distinction between the Beasts war with the Saints and his war with the Witnesses when they are to be overcome and killed by him As for his war with the Saints it commenced with the beginning of his Reign as is apparent Rev. 13 4-8 And this war runneth through the whole Reign of the Beast unto the very time that the Witnesses have finished their Testimony after which there * Rev. 11.7 beginneth a distinct particular war with them otherwise why is it said That when they have finished their Testimony the Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war with them overcome them and kill them For it may be said the Beast hath been at war with the Saints ever since he first arose True but this last war of his with the Witnesses is more particular eminent and signal as directed especially against them and not generally against all the Saints as his former wars were by which he rose still higher and higher whereas after this particular and last war of his with the Witnesses he descendeth and falls still lower and lower whereof I shall speak more hereafter By his first wars * Rev. 13.7 he got power over Kindreds Tongues and Nations whereas when he hath slain the Witnesses the Kindreds and Tongues and Nations shall dislike his doings and hinder his attempts to bury them It being thus hence it will follow that in this last war the Ministers of the Gospel and the Churches * Rev. 11.3 4. who are properly the Witnesses must be the special object of the Beasts opposition As for the rest of the Saints they shall escape this civil slaughter that is they shall fare better the enemy shall not fight with small nor great save only with the Witnesses I mean the heat of the Battel shall fall especially upon them they shall be sadly handled others shall not be so strictly looked after the weapons of the Adversary viz. his Edicts Mulcts Fines Counsels Menaces Searchings Apprehensions Restraints Confinements Impoverishments Banishments c. are principally directed against them they shall be sought after and carried away when others shall better escape So that this war you see is distinct from that general long lasting war against the Saints spoken of in the thirteenth Chapter But are not all the people of God Witnesses Quest especially when they profess and practise against the Beast Yes Answ in a large sence but not in the strict meaning of the word in this eleventh Chapter And among all the Saints the Martyrs of Jesus may best be called Witnesses for so the word signifieth but the Witnesses that we have here to do with are as I humbly conceive from the Text Ministers and Churches of Christ 5. The Witnesses must be slain * Rev. 11.2 not in the streets but street of that great City that is not in all places under the power and dominion of the Beast but in some one particular Province or Nation which hath not at least fully cast off and renounced his Interest It must be such a Nation in which Jesus Christ doth not Reign visibly but the Government thereof is subservient to the Beast at least as to the end and issue of the work if not also as to the intention and scope of the workers And yet it is not totally immers'd in Popery because there is a plentiful Testimony therein given against it else how should the Witnesses be slain therein But what Street may this be Quest I will not define particularly only it is some remarkable Street Answ because there is * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. an Article in the Original prefixed to it as much as to say that Street And when this Street is afterward mentioned under the notion of the tenth part of the City both the tenth part and the City have this Article of Eminency set before them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ver. 13. Now it is eminent either in relation to the Witnesses that have formerly lived in it and especially that live in it immediately before the Slaughter i. e. It must be a Nation eminent for its Testimony against the Beast and for its Testimony for Jesus Christ and his Kingly Power in and over the Churches which is the special matter of their Testimony for which they are slain or else it is eminent as belonging to the Beast in a special manner And in both these respects as saith a worthy and learned Writer this Street is no other but Germany But I do rather fix upon the first of these respects because that Testimony is the point upon which the Witnesses are slain and no other eminency can be found in the Text though peradventure there may be some other Countrey besides Germany which hath been very eminent for its relation to the Beast and which hath afforded him no small revenue and support It therefore concerneth us to consider what Countrey and Nation hath been most eminent for its Testimony for Jesus Christ and his complete Mediatorship For though Germany hath been famous for its Witnesses in their generations yet the eminency of the