Isa 13.12 that a man of that Antichristian and mysticall Babylon shall be more precious then fine gold even a man then the golden wedge of Ophir Dan. 7.11 For by fire and by sword will the Lord plead with all flesh and the slaine of the Lord shall be many Isa 66.16 In this war the Roman Beast shall be taken and slaine and his body given to the burning flames and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him Rev. 19.20 with which he deceived them that had received the marke of the Beast These both are cast alive into a lake burning with fire and brimstone this is the purpose which is purposed upon the whole earth and this is the hand that is and shall be stretched out upon all Nations for the Lord of Hosts hath purposed and who shall disanull it and his hand is stretched out and who shall turne it back Isa 14.26 27. Thus we see the fifth and sixth Viall poured upon the seat of the Beast and upon that great river Euphrates all his powers and strength taken from him in heaven himself cast down to the earth yea to hell and his armies utterly destroyed and given to the beasts of the field and to the fowles of Heaven Yet there is another Viall to be poured out namely upon the aire wherein Antichrist breathed but when the Witnesses Christs civill Magistrates that sit in Heaven have done that worke which is proper for them as they are civill Magistrates they shall sit still and keep silence in Heaven about the space of halfe an houre which is the full time that the seventh Viall shall be pouring forth though the Beasts have their Dominions taken from them Yea both the Beast and false prophet are cast into a lake burning with fire and brimstone Dan. 7.12 yet these are said to live still in the hearts of those men in whom those errors and heresies do still abide which they brought into the world by their Antichristian aire and this remnant of men are not to be destroyed by the power of the civill Sword Rev. 19.21 but to be destroyed by a mysticall and spirituall sword which proceeded out of the mouth of him that sits upon the white Horse and by spirituall men sent out of the Temple Rev. 16.17 therefore the civill Magistrate shall keepe silence all the same time even about the space of halfe an houre and sit and rest themselves having done the best worke that ever was done before them or that shall be done after them We cannot suppose this silence to be in Heaven strictly for half an houre no nor half a day moneth or yeare for the seventh Viall must be poured forth upon that Antichristian aire all the ten Kingdomes over in this space of time that this silence is to be in Heaven which cannot be in so short a time neither can it be meant of any longe time Luk. 21.32 because Antichrist must be destroyed in one age and generation of men Christ speaking of the ruine of Antichrist mystically as well as of Jerusalem literally therefore we are to take this silence for the space of half an houre for the space of 45. yeares in which time the seventh Viall is pouring forth as shall appeare more fully when we come to speake of the time or times of the ending of these Vials It is said that this silence was in Heaven when the seventh Seale was opened this we are to note that it was the custome of the Jewes to write those things that were of greater consequence in sheets of parchment and so to roll them up and seale them if they were things secret The Spirit of God alluding to this their custome sets forth to us that every Viall was written in a roll of parchment and every roll was sealed seven Vials were written in seven rolls and every roll had a seale and when the first Viall was to be poured forth then the first seal was broken open and the first trumpet sounded The Seale was broken open that men might see what was written in the roll and the trumpet which was the Gospel in the mouth of the Ministers of the Churches was to declare to that Antichristian world what the Judgement or the Viall was which God was then pouring forth upon them and the Viall or Judgement that they were to feel with paine and anguish when the Lord poured it forth ☜ So when the first Viall was poured forth the first Seal was opened and the first Trumpet sounded and so in order the second and third unto the seventh And when the seventh Seale was opened the seventh Viall was poured forth and then this silence was in Heaven Before we leave speaking of the sixth Viall we are to take notice of this that although the Lord be come in the clouds of our Heaven even in his Witnesses standing upon the Mount Olives and the judgement seat and the Thrones are casting downe yea and the Lord is gone out to fight and make warre with those Kings that carried the Church of God captive and himselfe upon the white horse and much of the worke is done yet at this time the holy Ghost saith Zach. 14.6 Rev. 2.28 That the light shall not be cleare no◠darke the morning Star is but newly risen and a very little light doth yet appeare There is so much darknesse as very few of the Saints themselves doe not see nor know what the Lord Christ is doing either for Churches or States great feares amongst most of the Saints that sorrow and misery will come to both They cannot as yet