The Mystery of the two WITNESSES UNVAILED Wherein wee have a Description of their persons time acts death and office manner of prophecie sufferings resurrection With the Consequences that follow TOGETHER With the seaventh Trumpet and the Kingdome of Christ explained by JOHN ROBOTHAM Preacher of the Gospel in Dover LONDON Printed by M. S. for G. and H. Eversden at the Greyhound in St Pauls Church-yard 1654. TO HIS EXCELLENCY the Lord Generall CROMWELL c. MY LORD IT is not for any worth performed on my part that I have taken the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or boldness here to prefix your name but rather from the subject matter of this ensuing Discourse it being an Exposition of the mystery of the two Witnesses wherein we have a description of their persons and prophesie their time and actions their death and resurrection together with the consequences that follow thereupon all which I humbly conceive may be very suitable for you As well for the greatnesse of your place and imployment as it 's necessary to be retained in your knowledge and judgment Therefore in the first place I present this to your Excellency as unto a choise faithfull witness of the Lord and after to all those that give forth their testimony for the truth and authority of Christ against the falshood and usurpation of Antichrist It 's most certain as the Apostle doth affirme that Antichrist shall be destroyed by the brightnesse of Christ's coming which is no other then his coming forth in the bright beames and glorious rayes of divine light shining forth in his people The Saints of the most High by the testimony they give forth are the rod of his mouth and the breath of his lips Whereby he will bruise his enemies and breake them in pieces Thus the true Spirit of Christ in the Saints shall darken and dry up that counterseit and corrupt Spirit of Antichrist that is abroad in the world But not withstanding the power and authority of the Beast shall be dissipated and broken as it were vi armis And hence it is that in these times the Lord hath appeared among us as a mighty man of warre clothed with his zeale as with a garment and hath indued his people with such masculine vertue strength that their hornes have been as iron and their hoofs as brasse whereby they have threshed the Mountaines and the hills as Chaffe And this they have not done by power or might but by the Spirit of the Lord. It was the glorious appearance of GOD in the midst of his people that hath subdued these three Nations Now though Dutch Dane and French should combine against us yet shall the arme of the LORD awake for his people and shall as in former dayes cut Rachah and wound the Dragon he shall dry up the sea and the waters of the great deep It 's not an arme of flesh can doe this but a divine presence with an Army with whom are the hearts affections prayers and spirits of the Saints with a sweet complyance gathered up into and going along with them This causes the shout of king to be in the midst of us though the king in his person be taken away yet the everlasting King lives and shall take to himself his great power and raigne It 's a most undeniable truth that the sword hath been the originall of all kinds forms of government in the world it 's the mother of all power protection and preservation When any disturbance doth arise in a kingdome or Common-wealth whither do they run but unto a military power for succour and defence as not being able to subsist untill they do as it were resolve into their first principles And though the sword in it's selfe be a dark and sad dispensation eating flesh and drinking bloud it 's proper worke being to wast and destroy yet when t is accompanied with wisdom righteousness goodness and justice it becom good and desireable My Lord I have but three words more to speake The first is of you The second to you The third for you That of you is That the Lord hath so far honor'd you as to make you an instrument of glorious atchievements and hath made you head of your brethren and hath given you a name with the great ones of the earth but above all he hath bestowed on you the spirit of his Son which makes you most acceptable to himselfe and precious in the eyes of his people It 's a true saying Honor est in potestate hono heart and make it suitable to your worke that your will may be drawn forth to the extent of the divine will that your soule may have a true sympathy with God that your heart may be fortified against all stormes without feares within and that you may cast down your wisdome valour honour succeste at the feet of Christ so shall you take all up againe with unspeakeable advantage What ever you expend sor Christ in Christ you shall finde it againe Now that you may enjoy all in Christ spend all for him is the desire of him who shall indeavor to be in all faithfulnesse Your Excellency's humble servant JOHN ROBOTHAM To the Reader THe importunity of diverse Friends caused me to suffer these notes to passe abroad into the world they were taken by writing from my mouth my time and occasions would not permit to cast them into such a forme as would have best becomed the presse therefore thou shalt meet with truth coming forth in it's owne nakednesse without the clothing of humane Eloquence As for the matter it 's mysterious and therefore if in any thing wherein I may possibly be mistaken thy candour and ingenuity is desired to passe it by If thou art Criticall and thy aime be onely to espie out the faults either of the Writer Printer or Preacher I suppose thy time would be more advantagiously spent to search out the defects of thy own heart If thou wilt accept of it as it 's presented to thee with the right hand it 's all that 's desired by him that shall remaine thine in any office of love JOHN ROBOTHAM The Contents of the following Treatise concerning the principall things therein contained SIx things from the Book of the Revelation observed 1. The Author who indited it Pag. 2. 2. The Messenger who brought it idem 3. The Pen-man which writt it p. 3. 4. The forme into which it is cast id 5. The matter that is containes p. 4. 6. The parties unto whom it 's directed id The summe of the whole Chapter p. 5. From verse 1. we have 1. Johns call to measure p. 6 7. 2. His qualification p. 8. 3. The things to be measured 1. The Temple p. 9. 2. The Altar p. 10. 3. The worshippers p. 11. Observations from the words 1. Ob That the Lord doth suitably prepare his people to receive such things as himselfe doth impart unto them p. 12 13 14. 2. Ob
and act more in the power of God p. 274 278 4. They shall enjoy more immediate communion with God p. 276 277 4. Ob That in the middest of the great confusion and darknesse upon the face of the earth shall the witnesses ascend p. 278 279 280 5. Ob That all the power and policie of the enemies of the witnesses shall not be able to hinder their ascension p. 281 282 In verse 13. we have the great earthquake that followeth the rising of the witnesses p. 283 where we have opened 1. The time of the earth-quake p. 284 2. The nature of it p. 285 3. The consequents p. 286 Which are three First the tenth part of the Citie fell where is shewen what is meant 1. By the Citie p. 287 2. By the tenth part ibid 3. By the fall thereof p. 288 289 Secondly there were slaine seven thousand men where we have 1. Their persons p. 291 2. Their manner of slaying ibid. 3. Their number p. 292 Thirdly the Remnant were affrighted and gave glory to God where we consider 1. The persons p. 294 2. Their passions ibid. 3. Their actions p. 295 Observations from the words 1. Ob That the rising and ascending of the witnesses doth cause a great earth-quake in the world p. 296 297 298 2. Ob That all the time of this great earth-quake the witnesses are in â—ising and ascending p. 299 300 3. Ob That nation that shall first of all shake off and disclaime the power of Antichrist God will honour that nation first of all in raising up his witnesses in it p. 301 302 303 304 305 4. Ob That those principally and chiefly shall be slaine in the earthquake that are the upholders and maintainers of Antichrist's cause quarrell p. 306 207 308 5. Ob That when God doth scatter the great and mighty ones of the earth it doth much amaze and affrighten the poore and ignorant people that have been seduced by them p. 309 310 6. Ob That it 's the poore affrighted remnant that will give most glory to God p. 311 312 313 In verse 14. we have the second woe p. 313 Where wee have opened The first woe p. 314 The second woe p. 315 The third woe p. 316 Obser That great and terrible woes befall the world in the three last ages of Antichrist p 317 318 319 In verse 15. we have explained what 's meant 1. By the Trumpet sounding p. 321 2. By the seventh Trumpet p. 322 3. By the great voyces in heaven p. 323 These are sayd to be 1. Great voyces 324 2. Voyces in heaven p 325 326 3. Plurality of voyces p. 327 Observations from the words 1. Ob That the Lord hath alwayes had a people to declare his truth unto the world p. 328 2. Ob That the Lord hath manifested his truth by degrees or in agraduall way p. 329 3. Ob There shall be a most compleat and glorious discovery and declaration of truth made out by the Saints under the seventh Trumpet p. 330 331 4. Ob That the Saints fully risen and ascended up into heavenly enjoyments at the finall destruction of Antichrist shall harmoniously sing forth the glory praises of Christ's kingdome p. 332 333 How the kingdomes of the world shall become the kingdomes of Christ wherin we have opened 1. What is meant by the kingdomes of this world p. 334 2. How these kingdomes have been detained from Christ p. 335 336 3. How Christ shall recover these kingdomes againe into his ownhand p. 337 338 339 340 4. By what right or title Christ will lay claime to the kingdomes of the world p 341 342 343 5. The manner of Christ's reigne wherein the spirituall reigne of Christ is illustrated in four particulars p. 344 345 346 347 6. The duration of Christ's reigne and kingdome p. 348 349 350 How the Saints shall reigne with Christ p. 351 352 How the Jewes shall be converted p. 353 Observations from the whole That Christ will come and reigne gloriously in his people subduing all his enemies advancing his Saints unto the glory and dignity of his own kingdome p. 354 355 In verse 16. we have shewed 1. What is meant by the title given to Saints being called Elders p. 356 2. What 's implyed by their number being twenty-foure p. 357 3. Their posture and action falling on their faces p. 358 In verse 17. we have 1. The praises of the Elders p. 359 2. The subject of their praises ibid. 3. The ground of their praises p. 360 In verse 18. we have 1. The Adver saries vexed p. 361 362 2. The Saints rewarded p. 363 3. The Antichristian partie destroyed p. 364 In verse 19. we have 1. The Temple opened p. 365 366 2. The Arke manifested p. 367 3. The great irresistible judgements that befall Antichrist p. 368 Lastly the close of the whole Chapter p. 369 370 Reader By reason of the Authors absence we have observed these faults which we desire thee to amend and all others which thou doest finde ERRATA IN page 59. line 16. for sanctifie read sanctitie p. 62. l. 8. for Rome r. home p. 75. l. 5. for meat r. meant p. 221. l. 11. for Prie r. Priest p. 319. l. 17. for first Taumpet r. sixt Trumpet p. 244. l. 8. for out read but. p. 341. l. 12. for with r. of p. 166. l. 15. for the great multitude of Saints add who are as some hold THE MYSTERIE OF THE TWO WITNESSES UNVAILED REVELATIONS 11. 1. And there was given me a reed like unto a rod and the Angel stood saying Rise and measure the Temple of God and the Altar and them that worship therein THere is much talke and discourse of the two witnesses and great enquiry is made to know who they are what is their testimony whither they be slaine when they shall rise c. All which I shall endeavour to disclose according to the measure of light that I have received in the knowledge and revelation of this mystery Before I make entrance upon this Chapter give me leave from the whole booke of the Revelation to take notice of six things First of the Author who was Jesus Christ Chap. 1. 1. He is both the Author and subject matter thereof being the Alpha and Omega and all the letters besides in this divine Revelation in whom is the sum and substance of all holy Writ the whole mystery of spirituall truth all visions of divine glory lies wrapt up doth meet and concenter in the person of the Lord Jesus Hence he is said to have the seven spirits of God Chap. 1. 4. because all perfection of knowledge was treasured up in him by which he is onely able to be the dispenser of such heavenly revelations and divine mysteries as these are Secondly of the Messenger that Christ doth here imploy to convey this booke unto his Apostle and that is an Angel as is evident Chap. 1. 1. Now in that Christ doth signifie his message unto John by an Angel
