the body untill the resurrection of the body and then so to rise with it and be named for both For one corrupt opinion or point of false doctrine brings alwayes more of the like nature with it But I leave this to their consideration and come again to the Text to see what it further saith Ver. 16. And the four and twenty Elders which sate on their seats in the sight of God fell on their faces and adoring God said Wee thank thee Lord God omnipotent which art which wast and which shalt come because thou hast received thy great power and brightnesse NOw the seventh Angel having sounded the great and last Trumpet the Lord being come in his glory and the Kingdomes of this world made his who is to reign for ever and ever world without end Hereupon the four and twenty Elders which are Moses and the Prophets as the four Beasts mentioned in Chap. 4.9 are the four Evangelists fall down on their faces before the throne of God adoring him for that his judgements against Antichrist and his worshippers which they by the seven-fold Spirit of Majesty given them of God spake of and denounced from time to time against them were now justified upon them And the everlasting Kingdome of the Lord their God whose dominion reacheth from Sea to Sea from the River to the ends of the earth is now set up for evermore according to all that he had foreshewed them and by the same Spirit spoken by them Hereupon they falling down and adoring the justification of God break forth into praises and thanksgiviving saying We thank thee Lord God omnipotent which art which wast and which shalt come because thou hast received thy great power and brightnesse c. Ver. 17. And the Gentiles were angry and thy wrath is come and the time of the dead to be judged and to render reward to thy servants the Prophets Saints to them that fear thy Name little and great and to destroy them that have corrupted the earth ANd notwithstanding the rage fury of those great Monarchs of the world that like wild Boares of the Forest that rose up against the Lord and against his people and Citie Ierusalem and of those Beasts of the field which said against the Lord and his anointed Let us break their bonds asunder and cast their cords from us And of all those Antichristian powers of so long continuance that have with the rest to fill up their measure rejected the Lord and trode his truth to the ground and made the holy Citie of his Saints as a street to trample upon And of all that innumerable multitude of Gog and Magog which that old Serpent the Devill and Satan shall at last gather together with their mighty men and chiefe Captaines against this great day of the Lord bringing them down and compassing the camp of his Saints about and the beloved Citie intending to destroy root out and take the prey and spoyle of all These all who are here described as they are also in Psa 2. by the name of Gentiles And the Gentiles were angry c. are now to endure the wrath judgment of him who with justice judgeth The great day of his wrath being come and the time of the dead to be judged Now the Lord for whose glory this day is made will render unto every man justly and truly according to their works and wayes wherein their hearts have walked and delighted First to his Servants his Prophets his Saints and Martyrs that through faith and patience have overcome their just reward which for his name and promise sake is right and due unto them And next unto all those heathen Gentiles and people of all nations kindreds of the earth under what name and of what profession of religion soever they passe Jewes Catholiques Protestants or other whose hearts are hard unrepentant and unbeleeving who by their evill deeds have corrupted the earth their just reward also and recompence which to their workes and wayes is rightly due unto them For so much doe the words conclude in saying And to render reward unto thy servants the Prophets Saints and to them that feare thy Name little and great and to destroy them that have corrupted the earth And hereby it is also manifest that at the same very time when the last trumpet shall sound and the Lord shall come in his glory the dead both good and bad shall be raised and judged without any distance of yeares or dayes between the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised as Paul saith And although the salvation of the just and sufferings of the ungodly shall continue for a thousand yea and ten thousand times ten thousand thousands of yeares even for everlasting as the Scriptures declare yet the judgment and sentence passing will require no longer time in the hands of the Lord then one day as the Scriptures alwayes expresse it And that we should know for certain that this day will come at the same time when Satan with his Armies of Gog and Magog shall be upon Christendome compassing the Camp of the Saints about and fire shall come downe from God out of heaven and devoure them The holy Ghost in Rev. 20.9 10 11 12 c. doth plainly declare it And to the end that we should take notice thereof hee saith chap. 21.6 It is done I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end c. And in chap. 16. upon the same comming down of the Kings of the earth and of the whole world unto the judgement of the great day it followeth vers 17. It is done And in Ezek. 39. upon the same destruction of Gog and Magog it followeth also verse 8. Behold it is come and it is done saith the Lord. This is the day whereof I have spoken Which day will be the last day of this world spoken of by Martha Luke 11.24 and whereof Christ saith But of that day and houre knoweth no man no not the Angelt of heaven but my Father only Matth. 24. For although the Lord hath revealed and men may know the yeare yet the day and hour can no man know And as in this last day this present world shall end so in it shal the world to come and the kingdome of Christ and his Saints begin as it is also declared Matth. 25.31 32 33 c. 2 Tim. 4.1 And then shall be the restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of his holy Prophets that have been since the world began as it is also written Acts 3.20.21 There shall bee new heavens and a new earth and Jerusalem shall be made a praise in the earth And great shall bee the difference between the estate of this world to come which shall be in subjection to Christ and wherein he shall reigne and righteousnesse shall dwell for ever world without end and the now present world wherein the heathen and Pagan Monarchs and Antichrists reigne and iniquity beareth rule and dwelleth And for any to teach or perswade the Christian State now present as some in their Sermons and Printed bookes have done and doe that the Kingdome of Christ and his Saints whereof the Prophets have spoken shall be in this present world for a thousand yeares before the last day is to teach and perswade to a Doctrine against Christ and not for him whose Kingdome is not of this world which is not nor will be being corrupt subject unto him Antichrist and his Clergie of false prophets that have taken upon them as much as ever did any the name of the onely true Church of Christ in the world have been as a great Monarch in this present world for a thousand yeares past already and let them take it for their portion of happinesse But let no true Christian Ministers state or people bee of such a mind to teach such doctrine or looke for such a thing here againe But rather flie the glory and shadow of this world and look for the eternall Kingdome in the world to come ready to bee revealed when Christ shall come at the last day which I verily beleeve upon the grounds before mentioned many thousands now living shall live to see And so I rest their Christian friend wishing them all true happinesse grace and truth and peace in Christ Amen Now having here a little space let mee put a question or two more to the Millenaries As first if when God shall have created new Heavens and a new Earth Jerusalem a rejoycing and her people a joy there shall be no more thence an infant of dayes nor an old man that hath not filled his dayes as the Prophet Esay saith Esa 65.20 Then I ask how there can thence an infant or child of dayes or an old man die as they will have it in their Millenary estate Again if the resurrection of the ungodly shall not bee till the thousand years kingdome of Christ which the Millenaries make to be the day of judgement shall be expired as they teach Then I ask what time they will have for that great multitude of ungodly not risen from the dead to be judged and who they mean Christ shall be all that time of a thousand yeares a judging Or how hee can judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and kingdome as Paul saith if the dead be not all raised at his appearing and kingdome and brought before him to be judged or why he should need a thousand yeares or dayes time of pawsing in judgement or more then one true naturall day though there shall be a thousand and ten thousand times ten thousand yeares of execution and suffering yea yeares and dayes and nights everlastingly as it is written Matth. 25. and sundry other places FINIS
