of man Or secondly A perfect man in the unity of faith with all his Saints he being the head and all the City of Zion or number of Saints the Members knit into one spirituall body by the spirit of the Father And this is called the Branch and the Vine Now a Branch or Vine doth not consist of one sprig or rod but of divers and so the seed of the Woman the Anointing or the Son of God doth not consist of one man only after the flesh to wit the man Christ Jesus but also those whom the Father hath chosen and given to Jesus the anointed and writ their names in him the Lambs Book makes up but one Son of God being all partakers of one Spirit And likewise they make up but one feed of the Woman they beâ—ng all partakers of one flâ—sh to wit the flesh of Christ the Saints being bone of Christs bone and flesh of his flesh And this is the 1and of righteousness which all the Children of Zion shall inherâ—t they shall not dwell in Adams corrupt flesh but in Christ pure flesh And because Christs mysticall body springs from the first Adam which is from the earth earthly and corrupt Therefore the Lord takes away the filthy garments from them And purges the iniquity of that Land in one day that is in the day of Christs power and so makes them conformable to the second Adam which is the Lord from Heaven Now this seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head for God the Father hath engaged himself to subdue the Serpents power under the feet of Sâ—â—nts as well as under the feet of Christ he and they being but one body one man one branch one Vine one Son of God being but one in respect of the unity of spirit and one in respect of the unity of flesh after their iniquity is purged as it must be God being Christs God and their God Christs Father and their Father Only here lies the difference Christ hath the full measure of the spirit but God gives to the Saints severally as he will according to the measure of the fulness of Christ Jesus Christ he breaks the Serpents head by the strength of his Father which dwelleth in him And the Saints break the Serpents head by Christs strength in them even the same Anointing and hence it is that Christ the head prayed That his Disciples or body mysticall might be one with him as he and his Father were one and when the Saints are taken up into this spiritual enjoyment and feeles sees and findes by experience that Gods strength which is the anointing dwells in them and is become the Lord their righteousness they henceforth know Christ after the flesh no more And this speaks great comfort to Saints to the poorest members that live alone among the scoffing sons of bondage as well as to the whole City in generall they shall never fall from grace their eternall life is as sure as the eternall life of Jesus Christ their head in whom their life is hid God himself being that life and strength and these being part of that seed which the Father hath said shall break the Serpents head so that the Serpent shall only bruise the heel by his temptings but he shal never blot out one name that is writ in the Lambs Book of life for this compleat man or seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head The head of this mysticall body hath conquered already and is sat down in glory waiting till his body be glorified with him and so all enemies be for ever made his foot-stool And this is the Counsel of God which the two witnesses give testimony of that the Serpents head shall be bruised and sinners reconcil'd to God by no other name or power but only by Jesus Christ the anointed Son of God This anointing being God himself in man God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself not imputing their sins to them But the Lamb Christ Jesus he is the chief and the power of the Faâ—her appeared first in him and after that through him in the Saints to break the Serpents head according to the word of the Father And this is the testimony which these two faithfull witnesses beare witness to for the glory of the Father who is engaged In this was manifested the love of God towards us Because God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him And we have seen and do testifie that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God That is acknowledge that Jesus is that power whereby God will break the Seâ—pents head God dwells in him and he in God And so again who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus the Anointed is the Son of God And this eternall councel and purpose of the Father That the seed of the Woman should break the Serpents head was declared as soon as the devil or red Dragon had deceived the whole world in Adam And this Councel of God is held forth to the world in all the promises in all the Mosayecall types and in all the prophesies of old For minde it the Scriptures point out nothing else to us but this That Jesus Christ is the onely begotten Son and strength of God whereby he will subdue the power of darknes and translate sinners into his owne Kingdome and glory and he is the very righteousnesse of God whereunto the selfeconceited Jewes and Gentiles will not submit And therefore God had need of faithfull witnesses to bear testimony hereof to the world such witnesses as men may say after the vail is taken off their hearts that without doubt their testimony of the Fathers Councell is true Such witnesses as can and will prove their testimony not from the writings and words of others but from their own experienced knowledge of what they have seen and heard and been made acquainted with from God The world is so far from believing this report That the Anointed is the power of God That when Christ appeared as a man in the flesh they reproached him under the name of a Mecannick tradesman a Carpenter and never rested till they had killed him and cast him out And now in these Latter dayes when Christ comes in Spirit ruling and working in the Saints according to the promise of the Father truly the ignorant deceived world denies him still will not own his spirit but jeeres him calling him the Spirit of the Divell and a spirit of errour even as the Jewes told Christ after the flesh that he was a deceiver of the people And this deceived world or corrupt flesh of man endeavours to make lawes and establish â—hem with all possible policy and power to â—ring the
Anointed into bondage and will not allow him a liberty to worke where and upon whom he pleaseth but would restrain him to their scanty measure the principles of the flesh and so though the world allow Christ the name of King Priest and Prophet yet they will act â—hese Offices themselves both over him and over his body the Church Ey but Gods two faithfull witnesses shall not only prove that Christ is King Priest and Prophet in name only but that he is those in â—ule in operation and powre proving it in â—heir own experience which in time the world â—hall see and be ashamed though for the present they will not see nor be ashamed for â—heir envy to Christ and his fellowes And â—hen shall the glory of the Father be advanced â—nd the song of the Saints shall set the Crown of glory upon the head of him that sits upon the Throne and upon the Lamb for evermore For then all Nations shall see the word â—nd councel of the Father fullfilled that the â—erpents head is bruised by the seed of the woman This is their testimony which I lay â—own generall but the witnesses prove their Testimony by particular experiences as hereâ—fter I shall relate some CHAP. III. Who these two Witnesses are that God speaks of to whom he will give power to Prophesie in sackcloth a thousand two hundred and sixty daies NOw the second thing is to shew who these two Witnesses are which God speaks of I will give power to my two witnesses And these are the word of God and the Spirit of God or Christ in flesh and Christ in Spirit or the Anointing in the person of Christ after the flesh or the Anointing in the flesh of Saints And these are but one in respect of nature one Spirit and one flesh one body as I have shewed But they are two in respect of their appearance or manifestation in or to the world The man Christ Jesus who was borne of the Virgin and dyed by the hands of the Jewes at Jerusalem he is the one Witnesse And the body of Saints in whom the Spirit of Jesus Christ dwells who are persecuted for the same testimony that Christ held they are the other witnesse And my understanding herein is built up as followes ☞ There are three that bear witnesse in Heaven The Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are one But one Witnes though three names or denominations By Heaven I understand the Church or the City Zion in whom the Anointiug dwels and in â—hem and to them the witnesses of those three â—n one is satisfaction enough and the Saints â—ife is bound up in that divine manifestation and â—hey live in that life and see light in that light The son of righteousnes the Lamb the Anointng is the light of that City which makes it Heaven The Testimony of men to the Saints is noâ—hing they have no peace nor joy in their hearts till God himself do witnesse to them by â— lovely manifestation of himself taking them â—p into his own rest And this is God in three discoveries which make up but one witnesse both in and to Zion the Church not to the World first but to them first and afterward to the World Then there are three that bear witnes in earth The water bloud and Spirit and these three â—re one but one witnesse though 3 denominaâ—ions making one perfectman Now by Earth understand either the Saints before they have a cleare manifestation before their filthy garments be quite taken off them For then they look upon Christ after the flesh and seek for testimonies of the Fathers love and promise in a â—itterall way and God condescends to the weaknes of their flesh for in the fulnes of time God â—ent his Sonn made of a VVoman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons according to the promise Gen. 3. 15. Or Secondly by Earth I vnderstand mankind all sects and Nations as they are considered one flesh or one earth of which all of us are made even one created humanity And unto this earth God sends water bloud spirit in two appearences to witnesse this his faithfulnesse that what he spake shall come to passâ— That the seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head God cals these his two witnesses because they are two discoveries of his own wisdom and power For first By water bloud and spirit I understand to be our Lord Jesus the seed of the woman a perfect man according to the flesh who 〈◊〉 the first faithfull and true witnes the humane â—ody of Christ and the eternall spirit that dwelt â—herin or that power which God gave I wil give power to my two witnesses c. And God gave this is power when the holy Spirit descended like a Dove upon Christ Jesus when he was baptized and came straight-way out of the water This power God gives to both his witnesses but to his humane body first If you look into the Evangelist Iohn you shall find that one of the Souldiers with a spear pierced Christs side and forthwith there came out water and blood now the water and blood declared Jesus Christ to be a true and reall man the seed of the Woman according to the word and Councell of God and so the VVord was made flesh and dwelt among us and we saw the glory thereof as the glory of the onely begotten Son of God full of grace and truth Now Physitians say and it is a truth that the heart of man hath adjoyning to it a bladder or skin of water which cools the heat of the bloud Which they call the Pericardium And the Spear piercing Christ to the heart did break that skin of water and so there came out that water and blood that was in his heart this shews he was a man the seed of the Woman And then for the spirit or power that was in Jesus Christ declares him to be one faithfull witnesse for though hisfufferings were so great that he sweat drops of blood yet there was no sin or murmerings against God found in him but he was still full of the sprrint of humility and patience of love and of faithfulnesse to God his Father who had assigned him that cup to drink And likewise was still full of the spirit of love to poor lost sinners that flood in need of this his death or else they could not have bin reconciled to God and this unbsameable spirit of his gives testimony to Heaven and Earth that Christis the great power of God and so the world to the councel of his Father For indeed no son of man besindes him could be found to suffer the like intolerable burden of wrath and yet beare it with such a patient understanding loving faithful and pittiful spirit towards others as Christ did Now this humane body of