lye Hence it is said that the beast opened his mouth in blasphemy against God his name Tabernacle and people Revel 13. 6. Now to blaspheme is to speak evill to revile and reproach the testimony of the Saints to bring some blot upon the truth they stand to maintaine Thus we see how certaine it is that the enemies will oppose and hinder the witnesses in the course of their prophesie And as certaine it is that the enemies shall suffer for this their attempt Secondly the meanes by which the witnesses do oppose their adversaries fire proceedeth out of their mouths to devour their enemies As before we had a description of the witnesses by the two anointed ones relating to Zerubbabel and Joshua so here we have their actions declared by an allusion unto Moses and Elias both which were revenged for wrong done upon their enemies by fire from heaven Thus you may read in Numb 16. 35. That when Korah and the rest of his company did rise up in rebellion against Moses fire comes from heaven destroys those two hundred and fifty chiefe men of the Congregation of Israel Also of Elias you have it related 2 Kings 1. 10 11. That when Ahaziah sent two captains with their fifties to apprehend the Prophet â—ire cometh downe from the Lord and destroys both the Captaines and their fifties So here the witnesses are said to command fire to consume their enemies This cannot be meant of a materiall but of a mysticall fire that the witnesses do thus breath out of their mouths It is the word of their testimony that doth consume and destroy their adversaries it is this fire that doth constantly torment and devour them Thus we have the word often called fire in Scripture Jere. 23. 29. Is not my word like fire saith the Lord And we have the Lord telling the Prophet that he would make his word as fire and the people wood and it should devour them Jer. 5. 14. So here the witnessâ—â— thougâ— in sackcloth testifie against all the wickednesse of Antichrist their persons are oppressed their testimony contemned but the word of their testimony is as fire proceeding out of their mouths to devour their opposers The Adversary shall in this manner be killed by the Fire that issueth out of the mouths of the Witnesses Sutable hereunto is that passage in Isa 9. 5. where the Prophet speaking of Christ prevailing over his Enemies saith For every battaile of the warriour is with confused noyse and garments rolled in blood but this shall be with burning and fewell of â—ire This should be of another manner and kinde then the ordinary battaile of the Warriour this should be Fire or by the two-edged sword that proceedeth out of the mouth of Christ The fire that goeth forth out of the mouths of the witnesses is all one w th the brightnes of Christs coming mentioned in 2 Thes 2. 8. by which Antichrist shall be destroyed The light and glory of Christs word that the Witnesses give forth as fire out of their mouths â—â—all destroy Antichrist This is the very forme and manner of Antichrists destruction though happily some that uphold his cause may fall by the Sword in respect of their pâ—â—sâ—nâ— as 〈◊〉 of the Witnesses have suffered death for giving forth a testimonie of the truth yet the cause and being of Antichrist shall be destroyed in this manner even by the word of truth that proceeds out of the mouths of the Witnesses The words being thus opened take notice of these observations they afford unto us First That the Adversaries of Christ Obser 1. are alwayes ready to hurt his witnesses It is most certain that the friends of Antichrist are alwayes willing to oppose the friends of Christ These Prophets are cast out rejected and slightâ—d by the men of the world The seed of the Serpent is continually making War with the seed of the Woman The Dragon waited to devour the Man-childe that the woman was about to bring forth Rev. 12. 4. And though he could not wholly prevail yet hee cast forth a flood of persecution afâ—â—â— her and makes Warr with the remnant of her seed ver 16. 7. Secondly They that goe about to hurt Obser 2. the Witnesses or hinder them in the course of their Prophesie shall not goe unpunished There is none that offers violence to the Prophets of the Lord but shall receive their just demeâ—â—â—s the Fire that proceeds out of the mouths of the Witnesses shall devour them in this manner they shall be killed even by the word of their testimony There was never any person or people that dealt cruelly with the deare servants of the Lord but the hand of God found them out The Psalmist speaking of the glorious conduct of the children of Israel through the wildernesse by the powerful hand of God saith He suffered no man to doe them wrong he reproved KINGS for their sakes saying Touch not mine anointed nor doe my Prophets no harme Psal 105. 14 15. There might none hurt or injure they might not harm nor persecute the anointed ones of God for the Lord had sharpely rebuked Kings for their sakes All the woes and calamities all the judgments and confusions that ever came upon Kings Kingdomes States or powers have been for the hurting and opposing of his people In like manner all the plagues that are this day upon the world all the War Famine Death and all plaguâ—â— are for the persecuting reviling and misusing of the Witnesses And this shall be the portion of all men of what rank quality or degree soever be they never so wise or learned be they never so great or powerful that shall oppose and hinder these witnesses in the course of their Prophesie must in this manner be killed Fire shall proceed out of their mouths and destroy them they shall be tormented burnt and consumed by the word of their testimony Thirdly observe That the Witnesses Obser 3. shall prevaile against their Enemies by the word of their testimonie The testimonie that the Witnesses give forth is as fire in the bosome of al their adversaries and shall eate them out and consume them Hence it is said the Lord will slay the wicked by the breath of his lips Isa 11. 4. By the breath of Christ uttered by the lips of his people and by the brightnesse of his coming in the light and knowledg of his Saints he wil destroy Antichrist God will judge the world and burne up the earth by fire This fire of the Lord conveyed into the world by the mouths of the Witnesses shall destroy all that is before it all greatnesse and dominion all power Ecclesiastical and Civill all the forms and superstitions of Antichrist are consumed brought to nothing by this fire that proceedeth out of the mouths of the Witnesses Our late experience hath taught us that whensoever the Saints and faithfull of God have given out the word of their testimonie against whatsoever superstitious inventions whatsoever
the poore man out of the Synagogue that Christ made to see Job 9. And all because he gave a testimony of the power of Christ who opened his eyes Thus the high Priests Pharisees did beate misuse and imprison the Apostles in Act. Chap. 4. and Chap. 5. Thus the beast doth put in execution all the politick Laws and Ecclesiasticall Constitutions to hinder restraine and wholly to disturb the witnesses in the course of their prophesie Thus first they are civilly slaine by restraint upon their persons Secondly they are spiritually slaine by the casting forth and rejecting of their testimony It is the practice and endeavour of the beast to turne the truth of their testimony into a lie and into falshood by reproaching contemning and scandalizing the word of their testimony by the reproachfull names of error and scisme There hath been all the dayes of the raigne of Antichrist some truth that the Saints have testified of that hath been under much shame and reproach that hath been most rejected by the world Hence it is that the Lord saith unto the Church of Philadelphia that she had kept the word of his patience Revel 3. 10. Now what is the word of Gods patience but that word and testimony that the world doth reject cast forth as dung and trample upon That truth which is most under contempt and scorne of the world which the Saints suffer most by for which they are made the off-scouring of all things That word of truth that is most opposed in each age of the world is the word of Christs patience Thus wee see how the witnesses are slaine first civilly by a restraint layd upon their persons Secondly spiritually by the world casting forth and rejecting of their testimony This of their testimony is that which most principally and most constantly these witnesses are slaine in for all the enmity of the flesh and the power of the world hath alwayes been opposing the truth they assert not at all owning but alwayes condemning slighting and casting forth the testimony that these give forth of Christ or of his Spirit As the Jewes first killed the person of Christ and afterwards sought against his Gospel and truth so Antichrist doth not onely by Ecclesiastiall Cannons and humane Institutions restraine the persons of the witnesses exercising a civill death over their persons but also they suppresse and slay the very truths and testimonies that they beare witness unto Thus we see how the beast doth kill these witnesses and what manner of slaying they suffer The Text being thus far opened we are now to come to give you some observations from it First Observe That the Saints of Christ 1 Observ in every age and time are enabled to finish their testimony maugre all the opposition that is made against them Antichrist by all his fury and rage cannot so farre hinder these witnesses as that they should not finish their testimony The Lord doth give opportunity to every one of his faithfull servants that they may finish their worke deliver their message and faithfully declare that committed to their trust before they are taken off or wholly restrained by the power of the beast This was manifested in Christ when the Jewes had a minde to apprehend him in the Temple but could not lay hands on him because his houre was not come Joh. 8. 20. It was not in their power to put Christ to death untill he had finished his testimony and therefore he saith When I was daily with you in the Temple ye stretehed forth no hands against me but this is your houre and the power of darknesse Luk. 22. 53. As if Christ had sayd When I was daily with you in the Temple preaching the kingdome of God and performing the worke that the Father gave me to doe ye did not ye could not lay hands on me to take me but this is your houre or time wherein God hath permitted you to rage against me and the Priace of darknesse hath power that by your hands I should be taken and put to death In the same manner the Lord doth first impower his faithfull witnesses to deliver their message to finish their testi-mony by asserting the truth of Christ opposing the wickednesse and falshood of Antichrist before they are slaine or taken off by the adversary Secondly in that Antichrist is called 2 Observ a beast Observe That the rage and cruelty of the adversary is very great against the faithfull servants of Christ Antichrist is of a cruell fierce corrupt beastly and inhumane nature and therefore compared to all the most ravenous and devouring beasts as to a Serpent for subtilty to a Lyon for strength and rage to a Beare for devouring to a Leopard for his fiercenesse and the like We have the Apostle testifying of this when he saith of himselfe I fought with beasts at Ephesus 1 Cor. 15. 32. Some interpret these words literally in that of old the Christians were often Damnati ad bestias being condemned to be devoured by wild beasts whereupon it was a common speech in the dayes of Tertullian Christianos ad leones But I rather conceive the speech of the Apostle to be figurative and metaphoricall and by beast he meaneth beastly â—â—nded men Such as the Cretians were whom he calls evill beasts Tit. 1. 12. They were intractable and dangerous to deale withall being of a raging and fierce nature The same inhumane nature and cruelty is found in Antichrist alwayes endeavouring to devoure the faithfull witnesses of Christ Thirdly doth the beast that killeth the witnesses ascend out of the bottomlesse 3 Observ lesse pit Then Observe That the workings and deceits of Antichrist are very deep and mysterious This inquity is brought forth by the working of Satan upon the heart of man exciting and stirring up so many fleshly workings strange inventions acting in so much subtilty and craft exercised in such a deep mystery of iniquity that none can fathome the depth or reach the bottome of the wickednesse thereof It is not like a cleare streame that we may see the bottome but there is so much mud and filth that none can see the depth of all that subtilty and craft of all that pride and selfe love of all that hypocriticall deceit and wickednesse that is the very sourse and spring of all the actings of Antichrist This pit that hath no bottome is all that hellifh darkness all that beastly filthiness all that outragious cruelty that doth arise in the hearts of men fighting against and opposing the very light life and image of Christ in his people This pit is as deep as hell and full of hiddeous darknesse it is inexorable as the grave and never satisfied in it's pride and abominable wickednesse This is the deepest mystery of iniquity Satan transforming of himselfe into an Angel of light suggesting the most cursed wickednesse into the heart of man under the very forme of zeale and holinesse thereby seeking to dishonour
