rise of the Witnesses the preaching of the everlasting Gospel the begining of the down-fall of Antichrist and the setting up the Kingdome of Christ the Churches of Christ and sincere professours of the Gospel with the addition of new converts will begin to appear with the Lamb on Mount-Zion in all the Primitive Glory and Purity of the New Testament-Churches for Matter Doctrine and Order But so far as the Churches are in Babylon and by sinful compliance with Antichristian worship and the evils and Apostacy of the times have not kept but defiled their Garments and so far as they have left their first Love owned and stood by them that held the Doctrine of Balaam suffered that woman Jezebel to teach and seduce had a name to live and are dead have not kept the word of Christs patience and have been luke-warm and lost their favour their Candlestick shall be removed and the true mortified quickened spiritual Members that are in the flower of their virginity or have kept their simplicity will be gathered as the precious from the vile and with all the poor scattered stones and dust of Zion the living spiritual stones be built up the second time the great New Testament-Temple when also our Lord will appear in his Glory Psal 102. 13 14 16. For God we are perswaded has a great Controversie with the Churches who ought to be the ground and pillar of Truth for their corruption and Apostacy and because they have not received and contended for the great New Covenant-Truth of the Kingdome of our Lord Jesus 2. That all Civill Liberty and Rights of men which with every mans Propertie we assert shall rise alone upon the Foundation and grow upon the Root of the Visible Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ which we hope and greatly desire may from henceforth take place among us according to the Prophecies of the Scriptures and become a great Mountain filling the whole Earth 3. That the chief of the Spoil which shall be taken in Battell and all the Estates which shall be forfeited through Treason and Rebellion shall be brought into one common Treasury according to the Word of the Lord Their Gain shall be consecrate to the Lord and their Substance to the Lord of the whole Earth Micah 4. 13. That it may not feed the Fowls of Prey or enrich and corrupt particular persons as of late but carry on the Work of God with the Army of the Lamb in which every Souldier shall be sufficiently provided for by a certain honourable constant Revenue issuing out of the said Treasury according to his Place Degree Services and Family And for accomplishing and attaining these great and weighty ends we Declare also for the Razing Destroying and perpetuall Rooting out of the whole Constitutions and Foundations of the Antichristian Laws and Government of these Nations for the Removing of Taxes Tythes Excise and Customes also so far as Oppressive and unlawfull slavish tenures of Land Oppressions of Landlords Monarthy and Lordship as well in Church as State so also in Cities Societies and Families wherein the Rights of younger Brethren will be vindicated according to Law the nature whereof is Justice Mercy and Equity wherein is no footing for such sictions as this wicked Law teacheth to distinguish between Courts of Justice and Equity and the Nimrod spirit and Monopolies of elder Brethren unto whom as Kings in the Family the younger Brethren are Slaves and Subjects which is one grand branch of Tyranny and Interest of Monarchy pulled down whose Interest nevertheless by right of Primogeniture is asserted according to the Kings Law to wit two-fold For the ballance of Lands must be adaequate to the Government of the Commonwealth And as our great desire is to take off all yoaks and oppressions both of a civil and spiritual nature from the necks of the poor people so shall we endeavour to cast the wing of protection over them their Persons Families and Interests to preserve them from Free-quarter Plunder and all other injuries and violences whatsoever being resolved first to offer up our own proper Estates for our necessary maintainance For it shall be our great and indefatigable care to preserve an excellent and strict Discipline in our Army that not the least wrong of how small value soever may be done alwayes respecting Propriety so that all persons other then such as shall oppose and rebell against this righteous Interest may expect the fruition thereof in their peaceable demeanours of themselves in their lawful occasions and Family concerns And it is not the least thing to be looked at that hereby the Gospel will have free access which seems to be one of the first fruits of the Saints rendesvouze Revel 14. 6 7. and poor sinners will be converted unto Christ and be enlightened with the glorious light of his salvation And indeed that great and general conversion both of Jews and Gentiles which the Prophecies speaks of Isa 60. 5 will be one of the greatest blessings the soul-blessing that the Kingdom of Christ will bring with it under which both sin and Satan will receive so fatall a blow that his Kingdom will be destroyed the which doth commend the Excellency and Nature of this blessed Kingdom above the barren and soul-destroying Interests of Antichrist Rev. 18. 