Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	ghost_n	holy_a	mean_v	6,969	5	6.7481	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96871	The two vvitnesses: discovered in severall sermons upon the eleventh chapter of the Revelation, wherein, after the prophesie opened, the great question of these times. Viz. whether the two witnesses are slain, yea or no, is modestly discussed. / Preached at Lawrence-Jewry in London, by F.W. lecturer of the said place. It is this seven and twentieth day of April, 1643. ordered by the Committee of the House of Commons in Parliament, concerning printing, that these sermons intituled, the two witnesses, be printed for Luke Fawne. John White.	Woodcock, Francis, 1614?-1651.; England and Wales. Parliament. aut	1643 (1643)	Wing W3433; Thomason E100_1; ESTC R13873	76,978	106

all that are slain upon the earth and after all this shall come to reckon with her for shedding the blood of Cha 18. 24 his onely beloved Son for crucifying the Lord of glory also What a vengeance must all this be recompensed withall VERS 9. And they of the People and Kinreds and Tongues and Nations shall see their dead bodies three dayes and an half and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves WE have formerly seen these Witnesses slain by whom as also where they lie dead but now when we should attend them to their graves we cannot there 's this hinders sayes the Text Their dead bodies are not suffered to be put in graves The enquiry of the meaning of this is our present businesse In the endeavour whereof for better order sake we shall observe 1. What it is that 's further done to these Witnesses after they are slain In these words They are looked upon and not suffered to be put in graves 2. The persons that look upon them and will not suffer them them to be put in graves pointed at in these words They of the People and Kinreds and Tongues and Nations these look upon the dead Witnesses and will not suffer them to be put in graves 3. How long this gaze of theirs lasts and the Witnesses thereupon kept unburied which these words also give us knowledge of 'T is three dayes and an half They of the People and Kinreds and Tongues and Nations shall see their dead bodies three dayes and a half and shall not suffer them to be put in graves In the foremost of these which will perhaps take in the second in the scanning I must needs acknowledge there is a knot which because it seems to lay it self open to two different and opposite meanings and both very plausible renders the matter difficult whether to take of them The question is Whether this looking upon these dead Witnesses and the not suffering them to be put in graves be done in favour or dis-favour of them and accordingly as you incline in this question either to the one side or to the other so will there a sutable meaning offer it self to you To instance therefore here 's one interpretation the words seem to like of The Beast the Romish Antichrist with his complices having stopped the mouthes of all the Witnesses thus slaying them and now further devising some way that being thus slain they may never rise again never witnesse more against him thus trying to throw them into the Grave to shut and seal the graves-mouth upon them in attempting hereof is by the Reformed people through the Ministry of the Witnesses by this time grown into great multitudes and already provoked for the slaughter of these Witness●s resolutely opposed which Antichrist perceiving and fearing lest upon further attempts they might become desperate fits down content onely to have thrust these Witnesses from their places and stopt their mouths for present not daring to make any further attempt at all against them Thus they of the Kinreds and Tongues and People and Nations do hinder that Antichrist who hath slain these Witnesses should yet proceed so far as to throw them into graves And to this interpretation these Considerations seem to give countenance 1. It is not the Inhabitants of the earth by which name the Popish faction are commonly known in this Revelation who keep the Witnesses from being buried for then the matter had been put besides all question but on the contrary t is They of the Kinreds and Tongues and People and Nations these will not suffer the Witnesses to be put in graves by which who can be meant but the Reform●d p●opl● Those you have indeed brought in rejoycing at the following Verse for the slaughter Vers 10. of the Witnesses who had they been here meant also probably not this so different but the same expression had serv'd to point at them in both places 2. The Originall Text seems to contribute something toward this Interpretation where you reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being all put partitively As if the holy Ghost should say And some of them of the Kinreds and People and Tongues c. some of finer mettle choyce● spirits these shall not suffer the Witnesses to be put in graves 2. This is one Interpretation and indeed in the generall plausible though I must confesse looking a little neerer to see how particulars will hold there seems some difficulty For instance stating the Reformed people k●●p the Witnesses from burying but what can be meant by their looking on their dead bodies so sayes the Text They look upon their dead bodies three dayes and an holy Is it any pleasure for them to have their eyes so long upon their dead Witnesses Abraham when his beloved Sarah Gen. 23. 