God and give glory to him The second is Babylon is faln is flan that great City Babylon is faln And the third is Haleluja for the Lord God omnipotent reigns Now brethren you I speak to in whom the Serpent â— subdued you see and feel that God your teacher your comfort your life your strength your liberty you are set free by him and it is a sweet satisfying freedom Now speak plainly do not your hearts love God and glory in him do you not acknowledge God all in all in pardoning healing teaching saving and manifesting love and life to you and that your selves men and creatures can do nothing herein but must let that alone to God for ever now you give glory to him and you love him and I beleeve that Scripture that is interpreted Fear God should rather be Love God for the frame of spirit thus set at liberty in whom Babylon is faln and in whom the Lord God omnipotent reigns is rather full of the embracings and breathings of love and delight to give God all the glory rather then fear which 〈…〉 of bondage which perfect love casts out Well all that I have 〈…〉 the midst of this cloud of 〈…〉 your Redemption drawes near God is working out an inward and an outward peace and liberty for you all What I have writ in this following discourse I could not but write I was carried by a strong hand I believe of God in writing of it through much bodily weakness and yet with abundance of delight that gave strength to my spirit I leave it with you But the Crown of Glory I chearfully set upon his head that sits upon the Throne and upon the Lamb for evermore May 20. 1648. Your Brother and Companion in the Kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ Gerrard Winstanley the Particulars insisted upon in the following Discourse CHAPTER I. THe great Mystery of God is this He will cast the Serpent out of man and subdue that â—orrupt flesh under his feet dwell in man himself pag. 1. The Promises and Types of the old Testament point out God manrfested in the flesh which is Gods Kingdom God by his Prophets fore-told the captivity of Gentile Saints under the little horn The Beast The Prophets saw not in the depth of those Prophesies God gave them to write God manifested in the flesh makes known his own mystery to men Seven particular heads to be minded about Gods two Witnesses CHAP. II. What the testimony of the two witnesses is p. 9. Jesus Christ and his Saints make one perfect man The Anointing that dwelt in Jesus and in his Saints is that only power that bruises the Serpents head The world ever hated the appearance of God in the flesh CHAP. III. Who these two witnesses are that God speaks of to whom he will give power to prophesie in sack-cloth 1260. dayes p. 15. What is meant by three that bear witness in Heaven and by three that bear witness on earth The excellency of Christs spirit in his sufferings Christ was not compelled by humane authority to bear testimony of his Fathers Councell but he did it willingly The Saints are not compelled they bear testimony of the Father willingly by the power of the same Anointing Gentile Saints are Gods Witnesses that prophesie in sackcloth 42. months What is meant by two Candlesticks And by one golden Candlestick and two Olive-Trees of each side of it And by two Olive-branches Jesus Christ was the first that went under the Captivity of mystery Babylon and the first that came out Christ laid the foundation of Sion and his hand shall finish the building The two witnesses kill enemies by fire that proceeds out of their mouth and how What it is to hurt the two witnesses What Antichrist is What is meant by Heaven The witnesses have power to shut Heaven that it rain not and how What is meant by rain The witnesses have power over waters to turn them into blood and how CHAP. IV. What is meant by 1260. dayes which is the time given to the 2. witnesses to prophesie in cloathed in sack-cloth p 42. What is meant by prophesie and to prophesie in sack-cloth And by 1260. dayes in a literall sence And by silence in heaven for the space of half an hour And by wilderness into which the woman fled The wilderness is a safe hiding place in Gods hand from the face of the Serpent The earth helped the woman What is meant by 1260. dayes in a mystical sense And by 3. dayes and half by 42. months or by time times and dividing of time that the Saints are to lie under the captivity of mystery Babylon What is meant by Dragon by Leopard by the Beast with 2 horns like a Lamb And by the Image of the Beast The proud Beast or whorish spirit will not suffer Christ to reign â—ing Priest and Prophet but he will reign in his stead What it is to speak like the Dragon The Saints rejoyce when Christ reigns What the seaventh day or Sabbath is The Saints greatly rejoyce when they feel and see the Serpent cast out of them and the Anointing appears to rule and dwell in them CHAP. V The Witnesses were to be slain when they had finished their Testimony p. 63. The witnesses finish their testimony and prove the word of the Father true That the seed of the woman should bruise the Serpents head by their own experience not by hear-say What the bottomles pit is What the Beast is that rose out of the bottomless pit What the smoak is that ascended out of the bottomless pit What the King of this bottomless pit is What is the ayre wherein the Beast lives S. John speaks that the two witnesses must prophesie in sack-cloth but 1260. dayes And Daniel saith that the Sanctuary and Hoast shall be trod under foot 2300. dayes how these are reconciled The Beast kills the two Witnesses and how Three dispositions in the Beast whereby he kils Gods two witnesses The Ecclesiastical Lawes of the Beast kill Gods 2 witnesses but give liberty to Gods enemies The Whore kils the two witnesses by that Authority which she got from the Kings of the earth when she and they committed fornication together What the mystery of iniquity is Whâ—â— the Kingdom or mystery of God is The killing of the two Witnesses is not a killing of the bodies of their flesh only but 〈◊〉 killing of their testimony and how The Reaâ—â—â— and whorish spirit snubs and thwarts Jesus Christ in 8. particulars CHAP. VI The Witnesses were slain long agoe have lain dead in the street of the great City three dayes and almost the half and are now upon their rising p. 85. We in these dayes are under the found of the sixth Angel or second woe Four Angels are loosed that were bound up in the great River Euphrates and what they do What the great River Euphrates signifies What is meant by Kings of the East whose way is prepared
when Euphrates is dried up Those four Angels are evill ones and what they are by name How these four evil Angels kill the third part of men These four evil Angels raise Armies of Horse-men and what they are What is meant by fire smoak and brimstone that proceed out of the horses mouths by which the third part of men are killed The rest of the men that were not killed yet repented not and who they be Why these our dayes are called the half day Of the Beast or the dividing of time They of the nations kindreds tongues and people shall see the dead bodies of the witnesses he dead in the street of the great City 3 dayes and half and who they are They will not suffer the two witnesses to be put in graves what is the meaning What the great City Babylon is What the street of the great City is The Beast doth not do his own will when he killed the witnesses but Gods will A scruple answered The power called Ecclesiastical hath and doth deny the Scriptures Men of the earth rejoyced when the witnesses were slain The appearance of God In Saints casting down the formes and Customes of tâ—â— Beast is that which torments the world Gâ—â— calls his witnesses to come up to heaven 〈◊〉 him what is meant What the Cloud is in which the witnesseâ—â— ascend up to heaven What is meant by Earth quake In the Earth-quake the tenth part of the Citâ— fell what is that Seaven thousand men were slain in the Earth quake who are they How those 7000. meâ—â— are slain The reâ—nant were affrighted what is that The reformation and preservation of Magistracy in Common-wealths is that which every man is to mind with tender care it being Gods Ordinance The downfall of humane Ecclesiastical power will be the reformation and preservation oâ— Magistracy and peace of Common-wealths That which men call Ecclesiasticall power was raised up by the craft of the Serpent on purpose to make war with Christ and his Saints God only suffering it for a limited time Ecclesiasticall troubler relies upon the arme of flesh to support it not upon the arme of God Ecclesiasticall power hath alwayes made men hypocrites Ecclesiastical power hath through its policy ever made Magistrates to act backwards A Conclusion â—ROPHESIES FVLFILLED AS particular and generall experience is proved CHAP. I. 〈◊〉 great Mystery of God is this Hee will cast â—â—e Serpent out of man and subdue that corâ—upt flesh under his feet and dwell in man himâ—elf IN every age of the world God hath manifested his love to sinners more clear than other that he will deliver them from the power of darknesse by no other â—â—â—e or power but by his Son Jesus Christ â—â—â—om Adam to Moses God revealed his Son â—â—â—er the name of a seed The seed of the woman bruise the serpents head and then to Abraham promising a blessednes to all Nations thorow his Sonne In thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed This was Gods sowing time and all our mercies graces pardon life salvation are in that seed of his love Jesus Christ whom the Father hath sent and cast into the world even as the fruitfull crop of corn lies in the small seed which the husbandman throws into the earth Then from Moses till the fulnesse of time or the period of Gods determinate counsell That Christ should come in the flesh God did make known his Sonne under types figures shadows and ceremonies of the Law And God took no delight in those legall performances no further then they by his appointment held forth his Son And so the Law was a teaching not a whipping Schoole-master till Christ came in the flesh When God made known the Law of works to the people upon Mount Sinai in Horeb he taught the people therein to beg a Mediatour for God appeared so terrible to them that they said to Moses Do thou speake to us and we will bear but let not God speak with us lest we die They have spoken well saith God in what they have spoken therefore bid them go to their Tents again and come thou said God to Moses and stand by me and I will speak unto thee and thou shalt be a Mediator betweene me and the People But Moses was made onely a Type of Christ who is the Mediator of a better Covenant then this For as soon as God had granted them Moses he promised them his Son Jesus Christ in Moses for when the People had desired Moses to speak to them from God They have well spoken saith the Lord in what they have spoken For I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren like unto thee and I will put my words into his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I will command him And the Apostle shews plainly that this Prophet whom God promised is Jesus Christ the Sonne of God or God manifest in the flesh And so the Law of Types and Ceremonies whereof Moses was the Mediator was but a teaching School-master to lead us to Christ For it was added till the time of Reformation or till the seed came For it was impossiible that the blood of Buls and Goats should take away sinnes therefore when Christ or the anointing came into the world he saith Sacrifice and Offerings thou wouldest not but a body hast thou prepared for me in burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices thou hast no pleasure Then said I Lo I come to do thy will O God He takes away the first Covenant where of Moses was Mediator that he might establish the second whereof he himself is Mediator And therefore Stephen told the Jewes That though they had received the Law by the hand of Angels yet they had not kept it and why Because saith he There was not a Prophet that God sent to fore-tell the coming of Christ the just One but your Fathers did slay them and of whom now your selves are the murtherers of the just one They should have observed Moses Covenant of Types till Christ came who was the body and substance of all and cleaved to him and then rejected the Types ah but they rejected Christ and kept to the Types still and therefore saith Stephen you have not kept the Law As it was the sin of the Jewes to keep to the letter of Moses when Christ was come in the flesh So I believe it will be the sin of many professing Gentiles to keep to the bare letter of the Apostles only looking upon Christ in the flesh when the promise of the Father is come that he will take up his Saints into a spirituall enjoyment of himself and that they shall die to formes and know Christ no more after the flesh I hope I shall declare a truth in this before I have done In the dayes of Daniel Ezekiel and Zechariah who did prophesie towards the latter end of the Jewish