13. under whose Government poor ignorant souls are hardened and lost And it has been for some years past a rare thing to hear of the reall Conversion of one soul through the Ministry of the National Parish Ministers so dead dry dark and barren has their Ministry been so much have they desiled their Garments stumbled hardened and offended sinners kept out the Truth of the Kingdom from their Churches and Assemblies so losing abundance of the Power and Riches of the Gospel which nevertheless by the mouths of Babes and Sucklings has been conveyed to poor vile sinners so effectual has it been unto Conversion so little has the Gospel been powerfully and effectually preached by them whose hired Labours can never countervail the many Families they have wickedly destroyed for Tythes But the Remnant of Jacob shall be as a dew from the Lord when Magistrates and Soldiers shall preach the Gospel and teach the people knowledge as well as those appointed unto the Word and Doctrine for this Cheat of the Whore of Rome and Innovation of Antichrist Monopolizing the Work of the Ministry to make a Trade of the Gospel and Slaves and Souls of men into their own hands limiting and appropriating it unto Persons in Ecclesiasticall Offices shall be taken away And finally We most earnestly desire and call all that love our Lord Jesus Christ and wait for his Kingdom to offer themselves willingly with us in this Work that as in that Renowned History Judges 5. 9 14 15 16 17 18 23. Out of Ephraim there may be a Root of us against Amaleek after thee Benjamin among thy People out of Machir shall come down Governours and out of Zebulun they that
handle the Pen of the Writer The Princes of Issachar with Deborah and Barak on foot in the Valley And if Reuben will continue in his divisions and abide among the Sheepfolds to hear the bleatings of the Flocks Gilead abide beyond Jordan Dan remain in Ships and Asher continue on the Sea-shore and abide in his breaches yet Zebulun and Napthali will be a People that will jeopard their lives unto the death in the high places of the field and Meroz shall be accursed because they came not to the help of the Lord to the help of the Lord against the mighty And our heart being towards you that among all the People offer your selves willingly to the Work we beseech you set all things in order prepare your selves and let the Rich help the Poor that with one mouth we may all say Thine are we David and on thy side thou son of Jesse Peace peace be unto thee and peace be to thine helpers for thy God helpeth thee 1 Chron. 12. 18. And if any of the old Army which God hath laid aside whose hearts he hath touched do quit their Interests and come to us on this alone lasting Foundation they shall be willingly received We have but one word more and that is unto young Converts who together with those who have separated from Antichrist in his purest Forms and Dresses and have been kept through rich Grace from the defilements of the Times and the late Apostacy are like to be the choicest instruments in this Work Precious honest heart let neither thy sins past miscarriages want of faith nor any other imperfection discourage thee from flying unto Christs Standard but as thou art with thy soul all broken in pieces throw thy self down at the feet of our Lord Jesus and come dye for him who spared not his own precious heart-blood for thee and thy life he saith and all things pertaining thereunto shall be given thee Some choice Teachings and Hints of a poor despised Remnant from that great Prophecy of the VVITNESSES Rev. II. Humbly submitted to Saints Consideration IN this three Years and half of which Elijahs Time of the three years and six months was a very great type of the Witnesses death God has been dealing with us as he did with that his worthy servant we have never been without the Bread of the Promises and the Waters of Spiritual comfort and this Prophecy since we had the Light of it has been as a Fountatin to us for new strength to corroborate us to confirme us and in the Promise of the spirit of Life we have had a salve for every sore and strength against every Temptation So that altho our Brooks are dryed and Ravens gone publick Ordinances and worldly helps yet have we still a handfull of meal and a little oyl with the Widow of Zareptah an invisible Fountain a living store which will last us till the Rain comes We cannot but take notice of the soul-melting goodnesse of our God that he has given us this valley of Achor for a door of Hope that he has shewed us a right way in the Wilderness insomuch that we can say of many choice Teachings and signall Hints which through free Grace we have been made partakers of under which we have cause to be mightily humbled this was the Spirit of God and this was the place of Loves Of all which in particular if the Spirit bring them to our Remembrance as also of the manifold Grace of God we trust we shall talk at the Rendezvouz on Mount Zion among the Virgins to his Praise And now we cannot but admire the wonderful Providences of God that he has called us into our secret Chambers Isa 26. 20. wherein he hath brought us to a state of near conformity and resemblance to himself and the first-fruits of the Primitive Saints who when the Shepheard was smitten and lay in the Grave and the cloud was so black that of all the thousands that were wont to hear him and follow him were left but 120 Names as the fruits of all his Preaching and Miracles were privately together in an Upper Room for fear of the Jews waiting for the great New Testament-Promise And surely now God has some great thing for his People that he calls them so near unto himself Now we shall shew our Opinion of these things and with submission give our judgement of the present state of Affairs In the doing whereof we shall omit many things and but name the rest 1. That the two Witnesses are that precious select separated Remnant of Christ in the Churches who in every Age and Generation are witnessing too and to the death contending for the great truth of their Age ver 3 4. 2. That these two Witnesses are at this day slain and lie dead Proved 1. From the great probability there is and ground we have to judge from what those worthy and famous men German Author and Tillinghast and other Authors of no small authority have writ That the 1290 dayes Dan. 12. 