just at that instant of time did the Spirit of God enter into the hearts and spirits of the godly part Rev. 11.11 Ezra 1.1 both in England and in Scotland as he did into Cyrus And they stood upon their feet that is they tooke courage and put liberty life goods and all to their hands and tooke to them all that power and strength they had to free themselves from that dead and slavish condition wherein Antichrist had brought them Thus the Spirit of life from God entred into them and they stood upon their feet and saith the Text Feare fell upon them that saw them And indeed so there did fall a great fear upon all that saw them of the antichristian party Rev. 11.11 both in Scotland and England yea at Rome it self witnesse the Popes Masterpeece All that knew of the godly party rising feare and horrour seized upon them and when they stood thus upon their feet Vers 12. ready to do any service that God should put them upon Presently they heard a voyce from Heaven saying Come up hither This voice was not from the materiall Heavens or the third or high Heavens where God and his Angels are for then they should have ascended up thither neither is this voice from the Church or Temple for then they should at the same time have ascended up into a true Church-State and if they had done so Antichrist would quickly have brought them down broken them all to peeces again as he had formerly done by the power of the civill sword which was still in his hand Therefore by Heaven is meant in this place the place of Judicature the mount of the Congregation ssa 14.13 the place of justice the voice came from this Heaven That wise and godly men would now ascend to this place to do justice upon Antichrist who had slaine the Saints of the most High and witnesses of Christ and by his oppression and cruelty This voice was heard first from the whole Commons in Scotland in whom all the power which is in Heaven did originally reside and afterwards in England both from the whole Common-weale and likewise from the King himselfe who sate in Heaven Rev. 11.12 And they ascended up to Heaven that is they ascended to the high place of Judicature the same time 1639. in Scotland and afterward here in England They ascended up in a cloud Maâ— 4.16 that is in a time of great darknesse and ignorance the whole world being overwhelmed with darknesse and ignorance Likewise by a cloud and darknesse is set forth Joel 2.2 a state of misery and distresse And what misery and distresse was the people of God in and all the whole world at this very time and therefore is truly said that they ascended up in a cloud in a time of great ignorance and misery CHAP. VI. Christ is said to come at this time in the clouds of Heaven or in his Saints to execute juddgement upon Antichrist with those signes of his comming very few of his Saints that have faith to beleeve this only some few who are counted wise THe witnesses being in Heaven Mat. 14.30 the Lord Jesus is to come in the clouds of Heaven to execute judgement upon that man of fin By clouds is mystically meant the witnesses of Christ in whom he is by his Spirit as is noted in the Scripture of truth When he is said to come in the clouds of Heaven he is said at the same time to come with his Saints Dan. 7.13 Daniel saith He 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the Sonne of 〈◊〉 come in the clouds of Heaven when the thrones of those Beasts or Kings were cast down Zach. 14.3 And Zechariah saith when the Lord shall goe forth to fight against those Kings that carried Jerusalem captiveâ— meaning the Church of God whether Jâ—â—es or Gentilâ—â— and by those Kings he meanes those foure Beasts and the little horne Antichrist then saith he The Lord my God shall come verse 5. and all his Saints with him and when the Lord Christ speaks of his comming to judge the enemies of the Church and to deliver his people he saith That he shall come in the clouds of Heaven and againe saith John Matth. 24.30 Behold he commeth with clouds and every eye shall see him and they that pierced him meaning the Jewes Rev. 1.7 who shall be brought to Christ in this age and Enoch the seventh from Adam saith Behold the Lord commeth with 10000. of his Saints to execute judgement upon all for their ungodly deeds which they have committed c. ☜ The Saints of God and witnesses of Christ that are now in Heaven are very fitly resembled to clouds in a two-fold respect They serving for the same end and use in a mysticall and spirituall way as clouds doe in a litterall and naturall way First clouds are to keep us from the scorching and burning hear of the Sunne so doe the clouds of our mysticall Heaven the Saints of the most High and Witnesses of Christ keep the people of Christ from those scorching and burning beames of that Antichristian Sunne which hath burned many of the deare Saints of Christ to aâ—â—es and would doe the like to us at this time being so much enraged with malice and fury as they are if it were not for these mysticall clouds that are fixed fast in our Heaven Secondly clouds serve to carry water and moysture to water and fatten the dry and barren earth to make in fat and fruitfull To the same end in a mysticall and spirituall way serve the clouds of our Heaven not only to the Saints of God but also to all other who have been dryed and parched by the heat of that Antichristian Sunne even by his oppression tyranny and cruelty and the clouds of our Heaven are to carry water that may refresh the people of God and the whole land I meane just and righteous lawes and ordinances which may free us from those great taxations and oppressions which wee meet with from Antichrist which hath been done in part and were those evill spirits which were raised by those three unclean spirits like frogs which came out of the mouth of the false prophet Rev. 16.13 out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the Beast destroyed out of our land we should see such great floods of waters flow from our clouds as though the windowes of Heaven and flood gates of the great Ocean were set open foretold and prophesied of by the servants of God and therefore it is said The Lord will send downe blessings like raine upon the mowen grasse Psal 72.6 and as showres that water the earth the Valleys shall bring forth abundantly and the hils shall drop down fatnesse verse 3. the mountaines shall bring peace to the people and the little hils by righteousnesse Thus we see the Saints and Witnesses fitly resembled to clouds in whom the Lord Jesus
by his Spirit is come and sits upon the Throne to judge Antichrist we shall see it more plainly if we look into and open those foure signes which the Lord Christ gives us of his comming to judge Antichrist One signe is before his comming another just at his comming two after he is come The signes before his comming is First signe of Christs comming to judge Antichrist the Sunne shall be darkned and the Moon shall not give her light we are not to understand this litterally at Christs first comming to judgement to judge Antichrist but at his last comming to judge quick and dead then it may be litterall but not now of those two luminaries but mystically Antichrist is said to have a world Isa 14.13 to ascend up to Heaven In this Heaven here is the Sunne and Moon and Starres himselfe being the Sunne Oh Lucifer Sonne of the morning Isa 14.12 and his Cardinals that receive their light from him are the Moon and the Prelats the Stars of this Heaven for they are in this Heaven in the House and Temple of God where the Stars or Saints of God were and they lorded it over all that was called Gods as though they themselves had been God and they likewise sit in the high place of judicature ☞ Now these two great lights of this Antichristian Heaven were darkned a little before Christ came in the clouds of Heaven they began to grow darke in Luthers time and in King Edward the fixths time and likewise Queene Elizabeths time by the rising and shining of that glorious Sunne of righteousnesse in the preaching of the Gospels truth Matth. 4.2 and the more this Sunne shined the more those Antichristian lights grew paler and darker untill the very time that he came in the clouds of Heaven this signe before Christs comming was and is plainly fulfilled and accomplished before our eyes Secondly the signe at and in the very instant time of his comming and this signe is in Heaven Matth. 24.30 we are to keep the metaphor not litterally to be understood for those naturall Heavens as many have supposed and so have dreamed of a glorious light which was to shine or break forth from those Heavens immediately before Christ came which may be true at his last comming But by those Heavens or Heaven is meant the Heaven or high place where Antichrist had his seat and throne First he had his high place where he sate about Ecclesiasticall affaires and Church matters this is not the Heaven here meant Secondly he had his high place and throne where he sate to determine matters of the State and Common-weale Isa 14.13 Vpon the Mount of the Congregation in the sides of the North where the Judges of the civill law were wont to sit in ancient time this is the Heaven or high place where the signe of the Son of man is to appeare immediately at his comming in the clouds of Heaven and this signe was nothing else but that sudden alteration that was in this Heaven the day or yeer the Witnesses ascended up to this Heaven in the yeere before 1638. Pope and Prelate sate as sole Judges in this Heaven over the Saints and people of God but 1639. the Witnesses are raised up to this Heaven in Scotland and sit as Lord and Judges of them who by a solemn Oath made with the most high God cast out Pope and Prelate out of Heaven never to have to do or to meddle with Church or State affaire but to be cast from Heaven as the Spirit of God foretold Isa 14.2 How art thou fallen from Heaven O Lucifer sonne of the morning and how art thou cut downe to the ground which didst weaken the Nations Rev. 12.9 and againe The great Dragon was cast out into the earth and his Angels with him This is the signe of the Sonne of man in Heaven which appeares plainly by this which our Saviour notes to be at the same time Then saith he shall all the Tribes of the earth mourne when they see the Sonne of man come in the clouds of Heaven Mat. 24.30 Rev. 1.7 Was not this very evident did not all the Tribes of that Antichristian earth mourn when they see the godly party not onely to stand upon their feet which had lien dead three yeers and a halfe but now seeing them ascend to the high place of Judicature they were filled with feare and sorrow supposing some dreadfull thing would follow The Popes Master-piece witnesseth at large what feare and sorrow was not onely here amongst the Antichristian party but at Rome it selfe Thirdly the third signe was that the Starres should fall from Heaven By Starres Matth. 24.29 we shewed was meant those lesser lights of that Antichristian Heaven which was popish Lords and Prelats which were as fixed Starres of this Heaven they fell downe to the earth not to have any more power in the Church or State in Scotland the yeer 1639. and in England 1641. and shall fall from Heaven in all the other eight Kingdomes of the Beast very shortly The fourth and last signe of Christs comming in the clouds of Heaven to judge Antichrist The fourth signe Luke 21.25 is the roaring of the Sea The Sea and the waves thereof shall roare we are to keep to the metaphor Antichrist had a world in that world he had his Heavens and lights therein and he hath an earth and sea by sea in a naturall way is meant Rev. 17.15 Psal 2.1 3. Psal 149.8 Psal 2.6 nothing else but many waters gathered together metaphorically and mystically many people multitudes and nations and tongues and these are said to rage and roare when Jesus Christ in his Saints are about to bind the wicked with cords their Kings in chaines and Nobles in fetters of iron and when God is about to set his King upon his holy hill of Sion And have not we seene the Heathen and the Antichristian party rage and fume even like the waves of the Sea as though they would overwhelme and beare downe all before them but yet this their rage is nothing or but very little to what will be in all the other eight Kingdoms Oh how will they rage and lift up their waves to Heaven when Christ and his witnesse shall come to poure forth the fifth Viall upon the seat and throne of the Beast and the sixt Viall upon the River Euphrates amongst them there which will be as soone as they have poured them forth here Matth. 24.30 Thus have we seene these foure great signes of Christ comming to judge Antichrist in the clouds of Heaven in part fulfilled before our eyes And be is said to come in power and great glory This glory is not an outward luster or glory as some have suposed to be in the firmament Matth. 16.27 Exod. 34.6 Exod. 33.19 which may be true at his last comming but a mysticall and spirituall glory at this time even the
