the praiers of all Saints were offered upon the golden Altar that then the Angel took the Censor and filled it with fire of the Altar and cast it into the earth and there were voices and thunderings and lightnings and an earth-quake So that this is the power that Saints have to devour their enemies and though their enemies be never so high and potent yet they are not so high nor so potent but they can reach them either to kill or destroy them or to binde and imprison them And this is further witnessed unto by the Psalmist Psalme 149. 6 7 8 9. where speaking of the Saints saies he Let the high praises of God be in their mouths and a two-edged sword in their hands to execute vengeance upon the Gentiles and punishments upon the people to binde their Kings with chains and their Nobles with fetters of iron to execute upon them the judgement written This honour have all his Saints Here the Psalmist speaks of executing vengeance upon the Gentiles and punishments upon the people of binding Kings in chains and Nobles in fetters of iron Why Who must doe thus Must it not be some great and mighty Potentate No but this is to be done by Saints and that not only by some Saints but as well by the weakest of Saints as by the strongest For this honour have all his Saints All Saints doe execute vengeance upon their enemies If any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouth from their praiers proceedeth a fire of wrath and devoureth their enemies And if any man will hurt them he must in this manner be killed As a fire proceedeth out of their mouth that devoured their enemies in general so if any man will hurt them he must in the same manner be killed that is by the fire that proceedeth out of their mouth Verse 6. These have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the daies of their prophesie As the fire mentioned in the former verse was not material fire but it was mystically spoken so the rain here mentioned is to be mystically understood as it is in severall places of Scripture I will cite but only two places for they will be sufficient and in both of them what is to be understood by water or rain is declared As Isa 44. 3. I will pour water upon him that is thirstly and flouds upon the dry ground Now would we know what is here meant by water and flouds it follows in the next words I will pour my spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine off-spring So that here the Spirit and the blessings of heaven are expressed by water and by flouds The other place is Joh. 3. 38 39. He that beleeveth on me as the Scripture hath saâ—d out of his belly shal flow rivers of living water The next verse explains this This he spake of the Spirit which they that beleeve on him should receive So that we see what the Scripture means by water when it speaks mystically of it so that it is in this sence that the Saints are said here during the prevalency of the Beast to shut heaven that it rain not for it cannot be understood of materiall rain for that hath been extended to the unjust as to the just and if materiall rain should be with-held the Saints and Witnesses might have as well suffered by the with-holding of it as others no it is not the with-holding of materiall rain but a greater judgement then that for as the Saints had power to bring a fire of wrath upon their enemies so to shut up the rain of spirituall blessings that the flouds of the spirit do not descend upon them But whereas the Saints are like the tree that is planted by the rivers of water that is alwaies green and flourishing their enemies are for want of these waters as a dry tree that brings forth no fruit and must be hewen down and cast into the fire That it rain not in the daies of their prophesie We see what the daies of their prophesie is at the third verse where they are said to prophesie cloathed in sackcloth a thousand two hundred and threescore daies which hath been shewed to be so many years which is the tearm of time which the Gentiles the Beast is to prevail and the holy City the Saints are to be troden under foot these we see are said to be the daies of their prophesying cloathed in sackcloth not but that they might prophesie after that time is expired but those were the daies of their prophesying in sackcloth because they are troden under foot and they are given to the Beast the Babylonians and during these daies of their prophesying in sackcloth they have power to shut heaven that it rain not spirituall blessings upon their enemies And hath it not been even thus Hath not the Beast and all his adherents been as dry trees and have they not continued to be so without ever obtaining a drop of spirituall grace Have they not been as the dry ground obdurate and hardened in their hellish waies insomuch as it is to be admired that they should so continue without any relenting or returning for so many hundred years although they have had the Scriptures and many of them great outward parts and abilities and the writings of many precious Saints which are means by which God uses to worke but none of these means could work any thing because they had the Heaven so shut that none of the waters of the Spirit did descend upon them Therefore it was that the letter of the Word and all other advantages could doe nothing for they are all nothing without the Spirit And have power over waters to turn them to bloud This is another plague distinct from the former but it is also mystically expressed therfore these waters are not those that are said to be shut up from them for it is not possible for them to be turned into bloud that is to be made uselesse as waters are when they are turned into bloud but they are those waters which their enemies the Babylonians made use of in stead of the waters of the Spirit And what were they It were their Canons and Decrees and Constitutions which they gave forth as equivalent unto the very dictates of the Spirit it self and they declared them to be of as great authority and of these waters they made all that did adhere to them to drinke and with these waters they contented themselves never caring for the waters of the Spirit Now the Saints had power over these waters to turn them to bloud which they did by the Spirit of prophesie which they had whereby they did so hold forth the Testimony of Jesus Christ in the purity of it as all the Romish Doctrines and Popish Canons were turned to bloud rendered uselesse unto others and discovered to be corrupt And this is that which was done by those Angels or Saints that poured out the second and third viols
c. Nor that he that had faith had not wisdome nor knowledge c. Nor that he that had knowledge had no faith nor wisdome nor prophesie c. Nor that he that had discerning of Spirits had no knowledge nor prophesie nor wisdome nor faith c. But this is the Apostles meaning That he that had the word of knowledge might not have so much faith nor wisdome nor discerning of spirits c. as he that had lesse knowledge so he that was full of faith might have lesse wisdome and discerning of spirits and knowledge c. then those that were more weak in faith But now as some might be eminent in one of these gifts only so some might be eminent for two or three and others might be eminent for them all And those that were eminent for one only could not be said to have none of the rest Now by this time the reason is evident why the Apostle speaks of Prophets Evangelists Pastours and Teachers distinctly and withall it is evident that he that is a Prophet is an Evangelist a Pastour and a Teacher For as it cannot be said of him that hath faith that he hath no knowledge nor wisdome nor discerning of spirits c. So it cannot be said of a Prophet that he is no Evangelist nor Pastour nor Teacher And now it is evident That Prophets have been continued all the while the Saints have been in Babylon and in the continuance of Prophets there hath been a continuance of Evangelists and Pastours and Teachers whereby that Scripture hath been made good Ephes 4. 