of God in his providential dispensations It hath been the practice of worldly powers to justifie their unrighteous Wars and Murthers by crying up Providence As if their Victories and Conquests must needs be lawful because of the Oportunities and advantages which they had though yet no otherwise then what Thieves and Highway-robbers may pretend to Saul fell twice into David's hands might not this be thought a Providence as leading him to take the kingdom but there was something more in David's eye as he waited for the kingdom namely the Appointed time CONSID. VI. Therefore neer or about the period of the one thousand two hundred and sixty years that is to say in the last three years and an half of that Number certain most remarkable and wonderful things will come to pass for there shall appear then a Little Horn of which Daniel speaks Chap. 7. the later Apostacie foretold by the Apostle 2 Tim. 3. 1 2 c. and a Beast ascending out of the bottomless pit who shall slay the Witnesses Rev. 11. 7. These things shall be so obvious and plain not onely in respect of the certain time when they did rise but so exactly agreeing in all things with the Scriptures as hereby the wise shall understand that now The Time of the End is come Concerning this notable Time I finde many Writers both ancient and modern to mention it although not agreeing in their Application Some think these three years and an half shall be immediately before the ultimate or last Judgement Others a little before Christ s personal coming to reign on earth Others think of which opinion I am that these three years and an half in which will be the Little Horn the later Apostacie and Beast shall be a long time before the Judgement of the great day yea and many years before Christ's personal appearing But howsoever in application they differ yet in these two great points they agree 1. That these three years and an half do period the forty and two months and one thousand two hundred and sixty days and that there shall be in this Time a Little Horn a great Apostacie and a Beast ascending out of the bottomless pit 2. Immediately after these three years and half there will be a visible and universal change of things thorow the whole world For the little Horn shall be destroyed Babylon fall all earthly powers broken to pieces and the Saints of the most High raised up to a most glorious and blessed estate Neither is it to be thought strange that this hath been the opinion of some men in all ages since the Primitive time even hitherto for if the Prophecies be read with heed and observation so much in my understanding lies open and very clear in them But of this more hereafter CONSID. VII Now for the characters of the little Horn the later Apostacie and Beast this must be heeded Look as the Scriptures set them down so they must have all their full and due accomplishment yea more these Characters at least most of them cannot be applied to any persons or things without force to the Text but onely to THAT little Horn THAT Apostacie and THAT Beast which are to be in the three years and an half Hence I may say though with much tenderness some have very much wrested the Prophecies in applying the Little Horn to this man and that man the Apostacie to be meant of such persons and the Beast to be understood so and so the which applications in many particulars have no ways parallel'd But there is no need of doing so for when the three years and half come there shall appear such a Little Horn Apostacie and Beast as all the Scripture-characters shall fall in altogether and every way with them CONSID. VIII Though we might finde out a littile Horn characterized according to Daniel but no Apostacie or suppose an Apostacie and a little Horn but no Beast slaying the Witnesses This could not be the three years and an half for I conceive all three must be at one time begin and end together Not minding this some have been mistaken in taking the little Horn single and apart from the Apostacie and Beast and would have him to be many hundred years before the two later were in the world Whereas to me the one shall not be before nor after the other but as I said before contemporize Of this likewise I shall speak more when I come to the particulars CONSID. IX But the great Question is Seeing the period of the one thousand two hundred and sixty days shall be as I think in this way and manner made known viz. by a little Horn an Apostacie and Beast appearing in the last three years and half By whom and how will the Lord do it This methinks is shewed in Daniel chap. 12. 