Witnesses must lye not in the number of them that give the Testimony but especially in the clearness and completeness of the Testimony given I say The Street must excell in that respect which will not be found in Germany but rather in some other Country in which the Kingly Power of Christ in and over his Churches hath been testifyed both by Doctrine and Practice and if you can find out that you have found the Street And peradventure when you have found it you may find also that such a Street may better brook the Prophetical and Priestly Offices of Christ than his Kingly Power and Government I say better though you may not find a full and cordial approbation of either but as touching the Kingly Office of Christ that will in no wise be admitted but pertinaciously rejected upon this apprehension that Christ and Caesar cannot consist * Joh. 18.36 though Christ hath said the contrary but the pride of man will not endure it You see partly what a Street it must be in which the Witnesses must be slain And by this you may further see by the way what it is in Reformations not to make through work For such a Street I conceive it will be that is not discharged from subjection to the Beast but is subservient to his Interest though it may not be professedly cordial to him But what then is it you will say not to go through stitch with Reformation It greatly gratifieth the Devilâ— who when he seeth that there is still a remnant of Idolatry and Superstition unpurged presently he markes use of that for the continuance of that persecution which before was grounded upon other Cauâ—es which are now removed by a partial Reformation For such a persecution must necessarily be in such a Nation or else how could the Witnesses be slain there So dangerous
light and help from the Spirit and see what it doth amount unto However wait for a while loâ—ger and time will prove a sure Interpreter REV. XI 12. And they heard a great Voice from Heaven saying unto them Come up hither And they ascended up to Heaven in a Cloud and their Enemies beheld them IN the former Verse we find the Witnesses upon their feet in this we find them upon the wing In the words you may observe 1. A Call given them and it is by a Voice 2. It is a great Call for it is a great Voice 3. From whence it cometh from Heaven 4. The Witnesses hearing it They heard a great voice 5. What it saith viz. Come up hither I shall only paraphrase upon the verse and conclude with application And they heard a great Voice from Heaven Heaven is put for the Church here upon Earth For as the Church is distinguished from her seed Chap. 12.17 So here from her Witnesses The meaning therefore is There comes a voice out of the Church to the Churches and Ministers to rise up yet higher and nearer Heaven For the Spirit speaketh in the Churches to the Churches as you may see in the second and third Chapters of this Book of the Revelations This I take to be the meaning of the words 1. It seems to be set here in opposition to the Beast who is said to ascend out of the bottomless pit ver 7. The Beast lives in Hell upon Earth the Saints in Heaven 2. It stands also in opposition to the former condition that the Witnesses were in who but now lay dead as it were upon the earth and now behold they are called up to Heaven 3. This Heaven is the same that is mentioned ver 19. but that is the Church of God and therefore so is this Now the voice that calls to them from this Heaven is a great Voice declaring a loud call Here then is a Commission and Warrant given them to prophesie again and to follow their former employment and not in the least to be discouraged for their Call is very clear distinct and audible it being a great voice And some do conceive that this Call comes from men in publick place and I should be glad it might prove so but I much doubt of it upon these grounds 1. Because it is said That when they ascended up to Heaven in a cloud their Enemies beheld them Now these enemies are those who lately slew them and therefore were men of Place and Power And still they are the men they were as very Enemies at the Resurrection and Ascension of the Witnesses as when they slew them Therefore surely these could not call them They who beheld them as Enemies when they ascended up to Heaven would never call them up to Heaven 2. It is said in the following words That in the same hour there was a great Earthquake and the tenth part of the City fell and in the Earthquake were slain of men seven thousand These are the enemies spoken of in my Text as I shall further shew you when I come to ver 13. So that this call here comes not from men in publick place they are enemies you see after the Resurrection and at the Ascension of the Witnesses And the Voice here comes from Heaven which is no place for the enemies of the Witnesses This Voice then comes from the Spirit of God in the Churches working an inward powerful instinct