4. was dead then buyes a place to bury his dead out of his sight were it never so great delight to look on them while alive sure it can be none to look on them when dead And then again what can we understand by those graves which according to this Interpretation the Reformed people are said not to suffer these Witnesses to be put into shall we say this they mean they keep them from being killed indeed but where finde we that not suffering to be buried should mean not suffering to be killed what analogie between these And indeed 't is a hard matter to assign any condition which holds resemblance or analogie with those graves which the Reformed people according to this Interpretation are said to keep the dead Witnesses from So you have the first meaning the words seem to allow of The other is this The Romish Antichrist with his party having stopped the mouthes of these Witnesses thus slaying them after this shall with scorn and insultation look upon their dead bodies And if any should come as Joseph of Arimathea to beg the body of Joh. 13. 39 one of these dead Witnesses or should trie to hide or shelter these Witnesses as Obadiah did the Prophets in the Cave no they 1 Kin. 18. 4 and 13. must not such is the savagenesse of this Beast with his complices they forbid any to harbour entertain or countenance these silenc'd Witnesses thus not suffering their dead bodies to be put in graves And if this sense shall passe then have we a fair and obvious understanding of both those particulars which in the former we scarce knew what at all to make of The former They look upon them according to this Interpretation the meaning must be They look upon them in derision So they did upon our Saviour when he was upon the Crosse The people with the Priests beholding of him derided him Luk. 23. 25. And is it not an usuall thing in this manner for them to be looked upon who having been formidable before are now brought down and become at an under Cast your eye upon that 14 of Isa and 16 and you will thence easily know

businesse Give me leave to offer a taste of these different Interpretations especially of them which seem to carry most likelyhood which when I have done I shall propound and submit my own thoughts in the businesse The great question is What we should understand by the The Arabique without consent of any either Copy or Translation that I have met withall reads The third part of the City fell Tenth part of the great City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In answ●r whereto you have some will tell you 't is the Tenths of the City meaning That whereas the Popes have Tenths paid them which was the manner of the Romans formerly as also of other Princes of elder times now upon the rising again of the Witnesses and the great earthquake thereupon attending this Tribute of Tythes or Tenths whereby he was in great part maintained before shall now at last be utterly with-held from him This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which we translate The tenth part of the City falling But as some well observe to make this good it must have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore this cannot be the meaning Another therefore by this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we translate The tenth part of the City would understand Those ten Kingdoms which at the 17 Chapter of this Prophesie and 13 verse give up all th●ir strength and power to the Beast● And when those at last draw off from Antichrist which they do for these shall hate the Whore cat her flesh and burn her with fire Chap. 17. ver 16. This is the fall of the Decharchy of the City Those ten Kingdoms that had formerly supported Antichrist now drawing off and preparing for her destruction this is the fall of the tenth part of the great City And sure if these ten Kingdoms withdrawing themselves hating the Whore eating her flesh and burning her with fire should not fall in with the time of the seventh Trumpet and last Vial and be not that destruction which at that time is to be executed upon her I mean the Romish Babylon I should think this interpretation did carry much appearance of truth with it But then another by the tenth part of the City would understand the City it self Rome it self falls making this same all one with the fifth Vial which poured out upon the Throne of Chap. 16. 