where the carcasse is thither will the Eagles bee gathered together Thither this Eagle the Divine Spirit of GOD doth resort to this Carcasse I say to Revive it This heavenly Eagle or Spirit of GOD comes and eats up all the deadliness all the corruption all the Carcass that he in us might live in the Spirit There is no true life but the Spirit of life Then may we say we live when we live in the Spirit of GOD this is called the quickning Spirit The first Man was made a living soul the Second was made a quickning Spirit Man is a living soul a living creature and it is the Spirit of GOD that makes him to live a Spiritual life but when that life is killed and slain then he hath a second life for it a better life The Spirit of life life it selfe true life indeed And we know no life no true life but in the LORD our life When HE who is OVR life shall appear c. While the Witnesses prophesie they cannot say that they live but when they have received the Spirit of life then they can truly say they live Now they can claime that title I was dead but am alive I am the resurrection and the life There is no true life til there be a Resurrection til then it 's but a state of mortallity It is not yet life But when we revive and rise again mortallity is swallowed up of life now we live indeed That 's true life that is not subject to death that is true life that cannot be killed That life that is under the Power of death that is under the Command of death that can be extinguished by death is no true life It s life to be set free from death to be dis-engaged and dis-obliged from the command of this King of fears when we can say O death Where is thy sting O grave Where is thy victory When wee can trample upon death that is life true Life indeed The Spirit of life from God True life consists in a continual flowing forth from God a daily powring out of the Divine life the Divine nature into us enlivening and quickning all our actions and services Those are not living actions living services living performances that flow not from the life of GOD in us We live when every thing we act or speak flows from the life of God in us Then wee live when al we do comes from GOD when God sends it forth God speakes it God doth it then they are living words living actions In thy presence is life The absence of the soul from the body is the shadow and but the shadow of death but the absence of GOD from a thing or person that 's death Spiritual death You cannot say a man lives except you see his soul act move speak c. If yee were Christians indeed ye would not say you live until yee hear the voice of GOD saying to you This is the way of God these are the words and works of God There is life true life indeed The reviving and life of these two witnesses is the resurrection and the life the life of the Sonne of God God comes forth in these two in the Son and in the Spirit the fulnes of God shewing it self in the flesh of Christ and the Spirit of Christ this is life These three are all in union together the Father the Son and Spirit in one conjunction and unity The Father puting forth himself in the Son by the Spirit The Father acting quickning and inlivening the Son by the Spirit these mutually imbracing each other is our life Concerning this resurrection of the witnesses observe that it is graduall The Spirit of life from God first entred into them after that they live there was a kinde of absence before but now a presence of the Spirit of God The holy God suffers a kinde of parting to be between himself and his Son ney betwixt himself and his own Spirit which is himself and after this again there is a reuniting First There must be an entrance The Spirit of God first enters into them then they live The Resurrection though it be quick though it be in a moment in the twinkling of an eye yet it is graduall First There is an entrance of the Spirit The Spirit of life from God entered into them Secondly There is a double effect of this entering of the Spirit 1. They stood upon their feet 2. They heard a great voiyce saying Come up hither First The Spirit of the Lord entered into them while they are dead while their dead bodies were lying in the streets of the great City the breath of life from God entered into them And this is very certain we shall not lose any thing that we have had Though the Lord withdraw himselfe from us a little while yet he will returne to us again and then he wil gather up al that is scattered and enter into all that 's dead And they stood upon their feet This is the second gradation or the second degree of their Resurrection which is two-fold 1. They could own the Lord they could say The Lord is with us our God is with us and in us Life is come to us We are the holy ones of God We are the golden candlesticks upon whom the light of God doth shine This is the Spirit of life from our God And then secondly they are raised from the earth and so raised as that they can stand upon their feet an expression of the dry bones Ezek. 37. into whom when the breath of the Lord came they lived they stood upon their feet an exceeding great Army So the Prophet Ezekel when he was overcome by the glory of God in the great vision he saw chapter 2. it 's said The Spirit of the Lord entred into him and he stood upon his feet And so Daniel was raised chapter 10.10 11. O Daniel a man greatly beloved understand the words that I speak unto thee and stand upright Which is the same with this The Spirit of the Lord intring into us standing up in us manifesting and shewing what wee are making us visibly to appear the anointed ones of God inabling us to stand up and own a heavenly and spiritual life and light to appear to arise to shew our selves that we are the holy ones of God And though whilest wee were slain and dead we could not owne the Lord or acknowledge him we could not confesse the Lord who he was and what he was because we were in death and darknesse yet now having the Spirit of the Lord entred into us we now being raised from the dead we stand up and are able to say Wee are the Lords wee are the holy anointed ones of God There is life and strength and confidence appearing in the witnesses standing upon their feet so that they can say We by this life or in this life of God are able to live amonst men to walk about in the Name