5 6 7 c. Two are said to stand by the river the one on this side of the bank and the other on that side of the river These two I take to be Types the one of the Gentile-Churches the other of the Jews to whom Jesus Christ the Man clothed in linen which was upon the waters of the river being ask'd of both for the word one is not in the text How long shall it be to the end of these wonders the Gentile-type is answered first vers 7. It shall be for a time times and an half and so referr'd to the three years and an half as if he should say What concerns you Gentiles as to the understanding of the Visions and Prophecies of this book the words are sealed up for a time times and an half and when that time shall come namely the last three years and an half of the one thousand two hundred and sixty years I will put of my Spirit into some of my servants represented here by one of the two standing on the bank of the river whereby they shall open this great mystery to the Churches of the Saints among the Gentiles Fulfilling herein what is said in the Prophet Surely the Lord God will do nothing but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets Amos 3. 7. As for the other carrying the type of the Jews he hath his answer vers 11 12. Again I conceive the Gentile-type in Daniel is the same with Rev. 18. 1. that angel which cometh down from heaven having great power and the earth was enlightned with his glory If the order of things be duly observed enlightning goes before the work I say before smiâ—ing the Image and rendering vengeance upon Babylon It is true the followers of the Lamb are bid to reward her as she hath rewarded you and double unto her double c. vers 6. yet so as to be enlightned first the which enlightning must needs be understood part at least of the set and appointed time when to begin to reward her That none of the seven last plagues are yet poured out I have given some Reasons publikely Now whereas unto John
c. yet do fast prey practice Church-Ordinances and pretend great zeal and conscience for the Interest of Christ and his people Again 3. How can this Later Apostacie be worse then that under Antichrist If understood of Quakers Ranters c. wherein are these men worse then the other it is true the Later Apostacie shall be worse then the Former in slaying the Witnesses The former destroyed good men but not their Testimony It killed the Body but not the Truth This Later shall kill the Truth but not the Body slay in most good men their Testimony and Witness for Christ but leave their persons unkilled True therefore as he saith Of the two State-Apostacies the last is the worse 4. That the Apostle should foretel the Later Apostacie to be heavy and perillous there is little ground to apply this to poor naked and inconsiderable persons Besides what have they done whom have they banished and imprisoned wherein have they been Traytors when did they change Laws and Times All which the Later Apostacy shall do and more too 5. Let the sins in the Text be viewed as I have open'd the words and compare them with Ranters Quakers c. it will appear they hold not parallel almost in any particular whereas the Text as I have said must not be wrested but such an Apostacie found out which agrees with the place altogether and in every thing 6. Seeing Ranters and Quakers err in Doctrine as holding dangerous opinions they come under the first Apostacie rather then the later Lastly If the evils which he mentioneth viz. when men forget all Rules of Law and Nature and break all bonds c. be essential characters of the later Apostacie I shall leave it to the Reader whether he cannot finde such things more visible certain somewhere else then among Ranters Quakers or Levellers Neither doth Paul alone speak of two Apostacies but Peter likewise and sets them down in the same manner the other doth the first of things viz. errors doctrines of devils 2 Pet. 2. 1 2 3. the later of persons namely corrupt and sinful walkers 2 Pet. 3. 3 4. knowing this first that there shall come in the last dayes scoffers walking after their own lusts and saying where is the promise of his coming for since the Fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation It is worth the heeding how the Apostles begin their Prophesies alike This know also saith Paul that in the last dayes Knowing this first saith Peter that there shall come in the last days c. 1. They would have Saints upon whom the Time of the End is come to observe well the Symptomes and Characters of the Later Apostacie Fore-warn'd fore-arm'd to know when this Apostacy is come will be a special preservative against it and to shun it and not to be parcaker of other mens sins 2. They both pitch upon one Time In the last dayes that is the three yeers and half as I have shewed before and as it is one time so the persons here are one and the same Scoffers When Popery overspread this Nation besides Persecution of tongues and hands the Papists endeavour'd to refute the Protestants by Scriptures Fathers Councels Antiquity c. And so did the Prelates after them the Non-Conformists and Separatists when the power was in their hands But what do we hear now Truly little more then scoffs and jests so that he is no body if he have not a jeer a gird some taunt or other that in their Pulpits against the Fiâ—t Monarchy-men And this I take to be the reason why the Holy Ghost useth the word Scoffers to signifie that besides jesting and mocking at the Assertors of Christs visible and glorious Kingdom little will be done by the Adversaries as to the confutation of them The Truth whereof appears evident at this present Time Psal 124. 