Christ is an active and loving witness bearing record of the Father wish courage and he did not receive his testimony from any creature but from the Father For the Son can do nothing of himself but what he seeth the Father do and whatsoever he doth the Son doth likewise Jesus Christ was not compelled to bear witness to the Father as a malefactor is compelled to bear the sentence of justice but he undertook to bruise the Serpents head voluntarily he suffered freely and dyed freely seeing it was the will of his Father he took up death which was the desert of our sins willingly and voluntarily as soone as the Father had declared his councel concerning him Behold saith Christ I come to do thy will O God And no man takes away my life for I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it up again New if the blood of Buls and Goats and the ashes of an Heifer sprinckling the unclean sanctifyeth to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the bloud of Christ who through his eternall spirit offered himse f without spot to God purge our Consciences from dead works of humane formes and fleshly actings to serve the living God in spirit and truth The Scriptures are plentifull to prove this In the Evangelist we see Christ beares witnes of himself That he is the Son of God and told the Jewes that unlesse they believed that he was He they should die in their sins The Pharisees told him his record Was not true because he bare record of himself but saith he My record is true and I am one that bear record of my self and my Father that sent me beareth witness of me I have many things to say and judge of you but he that sent me is true and I speak unto the world those things which I have heard of him And when ye have lifted up the Son of man then ye shall know that I am he and that I do nothing of my self but as my Father hath taught me so I speak And St. John Writes Grace and Peace to the seven Churches that is to the complaeat number and body of Saints from jesus Christ who is the faithfull and true witnesse And again unto the Angel of the Church of Laodicea Write thest things saith the Amen the faithfull and true witnese the beginning of the creation of God And by this we see that jesus Christ he was Gods first witness Then secondly The Saints or City Zion or the mystical body of Christ This is Gods other Witness And these doe not receive their testimony from men but from Jesus Christ And their testimony is still the same that Christ bare witness to and therefore they are said to suffer for the Testimony of jesus Now this second witness is not to be restrained to Magistrates Ministers particular men or women but to all the body consisting of learned unlearned poor and rich men and women in whom the spirit of the Son dwells and from whom they receive their testimony neither are they compelled to bear witness but through the same anointing they professe God willingly and they finde it is pleasing to them to acknowledg the Father as to take their meat and drink therefore certainly those that have neither will nor skill to bear witness to the Father unlesse they have a directory from men and those that never worship God without a humane power to encourage them Yea ☜ rather they that would fain have a humane power establisht to suppresse Gods Witnesses it is a manifest sign that they themselves are none of his Witnesses Now I conceive that water bloud and spirit as I mentioned before points out the Saints which are the feed of the woman likewise and as our Lord Jesus our head gave testimony in his appointed time prophesying in sackcloth so the Saints his body in whom the spirit rules giving testimony in their appointed time And the understanding people in all Nations Kinreds Tongues and People do see their testimony and how they have bin slain in the streets of the great City Babylon three dayes and an half as I shall declare how I conceive it if God please Now these Saints are not only learned Schollers in humane wisdome but such as the world counts fools neither are they Gods witnesses that are compelled by humane Lawes to worship God For these witnesses declare their testimony willingly against the wisdome of the flesh neither is there here and there one Saint that are called Gods witnesses but all the Saints in one body three in one water bloud and spirit make up one witness Now this spirit or this anointing that is in Saints which indeed is Christ the Lord their righteousness is a faithfull witness likewise This is he that came by water and bloud and not by water only but by water and bloud and this Christ came not only in himself but in his Saints whom he sanctifies and washeth in his bloud and it is the spirit that beares witness because though the bodies be weak yet the spirit in them is truth it being the anointing which they have received from the holy one And when Christ had not only freely shed the water about his heart but the bloud in his heart also as a price laid down for sinners he that saw it saith the text meaning God and the spirit of God that was in Christ aâ—â— those few Saints then present bore record 〈◊〉 his record is true and he knoweth that he 〈◊〉 truth that ye might believe All the whole body of Saints both 〈◊〉 and Gentiles are Gods Witnesses for one â—â—â—â—rit unites them into one body But I beâ—â—â—â— that those that live in the time of the new Testament while the little horn-beast and whorish spirit had a ruling power allowed him of God though I mention three names yet they are all one enemy to Christ I conceive I say that these are they to whom God hath given power to prophesie in sack-cloth one thousand two hundred and sixty dayes And these are they that are slain in the streets of the great City Babylon that is by the power of the Beast Yet the Saints of old are to take part of this honour stand in this lot because they these have all one spirit and if God had appointed them this sackcloth honor they would have been faithfull witnesses of God as well as these Nay in their time they bore witness to God against the same spirit of the beast though he had not the same power as he hath now Mordecai Hester the Jews gave a faithfull testimony to God against proud hypocritical and bloudy Hamon And likewise Daniel the three Children did bear witnese to God Faithfully against the hypocriticall and bloudy practices of Darius councellers which sufferings of them then did but type out the
