Rev. 1.1 Who are they that dare any longer term it an allegory Doth he that is Alpha and Omega delude his poor creatures in declaring it as his revealed will when if many may have credit that affirm it it is a concealed Mysterie not to be medled with Let God be true and every man a lyar And let my soul flourish with those truly spiritual Saints 1 Cor. 2. who judge all things by that spirit which searcheth all things yea the deep things of God to whom be glory for ever The first Verse And there was given me a Reed like unto a Rod and the Angel stood saying Rise and measure the Temple of God and the Altar and them that worship therein That which I intended chiefly to insist upon in the reading of this Chapter namely the two first verses I shall now run over briefly and hasten to the great mystery of the two Witnesses The first thing given to the Apostle John here is a Reed that he as a wise Master-builder might exactly measure his work and leave a Pattern to all Believers as those that must work and walk by Rule This Reed is the same with that measuring line Zech. 2.1 4.10 The Plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel by which Jerusalem in all Ages must be measured Isay 36.6 Mat. 27.29 t is not an Egyptian Reed too weak for such a work nor such a Reed as was put for a mockscepter into the hand of our Crucified Lord. But this holy Reed is that Royal Scepter of Christs Kingdom Psal 145.6 whereby he ruleth his Princely subjects which he hath won by Conquest from Death and Hell being none other then the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God put into the hands and hearts of his faithful Ministers 2 Tim. 2.2 2 Pet. 1.15 whom he hath authorized to direct guide and govern his select sheep until his second comming This Royal Reed is that staff of Doctrine and Rod of Discipline Psal 23.4 which was the great joy and solace of Kingly Davids soul This is the staff of beauty and the staff of bands Zech. with which the Lord led and fed his flock of old and with which he will have the Gospel-Temple and the Altar and every Worshipper therein exactly measured now As Christ the foundation was in all his actions measured by this line of truth that the Scriptures might be fulfilled as it is written according to the Scriptures and the like Joh. 17.12 Mat. 26.24 31. 1 Cor. 15.3 4. Joh. 15.14 1 Kin. 17.18 6.7 so must every living stone every true branch be squared ruled and measured by the same Reed Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you Those stones that were admitted into Solomons Temple were first hewed squared prepared costly stones And can it be imagined that a promiscuous heap of rugged polluted deformed unpolisht stones should be fit matter for this second more glorious Temple Is it probable that Christ will admit of scandalous ignorant prophane persons neither resembling nor in a capacity of discerning his blessed body as choyce materials for this true Tabernacle which the Lord hath pitched and not man 1 Cor. 5.7 8. Ezech. 22.26 Heb. 8.2 Would such dirty patches be seemly in his seamless Coat the Lord abhorreth such a mixture The true glory of this Gospel-temple consists in the purity of the materials Living lively stones exactly measured and fitly framed together 1 Pet. 2.5 Eph. 2.21.22 1 Pet. 2.9 growing to an holy Temple in the Lord An habitation of God through the Spirit A chosen Generation a royal Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar People Not such as challenge interest by vertue of cohabitation not a Parish house of stone as the Prelatical Hierarchy instructed us this holy Reed was never presented by the Angel to John to measure Parish bounds He that intends this work must not be idle Rise and measure the Temple is the voyce the Spirit The second Verse But the Court which is without the Temple leave out and measure it not for it is given unto the Gentiles and the holy City shall they tread under foot forty and two months The Romish Conclave became this outward Court Rev. 12.5 An. 304. immediately after the birth of the man-child Constantine when suddenly with case peace and tranquillity there crept in ambition contention covetousness attended with abominable Errors Superstition Idolatry Brightman Rev. Apoc. pag. 75. and all kinde of luxury and prophaness which rushed like waves one on the neck of another suddenly overwhelming and devouring that sweetness humility charity chastity and purity which lately were the royal ornaments of this now defiled polluted Church of Rome And now the true and sincere servants of Christ observing this dismal darkness gradually surprizing her and obscuring her former lustre and true beauty dare no longer drink of her polluted streams nor partake of her defiled Ordinances but withdraw and separate themselves from such abominations Rev. 16.6 creeping into corners any Wilderness condition where they may enjoy the pure Ordinances of Christ and be nourished with the pure milk of the breasts of the heavenly