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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

businesse Give me leave to offer a taste of these different Interpretations especially of them which seem to carry most likelyhood which when I have done I shall propound and submit my own thoughts in the businesse The great question is What we should understand by the The Arabique without consent of any either Copy or Translation that I have met withall reads The third part of the City fell Tenth part of the great City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In answ●r whereto you have some will tell you 't is the Tenths of the City meaning That whereas the Popes have Tenths paid them which was the manner of the Romans formerly as also of other Princes of elder times now upon the rising again of the Witnesses and the great earthquake thereupon attending this Tribute of Tythes or Tenths whereby he was in great part maintained before shall now at last be utterly with-held from him This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which we translate The tenth part of the City falling But as some well observe to make this good it must have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore this cannot be the meaning Another therefore by this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we translate The tenth part of the City would understand Those ten Kingdoms which at the 17 Chapter of this Prophesie and 13 verse give up all th●ir strength and power to the Beast● And when those at last draw off from Antichrist which they do for these shall hate the Whore cat her flesh and burn her with fire Chap. 17. ver 16. This is the fall of the Decharchy of the City Those ten Kingdoms that had formerly supported Antichrist now drawing off and preparing for her destruction this is the fall of the tenth part of the great City And sure if these ten Kingdoms withdrawing themselves hating the Whore eating her flesh and burning her with fire should not fall in with the time of the seventh Trumpet and last Vial and be not that destruction which at that time is to be executed upon her I mean the Romish Babylon I should think this interpretation did carry much appearance of truth with it But then another by the tenth part of the City would understand the City it self Rome it self falls making this same all one with the fifth Vial which poured out upon the Throne of Chap. 16. 10. the Beast that is upon Rome sayes this Interpreter Rome hereby comes to be destroyed And if any object The holy Ghost doth not say the whol● City falls onely the truth part of th● City to this it is answered That when Rome comes to be destroyed it is but the Tenth part of what it was formerly I● was in compasse in former times neer 42 miles within the walls now about 15 And if we measure it will appear That that whch is in compasse 15 miles will make up but the tenth part of that which is in compasse 42 miles And so accordingly when the tenth part of the City falls as is here said the whole City is meant for now the whole is but the tenth part of what it was formerly This I confesse is a pretty Notion but yet such as I durst in no wise conclude is the meaning of the holy Ghost in this place It carries with it too much acutenesse to be the meaning of the Spirit and indeed it seems too much forced also That the tenth part of the City should mean the whole City the words seem not in any reasonable congruity to admit of it Give me leave now in the last place to adde what hath most taken upon me in all the variety of thoughts in this matter and it is this The Antichristian Kingdom as made up of those ten horns ten Kingdoms into which the Roman Empire upon its fall was resolved these ten at the same time with one consent giving their power thereunto seem here as also in other places compared to a great City Which City answerably to the ten part of the Antichristian Kingdom hath ten parts also every one of those ten Kingdoms by submitting it self to the Government of this mysticall City I mean this mysticall Babylon hereby making it self a part of it This stated we say accordingly the tenth part of the City must mean O●e of those ten Kingdoms which having su●mitted it self to the Government of this mysticall B●bylon hereby became to a part of it and then answerably is this t●nth Kingdom the tenth part of the great City said to fall when th●t ●inde of Government which submitted to made this one part of that City I mean of Romish babylon is now utter●ly dissolved and abolished in that Kingdom So then all this tog●ther is thus much About the 〈…〉 Witnesses rise again and ascend up to heaven there are great stirs and commotions this is the earthquake and among these that Antichristianism which in one of the ten Kingdoms submitted to made it one of the parts of the Romish Babylon is utterly quash'd and dissolved in that Kingdom This seems to be the fall of the tenth part of the great City And here observe it 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an