figurative worship which was a little before the dawning of the new Testament or of Gods being manifest in flesh in the man Christ Jesus For Daniel did prophesie in the first year of Darius which was the full end of seventy years of Israels captivity in Babylon Now from the carrying away into Babylon till Christ came was fourteen generations but 70. years of those fourteen Generations were now expired so that the dawning of the new or better Testament was near at hand in the time of those Prophets And now upon the delivering of Israel after the flesh from that Babylonish captivity God reveals to Daniel in a Vision his Councel and purpose to send his spirituall Israel which are the believing Gentiles into a longer captivity under the power of mysticall Babylon For Daniels Vision reports three things First the nature and power of this mysticall Enemy Secondly How that the house-hold of Faith in the latter dayes shall lie under that Antichristian power for a certain time Thirdly It points out the Saints deliverance from this Captivity and the ruine of that tyrannicall Beast And all the time of this mysticall Captivity it is called by the spirit of God the hour of temptation that shall come upon all the World to try them that dwell upon the Earth Now to Daniel God revealed the Vision more dark and hidden for Daniel himself did not understand the mystery of the Vision for saith Daniel I hear but I understand not then said I O my Lord what shall be the end of these things And he said go thou thy way Daniel for the words are closed and sealed up till the time of the end for thou shalt rest and shalt stand in the lot at the end of the dayes But when Jesus Christ the Lamb of God was come and had shed his blood and was gone to the Father again and was found worthy and able to open the book of the mystery of godliness and of the mystery of iniquities and to loose the seven Seales thereof that is To make known to sinners that by his bloud a sweet harmony and consent was made among the seven attributes of the God-head and so fully declaring their reconciliation to God according to his eternall councell in him Then did God give the full Revelation of all things to this Son that he might reveal them again to his Servants For God doth not speak to us out of his Son but in his Son and by his Son And it shall come to passe that that Soul that will not hear the voice of this great Prophet which God hath sent into the world that we might live through him shall be cut off from among the people And now Jesus Christ being in this last age of the World fully revealed to be the seed of the woman the Messia the holy and just one and by his bloud hath worthily deserved to be King of Saints and King of the World he doth now clearly shew by his spirit the right understanding of all those Books dark sayings of old and Visions that were sealed up to the Prophets Many truths he hath made known already yet I beleeve there are many more truths which are not yet made known to the Sons of men for indeed our weakness is not able to bear all truths at once But at the sound of the seventh Angels Trumpet when the mystery of God is finished and Temple of God is opened in Heaven that is when Christ in spirit is made known to Saints and I believe that the time for this Angell to sound growes very near if not begun already Then the Saints shall see clearly into the mystery of God which they have so long time earnestly desired to attain unto Now among many other truths which God hath promised by his spirit to lead his Saints into which must be made known in the time of the end There is one mystery of God concerning Gods two witnesses spoken of by St. John and what the meaning is as they conceived many dear servants of God have writ very largely which I shall neither contradict nor condemn but only adde what I understand and so cast in my mite into this treasure of God according to the measure of the gift of Christ which I have received Revelations 11. 3. I will give power to my two Witnesses and they shall prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes cloathed in sackcloth Some by these two Witnesses do understand the Law and Gospel and others conceive them to be Christian Magistrates and Ministers Some understand them to be faithfull Men and Women that have been martyred for the testimony of Jesus And others conceive them to be only the Ministers of the Gospel as the margent notes in the bible shew and others do say they be two particular eminent Saints whom God will raise up towards the end But the Scriptures of truth will not give their harmoniall consent to any of these so laid down neither will they own any of the like terravid and fading subjects absolutely to be those two Witnesses which the spirit in that place speaks of Therefore according to the proportion of faith received in declaring of my perswasion therein I shall endeavour to shew First What the testimony is which these two Witnesses do bear witness unto Secondly to shew you who these two Witnesses are Thirdly to shew you what the meaning is as I conceive of the 1260. dayes which is the time appointed them of God to prophesie in and when they must be slain Fourthly to shew how the two Witnesses are slain and how long they have been dead and how long they are to lie dead before the spirit of life from God enter into them and set them upon their feet Fiftly to shew what falles out in the World upon the slaying of these two Witnesses and why they of the Nations People Tongues and Kinreds will not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves and buried Sixtly What shall follow upon the resurrection of the two Witnesses from the dead And seventhly I shall endeavour to shew what I have given me to understand by those dark words phrases and termes of time which are expressed in that eleventh Chapter of the Revelations under which this mystery of God concerning his two faithfull Witnesses doth lie folded up But I do declare what I conceive of the words and phrases all along this discourse as they necessarily fall in the way CHAP. II. What the Testimony of the two Witnesses is NOw for the first of these to shew what the Testimony of the two Witnesses is I conceive it is to bear witness of the eternall will and Councel of God That the seed of the woman should brusse the Serpents head and that this seed is Jesus Christ his Son a perfect man after the flesh as he was called the Child Jesus or the Sun
two Olive-trees and the two Candlestickes strand before the God of the whole earth saith john And these two stand by the Lord of the whole earth saith Zechariah I conceive the meaning is two-fold as the phrases are different They stand by the Lord of the Whole erth saith Zechariah that is they hold with him as two friends maintaining one and the same cause in giving testimony and in convincing the world by experimentall discoveries of this truth and counsell of God that the seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head and none holds with me in these things saith God to Daniel but Michael your Prince And they stand before the God of the whole earth saith John that is as they two faithfull witnesses the Anointed and the Anointing Christ and his Spirit hold with God in defence of his Word Truth and Honour so these two Witnesses they stand before God that is they are alwayes in his eye in his heart are his delight and his right hand and so will honour them as they honour him And so certainly will subdue all enemies under Christs feet as under the feet of his humane Body so under the feet of his Body the Church which are the heele of Christ and so part of his feet according to the word of the Father therefore the Apostle speaking of Christ This man saith he after he had offered up one sacrifice for all sate down at the right hand of God expecting till his enemies be made his fâ—ot-stool And Zechariah makes it yet more plain That Iesus Christ a perfect man in the sense aspresaid is Gods two witnesses that both stand by and before the God of the whole earth As Zech. 4. 7. Who are thou O great Mountain before Zerubbahel thou shalt become a plain And â—o forward to the end of the ninth verse Zerubbabel types out Iesus Christ who is the King or chiefe Governour in Sion Gods holy Hill For Zerubbabel was the chief of the Fathers of Israel that was carried into the captivity of earthly Babylon And he was reckoned the first that came out of that literall Captivity All other Priests and Elders were counted inferior to him as appeares Ezra 2. 2. Nehem. 7. 7. And this types out Iesus Christ that is the Head and chiefe of Saints that was carried or rather sent captive into mysticall Babylon that is to prophesie in Sack-cloth under the wisdome and powers of the flesh or Serpent which ruled in the Jewes and Gentiles and under which he was slain And he was the first that returned with joy from that Captivity for he rose by the power of God the third day and ascended to his Father And all the rest of the Saints in their appointed time when their testimony is finished they shall come along with Christ our or from under then same captivity as inferior Priest and Elders For Christ the first fruits then afterwards they that are Christs as it shall be in that other resurnection where these words are used I. Cor. 15. Then again Zerubbabel was the chiefe thaâ— did build the Temple and Walls of the Citiâ—Jerusalem which was thrown down all the rest of the Fathers and Elders were inferior to him as appears Ezra 4. 2. Nehem. 12. 1. And this types out Jesus Christ who is the chiefe in Zion and whose hands did lay the foundation of that spirituall House of God both in respect of one private Saint and in respect of the whole body as is mysteriously declered by Zechary chap 4. 