God and ruine his people Hence it is that mystery is written upon the head of the whorish woman Chap. 17. 15. when in her ornaments of purple and decking of silver gold and precious stones she is full of abominations and filthinesse of fornication being but the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth Here is the fountaine of all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse that the world seeth not the depth of neither can it fathome the bottome of this wickednesse of this mystery it ascendeth from the pit as deep as hell it selfe Fourthly doth this beast ascend upward Then Observe There is a time 4 Observâ— when Antichrist doth ascend high in greatnesse and power All that wickednesse and abomination all that blacknesse and darknesse all that deceivablenesse and iniquity suggested by Satan into mans heart that we spake of before it is gathered up and acted in greatnesse power and dominion The spirit of selfe-righteousnesse pride malice and envie now comes forth in the forme and power of a beast There is a time when this wickedness shall raigne and beare sway this is the houre and the day of the powerfull raigne of the beast according to that saying in Revel 13. 5. Power was given unto the beast to continue forty and two msneths And therefore it is permitted that he should for a time act according to his will because he is great as it is spoken by Daniel of the king of a fierce countenance Dan. 8. 4. Thus we have it in Revel 17. 13. The ten hornes doe with one minde give their power and strength unto the beast They do with one consent use all their personall and royall authority to uphold the power and dominion of the beast By this meanes the beast doth ascend becomes great and mighty in power But as there is a time of the beasts ascension so also there is a time of his descension and declining when the ten Kings shall withdraw their power againe and hate the whore and burne her flesh with fire Revel 17. 16. There will be times when these shall no longer submit to the tyranny of the beast but shall conspire against him and strip him of his ornaments and prey upon his spoyles and ruines Then shall the beast descend into the pit of perdition and destruction from whence he did ascend and as Solomon saith The righteous shall be delivered the wicked shal come in their steed Thus Antichrist hath his timeâ— of rising into power and greatnesse and shall also have his declinings time of falling when he shall grow weak and feeble and shall not be able to stand Fiftly and lastly doth the beast make war against overcome and kill these witnesses then observe That the witnesses 5 Observâ— are continually overcome and slaying all the time of the powerfull raigne of the beast The slaying of the witnesses cannot be confined to one age or time towards the latter end of their prophesie and that onely some particular persons should be slainâ— and that by martyrdome onely but the beast doth alwayes make war with the Saints and by civill power and ecclesiasticall law doth alwayes overcome them and by the execution of that law doth kill them by hindering them in the course of their prophesie and rejecting their testimony turning the truth into a lie thus I say the witnesses are alwayes slaying the whole time of Antichrists raigne Hence it is sayd that the little horne should weary out thg Saints of the most high Dan. 7. 25. by continuall vexing and tormenting of them It is sayd of the Locusts that ascended out of the smoke of the bottomlesse pit That they had faces like men having a shew of humanity and their haire was as the haire of women by reason of their perswasive flatteries and faire shewes of gentlenesse and meeknesse but they had the teeth of Lyons rending and devouring the Saints by their cruell exactions and tyrannicall governments whereby they have alwayes suppressed the Saints And thus have the faithful witnesses of Christ been continually in slaying under the powerfull raigne of the beast VERS 8. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great Citie which spiritually is called Sodome and Egypt where also our Lord was crucified IN the former verse we had the death and slaying of the witnesses Now here we are to enquire what becomes of their bodies of which we have an account in this and the two following verses First their bodies lie in the great Citie Secondly they are kept from buriall vers 9. Thirdly their enemies rejoyce over them vers 10. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street c. Here take notice First what is meant by their dead bodies Secondly the place where they lie and that is in the street of the great Citie Thirdly we have a description of this great Citie First by it's resemblance first to Sodome secondly to Egypt Secondly by it's action Where our Lord was crucified First to enquire what is meant by the dead bodies of the witnesses We must beare in minde how and in what manner they were slaine and that was mystically and metaphorically and therefore their bodies must be so understood also Then if it were meant of the Witdesses being slaine in their testimony then it must here be meant of the outward forme and body of their testimony therefore by these bodies are meant all the externall figures and formes of worship in which the witnesses were exercised and through which they did sometimes give forth