see how or when the Church of Christ shall be delivered nor the pure way of Christs worship in his House and Temple set up onely a few choyce ones that be wise Dan. 12.3 and they shall shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament That is those godly ones whom the Lord hath made wise to understand the Mystery of pure Ordinances of worship and the way and Government of Christ in his House and Temple at this time wherein the worship of God is so exceedingly corrupted and polluted by the abominations of that Babylonish Whore they shall shine in this Antichristian world as the brightnesse of the Firmament for the present And they that turne many to righteousnesse as the Stars for ever and ever When they shall not onely see and be able to discerne between gold and drosse water and pure wine Christs owne institutions and mens inventions and the false government of Antichrist and the true government of Christ in and over his Church and people but also turne many unto those righteous and pure Ordinances of worship even they saith the Lord shall shine as Starres not in this age and time onely but for ever and ever their names shall be famous unto all the Churches of the Saints For the first ever or terme of time which Christ and his Saints shall reigne in peace even a
just at that instant of time did the Spirit of God enter into the hearts and spirits of the godly part Rev. 11.11 Ezra 1.1 both in England and in Scotland as he did into Cyrus And they stood upon their feet that is they tooke courage and put liberty life goods and all to their hands and tooke to them all that power and strength they had to free themselves from that dead and slavish condition wherein Antichrist had brought them Thus the Spirit of life from God entred into them and they stood upon their feet and saith the Text Feare fell upon them that saw them And indeed so there did fall a great fear upon all that saw them of the antichristian party Rev. 11.11 both in Scotland and England yea at Rome it self witnesse the Popes Masterpeece All that knew of the godly party rising feare and horrour seized upon them and when they stood thus upon their feet Vers 12. ready to do any service that God should put them upon Presently they heard a voyce from Heaven saying Come up hither This voice was not from the materiall Heavens or the third or high Heavens where God and his Angels are for then they should have ascended up thither neither is this voice from the Church or Temple for then they should at the same time have ascended up into a true Church-State and if they had done so Antichrist would quickly have brought them down broken them all to peeces again as he had formerly done by the power of the civill sword which was still in his hand Therefore by Heaven is meant in this place the place of Judicature the mount of the Congregation ssa 14.13 the place of justice the voice came from this Heaven That wise and godly men would now ascend to this place to do justice upon Antichrist who had slaine the Saints of the most High and witnesses of Christ and by his oppression and cruelty This voice was heard first from the whole Commons in Scotland in whom all the power which is in Heaven did originally reside and afterwards in England both from the whole Common-weale and likewise from the King himselfe who sate in Heaven Rev. 11.12 And they ascended up to Heaven that is they ascended to the high place of Judicature the same time 1639. in Scotland and afterward here in England They ascended up in a cloud Maâ— 4.16 that is in a time of great darknesse and ignorance the whole world being overwhelmed with darknesse and ignorance Likewise by a cloud and darknesse is set forth Joel 2.2 a state of misery and distresse And what misery and distresse was the people of God in and all the whole world at this very time and therefore is truly said that they ascended up in a cloud in a time of great ignorance and misery CHAP. VI. Christ is said to come at this time in the clouds of Heaven or in his Saints to execute juddgement upon Antichrist with those signes of his comming very few of his Saints that have faith to beleeve this only some few who are counted wise THe witnesses being in Heaven Mat. 14.30 the Lord Jesus is to come in the clouds of Heaven to execute judgement upon that man of fin By clouds is mystically meant the witnesses of Christ in whom he is by his Spirit as is noted in the Scripture of truth When he is said to come in the clouds of Heaven he is said at the same time to come with his Saints Dan. 7.13 Daniel saith He 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the Sonne of 〈◊〉 come in the clouds of Heaven when the thrones of those Beasts or Kings were cast down Zach. 14.3 And Zechariah saith when the Lord shall goe forth to fight against those Kings that carried Jerusalem captiveâ— meaning the Church of God whether Jâ—â—es or Gentilâ—â— and by those Kings he meanes those foure Beasts and the little horne Antichrist then saith he The Lord my God shall come verse 5. and all his Saints with him and when the Lord Christ speaks of his comming to judge the enemies of the Church and to deliver his people he saith That he shall come in the clouds of Heaven and againe saith John Matth. 