THE TWO OLIVE TREES: OR, The Lords two Anointed ones, which always stand before Him, the Ruler of the whole Earth, Zach. 4.  
Described also Rev. 11. by the names Of 

Two Witnesses,  
Two Olive Trees,  
Two Candlesticks,  
Two Prophets.  
And showing 

What they are in their own true nature, differing from all the new fancied ones, and in what manner they always prophesy.  
How they are said to finish their testimony.  
How they were to be killed by the Beast, and when.  
How long their corpse should lie in the streets of the Beasts great City, dead and unburied.  
And when the Spirit of life from God should enter into them, and they stand upon their feet again.  
And what great things should follow after the same to the end, and thence for ever.      
Published according to Order.  
LONDON, Printed by Matthew Simmons. 1645.   

To the Christian Reader.  
ALthough there are many opinions at this day on foot concerning the two Witnesses of God, described in Zach. 4. by the names of two Olive Trees, and the two anointed ones which stand before the Ruler of the earth: as also by the names of two Candlesticks, and two Prophets, Rev. 11. and much questionings and doubts made about them, who and what they should be, etc. And that therefore I may seem too bold, especially among men so learned and wise, and in so great and difficult a cause as this is, to speak or publish what I have heard, or may seem to understand; yet seeing things to be as they are, I suppose I may with leave venture to do it.  
I confess, the matter hath already long before this time very truly been unfolded, by some whose shoes I am not worthy to bear, if we could see it; but that we are so naturally blind concerning the truth, and given to seek out new inventions of our own, and such as may seem best to suit with the present times and affections of the people; and withal serve to make for our temporal advantages, which we are to repent of, as being very great evils.  
That which I shall do herein, is only this, to express some things a little more plainly to the plainer sort of Christians like myself, to remove some objections, and clear some doubts. After which, I hope it will not remain to the meek & humble in heart, a matter altogether so obscure and unknown, what the two Olive Trees, the Lords two Witnesses, his anointed ones, are, in their own true nature, differing from all the new invented ones, which some would have us to entertain for them, or besides them.  
I request the Christian Reader therefore to excuse my boldness herein, seeing it is his good that I seek, as well as my own, desiring that we may all escape the errors and evils of the times, and be led by the Spirit of truth into all truth, and so Walk in the same to the praise of God, and our own salvation, which is now near at hand to be revealed.  
So I rest, His Christian friend, I. E.   

Imprimatur. john Downam.   

THE TWO OLIVE TREES: OR, The Lords two anointed Ones, Zach. 4. Described also, Rev. 11. by the names Of 

Two Witnesses,  
Two Olive Trees,  
Two Candlesticks,  
Two Prophets.    
REV. 11. vers. 1. 
And there was given me a Reed like unto a Rod, and the Angel that stood by me, said, Rise, and measure the Temple of God, and the Altar, and them that worship therein.  
BEfore the Lord gins to describe his two Witnesses, 〈◊〉 requireth his servant john to take a survey of his Church of Saints, the spiritual house of God, consisting of living stones, built on the chief Corner Stone, Jesus Christ, (they being the holy Priesthood, who offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by him) which he signifieth by the Temple of Jerusalem, and the Altar of Incense that was in the same, whereinto the Priests only might enter through the veil, to sacrifice and adore.  
These only are they that the Lord will have to be measured, and taken notice of, as being his part and portion, his Tabernacle wherein he will dwell.   
Vers. 2. But the Court which is without the Temple, cast out, and measure not, for it is given to the Gentiles, and the holy City shall they tread under foot forty and two months. 
BY the outer Court of the Temple, which John is bidden to cast out, and not measure, we are to understand the common outward unregenerate Christians, who (especially after the dispersion of the true Spouse of Christ from her primitive viblsie estate) should become many in number, and attain to great authority and power in the outward state of the Church, and take upon them, and assume unto themselves as if they were the very true Church and Spouse of Christ.  
These, who notwithstanding all this their outward profession and taking much upon them, are but Gentiles in heart, full of all uncleanness and abominations (resembled here by the outward Court of the Temple where the Brazen Altar was, and whereinto all the people of Israel might enter and sacrifice) are they whom the Lord commandeth to be cast out, and forbiddeth to be measured, or accounted of as being any part of his portion, or inheritance.  