lies Vers 4. These are the two Olive Trees and the two Candlesticks standing in the presence of the Lord of the earth HEre the Lord now begins to declare unto his servant Iohn and so unto all the Saints what his two Witnesses are in their own true nature in saying These are the two Olive Trees and the two Candlesticks standing c. The two as if he had said the onely two and the very same two Olive branches the two anointed ones or Sonnes of oyle shewed before unto the Prophet Zechary which stood fructifying continually before the Ruler of the whole earth not onely in the Prophets time but also long before his dayes and since Zach. 4.14 for so much doe the words clearly imply shewing that they were not two new ones not yet sprung up but those that were of old the Lord referring us as it were to the testimony of the Prophet which we are further to consider of As first where he saith I have looked and behold a Candlesticke all of gold with a bole upon the top of it and his seven lamps thereon and seven pipes to the seven lamps which were upon the top thereof And two Olive Trees by it one upon the right side of the bole and the other upon the left side thereof vers 2.3 So the Prophet having seen these things desires to know what they were and the Angel answered him saying This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel saying Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts Who art thou O great mountain before Zerubbabel thou shalt become â—plain and he shall bring forth the head stone thereof with shouting crying Grace grace unto it vers 3.4 5 6 7. And the word of the Lord came again unto the Prophet saying The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house and his hands shall also finish it and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you For who hath despised the day of small things for they shall rejoyce and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven they are the eyes of the Lord which run to and fro through the whole earth vers 8 9 10. Although the Prophet had seen and heard all these things yet was he not satisfied concerning the two Olive trees but questions again saying What be these two Olive trees upon the right side of the Candlestick and upon the left side thereof vers 11. And again What be these two Olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the oyle out of themselves into the gold ver 12. And the Angel answered him saying Knowest thou not what these be And he said No my Lord. Then said the Angel unto him These are the two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth Now the Prophet understood every thing and accordingly as they were declared unto him he writ them downe to the end that other Saints also might understand the same And yet for all this and notwithstanding all that Christ hath revealed and spoken by his Angell unto his servant Iohn and hee left written to us it remaines in doubt and is still a great question with many at this day what the two Witnesses the two Olive Trees are Some saying they are Enoch and Elias whom they will have to come Others say they are Zerubbabel and Iosua And some say they are other two men or more whom they will have to stand up in these times And others say they are the two Churches of the Iewes and Gentiles and the Ministers of both And others that they are the Ministers of the Gospel since Christ and some say the Magistracie and the Ministery And others the two Testaments and the Ministers And some say they are the two Testaments onely Now which of all these opinions is the truth that shall stand approved when all the rest shall vanish like smoake and come to nothing Surely not to make any further demurring the Two Witnesses are the Two Testaments of God without the adding or joyning men or Churches unto them in that respect For which of all those other may be said to empty the pure oyle and light of the righteousnesse and justice grace and truth of God out of themselves through their golden pipes into the golden Candlestick which is the Church of God but his two Testaments onely who have the same oyle in themselves naturally as the Olive trees have their oyle in themselves naturally It is true the Church having received into her seven Lamps of the pure oyle and light of these two Olive Trees and two Candlestickes as Christ also calleth them because they have light in themselves as well as oyle may through the sevenfold Spirit of Prophesie given her of God those seven eyes which Zechariah saw graven on the head Stone Zech. 3.9 and were with Zerubbabel Zech. 4.10 and are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth spoken of also Rev. 5.6 The Church I say having so received and being made partaker of these excellent graces and gifts may and doth by her Prophets prophesie and hold forth the light of Gods two Witnesses the two Olive Trees and two Candlestickes and testifie the same righteousnesse and justice grace and truth to the world in all parts and places where they come For which cause it is said of her O Jerusalem which bringest good tidings lift up thy voyce with strength O Sion that bringest good tidings c. And againe How beautifull upon the mountaines are the feet of those that bring good tidings of peace and good things unto us And St. Paul saith of that holy Citie that she is free and is the mother of all the children of God because she ministers the glad tidings of grace and peace unto them Although all this be true of the Church of God and that she is so neerly united unto his two Witnesses as that they cannot be divided nor parted asunder yet they may and must be distinguished so one from another as that the Church and her Prophets may not bee the Witnesses nor part of them nor the Witnesses the Church For it can no more be so then the woman mentioned Rev. 12. which had the two wings given her wherewith she might flie into the wildernes can be the two wings or the wings the woman though without them she could not flie nor be cloathed nor fed when she was in the wildernesse as the Text Rev. 14. implies the two wings being also the two Testaments which contain in them the word of the Lord wherewith she is in spirit cloathed and fed and they are but two not three nor foure nor more but onely two which God in those dayes gave unto her perfectly finished to be her guide and help every way upon all occasions and in all places wheresoever she removed or should bee dispersed And therefore Christ her Lord who was carefull of her advised
thee and thy false prophets those two hundred thousand thousand Clergymen that wrought miracles before thee and cast yee both alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone according as it is written Rev. 19. And then shall his two Witnesses prophecie in their full strength more publickly and freely then yet they doe and his Church come fully forth of the wildernesse that her modest countenance her holy and heavenly conversation may be more clearly seen then yet is or hath been for these many hundred yeares past Ver. 14. The second woe is gone and behold the third woe will come quickly IN Chap. 8. mention is made of three woes that were to come upon the world and be within the time of the sounding of the three last of the 7 Trumpets which the 7 Angels were to sound v. 13. where John saith And I beheld and heard an Angel flying through the middest of heaven saying with a lowd voyce Woe woe woe to the inhabitants of the earth by reason of the other voyces of the Trumpets of the three Angels which are yet to sound The first of these three woes being that of Arianisme before mentioned which is described in Chap. 9. from ver 1. to ver 11. and is said to continue five months ver 5. meaning in the propheticall understanding months of years which according to the Hebrews account who