and impression in these Witnesses c. They heard a great Voice It is not said that others heard it It is somewhat like the voice which Pauâ— heard from Heaven Act. 22.5 when he was near unto Damasâ—â— They that were with him saw the light that shined about him but they heard not the voice of â—im that spake to him That is They did not hear it distiâ—â—tly for the men that journeyed with him stâ—od speechless hearing a Voice Act. 9.7 but seeing no man It was a Voice and a great clear distinct voice but in Paul's ears only not in theirs So here c. But what is the subject matter of this call Come up hither Not lâ—â—g ago there was a great voice or vote from Heâ—â— against these Witnesses and now there is a voice from Heaven to them and foâ—â—â—em The first was from the Beast ascending out of the Bottomless pâ—â— this is from the Spirit speaking from Heaven to them The first cryed Dâ—â—â— with them This from Heaven cries Up with them Come up hither The first laid them as it were upon the Earth in the streets This calls them up to Heaven Quest But what shall they do there Answ Wherefore as if the voice should say Here is more work for you the Church is rising higher than it was It is nearer Heaven more pure and refined more set upon Separation more elevated above the world and preparing for more glorious times approaching under the seventh Trumpet and therefore Come up hither which intimateth that formerly they preached lived and conversed at a lower rate than now they must and are here called to do For the Churches are risen and all things in the Churches are higher and got up nearer unto Heaven and the Saints must now live far above their former selves Wherefore abide no longer where you are but Come up hither And in this Call there is a motion implyed Come which hath a term from which 1. The Earth or a lower condition of living before when the Witnesses savoured too much of the Earth and when their Spirits lay prostrate during the time of their slaughter For as the death of the Witnesses was in a special manner Spiritual their spirits being low and dead so now their Spirits are raised up higher 2. They move and rise up from Antichrist and his Pollutions and all his earthly and hellish waies of Worship Mixtures and base conversations 3. From that Bondage and servitude which the Witnesses were lately in unto the Wills of men before their Resurrection so that sometime after their Resurrection there will be a very great change in the Churches of Christ as to purity of Doctrine and Worship and Holiness of walking and Gospel-liberty far beyond what was before Thus you see their Call cleared 2. I come now to their Obedience to this Call or great Voice from Heaven And they ascended up to Heaven in a cloud and their Enemies beheld them In which words there are three things considerable 1. Their Ascent to Heaven 2. In what manner in a Cloud 3. Who saw them thus ascending their Enemies beheld them 1. They ascended up to Heaven The great Voice is accompanied with great Power that the thing commanded is soon accomplished They willingly and readily attend the Call declaring that their hearts were wholly in it Come up hither Lo we come and must we yet be more separate from sin and sinners as to communion with them and from Antichristian pollutions and from the world We desire nothing more And
frequent and fearful changes unto the very Captivity of the ten Tribes Again When God brought his people of Israel out of Egypt this was a periodical time and there was now a very great change coming upon the World and the Church therein not the like thereunto excepting in the time of the Deluge from the foundation of the World Pharaoh and the Egyptians were now to be destroyed in the Red Sea and the Church to pass into Canaan and there to settle And God signified this great change by an Earthquake properly and literally so called O God saith the Psalmist when thou wentest forth before thy people when thou didst march thorow the wilderness the earth shook the Heavens also dropped at the presince of God even Sinai it self was moved at the presence of God the God of Israel Ps 68.7 8. See also Ps 77.15 16. to the end The Earthquake therefore in my text signifies some great and eminent change brought in with shaking and affrighting Judgments commonly for the destruction of Gods enemies and sometimes for the deliverance of his People Thus you see what kind of Earthquake is here meant and what it signifieth But let us look a little further into it and compare it with other Earthquakes in this book of the Revelations which we may call Apocalyptical Earthquakes of which we find five 1. The first at the opening of the sixth Seal Rev. 6.12 2. The second at the opening of the seventh Seal Rev. 8.5 3. The third in my Text near the conclusion of the sixth Trumpet 4. The fourth at the sounding of the seventh Trumpet Rev. 11. last 5. The fifth at the pouring