shall not be able to stop their mouthes till toward the end of their Testimony they shall prophesie all along though it be not in that external pomp and glory wherewith Popes Cardinals and the rest of the Antichristian rable rout now flourished but all forlorn retired obscured in mournful Sackcloth yet they shall Prophesie the Temple even in the midst of the outward Court that is the Apostatized Church of Rome is given to them and even there do they worship the Lord in purity but so covertly and obscurely that they are not easily discerned especially by the Pope and his scarlet Conclave whose eyes are dazled with external pomp and glory Thus is the Virgin Spouse of Christ and her heavenly Witnesses which in the midst of Heathen Persecutions was clothed in the Royal Robes of her everlasting Husband now become an object of scorn and contempt to those wicked watch-men who what in them lay spoyled and depraved her of that heavenly simplicity and Gospel-purity she lately shined in Rev. 2.13 Now is she become the true Antitype of the Church of Pergamos dwelling in obscurity where Antichrists throne is and there she holdeth fast the Faith and denyeth not the name of her crucified Lord which ever and anon doth cost some faithful Antipas his life And here the blessed Witnesses nourish her and Prophesie against her Adversary that proud Scarlet Strumpet did so defile darken wrack wrest and pervert the holy Scriptures to uphold their abominable Idolatry and Superstition that no other vesture appear'd upon them but sable weeds of sorrowful Sackcloth and when in despight of their fond Allegories and sensual conceits these two Witnesses spake to their faces against the dreadful abominations creeping in so fast this Harlot not able to bear their reproof hating to be reformed Psal 51.17 and rejecting instruction did at length cast behinde them into secret holes and corners these blessed Scriptures of truth so that in the midst of all this Papal Tyranny which daily increased they remaind secretly nourishing the true Church even where the Beast reigned yea in the heart of his dominions the whole term of their testimony in Sackcloth viz. 1260 years during which time this is the Character which is given of the Romish Harlot Mich. Cec. contr Tyrannid Papae Mornaus Myst Iniq. Bez. quaest There were within the Papal Territories two Churches the one of the wicked sort flourishing wherein the Pope reigned the other of godly and good men and this he persecuted so that the Church was under or within the Papacy but the Papacy was not the Church Now this being clear in the word of truth that the true Church remains alive in the midst of this dead sea and is preserved like Jonah in the belly of this monstrous Leviathan What will become of that empty flourish of a vaunting Jesuite Where was your Church before Luther We see to the high prayses of our eterternal King that it was in the Ark in the midst of the great Deluge in Goshen in the midst of the Egyptian darkness in the den amidst those roaring Lyons in the furnace safe and secure in the extremest heat of Popish persecution And is now come forth of that great Tribulation as pure gold out of that fiery Tryal as a Crown of Glory in the hand of the Lord Isai 62.3 and a Royal Diadem in the hand of our God But who can marvel at this foolish question of blinde Papists when the poverty obscurity and simplicity of the True Church and her abstruse Witnesses is considered how could their eyes so grosly blinded with the black scales of ambition pomp luxury behold or discern such contemptible objects as the Church in her exile and her Witnesses in their Sackcloth Did not their Fathers the Scribes and Pharises grope in the same Egyptian darkness when they could not discern a Messias though working wonders even in the very midst of them their Holinesses lookt too high to behold Christ in a Carpenters coat even like His prophane wickedness who sitting in that Chayr of pestilence at Rome could not perceive the holy City under his feet nor the heavenly Witnesses in their mournful habit of both which their Predecessors and themselves are alike wilfully ignorant to this day O the distinguishing love of a gracious Father Why should not we be thus blind and ignorant shall we see the cause Luke 10.21 I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight The fourth Verse These are the two Olive-trees and the two Candlesticks standing before the God of the earth Mr. Mede saith Clav. Apoc. pag. 11. 12. there lieth hidden in these words an Hebraism having this signification viz. The two Olive-trees at or besides the two Candlesticks Annotat. Zech. 4.3 they are said to stand by the sides of the Candlestick or as the London Ministers have it With the two Candlesticks or Churches so that the Churches are one thing and the Witnesses feeding them another thing These two Olive-trees are plainly called the word of the Lord Zech. 4.6 not Zerubbabel and Joshua as some imagine nor Enoch and Elias as others conjecture nor Christ and his Saints as a third conceive nor Burton and Prynne as hath been confidently affirmed but all with as much show of truth as that the two Houses of this present Parliament should be them but all these conceits and all other fancies of like nature are not worth the Answer as having not the least ground or warrant in that blessed Rule that is able to make the man of God wise unto salvation others have supposed that they are the Word and Spirit And our English Prophet Mr. Brightman thinks they are the holy Scriptures and the Churches of the Saints But this may not be granted for these reasons 1. The Scriptures and the Saints cannot die one kinde of death and there is not the least appearance in the Word of any difference or distinction in their sufferings and we must be sure to keep close to the Reed that was given John to measure all true Believers by 2. The Saints cannot be said in any cleer sence to rise again three years and a half after their sufferings at the time mentioned by Mr. Brightman 3. It is evident that the Saints suffered as great misery and were as vehemently persecuted after his supposed resurrection as at any time before which were absurd and without any Scripture ground to conceive of the Witnesses after their reviving 4. Rev. 12.6 The Saints are the woman or Church and the Witnesses distinctly added for her aid succour and support in her exile 1260 dayes or years Therefore the Saints and the Scriptures both cannot be the Witnesses But some who have thought that these two Witnesses are the Word and Spirit do come nearest the truth and
that it was the word of the Lord. That then from which these stubborn Jews were broken off is the word of the Lord or the holy Scriptures but the Jews were broken off the true Olive Tree therefore the true Olive Tree is the word of the Lord or the holy Scriptures All which being compared it will evidently appear that the two Olive Trees in this of the Revelation and that of Zacariah are none other then the holy Scriptures or word of God Secondly It is as plain that the blessed Scriptures are the proper Food and Noufishment of Saints spoken of Rev. 12.6 Isa 25.6 Psal 36. what else is that feast of fat things that Wine on the Lees well refined that fatness of the Lords house wherewith he satisfieth the souls of his Saints those Rivers of pleasures he makes them drink of and to which the Lord Jesus so freely invites them Eat O friends Drink Cant. 5.1 yea Drink abundantly O beloved But I pass this briefly as not to be denied that the holy Scriptures are the proper Food and Nourishment of the Saints For which employment these holy witnesses are designed Rev. 12.6 namely to feed the Church in her exiled Wilderness estate 1260 years But if any shall cavill that I attribute that to the Scriptures which is peculiar to the Spirit of God I have this to say that I have no thought of the Scriptures without or beside the Spirit of God I receive all Scriptures as the Lord Jesus delivered them The words that I speak unto you Joh. 6.63 2 Tim. 3.15 Heb. 4.12 they are Spirit and they are life able to make wise unto salvation And therefore the blessed Scriptures are the proper fit sutable nourishment for the Saints and particularly for the Church in her afflicted despised wilderness estate Thirdly That the holy Scriptures are called witnesses and which is yet more plain these very witnesses of Christ will appear in the perusal of several Scriptures And first that the Law is called so Deut. 31.26 Take this book of the Law and put it in the side of the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God that it may be there for a Witness against thee And it appears as cleerly to me that the Gospel is so called also 1 Joh. 5.9 This is the Witness of God which he hath testified of his son If it be objected that it is the Spirit c. that is here called the Witness t is readily granted neither dare I call the Spirit one thing and the word another thing except it be said that the Scriptures are the minde of the Spirit it is above noted that the Lord Jesus saith they are both one thing The words that I speak they are Spirit therefore the Scriptures have ordinarily the same Appellations and operations ascribed to them as are to the Spirit it self the Spirit is called Truth so also the word is called Truth 1 Joh. 5.6 Joh 17.17 the Spirit is said to sanctify so the word is likewise said to sanctify and the like and certain I am that the