had thirty dayes to every month and twelve months to every year doe containe the just number of an hundred and fifty years which was the time of the Arian persecution and prevailing of that heresie as Histories doe plainly report This and no other thing can rightly be taken for the first Woe neither may the persons or workers thereof be thought to bee Saracens Arabians Mahometans as some name them and would have them nor any other heathen powers or people without the outer Court or Pale of the Church but Christians by profession and such as had great place and power in the outward state of the Church wherby to worke their mischievous Woe in stinging and poisoning the inhabitants of the earth with their hellish smoky blasphemous doctrine and to persecute the Saints of God that opposed the same The holy Ghost having from the first verse of this ninth chapter to the eleventh verse made a full description of this first Woe it being the least of the three and no more again to bee mentioned saith here ver 12. One woe is past And because each of the other two would be farre greater he saith And behold as requiring all men to hearken and take speciall notice of it two woes more come hereafter And then presently following saith ver 13. And the sixth Angel sounded c. From which to the end of the Chapter in a very brief and generall manner is foreshewed not onely the frightfull uglinesse and monstrous deformed shapes of the creatures that should work this second Woe and cause that abominable mystery of iniquity to overspread the earth and how great the number of their Army of Horsmen should be but also with what Devillish weapons of hellish fire smoke and brimstone issuing forth of their mouthes and tailes they should effect it to the slaying of the the third part of men Which strangely deformed great Army are not nor may bee thought to bee that of the Turkes which have invaded and doe now possesse a part of Europe as some conceive and publish Nay but they are Christians also by profession as were the authors of the first woe even the whole race and generation of the great Antichrist of Rome and legions of his false prophets These are the true authors and workers of this second Woe who now began to shew themselves in their fashion when the sixth Angel began to sound v. 13 14. And so in respect of that first Woe of Arianisme which began with the sounding of the fifth Angels Trumpet and continued five months This of Antichrist which was to begin with the sounding of the sixth Angels Trumpet and to continue fourty and two months is in Chap. 11.4 called The second Woe Which woe although it was to be and is more particularly and much more exactly and largely discovered in Chapters 13. and 14. and Chap. 17. and 18. and 19. yet because it is here in Chap. 11. in a generall manner fully revealed the Lord to whom all things past and to come are present saith vers 14. The second woe is gone And because the third woe is to come very soon after and it being the greatest of all he saith again And behold calling unto as it were and requiring all men to hearken and consider of it saying And behold the third woe will come meaning the great day of the Lords comming in his glory to judge the world which will bee a day of terror unto all those inhabitants of the earth that repented not of their sinnes and sorceries and murders c. that beleeved not in him and of the greatest woe to them that ever came For all the woes as they are woes doe belong to the ungodly and are so called in respect of them not of the just neither will the day of the Lords coming in glory be a day of terror or woe to them but rather on the clean contrary the day of their greatest joy the day which they looked for And that they his chosen and faithfull should know and understand upon certainty that this great day of the Lord shall not tarry long but come soon after the desolation of Antichrist he addeth this word quickly And behold the third woe will come quickly Which very thing the Lord also confirmed before in another place by the like word immediatly Matth. 24. where hee having spoken of the tyrannous reign of the selfe-same Antichrist and his false prophets verse 23 24. saith Immediatly after the tribulation of those dayes shall the Sunne be darkned and the Moon shall not give her light and the Starres shall fall from heaven and the powers of heaven shall be shaken and then shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of Man in heaven and then shall all the Tribes of the earth mourne and they shall see the Sonne of man comming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory and he shall send his Angels with a great found of a Trumpet c verse 29.13.31 And as concerning the length of the time that is to bee between the end of Antichrist and the day of the Lords comming in glory intended by the word quickly and the word immediatly The Prophet Daniel speaking likewise of the reigne of the same Antichrist and number of his dayes as also of the end of the world which is to be at the day of the Lords comming declareth it plainly to contain fourty and five yeares according to the Chaldees account Dan. 12. his words being these And from the time that the daily Sacrifice shall be taken away and the abomination that maketh desolate set up there
THE TWO OLIVE TREES OR The Lords two Anointed ones which alwayes stand before Him the Ruler of the whole Earth Zach. 4. Described also Rev. 11. by the names Of Two Witnesses Two Olive Trees Two Candlesticks Two Prophets And shewing What they are in their owne true nature differing from all the new fancied ones and in what manner they alwayes prophesie How they are said to finish their testimony How they were to be killed by the Beast and when How long their corps should lie in the streets of the Beasts great Citie dead and unburied And when the Spirit of life from God should enter into them and they stand upon their feet again And what great things should follow after the same to the end and thence for ever Published according to Order LONDON Printed by Matthew Simmons 1645. To the Christian Reader ALthough there are many opinions at this day on foot concerning the two Witnesses of God described in Zach. 4. by the names of two Olive Trees and the two anointed ones which stand before the Ruler of the earth as also by the names of two Candlestickes and two Prophets Rev. 11. and much questionings and doubts made about them who and what they should be c. And that therefore I may seem too bold especially among men so learned and wise and in so great and difficult a cause as this is to speak or publish what I have heard or may seem to understand yet seeing things to be as they are I suppose I may with leave venture to doe it I confesse the matter hath already long before this time very truly been unfolded by some whose shooes I am not worthy to beare if we could see it but that wee are so naturally blind concerning the truth and given to seek out new inventions of our own and such as may seeme best to suit with the present times and affections of the people and withall serve to make for our temporall advantages which we are to repent of as being very great evils That which I shall doe herein is onely this to expresse some things a little more plainly to the plainer sort of Christians like my selfe to remove some objections and cleare some doubts After which I hope it will not remain to the meek humble in heart a matter altogether so obscure and unknowne what the two Olive Trees the Lords two Witnesses his anointed ones are in their own true nature differing from all the new invented ones which some would have us to entertain for them or besides them I request the Christian Reader therefore to excuse my boldnesse herein seeing it is his good that I seek as well as my owne desiring that we may all escape the errors and evils of the times and be led by the Spirit of truth into all truth and so Walke in the same to the praise of God and our owne salvation which is now neere at hand to be revealed So I rest His Christan friend I. E. Imprimatur Iohn Downam THE TWO OLIVE TREES OR The Lords two anointed Ones Zach. 4. Described also Rev. 11. by the names Of Two Witnesses Two Olive Trees Two Candlesticks Two Prophets REV. 11. vers 1. And there was given me a Reed like unto a Rod and the Angel that stood by me said Rise and measure the Temple of God and the Altar and them that worship therein BEfore the Lord begins to describe