sackcloth-profession of Saints in the dayes of the little horne the Beast and whorish spirit or as I may say Judas spirit of self-love and hypocrisie that must reign in the world for a time Thus we see it is Jesus Christ after the flesh and his spirit ruling in the flesh of Saints which are Gods two Witnesses The spirit of Christ sent down into Saints or rather the Saints taken up into fellowship with that spirit according to the Fathers promise and love to his Sons and Daughters in the latter dayes which must prophesie in sack-cloth one thousand two hundred and sixty dayes and it can be no other but these in whom the power of God dwels and rules And there are divers discoveries of this truth laid down by God himself as a testimony from him that these two are his Witnesses in the four five and six verses of that seventh chapter of the Revelations In the fourth verse These two witnesses are â—aid to be the two Olive Trees and the two Candle-sticks standing before the God of the whole Earth Now I conceive that these two Olive-trees and two Candlesticks can be apâ—lyed to no other but to the two appearances of the Anointing First In the body or flesh of Christ Secondly In the flesh of Saints that is to say Christ and his spirit And marvel not that I say Christ and his spirit are the two Candle-sticks because the Scriptures in other places call Christ and his spirit the lights of God as indeed they are and by Candlesticks are properly meant the Churches or particular societies of Saints as St. John writes But in this place the light that is held forth is this eternal councel of God That Jesus Christ is this Son by whom he will bruise the Serpents head and reconcile sinners to himself and by no other name or power whatsoever So that when Christ was visibly seen upon the earth in the day and hour of his sufferings or time of his sack-cloth prophesying he and his spirit in one person were the Candle-stick in whom this mystery of God and truth of his councel did burn and shine forth to the world and therein they were a certain witnes of the Father But set that day and houre aside and then properly the Churches are called Candlesticks in whom Christ and his Spirit burnes bright and shines gloriously Men or Women Magistrates or Ministers or churches cannot be called these two Candlesticks because the churches ate taken up and moved by Christ and such as were un-willing are made willing to beare the testimony of God by the almighty working of Christ in them that beleeve But now christ and his spirit was never unwilling to bear witness to this purpose of the Father for as soon as ever the Father had declared his will Loe I come saith Christ to doe thy will O God And therefore the Father glories in Christ and makes proclamation to all the World That he will have all men honour the Son as they honour the Father Then again they are called two Olive-Trees and these cannot be Men and Women Magistrates or Ministers but onely Christ and his Spirit If you looke into the fourth chapter of Zechariah there is mention of one Golden Candlestick which I conceive is the generall Church of Christ or the great Congregation as David speaks the mysticall body of Christ the Saints or City Sion And then there is mention of two Olive Trees by the Candlestick one upon the right side of the Bowle and the other upon the left side thereof Now these two Olive-Trees are Iesus Christ ☜ and his Spirit the one being under the other over the Church which are the two Armes of God imbracing the Church in love For first God sent the humane Body of Christ to testifie his love to the Church and to comfort her in all her asslictions Because he was afflicted for them and with them and therofore in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted and this is the Olive-Tree upon the left side of the Candlestick Then secondly God sent his Spirit the comforter to testifie his unchangeable love to the Church and to lead her into all truth because he is the Spirit of truth And so in the bodily absence of Christ the Spirit which is the Lord our Righteousnesse ruling as a King in love in them doth counsell comfort sanctifie and remaines with the Church for ever and so doth establish the covenant of Grace to them to be an everlasting Covenant And this is the Olive Tree upon the right side of the Candlestick And further Zechariah goeth on making mention of two Olive Branches which through the two golden pâ—pes empty the golden Oyle out of themselves And the Angel said to Zechariah Knowest thou not what these be And he said No my Lord Then he said These are two Anointed ones that stand before the Lord of the whole earth Now these two Olive Trees and these two Branches that thus empty themselves with constant running and so feed the Church with life and light which