11. which of necessity must be headed according to the Character of the Vision with that remarkable Act of Julian A. D. 366. And the 42. moneths or the Dominion of the Power of darknesse and of the night which is not measured by dayes according to the motion of the Sun as the Witnesses Prophecy is but by moneths after the motion of the Moon which ruleth the night so Mede of the Beasts Tyranny and Persecution which is headed by his rise A. D. 396. for thirty years must pass between the heads of these two Numbers because they expire at one and the same time so Tilling Rev. 13. 5. in which it is observable that the utmost continuance of the Beast is not measured out but onely the time of his Commission unto blood limited ended with that remarkable year 1656. according to their computions of the mysticall Numbers But some will dislike this opinion and disallow these heads of account the which nevertheless if we let go we shall be quite lost in our Enquiry because the time then must be expired and yet the fruit doth not appear And how say they will you bring the mysticall Numbers and their computations to a harmony and agreement To such we thus answer That the time times and an half Dan. 12. 7. which are not the whole time of the Vision for that is particularly expressed afterward but are laid down as a Mark and Character of the end of wonders are not to be reckoned for a part of the 1290. dayes ver 11. but are a time distinct and to be added thereunto That the three dayes and an half of the Witnesses lying dead Rev. 11. 9. are not to be taken for any part of the forty two moneths ver 2. or the 1260. dayes ver 3. for they are to Prophesie so long but we must put a difference because the Scriptures doth so between their Prophesying time and the time of their lying dead But the three years and
secure that they shall not be moved for ever ver 10. Nevertheless it seems to us they shall not effect or accomplish any great or weighty matters but the greatest part of their little time will be spent in Rejoycing Feasting taking pleasure making merry and sending gifts one to another for their supposed new and great Victory and that until the fatall day come upon them 5. Towards the end of this time which the Lord hath every where set a mark upon as that which shall period the Sufferings and Captivity of the Gentile Churches some bloody and cruell design will be laid by the Dragon against the Remnant of the Womans Seed who appear for Christ and the Truth in the time their Brethren the Witnesses lye dead either of a Massacre Banishment or fiery Persecution Psal 83. which just upon the point of the three years and a halfs expiring he will attempt to put in execution Rev. 12. 17. but shall never accomplish it chap. 14. 1. These signs most of them are also in M. Till Knowl of Times whose Method we have in part followed Now some for want of light in these Prophecies may think that in these things there is a great likeness of the Witnesses Slaughter and that they do not as indeed they do as will be found of him who diligently searcheth immediately go before their Rise but is rather the slaughter of them or something in order to it But that cannot be for this Reason because then must we come to persecution and their death would be a corporall Death for it is not the Beasts clemency or mildness but want of time that cuts him short in this point But that their death will not be a corporall death but civill and spirituall we could prove by many sound and unanswerable Reasons And that we are not to expect any more persecution unto blood or suffering for Gospel Truths after the Witnesses death is as plain The present distress being rather a Nationall Quarrel then any thing else And now unto these things that are transacted on the Stage let us adde these two 1. That these things are of great use unto the people of God that have kept their Garments in any measure For by these Trialls God is taking the Precious from the Vile blowing the chaffe from the wheat raising up a new Generation and making of them a new sharp threshing Instrument with teeth and separating some for his own service by the marks of Non-conformity all which look very like that Prophecy Rev. 14. 3 4. Christ is gathering his first ripe Fruits redeeming a precious Remnant from the Earth and severing them from among all men that they may follow him with another spirit as Joshua and Caleb did and not come short of their work through temptations of Honour Profit and worldly Vanities as some have done to their shame 2. That this blessed strong lively supplicating wrestling pulling groaning travelling praying Spirit among the poor dry Bones the scattered despised Stones and Dust of Zion which takes hold of Gods Arm i. e. Christ Covenant Oath Promise Faithfulnesse and Word is a great token and Symptome of Deliverance Zech. 10. 1. Thus much to the second Point 3. That O. C. kill'd the Witnesses and that the place of their lying dead is England 1. That O. C. kill'd them proved by two Arguments 1. This last War of the Beast against the Witnesses is altogether different from that which hitherto he had waged continually against the company of the Saints Rev. 13. 7. 