properties ascribed to the word Heb. 4.12.13 are not Communicable to any essence below the Spirit of God For the word of God is quick and Powerful and sharper then any two edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and Spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart c. Therefore have I hewed them by the Prophets Hos 6.5 Isa 11.4 compared with Rev. 11.5.10 I have slain them by the words of my mouth When I compare these Scriptures with the fifth and tenth verses of this eleventh of the Revelation it doth so wonderfully cleer this truth to me that the Scriptures of the two Testaments and only these are the two Witnesses that if there were no other ground but this it would abundantly satisfie and confirm me in the discovery of this abstruse and wonderfull mystery To conclude this truth so manifest already is yet further cleered by those blessed Lips where never guile was found the Lord Jesus Christ himself affirms it in these words Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they that testifie of me John 5.39 Where it is plain that they are not only called Witnesses but these very Witnesses here spoken of for the words carry with them this cleer sound Search the Scriptures for they are my Witnesses Thus as these blessed Witnesses testify of Christ so Christ also giveth testimony to them Fulk Contr. Mart. Pres Pag 5. as to his Witnesses and so puts the point in hand beyond all dispute That the holy Scriptures of the Two Testaments and only these are the two Witnesses here spoken of And yet one word more for the more ample discovery of the transcendent excellency of these heavenly Witnesses the Scriptures of truth from the cleer evidence the Apostle Peter gives who having declared the excellent glory of Christ in the mount which he saw and the audible voice 2 Pet. 1.17 from the highest Majesty giving Invincible testimony of his son We have also saith he a more sure word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed c. What the Scriptures more sure then the voice of God himself from heaven yes a more certain Infallible voice now in these Gospel daies then any miraculous extraordinary voice whatsoever and here we may admire the wisdome care and faithfulness of our Royal Lawgiver who knowing that many false Prophets would arise and deceive many and considering how Satan usually transformeth himself into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11.13 2 Cor. 11.14 2 Thes 29. and that his eldest Son Antichrist would come after the working of this Prince of darkness with all Power and signs and lying wonders But especially foreseeing that monstrous impiety which so many of his Servants have warned us of as that ordinances would be slighted vilified rejected that many foul beasts would defile pollute and at length totally depart from those pure Chrystal streams that make glad the City of God even the blessed Scriptures of truth 2 Pet. 1.21 2.1 immediately flowing from that infinite Ocean of all fulness That many of them would deny in part as the divinity others absolutely the Lord that bought them And that the Divel would so far prevail with some whom he would mount to such a height of blasphemy as to affirm that they are Christ the Spirit the Eternal Father that their words are the words of God and when you hear them speak it is God that speaks for they are God and God is them c. To detest this detestable wickedness and most dreadful blasphemous abomination so frequently belched forth in these dayes of Satans power Gal. 6.16 Luk. 29.13 1 Cor. 11.26 Rev. 2.25 Gal. 1.8 hath our eternal King left his Royal will and pleasure upon Record as a
twelfth Verse are called The eyes of the Lord which run too and fro through the whole Earth Now what these seven eyes are may be found out by that means which the Lord Jesus hath appointed viz. searching the Scriptures S. John will tell us that these seven eyes sent forth into all the Earth Rev. 5.6 Rev. 1.4 Rev. 8.2 are the seven Spirits of God which are before his Throne that these thus standing before him are the seven Angels with Trumpets which are none other then the Ministers of the Churches as they are plainly called Rev. 1.20 They are called the seven Spirits because as they are abundantly filled so they are imployed by the Spirit which so mightily over-powers them that they seem many times to be nothing but Spirit taking their denomination from the most noble part in them which is the Spirit as Paul speaks Not 1 1 Cor. 15.10 Act. 15.28 Mat. 5 14. but the grace of God which was with me These seven eyes are the light of the world appointed by the Lord Jesus that corner stone upon which they stand Zechary 3.9 for the building of his Church Eph. 4.11 12 13. Rom. 12.6 c. for the perfecting of his Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ And these seven are thus distinguished in the holy Scriptures those faithful Witnesses of truth 1. Prophets 2. Apostles 3. Evangelists 4. Pastours 5. Teachers 6. Ruling Elders 7. Deacons These are the seven sorts of Officers or seven Pillars that the Lord Jesus Christ the wisdom of the Father Prov. 9.1 Gal. 2 9. hath hewn out for the building of his great house the Church These are his golden Pipes so called by the Spirit of the Lord as conveighing this precious liquor this divine Treasure of the heavenly word for nourishment to the poor Church as well in her Wilderness condition as in all Ages though these blessed instruments of Christ term themselves but earthen Vessels that so the excellency of this heavenly Treasure which is conveighed through them 2 Cor. 4.7 may the more redound to the glory of God yet the Spirit cals them golden Pipes These seven mentioned in the second Verse are more comprehensively reduced unto two golden Pipes vers 12. answerable whereunto those seven sorts of Officers mentioned are comprehended under the two chief Eph. 2.20 that is Apostles and Prophets upon whose foundation we are built Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner Stone And thus I suppose it is evident that I have not presumed without clear warrant from the Law and the Testimony to affirm 1. That the two Olive-trees are the two Testaments or those Witnesses of Christ appointed to feed the Church as in all Ages so through the whole course of Papal Persecution viz. one thousand two hundred and threescore years 2. That the Candlesticks are the Churches of the Saints 3. That the two Olive-branches are Doctrine and Discipline 4. That the golden Pipes are the Ministers of the Churches The fifth Verse And if any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their Enemies and if any man will hurt them he must on this manner be killed The Pope and his Parasites had power enough and did exercise that power to the utmost in killing and spoyling tormenting and harrasing the poor Saints in this time of their exile and therefore the Saints cannot possibly be the Witnesses as some have conceived many a precious servant of Jesus lost his life for the Witnesses sake that is for holding close to the Law to the Testimony those Witnesses of Christ against the Antichristian Tyranny of their bloody persecutors but to the wonder and amazement of the World to the high praises of our God be it for ever acknowledged they had no power to overcome or suppress the Scriptures till toward the end of their prophesie or finishing their testimony in Sackcloth I know many had an earnest desire to destroy them they wanted no will to the work but maugre all their rage and malice though they dig'd as deep as Hell leaving no stone unturnd that might seem to conduce to the support of their Tyrannical Antichristian State yet whether they judged the Scriptures of no weight or slighting them as below the glory of their Babel or whether the terror of the Curse Rev. 22.18 like fire in their bones deterred them or what other secret operation it was I know not but by the mighty power of God these heavenly Witnesses have been wonderfully preserved in this Babylonish Captivity through the whole course of their Prophesie in Sackcloth 1260 years The sixth Verse These have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the days of their Prophesie and have power over waters to turn them into bloud and to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will While the Saints are in Goshen the Kingdom of Antichrist is smitten with sundry plagues the effects of the Saints prayers but none so dreadful as that universal thick darkness that soon over-spred the whole Land of the Beast Rev. 16.10 while the holy Spouse of Christ troden under-foot enjoys the light of her Beloveds shining face to whom it is given to know the mystery of the Kingdom of God but the scarlet Strumpet in the midst of all her brags that she is no widdow but the wife of Christ that her eldest son is his Vicar that she is Infallible and cannot be deceived is given up to a spirit of slumber and strong delusions to believe lyes Mark 4.11 that seeing they might see and not perceive and hearing they might hear and not understand lest at any time they should be converted and their sins should be forgiven them No dew of Grace descends upon those cursed Families the waters of the Sanctuary are now by little and little stopt from them at first the great burning Mountain the Beneficence of the great Constantine being cast into the Sea of Rome Rev 8.8 9. a third part presently became blood and the third part of the Ministers in that Church with their adherents departed from the Faith a while after the whole Sea was generally poysoned and became as the bloud of a dead man Rev. 16 3. and so there was an universal revolt from the doctrine of salvation to lying Fables vain Superstitions Miracles Signs and Wonders with all deceivableness of unrighteousness and every living foul that drank this poyson in the Cup of her abominations presently dyed How the fire that proceeded out of the mouthes of the Witnesses hath devoured their Enemies and how they have smote their Enemies with all manner of plagues is very remarkable Multitudes of Examples might be produced of which take a taste Surely the fiery indignation of the Lord hath been wonderfully manifested against these desperate Antichristian Enemies in their cursed Attempts to race deface corrupt or any way to hurt these Divine