is that golden Oyle that they empty out of themselves and which the Angel likewise called the two Anointed ones they cannot be meant of any other but Iesus Christ in his own particular person in the flesh and he spiritually in his Saints For there is none that hath the seven pipes the seven Lamps and the seven eyes which are the seven spiritual power of God in his hand but onely Iesus Christ for the Spirit descended and rested upon him And in him dwelleth the fulnesse of the God-head bodily And then secondly because none stands by the Lord of the whole earth as the Angel told Zechariah but onely Jesus Christ and his eternall Spirit who is both the outward and the inward Lord and King of Saints And this is cleared by Gods own word to Daniel when God shewed to him what was written in the Scriptures of truth There is none saith God holdeth or standeth with me in these things but Michael your Prince that is Iesus Christ in his two-fold discoveries in the flesh of the Man Iesus and in the flesh of Saints by the same Spirit and the great promise of the Gospel for the exalting of Iesus Christ the Anointed and the Anointing is this Sit thou saith God on my right hand or stand by me untill I make thine enemies thy foot-stool Now brethren you know that the Church and Sainrs doe not receive light life grace from any other but from Christ Of his fulnesse we receive grace for grace Therefore these two Olive-trees these two Candlestickes which John speakes of and these two Witnesses which God glories in and calleth His Witnesses must needs be meant Christ and his Spirit or the two appearances of God in Iesus and in his Saints There is one phrase mose in that fourth verse which is this These
together be manifest in them call you this likewise what you will I am confident it speaks like the Dragon and is of the Image of the Beast and part of the half day But I will speak one work of comfort to the Saints your captivity under the Antichristian power is come to the half day or half time and the Lamb will nourish and feed you before the Throne or under the eye and protecting care of God in this half time as he hath fed the Church with love and watchfull care in the 3 dayes that are past And the power of this blaspheming horne that will not acknowledge Christs testimony nor suffer others to acknowledg him this day of his is and shall be shortned for the elects sake And I believe ere long we shall heare the Angel say it is done her 3 dayes and half or her time times and half time is now accomplished And the stone which is cut 〈…〉 Mountains without hands even 〈…〉 Christ our righteousnes shall destrâ—â—◠〈…〉 workings and Kingdom of darkne◠〈…〉 in the Saints and likewise 〈…〉 power that Satan exercised over 〈…〉 he trod them under foot the 42. 〈…〉 now Christ will reigne himself for 〈…〉 ever for of his Kingdom there shal1 〈…〉 And then the world shall see by experience that word of Solomon to be made good That when the wicked that is the flesh rules the City mournes but when the righteous that is Jesus Christ rules the City Zion rejoyces and there is great shouting for joy among the Saints when they can speak by experience and say O rejoyce rejoyce for the Lord God Omnipotent reignes And now doth the Sonne of righteousnes rise higher in the bright manifestations of himself upon the soules of his Saints And the day of Christ begins to shine more clear even that one day as Zachariah calls it which did appear in the hearts of Saints formerly for Abraham saw it and David saw it and rejoyced to see it And truly this day of Christ this sweet discovery of the Fathers love to poor sinners began to dawne upon the seventh day in course after the Creation of all things for Adam sinned upon the sixth day towards the close of the day or cool of the evening And then the seventh day in course should have been a day of punishment or destruction to Adam for his disobedience I but the Son of our righteousness rises presently and love appeared in this promise that the seed of the woman should bruise the Serpents head and so stopped the breakings forth of wrath and made it a day of joy and gladness unto lost sinners And therefore when the Jews told Christ he was a finner because he had broke the Sabbath-day when he had but cured the lame Man upon that day Why saith Christ my Father worketh hitherto and I work that is All the six dayes was my Fathers time of working and making all things but the seventh day is my day and now I work to bruise the Serpents head and to save that which was lost And therefore I say this one day of Christ did dawn upon the seaventh day from the creation and the Sonne of righteousnes hath rose higher and higher in the discoveries of himself or his Church though the thick and cold clouds of flesh and self-love both in our selves and in the world hath darkened the beames of it from us I but now the Winter is near past the Summer is come the flowers appear in the earth that is the glorious workings of the Anointing in the spirit of Saints The time of the singing of birds is come that is all the Saints begin to sing Halelujah for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth within and begins to reign in the world and the voice of the turtle is heard in our Land that is the voice of the Lord Christ our rightousnes is heard and seen to rule in our flesh And now the Beast or wisdom and power of our corrupt flesh or Serpent within us is wounded to death and she shall reign no more And so by the multitude of divine discoveries self-love and confusion shall be destroyed in the flesh of Saints and their very flesh shall be made that