and spirituall presence by the coming downe of the new Jerusalem out of heaven which is nothing else but the light of the Gospel the glory of God the Spirit of Christ shining forth and dwelling in the hearts of Saints making them his Temple and Tabernacle Indeed Christ was the true Temple of God who was prefigured by the former Temple of the Jewes but the Saints being gathered up into Christ united to him in spirit joyned to him as members making up the fulnesse of his body they also together with Christ become the Temple of the living God Secondly the Altar doth represent unto us the true service and worship of the Lord. The Altar was that whereon the Priest was to offer sacrifice in the Temple or in the inner Court that joyned to the Temple which was the Priests Court and accounted part of the Temple it selfe both the Temple inner Court were holy appropriated unto the Priests onely but for the outward Court it was common for all people to come into it Now I say the Altar that was in the Court of the Temple doth signifie the true and reall service of the Lord the worship that beleevers tender unto him viz. all the prayers thankesgivings and praises they offer up all their parts gifts and graces that they imploy all their pains costs and endeavours all these I say are the sacrifices that the Saints do continually offer up to God by Jesus Christ the true Altar upon which they offer So that we have not onely Gods presence with his people making of them his Temple but here is also an Altar or the divine and spirituall worship of all beleevers in the Temple who are made an holy Priesthood to offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ I Pet. 2. 5. Thirdly They that worship therein We are not onely to take notice of the worship but also of the worshippers not onely of the Temple but of those that serve in the Temple not onely of the Altar but also of those that offer thereon The true worshippers are those that worship God in spirit that draw nigh to him in faith and assurance that know whom they worship and worship him whom they know these know him that is true and they truly serve him Here is a distinction made between the false worshippers and the true between those that onely worship in the outward Court mentioned in the next verse that onely worship in the externall forme or superficiall part of things and those that are the true spirituall Priests of the Lord who enter into the inner Court and into the Temple of God and worship there These are they that the Lord doth take notice and accept of that he will owne for his true worshippers and servants namely those that worship in his Temple and offer upon his Altar The words being thus opened we come to take notice of some Observations that doe necessarily arise from them The first observation is this That I Observe the Lord doth suitably prepare his people to receive such things as himselfe doth impart unto them This is taken from Johns qualification when the Angel bids him arise to raise up his minde and affections from low meane and carnall apprehensions and objects and to fix them on those things that were divine and heavenly even to the understanding and knowledge of these heavenly mysteries that the Lord revealed unto him by the mouth of a mighty and strong Angel Suitable unto this is that in Revel 4. 1 2. When the Angel sounded his Trumpet the voice sayd Come up hither and I will shew thee things to come Now what did this voyce signifie by saying ascend or come up c. it is not meant of his bodily motion or change of his stâ—tion but a translation or change of his minde For saith John Immediatly I was in the Spirit That is he was in a heavenly rapture or heavenly extasie he was spiritually carried up into heaven The like expression we have in 2 Cor. 12. 2. where the Apostle sayth he was caught up into the third heaven Meaning thereby that he was in an exceeding high and heavenly rapture or spirituall transfiguration of minde and spirit that so he might heare those unutterable revelations of divine mysterie from the Lord. Thus Moses is taken up into the Mount with God when he receives the Law at his mouth Exod. 24. 12. So were the Apostles taken up with Christ upon the holy Mount to behold his glorious transfiguration as the Apostle relateth 2 Pet. 1. 18. Now by the Mount is resembled that high and heavenly pitch of a minde enlightned of affections raised of a heart spirituallized whereby the Lord doth suitably prepare his people to receive such things as hee doth discover unto them Now as the Lord doth suitably prepare his Saints to entertaine heavenly things by enlarging their capacities strengthening their knowledge and raising their affections so he doth also make them to be of the same nature and quality as his discovery is that he makes knowne unto them The creature is whatsoever the voice of the creator is unto him If the Lord speak to any onely by naturall things as by corne wine and oyle and the like Such unto whom the Lord comes in these and no more they are meerly carnall and naturall they heare God speaking in these and they cannot ascend higher And so if the Lord speak in the heavenly visions of divine glory through his Son unto any then these unto whom he thus speakes become gracious and heavenly suitable unto the voice that speakes unto them It is said in Heb. 1. 2. God hath spoken in these last dayes by his Son and how is it then the Apostle tells us in Gal. 4. 6. Because ye are Sonnes God hath sent the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts So that when God speaks to us by his Sonne it makes us to be sonnes also and when we are sonnes then the Lord speaks to us by the spirit of his Sonne Whatsoever the voice of Christ is unto us such are our hearts such are our mindes and affections the whole frame and nature of our spirits is such as his discovery is unto us Therefore it is most unpossible the Lord should reveale heavenly mysteries and shew forth his visions of divine glory unto any but he must also raise up the minds affections of such unto some proportionable and suitablenesse of spirit to receive such revelations from his mouth Secondly Observe That the spirit 2 Observ of the Lord is the onely rule and standard of divine and heavenly things This is taken from Johns qualification enabling him to measure the Temple And there was given me a reed like unto a rod Which reed or rod doth represent unto us the Spirit of the Lord the true rule and measure of divine truth The word and spirit are all one for saith Christ in Joh. 6. 63. My words are spirit and life
but presently are throwne down againe from their station These can but startle and affright men these have but the image of the beast that could devour and destroy These have more will to inflict punishment then they have power to effect These have the nature and spirit of the former beast but not the authority and power This halfe day is called the dividing of a time because the Saints are not absolutely in bondage under Ecclesiasticall lawes and humane constitutions this image being but as a dead Lyon that cannot really hurt nor destroy neithr are the Saints wholly free from suffring because they groane under the spirit of envie and malice of malignity and bitternesse and such like persecutions as these they endure under the forme of the image Sixtly and lastly Those that mannage the cause of the image carry forth the whole worke in the wisdome reason power and strength of the creature they act all by vertue of fleshly principles and carnall abilities They performe all by the name and number of the beast This is plainly expressed in Revel 13. 17 18. these have his name and the number of his name and his number is but the number of a man which amounts to six hundred threescore and six His number is not the number of God which is seven which is a number of perfection and rest Christ hath the seven spirits of God being filled with all perfection of wisdome and knowledge but his number is the number of mâ—n and containes no more then the wisdome knowledge and invention of man it onely takes in those things that are within the power and compasse of man it is the number of weaknesse and imperfection of the bondage and labour of the creature acting from the poor low and darke principles of carnall reason and of the first Adam So that the Ecclesiasticall forme or Church state that Antichrist sets up is wholly fleshly consisting meerly of a carnall Church humane ministry naturall gifts invented ordinances secular power worldly government and the like Thus all they act all they enjoy is but the number of a man weake low and carnall Thus we have those described that make an image unto the beast Now give me leave a little to recapitulate we told you that forty two moneths did hold proportion with three dayes and a halfe which doth import the severall dayes or ages or periods of time of the powerfull raigne of the man of sin And though there hath been from the beginning that evill spirit of Antichrist constantly opposing the Lord and his truth yet the power and raigne of Antichrist hath it's prefixed time and comes forth under severall shapes and figures as first under the appearance of a Dragon secondly of a Leopard thirdly of a beast with two hornes and lastly under the forme of an image The three first of these have each of them his whole dayâ— and the image his halfe day And thus Antichrist flâ—es out of one forme and likenesse into another doth alwayes appeare under some fair vizard or gloriâ—us pretence of piety and religion while he doth act in a mystery of iniquity The whorish woman is sayd to be clothed with purple and scarlet colour and decked with gold and pretious stmes and pearle Revel 17. 4. which are the very excellencies of nature and aâ—t the glory of all her servicâ—s formes of worship these being her ornaments she is adorned as the spouse of Christ though she be a counâ—erfâ—it strumpet for upon her head is mystery that is all the head and glory of her excellencies is but a mystery of iniquity to all that are made drunke with the cup of her sornication or spirituall idolatries and superstitions and discerne them not And thus Antichrist by his craft and subtilty is furnished with all deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse But yet know that when Antichrist is forced to set up an image unto the beast that he is put to his last shift and refuge that he hath but a short time he hath almost played his last game he hath but halfe a time a halfe day Therefore the time is nigh it doth already appeare that Christ will come forth in bâ—ames and brightnesse to destory this man of sin this son of perdition and all his Saints shall sing Halelujah saying the Lord God omnipotent shall raigne for ever Vers 3. And I will give power unto my two witnesses and they shall prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes clothed in sackcloth HAving shewed that by the Temple Altar and worshippers are meant Gods divine presence with his people the pure services and true worshippers these the Lord would have measured for such as he would owne during the whole raigne of Antichrist But for the outward Court all false worship and all externall formes that the Gentiles were exercised in neither of these would the Lord owne but that they should be cast forth and not measured at all Now wee are to proceed to open the mystery of the witnesses In this verse we are to take notice of these particulars First From whom these witnesses receive power to testifie against Antichrist that is from the Lord I will give power c. Secondly The title given unto them they are called Witnesses Thirdly Their number they are two Fourthly Their office in which they are to be imployed they shall prophesie Fiftly The manner and state in which they shall officiate that is in sackcloth Sixtly and lastly The duration and continuance of their prophesie and that is a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes The first thing that we are to enquire of is who doth impower these witnesses to performe their office of prophesie and that is the Lord himselfe I will give saith the Lord God gives what the witnesses have The Lord doth impower them to give forth their testimony and none besides himselfe can inable them for that worke Now I shall first shew who doth enable the witnesses to prophesie and then secondly by what meanes he doth so enable them First The Lord gives forth the spirit of propeesie and that two wayes First originally from himselfe secondly mediately by Christ as Mediator First The gift of prophesie cometh originally from God himselfe he being the father of lights from whom every good gift descendeth Jam. 1. 17. Hence it is that those speeches are so frequently used in the old Testament Heare the word of the Lord Thus saith the Lord and the word of the Lord came unto me and the like All which doth signifie that the Prophets received their prophetical revelations from the Lord. To this purpose we may observe that phrase in Ezek. 20. 46. Son of man set thy face toward the South and drop thy word toward the South and prophesie c. And the like speech is that of Moses My doctrine shall drop as the raine my speech shall distill as the dew as the small raine upon the tender hearb as the showers upon the grasse Deut. 32.