Artiticle which I confesse I had once let passe but should by no means passe without notice That tenth part of the great City so we might render it where the holy Ghost seems to tell us which tenth part of the City which of the ten Kingdoms he means why that tenth part that which seems easily discernable from all the rest that tenth part falls But which this is I shall hereafter speak my conjecture let this suffice at present that in That tenth Kingdom which seems easily differenced from all the rest Antichristianism is abolished this is the fall of that tenth part of the great City This seems the meaning and I must confesse I have nothing readily to object against it but from this first consequent of the earthquake viz. The fall of the tenth part of the City we may proceed to the second in these words And in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand This follows and this is not without its difficulties neither Some reade the heads of men that were slain were seven thousand but if we reckon by the pole seven thousand men numbred by the pole were slain and no more it will readily be objected How can it be imagined the tenth part of the Antichristian Kingdom should fall and yet but seven thousand heads or seven thousand men reckoned by the Pole slain and overwhelmed in so great a ruine Seven thousand thus reckoned seem not a number any whit proportionable To which it may be answered This number of seven thousand is a perfect number and is here put as in other places not to signifie just so many and no more but rather a certain number for an uncertain and may very well signifie a great many more then precisely that number But if this should not

open opposer of Prelacy and the C●remoni●s any emminent one that openly h●ld forth any such thing in all this Kingdom And say freely doth this look like the slaying of the Witnesses yea or no You have godly Ministers and others opposing what of Antichrist remains in the Kingdom silenced suspended thrown out of place thus killed You have all done so to all the bold opposers through the Kingdom thus killed You have it done by the Prelacy no ●oubt an Antichristian power and this just about the time when by the li●●liest computation it should be done That every thing should with such consent fall in Witnesses slain all slain slain by the beast and this then when the course of times tells us they should be slain Can it be but we must confesse this is the slaying of the Witnesses Further. After they are slain they lye dead in the street that Vers 8. is They continue in that state of civill death their killing brought them into they remain for some space suspended their mouths s●aled up whom in this case if any should attempt to give shelter succour honour to it must not be for they will Vers 9. not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves And hath not all this come to passe accordingly And when all the Witnesses were thus silenced and slain did they not for some good space so continue was not the Pulpit shut against them yea the Presse also no breath of their former life of Witnesses now coming from them And then did not the Prelaticall faction forbid any to shelter countenance or succour these silenced Witnesses You know what search hath been made for these same what care that none should shelter then Thus not suffering their dead bodies to be put in graves When they have brought things to this passe and slain all the Witnesses then they rejoyce and make merry And did not Vers 10. that faction do so here Did they not triumph they had made su●h a hand of the Puritan Preachers through the Kingdom Have I not heard some of them have boasted and hugg'd themselves in it They had not left a Puritan Preacher in their Diocesse This was the sad condition of the godly Ministers and some others well affected for some three or four yeers before this Parliament How think you now doth this appear like a slaying of the Witnesses yea or no. But proceed After three yeers and an half the Spirit of life from God enters Vers 11. into the Witnesses and they stand upon their feet God by his speciall hand restores the Witnesses to their liberty again which the Antichristian faction beholdi●● thereupon become greatly afraid And ha●h not all this been made good among us also doth any question when after the three yeers and an half silencing and imprisonment of those who suffered more publikely for just so long to a day these suffered They together with many other silenced and dead Witnesses were again restored to liberty the beginning of this Parliament At the beholding whereof and to see such a sudden and unexpected tu●n of things I appeal to any man did not the Popish Pr●laticall faction become no little affrighted How think you now Was not this like a resurrection of the Witnesses But yet further being risen again they are called up to Heaven whither ascending in a cloud their enemies beheld them Some act of them in place in calling the Witnesses to some more ample condition this is the voice