is the government and discipline of the Church which is to cover the shame of the Churches nakednesse that it doth not appeare unto the world every member of the Church and the Church her selfe walking according to the rule and order of the Gospel Matth. 18.15 16 17. We shall see this Seale agree with the fifth Trumpet and fifth Viall in the sense of it The fifth Angel sounding a Star fals from Heaven unto the Earth The fifth Trumpet sounds Rev. 9.1 Isa 19.15 Rev. 13 1â— unto him was given the Key of the bottomles pit By Star is meant a Minister or Ministers of Christ by Heaven is meant the Church by Key is meant power by bottomlesse pit is meant the depth of the craft and subtilty of that nian of sin in his cursed doctrine traditions So the Ministers of the Churches were invested with power from Christ in the preaching of the Gospel to open the depth of Satan and Antichrist in his cursed doctrine ferched out of that bottomlesse pit especially concerning the usurpation of his power Whereupon commeth a great smoak noting thereby darknesse and therefore it is said That the Sunne and Aire was filled with darknesse and in Rev. 16.10 when the fifth Viall was poured out it said His Kingdome was full of darknesse This smoake notes misery likewise therefore Locusts are said to come out of the smoake unto whom was given power as the Scorpions of the earth have power and they were to torment the men of that Antichristian world five moneths a certaine time set downe for an uncertaine and their torment is very sore as when a Scorpion striketh a man that they shall seek death and shall not find it This is noted further that these Locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battell when Christ and his Saints take the power of Churches and States from Antichrist it is to be pre-supposed that Antichrist will presently raise a very great Army to make warre with them as ye shall see anon fall out to be so by the sounding of the next Trumpet But these men that was counted as Locusts unto Antichrist they have Crownes of gold to note their victory if Antichrist should make warre with them and they have faces like men to note their Majesty and authority and haire as the haire of women to note their terriblenesse and fearcenesse and teeth of Lyons to note their greedinesse to prey upon these Antichristian men to eat their flesh Rev. 19.17 and to burne them with fire And brest-plats of iron to note their strength to encounter with him the sound of their wings being as the sound of Chariots of many horses running to battaile and their tailes like unto Scorpions to torment them Rev. 6.12 and to put them unto grievous paine and he that is King over them is the Angel of the bottomlesse pit even the Lord Christ see Rev. 20.1 2. that will ere long cast the Beast and that false Prophet into it Rev. 19.20 Rev. 20.10 yea and the Devil himselfe and shut him up and set a seale upon it binding him for a thousand yeers verse 1 2. Thus the first woe is past and behold there commeth two woes more herereafter The fifth Angell poured forth the fifth Viall The fifth Vial. poured forth Rev. 16.10 Rev. 16.10 upon the seate of the Beast and then they gnawed their tongues for paine And all this torment was when the fifth Angel poured forth his Viall upon the seat and throne of the Beast Rev. 11.12 Dan. 7.26 even when the Lord Christ and his witnesses ascended up into Heaven 1639. and when the judgement sate and tooke his Kingdome and Dominions from him For wicked and ungodly men to be taken from their high places of honour it is as great a torment to them as when a Scorpion striketh a man when Pope Cardinall and Prelates are cast from the high place of Judicature they that do it are as Locusts unto them and their torment is insufferable they gnaw their tongues for paine and they desire to die and death flees from them When the sixth Seale was opened Behold a great earth-quake Sixth Seale opened Rev. 6.12 and the Sun became black as haire-cloath and the Moon as blood and the stars fall from Heaven unto the Earth and the Heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together and every mountaine and Island were moved out of their places and the Kings and great men and mighty men of the Earth hide themselves in dens and in the rocks of the mountaines that they might be hid from the face of Christ that sits upon the throne because the great day of his wrath is come and they will never be able to abide it Christ and his witnesses being upon the throne takes away Antichrists Kingdome and Dominions from him Rev. 12.7 whereupon there fals out to be war between Christ and Antichrist foretold by the fifth Trumpet In this war there followes a great earth-quake a great slaughter amongst the men of that Antichristian Earth and the Pope the sun of this heaven becomes black as haire-cloath Isa 14.13 and his Cardinals set forth by the Moon become as blood and Popish Lords and Prelates set forth by Stars fals from Heaven those high places where they had their seate and throne even above the stars of Gods in Gods House and Temple and in the civill throne upon the Mount of the Congregation After they are fallen from Heaven their Heaven fel with them and is rolled together as a scroll and all their Mountaines and power of States and Islands is moved out of their place and set in their right place And in this battell and earthquake Kings the great men of the world crie to the Mountaines to fall upon them and to hide them from the face of the Lambe the Lord Christ because now the great day of his wrath is come in which he will take geance upon all these five grand enemies of his Church and upon that Antichristian world But this is noted in Rev. 7.1 2 3 4. that at this time in the midst of all this wrath and fury of Christ against this wicked antichristian crue he takes care of his Elect chosen people especially those that are in a true Church-state as the children of Israel was therefore set forth by them who are said to be upon Mount Sion with the Lambe Rev. 14.1 singing a new Song these must be all sealed and have the marke of God set in their foreheads Rev. 7.1 2 3 4. therefore those foure Angels that stands upon the foure corners of the Earth to hold the foure windes of Gods wrath in their hands ready to blow upon that antichristian World must not let those windes blow untill an Angel hath sealed the servants of Christ and there was sealed 144000. the same number that are upon Mount Sion in a true Church-state with the Lambe the Lord Christ their Lord
liberty to have the Gospel preached which is indeed the pouring forth of the seventh Viall that he that runs may reade it Upon the seventh Trumpet sounding and declaring what was now done in Heaven the high place of Judicature presently there was great voices of confidence and affiance in Heaven the Church that now the Kingdomes of this world should be taken out of that wicked antichristian Beasts hands and given into the hands of Christ and his Saints The people of God seeing Jesus Christ and his witnesses taking but the tenth part of the Kingdoms from Antichrist they looke from the beginning of the work to the end and were confident that the time of the enemies ruine was now come and the Churches sinall deliverance and the civill power of all the Kingdomes in the world should be put into the hands of Christ and his Saints and they shall raigne for ever and ever The same thing was shewed to Daniel almost 2300. yeares since when he saw the ancient of daies sit and the thrones of the Beast cast downe Dan. 7.9.13.14 Then one like the Son of man came to the ancient of daies and there was given him dominions and glory and a Kingdome that all people nations and languages should serve him and not him only but the Saints of the most High and the Kingdomes and Dominions and the greatnesse of the Kingdomes under the whole Heavens shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high and they shall possesse the Kingdome even for ever ever and ever Three terms and sections of times shall the Saints possesse the Kingdoms of the world after Antichrist hath his powers taken out of his hands as we shall shew anon The Churches of Christ do not only expresse their confidence and affiance they had in God for the accomplishment of this great worke that was now begun Vers 16. but they with all humility and reverence fall upon their faces before God and worship him in giving him thanks and praise which is and was and is to come who hath taken to him his great power and hath raigned And they further declare that the Nations of the antichristian world were angry Vers 18. as indeed they were at his great worke now begun and that the time of his wrath against the wicked is now come and the time of the dead that they should now be judged that is that now judgment shall be given to the poore Saints of God and witnesses of Christ that were slaine and lay dead for three daies and a halfe and that he should give a reward unto his servants the Prophets and to the Saints and to them that fear his Name both small and great and should destroy them that have destroyed the Earth which the Lord will accomplish in this present age The third effect is the opening of the Temple by Christ and his witnesses which sate in Heaven Effect 3. Vers 19. and the Temple of God was opvned in Heaven By Temple is meant the Church the people of God By Heaven is meant the high place of Judicature so by the Temple of God being opened in Heaven is nothing else but Christ and his Witnesses giving leave and liberty to the people of God thus congregated to worship Christ in his Temple And this they did first