Witnesses Like as the Saints lately did in the times of Prelatical persecution and as many a poor Christian is even now constrained to do from the pride and other prophaness of some disorderly societies And thus the true Church flying into the Wilderness all silent and solitary is trampled upon by the outward Court of proud Prelats who have learnd to Lord it over her which they pursue through the whole course of her exile and yet maugre all this malice of Antichrist though she hath continued in her exiled mournful Wilderness estate scarce daring to appear in her true glory through the whole term of 1260 years in which she hath been secretly supported by her Witnesses in Sack-cloth yet hath he who is glorious in holiness fearfull in praises Exod. 15.11 doing wonders whose promises are Yea and Amen in his Christ at length brought through all storms oppressions and miseries this his pure lovely Spouse with her distressed Witnesses to a blessed haven of glory and honour That God blessed for ever who did assure them some thousands of yeers since that though they lay among the Pots yet he would give them the wings of a Dove covered with silver and feathers of yellow gold Psal 68.13 hath so gloriously fulfilled his Royal Word that now Saints may securely sit and sweetly sing as a Chorus to the voyce of their Beloved Lo the winter is past Cant. 2.11 12. the rain is over and gone the flowers appear on the earth the time of singing of birds is come and the voyce of the Turtle is heard in our Land The third Verse And I will give power unto my two Witnesses and they shall Prophesie one thousand two hundred and threescore dayes clothed in Sackcloth All the rage and malice of Antichrist
twelfth Verse are called The eyes of the Lord which run too and fro through the whole Earth Now what these seven eyes are may be found out by that means which the Lord Jesus hath appointed viz. searching the Scriptures S. John will tell us that these seven eyes sent forth into all the Earth Rev. 5.6 Rev. 1.4 Rev. 8.2 are the seven Spirits of God which are before his Throne that these thus standing before him are the seven Angels with Trumpets which are none other then the Ministers of the Churches as they are plainly called Rev. 1.20 They are called the seven Spirits because as they are abundantly filled so they are imployed by the Spirit which so mightily over-powers them that they seem many times to be nothing but Spirit taking their denomination from the most noble part in them which is the Spirit as Paul speaks Not 1 1 Cor. 15.10 Act. 15.28 Mat. 5 14. but the grace of God which was with me These seven eyes are the light of the world appointed by the Lord Jesus that corner stone upon which they stand Zechary 3.9 for the building of his Church Eph. 4.11 12 13. Rom. 12.6 c. for the perfecting of his Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ And these seven are thus distinguished in the holy Scriptures those faithful Witnesses of truth 1. Prophets 2. Apostles 3. Evangelists 4. Pastours 5. Teachers 6. Ruling Elders 7. Deacons These are the seven sorts of Officers or seven Pillars that the Lord Jesus Christ the wisdom of the Father Prov. 9.1 Gal. 2 9. hath hewn out for the building of his great house the Church These are his golden Pipes so called by the Spirit of the Lord as conveighing this precious liquor this divine Treasure of the heavenly word for nourishment to the poor Church as well in her Wilderness condition as in all Ages though these blessed instruments of Christ term themselves but earthen Vessels that so the excellency of this heavenly Treasure which is conveighed through them 2 Cor. 4.7 may the more redound to the glory of God yet the Spirit cals them golden Pipes These seven mentioned in the second Verse are more comprehensively reduced unto two golden Pipes vers 12. answerable whereunto those seven sorts of Officers mentioned are comprehended under the two chief Eph. 2.20 that is Apostles and Prophets upon whose foundation we are built Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner Stone And thus I suppose it is evident that I have not presumed without clear warrant from the Law and the Testimony to affirm 1. That the two Olive-trees are the two Testaments or those Witnesses of Christ appointed to feed the Church as in all Ages so through the whole course of Papal Persecution viz. one thousand two hundred and threescore years 2. That the Candlesticks are the Churches of the Saints 3. That the two Olive-branches are Doctrine and Discipline 4. That the golden Pipes are the Ministers of the Churches The fifth Verse And if any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their Enemies and if any man will hurt them he must on this manner be killed The Pope and his Parasites had power enough and did exercise that power to the utmost in killing and spoyling tormenting and harrasing the poor Saints in this time of their exile and therefore the Saints cannot possibly be the Witnesses as