the Churches hid estate which is computed to be by the Spirit of God 1260 days prophetically yeares Revel 12.6 which is the full time of Antichrists reign of whom I commend these things to be considered of 1 That the two witnesses comprehend not the whole Ministry of any age but only such who in each age of the predicted time did oppose Antichrist maintaining the Gospel truth against his errours in doctrine discipline or Church Constitution in the several times and ages they lived in so that ones witnesse may differ from another according to the measure of knowledge God had communicated unto them in their day one witnessing against his corrupt doctrine of iustification c. Others against his Idolatry c. Against whom God had still some to oppose and direct the Church to this day this being a part of that time 2. Their witnesse is but for a limited time even the time of the Churches hiding and then ends Revel 11.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There Testimony is not long before it be fulfilled if not already after which they shall teach no more as they have done before 3 Consider but Him that is to put an end to their Ministry and then the time is known when this and by whom it shal be effected Rev. 17.3 I saw a woman that is the Papacy sitting on a Scarlet coloured beast that is the Roman Empire now here Revel 11.7 The beast that is some part of the Civill State of the Roman Monarchy set down Vers 13. By a tenth part of the City which England is being one of the 10 Kingdomes of the Roman Monarchy and a tenth part of the City gets up out of the bottomlesse pit or Antichrists prison the Key whereof the fallen Star keepeth Revel 9.1 which proves her authority thereof 4 The beast thus having broken the prison makes war with the witnesses by questioning their ministry the witnesses could not war with any other weapons then the word and then overcomes them and kils them not slaying their persons but nullifying their ministry 5 Into their carcasses that is into their now dead ministry comes the spirit of life from God that is God comes to restore in their stead the true ministry into the Church againe now that this is meant of their successors not themselves I desire you to observe 1 Their ministry is fulfiled that is that they were to doe by their ministry they have done and are to do no more in the Church 2 Their time being set is now accomplished and are no longer to continue and if they then sure the other antichristian Ministry that is not of God is much more to end 6 The spirit of life entring into their carcasses is the right call and abundance of gifts God shall blesse the succeeding ministry with 7 That the successors of these vers 12. Are called into heaven that is they are acknowledged by the Church to be the true Gospel ministry 8 On this the 10 part of the City falls vers In which a full and perfect deliverance is given to one of the ten Kingdoms from the Antichristian estat and not before Aplic England see where and in what time thou art in and what is to be done in thee for thy cure and how neer thy comfort and Salvation is 2 How contrary the actings of men are to Gods minde the sole cause of all our troubles 3 I cannot passe this by that the witnesses Prophesied in sackcloath Revel 11.3 And so did weare none of the Popes Scarlet or the Bishops silks or had they the rule of States with the Presbytery but were during their whole time of ministry in a sad and suffering condition lamenting their own and the Saints calamities being alwâ—ys under antichristian persecution for the truth and never having publicke Government in their hands as Presbytery hath had at all 4 These witnesses rise again in the restauration of the true Gospel ministry foretold of God Revel 20. ver 4.5 You shall see in this how God makes good the judgment written of her when shall be fulfilled on her that she did on the messengers of the Gospel that she may say as I have done the Lord hath requited me Revel 18.6 Return to her even as she hath returned to you Now the word is verbum factivum that which God saith here Do shall be done when the time is come people be to whom these words are written For as the Apostle 1 Pet. 1.12 not to themselves but us they did minister these things so these things are ministred to those men that live in that tâ—me God will have these things done when the Word shall fill their spirits with might to do the will of the Lord. 1 Who is to be returned unto that is her the false Church of Rome 2 How she is to be rewarded and that is as she hath rewarded the true Church of Christ 3 He shews the Rule God wil have observed in returning to her which is That as she hath done she shall be done unto 1 Now consider by policy she first destroyed the Gospel Ministry God will take down hers by the purity and power of his Word again and set up the Gospel Government in her stead 2 By cruelty and disgrace shee destroyed these Witnesses which taught the Gospel of Truth in the time of her Reigne now to this the holy Spirit alludes as being the way of Gods judgment in â—hâ—ch the Saints are to be executionâ—rs and to do to her that is Antichrist as she hath done 3 The thing God aimed at herein is to shew Antichrists tyranny used against those God raised up to preach the Gospel by degrading them as in the