3 4. 2 King 19. 3. Walking after their own lusts What these lusts are was shew'd before the sins mentioned by Paul 2 Tim. 3. 2 3 4 5. The phrase walking after them denotes how their affections will be wholly set upon these lusts and so guided and led by them that all their Counsels and Designs shall be for the upholding and maintaining of them Insomuch that not a Soldier in the Army not a Mariner in the Navy not a Minister or Magistrate in the Nation shall be allowed if they be known they are men disaffected to the lusts proper to the later Apostacie Where is the Promise of his coming Had not this been added we should not have known what kinde of Scoffers the Holy Ghost intended But the words do manifestly shew who are meant It cannot be understood of Christ's coming to judgement at the last day For who scoffs at that all generally believe it It being an Article of their Creed Questionless therefore it must be taken of Christs personal coming to reign on earth and of the throwing down of Babylon and all the corrupt powers of the World and the bringing in of the new heavens and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness This indeed is mockt at both in Court and Country The Promise of his coming which these Apostates are said to scoff at are these and such-like Dan. 2. 44 45. 7. â—4 27. Psal 2. 6 7 8. 45. 72. Rev. 2. 26. 5. 10. 11. 15 17. 20. 4. Luke 19. 12. Zach. 14. 1 2 3 4 c. Hos 3. 5. Isa 53. 12. Act. 1. 11. Joh. 1. 51. Act. 3. 19 20 21. Rom. 8. 19 20 21. 2 Tim. 4. 1. 2 Pet. 1. 11. Joh. 18. 36. That the Apostle brings in these Scoffers by way of Question where is the promise of his coming He doth it to shew the occasion of their scoffing This great Truth of Christs visible Kingdom and personal Reigning in it being publickly held forth by many and some going so far as to fix the time when the Lord as they thought would begin to Roar out of Sion and to utter his voice from Jerusalem Now nothing by the unbelieving Adversary being seen in order to it O what scoffing and jeering is there now Where is the promise of his coming Watchman what of the night watchman what of the night Where is your Kingdom Where are your reigning Saints where is your 56 and 57 Ha ha say they ye are dreamers indeed For since the Fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were That this later Apostacie may be the better known when it comes The Holy Ghost shews what will be the saying of the Scoffers at that time You talk say they of wonders what great changes there will be in the world what breaking-work and destroying Kingdoms and Powers Nothing but overturning overturning overturning and that strang things and unheard-of will shortly come to pass But this proceeds from the folly and vanity of your hearts meer delusion for there is nothing new under the Sun but what is
in that hee saith I will make c. this cannot bee understood of Christ as the instrument of the work but Saints And this same order and manner of proceeding we find every where in scripture that the executing of the last judgements upon the Kingdomes of the world shall be by Gods people first these shall cut off the Little Horn be new threshing instruments and weapons of war Carpenters Reapers the Angels of the Vials c. by whom Jehovah will make Christs enemies his foot-stool Dan. 7. 26. Isa 41. 15. Jer. 51. 19. Zach. 1. 21 Rev. 14. 4 Upon the rising of the witnesses there follows an Earth-quake and the tenth part of the City fell Rev. 11. 13. This cannot be meant as done by Christ personally for afterwards it is said The Kingdomes of this World are become his and â—ee reigns vers 15. 17. Therefore I think the Earth-quake and the Earth Rev. 16. 2. is one thing viz. The earthly Apostacy headed with the little Horn on which shall bee poured out the first Vial as soon as the Witnesses are ascended up into Heaven 5 When Christ shall come and all his Saints with him Zach. 14. 5. The enemy shall not bee destroyed by any materiall weapon And the Armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses clothed in fine linen white and clean Rev. 19. 14. No armour is mentioned neither do I think that any such thing will bee used or that the followers of the Lamb shall strike a stroke but the enemies shall fall and perish by some extraordinary judgement And there sell upon men a great hail out of Heaven every stone about the weight of a Talent Rev. 16. 21. Again I will plead against him with pestilence and with Bloud and I will rain upon him an overflowing raine great hail stones fire and bloud Ezek. 38. 