some have conceived many a precious servant of Jesus lost his life for the Witnesses sake that is for holding close to the Law to the Testimony those Witnesses of Christ against the Antichristian Tyranny of their bloody persecutors but to the wonder and amazement of the World to the high praises of our God be it for ever acknowledged they had no power to overcome or suppress the Scriptures till toward the end of their prophesie or finishing their testimony in Sackcloth I know many had an earnest desire to destroy them they wanted no will to the work but maugre all their rage and malice though they dig'd as deep as Hell leaving no stone unturnd that might seem to conduce to the support of their Tyrannical Antichristian State yet whether they judged the Scriptures of no weight or slighting them as below the glory of their Babel or whether the terror of the Curse Rev. 22.18 like fire in their bones deterred them or what other secret operation it was I know not but by the mighty power of God these heavenly Witnesses have been wonderfully preserved in this Babylonish Captivity through the whole course of their Prophesie in Sackcloth 1260 years The sixth Verse These have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the days of their Prophesie and have power over waters to turn them into bloud and to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will While the Saints are in Goshen the Kingdom of Antichrist is smitten with sundry plagues the effects of the Saints prayers but none so dreadful as that universal thick darkness that soon over-spred the whole Land of the Beast Rev. 16.10 while the holy Spouse of Christ troden under-foot enjoys the light of her Beloveds shining face to whom it is given to know the mystery of the Kingdom of God but the scarlet Strumpet in the midst of all her brags that she is no widdow but the wife of Christ that her eldest son is his Vicar that she is Infallible and cannot be deceived is given up to a spirit of slumber and strong delusions to believe lyes Mark 4.11 that seeing they might see and not perceive and hearing they might hear and not understand lest at any time they should be converted and their sins should be forgiven them No dew of Grace descends upon those cursed Families the waters of the Sanctuary are now by little and little stopt from them at first the great burning Mountain the Beneficence of the great Constantine being cast into the Sea of Rome Rev 8.8 9. a third part presently became blood and the third part of the Ministers in that Church with their adherents departed from the Faith a while after the whole Sea was generally poysoned and became as the bloud of a dead man Rev. 16 3. and so there was an universal revolt from the doctrine of salvation to lying Fables vain Superstitions Miracles Signs and Wonders with all deceivableness of unrighteousness and every living foul that drank this poyson in the Cup of her abominations presently dyed How the fire that proceeded out of the mouthes of the Witnesses hath devoured their Enemies and how they have smote their Enemies with all manner of plagues is very remarkable Multitudes of Examples might be produced of which take a taste Surely the fiery indignation of the Lord hath been wonderfully manifested against these desperate Antichristian Enemies in their cursed Attempts to race deface corrupt or any way to hurt these Divine
THE Seventh Angel sounding Presents A glimps of the glorious Raign of Jesus Christ whose personal appearance is royally attended with these fifteen Changes full of wonder as so many Trophie's of his absolute victory and universal soveraignty 1. The Saints Deceased Royal Jesus Brings 2. The Rest Released mount on Angels wings 3. To Israel mourning sounds a glorious Call 4. To Babel burning an eternal fall 5. The world Combined hath a fatal blow 6. Satan Confined to his Den below 7. The whole Creation finds a full release 8. And every Nation flourishes with peace 9. The Mount asunder That vale of wonder cleaves t' enlarge the Plain where the Lord must raign 10. The glorious City from Gods throne doth glide 11. The Nuptial ditty ushers in the Bride 12. Thus Saints regaining an immortal state 13. In glory reigning while the Sun bears date 14. The Nations bending Virgins voyces Raise 15. All Duties ending in joy love and praise Joel 3.9 Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles Zech. 14.5 9. The Lord my God shall come and all the Saints with thee And the Lord shall be King over all the earth in that day shall there be one Lord and his name one Psal 102.16 When the Lord shall build up Sion he shall appear in his glory THE Two Witnesses Their Prophecy Slaughter Resurection and Ascention OR An Exposition of the eleventh Chapter of the Revelation wherein is plainly proved that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the witnesses there spoken of who have Prophesied in Sackcloth one thousand two hundred and sixty years compleat That they are already slain