〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirit of life or as the Hebrews call it the breath of life as it 's sayd God breathed into man the breath of life Gen. 2. 7. when he made man a living soule So when the Lord doth raise up his witnesses from their state of sadnesse and sackcloth he breathes into them the breath of life The breath of God is the spirit of God and the breath of life is the power and operation of that spirit Life is nothing but the soules communion with God The body is dead without the spirit so is the soule without Ghd. The conjunction of soule and body is life so the union of the soule with God is divine life The Psalmist saith In thy presence there is life And marke it he doth not say the spirit of prophesie such whereby they did only see things remotely foretelling what should come to passe in after times but the spirit of life from God entred into them The mighty and powerfull spirit of life causeth these witnesses to live it is not that spirit whereby they should say we shall live hereafter or whereby they should wish O that we might live but the spirit of life whereby they doe live and they know they live I say this mighty powerfull and glorious spirit of life shining forth upon their hearts living and operating in them this shall cause them to arise from shame and sorrow even from that meane low and poore condition they were in prophecying in sackcloth It is then the divine presence the spirit and life of God the glorious shining forth of this face and love that occasions the resurrection of the witnesses Thirdly we come to the resurrection it selfe and that is expressed in these words And they stood upon their feet We cannot understand this of a resurrection properly so called but as the slaying and death of the witnesses was mysticall such also must their resurrection be Then it cannot be meant of a bodily or fleshly resurrection but of that which is mysticall and spirituall namely a resurrection from shame and misery from bondage and weaknesse from their meane low weake and fackcloth condition unto a state of more perfection and liberty of more glory light their condition should be much more glorious and excellent then it was before From this expression And they stood upon their feet note two things First it notes a rising from a poore low meane captivated condition as plainly appeares from that place from whence these words are borrowed Ezek 37. 10. when the Prophet was commanded to prophesie unto the foure winds to breath upon the slaine and upon the dry bones that they might live The dry bones and the slaine are the house of Israel under the Babylonish captivity they were as slaine and as a dead body even as the witnesses are under the tyranny of Mysticall Babylon now it is by the breath of God entering into these dry bones that they are made to live the breath of life being in them they stand upon their feet That notes their resurrection from the meane and lost condition under the oppression of their enemies Hence they are sayd to arise out of their graves vers 12. So the witnesses being but as dead bodies and as dry bones under the tyranny and oppression of Antichrist but when the spirit of life enters into them they stand upon their feet and arise out of bondage shame into a state of liberty and glory Secondly to stand upon their feet notes that they should stand by themselves they should stand by that wisdome that knowledge light and power they should enjoy in themselves they should stand upon their owne leggs and not depend upon others they should not live upon the wisdome opinion and knowledge of other men but upon their owne light and experience in the things of God The time was that the Arke was carried upon mens shoulders from place to place untill at last it was brought â—nto the Temple and then it rested So the Saints while prophecying in sackcloth under weake and faint discoveries of truth did much depend upon the judgements and opinions of other men but now the spirit of God shall dwell so plentifully in them that they shall live upon their owne experience of the light and life of God in themselves The spirit of life breathing in them with much life with much power and evidence that they shall no longer be carried away with the conceits of other men but shall stand upon their owne feet Thus we see that the resurrection of these witnesses is first from bondage and misery unto liberty and freedome Secondly from darknesse and meanesse unto light and glory The fourth and last thing here to be considered is the consequent or sequell hereof And great feare fell upon them that saw them When the witnesses were slaine and their dead bodies lying in the street of the great Citie The men of the earth could rejoyce make merry and triumph but now at the witnesses rising the case shall be otherwise with them now they shall feare and tremble now amazement and astonishment shall take hold of them When the witnesses were slaine they thought never to heare of them more they hoped they should never arise but behold now they rise againe and how greatly doth this affright the men of the world here is terrour and amazement to all that dwell in the earth Suitable unto this is that passage in Act. 5. 5. when that judgement was manifested upon Ananiaâ— the Text saith Great feare fell upon all that heard those things Those persecutours that did vex and trouble the witnesses they thought they had made sure worke of them that they had been wholly destroyed and that they should never more have been troubled with these Prophets but now to their great griefe and amazement they rise againe and stand upon their feet this doth more affright trouble the men of the earth then ever their prophefie did Having thus unfolded the words we passe on to the Observations they offer to our Consideration First Observe That when the time of 1 Obser the witnesses suffering and sadnesse drawes to an end there is an earnest expectation in them of their resurrection The text doth relate to the time of their resurrection when their suffering condition shall draw to an end After three dayes and a halfe c. There is a day and after that two dayes in which the witnesses are in the middest of their sufferings and persecutions their evills are multiplyed and they cannot say when they shall be delivered and therefore resolve to wait with patience and submit to the will of the Lord. But when the halfe day shall come which shall be but short then these witnesses are brought into a comfortable expectation of a seasonable and speedy deliverance when they shall plainly see that the witnesses have been long time in slaying and have been dead and now speedily shall revive and rise againe These shall
be able to say the Lord will cut his worke in righteousnesse It is sayd that all Babylons plagues shall come in one day Chap. 18 8. that is all in some short time suddenly and beyond expectation So sudden shall be the rising of the witnesses when they come to the halfe day or last period of time Now I am most confident that it is the time of the sixt Trumpet in which time the witnesses are not to be slaine but to arise and ascend to God in the cloud and therefore the great expectation in the spirits of many Saints this day of some notable change and of some great manifestation of the kingdome of God doth predict to me the sudden rising of the witnesses The three whole dayes of the beasts raigne are past it 's the halfe day the dividing of time the time of the image of the beast and therefore the Saints shall shortly sing by experience that song Babylon is fallen is fallen Revel 18. 2. The Saints may sing and rejoyce their time of deliverance draweth neer the spirit of life appeares in some of them already and shall shortly shine forth in others by a discovery of that glory of the Lord that 's risen upon them these shall shine forth in the brightnesse thereof Many things in the consequent words of the Text will farther manifest that the witnesses are in rising Secondly Observe That the witnesses 2 Observ are enabled to arise by the mighty powerfull spirit of life from God Nothing but the mighty strong prevailing spirit of life can cause the witnesses to arise There 's no motion but it flows from life and there 's no true life but it flows from Christ and his spirit The first Adam was made a living soule the second was made a quickning spirit 1 Cor. 15. 45. Christ is alive-making spirit it is the spirit that makes man to live a spirituall life This is the true life the spirit of life all spirituall actions flow from this life it is Christ living and acting in the soule Now it is the abundant flowing forth of this spirit of life that must cause the witnesses to arise It was the great and powerfull voyce of Christ that caused the dead to rise Joh. 5. So it must be the powerfull quickning inlivening filling reviving spirit of life from Christ that brings forth a resurrection to these two witnesses It is not a small measure of the spirit neither is it a spirit of prophesie as to foretel things to come or to see things at a great distance that will make the witnesses revive and stand upon their feet but the spirit of life when they shall know they live when all they act speake flows from that life their works and speeches are all living when they are able to say we live when they can declare the spirit of life from God lives in them then I say it is that causeth the witnesses to arise when this spirit lives in them whose property is to quicken and cause all things to live Thirdly Observe As there is a time 3 Observ when the witnesses lie slaine and dead so also there is a time when they shall revive and live againe They shall not alwayes be troden underfoot by the men of the earth and prophesie in sackcloth and be slaine by the beast that ariseth out of the bottomlesse pit and their bodies to lie in the streets of the great Citie that they should alwayes be made a scorne to their adversaries but they shall have a rising time when they shall cast off their sack cloth and mourning they shall stand upon their feet and rejoyce and then their enemies that rejoyced over them shall weep and lament If their enemies did know this they could not so much triumph over them For as the Prophet speakes Though they fall yet they shall rise againe Mich. 7. 8. These Prophets of the Lord may be eclipsed for a season and they may give forth their testimony faintly and weakly and in much weaknesse and darknesse but afterward they breake forth in greater lustre brightnesse then ever they did before Though they for a space lie dead their bones are dried as the Prophet speakes of Israel yet the Lord will by the operation of his divine power and by the spirit of â—ife enter into them he will cause their dead bodies to arise So that now they shall not act so much in the strength and power of the creature they shall not be upheld by the authority reason judgement and opinion of other men but they shall stand upon their owne feet they shall not live upon the strengâ—h of mans parts wisdome or argument but upon their own knowledgâ— experience and assurance of the spirit of life from God dwelling in them Now they shall not prophesie or foretell of good things to come or of deliverance at a great distance but they shall act and speake in the name of the Lord from the anoynting that dwells in them they shall onely move speake and act by that spirit of life that hath raised them from the dead Fourthly and lastly observe That 4 Observ the rising of the witnesses is a most dreadfull sight to the men of the earth The witnesses now arise from shame oppression and tyranny and how can it be otherwise but that their enemies that oppressed and tormented them should be much amazed and affrighted When Herod heard of the works of Christ he was much afraid saying It is John whom I have beheaded Mark 6. 16. So when the Lord shall raise up his servants from bondage and slavery from darknesse and weaknesse and shall lift them up into a higher condition what will the world say are not these they that we have persecuted and slaine risen up in the rule dominion and power of the kingdome of Christ The sight and beholding of this strikes the world dead at one blow This sight is terrible to all earthly men When the Souldiers came to apprehend Christ in the garden and did but heare Christ say I am he they fell downe backward So when the men of the earth shall heare and see the poore despised Saints to stand upon their own feet they shall fall backward they shall as Saul fall flat upon the earth they shall become heartlesse spiritlesse feare and trembling shall take hold on them The prophesie of the witnesses though but in sackcloth was a great trouble to the men of the earth they were disquieted and troubled at that therefore they were much comforted and refreshed in â—laying of them by hindering them in the course of their prophesie But now when they shall see them arise higher then ever O! this strikes the world to the very heart this is an exceeding terror amazement to them There is just cause for the earth to mourne at the rising of the witnesses because the liberty and glory of these shall be their bondage and shame as one of the scales of
Antichrist doth exclude them from the heavenly influences and sweet showers of divine grace p. 170 180 2. Ob all the sweet and refreshing streames of comfort and supply that Antichrist livâ—s upon are turned into bitternesse and contention at prophesie of the witnesses p. 172 3. Ob That the prophesie of the witnesses though in a meane low and sackcloth condition iâ— of mightie force and power unto their adversaries p. 173 In vers 7. we have three particular things p. 17â— First the time when the witnesses are to be slaine and when they have finished their testimony p. 176 177 Secondly by whom the witnesses shall be slaine wherein we have opened 1. What is meant by the Beast that slayes them p. 79 2. What is meant by the bottomles pit from whence he comes p. 180 181 182 183 3. The manner of his ascension p. 184 Thirdly the manner how the witnesses are slaine by the Beast 1. He makes war against them p. 185 2. Doth overcome them p. 186 187 3. Doth kill them and how p. 188 189 190 Observations from the verse 1. Ob That the Saints of Christ in every age and time are enabled to finish their testimony mauger all the opposition that is made against them p. 191 2. Ob That the rage and cruelty of the adversary is great against the faithfull servants of Christ p. 192 193 3. Ob That the workings and deceits of Antichrist are very deep and mystâ—rious p. 194 4. Ob That there is a time when Antichrist christ doth ascend high in greatnesse and power p. 195 196 5. Ob That the witnesses are continually overcome and slaying all the time of the powerfull reigne of the Beast p. 197 198 In verse 8. we have an account of the bodies of the witnesses where three speciall things are noted p. 199 First what is meant by the bodies of the witnesses p. 200 201 202 203 204 205 Secondly the place where their bodies lie where we have explained 1. What is meant by the great Citie p. 206 2. What is meant by the streeâ—e of that Citie p. 207 Thirdly a description of the Citie 1. By it's resemblance 1. To Sodome p. 208 209 2. To Aegypt p. 210 2. By it's carriage and action p. 211 How Christ is sayd to be crucified in Aegypt and Sodome p. 212 Observations drawne from the words opened 1. Ob That the externall formes of worship that Antichrist useth are but as a dead body or carkasâ— p. 213 2. Ob That it 's not so much the outward forme or figure of worship that Antichrist seeks to suppresse as it 's the spirit and testimony of the witnesses p. 214 215 3. Ob That Antichrist is full of spirituall uncleannesse and cursed cruelty p. 216 4. Ob It 's the very life spirit and image of Christ that Antichrist doth chiefly oppose in slaying the witnesses p. 217 218 In verse 9. we have three things noted concerning the carriage of the enemies towards the dead bodies of the witnesses 1. Who are meant by people kindreds tongues and nations p. 220 2. Their exercise about the dead bodies 1. What it is to see the dead bodies of the witnesses p. 221 2. What it is not to suffer them to be put in graves p. 222 3. The time that these dead bodies shall lie unburied and what is meant by three dayes and a halfe p. 223 Observations from the Text. 1. Ob That the power and greatnesse the wisdome and abilities of men are exercised about the dead bodies of the witnesses p. 224 2. Ob That the great care that those of the nations and tongues c. take about the dead bodies of the witnesses is to keep them above ground