THE RESURRECTION OF The Witnesses AND ENGLANDS Fall from the mystical Babylon ROME Clearly demonstrated to be accomplished Whereby Great encouragement is administred to all Saints but especially to the Saints in England In the handling of a part of the eleventh Chapter of the REVELATION By M. Cary a Minister or Servant of Jesus Christ and of all his Saints PSAL. 126. 1 2 3. When the LORD turned again the captivity of Sion we were like them that dream Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing then said they among the heathen The LORD hath done great things for them The LORD hath done great things for us whereof we are glad London Printed by D. M. for Giles Calvert at the black-spread-Eagle at the west end of Pauls 1648. To the Honoured FRANCIS ROVSE AND Thomas Boon Esquires Members of the Honourable House of COMMONS in PARLIAMENT Honoured Sirs IT being the great designe of God the Father to set up his Son our Lord Jesus Christ as his King upon the holy hill of Sion and though the Heathen rage and the people imagine vain things saying Come let us break their bonds in sunder and cast away their cords from us to give him the Heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession I say this being Gods design he hath for the effecting of it given all power and authority in heaven and in earth into his hand and accordingly Jesus Christ hath undertaken to execute all Gods Decrees which are mentioned in the Prophesie of the Book of the Revelation where we finde that God had decreed that for an appointed terme of time his Church his Temple his Saints should be in an afflicted persecuted depressed low condition and that the Beast and the Babylonian enemies of his Church should have power to grow great and to flourish and to make war against the Saints and to blaspheme God and his name and his Saints for an appointed time also and that after that time was expired that then Jesus Christ should improve that power that was for that end given to him in giving a glorious Deliverance to his Church and ruining totally the Beast great Babylon and all his enemies That so the Kingdomes of this world may become his Kingdoms and that in such a manner as they were not before even so as all that are in authority that will not cast their Crowns at his feet shall be broken in peeces for he the Lord alone must be exalted in that day there must be one Lord and his name one in all the earth Now as it most clearly appears to me from the divine Oracles of the Scripture having compared the works of God and his Word together I have in the ensuing Discourse held it forth for the encouragement of all that wait for the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ for the overthrowing of his enemies and the deliverance of his people from their persecutions that the time is already come wherein the appointed time of the prevailing power of the Beast over the Saints is come to a period and accordingly Jesus Christ hath begunne to bring downe the power of the Beast and to lift up his Saints out of that low afflicted persecuted condition in which they have beene and that in order to the perfecting of these things England is already fallen from the mysticall Babylon Rome Now Honoured Sir You having been glorious Starres shining with a great deal of splendour in Your Countrey both in the publikenesse of Your spirits and the holinesse of Your conversations wherein You have been eminent Examples and speciall encouragements unto others and knowing that it is the desire of Your souls to see the Lord Jesus alone advanced who-ever be thrown down I have presumed to present this little Treatise unto You not doubting of Your ingenuous and favourable acceptance of it But though I publish it under Your name and favour yet doe I not thereby desire You to patronize any thing in it if there should be any thing that is not truth and for the truth that is in it I need desire no Patron For great is the truth and it will prevail Yet notwithstanding the sonnes of truth as farre as the truth appears to them in truth will own it and contend for it and doubtlesse so will You. I am Sirs A Petitioner to heaven for Sions this Kingdoms and your prosperity M. C. TO THE READER OUr Lord Jesus Christ in the eighteenth Chapter of Luke from the first to the eighth verse from the example of the importunate widdow stirring up his Disciples to importunate praier he there assures them That God will surely hear the praiers of his own elect that cry to him day and night and avenge them of their adversaries and this he will doe for them though he make them tarry long And hereby Saints may be assured That God will hear their frequent importunate praiers which night and day they have put up against the man of sinne the Beast and their Babylonian enemies who have troden the Saints under feet and made warre against them and overcome them and dealt cruelly with them above this twelve hundred years and that he will at last avenge them on these their enemies But saies our Saviour at the eighth verse Neverthelesse when the Sonne of man cometh shall he finde faith on earth Whereby he implies That when hee cometh his people shall scarce have faith to beleeve that hee will thus avenge them on their enemies But when he shall come to doe it it will be beyond their faith And even thus is it with Saints now they have scarce faith to believe that the Lord Jesus hath now begun and is going on to avenge his own elect on their adversaries the mysticall Babylonians Now for the strengthening of the faith of Saints concerning this thing I doe present them with this ensuing Discourse wherein as the Lord hath discovered it to me to the strengthening of my faith concerning the prosperity of Sion henceforward and giving me great joy and pleasure therein I have made it to appeare from the Scriptures That the Lord hath already lifted up his Saints from under the vassalage of their enemies and hath begunne to put the cup of trembling into the hands of them that afflicted them Which I desire that all that love and honour the Lord Jesus may diligently observe For the most high God of whom and through whom and to whom are all things and for whose pleasure they are and were created both whose wisdome and knowledge are unfathomable tels his people of old by the Prophet Isaiah as wee have it in the fourty eighth Chapter of his Prophesie at the third and the fifth verses That he declared from the beginning the things hee would bring to passe and that he shewed it them before it came to passe and he gives the reason why he did so in the fourth and fifth verses Because said hee I knew
