When they had prayed the place was shaken where they were assembled and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost Rev. 1.12 14. In the midst of the seven golden candlesticks was one like unto the Son of man cloathed with a Garment down to the foot and girt about the paps with a golden girdle i. e. Jesus Christ who in respect of his Priestly Office had a tender Heart and was both willing and ready to do them good His head and his hair were white like wool as white as snow and his eyes were as a flame of fire i. e. In respect of his Prophetical Office he did shew himself in all their Church-Administrations to be full of Wisdom Gravity Prudence and Understanding And his feet like unto fine brass as if they burned in a furnace and his voice was as the voice of many waters i e. He did triumphantly conquer many stout-hearted and rebellious Sinners by virtue of his Kingly Power and Regal Authority in his Ordinances Ps 110.3 4. and 45. 2dly God was good in respect of that good Order Discipline and Government that was amongst them Christ himself was their Soveraign and Supreme Law-giver in all Church-matters according to what was Prophesied Is. 9.6 7. The government shall be upon his shoulders Zech. 6.13 Even he shall build the temple of the Lord and he shall bear the glory and he shall sit and rule upon his throne The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven were put in the hands of those that were faithful Of Peter Matth. 16.19 Of all the Apostles Joh. 20. Of the whole Church Matth. 18.17 18. Herein was their Order and Polity that Church-Officers medled only with what was proper for them to wit the Authoritative exercise of Church Power and the Church medled with nothing but what was proper for them In the Primitive Church during the first Century nothing was done sine consensu plebis without the consent of the People as Mr. Jacob proves by an hundred Testimonies out of the purest Antiquity they had the power of choosing their own Officers Act. 1. end and 6. begin Of admitting Members as in the case of Saul's seeking to adjoin himself who was hindred by the Brethren of the Church till they received satisfaction from Barnabas's Act. Of casting out offending Members 1 Cor. 5. Of re-admitting Excommunicate Penitents 2 Cor. 2. Their order was that no particular Church did arrogate Power or Jurisdiction over other particular Churches the Church of Antioch's sending to Jerusalem Act. 15. to consult with them concerning some Doctrinal Differences does argue That they had full power to determine the matter among themselves without making any appeal their order was that they did not press things indifferent upon scrupling Consciences as if they had been necessary Rom. 14. 1 Cor. 8. and 9. Chapters They well knew that to have done otherwise would have been Tyranny and destructive to Christian Liberty and so for many other things 3. The Primitive Church in respect of purity of Doctrine was called Rev. 12. 1 A Woman that had on her Head a Crown of twelve Stars however they were branded by their Enemies as Heretical yet the Doctrine they profess'd was purely Apostolical It 's true false Teachers did creep in now and then amongst them and corrupted several Truths but through the vigilance and faithfulness of the Servants of God they were quickly and convincingly confuted They did teach that we must seek Righteousness for Justification partly by Christ and partly by the Ceremonies of Moses's Law but the Epistles to Coloss Galat. and Hebrews were written against this Heresie Cerinthus denyed the Divinity of Christ for which the Gospel of John was written 2 Cor. 11 2 3. I am jealous over you with a godly jealousie for I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chast virgin to Christ for I fear left as by any means the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ 4. Herein was the Glory of the Primitive Church That not only the Officers but also many of their Members were Men singularly qualified with gifts 1 Cor. 1.5 7. By him ye are enriched in every thing in all utterance and in all knowledge So that ye come behind in no Gift See 1 Cor. 14. Act. 8. Mark 16.17 These signs shall follow them that believe in my name shall they cast out Devils they shall speak with new tongues they shall take up serpents and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover 5. God was good to them in respect of Grace Rom. 15.14 And I my self am perswaded of you brethren that ye are full of goodness 1 Cor. 1.2 Eph. 1.3 4 5. Philip. 