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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
head_n	beast_n	empire_n	horn_n	2,682	5	10.3706	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96871	The two vvitnesses: discovered in severall sermons upon the eleventh chapter of the Revelation, wherein, after the prophesie opened, the great question of these times. Viz. whether the two witnesses are slain, yea or no, is modestly discussed. / Preached at Lawrence-Jewry in London, by F.W. lecturer of the said place. It is this seven and twentieth day of April, 1643. ordered by the Committee of the House of Commons in Parliament, concerning printing, that these sermons intituled, the two witnesses, be printed for Luke Fawne. John White.	Woodcock, Francis, 1614?-1651.; England and Wales. Parliament. aut	1643 (1643)	Wing W3433; Thomason E100_1; ESTC R13873	76,978	106

But that this must be understood not of a reall killing but a mysticall hence appeares Such as is the resurrection of these Witnesses mentioned at the eleventh Verse such must needs be the killing here mentioned for of opposites there is the same reason But their resurrection Oppositorum eademratio we must needs understand mystically for of no resurrection properly so called do we read before the twentieth Chapter of this prophesie which must necessarily Cha. 20. 5. follow some space the rising again of these Witnesses here mentioned This then is a mysticall killing a throwing them from place out of office some civill death As when a man in place formerly now thrown out may be said to be killed in his office is dead in law So these ceasing from place in Church and Commonwealth which as Magistrates and Ministers they sometimes enjoyed and this accompanied perhaps with the killing of some of them indeed this seems the killing of the Witnesses we are to understand here I say again the killing of these Witnesses by this reckoning seems no other then the throwing them from that station which once they held in the Reformed Churches being taken off from executing that Magistracie that Ministry they once had and this possibly attended with the reall slaughter of some of them Though the other the killing of them in their office seem the main and more generall slaughter here intended Having seen what 's done to these Witnesses They are slain we next enquire who slayes them and to this the Text makes answer The beast that ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit this now next in order comes to be handled For this therefore you may take notice there is a severall Chap. 4. Vers 6 7 8 9. Chap. 13. Vers 1. 11. mention made of beasts in this prophesie in the fourth Chapter you have four beasts spoken of in the thirteenth Chapter theres mention made of two one with two horns another with tenne But no where doe we finde a beast ascending out of the bottomlesse pit this character being expresly affixed save onely in the 17 Chapter of this Prophesie whitherto having recourse Cha. 17. 8. where the holy Ghost seems not more to prophesie then interpret we shall best finde what 's meant by the beasts ascending out of the bottoml●sse pit here mentioned and so in conclusion who it is that doth slay these Witnesses In that 17 Chapter therefore you have a woman presented sitting upon a Scarlet-coloured beast having seven heads and ten Vers 3. horns In the opening whereof the woman is expresly by the holy Ghost called The great City which ruleth over the Kings of Vers 11. the earth that is Rome for at that time Rome onely of all the Cities of the world was capable of any such description and if so the Woman be Rome it must needs follow the Beast she sits upon must be the Roman Empire this follows so cleer from the former none needs to make question of it But because the Roman Empire in its Bulk considered and according to its materiale doth no more ascend out of the bottomlesse pit then other Empires and Kingdomes do to loose this knot hear a little further The holy Ghost shewing the mystery of the seven heads and ten horns tells us The seven Vers 10. heads are seven Kings or seven kindes of Government five whereof namely That of Kings Consuls Tribunes Decemviri and Dictators were expired already one namely That of Caesars was it was when John saw this Vision and the seventh that of Popes was to come and when it comes this kinde of Government Vers 8. was to ascend out of the bottomlesse pit So that by this account not so much the Empire the body of the Beast as the seventh head of this Beast comes out of the bottomlesse pit or else thus The Empire as ruled by the Popes and thus cast into an Antichristian Form this is the Beast ascending out of the bottomlesse pit The Roman Empire Antichristianized is the Beast ascending out of the bottomlesse pit slaying these Witnesses But why is this kinde of Government said to ascend out of the bottomlesse pit I was once thinking the same thing meant by this expression as by the same Beast's ascending out of the Sea at the 13 Chapter and 1 Verse which Sea is frequently in Scripture called the Abysse or bottomlesse pit and there as in other places signifies no more then a multitude of people which because subjecting themselves to the Government of this Beast thence is this Beast said to rise out of the Sea But when I finde that none of all the former heads but might in this sense be said to ascend out of the bottomlesse pit namely Because arising from the multitude of people subjecting themselves to them and yet finde none of them said to rise out of the bottomlesse pit save this last this of Popes onely it cleerly to me holds forth thus much The other kindes of Government shadowed out by the former heads had somewhat of God in them at worst were but the Ordinances of men but this seventh head this Government of Popes this hath its originall from hell its coming as the Apostle speaks is after the working of Sathan 't is his divising 2 Thess 2. 