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
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
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
sackcloth-profession of Saints in the dayes of the little horne the Beast and whorish spirit or as I may say Judas spirit of self-love and hypocrisie that must reign in the world for a time Thus we see it is Jesus Christ after the flesh and his spirit ruling in the flesh of Saints which are Gods two Witnesses The spirit of Christ sent down into Saints or rather the Saints taken up into fellowship with that spirit according to the Fathers promise and love to his Sons and Daughters in the latter dayes which must prophesie in sack-cloth one thousand two hundred and sixty dayes and it can be no other but these in whom the power of God dwels and rules And there are divers discoveries of this truth laid down by God himself as a testimony from him that these two are his Witnesses in the four five and six verses of that seventh chapter of the Revelations In the fourth verse These two witnesses are â—aid to be the two Olive Trees and the two Candle-sticks standing before the God of the whole Earth Now I conceive that these two Olive-trees and two Candlesticks can be apâ—lyed to no other but to the two appearances of the Anointing First In the body or flesh of Christ Secondly In the flesh of Saints that is to say Christ and his spirit And marvel not that I say Christ and his spirit are the two Candle-sticks because the Scriptures in other places call Christ and his spirit the lights of God as indeed they are and by Candlesticks are properly meant the Churches or particular societies of Saints as St. John writes But in this place the light that is held forth is this eternal councel of God That Jesus Christ is this Son by whom he will bruise the Serpents head and reconcile sinners to himself and by no other name or power whatsoever So that when Christ was visibly seen upon the earth in the day and hour of his sufferings or time of his sack-cloth prophesying he and his spirit in one person were the Candle-stick in whom this mystery of God and truth of his councel did burn and shine forth to the world and therein they were a certain witnes of the Father But set that day and houre aside and then properly the Churches are called Candlesticks in whom Christ and his Spirit burnes bright and shines gloriously Men or Women Magistrates or Ministers or churches cannot be called these two Candlesticks because the churches ate taken up and moved by Christ and such as were un-willing are made willing to beare the testimony of God by the almighty working of Christ in them that beleeve But now christ and his spirit was never unwilling to bear witness to this purpose of the Father for as soon as ever the Father had declared his will Loe I come saith Christ to doe thy will O God And therefore the Father glories in Christ and makes proclamation to all the World That he will have all men honour the Son as they honour the Father Then again they are called two Olive-Trees and these cannot be Men and Women Magistrates or Ministers but onely Christ and his Spirit If you looke into the fourth chapter of Zechariah there is mention of one Golden Candlestick which I conceive is the generall Church of Christ or the great Congregation as David speaks the mysticall body of Christ the Saints or City Sion And then there is mention of two Olive Trees by the Candlestick one upon the right side of the Bowle and the other upon the left side thereof Now these two Olive-Trees are Iesus Christ ☜ and his Spirit the one being under the other over the Church which are the two Armes of God imbracing the Church in love For first God sent the humane Body of Christ to testifie his love to the Church and to comfort her in all her asslictions Because he was afflicted for them and with them and therofore in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted and this is the Olive-Tree upon the left side of the Candlestick Then secondly God sent his Spirit the comforter to testifie his unchangeable love to the Church and to lead her into all truth because he is the Spirit of truth And so in the bodily absence of Christ the Spirit which is the Lord our Righteousnesse ruling as a King in love in them doth counsell comfort sanctifie and remaines with the Church for ever and so doth establish the covenant of Grace to them to be an everlasting Covenant And this is the Olive Tree upon the right side of the Candlestick And further Zechariah goeth on making mention of two Olive Branches which through the two golden pâ—pes empty the golden Oyle out of themselves And the Angel said to Zechariah Knowest thou not what these be And he said No my Lord Then he said These are two Anointed ones that stand before the Lord of the whole earth Now these two Olive Trees and these two Branches that thus empty themselves with constant running and so feed the Church with life