his two Witnesses 〈◊〉 requireth his servant Iohn to take a survey of his Church of Saints the spirituall house of God consisting of living stones built on the chiefe Corner Stone Jesus Christ they being the holy Priesthood who offer up spirituall Sacrifices acceptable to God by him which hee signifieth by the Temple of Jerusalem and the Altar of Incense that was in the same whereinto the Priests onely might enter through the vaile to sacrifice and adore These onely are they that the Lord will have to bee measured and taken notice of as being his part and portion his Tabernacle wherein he will dwell Vers 2. But the Court which is without the Temple cast out and measure not for it is given to the Gentiles and the holy Citie shall they tread under foot fourty and two months BY the outer Court of the Temple which John is bidden to cast out and not measure wee are to understand the common outward unregenerate Christians who especially after the dispersion of the true Spouse of Christ from her primitive viblsie estate should become many in number and attaine to great authority and power in the outward state of the Church and take upon them and assume unto themselves as if they were the very true Church and Spouse of Christ These who notwithstanding all this their outward profession and taking much upon them are but Gentiles in heart full of all uncleannesse and abominations resembled here by the outward Court of the Temple where the Brazen Altar was and whereinto all the people of Israel might enter and sacrifice are they whom the Lord commandeth to be cast out and forbiddeth to be measured or accounted of as being any part of his portion or inheritance And whereas these Gentiles are said to tread the holy Citie under foot fourty and two months is foreshewed that they should persecute kill and keep downe out of sight the true Spouse and her children who are here described by the name of the holy Citie because they are the Tabernacle and Sanctuary of God wherein hee will dwell for ever And that this they were to doe for the space of fourty and two months which are to be understood months of yeares taking every day of each month for a yeare according to Ezek. 4.6 Vers 3. And I will give to my two witnesses and they stall prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes clothed in sackcloth BY which words the Lord by his Angel gives to his servant Iohn and unto all his Church of Saints to understand that although those Gentiles unto whom the outward Court was to bee given should tread the holy City of Saints under foot so long as fourty and two months of yeares yet neverthelesse hee would so give unto his two Witnesses that they should prophesie all the while even every one of the dayes of those months which according to the account of the Hebrewes who had thirty dayes to every month and twelve months to every yeare do contain according as the Lord doth here also intend it a thousand two hundred and threescore years And sheweth also that their manner of prophesying should be as cloathed in Sack-cloth that is to say in mourning for so in the same kinde of habit they always prophesied although it would be now much more abundant by reason of the abundant cruelties of their enemies who should for their word and testimony sake persecute those that in the evidence of the Spirit and the teares of true repentance faith and patience testified the same against their Gentilisme hypocrisie and
their testimony and against the Prophets and people of God that stood to maintain the same have and shall certainly come to passe If they prophesie of famine either of the Word and knowledge of God which is the bread of life or of common bread signified here by shutting the heavens that it rain not c. Or if they prophesie of destruction by the sword here signified by turning waters into blood so giving them blood to drink for their shedding the blood of the Saints as it is exprest Rev. 16.3 4.5 6. Or if they prophesie of pestilence of earthquakes or any other calamity or judgement to come signified by smiting the earth with all manner of plagues so often as they will their word is a law such speciall priviledge and power they have that what they say and denounce shall stand not one jot nor tittle of their word shall fail till all be fulfilled According as the Lord spake of his Prophet Jeremiah and by him saying Behold this day have I set thee over Nations and over Kingdomes to pluck up root out destroy and throw down build and plane Jâ—r 1.9 10. And in another place Therefore have I cut them down by my Prophets and slain them by the words of my mouth Hos 6.5 And so Zerubbabel concerning the power that opposed him saying Not by Army nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts Who art thou O great mountain before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain c. Zech. 4. Now what two men were there ever in the world or what two States of Magistrates and Ministers or other have there ever been that had power to doe all these things and by the word of whole mouth all those judgements of God already past and fulfilled on those former Monarchs Kingdomes Nations Cities people that have been the great adversaries of God enemies to his Word of Truth and destroyers of his Saints have been uttered and pronounced but the mouth of his two Testaments onely which the holy Prophets and Apostles have been the witnessers and recorders of In which respect the Lord did so greatly honour Moses and the Prophets they being dead and their writings onely remaining to the people saying They have Moses and the Prophets let them heare them c. And so to us now we have Moses and the Prophets yea more we have John the Baptist the Elias that was to come and Christ the Messiah promised and his holy Apostles insomuch as wee have their Records and Writings of the great things of Gods two Testaments which they had seen and heard from the Lord. And if we therefore will not heare them nor beleeve their record then neither will we beleeve if Enoch and Elias or Noah and Abraham or any other two or more of the holy Prophets and Apostles should come from the dead and preach anew unto us for so much doe the words of the Lord imply Wherefore it concerneth us greatly to read and consider and to desire of God to give us understanding And blessed is hee that readeth and beleeveth and keepeth the sayings of Gods two Witnesses which are his two Testaments for so I will now take it for granted of all that love the Lord and delight in his Testimonies Vers 7. And when they have finished their testimony the beast which ascendeth from the depth shall make battell against them and kill them THese words in the opinion of some I know will seeme to contradict that which hath been said of the two Witnesses because they will understand their testimony here spoken of to be their prophecying in Sackcloth 1260 dayes mentioned in verse 3. and so as if the words of this 7 verse did imply the killing of them by the Beast to be at the end of those dayes a little before his own death that he shall then get up again out of his consumption and make warre against them and kill them and their carkasses lie in the streets of his great Citie three naturall yeares and a halfe unburied that so the Beast and his false Prophets and those Kings and Nations and the people that worship the Beast may yet rejoyce and triumph over them before the Beast die and his Church come to desolation This they conceive and teach and that the two Witnesses must therefore be some two men of these times as Mr. Burton and the other that suffered with him and were imprisoned as they say three yeares and a halfe just to a day and then set at liberty by the Parliament and so raised from death to life and caused to stand upon their feet again for so they have published in their bookes yet not giving the honour wholly to them alone but joyning also together with them all those Ministers which had suffered and been supprest by the Bishops for not conforming unto their orders and rules who are now restored to places and meanes Some adding to these the zealous Magistrates and States now in place of authority But to answer these Teachers not denying any of Gods faithfull Servants Magistrates or Ministers the least part of their due and right onely let me tell them that so teach They are utterly deceived in their imaginations concerning the two Witnesses and also much mistake the words of the text For first