revived and ascended That the tenth part of the City is fallen by our late Earthquake wherein seven thousand Names of men were slain The second wo is past This is the first part of the Chapter the second Part follows By Tho. Tillam a weak Labourer in the Lords Harvest 〈…〉 4.20 We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard 〈…〉 .11 We speak that we do know and testifie that we have seen 〈…〉 and ye receive not our Witness Printed by R.W. for Giles Calvert and are to be sold at the 〈…〉 lack spread Eagle at the West end of Pauls 1651. TO My Honoured Col. George Twissleton Esq Governor of Denbigh SIR BEsides your many favors conferred upon my unworthy self for a thankful acknowledgement I am also many ways as I conceive obliged to present unto you this Treatise as having its spring and first appearance under your Command where your faithful endeavours are imployed for the advancement of the glory of God in your many encouragements to those under your charge to be daily exercised in such duties and services as being religiously improved will be your Crown and their comfort in the day of the Lord Jesus when all present shadows of honours will be swallowed up in that immortal glory which is prepared for all such as are free in laying out themselves for the honour of this King of Glory as your self dear Sir have often been in improving your interest with Christ on the behalf of this Commonwealth and our Neighbour Nations upon emergent occasions Another motive enducing me to prefix your name is your affection to those Changes that attend the coming of Christ as they are digested in the Title Page which your Worship caused me to write down in a Book which I am perswaded you dearly love above all the world Sir I doubt not you will be more affected to finde each of these wonderful Changes distinctly cleared and proved by the Word of Truth as I suppose they are in this little Book Truly Sir The holding of them forth hath cost me dear upon the rising of a spirit of emulattion in some who could not brook that applause which was openly given to these Truths upon the delivery thereof But I have heard such expressions from you which have savored of another spirit as loving Truth for Truths sake by whomsoever declared One word from you hath made a deep impression upon my spirit by which I desire my affections may be regulated namely Of loving men for Religions sake and not Religion for any mens sake these with other of like nature have raised my affections to present this Treatise to your much honored name if you find Truth evident I have confidence you will give it entertainment and though any thing herein should seem to be New Light yet I hope it will not be the less welcome if it appear True Light Sir I might have inlarged this Epistle upon good and subslantial grounds in reference to you as your unwearied Service and constant fidelity as of all your flourishing Family to this State your present Employments in the faithful administration of Justice and the like But for sundry reasons I forbear Closing with my unfeighned desires of the welfare of your pretious soul that it may flourish in that full Society of Glorified Saints in New Jerusalem as it is daily expected to be manifested in Power by SIR Your real faithful servant Tho. Tillam An Exposition of the eleventh Chapter of the Revelation THe Lord by a special Providence guiding me to a People daily exercised in reading his Word and opening the the same in order now having before them the eleventh Chapter of the Revelation they desired my help in Expounding this Mysterious piece which sudden and unexpected motion did somewhat surprize me as knowing that it hath been accounted one of the hardest knots in the revealed will of God and withall considering how various the Opinions of Writers are upon the subject matter thereof and how little satisfaction I had ever received from any of them I therefore intended to speak a word or two from the two first verses and to discover my ignorance of the great Mystery of the Witnesses by passing it over in silence But while I was reading the Chapter I was most sweetly warmed by a secret heavenly heat quickning my spirit which was as it were transported by this soft gale of life and light and even constrained to declare this which with full and cleer evidence was communicated to me which also making some notable impression upon the spirits of the most judicious hearers they importuned me to give it them in writing at whose request I set to the work and in the review of these impressions upon my heart comparing them with such Ecclesiastical Histories as till then were unknown to me I found such harmony so sweet consent in Time Place Person every thing that hath left no place in my spirit for any further disputes reasonings or objections against the truth of these teachings And the Lord so open the Readers understanding that he also may receive the like full and sweet satisfaction in this Divine Mystery and so may obtain the blessing promised to such as read Rev. 1.3 hear and obey the words of this Prophesie The eleventh Chapter of the Revelation THe great God cals it a Revelation