Characters without life a shell without a kernel a leaden rule Sphinx his Riddles a wood of Thieves a shop of Hereticks imperfect obscure full of perplexities with these weapons the man of Sin fighteth against the holy Scriptures speaking great words against the most High one of the Scarlet crew cryes out before the Pope Fie upon Peter fie upon Paul with a great deal more of such blaspemous stuff Dan. 7.25 Erasm de Lat. Conc. lib. 3. And that he may throughly declare himself to be that great Antichrist he daringly meets the Lord Jesus at his own weapons I will make war and fight with mine enemies Gog and Magog Apoc. 2.16.19.15 with the sword of my mouth saith Christ I will make war against mine enemies the Scriptures with the Sword of my mouth saith Antichrist And he is as big as his word Hist Coun. Trent 155. witness their accursed dealing with the Scriptures in their Conventicle of Trent where though clear proof was made of the excellency of the Hebrew and Greek Originals to the full sence whereof they confess the Latin cannot attain yet lest the cause should be yielded to the Protestants Rhem. pref sect 57. Counc Tre. pag. 156. the vulgar Latin is preferred and they pronounced Hereticks that refuse it And it is there blasphemously asserted that the Holy Ghost who did dictate the Scriptures to Prophets and Apostles in Hebrew and Greek Pag. 156. doth as truly dictate to the Church of Rome the vulgar Latin as more beloved then the rest 158. That there can be no hope of ending controversies if popular Licence be granted to read the Scriptures That the Doctrines of Faith were so well cleared by the Pope and Schoolmen that we ought no more to learn them out of Scripture That it was indeed formerly read in the Church for instruction of the people but now it was needless to study it any more 159. That Scriptures must be interpreted C. Cusanus according to what articles of faith are established by the Church That the Church may vary in Exposition of Scripture according to the times That it was fit to bridle the sawciness of such as should attempt to add any good thing to former Expositions of Scripture 160. That if any thing were discovered to any singular spirit C. Facceco he should be enforced to conceal it And after all these and such like desperate blasphemies against the Scriptures their Latin Translation is approved and none other to be received And upon pain of Heresie it is forbid to say there are Errors in it 161. and that none shall dare to refuse it though it be plainly proved that they have blasphemously corrupted the Text in many things in that corrupt translation as changing Ipse into Ipsa thereby to make way for their Idolizing the blessed Virgin Fulk Cont. Mart. p. 19 Their desperate wounding the 4. Commandment reading it in this Diabolical Dialect Remember to sanctifie the holy dayes In the Latin Bible upon Deut. 4. Via tuta pag. 280. where it is observed that God forbids the making of Graven Images their Jesuitical Index Expurgatorius hath cast it out as all see they have most shamelesly dealt with all the writings of the Fathers Rhem. Test pag. 328. which hath provoked Doctor Fulk to exclaim against them Out upon you Antichristian Hereticks void of all truth and honesty But their shameful and blasphemous reproaches of these heavenly Witnesses exceed all bounds of civility and humanity charging them with inextricable obscurity insufficient imperfect and what not Paul must be censured for a hot-headed person Europ speculum pag. 164 165. of whose assertions there is no great reckoning to be made that 't is dangerous to read him Fulk Rhem. Test Epist to the Qu. as savouring of Heresie upon these and such like pious conclusions the Sacred Bible hath the honour of the first place in their Catalogue of Books prohibited Via Tuta these Monsters endeavouring to their utmost power to hinder that any sound of Scripture should possess the people This is the nature of that cursed war raised by the Beast against the Scriptures as they are about to finish their Testimony What shall be given unto thee Psal 120.3 4. or what shall be done unto thee for this thy Blasphemy thou false tongue What reward shalt thou have for the marvelous things thou hast done against the most High Sharp Arrows of the mighty with coals of Juniper Thirdly the manner how these heavenly Witnesses were overcome and killed must not be imagined to be a shedding of blood forasmuch as these two Olive trees are uncapable of such suffering But as the working of their enemy is the mystery of iniquity so are the weapons of this warfare such as may carry a resemblance of the weapons that the Lord Jesus useth in his Kingdom 2 Cor. 10.4 whose Vicar the Beast pretends to be So that the Victory obtained by Antichrist over the sacred Scriptures is by the exercise of his power in suspending suppressing prohibiting the Translation of them into the vulgar Languages not permitting them to live or breath in the streets of his great City Indeed they are not buried that is beyond the power of Antichrist they are still above ground but 't is in a dead letter They take out the Candle and give the Lanthorn to guide ignorant people in a dark night Deut. 4.2 28.14 the life and strength of them is taken away nay the very heart of them is pulled out for they have to their everlasting shame excluded the second Commandment from the Decalogue Thus void of fear of that dreadful curse which the Lord hath denounced against such desperate wickedness and without the least apprehension of the terrors of the Almighty his fierce wrath against that abhorred sin of Idolatry which did so often provoke the eyes of his jealousie to punish his ancient people hath this infernal beast not only presumed to blaspheme Fulk Rhem. Test Epist mangle suppress and prohibit the eternall Word but hath also most desperately corrupted the sence of it least the deep silence of these blessed Witnesses thus cloistered within the walls of an unknown Language should break forth into loud clamors against his detestable wickedness you have beheld him tearing out their very heart as it were in discarding the second Precept from their Adulterate Decalogue and this by their detestable Councel of Trent is declared good Catholique Doctrine Europ spec p. 185. Taylor Libert pag. 115. Much like that Antichristian expression of Pope Clement Perswas from Pop. p. 15. who shameth not to vaunt of that detestable Decree of his bloody Inquisition That no Lay man must be permitted to have the Bible or any part thereof in the vulgar Tongue and this he prescribeth to be inviolably kept But from Decrees they at length come down to downright blows c. for
THE Seventh Angel sounding Presents A glimps of the glorious Raign of Jesus Christ whose personal appearance is royally attended with these fifteen Changes full of wonder as so many Trophie's of his absolute victory and universal soveraignty 1. The Saints Deceased Royal Jesus Brings 2. The Rest Released mount on Angels wings 3. To Israel mourning sounds a glorious Call 4. To Babel burning an eternal fall 5. The world Combined hath a fatal blow 6. Satan Confined to his Den below 7. The whole Creation finds a full release 8. And every Nation flourishes with peace 9. The Mount asunder That vale of wonder cleaves t' enlarge the Plain where the Lord must raign 10. The glorious City from Gods throne doth glide 11. The Nuptial ditty ushers in the Bride 12. Thus Saints regaining an immortal state 13. In glory reigning while the Sun bears date 14. The Nations bending Virgins voyces Raise 15. All Duties ending in joy love and praise Joel 3.9 Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles Zech. 14.5 9. The Lord my God shall come and all the Saints with thee And the Lord shall be King over all the earth in that day shall there be one Lord and his name one Psal 102.16 When the Lord shall build up Sion he shall appear in his glory THE Two Witnesses Their Prophecy Slaughter Resurection and Ascention OR An Exposition of the eleventh Chapter of the Revelation wherein is plainly proved that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the witnesses there spoken of who have Prophesied in Sackcloth one thousand two hundred and sixty years compleat That they are already slain revived and ascended That the tenth part of the City is fallen by our late Earthquake wherein seven thousand Names of men were slain The second wo is past This is the first part of the Chapter the second Part follows By Tho. Tillam a weak Labourer in the Lords Harvest 〈…〉 4.20 We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard 〈…〉 .11 We