of the Beast and a part of Romish Babylon because there was a party retained which did exercise authority over the consciences of Saints which hath proved a great bondage to them and hath persecuted the Saints as the Beast was wont to do for even in Queen Elizabeths daies there were some Saints persecuted that did scruple in some things to conforme to the Bishops though the Bishops then were not so bad as they have been since but since the Bishops grew worse and worse and became more prophane and filthy and wicked as all that usurp authority over the consciences do and as the Bishop of Rome did I say since Queen Elizabeths time that they grew worse and worse they have growne higher and higher in the persecution of Saints so that a reall godly Minister could scarce be suffered to abide in the Kingdome but many were fain to flie to Holland and New England and other places and those that did abide in the Kingdome were exceedingly persecuted And thus England did remain a horn of the Beast and a part of Babylon because there was a power retained that did exercise authority over the conscience And heerby it is evident That the late war in England and Ireland was made by the Beast For First That war was made by one of his horns England being then a horn of the Beast And Secondly This war was made by the Beast because it was by his instigation for it was evident that this war was Bellum Episcopale the Bishops war and that they together with the Queen acted for the Beast and were thereunto instigated by him and to that end the Popes Nuncioes and Jesuites were so long resident in England and Ireland and all the Papists in England and Ireland were violent in the prosecution of it So that this is clear that the late war in England and Ireland was made by the Beast But secondly as the war in England and Ireland was made by the Beast so it was made by him against the Witnesses the Saints and precious ones of Jesus Christ for that which is done against the most considerable number of Saints is done against the whole as being the way to prevail over all Now in England there are a more considerable number of the faithfull servants and Witnesses of Jesus Christ then is in any Kingdome in the World As one truly said England is the richest Ship in the World for God hath more of those precious jewels in it than he hath in any other Kingdome in the World It is true that in other Kingdomes as in France and Germany and Scotland c there are a vast number of such as are called Protestants but they are exceeding formall and luke-warme generally they are professors but few possessors of Christ but for sincere reall Saints that walke close with God in a pious holy conversation England exceeds all other Kingdomes in the world Now the war being made against these it was made against all the Witnesses against all Saints Now that it was made against the Saints in England is also evident for it was the rooting out of such as were called Puritans and Independents and Brownists that was chiefly aimed at in that war and therefore it was given out that they would leave no more Puritans in England then there were protestants in Rome And this was made evident in all their proceedings for the Puritans were they against whom they expressed their greatest malice And such as they called Puritents were the most precious Saints of Jesus Christ Thus it is evident that this warre was made by the beast against the Saints the Witnesses of Jesus Christ And the Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit shall make war against them and shall overcome them and kill them Iu this war that was made by the Beast against the Saints and Witnesses of Jesus Christ he did so prevail as he did overcome them for at the very first breaking out in Ireland there was such terrible blow given unto the Saints and they were so overcome as the Beast and his adherents thought themselves sure of overcoming all the rest in Ireland and England so that all the rest did then seem to be as dead men and as at the beginning they overcame so they continued overcoming keeping the Witnesses under for they did both prevail in the field and exceedingly overcame them that opposed them and also took Cities and Towns and Castles and got possession of County after Country so that the Witnesses whom they chiefly opposed were brought to such a low ebbe as for three years and a half they seemed to be as dead as lost and had little hope and lesse confidence of overcomming the enemy but on the other side the enemy had great confidence that the Puritants and Round-heads as they termed them should not rise again for they looked upon them as dead Verse 8. And their dead bodies The Witnesses being overcome and brought to such a low ebbe and seeming to be so unable to recover strength again to overcome the Beast they were look't upon as dead bodies as no more able to overcome the beast than so many dead carcases And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great City which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt where also our Lord was crucified There is a mention made of Rome Revel 17. 18. And there this title is given to it The great City And here again the same title is given to it The groat City But least this should not expresse it clearly enough here are some other distinguishing characters given to it and they are these First That it is Spiritually called Sodom for the abominable filthinesses and Sodomiticall practises that are in it for the abominations of that City are so many and so apparent as there is no City in the world that may so fitly be called by the name of Spirituall Sodom as it And secondly It is spiritually called Egypt and this name also is most fitly given to that City for as Egypt of old was a house of bondage to the people of God so hath Rome been a house of bondage to the Saints for above twelve hundred years Thirdly It is distinguished by this character Where also our Lord was crucified because it was by the power of Rome that our Lord was crucified so that though it was not in Rome but near Jerusalem yet Jerusalem being then under the power of Rome it was accounted as a part of Rome These are the characters that are given to Rome whereby it is made evident that this great City is Rome Now that the Witnesses being overcome that their dead bodies did lie in the street of this great City is apparent for England being one of the ten horns of the Beast is a part of that great City And so the dead bodies of the Witnesses being in England did lie in the street of that great City Vers 9. And they of the people and kindreds