2. Now from this phrase of dropping we may argue that both Moses and Ezekiel had their prophesie from the Lord. For looke as the clouds from whence raine descends to mollifie the earth and to cause grasse and flowers to spring have not their water originally and natively in themselves but from the Sea and moistned places of the earth exhal'd and drawn up by the heat of the Sun so have not the Prophets a spirit of prophesie whereby they of themselves are able to discover divine mystery and revelation but it is drawne out of a full sea of that excellent knowledge and wisdome that is in God himselfe Then the Prophets must of necessity receive their message originally from God himselfe But Secondly They receive prophesie mediatly from Christ unto whom the Lord hath committed the whole administration of all things concerning his Church and kingdome And we have that passage 1 Sam. 3. 21. The Lord revealed himselfe unto Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord. By the word of the Lord is here meant Christ the eternall word by whom the Lord doth reveale himselfe as in Joh. 1. 18. So that Christ is brought in by way of mediation as by whom the Lord should reveale himselfe Suitable unto this is that passage in Genes 19. 24. The Lord rained upon Sodome and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven The Lord raining brimstone by the Lord is meat that the Lord did administer judgement by Christ as Mediator Christ is here brought forth acting in the office of his mediatorship though according to his divine nature he acts immediatly from himselfe without such dependance or subordination yet I say as Mediator he receives from the father and so communicates what he receives unto his Saints Thus you see from whom these Prophets receive power to prophesie and that 's from the Lord himselfe First from God originally Secondly from Christ as Mediator Secondly by what meanes the Lord doth thus impower these Prophets and that is first by his word Secondly by his Spirit First It is by the word that these Prophets are enabled to give forth their testimony Christs Commission to his Disciples was to preach the word Matth. 28. 19 20. And Christ is sayd to ride prosperously on the word of truth Psal 45. 4. John beares record of the word of God Revel 1. 2. The Saints were slaine for the word of God Revel 12. 11. This word is the sword that proceeds out of Christs mouth Revel 1. 16. The word being called the sword of Christ imports that it is full of efficacy and power of great force and prevalency discerning the thoughts and subduing the imaginations of the heart This is that spirituall weapon whereby the Saints are able to encounter with their enemies and to overcome the evill one to testifie against Antichrist Secondly by the Spirit which gives life and power unto the word The Gospel is called the ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 8. because the Spirit joynes it selfe with the word and makes it a quickning and powerfull word And therefore it is that Christ saith My words are spirit and life Joh. 6. 63. Christs word doth not go forth as a dead thing but as a quickning power not as a killing letter but as a powerfull spirit So that the word cannot be separated from the Spirit nor the Spirit from the word they both joyntly concur and agree in one The word is the habit or clothing of the spirit and the spirit is the life and power of the word by these meanes namely the word and spirit are the witnesses impowered to prophesie Secondly the title given unto those that testifie against Antichrist they are called witnesses This appellation is given to Christ being called the faithfull witnes Revel 1. 5. And the true witnesse Chap. 3. 14. Likewise he was promised to be given as a witnesse to the people Isa 55. 4. Therefore he tells Pilate that he came into the world to beare witnesse of the truth Joh. 18. 37. In like manner are the Saints called Witnesses as being called forth to testifie of the will minde of God before the world Thus it was sayd of John Baptist that he was sent as a witnesse of the light Joh. 1. 7. And to him meaning to Christ gave all the Prophets witnesse Act. 10. 43. The Saints that suffered for Christ suffered for the witnesse of Jesus Revel 20. 4. There is one place where by the Prophet both Christ and the Saints are brought in as joynt witnesses where the Lord speaking of his people sayth Ye are my witnesses and signifying of Christ farther saith And my servant that I have chosen Esa 43. 10. So that as Christ doth receive a message from the Father he doth truly and faithfully give forth his testimony as appeares in Joh. 3. 32. So also the Saints that receive his word and declare their testimony of his truth do set to their seal and witnesse of the truth as it is in Jesus and doe give forth testimony thereof before the world Thirdly The number of these witnesses and they are two Some say that there are onely two eminent persons here meant not exceeding the number expressed Others that thereby are meant the two Testaments so make the Scripture to be the witnesse here spoken of or else two in regard of their types which are presented to us by paires as Zerubbabel and Joshua the two anoynted ones and Moses and Elias that caused fire to come downe from heaven Also Moses and Aaron by whom the water in Aegypt was turned into bloud as we shall understand more in the sequell Or more especially they are called two witnesses in proportion to the Law that would not take an accusation unlesse asserted by two witnesses Matth. 18. 16. So here because there shall be a sufficient testimony given forth against Antichrist by the faithfull witnesses of Christ they are called two as most compleat and answerable to the Law Deut. 17. 6. Thus you have their number they are two Witnesses Fourthly Their office and employment follows They Prophesie Now in that they are stiled Witnesses and doe Prophesie wee are to consider two things First What we are to understand here by Prophesie Secondly What is the testimony they give forth By Prophesie wee may understand three things First to prophesie it is to foretell things to come to declare things that shall come to passe according to that saying in Esa 42. 9. Behold former things are come to passe and new things doe I declare before they spring forth I tell you of them Now though this be chiefly meant of Christ yet it is foretold by the Prophet as being first revealed to him So that prophesie is a dlvine prediction or a foretelling of things to come by a heavenly revelation Secondly to prophesie sometimes is meant of understanding the mystery of prophesie or of such things as are forespoken of as to open and declare the mystery
of truth from divine prophesies And in this respect the Saints under the new Testament are called Prophets 1 Cor. 14. 29. These were not so called in relation to any divine predictions that they could declare but rather from that dexterity readinesse they had to interpret and open the mystery of those truths prophesied of before From such gifts as these were they called Prophets Thirdly to Prophesie is when beleevers by their experience can give testimony of the fulfilling of prophesies And thus those primitive Saints were sayd to prophesie when the prophesie of Joel was fulfilled in them and they were able by experience to testifie of the truth forespoken of Act. 2. 16 17. where it 's sayd I will powre out my spirit upon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesie c. These by an allusion to the former manner of discovery of God to the Prophets are said to prophesie because by a divine revelation of truth and glorious discovery of grace upon their hearts they could by experience say this day is the Scripture fulfilled and the grace of the prophesie powred forth upon us So beholding the vision of divine grace they are sayd to prophesie In each of these sences the Saints under the raigne of Antichrist may be sayd to prophesie First from a spirituall inspiration and glorious discovery of heavenly things they are able to â—oretell and prophesie that Babylon shall fall This is their message and this they testifie continually Secondly They by a spirituall judgement and apprehension of the things of God are able to understand enigmaticall and difficult things and make glorious discoveries of the mysteries of truth and also of the mysteries of Antichrist Thirdly in every age according to their light and experience they give forth a testimony of the fulfilling of those prophesies both of the raigne and ruine of Antichrist And thus the Witnesses are said to prophesie Secondly for the testimony that they give forth and that is they hold forth the truth and authoritie of Christ against the falshood and usurpation of Antichrist These witnesses give forth a double testimony First against the seed of the Serpent Secondly against the power of the beast First they testifie against the seed of the Serpent by holding forth the nature and grace of Christ whereby he should break the head of the Serpent as it was foretold in Gen. 3. These acknowledge that Christ tooke the seed of Abraham was clothed with our nature was made flesh and came forth in our habit and forme became Emanuel God with us or in our flesh but so filled with heavenly anoyntings and so clothed with the divine nature that he was able to subdue Satan and to tread him under his feet he was impowered to breake the head of this Leviathan and to cast him forth into the earth Thus the Apostle testified to the Romans that the God of peace should bruise Satan under their feet Rom. 16. 20. By yertue of that Evangelicall promise Christ should overcome and crush the cursed seed of the Serpent Of this the witnesses doe testisie by holding forth Christ to be the seed of the woman in whom dwelt the anoynting by which all wickednesse is subdued Secondly They testifie against the power of the beast and that is by holding forth the office dignity of Christ against the power government rule dominion of Antichrist for though he acknowledge verbally that Christ hath the sole power and government in his Church yet vertually he doth deny it by usurping those dignities and offices to himselfe The testimony that the Saints doe especially give out against the rule and domination of Antichrist is of the prophesie Priesthood and kingdome of Christ First Of the prophesie of Christ they acknowledge Christ to be the great Prophet of his Church Act. 7. 37. To be the great Doctor teacher of his people according to that exptession in Cant. 5. 13. His lips like Lâ—â—es dropping sweet smelling myrrb By Christs lips are meant his divine prophesies and heavenly teachings by which he doth instruct teachings his people his words are beautifull as the lilie and odoriferous as myrrhe Now the Saints holding forth the sufficiency and power of Christs teachings doe overthrow the fleshly wisdome carnall knowledge and humane teachings of Antichrist accordding as the Lord hath said I will destroy the wisdome of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent 1 Cor. 1. 19. And the Apostle tells us in vers 27 28. That God hath chosen the poore weake and despised things of the world to bring to nought things that were high and mighty Hence it is that we have that saying of the Apostle in 1 Cor. 2. 6 7. We speake wisdome to them that are perfect saith he yet not the wisdome of this world nor of the Princes of this world that come to nought but we speake the wisdome of God in a mystery c. By them that are perfect the Apostle meaneth those that are of full age that are men in understanding of divine mysteries so that his preaching was wisdome to the wise but it was not humane wisdome such as the world accounted of nor politiâ—â—ll wisdome of Princes but a hidden and secret wisdome a divine mystery of heavenly wisdome such as the reason and understanding of carnall men cannot reach or comprehend And thus these witnesses testifying of the prophesie and wisdome of Christ doe oppose the wisdome and understanding of Antichrist Secondly They testifie of the Priesthood of Christ acknowledging him to be the eternall Priest of God set over the house of God Heb. 10. 21. And that he is a Priest after the order of Melchisedec Heb. 7. 11 12. And not after the manner of Aaron therefore of necessitie there is a change of the Law So that hereby they give a testimony against all the Jewish rites and ceremonies that Antichrist doth set up and enforce an observation of And thus the Apostle doth testifie against Circumcision when he sayth If ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing for saith he I testifie to every man that is circumcised that he is a debtor to the whole law and Christ is become of none effect c. Gal. 5. 2 3. That which is here said of Circumcision is true of all other Levicicall rites if men will Judaize and stick now to Mosaicall rudiments Christ will be unprofitable unto them for they are againe enthralled and bound to keep the whole law and if they will be justified by such legall observations then Christ shall availe them nothing they hold not the head when they cleave to such ordinances They that will againe set up the Pedigogie of Moses and bring men under Judâ—icall rites and ceremonies these doe in effect deny Christ come in the flesh and therefore are of Antichrist according to that Text 1 Joh. 4. 2 3. So that the Saints bearing witnesse of the Priesthood of Christ doe oppose Antichrist in all
his legall observances Thirdly and lastly they testifie of the kingdome of Christ and doe antribute all headship power rule and domination to Christ they make him alone to be coput ecclesiae the supreame head of his Church and ridiculous is the Popes challenge to be the Ministeriall head whereas Christ hath not instituted any such image of his government The witnesses doe acknowledge the whole dominion and government to be upon Christs owne shoulders Esa 9. 6. he alone to have the soveraigne power and authority in governing of his Church he onely to have the supremacy of Regiment Hereby the witnesses doe testifie against the authority power and domination that Antichrist doth exercise and against those Cannon lawes and humane institutions that he doth set up Great hath been then surpation of Antichrist in this kinde he undertakes to rule over the soules and consciences of men one of the chiefest of all Babylons merchandizes are the soules of men Revel 18. 13. But this practice was never tollerated by Christ Antichrist doth rule by an earthly and humane power accordingly we have it expressed in Revel 17. 1 2. That the kings of the Earth committed fornication with the whore that is by joyning their power with her they give up their power to uphold her interest for this who rish woman doth ride on the beast vers 7. The woman is the Antichristian state riding upon the powers of the world in the forme of a beast unto whom the kings give their power So that when Antichrist and the kings of the earth have mixed and knit cheir power together that kingdome or that Empire that doth uphold the power of the whore becomes as a beast being inslaved to her yeilding unto her all their strength and dominion Then the power of States and Kingdomes thus begotten and brought forth by spirituall fornication is but a false and whorish power a corrupted and persecuting power by which meanes the idolatrous woman becomes drunken with the bloud of the Saints and of the Martyrs of Jesus Now the Saints giving testimony of the kingdome and dominion of Christ doe oppose all the false and tyrannicall powers of Antichrist And thus we have described what is the prophesie of the witnesse and the testimony that they give forth Fistly we are to consider the forme and state in which these witnesses prophesie and that is in sackcloth To prophesie in sackcloth denotes that sad and mournfull condition of the witnesses under the power and raigne of Antichrist Thus sackcloth and mourning is set forth as a badge or signe of sadnesse and distresse in 2 King 6. 30. and Amos 8. 