out of the seventh Vial Rev. 16.18 Among these this in my Text is the middlemost the two first like the two last fall in quickly the one after the other the first under the sixth the second under the seventh Seal a little before the sounding of the first Trumpet after which we meet with no more Earthquakes till the close of the sixth Trumpet in my Text which long interval takes up above a thousand years during all which time the Earth seemeth to stand still not simply but in comparison with what is now like to be at the close of the sixth Trumpet and the beginning of the seventh The world is now drawing towards its end that its shaking fits do come so fast upon it and some more than ordinary Change is hasting upon the World for there have been great Changes in it during the long Interval aforesaid and yet none of them have been called Earthquakes as this here in my Text which though it falls only upon the tenth part of the City yet it is a fair warning to all the other parts and a sure Pledge of their approaching ruine The far greater part of this Interval between the second and third Earthquake hath been taken up with the Reign of the Beast and of the Turk who in all this time have met with no such considerable Change as now they are warned to look out for and which shall shortly befall them under the seventh Trumpet but as for the change signified by the Earthquake in my Text it appertains especially to the Beast who slew the Witnesses The same hour there was a great Earthquake Great Let us consider that a little and compare it with the other four Earthquakes For they are all great and as it seemeth greater than this here in hand The first mentioned Rev. 6.12 is expresly called a great Earthquake and surely greater than this in my Text For that was so great that it shook the whole Pagan Empire and overthrew it funditùs with an utter destruction as in the Verses there following It overthrew the Pagan Emperial world the Heavens thereof the Sun Moon and Stars thereof and every Mountain and Island belonging thereunto Rev. 6.12 to the end and all the persons therein from the King to the Bond-slave This then was a dreadful Earthquake which shook and overthrew the whole fabrick of the Heathenish Empire and introduced a blessed Change as to the Christian world * Rev. 8.2 at least for a season But now as for the Earthquake in my Text though it is great yet nothing near so great as shaking only and overthrowing a tenth part of the great City Only know thus much that it will destroy the Heavens the Sun and Moon and Stars of this tenth part and overturn the little world therein For all the Apocalyptick Earthquakes overthrow Worlds the first the Roman Pagan world the second the Roman Christian World the third fourth and fifth the Romish Antichristian World after which succeedeth the Millenary World which the Apostle calls The World to come H. br 2.5 2. As for the second Earthquake at the opening of the seventh Seal and immediately foregoing the sounding of the first Trumpet Rev. 8.5 this also was a great Earthquake though it is not expresly so called For 1. A great Change followeth it as appeareth in the eighth and ninth Chapters 2. Whereas there are several expressions of Terrour when it comes as Voices and Thunderings and Lightnings and an Earthquake there seemeth to be a gradation in the words and the sorest dispensation brings up the rear and that is an Earthquake So that this also looks greater than that in the Text in hand 3. Compare the Earthquake in my Text with the next to it under the seventh Trumpet and though this here is great yet that is greater so as it is not in my Text. 1. Because accompanyed with Lightnings and Voices and Thunderings and great Hail 2. Because it is the immediate fore-runner of those Vials which shall utterly destroy the Beast Whereas the Earthquake in my Text shakes only a tenth part of the City and makes way for the seventh Trumpet 4. Compare it next with the Earthquake at the pouring out of the seventh Vial Rev. 16.18 And though this in my Text is called great yet that is greater and indeed the greatest that ever was For mark what the Text saith of it There were Voices and Thunderings and Lightnings and there was a great Earthquake such as was not since men were upon the Earth so mighty an Earthquake and so great and the great City was divided into three parts This Commotion and concussion made the great City to fall asunder And great Babylon came into remembrance before God to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath and every Island sted away and the mountains were not found and there fell upon men a great hail out of Heaven every stone about the weight of Talent c. Well therefore may it be said There was not so great an Earthquake since men were upon the earth For now also the Romish Antichristian world is wholly destroyed and the Millenary introduced For in these three last Earthquakes it is observable that there is a gradation that in my Text is exceeded by that verse last and this exceeded