and light which is that golden Oyle that they empty out of themselves and which the Angel likewise called the two Anointed ones they cannot be meant of any other but Iesus Christ in his own particular person in the flesh and he spiritually in his Saints For there is none that hath the seven pipes the seven Lamps and the seven eyes which are the seven spiritual power of God in his hand but onely Iesus Christ for the Spirit descended and rested upon him And in him dwelleth the fulnesse of the God-head bodily And then secondly because none stands by the Lord of the whole earth as the Angel told Zechariah but onely Jesus Christ and his eternall Spirit who is both the outward and the inward Lord and King of Saints And this is cleared by Gods own word to Daniel when God shewed to him what was written in the Scriptures of truth There is none saith God holdeth or standeth with me in these things but Michael your Prince that is Iesus Christ in his two-fold discoveries in the flesh of the Man Iesus and in the flesh of Saints by the same Spirit and the great promise of the Gospel for the exalting of Iesus Christ the Anointed and the Anointing is this Sit thou saith God on my right hand or stand by me untill I make thine enemies thy foot-stool Now brethren you know that the Church and Sainrs doe not receive light life grace from any other but from Christ Of his fulnesse we receive grace for grace Therefore these two Olive-trees these two Candlestickes which John speakes of and these two Witnesses which God glories in and calleth His Witnesses must needs be meant Christ and his Spirit or the two appearances of God in Iesus and in his Saints There is one phrase mose in that fourth verse which is this These
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
THE BREAKING OF THE DAY OF GOD Wherein Four things are manifested I. That the two Witnesses are not in killing but in rising from death II. The three dayes and half or 42. months of the Saints Captivity under the Beast very near expired III. Christ hath begun to reign in his Saints and to tread their corrupt flesh under his feet IIII. Christs dominion over the Nations of the world near the approach BY Gerrard VVinstanley London Printed by I. C. for Giles Calvert at the Black-spread-Eagle at the West end of Pauls 1649. TO The despised Sons and Daughters of Zion scattered up and down the Kingdom of England DEar friends and fellow brethren in the Kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ you have been and are the object of the worlds hatred and reproach not simply as you are men and women but because the light beauty of our Father shines forth of you which they cannot behold therefore they brand you for wicked ones and your principles to be errour And under that name of deceivers troublers though indeed they themselves are the only deceivers troublers they threaten your ruine death you are the signes and wonders of the Kingdom you are the object of every ones laughter and reproach you are the men that they would plunder you are the men that are sentenced to be put to death in these uproar risings under the name of Round-heads That the name of Israel may be no more known in the Land but they shall never prevaile your Father hath blessed you yea and you shall be blessed you are the men they would chain up by an Ecclesiasticall compulsive or coersive power you are the men that they would give no liberty to to practise what God teaches you you are the men preached against writ against petitioned against to the higher Power to bring you under their foot-steps you are the men that are counted the troublers of Kingdoms and Parishes where you dwell though the truth is you are the only peaceable men in the Kingdom who love the Kingdoms peace the Magistrates peace and the Peoples peace who love the health and peace of all their souls But what 's the reason the world doth so storm against you but because you are not of the world nor cannot walk in the darkwayes of the world they hated your Lord and Master Jesus Christ and they hate you they knew not him and they know not you for if they had known him they would not have crucified him and if they did truly know the power of that God that dwels in you they would not so despise you But well these things must be it is your Fathers will it shall be so the world must lie under darkness for a time that is Gods dispensation to them and you that are Children of light must lie under reproach and oppressions of the world that is Gods dispensation to you But it shall be but for a little time What I have here to say is to bring you glad tydings that your redemption drawes neer you are come to the half day of the Beasts reign which may be very hot yet it will be short for the Son of righteousness and peace iâ— risen and he is beginning to disperse those cold rainy Clouds of mens lusts and inventions And to make the earth mankind to become like the summer season full of light