it saith not of the two Witnesses which are the two Testaments onely as hath been sufficiently proved and I now take it for granted And when they have finished their prophecying in Sackcloth as if they should cease so to doe before the Beâ—st should kill them Neither doth it say when the 1260 dayes of the Beasts reigne shall be accomplished then the Beast should make warre against them and kill them Nay this were very contradictions and unreasonable for how could the Beast kill them when his dayes were ended Or if he could what would it then avail him the time of their prophecying also being expired Nay it had been much more for his advantage to have killed them long before seeing they were before even in the Prophet Zechary his time though they had not yet finished their testimony till about three hundred yeares before the beast rose And 2ly the two Witnesses of God being the two Testaments cannot bee said to finish their prophecying in Sackcloth till all Gods elect are called and sanctified by their word and that the sufferings of Christ in them his members for his Word sake are ended Neither did the two Witnesses ever otherwise prophesie then in Sackcloth that is in mourning All the holy Prophets Apostles and Sâ—ints have in mourning and weeping born record of them and in faith and patience testified the truth of their words to the world and were hated and persecuted for their sake not their own but because they testified and walked in the light of them And in this kind of habit they are to prophesie untill the Lord come in his glory For although the Lord would as he said so give unto his
two Witnesses that notwithstanding all whatsoever the Beast could doe against them they should prophesie the 1260 dayes even every one of the dayes of those fourty two months of the Beasts reigne and the Gentiles treading the holy Citie under foot yet did he not limit their prophecying in Sackcloth within the compasse of those dayes Neither is there a word in all the Scripture to such purpose onely their being killed by the Beast and their corps lying dead in the street of his Sodomiticall Citie c. are limited within that time as we shall see hereafter Neither is it said in the Text the Beast which descendeth into the deep shall make warre against them and kill them but the Beast which ascendeth from the deep c. implying plainly that he should make warre against them and kill them at his ascending or rising or soone after and not at his descending or downfall And that the finishing their testimony here spoken of was to bee before the Beast should rise which we are here duly to consider of as a thing that we ought to know and understand And therefore the Lord foreshewed saying And when they have finished their testimony the Beast which ascendeth from the depth shall make warre against them and kill them That is to say when the holy Prophets Apostles and Evangelists had finished their course written down all whatsoever they had seen and heard from the Lord concerning his two Wils Testaments according as they were guided by the holy Ghost and especially his second or last Will of grace and peace by Jesus Christ His wonderfull conception birth life death resurrection from the dead foretold also by the Prophets His ascension into heaven and his sending the holy Ghost unto them the Spirit of truth to lead them into all truth and to enable them to prophesie through the sevenfold gifts thereof Of Iohn the Baptist who was that Elias which God promised to send before the great and terrible day of the Lord should come the day of judgement and wrath and how he cried out unto the people of Israel and so unto all the world in the spirit and power of Elias requiring every man with strong perswasions great sorrowfulnesse of heart much lamentation and many teares to repent that they might obtaine the forgivenesse of their sinnes through faith in the Messiah the Mediator and Messenger of the Covenant who was now also come to his Temple Which voice of this Elias crieth out unto us all even to this day that we should repent that we may receive also the forgivenesse of our sinnes by faith in Christ lest in that great day when he commeth in power and glory we perish in his wrath and he smite the earth with a curse And how Christ himselfe also preached saving Repent for the Kingdome of heaven is at hand Repent and beleeve the Gospel with many other heavenly Doctrines and most true and gracious sayings And of all his wondrous workes and the things he had foreshewed them should come to passe Of the destruction of Jerusalem and wrath upon that people Of false Christs and false Prophets that should arise Of great tribulation that should befall the Church of Christ during the time of his personall absence And of the signes of his comming and end of the world And after his death and resurrection how hee opened their understandings and among many other heavenly things that he spake of and foreshewed them said unto them Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day and that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his Name among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem And then last of all this book of the Revelation wherein many great mysteries that were sealed up and no man in heaven nor on earth was found worthy to open but the Lamb that was slain are by him revealed 1. The estate of his Church in her primitive time 2. And what her great enemies should be and what shee was to suffer at their hands The first being the great red Dragon Satan reigning in the Pagan Emperours by whose bloody persecutions shee was forced to flie into the wildernesse to escape from his fury as in Rev. 12.3 4 5 6 c. described in Rev. 6.4 by a red horse and one fitting on him that should take peace from the earth The second that of Arius and his followers whose blasphemous doctrines and malicious persecution against those that opposed the same continued five months of years as in Rev. 9.2 3 4 5. described by a black horse Rev. 6.5 The third this of the Beast and his false prophets and whorish Church of whose abominations and filthinesses of the cup of her fornications Kings Princes and people of all Nations have been made to drink and became drunken committing fornication with her and so their souls became lost for ever And her selfe also becomming daily drunken with the blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus Christ whose bodies she killed because they would not drink of her cup nor commit fornication with her All which being to continue fourty and two months of years as Rev. 11.2 Rev. 13.5 described also in Revel 6. by a pale horse c. ver 8. Then what plagues should bee powred out upon them all for their murders and wickednesse And what and when should bee their end and how great their condemnation And which exceeds all for the comfort of the Church of Christ which was to suffer all these things at her enemies hands how shee should bee delivered from her so great and violent oppressions And what and how great things her Lord hath prepared for her and promised and foreshewed her especially in this booke of the Revelations to be inherited of her for eternity in the world to come when he shall appeare in his glory So the holy Prophets and Apostles and Evangelists having from the Lord perfected his two Testaments which are his two Witnesses they having thus finished their testimony which was never to done before nor from thence forth could ever bee so done after and which might therefore rightly be called Finishing their Testimony and also because no man nor Angel from heaven might or may preach any thing as the testimony of Gods two Witnesses or his Oracles but what is written and contained in them it being the whole counsell of God So I say they having thus finished their testimony and they being prophecying in the plain demonstration of the Spirit and of power turning the hearts of Gods elect to repentance that they might be justified from their sinnes by faith through his grace in Christ which by the Spirit and word of reconciliation was ministred to their broken and contrite hearts And also by the same Spirit and power convincing the wicked perishing world of sinne of righteousnesse and of judgement Of judgement because the prince of this world whom they serve and obey he