p. 225 226 3. Ob That the dead bodies of the witnesses are kept above ground all the time of Antichrists reigne p. 227 228 In verse 10. we have a farther carriage of the Adversary towards the carkases of the witnesses p. 229 1 The persons acting those that dwell upon the earth of whom it 's meant p. 230 2. Their actions they rejoyce and make merry c. and what it meaneth p 231 3. The ground of their joy because these two Prophets tormented them and how p. 232 233 Observations from the words 1. Ob That the people that serve Antichrist are earthly carnall p. 234 2. Ob That the greatest joy of Antichrist is over the dead bodies of the witnesses p. 235 3. Ob That the witnesses by their prophesie doe most of all torment the men of the earth p 236 237 In vers 11. we have the witnesses resurrection p. 238 1. The time of their resurrection After three dayes and a halfe explained p. 239 2. The cause viz. the spirit of life from God and what it is p. 240 241 3. The resurrection it selfe and they stood upon their feet explained in 3 particulars p. 242 243 4. The consequent that follows their resurrection by the great feare that falls upon their enemies p. 244 245 Observations from hence 1. Ob That when the time of the witnesses suffering and sadnesse drawes to an end there is an earnest expectation in them of their resurrection p. 246 247 2. Ob That the witnesses are enabled to arise by the mighty powerfull spirit of God p. 248 3. Ob As there is a time when the witnesses lie slaine and dead so also there is a time when they shall revive and live againe 249 250 4. Ob That the rising of the witnesses is a most dreadfull sight to the men of the earth p. 251 252 In verse 12. we have the witnesses ascention from whence is noted First the cause they heard a voyce from heaven p. 254 From whence is noted 1. The voyce it selfe p. 255 2. From whence it came ibid 3. Vnto whom it 's spoken p. 256 4. What it speakes p 257 Secondly the ascention it selfe p. 258 From whence is observed 1. Their action p. 259 2. Their place p. 260 3. The manner and what is meant by the cloud in which they ascend p. 261 Thirdly the Adjunct annexed to their ascention and in what manner their enemies should behold them p. 262 Observations drawne from hence 1. Ob That the witnesses are enabled to ascend by the powerfull voyce of the Spirit of God p. 263 264 2. Ob That the witnesses have their time of triumph and rejoycing as well as they have a time of sackcloth and mourning p. 265 3. Ob That the state that the witnesses shall ascend unto is most heavenly and glorious p. 266 The externall libertie and peace that the witnesses shall enjoy by their ascention consisteth 1. In deliverance from oppression p. 267 2. Their enemies shall serve them p 268 3. They shall enjoy peace and quietnesse p. 269 270 4. Deliverance from shame p. 271 The internall glory and excellency that the Saints shall be advanced unto 1. They shall abound in knowledg p. 272 2. They shall exceed in joy and comfort p. 273 3. They shaall live
2. Now from this phrase of dropping we may argue that both Moses and Ezekiel had their prophesie from the Lord. For looke as the clouds from whence raine descends to mollifie the earth and to cause grasse and flowers to spring have not their water originally and natively in themselves but from the Sea and moistned places of the earth exhal'd and drawn up by the heat of the Sun so have not the Prophets a spirit of prophesie whereby they of themselves are able to discover divine mystery and revelation but it is drawne out of a full sea of that excellent knowledge and wisdome that is in God himselfe Then the Prophets must of necessity receive their message originally from God himselfe But Secondly They receive prophesie mediatly from Christ unto whom the Lord hath committed the whole administration of all things concerning his Church and kingdome And we have that passage 1 Sam. 3. 21. The Lord revealed himselfe unto Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord. By the word of the Lord is here meant Christ the eternall word by whom the Lord doth reveale himselfe as in Joh. 1. 18. So that Christ is brought in by way of mediation as by whom the Lord should reveale himselfe Suitable unto this is that passage in Genes 19. 24. The Lord rained upon Sodome and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven The Lord raining brimstone by the Lord is meat that the Lord did administer judgement by Christ as Mediator Christ is here brought forth acting in the office of his mediatorship though according to his divine nature he acts immediatly from himselfe without such dependance or subordination yet I say as Mediator he receives from the father and so communicates what he receives unto his Saints Thus you see from whom these Prophets receive power to prophesie and that 's from the Lord himselfe First from God originally Secondly from Christ as Mediator Secondly by what meanes the Lord doth thus impower these Prophets and that is first by his word Secondly by his Spirit First It is by the word that these Prophets are enabled to give forth their testimony Christs Commission to his Disciples was to preach the word Matth. 28. 19 20. And Christ is sayd to ride prosperously on the word of truth Psal 45. 4. John beares record of the word of God Revel 1. 2. The Saints were slaine for the word of God Revel 12. 11. This word is the sword that proceeds out of Christs mouth Revel 1. 16. The word being called the sword of Christ imports that it is full of efficacy and power of great force and prevalency discerning the thoughts and subduing the imaginations of the heart This is that spirituall weapon whereby the Saints are able to encounter with their enemies and to overcome the evill one to testifie against Antichrist Secondly by the Spirit which gives life and power unto the word The Gospel is called the ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 8. because the Spirit joynes it selfe with the word and makes it a quickning and powerfull word And therefore it is that Christ saith My words are spirit and life Joh. 6. 63. Christs word doth not go forth as a dead thing but as a quickning power not as a killing letter but as a powerfull spirit So that the word cannot be separated from the Spirit nor the Spirit from the word they both joyntly concur and agree in one The word is the habit or clothing of the spirit and the spirit is the life and power of the word by these meanes namely the word and spirit are the witnesses impowered to prophesie Secondly the title given unto those that testifie against Antichrist they are called witnesses This appellation is given to Christ being called the faithfull witnes Revel 1. 5. And the true witnesse Chap. 3. 14. Likewise he was promised to be given as a witnesse to the people Isa 55. 4. Therefore he tells Pilate that he came into the world to beare witnesse of the truth Joh. 18. 37. In like manner are the Saints called Witnesses as being called forth to testifie of the will minde of God before the world Thus it was sayd of John Baptist that he was sent as a witnesse of the light Joh. 1. 7. And to him meaning to Christ gave all the Prophets witnesse Act. 10. 43. The Saints that suffered for Christ suffered for the witnesse of Jesus Revel 20. 4. There is one place where by the Prophet both Christ and the Saints are brought in as joynt witnesses where the Lord speaking of his people sayth Ye are my witnesses and signifying of Christ farther saith And my servant that I have chosen Esa 43. 10. So that as Christ doth receive a message from the Father he doth truly and faithfully give forth his testimony as appeares in Joh. 3. 32. So also the Saints that receive his word and declare their testimony of his truth do set to their seal and witnesse of the truth as it is in Jesus and doe give forth testimony thereof before the world Thirdly The number of these witnesses and they are two Some say that there are onely two eminent persons here meant not exceeding the number expressed Others that thereby are meant the two Testaments so make the Scripture to be the witnesse here spoken of or else two in regard of their types which are presented to us by paires as Zerubbabel and Joshua the two anoynted ones and Moses and Elias that caused fire to come downe from heaven Also Moses and Aaron by whom the water in Aegypt was turned into bloud as we shall understand more in the sequell Or more especially they are called two witnesses in proportion to the Law that would not take an accusation unlesse asserted by two witnesses Matth. 18. 16. So here because there shall be a sufficient testimony given forth against Antichrist by the faithfull witnesses of Christ they are called two as most compleat and answerable to the Law Deut. 17. 6. Thus you have their number they are two Witnesses Fourthly Their office and employment follows They Prophesie Now in that they are stiled Witnesses and doe Prophesie wee are to consider two things First What we are to understand here by Prophesie Secondly What is the testimony they give forth By Prophesie wee may understand three things First to prophesie it is to foretell things to come to declare things that shall come to passe according to that saying in Esa 42. 9. Behold former things are come to passe and new things doe I declare before they spring forth I tell you of them Now though this be chiefly meant of Christ yet it is foretold by the Prophet as being first revealed to him So that prophesie is a dlvine prediction or a foretelling of things to come by a heavenly revelation Secondly to prophesie sometimes is meant of understanding the mystery of prophesie or of such things as are forespoken of as to open and declare the mystery
incendiaries to draw together all their strengths and powers to uphold the power of the beast which now is like to be broken and consumed These are the spirits of Devills being full of uncleannesse working miracles by some counterfeit spirituall actings or setting up some new invented formes of worship thus they gather the Kings of the earth to the great battell of God Almighty where God shall shew the greatness of his power in destroying of them for they are brought to Armageddon which signifies devoted for destruction that they are seduced and by â—uoâ—iâ—â—ie brought together to be destroyed Baraks victory over Sisera was by the waters of Megiddo Judg. 4. 15. So all that give up their power to uphold the beast shall come to the great battell of God Almighty even to Armageddon where they shall assuredly be ensnared and broken in pieces Hitherto agrees the effect of the sixt seal Chap. 6. 12. c. And I beheld when he had opened the sixt seal and there was a great earth-quake a greaâ— feare and terrâ—ur fell upon all men great concussions and commotions should be on the earth And the Sun became blacke the glory of the state and Church of Antichrist turned into blackness mourning into great confusion and astonishment And the Moone became bloud all the invented ordinances of the man of sin were darkned and obscured And the Stars fell â—rom heaven as a figtree casteth her untimely figs Such as seemed to be Ministers and profâ—ssors of Christ now appeare to be fleshly and carnall and fall from that appearance of heavenly light unto the earth cleaving now to an earthly power even like untimely figs that never come to maturity or ripenesse Then their State and Church which seemed to be as high as heaven departed as a scroll and all their mountaines of strength and confidence were removed out of their places And the Kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chiefe Captaiues and mighty men and every bond-man and every free man hid them selves in dens and in the rockes of the mountaines c. All sorts ranks and degrees of men from the highest to the lowest they now fly to the rocks and mountaines of their trust and confidence every one will fly unto his God unto that he trusts in the States and powers of the world will fly to the Church and hide themselves under religious formes of worship and the Church will fly to the earthly powers for shelter and protection and the people will run to those that seduced them for succour and reliefe but shall not be able to secure themselves from the wrathful countenance of the Lamb â—e being exalted upon the throne of his power in the great â—ay of his venge nâ—e when he shall reckon with the Antichristian powers that have shed the bloud of the Martyrs and rejected the testimony of his witnesses This at the rising of the witnesses Add hereunto the effect of the sixt Trumpet And the sixt Angel sounded and I heard a voyce from the four hornes of the golden Altar which is before God Chap. 9. 13. The voice and power of Christ prefigured by the golden Altar Exod. 30. 1. having hornes vers 10. signifying the power strength of Christ whereby the foure Angels that were heald in the river Euphrates were loosed The great multitude of Saints that were bound up by the strength and power of Antichrist are now set at liberty now they goe forth with great authority and hold forth the truth making glorious discoveries of the same These slay the third part of men for fire smoke and brimstone comes forth of their mouths the light and truth they hold forth as fire doth devour and as smoke doth darken all the light and glory of Antichrist And in their tailes or conversation they hurt by condemning the men of the world and of those that repented not of their deeds And in Chap. 10. Christ comes forth as a mighty Angel clothed with a cloud of darknesse obscurity that the world could not see him having a rain-bow or Covenant of grace on his head and the booke of the Gospel unsealed in his hand he set his right foot upon the sea of the common people and his left upon the earth or worldly powers And crying with a loud voice the seven thunders uttered a perfection of feare and amasement of dread and terrour falls upon the sea and upon the earth upon all the people and powers of Antichrist The seventh Viall was powred into the 7 Viall aire and there came great voyces out of the Temple of heaven saying it is done Chap. 16. 17. The very ayre that Antichrist lives and breaths in is now destroyed there is no longer breath spirit or life in any thing that Antichrist would live in or receive comfort from so that the whole worke is done the beast is quite destroyed and there were voyces and thunders and lightnings and great earthquakes such grievous concussions and earth-quakes as if heaven and earth were conspired together to destroy Babylon the work is done or Bah loâ— undone though once it had a being now it hath none now it is divided into three parts as being torne to picces by the earth-quake and every Mountaine and Island fled away as things that could yeeld no protection And there fell great haile out of heaven upon men about the waight of a talent and men blasphemed God because of the plagues of haile for the plague thereof was exceeding great Here is an allusion to the great plague of haile that fell upon Aegypt Exod. 9. 22. This haile falls from heaven from the light and truth held forth by Saints in the middest of heavenly enjoyments these raine downe great and weighty haile-stones upon the state order and worship of Antichrist Compare hereunto the effect of the seventh seale And when he had opened the seventh seale there was silence in heaven about the space of halfe an houre Upon the opening of this last seale there is some respite or intermission and as it were for a time some rest and cessation of the Saints from persecuâ—ion and trouble Now is the full revelation of truth now is the kingdome of God come and now the Gospel goes forth without let or molestation now the servants of God have peace without and also a sweet tranquillity and quietnesse in their owne spiritâ— Add hereunto the seventh Trumper Chapt. 11. 15. And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great voyces in heaven saying The kingdomes of the world are become the kingdomes of the Lord and of his Christ c. Now the kingdomes and nations cast downe their crownes at the feet of Christ who will take his great power unto himselfe and raigne Thus we see how the Saints smite the earth with all plagues by powring out all the vialls of Gods wrath upon the State and Church of Antichrist Aiso you perceive that there is an agreement between the seals