9. For where it is said that the hands of Zerub babel have laid the foundation of this House and his hands shall finish it it points out cleare to me that by the phrase This House hath reference to the golden Candlestick in the second verse which is the Church Zion or House of God for there is no other House spoke oâ— but this as is likewise mystically held forth in the chapter before which is the voyce of the Father unto Christ the Anointed under the name of Joshna the high Priest If thou wilâ— walk in my wayes and keep my charge then shalt thou also judge my House and I will give thee places to walk in among these that stand by Heare now O joshua the high Priest that is Christ the Anointed thou and thy fellowes that sit before thee for they are men wonderd at that is the Saints or House of God in whom the Anointing dwels the foundation of this House the hands of Jesus Christ hath laid and his hands shall finish this Temple and City building Therefore God the Father makes a boasting exultation over all enemies of Christ that rise up to hinder him in building Gods spirituall House the Saints as Sanballat and Tobia rise up to hinder the building of literall Jerusalem Who art thou O grat Mountain before Zerubbabel thou shalt become plain that is who art thou O great wisdome and powers of the flesh and darknesse before Christ my Sonne ye shall all be trod under his feet nay his very heels shall stamp you down For behold I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH and he shall break the Serpents head Then God goes on to hold forth to our view his two faithfull witnesses which he calls the two anointed ones which stand by the Lord of the whole earth which are the Branch that is first the Man Christ Jesus the anointed For in him the Godhead dwels bodily and he is pointed out by the name Joshua the high Priest and by the name Zerubbabel as being the first and chiefe witnesse Then secondly his mystical body the Saints which being united to him and he to them by the same Anointing makes up Gods Branch And these are pointed out to be Joshua's mysticall body that was cloathed with filthy garments in the dayes of corrupt flesh before God caused their iniquity to passe away and cloathed him with change of garments that is with the beauty of the anointing ☞ Now mind this that though the Saints be many particular persons yet as they stand in relation to Christ they are but one body kniâ— together by that one Spirit the Anointing and Jesus Christ as he is called the Anointed of the Father cannot properly be called a perfect man if he should be separated or stand at a distance from the Saints his body and spirituall house therefore the Apostle joynes Head and Members together and so make up one compleaâ— Christ or Anointed in Eph. 4. 13. and 1 Cor. 12. 12. as you may read And these I conceive to be Gods two faithfull witnesses the Man or Child Jesus who is the head and chiefe witnesse and the Citie Zion who are anointed with the same Spirit every one with that measure as God is pleased to divide to every one his portion as he will according to the measure of the gift of Christ And these two witnesses stand by the God of the whole
earth in proving in their own experience this to be a truth that the seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head and there are none that acknowledge the Father and beare witnesse to him herein but onely these two against all the world and Babylon All others wander after the Beast Flesh self But these only whose names are written in the Book of life admire God and make their boast only in him continually But Iesus Christ the Head he beares witnesse by the power of the Father in him The Father that dwelleth in me saith Christ he doth the works and the Saints they beare witnesse by the power of Christ Which is the Father likewise that is in them as in him But the Saints receive this power at the second hand for the anointing that Was powred upon the head of Christ Iesus fell down to the skirts of his garments and so his meanest member Partakes of that anointing and by his power the Saints doe all things and without him they can doe nothing The Spirit of God gives a second testimony that the two witnesses are Iesus Christ in his flesh and Iesus Christ spiritually in the flesh of Saints and can be no other For saith he in Rev. 11. 5. If any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies And if any will hurt them he must on this manner be killed Now mark this is one part of honour which the Father hath given his two witnesses to kill enemies by fire that proceedeth out of their mouth For when Paul spake of the destruction of the Man of Sin or mystery of iniquity it is not to be done by an earthly power of prisons and punishments But the Lord Jesus himselfe saitn he shall consume him with the Spirit of his mouth and with the brightnesse of his comming And in the great Battell of God Almighty when Christ and his Saints fought with the Beast and the Kings of the Earth which is the wisdome of the flesh strengthened by humane Authority the Text saith That the Beast and the false Prophet were taken as other places say God takes the wise in their craftinesse and they were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone that is they were plunged into a deep vexation of spirit so that they gnawed their tongues with anger which is as terrible to that proud spirit as a fire of brimstone to tender flesh And the remnant were slaine with the sword that proceeded out of the mouth of him that sate upon the Horse By remnant I conceive is meant the common people that were deceived by the learned wisdome of the Beast but when she was destroyed first that was the main upholder of deceit then the people were undeceived and convinced by the word of truth in the mouth of the Anointed And whereas they Wandred after the Beast now they admire at the wisdome and power of Christ for the Word of his mouth is a sharp two edged Sword and when that appeares no policy or strength of flesh can stand before it which would make void the councel of God by her directories and blessed reformation as the flesh called it Therefore if any will hurt Gods two faithfull witnesses that is if any will deny them or their testimony and turning them and their witness into a lie as all ungodly men do turning the grace of God into wantonness and so making void Gods eternall councel in their thoughts words and practises so far as lies in them after this manner they shall be destroyed that is not by prisons whips or punishments of men nor by any Carnall weapons but by the spirit of truth that proceedeth out of their mouth Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God and this is that spirit of Antichrist whereof you have heard that it should come and even now already it is in the world He that denies the Anointing to be manifest in the flesh of the person Christ Jesus is Antichrist but this none denies if any do they be very few for all sorts of professors acknowledge Jesus Christ to be born of the Virgin and to be a man and so come in the flesh But there are but few that confesse that the Anointing is manifest in the flesh of Saints or that Christ who is the Lord our righteousnes doth rule in beleevers from one single person to the whole City which are his body scattered up and down the world And if they do confesse this yet when Christ doth manifestly appear to dwel and rule in the flesh of his Saints they will not freely acknowledge it but presently stand off and call it a delusion or blasphemy for any to affirm that the same anointing for kind as was in the flesh of Iesus Christ doth rule and dwell in the flesh according to the measure of the gift of Christ and in this sense there are many Antichrists that deny Christ to be come in the flesh And what do these Antichrists do but hurt Gods Witnesses or deny that power the Anointing which God hath given to his Witnesses or if they acknowledg the one witnes to wit Iesus Christ after the flesh yet they deny the second Witnes the Saints which is Christs mystical body or Christ in his spirit manifesting this testimony in their flesh as he did in their own person That the seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents head But he that believeth on the Son of God hath the Witness in himself That is be that belieyeth in whole Christ Head and Members a perfect man consisting of divers members hath the Witnes in himself the truth is in him as it was in Iesus But he that believeth not God hath made him a lyer because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son Then farther God proves Christ in his two-fold appearance that is in his own person and in flesh or persons of his Saints to be his two witnesses for saith he in the 6. verse of the eleventh chapter of the Revelations These have power to shut Heaven that it raine not in the dayes of their Prophesie and have power over waters to turn them into bloud and to smite the Earth with all plagues as oft as they will By Heaven I conceive may be understood either God himself or his Church If we understand God to be that Heaven that the witnesses have power to shut that it rain not in the dayes of their Prophesies then I conceive the meaning is two-fold thus first they have power to stay the hand of God from raining and powring down destruction upon the Beast all the dayes of their prophesie because God hath said they shall prophesie in Sackcloth one thousand two hundred and sixty dayes So that God hath given the power of destroying the Beast out of his hand or hath tyed up his
power till that time be accomplished for it is their time of prophesying in sackcloth it is not Gods time of raining down wrath as yet because God by his word hath limitted himself to such a time And truly here our God points out such a spring as may refresh his people in all their suflerings To consider the sufferings of the Saints and the enemies cruelty is not acted according to the will of the enemy but enemies and Saints and troubles are all in Gods hand and enemies shall dye the Saints shall be comforted and all teares wiped from their eyes when Gods appointed time is accomplished and not till then surely this gives much strength of peace and patience to poor children of God in their sufferings But secondly They have power to shut Heaven or to stay Gods hand from raining down judgement upon the Beast all the dayes of their prophesies as sometimes God rained down a deluge of water to drown the rebellious World and sometimes he rained a deluge Of fire as a plague to destroy those wicked people in Sodome and Gomorah And this power is in the hand of the Anointed Iesus Christ for he hath the power of hell and death And the reason is this Iesus Christ hath bought out this power by his bloud out of the hands of offended justice For now as God shewes no mercy out of Christ so he executes no act of wrath or justice but by the hand of Christ for the Father hath committed all judgment to the Son and Christ is all and in all Christ hath the Key of life and death he can either bind or loose destroy or save Therefore it is said That the Witnesses have power to shut Heaven or the hand of offended justice that it rain not down plagues And they have power to open Heaven and to smite the earth with plagues as oft as they will Or secondly If by Heaven we understand the Church which I rather adhere to then I conceive the meaning is this The Witnesses have power from God to prophesie in sackcloth one thousand two hundred and sixty dayes and there shall not be showers of divine discoveries whereby the Beast shall be utterly consumed all that time onely she shall be plagued now and then by those divine discoveries like drops of raine so often as the spirit of truth the Anointing which rules in the witnesses pleaseth And by these few discoveries of divine truths from God to and in the Church the carnall inventions of the Beast shall be discovered to be evil and made void thereby and the Beast or subtile flesh shall be put to her shifts to invent new deceits every age against Christ which doth plague this carnall earth mightily But the witnesses have power to shut Heaven that it rain not That you may see into the mystery hereof By Rain I understand two things by which the Beast is destoyed quite First When discoveries of God and manifestations of the brightness of the Anointed Iesus Christ appears in every Member of the Church like a showre of raine that sweepes away the refuge of lies or fleshly inventions before them as Isaih saith The Earth or Saints shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea for now the darknes of men cannot stand before the light of God nor the wisdom of the corrupt flesh cannot stand before the wisdom of God and this is that sword that is in the mouth of Christ whereby he destroyes his enemies and this shall be made good when the Church