THE RESURRECTION OF The Witnesses AND ENGLANDS Fall from the mystical Babylon ROME Clearly demonstrated to be accomplished Whereby Great encouragement is administred to all Saints but especially to the Saints in England In the handling of a part of the eleventh Chapter of the REVELATION By M. Cary a Minister or Servant of Jesus Christ and of all his Saints PSAL. 126. 1 2 3. When the LORD turned again the captivity of Sion we were like them that dream Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing then said they among the heathen The LORD hath done great things for them The LORD hath done great things for us whereof we are glad London Printed by D. M. for Giles Calvert at the black-spread-Eagle at the west end of Pauls 1648. To the Honoured FRANCIS ROVSE AND Thomas Boon Esquires Members of the Honourable House of COMMONS in PARLIAMENT Honoured Sirs IT being the great designe of God the Father to set up his Son our Lord Jesus Christ as his King upon the holy hill of Sion and though the Heathen rage and the people imagine vain things saying Come let us break their bonds in sunder and cast away their cords from us to give him the Heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession I say this being Gods design he hath for the effecting of it given all power and authority in heaven and in earth into his hand and accordingly Jesus Christ hath undertaken to execute all Gods Decrees which are mentioned in the Prophesie of the Book of the Revelation where we finde that God had decreed that for an appointed terme of time his Church his Temple his Saints should be in an afflicted persecuted depressed low condition and that the Beast and the Babylonian enemies of his Church should have power to grow great and to flourish and to make war against the Saints and to blaspheme God and his name and his Saints for an appointed time also and that after that time was expired that then Jesus Christ should improve that power that was for that end given to him in giving a glorious Deliverance to his Church and ruining totally the Beast great Babylon and all his enemies That so the Kingdomes of this world may become his Kingdoms and that in such a manner as they were not before even so as all that are in authority that will not cast their Crowns at his feet shall be broken in peeces for he the Lord alone must be exalted in that day there must be one Lord and his name one in all the earth Now as it most clearly appears to me from the divine Oracles of the Scripture having compared the works of God and his Word together I have in the ensuing Discourse held it forth for the encouragement of all that wait for the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ for the overthrowing of his enemies and the deliverance of his people from their persecutions that the time is already come wherein the appointed time of the prevailing power of the Beast over the Saints is come to a period and accordingly Jesus Christ hath begunne to bring downe the power of the Beast and to lift up his Saints out of that low afflicted persecuted condition in which they have beene and that in order to the perfecting of these things England is already fallen from the mysticall Babylon Rome Now Honoured Sir You having been glorious Starres shining with a great deal of splendour in Your Countrey both in the publikenesse of Your spirits and the holinesse of Your conversations wherein You have been eminent Examples and speciall encouragements unto others and knowing that it is the desire of Your souls to see the Lord Jesus alone advanced who-ever be thrown down I have presumed to present this little Treatise unto You not doubting of Your ingenuous and favourable acceptance of it But though I publish it under Your name and favour yet doe I not thereby desire You to patronize any thing in it if there should be any thing that is not truth and for the truth that is in it I need desire no Patron For great is the truth and it will prevail Yet notwithstanding the sonnes of truth as farre as the truth appears to them in truth will own it and contend for it and doubtlesse so will You. I am Sirs A Petitioner to heaven for Sions this Kingdoms and your prosperity M. C. TO THE READER OUr Lord Jesus Christ in the eighteenth Chapter of Luke from the first to the eighth verse from the example of the importunate widdow stirring up his Disciples to importunate praier he there assures them That God will surely hear the praiers of his own elect that cry to him day and night and avenge them of their adversaries and this he will doe for them though he make them tarry long And hereby Saints may be assured That God will hear their frequent importunate praiers which night and day they have put up against the man of sinne the Beast and their Babylonian enemies who have troden the Saints under feet and made warre against them and overcome them and dealt cruelly with them above this twelve hundred years and that he will at last avenge them on these their enemies But saies our Saviour at the eighth verse Neverthelesse when the Sonne of man cometh shall he finde faith on earth Whereby he implies That when hee cometh his people shall scarce have faith to beleeve that hee will thus avenge them on their enemies But when he shall come to doe it it will be beyond their faith And even thus is it with Saints now they have scarce faith to believe that the Lord Jesus hath now begun and is going on to avenge his own elect on their adversaries the mysticall Babylonians Now for the strengthening of the faith of Saints concerning this thing I doe present them with this ensuing Discourse wherein as the Lord hath discovered it to me to the strengthening of my faith concerning the prosperity of Sion henceforward and giving me great joy and pleasure therein I have made it to appeare from the Scriptures That the Lord hath already lifted up his Saints from under the vassalage of their enemies and hath begunne to put the cup of trembling into the hands of them that afflicted them Which I desire that all that love and honour the Lord Jesus may diligently observe For the most high God of whom and through whom and to whom are all things and for whose pleasure they are and were created both whose wisdome and knowledge are unfathomable tels his people of old by the Prophet Isaiah as wee have it in the fourty eighth Chapter of his Prophesie at the third and the fifth verses That he declared from the beginning the things hee would bring to passe and that he shewed it them before it came to passe and he gives the reason why he did so in the fourth and fifth verses Because said hee I knew