abundantly by that under the seventh Vial which is the sweeping and concluding Earthquake And in these two last it is observable again that they are accompanied with Hail the first of them with great hail but the last with so great that every Stone is about the weight of a Talent big enough to brain an Oxe or an Elephant for God now knocks down not only the great Beast but the Turk and Devil also And now not only the Earth shakes under the Beast but the Heavens also from above discharge as I may say their Cannon-shot such massy Hail-stones as God hath reserved against this day of battel and war and now is fulfilled what is written The windows from on high are open and the foundations of the earth do shake Isa 24.18 It will be now in the end of this Antichristian World a◠in the end of the Old World when the deep from beneath and the Windows of Heaven from above met together and conspired to destroy that world of the ungodly Thus I have opened to you these five Revelation Earthquakes comparing that in my Text with the other four as the least of them all yet called a great Earthquake considered simply in it self as also effecting a great work in throwing down the tenth part of the great City Let us come now to the effect of this Earthquake in the following words And the tenth part of the City fell By City here we understand the great City spoken of ver 8. For this verse referrs to that though that is called the great City this only The City without the Epithete Great yet not without an Article or two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which amounts to as much as Great for it is That tenth part of that City so that both the City it self and its tenth part have a singular remark here upon them But what is that City that great City It is not a material City properly so called compassed about with walls but the City here being the same with that ver 8. is the whole Jurisdiction and Government of Rome And whereas it is said The tenth part thereof fell viz. with the foresaid Earthquake this cannot be meant of the City of Rome it self which is reserved for the fifth Vial which I conceive will not be poured out till after the sounding of the seventh Trumpet And though a Learned Interpreter of the Revelations expoundeth this of the City of Rome which he saith is now but the tenth part of what Rome was in former times I suppose that will not easily be proved Nor is this tenth part as I humbly apprehend to be understood Geographically for a tenth proportion of the Romish Dominion but I rather conceive that it is to be understood Mystically for one of the ten Horns among which Great Brittanny is reckoned one and by some the first But why doth there fall no more of the City than the tenth part Quest 1. Not but that it were just with God to destroy the whole City Answ which hath fully deserved it long since but God begins only with a tenth part to give the remainder of the City fair warning lest all be ruined as it will after some time longer You know this City is spiritually called Sodem ver 8. Now God gave Sodom a timely Admonition by the Conquest which the four Kings had over it and the spoil which they got therein and the captivating its Inhabitants and when this prevailed not to amend them after a while it was utterly destroyed Even thus it is with this Spiritual Sodom in my Text. 2. I further answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath a revenging eye The eye of divine Vengeance is not so much at time this of the Earthquake upon the whole City or Power of Rome as upon that part thereof where the Witnesses were slain But the whole City is guilty of this Internetion and Witness-slaughter Ob. For though the hands of multitudes and of the the far greater part by much of all the Citizens of the Romish Polity were not in this slaughter yet their hearts do fully consent unto it like as in the French Massacre Aug. 24. in the year 1572. though the blood was shed in France yet Rome did even triumph when they heard thereof This is granted Sol. according to that of Christ Matth. 