shall not need to be taught by any man but shall be all taught by God and by that same Anointing shall know all things But Heaven or the Church is shut up from these plentifull discoveries till the time of the end that the Witnesses sackcloth-prophesying is accomplished but when that time is finished then this rain shall appear whereby the Beast with all her fleshly deceits shall be destroyed Secondly By Raine I understand the number of Saints that shall increase and spread like the multitude of drops in a showre of raine or like sands upon the Sea shoar so that their number shall over-top the number of Babylons Citizens And so the Church being full of the righteousnes of God and discoveries of Christ shall sweep away the City Babylon with all her beastly practices and fleshly inventions And hereby the Beast shall be destroyed For whereas all the dayes of the Witnesses sack-cloth-prophesying and death The earth that is the flesh of men and conversation of men was full of drinesse and unfruitfulnesse before God in every thought word Work by reason of the Beast or wisdom of the flesh that ruled in them and promoted Self Now by this Rain the earth or flesh of man is filled with fruits of righteousness and truth I mean by the plentifull discoveries of truth or brightness of Christ and by the plentiful1 increase of the Saints the destruction of the Beast or the Serpents head in flesh is broken and consumed And that there shall be such increase of Saints in the latter dayes the Prophesie of Hosea makes it manifest for when God cast off literal Israel He promised the large increase of spiritual Israel which are beleeving Iewes and Gentiles that shall be like the sands of the Sea shoar in the day of Christ But the Witnesses have a power to shut the Church or Heaven from raining in this kind till their Prophesie be ended as God appointed And then I believe there shall appear plentifull manifestations of Gods love in the Church to the increase of their number and to the increase of their spiritual enjoyment of God And likewise there shall appear hereby even plentifull manifestation of justice and wrath upon the beast and wisdom of the flesh to its utter overthrow And these manifestations of love justice shal appear like a showrâ— of raine sweeping away the refuge of lye before it And yet further in that sixt verse They have power over waters to turn them into bloud By waters first of all I conceive are meanâ— the inventions actings and appearances of the power and wisdom of the flesh arising against the testimony of the two Witnesses to prove their testimony false For the Devil and corrupt flesh would faine prove God a lyer and would not have the seed of the Woman break the Serpents head And hence doth arise such a deaâ— adoe among men to find out a way to worship God and give direction to others and to enforce people to observe those directions oâ— else to stand lyable to humane punishments as though they must help Christ to save sinners But when the Angel powres out his Viall into the Sea fountains and waters of Babylon that is upon the very spirit of subtile enmity it self and upon all the carnall wisdom and appearances that have flowed there-from and caused them to become like the
bloud of a dead man that is to corrupt and dye for ever And every living soul within the Sea dyed That is All the strength glory and being of the beast dyed And the place and power fleshly wisdom and actings against Christ and the Saints was seen no more And this suites with the Oath that the Angel swore in Daniels hearing and in Johns hearing likewise That when the beast had accomplished to scatter the holy people all those things in the vision should be finished and time should be no more For when the seventh Angel had powred out his vial upon the Ayre or the element wherein the beast lived which is a humane magisterial power got from the Kings of the Earth when they and she committed spiritual fornication together after that God had limitted the beast a time to reign in Then there came a great voice out of the Temple of Heaven that is from Christ saying it is done And in that day saith God I will make a Covenant of peace for Israel and I will break the bow and the sword and the battel out of the Earth and make them lie down safely And there shall none hurt in all Gods holy mountain any more as the Beast hath done hurt But secondly when these waters are applied to Nations Kinreds Tongues and People as they be for saith John The Waters which thou sawest whereon the Whore sitteth are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues Then they point out unto us those people men and women in whom the flesh rules in all her self-actings and inventions against Christ and in either of these senses that is either the multitude of fleshly inventions arising from the spirit of self-love or the multitude of people in whom the flesh works so powerfully or both these joyned into one body make up the City Babylon And all those phrases as Mystery Babylon Beast Whore and Mother of Harlots and abominations of the earth are to be applyed hereunto And when the waters are thus turned into bloud by the testimony of Gods two Witnesses that is the wisdom inventions and actings of the flesh are now destroyed and proved evil and the men in whom this wisdom appeared against God are ashamed and confounded then it is manifest That the seed of the woman Christ the anointed hath broken the Serpents head I heard the Angel of the waters say Thou art righteous O Lord which art which wast and shall be because thou hast thus judged For they have shed the bloud of Saints and Prophets and thou hast given them bloud to drink for they are worthy And by these phrases thus made manifest it appeares that Jesus Christ in his two-fold appearance in the flesh and in the Spirit as hath been declared are Gods two faithfull Witâ—esses and can be meant of no creature CHAP. IV. What is meant by one thousand two hundred and sixty dayes which is the time given to the two witnesses to prophesie in cloathed in sack-cloth AND now I come to the third particular to be minded that is to shew the meaning of the thousand two hundred and sixty dayes which is the time given them of God to prophesie in and when they must be slain and who it is that slayeth them In handling of this I shall observe three things in prophesie First to prophesie is to fore-tell either in plain or dark language what hereafter shall come to passe And this did God the Father when he said The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head And this is both a Promise and a prophesie Secondly to prophesie is to make such things plain and easie to the understanding of others which appeared dark and hidden before And this did Jesus Christ when he made the mysteries of the Kingdome of God plain and easie to the understanding of his◠〈◊〉 which were spoken indark sayings 〈◊〉 ther 's and this is Gospel-ministery by the 〈…〉 of truth Thirdly to prophesie is to give testin◠〈◊〉 or proofe of such things to be true by 〈◊〉 Discoveries which God hath 〈◊〉 or fore-told heretofore should 〈◊〉 passe in the latter dayes And this did Jesus Christ when he by his Death and Resurrection did experimentally prove himselfe to be the seed of the Woman that broke the Serpents head And so the Spirit of Christ in the coÌ„version of sinners to God doth provelikewise by many cleare experiences that those sinners so taken up to God are part of that seed of the woman in whom the Serpents head is broken And they shall prophesie in Sack-cloth saith God and so they doe For first all those abusive slanders mockings oppressions and death which was laid wrongfully upon Jesus Christ for his enemies confesse they found no fault in him and yet they would crucifie him doth not all this shew a cause time and houre of mourning or wearing sack-cloth And this was the condition of Christ whilest he was in the world bearing a visible testimony to his Fathers counsell And this is the same condition of his church for as he was in the world so are â—hey The world knew not him neither doth the world know them The world hated him â—nd it hates them Secondly Sack-cloth implies the absence of â—ome friend plenty honour comfort c. And did not our Lord Christ leave his glory in Heaven and came and took upon him the forme â—f a Servant nay took upon him the curse â—ue to sin which is death that he might â—reak the Serpents head and free sinners from the bondage of that power of darknesse And â—oth not his Church goe on weeping carrying â—heir Sheaves with them like Pilgrims and â—â—rangers looking for a dwelling place in God â—nd waiting upon him till he wipe away all ears c. And thus they prophesie in Sack-â—loth Thirdly Jesus Christ prophesieth in Sack-â—loth while his heel is bruised by the Serpent â—nd his seed for in all their afflictions he is â—fflicted with them Therefore it is a time of â—â—ourning to Christ to see such cruelties and â—ppressions to be inflicted upon his Church â—hom he doth so dearly love And it is a Sack-cloth time to his church â—hen they see the Name the Truth end Testiâ—ony of their Lord Christ Whom they love to 〈◊〉 blasphemed rejected and persecuted in the â—orld And now I shall observe the time that God I â—ath given his witnesses to prophesie in and that is 1260 dayes The number of 1260 dayes is to be understood as I conceive in a two-fold sense yet both pointing out the mystery of God the first more Literall the second more Mysticall As first I conceive that these 1260 dayes are reckoned according to the dayes of a Week that our Saviour Christ Jesus did beare witnesse to his Father from the time of his Baptisme and descending of the Spirit upon him to the day that he was crucified For he began his visible testimony that
he was the Son of God when he was supposed to be about 30 years of age as Luke speaks we read not of any thing that he did till this time that he was baptized and the Spirit descended upon him And from that time till he was crucified as I have gathered by books it was supposed to be about three years a half which is about this account which the Spirit calls 1260 days according to the days of a week it is but about 17 dayes difference The like number of dayes is spoken of Rev. 12. And the woman fled into the Wildernesse where she hath a place prepared of God 1260 dyes This I conceive was the same tearm of dayes according to the number of the dayes in a week that one Saviour did prophesie here in the world among men And this points out unto us the time of the battell that was fought between Michael our Prince the seed of the woman and the Dragon or the power of darknesse ruling in the corrupt posterity of Adam For if the Serpent and his seed could have made Jesus Christ to have sinned by their temptations then the Serpent had conquered him and had broken Gods head But Jesus Christ held out to the end and sinned not as he that saw it bore witnesse and his witnesse is true therefore he broke the Serpents head and became a faithfull witnesse to his Fathers counsell Now all the time of this bettell the church was kept by the power of God at a stand and there Were no voyces heard but silent for the space of halfe an houre that little time of 1260 dayes and God and Angels Saints and Men were spectators of this great battell between the Serpent and Christ But when Christ had finished his testimony he laid down his life and the Serpent and his seed thought they had conquered him and began to rejoyce and make merry as Revel. 11. 