1.3 4 5 6 7. being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ even as it is meet for me to think this of you all because I have you in my heart in as much as both in my bonds and in the defence and confirmation of the Gospel ye are all partakers of my grace and this I pray that your love may yet more and more abound in all knowledge and in all judgment Col. 1.3 4. We give thanks unto God since we heard of your Faith in Christ Jesus and of the love which ye have to all the Saints 1 Thes 1.3 Remembering without ceasing your work of Faith your labour of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God and of our Father knowing brethren beloved your election of God It was no small part of their Glory that they did so abound in Love which did evidence it self in two notable Acts 1. They kept the unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace though some were for Circumcision others against it some for observation of Days Ceremonies eating Meats and others not yet they did in a great measure live in Love and Unity Acts 4.32 The multitude of them that believed were of one Heart and of one Soul 2. There was none of them wanted necessaries so long as others had wherewithall to supply them 2 Cor. 9.12 13 14. The administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the Saints but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God whiles by the experiment of this Ministration they glorifie God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ and for your liberal distribution unto them and unto all Men And by their prayer for you which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift Rom. 15.25 26 27. I go to Jerusalem to minister to the Saints for it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor Saints which are at Jerusalem it hath pleased them verily and their
Night is far spent the day is at hand let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and lets us put on the armour of light let us walk honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkenness not in strife and envying not in Chambering and wantonness but put ye on the Lord Jesus 4. Take all in good part that comes from the Hands of a good God Learn Contentation with a suffering Condition and a persecuted State Live by Faith on the promises made to persons in such a Condition John 16.33 In the World ye shall have tribulation but be of good chear I have overcome the World Mark 10.29 30. Jesus saith unto them verily I say unto you there is no Man that hath left house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the gospels but he shall receive an hundred-fold in this time houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions and in the world to come eternal life Matth. 5.10 11. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven blessed are ye when Men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil of you falsely for my sake Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven so persecuted they the prophets which were before you 1 Pet. 4.14 If ye are reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you on their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorified And 16 17 18. If any Man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God on this behalf for the time is come that judgment must begin at the House of God and if it first begin at us what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God wherefore let them that suffer according to the Will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator And 5.10 But the God of all grace who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Jesus Christ after that ye have suffered a while make ye perfect stablish strengthen settle you 2 Tim. 1.12 For the Gospel of Chist I suffer these things nevertheless I am not ashamed for I know whom I have believed and I perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day And 2.10 11 12. Therefore I endure all for the elects sake that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory It is a faithful saying If we be dead with him we shall also live with him if we suffer with him we shall also reign with him Rom. 8.17 18 35 36. 2 Cor. 4.17 18. Lastly Study a thankfull improvement of your privileges for all God's goodness towards your 1. Seeing it cost Christ no less than his precious Blood to purchase a liberty for you from the Mosaical Ceremonies which were once of Divine Institution and consequently much more from such as are of meer humane institution whether Heathenish or Antichristian you ought not upon any pretence whatsoever suffer your selves to be intangled again with that Yoak of Bondage There 's a great noise about the Churches Power to impose Ceremonies in matters indifferent but I dare be bold to say if there be such a thing in the World as Christian Liberty in any thing it is not to be imposed upon in Ceremonies and if any thing be a lording it over the Lord's heritage it is in not leaving those things indifferent which Christ hath left indifferent Christian Liberty is not easily to be parted with because it cost Christ so dear 2. All that mediatory fulness of Grace and Spirit that 's in Jesus Christ is freely made over to us let 's therefore improve this privilege so as every moment upon all occasions to be still fetching supplies for our Soul-wants From this overflowing Fountain say thus Lord I want Wisdom Faith Patience Power against Corruptions Temptations Enemies in my Flesh dwells no good thing but oh is there not Goodness and Grace enough in thee and is not this Goodness of thine communicable Out of thy Son's fulness let me receive grace for grace Joh. 1.16 3. Through that new and living way we have liberty of access to the throne of Grace Let us accordingly improve this Privilege in coming with a full assurance of Faith to find grace and help in time of need Let 's come with a Child like confidence with a holy and humble boldness Heb. 2. end and 4. end and 10.22 23 24. 4. Through God's gracious Goodness we are made joint heirs with Christ his Blessings Benefits Death and Intercession are all ours improve this Privilege to a deliverance from slavish fears If Christ hath triumphed over Principalities and Powers Sin and Satan Death and the World what is Man O Gospel Saint that thou art afraid of him if he has purchased pardon of Sin peace of Conscience the Joys of the Holy Ghost Grace here and Heaven's Glory hereafter thou need'st not fear that the Powers of Hell shall be able to deprive thee thereof Fifthly God was very good to the primitive Church in the days of Christ and the Apostles and that in these respects 1. He did as it were from Heaven give an immediate Call and extraordinary Commission to John Baptist to be the Harbinger and For-runner of the Son of God and Saviour of the World It was he that first brought into the World the good news of the near approach of the Kingdom of Heaven which did call aloud upon them to Repent Matth. 3.2 The aggravation of the Mercy was in the seasonableness of it he was sent at such a time when the Church was so deeply corrupted that there was hardly the face of a visible Church to be seen upon them See further of him Is 40.3 Mal. 4.5 6. Matth. 3.7 8,9 Mark 1.8 Luke 3.16 Joh. 1.26 Matth. 3.11 12. Matth. 11.14 Luke 1.15 16 17. 2. The primitive Church was honour'd with Christ's own corporal Presence amongst them hence they were called the Children of the Bridegroom and it could not but be a day of rejoycing to them to hear the Bridgroom's voice Joh. 3.29 Mark 2.19 When that good Woman Elizabeth heard of the Salutation of Mary the Babe leaped in her Womb and the was filled with the Holy Ghost Luke 1.41 Mary her self broke forth into a Doxology and Song of praises which you may see Luke 1.46 to 55. Zacharias also was filled with the Holy Ghost and Prophesied saying Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people he hath raised up a born of Salvation for us in the house of David as he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have been since the world began The very Angels in Heaven thought it
preach the Everlasting Gospel but more particularly to prophesie Babylon's Downfall which tho' it be a very delightful and pleasing piece of service in the doing of it yet afterwards it exposes them to sore Persecutions that prove bitter Chap. Eleven The former Chapter having Prophesied of Rome's ruine of the Discovery and Destruction of the Mystery of Iniquity and Son of Perdition and that by the preaching of the Everlasting Gospel a doubt now arises concerning the fulfilling of this how can there be any Prophesying or Preaching where there is no Church and if there be no Church there can be no Prophets Antichrist has now possessed himself of the Temple of God and so Corrupted all under the foregoing Trumpets as has been already cleared that it 's hardly visible whether Christ have any Church or Kingdom in the World This Chap. solves this Scruple and affords some grounds of sweet comfort against this Discouragement The substance of the Chap. so much as concerns the Slaying and Resurrection of the witnesses take in some few Doctrinal Propositions 1. When Antichrist is at his height then does the Work of Reformation begin There was given me a Reed like unto a Rod commanding me to measure the Temple the Altar and them that Worship therein Verse 1. A Metaphor taken from Masons or such Artificers who in building a New House or repairing an Old do use a measuring Line Now is the time come that God will have Antichrist's Church-state Worship Ordinances and all to be tried and examined by the Rule of God's Word 2. When Antichristianism is at its height Reformation cannot be without separation The Court which is without the Temple leave out i. e. Let it now be known by the measuring Line that their Temple Altar Worship and Worshippers are none of mine 3. Antichristian Worship weighed in the balance of the Sanctuary is in God's Account Gentilism The outer Court is given to the Gentiles i. e. To such who though they profess Christianity and that highly too glorying that they are the only true Church yet their Practice pure Gentilism Antichristian Rites and Ceremonies are most of them borrowed from Heathens 4. Antichrists treading under the holy City shall not be for ever it shall be for an appointed time to wit 42 Months Verse 2. 