9. comes from the bottomlesse pit and shall in due time be sent thither back again So that adde this to the former and the Romane Empire under the seventh head namely that of Popes a Government devised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and established by the contrivance of hell the workman-ship of Sathan this is the Beast ascending out of the bottomlesse pit slaying these Witnesses You have seen then the enemy that wages War with these Witnesses and slayes them the next thing we are to enquire is the time when these Witnesses are slain and this is then when they have finished their testimony this now follows to be enquired concerning I finde this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 severall wayes translared some render it as here when they have finished others and those very accurate Interpreters translate the Aorist by the future and so render it when they are about to finish which latter if so the meaning must fall thus then when the Witnesses draw toward end of their mourning testimony the Church by this time being in some good measure reformed and having now gained much ground upon Antichrist are ready to throw off their Sackcloth then the Beast ascending out of the bottomlesse pit makes War with them and slayes them So that putting all together viz. Their killing The beast that kills them and The time when they are killed and you have the meaning of all at one view thus much Then when the Witnesses are about to close up their testimony and having done much in reforming the Church having regained much of the utter Court which Antichrist had gained whole possession of before are now about to put off their

be ●ut at this time the sixth head should lie a bleeding And indeed it did so for just this very yeer as some observe severall of the ten horns began to appear upon the seventh head the third thing we were to enquire I say severall of those ten horns those ten Kingdoms into which the Roman Empire became divided even this very yeer began to rise up upon the ruines of the now dissolved Empire And sure the six●h head at this time must be very low when severall of the horns of the seventh head which as was in nature so here are after the head were now become visible and conspicuous sure much more the seventh head it self upon which these horns grow was by this time in being and visible also Yet by the way not in being a hundred yeers at least before this time of the first horns springing up which yet they must say who will begin the Beast his 42 months as high as Constantine For though the horns are to be conceived after the head yet 't is an unreasonable thing to imagine them a hundred yeers after especially when we are told That these receive power at one hour with the Beast Chap. 17. ver 12. But this on the by To our purpose therefo●e again The Empire after this had some struglings with the pangs of death for the space of forty yeers or there●bout but when Genserious the Vand●l came about the yeer 455 and sacks Rome a●ain and now burns it at which time all the ten horns were grown out the ten Kingdoms grown compleat then beca●e the Roman Empire utterly extinct But now the question will be From which of these periods must we begin to reckon the Beast his forty and two months whether from the first incursions of the Goths upon the Roman Empire in the yeer 365 or when they sacked Rome in the yeer 410 or else in 455 when the Empire of the West expired or from any point of time between any of these I answer To begin with it from this or that precise yeer I dare not when the fulfilling of this same is cleerer then may we be more bold onely I should aim it to begin sometime between the first Invasion of the Empire 365 and the sacking of Rom 410. Sometime neer Theodosius the Great his coming to the Empire which Historians will tell you was about the yeer 380. And the rather I should pitch it thereabout because neer this time the woman seems to fli● into the Wildernesse also Rev. 12. I say the woman taking the opportunity of this good Prince and by him being holpen with the to Eagles wings scapes into the Wildernesse from the Dragon who in pursuing of her had just before when Valens was Emperour cast forth the Floods of Arrianisme after her hoping though in vain she would have been utterly overwhelmed by them About this time I mean some period between 370 and 380 I should begin to reckon the Beasts 42 months as also make it the common Epocha of all these severall times In which