10 11 12 13. which saies they must all continue Till we all come in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God c. And this being so evident it appears to be from weaknesse and darknesse that any have questioned whether any of these have been during the time that the Saints have been captivated to Babylon But here this query may be made May there be Prophets Evangelists Apostles and Teachers that were never ordained by the laying on of hands Answ Yes they may for the Scripture speaks not of laying on of hands upon any but only of Bishops and Deacons and they only had the laying on of hands because they were ordained to doe some particular things which were to be done by them and was proper to them only and none in the Church else were to act in them but only they But Prophesying and Evangelizing and feeding and teaching and building up one another was common to all in the Church as every one had received the gift so to minister as good stewards of the Grace they had received For their gifts are not given to be laid up in a napkin But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to profit withall So that these I say were not restrained only to be done by Bishops and Deacons who only were persons ordained by the laying on of hands but were common to be done by all Now a Bishop which the Scripture indifferently cals either a Bishop or an Elder or a Presbyter is ordained by the laying on of hands because he is appointed to the work which is proper to that Office and not to any other in the Church Now the works that are proper to a Bishop Elder or Presbyter Are First To rule and guide and govern the Church and this is clear by that of the Apostle 1 Tim. 5. 17. Let the Bishops that rule well be counted worthy of double honour And 1 Tim. 3. 4. the Apostle saies That a Bishop must be one that rules well his own house implying that he is not fit to rule the Church of God if he doe not rule his own house well And of those it is that the Apostle speaks Hebrew 13. 7. Remember them which rule over you who have spoken unto you the word of God And vers 17. Obey them which have the rule over you and submit for they watch for your Souls And of these he also speaks 1 Thes 5. 12. Know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you Moreover secondly It is the work of a Bishop or Presbyter to ordain Elders or Bishops in the Churches where they are wanting as appears Titus 1. 5. The Apostle there speaking to Titus who was a Bishop or Presbyter saith For this cause left I thee in Crete that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting and ordain Elders in every City And so Timothy being a Bishop it was his work as appears by that rule given him 1 Tim. 5. 22. Lay hand suddenly on no man Again it likewise is made evident to be the work of Presbyters 1 Timothy 4. 14. and 2 Tim. 1. 6. Now these things were proper to the Office of a Bishop and others that are not ordained to be Bishops have no warrant to take upon them to act in these things But there are other things that Bishops are also enjoined to doe that may be and ought to be done by other brethren but Bishops are enjoined to doe them in an especiall manner and they are these First To feed the flock over which they are made over-seers and this is that Paul enjoins the Elders of the Church of Ephesus to doe Acts 20. 29. Take heed unto your selves and unto all the flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you over-seers and feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own bloud And this is that which Timothy who was an Elder or Bishop was enjoined to in these passages 1 Tim. 4. 3. Preach the word be instant in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and Doctrine And vers 5. Doe the work of an Evangelist make full proof of thy Ministery And 2 Tim. 2. 15. Study to shew thy self approved unto God a work-man that needeth not to be ashamed rightly deviding the word of truth Thus ought Bishops in a more especiall manner to feed the flock of God and to instruct and admonish them But this is not their duties only but the duty of all the brethren according to their severall abilities But Secondly It is the duty of Bishops or Presbyters to be good examples to believers this also Timothy was enjoined unto 1 Tim. 4. 12. Be thou an example to believers in word in conversation in love in spirit in faith and purity And this Titus who was a Bishop was also enjoined unto Tit. 2. 7. In all things shew thy self a pattern of good works in Doctrine shewing uncorruptnesse gravity sincerity And 2 Tim. 2. 2. The things which thou hast heard of me among many witnesses the same commit thou to faithfull men who shall be able to teach others also Thus it is the duty of Elders or Presbyters to be a good example to believers but it is not their duty only but the duty of all other Saints also Thirdly It is the duty of
in sackcloth is expired First It may be some cannot receive it because they look for farther judgements to come upon this Kingdome wherein outwardly the Saints may suffer also because of the great provoking sins of this Kingdom as drunkennesse and adulteries and oaths and their entering into so many Covenants concerning religious things for which they have no sufficient warrant now in the times of the Gospel and the oppressions of the poor and meaner sort of people and the great neglect of doing justice generally c. Now to these I say That it is true that if God should deal with this Nation according to its demerits then indeed no other could be expected but an utter desolation of it that it might either swim in bloud or burn with fire untill it were consumed But First I desire you to consider That God hath a very great number of his dear Saints in this Kingdom in whom he delights and for whose sake he may and I had almost said will spare this Kingdome and spare the Cities and Towns and Counties where they are for if God would have spared Sodome for ten righteous persons we have a great ground of hope that he will spare London yea all England from a generall devastation and desolation having thousands of righteous persons in London and in all England a very great number And how many plots of wicked men wherein they endeavoured the ruine of this Kingdome hath God blasted Having such a great number of his precious jewels in it And secondly What though hâ—ere be in this Kingdome many that are great enemies to Jesus Christ yet God can by his Covenant of Grace bring many of them in to the obedience of Christ and make them of persecutors to become eminent Saints and call those his people that were not his people And why should we doubt whether he would do so since these are the times wherein he hath promised to do so and hath already begun to doe it But Thirdly If it be so that some are hardned to destruction and they are never quiet but still are plotting against the just to ruine them yet know they shall not prevail over the Saints but in opposing them shall ruine themselves Zech. 12. 3. as appears in the following Discourse Secondly Doubtfull thoughts may be in others that yet the Saints may be overcome because they see they have so many enemies abroad and at home and they are speaking great words and are still plotting against them To such I say Let them suppose that there were none that did dare to make any opposisition at all in this Kingdome but that all things went smoothly on in the hands of those that are carrying it on and if they could then beleeve that indeed God would not have his Saints in this Kingdome to be troden under foot by the Beast any more Then let them have the same faith to beleeve it now as knowing it is as easie with God to carry on this work over the mountains as over the plains and he will make the great mountain to become a plain before Zerubbabel before his people Zech. 4. 