23.35 as also Rev. 18.20 But divine Vengeance falls here upon the Principals and Patience forbears the Accessaries for a season longer giving them space as yet to repent For in all the strokes and plagues that God inflicteth upon the Beast God still expecteth Repentance as we plainly see Rev. 9. last and Rev. 16.9 11. This fall or ruine then lighteth onely upon the place or Countrey where the slaughter of the Witnesses is committed to give warning to the remainder of the City which yet suffereth also in the fall of this tenth part But how and in what manner doth this tenth part of the City fall Quest it may be said 1. By dreadful Concussions Answ as if God should say I will overturn overturn overturn it God will throw down the Props and Pillars thereof with notable subversions 2. There will also be as I am apt to think a falling by falling off in the end or falling away of this tenth part from the remaining nine by them that shall survive the overthrow for I do not think that the tenth part shall be utterly destroyed The survivers shall desert the Beast and his Worship and Government So that the whole City shall be mulcted and fined a tenth part paying the tithe of it self to divine Vengeance for the slaughter of the Witnesses for the Hierarchical Power shall from thence forward cease in that Countrey which but now was the tenth part of the great City and the Countrey shall be forfeited for its bloodshed into the hands of our Lord Jesus My apprehensions are that it will be such a fall as this i. e. which will end in a falling off and that such a Change will be introduced by this Earthquake as will prove to be a great Judgment upon the great Whore The Hierarchy exercised in that tenth part shall fall and sink and never rise again like as what is sunk by an Earthquake never riseth more but is for ever buryed in its own ruines A City or Town may be shaken by a little Earthquake and yet not fall though it may stand tottering and hang a-to-side and be propt up for a time but this here is said to be a great Earthquake which will quite swallow up that which before was only shaken and shivered that now it shall never rise again It may be said perhaps That what the Sea loseth in one place Ob. it gaineth in another But it is not so with the Sea of Rome Sol. which now falls into that irrecoverable Consumption prophesied of 2 Thes 2.8 The Lord shall consume that wicked one with the breath of his mouth i. e.
and plucking them as a brand out of the burning Lam. 3.22 4. They glorifie his Justice and righteous dealings with the bloody Street saying Thou art righteous O Lord because thou hast judged thus for they have shed the blood of Saints and Prophets and of thy Witnesses and thou hast given them blood to drink for they are worthy Even so Lord God Almighty true and righteous are thy judgments And this glory is given to the God of Heaven as in my Text i. e. to the true God for as Cyrus saith in his Proclamation of liberty to the Jews The God of Heaven he is the God Ezra 1.2 3. The Remnant is now convinced of their former Atheisms Superstitions and Idolatries and give glory to the God of Heaven But is this Acknowledgment extorted from them Quest or is it freely given by them as by such whose hearts are now unfeignedly turned to the Lord It is apprehended by some Answ that it is done by the power only of a strong Conviction in the time of this great Judgment and Vengeance of God upon his Adversaries but not done by such whose hearts are now truly turned to the Lord For the Judgments of God do sometimes wring such acknowledgments from wicked men as when Pharaoh could say after the plague of the Hail I have sinned this time the Lord is righteous Exod. 9.27 and I and my people are wicked And as Joshua said to Achan My son Josh 7.19 20. give I pray thee glory to the Lord God of Israel and make confession unto him And Achan said Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel and thus and thus have I done See also Judg. 1.7 and 2 Chron. 12.6 and 1 Sam. 6.5 But others do apprehend that this Remnant here were effectually wrought upon by this terrible hand of God and gave glory to him in sincerity But I find no reasons given for either opinion yet I incline to this second If indeed this Remnant were such as had been totally immerst and drenched in Popery I should have been of the first opinion for the Jurats and sworn Creatures of the Man of sin cannot repent to give glory to God whatever judgments are inflicted on them as you may clearly see Rev. 9.20 21. and 16.9 10 11 21. The Spirit of Popery is a Spirit of dedolence and impenitency because the complete Worshippers of the Beast are noted as obstinate Reprobates Rev. 13.8 and 14.9 10. This Remnant therefore were only sprinkled and dipt a little into Popery and such may and often do repent of their Idolatries and Superstitions And by this you see that there is a possibility that this remnant may truly repent and give Glory to the God of Heaven Yea and it is probable that they do effectually repent in giving Glory unto God For it is here said that a tenth part of the City fell by this Earth-quake now How did it fall Two wayes as hath been said 1. A part therereof fell by being Slain as a just recompence for Slaying the Witnesses upon whose ascension it immediately followeth 2. The remnant also of the tenth part fell but how By falling away from the Power and Dominion of the Beast For if they had still persisted in their former courses and adhered to the Bestian Interest the tenth part of the City had not fallen by falling away because a remnant had still stood their ground And