History of John Huss at Constance and of John Sawtrey the first English Martyr the History in brief being thus The Bishops cause him to be apparelled in Priestly Vestments and to be brought to appear before them when the Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Arundel 1399 saith I denounce thee William Sawtrey in the Habit of a Priest as an Heretick I do condemne thee in the name of all my fellow brethren the Bishops c. and of the whole Clergy I do degrade and deprive thee of thy Priestly Order in signe whereof we take from thee the Patent and Chalice and do deprive thee of authority of saying Mass we pull from thy back the Casul and take from thee thy Vestment and deprive thee of all manner of Priestly honour And then having proceeded in manner of pronouncing sentence against him as before he proceeds Wee put thee from the order of a Deacon in token we take from thee the book of the New Testament and the Stole and do deprive thee of reading the Gospel and all dignity of a Deacon As a Subâ—eacon they depriveâ—â—â— of the Albe and Maniple As a Acolite they take away the Candlestick and Taper As a Exorcist the book of Conjuration As a Reader they took away the book of the Church Legend As Sexton they
none shall hinder them it being Gods will it must be done and let me say to all concern'd herein as Gamaliel in the Acts 5.39 If this be of God ye cannot overthrow it lest happily ye be found fighters against God 4 Should you say to the Parliament as Elisha to Hazael 2 Kings 8.12 You will do this evill take away all the maintenance and Ministry almost of the Kingdom into three or foure and then wil ye not bring this brave flourishing knowing Kingdom into deep darknesse Atheisme worse then Popish like that of America c. I believe the answer would be Do you think we are Dogs that we should ever do such things as these But where I may apply that of the Prophet that God hath shewed to me that these things shall be done I leave to the issue of things tâ— prove 5 Applic. Was there ever such trouble at the removing of these severall Ministers of the false Church as in Cardinall Wolseys Praemunire for Poole was but as titular and acted little as if dead and in removall of Archbishops and Bishops and their Praemunire can we think though the Deacons fal quietly that the Presbyters fall will not cost much bloud especially in Scotland Do not we see what doings now there are in France and how they are carried against the first of the foolish Virgins the Cardinall Mazarine who have all their work to do but before any peace be in that Kingdom wil do all together Applic. To the Kingdom untill you see these things you can never see peace you can never come out of Babell you can never see the Marriage of the Lambe nor behold the good days of God foretold in the Scripture these things forespoken of make way for these to come amongst us therefore know as contrary to thee as they seem to be yet they are according to God And it is most true if we should consult with flesh and bloud about these things we were utterly lost herein Applic. To Ministers ye see what sad things are coming on us I desire you not to accompt me your enemy because I tell you the truth Gal. 4.16 Many may be happy by it that have hearts to make use of it if this be not Truth let me then be accompted the Ministers publike Enemy whom surely in heart I have not the least desire to offend of my self at all but it seems to me providence foretels you you shall stir up the hatred of the Magistrate against you and then you will occasion him to eat the remaining flesh and to consume the remaining feces of Antichrists Polity amongst us To the Magistrate Rev. 20.4 Thrones were set and judgement was given to them and the souls of them beheaded c. and cap. ver 5. This is the first Resurrection I suppose these things in a judiciall way will be brought to passe in the world Dan. 7.13 14. are at that time to be accomplâ—shed Scriptures I beleeve when accomplished will plainly appear to have been very strangely misunderstood and mis-applyed which I leave to time to evidence and the troubles that do succeed upon removing the Presbytery and that appertains â—hereunto is that last Woe I mentioned in the Epistle dedicated to his Excellency the Lord Fairfax Generall before the Forme of Gospel-Government I caused to be printed about January the 14th 1648. Object You have spoken of Antichrists Ministry as of a single Ministry and now come to compare the Ministry of Christ which are five in the true Church to Antichrist as having five also distinct in her false Church 1 Bellarmine acknowledgeth 2 Tom. de Cler. Cap. 16. That a Cardinall is but as a parish priest in his own Title 2 They were Presbyter-Cardinals and so no more but chiefe Presbyters they having in their Churches but a Single Ministry for as in their Churches a Bishop ministred not to them nor any Archbishop or Presbyter unlesse as Curate or Substitute only Vide Potter Numb 666. Cap. 19. The five Gospell Ministers being in every true Gospell constituted Church the five false in the Romane Catholick Church or Nationall Forbs Irenicu Cap. 11. de Episcop Propos 10 Quando Presbyter fit Episcopus non desinit esse presbyter c. Peculiarem habens Ecclesiam Parochialem quae ipsi sit Cathedralis id est ad quam constantèr