24.30 Behold he commeth with clouds and every eye shall see him and they that pierced him meaning the Jewes Rev. 1.7 who shall be brought to Christ in this age and Enoch the seventh from Adam saith Behold the Lord commeth with 10000. of his Saints to execute judgement upon all for their ungodly deeds which they have committed c. ☜ The Saints of God and witnesses of Christ that are now in Heaven are very fitly resembled to clouds in a two-fold respect They serving for the same end and use in a mysticall and spirituall way as clouds doe in a litterall and naturall way First clouds are to keep us from the scorching and burning hear of the Sunne so doe the clouds of our mysticall Heaven the Saints of the most High and Witnesses of Christ keep the people of Christ from those scorching and burning beames of that Antichristian Sunne which hath burned many of the deare Saints of Christ to aâ—â—es and would doe the like to us at this time being so much enraged with malice and fury as they are if it were not for these mysticall clouds that are fixed fast in our Heaven Secondly clouds serve to carry water and moysture to water and fatten the dry and barren earth to make in fat and fruitfull To the same end in a mysticall and spirituall way serve the clouds of our Heaven not only to the Saints of God but also to all other who have been dryed and parched by the heat of that Antichristian Sunne even by his oppression tyranny and cruelty and the clouds of our Heaven are to carry water that may refresh the people of God and the whole land I meane just and righteous lawes and ordinances which may free us from those great taxations and oppressions which wee meet with from Antichrist which hath been done in part and were those evill spirits which were raised by those three unclean spirits like frogs which came out of the mouth of the false prophet Rev. 16.13 out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the Beast destroyed out of our land we should see such great floods of waters flow from our clouds as though the windowes of Heaven and flood gates of the great Ocean were set open foretold and prophesied of by the servants of God and therefore it is said The Lord will send downe blessings like raine upon the mowen grasse Psal 72.6 and as showres that water the earth the Valleys shall bring forth abundantly and the hils shall drop down fatnesse verse 3. the mountaines shall bring peace to the people and the little hils by righteousnesse Thus we see the Saints and Witnesses fitly resembled to clouds in whom the Lord Jesus
hurt not the Oyle and Wine Christ here hath a pair of balances in his hand as a righteous and just Judge to weigh all those wrongs and injuries which those Priests and Jesuits had done against his Saints and servants and he will repay them accordingly therefore saith the voyce A measure of Wheat for a penny and three measures of Barly but no hurt must come to the Saints that are the Oyle and Wine of the earth And this we shall see agree with the third Trumpet and Viall Third Trumpet sounds Rev. 1.10 11. the Trumpet when it sounds Then there fell a great Starre from Heaven burning as it were a lampe and it fell upon the third part of the Rivers and Fountaines of water and the name of the Starre is called Wormwood and the third part of the waters became Wormwood and many men dyed of the waters because they were made bitter By Starre is meant an Angell or Minister of the Church see Rev. 1.20 by Heaven is meant the Church by Rivers or Fountaines of waters is meant those Jesuits and Priests that are set forth by Rivers and Fountaines of waters who naturally draw and derive water from the Sea to water the Earth so doe they mystically as Rivers draw and derive their poysonous doctrine from that Antichristian Sea of Rome and so water the whole Antichristian earth The Ministers of the Churches by the preaching of the Gospell shined as a Lamp and these Rivers become blood noted by the the third Viall Rev. 16.4 and likewise made their doctrine to be bitter and loathsome shewing that they by their poysonous doctrine did seduce the people and spiritually slayed men yea further by their doctrine had stirred up the Beast and his Image to slay the Saints and Prophets of Christ as is noted by the third Angell that poured forth his Viall upon them Rev. 16.5 6. therefore they themselves became blood that is their blood is shed and they are put to death in Queene Elizabeths time and since and as Master Cotton well observes thus Christ weighs the wrongs done to his Saints by these Priests and Jesuits who are those Antichristian Rivers and Fountaines of water and so repayes them accordingly This Seale and Trumpet agrees fully with the third Viall The third Viall is poured forth Rev. 16.4 which was poured upon the Rivers and Fountaines of waters so that they became blood not onely appeared by the sounding of the Trumpet to be bloody men such as thirsted after the blood of Gods Saints but their owne blood was shed for they were worthy as the Angell of the waters well notes because they had caused the blood of the Saints to be shed therefore God was just and righteous because he had so