10. And then was made manifest in heaven that is in and to the Church by the Father the Spirit of truth That Christ by death had overcome him that had the power of death which was the Devill Then there was heard a loud voyce in heaven in the Kingdome and victory of Christ Now is come Salvation and Strength an◠〈◊〉 Kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of our Brethren is cast down which accused them before God day and night And they the Church overcame him the Serpent by the blood of the Lambâ— the death 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ and by the word of their testimony the Fathers promise That the seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents head And they loved not their lives unto death They would rather dye as the Martyrs did then they would deny this testimony of Jesus One thing note here That as the silence in heaven for the space of halfe an houre points out the time of tine battell between the Serpent and Christ in the flesh so likewise it points out the spirituall combat between the Spirit of Christ and the flesh or the Serpents power in every beleever For so long as the Flesh and Serpent accuses their consciences before God day and night and every disobedient action that will breake their peace is laid before them they cannot sing praises but mourn bitterly for as yet God hath given them no testimony of his love in pardoning of them and of receiving them into his enjoyment this is the writing time or the halfe houres silence till God give deliverance But when the Anointing sets the poor souls free from these accusations by a satisfying discovery of his love then there arise voices of â—raises and thundrings-forth of thankesgiving â—o God day and night even as the accusation formerly was day and night And truly here is great comfort to every particular member of Zion to know that the wisdome and power of their corrupt flesh which fights against the Anointing and accuses their consciences day and night before God presenting God to be an angry God to them when as indeed he is loving yea and love it selfe to poore sinners I say for them to know that it is conquered and the life and power of it is taken away by Christ the Anoiuted it is comfort And when Christ who is the Lord our righteousnesse is pleased to cast the Serpent out of your flesh and to take possession and dwell in you himselfe then you shall be freed from all those accusations and from the malice of the accuser and be made able to sing by experience Now is come salvation and strength and the Kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ to my soule for the Prince of Darknesse and powers of my flesh that fought in me against the Anointing or Spirit of truth is now cast out For God hath pardoned all my disobediences and taken me into his own rest Therefore honour and glory be to him that sits upon the Throne and to 〈◊〉 Lamb for evermore And now the Dragon being vexed and 〈◊〉 of wrath because he is conquered and câ—st out of heaven even every particular member of Zion he rules strongly still in the children of disobedience or in the Serpents 〈◊〉 in whom he dwels and raises all cruell perâ—â—cutions against the church out of whom he is cast and in whom the Anointing rules And of whom according to the flesh the Lamb Jesus Christ was born And as Paul spake of Isaac and Ismael that he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that Was born after the Sprit even so it is now he or they in whom the Serpent rules persecutes him or them out of whom the Serpent is cast and in whom the Anointing rules who is the Lord our Righteousnesse But saith John unto the woman or church was given two wings of a great Eagle that she might flie into the wildernesse into her prepared place where she is nourished for a time times and halfe a time from the face of the Serpent I conceive that the soule by the wisdome and love of God is carried into a condition of sensible barrennesse both in it selfe and in others in which condition the soule is under Gods protection from the face of the Serpent so that this Wildernesse spoke of is a very safe condition or hiding-place from the Serpent wherein the soul is fed and nourished by God and not by any creature for a lime times and halfe a time that is the Church and every particular member is fed and protected by God all the severall degrees of the dayes of The Beast as hath been shewed And here I shall mind two things First what this Wildernesse is not Secondly what it is First ☞ when men are in a good conceir of their own Wisdome Learning and Strength as the Jewes were that thought they had all knowledge to discerne Truth from Errour and therefore when Christ
who is Truth it selfe came to them they called him a Deceiver and a man of Errors and sought to kill him through that conceit of theirs But Christ told them that of all men though they were the chiefe in humane learning in those dayes they were the deepest in sin and errors and the furthest from truth because you say Wee see saith Christ to them therefore your sin remains Now this good conceit of a mans self is not the wildernesse-condition it is not a safe hiding-place from the Serpent but it is before his face or in his hand Or again when Men suck content from creatures as from mens Learning gifts customs prayers or formes of worship and think they shall never have comfort umlesse they enjoy these outward helps this is to preferre the broken Cisternes before the fountains And this is not the Wildernesse-condition neither for still the poor man is before the face of the Serpent and in his hand for he seekes contentment from creatures and not from God onely by resting upon outward helps But now secondly when a soule is driven or called into the wildernesse where she is fed by Gods speciall and loving care from the face of the Serpent we are to mind two things First it is such a condition wherein a man is dead to all his owne wisdome memory strength learning actings and lookes upon all as priviledges of no gain but of weaknesse and of drosse without the Anointing he cannot meditate nor understand till God come into him he cannot speak till God give utterance he feeles his heart barren of understanding of love of peace he feeles and sees nothing in him but onely a thirsting soul after God whom his secret thoughts tell him is able to satisfie him if he please but to manifest himselfe And secondly as the soul sees a barrennesse and death within it self so likewise is she dead to every thing without she finds no comfort or strength from any man or creature preaching praying and all outward forms are barren actions to this poor soul because she sees the Spirit absent And therefore she cries Saw yee not my beloved him whose enjoyment I â—onâ— after I can take no delight in your company and societies and in your actings unlesse my God whom my soul loves did manifest himself to me there The experiences and writings of Prophets Apostles and Saints are dry shels to me and cannot comfort unlesse God whom my soule breathes after give to me likewise some experience of his love as he gave to them and then I shall have joy yea and my joy then will be fulfilled and not till then And here also the soule sees and feels a barrennesse as if she were in the midst of an unfruitfull and dry wildernesse where she sees nothing within but a hunger-starving soule nor any thing without round about but barren trees as our Saviour sought for Figs from the tree but found none Now this poor man sees nothing in others and nothing in himself to nourish him but onely a secret hope of relief from God Waiting upon him with tears in his eyes till God come longing to see him mourning in his absence for the soule hath no sensible manifestation as yet And this I conceive is the wildernesse into which the woman fled in which the Lamb feeds her and this is a sure hiding-place from the face of the Serpent and a very safe condition in two respects First because God is now ingaged to take care of this soule for by Woman in that place I conceive is pointed out the Church in generall and every particular beleever and what is made good to one soule is true in all Sion she is now dead to all other protectore but alive to God she waits she sighes she breathes after him O. when shall I see my God when shall I be satisfied with the Mannoe Which is from heaven even the sweet enjoyment Of the Anointed Secondly it is a safe condition because the soule is now in a way of nourishment before God from the face of the Serpent God never manifests himselse to a soule till he hath first emptied her of her-selfe and drawn her off from sucking milk from the teats of the creatures For saith God whom shall I give understanding to and to whom shall I teach doctrine but to them that are drawne from the milk and are weaned from the teats of a mans own self-conceit and sucking contentment from mens learning and inventions And so saith the Apostle You are dead to all things below God but your life is hid with GOD in Christ This is a very safe condition for a poor soul though she thinkes not so for she is now in Gods way that leads to true rest And when God is pleased not onely to allure her and bring her into this wildernesse but begins likewise to speake kindly to her and to manifest his love in lively and sweet discoveries then the writings and experiences of Prophets Apostles and Saints do fulfill his joy and he now sees there is no lie of the truth that is of the Anointing But this woman say some cannot point out a partioular Beloever but some thing more generall because it is said That the Earth helped the woman as you may read Rev. 12. 15 16. I conceive there is no scruple in this objection I will answer it briefly First if the Magistrates or common people be this Earth as some think then it followes that if they help the Church in generall they help every particular believer also But I conceive that interpretation is too far below the spiritualnesse of this mystery though there may be a truth in it notwithstanding For God makes use of Magistrates and common people to help his Church and Saints against the Serpents flood of mallcious temptaitons But by Earth I rather conceive is to be understood the humane body of Christ which is made of the same earth that our Bodies are and this helps the Church for by the blood of this Lamb they overcome the Serpent and by this Lamb they are fed as you may read more fully Rev 7. 9. 17. Now in the second place we are to look into the mysticall meaning of this number 1260 dayes And I conceive they point out the length of time that the Church of Christ is to lie under the captivitie of the little Horn or Antichristian power which are called Gentiles for they are not in covenant with God The time of the battell as I shewed was 126â— dayes according to single dayes in a Weeke And the holy City shall be trod under the feet of the Gentiles almost so many yeares according to the yeares in a mans life This conceive is one mystery of God I say almost doe not say altogether so many yeares as the beattell was dayes For Christ will not have them to hold an even proportion of years to those