calling the Witnesses up Vers 12. to heaven The multitude of people congratulating with them for their freedom as also setting to their shoulders to help forward their advancement This is the cloud wherein thèy ascend thither And was not this made good also was it not a great voice from heaven which fetch some of these Witnesses from the uttermost parts of this Kingdom where they were imprisoned to this place And did not thousands of people a cloud of Witnesses rejoycing and with triumph accompany them hither where also hath it not been consulted for the enlargement of their maintenance and their better accommodation that so they might never more Prophesie in Sackcloth Of all which also were not their enemies the Popish Prelaticall party as the Text further addes The no whit over-joyed beholders All which put together seems it not to be the Witnesses Ascension Once more The same hour there is a great Earthquake About Vers 13. the time of the rising of the Witnesses there are great stirs and Commotions And since that time have their not been such in this Kingdom nay do they not continue with us to this day All which what other thing are they then the great Earthquake accompanying the rising again of the Witnesses But further in this Earthquake The tenth part of the great Citie falls Antichristianisme in one of the ten Kingdoms falls Vers 13. And is not this a doing Prelacy and the Ceremonies the only remains of Popery have they not been falling ever since They are gone in Scotland and are they not a going in this Kingdom also And then lastly Seven thousand men of name slain in the Vers 13. Earthquake That is many deprived of power honour maintenance which they had before And is not this a doing also And when so many Prelates Deans and Chapters with all their appurtenances shall have their honour place maintenance taken from them which then is done when the bill is once passed drawn up for this purpose Then is the slaughter of the seven thousand men of name fully accomplished The summe of all this that I may give it you at one view is thus much The godly Ministers or others opposing Antichristianisme and being kept under thereby are the Witnesses Prophesying in Sackcloth Their silencing suspending This is their slaughter Their restoring to liberty again is there resurrection The state calling them to more freedom and honour is the voyce from heaven calling them thither The multitude of people congratulating with them the cloud wherein they do ascend The Commotions now in the Kingdom are the great Earthquake Prelacy and the Ceremonies taken away this is the tenth part of the Citie falling and the Bishops Deans and Chapters with all their rabble being utterly deprived of Authority honour maintenance are the Seven thousand men slain in the Earthquake And now speak every one his thought seems not this indeed the slaying and rising again of the Witnesses and do not things fall in and answer beyond all expectation It cannot be denyed but this same hath likelynesse of event to commend it none more and then for the time where else would a man have pitch'd had he been to choose And indeed what can be objected against it Ob. You will say this same doth too much straiten this Prophesie in regard of time and place It seems a businesse more generall then to be confined to this Kingdom or to those we aym at in it Resp I answer for place

the holy Ghost seems cleerly to limit it to the tenth part of the great City viz. to one of the ten Kingdoms and if I say England is this tenth part doth not the Article tell me so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that tenth part That one of the ten Kingdoms which seems most discernable from the rest and which is so easily differenced from the rest as is this Penitus toto divisi ab Island And let any say which is well worthy our observing where have the Witnesses of latter times been persecuted save onely in this Kingdom In France in the Low Countreyes and so in other places they have been quiet onely persecuted here in these Kingdoms I should not deny but the Witnesses prophesying in Sackcloth takes in other places and hath been done either at once or successively in most of these Western Kingdoms yet withall it seems to me evident the close and Chatastrophe of this same I mean the slaying and rising again of these Witnesses must be acted in one Kingdom onely Otherwise why do not five or six parts or more or all the parts of the City fall and not onely the tenth part if so be we say the Witnesses should be slain and rise again at once in so many But one part of the City falls upon their rising which could not be imagined if the Witnesses were slain and rose again at once in all the parts Which same if I may step so far aside may help to answer that question which I perceive some make in this businesse viz. Whether this slaughter of the Witnesses may not be successive and so acted in one Kingdom after another And this answer I should give to it Granting the Witnesses may prophesie in Sackcloth in one