7. He can command those that are preparing warre against them to sit still and proceed no farther and put a fear upon them or if they doe goe on yet he can make it to come to nothing and to be the most effectual way to lay them lower and to raise his people higher Now if any particular man would be as sure of safety as all the Witnesses in generall are then if he be a man in any publike imploiment let him according to his place oppose the Beast and act for the welfare of all that wish well to Sion and doe justice unto all from the highest unto the lowest and be more forward to act for the meanest then for the highest Let him suppose the condition of the meanest man that seeks to him for just things to be his own condition and act for him as hee would be dealt with himself were he in that condition for thus relieving of the poor and distressed ones is most acceptable to the Lord of Sabbath and in so doing I am confident it will go well with him however it go with others Again If he be a private man let him also in his place wish well to Sion and oppose the Beast so shall he also prosper in the prosperity of Sion And now Reader who ever thou art if thou dost receive any benefit of any kinde by reading the ensuing Discourse whether of encouragement consolation information or quickning I beseech thee to return all the glory of it to the most High to whom alone it is due who for that end made use of so weak an instrument in whom if thou be a friend to the Lord Jesus Christ I am Thy friend 〈◊〉 serve thee M. Cary. Revel Chap. 11. from Vers 1. to 14. Verse 1. AND there was given me a reed like a rod and the Angel stood saying Rise and measure the Temple of God and the Altar and them that worship therein 2. But the Court which is without the Temple leave out and measure it not for it is given unto the Gentiles and the holy City shall they tread under foot fourty and two months 3. And I will give power unto my two Witnesses and they shall prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore days clothed in sackcloth 4. These are the two Olive-trees and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth 5. And if any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies and if any man wil hurt them he must in this manner be killed 6. These have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the daies of their prophecy and have power over waters to turn them to bloud and to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will 7. And when they shal have finished their testimony the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit shall make war against them and shall overcome them and kill them 8. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Aegypt where also our Lord was crucified 9. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three daies and an half and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves 10. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoyce over them and make merry and shall send gifts one to another because these two Prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth 11. And after three daies and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them and they stood upon their feet and great fear fell upon them which saw them 12. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them Come up hither And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud and their enemies beheld them 13. And the same hour was there a great
instruments in revealing and discovering his minde to his people and building up of his Saints may be to maintain a communion among Saints for if God should reveal himself to all alike then would not his people have such communion one with another as they have to the end they may partake one of anothers gifts and therefore doth it please the Lord to make use of instruments whereas if it pleased him he could have effected all things immediately without means or instruments and since it is so then First It reprehends those that have a low esteem of instruments and sleight and undervalue means upon this ground that God can worke without instruments and without means But let such know that it is the will of God to make use of instruments and in sleighting instruments they contradict his will and as they that sleight the Kings Officers doe sleight the King So they in sleighting the instruments and means that God hath appointed to work by do sleight God himself and they do as much as in them lies endeavor to break the Communion of Saints And surely what ever the pretences of such persons are that doe neglect means and sleight instruments this cometh not from the Spirit of God in them for the Spirit teacheth not to undervalue any means which God hath appointed to be used Though it is true The Spirit teaches us not to idolize means nor to tie God to worke only by means but to acknowledge that God can and sometimes doth worke without means and instruments Though he doth usually work by means and instruments and therefore it is as great an evil on the one side to reject the instruments or means that God uses to work by because he hath not absolutely tied himself to them as on the other side to idolize means or instruments because God doth usually work by them Therefore in the second place Saints are here exhorted to have a high esteem of instruments as being of Gods appointment by whom he will reveal himself to his people and quicken and comfort and build them up upon the true foundation Since the Lord will make use of instruments O Saints doe not you sleight them least you sleight God himself but esteem them very highly in love for their works sake It is the rule of the Apostle 1 Thes 5. 12 13. saies the Apostle there We beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake The Apostle knew very well that God could if he had pleased have built up his people without employing some to labour among them in the Word and Doctrine and without the admonitions of men but these being instruments and means of Gods appointment He therefore presses the Saints to esteem very highly of those instruments for that works sake that God had appointed them unto for though Paul and Apollo and Cephas can doe nothing of themselves yet they are to be highly esteemed as being instruments in Gods hand by which God will work And so all the means which God hath appointed for his people to make use of in which he will be found of them and in which he will have Communion with them let them prize and embrace and make use of waiting upon God in the use of them who will be found of them at last and will make it appear that they have not sought him in the use of means in vain Though for a time he seem to be silent towards them yet at last he that shall come will come an I will not tarry It is unquestionably the policy of Satan to take off Saints from using means that they may be deprived of that comfort and benefit which otherwise they might obtain in the use of means Therefore let all Saints beware of such delusions whereby they are drawn to dishonour God in sleighting the instruments and means which he hath appointed and let them be exhorted to embrace means and make diligent use of them for they are blessed that so doe as will appear in the handling of the fifth particular But so much for this third particular The instruments of the divulgation of this Book The fourth particular Is the faithfulnes of those instruments in the divulgation of this book it is exprest in these words Who bare record of the Word of God and of the testimony of Jesus and of all things that he saw We see that as the Angel signified it to John so John did not fail in recording any thing of it but he bare record of all things that he saw Whence the Observation is this Observ 4. That when God setteth instruments about a worke which he will have done they must and they shall effect it Jesus Christ will have his secrets declared to his servants and he imploieth John about this work and John doth it punctually he bare record of the word of God and of the testimony of Jesus and what of some things Nay of all things which he saw And this truth is further confirmed by two pertinent Scriptures which we have to this effect One is Amos 3. 8. The Lion hath roared Who will not fear The Lord God hath spoken who can but prophesie The other is Acts 4. 