God and ruine his people Hence it is that mystery is written upon the head of the whorish woman Chap. 17. 15. when in her ornaments of purple and decking of silver gold and precious stones she is full of abominations and filthinesse of fornication being but the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth Here is the fountaine of all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse that the world seeth not the depth of neither can it fathome the bottome of this wickednesse of this mystery it ascendeth from the pit as deep as hell it selfe Fourthly doth this beast ascend upward Then Observe There is a time 4 Observâ— when Antichrist doth ascend high in greatnesse and power All that wickednesse and abomination all that blacknesse and darknesse all that deceivablenesse and iniquity suggested by Satan into mans heart that we spake of before it is gathered up and acted in greatnesse power and dominion The spirit of selfe-righteousnesse pride malice and envie now comes forth in the forme and power of a beast There is a time when this wickedness shall raigne and beare sway this is the houre and the day of the powerfull raigne of the beast according to that saying in Revel 13. 5. Power was given unto the beast to continue forty and two msneths And therefore it is permitted that he should for a time act according to his will because he is great as it is spoken by Daniel of the king of a fierce countenance Dan. 8. 4. Thus we have it in Revel 17. 13. The ten hornes doe with one minde give their power and strength unto the beast They do with one consent use all their personall and royall authority to uphold the power and dominion of the beast By this meanes the beast doth ascend becomes great and mighty in power But as there is a time of the beasts ascension so also there is a time of his descension and declining when the ten Kings shall withdraw their power againe and hate the whore and burne her flesh with fire Revel 17. 16. There will be times when these shall no longer submit to the tyranny of the beast but shall conspire against him and strip him of his ornaments and prey upon his spoyles and ruines Then shall the beast descend into the pit of perdition and destruction from whence he did ascend and as Solomon saith The righteous shall be delivered the wicked shal come in their steed Thus Antichrist hath his timeâ— of rising into power and greatnesse and shall also have his declinings time of falling when he shall grow weak and feeble and shall not be able to stand Fiftly and lastly doth the beast make war against overcome and kill these witnesses then observe That the witnesses 5 Observâ— are continually overcome and slaying all the time of the powerfull raigne of the beast The slaying of the witnesses cannot be confined to one age or time towards the latter end of their prophesie and that onely some particular persons should be slainâ— and that by martyrdome onely but the beast doth alwayes make war with the Saints and by civill power and ecclesiasticall law doth alwayes overcome them and by the execution of that law doth kill them by hindering them in the course of their prophesie and rejecting their testimony turning the truth into a lie thus I say the witnesses are alwayes slaying the whole time of Antichrists raigne Hence it is sayd that the little horne should weary out thg Saints of the most high Dan. 7. 25. by continuall vexing and tormenting of them It is sayd of the Locusts that ascended out of the smoke of the bottomlesse pit That they had faces like men having a shew of humanity and their haire was as the haire of women by reason of their perswasive flatteries and faire shewes of gentlenesse and meeknesse but they had the teeth of Lyons rending and devouring the Saints by their cruell exactions and tyrannicall governments whereby they have alwayes suppressed the Saints And thus have the faithful witnesses of Christ been continually in slaying under the powerfull raigne of the beast VERS 8. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great Citie which spiritually is called Sodome and Egypt where also our Lord was crucified IN the former verse we had the death and slaying of the witnesses Now here we are to enquire what becomes of their bodies of which we have an account in this and the two following verses First their bodies lie in the great Citie Secondly they are kept from buriall vers 9. Thirdly their enemies rejoyce over them vers 10. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street c. Here take notice First what is meant by their dead bodies Secondly the place where they lie and that is in the street of the great Citie Thirdly we have a description of this great Citie First by it's resemblance first to Sodome secondly to Egypt Secondly by it's action Where our Lord was crucified First to enquire what is meant by the dead bodies of the witnesses We must beare in minde how and in what manner they were slaine and that was mystically and metaphorically and therefore their bodies must be so understood also Then if it were meant of the Witdesses being slaine in their testimony then it must here be meant of the outward forme and body of their testimony therefore by these bodies are meant all the externall figures and formes of worship in which the witnesses were exercised and through which they did sometimes give forth their testimony When the Church was driven into the Wildernesse to worship God in the secret Temple the outward Court the whole body of their externall formes of worship they left behinde them and the Gentiles made use of them so that this body or whole forme of worship did remaine in the street of the great Citie The outward and externall part of worship when the spirit life waâ— departed from it and the witnesses had left it becâ—me as a dead body or carkase as having no breath or true life in it for as the body becomes as a carkase when the soule and life is departed so is the externall forme of worship when the spirit of the Lord is departed from it Now that the externall part of worship in the formes and figures of it when 't is spirit-lesse and without life is as a dead body or carkase We have a full place of Scripture to prove this interpretation if we rightly observe that Text in Matth. 24. 28. where Christ saith Wheresoever the carkase is there will the Eagles be gathered together The common interpretation of this Text is that here by the carkase should be meant of Christ and that Saints are compared to Eagles as resorting to Christ But consider how far remotâ— this opinion is from the adequate sence of the place For first it would be a most iâ—ksome and naâ—seous comparison to liken Christ to a dead stinking carkase The like comparison of
Christ we finde not in Scripture Secondly it would also be as much unsavoury and harsh a similitude to assiâ—â—late the Saints to the Eagle which is a bird of prey mentioned Job 39. 27 28. c. But if we would enquire for the minde of Christ in this Text wee are to consider the whole drift and scope of the Chapter which is no other then a full and ample declaration or rather a prediction of the destruction of Jerusalem the Temple the Nation and Church of the Jewes as appeares plainly by the beginning of the Chapter Now in the middest of those tribulations desolations that should befall the State Church of the Jewes Many should say lo here or lo there is Christ vers 23. But Christ exhorts them not to beleeve those false Prophets that should say he was in the desert or in the secret Chamber and why For as the lightening cometh out of the East and shineth even unto the West so shall also the coming of the Son of man be Now as it is the native property of lightning to make a full discovery of it selfe by it's lightsomenesse and brightnesse so Christ shall be eminently manifested and declared to be the Messiah by the destruction of Jerusalem of the Temple and worship of the Jewes So that Christ's coming to destroy Jerusalem was like lightning for what could more evince and testifie that Christ was the true Messiah then the destruction of the Temple worship of the Jewes which they upheld after the coming of Christ when it should all have been abolished Christ foretelling of this destruction by which himselfe should be manifested coming as lightning shining from the East to the West saith For wheresoever the carkase is there will the Eagles be gathered together Now by the carkase he meaneth Jerusalem the Temple and the worship of the Jewes which they kept up in use after the coming of Christ when the Jewish formes were to be abolished when the spirit life presence of God was departed from these things then the State Church their Temple and worship became as a dead carkase without any life or spirit in it they onely upheld the superficiall part of their forme and service when there was no breath of life nothing of the Spirit of God left in it And as for the Eagles being birds of prey they are meant of those people and Nations that besieged and at last sacked Jerusalem pulled downe the Temple scattered the people and destroyed their worship Thus it was with the Temple and worship with the people and Cities of the Jewes being left of God without his presence and spirit became as a dead carkase and the enemies like birds of prey came and devour's them So here when the Hab. 1. 8. The enemy is compared to an Eagle Church was driven into the Wilderness to worship God in his secret Temple then the Gentiles possessed themselves of the outward Court of the externall formes and figures of worship but without the presence or spirit of Christ These are the bodies of the witnesses that lie in the street of the Citie and that Antichrist will not suffer to be buried or put in graves For what is all the forme of worship and service of the carnall Church and of worldly Christians but as a dead carkase lifelesse and spirit-lesse The Jewes kept up all their formes of worship after the Messiah was come and had abolished them all and therefore it was that when the Apostle was asked why he would revile Gods high Priest he answereth he did not know him to be Gods high Priest for saith he it is written Thou shalt not speake evill of a Ruler c. Act. 23. 5. Now I verily beleeve that the Apostle knew well enough who it was that he was brought before and that he was the titular High-Priest â—ut when he saith I wist not that it was Gods high Priest he spake ironically or by way of deriâ—ion because he sate as high Priest when he was not at that time a lawfull high Priest the office of Priesthood being expired by the coming of the Messiah Now the Jewes were very willing to have kept up their rites and formes their worship and Priesthood when they should have been layd aside the Lord being departed from them they were but as dead carkases In like manner doth Antichrist by the outward Court or externall formes of worship that the witnesses have exercised in these they uphold and preserve these are the bodies of the witnesses they keep in the street of their Citie these they keep above ground and will noâ— suffer them to be buried they onely slay the testimony spirit of the witnesses but they preserve their bodies for their own use and to serve their own ends Secondly Consider the place where these bodies lie and that is in the street of the great Citie Here we have two things to enquire after viz. what is meant First by this great Citie Secondly by the street thereof First This great Citie is meant of great Babylon mentioned in Chap. 17. 5. called the mother of harlots and abominations It is an allusion to old Babylon called great Dan. 4. 30. which was eminent for tyranny and oppression Antichrist is called the mother of harlots and the great whore because as a strumpet shee doth not onely commit spirituall whoredomes but doth also teach and nourish her children in the same way and so â—ill the earth with her abominations This whorish woman is described to be this great Citie which reigneth over the Kings of the earth vers 18. I confesse that Rome hath mystically ruled the Nations and hath been as the well-bead of the filthinesse and abomination of the world But more especially this woman here called the great Citie is the carnall worldly Antichristian Church which hath as a whore departed from God and hath been led by a lying spirit and hath followed after whorish inventions of her owne braine hath gathered the nations of the world into a Church and called them by the name of Christians and all this hath been by a mystery of iniquity a very babell and confusion This woman called the great Citie is no other then the whole Church of Antichrist that rides upon the beast or earthly power and is clothed in gay cloathing of humane ordinances and formall professions pretending to be the Spouse of Christ when she is a very harlot going after other lovers and whiles she pretends Christianity shee is drunke with the bloud of the Saints This whorish woman is the great Citie where lieth the dead bodies of the witnesses Secondly by the street of this great Citie is meant the whole Territory and space the confines and large extent of the Dominion and rule of the Antichristian church and government The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being of the singular number is put for the plurall and signifies all the streets territories and places of Antichrist's rule and domination It
cannot properly be taken for one street for thero is no great Citie made of one street but indeed the word as rendred by the Septuagint signifies a whole Countrey the whole confines or bounds of a place So that this street cannot be meant of one street or distinct place but of the whole territory and largenesse of Dominion the whole compasse and extent of all the Nations and Churches that are under the authority and command of Antichrist the utmost limits and extreme bounds of largenesse and greatnesse is here intimated by the street In the third place we come to a description of this Citie and that is First by resemblance first to Sodome secondly to Egypt Secondly by some carriage or action of this Citie towards Christ it 's the place where our Lord was crucified The Citie is described by a resemblance to Sodome and Egypt in a metaphoricall way for here we have the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritually which means something that 's spirituall and mysticall not that it 's spirituall as opposed to carnall or earthly but as opposed to Sodome and Aegypt literally and properly so called Then it 's meant of Metaphoricall Sodome and of Mysticall Aegypt by way of an allusion or resemblance First Sodome was a place full of filthiness and uncleanness as we have the relation in Gen. 19. And the iniquity of Sodome was sayd to be pride and fulnesse of bread and abundance of idleness and lasciviousness Ezek. 16. 49 50. It was with this abominable wickedness that righteous Lot was so much vexed and perplexed in spirit at the sight and beholding thereof Suitable unto this is the spirituall uncleanness and filthiness gf Antichrist called the mother of Harlots full of abominations corrupting the earth by her uncleanness and intoxicating the whole world with the wine of her fornications In a word all the whoredome fornication and abomination of Sodome are spiritually hatched and acted by this whorish woman this great City Babylon the great this Antichristian Church this abominable Strumpet the great Harlot of the world Secondly we have a resemblance to Aegypt First in respect of Idolatry and and Superstition as appears Exod. 12. 12. They were full of Idols and false gods they did worship their Kine and other Cattell for it was the custome of the Heathen to worship their Kine and other Cattell for it was the custome of the Heathen to worship that for Gods that the Israelites were to offer in sacrifice unto God Hence it was that Moses would not that the children should offer Sacrisice untill they were come forth of Aegypt lest they should follow the example of the Aegyptians Secondly Aegypt was full of tyranny and oppression towards the children of Israel their Task-masters laid on heavy burthens on their shoulders and that with much vigour and cruelty as 't is related in Exod. 1. 13. The taske-masters of Aegypt and the oppression of Pharaoh made it to be the very house of bondage The same things are found in mysticall Aegypt as Idolatry and superstition all the whole bundle of Antichrists worship is but of carnall invention and humane institution yea it is spirituall whoredome and Idolatry So also may we finde in her all the cruelty and oppression of Aegypt here are those Task-masters that by their civill power and Ecclesiasticall Laws doe continually vex and torment the Saints As once Pharaoh destroyed the male children of the Israelites so the Dragon standing before the woman ready to devoure her children and when the woman flyeth into the wildernesse for shelter and relief he casts a flood of persecution after her and continually maketh warre with the remnant of her seede which keepe the commandement of God have the testimonie of Jesus Christ Rev. 12. 