together be manifest in them call you this likewise what you will I am confident it speaks like the Dragon and is of the Image of the Beast and part of the half day But I will speak one work of comfort to the Saints your captivity under the Antichristian power is come to the half day or half time and the Lamb will nourish and feed you before the Throne or under the eye and protecting care of God in this half time as he hath fed the Church with love and watchfull care in the 3 dayes that are past And the power of this blaspheming horne that will not acknowledge Christs testimony nor suffer others to acknowledg him this day of his is and shall be shortned for the elects sake And I believe ere long we shall heare the Angel say it is done her 3 dayes and half or her time times and half time is now accomplished And the stone which is cut 〈…〉 Mountains without hands even 〈…〉 Christ our righteousnes shall destrâ—â—◠〈…〉 workings and Kingdom of darkne◠〈…〉 in the Saints and likewise 〈…〉 power that Satan exercised over 〈…〉 he trod them under foot the 42. 〈…〉 now Christ will reigne himself for 〈…〉 ever for of his Kingdom there shal1 〈…〉 And then the world shall see by experience that word of Solomon to be made good That when the wicked that is the flesh rules the City mournes but when the righteous that is Jesus Christ rules the City Zion rejoyces and there is great shouting for joy among the Saints when they can speak by experience and say O rejoyce rejoyce for the Lord God Omnipotent reignes And now doth the Sonne of righteousnes rise higher in the bright manifestations of himself upon the soules of his Saints And the day of Christ begins to shine more clear even that one day as Zachariah calls it which did appear in the hearts of Saints formerly for Abraham saw it and David saw it and rejoyced to see it And truly this day of Christ this sweet discovery of the Fathers love to poor sinners began to dawne upon the seventh day in course after the Creation of all things for Adam sinned upon the sixth day towards the close of the day or cool of the evening And then the seventh day in course should have been a day of punishment or destruction to Adam for his disobedience I but the Son of our righteousness rises presently and love appeared in this promise that the seed of the woman should bruise the Serpents head and so stopped the breakings forth of wrath and made it a day of joy and gladness unto lost sinners And therefore when the Jews told Christ he was a finner because he had broke the Sabbath-day when he had but cured the lame Man upon that day Why saith Christ my Father worketh hitherto and I work that is All the six dayes was my Fathers time of working and making all things but the seventh day is my day and now I work to bruise the Serpents head and to save that which was lost And therefore I say this one day of Christ did dawn upon the seaventh day from the creation and the Sonne of righteousnes hath rose higher and higher in the discoveries of himself or his Church though the thick and cold clouds of flesh and self-love both in our selves and in the world hath darkened the beames of it from us I but now the Winter is near past the Summer is come the flowers appear in the earth that is the glorious workings of the Anointing in the spirit of Saints The time of the singing of birds is come that is all the Saints begin to sing Halelujah for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth within and begins to reign in the world and the voice of the turtle is heard in our Land that is the voice of the Lord Christ our rightousnes is heard and seen to rule in our flesh And now the Beast or wisdom and power of our corrupt flesh or Serpent within us is wounded to death and she shall reign no more And so by the multitude of divine discoveries self-love and confusion shall be destroyed in the flesh of Saints and their very flesh shall be made that land of righteousnes even the branch or the Lords own planting the Inheâ—â—tance of their Father in whom the King of Righteousnes and the King of Peace shall dwell and rule for ever And by the multitude of these Saints whom Christ will raise up like drops in a shoure of raine for number All the oppression injustiee false shewes and formes of Gods Worship shall all be destroyed in the World and judgement shall run down our streets like a stream and righteousnes like a River And though there be a people still on earth in whom the wisdom and power of the flesh dwells as yet there must be yet the power of it shall be kept under and suppressed by the power of Christ the Anoining in the Saints for a certain terme of years appointed by the Father And then he will let Satan loose again who shall stir up those children of disobedience in whom he dwells to joyn together in one mind and spirit of malice and of fleshly wisdom and force which is Gog and Magog 〈◊〉 destroy the holy City the Saints the body of Christ and house of God But then shall the wrath of the Lamb be made manifest to their destruction and then comes the End That the Son shall deliver up the KINGDOM unto the Father CHAP. V. The Witnesses were to be slain when they had finished their Testimony NOw in the next particular we are to mind the time when the Witnesses are to be slain and that is when they have finished their Testimony as John speaks When they shall have finished their testimony the Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomles pit shall make war against them and shall overcome them and kill them These two Witnesses I conceive may be said to have finished their testimony when by manifest experience they have made it appear that the seed of the Woman hath broken the Serpents head and so have proved the Word of the Father to be true And this they have done for first Jesus Christ in his own person he broke the Serpents head when he trod under his feet all the subâ—â—wit and power of the Serpent and prevailed over all his temptations so that Satan could find nothing in him and so by death overcame him that had the power of death which was the Devil Secondly Jesus Christ breaks the Serpents head in the Saints when he makes them able to speak out of experience I was proud saith the soul now God hath made me humble I was envious now God hath made me love even my enemies I loved and acted injustice now God hath made me to hate injustice and to love truth in my heart and to
act righteousnes chearfully The flesh and the lusts of it ruled strongly in me now holines rules in me so that I can look back and see my strong sins and lusts lie like dead enemies before me and my heart rejoyceth in the Anointing who hath given me the victory And now I see That the love the self-denial the inward rejoycing of my heart to advance God above all things is Christ the Anointing in me the hope of my future established enjoyment of God And this is my life and this my life is hid with God in the Anointed in this glory of Christ thus revealed in me and to my sight feeling that the Serpents head is broken in me in part and shall be quite broken at the resurrection at the day that my body is raised out of the dust In this I rejoyce with joy unspeakable Formerly my life and joy was bound up in creatures in riches in friends in self-satisfaction in my pride covetousnes and contents of the flesh Ah but now my life is the enjoyment of my God His wisdom I glory in His will His love His spirit of truth I glory in Not only to heare of these without by the voice of others but to feel the working dwelling and ruling in me To hear that Christ was raised from death and from the grave is joy But to see and feel Christ the Anointing raised upon me and to feel him who is the spring of life to be opened in me and to send forth sweet manifestations of God to my soul this is much more joyous and full of abundance of inward refreshments But the foul sees and feeles more of this glory within it self then it can relate in words And when once the Saints can speak this in experience then the Serpents head is broke in them the seed of the Woman and they seal to the truth of the Fathers word and now their testimony is finished And this was Pauls case while the Serpents power and head ruled in him he was a blasphemer and a persecuter as himself confessed but when the power of God appeared to break the Serpents head in him then saith he but I have obtained mercy and by the grace of God am made to preach and to acknowledge and practice that faith of God which once I endeavored to destroy But when the Witnesses had thus finished their testimony and proved the word of the Father true in their own experience then the Beast that ascended out of the bottomles pit made War against them and kil'd them Now here mind first what is the bottomles pit I conceive it is the corrupt heart and flesh of man for there is no end of the pride envy ignorant self-conceited subtilty and hurtfull nature of it against Christ the Prince of Princes and being far below God For let a man live ten thousand Million of years and the sinfulnes of his flesh will not lessen but grow worse and worse and rise higher and higher in wickednes against righteousnes and peace if Christ do but let him alone so that the depth of this pit being so far below God may be well said to be bottomles But this is spoke after the manner of men for no man can search the bottom of his heart but God knowes the full depth of it it is not a bottomles pit to him though it be a bottomles pit to men Then secondly mind That the Beast that rises up out of this bottomles pit is the wisdom and power of it branching it self forth into divers forms of Church-Government being contrary to Christ in every thing and so makes war against Gods witnesses in all their actings either inwardly or outwardly And this Beast or blind subtil hypocriticalnes of the flesh will not suffer Christ the Anointing to rule in the flesh but she will rule therein and over Christ too this is the Beast which hath his seat in every Son and Daughter of Adam Now John speaks of a smoak that rises up out of the bottomles pit and this smoak I conceive is either the inward inventions accusations and workings of the flesh within like a cloud hiding the Son of righteousnes from the soul as long as he can Or else it is the outward actings of the wisdom of the flesh in hypocrisie and provocations from men which is like an overflowing wave of powerfull wickednes which drownes the souls of men under ignorance and darknes that they know not what to do or else pufs up their minds with a vain confidence that they worship God according to his word when as it is manifest they have not so much as the letter of the word to warrant their practices and so this smoak becomes a strong delusion to them in whom the Beast reignes with power Then thirdly mind there is a King of this bottomles pit and that is Satan the spirit of darknes that rules in the children of disobedience or the Prince of the Ayre The Ayre I conceive is the element wherein the Beast or whorish spirit lives and that is either the time which God hath given her to reigne in or else the humane compulsive and coersive power exercised by Satan against Christ his Saints compelling the Saints to forsake the spirituall way of Christ and to honour the God of forces and of Silver and Gold which they know not as Daniel speaks for take away this power or let but the Angel powre out his Viall upon this Ayre and the Beast dies her time is done or accomplished So that here is the bottomles pit the corrupt flesh Then the Beast that ascendeth out of this bottomles pit and that is The wisdom of the flesh which is enmity against God And then here is the King of this bottomles pit Even Satan or the universall power of darknes that leads poor sinners captive at his will And yet these three are but one power of darknes in three discoveries fighting and making War against Christ and his testimony But the Anointed will destroy this power of darknes and translate his mysticall body into his own Kingdome of light and liberty And when they had finished their testimony the Beast shall make War against them and shall overcome them and kill them Before I proceed it is needfull to clear one Scripture of Daniel that may raise a scruple In that which I have already writ it appeares that God said the Witnesses should prophesie in sack-cloth 1260. dayes But when one Saint spake to another Saint and asked how long shall be the vision of the daily sacrifice and the transgression of desolation to give both the Sanctuary and the Host to be troden under foot The Angel answered unto 2300. dayes Then shall the Sanctuary be clensed Now this time of Daniels vision was 14. Generations except the 70. years captivity before Christ came therefore I conceive