doing besides the former proof made hereof I am not altogether destitute of Authority wherewith to back it but could produce Vid. Alsted Chron. Napier others herein readily consenting also And if so and we begin the Beast his forty and two months also the Witnesses one thousand two hundred and threescore yeers neer that time I mean 380 which in all likelyhood we must do then cleerly they reach over Councel of Trent and so much more the Councell of Constance and the time of the Waldenses and fall into the lap of these times we now are conversant in By this reckoning I say beginning this one thousand two hundred and threescore yeers of the Witnesses Prophesie about 380 which I pitch upon because it is a full number not thinking but this term may perhaps begin two or three yeers before At what time the Beast his forty and two months and the womans time times and half a time in the Wildernesse begin and it not on●ly shews us the Witnesses could not be slain about the time of th● Councell of Trent which was the thing in question but also further acquaints us That we in these times must look for its fulfilling But then every one will ask me Hath there any such thing as the slaying and rising again of these Witnesses been done in our dayes yea or no I answer There hath and face doth not more answer face then something done in our times doth answer the slaying and rising again of these Witnesses And sure I must say ingeniously and so I shall shrive my self in the businesse If this be not the salying and rising again of the Witnesses I am now about to offer I cannot imagine any thing already come to passe that can be but must tell you if this should not prove for any thing hitherto done more likely then this same we are yet to look for it But I keep you too long from sight of this that seems so like to be the killing and rising again of the Witnesses you shall be delayed no longer you shall have a full view of it and perhaps when you have you may not a little be taken with it The Scene wherein these great things of the Witnesses slaying Resurrection and Ascension have been acted appears to be this Island of great Britain and the time some yeers before the calling and since the calling of this Parliament In this Kingdom therefore yet in this not excluding other places for many yeers last past there have been godly Ministers and others who by their Preaching Writing and other wayes testifying against Antichrist and his wickednesses have hereby discovered themselves to be of these Witnesses who in regard they mourned to see Antichristianisme so farre prevail as also because kept under without countenance esteem maintenance Vers 3. by a Popish Prelaticall party themselves the mean while living in all height of honour and excesse might with good congruity be said to Prophesie in Sackcloth And sure he that had seen the condition of the godly Ministers in this Kingdom not many yeers ago especially such who were so bold as to meddle with either Prelacie or the Ceremonies without the help of an Interpreter would have readily pronounced There are no other then the Witnesses in Sackcloth But forward When the date of these Witnesses prophesying draws toward an end which excluding their three yeers and an half lying dead will fall about five or six yeers agone Then the Antichristian power slayes the Witnesses silences suspends throws them from their places thus slaying them And hath not all this been fulfilled in our eyes Were not all the bold opposers of Prela●y and the Ceremonies the great remains of Vers 7. Popery in this Kingdom left undemolished were they not all silenced had their mouths stopped and so slain in this Kingdom There wereindeed some godly Ministers left but was there left a Witness I mean a bold and

is commonly believed by this reckoning we leave the Beast the space while six Vials are a pouring forth after that the term of the Witnesses Prophesie is past and ended 2. If but one Vial be poured forth when they are slain and the sixth and seventh Vial fall neer their Resurrection which they do what becomes of the second third fourth and fifth Vials where finde we any room for them they hereby become utterly excluded To say they are poured forth in the three yeers and an half betwixt the slaying and Resurrection of the Witnesses sure this time is too scant for four Vials to be poured forth in And besides the Witnesses who as we have shewn formerly do pour forth all the Vials do lie dead during all that space and therefore those Vials cannot then be poured forth To gather up all this in brief The Witnesses torment the earth with four or five Vials before they are slain the sixth and seventh Vial falling in with the time of their Resurrection and therefore that time wherein either none or but one of the Vials was poured forth as was the time of the Counsell of Trent cannot be the time of the slaying of the Witnesses 3. If the slaying and rising again of the Witnesses was then Whence is it that since that time these Witnesses have been so grievously persecuted how is it that since that time so many have continued to prophesie in Sackcloth yea so many have been silenc'd and suspended in this Kingdom in other places Had they been