speak that we do know and testifie that we have seen 〈…〉 and ye receive not our Witness Printed by R.W. for Giles Calvert and are to be sold at the 〈…〉 lack spread Eagle at the West end of Pauls 1651. TO My Honoured Col. George Twissleton Esq Governor of Denbigh SIR BEsides your many favors conferred upon my unworthy self for a thankful acknowledgement I am also many ways as I conceive obliged to present unto you this Treatise as having its spring and first appearance under your Command where your faithful endeavours are imployed for the advancement of the glory of God in your many encouragements to those under your charge to be daily exercised in such duties and services as being religiously improved will be your Crown and their comfort in the day of the Lord Jesus when all present shadows of honours will be swallowed up in that immortal glory which is prepared for all such as are free in laying out themselves for the honour of this King of Glory as your self dear Sir have often been in improving your interest with Christ on the behalf of this Commonwealth and our Neighbour Nations upon emergent occasions Another motive enducing me to prefix your name is your affection to those Changes that attend the coming of Christ as they are digested in the Title Page which your Worship caused me to write down in a Book which I am perswaded you dearly love above all the world Sir I doubt not you will be more affected to finde each of these wonderful Changes distinctly cleared and proved by the Word of Truth as I suppose they are in this little Book Truly Sir The holding of them forth hath cost me dear upon the rising of a spirit of emulattion in some who could not brook that applause which was openly given to these Truths upon the delivery thereof But I have heard such expressions from you which have savored of another spirit as loving Truth for Truths sake by whomsoever declared One word from you hath made a deep impression upon my spirit by which I desire my affections may be regulated namely Of loving men for Religions sake and not Religion for any mens sake these with other of like nature have raised my affections to present this Treatise to your much honored name if you find Truth evident I have confidence you will give it entertainment and though any thing herein should seem to be New Light yet I hope it will not be the less welcome if it appear True Light Sir I might have inlarged this Epistle upon good and subslantial grounds in reference to you as your unwearied Service and constant fidelity as of all your flourishing Family to this State your present Employments in the faithful administration of Justice and the like But for sundry reasons I forbear Closing with my unfeighned desires of the welfare of your pretious soul that it may flourish in that full Society of Glorified Saints in New Jerusalem as it is daily expected to be manifested in Power by SIR Your real faithful servant Tho. Tillam An Exposition of the eleventh Chapter of the Revelation THe Lord by a special Providence guiding me to a People daily exercised in reading his Word and opening the the same in order now having before them the eleventh Chapter of the Revelation they desired my help in Expounding this Mysterious piece which sudden and unexpected motion did somewhat surprize me as knowing that it hath been accounted one of the hardest knots in the revealed will of God and withall considering how various the Opinions of Writers are upon the subject matter thereof and how little satisfaction I had ever received from any of them I therefore intended to speak a word or two from the two first verses and to discover my ignorance of the great Mystery of the Witnesses by passing it over in silence But while I was reading the Chapter I was most sweetly warmed by a secret heavenly heat quickning my spirit which was as it were transported by this soft gale of life and light and even constrained to declare this which with full and cleer evidence was communicated to me which also making some notable impression upon the spirits of the most judicious hearers they importuned me to give it them in writing at whose request I set to the work and in the review of these impressions upon my heart comparing them with such Ecclesiastical Histories as till then were unknown to me I found such harmony so sweet consent in Time Place Person every thing that hath left no place in my spirit for any further disputes reasonings or objections against the truth of these teachings And the Lord so open the Readers understanding that he also may receive the like full and sweet satisfaction in this Divine Mystery and so may obtain the blessing promised to such as read Rev. 1.3 hear and obey the words of this Prophesie The eleventh Chapter of the Revelation THe great God cals it a Revelation
Rev. 1.1 Who are they that dare any longer term it an allegory Doth he that is Alpha and Omega delude his poor creatures in declaring it as his revealed will when if many may have credit that affirm it it is a concealed Mysterie not to be medled with Let God be true and every man a lyar And let my soul flourish with those truly spiritual Saints 1 Cor. 2. who judge all things by that spirit which searcheth all things yea the deep things of God to whom be glory for ever The first Verse 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 That which I intended chiefly to insist upon in the reading of this Chapter namely the two first verses I shall now run over briefly and hasten to the great mystery of the two Witnesses The first thing given to the Apostle John here is a Reed that he as a wise Master-builder might exactly measure his work and leave a Pattern to all Believers as those that must work and walk by Rule This Reed is the same with that measuring line Zech. 2.1 4.10 The Plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel by which Jerusalem in all Ages must be measured Isay 36.6 Mat. 27.29 t is not an Egyptian Reed too weak for such a work nor such a Reed as was put for a mockscepter into the hand of our Crucified Lord. But this holy Reed is that Royal Scepter of Christs Kingdom Psal 145.6 whereby he ruleth his Princely subjects which he hath won by Conquest from Death and Hell being none other then the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God put into the hands and hearts of his faithful Ministers 2 Tim. 2.2 2 Pet. 1.15 whom he hath authorized to direct guide and govern his select sheep until his second comming This Royal Reed is that staff of Doctrine and Rod of Discipline Psal 23.4 which was the great joy and solace of Kingly Davids soul This is the staff of beauty and the staff of bands Zech. with which the Lord led and fed his flock of old and with which he will have the Gospel-Temple and the Altar and every Worshipper therein exactly measured now As Christ the foundation was in all his actions measured by this line of truth that the Scriptures might be fulfilled as it is written according to the Scriptures and the like Joh. 17.12 Mat. 26.24 31. 1 Cor. 15.3 4. Joh. 15.14 1 Kin. 17.18 6.7 so must every living stone every true branch be squared ruled and measured by the same Reed Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you Those stones that were admitted into Solomons Temple were first hewed squared prepared costly stones And can it be imagined that a promiscuous heap of rugged polluted deformed unpolisht stones should be fit matter for this second more glorious Temple Is it probable that Christ will admit of scandalous ignorant prophane persons neither resembling nor in a capacity of discerning his blessed body as choyce materials for this true Tabernacle which the Lord hath pitched and not man 1 Cor. 5.7 8. Ezech. 22.26 Heb. 8.2 Would such dirty patches be seemly in his seamless Coat the Lord abhorreth such a mixture The true glory of this Gospel-temple consists in the purity of the materials Living lively stones exactly measured and fitly framed together 1 Pet. 2.5 Eph. 2.21.22 1 Pet. 2.9 growing to an holy Temple in the Lord An habitation of God through the Spirit A chosen Generation a royal Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar People Not such as challenge interest by vertue of cohabitation not a Parish house of stone as the Prelatical Hierarchy instructed us this holy Reed was never presented by the Angel to John to measure Parish bounds He that intends this work must not be idle Rise and measure the Temple is the voyce the Spirit The second Verse 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 forty and two months The Romish Conclave became this outward Court Rev. 12.5 An. 304. immediately after the birth of the man-child Constantine when suddenly with case peace and tranquillity there crept in ambition contention covetousness attended with abominable Errors Superstition Idolatry Brightman Rev. Apoc. pag. 75. and all kinde of luxury and prophaness which rushed like waves one on the neck of another suddenly overwhelming and devouring that sweetness humility charity chastity and purity which lately were the royal ornaments of this now defiled polluted Church of Rome And now the true and sincere servants of Christ observing this dismal darkness gradually surprizing her and obscuring her former lustre and true beauty dare no longer drink of her polluted streams nor partake of her defiled Ordinances but withdraw and separate themselves from such abominations Rev. 16.6 creeping into corners any