indeed the Lord Jesus Christ that doth order and dispose all things in and concerning his Church and all things in the world and therefore it is that all power is given unto him in heaven and earth Mat. 28. He is the King of the holy hill of Sion Psalm 2. And he must rule the Nations with a rod of iron and break them in peeces like a Potters vessel and he must raign untill he have put all his enemies under his feet Rise and measure The Lord Jesus doth not leave his people in the hand of enemies nor under the rod of the wicked in a carelesse manner as if he did not care how much they were given up to the hand of the enemies no but they are measured out to affliction and so far as they are measured out unto it so far shall they be under affliction and no farther So God measured Job to affliction All that he hath is in thy power only upon himself put not forth thine hand Job 1. 12. and again Behold he is in thine hand but save his life The wicked shall not goe a hairs-breadth beyond the measure Jesus Christ hath such a tender respect unto all his people in their sufferings that they shall have no more then need 1 Pet. 1. 6. Measure the Temple The word Temple in the old Testament is used only for that House that Solomon built in Jerusalem unto the Lord which was called the Temple of the Lord it being the place wherein God was in a speciall manner present and wherein he would in a speciall manner be worshipped But in the new Testament it is used first for the Church the Saints of God of which that Temple was a figure for as God was in a speciall manner present in that Temple so he is in a speciall manner present in his people And so we have it 2 Cor. 6. 16. For ye are the temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people 1 Cor. 6. 19. What know ye not that your bodies are the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you c. and thus the word Temple in the new Testament is used for the Saints as the Temple was a figure of them as they have a speciall presence of God in them Which is likewise spoken of Isay 66. 1 2. Thus faith the Lord the Heaven is my Thron and the Earth is my foot-stool where is the house that ye build unto me and were is the place of my rest for all these things hath my hand made and all these things have been saith the Lord but to this man will I look even unto him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and that trembleth at my word So that he that is of a poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at the word of God shall be the house the Temple of God As we have it also Isay 57. 15. But secondly The word Temple in the new Testament as it is used for those in whom there is a speciall presence of God so it is used to signify that means by which knowledge and instrustion is given out as the Temple of old was the place where people were to receive instruction and knowledge And in this sense it is used Rev. 21. 22. And I saw no Temple therein for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it This is spoken of the new Jerusalem of that glorious state the Church shall be in when they shall be all taught of God from the greatest to the least Now the word Temple heer in the Text doth signify these Eirst It signifies the Saints of God as they are they in whom God in a speciall manner dwels And Secondly It signifies the Ordinances and means whereby knowledge is dispensed and instruction is received for it is the Saints that are as lights in the World and they both instuct the ignorant and edify one another especially when they are congregated assembled together to worship God according to his own will and to prophesy to edify one another The Temple of God and the Alter and them that worship therein It clearly appears in these words that the word Temple heer includes the Saints both as they are an habitation of God through the spirit and so are his Temple and as they are being assembled together the means of instruction and increasing knowledge and doe worship God aright For least the word Temple should not be full enough to expresse this it is added And the Altar which in the Temple was the place where they worshipped God and them that worship therein Not only the place of worship but the worshippers So that this takes in all Saints as they are a Temple as their assemblies are the place wherein God is worshipped and instruction is given and received and as they are worshippers as Saints worshipping God and possessing God Verse 2. But the Court that is without the Temple The Court is said to be without the Temple as of old the Court was without the Temple and was a more common place not so holy as any part of the Temple was so that the Court heer being without the Temple it is some outside thing it is no part of the Temple Now it being apparent that Saints onely are the Temple of God this Court heer mentioned though it seem to be neer the Temple yet is not the Temple is none of the Saints but some outside professors that seem to the outward eye to be near to Saints as the Court was near to the Temple yet they are not of that holy place they are but an outside they are without the Temple But the Court that is without the Temple leave out or cast out and measure it not Though Jesus Christ have a tender care of his Saints under affliction and they are measured out to the chastisement appointed to them yet hath he no such respect unto such as are not his Though they are professors Though they seem to be near the Temple yet if they be not the Temple though they do professe him yet if they do not possesse him as the Temple doth they must be left out cast out of the care of Jesus Christ But the Court that is without the Temple cast out and measure it not Jesus Christ will not own that as his and therefore it must not be measured For it It was the Temple and the Altar and them that worshipped therin that was measured out to chastisement So then it was it that was to be given unto the Gentiles by measure so that this word for it may be read thus for the Temple Is given unto the Gentiles The word Gentiles in the old Testament when the Temple was in its glory was used to expresse such as were not of the Church of God for the Israelites only were accounted the Church all others were looked upon as