21. But in subduing the little Horn and the ten Kings in smiting the Image and the Dominion of the Beast here shall be fighting and instruments of war used Isa 13. 18. Jer. 50. 9. 14. 22. 35 36 37 42. and chap. 51. 3. 11. Rev. 13. 10. 18. Now I come to the fourth head which is the judgement it self The Beast was slain and his body destroyed and given to the burning slame Dan. 7. verse 11. And they shall take away his dominion to consume it and destroy it even to the end vers 26. 1 Being now come to his end that he is called the Beast and a little Horn before The Reasons may be First to signify that he is fatted for destruction His Hypocrisies Deceits Mockings of God and men and other abominable sinnes are full and ripe Jer. 12. 1 2 3. and Jer. 51. 40. 2 Seeing the Witnesses are to bee slain by him the Wisdome of God thinks good to give him here the same name which hee hath Rev. 11. 7. 3 That hee perisheth under the name of a Beast though formerly a Horn it shews how little his death will bee pittied any where No more than if a bloudy Lyon or crafty Fox had been killed by hunters Moreover what rejoycing there will bee among the Saints that so cruel and fierce a Creature is taken out of the way Allelu-jah and again Allelu-jah Psal 58. 1â— 2 Though it bee true whatsoever is spoken of his end is no more if we take the words in general then that his government and Pouer shall bee broken to peeces yet I think there is something in every word as to a particular kind of punishment and how several parties as distinct shall be punished some in one kind and some in another This State or Government to be destroyed is made up of three sorts of people 1 Souldiers to fight for it 2 Lawyers and Priests to plead for it 3 The Authors and Inventers of it Now observe how the Lord in destroying the whole fits his judgement to each party 1 The Beast is slain This respects the Souldiery And probable it is that many of them will be slain For howsoever the greater part of them at least the better part such as have any thing of God left in them will lay down their arms and forsake him neer his end yet some desperate and prophane wretches newly rais'd will stand it out and so fall by the sword of the Lord in the hand of his mighty ones It is said in the earth-quake were slain of men seven thousand Rev. 11. 13 what number of souldiers will bee slain at this time it is not exprest a great slaughter no doubt Every one I think put to the sword that shall bee found in Armes for the Horn they having warning given them before to come out and not to fight in his behalf see Isa 34. 2 3. And his body destroyed This seems to bee another kind of punishment as beheading hanging and putting to death by a Judicatory and the word imports so much This follows the slain Army But who is the body of the Horn The later Apostacy of which we spake so that Judgment will now begin at the house of God at the sanctuary Woe now to Apostates Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites The Lords day is upon you such as did justifye and encourage the Horn when hee thought to change Times and Laws Acted unrighteously under him Executed his unlawful Orders and Commands against the Saints of the most High made to themselves an advantage of his Tyranny and Oppression Oh how are the sinners in Zion afraid and fearfulnesse surprized the Hypocrites Now Church members and Church Officers are likely to experience the soul that sins shall dye and that the righteous God loves Righteousnesse And it is not fasting praying prophesying c. will deliver corrupt men and such as have basely betrayed the cause of Christ in the day of the Lords wrath Mal. 3. 2 3. Isa 33. 14. 66. 5. Thus the Lords hand at this time will lye heavy upon Professours they are the body of the little Horn Apostates I mean which must bee destroyed It will bee their turn I verily think to drink first of the Vials 1 Cor. 3. 15. And by this means the Lord will make his way the more plain and his Judgements manifest when he shall afterwards go forth against the Ten Kings and the great Whore for what may Idolaters and men visibly Prophane and wicked expect but dregs and wrath without mixture seeing the Lord before spared not Church-members and such as had a form of Godlinesse Jer. 25. â—8 29. And given to the burning flame As this judgement is greater than the former so it is for the Horn himself and the chief instruments which raised him up by whose means Souldiers Lawyers Ministers and others were brought into the Snare This kind of punishment I take to bee the same with that of the Beast and false Prophet a lake of fire burning with Brimstone Rev. 19. 20. Now howsoever this bee not Hell properly so called yet it is some temporal Judgement more than
