Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	aaron_n	earth_n	smite_v	45	3	9.3072	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96871	The two vvitnesses: discovered in severall sermons upon the eleventh chapter of the Revelation, wherein, after the prophesie opened, the great question of these times. Viz. whether the two witnesses are slain, yea or no, is modestly discussed. / Preached at Lawrence-Jewry in London, by F.W. lecturer of the said place. It is this seven and twentieth day of April, 1643. ordered by the Committee of the House of Commons in Parliament, concerning printing, that these sermons intituled, the two witnesses, be printed for Luke Fawne. John White.	Woodcock, Francis, 1614?-1651.; England and Wales. Parliament. aut	1643 (1643)	Wing W3433; Thomason E100_1; ESTC R13873	76,978	106

heaven that it rain not and as formerly Moses and Aaron turn the Waters into bloud and smite the earth withall plagues as often as they will But when the three yeers and an half of their Prophesie in Sackcloth is expired then the Beast the false Prophet there resident slayes them slayes them indeed after which their dead bodies lie just three dayes and an half in the street of Jerusalem which is here meant by the great City Spiritually called Sodom and Egypt Where also our Lord was crucified where for that space the severall Nations at that time there meeting shall look upon the dead bodies of these two Witnesses During which time the misled inhabitants shall rejoyce and make merry and send presents because now got rid of these two Prophets that did in their life time miserably tormented them But after those three dayes and an half they rise up from the dead after this ascend up to heaven in a cloud whereupon there being a great earth-quake the tenth part of Jerusalem falls seven thousand men slain all of it to be understood in the letter and all this to be done toward the end of the sixth Trumpet Thus you have the Interpretation Now if any ask the reason why the letter is so exactly kept to and this whole Prophesie of the Witnesses understood to be fulfilled in the letter 't is this in the generall This part of the Prophesie I mean all that which appertains to the Witnesses is not shewn the Prophet in a Vision but reported to him of the Angel as an Interlocuter speaking all this to him by word of mouth For this is a Rule Look what things are presented to the sight by similitudes and images those are all to be understood mystically But the things that are represented to the ear whether in proper or figurative terms unlesse necessity enforce are to be understood historically and in the letter This in the generall But now further Why the one thousand two hundred and threescore dayes of the Witnesses Proph●sie in Sackeloth are to be understood in the letter Why the great City means Jerusalem and the like you these have reasons in particular First For the one thousand two hundred and threescore dayes to be conceived just three yeers and an half properly There are these reasons offered 1. This time falls out toward the end of the sixth Trumpet now to conceive one thousand two hundred and threescore yeers to come in toward the end of the sixth Trumpet how absurd how impossible 2. This term is supposed to be the same with the term of that last and most cruell persecution of the last and worst Antichrist the same also with that most unparalell'd time of trouble mentioned at the 12 Dan. 1. Such as never was since there was a Nation which if so it cannot be so long as that which the mysticall Interpretation contends for but must be only three yeers and an half properly and in the letter so taken according to which account the two Witnesses may well be two single persons also The reason why the turning waters into blood and smiting the earth with all plagues be to be understood in the letter also besides that in the generall before mentioned is because some such thing as this is expected to be done about the time of the Conversion of the Jews so you finde Mich. 7. 15 16. According to the day●s of thy coming out of the Land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvelious things The Nations shall see and be confound●d c. And then the reason why these two Witnesses who also are called two Prophets together with the false Prophet have all of them reference to the Jews being all of them to reside there is this because wheresoever you finde mention of Prophets whether true or false there is still a reference had unto the Jews to whom only it was peculiar and their great priviledge to be furnished with the Ministery of extraordinary Prophets And then lastly the reasons why Jerusalem is here to be understood by the great City and not Rom as is commonly conceived are first because these two are expresly distinguished at the 16 Chapter of this Prophesie and 18 19 verses where you finde the great City that is Jerusalem is divided into three parts and great Babylon that is Rome comes into remembrance being there mentioned as two dinstinct places Besides Rome is no where in Scripture called Sodom and Egypt but Jerusalem is Sodom 't is called Isai 1. 10. and Egypt it is called Ezek. 23. 