feet were as the feet of a Bear and his mouth as the mouth of a Lion and the Dragon gave him his power and seat and great authority And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death and his deadly wound was healed and all the world wondered after the Beast and they worshipped the Dragon which gave power unto the Beast and they worshipped the Beast saying Who is like unto the Beast Who is able to make war with him And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies and power was given unto him to continue fourty and two months And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and them that dwelt in heaven And it was given unto him to make war with the Saints and to overcome them and power was given him over all kindreds and tongues and nations and all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world The third place where the enemies of the Temple and the holy City viz. The Saints are described is Rev. 17. 3 4 5 6. as it followeth And I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured Beast full of names of blasphemy having seven heads and ten horns and the woman was arraied in purple and scarlet colour and decked with gold and precious stone and pearls having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthinesse of her fornication and upon her forehead was a name written MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH And I saw the woman drunken with the bloud of the Saints and with the bloud of the Martyrs of Jesus and when I saw her I wondred with great admiration Thus now the enemies of the Church the Temple or holy City which in the text in hand are only described by this word the Gentiles in these passages are more largely characterized But these expressions used in these descriptions of these enemies being for the most part very mysterious we have these mysteries opened and unveiled in the 17. Chap. from the 7 vers to the end of the Chapter as it followes And the Angel said unto me wherefore didst thou marvel I will tell thee the mystery of the woman and of the Beast that carrieth her which hath the seven heads and ten horns The Beast that thou sawest was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomelesse pit and goe into perdition and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the World when they behold the Beast that was and is not and yet is And here is the minde which hath wisdome The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth and there are seven Kings five are fallen and one is and the other is not yet come and when he commeth he must continue a short space And the Beast that was and is not even he is the eighth and is of the seven and goeth into perdition And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten Kings which have received no Kindome as yet but receive power as Kings one hour with the Beast These have one minde and shall give their power and strength unto the Beast These shall make warre with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them for he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings and they that are with him are called and chosen and faithfull And he saith unto me the waters which thou sawest where the Whore sitteth are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the Beast these shall hate the Whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire for God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree and give their Kingdom unto the Beast untill the words of God shall be fulfilled And the woman which thou sawest is that great City which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth In these words we have the mysterie opened of what is delivered in the 12 13 and 17. Chapters concerning the Beast and the Woman and the Heads and the Horns and the many waters which are all mysterious expressions and hard to be understood as those were Dan. 7. from the 1 to the 9 ver untill the interpretation was given to Daniel at the 16 verse and so on but the Angel having in this 17 Chap. opened these mysteries now the meaning of them is more apparent So that First If it be queried What is the Beast We have it answered verse 8. in these words The Beast that thou sawest was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit and go into perdition Now by comparing this with some passages in the 12 and 13. Chapters we shall plainly see what the Beast is In the 11. Chap. at the 9 verse the Dragon there mentioned is said to be That old serpent called the Devill and Satan which deceiveth the whole world And in the 13. Chap. at the 1 and 2. verses it is said That a Beast did rise up out of the Sea having seven heads and ten horns and upon his horns ten Crowns and upon his heads the names of blasphemy and the Beast was like unto a Leopard and his feet were as the feet of a Bear and his mouth as the mouth of a Lion and the Dragon gave him his power and his seat and great authority So then The Beast that hath seven heads and ten horns and is like unto a Leopard c. is some wicked one in whom the devil raigns who hath power and a seat and great authority in the earth which power and seat and great authority was given unto him of the devil And though that wicked one that hath that devilish power and authority be distinct from the devil as he that receives is distinct from him that gives yet they are so one as the devill is said to be in the Beast for what the Beast is said to doe the devill is said to doe for in the 13. Chapter at the 7 vers it is the Beast that is said to make war with Saints but in the 12. Chapter at the 17 verse the devill is said to doe it And again they are so one as the Beast is said to be the devill and therefore when the Angel comes to declare what the Beast is in the fore-mentioned place saies he The Beast shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit It is not said he shall receive his authority from him that ascends out of the bottomlesse pit though that be the meaning of it as before appears but He shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit to shew the onenesse of the devil and the Beast Thus the mysterie of the Beast is unfolded and it appears that the Beast is a wicked one that hath