in sackcloth is expired First It may be some cannot receive it because they look for farther judgements to come upon this Kingdome wherein outwardly the Saints may suffer also because of the great provoking sins of this Kingdom as drunkennesse and adulteries and oaths and their entering into so many Covenants concerning religious things for which they have no sufficient warrant now in the times of the Gospel and the oppressions of the poor and meaner sort of people and the great neglect of doing justice generally c. Now to these I say That it is true that if God should deal with this Nation according to its demerits then indeed no other could be expected but an utter desolation of it that it might either swim in bloud or burn with fire untill it were consumed But First I desire you to consider That God hath a very great number of his dear Saints in this Kingdom in whom he delights and for whose sake he may and I had almost said will spare this Kingdome and spare the Cities and Towns and Counties where they are for if God would have spared Sodome for ten righteous persons we have a great ground of hope that he will spare London yea all England from a generall devastation and desolation having thousands of righteous persons in London and in all England a very great number And how many plots of wicked men wherein they endeavoured the ruine of this Kingdome hath God blasted Having such a great number of his precious jewels in it And secondly What though hâ—ere be in this Kingdome many that are great enemies to Jesus Christ yet God can by his Covenant of Grace bring many of them in to the obedience of Christ and make them of persecutors to become eminent Saints and call those his people that were not his people And why should we doubt whether he would do so since these are the times wherein he hath promised to do so and hath already begun to doe it But Thirdly If it be so that some are hardned to destruction and they are never quiet but still are plotting against the just to ruine them yet know they shall not prevail over the Saints but in opposing them shall ruine themselves Zech. 12. 3. as appears in the following Discourse Secondly Doubtfull thoughts may be in others that yet the Saints may be overcome because they see they have so many enemies abroad and at home and they are speaking great words and are still plotting against them To such I say Let them suppose that there were none that did dare to make any opposisition at all in this Kingdome but that all things went smoothly on in the hands of those that are carrying it on and if they could then beleeve that indeed God would not have his Saints in this Kingdome to be troden under foot by the Beast any more Then let them have the same faith to beleeve it now as knowing it is as easie with God to carry on this work over the mountains as over the plains and he will make the great mountain to become a plain before Zerubbabel before his people Zech. 4. 7. He can command those that are preparing warre against them to sit still and proceed no farther and put a fear upon them or if they doe goe on yet he can make it to come to nothing and to be the most effectual way to lay them lower and to raise his people higher Now if any particular man would be as sure of safety as all the Witnesses in generall are then if he be a man in any publike imploiment let him according to his place oppose the Beast and act for the welfare of all that wish well to Sion and doe justice unto all from the highest unto the lowest and be more forward to act for the meanest then for the highest Let him suppose the condition of the meanest man that seeks to him for just things to be his own condition and act for him as hee would be dealt with himself were he in that condition for thus relieving of the poor and distressed ones is most acceptable to the Lord of Sabbath and in so doing I am confident it will go well with him however it go with others Again If he be a private man let him also in his place wish well to Sion and oppose the Beast so shall he also prosper in the prosperity of Sion And now Reader who ever thou art if thou dost receive any benefit of any kinde by reading the ensuing Discourse whether of encouragement consolation information or quickning I beseech thee to return all the glory of it to the most High to whom alone it is due who for that end made use of so weak an instrument in whom if thou be a friend to the Lord Jesus Christ I am Thy friend 〈◊〉 serve thee M. Cary. Revel Chap. 11. from Vers 1. to 14. Verse 1. AND there was given me a reed like a rod and the Angel stood saying Rise and measure the Temple of God and the Altar and them that worship therein 2. But the Court which is without the Temple leave out and measure it not for it is given unto the Gentiles and the holy City shall they tread under foot fourty and two months 3. And I will give power unto my two Witnesses and they shall prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore days clothed in sackcloth 4. These are the two Olive-trees and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth 5. And if any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies and if any man wil hurt them he must in this manner be killed 6. These have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the daies of their prophecy and have power over waters to turn them to bloud and to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will 7. And when they shal have finished their testimony the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit shall make war against them and shall overcome them and kill them 8. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Aegypt where also our Lord was crucified 9. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three daies and an half and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves 10. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoyce over them and make merry and shall send gifts one to another because these two Prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth 11. And after three daies and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them and they stood upon their feet and great fear fell upon them which saw them 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 13. And the same hour was there a great