that it was the word of the Lord. That then from which these stubborn Jews were broken off is the word of the Lord or the holy Scriptures but the Jews were broken off the true Olive Tree therefore the true Olive Tree is the word of the Lord or the holy Scriptures All which being compared it will evidently appear that the two Olive Trees in this of the Revelation and that of Zacariah are none other then the holy Scriptures or word of God Secondly It is as plain that the blessed Scriptures are the proper Food and Noufishment of Saints spoken of Rev. 12.6 Isa 25.6 Psal 36. what else is that feast of fat things that Wine on the Lees well refined that fatness of the Lords house wherewith he satisfieth the souls of his Saints those Rivers of pleasures he makes them drink of and to which the Lord Jesus so freely invites them Eat O friends Drink Cant. 5.1 yea Drink abundantly O beloved But I pass this briefly as not to be denied that the holy Scriptures are the proper Food and Nourishment of the Saints For which employment these holy witnesses are designed Rev. 12.6 namely to feed the Church in her exiled Wilderness estate 1260 years But if any shall cavill that I attribute that to the Scriptures which is peculiar to the Spirit of God I have this to say that I have no thought of the Scriptures without or beside the Spirit of God I receive all Scriptures as the Lord Jesus delivered them The words that I speak unto you Joh. 6.63 2 Tim. 3.15 Heb. 4.12 they are Spirit and they are life able to make wise unto salvation And therefore the blessed Scriptures are the proper fit sutable nourishment for the Saints and particularly for the Church in her afflicted despised wilderness estate Thirdly That the holy Scriptures are called witnesses and which is yet more plain these very witnesses of Christ will appear in the perusal of several Scriptures And first that the Law is called so Deut. 31.26 Take this book of the Law and put it in the side of the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God that it may be there for a Witness against thee And it appears as cleerly to me that the Gospel is so called also 1 Joh. 5.9 This is the Witness of God which he hath testified of his son If it be objected that it is the Spirit c. that is here called the Witness t is readily granted neither dare I call the Spirit one thing and the word another thing except it be said that the Scriptures are the minde of the Spirit it is above noted that the Lord Jesus saith they are both one thing The words that I speak they are Spirit therefore the Scriptures have ordinarily the same Appellations and operations ascribed to them as are to the Spirit it self the Spirit is called Truth so also the word is called Truth 1 Joh. 5.6 Joh 17.17 the Spirit is said to sanctify so the word is likewise said to sanctify and the like and certain I am that the properties ascribed to the word Heb. 4.12.13 are not Communicable to any essence below the Spirit of God For the word of God is quick and Powerful and sharper then any two edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and Spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart c. Therefore have I hewed them by the Prophets Hos 6.5 Isa 11.4 compared with Rev. 11.5.10 I have slain them by the words of my mouth When I compare these Scriptures with the fifth and tenth verses of this eleventh of the Revelation it doth so wonderfully cleer this truth to me that the Scriptures of the two Testaments and only these are the two Witnesses that if there were no other ground but this it would abundantly satisfie and confirm me in the discovery of this abstruse and wonderfull mystery To conclude this truth so manifest already is yet further cleered by those blessed Lips where never guile was found the Lord Jesus Christ himself affirms it in these words Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they that testifie of me John 5.39 Where it is plain that they are not only called Witnesses but these very Witnesses here spoken of for the words carry with them this cleer sound Search the Scriptures for they are my Witnesses Thus as these blessed Witnesses testify of Christ so Christ also giveth testimony to them Fulk Contr. Mart. Pres Pag 5. as to his Witnesses and so puts the point in hand beyond all dispute That the holy Scriptures of the Two Testaments and only these are the two Witnesses here spoken of And yet one word more for the more ample discovery of the transcendent excellency of these heavenly Witnesses the Scriptures of truth from the cleer evidence the Apostle Peter gives who having declared the excellent glory of Christ in the mount which he saw and the audible voice 2 Pet. 1.17 from the highest Majesty giving Invincible testimony of his son We have also saith he a more sure