in sackcloth is expired First It may be some cannot receive it because they look for farther judgements to come upon this Kingdome wherein outwardly the Saints may suffer also because of the great provoking sins of this Kingdom as drunkennesse and adulteries and oaths and their entering into so many Covenants concerning religious things for which they have no sufficient warrant now in the times of the Gospel and the oppressions of the poor and meaner sort of people and the great neglect of doing justice generally c. Now to these I say That it is true that if God should deal with this Nation according to its demerits then indeed no other could be expected but an utter desolation of it that it might either swim in bloud or burn with fire untill it were consumed But First I desire you to consider That God hath a very great number of his dear Saints in this Kingdom in whom he delights and for whose sake he may and I had almost said will spare this Kingdome and spare the Cities and Towns and Counties where they are for if God would have spared Sodome for ten righteous persons we have a great ground of hope that he will spare London yea all England from a generall devastation and desolation having thousands of righteous persons in London and in all England a very great number And how many plots of wicked men wherein they endeavoured the ruine of this Kingdome hath God blasted Having such a great number of his precious jewels in it And secondly What though hâ—ere be in this Kingdome many that are great enemies to Jesus Christ yet God can by his Covenant of Grace bring many of them in to the obedience of Christ and make them of persecutors to become eminent Saints and call those his people that were not his people And why should we doubt whether he would do so since these are the times wherein he hath promised to do so and hath already begun to doe it But Thirdly If it be so that some are hardned to destruction and they are never quiet but still are plotting against the just to ruine them yet know they shall not prevail over the Saints but in opposing them shall ruine themselves Zech. 12. 3. as appears in the following Discourse Secondly Doubtfull thoughts may be in others that yet the Saints may be overcome because they see they have so many enemies abroad and at home and they are speaking great words and are still plotting against them To such I say Let them suppose that there were none that did dare to make any opposisition at all in this Kingdome but that all things went smoothly on in the hands of those that are carrying it on and if they could then beleeve that indeed God would not have his Saints in this Kingdome to be troden under foot by the Beast any more Then let them have the same faith to beleeve it now as knowing it is as easie with God to carry on this work over the mountains as over the plains and he will make the great mountain to become a plain before Zerubbabel before his people Zech. 4. 7. He can command those that are preparing warre against them to sit still and proceed no farther and put a fear upon them or if they doe goe on yet he can make it to come to nothing and to be the most effectual way to lay them lower and to raise his people higher Now if any particular man would be as sure of safety as all the Witnesses in generall are then if he be a man in any publike imploiment let him according to his place oppose the Beast and act for the welfare of all that wish well to Sion and doe justice unto all from the highest unto the lowest and be more forward to act for the meanest then for the highest Let him suppose the condition of the meanest man that seeks to him for just things to be his own condition and act for him as hee would be dealt with himself were he in that condition for thus relieving of the poor and distressed ones is most acceptable to the Lord of Sabbath and in so doing I am confident it will go well with him however it go with others Again If he be a private man let him also in his place wish well to Sion and oppose the Beast so shall he also prosper in the prosperity of Sion And now Reader who ever thou art if thou dost receive any benefit of any kinde by reading the ensuing Discourse whether of encouragement consolation information or quickning I beseech thee to return all the glory of it to the most High to whom alone it is due who for that end made use of so weak an instrument in whom if thou be a friend to the Lord Jesus Christ I am Thy friend 〈◊〉 serve thee M. Cary. Revel Chap. 11. from Vers 1. to 14. Verse 1. AND there was given me a reed like a rod and the Angel stood saying Rise and measure the Temple of God and the Altar and them that worship therein 2. But the Court which is without the Temple leave out and measure it not for it is given unto the Gentiles and the holy City shall they tread under foot fourty and two months 3. And I will give power unto my two Witnesses and they shall prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore days clothed in sackcloth 4. These are the two Olive-trees and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth 5. And if any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies and if any man wil hurt them he must in this manner be killed 6. These have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the daies of their prophecy and have power over waters to turn them to bloud and to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will 7. And when they shal have finished their testimony the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit shall make war against them and shall overcome them and kill them 8. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Aegypt where also our Lord was crucified 9. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three daies and an half and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves 10. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoyce over them and make merry and shall send gifts one to another because these two Prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth 11. And after three daies and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them and they stood upon their feet and great fear fell upon them which saw them 12. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them Come up hither And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud and their enemies beheld them 13. And the same hour was there a great