by their connivence and forbearing to trouble them and to molest them as Antichrist and his faction did and afterwards they shall give them some liberty Rev. 6.12 being tender over the consciences of men in matters of worship Rev. 21.6 But at the end of the ruine of Antichrist Then the Temple shall be set wide open that whosoever will shall enter in if they be not such as defile or work abomination This we have seen fulfilled before our eyes that those that were Christs Witnesses Rev. 10. they countenanced and spared to molest the people of God that had joyned themselves in League and Covenant to come out of Babylon Rev. 27. and not to meddle at all with that Antichristian cup of spirituall fornications and to worship their Lord and Husband Christ according to divine institution but those that were of Antichrists side though pretended otherwise they would be stirring up the common people against them untill they were cast out of Heaven to the earth even all those popish affected ones When the Temple of God was thus opened there was seene in his Temple the Arke of his Testament that is verse 19. then the Lord Christ who is the Arke of Gods Testement was seen to be in his Temple in the midst of those people that before was looked upon as factious and seditious men but the Temple being open they prove otherwise And when the Antichristian party saw that Christ and his Witnesses tooke part with these men then there were Voyces and Thunderings and Lightnings and an Earthquake and a great Haile that is then there was great stirs combustions hurliburlies quakings and feares amongst the Antichristian party And last of all these grew to a great haile or great storme and war as weshall see anon between the servants and Witnesses of Christ and those that were for the Dragon and Antichrist in Heaven The fourth effect was A great wonder which appeared in Heaven Effect 4. a Woman cloathed with the Sunne By Woman is meant the Church of God who is cloathed with the Sunne of righteousnesse and which have her Officers in the midst of her officiating and emptying the golden Oyle out of themselves into the bosome of the Church 〈◊〉 4.12 〈◊〉 1.6.20 and are as a Crowne of gold unto her head set forth by 12 Stars after the Tribes of the children of Israel and the Moon is under her feet that is under her feet are all sublunary conentment and delight shee contemning them with holy scorn derision and being great with child cryed travailing in birth and pained to be delivered that is the people of God seeing Christ and some of his Saints and Witnesses in Heaven and many that were with them were against Christ and for the Dragon The Church hereupon is with child as it were and travailes in paine to have a godly Magistracy set up in the world that those which were in Heaven the high place of Judicature that was against Christ and his Government might be cast out that so the Lord Christ that man-childe might in and by his Saints rule the nations with a rod of iron and this they cryed and travailed in paine to God by humble and fervent prayers and to his Witnesses that sate in Heaven by humble petitions from the yeer of Christ 1639. to 1641. ☞ Whereupon another Wonder appeares in Heaven a great red Dragon having ten Hornes and seven Crownes upon his heads he stood ready to devoure this man-child so soone as it was borne The devil and satan in the Roman Beast and his Image the Pope and they in and by those popish Lords
and Prelats stood ready to hinder this great designe and birth of the Church by all the power and strength they could make which were cleare and evident to all our sights 1641. when the people of God bestirred themselves both to God by prayer and to the godly party in the Parliament that those popish Lords and Prelats might be cast out Rev. 12.5 Whereupon those Petitions and prayers were heard of Christ and his Witnesses and so the Church did not onely bring forth the man-child or government but it was likewise received up to God and his Throne into the high place of Judicature and the Dragon and the Beast in those popish Lords and Prelats were cast out to the earth by a wonderfull and miraculous hand of divine providence These foure Effects have beene very evidently fulfilled and brought to passe before the eyes of all from the time the Witnesses first ascended up to Heaven 1639. in Scotland to the yeere 1641. when the Popish Prelats were cast out of Heaven here in England Some say that the Church travailed in birth 320. with Constantine who was that man-child and so he was taken up to Heaven and then the Church fled into the Wildernesse But that cannot be the meaning of the Text for the Churches worke at that time as the Spirit of God hath declared was to beare witnesse and to give testimony to that great truth of Christs kingly power in his Churches and so to all other truth which Rev. 11.3 Antichrist would afterward deny all the time of their prophesie 1260. yeers And as for Constantine he was not to rule all nations with a rod of iron this onely belonged to Jesus Christ and to his Saints Rev. 2.21 who were to reigne with him therefore this cannot be meant of Constantine nor of that time but of this very time which we may plainly see by those things which have been done in our sight and for that 6. verse chap. 12. of the woman fleeing into the Wildernesse is brought in as a seale to the prophesie with the 15. verse For from the 7. verse of chap. 11. to the end of the 12. chap. the Spirit of God sets downe nothing but what was to come to passe in our time here amongst us from the day and yeer 1635. when the Witnesses were slaine to the yeer 1641. when the warre fell out to be in Heaven between the Dragon and his Angels and Christ and his Angels onely those two verses 6. and 14. of the 12. chapter of the Church fleeing into the Wildernesse 375. And when this man-child was received up to Heaven and the Dragon and his Angels cast out of Heaven to the earth here in England by Christ and his Witnesses was a second degree of the pouring forth of the fifth Viall upon the Throne of the Beast for this casting him out of Heaven to the Earth is a taking away all his power from him both Civill and Ecclesiasticall in Church and State Thus that proud Lucifer Sonne of the morning Isa 14.10.12 is said to be fallen from Heaven and to be cut downe to the ground and to become weake like the common people of the earth both in Scotland and here in England CHAP. IX The sixt Viall poured upon Antichrist with the way or meanes by which it is done and the Instrument by whom it is poured forth the Beast and the false prophet taken and cast into a Lake of fire with the silence in Heaven about the space of halfe an houre THe Churches of the Saints declaring to all the world that the way to have all oppression and tyranny removed and to bring in all peace and tranquility was to have all those that did formerly tyrannize over them cast out of office and place of government and let the Civill power be put into the hands of Christ and his Witnesses shee bringing forth this man-child into the world is presently received up to Heaven by Christ and his Witnesses the devil and his angels who ruled the world before is now cast out of Heaven to the Earth ☞ Upon this followes warre between the Dragon and his angels and Michael and his angels Rev. 12.7 The Dragon at the same time by his taile drawes the third part of the Starres of Heaven after him verse 4. the devil will not fall from Heaven alone but he will draw some of the Starres with him By Heaven is meant the place of judicature by Starres is meant those men that sits in Parliament And was not this evident did not the third part of the Parliament fall off at the same time and was drawne after the Dragon even with his taile the popish Lords and Prelats who are his taile to make warre with Christ and his Church Rev. 16.13 14 There gâ—es at the same time three uncleane spirits like Frogges out of the mouth of the Dragon the devil and out of the mouth of the Roman Beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet the Pope which are the spirits of devils working miracles That is those Jesuiticall spirits which work with as much policy and craft as though they did work miracles and so deceive and delude men These goe forth to the Kings of the whole world to gather them to the battell of the great God Almighty Rev. 11.15 so the devil is said to cast a flood out of his mouth after the woman the Church which brought forth this man-child a flood of wicked and ungodly men which he had gathered by those three spirits This hath bin partly fulfilled before our eyes Did not those Jesuiticall spirits goâ— up and downe to the Kings of the earth France Spaine c. to gather them together in battell against the Witnesses and the Church of God when they saw that popish Lords and Prelats were cast out of the Parliament 1641. who are still at worke with the Kings of the earth and will be untill the worke be done Christ and his Witnesses seeing this presently they prepare and make ready for to wage warre against Antichrist Therefore he is said in righteousnesse to judge and make warre and shall breake them in pieces like a Potters Vessell Rev. 19.11 Dan. 7.26 Psal 2.9 Rev. 18.6 Rev. 2.27 Sixth Viall poured our Rev. 12.7 8. so the Dragon fought and his angels and Michael and his Angels but saith the holy Ghost they prevailed not neither was their place any more found in Heaven Antichrist shall not prevaile though the warre be long and bloody neither shall he get the power of Church or State any more into his hands after it is once taken out This warre which is in Heaven between the Dragon and his Angels and the Lord Jesus and his Witnesses that sit in Parliament Rev. 17.15 is the pouring forth of the sixth Viall upon that great River Euphrates which must be dryed up before that mysticall Babylon can be taken as that old river Euphrates was before literall Babylon