land of righteousnes even the branch or the Lords own planting the Inheâ—â—tance of their Father in whom the King of Righteousnes and the King of Peace shall dwell and rule for ever And by the multitude of these Saints whom Christ will raise up like drops in a shoure of raine for number All the oppression injustiee false shewes and formes of Gods Worship shall all be destroyed in the World and judgement shall run down our streets like a stream and righteousnes like a River And though there be a people still on earth in whom the wisdom and power of the flesh dwells as yet there must be yet the power of it shall be kept under and suppressed by the power of Christ the Anoining in the Saints for a certain terme of years appointed by the Father And then he will let Satan loose again who shall stir up those children of disobedience in whom he dwells to joyn together in one mind and spirit of malice and of fleshly wisdom and force which is Gog and Magog 〈◊〉 destroy the holy City the Saints the body of Christ and house of God But then shall the wrath of the Lamb be made manifest to their destruction and then comes the End That the Son shall deliver up the KINGDOM unto the Father CHAP. V. The Witnesses were to be slain when they had finished their Testimony NOw in the next particular we are to mind the time when the Witnesses are to be slain and that is when they have finished their Testimony as John speaks When they shall have finished their testimony the Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomles pit shall make war against them and shall overcome them and kill them These two Witnesses I conceive may be said to have finished their testimony when by manifest experience they have made it appear that the seed of the Woman hath broken the Serpents head and so have proved the Word of the Father to be true And this they have done for first Jesus Christ in his own person he broke the Serpents head when he trod under his feet all the subâ—â—wit and power of the Serpent and prevailed over all his temptations so that Satan could find nothing in him and so by death overcame him that had the power of death which was the Devil Secondly Jesus Christ breaks the Serpents head in the Saints when he makes them able to speak out of experience I was proud saith the soul now God hath made me humble I was envious now God hath made me love even my enemies I loved and acted injustice now God hath made me to hate injustice and to love truth in my heart and to
of man Or secondly A perfect man in the unity of faith with all his Saints he being the head and all the City of Zion or number of Saints the Members knit into one spirituall body by the spirit of the Father And this is called the Branch and the Vine Now a Branch or Vine doth not consist of one sprig or rod but of divers and so the seed of the Woman the Anointing or the Son of God doth not consist of one man only after the flesh to wit the man Christ Jesus but also those whom the Father hath chosen and given to Jesus the anointed and writ their names in him the Lambs Book makes up but one Son of God being all partakers of one Spirit And likewise they make up but one feed of the Woman they beâ—ng all partakers of one flâ—sh to wit the flesh of Christ the Saints being bone of Christs bone and flesh of his flesh And this is the 1and of righteousness which all the Children of Zion shall inherâ—t they shall not dwell in Adams corrupt flesh but in Christ pure flesh And because Christs mysticall body springs from the first Adam which is from the earth earthly and corrupt Therefore the Lord takes away the filthy garments from them And purges the iniquity of that Land in one day that is in the day of Christs power and so makes them conformable to the second Adam which is the Lord from Heaven Now this seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head for God the Father hath engaged himself to subdue the Serpents power under the feet of Sâ—â—nts as well as under the feet of Christ he and they being but one body one man one branch one Vine one Son of God being but one in respect of the unity of spirit and one in respect of the unity of flesh after their iniquity is purged as it must be God being Christs God and their God Christs Father and their Father Only here lies the difference Christ hath the full measure of the spirit but God gives to the Saints severally as he will according to the measure of the fulness of Christ Jesus Christ he breaks the Serpents head by the strength of his Father which dwelleth in him And the Saints break the Serpents head by Christs strength in them even the same Anointing and hence it is that Christ the head prayed That his Disciples or body mysticall might be one with him as he and his Father were one and when the Saints are taken up into this spiritual enjoyment and feeles sees and findes by experience that Gods strength which is the anointing dwells in them and is become the Lord their righteousness they henceforth know Christ after the flesh no more And this speaks great comfort to Saints to the poorest members that live alone among the scoffing sons of bondage as well as to the whole City in generall they shall never fall from grace their eternall life is as sure as the eternall life of Jesus Christ their head in whom their life is hid God himself being that life and strength and these being part of that seed which the Father hath said shall break the Serpents head so that the Serpent shall only bruise the heel by his temptings but he shal never blot out one name that is writ in the Lambs Book of life for this compleat man or seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head The head of this mysticall body hath conquered already and is sat down in glory waiting till his body be glorified with him and so all enemies be for ever made his foot-stool And this is the Counsel of God which the two witnesses give testimony of that the Serpents head shall be bruised and sinners reconcil'd to God by no other name or power but only by Jesus Christ the anointed Son of God This anointing being God himself in man God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself not imputing their sins to them But the Lamb Christ Jesus he is the chief and the power of the Faâ—her appeared first in him and after that through him in the Saints to break the Serpents head according to the word of the Father And this is the testimony which these two faithfull witnesses beare witness to for the glory of the Father who is engaged In this was manifested the love of God towards us Because God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him And we have seen and do testifie that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God That is acknowledge that Jesus is that power whereby God will break the Seâ—pents head God dwells in him and he in God And so again who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus the Anointed is the Son of God And this eternall councel and purpose of the Father That the seed of the Woman should break the Serpents head was declared as soon as the devil or red Dragon had deceived the whole world in Adam And this Councel of God is held forth to the world in all the promises in all the Mosayecall types and in all the prophesies of old For minde it the Scriptures point out nothing else to us but this That Jesus Christ is the onely begotten Son and strength of God whereby he will subdue the power of darknes and translate sinners into his owne Kingdome and glory and he is the very righteousnesse of God whereunto the selfeconceited Jewes and Gentiles will not submit And therefore God had need of faithfull witnesses to bear testimony hereof to the world such witnesses as men may say after the vail is taken off their hearts that without doubt their testimony of the Fathers Councell is true Such witnesses as can and will prove their testimony not from the writings and words of others but from their own experienced knowledge of what they have seen and heard and been made acquainted with from God The world is so far from believing this report That the Anointed is the power of God That when Christ appeared as a man in the flesh they reproached him under the name of a Mecannick tradesman a Carpenter and never rested till they had killed him and cast him out And now in these Latter dayes when Christ comes in Spirit ruling and working in the Saints according to the promise of the Father truly the ignorant deceived world denies him still will not own his spirit but jeeres him calling him the Spirit of the Divell and a spirit of errour even as the Jewes told Christ after the flesh that he was a deceiver of the people And this deceived world or corrupt flesh of man endeavours to make lawes and establish â—hem with all possible policy and power to â—ring the
Anointed into bondage and will not allow him a liberty to worke where and upon whom he pleaseth but would restrain him to their scanty measure the principles of the flesh and so though the world allow Christ the name of King Priest and Prophet yet they will act â—hese Offices themselves both over him and over his body the Church Ey but Gods two faithfull witnesses shall not only prove that Christ is King Priest and Prophet in name only but that he is those in â—ule in operation and powre proving it in â—heir own experience which in time the world â—hall see and be ashamed though for the present they will not see nor be ashamed for â—heir envy to Christ and his fellowes And â—hen shall the glory of the Father be advanced â—nd the song of the Saints shall set the Crown of glory upon the head of him that sits upon the Throne and upon the Lamb for evermore For then all Nations shall see the word â—nd councel of the Father fullfilled that the â—erpents head is bruised by the seed of the woman This is their testimony which I lay â—own generall but the witnesses prove their Testimony by particular experiences as hereâ—fter I shall relate some CHAP. III. Who these two Witnesses are that God speaks of to whom he will give power to Prophesie in sackcloth a thousand two hundred and sixty daies NOw the second thing is to shew who these two Witnesses are which God speaks of I will give power to my two witnesses And these are the word of God and the Spirit of God or Christ in flesh and Christ in Spirit or the Anointing in the person of Christ after the flesh or the Anointing in the flesh of Saints And these are but one in respect of nature one Spirit and one flesh one body as I have shewed But they are two in respect of their appearance or manifestation in or to the world The man Christ Jesus who was borne of the Virgin and dyed by the hands of the Jewes at Jerusalem he is the one Witnesse And the body of Saints in whom the Spirit of Jesus Christ dwells who are persecuted for the same testimony that Christ held they are the other witnesse And my understanding herein is built up as followes ☞ There are three that bear witnesse in Heaven The Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are one But one Witnes though three names or denominations By Heaven I understand the Church or the City Zion in whom the Anointiug dwels and in â—hem and to them the witnesses of those three â—n one is