And whereas these Gentiles are said to tread the holy City under foot forty and two months, is foreshowed, that they should persecute, kill and keep down out of sight, the true Spouse and her children, who are here described by the name of the holy City, because they are the Tabernacle and Sanctuary of God, wherein he will dwell for ever. And that this they were to do for the space of forty and two months, which are to be understood months of years, taking every day of each month for a year, according to Ezek. 4.6.   
Vers. 3. And I will give to my two witnesses, and they stall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 
BY which words the Lord by his Angel gives to his servant john, and unto all his Church of Saints, to understand, that although those Gentiles unto whom the outward Court was to be given, should tread the holy City of Saints under foot so long as forty and two months of years; yet nevertheless he would so give unto his two Witnesses, that they should prophesy all the while, even every one of the days of those months, which according to the account of the Hebrews, who had thirty days to every month, and twelve months to every year, do contain, according as the Lord doth here also intent it, a thousand two hundred and threescore years. And showeth also that their manner of prophesying should be, as clothed in Sackcloth, that is to say, in mourning; for so in the same kind of habit they always prophesied, although it would be now much more abundant, by reason of the abundant cruelties of their enemies, who should for their word and testimony sake, persecute those that in the evidence of the Spirit, and the tears of true repentance, faith and patience, testified the same against their Gentilism, hypocrisy, and lies.   
Vers. 4. These are the two Olive Trees, and the two Candlesticks, standing in the presence of the Lord of the earth. 
HEre the Lord now gins to declare unto his servant john, and so unto all the Saints, what his two Witnesses are in their own true nature, in saying, These are the two Olive Trees, and the two Candlesticks standing, etc. The two, as if he had said, the only two, and the very same two Olive branches, the two anointed ones, or Sons of oil shown before unto the Prophet Zechary, which stood fructifying continually before the Ruler of the whole earth, not only in the Prophet's time, but also long before his days, and since, Zach. 4.14. for so much do the words clearly imply, showing that they were not two new ones not yet sprung up, but those that were of old; the Lord referring us as it were to the testimony of the Prophet, which we are further to consider of.  
As first, where he saith, I have looked, and behold a Candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps which were upon the top thereof. And two Olive Trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof, vers. 2.3.  
So the Prophet having seen these things, desires to know what they were, and the Angel answered him, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts. Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become splain, and he shall bring forth the head stone thereof with shouting, crying, Grace, grace unto it, vers. 3.4, 5, 6, 7. And the word of the Lord came again unto the Prophet, saying, The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands shall also finish it, and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you. For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel, with those seven, they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth, vers. 8, 9, 10.  
Although the Prophet had seen and heard all these things, yet was he not satisfied concerning the two Olive trees, but questions again, saying, What be these two Olive trees upon the right side of the Candlestick, and upon the left side thereof? vers. 11.  
And again, What be these two Olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the oil out of themselves into the gold? ver 12.  
And the Angel answered him, saying, Knowest thou not what these be? And he said, No, my Lord. Then said the Angel unto him, These are the two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.  
Now the Prophet understood every thing, and accordingly as they were declared unto him, he writ them down, to the end that other Saints also might understand the same.  
And yet (for all this, and notwithstanding all that Christ hath revealed and spoken by his Angel unto his servant john, and he left written to us) it remains in doubt, and is still a great question with many at this day, what the two Witnesses, the two Olive Trees, are.  
Some saying they are Enoch and Elias whom they will have to come. Others say, they are Zerubbabel and josua. And some say, they are other two men, or more, whom they will have to stand up in these times. And others say, they are the two Churches of the jews and Gentiles, and the Ministers of both. And others, that they are the Ministers of the Gospel since Christ; and some say, the Magistracy and the Ministry. And others, the two Testaments and the Ministers. And some say, they are the two Testaments only.  
Now which of all these opinions is the truth that shall stand approved when all the rest shall vanish like smoke, and come to nothing?  
Surely, not to make any further demurring, the Two Witnesses are the Two Testaments of God, without the adding or joining men or Churches unto them, in that respect. For which of all those other may be said to empty the pure oil and light of the righteousness and justice, grace and truth of God out of themselves, through their golden pipes, into the golden Candlestick, which is the Church of God, but his two Testaments only, who have the same oil in themselves naturally, as the Olive trees have their oil in themselves naturally.  