Before we were living but now we are life it self Wee were quickned or life was derived to us but now we have that which did derive life to us and is life it self We were acted but now Wee have that life that acts us or we had the streame but now We have the Fountain And this life is called immortality and life The best life of this life is mortality that which is made to live by another and cut off from the original dyes or that which receives life if the conveighance be stopt loseth it's life but that which is Life it self cannot dye or that which receives the life it selfe must needs be mortal now every thing that is acted is immortality and every thing that is seen and enjoyed is immortality life it selfe Now if there be so much in a living soul how much is there in a quickned Spirit The least life is better then the most excellent death A living Dog is better then a dead Lyon How sweet is life It 's that which indeed is proper to us in God and to GOD in us And is is proper to me to live in GOD. None truly lives or lives indeed but GOD who is indeed the author and fountain of life yea that is life it self With thee is the fountain of life In thy Light we shall see light Life and Light next to Life nothing so pleasant as Light or Life is pleasant when Light is in it darknes and death goe together and Life and Light go together Where ever there is darknesse there 's death and where ever ther 's death there 's darknesse In thy light we shall see light This Fountain of life and light is ours or this life and light takes us into it We are in this light we walke in this light or this light is in us it 's not another from us it 's one with us We are not another from it We are in it O this light is comprehesive and large like the light of the Sun the true light indeed The light of the Stars and of the Moon is but a borrowed light Is the light of a Candle true light But this light of GOD is most comprehensive most large This is called dwelling in the light living in the light being in be light We are altogether light We are in this light as Cristal or Gold transparent Revel 21.21 The streets of the City were as pure gold as transparent glasse This is the nature of Glasse especially if bee that is pure it doth not at all obstruct the light but willingly takes the light into it Nay in a cristall the light shines clearer then in the Ayre the brightnesse and clearnesse of a crystall makes the light it self more manifest or gives a lightening to the light or if it be rightly composed by its thicknesse it doth gather up the light into it self The Stars are the thicker part of the Orbe therefore the light gathers into them fixes there so the Lord prepares us though Earth by himselfe that we are apt to receive in the light and the light gathers into us and becomes in us more light so We naturally opposing the light of GOD and maintaining our selves as Earth in darknes til We be purified in the fire and made gold transparent crystalized til by the Spirit of Christ We are made true Crystall so rarified by the Spirit of God so rarified that the light of the God-head doth as it were gather it self in an heap together imbodi'd it self so shines clearly in us that as we are from the light so we are in the light and God doth in this vessel as it were lose it self infuse it selfe in such a vessel as Christ is there it fixes and settles and gathers it self together and shewes it selfe delightfully In thy light we shall see light We are in the light of God and our light is the light of God The day is broken The Sun of righteousnesse is risen with bealing in his wings What We see We now in thy light which is certain clear most sure it cannot fail us It 's Thy light The judgement that we have is the very judgement of God and the light in which we walk is the light of God though it be but early day yet it 's day and the light of thy righteousnesse shall shine unto the Perfect day unto high noon In this light we see light It 's light by which wee see it 's light we see the light of God or That which wee see is that by which we doe see We see nothing but God In all things we see light we see God When we see any thing any thing separated from GOD its darkness and though darknes in us as seperate from God yet as it is in God its light The light of God shining upon us doth so lighten us that we see nothing but light and walking in his light wee walk with confidence There is no fear where there is no darkness If we saw men we would not bee afraid of men and herein we are like starting Horses seeing things unperfectly wee fly from them And if wee had a perfect view of things wee should start at nothing It 's weaknesse and dimnesse that feares When God vails himself when hee dims and shuts up himselfe there is feare When he opens himselfe it flees away so that In the day of the LORD There is neither fear nor stumbling As by the light every thing is discovered as things are discovered to bee good and so desirable so things are discovered to bee evill and to be avoided There is not a Bait or Snare but is discovered and being discoveeed it 's out of danger In thy light shall we see light We see nothing but what God is we see what God dâ—th and nothing but what he doth being in the light of God we see and enjoy the light of God that light that our God is that we have that we enjoy it doth not exclude us from it but willingly receives us into it What thou hast we have what we are we are in thy light we see nothing but thee and when we see our selves in thy light we see thee wee see nothing but that which is good for we see nothing but God and nothing but in the light of God Our eye made light is in the light and it being in the light it cannot bee dark The light that we receive is not from another out of us but we are gathered up into the body of the Son the light and So the Light goes from us Not the Light to bee judged by others but the light to judge and discover others T is the great presumption of those that live in darknesse to say in the face of the light they are not what the light makes them to be That which stood up for truth is mannifest by the shining light of God to be falfhood and that which called it self by the name of God is Idolatry and that which