10. the Beast that is upon Rome sayes this Interpreter Rome hereby comes to be destroyed And if any object The holy Ghost doth not say the whol● City falls onely the truth part of th● City to this it is answered That when Rome comes to be destroyed it is but the Tenth part of what it was formerly I● was in compasse in former times neer 42 miles within the walls now about 15 And if we measure it will appear That that whch is in compasse 15 miles will make up but the tenth part of that which is in compasse 42 miles And so accordingly when the tenth part of the City falls as is here said the whole City is meant for now the whole is but the tenth part of what it was formerly This I confesse is a pretty Notion but yet such as I durst in no wise conclude is the meaning of the holy Ghost in this place It carries with it too much acutenesse to be the meaning of the Spirit and indeed it seems too much forced also That the tenth part of the City should mean the whole City the words seem not in any reasonable congruity to admit of it Give me leave now in the last place to adde what hath most taken upon me in all the variety of thoughts in this matter and it is this The Antichristian Kingdom as made up of those ten horns ten Kingdoms into which the Roman Empire upon its fall was resolved these ten at the same time with one consent giving their power thereunto seem here as also in other places compared to a great City Which City answerably to the ten part of the Antichristian Kingdom hath ten parts also every one of those ten Kingdoms by submitting it self to the Government of this mysticall City I mean this mysticall Babylon hereby making it self a part of it This stated we say accordingly the tenth part of the City must mean O●e of those ten Kingdoms which having su●mitted it self to the Government of this mysticall B●bylon hereby became to a part of it and then answerably is this t●nth Kingdom the tenth part of the great City said to fall when th●t ●inde of Government which submitted to made this one part of that City I mean of Romish babylon is now utter●ly dissolved and abolished in that Kingdom So then all this tog●ther is thus much About the 〈…〉 Witnesses rise again and ascend up to heaven there are great stirs and commotions this is the earthquake and among these that Antichristianism which in one of the ten Kingdoms submitted to made it one of the parts of the Romish Babylon is utterly quash'd and dissolved in that Kingdom This seems to be the fall of the tenth part of the great City And here observe it 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an Artiticle which I confesse I had once let passe but should by no means passe without notice That tenth part of the great City so we might render it where the holy Ghost seems to tell us which tenth part of the City which of the ten Kingdoms he means why that tenth part that which seems easily discernable from all the rest that tenth part falls But which this is I shall hereafter speak my conjecture let this suffice at present that in That tenth Kingdom which seems easily differenced from all the rest Antichristianism is abolished this is the fall of that tenth part of the great City This seems the meaning and I must confesse I have nothing readily to object against it but from this first consequent of the earthquake viz. The fall of the tenth part of the City we may proceed to the second in these words And in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand This follows and this is not without its difficulties neither Some reade the heads of men that were slain were seven thousand but if we reckon by the pole seven thousand men numbred by the pole were slain and no more it will readily be objected How can it be imagined the tenth part of the Antichristian Kingdom should fall and yet but seven thousand heads or seven thousand men reckoned by the Pole slain and overwhelmed in so great a ruine Seven thousand thus reckoned seem not a number any whit proportionable To which it may be answered This number of seven thousand is a perfect number and is here put as in other places not to signifie just so many and no more but rather a certain number for an uncertain and may very well signifie a great many more then precisely that number But if this should not

have then the sense thus much Then when the Witnesses pray Judgements and denounce Judg●ments upon their enemies then does fire proceed out of their mouth and d●stroyes their enemies And whereas you have it repeated And if any mon will hurt them and again If any man will hurt them repetition betokening certainty so Joseph interprets the doubling of the Vision Gen. 41. 32 shewn to Pharaoh to note the certainty thereof it is as much as if in other words the holy Ghost had said If any man shall presume to hurt these Witnesses that man certainly shall be destroy'd The meaning given thus piece-meal put all together and the result is this These two Witnesses formerly Zerubbabel and Jeshuah now because of like spirit and employment but expresly because in like manner protected from enemies are Moses and Elias whom if any man shall attempt to harm by denouncing and praying Judgements they procure certain destruction upon them And now having opened the words before I proceed to draw out any Observations give me leave to satisfie for what I took on trust before of which till now I could make no ready payment I formerly gave this one reason why the Witnesses are said to be two viz. Because they are described by pairs but then shewed no such thing Now you have seen two pair already Zerubbabel and Jeshuah one Moses and Elias another and there is one other pair behinde not yet come into mention I said before The Scriptures the two Testaments were the Testimony of these Witnesses but denyed them to be the Witnesses