It is true, the Church having received into her seven Lamps, of the pure oil and light of these two Olive Trees and two Candlesticks, (as Christ also calleth them, because they have light in themselves as well as oil,) may (through the sevenfold Spirit of Prophecy given her of God, those seven eyes which Zechariah saw graven on the head Stone, Zech. 3.9. and were with Zerubbabel, Zech. 4.10. and are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth, spoken of also Rev. 5.6.) The Church I say, having so received, and being made partaker of these excellent graces and gifts, may and doth by her Prophet's prophecy and hold forth the light of God's two Witnesses, the two Olive Trees, and two Candlesticks) and testify the same righteousness and justice, grace and truth to the world, in all parts and places where they come. For which cause it is said of her, O Jerusalem, which bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength, O Zion, that bringest good tidings, etc.  
And again, How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that bring good tidings of peace and good things unto us!  
And St. Paul saith of that holy City, that she is free, and is the mother of all the children of God, because she ministers the glad tidings of grace and peace unto them.  
Although all this be true of the Church of God, and that she is so nearly united unto his two Witnesses, as that they cannot be divided, nor parted asunder; yet they may and must be distinguished so one from another, as that the Church and her Prophets may not be the Witnesses, nor part of them, nor the Witnesses the Church: For it can no more be so, than the woman mentioned Rev. 12. which had the two wings given her, (wherewith she might fly into the wilderness) can be the two wings, or the wings the woman; though without them she could not fly, nor be clothed, nor fed when she was in the wilderness, as the Text, Rev. 14. implies, (the two wings being also the two Testaments) which contain in them the word of the Lord, wherewith she is in spirit clothed and fed, and they are but two, not three, nor four, nor more, but only two, which God in those days gave unto her (perfectly finished) to be her guide and help every way upon all occasions, and in all places wheresoever she removed, or should be dispersed. And therefore Christ her Lord, who was careful of her, advised her beforehand, that then especially, when the time of trouble (which he also foretold her of) should come, she should betake herself unto them, as he also saith, When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet, stand in the holy place, who so readeth let him understand, then let them which be in judea flic into the mountains, etc. Matth. 24.  
For this was the very time of the great persecution raised by the Dragon against that admirable woman in her most excellent primitive estate, described in Rev. 12.1. whereby she was necessitated to fly into the Wilderness to her place which God had provided for her, to take some breath and live. She was now to read and understand the written words of his two Testaments, and to betake herself to them, and fly (they being the two wings of the great Eagle, even the Lord himself, who gave them unto her to that end; and that she might be also nourished by them (in that secret desert) for a time, and times, and half a time, (that is to say, three years and a half of years) from the presence of the Serpent, as verse 14. compared with verse 6. where these three times and a half are decribed by 1260 days, and are to be understood for so many years, it being also the full time of the reign of the Beast, which was to rise after the Dragon's fall. For St. john, as it seemeth, wrote this book of the Revelation at the same time when all the Western Churches were (by the persecution of Nero, and the rest of those cruel Pagan Emperors) dispersed, and they of judea also, john himself being now for the word of God, and witness of jesus Christ, in the Isle of Pathmos: only the seven Churches of Asia remaining in their places undispersed, and that this was the reason why john speaks not a word of any Churchelse, of any place besides those seven of Asia, unto whom he was appointed to send the book when he had written it.  
And although (notwithstanding that great persecution against all Christians in general then under the Roman power, the name of Christ, and profession of Christian Religion, increased, so that in short time it came to be very generally entertained; yet did the true Church herself (being, in respect of her Seed, dispersed amongst them) never recover her first and primitive estate again; but all things grew worse and worse until the Beast risen, who brought the mystery of iniquity to perfection, and set up the abomination of desolation to the full, (which the Dragon had begun in jerusalem, and Temple thereof) to stand where it ought not, even in the Temple of the Christian Gentiles, the seven Churches of Asia being now also by the Eastern Empire, subdued to the Beast, and brought under the supremacy and power of his Church of Rome; and so they wrought and brought to pass by degrees, that the eminent light and beauty of the truly modest, and chaste virgin Spouse of Christ, might no more be seen, till the forty and two months of the Beasts reign should be expired.  