satisfaction enough and the Saints â—ife is bound up in that divine manifestation and â—hey live in that life and see light in that light The son of righteousnes the Lamb the Anointng is the light of that City which makes it Heaven The Testimony of men to the Saints is noâ—hing they have no peace nor joy in their hearts till God himself do witnesse to them by â— lovely manifestation of himself taking them â—p into his own rest And this is God in three discoveries which make up but one witnesse both in and to Zion the Church not to the World first but to them first and afterward to the World Then there are three that bear witnes in earth The water bloud and Spirit and these three â—re one but one witnesse though 3 denominaâ—ions making one perfectman Now by Earth understand either the Saints before they have a cleare manifestation before their filthy garments be quite taken off them For then they look upon Christ after the flesh and seek for testimonies of the Fathers love and promise in a â—itterall way and God condescends to the weaknes of their flesh for in the fulnes of time God â—ent his Sonn made of a VVoman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons according to the promise Gen. 3. 15. Or Secondly by Earth I vnderstand mankind all sects and Nations as they are considered one flesh or one earth of which all of us are made even one created humanity And unto this earth God sends water bloud spirit in two appearences to witnesse this his faithfulnesse that what he spake shall come to passâ— That the seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head God cals these his two witnesses because they are two discoveries of his own wisdom and power For first By water bloud and spirit I understand to be our Lord Jesus the seed of the woman a perfect man according to the flesh who 〈◊〉 the first faithfull and true witnes the humane â—ody of Christ and the eternall spirit that dwelt â—herin or that power which God gave I wil give power to my two witnesses c. And God gave this is power when the holy Spirit descended like a Dove upon Christ Jesus when he was baptized and came straight-way out of the water This power God gives to both his witnesses but to his humane body first If you look into the Evangelist Iohn you shall find that one of the Souldiers with a spear pierced Christs side and forthwith there came out water and blood now the water and blood declared Jesus Christ to be a true and reall man the seed of the Woman according to the word and Councell of God and so the VVord was made flesh and dwelt among us and we saw the glory thereof as the glory of the onely begotten Son of God full of grace and truth Now Physitians say and it is a truth that the heart of man hath adjoyning to it a bladder or skin of water which cools the heat of the bloud Which they call the Pericardium And the Spear piercing Christ to the heart did break that skin of water and so there came out that water and blood that was in his heart this shews he was a man the seed of the Woman And then for the spirit or power that was in Jesus Christ declares him to be one faithfull witnesse for though hisfufferings were so great that he sweat drops of blood yet there was no sin or murmerings against God found in him but he was still full of the sprrint of humility and patience of love and of faithfulnesse to God his Father who had assigned him that cup to drink And likewise was still full of the spirit of love to poor lost sinners that flood in need of this his death or else they could not have bin reconciled to God and this unbsameable spirit of his gives testimony to Heaven and Earth that Christis the great power of God and so the world to the councel of his Father For indeed no son of man besindes him could be found to suffer the like intolerable burden of wrath and yet beare it with such a patient understanding loving faithful and pittiful spirit towards others as Christ did Now this humane body of
two Olive-trees and the two Candlestickes strand before the God of the whole earth saith john And these two stand by the Lord of the whole earth saith Zechariah I conceive the meaning is two-fold as the phrases are different They stand by the Lord of the Whole erth saith Zechariah that is they hold with him as two friends maintaining one and the same cause in giving testimony and in convincing the world by experimentall discoveries of this truth and counsell of God that the seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head and none holds with me in these things saith God to Daniel but Michael your Prince And they stand before the God of the whole earth saith John that is as they two faithfull witnesses the Anointed and the Anointing Christ and his Spirit hold with God in defence of his Word Truth and Honour so these two Witnesses they stand before God that is they are alwayes in his eye in his heart are his delight and his right hand and so will honour them as they honour him And so certainly will subdue all enemies under Christs feet as under the feet of his humane Body so under the feet of his Body the Church which are the heele of Christ and so part of his feet according to the word of the Father therefore the Apostle speaking of Christ This man saith he after he had offered up one sacrifice for all sate down at the right hand of God expecting till his enemies be made his fâ—ot-stool And Zechariah makes it yet more plain That Iesus Christ a perfect man in the sense aspresaid is Gods two witnesses that both stand by and before the God of the whole earth As Zech. 4. 