heat fruitfulness and comfort There are two things which the Lord our righteousness is in doing First He is burning up all the drosse of our flesh and treading it under his feet by his bright appearing in our hearts and by the lively and free discoveries of himself and doth cast out the accuser The Serpent and takes possession and dwels in you himself and takes you up to dwell in him this is Gods Kingdom and this many of you have experience of and this strength of your God within is that which supports you against all the storming provocations of the world without stronger is he that is in you then he that is in the world Secondly the same God of truth he is burning up the drosse and shaking and casting down all corruptions which the wise flesh or rather wicked Serpent hath built up in Common-wealths and Churches and is beginning to spread the knowledg of himself over the earth as the waters cover the Seas But for the present men are angry disquieted at it they would not know God nor be saved God at first must work against their wills and make their swelling spirit to become willing and obedient before they can be healed And what 's the reason Why truly the Serpent that deceived the whole earth doth still stir up the whole world to wonder after the Beast and to maintain that corrupt power as long as he can for when once the Anointing takes the Kingdom and reigns The Beast or fleshly wisdom in States and Churches shall never reigne more this the Serpent knows and because God and the Lamb sits upon the Throne judging the Beast and Serpent The smoke of their torment ascends upwards day and night in blasphemy against God and bitter language and ill usages of his Saints that live above in the liberty and life of God which is a condition above the bondage and death of the Serpent well it must be thus for a time but do you wait patiently upon your God and you shall see in conclusion he will bring in your enemies to fall down at Christs feet and acknowledge love and live in the same God with you and then your joy shall be more and more fulfilled This thing God ere long will do far he is judging the Serpent And if England Scotland and Ireland this three-fold Kingdom united under one head or State Government be the tenth part of the City Babylon that must fall off from the Beast first as I have no doubtings but daily confirmations in me that it shall be You shall then see That all this envy and bitterness of spirit in these Nations shalldie and shall be swallowed up in the spirit of love you shall see these great nationall divisions to be swallowed up into brotherly one-ness you shall see oppressing injustice to be swallowed up into righteousness and peace and the fire of Gods spirit to burn up the fire of mens lusts and inventions so that Magistrates shall love the people and be nursing Fathers to them for that prophesie comes now to be fulfilled and the people shall love and chearfully obey the Commands of Magistrates All striving who shall honour God most in their severall places and callings this God can do and this he will do for he is Commander in chief in and of the spirits of men There are three Songs which God hath taught us and will have us to sing in experience continually The first is fear or rather love
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
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
ready to assent hereunto even to stop the mouth and to kill Truth And this is cruelty the flesh would not have Truth to live but is still heart-burning against it Truth must be kild because it testifies against the flesh that the deeds thereof are evill If thou be vain-glorious and the flesh be proud of Learning gifts preaching praying actings and set a man tell thee never so mildly of thy pride coveteousnesse and oppression or self-worship and blind devotion and though the inward conscience tell thee thou art scuh a one yet thy flesh burnes and swels presently and nothing wil satisfie thy disquiet flesh if it might have its will but the imprisonment and death of him that speakes the truth And is glad to heare of any Glosse or subtill invention or authoritative Law that doth seem to kill Truth and countenance a vain and empty form of Gods worship If God give thee a discerning heart thou wilt acknowledge that thy own flesh within as well as the flesh of other men is very cruel against truth and rejoyces in its death And when the Flesh gets a power into his hand as it hath a power when the Kings of the earth give their authority and power to it then it puts all politick Lawes and Ecclesiasticall Constitutions into execution to kill the appearances of Truth every where The Jewes by the envy and policy of their flesh first made a Canon-Law that whosoever acknowledged Iesus the Anointed should be put out of the Synagogue And within a littie time after did put this Law into execution and did cast the poor man out whom Christ had cured of his blindnesse