18 19 And further Rome was not the place where our Lord was crucified but Jerusalem and therefore when 't is here said The Witness●s dead bodies lye in the street of the great Citie Jerusalem is this place where they lye dead where also the false Prophet hath his residence and when t is said The tenth part of the Citie falls it means the tenth part of Jeru●alem falls And now you have together with the Interpretation the reasons a● I could meet with them which this Interpretation chiefly leans upon If the Presse would have but respighted me a little I had not only barely propounded this Interpreta●ion with the reasons but had spoke my thoughts thereto also But since I can procure leave ●ut only to propound the P●inter thinking long till the discourse be gotten abroad suffice it that I have proposed it hereby giving others an occasion to examine and upon examination either to receive or refuse as it shall be a●le to abide the tryall I having the opportunity only to bring it in Medie where also I must leave it Errata Good reader amend these faults of the Presse which could I have tended upon might happily have been prevented Pag. 4. Line 7. for state read fate p. 10. l. 6. for Church worships read Church worships p 13. l. 24. for come when r. come when p. 22. l. 23 for those r. these p. 28. l. 21. for these r. those l 37. for it however r. it howeuer p. 31. l. 23 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 40. l. 8. for from r. for p 49 l. 23. for former whereof r. former whereof p. 63 l 3. for honour have read have honour p. 68. l. 16. for these r. the p. 71. l. 10. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 73. l 2. for Train r. Rain p. 75. l. 11. for ends with it r ends with i● p. 80 l. 31. for fifteenth r. thirteenth p. 81. l. 14. for the r. that p. 82. l. 10. for to r. two p. 88. l. 14. for thing r. second thing FINIS

have then the sense thus much Then when the Witnesses pray Judgements and denounce Judg●ments upon their enemies then does fire proceed out of their mouth and d●stroyes their enemies And whereas you have it repeated And if any mon will hurt them and again If any man will hurt them repetition betokening certainty so Joseph interprets the doubling of the Vision Gen. 41. 32 shewn to Pharaoh to note the certainty thereof it is as much as if in other words the holy Ghost had said If any man shall presume to hurt these Witnesses that man certainly shall be destroy'd The meaning given thus piece-meal put all together and the result is this These two Witnesses formerly Zerubbabel and Jeshuah now because of like spirit and employment but expresly because in like manner protected from enemies are Moses and Elias whom if any man shall attempt to harm by denouncing and praying Judgements they procure certain destruction upon them And now having opened the words before I proceed to draw out any Observations give me leave to satisfie for what I took on trust before of which till now I could make no ready payment I formerly gave this one reason why the Witnesses are said to be two viz. Because they are described by pairs but then shewed no such thing Now you have seen two pair already Zerubbabel and Jeshuah one Moses and Elias another and there is one other pair behinde not yet come into mention I said before The Scriptures the two Testaments were the Testimony of these Witnesses but denyed them to be the Witnesses themselves because they are described as men and by men but then gave proof of neither but now I hope 't is evident they are described as men and men of former times such as Zerubbabel and Jeshua brought in to personate these Witnesses which together with that which follows gives abundant and every was satisfying evidence in this matter The Observations now follow 1. Does fire proceed out of th●se Witnesses mouthes destroying their enemies then must none think to harm these Witnesses impune they must not hope to carry it scot-free be they who they will be that shall presume to offer violence to th●se Witnesses either by praying or d●nouncing Judgements they do procure destruction and ruine upon their enemies 2. Are the Judgements of God denounced fire Then wonder not that waxie hearts are melted by them as was the heart of Josiah and on the contrary the clayie hearts of others more 1 Chro. 34 29. hardned and their chaffie hearts burnt up and devoured by them marvell not at all it is so the Judgements of God denounced they are fire 3. In that it is repeated If any man will harm these Witnesses h● must be destroyed take notice of the certain vengeance that doth a wait the persecutors of these Witnesses Let them flatter themselves in their present impunity as they list and because sentence is not speedily executed upon them for their violence done Eccles 8. 11. unto these Witnesses therefore please themselves in pursuing of them still yet withall remember a certain and inevitable destruction will at last seize upon them VERS 6. These have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the dayes of their prophecie and have power over waters to turn them into bloud and to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will NOw forward with our description in which having already seen how well able these Witnesses are to repay the wrongs done to their own particular wherein also we have received further light concerning their persons proceed we now on and we shall further understand in what manner they are furnished to avenge the Churches wrongs almost deprived of beeing if not wholly of appearance through the spreading and prevalence of the Antichristian Apostacie This you have laid down in these words These have power to shut heaven c. In which you may observe a threefold power wherewith these Witnesses are invested 1. A power to shut heaven that it rain not 2. A power to turn waters into bloud 3. A power to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will Before you heard they pursue their enemies with fire here they shut heaven against them turn their waters into bloud and smite their earth with all plagues as often as they will What a miserable plight are the enemies of these Witnesses in who have the fire armed against them before and now the benefits of heaven earth water all taken from them But let us take them in order first These have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the dayes of their prophecie In which Jam. 5. 