Wilderness condition where they may enjoy the pure Ordinances of Christ and be nourished with the pure milk of the breasts of the heavenly Witnesses Like as the Saints lately did in the times of Prelatical persecution and as many a poor Christian is even now constrained to do from the pride and other prophaness of some disorderly societies And thus the true Church flying into the Wilderness all silent and solitary is trampled upon by the outward Court of proud Prelats who have learnd to Lord it over her which they pursue through the whole course of her exile and yet maugre all this malice of Antichrist though she hath continued in her exiled mournful Wilderness estate scarce daring to appear in her true glory through the whole term of 1260 years in which she hath been secretly supported by her Witnesses in Sack-cloth yet hath he who is glorious in holiness fearfull in praises Exod. 15.11 doing wonders whose promises are Yea and Amen in his Christ at length brought through all storms oppressions and miseries this his pure lovely Spouse with her distressed Witnesses to a blessed haven of glory and honour That God blessed for ever who did assure them some thousands of yeers since that though they lay among the Pots yet he would give them the wings of a Dove covered with silver and feathers of yellow gold Psal 68.13 hath so gloriously fulfilled his Royal Word that now Saints may securely sit and sweetly sing as a Chorus to the voyce of their Beloved Lo the winter is past Cant. 2.11 12. the rain is over and gone the flowers appear on the earth the time of singing of birds is come and the voyce of the Turtle is heard in our Land The third Verse And I will give power unto my two Witnesses and they shall Prophesie one thousand two hundred and threescore dayes clothed in Sackcloth All the rage and malice of Antichrist
in some sence this is truth of which more anon The two Olive-trees which we are enquiring of are called the Witnesses distinct from the Candlesticks for though our Translators have coupled them together by the conjunction and yet we have been enformed that at or besides is more proper and significant according to Zech. 4.3 But I have determined never to receive any testimony of man how excellent soever unless it be strongly backt and substantially supported by that cleer fountain of life the testimony of Truth Isai 8.20 To the law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them And this testimony even this very word discovers more heavenly light then I was aware of for in this Text the Scirptures are plainly cald a Testimony or Witness Let the answer to Zechary's question cleer the truth hereof more fully the Prophet having a Vision of these two Olive-trees which are plainly said to stand by the Candlestick Zech. 4.3 asketh the Angel what they were to which he answered This is the word of the Lord that is to say the Scriptures which before are called the Law and the Testimony and this word of the Lord held forth by two Olive-trees is purposely produced for the cherishing and establishing of that Temple-work that Zerubbabel had in hand as if the Lord should say Let this enform and assure you that though mountains of difficulties appear Neh. 6.1 though Tobiah and Sanballat the exact type of Pope and Cardinals and many false brethren use all means to hinder and destroy my Temple-work though my Candlestick be now in a low mean obscure condition yet my work shall go on and prosper the Word is gone out of my mouth it is upon record in the writings of my Prophets and therefore cannot fail but these Scriptures of truth shall continually stand by my Candlesticks like two Olive-trees conveying by my seven sorts of Instruments as by so many Pipes such plentiful nourishment as shall be able to support my Churches in the most forlorn exiled wilderness estate this was the condition of the distressed Church opposed by Potent Enemies aswell in the time of the great builder Zerubbabel as in the time of the great builder Constantine and this also is worth our consideration that neither the Enemies of the Jews then nor the Enemies of the true Saints now were such professedly but made a great show of friendship Come say they we will build with you Ezra 4.2 for we seek your God as ye do But they secretly conspired against the Jews endevouring by all possible means to hinder the work And this was the speech and thus was the practice of that Iobiah of Rome and those other secret Enemies in the time of Constantine And now the word of the Lord is the only visible support and supply of the poor distressed woman and this word of the Lord stands like two Olive Trees on each side the Candlesticks Zech. 4.11.12 Rev. 11.6 or true Churches yielding constant nourishment to the Saints in their 1260. years misery all which being diligently compared and seriously considered raiseth my apprehensions to these conclusions 1. The two Olive trees are the holy Scriptures or Two Testaments 2. The Candlesticks are the Churches of the Saints 3. The two Branches of the Two Olive Trees are Doctrine and Discipline 4. The Golden Pipes of the Candlesticks are the Ministers of the Churches For the clearing of these I shall make my address to that Chrystal fountain from whence one cleer testimony is to me of more validity then all the Arguments in the world This light the Spirit of truth is pleased to Communicate in this 4. Vers of the 11. Chapter of the Revelation that these witnesses are two Olive Trees which must be so understood as Christ is a Vine a Door a Stone a Nail c. That is not really Though I depend not upon mans testimony yet you may note that Austin the flower of Antiquity was fully of this judgment but figuratively so these blessed witnesses have the same use and therefore are fitly compared unto Olive Trees First That these two Olive Trees are expresly called the word of the Lord hath been already proved from Zech. 4.6 and though this might abundantly satisfie being joyned with that of Isa 8.20 yet for the further Evidence of this truth let us consider the nature of the Olive tree Rom. 11. Rom. 11.17 from which the Jews were broken off and I believe it will cleerly appear that the Olive Tree there mentioned is none other but the word of God growing up and drawing sap from the eternall word the Lord Jesus Christ the root of this tree whereof faithful Abraham was only a Type And that the breaking off the unbelieving Jews was their separation from procured by their contempt of the doctrine of salvation contained in the Scripture these Rom. 3.2 Mat. 10.5.6 Acts. 11.19.13.46 and only these were the children of the Kingdome to whom only the pure Oracles of God were committed to whom only the Gospel was Commanded to be preached and to whom only for a long time it was Preached till they rejecting this heavenly juyce putting away the sap and fatness of this Olive Tree thereby judged themselves unworthy of everlasting life So that this Act of theirs in putting from them the word of God causing those words of Paul and Barnabas Lo we turn to the Gentiles was the breaking of them off from the Olive Tree the eternal word it is worth our consideration that the Apostle cals it their own Olive Tree Rom 11.24 Mat. 15.26 as the Lord Jesus also cals the word of Salvation their bread They are here said to be cut off from the Olive Tree upon which they did grow and we are graffed upon that stock or tree from which they were cut now it is plain that we are built upon the foundation of the Apostles Ephes 2.02 and Prophets which I am sure are the two Testaments that make out the Lord Jesus Christ who is the root of this Olive Tree For the further Illustration of this truth that it was the doctrine of salvation conteined in the Scriptures from which these Jews were broken off and consequently that this Olive tree is none other then the word of God let us examine what those two staves in Zachary are with which the Lord himself fed this stiff-necked obstinate People and this will plainly appear to be the holy Scriptures or word of God and least it should be deemed the humane fancy of a conceited Brain take the naked words as they lie in the Scripture I took unto me two staves the one I called beauty and the other I called bands and I fed the flock Zech. 11.7 And I took my staff even beauty and cut it asunder and it was broken in that day and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew
there were slain of Nobles c. 3000. Revel 11. The great whore of Rome betrays these holy Witnesses into the hands of his Butchers in his Slaughter-house of Trent These cut out their tongues and suffer them not to speak in those known Languages wherein they had wrought wonders These put out the eyes of the Scriptures and so cast them into the streets of their great City These bind the Witnesses with their cursed Decrees of Trent and of Pope Pius the 4. 1564. and then cloyster them up in their Monasteries Convents and there wrest them at their pleasure Apoc. 11.10 And they shal rejoyce over them and make merry c. because these two Prophets tormented them c. And after three years and a half the spirit of life from God entred into them and they stood upon their feet And the tenth part of the City fell And there were slain of Names of men 7000. Thus run these grand Enemies of Truth exactly parallel in their Actons and are therefore design'd to the like ruine I shal not further enlarge upon this verse save onely on the latter part of it a little and were there no other ground to evince the truth of what hath been delivered this passage would abundantly satisfie that the Witnesses are none other then the holy Scriptures for these two Prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth And what is it that hath power to torment the consciences of wicked men on earth but the Word of God this and only this being the engine of the spirit tormenteth them that dwell on the earth Heb. 4.12 For the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper then any two-edged Sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the hearts No wonder if earthly men rejoyce and make merry at the overthrow of such opposites as these At the hearing of the Word Ananias fell down dead Foelix trembled the Officers that came to apprehend Christ fell backward to the ground and by this Word shall wicked men be judged and therefore no marvel that Antichrist and his Adherents should exalt rejoyce be glad and send gifts one to another when these blessed Witnesses that have so tormented them are overcome and suppressed The eleventh Vers And after three dayes and a half the Spirit of life from God entred into them and they stood upon their feet and great fear fell upon them that saw them Three years and a half they continued in a dead letter suspended suppressed prohibited by Antichrist and after this in despight of all his Thunderbolts the spirit of life from God entred into them being translated into many common Languages about this time and amongst the rest into English yea the Papists themselves at Rhemes seeing the multitude of people depart from them and embrace the Scriptures were at last constrained to translate them also though in a corrupt manner and with most abominable Annotations upon them yet even from hence did many a precious soul draw life and salvation converting that into Honey which was the bane and poyson of others and it is wonderful to me that at this very exact time both this and many other Translations of the Scriptures should come abroad in the open view of the world Pref. Rhem. Test Sect. 1. Compared with title page Fulk cont Mar. Epist Dedic received and countenanced by many Christian Princes to the great fear and terror of their Enemies who saw them thus raised from the dead But as yet they ascended not into Heaven only they were raised and lived and stood upon their feet that so in every thing they might resemble the Lord Jesus their Fountain who after his Resurrection stood also upon his feet on this Earth fourty days before he ascended up to Heaven so these having stood a proportionable time upon their feet not in that glory they were to have but in expectation of it The twelfth Verse 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 them That the two Testaments are the Witnesses and that they were overcome lay dead and rose again as hath been declared I have good ground to be confidently assured of but how long they stood upon their feet before they ascended up into Heaven I am not so clear in yet if I may deliver what my serious thoughts grounded upon fair probabilities prompt me to I shall declare namely the great voyce calling up the Witnesses is this present famous and renowned Parliament of England which I believe for sundry reasons First The Scriptures never appeared in their true lustre splendor and glory since their suppression till now that this blessed voyce hath called them up to the Throne where these Worthies sit Secondly They ascended up to Heaven in a cloud of much trouble wonderfull Commotions and violent oppositions Thirdly Their Enemies beheld them and would gladly have pulled them down which they endeavored by all possible industry policy and violence and to their perpetual shame be it spoken they never beheld them but as Enemies King Prelates Papists and the whole rabble of Cavalliers restless in their spirits from the first ascending of the Witnesses into Heaven to this very day The thirteenth Verse Fourthly And the same hour was there a great earthquake Which certainly cannot be forgotten the whole Land yea the three Nations trembled nay which of the Kingdoms of Europe were free from Commotions so great was the Earthquake this same hour of the Witnesses ascension Fifthly And the tenth part of the City fell Great Brittain the tenth part of Romes Dominions had long before separated from Antichrist in Doctrine but never fell from Rome totally till now we kept close to her detestable Discipline till this happy Parliament the joy of Saints the honour of Christ Now the day breaks and shadows fly away down go Crosses Altars Images away pack Surpless Service-Book Organs and the whole bundle of Popish Superstitious Ceremonies Sixthly And in the Earthquake were slain of names of men seven thousand Arch-bishops Diocesan Bishops Chancellors Commissaries Deans Chapters Arch-deacons Ordinaries Prebends Sumners Choristers Parrators Parsons Vicars Curats Clarks and I know not how many names devised by Antichrist He that shall diligently consider the particular persons in this Land distinguished by these and such like Babylonish Titles will finde no less a number then seven thousand all slain in this terrible Earthquake Seventhly And the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of Heaven The late terrible Earthquake that great Commotion wherein the seven thousand names of men were slain did so affright the rest of the long Robe that they were glad to change their names and their clothes and instead of that of Parson Vicar c. to call themselves Ministers of the Gospel and get into the Parliaments
in the three Nations who had so long oppressed the Reformed Churches And I do also conceive that the third wo yet to come doth properly belong to and shall miserably torment the Antichristian Train and all prophane wicked men and false Professors who will slight and reject and contemn the voyces of the feventh Angel For the seventh Viall Rev. 16.17 which will produce this wo is to be poured forth into the common Ayr in which all the cursed brood do breath So that those who will not receive embrace the voyces of the seventh Trumpet proclaiming the Lord Christs personal Reign now at hand must shortly quickly whether they will or no receive the voice of the seventh Vial and that wil be a dreadful direful voyce saying It is Done That is all power of the Enemy is destroyed Babylon is ruined and all the Prophesies and Promises made to Saints are accomplished in this glorious coming of our King and the utter ruine of the king of pride And that which makes this voyce woful and dreadful to purpose is Math. 25.10 Rev. 18.19 with Rev. 11.19 that it is attended with that soul-confounding voyce that will reach the hearts of those fools that now slight the Gospel of Grace viz. The door is shut Mercies door is shut never to be opened any more nothing remains now but Thunders Lightnings terrible Earthquakes such as never was fierceness of wrath blackness of darkness Jude 13. wo and alas for evermore Wherefore my humble advise and earnest request is that you will diligently hearken to receive embrace and walk up to the ensuing voyce of the seventh Trumpet Ah dear friends The door will be shut THus have I endeavoured to hold forth the Light I have received by those soft sweet soul refreshing gales of the blessed Spirit concerning this deep Mystery of the Prophesy Slaughter Resurrection and Ascention of the two Witnesses With the rise raign and ruine of Antichrist which will be fully compleated in the days of the Voyce of the seventh Angel Whereof I shall now speak as of the second part of the eleventh Chapter of the Revelation The Fifteenth Verse And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great voyces in heaven saying The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever TO give an account of my judgement concerning the Seals Trumpets and Vials it appears cleer to my understanding that the opening of each Seal is the Discovery of some Gospel-light one glorious Truth after another as the day approacheth and no sooner is one Gospel-Truth made known by the secret breathings of the Spirit according to his word but presently the Trumpet sounds that is The Ministers of the Gospel publish it abroad as the Prophet speaketh The Lord gave the word Psal 68.11 great was the company of those that published it Thus did Luther upon the discovery of new Light sound such an alarum as made the Throne of the Beast to stagger like a drunken man I will not say the first Seal was opened to Luther nor that he was the first Trumpet but this I can speak that a further degree of Gospel-glory new light though the word be odious amongst some was discovered to Calvin and after him to others who as they received it presently became the Lords Trumpets to declare it to the world upon whose refusal of it the Vials are successively poured forth so that first a Seal is opened secondly a Trumpet sounds declaring the truth discovered within that opened Roll thirdly a Vial of wrath is poured forth upon those that hear and reject it but because the Seals Trumpets Vials are not contained in this Chapter I shall forbear to enlarge upon them at this time and prosecute the work of this present Chapter If we look back to the former Discourse of the Witnesses and consider the seven thousand names of men there discovered to be slain or supprest by this present Parliament and observe the sweet consent of things attending it will be no harsh