into them did hear a voice from the Churches of Christ from most of the Saints wherein they expressed their great affection to them and owned them and embraced them in their societies They said unto them Come up hither and they again mutually embraced them they went into the Heavenly societies of the Saints they ascended up to that Heaven but it was in a cloud it was not clearly seen of men but though not clearly yet it was seen by them for their enemies beheld them their enemies beheld them though in a cloud in an obscure manner And thus it was with those Saints that were in the Army on the Parliament side as before they stood upon their feet and prevailed against their enemies they had the praiers of all other Saints so afterward were they with great affection received into the societies of Saints and embraced by them and this did appear to their enemies though not very clearly Vers 13. And the same hour was there a great earth-quake The Kingdome of the Beast being called the earth it is that earth of whom this earth-quake is spoken Now this earth-quake is said to be the same hour when the Witnesses being risen from the dead did ascend into the societies of the Saints and were by them received and embraced in that same hour there was a great earth-quake The state of the Beast hath been shaken before The Witnesses have made a former earth-quake in the Kingdom of the Beast which was mentioned Chap. 7. 5. but that is not said to be a great earth-quake but this is said to be a great earth-quake And indeed this was a greater earth-quake a greater shaking to the Kingdome of the Beast then any that hath been before it as doth appear by the effects of it mentioned in this verse Though it is true this is not the greatest earth-quake that shall come on the Kingdome of the Beast for there shall be a farre greater earth-quake that shall come upon it as appears Chap. 16. 18. yet this was a very great earth-quake a very great shaking to the Kingdome of the Beast For in this earth-quake The tenth part of the City fell This word The City hath reference unto a City formerly mentioned in this Chapter and that is vers 8. and it is there so plainly described as it doth evidently appear to be the mystical Babylon And the tenth part The ten Kingdomes that were the ten horns of the Beast were ten severall parts of mysticall Babylon which did raign over them So that England being one of them was a tenth part of mystical Babylon And a tenth part of the City fell This was one of the effects of the earth-quake which was occasioned by the resurrection of the Witnesses the Saints in England it did so shake the great Babylon of the Beast as a tenth part of it fell And this most exactly came to passe in the year of the Resurrection of the Witnesses 1645. for then did the Kingdome of England which was a tenth part of great Babylon fall from Rome for then was that removed from it whereby it had continued to be a part of Babylon the place of Saints slavery namely the power of men over the consciences of Saints For after the Army which was for the Witnesses stood upon their feet in 1645. they so cast of that power that men had had over their consciences and over their persons and estates for their conscience sake as it was not possible for the Beast nor any of his Adherents to recover that power again over the consciences of the Saints in this Kingdome though they did with all their strength and greatest industry endeavour it afterwards for the Witnesses then standing upon their feet there was such an earth-quake great Babylon was so shaken as England fell from it the yoke of bondage which was upon the consciences of Saints in England was then cast off And this was one effect of the great earth-quake which there was in mysticall Babylon at the resurrection of the Witnesses that England fell from it Thus England is fallen from the great Whore mystical Babylon and is become a president to the other Kingdoms who must all in time cast off the yoke of bondage under which they are and hate the Whore and make her desolate and naked c. Revel 17. 16. And in the earth-quake were slain of men seven thousand This was another effect of the earth-quake that as a tenth part of the City fell so there were slain of men seven thousand What is meant by the fall of the tenth part of the City is already apparent and it is not the material falling of a tenth part of any material City but the mystical falling of the tenth part of a mysticall City And sutable to this is the meaning of this slaying of seven thousand men not by the material falling of any part of a material City But the earth-quake being a mysticall shaking of mystical Babylon this is a mystical slaying of seven thousand men whereby they die mystically that is cease to live any longer to mystical Babylon being by beholding the great victory which the Saints had over the Beast converted and fallen off from the Beast which seven thousand men were before either secretly or openly lovers and worshippers of the Beast But it may be objected How doth it appear that seven thousand men or persons were so converted by the resurrection of the Witnesses Answ Though it doe not visibly appear to the outward eyes of any yet it is sufficient to perswade me and should be to perswade all Saints to believe it in that this Scripture this oracle of Heaven saith it When there was no true worshippers of God in Israel that were visible to Elijah the Prophet and that then the Lord telling him that he had left seven thousand in Israel who had not bowed the knee to Baal nor had kissed him with the mouth it was sufficient to perswade Elijah to believe it although not one of those seven thousand did visibly appear to him Therefore much more ought Saints now not to question the truth of this that seven thousand are in this mysticall earth-quake mystically slaine though it be not altogether so visible to us as other things are because this Scripture saies it And besides what the Scripture saies in it there is a probability of it for it is very probable that many are convinced that the Witnesses the Saints are Gods people and those that sight against them are enemies of God and doe fight against God I say it is probable that many are convinced of this because God hath so owned his people and given them such victory over those vile wretches that did oppose them and formerly reproach them and say Where is your God And now God appearing to be for them when the enemy were come to such a height of impiety and insolency there is no question but that many were convinced by it and fell from the Beast