resideat c. Now for Presbyters and Deacons they were practised amongst us singly which is proofe sufficient Which clears to us That while Antichrist had his five false Anti-ministers he had them in a false way and not as the true Church each one doing in the Church singly as concerning the Ministry and alone which all the true Church ordinary Ministry were to do together there being no division of Members under the Cardinals the Archbishops or Bishops Ministry more then in the lowest Presbyters in that Hierarchy nor did he any thing differ in his administrations from them as the Apostles did from Prophets they from Evangelists they from Pastors or Teachers in the true Church these in the false Church differed indeed in some things in respect of their whole Antichristian Babylonish Hierarchy but not in particulâ—r Titles or Parish Churches Applic. To Scotland In her is the Root of Presbytery as Episcopacy was in England though that Geneva gave as it were first being unto it under Calvin for in Scotland Nationally it was received and confirmed by one of the ten Kings of the Romane Monarchy c. 1 They shall by the Presbytery be stirred up to warre and be overcome by the Saints they warre against called Hereticks and Schismaticks the old Romane way of proceeding against beleevers they themselves are called so at Rome 2 They will come in the end to hate the Presbytery God will make them naked have their riding the Beast that is the Temporall Authority of that Kingdome opened to them and their standing be made appear not to be Evangelicall by which means the Kingdome of Scotland shall come to hate them and take away all Authority and Jurisdiction from them and take away their Ecclesiasticall preferments and tithes c. yea make their Presbytery so desolate as not to leave a Presbyter of them to be a Minister This friends it seems to me God is about to do in Scotland it selfe and what will become of it in England and what shall we say if ever we see God do these things 3 Though the Warre begin here possibly if it do this Army will then I beleeve enter Scotland and do for Presbytery there as they did for Episcopacy here but with much more integrity for as Episcopacy was to have its fall in England England being the Root of it so Presbytery is to have its fall in Scotland the Root of it being there this estate being the Philadelphian estate in which the love of Sister-Churches will appear O that the mind of God were enquired after at the Word and that men would endeavour the fulfilling thereof so would there
took away the Keys of the Church doore and the Surplice And then raze his Crown and put a Cap of a Lay person on his head and deliver him to the Secular power and say pray be favourable to him who after burns him being called on by the Bishops in the City of London Now you are to observe if a Cardinall Archbishop or Bishop had proved thus Heretical other things had been done to him in his Pale Crosier Mitre and other fooleries as in part was done on those Bishops suffered in Queen Maryes dayes O! Friends see is not the Surplise taken away the Legend the Booke of Conjurations the Candlesticks the Taper the Alb the Maniple the New Testament and stole from the Deacon I mean to exercise it ministerially the Paten and Chalice the Casul the Masse the Mitre Crosier and Cardinals Cap are not all in a little while with many more gone out of the Kingdome and swept clean away as with the beesome of God 4 Things are here done more to be observed 1 Depriving of Priestly honour 2 Razing the Crown 3 Puting on a Laymans Cap which we should be loath to have done on us 4 The saying to the Temporall power we beseech you to receive William Sawtrey favourably into your power if ever God should doe this the Civil power need to be favourable to us for never men needed more favour of them then we shall the Lord grant some way may be found out to supply our families which are not the least in the Kingdom and let not us Ministers if these things are to be not occasion the Magistrate to be straightned to us Lord what a day is coming on us Ministers sure another day of judgment which we cannot flye from That Parable of the unjust Steward Luke 16.1 to the end of vers 11. will be after more cleerly understood then yet it is But this is for comfort certainly that after the true Church is constituted the abundance of blessings will be such I think no man will lack I shall end this part with certain Predictions agreeable hereunto Walter Brute about 1393. but if in time to come after this those that be Temporall Lords shall take from Ecclesiastical persons their Temporalties let him that desireth to understand this read Ezek. chap. of the Sheepherds of Israel and read the Apocalyps of the fall of Babel let him read the Popes Decretals against Heretiks in these he shall find the Temporalties shal be taken from the Clergy for the multitudes of their sins Acts and Mon. A Prediction of Merlinus Calcedenius a Scot. After a long tribulation of Christians and effusion of innocent bloud the prosperity and peace of God shall come to a desolate Nation I mean the Christians for an excellent Pastor shall come and rectifie all things and all things shall be according to the form of the Primitive Church Joannes Wolfius cites a Prediction Europae genitus terra vir