word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed c. What the Scriptures more sure then the voice of God himself from heaven yes a more certain Infallible voice now in these Gospel daies then any miraculous extraordinary voice whatsoever and here we may admire the wisdome care and faithfulness of our Royal Lawgiver who knowing that many false Prophets would arise and deceive many and considering how Satan usually transformeth himself into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11.13 2 Cor. 11.14 2 Thes 29. and that his eldest Son Antichrist would come after the working of this Prince of darkness with all Power and signs and lying wonders But especially foreseeing that monstrous impiety which so many of his Servants have warned us of as that ordinances would be slighted vilified rejected that many foul beasts would defile pollute and at length totally depart from those pure Chrystal streams that make glad the City of God even the blessed Scriptures of truth 2 Pet. 1.21 2.1 immediately flowing from that infinite Ocean of all fulness That many of them would deny in part as the divinity others absolutely the Lord that bought them And that the Divel would so far prevail with some whom he would mount to such a height of blasphemy as to affirm that they are Christ the Spirit the Eternal Father that their words are the words of God and when you hear them speak it is God that speaks for they are God and God is them c. To detest this detestable wickedness and most dreadful blasphemous abomination so frequently belched forth in these dayes of Satans power Gal. 6.16 Luk. 29.13 1 Cor. 11.26 Rev. 2.25 Gal. 1.8 hath our eternal King left his Royal will and pleasure upon Record as a
there were slain of Nobles c. 3000. Revel 11. The great whore of Rome betrays these holy Witnesses into the hands of his Butchers in his Slaughter-house of Trent These cut out their tongues and suffer them not to speak in those known Languages wherein they had wrought wonders These put out the eyes of the Scriptures and so cast them into the streets of their great City These bind the Witnesses with their cursed Decrees of Trent and of Pope Pius the 4. 1564. and then cloyster them up in their Monasteries Convents and there wrest them at their pleasure Apoc. 11.10 And they shal rejoyce over them and make merry c. because these two Prophets tormented them c. And after three years and a half the spirit of life from God entred into them and they stood upon their feet And the tenth part of the City fell And there were slain of Names of men 7000. Thus run these grand Enemies of Truth exactly parallel in their Actons and are therefore design'd to the like ruine I shal not further enlarge upon this verse save onely on the latter part of it a little and were there no other ground to evince the truth of what hath been delivered this passage would abundantly satisfie that the Witnesses are none other then the holy Scriptures for these two Prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth And what is it that hath power to torment the consciences of wicked men on earth but the Word of God this and only this being the engine of the spirit tormenteth them that dwell on the earth Heb. 4.12 For the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper then any two-edged Sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the hearts No wonder if earthly men rejoyce and make merry at the overthrow of such opposites as these At the hearing of the Word Ananias fell down dead Foelix trembled the Officers that came to apprehend Christ fell backward to the ground and by this Word shall wicked men be judged and therefore no marvel that Antichrist and his Adherents should exalt rejoyce be glad and send gifts one to another when these blessed Witnesses that have so tormented them are overcome and suppressed The eleventh Vers And after three dayes and a half the Spirit of life from God entred into them and they stood upon their feet and great fear fell upon them that saw them Three years and a half they continued in a dead letter suspended suppressed prohibited by Antichrist and after this in despight of all his Thunderbolts the spirit of life from God entred into them being translated into many common Languages about this time and amongst the rest into English yea the Papists themselves at Rhemes seeing the multitude of people depart from them and embrace the Scriptures were at last constrained to translate them also though in a corrupt manner and with most abominable Annotations upon them yet even from hence did many a precious soul draw life and salvation converting that into Honey which was the bane and poyson of others and it is wonderful to me that at this very exact time both this and many other Translations of the Scriptures should come abroad in the open view of the world Pref. Rhem. Test Sect. 1. Compared with title page Fulk cont Mar. Epist Dedic received and countenanced by many Christian Princes to the great fear and terror of their