4. 16 17. Thus you see how the great Citie is resembled 1. To Sodome for pride and filthiness 2. To Aegypt for idolatry and oppression The second description of the Citie by its carriage and action it 's where our Lord was crucified This cannot be meant literally or according to the letterâ— for so Christ was crucisied at Jerusalem but it is meant spiritually and mystically that Christ is crucified in his truth and members in Sodome and Aegypt it 's the pride and filthinesse of Sodome and the cursed idolatry and cruelty of Aegypt that doth alwayes crucifie Christ in his lawes and servants but consider First though Christ in his person was put to death at Jerusalem yet hee was crucified by a Roman power condemned by Pilate a Roman Judge and was adjudged by a Roman kinde of Ioh. 18. 31. Mat. 20. 19. death and was executed by the Romane Souldiers and all was done under the Roman jurisdiction territorie government and dominion which here for filthinesse and abomination is called Sodom and for idolatry and oppression is called Aegypt So in this respect Christ himselfe may be said to be crucied in Sodome and in Aegypt But Secondly Christ is crucified mystically and that is in his truth and laws in his members and people Acts 9. 5. Saul why persecutest thou mee which words do import that Christ is crucified in his people So that as Christ was brought in adjoyned in testimony and witnesse with his Saints in like manner he comes in as suffering with them also So that here is some resemblance between the suffering of Christ and his witnesses For as Christ was put to death by a heathening Roman power so by the raign and dominion of Antichrist the Witnesses are put to death also and Christ is crucified in them It was the wickednesse of the Scribeâ— and Pharisees that accused Christ of Judas that betrayed him of Pilate and the high Priest that condemned him of the Gentile souldiers that crucified him all this wickednesse heightned in Antichrist grows into the uncleannesse and filthinesse of Sodome and into the eâ—â—ity and cruely of Aegypt doth make Warre against he Witnesses and kill them So that it is not so much meant of the place where Christ or his Saints are oppressed â—â— to shew that the wickedness and impiety that put Christ to death is the very same wickednesse that Antichrist doth exeroise in killing of the faiâ—hâ—ul seâ—vants and Witnesses of Christ The words being unfolded we now come to give some observations from them First observe That the external forms 1 Observ of worship that Antichrist useth are but as a dead body or carkass Such was the Temple Priest-hood and worship of the Jewes when God had departed from them such also is all the worship service of Antichrist it 's not so much the superficies or external form that he doth oppose but the spirit of life that breathed forth in them by the Prophesie of the Witnesses As the bodie becoms a Karcase when the spirit life is departed so is the external and formall part of worship when the spirit of God hath departed from it The Apostle tells of a forme of godliness without the power thereof 2 Tim. 3.
5. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not put for the true forme or essence of godliness but for an externall profession and conformity thereunto by a meer resemblance vizard or shew of holinesse So all the formality of Antichrist doth consist in externall gestures behaviours rites and ceremonies without the pure efficacious powerfull inward worship of God in spirit and truth so all their formal profession is but as a dead body a Carkase without the life or spirit of Christ Secondly observe That it is not so 2 Observ much the outward forme or figures of worship that Antichrist seeks to suppresse as it is the spirit and testimonies of the Witnesses The world doth patch up their whole Religion from the externall formes or bodies of the witnesses these lye in every street of the great Citie in all the Territories and Dominions of the Antichristian Church There is not one street or part of the worldly church but hath store of these Monuments and Images of the worship and service of God that they have taken up from the Witnesses laying of them down when the Saints worship God in the inward Temple in the Wilderness then these Gentiles possesse themselves of the outward Court take it as their portion and use it at their pleasures As Mahomet tooke part of the Jewish customes and part of the Christians practice and so patch'd up his forme of worship So Antichrist hath taken the externall formes that the Witnesses had before exercised in and adding his own inventions makes up a formall R ligion that he sets up in all the streeâ—s and territories of the great Citie viz. the whole Antichristian Church So that there is no Church no State part or Dominion where Antichrist hath to do but there we may see the bodies of the Witnesses the forms and images of the worship that they have been exercised in and have layd aside Thirdly from the resemblance observ 3 Obser That Antichrist is full of spirituall uncleannesse and cursed cruelty All the pride gluttony fulnesse of bread and abundance of idlenesse and filthinesse of Sodome all the wick dnesse idolatry rage envie and malice of Aegypt doth but set forth the sinfulnesse of the man of sin the sonne of perdition yea all that abominable wickedness heightned spi itualized and grown more vile and mysterious as it is acted by Antichrist Here is the silthiness of Sodome the idolatry of Aegypt the oppression of Babylon in a mysterie all under the preteâ—ce of piety and godliness This Citie is called the greatwhore Rev. 17. 1. because of the multitudes of her spirituall fornications And the mother of harlots vers 5. being a teacher and nourisher of others in her silthy whoredoms bringing up children of whoredoms Also she hath in her hands the cup ful of abominations a glorious cup to allure others to drink the wine of her fornicatior and to partake with her in cursed idolatrous practices Besides the enmity rage and cruelty of the Beast is alwayes vexing and tormenting the Israel of God Here is the filthinesse of Sodome and the enmity of Aegypt practiced by Antichrist in the mystery of iniquity drawn up to the greatest pitch heightâ—ed to the utmost extreamity deposing Christ and his truths advancing flesh and sinne into Christs throne and so becomes beastly and most abominable Fourthly and lastly observe It is 4 Obser the very life spirit and image of Christ that Antichrist doth chiefly oppose in slaying the Witnesses It is not so much the persons or bodies of these Witnesses they of the world do so much oppose but the appearance and life of Christ in them it 's the same wickedness that put Christ to death in his person and it 's still the same wickedness that slayeth Christ in his Saints and truth The very name of Antichrist signifies one that opposes Christ if this were not his worke and aime he could not be Antichrist who indeed is one that fights against Christ under the very forme of Christ And as it 's Christ he aimes at so it 's Christ that is slain and crucified it 's our Lord his truth his image that 's slain in spiritual Sodome Aegypt And in as much as ' its Christ he crucifieth killeth great shall be the judgment of Babylon as wee may see in Chap. 17. when God shall recompence upon the man of fin the blood of the Prophets and the blood of the Saints and of all that were slame upon the earth vers 24. And last of all the Lord will reckon with Antichrist for the blood of Christ for crucifying the Lord af glorie Christ tels the Jewes that upon that generation should be brought all the blood of the Prophets and righteous men slain in former times because they succeded the former Persecutors finished their work and so became guilty of all the blood shed before so here Antichrist doth contract all the guilt of Sodome Aegypt and Babylon and of those that crucified Christ therefore upon him shall be recompenced the blood of all that were slain upon the earth So great shall be the fall and ruine of Antichrist that a mighty Angell of great force and power shall take a great milstone and cast iâ— into the sea and it shall be found no more Rev. 18. 21. A great milstone is very ponderous and weighty of it selfe and falleth with great force but much more if it be cast down with a strong hand and being in the bottom of the Sea it cannot be found any more neither will it rise again All which sheweth the exceeding violent and perpetuall destruction of Antichrist being guilty of the blood of all Saints yea and of crucifying the Lord himself VERS 9. And they of the people kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three dayes and a halfe and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves IN the former verse we heard of the place where the dead bodies lay now here we come to see what is the carriage of their Adversaries towards their dead bodies wherein we may consider these particulars First the persons exercised about these dead bodies and they are the people and Kindred and Tongues and Nations Secondly their carriages or actions towards these dead bodies and they are two First they shall see them Secondly they shall not suffer them to be put in graves Thirdly the time how long they shall thus behold these dead bodies and hinder their buriall and that is for three dayes and a halfe First concerning the persons exercised about these dead bodies and they are People Kindreds Tongues and Nations We may read the words partively thus Some of all people and kindreds c. which implies some principall ones viz. those of power strength wisdome authority rule These principall men of all Nations Kindreds and Tongues the most learned and wise the most eminent and honourable of all Nations the most choisest of men of the greatest of gifts and
abilities such as these shall be exercised about the dead bodies of the Witnesses There is not a man that hath a language gift tongue or dominion and rule but he is taken up and employed about these dead bodies These are the persons thus exercised Secondly how are they exercised about these dead bodies First They shall see them Secondly They shall not suffer them to be buried First they shall looke upon the dead bodies of the Witnesses not as the high Prie and the Jewes did upon Christ with disdaine and scorne Lu. 23. 25. The people with the Priests beholding of him derided him but rather these looke upon them with delight and affectation and as it 's expressed in the next verse they rejoyce over them they make these dead bodies or outward Carkase of heavenly things to be the very object of their joy and delight they live upon these Carkasses they uphold them as their very life and comfort Secondly they shall not suffer these dead bodies to be put in graves this commonly is done in dis-favour and scorn it was spoken it was spoken to the indignity of the Babylonian Monarchs that they should be cast out of their graves as on abominable branch Issa 14. 19. But I take the meaning here in the contrary sense that they kept these dead bodies above ground out of favour and liking that they might see them and satisfie themselves with such a pleasing object These are they that possess the outward Court and will not suffer the dead bodies to be buried the outward fleshly form of the Witnesses they will not let pass out of their sight it is their life and Religion the life and spirit of these things that were wont to torment them is departed and therefore they will not part with the externall forme that the Witnesses did once administer in These outward forms and figures of worship they will keep above ground and will not suffer them to be put in graves Abraham desired that when Sarah was dead shee might be buried out of his sight Gen. 23. 4. because the sight of his Wife was a griefe unto him but it is not so here with those that manage the cause of the Beast they preserve the dead bodies of the Witnesses that they may from the Carkass or formes of the Saints frame out and set up a Religion unto themselves and therefore though they slay the testimonie of the Witnesses that did vex and trouble them yet they keepe their bodies above ground that they might live and be comforted by them Thirdly how long these shall see their dead bodies and hinder their buriall that is three dayes and a halfe which is spoken indefinitely and undeterminate and as in Prophesie days are taken for years so here it is meant of three yeares and a halfe and so holdâ— proportion with the thousand two hundred and sixty dayes and 42. moneths and a time times and halfe a time For it cannot be meant that the Witnesses should prophesie three yeares and a half and at the end of their prophesie should be slain and lie dead three dayes and a halfe afterward But this three dayes and halfe in which the dead bodies of the Witnesses lie slaine and their dead bodies continue unburied is the same terme of time with that of the Witnesses prophesie even all the space that Antichrist doth possess the ouâ—ward Court and trample under foote the holy Citie The words being thus explained we proceed to the Observations which are these First That the power and greatness the 1 Observ wisdome and abilities of men are exercised about the dead bodies of the Witnesses What is all the studie and care that men take what do they spend their time and parts about but concerning these dead bodies yea the most excellent of men Nations Kindreds and Tongues these with all their dominion and greatness with all their learning and wisdome they are all employd about the Carkass or externall forme of things All the syllogisticall reasonings and disputes all the maximes and rules that worldly men are exercised in what are they but the very forme and figure the superficiall and externall part of those things that the Saints have in their time administred in now the Gentiles come to possess the outward Court and all their paines and endeavours they use about it to advance it and make it glorious in the earth Secondly observe That the great care that those of the Nations and Tongues c. take about the dead bodies of the Witnesses is to keepe them above ground The remembrance and sight of these are very deare and precious to the world these are their very life peace and joy they cannot live or enjoy themselves without them The externall formes of Religion that the Witnesses have sometimes given forth their testimonie by and having laid them aside the world doth with much greedinesse take up to use them and to make them their very stay comfort I have observed that the Saints did never cast aside any externall form of Religion that sometimes they have been exercised in but worldly Christians did readily embrace them they use them they keep them above ground and will not suffer them to be put in graves because they cannot subsist without these their very life and being is upheld by these dead bodies by these Carkasses or outward things Hence it is that when the Witnesses have cast aside some formall wayes of worship what is the question of worldly professors what Religion shall we be of now say they when shall we be setled Alas their Religion and life is gon if the external from be taken away They will not suffer these to be put in graves if they can with all their endeavonrs keep these bodies above ground and why the life and spirit of these things is departed with the Witnesses laying of them down so the world is willing to embrace them So long as the Witnesses used them and there was some spirit and life in them it tormented and vexed the worldly people they continually opposed the Witnesses in those very wayes and formes that now they take up themselves they only persecuted the spirit and testimony of the Saints but their Carkases they keep above ground for alas take away these you take away their Religion their life and all they have they have but the outward Court to possess and if you deprive them of that they have nothing left No wonder then if worldly Christians will not suffer the dead bodies of the Witnesses to be put in graves Now what is all the work and labour of those that manage the cause of the beast but this that after they have-slain the testimony of the Saints to advance the fleshly part and outward Carkass of heavenly things in relation to their owne advantage It 's said in vers 18. The nations were angry for his wrath is come and the time of the dead that they shouid be judged All the Ordinances and