or improbable Conclusion that the seventh and last Trumpet is at this instant sounding yea sounding at present such an Alarum that there are scarce any other voyces heard among watchful Saints but the Lords at hand the Bridegroom is coming The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord c. Which as it is the earnest expectation of all waking Virgins and the unspeakable support of many a poor dejected disconsolate drooping soul to think in the midst of afflictions temptations and fiery tryals My Lord is a coming to put an end to all my sorrows to wipe all tears from mine eyes to tread Satan under his feet to set me free from sin and sorrow and so I shall by way of improvement of my small Talent least it be found hid in a Napkin for the augumentation of the joy of every waiting longing breathing panting spirit and for the information of such poor souls belonging to Christ who are yet in the Dark as touching this great Mystery hold forth what the Lord hath entrusted in this earthen vessel of the unconceivable Glory of this his universal soveraignty In which glorious discovery I shall shew 1. That he will come to reign upon earth 2. How and in what manner he will come 3. Where he will establish his Throne at his coming 4. When he wil take his great power reign 5. The signes of his coming 6. His ends in thus coming 7. Events succeeding 8. The uses we are to make of all And if these and each of these shall be fully cleared by the pure Word of the Lord without wresting or any other subtile invention of mans brain then let all the sons and daughters of Sion with joy embrace them as intelligence and sweet tokens of love from their King and Husband whose bowels yearn whose high endeared affections are upon the wing unsatisfied with his present glory in Heaven till the fulness of time come that he may be inebriated and overcome with the soul ravishing embraces of his purchased Spouse on Earth But if any circumstance belonging to this glorious Subject shall be found wanting of cleer testimony from the fountain of truth Let it be detested abhorred and rejected as the froath and vanity of a deceived and deluded creature but to the particulars First That the Lord Jesus Christ who did ascend into Heaven shall come again to reign upon the Earth is clear from divers Scriptures Jer. 23.6.33.16 Isai 4.2 first that of Jeremiah Behold the days come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a Righteous branch and a King shall reign and prosper and shall execute Judgement and Justice in the Earth and he shall be called the Lord our Righteousness Secondly That in Rev. 5.10 where the glorified Saints in Heaven do exceedingly exult and rejoyce not only that they are redeemed from amongst men and possest of heavenly
will plead with them there Thither cause thy mighty ones to come O Lord. 11.12 Let the Heathen be wakened and come up to the Valley of Jehosaphat for there will I sit to judge all the Heathen round about the Heathens must come up to the Valley the Saints must come down And it will be worth our labours to consider the rest of this third Chapter of Joel which will give much light to this truth for after the Lords Throne is thus erected in the Valley of Jehosaphat it is said that the Lord will dwell in Zion and that there shall be abundance of rich blessings there 17 18. And that for ever as long as the Moon endureth But because the Valley of Jehosaphat Psal 72. Dan 7.14 as it now is hath not capacity or extent to receive the New Jerusalem therefore the Prophet Zachary tells us that it shall be wonderfully enlarged by the dividing of the Mount of Olives Zech. 14.4 And the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the East and toward the West and there shall be a very great Valley For the valley of the Mountains shall reach unto Azal Vers 5 All the land shall be turned as a Plain from Geba to Rimmon 10. and it shal be inhabited in her place 11. And men shall dwell in it and there shall be no more utter destruction But Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited and how should it be otherwise when the Prince of Peace shal reign in Glory in the midst of it This then is the place of which the Lord speaketh Isa 65 10. Rev. 24.4 I will rejoyce in Jerusalem and joy in my people and the voyce of weeping shall be no more heard in her nor the voyce of crying here Lord let my soul flourish with thee and thy Saints according to thy Word Rev. 3.21 Fourthly the fourth thing to be discovered is when this Lord of Glory and King of Saints will come to reign in this his Kingdom on Earth and first it is plain that it was not in the dayes of his humiliation for as he is answering his Disciples question about his coming to Judgement Mat. 24.25.6 he tells them the time of it is then when all the Virgins seeing the signs and hearing the voyce or cry Go forth to meet him coming as a Bridegroom to marry his Church that is the whole body of his Saints which will be then compleated and brought together into one place Mat. 24.28 Joh 10.16 where in the view of all the world the Marriage will be gloriously solemnized And secondly it is as plain that this Glorious Reign cannot be after the day of Judgement for then there would be a change in Heaven 1 Cor. 15.24 since it is clear that after Christs Reign and subduing of all his enemies he must give up the Kingdome to his Father Then thirdly it cannot be the spirituall Reign of Christ in that way as most dream which they conceive is now in being and that Christ will never come to Reign any other way save onely in greater purity then he doth now by his Spirit Which fond imaginations as they have not the least substantial Pillar from the word of Truth to support them so the contrary is plain and evident from the clear current of that pure fountain namely that the Lord Jesus Christ will come then and not till then to take to himself his great Power and Reign when all the signs that are to precede his coming are visibly discovered which I am sure are not yet as shall be shewed in its place Again the Spirit was given in a most glorious eminent manner far exceeding present dispensations when the Apostles Generally and Saint John more particularly waited for Act. 3.20 21. Rom. 8.23 1 Thes 4.17 Rev. 1 7. and yet expected this Glorious Personal Reign of Christ as abundance of unerring Witnesses do testifie but in special the present Scripture that I am now opening namely Rev. 11.15 which plainly declareth that the Personal * See Rev. 1.7 Reign of Christ is to begin when the seventh Trumpet is sounding at that time and not before when the seventh Trumpet begins to sound Rev. 10.7 shall this great Mystery be accomplished And certain I am that the Spirituall Kingdome of Christ was gloriously eminent before any of the seven Angels began to sound and therefore it cannot be only the spiritual Kingdom of Christ that is here spoken of and so the time is not yet in being of this Reign of Christ As therefore we must not cast off our expectation of nor our diligent constant watching waiting for this Personal Glorious manifestation on the one hand saying with that evil servant My Lord delayeth his coming and so split our selves upon the desperate rock of carnal security Neither must we run upon that other shelf of a vain ungrounded conceit that he is already come Mat. 24.23 24 25 26 27. whereof our Lord himself hath given us fair warning the Lord give us hearts to receive and embrace it It is not then the spiritual Reign which we now enjoy but the personal glorious truly spiritual Reign which we shall shortly enjoy that is the Life and Crown and Hope and Comfort of many precious enlightned Saints who have found such sweet support succour and solace from this sure Pillar of divine truth that all the delusions of Sathan in this luxurious giddy Age hath not been able to shake The ignorance of this soul-ravishing Gospel-truth is that horrible Gulph that hath swallowed up thousands who finding in the words of truth such glorious things spoken of this day of the Lord but through ignorance in this Mystery and the cunning slights of Sathan who transforms himself to an Angel of Light are deluded in their sence and all their intellectuals beleeving that Christ is come already and doth Reign already whereupon they conclude to throw away all Ordinances for say they Christ hath commanded us to use them till his coming and no longer Do this till I come hold fast till I come Occupy till I come Nay so far hath this restless spirit of error prevailed with some as to beleeve that Christ hath already Reigned that he hath already given up the Kingdom to his Father and that now God is all in all that they live in God that they are God c. And now this Prince of darkness hath plaid his part to purpose now he hath possessed them not only with a distast of Ordinances and slighting of them but now away go Scriptures Christ and all they are a lye an Allegory he a shadow a Type c. and now Sathan hath his will having deceived them so far as to deny the Lord that bought them for he well knows that there is no other name given under heaven to bring salvation but this Christ whom they thus reject and now he is cock sure of them and now they are ripe