Therefore as Christ said, Matth. 24. Who so readeth, let him understand, etc. So again, Rev. 1. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of the prophecy of this book, and keep those things which are written therein, for the time is at hand, verse 3.   
Verse 5. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, so must he be slain. 
HEre the Lord doth further declare by his Angel, what his two Witnesses are in their own true nature and power, in saying, If any man will hurt them, fire shall proceed out of their mouth, etc. That is to say, if any man shall resist their words and testimony, or seem to stop their proceeding, and pervert the strait way of the Lord which they declare, as the Scribes and Pharisees, and those false teachers in Antioch, and them of Galatia, Elymas the Sorcerer, and many other more in the Apostles days, did; or shall wrest their words from their true intention, to some other false and evil ends, and so turn their prophecy and testimony out of the way, to maintain their blasphemous opinions, abominations and lies, under pretence of truth, as Arius and his followers did, and the Beast and his Clergy have done a long time, and as many others do now amongst us at this day, to maintain their sundry erroneous and corrupt opinions; which they have taken up, contrary to the intent and meaning of the Spirit of God in these his two Testaments. Look what judgements they have pronounced against such, shall surely, first or last, fall upon them, the fire of God's justice and wrath which proceedeth out of their mouth, shall certainly devour them.  
And let no man marvel at this, that they being two, are described to have both but one mouth: for although they be two in number, and are truly distinct and differing one from the other, the one being the Law of sin, and of death, (so called by reason of us, who are all guilty of the breach thereof, and so of death) which is said to come by Moses: the other being the Law of the Spirit of life, of grace and truth, and is said to come by Jesus Christ; yet do they not speak or will things contrary one to the other, but do truly agree and speak as with one mouth that which is holy and just, gracious and true. Therefore if any man will hurt them, so must he be slain.  
If any man shall make and love to make lies against them, or of them, and say they speak that which they speak not, or mean that which they mean not: If any man shall add to, or take from the words of their prophecy, see then what their sentence is, even in the very finishing of their testimony; If he shall add, God shall (then) add unto him, the plagues that are written in this book. If he shall diminish, or take from, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy City, and from the things that are written in this book, Rev. 22.18, 19  
Blessed (therefore) are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the City: for without shall be Dogs, and Sorcerers, and Whoremongers, and Murderers, and Idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.   
Verse 6. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over the waters, to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with all manner of plagues so often as they will. 
THat these two Witnesses have power for to do all these things, I suppose no man will deny, because it is (without question) true. And that whatsoever they have prophesied against any Kingdom, Monarch, Nation, State, City, People, for their wickedness against their testimony, and against the Prophets and people of God, that stood to maintain the same, have and shall certainly come to pass. If they prophesy of famine, either of the Word and knowledge of God, which is the bread of life, or of common bread, signified here by shutting the heavens that it rain not, etc. Or if they prophesy of destruction by the sword, here signified by turning waters into blood, so giving them blood to drink for their shedding the blood of the Saints, as it is expressed Rev. 16.3 4.5, 6. Or if they prophesy of pestilence, of earthquakes, or any other calamity or judgement to come, signified by smiting the earth with all manner of plagues so often as they will, their word is a law; such special privilege and power they have, that what they say and denounce, shall stand, not one jot nor tittle of their word shall fail, till all be fulfilled.  
According as the Lord spoke of his Prophet Jeremiah, and by him saying, Behold, this day have I set thee over Nations, and over Kingdoms, to pluck up, root out, destroy, and throw down, build and plane, J●r. 1.9, 10. And in another place, Therefore have I cut them down by my Prophets, and slain them by the words of my mouth. Hos. 6.5.  
And so Zerubbabel (concerning the power that opposed him) saying, Not by Army nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts. Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain, etc. Zech. 4.  
Now, what two men were there ever in the world, or what two States of Magistrates and Ministers, or other, have there ever been, that had power to do all these things, and by the word of whole mouth, all those judgements of God already past and fulfilled on those former Monarches, Kingdoms, Nations, Cities, people, that have been the great adversaries of God, enemies to his Word of Truth, and destroyers of his Saints, have been uttered and pronounced; but the mouth of his two Testaments only, which the holy Prophets and Apostles have been the witnessers and recorders of. In which respect the Lord did so greatly honour Moses and the Prophets, they being dead, and their writings only remaining to the people, saying, They have Moses and the Prophets, let them hear them, etc.  