20. For we cannot but speak the things which wee have seen and heard In both these places it appears that it is not possible for instruments to be silent nor to sit still when God hath spoken to them and given them commission to doe his work First Is it so that when God setteth instruments about a work which he will have done that they must and shall effect it Then this informes us of the reason why Saints fear not persecution nor imprisonment nor death but choose rather to suffer them all then to conceal the truth that is discovered to them or to disert the work they are called to for God having stirred up their spirits and set them about this work they cannot be silent and sit still but shall go on in despite of all opposition to accomplish the worke which God hath appointed them to do Thus did Luther and thus have many other Saints done and many shall doe For if the Lord have spoken they cannot but prophesie speak the things they have seen and heard for their light is not given them to hide it under a bushell but their love to Christ constraines them to hold it forth and the strength of Christ carries them forth Secondly Since it is so it serves to encourage Saints considering that the work that God hath to doe shall surely be accomplished no opposition shall hinder it for though instruments seem to be never so weak yet they must and shall accomplish Gods designs Therefore fear not the day shall break forth and the shaddowes shall fly away and none of the powers of darknesse shall be able to hinder it But I shall say more to this point
testimony of Jesus were they that did prophesie in sackcloth I will give power unto my two Witnesses and they shall prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore daies clothed in sackcloth Jesus Christ having in the former verse declared that the holy City should be troden under foot which is the afflicted condition of the Church he doth here declare what supplies they should have in that condition in that he saies that he would give unto them this gift that they should prophesie Though they are to be destitute of outward comforts and outward liberties by the enemies persecuting of them yet they are to have inward comforts the Lord will reveal his secrets to them which shall exceed all outward comforts they shall have the testimony of Jesus which is the spirit of prophesie I will give unto my two Witnesses and they shall prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore daies That this one thousand two hundred and threescore daies is a thousand two hundred and threescore years appears in pag. 59 60 c. Where it is evident that it is the same term of time with that in the former verse and with that in former passages of this book and that the meaning of them all is a thousand two hundred and threescore years there appears Cloathed in sackcloth While the Church was in the materiall Babylon they were in a sad and mourning posture for they wept and hung their harps on willows and could not sing the songs of Sion So the Church now being in mysticall Babylon and insulted over by their enemies God having for a time given them to be troden under foot by them they are in mourning sad and sable garments clothed in sackcloth though they inwardly enjoy the discoveries of the bosome secrets of the Father the comforts of the Spirit though they have the Spirit of prophesie yet they prophesie in sackcloth their out-side their cloathing is sackcloth to the outward eye they are in a sad posture and they cannot be otherwise while they are under the power and tyrany of Babylon Verse 4. These are the two Olive-trees These that is these two Witnesses are the two Olive-trees In that they are said to be the two Olive-trees it implies it hath reference unto some passage of Scripture wherein there is a former mention of them Now the place where they are mentioned is Zech. 4. so that Zechariah doth prophesie of these two Witnesses under the expression of two Olive-trees and therefore the holy Ghost mentioning the Witnesses here declares that these are they that are elsewhere called the two Olive-trees Now in that place Zech. 4. 4. we finde that the Prophet doth ask the Angel What these be And then the Angel makes this answer This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel saying not by might nor by power but by my spirit saith the Lord of hosts Who art thou ô great mountain Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain and he shall bring forth the head stone thereof with shoutings crying Grace Grace unto it Now this is somewhat a mysterious answer but thus much appears in it That though the Saints seem to be little in the eyes of men and their enemy whether it be the materiall Babylon or the mystical Babylon seem to be a great mountain as if it were impossible for the Saints to remove their mountainous enemy yet they shall be removed out of their way the great mountain shall become a plain before them and those Saints that seem to be little but as an handfull to a mountain they shall when the great mountain is become a plain again become a glorious Temple and when it shal be thus there shall be shoutings crying Grace Grace unto it And this appears to be spoken of the two Witnesses in the Text for they have seemed to be small and little and their enemy a great mountain but undoubtedly this mountain shall become a plain before them and they shall again become a glorious Temple a mountain of holinesse the praise of the whole earth But the Prophet at the 12 verse is said again to ask the Angel What the Olive-branches are and receives this further answer These be the two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth here is another description of them in which it is most evident that by the two Olive-trees is meant the Saints Servants and Witnesses of Jesus Christ for this is a plain character of Saints for first Saints are anointed ones and are said to be anointed 2 Cor. 1. 21. and are said to have received an unction from the holy One 1 Joh. 2. 20. Again secondly as Saints are anointed ones so it is they only that can come into the presence of God it is they only that can enter into the Holy of Holies by the new and living way which Jesus Christ hath made for them Now by this time it is clear That by the two Olive-trees is meant all Saints for they are anointed ones and they stand in the presence of God they then are the two Olive-trees which have prophesied cloathed in sackcloth and though they have been but as a handfull compared with that great mountain the Beast so that they could not prevail by might nor by power yet by that unction by that anointing that Spirit that is upon them they shall prevail These are the two Olive-trees and the two Candle-sticks These Witnesses are also said to be candle-sticks because all Saints as they are anointed ones so they are the light of the world Mat. 5. 14. they are light in the Lord and they shine as lights amidst a crooked and perverse generation These are the two Olive-trees and the two Candlesticks standing before the God of the earth The wicked saith the Psalmist shall not stand in thy presence neither shall evil dwell with thee It is indeed onely the prerogative of those holy ones that are washed in the bloud of the Lamb that are unblameable and unreprovable in his sight and to these doth hee hold out the golden scepter of his grace and these do stand in the presence of the Lord of the whole earth Verse 5. And if any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies The Saints in a sence are the Judges and Executioners of their enemies Behold a King saith the Prophet Isa 32. 1 shall raign in righteousnesse and Princes shall rule in judgment speaking of the raign of the Lord Jesus and his Saints ruling with him so that as he judgeth so doe they and they passe sentence with him upon their enemies and therefore is it here said If any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies That is that breath of the spirit that proceedeth out of their mouth in their praiers doth both pronounce the sentence and bring down the fire of wrath upon their enemies And this is clear Revel 8. 3. for there it appears That when