10. This state of the witnesses doth hold forth unto us these three things First that the witnesses give out their testimony in a poor weak low and despicable way there being in some measure the absence of the bridegroome according to that speech of Christ in Matth. 9. 15. When the Bridegroome shall be taken away they shall mourn So that the reason why the witnesses mourne and put on sackcloth is because in a great measure the Bridegroome is absent and at a great distance and they in a very sad weak and meane condition and they doe but prophesie or foretell things to come beholding things a far off and not fully enjoying that glory that they prophesie of Secondly it imports that their persons were under restraint and persecution The beast alwayes making warre with them by fines imprisonment banishment and death they were continually under persecution trouble and vexation all the time of the raigne and dominion of Antichrist Thirdly it argues that their testimony was alwayes rejected cast forth and trampled under foot The world hath alwayes slighted and cast off the restimony of the witnesses as of old the Jewes did neglect the testimony of Christ of whom it is said No man received his testimony Job 3. 32. So that the 〈◊〉 cannot but mourne and lament as it were in sackcloth when their bridegroome is in a great measure absent when their persons are restrained and their testimony rejected Thus much for their state being clothed in sackcloth Sixtly and lastly the duration and continuance of their prophesie and that is a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes In the former verse when we opened the terme of forty two moneths accounting thâ—â—ty days for a moneth make just three yeers and a halfe holds proportion with the terme of 1260 dayes The Gentiles shall â—read under foot the holy Citie forty two moneths The witnesses shall prophesie in sackcloth 1260 dayes The woman nourished in the wildernesse 1260 dayes The terme mentioned by Daniel A time times and halfe a time The witnesses lie slaine three dayes and a halfe all these termes of time hold one and the same proportion So that the witnesses prophesying 1260 dayes is meant they shall prophesie the whole time of the visible raigne of Antichrist in sackcloth But here we may note that Antichrists time is counted by moneths which are reckoned by the course of the Moon unconstant and changeable and it shews forth thus much that all the worships formes and actions of Antichrist are brought forth by a weak and dim light a light borrowed from the Sun they are workes of darknesse and of the night wherein the Moone ruleth Gen. 1. 16. It is not a light of the Sun it ariseth not from Christ it shineth not immediatly from the Lord. But on the contrary the prophesie of the witnesses is accounted by dayes a day is measured by the Sun as a moneth is by the Moone and notes that it is a day time more constant more brightsome and full of light as appeares in Act. 26. 18. The true servants of Christ are brought out of darknesse into light and are children of the day and of the light and therefore it is their prophesie is measured out not by moneths but by dayes But however the witnesses time is accounted by dayes it holds the same proportion of time with forty two moneths that so long as Antichrist shall raigne and domineer so long shall the witnesses prophesie in sackcloth continually powering forth their testimony against the wickednesse of the man of sin So much for the time of the witnesses prophesse Having opened the words give me leave now to draw forth some observations from them First Observe That none can give 1 Observ forth a testimony of Christ but such as are impowered thereto by Christ I will give c. The Lord gives what the witnesses have Christ himselfe the great and faithfull witnesse saith As the Father hath said unto me so I speake Joh. 12. 50. Thus we have the Apostle speaking in 1 Joh. 1. 5. This is the message which we have heard of him and declare unto you The servants of Christ can onely declare what they have received of him and that upon the surest evidence and clearest demonstration And hence it is that the Apostle saith What we have heard and seen we declare
ministration of all things should be in the hand of Christ and that himselfe should continually minister in the holy things of God Then without question Zerubbabel the chiefe governour and Joshua the high Priest these anointed ones were eminent types of Christ who was the anointed King and Priest over his Church into whose hands God hath put the judgement and administration of all things Fourthly and lastly These two olive trees are said to stand by the Lord of the whole earth Now there is none that stands by the Lord of the whole earth but Christ himselfe as appeares by that place Dan. 10. 21. The Lord speaking by an Angel to Daniel saith I will shew thee that which is noted in the Scripture of truth and there was none that boldeth with me or strengtheneth himselfe in these things but Michael your Prince The Lord had threatened to fight with the Prince of Persia and therefore saith to Daniel I will shew thee that which is noted in the Scripture of truth this being a figurative speech doth mean the determinate counsell and minde of God and that none strengtheneth himselfe but Michael the Prince as if he had said There is no humane force or power whereby I will sustaine my selfe but by Michael the Archangel Jesus Christ the Prince Leader and chiefe Conductor of his people To stand by the Lord of the whole earth notes these four things First Dignity and honour that is peculiar onely to Christ according to that of the Apostle where he saith God hath exalted him and given him a name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above every name Phil. 2. 9. Christ in taking our nature made himselfe of no reputation or as the word signifieth he evacuated himselfe he did as it were exhaust and draw himselfe dry denuding and stripping himselfe of all his glory but now in his exaltation standing before the Lord his excellency and glory doth shine forth Secondly It notes power and strength for to stand before the Lord is all one with sitting at Gods right hand mentioned Heb. 10. 11. Gods right hand in Scripture is taken Metonymically for strength whereby Christ is enabled to uphold and protect his people and to dissipate and scatter all his enemies as having all things subjected under his feet Hence it is said He standeth before the God of the earth God is called the God of heaven Dan. 2. 18. Here he is called the God of the carth noteing that though Antichrist seemeth to bear all the sway in the world yet Christ hath the rule and world yet Christ hath rule and power of things in the earth and he rules in the kingdomes of men and that he interposeth and meddles in all secular affaires in order to his owne kingdome and to the preservation of his owne people Thirdly It notes the actuall administration of the kingdome of God to be put into the hands of Christ for the Father hath loved him put all things into his hand Joh. 3. 35. And in respect of the dispensatory part of the kingdome of God the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to the Son John 5. 22. And hath appointed him over his owne house Heb. 2. 8. So that Christ by standing before the Lord is impowered to subject the hearts of men to himselfe captivating the thoughts and imaginations of his people to counsell and direct to govern and protect them and also to tread upon the necke and power of his adversries confounding their plots and destroying of their persons Fourthly To stand before the Lord of the whole earth acceptation and delight to be as it were alwayes in the eye and heart of God and this priviledge is eminently attributed to Christ in Prov. 8. 22 23 24 c. The Lord Possessed me in the beginning of his way before his workes of old the phrase of beginning is put for eternity a parte ame as we say as if Christ should have said even from eternity before the creation of the world I was my fathers darling for when he made the heavens girded the sea and gave the unresistible decree that it should keepe it's bounds I was as one brought up with him I was as a child with the father I was daily his delight The Hebrew word is in the plurall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 number delights intimating that Christ was the greatest delights of the father he was variety of delights unto him in so much that while God was making of the world he took such delight in him that he made all things by him that is he made all things as bearing some analogy or proportion of him So that every creature hath some Character some inscription or shadow of his excellency upon it Againe he addeth I was alwayes rejoycing before him In the Hebrew it is sporting greatly the phrase being a metaphor or simile taken from little children that sport and play before their parents Thus Christ is alwayes standing before the Lord being his continuall delight his joy and rejoycing as alwayes in his eye and favour Thus we see plainly who is meant by the two olive trees namely Christ who standeth on the right side and on the left side of the Candlestick emptying oyle out of himselfe being the anointed one of God standing by the Lord of the whole earth Now it followeth that we shew who are meant by the two Candlesticks The two Candlesticks doe represent unto us the Saints and servants of Christ the whole number of Churches and beleevers and this will appeare if we consider some particulars in relation to these Candlesticks First These receive oyle into themselves as the olive trees doe emptie oyle out of themselves so the Candlesticks receive in oyle into themselves As it was said of Aaron that the oyntment powered upon his head ran downe to the skirts of his garment Psal 133. 2. Alluding to that fragrant oyntment made of so many precious ingredients mentioned Exod. 30. 23. So Christ being filled with heavenly and divine anointings that all his members receive of his fulnesse Joh. 1. 16. They receive an unction from the boly One I Joh. 2. 20. There is in Christ plenitudo redundantie a fulness of redundancy and everlasting spring of heavenly grace continually flowing forth upon all his people whereby they are filled with the fullnesse of God Eph. 3. 19. and are replenished with a perfect supply of light and life Thus the Saints are made the anointed ones of God by receiving the golden oyle into themselves though it be true they receive it as it were at second hand as through a Mediator Christ having first received of his father all fullnesse of divine grace doth abundantly communicate to all that are his Secondly These Candlesticks were sayd to be made of pure gold Revel 1. 12. According to the description we finde in Exod. 25. 31. which denotes the purity and righteousnesse of the Saints Christ himselfe is sayd to be a head of gold Cant. 5. 10.
word of God and despised his long-suffering in the dayes of Noah while the Arke was preparing Here that which Noah a Preacher of righteousnesse did is attributed unto Christ because Noah was but instrumentall in the businesse it was Christ in the spirit that put himselfe forth in and through Noah In like manner it was sayd that whatsoever the prisoners did in the prison Joseph was the doer of it Gen. 39. 22. because they did it by warrant leave from him or by his dictation commandement Just so Christ is sayd to prophesie all the dayes of Antichrist because his people receive their commission and power from him as managing of his cause and quarrell It is sayd in vers 8. that Christ was crucified in Egypt and in Sodome which cannot be meant of Christ's person because he was crucified at Jerusalem but it 's meant of Christ in his people his Saints being overcome and killed in spirituall Egypt and Sodome So that we sâ—e plainly that the testimony that these witnesses give forth is Christ's testimony it 's Christ in his Saints it 's the power of the most high one in his people In these respects Christ is brought in as having a share in this prophesie under the powerfull raigne of the beast From this whole verse thus opened take this one observation That all and Observ every one of the Saints are Gods witnesses The witnesses here meant cannot be onely appropriated to Magistrates and Ministers or to any two eminent persons neither are they to be restrained to those onely that suffered martyrdome in their bodies but of all Saints of evâ—ry individuall Saint of what quality or degree soever that gives forth a testimony of the truth of Christ all that doe according to their measures and abilities continually oppose the wayes and devices of Antichrist Christ the great and faithfull witnesse as the olive treâ— doth powre out his oyle of divine spirit into the Câ—ndlesticks of his people whereby they are enabled to shine as lights in the middest oâ— all the perverse generations of men and among ali the gain sayers of the truth The Propheâ— testifieth that the Lord will sinite the earth with the â—oâ— of his mouth and with the breath of his lips will destroy the wicked Esa 11. 4. The Saints of the most high have the everlasting word of God abiding and dwelling in their hears and as they hold forth the testimony thereof they are the very lips and breath of the Lord whereby â—e bruiseth his enemies and bâ—eaks â—hâ—n in pieces The Apostle doth affiâ—â—e that Antichrist shall be destroyed by the brightnesse of Christs coming 2 Thâ—s 2. 8. Now what is the brightnesse of Christâ— coming but his gloâ—â—ion rayes and bright bâ—â—mâ—s of heavenly diâ—coveries of light and truth that he shine forth withall through his people The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to consume by degrees to wast a thing by little and little untill it be consumed and come to nothing So shall the dissolution of Antichrist be by degrees by little and little even as the Lord shall be pleased to encrease and double his Spirit upon his people whereby they are enabled to testifie against the beast his image against the false Prophet and the deceiver and thus by degrees shall the man of sin be destroyed Now we perceive that it 's not onely for the wise and learned neither for the great and mighty ones to testifie of Christ or that they are those by whom Antichrist should be destroyed but it s for Saints of all degrees for every member how poore how meane soever that have received of that holy oyle from Christ the true olive tree that shines forth with the glorious testimony of Christ I say every such one is a Prophet and witnesse of the Lord. Then all those poor low and despised ones that have according to their measures and attainments given forth their testimony for Christ his truth against Antichrist and his falshood all the times of persecution as it were in the wildernesse and in sackcloth these I say are the witnesses here spoken of these are the two Candlesticks who receive a full supply from the two olive branches these stand before the Lord of the whole earth holding forth the word of truth and the testimony of Jesus in opposition to the man of sin that wicked one that son of perdition Such honour have all his Saints though in the wildernesse and clothed with sackcloth though under much persecution and trouble yet these are the Candlesticks of the Lord set by the true olive tree Jesus Christ receive of his oyle into themselves they together with Christ stand before the Lord of the whole earth and shine as lights in the world So much for the discovery of whom is meant by the two witnesses It followeth VERS 5. And if any man hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies and if any man will hurt them he must in this manner be killed HAving made a large description of the witnesses declaring who they are and what their businesse Now we come to shew how they are impowered to deale with their adversaries whereby we perceive the powerfull effects of their prophesie If any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouths c. In this verse consider first the haâ—mful carriage of the adversaries towards the witnesses If any man hurt them Secondly the means of defence or opposition made by the witnesses towards their adversaries fire proceedeth out of their mouths c. First the deportment of the adversary and that is expressed hypothetically or conditionally If any man c. whereby a certainty is affirmed This indefinite speech doth not imply that it should be a rare thing for men thus to doe but rather a certainty of punishment should be inflicted upon all those that should any way oppose these two faithfull witnesses If any man hurt them c. It cannot be meant as though few should hurt or injure them but rather that there should be no exception of persons amongst any that should hurt them none should goe unpunished for any exterior adjuncts or qualities whatsoever let them be of any kinde ranke or degree they should suffer for their violence offered to them The certainty of the enemies opposing the witnesses is held forth by the doubling of the phrase So Joseph tells Pharaoh that by the doubling of his dream the thing was established Gen. 41. 32. But how are these witnesses hurt by their enemies First by restraining of their persons by persecution imprisonment banishment and the like It hath been the practice of the beast continually to make war with the Saints with those that keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Revel 11 17. Secondly by rejecting their testimony the enemy doth not onely go about to hinder the course of their testimony but also to turne the truth they hold forth into a