Enemies who saw them thus raised from the dead But as yet they ascended not into Heaven only they were raised and lived and stood upon their feet that so in every thing they might resemble the Lord Jesus their Fountain who after his Resurrection stood also upon his feet on this Earth fourty days before he ascended up to Heaven so these having stood a proportionable time upon their feet not in that glory they were to have but in expectation of it The twelfth Verse And they heard a great voyce from Heaven saying unto them Come up hither And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud and their enemies beheld them That the two Testaments are the Witnesses and that they were overcome lay dead and rose again as hath been declared I have good ground to be confidently assured of but how long they stood upon their feet before they ascended up into Heaven I am not so clear in yet if I may deliver what my serious thoughts grounded upon fair probabilities prompt me to I shall declare namely the great voyce calling up the Witnesses is this present famous and renowned Parliament of England which I believe for sundry reasons First The Scriptures never appeared in their true lustre splendor and glory since their suppression till now that this blessed voyce hath called them up to the Throne where these Worthies sit Secondly They ascended up to Heaven in a cloud of much trouble wonderfull Commotions and violent oppositions Thirdly Their Enemies beheld them and would gladly have pulled them down which they endeavored by all possible industry policy and violence and to their perpetual shame be it spoken they never beheld them but as Enemies King Prelates Papists and the whole rabble of Cavalliers restless in their spirits from the first ascending of the Witnesses into Heaven to this very day The thirteenth Verse Fourthly And the same hour was there a great earthquake Which certainly cannot be forgotten the whole Land yea the three Nations trembled nay which of the Kingdoms of Europe were free from Commotions so great was the Earthquake this same hour of the Witnesses ascension Fifthly And the tenth part of the City fell Great Brittain the tenth part of Romes Dominions had long before separated from Antichrist in Doctrine but never fell from Rome totally till now we kept close to her detestable Discipline till this happy Parliament the joy of Saints the honour of Christ Now the day breaks and shadows fly away down go Crosses Altars Images away pack Surpless Service-Book Organs and the whole bundle of Popish Superstitious Ceremonies Sixthly And in the Earthquake were slain of names of men seven thousand Arch-bishops Diocesan Bishops Chancellors Commissaries Deans Chapters Arch-deacons Ordinaries Prebends Sumners Choristers Parrators Parsons Vicars Curats Clarks and I know not how many names devised by Antichrist He that shall diligently consider the particular persons in this Land distinguished by these and such like Babylonish Titles will finde no less a number then seven thousand all slain in this terrible Earthquake Seventhly And the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of Heaven The late terrible Earthquake that great Commotion wherein the seven thousand names of men were slain did so affright the rest of the long Robe that they were glad to change their names and their clothes and instead of that of Parson Vicar c. to call themselves Ministers of the Gospel and get into the Parliaments
Judge all the Heathen round about None so blind as those that will not see 10. The glorious City from Gods Throne doth glide EXcept by clear Scripture it be disproved I must believe therefore affirm Rev. 21.2 Ioh. 14.1 2 that the City described by Saint John is a material City that the Carpenters Son hath been these 1600 years preparing it for his Saints and that the cleaving of the Mount of Olives producing that wonderful spacious plain already proved is to receive this glorious City of twelve thousand furlongs Rev. 21.16 or one thousand five hundred miles compass wherein his Saints shall raign in glory with this Jehovah our Righteousness as long as the Sun and Moon indureth If it be said by a mistake of Rev. 21.9 10. That the holy City is call'd the Bride I must answer plainly it is not so but on the contrary if the 9. and 10. Verses be compared with the 24. we shall find them manifestly distinguished and it appears plainly that the design of the Spirit is to shew the Apostle the City where the Bride dwelleth Psal 45.14 Isa 65 18. Ezech. 14.11 and if we shall further consult these Scriptures it will be yet more clear that the City is one thing and the Bride the Saints the glorious Inhabitants in that City another thing But if it should be granted that the City is call'd the Bride there would be little gained by it as to the opposite of this Point because it is ordinary in the Scriptures to term the Inhabitants of the City the City it self as Matt. 11.20 21 22 23. sure it will not be affirmed that the buildings of Capernaum c. are threatned to be thrown into Hell Let the Prophet Ezechiel decide this Controversie from the mouth of the Lord Ezech. 