their testimony When the Church was driven into the Wildernesse to worship God in the secret Temple the outward Court the whole body of their externall formes of worship they left behinde them and the Gentiles made use of them so that this body or whole forme of worship did remaine in the street of the great Citie The outward and externall part of worship when the spirit life waâ— departed from it and the witnesses had left it becâ—me as a dead body or carkase as having no breath or true life in it for as the body becomes as a carkase when the soule and life is departed so is the externall forme of worship when the spirit of the Lord is departed from it Now that the externall part of worship in the formes and figures of it when 't is spirit-lesse and without life is as a dead body or carkase We have a full place of Scripture to prove this interpretation if we rightly observe that Text in Matth. 24. 28. where Christ saith Wheresoever the carkase is there will the Eagles be gathered together The common interpretation of this Text is that here by the carkase should be meant of Christ and that Saints are compared to Eagles as resorting to Christ But consider how far remotâ— this opinion is from the adequate sence of the place For first it would be a most iâ—ksome and naâ—seous comparison to liken Christ to a dead stinking carkase The like comparison of
in some respect and in some things cast off the service and dominion of the beast yet they have not cast off the image of the beast For if we cast our eyes upon the reformed Churches abroad we shall see a national church a carnall Ministry worldly Christians invented ordinances of mans framing civill and earthly lawes and institutions humane and naturall gifts parts exercised so that these reformed churches so much talked of are but some politick and humane frame that sets up an image to the beast or Antichrist coming forth in another forme and shape then that of downright Popery And therefore we cannot judge any of them to be the tenth part of the Citie neither can we expect the rising of the witnesses to be from thence Now for as much as England is the first nation that is wholly thorowly casting off and disowning all Antichristian powers and for as much as the Lord hath raised up his people in a great measure from their sackcloth and mourning the Saints here begin to stand upon their feet to ascend above the power of their adversaries into the liberty of Christs kingdome and in that God hath begun this great earthquake here shaking all powers both accleâ—â—asticall and civill this I say doth plainly demonstrate that England is that tenth part of the Citie where the witnesses shall first rise out of their sackcloth bondage Now this great earthquake that had it's first beginning here shall continue and by degrees reach other nations the Lord will from hence goe on to shake all nations the sea and the dry land And though Dutch and Dane and French shall combine against us and becompasse the Camp of the Saints and the holy Citie yet the fire of the Lord shall come from heaven and consume them The Lord shall be unto this Island a wall of fire round about Zech. 2. 5. And thus the Lord will undoubtedly goe on untill he hath subdued the power of the nations broken the strength of the ten hornes that they shall wholly withdraw their power and authority from the service of Antichrist and shall devote all their strength riches authority to advance the kingdome of Christ Thus not onely a tenth part shall fall in the earthquake but all the ten hornes by degrees shall be scattered and broken and whereas they have given their power and service to the beast so now all their strength and power shall serve Christ and his ends The kingdomes of the world shall become Christs at the sound of the seventh Trumpet of which we shall speake in it's due place now we proceed Fourthly from the second effect 4 Observ and there were slaine of men seven thousand Observe Those principally and chiefly shall be slaine in the earthquake that are the upholders and maintainers of Antichrists cause and quarrell Those here sayd to be slaine are the names of men or men of name of fame of note of qualitie of office of dignity such as these are slaine these are slaine in their offices The Lord puls downe the mightie from their seats and exalts the humble and mâ—eke â— powers riches honours these are cast out of ecclesiasticall civill power and rule and as it 's said of the Dragon they are cast out of heaven down to the earth they are degraded and cast out as an abominable branch This earthquake doth not so much shake and scatter the poore ignorant seduced people as those that are great in power in office in parts and renowne There is not one of these shall escape the seven thousand the full perfect and compleat number of those chiefe props and stays of Antichrist such as mannage his cause and maintaine his quarrell there is not one of those that shall escape that shall not be throwne downe How hath this earthquake shaken men out of their honours and dignities out of offices places as those that were in ecclesiasticall jurisdiction Bishopâ— Deans Chapters Câ—ancellors Commissaries Ordinaries Parsons and Curates with all the rest of the Prelaticall crew And then those in civill power dominion King Lords Parliaments and all others of place and power that have set their hands to uphold the power of the beast the Antichristian or Cleargie interest they have been broken and sâ—ared All men of name of civil or ecclesiasticall power and rule that have set and engaged themselves to uphold or maintain the cause interest of the beast they have been all broken slaine in this great and â—errible earthquake Therefore let all States and powers take heed how they mix their authority with the usurped ecclesiasticall power for whosoever doth so shall surely be destroyed For the beast and the false Prophet shall be both taken together and be cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone Revel 19. 