look upon them as Saints then if you love the Lord Jesus you cannot but love them what ever their judgements be And if you be deficient herein you are to condemn your selves in it and to be humbled for it And henceforth considering the onenesse that is between you all what ever your judgements are and that you have been as one in your sufferings and as one in deliverances from sufferings doe you still be one in love and then upon you will the Lord command the blessing even life for evermore Psal 133. 3. Deduction 17. 17. The next and the main Deduction that flows from these verses being thus explained is a speciall encouragement in particular to the high and honourable Court of Parliament and to his Excellency the Lord FAIRFAX and the honoured his Councell of Warre and all inferiour Officers and Souldiers and in generall to all the Witnesses of Jesus Christ in this Kingdom of England First It is of speciall encouragement unto the high and honourable Court of Parliament for as much as a great number of them being the Witnesses of Jesus Christ they were the primary or first instruments that God made use of to defend the cause of his people and to preserve them from the tyranny and fury of the Beast Now you being the first instruments that God made use of to plead the cause of his people God having into your hand first put the power of opposing the Beast and that wonderfull hath been the spirit of courage and constancy that hath been put upon you in that high Court of Parliament that make it your design to advance the honour of Jesus Christ and the good of the Saints and of all the Subjects of this Kingdome in generall so that though you have been opposed by great and potent enemies yet your courage hath not failed but you have persisted constant in prosecuting the same designes since you first began to oppose Strafford and Canterbury in 1641. unto the year 1645 still opposing the adverse party and you have not basely complied with them though some corrupt members diserted you and did so but you still stuck to your first principles and God having put power into your hands hath inabled you to carry on his designe in the worst of times and after all having graciously given you good successe to your unwearied pains and labours thorow which you had gone by giving you a happy conquest over your enemies And in all this the word of God being fulfilled these things being according to what is written even your being first laid low and also your raising again it being written predeclared that the Beast should make warre with the Witnesses of whom you are a part and whose cause you defend and should overcome them and kill them and that they should lie dead three years and an half and after three years and an half should be raised to the terrour of their enemies and that in their rising a tenth part of Babylon should fall c. These things being written and fulfilled the Beast having made warre against the Witnesses whose cause you have been principle instruments of defending against him and his adherents and having overcome them and killed them both in England and Ireland and they being dead for three years and an half the enemy rejoycing over them and making merry because they thought they had been so slain as they should never recover life again your Armies being overcome and your Garisons being possessed by the enemy and after three years and an half the Spirit of life being put upon your Army and they as it is written standing upon their feet and therein at the same time England being fallen from the Beast from being a part of great Babylon and this in the year 1645. and that year being the year wherein it is written The prevailing power of the Beast should come to a period I say these things being so here is special incouragement to you Witnesses in the high Court of Parliament to goe on in defending that cause that God hath given you the honour hitherto to be instruments of defending I say to go on to defend it And that First By doing justice upon your and the enemies of Jesus Christ Hath God delivered any of the chief actours of this unnaturall bloudy warre into your hands then you being a Civil Power ordained of God are to doe justice upon evil doers for the Apostle saith of a Ruler Rom. 13. 4. He is the minister of God and he beareth not the sword in vain for he is the minister of God a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil And they are evil-doers in a high degree that are theeves and murderers and such are the chief actours of an unjust warre Now if God have delivered any such into your hands you are to execute wrath upon them for it is an observable passage 1 King 20. 42. The Prophet of the Lord there tels Ahab King of Israel after he had let Benhadad King of Syria whom the Lord had delivered into his hand to go away with his life that Ahabs life should goe for his life Therefore it is not safe to neglect doing justice upon such persons although they consent to such Articles of agreement being constrained to doe it for their own ends as Benhadad did 1 King 20. 34. Now you in the high Court of Parliament whom God hath honoured to be the chief instruments of defending the righteous cause of the Witnesses have speciall encouragement to goe on to execute just wrath upon such grosse evil doers without fear And also secondly You have encouragement to goe on to deal well with all the Witnesses and servants of Jesus Christ that walk soberly and justly toward men and holily towards God that are under your jurisdiction whether they be such as are commonly called Presbyterians or Independents or Anabaptists c. even to deal well with them and all the Subjects of the Kingdome and to undoe the heavy burdens and to let the oppressed goe free and to break every yoke and to establish just and righteous laws I say here is speciall encouragement for you to doe thus for in doing thus you shall prosper and become a glory to the Kingdome and no enemy shall ever henceforth be able to prevail against you for though formerly you were brought into a low condition and the enemy prevailed over you with a very high hand yet henceforth the enemy shall no more prevail against you although they were in number a hundred thousand more then they are And secondly From these verses thus opened here is speciall encouragement in particular for his Excellency the Lord FAIRFAX and the honoured Councel of warre since as the Parliament are the primary so they are the secondary instruments of defending the cause of the Saints of God against the Beast Now since you and the Army under you in an especial manner according to what is written and declared long agoe were they