strangers to it such as were a far off as such as were enemies to the Temple and would have the Temple ruined and laid wast But note though the difference between Jewes and Gentiles since the daies of the Gospel be taken away and the Gentiles as well as the Jewes may now be of the Church of God if they be built upon the Lord Jesus yet the word Gentiles is heer used to expresse those that were not of the Church nor of the Temple but would have the Temple ruined And as the Babylonians of old had the Temple for a while given unto them So now Jesus Christ gives his spirituall Temple into the hands of these Gentiles the mysticall Babylonians for a while And the holy City This title the holy City we finde in Scripture is first given unto the City of Jerusalem the City wherein the materiall Temple was scituate as appears Matth. 37. 3. where it is said at the death of our Saviour That the graves were opened and many bodies of the Saints which slept arose and came out of the graves after his resurrection and went into the holy City and appeared unto many Which City it is evident was the City of Jerusalem And indeed Jerusalem was then accounted a City more holy then others because it was the place wherein men ought in a more especiall manner to worship God And therefore saies the woman of Samaria Ye say in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship And our Saviour doth not contradict this for indeed it is out of all contradiction that Jerusalem had been the place where men ought to worship for God had placed his name there and there he would be worshiped because the Temple was there wherein was his speciall presence So that in this respect Jerusalem was once a more holy City then others But when the cause was taken away the effect ceased when Jerusalem ceased to be the place where men were enjoined to worship God and God had removed his special presence from the Temple then Jerusalem was no more holy then another place And because that Jerusalem was to cease to be the place of worship and the holy place therefore it is that our Saviour Iohn 4. 21 23. saith The hour commeth when ye shall neither in the mountain of Samaria nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father but the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him As if he had said Jerusalem shall not be the place of worship men shall not worship God there for if men doe perform Jerusalem worship that is worship with that worship that hath respect to an outward place it shal be accounted as no worship no men shall not worship in Jerusalem but such as worship the Father must worship him with an inward Spiritual worship and in truth that is in the Son in the Spirit and in the Son and such the Father seeks to worship him such he is now a seeking out both of Jews and Gentiles and such worship is most pleasing unto him So that Jerusalem had once the title of the holy City It was once the place wherein God was worshipped but it is now ceased to be so But secondly This title The holy City is given in Scripture unto that City of which that Jerusalem of old was a figure and that is the Saints and people of God who are all citizens of the holy City And therefore Paul writing to the Saints at Ephesus saith he Ephes 2. 19. Ye are no more strangers and forreigners but fellow citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God And that Jerusalem of old was a figure of this Holy City appears Hebr. 12. 22. and Gal. 4. 26. where the Saints are called by the name of Jerusalem only they are differenced from the material Jerusalem in that they are called The heavenly Jerusalem and Jerusalem which is above Now that this Heavenly Jerusalem which is compacted of Saints and Sanctified ones and therefore must needs be a Holy City I say that this Spirituall Jerusalem hath this title The holy City given to it doth appear Revel 21. 2. And I John saw the holy City new Jerusalem comming down from God out of Heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband Who is the spouse the bride that is adorned for her husband Jesus Christ but his Saints They then are the new and heavenly Jerusalem they are the holy City And the holy City shall they that is the Gentiles fore-spoken of tread under foot To be trouden under foot by an enemy is the highest kinde of insultation of an enemy over a people that possibly can be for what greater contempt and scorn and envy can an enemy expresse then by treading a person or a people under feet And yet this is the condition the Church was put into which is spoken of in the prophesie of Isaiah Chap. 51. 23. where it was said that those enemies that afflicted the Saints Said to their Souls bow down that we may goe over and their bodies was laid as the ground and as the streets to them that went over And this is the condition which the holy City the Temple of God his precious Saints are here also appointed unto even to be trod under foot to be depressed and greatly persecuted to be bowed down under the feet of their enemies to be made as the ground and as the street to them to goe over Querie But now before I proceed any further the Querie will be What those Gentiles are in particular to whom the Temple and the holy City was to be given and by whom they were to be trodden under foot For as Jerusalem and the Temple of old were given to the Babylonians in particular so the question is now Who the particular enemies are to whom the Temple and the holy City now are delivered For though the holy City hath many enemies yet she is not given to them all Answ I Answer Though in this Chapter there be no other description of them but only this the Gentiles yet we have a large description of them in three severall Chapters of this prophesie which descriptions as they lie I shall here incert The first is Rev. 12. 3. 4. And there appeared another wonder in Heaven and behold a great red Dragon having seaven heads and ten horns and seven Crowns upon his heads and his tail drew a third part of the Stars of Heaven and did cast them to the earth The second place in which the enemies of the Saints to whom they are given for a while are described is Rev. 13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. verses which is as followes And I stood upon the sand of the Sea and saw a Beast rise up out of the Sea having seven heads and ten horns and upon his horns ten Crowns and upon his head the name of blasphemy And the Beast which I saw was like unto a Leopard and his