famously published and made known and by such plain demonstration of the Spirit and power of God as that no power of wickednesse whatsoever shall any longer bee able to stop or hinder the glorious course and prosperous proceeding therof but that as one well observeth from the words And I heard a lowd voyce from heaven saying Come up hither it should be more possible for them to stay Elias Chariot from ascending or to pull the wind back from pursuing his poynt then to resist the power and wisdome of the same which shall vindicate the abuse of the Scriptures and by the same Spirit and power of God in the ministery of his faithfull servants as in the strength of cloud shall hold them up and restore them to their spirituall and heavenly meaning again And so as the beast with his false Prophets Sorcerers and liers which have been their long and ancient enemies shall see the glory of their restauration and wonder thereat and die for so much doe the words imply in saying And they went up to heaven in a cloud and their enemies saw them Ver. 13. And in that houre there was made a great earthquake and the tenth part of the Citie fell and there were slain in the earthquake names of men seven thousand and the rest were east into a feare and gave glory to the God of heaven ANd in the same houre saith the Spirit of God there was made a great earthquake As much as to say In the same very time when it should please God to begin his work of raising up and restoring his two Witnesses to life and strength again as before is declared there should be made a great disturbance in the Christian world where the Beast should reigne concerning matters of religion And that a tenth part of the Citie that is of the same Christian world or State where the Beast is worshipped should fall from the Beast And that in this great earthquake and disturbance and fall of the tenth part of the Citie there should bee slain many thousand men signified here by names of men seven thousand for standing up to maintain the true doctrine of Gods two Testaments against the Beast and his abominations and lies and because they would not worship him nor his image any longer And that the rest meaning those that were in their consciences reproved and in their minds enlightned by the evident light of the truth so witnessed were cast into a feare c. that is into a reverend feare and admiration and gave glory to the God of heaven praised his name and used all meanes both by word and deed to establish and support the same doctrine of truth that it might bee yet more publickly knowne to the world The words implying that among these rest so enlightned which gave glory to the God of heaven some were Princes and Rulers of the people and Nations who had civill power also to promote this great worke and made use thereof accordingly And the houre or time in the which this great earthquake should be made and worke of reformation begin was as it must needs be understood and acknowledged that very time when those great troubles broyles and bloodsheddings were in Bohemia Germany France Flanders others parts as also in England for and concerning the institution of religion whereof histories doe so clearly report Whereupon as we have seen and doe see by experience sundry Kingdomes and States of Christendome a tenth part at least that were under the power and subjection of the Beast have fallen from him and forsaken his abominations and have set their helping hands to the building of the walls of Jerusalem and to restore the morning and evening Sacrifice of praise and thankesgiving to God in some part and measure answerable to that which was once in the former time and in the dayes of old And so it is true a tenth part of the Citie fell and is fallen For we are to understand that although the resurrection of the two Witnesses or restitution of the true meaning of the Scriptures is not yet perfected nor so known and understood in every part and published as God will have it to be in this last age of the world nor the woman his true Church come fully forth of the the Wildernesse nor shall till after the three dayes and a halfe of the beasts reigne mentioned in verse 11. yet the beginning of both was to be before and their light and brightnesse have increased ever since to this day and shall yet still more and more daily even as Antichrist and his Church with her abominations consucmeth daily For like as the beast and his Church with that mystery of iniquitie came not to perfection at once but by degrees according as they could and did by degrees put out the light of the Scriptures and extinguish the beauty and face of the true Church of Christ the life of the one depending as it were upon the death of the other So on the contrary part it is and shall be now the Lord Jesus Christ with the Spirit of his mouth is to consume the beast by degrees his two Witnesses are to stand upon their feet and his Church is to appeare out of the wildernesse in part and measure sometime before the end of the beast that they may by the truth of their testimony discover him and his abominations openly to the world that so those ten hornes or Kings and Kingdomes which formerly gave themselves and their power unto the beast might by degrees also some after other fall from him and come to hate the whore with her filthinesses to devour her flesh by the Sword and burn her with fire according to the word of the Lord Rev. 17.6 And that also for Gods elect sake those daies in respect of the evils and great tribulation of them might now even while the beast yet remaineth in his throne be shortned according as Christ foretold Matth. 24. Therefore let not now any of Gods chosen be dismayed at any thing they shall heare of or see though in their present apprehensions never so contrary but let them know there can nothing prevent God of his purpose nor hinder or put by the fulfilling of any part of his word what hee hath spoken shall stand let the beast and all the powers of wickednesse in the world with him do what they can the truth shall certainly prosper and the beast with all his power the Dragon bestowed upon him of what kind soever shall prevail no longer For who art thou O great mountain Babel the perfection and full accomplishment of all the former Babels and mountains of confusion that have been in the world And what art thou before him that fitteth on the white horse whose name is called The Word of God He with the sharp sword that proceedeth out of his mouth shall not only go on to consume thee even to the last hour of thy dayes determined but shall also take
shall bee a thousand two hundred and ninety dayes Blessed is he that wayteth and commeth to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty dayes adding to the thousand two hundred and ninety dayes five and thirty dayes more which make a thousand three hundred thirty five and then saith as being the words of the Angel of God to Daniel But go thou thy way till the end be for thou shalt rest and stand up in the lot at the end of the dayes vers 11 12 13. The Prophet from the Angel intending by dayes yeares and counting the years after the use of the Chaldeans and not of the Hebrewes between whom in three years and a halfe there was as it seemeth thirty dayes difference And so if Daniel was to goe his way and rest till the and bee and that he shall stand up in the lot at the end of the dayes then must the end of necessity be at the end of the dayes But Daniel was to goe his way till the end should be and was to rest and stand in the lot at the end of the dayes therefore the end of the dayes must needs be the end even the end of the world And now therefore if the time between the end of those dayes of Antichrists reigne and the end of the world will indeed for certain be so short as those Scriptures declare then where will there be time or place for that glorious thousand yeares Monarch of Saints which so many learned Ministers and zealous people at this day look for and hold as an Article of their faith to bee here in this present world before the end thereof Surely neither the Prophets nor Christ nor any of his Apostles doe admit of such a thing Those people and Ministers whatsoever they are for zeale and learning they are herein utterly deceived misunderstanding the Scriptures which speak indeed of a glorious Kingdome and many great and excellent things the Saints shall receive and possesse not for the limited time of a thousand yeares in this corrupt world but for ever and ever a thousand and ten thousand times ten thousand yeares even for eternity in the uncorrupt world to come which world and kingdome shall have no end as the Scriptures declare Esay 9.7 Esay 45.14 15 16 Dan. 7.14.25 Luk. 1.32 33. and sundry other places Those Ministers and people therefore which look for such a millenary Monarchical kingdom in this world may do well to renounce that Atticle of their faith as they call it in meeknes and humblenes of heart seek and desire of God to give them his holy Spirit of truth whereby to understand with comfort his word of truth The things that are to be between the end of Antichrists reigne and the end of the world are by Christ himselfe foreshewed in these words Matth. 