17. who sees not the forementioned Elias a new pointed at of whom it is recorded that praying he shut up heaven that it rained not the same thing here mentioned and this for three yeers and a half the just terme of these Witnesses prophesie in sackcloth But that we mistake not by understanding all this in the letter I mean either the thing it self or the time we must again borrow the the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enquiring out a mysticall understanding of them both For the time I have touched upon it before and hereafter may have occasion further to shew 't is to be reckoned according to the propheticall account every day in this three yeers and a half being put for a yeer as is the manner of prophesies sometime to reckon and then for their shutting up heaven that it rain not we shall now trie to finde out some mysticall meaning of it For this purpose therefore in that Matt. 16. 19. you have mention of Keyes shutting heaven heaven is then shut according to the minde of that place when such as live in ignorance prophanenesse idolatry or any the like grosse wickednesse are by the Ministery of the Word declared a people to who no comfort no forgivenesse no heaven doth belong However I doubt not but the same thing is meant in both places yet in regard it is there heaven shut that people cannot enter here heaven shut that it do not rain and so though in substance they come both to one yet the allusion seems not so clear we shall therefore trie further The glad tydings of the Gospell are severall times in Scripture compared to rain this me thinks will nick the allusion I say again the tydings of forgivenesse mercie c. are oftentimes in Scripture compared to rain so Deut. 32. 2. Isa 45. 8 c. and sure could we stay to shew it we should finde the resemblance patt and every way answeing Doth rain refresh the weary and thirsty earth doth it soften doth it make frutfull and do not the glad tydings of the Gospell the tydings of peace forgivenesse refresh soften make fruitfull also This so shall we say accordingly then do these Witnesses shut heaven that it rain not when they with hold all tydings of forgivenesse mercy peace from the Antichristian

Gentiles while they continue such the Church the mean while being refreshed with these showers every day and further declare as that third Angell does Chap. 14. vers 9 10 11. who no doubt is of these witnesses that such as those who worship the Beast and receive his marke shall drink of the wrath of God no mercy no forgivenesse at all appertains to them And thus the former shutting heaven in Matth. and the withholding of the rain of heaven here do now appear to be the same of which the summe in short is this much As Elias shut heaven that it rained not upon those apostate Israelites whil● they clave to Baal which plainly is h●re alluded to so while these Antichristian Gentiles continue such these two Witnesses hold back all tydings of mercy and forgivenesse that blessed rain so chearing and refreshing weary souls declaring them while in that condition a people to whom no forgivenesse no heaven but rather wrath hell and everlasting vengeance appertains We have seen the Witnesses power to shut heaven that it rain not laid open their turning waters into bloud and smiting the earth with all plagues as often as the will next follows which in regard they both concern the same thing as may appear by and by in the handling of them therefore we shall joyn both together And here me thinks we meet with some thing like the vials those seven vials I mean emptying out upon Antichrist the seven Rev. 15. 1. last plagues of the wrath of God And because this seems not unlikely and the cleering of this will help us to understand the words as also not a little cond●ce to satisfie in that great question Whether the time of these witnesses be past yea or no as we shall see hereafter our satisfaction in which is the great designe we drive in all this undertaking we shall therefore first enquire whether at all we have any thing here relating to the vials yea or no and when this is done then proceed to take a view of the words more particularly The grounds perswading to beleeve the Vials are here meant are such as these 1. Those plagues of the Vials and these here do fall together into the same time the space of the sixth Trumpet receives both of them The Vials so many wastes and graduall destructions of the beast must needs be pouring forth the time of the sixth Trumpet for at the beginning of the seventh with which the last Vials falls in the beast his time is no more the beast Antichrist is then destroyed by an utter irrecoverable destruction The tenth Chapter of this Prophesie and sixth verse compared with the sixteenth Chapter 17 and 19 