three years and an halfe before the end of the 1260 years neither sooner nor later and done with so much secresie policy and craft as no such Beast or Government shall be expected or thought of till it be brought forth And howsoever it hath a mean and low beginning yet it will rise to a monstrous height of Pride against God and man This State or Kingdome of the Beast will be full of darknesse great oppression exercised by reason the people have their power Laws and liberties taken from them And howsoever this be so yea and withall the blessed Cause of Christ destroyed in his Witnesses by an usurped power yet this Beast or Goverment shall have with it such a glorious out-side of Religion and Form of Godlinesse as among Gods own people many of them shall not know this State or Government to be the Beast which slays the Witnesses till the three years and halfe are expired And thus much for the Beast who he is and what is signified by him We come now to the Witnesses and how they are kild 1. By the Witnesses I understand not persons but the Truth or Testimony it selfe which is held forth and asserted by them I say it is not the person which the Beast is said to kill but the holy Cause and Interest of Christ witnessed too and for by the Saints of the most High So that the person may live though he be slaine in his Testimony 2. For the Testimony or Witnesse it comprehends not all Truth For the Beast shall allow much Truth and countenance men in the practice of it Therefore the Testimony which he shall slay is to be taken restrictively that is some particular Truth which he will not indure as proper to that Generation and Time In all the dayes of the Papall Beast the Sack-cloth Witnesses might safely and without danger assert many Gospel-Truths That which they suffered for was for asserting such Truths and speaking against such Errours and lies as that Time would not bear it being to the disadvantage of the Beasts Kingdome that such abominable filthinesse should be discovered So this Beast will not make war against every Truth but seeks only to destroy that Testimony which he thinks if not kild will be his utter ruine Quest What is that Truth or Testimony here slaine by the Beast Answ It is the last witnesse which Saints shall hold forth for and in the behalfe of Jesus Christ against the Enemies of Gods people And being the last of their Testimony it can be no other then bearing witnesse to Christs blessed and visible Kingdome That he as heir of all things will take all power rule dominion into his own hands and that all the present Powers and Governments of the world shall be broken to pieces And more particularly they shall now bear witnesse against this Beast as to be that Power and State by whom the witnesses are to be sâ—ain and after three years and an half his Dominion shall be taken from him The observing of this will lead us to the knowledg both of the Beast and Time for it cannot be this Beast unlesse he slay such a Testimony in the Saints as is here set down that is A testimony for Christ against all present powers and particularly against the Government of this Beast as declaring openly who he is where his seat is and that the Lord after three years and an halfe will utterly consume him And here I think lies the difference between the Testimony of the Sackcloth witnesses before the Beast ascended out of the bottomlesse pit and afterwards Their Testimony before was mainly against the Idolatry of the whorish Church bearing witnesse to the Propheticall and Priestly office of Christ and suffered upon that account But afterward when the three years and half begin their Testimony is as I said before for his Reigne and Kingdome And this witnesse will the Beast seek to murder allowing that Testimony which was born before to his Propheticall and Priestly office by which meanes the slaughter and murder he commits will not easily be observed 3. That the witnesses are said to be two I conceive it is for this reason Because their Testimony consists of two parts viz. 1. That Jesus Christ ought to have his right his honour glory service dominion 2. That his enemies in not giving the same to him But instead of exalting him exalt themselves and their own interest shall extreamlysuffer for it Or two as witnessing for righteous things and against unrighteous things Now for the manner of their Slaying He shall make war against them and shall overcome them and kill them First though the witnesses in their Testimony are slaine upon the rise of the Beast and there we are to begin the three days and an half yet doth he continue his persecution till the whole terme be ended Secondly There may be something in the words make warre overcome and kill more then hitherto hath been minded In Chap. 12. 