there is no King in Thee and thy Counsellors are perished yet shall the first dominions come unto the daughter JERVSALEM so then that these people which are called Zion and Jerusalem in this Text is clearly to be understood the two Tribes for these Reasons First Because she is called her that halted and her that was cast off which is usually to be understood the Jews and not the Gentiles which is not called a People halting or cast off Secondly Because it is called by name ZION and JERVSALEM which the Gentiles were not it 's a name proper to the Jews even the two Tribes and not to the Gentiles Thirdly Because the Text saith that then shall the Law go forth of ZION and the word of the Lord from JERVSALEM relating to the time of the fulfilling of the Prophets when the Lord Jesus shall raign upon the Throne of his Father David over the House of Jacob namely the Jews to establish order and govern it in Jerusalem from henceforth and for ever Fourthly It further appears that the travelling Woman is the Jews read Jer. 30.3 4 5 6. in these words For loe the day cometh saith the Lord that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah saith the Lord and I will cause them to return to the Land that I gave their Fathers and they shall possess it And these were the words that the Lord spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah for thus saith the Lord we have heard a voyce of trembling of fear and not of peace wherefore do I see every man with his hands upon his loyns as a woman in travel it is even the time of Jacobs trouble but he shall be saved out of it From hence also we may see that the natural seed of Abraham viz. the Jews as a foresaid is the Woman that is to travel spoken of Revel 12. Fifthly It further appears that the travelling Woman is Zion viz. the Jews from the words of the Prophet Isa 66.6 7 8 9.10 which saith A voyce of noise from the City a voyce from the Temple a voyce of the Lord that rendreth recompence to his enemies before she TRAVELLED she brought forth before her pains came she was delivered of a MAN CHILD who hath heard of such a thing who hath seen such a thing shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day or shall a Nation be born at once for as soon as Zion travelled she brought forth her Children shall I bring to the birth and not cause to bring forth saith the Lord shall I cause to bring forth and shut the womb saith thy God Rejoyce ye with JERVSALEM and be glad with her all ye that love her so will I comfort you and ye shall be comforted in JERVSALEM From this Text we may also clearly see that the travelling Woman is Zion namely the inhabitants of Jerusalem even the Jews as is above expressed for here is the very Woman and the Man-child mentioned which John spake of in Revel 12. and I do not find that the Scripture in any place else speaks of
even so there is a remnant of the twelve Tribes which may fitly be called the remnant of her seed First That there is a remnant left in Jerusalem which shall be persecuted and worn out by the Antichrist for the three years and a half is clear the which I shall speak unto in its distinct order and first to the first that is that there is a remnant left in Jerusalem when the woman flyeth into the Wilderness or into captivity as it is called captivity as well as the Wilderness for to be banished from our native country and to be cast amongst our enemies may fitly be called captivity and that there is a remnant to be left in Jerusalem which do not thus flee or be thus persecuted from their houses and habitations when the City shall be taken and trod under foot is clear from Zech. 14.2 in these words For I will gather all Nations against Jerusalem to battail the City shall be taken the houses rifled and the women ravished and HALF of the City shall go into captivity and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the City From whence we may see that some shall go forth unto captivity and the others shall remain in the City which is called in Revel 12.17 the remnant of her seed so then in the first place you see that some shall go forth of the City at the time when the Gentiles shall take it and spoile it and a remnant shall not be cut off from the City but shall remain in it and that remnant shall be worn out as it were by that wicked person and that it is not Zion namely the two Tribes is clear for she is then out of his reach but that they are of the Tribes of the Children of Israel is as clear for they are the people that he shall make war with and wear them out they are called the children of Daniels people Dan. 12.2 chap. 7.25 So then first there is a remnant left which flie not Zech. 14.2 And secondly they are the people that are to be worn out Dan. 7.25 and 12.7 Zeph. 3.19 And that they may be called the remnant of her seed the Prophet Isaiah alluding to the very same thing saith It shall come to pass in that day that the REMNANT of Israel viz. the remnant of Zions seed and such as escape of the house of Iacob shall no more again stay upon them that smote them but shall stay upon the Lord the holy one of Israel in truth the remnant shall return even the