For on the 23. day of October 1641. did the Beast begin the war in Ireland and he continued overcomming the Witnesses the Saints of Jesus Christ in Ireland and in England untill the 5. day of April 1645. and from the 23. of October 1641. unto the 5. of April 1645. there is just a thousand two hundred and sixty daies which according to the Scripture account though not according to the Heathen account is three years and a half compleat and when this three years and a half were expired which was I say one the 5. of April 1645. then was the resurrection of the Witnesses for they having lain dead for three years and a half before then the Spirit of life from God entred into them And the year 1645. as it is the year wherein the Witnesses were raised from the dead so it is the year wherein the term of time in which they were to prophesie in sack-cloth and to be troden under foot was to expire and the year also wherein the prevailing power of the Beast over the Saints was to expire as is made evident in the opening of the 2 vers pag. 60. c. Now that one the 5. day of April 1645. the Saints Witnesses and Servants of Jesus Christ were raised up and that then a Spirit of life from God entred into them appears thus On the 5. day of April 1645. the Parliaments Army who had stood for the defence of the Saints against the Beast and had bin before that time exceedingly overcome and were brought into a very low condition at that time being new modelled and having a great many precious Saints in it both eminent Commanders inferiour Officers and common Soldiers and being then put under the conduct of Sir Thomas Fairfax they then began to march against the enemy and then had a Spirit of life from God that entred into them as did appear in all their actings afterward for they went on with such vigour courage life and fortitude as they effected every work they took in hand defeated all the enemies with whom they did encounter had the victory in every battle they fought never sate down before any City Town or Castle but they took it in before they raised their siege Thus they acted like men raised from that dead low condition they were in before And why Because now a Spirit of life from God was entred into them and unto God did they give all the praise and so let them doe still for they had as surely fled before their enemies and been beat down as the myre in the streets then as ever they had been before if the Spirit of life from God had not been put upon them Thus the 5. day of April 1645. did the Witnesses the Saints of whom the Beast thought to make an utter end stand upon their feet having a spirit of life from God put upon them when the Army that fought their battles and defended their righteous cause began to march against the Army of the Beast to the overthrowing of it And they stood upon their feet and great fear fell upon them that saw them The Saints being raised from the dead from that dejected low condition in which they were for three years and a half a Spirit of life from God being put upon them they then stood upon their feet to the fear and amazement of their enemies Before indeed the Saints did lie dead in the street and were as the street to them that went over them but since the Spirit of life from God entred into them they have stood upon their feet and as men that stand upon their feet so long as they doe stand upon their feet are not in a capacity of being trod under foot of men So the Witnesses and Saints of Jesus Christ since they stood upon their feet could not be troden under foot of men Though they have been troden under feet a thousand two hundred and threescore years and the Beast hath had power so long to trample them under feet yet since the Spirit of life from God entred into them and they stood upon their feet it was not possible for the Beast nor any of his adherents so to trample them under foot any more And they stood upon their feet and great fear fell upon them which saw them The Witnesses standing upon their feet as men risen from the dead did cast a great fear and terrour upon their enemies for now they begin to fear what will become of themselves and their great Idoll The Beast they seeing the Witnesses of Jesus to stand upon their feet fearfulnesse doth surprize them because now they conceive that their Kingdome is going down as indeed it is going down wonderfully as they did rejoyce and make merry when they saw the Saints or Puritans as they termed them brought into a low condition when they lay dead so now on the contrary they seeing these Puritans the precious Sonnes of Sion to stand upon their feet now a fear a great fear is fallen upon them Vers 12. And they heerd a great voice from Heaven saying unto them come up hither And they ascended up to Heaven in a Cloud and their enemies beheld them As the Beast and they that joyn with him are in severall places of the prophesie of this book called The earth So the Saints and Witnesses of Jesus Christ are in opposition to the Beast called Heaven As Rev. 13. 6. it is said of the Beast That he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and them that dwelt in Heaven By them that dwelt in Heaven is meant the Saints of God who are called Them that dwell in Heaven As the members of the Beast are called Them that dwell upon the earth Rev. 11. 10. And so Rev. 15. 5. It being said in the former verses of the Saints that had gotten the victory over the Beast and over his image and over his mark that they sung the Song of Moses the Servant of God and the Song of the Lamb saith John After this I looked and behold the Temple of the Tabernacle of the testimony in Heaven was opened And Chap. 11. 19. And the Temple of God was opened in Heaven and there was seen in his Temple the Ark of his Testament c. It is evident that in both these places the Saints the Church of God is called Heaven for it cannot be understood of Heaven it self for there is no Temple So in this verse whereas it is said the Witnesses heard a voice from Heaven by Heaven here also is meant the Church the Saints of God So that the meaning of this verse is this The Witnesses of Jesus being raised from the dead and having a Spirit of life from God put upon them and standing upon their feet like living men that part of the Saints that in a more especiall manner acted in opposing the Beast and had a most eminent Spirit of life and courage put
them neither yet they cannot be without the use of praier and prophesying and therefore we see that Saints have alwaies enjoyed them during all the time they have been troden under foot the spirit of praier and prophesie hath been still upon them And herein they have appeared to be both living Christians and waking Christians a dead man cannot breathe nor can a sleeping man speak but when a man breathes and speaks he is discovered to be both a living and a waking man Now if Christians be not dead Christians then sure they will both breathe and speak as soon as the breath of spiritual life is in a man he is a man that breaths toward God in praier continually and when he is grown up a little he is able to speak to edification exhortation and comfort though some are more fluent in speaking and have better utterance then others yet all in whom there is true spiritual life in some sort or other doe so speak as to edifie exhort and comfort one another Let such therefore as are in this errour beware how they entertain principles so contrary to the very life of Christianity And O do you not stop your breath what though you be in Babylon yet you must breathe there otherwise you are stifled Beware therefore of being stifled breathe freely toward thy God whereever thou art Thou maist have Communion with him in any place Though thou art with Daniel in Babylon and in a Lions den yet the breathings and the pantings of thy soul after God are acceptable to him Object But perhaps some may say When I goe about to pray I finde much deadnesse fleshlinesse carnality and coldnesse in my self both when I am to pray publikely with other Saints and when I am privately retired and I look upon this as an effect of Babylonish darknesse I question therefore whether I may pray until it be wholly done away Answ The Apostle when he bids us In all things to make known our requests to God and to pray without ceasing and to continue in praier and to pray continually Phil. 4. 