Kingdom after another in regard it is not limited to place as also is a businesse of long continuance and so hath time enough to move from one place to another but for their killing and resurrection in regard these are limited to a certain place namely To the Tenth part of the City as we saw before as also farther to a certain and fixed time namely To the end and term of the Witnesses Prophesie in Sackcloth and to the end of the sixth Trumpet as a full stop and period to both of them unlesse we can conceive The thousand two hundred and threescore yeers of the Witnesses Prophesie may end in one Kingdom after another and the time of the sixth Trumpet expire in one Kingdom after another and also the seventh Trumpet begin to sound in one Kingdom after another which we cannot we may not conceive the slaying and rising again of the Witnesses which are the exact periods of these certain and fixed times can be accomplished in one Kingdom after another neither But enough of the former part of the objection urging us as too much restraining the killing of the Witnesses in regard of place and for restraining it to particular persons which was the thing objected I further answer I should not restrain it to two or three men I would be unwilling to put so much envy upon any Some indeed there were that suffered more publikely then others yet all the sufferers Ministers and others for there were others also of quality were at an under before this Parliament yea Parliaments themselves rose up as from the dead in this Parliament All these together make the two Witnesses Ob. But if they be slain and risen again also how is it That since they are so miserably persecuted whence it is this warre is since raised against them and some of them suffer more deeply now then ever they did before Resp. To which it may be answered This is nothing else but the great Earthquake upon the Witnesses resurrection T is nothing but the Popish Prelaticall faction struggling for life now overthrown in the fall of the tenth part of the City It is not any solemne Authoritative persecution such as was the former 't is the Earthquake only and their strugglings for life all which ere long are like to end in their utter ruine Ob. If the Witnesses have thrown of their Sackcloth how is it that Antichrist is not yet destroyed the time of Antichrist's continuance and of the Witnesses Prophesying in Sackcloth ending ●oth together Resp. The tenth part of Antichrists Kingdom is fallen at least a falling which being a leading ●ase to the other they moulder down apace after And as we do not begin the account of Antichrist his time from his full growth but from his birth so neither do we end it with the utter ruine and overthrow of Antichrist but with that great and visible declining of his when he utterly looses a whole Kingdom this breaking the Ice for all the other to follow after In short Then seems the Beast his forty two moneths to end when the tenth part of the City falls wherein is laid the ground-work of the ruine of all the other also You have now the conceived slaying and rising again of the Witnesses which hath fallen out in our times at large represented you have seen it in all the likelyhood and advantage I could hold it forth withall Now let every one take their liberty to speak their apprehension in the businesse for my part I cannot but think this same is like to be the slaying and rising again of the Witnesses only that I may not dissemble where I am at a stand give me leave after all to make these two or three queries 1. When did they of the Kinreds and people and tongues and nations look upon the silenced Ministers and others of this Kingdom who yet at the nineth verse of this Chapter are said to look upon the dead Witnesses 2. If with the rising of the Witnesses the second Wo passes Vers 13. 14. and this second Wo is the Turk how is it we say the Witnesses are risen and yet the Turk still continuing and like enough for some space yet to continue 3. If with the rising of the Witnesses the second Wo passes and the third Wo viz. The seventh Trumpet bringing in with the beginning of it the utter destruction of Antichrist as also the glorious coming and Kingdom of Jesus Christ quickly follows after Can our times be so neer the accomplishment of these as is the end of the second Wo which is the sixth Trumpet to the beginning of the third Wo which is the seventh Trumpet Somewhat I could answer unto these but not that which would quietare as the Schoolmen speak but these answered I know little else materiall and of weight further to be excepted And now to draw toward a conclusion and from all this to say somewhat to that question viz. What will become of us which was indeed the occasion of it all Why if the Witnesses be yet to be slain and slain in this Kingdom Then yet a little while expect and prepare for a suffering condition I say yet a while expect the times should frown and look