remnant of Jacob unto the mighty God therefore thus saith the Lord God of Hoast O my people that dwell in Zion be not afraid of the Assyrian viz. the Antichrist he shall smite thee with a rod and shall lift up his staff against thee after the manner of Egypt for yet A VERY LITTLE WHILE 1260 dayes and the indignation shall cease and my anger in their destruction and the Lord shall stir up a scourge for him according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock Orib and it shall come to pass in that day that his burthen shall be taken away from off thy shoulders and his yoak from off thy neck c. Isa 10 20 21 24 25 26 27. this agrees with Ezek. 38. and 39. Chapters and with Mich. 5. and many places that might be added but I shall leave this saying that you may see that there is a people or a woman to flie into the Wilderness and a remnant to remain in the City which the Assyrian viz. the Antichrist shall lift up his staff against and make war with them agreeing with Revel 12.27 and this remnant we see to be part of the house of Israel Isa 10.20 and so I pass to the next thing which is the fourth thing of the taking up of the Man-child to God and to his Throne Fourthly as to this fourth particular I have already spoken to and therefore at present I shall be very brief saying that by taking of the Man-child to God and to his Throne I understand to be meant that at the time of the Lords first coming into the Clouds of Heaven even into the ayr with his holy Angels that then the war shall be in Heaven between Michael and his Angels and the Devil and his Angels and the Devil shall be cast down and with him his Angels that the ayre may be cleared and made fit for Christ and his Saints to meet there for in very deed I do understand that God did confine the evil Angels unto or into the ayre for their residence until the resurrection of the Saints and the taking up of the living which I understand to be the Man-child and just at or a little before the time that they are taken up the Devil shall be cast down into the earth at which time he shall give the Beast his seat and power and great authority and in that time there will be lying signs and miracles wrought at which time it shall be said Woe woe woe be to the inhabitants of the Earth and Sea for the Devil is come down with great wrath because he knoweth that his time is short and seeing himself cast down he shall persecute the Woman and God shall give her the wings of an Eagle that she may flie from his face and that will cause him to make war with the remnant of her seed in which time the Lord shall abate his wrath and cruelty which he would exercise in and by the Beast upon the remnant of the Womans seed by pouring out his Vials on the Beast and by giving power to his two witnesses not only to Prophesie and establish the remnant of the Womans seed left in Jerusalem but also to smite the Beast and his followers with plagues so often as they please Revel 11. And in short thus the taking up of the Man-child I understand is when the Lord shall first appear in the Clouds as before said that then he shall with a voyce and with the sound of a Trumpet awake the dead and gather all the living Saints together both the raised dead and changed living and forthwith they shall be caught up to meet Christ but the rest of the dead men shall not live again until a thousand years after Revel 20.6 7 8. neither shall the living which have not before prepared themselves to meet the Bride-groom by walking in his wayes and keeping his Ordinances be taken up but shall be left upon earth there is none but those that are accounted as Eagles that shall be with Christ for where the carkas is there shall the Eagles be gathered together that is where Christ is thither will his body namely the Gospel Church or his bride be and this is clear from many Scriptures that the Saints shall be first raised and caught up before the rest of the dead or living as I before in this Book have proved at large and thus I pass this fourth
particular and come to the fifth which is Fifthly The fifth thing is the place into which the Woman is to flie and that I understand is into the Wilderness of Moab that she is to flie into a Wilderness is clear where she is to be hid from the face of the Serpent and to be nourished by the Lord that is by the Lords appointment and that he hath appointed her to flie from the Serpent that she may be hid from his face is clear from the words of the Text Revel 12.14 And secondly we may as plainly know what place she was to hide in or what place was to be her hiding place if we peruse the Scriptures as first that we may see that Moab or the Wilderness of Moab was to be her hiding place read Isa 16.1 3 4 5. in these words Send ye the Lamb to the ruler of the Land from Sela to the Wilderness unto the Mount of the Daughter of Zion take counsel execute judgement make thy shadows as the night in the midst of the noon day hide the outcasts bewray not him that wandreth Let my outcast dwell with thee Moab be thou a cover for them from the face of the spoiler for the extortioner is at an end the spoiler ceaseth the oppressors are consumed