And so to us now, we have Moses and the Prophets; yea more, we have John the Baptist, the Elias that was to come, and Christ the Messiah promised, and his holy Apostles, (insomuch as we have their Records and Writings of the great things of Gods two Testaments, which they had seen and heard from the lord) And if we therefore will not hear them, nor believe their record, than neither will we believe, if Enoch and Elias, or Noah and Abraham, or any other two or more of the holy Prophets and Apostles, should come from the dead, and preach anew unto us: for so much do the words of the Lord imply.  
Wherefore it concerneth us greatly to read and consider, and to desire of God to give us understanding. And blessed is he that readeth and believeth, and keepeth the say of Gods two Witnesses, which are his two Testaments: for so I will now take it for granted of all that love the Lord, and delight in his Testimonies.   
Vers. 7. And when they have finished their testimony, the beast which ascendeth from the depth, shall make battle against them, and kill them. 
THese words in the opinion of some (I know) will seem to contradict that which hath been said of the two Witnesses, because they will understand their testimony here spoken of, to be their prophesying in Sackcloth 1260 days, mentioned in verse 3. and so as if the words of this 7 verse did imply the kill of them by the Beast, to be at the end of those days, a little before his own death; that he shall then get up again out of his consumption, and make war against them, and kill them, and their carcases lie in the streets of his great City three natural years and a half unburied; that so the Beast and his false Prophets, and those Kings and Nations, and the people that worship the Beast, may yet rejoice and triumph over them before the Beast die, and his Church come to desolation.  
This they conceive and teach, and that the two Witnesses must therefore be some two men of these times, as Mr. Burton and the other that suffered with him, and were imprisoned (as they say) three years and a half just to a day; and then set at liberty by the Parliament, and so raised from death to life, and caused to stand upon their feet again: for so they have published in their books: yet not giving the honour wholly to them alone, but joining also together with them all those Ministers which had suffered and been suppressed by the Bishops, for not conforming unto their orders and rules, who are now restored to places and means. Some adding to these, the zealous Magistrates and States now in place of authority.  
But to answer these Teachers, not denying any of God's faithful Servants, Magistrates or Ministers, the least part of their due and right; only let me tell them that so teach, They are utterly deceived in their imaginations concerning the two Witnesses, and also much mistake the words of the text.  
For first, it saith not of the two Witnesses (which are the two Testaments only, as hath been sufficiently proved, and I now take it for granted) And when they have finished their prophesying in Sackcloth, as if they should cease so to do before the Be●st should kill them. Neither doth it say, when the 1260 days of the Beasts reign shall be accomplished; then the Beast should make war against them, and kill them. Nay, this were very contradictions and unreasonable: for how could the Beast kill them when his days were ended? Or if he could, what would it then avail him, the time of their prophesying also being expired? Nay, it had been much more for his advantage, to have killed them long before, seeing they were before, even in the Prophet Zechary his time, though they had not yet finished their testimony till about three hundred years before the beast risen.  
And 2ly, the two Witnesses of God (being the two Testaments) cannot be said to finish their prophesying in Sackcloth, till all Gods elect are called and sanctified by their word, and that the sufferings of Christ in them his members for his Word sake, are ended.  
Neither did the two Witnesses ever otherwise prophesy then in Sackcloth, that is, in mourning. All the holy Prophets, Apostles and S●ints, have in mourning and weeping born record of them, and in faith and patience testified the truth of their words to the world, and were hated and persecuted for their sake, not their own; but because they testified and walked in the light of them: And in this kind of habit they are to prophesy until the Lord come in his glory.  
For although the Lord would (as he said) so give unto his two Witnesses, that (notwithstanding all whatsoever the Beast could do against them) they should prophesy the 1260 days, even every one of the days of those forty two months of the Beasts reign, and the Gentiles treading the holy City under foot; yet did he not limit their prophesying in Sackcloth within the compass of those days: Neither is there a word in all the Scripture to such purpose; only their being killed by the Beast, and their corpse lying dead in the street of his Sodomitical City, etc. are limited within that time, as we shall see hereafter.  