tyrannicall powers that they have prophecyed against and cryed downe as Antichristian and wicked these have all been burnt up and consumed by the word of their testimony Wee have seene that whatsoever power greatnesse rule and dominion or whatsoever way or doctrine practice or invention have been set up in opposition against the testimony of thâ—se Witnesses that fire from the Lord hath come and destroyed them all This fire out of the mouths of the Witnesses have fallen upon all the powers greatnesse and dignities of men upon all forms of worship and invented ordinances of Antichrist and have burnt and consumed them Fourthly observe That the testimony Obser 4. of the Witnesses is of great force even while they prophesie but in sack-cloath Though these Saints and servants of the Lord prophesie in a poor weak low sad and persecuted condition their persons being slighted their testimony rejected yet their testimonie is of that vertue and power of that efficacy and force that it prevailes against the strongest powers and highest dignities in the world These poor despicable ones have such a testimony to give forth such a message to deliver that shall encounter with all the grand plots counsels and devices of their enemies yea and such is the strength and vertue of their Prophesie that the glory and excellency of man hath faded away and vanishâ—d before it Then God hath regard to the word and testimony of his poor weak and despised servants It followeth VERS 6. These have power to shut Heaven that it raine not in the dayes of their Prophesie and have power over the waters to turne them into blood and to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will HERE we have a further description of the power of the witnesses to repay the injuries done unto them by their adversaries In the former Verse their power in generall is inserted here we have the manner how they are enabled to deale with their Enemies In which words you may observe a three-fold power that these Witnesses are invested withall 1. A power to shut Heaven that it raine not 2. A power to turne waters into blood 3. A power to ssmite the Earth with all plagues First they have power to shut heaven that it raine not In which phrase wee have an allusion to Elias of whom we have the Apostle testifying that hee prayed and it rained not for the space of three yeares and sixe moneths Jam. 5. 17. which holds a just proportion of time with these Witnesses Prophesie in sackcloath So that as Elias prevailed with God that it rained not for three years and a halfe so here these Witnesses obtaine the same power from God that it should not rain all the days of their Prophesie Now further consider two things 1. What is meant by raine 2. What it is to shut Heaven First we are not to understand this of a naturall raine but of that which is mysticall and spirituall and thereby is denoted the heavenly influences of God the sweet refreshing heavenly dewes that descend from him These divine droppings and heavenly distillings of gracious showers of grace communicated by the spâ—â—t through the Gospel of Christ are here meant by this spirituall raine Suitable unto this is that phrase of Moses when he saith My doctrine shall drop as the raiâ—e and my speech aâ— the dew Deutr. 32. 2. As if he had said My Doctrine shall drop upon your hearts to mollifie them to refresh them to make them fruitfull even as the raine and dew of heaven doth fall upon the earth to soften it to refresh it and to make it fruitfull to make grasse and flowers to sprowt and spring out of it Then the Gospel and word of Christ with all the heavenly dews of divine graces distilling and falling from God are here signified by raine Secondly To shut heaven that it raine not is to exclude all the ways and practices all the invented worships and services of Antichrist from those sweet distillings and divine droppings of that heavenly rain and dew that cometh from the Lord. The Witnesses by their Prophesie against all superstitious formes upon all invented ordinances and practices of Antichrist do hinder the heavenly dew of divine grace from falling upon it as it were shutting up heaven against them by excluding of them from the wayes and Ordinances of Christ or such as the Lord doth make use of to convey those gracious influences of spirit and life unto his people The Witnesses exclude all the worships and forms of Antichrist from having any of the light life or power of Christ in them they cast them out and reject them they prophesie against them as false and empty things as things of no value or worth and so consequently shut heaven against them that is raine not the showers of divine grace and life all the dayes of their Prophesie Thus the great power of the Witnesses is set forth by a resemblance to that of Elias who prevailed with God that it rained not for the space of three years and sixe moneths So these by their Prophesie against the wayes and practice the worships and services of Antichrist doe hinder the sweet influence of Heaven and the refreshing showers of divine grace and comfort from flowing down upon them wherby they become as light and empty as having no vertue or life at all in them they have no more Rain from heaven they wither as plants that God hath not planted as branches that have no life or sap in them In the second place these have power to turne waters into blood Here wee have another resemblance and that is unto Moses and Aaron who turned the Aegyptian waters into blood Exod. 7. 20. the same thing you have done by the hands of the Witnesses This is sutable to the effects of the second and third vials where you have mention made of turning waters into blood also Rev. 16. 3 4. So that the prophesie of the Witnesses hath the same effect with the powring â—orth of the Vials even to turne waters into blood Now as wee did understand their destroying their enemies with fire and their shutting heaven that it raine not Mystically and spiritually before so here must we understand also of their turning waters into blood Therefore consider 1. What is meant by waters 2. What it is to turne them into blood First by waters we may understand all the sweet refreshing streams of comfort strength supply and life that Antichrist did live upon as all worship and Religion all order and govrnment all peace and uniformity all doctrine and practice all these are as so many streams of water by which Antichrist is comforted and refreshed they being his very support and life The waters that the Egyptians were to drinke to live upon and be refreshed by were turned into blood so that they were like to dye with thirst both they and their Cattell So this water is the very life sweetnesse and peace that
third Seale Chap. 6. 5 6. And when he had opened the third seale I beheld a black horse and he that sate on him had a pair of ballances in his hand and a measure of wheat for a penny and three measures of barley for a penny c. The black Horse and he that â—ate thereon with a pâ—re of ballances signifie scarcity â—aminâ— a great dearth and want which is all one with the Viall poured out upon the fountaine of waâ—â—â— Agreeable hereunto is the effect of the third trumpet Chap. 8. 10 11. At the sound of the third Trumpet a great starre fell from heaven burning as it were a lamp and it fell upon the third part of the rivers and upon the fountaines of waters and the name of the star is called worm-wood and the third part of the waters became wormewood many dyed of the waters because they were made bitter The starr falling from heaven burning like a Lampe shewes forth some glorious discovery made of the mysterie of truth by the Angell that sounded this third Trumpet and this becomes worm-wood making all the fountaines of water to be bitter so that all the fountaines and springs of the water of consolation and comfort all the streams of light and life that the men of the earth or of the Antichristian Church did draw forth and were refreshed by these were all become bitter as worme-wood So that as by the former viall poured out the Sea and the waters became blood now by this third Viall being poured forth the Rivers and Fountains became as blood and as wormewood bitter and unsavory for the the Fountain is corrupted the streams are defiled they cannot drinke or be refreshed by them The wisdome and policie of the Beast all the invented ordinances and worships all the power and rule of Antichrist these fountaines these streames are all become unsavoury all that feed upon them feed on the curse they feed on bitter waters and dye therewith The fourth Viall was powred out 4 Viall upon the Sun And this scorched men with fire they blaspheme God because of their plagues and repented not c. Revel 16. 8 9. Agreeable hereunto is the effect of opening the fourth seale Revel 6. 8. When the fourth seale was opened or a fourth discovery of truth revealed there appeared a pale horse upon whom sate death and hell followed him and power was given him over the fourth part of the earth to kill with sword and with hunger and with death and with the beasts of the earth Under the former seale we had famine now here we have death and hell following this is meant of the spirituall death that the men of the earth who worship Antichrist shall be slaine withall as in their parts professions and power The same consequent followeth the fourth Trumpet Chap. 8. 12. The fourth Angel sounded and the third part of the Sun was smitten and the third part of the Moone and the third part of the Stars so as the third part of them was darkned and the day shone not for the third part of it and the night likewise The whole state and kingdome all the ordinances and worships with their offices ministry were all darkned confounded and destroyed by the sound of this Trumpet So the Viall powred out upon the Sun darkens all the Churches and Ordinances all the powers and governments all the doctrines and worships of Antichrists their Sun looseth his light and their Moone her shining and their Starres their glory and darknesse and confusion come in their roome The fist viall was powred out upon the 5 Viall seat of the beast and his kingdome was full of darknesse and they knawed their tongues for paine and blasphemed the God of heaven because of their paines c. Revel 16. 10. The seat of the beast is that earthly power that upholds Antichrist as kingdomes States powers dignities rules and dominions these powers upholding the power of the beast shall be shaken and torne in pieces Suitable hereunto is the effect of the fift seal Chap. 6. 9 10. And when he had opened the fift seal I saw the soules under the Altar of them that were slaine for the word of God and for the testimony which they held and they cryed how long Lord c. These cry out for vengeance and wrath to be powred out upon the head of the powers of the earth that persecuted and tormented them Compare with this the fist Angel sounding in Chap. 9. 1. whereat there was a Star that fell from heaven unto the earth and to him was given the key of the bottomlesse pit c. This Star doth represent us with such as before disowned the power and seat of the beast but now fall to the earth or would set up some new forme of worship and ground it upon an earthly power and so fall from that seeming heaven they lived in to strengthen themselves from the earth and so cause a great smoake and confusion to arise that so truth can hardly be discerned from error light from darknesse the bottomlesse pit is now open and the Temple is full of smoke whereby the Sun and ayre are both darkned so that Church and State are brought into confusion So that when the Viall of Gods wrath is powred out upon the seat of the beast or power and strength of Kings and States that the Gospel must onely be supported by the power of Christ alone then the state and kingdome shall be full of darkness and confusion they shall gnaw their tongues and blaspheme God because of those sores and breaches that be made upon them The sixt viall was powred out upon the 6 Viall great river Euphrates the waters thereof were dryed up that the way of the Kings of the East might be prepared Chap. 16. 12. The drying up of the river Euphrates seemes to be spoken by an allusion to the taking of old Babylon Jer. 50. 38. And to the drying up of the Red Sea Exod. 14. 21 22. and also of Jordan Josh 3. 16. By this is signified that by the powring out of the sixt Viall all the strength and power of the beast should be dryed up then the Kings of the East both Jew and Gentiles shall come to embrace the Gospel upon the glorious manifestation of the glory and power thereof The great effect of this Vialls powering out is That three uncleane spirits like frogs comes forth of the mouth of the Dragon the beast and the false Prophet for they are the spirits of Devils working miracles which goe forth to the Kings of the earth and to the whole world to gather them to the battell of the great day of God Almightie and he gathereth together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon Vers 13 14. 16. By the Dragon the beast and false Prophet are meant all the powers of Antichrist Civill and Ecclesiasticall these send forth uncleane spirits like frogs who send forth their Legats and