7. Who are thou O great Mountain before Zerubbahel thou shalt become a plain And â—o forward to the end of the ninth verse Zerubbabel types out Iesus Christ who is the King or chiefe Governour in Sion Gods holy Hill For Zerubbabel was the chief of the Fathers of Israel that was carried into the captivity of earthly Babylon And he was reckoned the first that came out of that literall Captivity All other Priests and Elders were counted inferior to him as appeares Ezra 2. 2. Nehem. 7. 7. And this types out Iesus Christ that is the Head and chiefe of Saints that was carried or rather sent captive into mysticall Babylon that is to prophesie in Sack-cloth under the wisdome and powers of the flesh or Serpent which ruled in the Jewes and Gentiles and under which he was slain And he was the first that returned with joy from that Captivity for he rose by the power of God the third day and ascended to his Father And all the rest of the Saints in their appointed time when their testimony is finished they shall come along with Christ our or from under then same captivity as inferior Priest and Elders For Christ the first fruits then afterwards they that are Christs as it shall be in that other resurnection where these words are used I. Cor. 15. Then again Zerubbabel was the chiefe thaâ— did build the Temple and Walls of the Citiâ—Jerusalem which was thrown down all the rest of the Fathers and Elders were inferior to him as appears Ezra 4. 2. Nehem. 12. 1. And this types out Jesus Christ who is the chiefe in Zion and whose hands did lay the foundation of that spirituall House of God both in respect of one private Saint and in respect of the whole body as is mysteriously declered by Zechary chap 4. 9. For where it is said that the hands of Zerub babel have laid the foundation of this House and his hands shall finish it it points out cleare to me that by the phrase This House hath reference to the golden Candlestick in the second verse which is the Church Zion or House of God for there is no other House spoke oâ— but this as is likewise mystically held forth in the chapter before which is the voyce of the Father unto Christ the Anointed under the name of Joshna the high Priest If thou wilâ— walk in my wayes and keep my charge then shalt thou also judge my House and I will give thee places to walk in among these that stand by Heare now O joshua the high Priest that is Christ the Anointed thou and thy fellowes that sit before thee for they are men wonderd at that is the Saints or House of God in whom the Anointing dwels the foundation of this House the hands of Jesus Christ hath laid and his hands shall finish this Temple and City building Therefore God the Father makes a boasting exultation over all enemies of Christ that rise up to hinder him in building Gods spirituall House the Saints as Sanballat and Tobia rise up to hinder the building of literall Jerusalem Who art thou O grat Mountain before Zerubbabel thou shalt become plain that is who art thou O great wisdome and powers of the flesh and darknesse before Christ my Sonne ye shall all be trod under his feet nay his very heels shall stamp you down For behold I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH and he shall break the Serpents head Then God goes on to hold forth to our view his two faithfull witnesses which he calls the two anointed ones which stand by the Lord of the whole earth which are the Branch that is first the Man Christ Jesus the anointed For in him the Godhead dwels bodily and he is pointed out by the name Joshua the high Priest and by the name Zerubbabel as being the first and chiefe witnesse Then secondly his mystical body the Saints which being united to him and he to them by the same Anointing makes up Gods Branch And these are pointed out to be Joshua's mysticall body that was cloathed with filthy garments in the dayes of corrupt flesh before God caused their iniquity to passe away and cloathed him with change of garments that is with the beauty of the anointing ☞ Now mind this that though the Saints be many particular persons yet as they stand in relation to Christ they are but one body kniâ— together by that one Spirit the Anointing and Jesus Christ as he is called the Anointed of the Father cannot properly be called a perfect man if he should be separated or stand at a distance from the Saints his body and spirituall house therefore the Apostle joynes Head and Members together and so make up one compleaâ— Christ or Anointed in Eph. 4. 13. and 1 Cor. 12. 12. as you may read And these I conceive to be Gods two faithfull witnesses the Man or Child Jesus who is the head and chiefe witnesse and the Citie Zion who are anointed with the same Spirit every one with that measure as God is pleased to divide to every one his portion as he will according to the measure of the gift of Christ And these two witnesses stand by the God of the whole
a little higher and yet below God too in the use of Gods Ordinances but in an outward profession to the flesh living by sense through a meer form and custome and humane These meet with woe sorrow for a literall profession exposed them to the lash but to worship God in spirit carries away the smart when the flesh is let loose it prepares misery to it self and to all that live after the flesh The third woe is yet to come and I have nothing to say of it only I greatly rejoyce in expectation of that universall glory which God will reveal to his Saints and into which they shal be taken up when those dayes come But the middle woe or the second in course is now in being And there are great troubles to be acted in the world but yet for the comfort of the Saints two things are to be noted First that under the sound of the sixth Angel that pronounces the woe The death of the Beast is declared and that his determinate time is quite finished and though he strive mightily like a dying hog for life at the last gaspe yet he shall never reign again in Majesty established by an usurped Law over Christ and his Saints as he hath done for his time times and dividing of a time his 42. months and his three dayes and half are upon the point of expiring And the Lord Christ is beginning nay hath begun to take the Kingdom and to reign of whose Kingdom there shall be no end Secondly note that under the sound of the sixth Angel the Witnesses are to be killed but to arise from death and ascend up to God in the Cloud And their rising is the Inhabitant of the earths woe even to such as have no hope but in this life it will be and it begins to be a time of woe to them for all creature comforts helps and communion shall be taken away and dead to them And I believe we are under that sound oppression and injustice doth so mightily abound in the Kingdoms and Magistracy of the world for when the seventh Angel sounds then Christ or the Anointing â—ho is King of righteousnes and King of Peace shall reign in the Kingdoms and Magiâ—tracy of the world for a certain space or a thousand years as the Scripture speaks which yet generally doth not appear though this Kingdom of Christ doth begin to appear in among the Saints that are scattered abroad The Beast is giving up his last breath and his violent kicking and sprawling troubles the whole world for a little time for the spirit of the Beast is the life of the Inhabitants of the Earth therefore I believe the Witnesses are not in killing but in rising from death and that the world must see ere long which will be a third woe to them when they shall see poor despised Saints whom no man regards to partake of the glory of the City of God and they themselves put by There is one passage of Johns Vision while â—his sixth Angel sounds which gives light hereunto the words are these Loose the four Angels that are bound in the great Riverâ—uphrates And the four Angels were loosed c. These are four evill Angels as I conceive which stir up the four quarters of the Earth to enmity against every appearance of God so that there shall be risings up of much bitternes in the East West North and South among the Sons of men against God though they think not so for they think their cruelty is godlines and they think their malice is zeal and they think their oppressing imprisoning murdering the Saints under the name of erroneous Round-heads doth God good service And it appears they are four evill Angels because they were bound up like prisoners in so bad a place as in the River Euphrates and they were prepared for this time that is For an houre a day a moneth and a year to slay the third part of men It appears they are four evill Angels if we consider first what the great River Euphrates is I believe this Euphrates is the spirit of the Beast or the very Serpent himself which like a great River overflowes every Son and Daughter of the first Adam And this River Euphrates is to be dried up when the sixth Angel powres out his Violl so that the way of the Kings of the Earth might be prepared The meaning to me is this That when this spirit of the Beast is dried up destroyed and subdued then the Kings of the East or such in and upon whom the Son of righteousnes rises first which are the Elect or City Sion they come and take the Kingdom and the Anointing in them who is the Lord our righteousnes reigns in the earth that is in mankind forever and ever The spirit of the Beast or Serpent is called Euphrates because as the River Euphrates in the History overflowed a great part of the Earth So this spirit of darknes overflowes man-kind and drownes them in ignorance pride covetousnes malice disobedience discontent deceived zeale but when this is dryed up as it must be when the seaventh Angel sounds then the Nations appeare for God And the Saints are called Kings of the East for their knowledg and for their faithfulnes to God for as the wise men or Kings of the East found out where Jesus Christ lay when he was born but would not tell Herod who laid wait to kill him but went another way So these spiritual Kings of the East or as Daniel calls them the wise or understanding people They know where the Anointing appears and they know that the Kingdom of Christ is spirituall for the Anointing teaches them all things and they have experience of the love sincerity humility peace and the like which are the Laws and walls of that Kingdom And likewise they know that the spiritual powers of darknes as ignorance pride envy discontent hypocrisie self-love and the like is the Serpent that would destroy Christ or the Anointing for if pride ruled which is the Serpent in the Children of disobedience then humility which is Christ in the Saints must be destroyed And if malice reign then love which is Christ in the Saints must die And so of all the rest And the Saints knowes this therefore in the second place they are called Kings of the East because they do not betray Christ into the hands of Herod the Serpent but they hold forth the power of Christ in faith and patience till God finish his work thereby destroys the enemies Now when pride covetousnes injustice envy self-love and the like is dried up like a River that cannot run Then the way is prepared for these Kings of the East to take the Kingdom and to reign in with Christ and righteousnes for ever and these four Angels were bound up in this River Euphrates and were