Neither is it said in the Text, the Beast which descendeth into the deep, shall make war against them, and kill them; but the Beast which ascendeth from the deep, etc. implying plainly, that he should make war against them and kill them at his ascending or rising, or soon after, and not at his descending or downfall. And that the finishing their testimony here spoken of, was to be before the Beast should rise; which we are here duly to consider of, as a thing that we ought to know and understand. And therefore the Lord foreshowed, saying, And when they have finished their testimony, the Beast which ascendeth from the depth, shall make war against them, and kill them.  
That is to say, when the holy Prophets, Apostles and Evangelists had finished their course, & written down all whatsoever they had seen and heard from the Lord concerning his two Wills & Testaments, according as they were guided by the holy Ghost; and especially his second or last Will of grace and peace by Jesus Christ.  
His wonderful conception, birth, life, death, resurrection from the dead, foretold also by the Prophets.  
His ascension into heaven, and his sending the holy Ghost unto them, the Spirit of truth to lead them into all truth, and to enable them to prophesy through the sevenfold gifts thereof.  
Of john the Baptist, who was that Elias which God promised to send before the great and terrible day of the Lord should come, the day of judgement and wrath; and how he cried out unto the people of Israel, and so unto all the world in the spirit and power of Elias, requiring every man (with strong persuasions, great sorrowfulness of heart, much lamentation and many tears) to repent, that they might obtain the forgiveness of their sins through faith in the Messiah, the Mediator and Messenger of the Covenant, who was now also come to his Temple. Which voice of this Elias crieth out unto us all, even to this day, that we should repent, that we may receive also the forgiveness of our sins by faith in Christ, lest in that great day when he cometh in power and glory, we perish in his wrath, and he smite the earth with a curse.  
And how Christ himself (also) preached, saving, Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand, Repent and believe the Gospel, with many other heavenly Doctrines, and most true and gracious say.  
And of all his wondrous works, and the things (he had foreshowed them) should come to pass. Of the destruction of Jerusalem, and wrath upon that people. Of false Christ's and false Prophets that should arise. Of great tribulation that should befall the Church of Christ during the time of his personal absence. And of the signs of his coming, and end of the world.  
And after his death and resurrection how he opened their understandings; and (among many other heavenly things that he spoke of; and foreshowed them) said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations, beginning at Jerusalem.  
And then last of all, this book of the Revelation, wherein many great mysteries (that were sealed up, and no man in heaven nor on earth was found worthy to open, but the Lamb that was slain) are by him revealed.  
1. The estate of his Church in her primitive time.  
2. And what her great enemies should be, and what she was to suffer at their hands.  
The first being the great red Dragon Satan, reigning in the Pagan Emperors; by whose bloody persecutions she was forced to fly into the wilderness to escape from his fury, as in Rev. 12.3, 4, 5, 6, etc. described in Rev. 6.4. by a red horse, and one fitting on him, that should take peace from the earth.  
The second that of Arius and his followers, whose blasphemous doctrines and malicious persecution against those that opposed the same, continued five months of years, as in Rev. 9.2, 3, 4, 5. described by a black horse, Rev. 6.5.  
The third, this of the Beast and his false prophets, and whorish Church; of whose abominations and filthinesses of the cup of her fornications, Kings, Princes, and people of all Nations, have been made to drink, and became drunken, committing fornication with her, and so their souls became lost for ever.  
And herself also becoming daily drunken with the blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus Christ, whose bodies she killed, because they would not drink of her cup, nor commit fornication with her. All which being to continue forty and two months of years, as Rev. 11.2. & Rev. 13.5. described also in Revel. 6. by a pale horse, etc. ver. 8.  
Then what plagues should be poured out upon them all for their murders and wickedness. And what and when should be their end, and how great their condemnation.  
And which exceeds all (for the comfort of the Church of Christ, which was to suffer all these things at her enemy's hands) how she should be delivered from her so great and violent oppressions.  
And what and how great things her Lord hath prepared for her, and promised and foreshowed her, especially in this book of the Revelations, to be inherited of her for eternity in the world to come, when he shall appear in his glory.  
So, the holy Prophets, and Apostles, and Evangelists, having from the Lord perfected his two Testaments (which are his two Witnesses) they having thus finished their testimony, which was never to done before, nor (from thence forth) could ever be so done after; and, which might therefore rightly be called, Finishing their Testimony: and also, because no man, nor Angel from heaven, might or may preach any thing as the testimony of Gods two Witnesses, or his Oracles, but what is written and contained in them, it being the whole counsel of God.  