could be taken by the King of Persia as the Lord foretold by his Prophet Jeremy as yee shall see in Ieremy 50.38 so see 38. compared with Jer. 51.32 where you shall see the Lord threatning destruction unto literall Babylon with the drying up of that great river Euphrates by stopping up the passages and by burning up the reedes thereof with fire which were done by Darius who tooke this City from the King of Babylon Dan. 5.30 31. so shall this mysticall river Euphrates be dryed up in a mysticall sense By this river is meant those great multitudes of people that shall be gathered together into Armies to destroy Christ and his Witnesses and to keep the Dragon Beast and false prophet in Heaven in their seate and throne And they are said to be gathered together into a place called Armageddon by the Devil the Beast Rev. 16.16 Rev. 17.13 14. and the false prophet and with them those ten Kings which gave their power and strength to the Beast these shall all make war with the Lambe Rev. 17.4 and he shall make war with them and will raise a great Army against them who are said to be called and chosen and faithfull Rev. 12.6 The called ones are the men of the earth who are said to help Christ and his Church Rev. 17.16 and the ten hornes which were upon the Beasts head are to hate the Where and make her desolate and naked and shall eate her flesh and burne her with fire By these hornes is meant the Commons of all those ten Kingdomes which were under the government of the Beast in whom the power of States originally lies and these shall be with the Lambe and take part with him against the Beast as we see Scotland and England hath done already and so will the commons of all the other eight Kingdomes doe for the Word of God must be fulfilled But those ten Kings that were heads of those ten States they shall take part with the Dragon and make warre with Christ Secondly by chosen are meant the Saints of the most High who are said to overcome Antichrist Firstly Rev. 10.11 By the blood of the Lambe Secondly By the word of their testimony And last of all They loved not their lives unto death ☞ They willingly ingaged themselves in this great quarrell between Christ and the Beast Chosen ones will be faithfull but not the called chosen and faithfull The Lord Christ notes this of them that are chosen that they shall be faithfull to him in this war but yet he secretly hints to us that the men of the earth will be trecherous This great Army of Christ shall be raised by that little stone cut out of the Mountaine without hands by that civill power which Christ and his witnesses hath in their hands now they sit in Heaven therefore Heaven is said to be opened Rev. 19.11 that is now there is liberty given by them that sit in Heaven That now men shall take up armes against Antichrist The Lord Christ is upon a white Horse in Heaven as the Captaine of the Lords Army Josh 5.14 and the Armies which followes him is said to be in Heaven being raised by that civill power which the witnesses have in their hand in Heaven and Christ and his Army is said to be upon white Horses which note the innocency of the cause and victory over them in this quarrell it being the custome of the Romans to ride in triumph after victory upon white horses or else their Horses and Chariots covered with white Againe Zach. 14.4 the Lord Christ is said to stand upon his feet upon the Mount of Olives in the day he goes out to fight against those Kings that carried the Church and people of God captive which is meant of this very time By Mount is meant power and there be but two powers in the world the Church power and the State power It is not meant the Church power for then this mount should have been called Mount Sion by which the Church power is alwaies set forth and this Mount should have been in Jerusalem in the Church and not before the Church But this Mount is that civill power of States set forth by that Mount Olives which is before Jerusalem so this civill power is before the Church of God and chiefly for the good of the Church And upon this Mount or power doth Christ stand with his feet By feet he meanes his Saints so the Lord Christ by his Spirit in his Saints and witnesses stands this day upon this Mount Olives And this mount saith the Text shall cleave in the midst towards the East and towards the West towards the North and towards the South This is fulfilled at this day Is not this power or Mount cloven in the middle part of it is in the hands of Christ and his Witnesses as they sit in Heaven and part of it in the hands of Christ and his Army which is in Heaven upon white Horses And this power shall extend it selfe from West to East from North to South to take away the power from Antichrist in all his ten Kingdomes and to dry up that great river Euphrates from one end of the world to another and this power or Mount is to be divided one part in the high place of Judicature and the other part in the Armies as is at this day untill they have poured forth the fifth and sixth Viall and then it shall close and become one in the yeare of Christ 1655. So by that little stone even that little civill power which is in the hands of the Witnesses shall the fifth and sixth Viall be poured upon the Beast and that great River Euphrates This sixth Viall of Gods wrath and indignation Isa 34.2 is said to be poured upon Euphrates upon all Nations and his fury upon all their Armies upon all the ten Nations of Antichrist and upon all their Armies that shall be raised be will utterly destroy them Vers 5. and give them up to the slaughter The sword of the Lord shall be bathed in Heaven upon the high one◠which are on high Isa 24.21 upon the Kings of the Earth upon the Earth it shall be filled with blood Isa 28.18 that the Mountains shall be melted with their blood This is called the overflowing scourge which was to passe over the whole earth and the houre of temptation that should come upon all the world to try them Rev. 3.10 Chap. 19.17 18. and the slaine shall be so many that it is called the supper of the great God and all the fowles of Heaven are to eate the flesh of Kings of Captaines of mighty men of the flesh of horses and them that sit on them and the flesh of all men Rev. 9.18 small and great bond and free Even the third part of men that are upon the Earth shall be slaine in this warre to dry up this great river Euphrates
The great MYSTERIE OF GOD OR The Vision of the Evening and the Morning opened Whereby comparing Scripture with acts of Divine Providence will plainly appeare that the Ruine of Mysticall Babylon and the Erecting of spirituall Jerusalem are the ground of these present Commotions which are not to cease till by meanes of this present Parliament The Worke being so compleated That Christ shall in and by his Saints in tranquility reigne on earth one thousand yeeres Revel 1.2 Blessed is he that readeth and they that heare the words of this Prophesie and keep those things that are written therein for the time is at hand Exod. 15.18 The Lord shall reigne for ever and ever Dan. 2.22 For he revealeth deep and secret things he knows what is in the dark and the light dwelleth with him Revel 22.10 Stale not the sayings of the Prophesie of this Booke for the time is at hand LONDON Printed for John Wright in the old Baylâ—y 1645. To the RIGHT HONOURABLE the House of PEERS AND TO THE HONOURABLE the House of COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT at Westminster HIgh and most honoured ever renowned Senators the Lord of his free grace and love having about some two or three yeers since cast my thoughts and meditations upon that great vision shewed unto his servants Prophets Daniel and John concerning the time of the raign and the ruine of these five grand enemies of the Church set forth by the Spirit of God to Daniel to be one Image and to John to be but one Beast all in league together to persecute the Saints of God by comparing the Words of God and the Acts of Gods providence one with the other I finde that these enemies destruction is nigh at hand and Gods peoples finall deliverance neere yea the worke is begun already and will not be long before the Lord will consummate it Withall I humbly conceive that You are those two great Witnesses which the Spirit of Christ foretold long since should be raised up to Heaven the high place of Justice and Judicature though all the people and Saints of God from the yeer of Christ 375. unto 1639. be reckoned for his Witnesses and so looked upon by Christ because they all bore witnesse unto those Truths of Christ which that man of sinne denied yet You in a more especiall manner at this time because You are not onely to protest against Antichrist and his grand lie who said That the power of Churches and States belonged to him But You are that Judgement which should sit and take his Kingdome and Dominion from him Dan. 7.26 raised up to Heaven by the power of Christs Spirit for the same end Dan. 2.34 45. And by that little stone cut out of the Mountaine without hands even by the Spirit of God the day You ascended up into Heaven by this little stone shall you destroy all those enemies and when You have taken all powers from them As will further appeare in the following Treatise Psal 149.6 the Civill power will remaine in Your hands as You are Christs civill Magistrates and all the exercise of the Ecclesiasticall power of Churches shall You give unto the people of God which are the Body of Christ whereof You being Members and sitting with the rest of Your Brethren in Gods House Rev. 21.2 10. shall exercise that spirituall Sword and by Your leave and Authority the Saints of God are to build that holy City new Jerusalem Psal 149.6 where God and the Lambe will have his Throne Rev. 22.1 He who is the meanest and lowest Instrument that ever the Lord Christ made use of for so great a worke doth humbly crave leave to conceale his name and to present these his Labours to Your Honours that the whole world may see and know what great things Christ will by You doe for his Church and people The Lord make good his great and gracious promise unto You Isa 28.6 who hath promised to be a Spirit of Judgement to You that sit in Judgement and Strength to You that have turned the battell to the gate and for a Crowne of glory and for a Diadem of beauty unto the residue of his people The Preface to the Christian Reader THe union and onenesse of all the grand enemies of the Church of God Dan. 8.26 from the evening to the morning with their fury and rage against the people of the most High and the time of their destruction and ruine with the time of the Churches Captivity with those severall Titles which the Spirit of God sets them forth by sutable to their conditions they were to be in and the time of the enemys fall the finall deliverance of the Church together with the ways and means of their Redemption is called The great Mystery of God Rev. 10.7 and 5.1 Dan. 12.9 and 8.19 Rev. 1.1 and 22.6 and 5.3 written in a little booke and sealed on the back side with seven seales and the words closed up and sealed till the time of the end A mystery and vision shewed to Daniel and John But no man was found in Heaven nor in Earth neither under the earth worthy to open and to read the booke Vers 5. neither to looke thereon but the Lord Jesus the Lion of the Tribe of Judah he prevailed and was counted worthy to open this little booke and to loose the seven Seales thereof And you have this Lion or Lambe who had been slain opening all the seven Seales 5 6 7 and 8. Chapters And this mysterie of God or little booke was not finshed or opened till the seven Trumpets sounded Rev. 10.5 and then an Angel that stood upon the sea and upon the earth lift up his hand to Heaven and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever That there should be time no longer that is that the enemies of the Church should have no longer time to tyrannize and raign over the Churches of the Saints nor the mysterie any longer concealed And saith further that in the dayes of the voyce of the seventh Angell when he shall begin to sound the mysterie of God should be finished Vers 7. And we shall finde that this Angel did not begin to sound untill the witnesses were ascended up to Heaven and the tenth part of that Antichristian City fell Rev. 11.5 Therefore though many learned and pious men have undertaken to open this book and to loose the seven Seales thereof Rev. 5.4 yet indeed were not able because they were not found worthy and because this vision was to be shut up for many dayes and the words and booke closed up and sealed with seven Seales till the time of the end Dan. 8.26 and 12.19 Rev. 5.1 Something indeed hath bin done by way of Ecclesiasticall History and paraphrasing upon the Text Vers 9 10. but to open the booke and loose the seven Seals did only belong to that Lamb which was in the midst of