5. In the height of Antichristianism Christ shall have a competent number of such as shall give a faithful Testimony against him I will give power unto my two witnesses and they shall prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore days cloathed in sackcloath Verse 3. The Sackcloath notes the meanness and lowness of their Condition their number two their paucity or fewness yet competent out of the Mouth of two or three witnesses shall every Truth be established If this one thousand two hundred and threescore Days be the same with the Forty two Months the time of Antichrists Reign as it 's very probable reckoning Thirty Days to every Month then by the two witnesses cannot be meant Magistracy and Ministry because there have not been during the whole time of Antichrist's Reign always some Magistrates who as such have given a Testimony for Christ against him only that Christ and in all Ages and Countries a competent number as in England Wickliff in Italy Marsilius Patavinus in Bohemid John Husse and Jerom of Prague in Saxony Luther and Melanchton in Helvetia Zwingliâ—â— in Basil Oecolampadius 6. They that have been called to witnessing-work have had a special Anointing for the Work of their Day These are the two Olive-Trees and the two Candlesticks standing before the God of the Earth vers 4. In allusion to the Lamps of the Candlestick in the Temple under the Old Testament which were kept burning by two Olive-Trees continually emptying themselves into them so did Christ out of his Fulness continually communicae abundant supplies of Grace and Gifts to his Servants 7. Of all Men in the World Christs Martyrs or Witnesses have the greatest interest in Heaven If any Man hurteth them fire proceedeth out of their Mouth and devoureth their Enemies An allusion to what Elias did 2 Kings 1.10 They have power to shut Heaven that it Rain not in the Days of their Prophecy To what Elias did 1 Kings 17.1 Jam. 5.17 They have power over Waters to turn them into Blood and to smite the Earth with all Plagues as often as they will This alludes to what Moses and Aaron did in Aegypt vers 5 6. i. e. They did denounce Wrath and Prophesied of sore judgments that would befall their Persecutors and accordingly it came to pass God made good their word they were Wrestlers and Israes indeed prevailers with God Luther was so mighty in Prayer that quicquid voluit potuit he could do what he would with God From vers 7. to 11. you have a particular narrative of the slaying of the Witnesses from thence to 15 of their Resurrection The time of the slaying of the Witnesses is 1. Set down when they shall have finished their Testimony or according to the Original when they are about to finish their Testimony verse 7. i. e. towards the end of the 1260 Days and towards the end of the Beasts 42 Months which is not so to be understood according to the great mistake of many as if they should never after this witness any more nor Antichrist Reign any more but only thus They shall finish their Testimony in Sackcloath and their Wilderness-State and he shall never Reign again so as when he trod under the holy City while the Church was in the Wilderness 2. The person by whom they are slain to wit the Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless Pit vers 7. i. e. The Pope and those that derive their Authority from him as was shewn Chap. 9.2 3. Whether this slaying of them be the taking away their Natural lives only or a Civil and Spiritual Death depriving them of all privileges which they enjoyed both as Men and Christians in silencing Ministers not giving them the liberty of their Consciences in matters of Religion according to the word or something that comprehends both I shall not curiously enquire nor positively determine only the latter I most incline to for many were slain in their Bodies and others suffered a Civil and Ecclesiastical Death by Banishments Excomunications and otherwise 2. The â—â—ace where is in the Street of the great City which Spiritually is called Sodom and Aegypt vers 8. i. e. In some places of the World which do professedly own themselves to be of the Popes Dominions whose City is a second Sodom for fulness of Bread Idleness and all manner of Uncleanness and never did Old Aegypt abound in heathenish Idolatries and oppress the People of God more than it I like will enough of that conjecture that speaks of Germany for it may be fitly called the Street of the great City as being a principal part of the Roman Empire The first thing that follows upon their being slain is the