this kind of falling by falling off was also a Righteous Judgment of God upon the Beast whose Power is hereby diminished for the Remnant throws off the Papal Hierarchy never to be reassumed more by them and God is pleased to preserve them as with submission I conceive to make use of them for future against the Beast and his Interest Perhaps it is the first of the ten horns which shall hate the Whore and make her Desolate and Naked c. Surely this remnant is reserved for for some singular purpose seeing they are snatcht thus out of this dreadfull ruine for they related unto them that were Slain in that they are called their Remnant It seemeth therefore as if God intended to turn them into an Horn wherewith to goar and wound the Beast This Street then is from the time of this Earthquake and so forward for ever cut off from the great City and being now purged partly by Divine Vengeance on the bloody men of Names and partly by the repentance of the Remnant it is thenceforth consecrated unto the Government of Jesus Christ This Remnant then is reserved 1. As a Trophy of Victory and Triumph 2. For some signal Service to be performed afterward by them under the seventh Trumpet which followeth quickly upon the back of this Earthquake as you may see v. 14. And thus I have opened as God hath holpen this passage of the Earthquake and the several effects of it But now it may be inquired Quest what may be the cause of this great Earthquake As the Psalmist saith What ailed ye O Mountains that ye skiped like Rams and ye little Hills like Lambs You know what follows in answer hereunto Answ Tremble thou Earth at the Presence of the Lord at the Presence of the God of Jacob. It comes to pass therefore from the Presence of God among his People coming down to visit the Street where his Witnesses were Slain Deut. 21.15 When under the Law a man was found slain in the Field and it was not known who slew him the City that lay next unto the slain Man was to purge it self from that blood and the Elders thereof were to come and wash their hands over a slain Heifer and to say Our hands have not shed this blood neither have our eyes seen it c. God is tender of the Lives of men especially of the lives and blood of his Saints which is precious in his sight and he will certainly make inquisition for it in due time Ps 9.12 And when he goes about this act of Justice what will he do to that City or to that Street where his Witnesses are found slain not slain I say in a Field by unknown hands but in the open Street yea and by them that dwell therein and who cannot thus wash their hands He will call them to a severe account For there is a cry in the Ears of God for Vengeance 1. In the general There is a cry of many and great sins in the Streets for where such a sin is committed as Witness-slaughter surely there are many other crying sins Now the sins of a land may lye so heavy upon it that they may make it to shake and even to reel and rent again like as a Cart may be so heavy loaden that it may make the very Axle-tree to crack and quite overturn all Isa 24.19 20. The Earth saith the Prophet is utterly broken down the earth is clean dissolved the earth is moved exceedingly the earth shall reel to and fro like a drunken
and dreadful a thing it is not to do as Jâ—holadâ— did after the death of that wicked woman Athaliah * 〈◊〉 Kings 11.18 for he caused the people to break the Altars and Images of Baal in picces thorowly But to return the Witnesses you see must be slain not in the Streets but Street i. e. in some one remarkable Country under the power of the Beast and which hath not cast off his Government though yet there must be so much of Protestancy and Testimony against Papal Usurpations and Impositions and for the Kingly Power of Christ in and over his Churches as will be a fit object for Persecution even unto the slaughter of the Witnesses I know there are such as like not to have this slaughter so narrowly confined whereas the Text is express for some particular Street And there seemeth to me to be reason for it why it should be thus limited 1. Because if the slaughter should be in all the Streets of the great City i. e. in all the Countries under the power of the Beast there would be a very large Testimony and the Witnesses would be numerous who in respect of their paucity * Rev. 11.3 are here said to be two For the Testimony must be but little and narrow when the Witnesses are slain as it was never very large before 2. If they were to be slain in all Countries where the Beast hath to do where should we find those Kindreds Tongues and Nations that must hinder their Burial For as concerning these hinderers they seem to be a middle sort of people such as neither like the slaughter of the Witnesses nor yet are full for the Testimony of the slain but are of a mungrel kind and stirr'd up by a worldly interest to hinder the Burial of the Witnesses They aim