20. The beast is corrupted Magistracy or forme of power ecclesiasticall and civill mixâ— together compounded and joyned into one and so acts and comes forth in the forme of a beast The false Prophet is meant of those Priests that speake lies in the name of the Lord that seeme to work miracles and cause fire to come downe from heaven in the sight of men counterfelting the spirit of God when they speake but a divination and falshood of their own spirits Now the beast and the false Prophet fall together The one speaking lies and the other upholding him The Clergie first studying and inventing formeâ— of worship and the earthly power mainâ—aining them O that the powers of the earth might see how much they are damnified by Cleargie interest what a heavie burden it is to carry the weight of spirituall jurisdiction which will prove as a talent of lead upon the shoulders of all that stand under it The woman is sayd to ride upon the beast Revel 17. 7. The Antichristian church carried upon the back of earthly powers Hath not experience told us that there hath not been any sort of men of what title or qualitie soever that have layd hold of Antichrists interest and sought to uphold and maintaine his cause but they have been ensuared and broken in pieces Why hath there been all those turnings and overturnings of men of note and place but because they have joyned interest and power with the beast and have endeavoured to uphold that usurped ecclesiasticall power either Prelaticall or Classicall Fiftly from the third consequent And the remnant were affrighted c. observe That when God doth scatter the great 5 Obser and mighty ones of the earth it doth much amaze affrighten the poore and ignorant people that have been seduced by them When the pillars of Antichrist are shaken it must needs perplex and trouble those that depended upon them For when the poore misled people shall see the men of name their great rulers throwne downe and debased this cannot but affright them when that power that ruled them shall be subdued when that wisdome that led them shall be
at last the waters arose to that height that they became a mighty river wherein a man might swim and without which he could not passe over them So that the Saints under the first second third Trumpets did all hold forth a profession of the truth and according to their measures did give a testimony thereunto though but in some small weake and faint discoveries of it and more in the letter then in the spirit These were glorious lights also in respect of the darknesse of those ages and generations they lived in but yet in respect of that light discovered and that declaration of the truth made out by the Saints under the sixt and seventh Trumpet they were under much darknesse and weaknesse not being come up to that degree of light that the Lord hath of late discovered and will make knowne unto his people Thirdly observe There shall be a most 3 Observ compleat and glorious discovery and declaration of truth made out by the Saints under the seventh Trumpet The seven Trumpets are all comprehended in one the last Trumpet includes all the former Seven as you heard is the number of perfection and rest So all the Trumpets are involved and wrapt up in this last The seventh seale is the highest revelation of truth the seventh Trumpet is the highest and most perfect declaration by which the Saints do proclaime and make it forth Suitable unto this is that Prophesie Esa 30. 26. Moreover the light of the Moone shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun shall be sevenfold as the light of seven dayes So that here is seven dayes brought into one day and one day shall have the light of seven So that the last and highest discovery of truth shall comprehend all the former The seventh and last Trumpet signifies the highest declaration of the glory of God the truth and kingdome of Jesus that ever the Saints publish or sing forth it is the breaking forth of the highest praises and greatest glory of God In this great and last dispensation the Saints obtaine a fuller measure of the spirit then ever they are now sevenfold more enabled to proclaime the glory power and kingdome of Christ then ever they could doe in former time Fourthly from the great voyces heard in heaven observe That the Saints 4 Observ fully risen and ascended up into heavenly injoyments at the finall destruction of Antichrist shall with one harmonious and sweet consent sound forth the praises and glory of Christ'â— kingdome Indeed the Saints could alwayes sing while they prophesied in sackcloth but it was like David when he sung of his deep waters so it was of their afflictions and sufferings as Paul and Silas sung in prison they had weake and faint joy in the middest of their sufferings But now the Saints in heaven they cry out they sing aloud and shout for joy These voyces be full of power and authority the world and it's strength and foundation trembles to heare them the riches the strengths the powers the governments of men are shaken by them So great and powerfull are these voyces that as it was said of Israel of old The voyce of a King is among them they sing forth the grace the excellency the authority and glory of Christ's kingdome saying The kingdomes of this world are become our Lords c. The Saints are sayd in Revel 15. 