out of the Land And in mercy shall the Throne be established and he shall sit upon it in truth in the Tabernacle of David judging and seeking judgment and hastening righteousness c. From these words we may see that as God hath appointed the Woman to flie from the face of the spoiler even so he hath shewed us the place where even in the Wilderness of Moab there is the Lamb or the Present to be sent even to the Wilderness unto the Mount of the Daughter of Zion and that we may know also what Wilderness it is that the Lord sends the Woman into that she may hide her self from the face of the spoiler he tels us it is the Wilderness of Moab saying hide the outcast bewray not him that wandreth let my outcast dwell with thee Moab be thou a cover for them from the face of the spoiler From whence we may plainly see that the place that God had prepared for the Woman to flie into from the face of the Serpent was the Wilderness of Moab I could shew if time would admit how the Lord brought them thither it being as it were a type of things to come when they came out of Egypt when Edâ—m gave them not leave to pass thorow their country it being the place where Balaam was sent for to curse them by Balick King of Moab and what deceit Balick used as a means to destroy them by the counsel of Balaam all which was types of that which will be done to them in the latter day by Moab which causeth the Lord to complain in the very next verse Isa 16.6 against Moab saying we have heard of the pride and wrath of Moab and indeed there be many places as the foregoing chapter and many prophesies more speak of Moabs destruction because of his pride and cruelty against Israel so that the Lord will cause a Star out of Jacob and a Scepter out of Israel to destroy them at last according to Balaams Prophesie Num. 24.17 or at least to smite the corners of Moab and bring them down and this wrath of Moab to Israel is prophesied in several places as in Zeph. 2.8 9 10 11. and in many more but I leave this particular saying according to the text Revel 12. and Mich. 4 the woman was to go or flie out of the City into the field or Wilderness of Moab and to dwell there and Moab to be a hiding place to her from the face of the spoiler where she shall dwell in the field the time before spoken of and then go to Babylon and there be delivered according to the word of the Lord by Mich. 4. and thus we see that the Woman is to flie into the Wilderness yea God hath provided the place for her and allured her thither and will nourish her there Revel 12.17 Hosea 2.14 there is many Scriptures that proveth her being in the Wilderness and also it sheweth what Wilderness it is and that it relates to the very time of the end of Jacobs troubles is very clear I shall cite the Scriptures relating to this thing and so enter upon the sixth particular Isa 32.13 14 15 16 17 18. chap. 43.19.20 Hosea 2.14 Psal 55.5.6 and 74.9.14 and 120.5 Ezek. 20.34 35 36. chap. 34.25.26 Mich. 4.10 Isa 16.1 compared with the 4. chap. 35.1.6 Cant. 8.5 thus desiring thee to search into those Scriptures wherein thou maist see that the Woman before spoken of shall have a place prepared of the Lord in the Wilderness of Moab he having as it were bespoke or took up her quarters before hand saying Moab be thou a hiding place or let my outcast dwell with thee be thou a cover for them from the face of the spoiler and there he speaks comfortably to them and takes away all imperfection from them there that the lame man may leap as an Hart and the feeble amongst them as the Angels of God for there will the Lord speak with them face to face and they shall lay their hands upon Edod and Moab and the children of Ammon shall then obey them So shal he get them fame in all places where they have been put to shame Zeph. 3.19 20. And thus I come to the sixth particular which is the time of her abode in the Wilderness Sixthly As for the time of the Womans abode in the Wilderness and the trouble of the remnant of her seed which remain in Jerusalem I understand to be three years and an half in which time the two witnesses shall prophesie in sackcloath and that it is so read Revel 11.2 3. compared with chap. 12.6.14 and Dan. 7.25 chap. 12.7 in these words And to the Woman was given two wings of a great Eagle that she might flie into the Wilderness into her place where she is nourished for a time and times and halfe a time from the face of the Serpent Hide my outcast let my outcast dwell with thee Moab be thou a cover for them from the face of the spoilers and the Woman fled into the Wilderness where she hath a place prepared of God that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes Send ye the Lamb to the Rulers of the Land from Sela to the Wilderness to the Mount of the Daughter of Zion for the Wilderness and Solitary placâ— shall be glad for them for in the Wilderness shall waters break out and streams in the Desart no Lyon shall be there nor ravenous Beast but the redeemed shall walk there c. Isa 6.1.3.4 chap. 35.1 6 9. From these Scriptures we may see that Moab is the Wilderness or hiding place for Zion into which she is to flee to be hid from the face of the