not herein at Reformation nor at the exalting of the Kingly Government of Christ in the Churches according to the rule of the everlasting Gospel but are wholly swayed herein by Principles of State Now I say if the Witnesses were to be slain in all places under the Beasts Dominion where should we find out so many Kindreds Tongues and Nations so and so qualified as might suffice to hinder the Buryal of the Witnesses Again That it is not to be a general slaughter in all Countries but only in some one particular here called the Street I shall demonstrate by a further Argument In order hereunto we must know that this Street is that which in Rev. 11.13 is called the tenth part of the City for that Verse is coupled with the precedent as belonging to the same Story of the Death Resurrection and Ascension of the Witnesses and as * Vindicta divina dâ—testium inimiâ—is Pisc in Rev. 11.13 Piscator observeth there is expressed in it the revenge of God upon the enemies of the Witnesses and I cannot â—ee how it should be otherwise understood Hence then I thusargue Where the revenge of God is inflicted for the slaying of the Witnesses there and there only are the Witnesses slain But the revenge of God is inflicted only upon the tenth part of the City for the staying of the Witnesses therefore in that tenth part only are they slain For the God of Revenges in the execution of Judgment for such and such sins doth not exceed the limits of the Place and Persons offending he will not punish the Innocent for the sins of the Delinquent nor one Place for the iniquity of another And yet I cannot but say that the whole City is vertually guilty of this slaughter as being not only guilty of the like but also as approving of this But God hath * Rev. 16.18 another guess Earthquake in store for the whole City i. e. the whole Papal Dominion which shall destroy it all totally and for ever This Earthquake Rev. 11.13 reacheth only the tenth part I might further enlarge upon this point which is of great moment as to the purpose in hand by pasing through the several Streets of the great City and rationally considering which of them is most likely to commit this Martyricide as I may call it especially weighing withal what the Testimony must be upon which the Witnesses must be slain viz. Such as asserteth and exalteth the Kingly Power of Christ in his Churches as you heard but now in the second particular Now this being granted that the Witnesses must be slain in some one particular and eminent Street and not in all the whole Dition and Dominion of the Beast it will follow that the former slaughters which have been committed in many Countries and near about the same time are not the slaughters that we are here enquiâ—ing into For I have read of many hundred of thousands slain in several Countries for the Testimony of Jeâ—us about the year 1540. and afterward for some years but 1. They were slain in a proper sence 2. Not upon the point of the Kingly Power of Christ and therefore the Testimony was not finished when they were slain 3. Their dead Bodies were buried nor did any hinder it 4. They have lyen dead above an hundred years and are not like to rise again till the Resurrection at Christs coming whereas if the death of the Witnesses is proper so must also their Resurrection be 6. When the Witnesses are slain they must be looked upon by their enemies as it were naturally dead so dead in law as if they were also dead in body This may be gathered from Rev. 11.8 9 10. For the Kindreds Tongues and Nations could not so look upon them if their enemies did not so behold them nor could their dead Bodies lye dead in the Street and their enemies there living not look upon them nor would the dwellers upon earth rejoyce and make merry at their death did they not account them so dead as that they would never rise again for did they but fear their Resurrection it would marr their mirth as the Hand Writing on the Wall did Belshazzar's because if the Witnesses did torment them before they were slain O how would they excruciate them to the very death should they but rise again And hence it is that their enemies will not be contented with the death of the Witnesses except also they be buried and therefore they attempt their interment but that they are therein hindred so that this attempt to bury them is not out of any love to them but merely out of hatred fearing lest they should rise from the dead for they will never think them dead enough To this end they will make one Law after another and throw upon the slain Witnesses one Edict after another as they do upon dead Bodies when they throw one shovel-full of earth after another saying Earth to Earth Ashes to Ashes c. only not in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection of the Witnesses to life again And this multiplying of Laws upon them is interpretatively their attempt to bury them 7. There shall be