3. To sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. As Moses sung forth the praises of God for delivering his people Israel and destroying their enemies the Aegyptians Exod. 15. so his people shall sing forth the praises of his power and greatness for delivering them from Antichrist's yoke and tyranny And the song of the Lamb who worketh great and marvellous things to the destruction of Antichrist whose cruelty and oppression he had long suffered They shall extoll him as being King of Saints and shall acknowledge him just in his judgements punishing Antichrist and in his wayes true in performing all his promises made unto his people Having given you the observations from the former part of the verse namely from the seventh Trumpet and the voyces heard in heaven I now proceed to speake of the subject matter of these voyces The kingdomes of this world are become the kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall raigne for ever and ever These words containe a glorious proclamation or declaration of the kingdome and raigne of Christ wherein we may take notice of these six particulars to be enquired into First What is meant by the kingdomes of this world Secondly How these kingdomes have been detained from Christ Thirdly How Christ will recover these kingdomes to himselfe Fourthly By what right Christ shall possesse them Fiftly The manner or nature of Christs raigne Sixtly The time and duration of his raigne Concerning the first thing namely what is meant by the kingdomes of this world we may easily perceive what they are by opposing them to the kingdome of Christ for these kingdomes of the world are diametrically opposit and contradistinct to the kingdome of Christ The kingdome of Christ is of a heavenly and spirituall nature Rom. 14. 17. It 's King Laws government and subjects are all spirituall it 's set up and advanced by no humane force or power but by that which is meerly divine Dan. 2. 45. Now the kingdomes of this world are called the kingdomes of men consisting of externall glory riches strength government policy that men by humane power have set up and doth act by In a word all the wisdome and policy all rule and government all power and strength all Constitutions and Lawes all the riches and glory of men of these are made up and formed the kingdoms of this world called the kingdomes of men Dan. 4. 25. consisting of worldly greatnesse externall glory humane policy outward strength advanced into the forme of rule government acted and brought forth by man this is the state glory and kingdome of the world Secondly How these kingdomes have been detained from Christ and that 's thus whereas Christ hath given forth his power by earthly men as by Kings and Princes of the earth according to that place in Pro. 8. 15 16. By me Kings reigne and Princes decree justice by me Princes rule and Nobles even all the Judges of the earth These have been the substitutes and deputies of Christ having received all their wisdome their strength their authority and dominion from him the Lord hath by these administred unto the world even by carnall fleshly wicked men by the Kings of the earth the Lord hath not administred by his people but by those that have raigned as Kings and Princes of the world Now this being so these Kings of the earth have committed fornication with the whore Rev. 17. 2. having mixed and joyned their power with hers and have with one consent and minde given up their power and strength unto
the beast as is declared vers 13. to serve his ends and designes And though it be true that all this while Christ hath intermedled with all the affaires of the Nations their policies and governments that all occurrances therein hath tended at least by degrees to advance his own kingdome and to bring about his owne ends yet these kingdomes and policies and governments have served Antichrist and it hath been their worke and businesse to oppose the kingdome of Christ and suppresse and persecute his people and truth so that these kingdomes of the world have not served Christ though Christ hath served himselfe by them but they have been devoted unto Antichrist and served him Thirdly How doth Christ recover these againe into his owne hand And that is by breaking and scattering the powers of the world he will shake all Nations Hag. 2. 6. when the Lord shall cast aside these oppressing tyrants of the earth he will come forth in the ministry of his owne people and by them administer righteousnesse and peace unto the world The Lord will dash in pieces all the powers of the earth that have oppressed his people and will so come forth in his owne people to administer to the world that the earth shall be at rest and quiet when violence shall be no more heard in the Land but our officers shall be righteousnesse and our exactors peace And how shall this be See what the Lord saith by the Prophet Esa 24. 