Worships all the rules and authorities all the orders and services of Antichrist are but dead things and shall be judged as dead having nothing of the light of life of God in them Well may the nations be angry fret and vex and why the Lords wrath is come upon all Religion and glorious formes of worship they are judged but as dead bodies as empty Caâ—kâ—ses without any spirit or life at all and the glory of the worldly and carnall Church is now overturning and all is because it is but a dead Carkass and shall be consumed Thirdly In that these bodies lie unburied three dayes and a halfe observe That the dead bodies of the Witnesses are 3 Observ kept above ground all the time of Antichrists reigne As before their dead bodies viz. their outward formes of worship did lie in all the streets and dominions of Antichrist so also are they kept above ground in every age and period of time in which the beast doth reigne For these bodies have an agreement with the outward Court which is given to the Gentiles for forty two moneths This also is the time of the womans being driven into the wilderness a thousand two hundred and threesore dayes Chap. 12. 6. where she was nourished for a time times and halfe a time Ver. 14. So that these three dayes holds proportion with the forty two moneths the same time that Antichrist doth posses the outward Court so long doth he make make use of the bodies of the Witnesses Then it is not in some particular time or in some short period that the Beast shall rise up against the Witnesses but namely all time of his Raigne he shall make warre with the Saints slay their testimonie and make use of their dead bodies And though he could not endure the spirit truth that the Saints held forth yet hee knows how to make use of their externall forme and image which hee will not part withal so long as he is able to keepe it above ground untill the wrath of the Lamb come and that the dead shall be judged VERS 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 HEre wee have a farther carriage of the Adversaries towards the dead bodies of the Witnesses while they lye in the street of the great Citie and are kept from being interred or put in graves the men of the earth they rejoyce over them and make merry and send gifts one to another because these two Prophets are tormented c. In the opening of these words observe 1. The persons brought in here acting And they are they that dwell upon the earth 2. Their actions They rejoyce make merry and send gifts one to another 3. The reason of this their acting Because these two Prophets tormented them c. The first of these to be considered is who are meant by the persons that are here stiled the inhabitants of the earth These are meant of worldly Christans such as serve Antichrist they are onely earthly and carnall they are without the Temple of God they live in the synagoguâ— of Satan These are said to dwell upon the earth Rev. 12. 12. And Chap. 13. 8. The Antichristian Church and faction are said to dwell upon the earth because they are earthly and carnall in opposition to the Saints who are said to dwell in heaven The Witnesses are stiled such as dwell in heaven Chap. 18. 20. And those that worship the Beast being their opposites are stiled those that dwell upon the earth The Saints under heavenly enjoyments heavenly discoveries of truth and light these dwell in Heaven in the glorious Temple in the holy tabernacle of God But the Antichristian Church and all the members thereof are cast out of heaven unto the earth there they inhabite and dwell they favour of the earth having earthly enjoyments carnall delights their condition state worship and contentment consisting all of earthly things The earth is their portion and they make their habitation in it Secondly the carriage of these earthly men towards the Witnesses dead bodies they rejoyce over them make merry and send gifts one to another This is an allusion to the practice of the Jewes when they had procured deliverance from the contrivances of Haman they solemnly feasted rejoyced and made merry sending portions one to another Hest 18. 19. So when the Lord had restored unto the Jewes their land their Citie the Temple and worship The people went their way to eate and to drinke and to send portions and to make great mirth Neh. 8. 12. Suitable hereunto is that of the Prodigall who when he came home the Father for joy kils the fatted Calfe and they rejoyce and make merry together Luk. 15. 24. So here the inhabitauts of the earth doe so well resent their killing and overcoming the Witnesses as that they solemnly rejoyce and make merry even as those that have obtained someeminent deliverance or that have received some excellent good thing or as if they had obtained some great and notable victory they set up some Trophies or Ensignes of Conquest And this they expresse in a feastival manner They eate and drinke and are merry and send portions one to another The summe of all is this that when the Adversaries shall think upon the dead bodies of the Witnesses that they maintain and keep them above ground without the true life and spirit they shall excceedingly triumph and make feasts in token of joy as in the old time and if they doe not this literally yet they shall as much and as really rejoyce as they that did such things and not only so but do what they can to make others rejoyce with them 3. Consider the reason why they do thus rejoyce and that is Because these two Prophets tormented them that dwelt upon the earth Wee may read tormented or had tormented not that they rejoyced because they were tormented by these Prophets but because they had overcome and killed these Witnesses of God that had alwayes tormented them now they thought they were rid of them and should not be troubled with them any more therefore it is that they of the earth do so greatly rejoyce The Witnesses torment the earth by inflicting just punishment and reward upon those that worship the Beast Their very witnesse and testimony is a great torment to the world The wine of Gods wrath and the cup of his indignation shall torment the earth and what is all this but the powring forth of the Vials occasioned by the prophesie of the Witnesses As they turned waters into blood and plagued the Earth with all plagues as we heard before so they torment the earth by their witnesse and prophesie Good reason hath the world to rejoyce when they can hinder the course of their testimomonie and keepe their bodies out of graves to their owne advantage and
the ballance goes downe when the other goes up so the honour prosperity dignity of these witnesses and of carnall men are inconsistent one with the other Then this amazement falls irrisistibly upon worldly men fearfullnesse and astonishment doth surprize them all palenesse of face and sadnesse of heart strikes the men of the earth when they thought they had slaine these Saints so that they should never rise more they thought they had made an utter riddance never to heare of them never to see them more unlesse their dead bodies and carkases to make merry withall but now that these should revive and live againe the sight of this nay the very thought hereof is like a milstone that breaks them in pieces and doth make their hearts to melt and their spirits to faile within them VERS 12. And they heard a great voyce from heaven saying unto them come up hither and they ascended up to heaven in a cloud and their enemies beheld IN the former verse we heard of the witnesses resurrection here in this verse we come to treat of their ascention wherein we have an evident allusion to the resurrection and ascention of Christ And they heard a great voyce from heaven saying Come up hither c. In which words consider First the cause of the witnesses ascention They heard a voyce from heaven c. Secondly the ascention it selfe And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud Thirdly we have a speciall Adjunct of their ascention And their enemies beheld them We are no more to understand this ascention of theirs in the letter then we did of their resurrection but as we understood before a mysticall resurrection so now understand a mysticall ascention also Their killing was mysticall as being slaine in their testimony so of necessity we must understand their resurrection and ascention to be mysticall This having been formerly inculcated and now also premised that we are to enquire after a mysticall ascention We proceed to speak of the first thing viz. the cause or meanes of their ascention And they heard a voyce from heaven saying to them come up hither In these words observe First a voyce Secondly from whence it comes Thirdly to whom it speakes Fourthly what it speaks The first thing to be taken notice off is the voyce This voyce is no other then the very call of God the appointment of the Lord. The great voyce of his spirit 'T is not like the still voyce in which God did impart his minde to Eliah or the voyce speaking behinde his people but a great and mighty voyce like the sound of a Trumpet as it 's expressed in Revel 4. 1 2. This is a translating voyce changing the Saints into the voyce it selfe they are such as the voyce is as John confesses immediatly saith he I was in the spirit This voyce is the breathing forth of the spirit of God the spirit of the Lord appointing calling enabling directing the witnesses to ascend up to heaven and accordingly they doe ascend Secondly the place from whence this voyce cometh that 's from heaven that shews it is a most eminent powerfull and certaine voyce It 's the voyce of righteousnesse revealed from heaven it 's full of certainty the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it it 's full of excellency coming from the excellent glory it 's powerfull and full of majesty it comes from heaven and brings the power of heaven along with it it prevailes in the thing unto which it was sent it commands all it carries all before it All the power of the earth is not able to withstand this great voyce Thirdly take notice unto whom this voyce is sent it speaks unto them namely the witnesses and faithfull servants of the Lord. This voyce speaks onely to the holy ones of God none else can understand it's language Those that accompanied Paul in his way to Damascus in Act. 9. heard a voyce but saw no man neither did they understand the meaning of the voyce that was spoken to Paul So the men of the earth may heare the outward sound of this voyce but they understand it not neither is it spoken to them it 's onely spoken to the witnesses and they heare it it 's directed to them and they onely understand it Fourthly what direction doth this voyce give forth it calls the witnesses to ascend saying Come up hither As if the Lord had said Come my people you have been clothed in sackcloth and ashes you have been made the reproach of the world and the Gentiles have trampled you under their feet you have lived upon the authority and opinion of men you have lived much below in the earth you have lived too far and remote from my selfe you have mourned as in the absence of the bridegroome but now you shall live so no longer Come up hither live in me in my glory in my spirit in my strength in my kingdome you shall have liberty peace and joy in me come up to me from under the captivity of Babylon from under the oppression of Egypt from amidst the filthinesse of Sodome come now enjoy my selfe my wisdome my strength my kingdome you shall now live upon my holy mountaine and there shall be no destroying beast you shall not be destroyed by your adversaries neither shall the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomles pit be able to make war w th you to overcome and kill you any more Here is the voyce of the Lord powerfully calling the bosome of the Lord opened in goodnesse and love the face of God shining forth in beautie and sweetnesse the hand of the Lord effectually reached out here are the gates of the new Jerusalem and of the kingdome of Christ set wide open and all comprehended in this most excellent and precious in this most transcendent and glorious voyce of the Lord expressed in these words come up hither Thus we see by what means the witnesses are made to ascend The mighty voyce of the spirit of the Lord enabling calling and directing them It comes from heaven having the majesty power certainty of heaven with it It speaks to the witnesses only because they onely understand it therefore directed to them And the glorious direction it gives forth it calls up the poore despised servants of the Lord to live in the power and kingdome of Christ saying Come up hither We now goe on to that which follows The second thing to be considered is the ascention it selfe And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud In the consideration hereof wee may consider three things First their action they ascend Secondly the place whether that 's up to heaven Thirdly the manner of their ascention It 's in a cloud Their action is to ascend which signifies some greater accession of honor dignity greatnesse and prosperity When Nebuchadnezzar once said I will ascend up to heaven I will exalt my selfe above the clouds Isa 14. 14. it's meant that he would in his heart be greater in
the new Jerusalem the holy Citie Now all the services of formall professors and carnall Christians shall be disowned of God Esa 43. 20 21. And humane ministrie shall be abhorred vers 27 28. And Jerusalem shall be a burthensome stone breaking in pieces Kings and Kingdomes States and powers that shall take upon them to judge of spirituall things that shall intermeddle with Church-work or shall any wayes goe about to interpose between God and the spirits of men Because none can none shall reigne over the Saints but the Lord himselfe Man hath had his time of power and dominion but now he is to give account of his Stewardship and reigne no longer The riches the glorie the strength the dominion of the world are Christs he hath let out these to man to be imployed but the men of the world have abused them these have been used in opposition to Christ therefore Christ will recover these to himselfe againe he will come and redeeme these from Antichrist from Babylon from the power of darknesse and all these kingdomes of this world shall immediatly become the kingdomes of our Lord and his Christ The Lord shall take all owne all possesse all and his Saints shall possesse all iâ— him he must raigne and they shall reigne with him The whole earth is the Lords and he will put his people into possession of all that 's good excellent and glorious All the kingdomes of the world shall become our Lords and his anointed ones I shall now proceed to shew the effects that follow in which I shall give you a briefe Paraphrasticall sence of the following verses and so conclude Because the Lord raignes and we shall reigne with him what is the issue VERS 16. And the foure and twenty Elders which sat before God on their seats fell upon their faces and worshipped God IN this Verse observe three things First the title given to the servants of the Lord his anointed ones they are called Elders because the Lord doth appeare with them and in them with much gravity and majesty by his glorious indwellings of his everlasting Spirit These be his Ancients as the Prophet calls them Esa 24. 23. before whom the Lord doth appeare Saints taken up into the Ancient of dayes living in the eternall spirit these are called the Ancients the Elders of the Lord. Secondly Their number twenty-foure The number of the Apostles were twelve but here is the number of twenty-foure answerable both to the twelve Tribes and also to the twelve Apostles Suitable hereunto is that place Revel 21. 12. 14. In the description of the new Jerusalem it 's sayd That upon the twelve gates thereof were the names of the twelve Tribes and upon the twelve foundations the names of the twelve Apostles which doth demonstrate that the Spirit of God shall appeare in a double measure twice as much as in the Apostles these shall have a fuller measure of the Spirit The names the vertues the gifts the graces both of the twelve Tribes and twelve Apostles shall be engraven upon these anointed ones These shall enjoy a double measure of the Spirit they shall not appeare as twelve but as twenty-foure Elders before the Lord. These are they which sat before God as having rule and dominion with him Thirdly We have their posture and action they fell upon their faces and worshipped God 1. They fell on their faces that sheweth their humility and selfe-deniall as disclaiming all fleshly glory and excellency they doe as it were put their faces in the dust as abhorring their own beauty and excellency 2. They wership God the time was they did worship men and meanes they adored selfe creature but now they cast off their idols of Gold and their idols of silver which they made each one for himselfe to worship to the moles and to the bats as the Prophet speakes Esa 2. 