Verses cleers this same to any that shall with care and observation examine them And that the plagues here mentioned bear the same date fall in with the time of the sixth Trumpet also hence appears for these plagues being chiefly drawn forth by these witnesses toward the end of their Prophesie and that ending with the sixth Trumpet the second Wo as is plain from the 13 and 14 vers of this Chapter who sees not that these fall in with the time of the sixth Trumpet also And so because those plagues and these here are both wrapt up in the sixth Trumpet and so fall into the same time this is one inducement perswading they are the same plagues also 2. Those who pour forth the Vialls and the Witnesses who inflict the plagues here mentioned seem all the same persons The Angels who pour out the Vialls described coming forth of the Temple clothed with pure and white linnen and their brests Cha. 15. 6. girded with golden girdles who are they but godly ones whether Magistrates or Ministers who appertaining to or coming forth of Reformed Churches do pour forth the Vialls And are not the Witnesses who execute these plagues godly Magistrates and Ministers who pertrining to the Temple mentioned at the first Verse of this Chapter that is The Churches reformed come forth thence and inflict these plagues upon the Antichristian Gentiles And indeed how can we imagine that any should come forth of Reformed Churches and pour out a Viall a plague upon the Antichristian party and not be of these Witnesses when such is the nature of the plagues contained in the Vialls as we may see by and by that in nothing can any more openly and effectually witnesse against Antichrist and the Antichristian brood then by pouring out any of these Vialls upon them They are the same persons then the godly Magistrates and Ministers of Reformed Churches that pour forth the Vials and that execute the plagues the Text here mentions 3. As they fall out at the same time are inflicted by the same hands so upon enquire you will finde them the same plagues also To cleer this same Have you here a turning waters into blood upon the pouring out of the second and third Vials you have the waters then turned to blood also Chap. 16. 3 4. Do you reade here of plaguing the earth with all plagues mark it plaguing the earth what can hereby be meant but the other Vialls all whereof at the first verse of the 16 Chapter are to be poured upon the earth the Ang●ls there are commanded to pour all their Vialls upon the earth also Adde this now to the former These plagues are inflicted at the same time by the same hands yea are the very same plagues and now who sees not the Vialls are here pointed at which was the thing in question and when the holy Ghost tellsus The W●itesse● turn waters into blood smite the earth with all plagues as in the Text who sees not 't is as much as if in other words we had been told These witnesses are they who pour forth the Vialls I must not dissemble what dissent I finde in this matter some conceiving these plagues here mentioned do rather relate to some of the foremost Trumpets which sounding you finde the like plaguing the earth and turning of waters into blood even Chap. 8. Vers 7. 8. such like plagues as you have here mentioned With submission I cannot conceive those plagues to be the same with those of the first and second Trumpet for these Reasons 1. Not to mention those which prove these the same with the Vialls first because these fall within the time of the sixth Trumpet as we shewed before and therefore cannot be the plagues of the first and second Trumpet the consequence is cleer because the plagues comprized in the time of the sixth Trumpet must needs be a long space after the plagues comprized in the time of the first and second Trumpet the sixth Trumpet being a good space after the first and secnod Trumpet 2. Those plagues of the former Trumpets and these of the Witnesses fall not upon the same subject those of the former Trumpets as is evident to any observant Reader falling upon Rome Christian these of the Witnesses falling upon Rome

these words The second Wo is past and behold the third Wo cometh quickly The meaning whereof that I make not many words about it seems in short this The second Wo that is The sixth Trump●t For the three last Trumpets being three Wo-Trumpets as appears Chap. 8. verse 13 the second Wo must needs mean the sixth Trumpet Is past that is Is past in mention The third Wo that is The last Trumpet Cometh quickly that is cometh speedily to be mentioned As if the holy Ghost should say Now after this Prophesie of the Witnesses is related you have been told all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even all the businesse of the sixth Trumpet after which I proceed speedily to acquaint you with the businesse of the seventh Trumpet Or else this may be the meaning Then when all that which app●rtains to this Prophesie of the Witnesses is come to passe and the earthquake attending the Resurrection and Ascension of these Witnesses is perfectly ended then is the strength of the Wo of the sixth Trumpet gone also Which the seventh Trumpet and the Wo it brings along with it speedily follow which seventh Trumpet is to close and shut up all this Mystery And now we have gone over this whole Prophesie of the Witnesses having carefully enquired the meaning of all the parts thereto appertaining But before we proceed to speak any thing in that great Question