wicked one the Pope and his adherents the mysticall Babylonians the meaning of that fourty two moneths is A thousand two hundred and threescore years And it must of necessity be acknowledged to be so for the Beast hath troden the holy City under foot for above twelve hundred years already Verse 3. And I will give power unto my two Witnesses and they shall prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore daies cloathed in sackcloth That this word My two Witnesses cannot be confined onely to two men that should be the Witnesses of Christ Jesus is most apparent because they are said to continue so long as the holy City was to be troden under foot of the Beast which is a thousand two hundred and threescore years Now twelve hundred years is a terme of time which no man ever lived when men lived longest much lesse since the flood therefore since the two Witnesses are said to continue twelve hundred and sixty years they cannot be confined onely unto two men but do include all the Saints that have been Witnesses of the truths of Jesus Christ ever since the Beast began to persecute the Church for Jesus Christ during all that time did never leave himself without witnesses though for the most part of that time the number of them were very small in comparison of the false prophets of the Beast which may be the reason why they are here exprest by the smallest of numbers the number two But I say Jesus Christ hath never left himself without Witnesses but hath had some at all times that have been witnesses of his truths in opposition to the Beast And those are they that are here in the text said to prophesie a thousand two hundred and sixty daies Now as this text holds forth That Jesus Christ hath had Witnesses during all the raign of the Beast and the persecuted condition of the Church so other passages in this prophesie confirm it as Chap. 8. 9. I saw under the Altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held These were some that had witnessed and testified the truths of Christ against the Beast and sealed their testimony with their bloud for they were slain for the Word of God and for the testimony which they held And to shew that these were not all that witnessed the truths of Christ but that Jesus Christ had continually some that were his Witnesses which the beast should continually be slaying it is said in the 11. verse of that Chap. That they should rest yet for a little season untill their fellow servants also and their brethren that should be killed as they were should be fulfilled So that Christ had a further number of Witnesses which were also to honour him by laying down their lives for his truth And Chap. 12. 11. The Witnesses of Christ are again mentioned for it is said That the Dragon did make war with them which kept the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ And verse 12. they are said To overcome the devil by the bloud of the Lamb by which all Saints do overcome him and by the word of their testimony for they loved not their lives unto the death Here it appears that the Saints did so witnesse the truths of Christ as they counted not their lives dear unto them but laid them down to seale the truth which they held which was a means of convincing many of the truth and thereby they were overcomers of the Beast And chap. 18. 24. when Babylon came to be throwne downe it is said That in her was found the bloud of Prophets and of all that were slain upon the earth whereby it appears That during all the raign of the Beast he hath been slaying the Prophets Witnesses and Saints of Jesus Christ Thus by these severall passages it is evident That Christ hath had his Witnesses during all the raign of the Beast and it is apparent that this word My two Witnesses includes all those Witnesses of Christ that have been during all the raign of the Beast for they have been said to prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore years Object But how could all the Witnesses of Christ be said to prophesie I answer Every Saint in a sence may be said to be a Prophet For they are Prophets to whom God discovers his secrets and there is no true Saints but the secrets of God are discovered to them Psal 15. 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant The truth is it is the discoveries of God and of Jesus Christ and of hidden truths that maketh Saints If the Lord did not reveal his secrets unto poor souls it would not be possible for them to be Saints Now then as soon as the soul is made a Saint it is made a Prophet for when the Lord hath revealed himself unto the soul and discovered his secrets to it made it to see the wonderfull things of his law and caused it to rejoyce in the sweet discoveries of his grace the soul cannot choose but declare them to others Yea the word is as a fire in its bosome and it cannot hold it in according to that rule When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren This is ever the sweet temper of a real Saint he cannot but give vent to the bublings of Christ upon his heart and that in opposing gain-saiers contending earnestly for the faith and in the edifying exhorting and comforting of other Saints Now that this is prophecying is most evident in these Scriptures 1 Cor. 14. 3. He that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification and exhortation and comfort Now this all Saints in some measure or other can do and sometimes doth though some Saints can doe it farre more excellently then others yet he that speaketh to edification exhortation and consolation though with much weaknesse doth as truly prophesie as he that hath greatest abilities Another Scripture is Act. 15. 32. And Judas and Silas being prophets also themselves exhorted the brethren with many words and confirmed them Here it is evident That to speak the word of exhortation and information to the confirming of Saints in the truth is to prophesie for Judas and Silas are said to exhort and confirm the Saints as they were Prophets Another passage to this purpose is Revel 19. 10. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesie This passage gives a most clear answer to the question What is it to prophesie The Angel had said Chap. 18. 24. That in Babylon was found the bloud of Prophets and of Saints Now here he makes it to appear what the Prophets were that Rome had slain namely they were they that had the testimony of Jesus for saith he The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesie So that all Saints that have the testimony of Jesus have the spirit of prophesie and so all that were slain for the