20. And now they exalt the Lord alone they worship him and him onely The voyce of praise follows VERS 17. We give thee thanks O Lord God Almighty which art and wast and art to come because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned HEre likewise three things are considerable First The praises of the Saints we give thee thankes c. They sing the song of deliverance and joy of triumph and victory saying we thanke thee O Lord not to us not to man not to creature be the praise but to thee O Lord thou onely deservest all praise O Lord God Almightie therefore we will praise thee onely The Saints exalted into the liberty and glory of Christs kingdome they sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb Revel 15. 2. They give thankes for deliverance and salvation-Their hearts and their mouths are full of divine praises they sound forth Halelujahs and sing aloud the glory of the Lord. Secondly They praise him who is the everlasting and eternall being which art and wast and art to come Here we have the very circle of eternitie that is most comprehensive and doth comprehend both the beginning and end of all things The Lord was before all creatures and shall abide alwayes though all creatures should perish from him all creatures had their being and to him they are referred as their utmost end Therefore the Lord is worthy of all praise being before all things by whom all things are and to whom all things tend the Lord is the beginning being and end of all things meeting and concentering together Thirdly The ground of their praise Because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned As if they had sayd Lord thou hast given thy power to others thou hast let Satan Antichrist and wicked men reigne on the earth but now thou hast taken thy power to thy selfe again and hast wrested it out of the hands of earthly men that have abused it and thou wilt use it thy selfe The men of the earth have reigned by wisdome policy by plots carrying on their own designes but the Lord will reigne in truth and righteousnesse It must needs be matter of great joy unto the earth that the Lord will reigne for while man reigned there was nothing but oppression on the earth but the Lord rules reignes with deliverance and salvation It followeth VERS 18. And the Nations were angry and thy wrath is come and the time of the dead that they should be judged and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the Prophets and to the Saints and them that feare thy Name small and great and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth FRom these words take notice First how the adversaries vex and fret and doe even rage in furie and madnesse and good reason they have so to doe for the time of their dead was come that they should be judged all dead power rule and authority all dead ordinances and services all the dead wayes and practises of Antichrist these must all be judged condemned and destroyed all things that have
The Mystery of the two WITNESSES UNVAILED Wherein wee have a Description of their persons time acts death and office manner of prophecie sufferings resurrection With the Consequences that follow TOGETHER With the seaventh Trumpet and the Kingdome of Christ explained by JOHN ROBOTHAM Preacher of the Gospel in Dover LONDON Printed by M. S. for G. and H. Eversden at the Greyhound in St Pauls Church-yard 1654. TO HIS EXCELLENCY the Lord Generall CROMWELL c. MY LORD IT is not for any worth performed on my part that I have taken the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or boldness here to prefix your name but rather from the subject matter of this ensuing Discourse it being an Exposition of the mystery of the two Witnesses wherein we have a description of their persons and prophesie their time and actions their death and resurrection together with the consequences that follow thereupon all which I humbly conceive may be very suitable for you As well for the greatnesse of your place and imployment as it 's necessary to be retained in your knowledge and judgment Therefore in the first place I present this to your Excellency as unto a choise faithfull witness of the Lord and after to all those that give forth their testimony for the truth and authority of Christ against the falshood and usurpation of Antichrist It 's most certain as the Apostle doth affirme that Antichrist shall be destroyed by the brightnesse of Christ's coming which is no other then his coming forth in the bright beames and glorious rayes of divine light shining forth in his people The Saints of the most High by the testimony they give forth are the rod of his mouth and the breath of his lips Whereby he will bruise his enemies and breake them in pieces Thus the true Spirit of Christ in the Saints shall darken and dry up that counterseit and corrupt Spirit of Antichrist that is abroad in the world But not withstanding the power and authority of the Beast shall be dissipated and broken as it were vi armis And hence it is that in these times the Lord hath appeared among us as a mighty man of warre clothed with his zeale as with a garment and hath indued his people with such masculine vertue strength that their hornes have been as iron and their hoofs as brasse whereby they have threshed the Mountaines and the hills as Chaffe And this they have not done by power or might but by the Spirit of the Lord. It was the glorious appearance of GOD in the midst of his people that hath subdued these three Nations Now though Dutch Dane and French should combine against us yet shall the arme of the LORD awake for his people and shall as in former dayes cut Rachah and wound the Dragon he shall dry up the sea and the waters of the great deep It 's not an arme of flesh can doe this but a divine presence with an Army with whom are the hearts affections prayers and spirits of the Saints with a sweet complyance gathered up into and going along with them This causes the shout of king to be in the midst of us though the king in his person be taken away yet the everlasting King lives and shall take to himself his great power and raigne It 's a most undeniable truth that the sword hath been the originall of all kinds forms of government in the world it 's the mother of all power protection and preservation When any disturbance doth arise in a kingdome or Common-wealth whither do they run but unto a military power for succour and defence as not being able to subsist untill they do as it were resolve into their first principles And though the sword in it's selfe be a dark and sad dispensation eating flesh and drinking bloud it 's proper worke being to wast and destroy yet when t is accompanied with wisdom righteousness goodness and justice it becom good and desireable My Lord I have but three words more to speake The first is of you The second to you The third for you That of you is That the Lord hath so far honor'd you as to make you an instrument of glorious atchievements and hath made you head of your brethren and hath given you a name with the great ones of the earth but above all he hath bestowed on you the spirit of his Son which makes you most acceptable to himselfe and precious in the eyes of his people It 's a true saying Honor est in potestate hono heart and make it suitable to your worke that your will may be drawn forth to the extent of the divine will that your soule may have a true sympathy with God that your heart may be fortified against all stormes without feares within and that you may cast down your wisdome valour honour succeste at the feet of Christ so shall you take all up againe with unspeakeable advantage What ever you expend sor Christ in Christ you shall finde it againe Now that you may enjoy all in Christ spend all for him is the desire of him who shall indeavor to be in all faithfulnesse Your Excellency's humble servant JOHN ROBOTHAM To the Reader THe importunity of diverse Friends caused me to suffer these notes to passe abroad into the world they were taken by writing from my mouth my time and occasions would not permit to cast them into such a forme as would have best becomed the presse therefore thou shalt meet with truth coming forth in it's owne nakednesse without the clothing of humane Eloquence As for the matter it 's mysterious and therefore if in any thing wherein I may possibly be mistaken thy candour and ingenuity is desired to passe it by If thou art Criticall and thy aime be onely to espie out the faults either of the Writer Printer or Preacher I suppose thy time would be more advantagiously spent to search out the defects of thy own heart If thou wilt accept of it as it 's presented to thee with the right hand it 's all that 's desired by him that shall remaine thine in any office of love JOHN ROBOTHAM The Contents of the following Treatise concerning the principall things therein contained SIx things from the Book of the Revelation observed 1. The Author who indited it Pag. 2. 2. The Messenger who brought it idem 3. The Pen-man which writt it p. 3. 4. The forme into which it is cast id 5. The matter that is containes p. 4. 6. The parties unto whom it 's directed id The summe of the whole Chapter p. 5. From verse 1. we have 1. Johns call to measure p. 6 7. 2. His qualification p. 8. 3. The things to be measured 1. The Temple p. 9. 2. The Altar p. 10. 3. The worshippers p. 11. Observations from the words 1. Ob That the Lord doth suitably prepare his people to receive such things as himselfe doth impart unto them p. 12 13 14. 2. Ob
but presently are throwne down againe from their station These can but startle and affright men these have but the image of the beast that could devour and destroy These have more will to inflict punishment then they have power to effect These have the nature and spirit of the former beast but not the authority and power This halfe day is called the dividing of a time because the Saints are not absolutely in bondage under Ecclesiasticall lawes and humane constitutions this image being but as a dead Lyon that cannot really hurt nor destroy neithr are the Saints wholly free from suffring because they groane under the spirit of envie and malice of malignity and bitternesse and such like persecutions as these they endure under the forme of the image Sixtly and lastly Those that mannage the cause of the image carry forth the whole worke in the wisdome reason power and strength of the creature they act all by vertue of fleshly principles and carnall abilities They performe all by the name and number of the beast This is plainly expressed in Revel 13. 17 18. these have his name and the number of his name and his number is but the number of a man which amounts to six hundred threescore and six His number is not the number of God which is seven which is a number of perfection and rest Christ hath the seven spirits of God being filled with all perfection of wisdome and knowledge but his number is the number of mâ—n and containes no more then the wisdome knowledge and invention of man it onely takes in those things that are within the power and compasse of man it is the number of weaknesse and imperfection of the bondage and labour of the creature acting from the poor low and darke principles of carnall reason and of the first Adam So that the Ecclesiasticall forme or Church state that Antichrist sets up is wholly fleshly consisting meerly of a carnall Church humane ministry naturall gifts invented ordinances secular power worldly government and the like Thus all they act all they enjoy is but the number of a man weake low and carnall Thus we have those described that make an image unto the beast Now give me leave a little to recapitulate we told you that forty two moneths did hold proportion with three dayes and a halfe which doth import the severall dayes or ages or periods of time of the powerfull raigne of the man of sin And though there hath been from the beginning that evill spirit of Antichrist constantly opposing the Lord and his truth yet the power and raigne of Antichrist hath it's prefixed time and comes forth under severall shapes and figures as first under the appearance of a Dragon secondly of a Leopard thirdly of a beast with two hornes and lastly under the forme of an image The three first of these have each of them his whole dayâ— and the image his halfe day And thus Antichrist flâ—es out of one forme and likenesse into another doth alwayes appeare under some fair vizard or gloriâ—us pretence of piety and religion while he doth act in a mystery of iniquity The whorish woman is sayd to be clothed with purple and scarlet colour and decked with gold and pretious stmes and pearle Revel 17. 4. which are the very excellencies of nature and aâ—t the glory of all her servicâ—s formes of worship these being her ornaments she is adorned as the spouse of Christ though she be a counâ—erfâ—it strumpet for upon her head is mystery that is all the head and glory of her excellencies is but a mystery of iniquity to all that are made drunke with the cup of her sornication or spirituall idolatries and superstitions and discerne them not And thus Antichrist by his craft and subtilty is furnished with all deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse But yet know that when Antichrist is forced to set up an image unto the beast that he is put to his last shift and refuge that he hath but a short time he hath almost played his last game he hath but halfe a time a halfe day Therefore the time is nigh it doth already appeare that Christ will come forth in bâ—ames and brightnesse to destory this man of sin this son of perdition and all his Saints shall sing Halelujah saying the Lord God omnipotent shall raigne for ever Vers 3. And I will give power unto my two witnesses and they shall prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes clothed in sackcloth HAving shewed that by the Temple Altar and worshippers are meant Gods divine presence with his people the pure services and true worshippers these the Lord would have measured for such as he would owne during the whole raigne of Antichrist But for the outward Court all false worship and all externall formes that the Gentiles were exercised in neither of these would the Lord owne but that they should be cast forth and not measured at all Now wee are to proceed to open the mystery of the witnesses In this verse we are to take notice of these particulars First From whom these witnesses receive power to testifie against Antichrist that is from the Lord I will give power c. Secondly The title given unto them they are called Witnesses Thirdly Their number they are two Fourthly Their office in which they are to be imployed they shall prophesie Fiftly The manner and state in which they shall officiate that is in sackcloth Sixtly and lastly The duration and continuance of their prophesie and that is a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes The first thing that we are to enquire of is who doth impower these witnesses to performe their office of prophesie and that is the Lord himselfe I will give saith the Lord God gives what the witnesses have The Lord doth impower them to give forth their testimony and none besides himselfe can inable them for that worke Now I shall first shew who doth enable the witnesses to prophesie and then secondly by what meanes he doth so enable them First The Lord gives forth the spirit of propeesie and that two wayes First originally from himselfe secondly mediately by Christ as Mediator First The gift of prophesie cometh originally from God himselfe he being the father of lights from whom every good gift descendeth Jam. 1. 17. Hence it is that those speeches are so frequently used in the old Testament Heare the word of the Lord Thus saith the Lord and the word of the Lord came unto me and the like All which doth signifie that the Prophets received their prophetical revelations from the Lord. To this purpose we may observe that phrase in Ezek. 20. 46. Son of man set thy face toward the South and drop thy word toward the South and prophesie c. And the like speech is that of Moses My doctrine shall drop as the raine my speech shall distill as the dew as the small raine upon the tender hearb as the showers upon the grasse Deut. 32.