Whether the Witnesses are slain yea or no reserved to be discussed till we had gone over with the Interpretation of the Prophesie give me leave to draw together under one view the brief meaning of all the severalls already handled which being set so neer and as a Preface to the Work yet behind will be as a To●ch held at the entrie shewing us where we should tread in all that obscure way we are yet to go as also be a rule neer at hand whereby to examine what may be propounded in the great disquisition following Verse 3. ANd I will give power unto my two Witnesses and they shall prophesie a thousand two hundred threescore dayes clothed in Sackcloth DUring the time that Antichristianisme shal continue to spread it self thorow the world God will raise up such all this time who shall by their Sermons Writings Actions testifie against it mourning to behold the spreadings thereof hereby also kept down constrained to live in an obscure and mean condition this their testifying against it continuing 1260 yeers Verse 4. These are the two Olive trees and the two Candlesticks standing before the God of the earth These Witnesses moreover for their quality are godly Magistrates and Ministers such as were Zerubbabel and Jeshua formerly who all the while of Antichrist his prevailing shall bestow themselves in maintaining whatsoever of Church Worship they have reforming repairing restoring as there is need and regaing what hath been lost by Antichristian encroachments Verse 5. And if any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouth and destroyeth their enemies and if any man will hurt them he must in this manner be killed And if any shall attempt to harm them they furnished as once Moses and Elias were by praying and denouncing J●dgements procure certain destruction upon them Verse 6. These have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the dayes of their Prophesie and have power over w●●e●s to turn them to blood and to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will And as Elias shut heaven so that it rained not upon the Apostate Israelites while they clave to Baal so while the Antichristian Gentiles continue such these Witnesses hold back all tydings of mercy and forgivenesse that blessed Train so refreshing weary souls declaring them while in that condition a people to whom no heaven no forgivenesse belongs as also to render their torment compleat do pour forth upon them all the Vialls Verse 7. And when they have finished their testimony the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomelesse pit shall make warre against them and shall overcome them and kill them But when these Witnesses are about to close up their mourning testimony and having done much in reforming the Church and regaining of the utter Court which Antichrist had gotten from them before are now about to throw of their Sackcloth the Antichristian power collecting it self by suspending silencing and the like shall thus overcome and kill these Witnesses Verse 8. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great City which is spiritually called Sodome and Egypt where also our Lord was crucified These Witnesses being slain in their office continue in this state of civill death within the Dominion and Territory of Rome which Rome is for her filthynesse Sodome for her Idolatry and cruell persecutions Egypt which when heathen puts our Saviour to death now Antichristian puts to death his Witnesses Verse 9. And they of the kinreds and people and tongues and nations shall look upon their dead bodies three dayes and an half and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves While they thus lye dead the Antichristian faction with scorn and derision look upon them not suffering any to afford shelter honour countenance to these silenced Witnesses Verse 10. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoyce over them and make merry and send gifts ●●e to another because these two Prophets tormented them that dwelt upon the earth Who also in regard they were greatly tormented by these Witnesses when alive having then poured forth some of the Vials upon them Now that they are slain do out of measure rejoyce they are thus got rid of them Verse 11. And after three dayes and an half the Spirit of life from God entred into them and they stood upon their feet and great fe●r fell on them which saw th●● But when these Witnesses have continued for some space silenced suspended after three yeers and an half they are by a speciall hand of God restored to liberty and office again at which the Antichristian faction become greatly afraid not having the least thought the Witnesses once slain should by any means be ever raised again Verse 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 th●i● enemies beheld them But being now raised and restored to former liberty such as are then in authority in the reformed Churches do call them to some more honourable and ample condition then was that of their Sackcloth the people contributing all their help thereunto while the Ahtichristian faction with fear and great indignation behold it Verse 13. And the same hour then was a great Earth-quake and the tenth part of the City f●ll and in the Earth-quake were slain of men seven thousand and the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of heaven About this time of the Witnesses Resurrection and ascending up to heaven there are great Commotions By which Antichristianisme