themselves because they are described as men and by men but then gave proof of neither but now I hope 't is evident they are described as men and men of former times such as Zerubbabel and Jeshua brought in to personate these Witnesses which together with that which follows gives abundant and every was satisfying evidence in this matter The Observations now follow 1. Does fire proceed out of th●se Witnesses mouthes destroying their enemies then must none think to harm these Witnesses impune they must not hope to carry it scot-free be they who they will be that shall presume to offer violence to th●se Witnesses either by praying or d●nouncing Judgements they do procure destruction and ruine upon their enemies 2. Are the Judgements of God denounced fire Then wonder not that waxie hearts are melted by them as was the heart of Josiah and on the contrary the clayie hearts of others more 1 Chro. 34 29. hardned and their chaffie hearts burnt up and devoured by them marvell not at all it is so the Judgements of God denounced they are fire 3. In that it is repeated If any man will harm these Witnesses h● must be destroyed take notice of the certain vengeance that doth a wait the persecutors of these Witnesses Let them flatter themselves in their present impunity as they list and because sentence is not speedily executed upon them for their violence done Eccles 8. 11. unto these Witnesses therefore please themselves in pursuing of them still yet withall remember a certain and inevitable destruction will at last seize upon them VERS 6. These have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the dayes of their prophecie and have power over waters to turn them into bloud and to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will NOw forward with our description in which having already seen how well able these Witnesses are to repay the wrongs done to their own particular wherein also we have received further light concerning their persons proceed we now on and we shall further understand in what manner they are furnished to avenge the Churches wrongs almost deprived of beeing if not wholly of appearance through the spreading and prevalence of the Antichristian Apostacie This you have laid down in these words These have power to shut heaven c. In which you may observe a threefold power wherewith these Witnesses are invested 1. A power to shut heaven that it rain not 2. A power to turn waters into bloud 3. A power to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will Before you heard they pursue their enemies with fire here they shut heaven against them turn their waters into bloud and smite their earth with all plagues as often as they will What a miserable plight are the enemies of these Witnesses in who have the fire armed against them before and now the benefits of heaven earth water all taken from them But let us take them in order first These have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the dayes of their prophecie In which Jam. 5. 17. who sees not the forementioned Elias a new pointed at of whom it is recorded that praying he shut up heaven that it rained not the same thing here mentioned and this for three yeers and a half the just terme of these Witnesses prophesie in sackcloth But that we mistake not by understanding all this in the letter I mean either the thing it self or the time we must again borrow the the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enquiring out a mysticall understanding of them both For the time I have touched upon it before and hereafter may have occasion further to shew 't is to be reckoned according to the propheticall account every day in this three yeers and a half being put for a yeer as is the manner of prophesies sometime to reckon and then for their shutting up heaven that it rain not we shall now trie to finde out some mysticall meaning of it For this purpose therefore in that Matt. 16. 19. you have mention of Keyes shutting heaven heaven is then shut according to the minde of that place when such as live in ignorance prophanenesse idolatry or any the like grosse wickednesse are by the Ministery of the Word declared a people to who no comfort no forgivenesse no heaven doth belong However I doubt not but the same thing is meant in both places yet in regard it is there heaven shut that people cannot enter here heaven shut that it do not rain and so though in substance they come both to one yet the allusion seems not so clear we shall therefore trie further The glad tydings of the Gospell are severall times in Scripture compared to rain this me thinks will nick the allusion I say again the tydings of forgivenesse mercie c. are oftentimes in Scripture compared to rain so Deut. 32. 2. Isa 45. 8 c. and sure could we stay to shew it we should finde the resemblance patt and every way answeing Doth rain refresh the weary and thirsty earth doth it soften doth it make frutfull and do not the glad tydings of the Gospell the tydings of peace forgivenesse refresh soften make fruitfull also This so shall we say accordingly then do these Witnesses shut heaven that it rain not when they with hold all tydings of forgivenesse mercy peace from the Antichristian