So I say, they having thus finished their testimony, and they being prophesying in the plain demonstration of the Spirit and of power, turning the hearts of Gods elect to repentance, that they might be justified from their sins by faith through his grace in Christ, which by the Spirit, and word of reconciliation, was ministered to their broken and contrite hearts: And also by the same Spirit and power convincing the wicked perishing world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgement.  
Of judgement, because the prince of this world, whom they serve and obey (he ruling in their hearts) is judged already.  
So those dwellers on earth, being tormented with their just and righteous say, which the Saints and servants of God, the true successors of the holy Apostles and Church of their time maintained against their ungodly, superstitious, filthy, flesh-pleasing ways. And the beast, he being now risen up and seated in the Dragon's Throne; and there being nothing more tormenting or grievous unto him and his false prophets, and those dwellers on earth, than the true and righteous doctrines and prophecies of these two Prophets, Gods anointed one's, the light whereof being so contrary to their ways and works.  
Therefore as holding it their wisest & surest way, that they should torment them no longer, they make battle against them, and kill them.  
And this they effected and brought to pass, partly by belying their testimony, giving most false and blasphemous expositions of their say, making the world believe that so they meant; and partly by suppressing those which stood to maintain their true intent and meaning; and partly by keeping close their written words, forbidding them to be published or read in any of the tongues or languages of the Nations, which were under the authority and power of the beast, that the people should not come to the knowledge and understanding of them, lest they should see and discover their false and deceitful delusions.  
So the beast and his false prophets, by putting out the light and true intent of Gods two Witnesses (which was and is their life) they killed them.   
Vers. 8. And their carcases shall remain in the streets of the great City, which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt; where also their Lord was crucified. 
Only their dead letter, or bare text of their testimony, they would retain and keep, as we see they have done in their Cells, Temples, and streets of the Nations and Kingdoms where the beast is worshipped, who with Rome their chief, do make up that great City; which because of their spiritual whoredoms and hardness of heart, are described by the names of Sodom and Egypt, they answering in a spiritual manner unto them both.  
And they are charged also with the crucifying of the Lord himself, (even as the Lord had charged the Scribes and Pharisees of his time with the blood of Abel) because, like as they imitated Cain in hardness of heart and wickedness, in their killing the Prophets, as he did his brother: So these, imitating those of Jerusalem, that crucified the Lord of life, in their murdering his faithful Servants, his Saints & Martyrs, are justly charged with crucifying the Lord; they making up one generation with all the Heathen and wicked murderers, and shedders of righteous blood in the world. For which cause he saith, And in her was found the blood of Prophets, and of Saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth, Rev. 18.24.   
Ver. 9 And there shall of the Tribes, and People, and Gentiles, see their dead bodies, three days and a half, and shall not suffer their Corpse to be laid in Monuments. 
ANd so, those Nations and Kingdoms, People and Gentiles, under the name of Catholic Christians, having the dead bodies or letter of Gods two Witnesses lying in their streets, could, and can yet handle and look upon them, while those three days and a half, the time, times, and half a time of the beasts reign lasteth: That is to say, (not as the beast, and they of the Church of Rome expound it) three natural years and a half, which they will have to be the time of the reign of a great Antichrist of their imagining, (which they pretend is yet to come) but 3 prophetical years & a half: that is, so many years of years, which (according to the account of the Hebrews, are, 1260 years. A long time for Gods two Testaments to lie dead among them, and not suffered to be so read, or heard, as they maybe understood and laid up in the hearts of the people, where they ought to have been laid and kept, as in their true and natural graves or tombs, where they should have been buried, not to be forgotten, but to be kept in memorial to the praise of God, and salvation of his people.   
Ver. 10. And the inhabitants of the earth shall be glad over them, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two Prophets tormented them that dwell upon the earth. 
NOw the beast & his false prophets, and all those worshippers of the beast here named, (because of their great number) The Inhabitants of the earth: they having attained their wills, and prevailed over Gods two Witnesses, and cast his truth to the ground, (as the Prophet Daniel also foretold) are glad at their hearts; and, in triumph over them, and for joy that they may now go on quietly, in setting up and adoring their own inventions. They (as one well observeth) make themselves merry with bonfires, vigils, festivals, processions, and in token of their joy (as the text saith) send gifts one to another.  