For on the 23. day of October 1641. did the Beast begin the war in Ireland and he continued overcomming the Witnesses the Saints of Jesus Christ in Ireland and in England untill the 5. day of April 1645. and from the 23. of October 1641. unto the 5. of April 1645. there is just a thousand two hundred and sixty daies which according to the Scripture account though not according to the Heathen account is three years and a half compleat and when this three years and a half were expired which was I say one the 5. of April 1645. then was the resurrection of the Witnesses for they having lain dead for three years and a half before then the Spirit of life from God entred into them And the year 1645. as it is the year wherein the Witnesses were raised from the dead so it is the year wherein the term of time in which they were to prophesie in sack-cloth and to be troden under foot was to expire and the year also wherein the prevailing power of the Beast over the Saints was to expire as is made evident in the opening of the 2 vers pag. 60. c. Now that one the 5. day of April 1645. the Saints Witnesses and Servants of Jesus Christ were raised up and that then a Spirit of life from God entred into them appears thus On the 5. day of April 1645. the Parliaments Army who had stood for the defence of the Saints against the Beast and had bin before that time exceedingly overcome and were brought into a very low condition at that time being new modelled and having a great many precious Saints in it both eminent Commanders inferiour Officers and common Soldiers and being then put under the conduct of Sir Thomas Fairfax they then began to march against the enemy and then had a Spirit of life from God that entred into them as did appear in all their actings afterward for they went on with such vigour courage life and fortitude as they effected every work they took in hand defeated all the enemies with whom they did encounter had the victory in every battle they fought never sate down before any City Town or Castle but they took it in before they raised their siege Thus they acted like men raised from that dead low condition they were in before And why Because now a Spirit of life from God was entred into them and unto God did they give all the praise and so let them doe still for they had as surely fled before their enemies and been beat down as the myre in the streets then as ever they had been before if the Spirit of life from God had not been put upon them Thus the 5. day of April 1645. did the Witnesses the Saints of whom the Beast thought to make an utter end stand upon their feet having a spirit of life from God put upon them when the Army that fought their battles and defended their righteous cause began to march against the Army of the Beast to the overthrowing of it And they stood upon their feet and great fear fell upon them that saw them The Saints being raised from the dead from that dejected low condition in which they were for three years and a half a Spirit of life from God being put upon them they then stood upon their feet to the fear and amazement of their enemies Before indeed the Saints did lie dead in the street and were as the street to them that went over them but since the Spirit of life from God entred into them they have stood upon their feet and as men that stand upon their feet so long as they doe stand upon their feet are not in a capacity of being trod under foot of men So the Witnesses and Saints of Jesus Christ since they stood upon their feet could not be troden under foot of men Though they have been troden under feet a thousand two hundred and threescore years and the Beast hath had power so long to trample them under feet yet since the Spirit of life from God entred into them and they stood upon their feet it was not possible for the Beast nor any of his adherents so to trample them under foot any more And they stood upon their feet and great fear fell upon them which saw them The Witnesses standing upon their feet as men risen from the dead did cast a great fear and terrour upon their enemies for now they begin to fear what will become of themselves and their great Idoll The Beast they seeing the Witnesses of Jesus to stand upon their feet fearfulnesse doth surprize them because now they conceive that their Kingdome is going down as indeed it is going down wonderfully as they did rejoyce and make merry when they saw the Saints or Puritans as they termed them brought into a low condition when they lay dead so now on the contrary they seeing these Puritans the precious Sonnes of Sion to stand upon their feet now a fear a great fear is fallen upon them Vers 12. And they heerd a great voice from Heaven saying unto them come up hither And they ascended up to Heaven in a Cloud and their enemies beheld them As the Beast and they that joyn with him are in severall places of the prophesie of this book called The earth So the Saints and Witnesses of Jesus Christ are in opposition to the Beast called Heaven As Rev. 13. 6. it is said of the Beast That he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and them that dwelt in Heaven By them that dwelt in Heaven is meant the Saints of God who are called Them that dwell in Heaven As the members of the Beast are called Them that dwell upon the earth Rev. 11. 10. And so Rev. 15. 5. It being said in the former verses of the Saints that had gotten the victory over the Beast and over his image and over his mark that they sung the Song of Moses the Servant of God and the Song of the Lamb saith John After this I looked and behold the Temple of the Tabernacle of the testimony in Heaven was opened And Chap. 11. 19. And the Temple of God was opened in Heaven and there was seen in his Temple the Ark of his Testament c. It is evident that in both these places the Saints the Church of God is called Heaven for it cannot be understood of Heaven it self for there is no Temple So in this verse whereas it is said the Witnesses heard a voice from Heaven by Heaven here also is meant the Church the Saints of God So that the meaning of this verse is this The Witnesses of Jesus being raised from the dead and having a Spirit of life from God put upon them and standing upon their feet like living men that part of the Saints that in a more especiall manner acted in opposing the Beast and had a most eminent Spirit of life and courage put