the throne and of the foure beasts and in the midst of foure and twenty Elders he onely was counted worthy because he had beene slaine and redeemed his Church and people not onely from the wrath of God and Hell and Death but out of every kinred and tongue and people and nation and hath made them to God Kings and Priests and they shall reigne with Christ upon the earth 1000. yeers Rev. 20.4 This mysterie being now finished and this little booke and seales broken open Rev. 11 12. which were done the yeere the witnesses ascended up to Heaven 1639 when the tenth part of that Antichristian City fell as shall be shewed at large in its place then the Lord commanded his Prophet to make it plaine upon tables Vers 13. that he may run that readeth it Hab. 2.2 3. Dan. 12.10 And saith further that at the end the vision shall speake and not lye The Lord promising they that are wise shall understand this vision at the time of the end Rev. 1.3 Prov. 1.6 Now they are counted wise and blessed in this respect to understand a vision or mystery and the interpretation thereof Dan. 9.2 the words of the wise God and his darke saying who search and read the books and rolls wherein God hath wrapped and folded up these great mystery of the enemys ruine and the Churches deliverance and that trace and eye God in those secret wayes of his providence as that holy man of God did Psal 107. By which acts the Lord makes his vision and mystery plain upon tables that he that runs may read The Lord of his free love and grace having given some understanding in this great mystery and vision accordingly we will by Gods assistance endeavour to hold forth this light knowing that it is a great and hainous sinne inexcusable before God at that great day either to put our light under a bushell or to hide that talent in the earth which the Lord hath giuen us to trade with for his glory his Churches good and our owne everlasting comfort Therefore we will declare and make knowne what we understand of this great mystery in severall Chapters What is gold and pure mettall will endure the day of fiery triall but what is hay and stubble shall be burned which is my hearts desire THE MYSTERY OF God opened CHAP. I. The Vnion and Onenesse of those five grand enemies of the Church Daniels foure Beasts and little Horne set forth by one Image and one Beast THese foure Beasts and little Horn that carried the Church of God captive at the first into Babylon some 600. yeers before Christ and hath kept them in bondage 1600. yeers and upwards Isa 28.15 all these were confederate together to break devour and trample under their feet with great fury rage Dan. 7.7 and malice all the time of their reigne Isa 21.15 are therefore said to make a Covenant with Hell and Death for the same purpose First Dan. 2.31 the enemies are set forth by one Image the King of Babylon being the head of it who carried the Church of God first captive ver 38. is the first Beast chap. 7.4 The King of Persia which is the Breast and Armes of this Image who took the Kingdome from the King of Babylon Dan. 5.31 was Daniels second Beast Dan. 7.5 The Belly and Thighs of this Image was the King of Graecia who took the Kingdom from the King of Persia Dan. 8.6 7. 20 21. which was Daniels third Beast Dan. 7.6 The Legges and feet was the King of the Romans who took the Kingdome from the Grecians Dan. 11.20 set forth by this Character a raiser of Taxes as indeed he was as we may see plainly Luk. 2.1 2 he was Daniels fourth Beast Dan. 7.7 and was more terrible in his persecuting the people of God then any of the three Kings or Monarchs were that went before him set forth in these words Verse 7. Dreadfull terrible and strong exceedingly and had great iron teeth who devoured and broke in pieces and stomped the residue under his feet Dan. 2.41 And in this Kings dayes this great Kingdome and Monarchy was divided into ten Provinces or Kingdomes set forth by ten hornes Dan. 7.7 and by ten toes Dan. 2.41 which were on his feet but yet all under his power and jurisdiction and therefore he is said to have ten horns ten Kings that had ten powers under him and these ten Kings are not absolute Kings Rev. 17.12 therefore are said to have received no Kingdome but reigne as petty Kings under him and so receive power as Kings one houre with the Beast not distant from him Dan. 7.8 Rev. 13.11 but one with him Now this little horne which Daniel saw come up amongst those ten hornes which is that second Beast which John saw come out of the earth from amongst the common men of the earth as indeed he did was Antichrist for he did not come or issue from any royall race or blood therefore called by the Spirit of God Dan. 11.21 verse 24. a vile person to whom they shall not give the honour of the Kingdome but he shall come in peaceably and obtaine the Kingdome by flatteries as you may read ver 24. So that the Roman Monarch who is set forth by a raiser of Taxes was destroyed neither in anger nor in battell ver 20. but this little horne through his policy caused craft to prosper in his hand Dan. 8.25 he is noted to be very deep and subtill understanding darke sentences ver 23. shewing signes and wonders Marke 13.22 Rev. 13.13 14. and miracles making fire to come downe from Heaven by which signs he deceives the whole world would have seduced the Elect if it had been possible and by his policy and craft he began to work himself into favour with Constantin 320. who gave him the power of the civill sword in Rome and the other places adjacent in his time Rev. 13.2 afterward obtained the whole Kingdom or Monarch by flattery from the Dragon the Roman Emperour and therefore he is said to give him his power seat great authority Rev. 13.2 Dan. 11.23 for after he had made a league with the Roman Emperour about 365. he works deceitfully became strong with a small people therfore saith the Spirit of God his power shall be mighty but not by his own power no Dan. 8.14 for he got the power from the Roman Emperour by flattery and deceit and not by strength of Armes neither did the Romans give him the honour of the Kingdome at the first but he by his policy and craft like a Serpent wound himselfe into the Roman Beast and so became one with him and so this Antichristian Whore made the Roman Emperour her stalking-horse to carry her to the Kings of the earth that shee might commit spirituall fornication with them Rev. 17.3 7. Rev. 18.3 and
glory of God his Father The same glory which God shewed unto Moses when he defired to see his glory which was called all his goodnesse or excellency which indeed is the glory of all his Attibutes and in this glory Christ is said to come at this time when he came in mysticall clouds First Rev. 11.12 he is said to come in power What great power did Christ manifest in raising up his Saints and Witnesses from such a low state a state of death and to set them upon their feet by his Spirit that entred into them the yeere 1639. and raised them up to Heaven and cast their enemies out Here was the glory of his great power seene Rach. 4 6. as the holy Ghost saith not by power of an Army or by the might of a fleshly arme was they raised up to Heaven but by the Spirit of God Secondly Rev. 11.8 the glory of Gods mercy did shine forth in delivering his Saints and people which were in a such miserable condition who were slain and lay as dead men in the streets of that spirituall Sodom their dead bodies not suffered to be put into graves for the Lord Jesus to send his spirit of life into them to set them upon their feet and to raise them up to Heaven whereby they were freed from the rage of their enemies and made Lords and Judges over them to reward their enemies as they rewarded them yea to returne them double Rev. 18.6 Oh the glory of the mercy of Jesus Christ towards his poor servants Thirdly the glory of Gods wisdome was much seen in this great work to doe it at such a time when his people could not see how or by which way they should be delivered Antichrist thinking himself to be now securer and safely seated in peace tranquility Rev. 18.7 Rev. 11.10 rejoycing and sending gifts one to another because those two Prophets were slain which tormented them The wisdome of God now stept in at the very nick and point of time and by his wisdome makes this to be the onely and chiefe time of the beginning of the enemies downfall and the Churches deliverance Oh the admirable and unspeakable glory of Christs wisdome his wisdome is infinite and there is no searching of his understanding Fourthly the glory of Gods free grace and love were wonderfully manifested there was no worth nor desert in his servants to move him to have pitty or compassion on them in such a low condition All that they did in the days of their prophesie and giving testimony was but their duty and in all they were but unprofitable servants and therefore what the Lord did to them and for them at this time was of his free grace and love Zach. 4.7 therefore well may we with shouting cry Grace grace unto this great worke Luke 18.7 Rev. 18.8 Fiftly the glory of his truth and faithfulnesse appeares in making good his Word and promises unto his Church and people which he hath made often in the Scripture of truth and in performing his Word and threatnings against the enemies of his Church The glory of his justice and holinesse shineth forth with much glory and brightnesse verse 6. in executing justice upon such an ancient enemy of the Church which with his predecessors hath been an enemy this 2300 yeers almost and so cruell and malicious an enemy who hath magnified himselfe to the Hoast of Heaven yea Dan. 8.10 11. to the Prince of the Hoast and cast him from his Throne taken his Crown from his head cast him and his Spouse out of his House and Temple strip◠her of her robes and would have forced her to commit spirituall fornication and broken the Church all to pieces devoured many of them and trampled the rest under his feet and last of all slaine the Witnesses of Christ and laid their dead bodies in the streets not suffering them to be put into graves all this villany hath he done to the Saints and for the people of the Antichristian earth Ya 4.16 17. whom he hath reigned over so long he hath made the very earth to tremble and did shake Kingdomes the world he made as a Wildernesse and destroyed the Cities thereof by his tyranny and oppression and loosed not the house of his prisoners Doth not the glory of Christs justice and severity appeare wonderfully in the ruine and utter destruction of such a grand notorious cruell malicious and insolent an enemy as this and the glory of his holinesse in destroying such a filthy Whore and Strumpet as Antichrist is Rev. 17.2 who hath committed spirituall fornication with all the Kings of the earth and the Inhabiters of the earth have been made drunke with the wine of her fornication Rev. 15.4 therefore saith the Scripture who shall not feare thee and glorifie thy name for thou onely art holy and all Nations shall worship before thee for thy judgements are made manifest and againe True and righteous are his judgements for he hath judged the great Whore which did corrupt