use From the words thus opened take these few Observations First observe That the people that 1 Observ serve Antichrist are earthly and carnall They are a generation that doe arise from the earth and they are earthly they neither know nor favour the things of God Their Church is carnall their Ordinances are but inventions their Government is but a worldly power all the whole forme of service and worship is but of an earthly and humane institution Their wisdome and knowledge is but of the flesh the wisdome of this world and of the first Adam they are not endued with wisdome from on high All their parts and gifts are but acquired and made up by art and science they are not the pure gifts of the spirit but of a false annoynting of a common spirit Indeed these may cause fire to come downe from heaven in the sight of men as it 's said Chap. 13 13. pretending they have the spirit of God when they have but a false and seducing spirit to draw Proselites to themselves So that all the things these enjoy are but carnall Churches invented Ordinances humane gifts worldly governments all proceeding from the earth are earthly and shall be cast forth into the Earth againe Secondly observe That the greatest 2 Observe joy that Antichrist hath is over the dead bodies of the Witnesses The greatest expression of the joy and rejoycing of earthly people is in slaying of the Witnesses when they can overcome and trample upon their Testimonie when they can suppresse the spirit of God in them and stop them in the course of their prophesie then they will rejoyce over their dead bodies and make their Carkasses their very life and glory These of the Earth have no quiet or peace in themselves untill by their power and wickednesse they have crucified the very apperance of God in these two Prophets and when having slaine their testimonie and set up their Carkass as their form of Religion then they rejoyce they stir up one another to triumph and exult they comfort one another in this great victory Oh what great rejoycing hath there been in all ages when the world and men of the earth could at any time suppresse these Witnesses it hath been their greatest aime and ambition and when they have accomplished it it hath been their greatest joy and rejoycing Thirdly observe That the Witnesses 3 Obser by their prophesie doe most of all torment the men of the earth The Earth and the Inhabitants thereof could rejoyce in their earthly enjoyments in all their carnall actings and humane inventions were it not for the testimony of the Witnesses these continually vexe and trouble earthly Christians and worldly Professors The men of the Earth would take much comfort and contentment in all their fleshly worship and formality but that these Witnesses are always giving in their testimonie against their falsenesse and emptinesse of all their performances But when these come and say this is Antichristian to tell the world their Church is carnall their Ordinances invented their gifts and abilities are but humane and their government but worldly this doth exceedingly enrage and torment the men of the earth Thus they turn their sweete waters into blood and contention as we heard before and plague the earth with all plagues they pour out whole vials of wrath upon all the worships and ways of Antichrist Thus we see as the men of the earth doth overcome and slay the Witnesses so these Witnesses make their part good against their Adversaries They reward Babylon as she hath rewarded them and in the cup wherein she hath filled they fill to her double Revel 18. 6. And as she hath glorified her selfe and triumphed over the Witnesses so great shall be her torment her punishments shall be answerable to her pride and tyranny Therefore when the Witnesses shall by the word of their testimonie cause vials of wrath to fall upon Antichrist then shall the men of the earth be scorched with great beate and shall gnaw their tongues for paine and blaspheame Grd because of their soares and their paines Rev. 16. 9 10 11. Their hearts shal be enraged with rancour and malice as burning with fire they shall speak evil of God and gave their tongues for anguish and vexation of spirit Thus do the witnesses by their prophesie vexe and torment the Inhabitants of the earth VERS 11. And after three dayes and a halfe the spirit of life from God entred into them and they stood upon their feet and great feare fell upon them that saw them VVE have spoken of the witnesses prophesying in sackcloth of their death slaying which was a time of mourning sadnesse to them but of joy and triumph to their adversaries who sport and rejoyce over their dead bodies Now cometh a season wherein these poore despised witnesses shall exult and be glad when their enemies shall be vexed tormented for when they had slaine the faithfull witnesses of Christ they thought never to heare of them more but that which will damp all their mirth jollitie is this these witnesses shall stand upon their feet and rise againe Now of their resurrection we are to consider First the time when they shall rise and that 's After three dayes and a halfe Secondly the cause or meanes by which they shall rise and that is The spirit of life from God entred into them Thirdly we have their resurrection it selfe expressed in these words And they stood upon their feet Fourthly and lastly we have the consequent or sequell thereof And great feare fell upon them that saw them Concerning the time or season of the rising of these witnesses it 's expressed by three dayes and a halfe which terme of time hath been opened already and as you heard holds proportion with forty two moneths And with 1260 dayes and with a time times and halfe a time All the time of the powerfull raigne of the beast the witnesses prophesie in sackcloth they are alwaies killing and slaying they lie dead in the great Citie and their bodies are kept above ground for the space of three dayes and a halfe which holds a just proportion with the time of the womans being in the wildernesse in Chap. 12. 14. expressed by a time times and halfe a time After which time of sorrow and sadnesse that shall befall these witnesses they shall rejoyce for they shall rise againe Now in that it 's sayd After three dayes and a halfe it doth seem to imply an earnest expectation in the witnesses of their resurrection when the time shall draw neer when the last period of time shall come of their sadnesse and mourning then suddenly they shall expect a time of rising and rejoycing Before the time they cannot expect deliverance but when it draweth neer then they are exceedingly taken up in the expectation of it Secondly the cause or meanes of their resurrection The spirit of life from God entred into them After this 〈◊〉
at last the waters arose to that height that they became a mighty river wherein a man might swim and without which he could not passe over them So that the Saints under the first second third Trumpets did all hold forth a profession of the truth and according to their measures did give a testimony thereunto though but in some small weake and faint discoveries of it and more in the letter then in the spirit These were glorious lights also in respect of the darknesse of those ages and generations they lived in but yet in respect of that light discovered and that declaration of the truth made out by the Saints under the sixt and seventh Trumpet they were under much darknesse and weaknesse not being come up to that degree of light that the Lord hath of late discovered and will make knowne unto his people Thirdly observe There shall be a most 3 Observ compleat and glorious discovery and declaration of truth made out by the Saints under the seventh Trumpet The seven Trumpets are all comprehended in one the last Trumpet includes all the former Seven as you heard is the number of perfection and rest So all the Trumpets are involved and wrapt up in this last The seventh seale is the highest revelation of truth the seventh Trumpet is the highest and most perfect declaration by which the Saints do proclaime and make it forth Suitable unto this is that Prophesie Esa 30. 26. Moreover the light of the Moone shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun shall be sevenfold as the light of seven dayes So that here is seven dayes brought into one day and one day shall have the light of seven So that the last and highest discovery of truth shall comprehend all the former The seventh and last Trumpet signifies the highest declaration of the glory of God the truth and kingdome of Jesus that ever the Saints publish or sing forth it is the breaking forth of the highest praises and greatest glory of God In this great and last dispensation the Saints obtaine a fuller measure of the spirit then ever they are now sevenfold more enabled to proclaime the glory power and kingdome of Christ then ever they could doe in former time Fourthly from the great voyces heard in heaven observe That the Saints 4 Observ fully risen and ascended up into heavenly injoyments at the finall destruction of Antichrist shall with one harmonious and sweet consent sound forth the praises and glory of Christ'â— kingdome Indeed the Saints could alwayes sing while they prophesied in sackcloth but it was like David when he sung of his deep waters so it was of their afflictions and sufferings as Paul and Silas sung in prison they had weake and faint joy in the middest of their sufferings But now the Saints in heaven they cry out they sing aloud and shout for joy These voyces be full of power and authority the world and it's strength and foundation trembles to heare them the riches the strengths the powers the governments of men are shaken by them So great and powerfull are these voyces that as it was said of Israel of old The voyce of a King is among them they sing forth the grace the excellency the authority and glory of Christ's kingdome saying The kingdomes of this world are become our Lords c. The Saints are sayd in Revel 15. 3. To sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. As Moses sung forth the praises of God for delivering his people Israel and destroying their enemies the Aegyptians Exod. 15. so his people shall sing forth the praises of his power and greatness for delivering them from Antichrist's yoke and tyranny And the song of the Lamb who worketh great and marvellous things to the destruction of Antichrist whose cruelty and oppression he had long suffered They shall extoll him as being King of Saints and shall acknowledge him just in his judgements punishing Antichrist and in his wayes true in performing all his promises made unto his people Having given you the observations from the former part of the verse namely from the seventh Trumpet and the voyces heard in heaven I now proceed to speake of the subject matter of these voyces The kingdomes of this world are become the kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall raigne for ever and ever These words containe a glorious proclamation or declaration of the kingdome and raigne of Christ wherein we may take notice of these six particulars to be enquired into First What is meant by the kingdomes of this world Secondly How these kingdomes have been detained from Christ Thirdly How Christ will recover these kingdomes to himselfe Fourthly By what right Christ shall possesse them Fiftly The manner or nature of Christs raigne Sixtly The time and duration of his raigne Concerning the first thing namely what is meant by the kingdomes of this world we may easily perceive what they are by opposing them to the kingdome of Christ for these kingdomes of the world are diametrically opposit and contradistinct to the kingdome of Christ The kingdome of Christ is of a heavenly and spirituall nature Rom. 14. 17. It 's King Laws government and subjects are all spirituall it 's set up and advanced by no humane force or power but by that which is meerly divine Dan. 2. 45. Now the kingdomes of this world are called the kingdomes of men consisting of externall glory riches strength government policy that men by humane power have set up and doth act by In a word all the wisdome and policy all rule and government all power and strength all Constitutions and Lawes all the riches and glory of men of these are made up and formed the kingdoms of this world called the kingdomes of men Dan. 4. 25. consisting of worldly greatnesse externall glory humane policy outward strength advanced into the forme of rule government acted and brought forth by man this is the state glory and kingdome of the world Secondly How these kingdomes have been detained from Christ and that 's thus whereas Christ hath given forth his power by earthly men as by Kings and Princes of the earth according to that place in Pro. 8. 15 16. By me Kings reigne and Princes decree justice by me Princes rule and Nobles even all the Judges of the earth These have been the substitutes and deputies of Christ having received all their wisdome their strength their authority and dominion from him the Lord hath by these administred unto the world even by carnall fleshly wicked men by the Kings of the earth the Lord hath not administred by his people but by those that have raigned as Kings and Princes of the world Now this being so these Kings of the earth have committed fornication with the whore Rev. 17. 2. having mixed and joyned their power with hers and have with one consent and minde given up their power and strength unto