the ballance goes downe when the other goes up so the honour prosperity dignity of these witnesses and of carnall men are inconsistent one with the other Then this amazement falls irrisistibly upon worldly men fearfullnesse and astonishment doth surprize them all palenesse of face and sadnesse of heart strikes the men of the earth when they thought they had slaine these Saints so that they should never rise more they thought they had made an utter riddance never to heare of them never to see them more unlesse their dead bodies and carkases to make merry withall but now that these should revive and live againe the sight of this nay the very thought hereof is like a milstone that breaks them in pieces and doth make their hearts to melt and their spirits to faile within them VERS 12. And they heard a great voyce from heaven saying unto them come up hither and they ascended up to heaven in a cloud and their enemies beheld IN the former verse we heard of the witnesses resurrection here in this verse we come to treat of their ascention wherein we have an evident allusion to the resurrection and ascention of Christ And they heard a great voyce from heaven saying Come up hither c. In which words consider First the cause of the witnesses ascention They heard a voyce from heaven c. Secondly the ascention it selfe And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud Thirdly we have a speciall Adjunct of their ascention And their enemies beheld them We are no more to understand this ascention of theirs in the letter then we did of their resurrection but as we understood before a mysticall resurrection so now understand a mysticall ascention also Their killing was mysticall as being slaine in their testimony so of necessity we must understand their resurrection and ascention to be mysticall This having been formerly inculcated and now also premised that we are to enquire after a mysticall ascention We proceed to speak of the first thing viz. the cause or meanes of their ascention And they heard a voyce from heaven saying to them come up hither In these words observe First a voyce Secondly from whence it comes Thirdly to whom it speakes Fourthly what it speaks The first thing to be taken notice off is the voyce This voyce is no other then the very call of God the appointment of the Lord. The great voyce of his spirit 'T is not like the still voyce in which God did impart his minde to Eliah or the voyce speaking behinde his people but a great and mighty voyce like the sound of a Trumpet as it 's expressed in Revel 4. 1 2. This is a translating voyce changing the Saints into the voyce it selfe they are such as the voyce is as John confesses immediatly saith he I was in the spirit This voyce is the breathing forth of the spirit of God the spirit of the Lord appointing calling enabling directing the witnesses to ascend up to heaven and accordingly they doe ascend Secondly the place from whence this voyce cometh that 's from heaven that shews it is a most eminent powerfull and certaine voyce It 's the voyce of righteousnesse revealed from heaven it 's full of certainty the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it it 's full of excellency coming from the excellent glory it 's powerfull and full of majesty it comes from heaven and brings the power of heaven along with it it prevailes in the thing unto which it was sent it commands all it carries all before it All the power of the earth is not able to withstand this great voyce Thirdly take notice unto whom this voyce is sent it speaks unto them namely the witnesses and faithfull servants of the Lord. This voyce speaks onely to the holy ones of God none else can understand it's language Those that accompanied Paul in his way to Damascus in Act. 9. heard a voyce but saw no man neither did they understand the meaning of the voyce that was spoken to Paul So the men of the earth may heare the outward sound of this voyce but they understand it not neither is it spoken to them it 's onely spoken to the witnesses and they heare it it 's directed to them and they onely understand it Fourthly what direction doth this voyce give forth it calls the witnesses to ascend saying Come up hither As if the Lord had said Come my people you have been clothed in sackcloth and ashes you have been made the reproach of the world and the Gentiles have trampled you under their feet you have lived upon the authority and opinion of men you have lived much below in the earth you have lived too far and remote from my selfe you have mourned as in the absence of the bridegroome but now you shall live so no longer Come up hither live in me in my glory in my spirit in my strength in my kingdome you shall have liberty peace and joy in me come up to me from under the captivity of Babylon from under the oppression of Egypt from amidst the filthinesse of Sodome come now enjoy my selfe my wisdome my strength my kingdome you shall now live upon my holy mountaine and there shall be no destroying beast you shall not be destroyed by your adversaries neither shall the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomles pit be able to make war w th you to overcome and kill you any more Here is the voyce of the Lord powerfully calling the bosome of the Lord opened in goodnesse and love the face of God shining forth in beautie and sweetnesse the hand of the Lord effectually reached out here are the gates of the new Jerusalem and of the kingdome of Christ set wide open and all comprehended in this most excellent and precious in this most transcendent and glorious voyce of the Lord expressed in these words come up hither Thus we see by what means the witnesses are made to ascend The mighty voyce of the spirit of the Lord enabling calling and directing them It comes from heaven having the majesty power certainty of heaven with it It speaks to the witnesses only because they onely understand it therefore directed to them And the glorious direction it gives forth it calls up the poore despised servants of the Lord to live in the power and kingdome of Christ saying Come up hither We now goe on to that which follows The second thing to be considered is the ascention it selfe And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud In the consideration hereof wee may consider three things First their action they ascend Secondly the place whether that 's up to heaven Thirdly the manner of their ascention It 's in a cloud Their action is to ascend which signifies some greater accession of honor dignity greatnesse and prosperity When Nebuchadnezzar once said I will ascend up to heaven I will exalt my selfe above the clouds Isa 14. 14. it's meant that he would in his heart be greater in
name honour strength and dignity then he had been formerly So the Witnesses shall ascend into a state and condition much more excellent then they had before enjoyed This ascention is diametrically opposed to their sack cloath condition to that meane and low condition these Witnesses had lived in while they were under the power and raign of the beast This ascention is not a carnall or bodily transmutation or a motion from place to place but of a mutation of state and condition 't is an ascention unto more liberty freedome knowledg strength and glory then they had lived in before Secondly the place unto which they are to ascend and that 's to heaven the kingdome of Christ is mystically called Heaven The Saints are said to dwell in Heaven as Antichrist is said to dwell in Earth the meaning is they shall ascend into a more heavenly condition of liberty power strength wisdome knowledge light and life They shall come to possesse the Kingdome of Christ and enjoy all the immunities thereof They shall live more in heavenly discoveries of God and Christ and his will their externall peace and internal glory shall be very heavenly and glorious And in this respect the Saints that shall sound forth the everlasting Gospel are said to be in the midst of heaven Chap. 14. 6. The Saints are called Heaven it selfe Chap. 18. 20. The multitude of Saints that shall sing Allelujah's and praises unto God upon the destruction of Babylon are called a people that dwell in heaven Chap. 19. 1. because they live in heavenly enjoyments and praises So here the Witnesses are said to ascend up to heaven in respect of that heavenly and glorious condition and state that the Lord will advance his people unto when hee shal wholly break the power of the beast and advance his people to partake of the glory and dignity of his owne kingdome Thirdly wee have the manner how these Witnesses ascend that 's in a cloud This great thick Cloud that God draws over the Earth and with which he doth over-shadow the face of all things this is that darkness that confusion division contest warre envie this I say is that dark cloud that the Lord hath drawn over the face of the Earth Hath not God drawn this black cloud upon the affairs counsels wisdome and actions of men the order government peace prosperity of the world is all over-shadowed men know not where they are nor what they doe when they goe too fast nor when too slow the very hearts and affections of men are divided the world is full of contests and wars and confusions and there is such a mist upon mens spirits that they scarce know which way to turn themselves It 's in this cloud of confusion in which the Witnesses do ascended We cannot but remember that the Lord brought his people from Aegypt by dividing of the Sea by separating of the great waters so wil the Lord raise up his Saints by dividing of the men of the earth the great Sea or peoples of the earth by dividing of them by confounding of the wisdome and policie of the world by dashing one part of the earth against another I say in this manner and by this means the Lord will cause his faithfull ones to ascend Lastly we have that special Adjunct that is hereunto annexed And their enemies beheld them By their enemies we are to understand People Nations Kindreds and Tongues with all the inhabitants of the Earth All worldly carnall Antichristian men these shall behold them to their griefe and vexation This is mentioned first as to the torment and excessive grief that the Adversaries shall take when they shall see them that they have despised trampled upon and contemned to be lifted up to ascend unto honour and dignity unto life and glory And secondly it 's mentioned in the praise and happinesse of those that doe ascend in the view of their Adversaries As the Prophet makes it an augmentation of bounty that the Lord should spread his table in the midst of his foes Psal 23. So this is an addition to their honour they shall ascend in the midst of their Adversaries in their view and before their eye This is the saddest sight that earthly men can behold they shall see them ascend and shall not be able to stop their passage this shall be as worm-wood as gall and bitternesse to their spirits this shall even make them gnash their teeth but they shal not be able to help themselves The words being thus far opened we now come to raise some observations from them First observe That the Witnesses are 1 Observ enabled to ascend by the powerfull voyce of the spirit of God They can never rise nor ascend until they are called up to the Lord by this great voyce this loud heavenly voyce this voyce of Majestie and glory Antichrist was able to suppresse and keepe under these two Prophets of the Lord untill the Lord comes and raises them up by his owne voyce and command If all the world should call upon them to arise they could not untill the Lord speake the word and say Come up hither When the Lod speaks with a heavenly voyce it is so full of love and joy of light and life that every thing in the hearts of his doe heare his voyce every faculty every member all parts heare and obey The soule is never willing to ascend untill the Lord calls by his eternall voyce and that hath such force and power such excellency and and majestie that it removes every obstacle out of the way and sets aside every thing that would hinder And again this voyce is so great so powerfull carries with it so much authority that the men of the Earth cannot hinder their rising If the Lord speak with a powerful voyce to the world â—o Antichrist to the men of the Earth Let my people ascend lâ—t them come up hither all the force power policie of men shall not hinder them This voyce is dreadful to the men of the earth and doth so much affright them that they are forced at last as once Pharaoh was to let the Israel of God goe and ascend out of Aegypt to Jerusalem from bondage to liberty from weaknesse to strength from persecution to dominion from light to darknesse from Earth to Heaven Now the Saints are taken up to live in heavenly comforts and joyes in heavenly discoveries of â—ight and life in heavenly immunities and priviledges And all this is done by the great the mighty and powerful voyce of God Secondly observe from the ascention it selfe That the Witnesses have their 2 Observ time of triumph and rejoycing as well as they have a time of sack cloath and mourning When they ascend they shal shake off their sack-cloath and mourning they shal ascend farre higher unto an estate of more liberty honour peace and glory then their former estate was They shall not alwayes be made the scorne and reproach of the
also of internall light and glory This is part of the glory of the new Jerusalem and of the Kingdome of Christ when Antichrist shall be throwne downe from his throne and authority and when Christ shall be exalted and the Saints possesse his Kingdome Wee now proceed to the next observation Fourthly do the Witnesses ascend 4 Obser in a Cloud then observe That in the middest of the great confusion and darknesse upon the face of the world shall the Witnesses ascend There is a great thick cloud of darknesse distraction division and confusion upon the minds and actions of the men of the earth this day Now I say that in these thick mists and fogs of trouble and contention the Witnesses daily get ground and arise higher and higher and ascend gradually every day though the world neither sees it nor knows it Israel of old passâ—d through the Wildernesse untill they came to Canaan by the conduct of a cloud So this cloud that hath this day over-shadowed the world shall not passe away untill the Israel of God are ascended up to the land of Messiah our new Jerusalem Suitable unto our purpose is that place Isa 51. 9 10. Awake awake put on strength O arme of the Lord. Awake as in the ancient dayes Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab and wounded the Dragon Art thou not it that hath dryed the Sea the waters of the great deep Thou hast made the depth of the Sea away for the ransomed to passe over God hath seemed in former times as it were to be asleep as if he had altogether forgotten the sorrows and sufferings of his people But now when the Lord shall arm himselfe with power and cloath himselfe with strength as with a garment as in the generations of old or auncient dayes when thou didst cut Rahab and wound the Dragon that 's meant of Aegypt and Pharaoh And how was this done by dividing of the waters and drying up the Sea he rescued his people from the bondage of Pharaoh and the oppression of Aegypt Thus God delivered his people from the captivity of Babylon by the same power as in the ancient dayes Now in the same manner when the Lord shall redeeme his people from those burthens of spirituall captivity that his people have endured under the tyrannicall dominion of Antichristian Babylon God will dry up the Sea and divide the waters that is he will wast and consume the state and strength of man and divide Peoples and Nations one against another a thicke Cloud of darknesse shall over-cover them all what a grosse thick Cloud hangs over all men this day upon all their Actings Counsels and Designes Most men grope in the darke and know noâ— what they doe what a darke cloud of feare anger division contention disquietnesse and confusion of face is this day upon the men of the earth Now in the midst of these confusions and divisions aomngst the men of the world in these Clouds of darkenesse the faithfull Witnesses of Christ they get ground and ascend higher and higher untill at last they shall fully ascend up unto the heavenly state and glory of Christs kingdome The Witnesses ascending in a Cloud the world sees it not 't is a misterie that few understand Then this thick cloud of darknesse fear division and confusion upon the world doth plainly demonstrate that the Witnesses are now arising shaking off their sackcloath and mourning and are now ascending up to Heaven to live in and enjoy the Kingdome of Christ to enjoy that freedome and peace that light and glory that we last spake of Fifthly and lastly do the enemies 5 Observ of the Witnesses behold their ascending up to Heaven Then observe That all the power and policie of the Enemies of the Witnesses shall not be able to hinder their ascention The Adversary doth behold them doth see them get ground arise and ascend and faine would hinder them but cannot This is the greatest and most amazing fight that ever the world did see the saddest spectacle that ever it beheld this fills the earth with astonishment and trembling to perceive the rising and ascending of these Witnesses formerly slain and it cannot in the least retard or hinder them This shall be the very glory and triumph of the Saints that they shall ascend in the view and â—ight of all their Enemies that hated persecuted and killed them Now as it was the sport and joy of these Enemies to kill and slay these witnesses how much more will it be their griefe and torture to see them arise from the dead and ascend into honour It could not be more grievous to Haman to see Mordecai advanced then it amazeth the world to see these ascend and that in their sight and presence This shall be the honour and joy of these Witnesses that they shall ascend in the view and sight of their Adversaries who shall look on them and be exceedingly troubled and vexed but yet shall not be able in the least to hinder them from ascending into the glorious liberty peace light and comfort of Christs Kingdome VERS 13. And the same hour was there a great earth-quake and the tenth part of the Citie fell and in the Earthquake were slaine of men seven thousand and the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of heave HAving spoken of the resurrection and ascention of the Witnesses we now come to handle the great and notable effect that succeedeth thereon together with severall consequents thereunto annexed The same hour there was a great earth-quake and the tenth part of the Citie fell c. In the handling of which we may consider First the time of this Earth-quake in these words And the same hour c. Secondly the Earth-quake it selfe mentioned in the Text there was a great Earth-quake Thirdly the consequents thereunto annexed and they are three 1. The tenth part of the Citie fell 2. Seven thousand men are slain 3. The affrighted remnant give glory to God But first of the time The same houre there was a great Earth quake This terme of time is not to be taken restrictvely as if it should be meant of an hour consisting of so many minutes Some read the same day neither may wee take it for a naturall day of twenty foure hours It is an indefinite speech and holds no certainty for the space of time but it imports that the time of this great Earth-quake should answer the time of the Witnesses rising and ascending up to heaven Those words expressed in Chap. 17. 