the earth shall rejoyce over them and make merry and shall send gifts one to another because these two Prophets tormented them c. They that dwell on the Earth shal rejoyce All fleshly powers and parts rejoyce and are glad in these formes There is an ease a freedome a joy a rejoycing that ariseth in and amongst earthly men when these two Prophets are slain And shall send gifts one to another Those that were before counted earthly men are now in their owne Esteem Heavenly Wee are say they good Christians Religious men yea in their owne esteem and so they judge of them selves in the midest of their merriment And though wee bee in the Earth and on the Earth yet wee have Peace and Quietnesse and gladnesse wee rejoyce and are merry together Now there is nothing to vex us because they that tormented us are dead This is the manner of their boasting and glorying over the dead bodies the Carcasses of the witnesses when they are slain But after three daies and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them After the death of the witnesses followes their resurrection there must be a death before there can be a resurrection People would fain ascend into Heaven and possesse Heaven and attain to the resurrection of the dead but this they cannot doe untill they be first slain You must die before you can rise I speak to those that are spirituall into whom these Olive trees have emptied themselves I say there must be a death before there can be a resurrection The most excellent the most glorious christians that I know must be slain After three daies and an halfe It 's a sad time this The slaying of the witnesses The prophesie is mournfull yet very effectuall When the Beast ascendes out of the bottomlesse pit killing the witnesses it 's a sad time but when they rise again it is a time of great rejoycing Though their death be grievious yet their resurrection is glorious After three daies and a half This is expressed else-where by a time times and half a time First A Time that 's one day Then times that 's two daies Then half a time or the division of time that 's half a day The meaning is this It will be but a while that the witnesses must lie in this sad and dead condition It will be but a day and two daies and half a day or a time times and half a time and then they shall rise again In this sad condition there will be an expectation of a quick and sudden deliverance Well saith the Soul after one day is past I shall be delivered and recover again This is comfortable that it is but a day O the slaying of the witnesses though a sad time will not be without a day to your spirits A day wherein ye shall see God A day wherein ye shall know 't is day A day wherein shall be an expectation of a seasonable and sweet deliverance But then alas there are yet two dries and half a day wherein it will grow more dark there will be multiplied evils there will be division of times Now saith the Soul let it be when God will I am contented to wait I am not carefull when it shall be When the heart shall lose its expectation of a quick deliverance and shall scarce have a thought of deliverance at all much lesse know when it shall be and shall ly down in a sweet submission now let it be when God pleaseth When this state daies or times is past then comes half a day or half a time And this is a short time now deliverance hasteneth He will cut his work short in righteousnesse For except these daies should be shortened no flesh should be saved but for the Elects sake they are shortend They are but half so much at last as they were at first God will cut his work short in righteousnesse And the Spirit of life from God entered into them There is not true life but by the Spirit of life which is in God When the Spirit of the holy God comes into us then we live that 's a life in deed Before it was the Spirit of God working in a poor low sad state it was a life in sack-cloth a mournfull a dying life a life next the grave But when the Spirit of life from God the Spirit of life that is life it self lives in man then he is well then he lives then he hath life indeed And I heard a great voice from Heaven saying come up hither Untill we hear this great voice Come up hither there is no life there is no motion but when we hear this Voyce then we live I see People are gaping after Heaven but they cannot come up thither see the glory of God or know any true solid joy or peace till they be dead and raised again Then shall they hear a great Voice saying COME VP HITHER And yet this is but the sixt Trumpet So much briefly for this time The end of the ninth sermon THE WITNESSES DEATH AND RESURRECTION REVEL 11.11 12. And after three daies and a halfe the Spirit of life from God entered into them and they stood upon their feet and great fear fell upon them which saw them 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 WE have already opened part of this mystery of the two witnesses and have shewed you who they are These two Olive trees or the two golden Candlesticks that stand on the right hand and on the left before the God of the whole earth are Christ and the Spirit who do testify and witnesse concerning the Father And though other ordinary Interpretations of the two Witnesses may be taken in as that it is the Magestracy and the Ministry the old and new Testament and the Saints yet al of them in a very far and remote way and as they have some analogy and similitude with Christ and the Spirit Christ in the flesh being the Minister Priest or Prophet of the Church and Christ in the Spirit being the Magestrate King or Governour of his Church Some take them to be the old and new Testtament which is indeed a dark Figure of Christ in flesh and Christ in Spirit The Old Testament which stood in types shadowes and figures of Christ to come in the flesh may be taken to bee a dark figure of Christ in flesh and the New testament or New Covenant being the testimony and witness of God more clearly with open face may be taken in as a figure of Christ in Spirit Some say they are the Saints and these are indeed the Saints of God the Holy ones of GOD the truly Anointed ones of God These have power that if any man will hurt them fire proceeds out of their mouthes fire proceeds out of the mouth of Christ in the Sdirit and this devours their enemies and