21 22 23. And it shall come to passe in that day that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high and the Kings of the earth upon the earth and they shall be gathered as prisoners are gathered in the pit and shall be shut up in the prison and after many dayes they shal be visited or found wanting as the margent reads it Then the Moone shall be confounded and the Sunne ashamed when the Lord of host shall raigne in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and before his ancients gloriously or as the Margine renders it There shall be glory before his ancients The meaning of these words take thus The great and mighty Kings of the earth who have opposed the kingdome of Christ and have undertaken all power ecclesiasticall and civill to rule in Church and State to determine all spirituall causes by temporall power and civill sanction God will so advance his Saints by his spirituall appearance in them that they shall oppose and punish these Kings of the earth not onely by the sword of the spirit but also with a temporal sword the Kings of the earth upon the earth they shall be able to overcome those that did enslave and rule over them He that kills by the sword shall be killed by the sword here is the patience of the Saints Revel 13. 10. This is the fruit of all their patience in all their former sufferings And after many dayes they shall be found wanting men shall after a time be willing to beare the losse of Kings and great ones without trouble or vexing when the Moone shall be confounded and the Sun ashamed viz. all civill ecclesiasticall powers governments orders and rulers shall be broken Then the Lord shall raigne in Mount Zion to wit in his Saints and people as before his ancients in whom he shall gloriously appeare to administer righteousnesse peace unto the world By these ancients are meant no more then the twenty foure Elders mentioned Revel 4. 4. who sit in white clothing having Crownes upon their heads as raigning in royall state glory and trâ—umph So that the Lord will no longer come forth in and by the men of the earth to raigne by Kings and Potentates but he will come forth in his glorious appearance in his Saints and thorow them will administer righteousnesse to the world Sutable hereunto is that Scripture Dan. 7. 22. where it is sayd that the little horne should make war with the Saints and prevaile against them untill the Ancient of dayes should come and then judgement was given to the Saints of the most high and the time came that the Saints possessed the kingdome Christ himselfe shall inherit all Nations and he will put his people in possession of all power riches rule and dominion When the Lord shall take away power and dominion from the men of the earth Then the kingdome and dominion and the greatnesse of the kingdome under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high whose kingdome is an ever lasting kingdome and all dominions shall serve and obey him vers 27. All that 's good and excellent that 's rich and beautifull that 's noble and honourable shall be given to the Saints The forces of the Gentiles and their Kings shall be brought to them Esa 60. 11. And they shall eat the riches of the Gentiles and boast themselves in their glorie Esa 61. 6. All Dominions and States shall serve them strangers shall stand and feed their flock and the sonnes of the alient shall be their plow-men and vine-dressers dressers vers 5. So then when the Lord shall take the power riches dominion and authority from the great ones of the earth and invest his Saints with the same when all power rule shall be brought under the feet of Christ who will come forth in the appearances of his people then Christ doth take to himselfe his great power and raign Thus the Lord doth recover the kingdomes and nations into his own hand stripping the men of the earth with their strength riches glorie rule and conferring of the same upon his people and so will administer no longer by Kings and Nobles but by Saints and faithfull ones He will raigne among his Ancients gloriously Fourthly By what right or title Christ will lay claime to the kingdomes of the world and that is by his owne native and proper right These kingdomes shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ The originall right and propriety of all the kingdomes of the world are the Lords they are his right and he will maintaine his owne priviledge and prerogative he will take to himselfe and possesse all they of right belong unto him and he from the beginning did possesse all It is true the Lord did intrust Kings and great ones of the earth to be his Substitutes and Stewards he committed the care of these to them as his Servants or Deputies but when the Lord will cast these Stewards out of their places dispossesse the Kings and Nobles of the earth then presently the kingdomes of the world returne to him whose they were from the beginning But these kingdomes of the world are so the Lords as they are Christ's also Christ the anointed one of the Lord he shall raigne he is son over his owne house Heb. 3. 5. He hath right and propriety with the Father by vertue of Sonship and anointing The actuall administration is put into his hand he being