6. 1 Thess 5. 17. Col. 4. 2. did very well know That Saints did carry flesh about them which would be opposing the Spiritâ— and therefore he himself saith When I would doe good evil is present with me and The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot doe the things that ye would Gal. 5. 17. I say the Apostle knew this That the flesh would oppose but he would not have Saints upon that ground to neglect spirituall duties for that were to suffer the flesh to get the victory but rather to be the more frequent in spirituall duties and to be the more incessant in holy performances especially in praier that so they might overcome the flesh that so opposeth Again secondly When the Apostle presses Saints to spirituall duties he speaks to them as knowing that though they carry flesh still about them yet that they have a spirit in them in which they are to act toward God and that though flesh be acting in them yet at the same time that spirit may act in them And therefore when Saints come to pray though the flesh doe endeavour to put out the life of the Spirit yet the Spirit strives to mortifie the flesh and though both act at the same time yet God is able to distinguish between what cometh from his own Spirit which is alwaies in his Saints and what comes from flesh in them And though the flesh doe act its part yet Jesus Christ having by one offering done away all the corruptions of the flesh in his people God can notwithstanding the flesh in them smell a sweet savour in those performances in which there is much weaknesse and flesh and but little of the Spirit appearing there being an attonement already made for the sins of their holy things So that Saints you having Spirit in you as well as flesh you are not to neglect to performe spirituall duties because you doe not see flesh wholly subdued for that was never yet done in any Saint while he remained in this tabernacle but in that spirit to act especially in praier even when you finde flesh also acting for if you have but a spiritual desire to have that flesh subdued that desire cometh from the Spirit and that spark being neglected may seem to die but if according to the rule of Paul to Timothy we stirre up that gift of the Spirit we have received how weak soever it may seem to be that spark may grow up into a flame and get strength in a great measure to burn up that corruption that so troubles and burthens us Therefore the Apostle gives this rule To continue in praier Saints doe you desire to have flesh subdued then continue so desiring and be continually lifting up your spirits to your God in praier against it and that you may doe so take all opportunities to retire your self from other imploiments that you may lift up your souls unto God in praier and doe not content your selves with barely having these desires and so be continually plunging your selves in worldly imploiments in conversing with sublunary things but improve all opportunities to retire your selves from conversing with these things for the enlivening and enflaming of your spirits and doe not perswade your selves that while you are discoursing of your bargains and tradings and lands and livings and cloathing and I know not what that you pray as well as when you retire your self into a private place to lift up your souls in secret to God in praier For our Saviour gives you this direction When you pray enter into your closets and shut your doors and pray to your Father which is in secret c. Matth. 6. 6. And our Saviour himself observed the same rule for it is often said of him That he went apart into a mountain to pray and continued whole nights in praier unto God the night being the time in which he was free from other imploiments And so Act. 10. 9. it is said That Peter went upon the house to pray And truly if Saints did improve more opportunities and take more advantages thus to retire themselves to converse with God so much coldnesse and lukewarmnesse worldlinesse covetousnesse pride and contention would not appear in them But it hath been the designe of the common enemy to take off Saints from these warrantable profitable and advantagious retirements wherein they might enjoy Communion with God to the end they may continue in a more loose and carnal frame to the sading of their spirits and to the scandal of their most holy profession But another may say I finde that our Saviour saith unto his Disciples Whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name that will I doe Joh. 14. 13. And John saith We have confidence toward God and whatsoever we ask we receive of him 1 Joh. 3.
look upon them as Saints then if you love the Lord Jesus you cannot but love them what ever their judgements be And if you be deficient herein you are to condemn your selves in it and to be humbled for it And henceforth considering the onenesse that is between you all what ever your judgements are and that you have been as one in your sufferings and as one in deliverances from sufferings doe you still be one in love and then upon you will the Lord command the blessing even life for evermore Psal 133. 3. Deduction 17. 17. The next and the main Deduction that flows from these verses being thus explained is a speciall encouragement in particular to the high and honourable Court of Parliament and to his Excellency the Lord FAIRFAX and the honoured his Councell of Warre and all inferiour Officers and Souldiers and in generall to all the Witnesses of Jesus Christ in this Kingdom of England First It is of speciall encouragement unto the high and honourable Court of Parliament for as much as a great number of them being the Witnesses of Jesus Christ they were the primary or first instruments that God made use of to defend the cause of his people and to preserve them from the tyranny and fury of the Beast Now you being the first instruments that God made use of to plead the cause of his people God having into your hand first put the power of opposing the Beast and that wonderfull hath been the spirit of courage and constancy that hath been put upon you in that high Court of Parliament that make it your design to advance the honour of Jesus Christ and the good of the Saints and of all the Subjects of this Kingdome in generall so that though you have been opposed by great and potent enemies yet your courage hath not failed but you have persisted constant in prosecuting the same designes since you first began to oppose Strafford and Canterbury in 1641. unto the year 1645 still opposing the adverse party and you have not basely complied with them though some corrupt members diserted you and did so but you still stuck to your first principles and God having put power into your hands hath inabled you to carry on his designe in the worst of times and after all having graciously given you good successe to your unwearied pains and labours thorow which you had gone by giving you a happy conquest over your enemies And in all this the word of God being fulfilled these things being according to what is written even your being first laid low and also your raising again it being written predeclared that the Beast should make warre with the Witnesses of whom you are a part and whose cause you defend and should overcome them and kill them and that they should lie dead three years and an half and after three years and an half should be raised to the terrour of their enemies and that in their rising a tenth part of Babylon should fall c. These things being written and fulfilled the Beast having made warre against the Witnesses whose cause you have been principle instruments of defending against him and his adherents and having overcome them and killed them both in England and Ireland and they being dead for three years and an half the enemy rejoycing over them and making merry because they thought they had been so slain as they should never recover life again your Armies being overcome and your Garisons being possessed by the enemy and after three years and an half the Spirit of life being put upon your Army and they as it is written standing upon their feet and therein at the same time England being fallen from the Beast from being a part of great Babylon and this in the year 1645. and that year being the year wherein it is written The prevailing power of the Beast should come to a period I say these things being so here is special incouragement to you Witnesses in the high Court of Parliament to goe on in defending that cause that God hath given you the honour hitherto to be instruments of defending I say to go on to defend it And that First By doing justice upon your and the enemies of Jesus Christ Hath God delivered any of the chief actours of this unnaturall bloudy warre into your hands then you being a Civil Power ordained of God are to doe justice upon evil doers for the Apostle saith of a Ruler Rom. 13. 