The Witnesses ascend up to heaven and their enemies behold them Put all together now and the summe of all these severalls is this much After that the Witnesses are by a speciall hand of God restored to office again have their mouths open which is their Resurrection Such as are then in authority in the Reformed Churches do call them to some more ample condition more free more honourable the multitude with joynt endeanour helping while the Antichristian faction are strucken with fear and great indignation at the beholding This seems the meaning of the words the observations now follow 1. Are the Reformed Churches heaven And the Act of some in power there A voyce from heaven See then the vast diff●rence betwixt these Churches and the Synagogue of Satan This is earth and the members thereof The Inhabitants of the earth as we saw before but on the contrary the Reformed Churches are heaven and those that appertain thereunto are such who dwell in heaven And not without cause so called for certainly if the presence of God of Christ of the Spirit will make heaven Sure then the Churches of Christ are not undeservedly so called The policy these walk by is a heavenly policy Our conversation or as the originall our policy is in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heaven sayes the Apostle Eph. 3. 20. their graces are from heaven the Ordinances they attend upon come from thence and will in due time as a means carry up the comers thereunto Heb. 10. 1. also 2. Doth a voyce from heaven call the Witnesses up thither Why then however the rising again of the Witnesses be by the speciall hand of God yet their ascension is by the means and intervention of men A voice from heaven calls them up thither Take notice of it the hand of God raises up the Witnesses from the lead the hand of men does help them up to heaven God will take order the Witnesses once slain shall again Prophesie We must take order it be no more in Sackcloth 3. Do the Witnesses ascend up to heaven T is plain then there is a time a time here I mean when these Witnesses shall have their mourning Weeds their Sackcloth taken from them There is a time when they shall have honour esteem and recompence for all the scorn and injuries have been put upon them Yea a time also when they shall be above the enemies ●●●ch and danger Vex and storm at them they may But when they once ascend up to heaven they get so farre above them a they shall be a●le to slay them no more 4. Do the enemies of the Witnesses behold their ascending up to heaven Oh what indignation what gnashing of teeth will this cause in such beholders To see these have their Sackcloth taken from them ride in the second Chariot honour have and esteem put upon them certainly Haman could not be more Estl● ● sad at the preferment of Mordecai then will these be grieved and vexed at the Ascension of the Witnesses VERS 13. And the same hour there was a great earthquake and the tenth part of the City fell and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand and the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of heaven NOw follows the other Concomitant of the Witnesses Resurrection and ascending up to heaven together with the severall Consequents thereon depending in the words last mentioned The same hour there was a great earthquake and the tenth part of the City fell c. In the handling whereof we shall observe 1. The time of the Earthquake here mentioned in these words The same hour there was a great earthquake 2. The Earthquake it self 3. The severall consequents of this earthquake being in all three all whereof we shall handle as they fall in their own order But first of the time The same hour there was a great earthquake The same hour Some copies reade The same day But whether day or hour both seem to come to one neither to be understood of either day or hour properly so taken If you reade The same hour it is not to be taken properly for the 24 part of a naturall day no more then 't is in the 14 Chapter of this Prophesie and 7 verse The hour of his Judgement is come Or at the 17 Chapter and 12 verse These receive power one hour with the Beast besides many such like instances which might be fetcht from other places If you reade The same day it seems not to be understood either of a naturall or artificiall day properly so called no more then in many other places But whether one or other day or hour this appears the plain meaning of the holy Ghost About the time of the Resurrection and Ascension of the Witnesses about that time there is a great earthquake The earthquake it self now follows There was a great earthquake There is a naturall carthquake as I may call it when some windy matter being inclosed in the caverns of the earth impat●ent of being imprisoned there long breaks forth at last causing Aristo 2. Me●co 7. great and violent concussions and motions of the earth Such as this you reade of the 1. of Amos 1 such a kinde of earthquake as this was at our Saviours Resurrection but this Mat. 28. 