justus aequus Pastor erit coeli claves non regna gubernans Pax erit toto surget concordia mundo Una fides unus regnabit in omnia princeps Saint Bridget saith of the Pope that a sword of God should pierce his body and run him throrough from head to heart never to be pulled out and after his armes his Vicars and Ministers their souls should be debarred the glory of God and their dignity and goods should be devolved unto others Joachim an Italian Abbot in his Concord of the two Testaments hath written many predictions which accord with these Joannes de rupe Scissa once Bishop of Paris hath foretold that the Popeâ— Archbishops Bishops and the whole Clergy of Rome shaâ—l be brought back again to the Primitive form of Christ and his Apostles with most sharp scourges and that all temporall principalities shall be taken from the Clergy Savanorala that the Apostolicall See should be removed from Rome to Jerusalem if hereby be understood the New Jerusalem it is true And its possible these Predictions were for the most part taken from Scripture as Expositions only as in the predicted place of Walter Brute according to which I have done mine which none can quarrell at unlesse he quarrell against the Word if it agree with the mind of the holy Spirit if not reprove it print against it After part of the wrath of God contained under the sixth Seal in which is a fall of the ministry Revel 6.13 and demolishing of Church Government in rolling away of the Heavens vers 14. chap. 7.1 there is an endevour by 4 Angels that is ministers to stop the Winâ—s or Gospel through discontent that their ministry and government was abolished it being given to them by the Magistrate It is liked not of God because they are by the other Angel that differed from them forbade to do it it is like they will endevour to peace if their call to the ministry be false there is none true and so ought to be no teaching at all but the other Angel that ascends from the Sun rising that is he that was of those Christ the Son of righteousnesse at first sent forth with the Gospel hee opposeth them who hath the Seal that is the authority of the living God to constitute Churches and gather members into Gospel fellowship with Jesus Christ by the word setting men apart to God thereby from the World Reader one word of this Scripture is not fulfilled but follows the things in hand time will shortly manifest them in another way then yet they are In the Ministry of Edmundsbury in the Celleners great Chamber window in one half of the glasse was pictured the Apostle Paul having in one hand a sword and with the other points to a picture and the other side of the window with a triple Crown in a glorious Seat holding the Globe of the World in his hand environed with Priests Monks Preachers and Fryers and having out of his mouth an unclean spirit flying or fluttering about the same his Crown was compassed is it were with Sun-beams and in three severall places written about it in short Antichristus and about the Apostles head was written Veniet discessio primum And underneath the Apostle Paul is pictured Malachy the Prophet and written above his head Ecce ego mittam vobis Eliam Prophetam Behold I will send you Eliah the Prophet and he shall turne the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers least I smite the earth with a Curse and with the finger pointed at Eliah pictured on the other hand over against him underneath the picture of Antichrist as if hee were preaching to the Prelates Priests Monks and Friers amongst whom some are represented as stopping their cares and nose thereat Some as if they seemed sleeping otâ—er some at listning and assenting to that Elias saith Vide Maxwels History of admirable prophecies I do not cite these as if the Scripture were not sufficient to admonish us or that I use them as of any authority in a manner but thus that when all knowledge was taken away from the people God stirred up the dumbe to speak and made the blinde see the destruction of Antichrist to wonder and admiration so that Popes Cardinals c. cannot say but they have been admonished of God from Heaven as it were of that destruction most certainly followeth Now if these how much more should we from the word warn men and be warned in which they may see truth themselves spoken of God that cannot lie and blessed is that soule is not offended at it but made wise and in it happy for ever which is it I only seek God is witness and not of my self the wrong or fall of any enviously but the admonition of all that are concern'd here in love and in peace in God and in Christ our Lord according to the everlasting Gospel of our blessed God and Saviour and who is he that came or shal be offended at it and not offend God yea try if it be the truth if so if thou believe not yea if thou submit not to it the enmity of this heart appears against which pray the Lord earnestly to give thee grace and mercy that thou be not left thereto for ever whereto the Lord help all his daily evermore FINIS Errata Page 1. r. parabolas p. 4. l. 34. r. are in p. 5. l. 2. r. Presbyter p. 5. l. 17. r. false prophet p. 5. l. 23. r. alterius orbis p. 5. 28 29. r. for the Evangelists p. 10 l. 16. dele that l. 35. r. who are p. 13. l. ult r. association p. 19. at end of 20 l. 1 Cor. 3.15 p. 19. l. 4. r. as at