24. Immediatly after the tribulation of those dayes shall the Sunne be darkned and the Moone shall not give her light and the Starres shall fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens shall bee shaken c. Where the Lord intendeth by the Sunne the word of his truth the Gospel of salvation which had been darkned by Antichrist and should now toward the end of his dayes break forth and shine again to discover his abominations and for the saving of Gods elect which the Lord also intended before ver 22. in these words But for the elect sake those dayes shall be shortned And implying also that it should shine yet more brightly after the end of Antichrist and that the greatest part of the time of 45 yeares intended by the word quickly and the word immediatly shall be for the prosperous proceeding of the Gospel and full accomplishing of all Gods elect And as the Sunne thus shineth so shall the Moon that is to say the earth and the inhabitants thereof whose light doth depend upon the light of the Gospel as the light of the Moon doth on the light of the Sunne she shall now give her light according also as a holy one in another place saith The Sun shall suddenly shine again in the night and the Moon three times in the day c. And the Starres of God shall appeare in heaven God will raise up in his Church true and faithfull Shepheards that shall as starres in heaven hold forth the light and truth of his two Testaments to the word and so the powers of the heavens spirituall will bee in their heavenly way and order again All these things are plainly implied in the words of Christ else how can the Sunne be said to be darkned and the Moon to lose her light and the Starres to fall from heaven c. immediatly after the tribulation of those dayes of Antichrist if they did not and should not shine forth and give their light some time before the end of those dayes and also after more especially therefore all these things must be And the true Church of Christ which had been troden under foot and caused to hide her face as it were in the wildernesse so long shall come forth and bee seene neer like as she was once in her primitive state clothed with the Sunne even Jesus Christ and his righteousnesse and having the Moon that is all earthly and corruptible things under her feet as disregarded her conversation and affections being farre above them all in heaven where her Lord is and from whence shee looketh for him to come and bring all those his rewards with him that hee hath promised And having also on her head a Crown of twelve starres the true and sound doctrine of the Lambs twelve Apostles and of the holy Prophets walking in the light and truth thereof according as they walked with true love toward God and also toward men And so be as once she was in these spirituall heavenly respects truely visible like a Citie set upon a hill that cannot be hid and as a Candle in a Candlestick which giveth light to all in the house her faith shining again throughout the world And when shee shall bee in this estate like as at the first when she was travelling with child to bring forth her first fruits unto God and to the Lamb the Dragon stood before her to devoure her child and persecute the woman into the wildernesse as Rev. 12. So now when she shall be travelling with child again ready to bring forth her last fruits unto God and to Christ then the Dragon that old Serpent being loosed out of his prison where he had been bound so many hundred yeares shall goe out to deceive the Nations that are in the four quarters of the earth Gog and Magog and gather them together and compasse the camp of the Saints about and this the beloved Citie till fire descend from God out of heaven and devoure them as it is written Ezek. 38. and 39. Rev. 16.21 Rev. 20.9 For as the time of the Churches fairest beauty was but short before the Dragon so cruelly used her so shall
this time of her renewed beauty be as short before he shall be loosed to work this his last misehiefe against her Then shall the Sunne be darkned more then ever it had been it shall be as black as Sackcloth of haire and the Moon shall not onely be darkned but also be turned into blood as it is said Rev. 6.12 according to Ioel 2.31 For great bloodshed shall be upon the earth at this time as the Prophet Esay also saith And the Starres that is such as are in outward place and name as starres and lights in the Church shall like untimely figges fall from Christian religion to Mahometisme or other such like heathenish Apostasie and then shall the powers of the Heavens bee shaken These are the signes that shall goe before the great and terrible day of the Lord as those Scriptures before mentioned declare And then those Armies of Gog and Magog being destroyed by fire from heaven and the Devill that deceived them being cast into the lake of fire the seventh Angell shall sound the great and last trumpet as followeth Vers 15. And the seventh Angel sounded with a Trumpet and there were made lowd voyces in heaven saying The Kingdomes of this world are made our Lords and his Christs and hee shall reigne for ever and ever Amen MAny great things are to bee done at the sounding of this Trumpet For this is it of which St. Paul saith We which are alive and remain unto the comming of the Lord shall not prevent them that are asleep for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voyce of the Archangel with the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first then we which are are alive and remain shall bee caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the aire and so shall we be even with the Lord 1 Thess 4.15 16 17. And again Behold I shew you a mystery we shall not all sleep but wee shall all be changed in a moment in the twinckling of an eye at the last trump for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed c. 1 Cor. 15.51 52 53. And Christ saith Mat. 24. Then shall appeare the signe of the Son of man in heaven and then shall all the Tribes of the earth mourn and they shall see the Sonne of Man comming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory and he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the foure winds c. vers 30 31. And again Rev. 10. And the Angel which I saw stand upon the Sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever who created heaven and the things that therein are and the earth and the things that therein are and the sea and the things that are therein that there should be time no longer But in the dayes of the voyce of the seventh Angel when he shall begin to sound the mystery of God should be finished as he hath declared to his servants the Prophets verse 5 6 7. When this great and last trumpet shall sound mentioned in all those places before cited and whereof the Prophet Esay long before this spake Esai 27.13 Then shall all those great things be done spoken of in the same places The Lord shall come in his glory and then hee shall sit in the throne of his glory the dead both good and bad shall be brought before him and be judged Then shall all the Tribes and kindreds of the earth even the whole multitude of the ungodly that ever had been on the earth and they also which pierced him see him and mourn and waile because of him and hee shall send his Angels with the sound of the same great Trumpet and they shall gather his elect together from the four winds c. Then there shall bee time for repentance no longer but the great mystery of God shall be finished even that great mystery of the redemption of all Gods chosen ones the whole house of Israel spirituall as he had declared to his servants the Prophets and whereof they all that have been since the world began have spoken according as it is testified of them Luke 1.69 70 71 c. Acts 3.21 and as their own written prophesies doe shew more abundantly And this is that redemption