12. These receive power one houre with the beast import the same meaning the whole terme of their raigne with the beast Secondly the earth-quake it selfe follows And there was a great Earthquake The naturall cause of an Earth-quake is when the wind is pent up in the bowels of the earth and seeking vent from thence breaks forth into violent concussions and motions so that the earth shakes and rends contrary to its naturall firmenesse and
stability Of such an Earth-quake we reed Amos 1. 1. And the like appeared when Christ arose from the dead as it 's recorded Mat. 28 2. But here we are to understand a mysticall and spirituall Earth-quake a shaking of Kings Kingdomes States Powers Formes Goverments and the very dignities orders strengths and comforts of men The same Earthquake is meant Chap. 6. 12. And Ch. 16. 18. Thus the Lord saith He will shake the Heavens and the Earth and the Sea and the dry land all nations Hag. 2. 6. This was partly fulfilled when Christ came in the flesh the heaven of Ceremonies and shadows and of all the Jewish worship was shaken and abolished and also the earth was shaken both Sea and dry land all the whole earth was full of great commotions and ruines But this is again to be fulfilled yet once more will the Lord shake heaven and earth The heaven of Antichrists worship Church forme order and government And the earth also all those worldly powers that have engaged to uphold and manage the cause of the Beast these powers dominion authorities and states shall be shaken also Thus we see what wee are to understand by this Earth-quake the great commotions and troubles that shal even rend tear the earth in pieces all its order power government and dominion both in Church and State shall be broken all shal be turned upside down by these violent breakings forth that shal happen upon the world at the rising and ascending of the Witnesses In the third place we have the consequents of this great Earth-quake in these words The tenth part of the Citie fell and in the Earth-quake were slaine of men seven thousand and the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of Heaven This first consequent in order is this The tenth part of the Citie fell Whereof we are to take notice of three things viz. what is meant First by the City Secondly by the tenth part Thirdly by the fall thereof First this City is great Babylon mentioned in Chap. 17. 5. which is meant of the whole universall power dominion and territories of the Antichristian Church and State The nations combined together and gathered into a Church worshipping the Beast and his image submitting to his rule and government this is the great City Babylon of which we have spoken already from vers 8. Though Rome it selfe hath mystically ruled over the Nations hath been the rise of abominations and therefore in some sense is meant by the Citie yet it cannot be taken so restrictively but it takes in the whole State and Church of Antichrist that is called this Citie the mother of Harlots that hath corrupted the earth with her abominations Secondly the tenth part of the Citie the principall thing here to be enquired after is variously interpreted Some would have the tenth part to be meant of the Levites part such a part as was offered to the Priests under the Law as a maintenance of the legall Priest-hood So that hereby the lot or portion of the Priest-hood the chiefest and most devoted part should fall that the tribute of Tythes on tenths whereby the Antichristian Ministry was maintained should fall and utterly be withheld at the rising and ascending of the Witnesses But by the tenth part of the Citie we may understand of the tenth part of the Nations and Peoples that were devoted to the service of Antichrist In Chap. 17. 13. Ten kingdoms give up their power and strength to the beast to serve and worship him Now the tenth part of those Kingdomes Nations or Peoples that have wholly given up themselves to Antichrist and have resigned up their rule and authority their worship and service to the Beast these are here called the tenth part of the Citie Thirdly this tenth part shall fall by with-drawing themselves from the yoake and bondage of the service of Antichrist as it 's foretold of them in Chap. 17. 16. These shall hate the whore eate her flesh and burne her with fire Those tenne kingdomes or nations that had formerly given up all their strength and power to the Beast and did formerly support Antichrist now they shall withdraw themselves again now they shall with one consent prepare themselves for her destruction For God hath put into their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree and give their kingdome unto the beast untill the words of God should be fulfilled Chap. 17. 17. The Lord in justice gave over the nations to be servile to Antichrist for an appointed time untill he had executed all his cruelties and enjoyed his dominion and tyranny over them so at the end of his determined time God will put it into the hearts of the nations to consent and agree to rise up unto the destruction of all Antichristian dominion and power And though these nations shall not fully wholly thus rise up to effect this great worke to hate the whore eat her flesh and burne her with fire untill the last seale be opened the last Trumpet sounded and the last Viall powred out when there shall be a finall and totall destruction of Antichrist's power and raigne yet there shall be a tenth part of the nations that God will raise up to begin this worke God will honour some nation or nations first to withdraw their power and authority from the service of the beast and to oppose his tyranny and oppression and that at the opening of the sixt seale the founding of the sixt Trumpet the powring forth of the sixt Viall at the time in which the witnesses shall begin to rise and ascend Now these nations that the Lord shall first begin withall to raise up to oppose the power of the beast I say this nation or nations is meant here by the tenth part of the Citie For before that all Nations shall hate the whore and cast her off and burne her flesh with fire there shall be some particular nations that God will honour with the first of his worke and this is called the tenth part of the Citie that should fall not onely by withdrawing their owne power and assistance but also opposing and suppressing the dominion and power of Antichrist The second consequent followeth in these words And in the earth-quake were slaine of men seven thousand In the opening hereof it will be necessary that we consider of three things concerning those here that are sayd to be slaine First the persons Secondly the manner Thirdly their number The persons here slaine are expressed by an elegancy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The names of men put for men of name that is of power greatnesse of office or dignity of some place or eminency The Hebrews expresse men of honour or renowne by men of name Gen. 6. 4. So here names of men being put for men of name are meant men of note and quality such as are of place and dignity men of worth and greatnesse These men here slaine by the earthquake are not of the
hope it trembles and quakes the root of all humane life strength wisdome policy is cut in sunder at once The foundation of all power ecclesiasticall and civill is shaken the very stability of Church State Religion order government shakes and falls downe unto the earth And needs must it be so for the witnesses are the very basis and pillars of the earth they were the strength and stability of the world like unto the two pillars in Solomons Temple the one called Jachin the other Boaze 1 King 7. 21. that is as much as to say stability and strength which indeed did prefigure the stedfastnesse and strength of the Saints These two Witnesses while they lived below in the earth they were the strength and succour of the world but when they arise out of the earth and ascend to heaven then the strength and stability of the earth ascends with them The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved I beare up the pillars of it saith the Lord Psal 75. 3. The Lord holds up the earth by these pillars namely his witnesses and when he calls them to heaven to his kingdome to live in the liberty and glory thereof then the very pillars of the earth are removed therefore the earth must needs quake and tremble This sore judgement is so terrible and amazing that there is no shelter or succour nothing that man hath or doth enjoy can be secure it is the most sweeping and affrighting evill it pitties nor spares none but carries all before it As Sampson carried away the gates of the Citie upon his shoulders so these two witnesses when they arise from the earth and leave the world they carry away with them the strength the peace the comfort the order the power of the earth and so leave the world and Antichrist in confusion and distraction The whole interest that the world hath in all it's enjoyments is but borrowed from the witnesses and when these are taken away and raised up above their former station the world falls into ruine and confusion Secondly from the time of this earthquake The same houre c. observe That 2 Observ all the time of this great earthquake the witnesses are rising ascending The same houre and time yea and all the time of these great commotions and stirres upon the world the witnesses get ground and ascend higher and higher though the world neither know it nor perceive it This great earthquake that this very day doth shake Kings kingdomes States Churches rules and dominions doth plainly demonstrate that the witnesses are now in rising that they begin to shake off their sackcloth and mourning they stand upon their owne feet and doe not any longer depend upon other mens shoulders they ascend above the oppression and powers of their adversaries into the glorious priviledges and liberty of Christs kingdome Know that thorow this thicke and darke cloud that God hath drawne over the earth and in the midst of these nationall stormes and earthquakes the Lord will shine forth more and more and the Sunshine of his favour and love shall display it's beams upon his Saints in working out their salvation and liberty God by the plentifull showers of divine grace and by his distillings of his spirit upon his people will burne up that drosse and fleshlinesse in them which God doth manifest in some already And by this great earthquake will so shake the powers of the world that they shall not be able to oppresse the Saints any longer O that we could with faith and patience waite a while and we shall behold within a few yeares yea in a very short space what desolations and devastations God will make in the earth and what unexpected salvations and deliverances he will worke for his people farre above what his enemies feare or his people hope for Therefore I say wait but a while stand still and see the salvation of the Lord the Lord will come and will not tarry for in this very day of the great earthquake in the very time now of these nationall stormes and commotions are the witnesses rising above their adversaries and ascending up into the heavenly enjoyments immunities of the kingdome of Christ Thirdly from the first consequent of this great earthquake and the tenth part of the Citie fell observe That nation 3 Observ that shall first of all shake off and disclaime the power of Antichrist God will honour that nation first of all in raising up his witnesses in it There is a tenth part of the nations that have formerly given up their power and authority to the beast that shall fall off and disown that man of sin that shall withdraw themselves from the yoke and bondage of Antichrists service and that in this earthquake under the sixt Trumpet and that before the ten hornes shall hate the whore and burne her flesh with fire Now I say that nation or nations that shall first shake off the yoke of the oppressor and the burden from off their shoulder are the tenth part of the Citie that here is sayd to fall in the earthquake The power and dominion of Antichrist that this nation or tenth part of the Citie did once yeild and submit unto now that authority and rule is wholly dissolved and abolished Now I verily believe that England is this tenth part of the Citie or take England Scotland and Ireland as being united together into one as being subjected under one dominion and government to be the tenth part of the nations that shall first withdraw from under the raigne of Antichrist for the tenth part is not tied to one nation but to the tenth part of the nations that were brought under the power of Antichrist And if the tenth part should be meant of one nation onely yet this tenth part is but that nation that the Lord doth begin his worke in he will carry his designe from nation to nation untill the ten hornes are all brought to hate the whore and to burne her flesh with fire This indeed is the full accomplishment when the forty and two moneths shall be ended and the word of God fulfilled the whole ten kingdomes shall joyne together to make war with the beast to give up their power to the service of Christs kingdome But the Lord doth first begin with a tenth part that shall first withdraw it selfe from under the dominion and power of the beast And I believe that this Island with the nations adjoyning to it will be the first fruits of the world that here shall appeare the new Jerusalem and the nations of them that be saved shall walke in the light thereof for many nations shall be joyned to the Lord upon the coming downe of the new Jerusalem and finall downfall of Antichrist Now if it be demanded why Germany or some of the reformed churches abroad may not be meant the tenth part of the Citie to which I answer thus That though those called the reformed churches have