judged Rev. 16.5 6. When the Lambe opens the fourth Seale behold a pale horse Fourth Seale opened Rev. 8.7 which notes darknesse and misery and he that 〈◊〉 upon it was Death Now Christ threatens death unto that whole Antichristian state the lights of their Heaven grow pale and darke as is noted by the Angel that sounded the Trumpet and that poured forth the fourth Viall and Death and Hell followed with him and afterward power was given to him over the fourth part of the Earth to kill with the sword with hunger and death and the Beasts of the Earth This horse was a pale horse Fourth Angell sounds Rev. 8.12 betokening blacknesse and darknesse as is noted by the fourth Angel that sounded that when he sounds the the third part of the Sunne Moon and Starres of that Antichristian Heaven Pope Cardinals and Prelats glorious lights of that Heaven when this fourth Angel preacheth the Gospell the late Ministers of our foregoing Age these lights lost the third part of their glory and shined not so bright as they did before by the third part The fourth Angel which poured forth the fourth Viall agrees with this Seale and Trumpet The fourth Viall poured forth Rev. 16.8 who poured his Viall upon that Antichristian Sunne and so notes to us that all the other lights of that Heaven were darkned with it because they drew their lights from it in a mysticall way as the Moone and Starres doe in a naturall way from the naturall Sunne The Ministers of Christ by preaching the Gospell darkned these glorious lights of that Antichristian Heaven and by so doing scorched and burned them with fire that is put them to as much paine and torment as though they had scorched them with naturall fire whereupon they blasphemed the name of God that is spoke more evilly of the wayes and Saints of God and proceeded more harshly and bitterly against them even to their civill slaying and lay their dead bodies in the streets That death and hell followed upon the fourth Seal Trumpet and Viall is noted by an Angel Rev. 8.13 which flies through the midst of Heaven crying Woe woe woe Three woes because of those three Angels which were to sound and three Vials which were to be poured forth upon that Antichristian state to its utter ruine When Christ had opened the fifth Seale The fifth Seal is opened Rev. 6.9 the soules under the Altar come to see what was written within the Roll and there they see Christ and his Witnesses ascend up to Heaven the high place of Judicature to take the Kingdomes and powers from Antichrist presently Rev. 1 1◠they cry for vengeance upon them that had shed their blood These souls are the Saints of God in our age which see themselves slaine for the word of God and the testimony which they held By word of God is meant Christ 1 John 1. and 14. and their testimony is their bearing witnesse unto those truths of Christ which Antichrist denied their slaying was civill all power taken from them that they could not prophesie nor give testimony to the truths of Christ as they had formerly done they are said to be under the Altar by Altar is meant Christ Heb. 13.10 They were under his spirituall power and jurisdiction though civilly slain by Antichrist and laid dead for three dayes and a half these soules that see themselves slaine had white robes given them by Christ and his witnesse in that space of time that the fifth Viall was pouring forth By white robes cannot be meant the righteousnesse of Christ inherent or imputed for that they had before which made them to undergoe that flory try all and suffer civill marty dome which righteousnesse is set forth by gold tryed in the fire Rev. 3.18 Rev. 3.18 but these white robes is that outward government and discipline that is to be set up in all the Churches of the Saints set forth by white rayment Fine gold make the Saints spirituall rich and enable them to endure the fiery tryall eye-salve cleares the eyes of their understandings that they thereby come to see the way of Christ in his house and Temple in what way he will be worshipped white rayment
this holy City or new Jerusalem commeth downe out of Heaven from God Rev. 3.12 prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband the Spouse of Christ had before her inward cloathing all of wrought gold standing on the right hand of the King in gold of Ophir Psal 45.9.13 called gold tryed in the fire which made her spiritually rich and beautifull in her soule in the eyes of her Lord and Husband Christ But this is not sufficient shee must also have an outward raiment to make her beautifull without both in the eyes of her Lord that looks upon her and the men of this world therefore it is said that shee shall be brought to the King in a raiment of needle-worke Psal 45.14 Rev. 19.8 curiously wrought and imbroidered even in fine linen clean white which is the righteousnesse of the Saints That which none hath right unto or ought to meddle with but Saints Isa 35.8 it being the Government and Discipline which Christ is to set up and exercise in his owne House and Temple over his Saints and people and this fine linen was granted to her by Christ and his Witnesses and it was also granted to the soules under the Altar which saw themselves slaine for