that had a spirit of life from God put upon you in the year 1645. whereby life was put into all the Witnesses and whereby you were inabled to act like living men men that had a life from God in the overcoming the Beast and his adherents in this Kingdom and seeing you have been instruments of defending that cause ever since I say seeing God hath honoured you so as to make you such eminent instruments of this great worke and the hearts of all the Saints in England are generally knit unto you and the eyes of all the Saints in England are upon you most Noble General and Worthy Commanders here is I say special encouragement for you to goe on still to improve the power that God hath given you for the same end for which it was given you viz. The suppressing of the Beast and defending all the Saints and servants of Jesus Christ in this Kingdome and to goe on having the honour of Jesus Christ and not your own and publike good more then private ends in your eye and in your heart to endeavour to cause justice and righteousnesse to abound in this Kingdome and this is your encouragement that in so doing as you have alwaies been since 1645. So you shall ever be conquerours in all the battles you fight and overcomers of all the enemies with whom you encounter no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper nor no enemy shall be able to stand before you yea though all the people of the Earth should be gathered together against you yet you should be but as a burthensome stone unto them and all that burden themselves with you should be broken in pieces And thirdly Here is speciall encouragement for all the Saints in England in generall to be of good courage not to fear the menaces or threatnings of any enemy for no enemy shall ever any more prevail over them Now what I say for the encouragement of the Parliament and of the Generall and chief Commanders of the Army in particular and of all the Saints in England in generall is clearly grounded in the Scripture and therefore is it unquestionable and to be received and observed of the Parliament Army and Saints in England Indeed if I should declare any thing to you and tell you that I had it by vision or revelation and it were not apparent in Scripture I know no warrant you had to receive it or to have any confidence of it For as Paul speaking of the day of Christ saith to the Thessalonians Now we beseech you by the comming of the Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering unto him that you be not soon shaken in minde nor be troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us as that the day of Christ is at hand Let no man deceive you by any means for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first c. So may I say you have reason to beware that you be not soon shaken in minde or troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter from any concerning any thing for which they doe not bring a word from the Scripture and let no man deceive you for you may be deluded and deceived if you receive any thing from any which is not according to what is revealed in the Scripture as the young Prophet was deluded by the old Prophet when he received that Doctrine which was contrary to the Word of the Lord which before he had received So may you if you should so doe Therefore if a Prophet or an Apostle or an Angel from heaven should bring any message which is not consonant unto the Word which you have already received in the Scripture you are not to be shaken in minde nor to be troubled by it nor to imbrace it But now the Scripture grounds upon which I doe for their encouragement declare and affirme That the Parliament and the Army in prosecuting the righteous cause of the Saints and that all the Saints of England in generall shall all overcome their enemies and go on victoriously hence forward are these First Because the Witnesses are raised from the dead The Spirit of life from God is entered into them and they do stand upon their feet Secondly Because England is fallen from Rome and is no more a tenth part of that great mystical Babylon Thirdly Because the one thousand two hundred and threescore years in which the Beast was to tread the holy City under foot did expire in 1645. Now the first of these grounds is evidently drawn from Scripture as appears in the explicatory part of this Discourse where it is evident That that great and considerable number of Saints in England and all reall Saints of Jesus Christ of whom it is said That the Beast should make warre against them and overcome them and that they should lie dead three years and an half the Spirit of life from God should enter into them and they should stand upon their feet to the fear of their enemies and to the glory of their God And it is evident that this which this Scriptrre hath said of them is punctually come to passe The Beast did make warre against all Saints in making warre against that great number of the Saints in England in the late warre the Beast did overcome them and kill them and they were mystically dead for three years and an halfe and as soon as the three yeares and an halfe were compleatly expired the Spirit of life from God entered into them a Spirit of life vigour and courage was put upon them and they did no longer lie as dead men but like living men they stood upon their feet to the fear and amazement of their enemies and to the glory of their God who had put such a Spirit of vigour and courage upon them And now upon this ground may all the Saints in England and those Worthies in the Parliament of England and their Army who have been instruments of bringing down the power of the Beast in England be encouraged to continue opposing the Beast and acting justly and righteously toward all and be assured God having put a Spirit of life upon them and made them to stand upon their feet they shall overcome every enemy that shall rise up against them and the enemie in no battle shall be able to stand before them nor give them one defeat but shall fall before them and bee cut downe as mowne grasse and the men of warre shall not finde their hands but turne their backs and flee before them for they shall now finde them living men such as have a Spirit of life from God put upon them The second ground upon which I affirme That no enemy shall be ever able to prevail over them is clear in Scripture For it is also evident in the Explicatory part of this Discourse That England is that tenth part of the Citie which the holy Ghost in this Scripture speaks of