14. The womanâ— to shun the face of the Serpent slyes into the wildernes where she is nourished for a time and times and halfe a time The slaying of the witnesses and that slight of the woman is at one time And I think the occasion of that flight is this war of the Beast So that he slays not the whole Testimony or witnesse but the Lord preserves a remnant as he did the 7000 in Israel up and down the Nation which keep the Commandments of God and have the Testimony of Jesus all the time that the witnessesly slaine Thirdly He shall make warre against them and shall overcome them These words are taken from Dan. 7. â—2 and have been opened before It is true in Daniel there is no mention of killing The reason may be because he hath respect to what the Horn or Beast shou d doe against the persons of the witnesses but speaks nothing of killing because the Lord will not suffer him to proceed unto blood John names killing in regard he should slay the Truth and Testimony in many persons though not the person for the truths sake This likewise is worth the Observing to know the Beast by Quest But how doth he slay the Testimony of Jesus I answer many wayes First In some he slays their Testimony by preferment and bestowing great Offices and places upon them Here I may say changing a few words what is said Rev. 12. Woe to the Inhabiters of heaven Churches and Church-Officers and Professours of Religion for the Devill is come down unto you having great wrath because he knoweth that the hath but a short time This Beast scornes to be serv'd for nought specially if they are religious and men searing God these rather then others shall be prefer'd in his Councel Army Navy Vniversities Parish-Tithes so they will fall down and worship HIM and his Image And in this designe he hath a double advantage 1. He is sure to slay in them the last Testimony of Jesus for Noman
sort what they did I need not mention But when their hearts were merry Then Sampson is cal'd for And what is now the Subject of all their scurrilous Talk and Jests but the short liv'd Parliament Oh this cruell Sampson that had it in his heart not onely to have brought their Craft in danger to be set at nought but the Temple of the great Goddesse Diana And to say the truth the Priests were not much mistaken in it For probable it is had not that glorious Testimony of Jesus been kild They would have seâ—t the Tayle of the Beast after the Head Swept away that other part of Popish dung and trash which the former Parliament had left in the Nation Now if the Holy Ghost meant not these men and their making merry yet I am sure it was fulfilled in them according to the letter of the Text. One part of the Prophesie yet remaines and it is the better part Namely The rising of the Witnesses And here we have the Time the Means and the Manner with the Enemies amazement at it and the like And after three dayes and an halfe the spirit of life from God â—ntred into them and they stâ—od upon their feet and great fear sell upon them that saw them And they heard a great voyce from Heaves saying unto them come up hither And they ascended up to Heaven in a cloud And their Enemies bsheld them First Of the Time I have spoken Assoon as the Beast ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit he kills the Witnesses Three years and an halfe they lie unburied The which time being expir'd they immediately Rise and then begins the ruine and fall of the Beast So that I conceive it is not the Lords meaning that any should go forth to take his Dominion from him untill it evidently appear that the Witnesses are Risen the Spirit poured forth the Beast certainly known and the Lord appearing in some visible providence making the way plaine for the Angel of the first â—iâ—ll Secondly By the Spirit of life from God c. I understand and the sending of the Comforter that great promise of the Father to be endued with power from on high Lak 24. 49. As herbes flowers and grasse seem dead and hang the head by reason of drought but rise againe flourish and grow green when raine falls thereon So the Testimony of Jesus which seemed withered and scorch't hath now from the Lord life and Spirit put into it and so that Death is taken off which lay formerly on it And this I take to be the Time in which Saints may expect the returne of their prayers concerning the pouring out of the Spirit and the fullfilling of such Promises In the wildernesse shall waters break out and streames in the desert Isa 35. 6. I will pour waters upon him that is thirsty and â—louds upon the dry ground I will poure my Spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine Of-spring And they shall spring up as among the grosse as willows by the water-courses Isa 44. 3 4. I will put my Spirit in you and ye shall live Eze. 37. 14. After two days he will revive us in the third day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight Hosea 6. 2. And it shall come to passe afterward that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh and your Sons and your daughters shall Prophesie your old men shall dream dreames your young men shall see visions And also upon the servants and upon the hand-maids in those dayes will I pour out my Spirit Joel 2. 