4. He is the minister of God and he beareth not the sword in vain for he is the minister of God a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil And they are evil-doers in a high degree that are theeves and murderers and such are the chief actours of an unjust warre Now if God have delivered any such into your hands you are to execute wrath upon them for it is an observable passage 1 King 20. 42. The Prophet of the Lord there tels Ahab King of Israel after he had let Benhadad King of Syria whom the Lord had delivered into his hand to go away with his life that Ahabs life should goe for his life Therefore it is not safe to neglect doing justice upon such persons although they consent to such Articles of agreement being constrained to doe it for their own ends as Benhadad did 1 King 20. 34. Now you in the high Court of Parliament whom God hath honoured to be the chief instruments of defending the righteous cause of the Witnesses have speciall encouragement to goe on to execute just wrath upon such grosse evil doers without fear And also secondly You have encouragement to goe on to deal well with all the Witnesses and servants of Jesus Christ that walk soberly and justly toward men and holily towards God that are under your jurisdiction whether they be such as are commonly called Presbyterians or Independents or Anabaptists c. even to deal well with them and all the Subjects of the Kingdome and to undoe the heavy burdens and to let the oppressed goe free and to break every yoke and to establish just and righteous laws I say here is speciall encouragement for you to doe thus for in doing thus you shall prosper and become a glory to the Kingdome and no enemy shall ever henceforth be able to prevail against you for though formerly you were brought into a low condition and the enemy prevailed over you with a very high hand yet henceforth the enemy shall no more prevail against you although they were in number a hundred thousand more then they are And secondly From these verses thus opened here is speciall encouragement in particular for his Excellency the Lord FAIRFAX and the honoured Councel of warre since as the Parliament are the primary so they are the secondary instruments of defending the cause of the Saints of God against the Beast Now since you and the Army under you in an especial manner according to what is written and declared long agoe were they
that had a spirit of life from God put upon you in the year 1645. whereby life was put into all the Witnesses and whereby you were inabled to act like living men men that had a life from God in the overcoming the Beast and his adherents in this Kingdom and seeing you have been instruments of defending that cause ever since I say seeing God hath honoured you so as to make you such eminent instruments of this great worke and the hearts of all the Saints in England are generally knit unto you and the eyes of all the Saints in England are upon you most Noble General and Worthy Commanders here is I say special encouragement for you to goe on still to improve the power that God hath given you for the same end for which it was given you viz. The suppressing of the Beast and defending all the Saints and servants of Jesus Christ in this Kingdome and to goe on having the honour of Jesus Christ and not your own and publike good more then private ends in your eye and in your heart to endeavour to cause justice and righteousnesse to abound in this Kingdome and this is your encouragement that in so doing as you have alwaies been since 1645. So you shall ever be conquerours in all the battles you fight and overcomers of all the enemies with whom you encounter no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper nor no enemy shall be able to stand before you yea though all the people of the Earth should be gathered together against you yet you should be but as a burthensome stone unto them and all that burden themselves with you should be broken in pieces And thirdly Here is speciall encouragement for all the Saints in England in generall to be of good courage not to fear the menaces or threatnings of any enemy for no enemy shall ever any more prevail over them Now what I say for the encouragement of the Parliament and of the Generall and chief Commanders of the Army in particular and of all the Saints in England in generall is clearly grounded in the Scripture and therefore is it unquestionable and to be received and observed of the Parliament Army and Saints in England Indeed if I should declare any thing to you and tell you that I had it by vision or revelation and it were not apparent in Scripture I know no warrant you had to receive it or to have any confidence of it For as Paul speaking of the day of Christ saith to the Thessalonians Now we beseech you by the comming of the Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering unto him that you be not soon shaken in minde nor be troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us as that the day of Christ is at hand Let no man deceive you by any means for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first c. So may I say you have reason to beware that you be not soon shaken in minde or troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter from any concerning any thing for which they doe not bring a word from the Scripture and let no man deceive you for you may be deluded and deceived if you receive any thing from any which is not according to what is revealed in the Scripture as the young Prophet was deluded by the old Prophet when he received that Doctrine which was contrary to the Word of the Lord which before he had received So may you if you should so doe Therefore if a Prophet or an Apostle or an Angel from heaven should bring any message which is not consonant unto the Word which you have already received in the Scripture you are not to be shaken in minde nor to be troubled by it nor to imbrace it But now the Scripture grounds upon which I doe for their encouragement declare and affirme That the Parliament and the Army in prosecuting the righteous cause of the Saints and that all the Saints of England in generall shall all overcome their enemies and go on victoriously hence forward are these First Because the Witnesses are raised from the dead The Spirit of life from God is entered into them and they do stand upon their feet Secondly Because England is fallen from Rome and is no more a tenth part of that great mystical Babylon Thirdly Because the one thousand two hundred and threescore years in which the Beast was to tread the holy City under foot did expire in 1645. Now the first of these grounds is evidently drawn from Scripture as appears in the explicatory part of this Discourse where it is evident That that great and considerable number of Saints in England and all reall Saints of Jesus Christ of whom it is said That the Beast should make warre against them and overcome them and that they should lie dead three years and an half the Spirit of life from God should enter into them and they should stand upon their feet to the fear of their enemies and to the glory of their God And it is evident that this which this Scriptrre hath said of them is punctually come to passe The Beast did make warre against all Saints in making warre against that great number of the Saints in England in the late warre the