where it is said That upon the raising of the Witnesses and their having a Spirit of life from God put into them and their standing upon their feet A tenth part of the City fell And it also appears That England being that tenth part of the City is fallen from mysticall Babylon and is no longer a part of it but is overcome by the Lord Jesus hee is now King of it who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords who will keep it for himselfe and will not suffer it to be subjected to the Beast any more The Saints in England are brought out of the bondage of mysticall Babylon and shall return no more to it and therefore they may be confident That none of the Romish power of any of the other nine Kingdomes neither those that are more remote or those that are nearer neighbours to it shall ever be able to prevail over England Thirdly The third ground of my affirming that the Parliament Armie and Witnesses in England shall hence-forth overcome all the enemies that shall rise up against them is evident also in Scripture for it appears also in the Explicatory part of this Discourse That the one thousand two hundred and threescore daies in which it is said in this Scripture That the holy Citie should be troden under foot and that the Witnesses should be in sack-cloth by reason of the Gentiles the spirituall Babylonians tyrannizing over them is one thousand two hundred and threescore yeares and did expire Anno Domini 1645. as appeares by computing the time of the Beast's continuance as it ought to bee computed by the Scripture account And also this one thousand two hundred and threescore yeares of the Beast's continuance appeares to be then expired because it is said That when the Witnesses had finished their prophesie in sack-cloth that then the Beast should make warre with them and overcome them Now the Beast having made warre against them and overcome them and they being raised again and set upon their feet to the feare of their enehemies in the yeare one thousand six hundred fourty and five It is by this evident that that year the one thousand two hundred and threescore yeares wherein the holy City the Saints should be troden under feet by the Beast did expire And now you Witnesses in the Parliament and Parliamentary Armie and Kingdome of England may be confident that all the combined power both of men and devils which shall conspire against you shall never be able to prevail against you for you shall be troden under foot no more the Beast shall prevail over you no more for the time of his prevailing over you is expired and he must hence-forth be troden under foot himselfe and you must henceforth prevail over him and you must reward great Babylon as she hath rewarded you the Cup which shee hath filled you must goe on to fill to her double Now in these considerations and from these grounds held forth in the Word of Truth the Scripture and that part of it in this booke of the Revelation which Revelation God gave unto his Sonne Jesus Christ to shew unto his servants Let all the Saints in England be strong and of a good courage and feare not what man can doe unto them Let not the heart of any one Saint be troubled fearing that either Poperie Prelacie or Presbytery shall recover any power in England to Lord it over Gods heritage to tyrannize over the Witnesses of Jesus Christ or to restrain them from walking in that way which appears to them to be according to the minde of God But Saints be you assured it shall never be since you have a Spirit of life from God put upon you and since England is fallen from Babylon and since the time of the Beast's tyrannical power over you is expired therefore cast off all unbeleeving thoughts and all distrustfull feares of these things and be confident That Jesus Christ will by you goe on conquering and to conquer And what though a great Armie should be a preparing to overcome you as there was in July one thousand six hundred and fourty seven Yet as then they were soon blasted so they shall be for the future For you have a Spirit of life and courage from God put into you therefore men shall not prevaile over you And you are no more a part of Babylon therefore you cannot be kept in bondage and the time of your being troden under foot is expired and therefore though all the Malignants in this Kingdome and in Scotland and all those forraign Forces that those factours of Rome that are gone from England into France or else-where can possibly procure were conjoyned together in one body and marching against you yet should not your hearts be troubled nor be affraid but be assured they should be overcome by you And what though you seem to be small in number You know that God hath formerly commanded others to stand for you and can doe so still if it be consonant to his wisdome now also but if it were not so it were an evil in you to distrust his power to whom it is all one to save by few or by many For victory commeth not from the strength of horses or the legs of men but from the Lord of hosts And therefore upon these grounds let all the Witnesses of England be confident of overcomming all that shall rise up against them by the strength of the Lord of hoasts their God And having experience that God hath done thus for them ever hitherto since one thousand six hundred and fourty five let them not be of such unworthy spirits as to be distrustfull for the future Deduction 18. The last particular that I shall hence observe is To stirre up the hearts of Saints to joyfulnesse and praises O Saints considering what God hath done for you seeing hee hath put a Spirit of life upon you and hath made you that lay dead to stand upon your feet And seeing that England is fallen from mysticall Babylon and that now your enemy the Beast shall have no more power over you he that hath troden you under feet a thousand two hundred and threescore yeares shall tread you under foot no more and that now your time of prophesying in sack-cloth is expired Put you now on in stead of your sack-cloth the garments of joy and praise and walk no longer sadly being delivered out of the bondage of spiritual Aegypt and from the oppression of your enemies let your hearts be affected herewith and your souls rejoyce in the apprehension of it For suppose that when you were under that bondage so that you were driven into corners and your enemies hunted after you to make a prey of you and having taken some of you did imprison some and fine others and banish others and pillory others if one should then have come into your meetings and told you as an infallible truth That within one moneth your enemies should be brought down