the earth with her fornications Rev. 19.2 and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hands In the glory of these great Attributes is the Lord Jesus come and they have shined forth in some measure to the joy and comfort and salvation of his people and to the sorrow and destruction of his enemies But when the Lord Christ shall come to the end of this great work of his in the utter ruine of his enemies and perfect deliverance of his Church then will the glory of these Attributes shine forth with such glory and splendor as shall darken the eye of the clearest understanding and affect the most flinty heart putting them to admiration and astonishment But this the Spirit of God notes in the Scripture ☞ Luke 18.8 that when Christ shall come to avenge his Elect meaning this very time which is the time of the enemies utter ruine and the Churches small deliverance he shall hardly find faith upon the earth he meanes he shall hardly find faith in his Saints concerning the enemies ruine and their deliverance and not justifying faith intimating to us that the Church shall be brought so low as they shall not have faith enough to raise them so high as to look to God for their deliverance through so many difficulties Dan. 12.9 This time mystery was hid from all former ages and the words closed up and sealed untill the time of the end written in a little book and sealed with seven seals none being able to open it neither in Heaven or earth Rev. 5.1 Rev. 5.4 Rev. 5.5 Rev. 10.7 or under the earth but Christ only it is called The great Mystery of God not opened till the seventh Trumpet begins to sound and we doe not read he began to sound untill the Witnesses were in Heaven and the tenth part of the City fell which was the yeere of
hurt not the Oyle and Wine Christ here hath a pair of balances in his hand as a righteous and just Judge to weigh all those wrongs and injuries which those Priests and Jesuits had done against his Saints and servants and he will repay them accordingly therefore saith the voyce A measure of Wheat for a penny and three measures of Barly but no hurt must come to the Saints that are the Oyle and Wine of the earth And this we shall see agree with the third Trumpet and Viall Third Trumpet sounds Rev. 1.10 11. the Trumpet when it sounds Then there fell a great Starre from Heaven burning as it were a lampe and it fell upon the third part of the Rivers and Fountaines of water and the name of the Starre is called Wormwood and the third part of the waters became Wormwood and many men dyed of the waters because they were made bitter By Starre is meant an Angell or Minister of the Church see Rev. 1.20 by Heaven is meant the Church by Rivers or Fountaines of waters is meant those Jesuits and Priests that are set forth by Rivers and Fountaines of waters who naturally draw and derive water from the Sea to water the Earth so doe they mystically as Rivers draw and derive their poysonous doctrine from that Antichristian Sea of Rome and so water the whole Antichristian earth The Ministers of the Churches by the preaching of the Gospell shined as a Lamp and these Rivers become blood noted by the the third Viall Rev. 16.4 and likewise made their doctrine to be bitter and loathsome shewing that they by their poysonous doctrine did seduce the people and spiritually slayed men yea further by their doctrine had stirred up the Beast and his Image to slay the Saints and Prophets of Christ as is noted by the third Angell that poured forth his Viall upon them Rev. 16.5 6. therefore they themselves became blood that is their blood is shed and they are put to death in Queene Elizabeths time and since and as Master Cotton well observes thus Christ weighs the wrongs done to his Saints by these Priests and Jesuits who are those Antichristian Rivers and Fountaines of water and so repayes them accordingly This Seale and Trumpet agrees fully with the third Viall The third Viall is poured forth Rev. 16.4 which was poured upon the Rivers and Fountaines of waters so that they became blood not onely appeared by the sounding of the Trumpet to be bloody men such as thirsted after the blood of Gods Saints but their owne blood was shed for they were worthy as the Angell of the waters well notes because they had caused the blood of the Saints to be shed therefore God was just and righteous because he had so judged Rev. 16.5 6. When the Lambe opens the fourth Seale behold a pale horse Fourth Seale opened Rev. 8.7 which notes darknesse and misery and he that 〈◊〉 upon it was Death Now Christ threatens death unto that whole Antichristian state the lights of their Heaven grow pale and darke as is noted by the Angel that sounded the Trumpet and that poured forth the fourth Viall and Death and Hell followed with him and afterward power was given to him over the fourth part of the Earth to kill with the sword with hunger and death and the Beasts of the Earth This horse was a pale horse Fourth Angell sounds Rev. 8.12 betokening blacknesse and darknesse as is noted by the fourth Angel that sounded that when he sounds the the third part of the Sunne Moon and Starres of that Antichristian Heaven Pope Cardinals and Prelats glorious lights of that Heaven when this fourth Angel preacheth the Gospell the late Ministers of our foregoing Age these lights lost the third part of their glory and shined not so bright as they did before by the third part The fourth Angel which poured forth the fourth Viall agrees with this Seale and Trumpet The fourth Viall poured forth Rev. 16.8 who poured his Viall upon that Antichristian Sunne and so notes to us that all the other lights of that Heaven were darkned with it because they drew their lights from it in a mysticall way as the Moone and Starres doe in a naturall way from the naturall Sunne The Ministers of Christ by preaching the Gospell darkned these glorious lights of that Antichristian Heaven and by so doing scorched and burned them with fire that is put them to as much paine and torment as though they had scorched them with naturall fire whereupon they blasphemed the name of God that is spoke more evilly of the wayes and Saints of God and proceeded more harshly and bitterly against them even to their civill slaying and lay their dead bodies in the streets That death and hell followed upon the fourth Seal Trumpet and Viall is noted by an Angel Rev. 8.13 which flies through the midst of Heaven crying Woe woe woe Three woes because of those three Angels which were to sound and three Vials which were to be poured forth upon that Antichristian state to its utter ruine When Christ had opened the fifth Seale The fifth Seal is opened Rev. 6.9 the soules under the Altar come to see what was written within the Roll and there they see Christ and his Witnesses ascend up to Heaven the high place of Judicature to take the Kingdomes and powers from Antichrist presently Rev. 1 1◠they cry for vengeance upon them that had shed their blood These souls are the Saints of God in our age which see themselves slaine for the word of God and the testimony which they held By word of God is meant Christ 1 John 1. and 14. and their testimony is their bearing witnesse unto those truths of Christ which Antichrist denied their slaying was civill all power taken from them that they could not prophesie nor give testimony to the truths of Christ as they had formerly done they are said to be under the Altar by Altar is meant Christ Heb. 13.10 They were under his spirituall power and jurisdiction though civilly slain by Antichrist and laid dead for three dayes and a half these soules that see themselves slaine had white robes given them by Christ and his witnesse in that space of time that the fifth Viall was pouring forth By white robes cannot be meant the righteousnesse of Christ inherent or imputed for that they had before which made them to undergoe that flory try all and suffer civill marty dome which righteousnesse is set forth by gold tryed in the fire Rev. 3.18 Rev. 3.18 but these white robes is that outward government and discipline that is to be set up in all the Churches of the Saints set forth by white rayment Fine gold make the Saints spirituall rich and enable them to endure the fiery tryall eye-salve cleares the eyes of their understandings that they thereby come to see the way of Christ in his house and Temple in what way he will be worshipped white rayment
and King Rev. 14.1 This sixth Trumpet appeares to be one and the same with the sixth Seale Sixth Trumpet sounds Rev. 9 14. when this Trumpet sounds Those foure Angels which were bound in that great river Euphrates is loosed for an houre day moneth and yeare to slay the third part of those antichristian men a certaine time for an uncertaine as is supposed about the space of 14. yeares beginning in 1641. and ends 1655. By foure Angels is meant a certaine company of men instruments of Gods wrath to destroy Antichrist and his great Army the number of these men are set downe in the next Verse to be two hundred thousand thousand Rev. 17.15 By river Euphrates is meant mystically a great company of People Nations and Tongues on which that antichristian Whore did sit and amongst those was these instruments of Gods wrath bound by that civill power which Antichrist had in his hand Rev. 12.16 before the witnesse ascended up into Heaven but after they were ascended and Christ had cut a little stone out of that great monntaine even a little civill power out of Antichrists great power by vertue of this did Christ and his witnesses loose those foure Angels out of this great river Euphrates and being loosed they presently stand up with Christ and his Saints Rev. 12.16 and open their mouthes and swallow up that flood which the Dragon cast out of his mouth after the woman yea and they shall take part with Christ and his Army and hate the Whore and shall make her desolate At this time is noted in Rev. 10.2 and 8. that this little book was open in the hand of the Angel which had been formerly shut and sealed up yea this Angel sweares by him that liveth for evermore that there should be time no longer that is this mystery of God should now be finished and made plaine that men may now see and understand what was contained within this little booke This Seale and Trumpet agrees with the sixth Viall The sixth Viall poured forth Rev. 16.12 and so appeares to be one and the same Which was poured upon that great river Euphrates whereupon three spirits like froggs goe out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of the false prophets even the Devill and the Roman Emperour and the Pope and these are the spirit of Devils working miracles Priests and Jesuites c. who go forth to the Kings of the Earth to gather together many waters or people unto the battell of the great God Almighty now upon this great river Euphrates or many people doth Christ and his Saints with the men of the Earth that help them poure forth the sixth Viall and so drieup this great river that way may be made for the Kings of the East yea that Christian Kings and Princes may raigne upon the Earth The second woe is past and behold the third woe commeth quickly Rev. 11.14 The seventh Seale being opened silence is in Heaven The seventh Seal is opened Rev. 8.1 the high place of Judicature for the space of halfe an houre