Beast did overcome them and kill them and they were mystically dead for three years and an halfe and as soon as the three yeares and an halfe were compleatly expired the Spirit of life from God entered into them a Spirit of life vigour and courage was put upon them and they did no longer lie as dead men but like living men they stood upon their feet to the fear and amazement of their enemies and to the glory of their God who had put such a Spirit of vigour and courage upon them And now upon this ground may all the Saints in England and those Worthies in the Parliament of England and their Army who have been instruments of bringing down the power of the Beast in England be encouraged to continue opposing the Beast and acting justly and righteously toward all and be assured God having put a Spirit of life upon them and made them to stand upon their feet they shall overcome every enemy that shall rise up against them and the enemie in no battle shall be able to stand before them nor give them one defeat but shall fall before them and bee cut downe as mowne grasse and the men of warre shall not finde their hands but turne their backs and flee before them for they shall now finde them living men such as have a Spirit of life from God put upon them The second ground upon which I affirme That no enemy shall be ever able to prevail over them is clear in Scripture For it is also evident in the Explicatory part of this Discourse That England is that tenth part of the Citie which the holy Ghost in this Scripture speaks of
into them did hear a voice from the Churches of Christ from most of the Saints wherein they expressed their great affection to them and owned them and embraced them in their societies They said unto them Come up hither and they again mutually embraced them they went into the Heavenly societies of the Saints they ascended up to that Heaven but it was in a cloud it was not clearly seen of men but though not clearly yet it was seen by them for their enemies beheld them their enemies beheld them though in a cloud in an obscure manner And thus it was with those Saints that were in the Army on the Parliament side as before they stood upon their feet and prevailed against their enemies they had the praiers of all other Saints so afterward were they with great affection received into the societies of Saints and embraced by them and this did appear to their enemies though not very clearly Vers 13. And the same hour was there a great earth-quake The Kingdome of the Beast being called the earth it is that earth of whom this earth-quake is spoken Now this earth-quake is said to be the same hour when the Witnesses being risen from the dead did ascend into the societies of the Saints and were by them received and embraced in that same hour there was a great earth-quake The state of the Beast hath been shaken before The Witnesses have made a former earth-quake in the Kingdom of the Beast which was mentioned Chap. 7. 5. but that is not said to be a great earth-quake but this is said to be a great earth-quake And indeed this was a greater earth-quake a greater shaking to the Kingdome of the Beast then any that hath been before it as doth appear by the effects of it mentioned in this verse Though it is true this is not the greatest earth-quake that shall come on the Kingdome of the Beast for there shall be a farre greater earth-quake that shall come upon it as appears Chap. 16. 18. yet this was a very great earth-quake a very great shaking to the Kingdome of the Beast For in this earth-quake The tenth part of the City fell This word The City hath reference unto a City formerly mentioned in this Chapter and that is vers 8. and it is there so plainly described as it doth evidently appear to be the mystical Babylon And the tenth part The ten Kingdomes that were the ten horns of the Beast were ten severall parts of mysticall Babylon which did raign over them So that England being one of them was a tenth part of mystical Babylon And a tenth part of the City fell This was one of the effects of the earth-quake which was occasioned by the resurrection of the Witnesses the Saints in England it did so shake the great Babylon of the Beast as a tenth part of it fell And this most exactly came to passe in the year of the Resurrection of the Witnesses 1645. for then did the Kingdome of England which was a tenth part of great Babylon fall from Rome for then was that removed from it whereby it had continued to be a part of Babylon the place of Saints slavery namely the power of men over the consciences of Saints For after the Army which was for the Witnesses stood upon their feet in 1645. they so cast of that power that men had had over their consciences and over their persons and estates for their conscience sake as it was not possible for the Beast nor any of his Adherents to recover that power again over the consciences of the Saints in this Kingdome though they did with all their strength and greatest industry endeavour it afterwards for the Witnesses then standing upon their feet there was such an earth-quake great Babylon was so shaken as England fell from it the yoke of bondage which was upon the consciences of Saints in England was then cast off And this was one effect of the great earth-quake which there was in mysticall Babylon at the resurrection of the Witnesses that England fell from it Thus England is fallen from the great Whore mystical Babylon and is become a president to the other Kingdoms who must all in time cast off the yoke of bondage under which they are and hate the Whore and make her desolate and naked c. Revel 17. 16. And in the earth-quake were slain of men seven thousand This was another effect of the earth-quake that as a tenth part of the City fell so there were slain of men seven thousand What is meant by the fall of the tenth part of the City is already apparent and it is not the material falling of a tenth part of any material City but the mystical falling of the tenth part of a mysticall City And sutable to this is the meaning of this slaying of seven thousand men not by the material falling of any part of a material City But the earth-quake being a mysticall shaking of mystical Babylon this is a mystical slaying of seven thousand men whereby they die mystically that is cease to live any longer to mystical Babylon being by beholding the great victory which the Saints had over the Beast converted and fallen off from the Beast which seven thousand men were before either secretly or openly lovers and worshippers of the Beast But it may be objected How doth it appear that seven thousand men or persons were so converted by the resurrection of the Witnesses Answ Though it doe not visibly appear to the outward eyes of any yet it is sufficient to perswade me and should be to perswade all Saints to believe it in that this Scripture this oracle of Heaven saith it When there was no true worshippers of God in Israel that were visible to Elijah the Prophet and that then the Lord telling him that he had left seven thousand in Israel who had not bowed the knee to Baal nor had kissed him with the mouth it was sufficient to perswade Elijah to believe it although not one of those seven thousand did visibly appear to him Therefore much more ought Saints now not to question the truth of this that seven thousand are in this mysticall earth-quake mystically slaine though it be not altogether so visible to us as other things are because this Scripture saies it And besides what the Scripture saies in it there is a probability of it for it is very probable that many are convinced that the Witnesses the Saints are Gods people and those that sight against them are enemies of God and doe fight against God I say it is probable that many are convinced of this because God hath so owned his people and given them such victory over those vile wretches that did oppose them and formerly reproach them and say Where is your God And now God appearing to be for them when the enemy were come to such a height of impiety and insolency there is no question but that many were convinced by it and fell from the Beast