World shal become ours Al worldly things are taken into Heavenly they have bin devided and distinguished you know some things are carnal some things are spiritual some things are of God some things are of the World-But now al things shal be taken up into the glory of God into the glory of Christ Which is the redemption of the body the deliverance of the creatures out of bondage wherein they have been held The whole Earth the whole Creation shal be taken up and filled with the righteousnesse and glory of the Lord. And he shall Reign for ever and ever Satan and wicked men have Reigned long but they shall Reign no longer So long as Satan can Reign over us we are subject to many evills but now he is cast down and now none can Reign over us but the Lord we shall now receive no good from man so also we shall receive no evill from man no good from good Angels no evil from evil Angels No man no creature hath any power over us none but the LORD We are the Lords the Holy ones of God and none but the HOLY ONE of God Reignes over us Wee give thee thanks O LORD GOD ALMIGHTY which ART and WAST and art to GOME because thou hast taken to thee thy GREAT Power and hast Reigned The LORD the LORD Reigns he hath taken to him his Kingdome that is it for which wee give Thanks His Kingdome and Our Thanks-giving And wee thank not man but God Thanks are due to none but GOD. Because the Lord Reigns and wee shall Reign Therefore we give thanks The Reign of Christ is an Eternall Reign For ever But the Reign of GOD is for ever and ever two Eternals The Reign of Christ is an Everlasting Reign yet he gives it up into the hands of the Father and God becomes all in all and Reignes for ever and ever There are two Eternities in this Reign the Lords and his Christs The LORD delights to double his excellencies to multiply Eternities and there is no minute wherein it can be said our LORD doth not Reign no season or time wherein it can bee said our LORD doth not Reign Whilest the LORD doth give forth favour and grace by man and man gives thanks to man it s not the Eternal Reign of God and Christ The Reign of God is without intermission it 's for ever It is in all things and at all times It is in height and depth in day and night in summer and winter It 's Eternal for ever and ever Which art and wast and art to come Here are three Eternals First The Eternal that was before the world This Kingdome was before all times and shall bee after all times when times shall be no more Which ART It is present it 's no longer absent yet it is to come but not so to come as that we want it but it is so to come that we shal enjoy it everlastingly It takes in all times past present and to come It is that Circle of Eternity that comprehends al beginning and ending And HE shall Reign for ever and ever Now there is a bouble use made of this by the Spirit of God Thanks be to God by them that dwell in Heaven Down with al your glory lay down al your excellency that is the excellency of al that are heavenly to give thanks to God In the 16. verse its said They fell upon their faces and worshipped God They lie down in the dust are base and worth-less in their own eyes that they may give glory to GOD. Now they say nothing is excellent righteous or good but God Worship God fear none acknowledge none but God speak nothing love nothing be nothing do nothing but God Wee give THEE thanks Here is thanks here 's praises here 's rejoycing LORD GOD ALMIGHTY We blesse THEE wee rejoyce in THEE wee are exceeding glad of THEE we never expected good from men if wee did they fail'd us There is nothing but oppression in man But in THEE is deliverance Certainly God wil Reign in righteousnesse in justice and truth Men are in tumults wars plots mischiefs But GOD Reignes in truth and righteousnesse And the GREAT Kingdome of the LORD is our joy Therefore Wee give THEE thanks O LORD GOD ALMIGHTY The Nations were angry and thy wrath is come The World and the powers of the World are angry they fret they vex they cry-out this is Blasphemy And we expect nothing but wrath from the world and it 's proper for them that they should be wrath our joy is their wrath See how angry man is freting and vexing at Gods pulling down the Kingdoms of the Earth This is the reason of that bitternesse and malice that fury and madnesse that is amongst men What makes them so unquiet killing and destroying one another but because God is over-turning the glory of the world What makes men so full of wrath but because Thy wrath O LORD is come And the time of the dead that they should be judged All the dead shal de judged Dead Ordinances dead Authorities c. all that live not in the life of God shall be judged Nothing is life and light but the LORD nothing lives but the LORD and those that live in the Spirit of the Lord as for others they are dead and shal be judged as the dead But those who live in the Spirit of life which is in God they triumph over death and that destruction that comes upon the Kingdomes of the world They with joy can speak on this manner Their Wrath is our Love their Griefe is our Comfort their Anger is our Peace their Trouble is our Reward their Ruine is our Life This is the application the Spirit of the Lord makes to the Nations which none can with stand God dvides the world into love and wrath blessings and cursings hee wraps the world up in wrath and cursings and the Saints in thanks givings and blessings To the Saints he saith Let them say The Lord our Reward our Comfort our Love our Joy our Strength our Heaven our Life our Father our Head our Prince our King is Come But to the world he saith Let them say our Doome our Judgement our Darknes our Confusion our Dreadful day and the Dreadfull day of the Lord is Come FINIS