28 29. Howsoever before the rising of the witnesses there will be some sprinkling of the Spirit here and there For the understanding of the Time As a man knows by the dawning that the night is past yet I think till the witnesses are risen the Saints shall not be endued with power from on high neither Generally nor largely For now is The Tabernacle of the Testimony of heaven opened and not till now Rev. 15. 6. I mean in respect of a beginning Thirdly No sooner doth a Spirit of life from God enter into them But they stand upon their feet By which manner of speaking according to the Scripture is signified 1. An open confession and publishing of the Lords wonderfull mercy remembring his truth and Testimony in its low estate 1 Chron. 28. 1. Acts 3. 7 8. and 14 14. As the Sons of Zion are to have a two-edged-sword in their hands so the high praises of God in their mouth It is true they are to execute vengeance upon the heathen and punishments upon the people To bind their Kings with chains and their Nobles with fetters of Iron But what goes before Allelujah sing unto the Lord a new song and his praise in the Congregation of Saints Let Israel rejoyce in him that made him let the Children of Zion be glad in their King c. Psal 14. 9. So then by this standing upon their feet is meant that New sâ—â—â—Rev 14 3. An high exalting and â—â—ung up the holy Name of God every where among the faithfull Remnant For that life and Spirit which is now given them The Testimony of Jesus it was before flame and born down by the Enemy But now it goes forth conquering and to conquer prevailes and gets victory in every place over them And the Ransomed of the Lord shall come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads they shall obtaine joy and gladnesse and sorrow and sighing shall be no more Isa 35. 10. compare Rev. 15. 3 4. 2. The standing upon their feet signifies not only The Testimony raised up to greater boldnesse against the Beast speaking more freely and plainly against his hypocrisie Apostacie Blasphemy Tiranny c. then before Ezek. 2. 1 2 and 3 24. But likewise the hundred forty and four thousand are preparing to stand with the Lamb on mount Zion Rev 14. 1. Now I think open war begins to be proclaim'd against the Beast and Babilon according to the Prophets Isa 13. 2. Jeâ— 50. 2. Againe It shews with what assurance of victory the warr is undertaken For by faith they see all ready their feet upon the necks of their Enemies and that they shall take the Beasts dominion from him and give his body to the burning flame Josh 10. 24. Zech. 14. 4. Some understand this and their ascending up to heaven of the witnesses not only restored to their places but promoted to more eminent preferment howsoever I take the witnesses as hath been said for the Truth witnessed by them yet no doubt such as suffer under the Beast for their Testimony continuing faithfull the Lord will greatly honour For out of Prison he cometh to Reign Eccles 4. 14. Fourthly For the persons upon whom this great feare fell I take to be they that dwell upon the earth the Apostates and followers of the Beast It seemes to allude to the State and time of Gods people coming out of Egypt when the
Lord sent before them a dread and feare of them among their Enemies It is said their hearts melted neither was their spirit in them any more because of the children of Jsrael Josh 5. 1. This was upon the expiring of the 430 years So the three years and an halfe being out The presence of God will be such among his faithfull ones in raising them up to such high Resolutions and filling them with so much Spirit life and power from on high as it will strike a terrour and amazement every where among Revolters None of the men of might have found their hands the stout hearted are spoiled The King of Babylon hath heard the report of them and his hands waxed feeble anguish took hold of him and pangs as a woman in travell Jer. 50. 43. It will be their case now as if a man should appear who was thought to be dead and rotten many years before He needs not fight his Enemies they will fly fast enough before him My opinion is God will send such a faintnesse into the hearts of his Enemies and strike them with such a horrour and dread that the sound of a leafe shall chase them they shall fly and none pursue them And as they are Apostates and so have sinned against knowledge and conscience by so much their fear and terrour will be the more Now will that Text be fulfilled The sinners in Zion are afraid fearfulnesse hath surprized the Hypocrites who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire Who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burning Fifthly Whereas it it is said They heard a great voyce This voyce I take to be Christs the same which afterwards speaks out of the Temple to the seven Angels Goe your wayes and poure out your Vials Rev. 16. 