Revel 16. 3 4. And to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will How Saints may be said to smite the earth or earthly men with all plagues doth in part appear page 72. where it appears That they doe it by their praiers for when the praiers of the Saints ascended up before God then it is said Revel 8. 5. That fire was cast upon the earth or earthly men and produced dreadfull effects as voices and thundering and lightnings and an earthquake Thus Saints doe smite the Earth with all plagues by their praiers But they doe not only smite the Earth by their praiers but also by their prophesying and holding forth the Testimony of Jesus Christ for by the earth here spoken of is peculiarly expressed those earthly men that in a more especial manner trod the Saints under foot Now they as before appears were the Beast the Pope and his Complices the Babylonian Romans and all that were of that faction Now these the Saints do smite with all plagues by their holding forth the Testimony of Jesus Christ against them as well as by praying against them for thereby is their Doctrine discovered to be a pack of abominable lies and this proves a plague unto them and this pains them at the very heart for by this plague they are like to die it is like to prove a mortall disease unto them and therefore is very grievous Revel 12. 11. The Saints are said to overcome the Dragon by the bloud of the Lamb and by the word of their Testimony for they loved not their lives unto the death Whereby it is evident That by holding forth the Testimony of Jesus Christ and sealing it with their bloud the Saints doe smite the devil in the Beast so as to overcome him And thus by their praiers and by the word of their Testimony Saints doe smite the earth that is their Babylonical enemies with all plagues as often as they will Verse 7. And when they shall have finished their testimony It is but a prefixed terme of time as appears in the third verse That Jesus Christ will have his people prophesie in a despicable sad and low condition cloathed in sackcloth and that is so long as the Beast is to continue as appears by comparing the third verse of this Chapter with the fifth verse of the thirteenth Chapter and that tearm of time which the Beast was to continue and the Saints to be troden under foot and to prophesie in sackcloth is a thousand two hundred and threescore years as appears page 62. Now this 1260. years being added to the year wherein the Beast received his devillish power and seat and great authority in the raign of Phocus the Emperour which was as say Historians in the year 404. I say adding to this 1260. it makes up 1664. And this year 1664 should be the year wherein the Witnesses should finish their giving Testimony Cloathed in sackcloth If this 1260 years should be computed according to the rule of Astronomers allowing 365 daies to a year and to every fourth year adding a day more But we finde that the holy Ghost in this prophesie not observing that rule doth allow but 360 daies to a year and according to that rule 1260 daies to three yeares and an half And therefore in computing the time of the Witnesses prophesying in sackcloth we are to observe the rule which the holy Ghost here laies down to allow 360 daies to a year and so the time of the Witnesses prophesying in sackcloth is to expire eighteen years and almost an half sooner then as by the other account and so the beginning of the year 1645. was the time when the Witnesses prophesying in sackcloth and of being troden under foot of the Beast and his adherents did expire And when they shall have finished their Testimony the Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit That the Pope is the Beast that ascended out of the bottomlesse pit is made evident in p. 49 c. And therefore it is the Pope that is expressed here also by the name of the Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit The Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomles pit shall make war against them This warre which is here mentioned that the Beast was to make against the Witnesses the Saints of Jesus Christ is the late warre that hath been by him made in Ireland and England as will perspicuously appear by comparing it with that description of it which is given in this and the following verses And first that this warre was made by the Beast that ascended out of the bottomlesse pit that is by the Pope is most evident For First What is done by any of the ten Kingdomes that are of his hornes is his act And Secondly Whatever is done by his instigation is done by him Now in both these respects the warre late in England and in Ireland is the Beasts warre For First All that have acknowledged any Kingdoms to be the horns of the Beast have acknowledged England to be one of them Therefore this warre being made by the authority of one of the ten horns of the Beast was made by the Beast But it may be objected But England was fallen from Rome before the warre which was begun in 1641. for Queen Elizabeth long since cast off the Popes Supremacy and it was never since acknowledged by the Kings of England and together with the Popes Supremacy was the Popish Canons and Decrees rejected and for matter of Doctrine the Doctrine embraced in England was purely refined from the dregs of mens inventions And how could England then be said these things being done to be one of the horns of the Beast and a part of the Babylonicall City of Rome Answ Although England had done these things yet England was still one of the horns and a part of that City And this will appear if we consider what it was that made the Bishop of Rome to become the Beast and what made the City of Rome to become the mysticall Babylon Now the Bishop of Rome did then become the Beast when he did receive from the devil for Jesus Christ never gave it him a power to exercise authority over the consciences of all that did professe Christianity and by this power he did oppresse and trouble and afflict the precious Saints of Jesus Christ by this means also did Rome become the mysticall Babylon for heerby did it enslave and vassalize the Saints as Babylon of old did the Church that then was and then consequently all the ten Kingdomes that did exercise this authority over the conscience did thereby become a part of Babylon and the horns of the beast by which he did push and gore and destroy the Saints of Jesus Christ And hereby was the holy City troden under foot Now then though Queen Elizabeth cast of the Popes supremacy and a great part of his devilish doctrine yet England did notwithstanding remain one of the horns