see chap. 9. at this time is the Prayers of all Saints offered up to God upon the golden Altar which was before the throne in the Temple that is then shall the Churches of the Saints in and upon that golden Altar Christ offers up praises and thanksgiving unto God for executing vengeance upon his Enemies and for the delivering of his Churches from bondage and misery which hath been the prayers of all Saints from the evening to the morning 2300. yeares almost and now will be fully answered at this time This agrees with the voice of the seventh Trumpet for when it sounded there was great voices heard in Heaven in the Church The seventh Trumpet sounds Rev. 11.15 saying the Kingdomes of this world are now become the Lords and his Christs and now Antichrist is destroyed and the powers of States is in the hands of Christ and his witnesses and therefore he and they shall raigne for ever and ever Whereupon the Church with her officers which sit upon the Seates of their glory in Christs House and Temple fell upon their faces noting thereby their owne humility and their high esteeme of Christ worshipping him and giving thanks to God Almighty which was is and is to come because he hath now taken to him his great power and doth raigne Which Seale and Trumpet argues with the seventh Viall which was poured upon that Antichristian aire The seventh Viall poured forth Rev. 16.17 18. by the peaching of the Gospel which is to be done when the fifth and sixth Viall is poured upon the seate of the Beast and that great River Euphrates Even then came voices out of the Temple which causeth a great spirituall earth-quake amongst those antichristian men that there shall be such infinite store of men converted to the faith and brought home to Christ as never was since men was upon the face of the Earth and then shall an infinite company as it were be before the throne singing Alleluiah saying Salvation and glory and honour and power be unto the Lord our God for executing justice and judgement upon that great Whore Rev. 19.1 2. and 6. Yea the voice of a great multitude and the voice of many waters of many people and of mighty thunderings saying Alleluiah and the foure Beasts and the twenty foure Elders fell downe and worshipped God that sate on the throne saying Vers 6. Amen Alleluiah vers 4. Thus the third woe is come upon that antichristian state to her utter ruine and destruction Thus we have seen the seven Seales and the seven Trumpets and seven Vials to be all about one and the same thing First sealing up Gods judgements for a time afterwards the Seales broke open the Ministers of the Churches by the preaching of the Gospel declares what these judgements are and then the Angels poured forth their Vials upon that Antichristian world The next thing we are to doe in the following Chapters is to shew what the fifth and sixth and seventh Vials are more fully and whom those Angels be which are to poure them forth CHAP. VIII The first worke of the witnesses after they are in Heaven is chiefly the pouring forth of the fifth Viall and the meanes whereby they doe it with those effects which follow upon it THe witnesses being ascended up to Heaven and Christ come in them and sate downe upon the throne to execute judgment upon Antichrist Isa 28.6 Rev. 16.10 Isa 14.13 the first thing we reade shall bee done is the pouring forth the fifth Viall which is poured forth upon the throne and seate of the Beast He is said to have his throne above the Stars of God above his Saints in his Temple and likewise upon the Mount of the Congregation the high place of Judicature It hath appeared to all the world that hee hath taken
Isa 13.12 that a man of that Antichristian and mysticall Babylon shall be more precious then fine gold even a man then the golden wedge of Ophir Dan. 7.11 For by fire and by sword will the Lord plead with all flesh and the slaine of the Lord shall be many Isa 66.16 In this war the Roman Beast shall be taken and slaine and his body given to the burning flames and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him Rev. 19.20 with which he deceived them that had received the marke of the Beast These both are cast alive into a lake burning with fire and brimstone this is the purpose which is purposed upon the whole earth and this is the hand that is and shall be stretched out upon all Nations for the Lord of Hosts hath purposed and who shall disanull it and his hand is stretched out and who shall turne it back Isa 14.26 27. Thus we see the fifth and sixth Viall poured upon the seat of the Beast and upon that great river Euphrates all his powers and strength taken from him in heaven himself cast down to the earth yea to hell and his armies utterly destroyed and given to the beasts of the field and to the fowles of Heaven Yet there is another Viall to be poured out namely upon the aire wherein Antichrist breathed but when the Witnesses Christs civill Magistrates that sit in Heaven have done that worke which is proper for them as they are civill Magistrates they shall sit still and keep silence in Heaven about the space of halfe an houre which is the full time that the seventh Viall shall be pouring forth though the Beasts have their Dominions taken from them Yea both the Beast and false prophet are cast into a lake burning with fire and brimstone Dan. 7.12 yet these are said to live still in the hearts of those men in whom those errors and heresies do still abide which they brought into the world by their Antichristian aire and this remnant of men are not to be destroyed by the power of the civill Sword Rev. 19.21 but to be destroyed by a mysticall and spirituall sword which proceeded out of the mouth of him that sits upon the white Horse and by spirituall men sent out of the Temple Rev. 16.17 therefore the civill Magistrate shall keepe silence all the same time even about the space of halfe an houre and sit and rest themselves having done the best worke that ever was done before them or that shall be done after them We cannot suppose this silence to be in Heaven strictly for half an houre no nor half a day moneth or yeare for the seventh Viall must be poured forth upon that Antichristian aire all the ten Kingdomes over in this space of time that this silence is to be in Heaven which cannot be in so short a time neither can it be meant of any longe time Luk. 21.32 because Antichrist must be destroyed in one age and generation of men Christ speaking of the ruine of Antichrist mystically as well as of Jerusalem literally therefore we are to take this silence for the space of half an houre for the space of 45. yeares in which time the seventh Viall is pouring forth as shall appeare more fully when we come to speake of the time or times of the ending of these Vials It is said that this silence was in Heaven when the seventh Seale was opened this we are to note that it was the custome of the Jewes to write those things that were of greater consequence in sheets of parchment and so to roll them up and seale them if they were things secret The Spirit of God alluding to this their custome sets forth to us that every Viall was written in a roll of parchment and every roll was sealed seven Vials were written in seven rolls and every roll had a seale and when the first Viall was to be poured forth then the first seal was broken open and the first trumpet sounded The Seale was broken open that men might see what was written in the roll and the trumpet which was the Gospel in the mouth of the Ministers of the Churches was to declare to that Antichristian world what the Judgement or the Viall was which God was then pouring forth upon them and the Viall or Judgement that they were to feel with paine and anguish when the Lord poured it forth ☜ So when the first Viall was poured forth the first Seal was opened and the first Trumpet sounded and so in order the second and third unto the seventh And when the seventh Seale was opened the seventh Viall was poured forth and then this silence was in Heaven Before we leave speaking of the sixth Viall we are to take notice of this that although the Lord be come in the clouds of our Heaven even in his Witnesses standing upon the Mount Olives and the judgement seat and the Thrones are casting downe yea and the Lord is gone out to fight and make warre with those Kings that carried the Church of God captive and himselfe upon the white horse and much of the worke is done yet at this time the holy Ghost saith Zach. 14.6 Rev. 2.28 That the light shall not be cleare no◠darke the morning Star is but newly risen and a very little light doth yet appeare There is so much darknesse as very few of the Saints themselves doe not see nor know what the Lord Christ is doing either for Churches or States great feares amongst most of the Saints that sorrow and misery will come to both They cannot as yet see how or when the Church of Christ shall be delivered nor the pure way of Christs worship in his House and Temple set up onely a few choyce ones that be wise Dan. 12.3 and they shall shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament That is those godly ones whom the Lord hath made wise to understand the Mystery of pure Ordinances of worship and the way and Government of Christ in his House and Temple at this time wherein the worship of God is so exceedingly corrupted and polluted by the abominations of that Babylonish Whore they shall shine in this Antichristian world as the brightnesse of the Firmament for the present And they that turne many to righteousnesse as the Stars for ever and ever When they shall not onely see and be able to discerne between gold and drosse water and pure wine Christs owne institutions and mens inventions and the false government of Antichrist and the true government of Christ in and over his Church and people but also turne many unto those righteous and pure Ordinances of worship even they saith the Lord shall shine as Starres not in this age and time onely but for ever and ever their names shall be famous unto all the Churches of the Saints For the first ever or terme of time which Christ and his Saints shall reigne in peace even a