and that the number of these so fallen from the Beast is no lesse then seven thousand And this was the effect of the great earth-quake And in the earth-quake were slain of men seven thousand and the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of heaven This remnant here spoken of are distinct from the Witnesses whether they be such as were for the Beast or others they are not of the Witnesses but were some that were affrighted at the Witnesses having a spirit of life from God put upon them and their standing upon their feet and therefore not of them but some others and they were not of the seven thousand neither because they are said to be the remnant or the residue So then the meaning of this clause is this that the raising up of the Witnesses in such an eminent manner to the shaking of great Babylon did so work upon the residue of people as were not of the Witnesses nor of the seven thousand as that either they were affrighted at it or had their mouths opened to glorifie God in it or both And thus it was in the year 1645. the generality of people both in the Kingdome and in others that either saw or heard of the great things God did for the Saints were either affrighted and amazed at it or else did glorifie God in working so wonderfully as he did for when God did worke so wonderfully and beyond expectation in giving victory upon victory and successe upon successe unto his people so as they seemed to be as them that dreamed I say when God did thus then the generality of people did admire and acknowledge God in it and give him the glory of it They glorified the God of heaven that had done such great things in such an unexpected manner and in so short a time And thus the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of heaven Verse 14. The second woe is past and behold the third woe cometh quickly In the 8. Chapter at the 13. verse it is said That an Angel did flie thorow the midst of heaven saying with a loud voice woe woe woe to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three Angels which are yet to sound And at the 9. Chapter in the former part of that Chapter there being a description of a great judgement of God upon wicked men such as had not the seal of God in their fore-heads at the 12. verse it is said One woe is past and behold there come two woes more hereafter And now upon the resurrection of the Witnesses which brings in such a great earth-quake at the same hour with it which gives such a terrible blow to Babylon and the Beast it is said in this verse That the second woe is past and the third woe cometh quickly So that there remaineth one great woe more to come upon the inhabiters of the earth And what this woe is which is to come now quickly upon the inhabiters of the earth wil be appears in the following verses of this Chap. as the taking off the Kingdoms of this world from the Beast and from all others to be subjected only to our Lord and his Christ for him to raign over them for ever and ever c. and now that the Witnesses are risen this is to be expected and that quickly and that to the great joy of all Saints and to the casting down of all their enemies that are implacable And thus much for the Explication of that part of the Chapter which at this time I intended to treat of I now come to draw some Deducations from it wherewith I shall conclude this Treatise The Application THese verses being thus opened many profitable Deductions doe arise there-from But I shall passe by some of them and be as brief as I may in others that are points fully and sweetly held forth by others in other Treatises because I shall take liberty to be more large in some things that are not as yet clearly held forth in print by any other that I have heard of Deduction 1. That Deduction that first in order arises from the first verse is a word of Comfort for all afflicted Saints and the word of Comfort for such is this That all their afflictions whatever they be are measured out unto them by their God who hath a tender love unto them and care over them in their affliction The Saints of God who are his Temple and the holy and beloved City we see here are measured out unto an afflicted sad condition and their afflictions come not at randome nor according to the will of their enemies no but they are measured unto affliction and their enemies could have no power over them but that they were by their God given unto the Gentiles to be troden under foot otherwise it could not have been possible for the Gentiles to have troden them under foot Now since it is Gods act towards his people it must needs be for their good and therefore Paul speaking of the afflictions and the sufferings that Saints undergoe speaks of it as their priviledge Phil. 1. 29. Vnto you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake And the holy Ghost in the Prophesie of Micah speaks of the rod of affliction as of the food of the people of God Micah 7. 14. Feed thy people with thy rod the flock of thine heritage which dwell solitarily in the wood And as in Micah God is said to feed his people with his rod so he is said to comfort them with his rod for saith David Psal 23. 4. Thy rod and thy staffe they comfort me And therefore let Saints in an afflicted condition be comforted in this consideration That their affliction what ever it be is that which comes not by chance as men use to say nor according to the wils of men but their God hath dispenced it out unto them who doth it in great wisdome and great love and gives them out affliction as their priviledge as their food and for their comfort O therefore let poor souls in affliction be no more cast down and walk no more heavily nor goe mourning all the day long no more because of their afflictions but walk comfortably under afflictions because they come from a loving God who hath appointed them thereunto 1 Thes 3. 3. Deduction 2. In the second place it serves to enforme us That it is of God that enemies do rise up against the Saints for we see here that the Gentiles the mystical Babylonians were by God appointed to afflict the people of God to tread the holy City under foot before ever they had a being Now as God doth in love suffer his people to be afflicted So in wrath he usually gives up wicked men to be the instruments of afflicting his people For as the sufferings of Saints worke out for them a greater weight