2. kinde of earthquake we are not to understand here Besides this there is a mysticall earthquake when there are great stirs and commotions in Kingdoms and States and by these the Forms of Government changed Such earthquakes are those mentioned at the 8 Chapter of this prophesie and 5 verse and 16 Chapter and 18 verse And if I mistake not where we finde mention of an earthquake in all this book we are to conceive it to be a mysticall earthquake such is the great earthquake here mentioned a mysticall earthquake a State-quake a Kingdom-quake this seems the great earthquake here intended When therefore the holy Ghost tells us The same hour there was a great earthquake 't is this in effect About the time of the rising again and Ascension of these Witnesses there are great State and Kingdom-shakings The Consequents of this earthquake next follow in these words The tenth part of the City fell and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand And the remnant were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven Which Consequents if you take them asunder are three as was before hinted 1. The tenth part of the City falls 2. Seven thousand men slain 3. The remnant are terrified and give glory to the God of heaven Of these in this order 1. The fall of the tenth part of the City then of the other as they follow The tenth part of the City fell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I finde nothing in this Prophesie of the Witnesses with more variety and difference interpreted then this same and doubtlesse could we hit right here it would contribute no little to our satisfaction in the greatest intricacie of this

Church was but one the Christian Churches are many as others or whether any other may be the reason I not determine You have the differences but that in the main they agree take notice of these severalls for the purpose 1. As there you have a Candlestick signifying a Church so here Candlesticks signifying Churches also so I would understand them In no wise conceiving the two Witnesses to be the two Candlesticks as they are said to be the two Olive trees before and therefore I had rather reade as they do These are the two Olive trees with or by the two Candlesticks as is the manner of the Hebrews sometime to render their copulative for 't is evident 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loco 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Sam. 14. 18. alibi from the first Chapter of this Revel and 20. That Candlesticks are Churches The seven Golden Candlesticks sayes the holy Ghost are seven Churches 2. As two Olive trees there shew two ranks of men namely godly Magistrates and Ministers so by the two Olive trees here we understand men of the like condition godly Magistrates and Ministers also 3. As those by dropping Oyl into a Candlestick are so presented restoring the Jewish Church so the Witnesses by dropping Oyl into these Candlestick as Instruments of light and grace both which Oyl in Scripture doth aptly signifie do keep alive and lighted the Churches all the times of Antichrist and by this light restore recover them as also expell and win upon that darknesse which had gained much upon the world before 1 Sam. 16. 22. Psal 102. 26. Ier. 52. 12. compared with 2 Ki. 25 8. 4. As those are said to stand by the God of the earth which whether it means their stable and firm abiding for so much the word not unfrequently signifieth or whether by it be meant they minister before the Lord for so also t is often used these likewise stand before the God of the earth these in dropping Oyl into the Candlesticks spending themselves in caring for Church and Worships they minister before the God of the earth also Thus you have the Agreement Draw up now the sum of all this Verse together and 't is in short this In that the holy Ghost describes the two Witnesses by two Olive trees dropping Oyl into the candlesticks a type formerly used to signifie Magistrates and Ministers bestowing themselves in caring f●r Temple Church Worships then decayed it is as much as if he should tell us These Witnesses are godly Magistrates and Ministers who during the times of Antichrist shall bestow themselves in maintaining what of Church and Worships th●y have reforming repairing restoring as there is need and regaining what hath been lost by Antichristian en●roachm●nts And that all this hath come to passe accordingly That there have been such persons and they done all that we now mention how obviously were we acquainted with the Ecclesiasticall Histo●y would it appea how cleerly should we see not only the common sort of people such as those poor men of Lyons but Ministers yea Nobles yea Princes and Emperours have been of these Witnesses who not only have dropt Oyl into the candlesticks but even their blood also in preserving them pure and endeavouring to reform them from Antichristian impiety So you have the meaning of the words the Observations now follow 1. In that the Witnesses are typed out and described by persons of quality for such Zerubbabel and Jeshua were how likely is it these Witnesses must be persons of quality as they were And if