revealed with his mighty Angels in flaming fire 2 Thes 1.7.8 For further illustration and confirmation of this glorious truth I shall now particularly cleer by Scriptures those fifteen remarkable Changes which as so many Trophees of Victory shall attend this Prince of prayses at his taking to himself this his great power and Soveraignty 1. The Saints Deceased Royal Jesus brings THis will be the first Act of this King of glory according to the express Testimony of the Spirit 1 Thes 4.14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him And this will be a total not a partial Resurrection of all departed Saints not the Martyrs only as some conceive not only those that have lost their lives for Jesus but the Scripture is plain and full that whoever they be that sleep in Jesus Apoc. 20.4 God will bring with him not only those that were beheaded for the Witness of Jesus but all those also which had not worshipped the Beast nor his Image neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years These are they * Rev. 5.9 10. Pro. 8.31 Heb. 12.2 that are so exceedingly transported with that more glorious condition of reigning with Christ upon the Earth for as the joy and delight of Christ from Eternity was placed with his Saints on Earth so the Saints filled with the same spirit place their joy and delight with this glorious King in his high exalted state on that Earth and in that part of the Earth where he was so shamefully abused and so cruelly crucified When therefore I shall see with these eyes my blessed Redeemer in the clouds attended with all his holy Angels and departed Saints then and not till then shall I see the end of Ordinances and all those glorious Prophesies and blessed promises fulfilled and accomplished which concern this high point of my belief in the personal reign of my Redeemer I would not for ten thousand worlds be deprived of this Light which leads to the glory of this blessed day 2. The Rest Released mount on Angels wings OUr blessed Jesus O most wonderful loving Jesus counts not his joy entire nor his glory compleat while any one of his beloved Lambs is absent and therefore he makes it his great request to his Father and our Father Joh. 17.24 O saith he that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me 'T is granted saith the Father our most gracious infinitely loving Father and accordingly Paul is informed That we which are alive 1 Thes 4.17 and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the Ayr and so shall we be ever with the Lord. 'T is true the raising thus the dead Saints 1 Cor. 15.51 and changing the living Saints is such a Mystery as most wil give no credit to for who indeed can take delight in this doctrine but those that shall share in the glory of it it hath no rellish upon other mens palats they cannot digest it though never so cleer in Scripture but God hath revealed it to many of his dear ones by his Spirit in his word which plainly tels them Mat. 24.31 That he will send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather together his Elect from the four winds Zech. 14.5 from one end of Heaven to the other And can I believe my Lord is yet come to reign while I see poor Saints scattered here and there in various straights and fiery tryals Away with thy conceits deluded Notionist and shallow prophane man my Lord comes not in the Desart nor in the secret chamber but when he comes to take the Kingdoms of the world to his own Government thou shalt see it may be to thy terror that word of Zechariah fulfilled Zech. 14.5 The Lord my God shall come and all the Saints with thee 3. To Israel mourning sounds a glorious call WHen all eyes shall see him Rev. 1.7 Zech. 12.10 Ezech. 37.21 poor Israel must not be excluded they also shall to their unspeakable joy and comfort behold him whom they have pierced Zech. 14.2 even then when they have greatest need of him when their new possessed City shall be taken their houses rifled their women ravished and all miserably enslaved in this time of so great trouble Dan. 12.1 Rom. 11.26 Isai 4.3.43.5 6. such as never was since there was a Nation shall they behold Michael the great Prince that blessed deliverer who shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob and now all Israel shall be saved Jer. 30.10 Joel 3.1 even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem for now the singing of Birds is come and that blessed voyce is heard in their ears Awake Isai 26.19.60.1 and sing ye that dwell in the dust Arise shine for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee Zeph. 3.17 The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over thee with joy he will rest in his love he will joy over thee with singing Multitudes of Scriptures might be produced for the confirmation of this truth but these may suffice or nothing will especially considering that not one Scripture nor indeed any Author of credit that I know of doth seem to deny it This then in brief is my judgement with many deer Saints grounded upon the word of truth concerning this wonderful work of the Jews conversion First That they shall have an outward Call Secondly That they shall be inwardly converted The former is thought to be at hand if not already in being since it is well observed by Merchants of credit and others that they have these two or three years been gathering wonderfully from places more remote towards Palestina the Lord seeming now to make good his word first Isa 5.26 Zech. 10.8 in moving them to come in person to the Land of their Inheritance according to these Promises Vers 6. I will hiss for them and gather them for I have redeemed them and I will strengthen the house of Judah and I will save the house of Joseph and I will bring them again to place them And I will make them one Nation in the Land upon the Mountains of Israel Ezâ—ch 27.22 and one King shall be King to them all for When the Lord shall build up Zion Vers 24. Ps 102.16 he shall appear in his Glory Therefore thus saith the Lord Ezeck 39.25 26. now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel And the ransomed of the Lord shall return Isa 35.10 and come to Zion with Songs and everlasting joy shall be upon
the Temple of God was opened in heaven and there was seen in his Temple the Ark of his Testament This is the lot and portion of the Righteous which because we cannot conceive or understand I shall pass over in silence hoping that our spirits will be raised to admire what cannot be expressed in word or conceived in the heart pressing forward by a Christian conversation to the sweet fruition of that glory which will be the sure portion of those that have part in the first Resurrection while the wicked that continue to do wickedly have nothing to expect or hope for in that day but that wherewith the Spirit closeth this Chapter And there were lightnings and voyces and thundrings and an Earthquake and great hail This will be the terrible portion of those of whom the Apostle Jude speaketh Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Jude 14.15 The mouths of wicked men will then be stopped and put to silence though now they bark and belch forth blasphemies at pleasure against the Saints yet will it then be proved to their faces that all their wicked actions and hard speeches are done and spoken against him whose doctrine they now reject whose yoak they will not now bend to whose personal Reign they contemn as a Fable but then will they Lâ—ke 19. â—â— nill they this voyce shal reach them But those mine Enemies which would not that I should reign over them bring them hither and slay them before me And this will be such a slaughter where they will be ever killing and never dead but shall live in death to all eternity As this is ground of wo and alas to the wicked sort Mat. 25.10 against whom the door is now shut never to be opened any more never more tenders of Grace never more offers of Mercy in the Gospel but howling and wailing without ceasing world without end So is it true matter of unspeakable joy to all Saints no ground of Joy like this it comes with a Rather Luke 10.20 But rather rejoyce because your names are written in heaven This is the poor souls fulness of joy 1 Joh. 1.3 4. to know his interest in that society that shall continue rejoycing to all eternity I give a word of advice in the wordsof the Spirit to every man that hath this hope in him 1 Joh. 3.3 to purifie himself even as he is pure for since our expectation is such what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation godliness 2 Pet. 3.11 12 looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God wherefore gird up the loyns of your mind be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the Revelation of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.13 Luk 2.36 And ye your selves like unto men that wait for their Lord when he wil return from the wedding Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he comes shall find watching Isa 30.18 yea blessed are all they that waite for him It s no matter deer Christians how much pains we take in the way nor what our trouble and misery is for I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us Rom. 8.18 When Christ our King shall say Well done thou good and faithful Servant Mat. 25.21 enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. How then should our hearts be transported with holy Ravishments in expectation of this his Appearance singing in Consort with the Heavens Earth Sea Fields and Trees in the sweet Singers heavenly Rapture For he cometh Psa 96. for he cometh to judge the Earth he shall judge the world with Righteousness and the people with his Truth Even so come Lord Jesus come quickly FINIS