wherewith the Lord himselfe doth comfort his chosen hee having foreshewed all the sigâ—â—â— that should goe before the same saying And when yee see these things begin to come to passe then look up and lift up your heads for your redemption draweth neere Then know yee that the kingdome of God is nigh at hand Luke 22.28 31. Now the kingdomes of this world so long time usurped by Monarchs and Antichrists shall be made the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reigne for ever and ever The kingdomes of this world in respect of the creation and workes of God for so by right they did alwayes belong to the Lord and to his anointed the Prince of the Covenant though they have been usurped and polluted by Satan and his powers of wickednesse which now shall be removed and the earth and heavens cleansed all things shall be new as it is written Esay 65.27 60.22 2 Pet. 3.13 Rev. 21.1.5 This corrupt world shall be purged and made incorruptible as these our corrupt bodies shall and instead of corruption and evill righteousnes and holines shall dwell therein And so in this consideration as the state shall be in the restitution of all things differing from that it is now it shall be another world not this and therefore the Scripture calleth it the world to come Heb. 2.5 c. This present world is not that world which was before the Flood as Peter saith The world that then was being overflowed with water perished 2 Pet. 3.6 and yet we all know and so did Peter that in respect of the works of Gods creation of the heavens and the earth it is the same though in some other kind of respect it is not the same but another So the world to come though it shall bee another world farre differing from this world in state and condition yet in those respects of creation it will be the same And therefore it may rightly be said in the day when the Lord shall come to reigne The Kingdomes of this world are made our Lords and his Christs and he shall reigne for ever and ever And because others to whom they belong not doe now possesse them And they with the whole earth unto the utmost ends thereof by right of inheritance are the Lords as it is written I will declare the decree the Lord hath said unto me Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee Ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine
doe partake of according to the words of Christ Iohn 5. where hee saith The houre is comming and now is when the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that heare it shall live verse 25. And then afterward saith Marvell not at this for the houre is comming in the which all that are in the graves shall heare his voyes and shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evill unto the resurrection of damnation verse 28 29. Where the first resurrection which is spirituall of the soul and the second universall resurrection of the body are both of them plainly and distinctly described And the Apostle Paul to the Saints of the Church of Colossia saith And yee are compleat in him which is the head of all Principality and power in whom also yee are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sinnes of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ buried with him in Baptisme wherein also yee are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead And you being dead hath hee quickned together with him Col. 2.10 11 12 13. And Coloss 3. hee saith If yee bee risen with Christ seeke those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God vers 1. So Rev. 20. And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Iesus and for the word of God and which had not worshipped the Beast nor his Image nor had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years vers 4. And then saith This is the first resurrection Blessed and holy is be that hath part in the first Resurrection for on such the second death hath no power but they shall be Priests of God and of Christ and shall reigne with him a thousand years vers 5 6. Where the Lord also speaketh to living men and of them who having their part here in the first resurrection spirituall and suffering for the testimony of Christ and dying with him as Paul in another place saith For the rejoycing that I have in Christ Iesus I die daily And again For thy sake O Lord are wee slain all the day long and counted as sheep to the slaughter may herein be much comforted in respect of the promise that the second death shall have no power on them according to that in John 5. Hee that heareth my word and beleeveth in him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life vers 24. So here Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power but they shall bee Priests of God and of Christ and shall reigne with him a thousand years Whereby it is manifest the Lord speaketh to men living in the body and of them such as having their part here in this The first Resurrection for there can be but one first resurrection who although now during the time of the reigne of the great Antichrist especially which was to be a thousand yeares at least they as touching their bodies should for the word of God and witnesse of Jesus Christ bee beheaded slaine c. and for the hope fake in Christ die daily yet in the spirit as touching the soule live and reigne with Christ as Paul saith dying and behold we live c. 2 Cor. 6.9 Again for ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.4 And when the thousand yeares are expired and Satan loosed out of his prison to goe unto the Kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battell of the great day of God Almighty according to Rev. 16.14 and 20.8.9 Then the Lord comming in his glory all that are in the graves even every one small and great shall heare his voyce and shall come forth They that through the grace and power of the Spirit of God in the new birth and first resurrection have done good unto the resurrection of life eternall in respect of their body also united now to their soule they being found written in the book of life And they that have done evill those rest of the dead that had no part in the first resurrection spirituall from the death by sinne and so not beeing found written in the booke of life unto the resurection of condemnation in the lake of fire burning with brimstone which is the second death They now have a resurrection and live again though a miserable dying life body and soule for ever And that the first resurrection Rev. 20. cannot possibly bee meant of the bodies of any that are to rise from the dead as the Millenaries would have it wee may perceive plainly by the words of the Text verse 4. where John saith not And I saw the soules that were he headed as if that could bee neither doth he say And I saw the bodies that were beheaded and they lived c. But his words are And I saw the soules of them that were beheaded c. that is of those whose bodies were beheaded of which soules he saith And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years c. The soule can no more truly be said to rise from the dead with the body when it shall rise from the dead nor for the body then it can be said to be beheaded with it or for it For although in some other cases when bodies and soules are living together it may bee said as in Genesis 46. All the soules of the house of Iacob which came into Egypt were threescore and ten verse 27. in such like cases as this the soule being the principall part of man and the body living and moving together with it may rightly and truly bee named for both yet in other cases not so And to name the soule and say when a body is beheaded or dieth the soul is beheaded or dieth or when the body shall arise from the dead the soule riseth from the dead it is to say and speak a very untruth When the bodies of those Saints which slept arose from the dead at the time of Christs resurrection it is not said their Soules arose but their Bodies onely Matth. 27.52 And the graves were opened and the bodies of many Saints which slept arose and appeared unto many The soule cannot with any truth or sense of reasonable understanding bee named for the body nor for both in those cases Nay all the Millenarians in the world how learned or orthodoxall soever they are accounted are not able to prove this thing except they hold and can prove as some have been so bold of late to affirme and publish that the soule of man is mortall and dieth when the body dieth and so lieth dead in the grave with