1. It is not of the same kinde the former was alwayes with sword fire and fagot this a certain kinde of spirituall War in that they dy'd corporally in this civilly and spiritually and in the latter sense lies the blacknesse of the day as Tillinghast well observes In the former War the Beast could never get the Victory in a spiritual sense for they alwayes dy'd Conquerours and triumphed over him in the midst of Flames maugre all his rage which bred in him a certain kinde of torment but now being more old and cunning and withall such a Day-star of Reformation being Risen through the Witnesses prophesying as made him that the durst now appeare in the day in his old bloody blasphemous hue and finding himself also much weakned through the continuall War that now had been all along between him and the Witnesses and being just upon the expiring of his 42. moneths or Reign of darknesse and finding that he is not able to come unto blood he takes unto him weapons of another Nature which proves more effectuall and advantageous to his Cause For this Quarrel between him and the Witnesses being about the Finishing-Testimony and the Cause of Reformation he is now enforced unlesse he will lose all to use his utmost policy and craft 2. This War is declared as peculiar unto the last time of the Beast and a speciall Note set upon it to distinguish it from that which had been familiar to him in the times of his 42. moneths 3. It is one kinde of War which the Beast waged universally against the Saints another which in his last declining estate he shall wage with the Prophets which had begun now to put off their sack-cloth and to end their Propheticall mourning Answerable to this is that of the Woman in the 12. of the Rev. touched before where at the end of the 42. moneths there is a shew of coming out of the wildernesse ver 10. But this sad and sudden and indeed unexpected news of the losse of the Field and Witnesses slaughter coming she is forced suddenly to flie to her old place again her Champions being gone for three years and an half longer ver 13 14. 4. This last War is not universally over all the Beasts Kingdom but is peculiar to some one place or Nation where the Witnesses had gained upon him which in the Text is called the street of the City i. e. one street or dominion of the 10. ver 8. 5. The event of this War however the Cause may seem at first to go on his side and he may think the field won and the day his own is very lamentable In his former Wars Power was given him over all Kindreds Tongues and Nations Rev. 1. where he procures to himself a sudden and fatall ruine and he will never be able to rally or make head again in that Nation so notably is it levened with the Witnesse Doctrine Most of these distinctions are found in Mede Now this last War against the Witnesses and their Death and Slaughter being of another kinde from what was common to the Beasts Reign it must needs follow that it be managed by a subtill hand and one that can handle a spirituall weapon well and do it with a notable profession of Religion and seem to differ from the Witnesses in nothing but time And certainly if we depart not from the plain sense and meaning of the Text we must needs conclude that O. C. was the man for the whole limits of the Beasts Kingdom could not parallell him 2. The main ground of this Quarrel is about the Finishing-Testimony By the Finishing-Testimony we cannot more fitly understand any thing then the great Truth of the Kingdom of Christ Now that which doth enrage the Beast and against wich he makes this War is against this precious Truth of the Visible Kingdom of Christ as it is the Truth of the Generation and that which the Witnesses in their Finishing-Testimony was going about to cause to take place in that Nation The which neverthelesse they shall not do for it is said When they shall be about to finish their Testimony so Mede renders the word the Beast shall make War against them and overcome them and kill them which Victory of the Beast makes the Witnesses Cause never a whit the worse But O. C. persecuted no Truth but this Truth of the Kingdom of Christ and he persecuted not that neither but as it was the Truth of the Generation and that which the Witnesses would immediately have to take place so that they going about to finish their Testimony he was necessitated to make this lamentable War unless he would have his Government over-tun And two things of him are very considerable 1. That about a year and a half before his death this Prophecy of the Witnesses seemed to trouble him very much and he was very earnest with two of us to know what we thought of the Witnesses the which he seemed to speak with a convinced guilty minde and some kinde of regret 2. We have sometimes thought from the last clause of the fifth veise And if any man will hurt them he must in this manner be killed that this Finishing-Testimony of the Witnesses however he seemed to have the better was the death of him gave him the wound he could never claw off But 2. That England is the place is yet to be proved for which we shall name two Arguments and leave it 1. This War and Slaughter must be where a notable Work of Reformation has been on foot where the pure Doctrine of the Reign of Christ is powerfully and effectually preached where there is a people that are the choicest and forwardest of all others and may be said to be the first fruits of all the Antichristian World But if Germany it self or all Europe can parallell England in this which is as a Garden of choice Plants then will we consider further 2. It is called in the Text the Street of the City that which is the very Stage of Action or Market place of the world and whether England has not been so for these twenty years even in the account of other Nations as witness what that German writes in his Clavis p. 100. and Manasseh Ben Israel the Jew in his Epistle of his Hope of Israel to the Parliament of England we leave to sober and judicious men to judge Thus much to the third Point 4. And lastly In all probability the great Day of the Witnesses Rise will be in this present Year 1660. AMEN FINIS