once slain and risen again afterward they prophesie in Sackcloth no more are slain no more If they rose again then how is it that for a hundred yeers space since that time we have found them still continuing to prophesie in Sackcloth 4. If it can be cleared that the one thousand two hundred and threescore yeers the term of the Witnesses Prophesie cannot begin so high as Constantine the Great so as to end about the time of the Councell of Trent as those that favour this opinion contend but must begin after Constantine and so reach over the Councell of Trent neerer to our times then the businesse is at an end there will be no further question in this matter To cleer this same therefore and so I shall essay to shew you when this one thousand two hundred and threescore yeers of the Witnesses Prophesie doth begin that which every one so greedily enquires after For this purpose I must remember you of what I formerly hinted namely That the time of the Gentiles treading down the holy City the time of the Beast his reigning forty two moneths the time of the woman in the Wildernesse time times and half a time and the time of the Witnesses Prophesying in Sackcloth a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes seem all of them to be the same time so that if we can finde where any of these either begin or end we shall finde where every of them begin and end also This stated which none need question proof being so obvious Vid Mede Clav. Apo. Napier Paraus to any that shall make enquiry and which only for brevity sake I do not produce I say this granted Let us essay to finde when the beast begins his forty two moneths which seems easiest of the rest and for our better direction in this work we shall make these enquiries 1. When that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Let which the Apostle tells 2 Thes ● 6 7. the Thessalonians hindred Antichrist his coming was removed out of the way For if we can finde when that hinderance was removed we shall certainly finde when Antichrist comes whose coming is just upon the removall of the hinderance 2. When the Beast had his deadly wound with the sword Revel 13. 4 5. and that healed up again for from that time forward the Beast hath power to continue forty and two moneths 3. When the Beast became ten-horned for however the Chap. 17. horns in nature are somewhat after the Beast and so here yet not so long but that by this enquiry we may gain some light and direction in this businesse For the first of these viz. When that Let that hindered Antichrist his coming was taken out of the way Sure this could not be when Constantine came to be Emperour which quashes the former opinion for after him the Roman Emperours which were the Let the Apostle speaks of continued a good space Ob. But may some say the Pagan Emperours were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the hinderance which determining in Constantines time then the hinderance became removed Resp. I answer no It was the Emperours whether Pagans or Christians that were the hinderance For both these making but the sixth head I mean the sixth kinde of Government the Roman Empire was to be cast into while these staid on they hindered the rising up of the seventh It was the sixth head standing on that hindered the rising up and appearance of the seventh To make this more plain conceive it all thus The Roman Empire is presented in this Prophesie as a Beast with Chap. 17. Verse 3. seven heads which seven heads are seven kinds of Governments one in order succeeding an other Five of these heads were gone and the sixth namely That of Emperours was in Verse 10. being then when John wrote this Revelation Which kinde of Government I mean of Emperours being but heathenish at present was afterward to become Christian yet still continuing the sixth head notwithstanding all this alteration otherwayes the Beast must have more heads then seven Till this head was wounded to death as it was to be there was no place for the seventh The Emperours the sixth head must be wounded to death before the seventh viz. That of Popes could succeed in the room of it But then it will be asked when had this sixth head the deadly wound The second thing we were to enquire concerning But before I speak directly to this query give me leave to note these two things 1. This deadly wound of the sixth head was made by the sword so you read expresly at the fifteenth Chapter 14 verse 2. Upon this deadly wound this sixth head dies not declines not but by degrees every step of its declining advancing the seventh head accordingly that was to succeed This premised we say Then seems this deadly wound of the sixth head the head of Emperours begun to be made when in the yeer 365 or there about Those barbarous Nations the Almains Quades Gothes with severall other broke in upon the Roman Empire burning and destroying where they came from this time seems laid the ground-work of the ruine of the Western Emperours Not long after this about the yeer 412 as Sl●idan reckons Sleid●n Sum Imper lib. 2. or 410 as others Alaricus the Goth sacks Rome it self sure this was a deadly blow to the Emperours indeed when the Seat of the Empire it self becomes conquered It could not