because he testifies love to Christ and said he was no sinner whom their flesh said was a sinner Likewise they did imprison and beat the Apostles by the same Ecclesiasticall Law because they preached the Name of Iesus And have we not all experience how this selfe-honoring Beast in her three shapes already past hath mightily suppressed martyred and worn out the Saints of the most high God by executing her Canon-Lawes by Inquisitions High Commissions and Classicall Censures upon those innocent Lambs of Christ that could not conform through their love to God unto her fleshly forms of worship and Carnall Customes which he hath with a great confidence declared to be according to the Scriptures which upon examination appears to be her own invention and fancy and not agreeable to the sense of the Scriptures in any kind And here lies the great mystery of all God the Father will have his Son Iesus Christ to be advanced King Priest and Prophet for God in Flesh must rule and this is Gods Kingdome But the corrupt felsh or rather the Serpent in flesh would be God therefore all the wisdome and power of it sets it selfe as God and strives to advance it selfe â—above God and denies and persecutes Gods Anointed ones in whom God delights And this Mystery of iniquity did work in Daniels time by envy and craft against the appearances of God in Daniel And it prevailed in the time of Caiaphas the High Priest to kill the Man Christ Iesus who was Gods faithful and true Witnesse And as the Beast had got a humane corrupted power to put Christ to death yet an illegal law for the Judge confessed he found no fault in Christ yet the Beast had no law to put such to death as acknowledged or beleeved in Christ for the Anointing in Saints was not yet known so manifestly in the world Therefore she began to creep in in Rauls time to spy out the Saints liberty and to bring them into bondage and after some few years she commits fornication with the Kings of the earth and they gave their authority and power to the Beast and then an universall Bishop was set up at Rome and a compulsive power was put into his hands to compell all men and women to conforme to what Divine government or worship he and his Colledge made or else to suffer punishment And now the Beast makes Directories and Church-governments not according to Scripture but by her Conclusions and Inferences from Scripture that agree not with the Mystery of God but with her own Being maintenance And likewise she hath power in her hand to make laws and Canons and Ecclesiastical censures to inforce a conformity hereunto The first of these is to insnare the Saints and to catch them within the limits of a law and in the next place to kill them And thus the Beast hath killed and worn out the Saints and made warre with Christ Gods two Witnesses a long time And the Beast hath killed them by her Ecclesiasticall lawes an ordinance of government which God never made but is a corrupt power cunningly juggled out of the hands of civill Magistrates of the earth which is Gods Ordinance which he appointed for the government of the world And by this Ecclesiasticall Bastardly power which was got in fornication with the Kings of the Earth The Beast hath reigned and lived in pomp like a delicate Whore first killed and then trod the Witnesses under her feet For now she doth what she will she sits like a Queen and knowes no sorrow for she hath a power from the Kings of the earth and this power is permitted and limited by our God to tread them under foot 42 months which beare testimony of her ruine For this is the testimony of the two Witnesses That God will reigne and dwell in Flesh and tread the Beast under his feet And this is Gods Kingdome but this the Beast cannot indure to heare of Therefore she envies Gods two Witnesses and uses all her policy to kill them and tread them under her Whorish feet that she might prove God a liar and reign her selfe as God in Gods Temple It is not any particular man or office that kils Gods witnesses but it is the Serpentine flesh in every man that advances it self in men and offices above God and this must be till God take him away or tread this wicked one under his feet But one thing note that the slayiug of the witnesses is not a slaying of the Bodies of their flesh onely but a slaying of their actions and testimonies by reproaches oppression and Ecclesiasticall laws not suffering them to act ike themselves according to their testimony of the Father in the view of the world so that they ly like dead bodies in the worlds account though they be still living in themselves and will appeare to the world to be alive ere long For first the humane body of Christ was kild by the Jews that was the History but this is not the onely killing for afterwards when the Beast had committed fornication with the Kings of the Earth then he killed the Lawes Ordinances and Commands of Christ by seting up Lawes Ordinances and Commands of his