37.27 saying My Tabernacle also shall be with them yea and I will be their God and they shall be my people this is that royal Palace into which the Bride with her Virgins shall enter to solace themselves with our King in unconceivable spiritual delights for ever 11. The Nuptial ditty Vshers in the Bride THe Ancient people of the Lord the natural seed of faithful Abraham after their tedious time of divorcement Isai 62 2 3 4 5. Hos 2.19 20. shall not only be espoused as formerly but now in view of all the world marryed with transcendent joy in highest Glory to the King of glory This is the Royal Bride the Gentiles Saints or Churches are the Virgins her Companions All the Angels in Heaven joyn in Consort to celebrate the Nuptials in that triumphant ditty Alleluja Rev. 19.6 7. for the Lord God omnipotent reighneth Let us be glad and rejoyce and give honour to him for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made her self ready so shall she be brought unto the King in raiment of needle-work Psal 45.14 15. the Virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee with gladness and rejoycing shall they be brought they shall enter into the Kings Palace There is a great question but of no great importance whether the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in before Israels conversion for my own part I am satisfied in this that in respect of a full conversion the work among the Gentiles shall precede but after the Jews effectual Call so glorious will that dispensation be Isai 60 3. That the Gentiles shall come to their light and Kings to the brightness of their rising Yet when all is known and understood which the word discovers of this wonderful Mystery what a small spark is it to the exceeding unconceivable glory of that day of wonders and who would hazard his interest in the glory thereof for all the bewitching painted seeming glories of this luxurious Age 12. Thus Saints regaining an immortal state HOw miserably are they handled by men of corrupt minds that stand for the honour of Christs Kingdom as though it were carnal delights and earthly pleasures they lookt after if any such there be they will see their vanity and folly perhaps when 't is too late The Saints are of another stamp and are hereby chiefly discerned from hypocrites by seeking holiness rather then happiness it is the pure spiritual immortal glorious state of Christs Kingdom that they believe and profess and expect and that which makes their spirits dance and their souls to leap for joy is the consideration of being fashioned like his glorious body when being free from corruption Phil. 3.21 they shall never sin against God any more not any kinde of pleasure can stand in competition in their pure affections with desire of freedom from sin their King hath taught them and they have learned to know Luk. 20.35 That they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world and the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage neither can they die any more for they are equal unto the Angels This is that blessed state of immortality that Saints believe Phil. 3.11 1 Cor. 15.54 and with the blessed Apostle press hard after When this corruption shall put on incorruption and this mortal shall put on immortality and death shall be swallowed up of victory Rom. 8.23 This adoption is that redemption of our bodies that now we wait for Luk. 22.30 Isai 62.9 and shall then enjoy when we shall eat and drink at Christs table in this glorious Kingdom There will be eating and drinking but not as now for in this state of mortality other creatures lose their lives to support ours for so is the word * Acts 10.13 Isai 65.21 in the state of immortality the fruit of the Vine the food appointed Adam in Paradise And only the state of Eternity is supported by God himself 13. In glory reigning while the Sun bears date THe Lord Jesus Christ is not now in his own proper and peculiar Throne Rev. 3.21 his present station is at the right hand of the Majesty on High even in his Fathers Throne but the glorious Throne that he hath purchased with his precious bloud he will shortly erect upon this Earth for himself and his beloved Saints then shall he have and enjoy the actual return of that request of his Joh. 17.24 That where I am they may be also and this the Saints in Heaven are wondrously affected with and do therefore exceedingly rejoyce in the consideration of this glory which they with their fellow brethren shall enjoy as an addition to their present glory with Christ in his Throne upon the Earth Rev. 5.9 10. for then and not till then will the glory of our King be compleat when the great voyces of all the heavenly Host shall be heard in the words of the Scripture I am now opening the Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall Reign for ever and ever Rev. 11.15 And