they were Magistrates and Ministers by whom they are set forth and presented how warranta●ly may we pronounce these Witnesses are Magistrates and Ministers also I do not deny but even the meanest testifying against Antichrist is in a sort a Witnesse but to be a Witnesse by way of eminence to be such by office as I may say and so authoritatively to bear witnesse this seems restrained onely to men of quality and when the event answers accordingly as was in part hinted before me thinks there needs no further question in the businesse when Histories will tell us besides a succession of godly persons in the Ministry there were also in the Magistracy even in the highest places thereof that did oppose themselves against the Idolatry and Tyranny of Antichrist such as were Picus Mirandula John Frederick Duke of Saxony the Lantgrave Ernestus Brunswick his son Emperors also Henric. 4. Henric. 5. L●wis 4. with others besides some of the Princes of this and other Kingdoms And so it appears they have been Magistrates and Ministers in deed and in event even just such as were the types before by which they are shewed forth Judge whether from all we may not safely pronounce The Magistrates and Ministers opposing Antichrist are the two Witnesses 2. Are Candl●sticks Churches this learns us whence alone as from the ordinary means Spirituall and saving light is to be expected 't is from the Churches from the candl●sticks and sure repair we to any other Societies of men whatsoever and so far as they have nothing common with these so farre there is no saving light at all in them Here onely 't is that the Scriptures appear as a flaming Beacon upon a hill by which the Ministers Matth. 5. 15. as so many candles being lighted and set up in the candlestick give light to all them that are in the house all that is without this Verge being nothing else but pitchy darknesse And if so what a sad thing to be without a candlestick or as Rev 2. 5. Christ once threatned Ephesus to have the candlestick taken away How sad was the condition of the Egyptians when in regard Exo 10. 23 of that plague of darknesse then upon them no man did rise from his place for the space of three dayes How much more sad in Spirituall regards is their estate who are without a Candlestick and so in Spirituall darknesse knowing not whither they go 1 Joh. 2. 11. Mat. 8. 12. Nay Is not this that utter darknesse the Jews are threatned withall whereby seems meant if well considered as well their unchurch'd condition in this life as their state of condemnation in the life to come when the Kingdom of heaven the Candlestick was taken away from that time they have been cast forth into utter darkdesse 3. Are there two candlesticks in all this time then sure that cannot but be too hard a censure that cries down all as Antichristian Churches Antichristian Ministers all this time 't is true the Churches are now reduced to the smallest number yet is there a number however two Churches two Candlesticks at least in all the time of the prevailings of Antichrist 4. Are the Witnesses Olive trees dropping Oyl into the candlesticks this tells you whereabout the proper work of these Witnesses lies 't is about the Candlesticks 't is Church-work theirs their care their businesse is to have an eye to the Candlesticks And if

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

passe there is another Interpretation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besides and this seems without all exception This therefore instead of reading the names of men that were slain which is the Originall reads the men of name that were slain were seven thousand And this not rashly this kinde of speaking being not infrequent in the Scripture hence you reade Silver of Talents for Talents of Silver and the like so here names of men for men of names And if you would know what 's meant by this expression men of name and what name imports in this construction men of name consult that 6 of Gen. and 4 verse and you finde those Giant-like men whom the Originall calls men of name our Translation calls men of r●nown And so both the Originalls signifying name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orae O●● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza Anno. often translated so here There were slain seven thousand men of name that is men of note of quality So many were slain in th● fall of the tenth part of the City And if this should be so it cleerly takes off the former objection viz. That the number of bare seven thousand were not proportionall for granting that so many of quality of name are slain besides these numbers of the common sort that may be overwhelmed in those ruines and sure seven thousand men of note with those other are a number answerable to the fall of the tenth part of the City But before I passe further I must tell you this slaughter of these seven thousand seems not to mean a reall and proper slaughter no more then did the slaughter of the Witnesses before mentioned for if the earthquake were not