Presbyters and out-side professing Independents but this will not last long for the sincere-hearted that worship God in spirit and truth are reproached thereby and are not much visible in the eye of the world And then again it is called the halfe-day in regard of the shortnesse of it and when it shall end our God onely knowes but there are two things that give me great perswasion that this halfe-day is neer an end First because our Lord Jesus the Anointed told us by his own mouth that these days should be shortned for the elects sake Secondly the rejoycing in hope which God hath put into my heart grounded upon experience of his love which I see in my self and in others of his servants and of his power in shaking Kingdomes and things in the world agreeable to the prophesy of Ezekiel which was fore-told to be in the latter dayes gives me great perswasion that this halfe-day is neer an end Now it is clear to me that the time times or the three dayes which are but one and the same thing are already past and therefore I beleeve that the Witnesses are not in killing but are upon their rising Then further it is said That they of the nations kinreds tongues and people shall see their dead bodies lie in the street of the great City three dayes and a half that is the Saints or Elect that lived â—n all the three ages and dayes of the Beast shall â—ee the appearance of God in the Man Jesus and the appearance of God in the Saints to be suppressed reproached killed and not suffered to act like themselves by the Ecclesiasticall Laws and Canons of the Beast And these three dayes and a halfe cannot be three single dayes nor three single yeares and half according to mens account of dayes and yeares as some think for then the Saints that were scattered in all nations kinreds tongues people could not have seen them lie dead in regard of the shortnesse of time and the great difficulty of travell to see experience But in the three ages and halfe of the Beast all the Saints of God through the whole dominions of the Beast have suffered more or lesse by the Beast and have seen doe see and shall see the captivity end The testimony of God in those two-fold appearances to be suppressed and not suffered to act visibly in the world but to lie like a patient long-sufferer till Christ come and destroy his enemies by the word of his mouth and by the brightnesse of his coming Another thing mind that though these of the nations kinreds tongues and people do see the dead bodies of the two Witnesses so lie in the street yet they will not suffer them to be put in graves that is though the City Babylon look upon the manifestation of God in the flesh of Jesus and in the flesh of the Saints as two dead bodies yet the Saints see them to be living and looks upon them with pretious thoughts And though the City Babylon would have these two witnesses put in graves that is quite buried forgotten and put out of memory by their sharp Lawes to advance the learning of the flesh and to suppresse the teachings of God yet the City of God the Saints will not forget Christ nor put him out of memory For though they cannot acknowledge Christ and his testimony publickly for feâ—r or by restraint of those lawes as the Disciples durst not meet publickly for feare of the Iewes yet they will acknowledge and remember Christ among themselves and speak of him and rejoce in him and so will not suffer these two Witnesses to be put in graves or to be forgotten From hence likewise it appeares that the Witnesses were killed long agoe and in these troublesome daies are upon their rising for they must rife in a cloud And by the great City which is called spiritual Sodom Egypt is meant that wicked Babylon or that Serpent which hath over-spread mankind and keeps it in bondage which God will destroy and cast into the Lake And by the street of the great City it is clear to me to be the limited time wherein God hath determined the Beast to reign would not call him to account but let him doe what he will to advance himselfe and in all this determinate time the Beast walkes up and downe at liberty as a man walkes up and down in a street of a Citie where there is no stop and knowes no sorrow And here is both a time limited to the Beast and the wicked power of the Beast limited in this time For the Beast does not doe his own will but Gods will and that is comfort for the Saints Well all this limited time or the full length of this street or the length of the chain in which the Beast is tied God hath suffered the Beast to walk at liberty up and down Thus long thou shalt reign over my Saints and no longer saith God And all this limited time the two Witnesses are first killed and then lie dead under the Lawes Canons and bastardly Ecclesiasticall power for God never made it though he suffer ir â— or it is the power which the Beast makes use of all his limited time and by this power the Beast keeps the Witnesses under and wil not suffer them to act like living bodies publickly But there is one clause may raise a scruple It is said they lie in the street of the great City where also where also our Lord was slain This implies may some say that Iesus Christ was neither of the two witnesses but that they were to be slain a long time after his departure hence and in the same City where also he was slain I answer when I say that Jesus Christ is one of Gods witnesses I doe not look upon the body of his flesh onely but upon the manifestation of God in that flesh of his And the witnesses If you observe all along I judge them to be these two First the manifestation of God in the man Christ Iesus And secondly the manifestation of God in the flesh of Saints for hereby God makes good his ancient word of promise That the seed of the woman shall breake the Serpents head And therefore though the flesh of Christ was killed in that City Babylon or by the spirit of Babylon which is indeed the meaning yet the manifestation of God in the flesh was not killed by the Dragon and Leopard till divers yeares after Iesus Christ was crucified For the Saints had a liberty to acknowledge and professe God openly and to practice what God in Christ had made known to them for a long time after Christ was departed and their testimony was not suppressed by any humane deceived power for in Pauls time which was after Christ the spirit of Babylon began to work to bring the Saints into bondage but
it had not as yet an Ecclesiasticall power And when John writ his Epistles this Babylon was in rising towards his greatnesse but it was not set upon the Throne by the Kings of the Earth as yet But when the Dragon that is Magistracy out of joynt and the Leopard that is a spirit of whoredome pretending love to God but intending to advance it self above God had committed fornication together then they begat this Beast or Ecclesiasticall power to kill and suppresse not men and women simply but the manifest appearance of God in them And then the purity of the Scriptures of the Gospel was corrupted and the practice of it quite altered and the invention of selfe-seeking flesh set up in the room of it and sharp punishing lawes were made to forbid Fishermen Shepheards Husbandmen and Tradesmen for ever preaching of God any more but Schollars bâ—â—d up in humane letters should onely do that work So that the manifest appearance of God in the man Christ Iesus as it was left in writing had a dark veil of humane inferences and selfish conclusions drawn over it and ever after the manifest appearance of God in the Saints was suppressed likewise For the Beast which hath a limited time and power to reigne by God will not suffer God to reigne by him but takes away his liberty and would destroy Gods Being and will not suffer God to reveale himselfe any more in flesh and this is called the time of Gods patience and long-suffering so that the witnesses or the manifestations of God in flesh were slain in that Citie Babylon and lie dead in that street in which also the flesh or body of Iesus Christ was crucified and slain But that slaying was but the history and God leads us as we are able to beare it from carnall knowledge to spirituall and divine knowledge and that crucifying is nothing in respect of the other For to suppresse the appearance of God in flesh is the main businesse the Serpent aimes at for if the Serpent could kill this as he killed the flesh and so hinder the appearance of God in his sons and daughters in these latter dayes according to his ancient promise then hee would prove God a lyar that the seed of the Woman should not bruise the Serpents head and then the Serpent would prove the onely Being which he strives to maintain I but God will make his own counsell good and he will raise up his Witnesses again which the Beast hath killed and supprest and God will make himselfe visible to all men dwelling and ruling himselfe in man and subduing the Serpent under the feet of mankinde according to his promise That the seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head But further in that eleventh Revelations and tenth verse it is said That after the witnesses were slain they that dwelt upon the earth rejoyced over them and made merry and sent gifts one to another because these two Prophets tormented them that dwelt off the earth I shall not speak much of this for they that are acquainted with histories or have any experience can tell what rejoycings there have been in all ages of the Beast when the appearance of God in humane flesh by martyrdom or punishment hath been supprest and the wisdome and learning of the Beast which the whole world wonders after is advanced And if men of the earth such as have their hope and comfort in this world only could destroy the appearance of God in such as they call Round-heads among whom there are pretious Saints they would rejoyce mightily but some that are so called are meerly carnall and are but as the Chaffe among the Wheat or Weeds among good Corn For it is the bright appearing of God in the Saints casting down all formes and customes of the Beast which doth torment the world at this very day as the bright shining of the Sun doth mightily offend a weak-sighted eye And indeed if this worshiping of God in Spirit were or could be beaten down and proved an error and if every man were or could be forced to maintain and practice one outward lazie formall customary and tyth-oppressing way of pretended Divine worship which pleases the flesh for it nurses up pride coveteousnesse ignorance oppression and is the mother or harlot rather of all abominations and if men might be freely taught that they shall goe to heaven though they seek it not by faith onely but as it were by the workes of the Law that is by bidding them doe what they are able and Christ will doe the rest and so joyne Christs merits and mens workes together O then cry some it would be a merry world and we should have good times again Ah! But the dayes of the Beast are done and God is putting a stop in the street of Babylon and taking away that limited power and is beginning to raise up his witnesses that is God is beginning to manifest himselfe more abundantly then formerly in the flesh of his Saints the seed of the woman and more plentifully dividing to every one his portion severally as God will according to the measure of the gift of the Anointing even as hee did manifest himselfe to dwell bodily in the Anointed Jesus who is the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all And God doth this that his Saints may worship him not in bare formes of godlinesse and customes of Religion in a self-seeking way of pride and coveteousnesse expressing bitternesse of spirit to others thar differ but that they may in his strength worship him in love sincerity humility and in spirit and truth inwardly rejoycing and glorying continually in God onely At this the Nations of the World will bee mightily angry when it appeares more plentifull and I beleeve it will appeare ere long For saith the Angel in the vision after three dayes and halfe the spirit of life from God entred into them and they stood upon their feet and great fear fell upon them which saw them Now I conceive yea it is cleare to me that these three dayes and halfe are upon the very period and finished point three dayes are compleatly past and the halfe day is â—now in being and this halfe day must be shortned too for the Elects sake so that the time will not bee long before the glory of God that is made known in secret be preached on the house top And they heard a great voyce from Heaven saying Come up hither And they ascended up to Heaven in a Cloud and their enemies beheld them The two Witnesses heard God speake out of Heaven it was a lively voyce it was not the dead voyce of a man speaking out of a Book And what is this Heaven Why truly as the Firmament is called Heaven in the history because the created Sun Moon and Stars those glorious lights are seated there so wheresoever