Throne endureth for ever and it shall never expire let the enemies thereof use what craft or policie they will they shall never destroy it The God of heaven saith the Prophet shall set up a kingdome which shall never be destroyed neither shall it be left to other people but it shall stand for ever Dan. 2. 44. If that of the Apostle be objected where he saith that Christ shall deliver up the kingdome to God even the Father 1 Cor. 15. 24. I answer that this doth nothing at all impeach the everlastingnesse of Christ's kingdome for the meaning of it is this that when Christ shall have finished his worke destroyed all his enemies and have compleated his worke upon his Saints then he shall cease to raigne any longer as Mediator he shall cease to administer according to his present dispensation and office then God shall be all in all God shall be all to his Saints by the immediate and glorious communication of his light and glory and Saints shall enjoy the all of God his wisdome his goodnesse his love and the like So that however the Mediatorship of Christ shall cease when he hath finished his worke and office and the dispensatory part of his kingdome shall cease yet in respect of the nature and being it shall be for ever and ever The raigne of God shall be to eternity and Châ—â—st shall raigne in the Father and Saints in Christ so that God and Christ and his Saints shall raigne for ever and ever The Apostle doth stile Christ to be a King eternall and immortall 1 Tim. 1. 17. Christs kingdome is immortall because it is not subject to succession it 's not liable to be devolved and rould downe to after-comers which Daniel expresseth thus His kingdome shall not be left unto other people that is it shall not be translated from man to man and at last quite dissolved And the Apostle doth not onely call Christ an immortall King but also an eternall King his kingdome shall hold on constantly throughout all Centuries and ages of the world there is no period of time that shall cause it to expire give up the ghost but it shall attaine to it's full beautie and perfection it shall never decline or decay but shall last beyond all ages and times it shall endure for ever and ever But now concerning the glorious raigne of Christ upon the downfall of Antichrist the time expressed to be a thousand yeares Revel 20. And it 's prophesied of Christ in Esa 60. 15. that he should be the joy of many generations both this expression of many generations and of a thousand yeares are an indefinit number to expresse the very large and spacious time wherein Christ shall rule in and by his Saints when he shall appeare before his Ancients gloriously and all the Elders before his Throne shall worship him If it be objected from Revel 20. 4. That those that had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and the word of God c. These lived and raigned with Christ a thousand yeares this being the first resurrection and the rest of the dead lived not againe I answer that it cannot be meant that the persons of those that were beheaded for Jesus and refused to worship the beast or his image should bodily raigne with Christ but that God will raise up a people of the same spirit with those that suffered for the testimony of Jesus Thus Elias was sayd to come againe in John the Baptist And thus the Lord tells Daniel that he should stand in the lot at the end of the dayes when his prophesie should be fulfilled All Saints gathered up into one spirit they make but one And thus we have the Prophet speaking And the Lord my God shall come and all the Saints with thee Zech. 14. 5. When the glory of God shall appeare more glorious in the Saints in the time of his spirituall raigne the glory of all the former Saints shall be gathered up in them and appeare most gloriously The resurrecteon here spoken off is meant of a resurrection from shame and reproach the witnesses rising from their sadnesse and sackcloth and ascending into the glory of Christ's kingdome And when the seventh Trumpet shall sound and the glory of the Lord be fully discovered and layd open then all that heare the glorious sound of the everlasting Gospel shall live but the rest of the dead that heare not the voyce of the seventh Trumpet or that great proclamation of the truth and glory of Christ they shall not live untill the thousand yeares be past Againe if it be objected from Ezek. 37. 21 22 23 24 25. That the Lord hath promised to call the Jewes and gather them into their owne Land and make them one Nation and David their King shall raigne over them I answer this prophesie is of a spiritual and mysticall interpretation for the land of Messiah are the Saints of whom the land of Canaan was a type for if we take it litterally that the Jewes should rebuild Jerusalem and dwell peculiarly in the land of Canaan then also it must be meant that David and not Christ should be King over them But we know that the promise doth onely borrow expressions from the state of the Jewish Church but it shall be fulfilled in spirit for he is a Jew which is one inwardly Rom. 2. 28. The Jewes shall be called when the fulnesse of the Gentiles shall come Rom. 11. 25. which is not meant as if God would first finish his work among the Gentiles and then call the Jewes as a peculiar people but that the Jewes should be brought in with the fulnesse of the Gentiles when Antichrist shall be ruined and that which letteth be taken out of the way and the everlasting Gospel goe forth with freedome in the fulnesse and abundance of the Gentiles shall the Jewes finde acceptance also Now from all that hath been said of the kingdome and raigne of Christ observe That Christ will come and raigne Obser gloriously in his people subduing all his enemies advancing his Saints unto the glory and dignity of his owne kingdome Christ will take to himselfe all power rule strength riches glory peace joy and whatsoever is good and will bestow it upon his owne Satan and wicked men have reigned long but now they shall cease to reigne any longer The whole earth shall be filled with the righteousnesse goodnesse and glory of God and the anointed ones of the Lord shall reigne and the Saints shall reigne with him for ever as it 's sayd Revel 5. He hath made us Kings and Priests to our God and we shall reigne on the earth The strength glory riches of the Gentiles shall be given unto us we shall no longer be subject to Satan and wicked men but we shall be brought into the glorious libertie of the sons of God and shall live in the new heaven and new earth wherein dwells righteousnesse our habitation shall be
not the spirit and life of God in them all these must be judged well may the world then vex and rage and gnaw their â—ongues for paine This is the reason of all that bitternesse malice sury and madnesse that is in the hearts of men at this day what makes them vexing and fretting but that all things they set up maintaine enjoy and take pleasure in are judged and condemned for dead power dead ordinances dead gifts all things of man are judged to be dead When the Lord comes to judge the earth confusion and a consuming fire goes before his face Psal 97. 2. which must needs make that judgement very dreadfull and terrible to all formall powers and fleshly actings especially because the Saints shall judge the world yea and Angells also 1 Cor. 6. 2 3. They shall judge men and things of highest principles and places those things that carry a civill or spirituall excellency upon them shall be judged by the Saints What follows Secondly The Saints are rewarded and advanced And that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the Prophets and to the Saints and them that feare thy Name small and great As the portion of the world is vexing fretting cursing and wrath so the portion of Saints is love goodnesse blessings thankesgivings The dreadfull day of doome and darknesse of judgement and confusion unto the world is a day of light and joy of comfort and reward unto the Saints The worlds trouble and ruine is the Saints peace and salvation Though the Lord come in fire and wrath to destroy Antichrist yet he comes in love and mercy to save Sion and therefore when he comes forth and a devouring fire burning up his enemies round about Psal 97. 3. Yet Sion heard and was glad and the daughter of Judah rejoyced because of his judgements vers 8. The Saints have been a long time under oppression shame and persecution now the Lord will reward them and give them light for darknesse strength for weaknesse glory for shame they shall now receive reward and praise for all their former sorrow and sufferings The Saints shall rejoyce in heaven for the vengeance powred out upon Antichrist Therefore rejoyce over her thou heaven and ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you on her Revel 18. 20. When the Kings of the earth and Merchants mightie and rich men shall weep and wayl and cry alas alas then shall the Saints here called the holy Apostles and Prophets rejoyce and sing because the ruine and fall of these shall be their joy and reward Thirdly The Lord will not onely judge the dead principles practices ordinances and powers of Antichrist and give reward unto his servants but also will destroy the Antichristian partie And shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth The word translated destroy signifies corrupt that is Those that have managed the cause of Antichrist have corrupted the earth according as it 's said in Revel 19. 2. The great whore did corrupt the earth with her fornication That is by her sosseries and fornications she hath corrupted the minds of the men of the earth drawing them aside from the Lord by the intoxicating wine of her fornication she hath blinded the mindes adulterated the affections and polluted the hearts of the men of the world and have made them to serve Satan the God of this world These that have managed the cause of the beast and have thus corrupted the earth shall be destroyed This destruction is not so much meant of a bodily destruction as of place and power these that have by their power rule by their deceit and falshood corrupted the earth these in their dignity office rule and authoritie shall all be slaine It followeth VERS 19. And the Temple of God was opened in heaven and there was seen in the Temple the Arke of his Testament and there was lightnings and voyces and thunderings an earthquake and great hail COnsider three things from these words First The Temple of God opened The time was it was shut up as once the Temple of Jerusalem was under Ahaz 2 Chron. 28. 24. So this spirituall Temple was shut up when it was measured in vers 1. When the outward Court or visible face of things were in the hands of the Gentiles vers 2. The Church was driven into the Wildernesse for many yeares into desert places there to be nourished for a time from the face of the Serpent that sought to devoure her But now the Temple is set open as of old it was by Hezekiah 2 Chron. 29. 3. Thus it 's said of the new Jerusalem that the gates should not be shut Revel 21. 25. And the reason is because there shall be no night nor danger the gates shall stand open continually This noteth the free accesse for multitudes of Saints to enter in to the new Jerusalem without impediment or stop Not as in times of persecution when they sought to worship the Lord in corners but they shall come and enter freely and boldly and that without let or molestation So that the woman shall no more be driven into the Wildernesse and shut up there but the Temple of God shall be set open and there shall be a free and great accesse unto it Secondly That which appeared in the Temple was the Arke of his Testament As the Temple was opened so the Arke was made visible which was shut from the eyes of men under the old Testament 1 King 6. 19. It was very seldome seen and that by the high-Priest onely the Arke was a pledge of Gods presence with his people and denotes unto us the mysteries of truth which formerly lay hid but now are made manifest The great high-Priest hath opened the Temple and made visible the Arke by making knowne the mysteries of truth In former time the Church was in the Wildernesse the Gentiles possessed the outward Court le ts of truth were discovered onely something was hinted out by a few choise instruments but now the Saints have a Temple opened a full and free accesse and now they have an Arke made visible or the hidden mysteries of God revealed not onely to a few called Clergie men but generally to all Saints the knowledge of the truth is revealed Thirdly The close of all And there were lightnings and voyces and thunderings and an earth-quake and great hail Earth-quake hail and lightning set forth Gods judgements most terrible and irresistible Esa 30. 30. Of an earthquake wee have spoken before from vers 13 of this Chapter Hail-stones was one of the plagues of Aegypt that destroyed their trees Exod. 9. 25. And by which the Amorites were destroyed in Canaan Josh 10. 11. By these judgements wee have the finall destruction of Antichrist This is the third woe that shall accompany the seventh Trumpet and is agreeable to the plagues of the seventh Viall by which Antichrist shall be wholly destroyed and should blaspheme God because of the plague of the hail that was exceeding great By this last and great judgement the mysterie of iniquitie is discovered and the power of Antichrist wholly broken at which his partie shall vex and fret gnaw their tongues and blaspheme God for all their paines sores whereby they shall be utterly ruined and consumed Thus we have the Effects of Christs kingdome and reigne layd open wee see for what it is that the Elders doe so exceedingly praise the Lord for that he takes to himselfe his great power and doth reigne by which he doth offend the Nations and reward his servants The Temple is no more shut up under restraint but free accesse is given the Arke is no more hidden but the mysteries of salvation made evident And the Lord by his sweeping judgements will wholly consume Antichrist both in his policy and power Hence it is that the Saints shall thus triumph and rejoyce How can the daughter of Sion but rejoyce when heâ— King cometh the redeemed of the Lord must needs triumph And besides the whole world shall rejoyce when the oppressor shall cease when violence shall be no more heard in the Land when our Exactors shall be righteousnesse then I say the world will sing and rejoyce because the whoâ—â—â—â—â—th shall be at peace and be quiet Esa 14. 4. 7. When Christ shall come to reigne in his appearance in his Saints bâ— shall judge the Nations with righteousnesse and governe the people with truth Psal 67. 4. 7. Therefore when the Lord shall come to reigne to set all things in order to governe and give settlement to the Nations well may Antichrist vex and fret and all oppressing powers be angry but the Saints shall rejoyce and sing and all the world besides shall be glad because of his righteous judgements So much to be spoken of the Effects of Christ's reigne and so I end this whole Discourse FINIS