this holy City or new Jerusalem commeth downe out of Heaven from God Rev. 3.12 prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband the Spouse of Christ had before her inward cloathing all of wrought gold standing on the right hand of the King in gold of Ophir Psal 45.9.13 called gold tryed in the fire which made her spiritually rich and beautifull in her soule in the eyes of her Lord and Husband Christ But this is not sufficient shee must also have an outward raiment to make her beautifull without both in the eyes of her Lord that looks upon her and the men of this world therefore it is said that shee shall be brought to the King in a raiment of needle-worke Psal 45.14 Rev. 19.8 curiously wrought and imbroidered even in fine linen clean white which is the righteousnesse of the Saints That which none hath right unto or ought to meddle with but Saints Isa 35.8 it being the Government and Discipline which Christ is to set up and exercise in his owne House and Temple over his Saints and people and this fine linen was granted to her by Christ and his Witnesses and it was also granted to the soules under the Altar which saw themselves slaine for the testimony which they held that they should have white robes given them by Christ and his Witnesses when the fifth Seal was opened which was when the fifth Viall was pouring forth betwixt 1639. and 1655. but not fully to all the Saints untill the end of the seven Vials 1700. Rev. 15.8 And the holy Ghost gives the reason why no man that is not many shall not be able to enter into the Temple because the Temple was filled with smoak from the glory of the Lord and from his power By smoake is noted Gods presence Gods presence in his House and Temple is so glorious and so holy that very few shall be able to endure it his Government in his House will be too strict for loose and formall spirits By smoak is likewise noted darknesse the way of Christs Government in and over all the Churches of the Saints is for the present hard to be found out it lyes deep and is as it were hid in the inmost bowels of holy writ not open in the letter of the Scripture but wrapped up in the spirituall sense thereof And Antichrist hath by his Antichristian ayre which he brought with him into the world out of that bottomlesse pit so darkned the understanding of men yea of many of the deare Saints of God that they cannot see Christs way in his House and Temple Again Antichrist having taken kept this Church power from the Saints 1260. years and therefore they are as it were quite ignorant of this Discipline and Government as well they may therefore not able to enter into the Temple but this Church power shall be granted unto the Saints again by Christ and his Witnesses the year 1700. The Church being thus adorned with pure gold in her inward man and with a broidered garment and fine linen upon her outward man and that by authority from Christs civill Magistrates in the place of Judicature Rev. 21.10 11 is said to descend out of Heaven from God haveing the glory of God and her light was like unto a stone most precious even like unto a Jasper stone Verse 3. clear as Christall And at this time the Tabernacle of God shall be with men even with the Saints and people and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himselfe shall be with them and be their God verse 3. And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more paine All those teares or death sorrow or paine which came by the oppressour shall be taken away for Verse 4. saith he the former things are past away all oppression and tyranny of the enemy and he that sits upon the Throne will make all things new new Heaven and new Earth Verse 5. new Government in the Church and a new Government in the State In this new Jerusalem shall be no Temple nor need of the Sunne or Moone to shine in it That is the Church and people of God shall have no need of outward glory to make them beautifull in the eyes of Nations but God and the Lambe shall have their spirituall Throne there Rev. 22.3 4. and be their light and glory and his servants shall serve him and shall see his face that is the brightnesse of his glory and his Name shall be in their fore-heads Rev. 3.12 22.4 The power of Christ in his Church shal be as visible upon them seen to belong to them at that day as though it were written in their fore-heads And in this City shall be a pure River of life cleare as Chrystall that is Verse 1. all pure Ordinances of worship which proceed from the Throne of God and the Lambe who sits in the midst of his Church and on both sides of those pure Ordinances is Christ the Tree of life communicating himselfe to his Saints Thus shall this holy City and new Jerusalem be built by authority from Christ and his Witnesses in the yeare of Christ 1700. which shall be that great worke of the Witnesses that same yeare throghout all their Dominions Zach. 9.10 Psal 72.8 Dan. 7.13 14. 18. 27. Psal 2.6 8 9. Rev. 5.9 10. Isa 24.23 c. which shall be from sea to sea from the River even to the ends of the Earth after they have kept silence in Heaven halfe an houre At this time will God make good all his promises made unto Christ and his Saints concerning their reigning over the Nations and upon the hill of him in his new Jerusalem CHAP. XI The two Governments of Christ the one over the Nations and another over his new Jerusalem Christ reignes 1000. yeares Satan and wicked men bound all that same time afterwards loosed and utterly destroyed The Saints reigning three Termes CHrist and his Witnesses having taken all power into their hands both Civill and Ecclesiasticall and being to reigne over the Nations and upon Mount Zion and in Jerusalem they must have two Governments set up to rule them by one to rule the Nations another to rule upon Mount Zion That whereby Christ and his Saints is to reign and rule the Nations by is just and righteous Lawes Christs government over the Nation Isa 32.1 Psal 72.2.3.4 Verse 7. Jer. 33.15 A King shall reigne in righteousnesse and Princes shall decree justice he shall judge thy people with righteousnesse and the poore with judgement the mountaines shall bring peace to the people and the little hils by righteousnesse he shall judge the poore of the people he shall save the children of the needy and shall breake in pieces the oppressour and in his dayes shall the righteous flourish
to sin but this he shall be bound from tempting men to civill war against one another Mic. 4.3 all that 1000. years and therefore they are said not to learne war any more that is not all that 1000. yeares and wicked men shall be civilly slain and laid as dead men and not to live untill that 1000. years be ended Rev. 20.5 and shut up as prisoners in a pit not but that they shall have as much liberty as the Saints in an outward way to trade and to have commerce in the world but they shall have all civill power taken out of their hands and so lie as dead men and uselesse men in the State or Kingdome where they live and be in that respect as prisoners gathered into a pit and shut up in prison Isa 24.22 But after this thousand yeares is ended then Satan shall be unbound in the yeare 2700. and the rest of the wicked Rev. 20.7 Vers 5. Isa 24.22 which were civilly dead shall live and the prisoners which were shut up shall be visited that is let forth out of their prison and the Devil shall go out to deceive the Nations of the earth by stirring up wicked men to make civill war with the Saints and the wicked of the earth shall be suffered by God to take up armes against his people and so are said to be let out of prison for it is a prison to wicked men and the Devill Rev. 20.5 to be kept from warring against the people of God And likewise are said to live when the 1000. yeeres are ended that is civilly they now having taken up Armes have civill power in their hands Ezek. 39.1 and so live And they shall gather together into a great Army horses and horsemen all of them cloathed with all sorts of armour even a great company all of them handling the sword the number of whom is as the sand of the sea God and Magog The chiefe Princes of Meshech and Tubal Captaines of this great Army shall goe upon the breadth of the earth and compasse the Campe of the Saints and the beloved City But God will destroy them with a mighty destruction Rev. 20.9 First he will call for a sword against him throughout all his Mountaines or powers of States all being in the hands of him and his Saints at the same time throughout the world Ezek. 38.21 Secondly God will turne the sword of the enemy against themselves every mans sword shall be against his brother Thirdly God will send his pestilence into their army Vers 23. Rev. 20.9 Ezek. 39.2 4.9.12 Ezek. 28.23 and raigne upon them great haile-stones fire and brinstone and but the sixt part of them shall returne back and the rest shall fall upon the Mountaine of Israel and the people of God shall be seven moneths burying the dead and seven yeares burning their weapons Thus will the Lord magnifie and sanctifie his great Name in the fight of the Heathen and in the eyes of many Nations and they shall know that he is the Lord and they shall know that the people of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity and for their sin Therefore God hid his face from them and gave them all into the hands of their enemies and the house of Israel shall know that the Lord is their God from that day forwards neither will he hide his face from them any more because he hath poured his Spirit upon them And thus shall God destroy this great army of Gog Magog the Devil that deceived them shall be cast into a lake of fire burning with brimstone Rev 20.10 where the Beast and false prophets are and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever And then the Saints of God and Churches of Jesus Christ shall reigne in peace and quiet never to be molested by the Devill and wicked men in a way of civill war more and shall reigne to the end of the world but when that end of the world shall be is not knowne Our Saviour gave foure signes of his comming to judge Antichrist but of that last judgement of quick and dead when Christ shall deliver up the Kingdome to his Father and God to be all in all 1 Cor. 15.24 28. Mark 13.32 of this day and houre knowes no man no not the Angels in Heaven neither the Son but the Father Onely he hath hid this time and season in his owne heart and breast and it is not for us to search into it or to meddle with it It may be hundreds or thousands of yeares after this yeare 2700. when Gog and Magog shall be destroyed But this is noted in the Scripture of truth that the Saints shall reigne for three periods they shall take and possesse the Kingdom for ever even for ever and ever Ever is a terme of time Dan. 7.8 the first ever begins 1655. when the Beast and the false prophet and their Armies shall be destroyed and the Saints take possession of the Kingdome to the yeare 1700. unto which time the seventh Viall shal be pouring upon that Antichristian aire and so cast out of the world as out of the grave as an abominable branch Second Ever is from the yeare 1700. to the yeare 2700. all that 1000. yeares reigne of Christ and his Saints wherein Satan is to be bound and the wicked civilly slaine and lye dead at the end of which terme they shall assay to take the power out of the hands of the Saints but shall not be able This is the second terme of time or ever to which the Saints shall raigne The third Ever is from the yeare of Christ 2700. to the end of the world when Jesus Christ shall come to judge the quick and dead and deliver up the Kingdome to his Father and God be all in all Then also who knows whether the Lord will fulfill all these things in a literall and naturall way at his last and personall comming to judgment as he hath fulfilled them in a spirituall and mysticall sense as hath been shewed in this discourse so that the sun shal be darkened and the moon be turned into blood the stars fall from Heaven Heaven and Earth to be rolled together as a scroll and passe away and their place be no more found and the sea not only to roare but there to be no more sea and a new Heaven and a new Earth to be made by the almighty power of God which shal be as a great new City for the servants of God to dwell in and to behold his face and see his glory which City will have no need of the light of a naturall sun or moone for the Lord God and the Lambe will be the light and glory thereof FINIS