1. Isa 66. 6. Joel 3. 16. Amos 1. 2. It is said to be great 1. Because it is the voyce of the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah roaring out of Zion against his Enemies which is powerfull and full of Majesty Joel 3. 16. Amos 1. 2. 2. The matter spoken of is of great concernment 3. It must be heard by all the faithfull risen Witnesses every where 4. To signifie that it is operative and prevalent see Psal 29. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. Sixthly That the voyce is said to be from Heaven This Denotes 1. Notwithstanding the great Apostacy at this time in Churches especially the Officers the Lord will have a remnant still abiding in the faith and fellowship of the Gospell which shall keep themselves pure and unspotted from the world 2. The fall of the Beast will be by a power from Heaven There brake he the arrowes of the bow the shield and the sword and the battel Psal 76. 3. O God thou art terrible out of thy holy places Ps 68. 35. Zech. 4. 6. Seventhly Come up hither These words I think have this meaning Christ himselfe speaks now for Union and one-nes amongst Brethren and will heal all the breaches and divisions which have long been unhappily between them Come up hither As if he should say Howsoever you have born forth a good Testimony for me against the last Apostacy the little Horn and Beast yet ye could not agree among your selves but did bite and devour one another But this enmity shall cease and be no more Ephraim shall not envy Judah and Judah shall not vex Ephraim For I will have you now all here with me in heaven together not divided and sepeâ—ated as ye have been And as there is but one Lord and his name one Zâ—ch 14. 9 So ye shall serve him with one consent Zâ—ph 3. 9. Thus is the primitive Spirit restord and given againe to the Saints viz. to be of one accord and of one mind Act. 1. 14. 2. 1 46. 15. 25. Eightly It follows And they ascended up to Heaven in a Cloud Alluding to Christs ascension Act. 1. 9. The Saints of the most High being 〈◊〉 together and having the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace are now formed the Armies of Heaven to fight the Battles of the Lord of Hosts to destroy the little Horne the Image Babylon c. that Christ alone may Rule in the midst of his Enemies Who is she that looketh forth as the morning cleare as the Sun and terrible as an Army with banners Song 6. 10. The noise of a multitude in the Mountaine like as of a great people a tumultuous noise of the Kingdomes of Nations gathered together The Lord of Hostes mustereth the Host of the battle They come from a farr Country from the end of Heaven even the Lord and the weapons of his Indi nation to destroy tha whole Land Isa 13. 4. 5. So then the witnesses being ascended up to Heaven Now is fullsild that vision which John saw A signe in Heaven great and marvellous seven Angells haveing the seven last plagues for in them is filled up the wrath of God Rev. 15. 1. This is the stone cut out without hands which must smite the Image upon his feet Dan. 2. 34. To this time of the witnesses in heaven belongs that in the Prophet Behold I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth thou shalt thresh the Mountains and beat them small and shalt make the hills as chasse Thou shâ—lt fanne them and the wind shall carry them away and the whirlwind shall scatter them And thou shall rejoyce in the Lord and glory in the holy one of Israel Isa 44 15 Againe The Lord shall send the Rod of his strength out of Zion Psal 110. 2 see also Jer. 51. 19. 20 21 â—2 2â— 24. Ninthly But what followes And their Enemies beheld them They saw them before when they stood upon their feet and were astonished at it But much more now being ascended and gotten above them to pour out a vial full of the wrath of God upon their heads There is nothing said what the Enemies of the Witnesses doe more then Behold them that is saw them as Balaam did Israel abiding in his Tents according to their Tribes The Lord his God is with him and the shalt of a King is among them Behold the People shall rise up as a great Lyon and lift up himselfe as a young Lyon he shall not lie down untill he eat of the prey and drink the blood of the slaine God brought him out of Egypt he hath as it n ere the strength of a Vnicorn he shall eat up the Nations his Enemies and shall break their bones and pierce them through with his arrowes Num. 23. 21 24. 24. 8. In this manner and no otherwise shall the Enemy now behold them Neither doe I find any thing that they shall doe or be able to doe for their own safety Is it not said All hands shall be faint and every mans heart shall melt and they shall be afraid pangs and sorrowes shall take hold of them they shall be in paine as a Woman that travelleth and they