such properly so called onely signifying stirs and commotions in the tenth part of the great City and so a mysticall earthquake as we saw before in like manner neither can this slaughter which is done by a mysticall earthquake be any other then a mysticall slaughter And if a mysticall slaughter what can it be but the Antichristian faction the abettors and maintainers of Antichristianisme in that tenth part of the great City have their place their power their maintenance taken from them they cease to be in office as before they lose their Livings this is to them the losing of their lives this seems the slaughter of the seven thousand eminent men here intended I do not deny but in these stirs some of them may be slain indeed somewhat like whereto was formerly spoken concerning the slaying of the Witnesses but this is not the slaughter is here chiefly aymed at it is especially a mysticall slaughter We have seen now the second Consequent viz. Seven thousand men slain the third follows in these words The remnant were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven And who is this remnant but some of that party I mean the Antichristian faction who seeing the just and apparent hand of God upon them are stricken with it acknowledging their errour and thus give glory to the God of heaven Jos 7. 19. Or else the remnant were terrified that is the other sort of people who scaping the slaughter wherein the professed Antichristian faction were especially concerned they seeing the hand of God upon them are terrified and by confessing their former mistake in cleaving to them do thus give glory to the God of heaven Sum up all this verse now and 't is thus much About the time these Witnesses rise again and ascend up to heaven about this time there are great stirs and commotions in some of those ten Kingdoms into which the Roman Empire upon its fall became divided By means whereof Antichristianisme becomes utterly abolished in one of those ten Kingdoms upon the abolishing whereof many of note and professedly of the Antichristian faction are thrown from all Authority and Place as also that large maintenance which they had before which the other people cleaving fast to them before now beholding and taking notice of the finger of God in it confesse their former errour strike off from them never to cleave to them any more The Observations now follow 1. Is one Kingdom but the tenth part of the great City hence observe the extent of the mysticall Babylon The Popish faction may well cry up Visibilty Universality the Catholique Church and the like why one Kingdom is but the tenth part Bell. de Not. Eccl. of it 2. Hence we have the reason why that Call of God viz. Come out of her my people is not to be restrained to the City of Rev. 18. ● Rome properly and in the letter so taken but takes place in all the ten Kingdoms and in all the parts thereof though never so far remote from Rome in regard of distance of space The Government of this great Balylon takes in severall Kingdoms and so far as her Government and Worships are retained in any of them so far doth God call such a people out of Babylon 3. If any of the ten Kingdoms have withdrawn themselves utterly from Antichrist then is the tenth part of the City fallen I need not trouble you with the rehearfall of the ten Kingdomes they are commonly known to be these 1. There was the Alanes the Almains the Britains the Burgundians the Frankes the Greeks the Ostrogoths the Saxons the Vandals the Wisigoths If any of these have utterly withdrawn themselves from Antichrist then is the tenth part of the City fallen If not th●n is not the tenth part of the City fallen But if any be utterly withdrawing then is the tenth part of the City falling 4. There is a time when the Antichristian faction shall be paid in their own coyn Have they slain the Witnesses why when the tenth part of the City falls they become slain also Have they silenc'd and suspended the Witnesses even so shall it be measured to them also And perhaps of this there hath been a taste given already We have seen those brought to the Bar who have used to sit in Judgement passing hard and unjust sentence upon others Those suspended and their livings sequest●ed who formerly have been active to do as much for others And no marvell As Babylon falls so the Popish faction also 5. Do a remnant repent upon the fall of part of Babylon and the slaughter accompanying it Observe then there is some good to be expected from the fall of Babylon when the tenth part falls then do the remnant repent and give glory to the God of heaven How earnestly therefore should we pray for the destruction of Babylon It did no good standing but unspeakable mischief it will do good fallen for then will people hereby be brought unto Repentance VERS 14. The second Wo is past and behold the the third Wo cometh quickly NOw follows the Close of this Prophesie of the Witnesses which also as a sure direction tells us where we are especially while in hand with the latter part of this Prophesie In