the testimony which they held that they should have white robes given them by Christ and his Witnesses when the fifth Seal was opened which was when the fifth Viall was pouring forth betwixt 1639. and 1655. but not fully to all the Saints untill the end of the seven Vials 1700. Rev. 15.8 And the holy Ghost gives the reason why no man that is not many shall not be able to enter into the Temple because the Temple was filled with smoak from the glory of the Lord and from his power By smoake is noted Gods presence Gods presence in his House and Temple is so glorious and so holy that very few shall be able to endure it his Government in his House will be too strict for loose and formall spirits By smoak is likewise noted darknesse the way of Christs Government in and over all the Churches of the Saints is for the present hard to be found out it lyes deep and is as it were hid in the inmost bowels of holy writ not open in the letter of the Scripture but wrapped up in the spirituall sense thereof And Antichrist hath by his Antichristian ayre which he brought with him into the world out of that bottomlesse pit so darkned the understanding of men yea of many of the deare Saints of God that they cannot see Christs way in his House and Temple Again Antichrist having taken kept this Church power from the Saints 1260. years and therefore they are as it were quite ignorant of this Discipline and Government as well they may therefore not able to enter into the Temple but this Church power shall be granted unto the Saints again by Christ and his Witnesses the year 1700. The Church being thus adorned with pure gold in her inward man and with a broidered garment and fine linen upon her outward man and that by authority from Christs civill Magistrates in the place of Judicature Rev. 21.10 11 is said to descend out of Heaven from God haveing the glory of God and her light was like unto a stone most precious even like unto a Jasper stone Verse 3. clear as Christall And at this time the Tabernacle of God shall be with men even with the Saints and people and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himselfe shall be with them and be their God verse 3. And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more paine All those teares or death sorrow or paine which came by the oppressour shall be taken away for Verse 4. saith he the former things are past away all oppression and tyranny of the enemy and he that sits upon the Throne will make all things new new Heaven and new Earth Verse 5. new Government in the Church and a new Government in the State In this new Jerusalem shall be no Temple nor need of the Sunne or Moone to shine in it That is the Church and people of God shall have no need of outward glory to make them beautifull in the eyes of Nations but God and the Lambe shall have their spirituall Throne there Rev. 22.3 4. and be their light and glory and his servants shall serve him and shall see his face that is the brightnesse of his glory and his Name shall be in their fore-heads Rev. 3.12 22.4 The power of Christ in his Church shal be as visible upon them seen to belong to them at that day as though it were written in their fore-heads And in this City shall be a pure River of life cleare as Chrystall that is Verse 1. all pure Ordinances of worship which proceed from the Throne of God and the Lambe who sits in the midst of his Church and on both sides of those pure Ordinances is Christ the Tree of life communicating himselfe to his Saints Thus shall this holy City and new Jerusalem be built by authority from Christ and his Witnesses in the yeare of Christ 1700. which shall be that great worke of the Witnesses that same yeare throghout all their Dominions Zach. 9.10 Psal 72.8 Dan. 7.13 14. 18. 27. Psal 2.6 8 9. Rev. 5.9 10. Isa 24.23 c. which shall be from sea to sea from the River even to the ends of the Earth after they have kept silence in Heaven halfe an houre At this time will God make good all his promises made unto Christ and his Saints concerning their reigning over the Nations and upon the hill of him in his new Jerusalem CHAP. XI The two Governments of Christ the one over the Nations and another over his new Jerusalem Christ reignes 1000. yeares Satan and wicked men bound all that same time afterwards loosed and utterly destroyed The Saints reigning three Termes CHrist and his Witnesses having taken all power into their hands both Civill and Ecclesiasticall and being to reigne over the Nations and upon Mount Zion and in Jerusalem they must have two Governments set up to rule them by one to rule the Nations another to rule upon Mount Zion That whereby Christ and his Saints is to reign and rule the Nations by is just and righteous Lawes Christs government over the Nation Isa 32.1 Psal 72.2.3.4 Verse 7. Jer. 33.15 A King shall reigne in righteousnesse and Princes shall decree justice he shall judge thy people with righteousnesse and the poore with judgement the mountaines shall bring peace to the people and the little hils by righteousnesse he shall judge the poore of the people he shall save the children of the needy and shall breake in pieces the oppressour and in his dayes shall the righteous flourish