Kings, Princes and people present and endow the beast and his Church, with donations, immunities, possessions, gold and silver offerings, etc. And the beast on the other side requites their love and devotion with Titles, Bells, Prayers, Pardons, Bulls, and such like.  
And the reason of this their wicked and ungodly rejoicing, is, because they had put out the eyes or light of God's two Testaments, which are here named two Prophets, and (before) his two Witnesses, and two Olive Trees, and two Candlesticks, vers. 3, 4.) that their abominations & filthinesses of their fornications, might not be discovered and reproved by them, as formerly had been, which was so tormenting unto them, and is, and will be still, to all such lovers and believers of lies, (whose hope and conversation, and dwelling, is here on earth) as nothing can be more.  
For so much do the words imply in saying, Because these two Prophets tormented them that dwell upon the earth.   
Ver. 11. And after three days and a half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet, and great fear fell upon all that saw them. 
ANd after three days and a half (that is to say) after the time and times, and half a time of the Beasts reign, spoken of in Dan. 7.25, & 12.7. and mentioned in Rev. 12.14. to be the time of the woman being nourished in the wilderness.  
And so, taking a day in this place, as a time is to be taken in Dan. 7.25. & Rev. 12.14. Then these three days and a half, in a prophetical understanding, are (as the three times and a half are) three years and a half of years.  
And therefore, not as they of Rome would have them, three natural years and a half, which they make to be the time of their expected two witnesses Enoch and Elias, and their being killed, and lying dead, etc. and of their Church's desolation, and being in the wilderness, which they pretend they expect shall come to pass upon the rising of their Antichrist, (a Jew of the Tribe of Dan) and by him who is to be borne they know not where nor when, and yet must reign those three years and a half, and do all these things.  
Neither can any of those among ourselves, which are so near of opinion unto them of Rome, (concerning the three days and a half, of the two Witnesses being slain) show any one sound reason why a prophetical year may not be intended in this place by the name of a day, as well as by the name of a time in Dan. 7.25. and 12.7. and Rev. 12.14. which I suppose they acknowledge.  
And seeing also that a day is a time as well and truly as an hour is a time, or a month, or a year. Under all which terms the time of the reign of the great Antichrist is expressed, 1 joh. 2.18. Rev. 3.10. & 9.13, 14, etc.  
Where John (having seen their great and terrible Army of horsemen, and heard also the number of them to be twenty thousand times ten thousand) describeth them also to have breastplates of fire, and of Jacinth, and of brimstone, and their horses to have heads, as the heads of Lions: and that out of their mouths issued fire and smoke, and brimstone, and having tails like Serpents, with heads on them. And that all these (whose power is in their mouths, and in their tails) were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, to slay the third part of men, verse 15, 16, 17, 18.  
This is that last hour spoken of in 1 John 2.18. The hour of temptation, which was to come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth, Rev. 3.10.  
So than if an hour may contain so long a time, why not a day? if a day, then why not three days and a half as well as three times and a half, seeing three days and a half are three times and a half?  
Neither is it possible that all those things which are to be done within the time of the two Witnesses lying dead and unburied in the streets of that great City, should be fulfilled and done in so short a time as three natural years and a half.  
That the Beast and his false prophets (that great Army of enchanting horsemen) with all those Kings, Princes, and Tribes, and people, and Gentiles, and inhabitants of the earth, which worship the Beast and his Image, should so universally, & so publicly in all places make those merriments with bonfires, festivals, wakes, etc. rejoicing over their own inventions, (and for that they had put out the light of the truth of Gods two Witnesses which so troubled them in their ways) and send such great gifts also one to another for joy thereof, chopping and changing, & making Merchandise of all things, even of the very souls of men, as it is declared, Rev. 18.12, 13. and as experience hath sufficiently proved they have done, no short time slaying and destroying with their enchantments and sorceries (the fire, and smoke, and brimstone, which issued out of the mouths of those monstrous horsemen and their horses, and the mouths of their tails) the souls of many thousand men, of all degrees, high and low, and of all nations, even a full third part of the world; and yet the rest that were not slain by these plagues, repent not of their works, that they should not worship Devils, and Idols of gold and silver, and brass, and stone, and wood, which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk, nor repent of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornications, nor of their thesis.  
I say it is not possible that all these things (which are to be done while the two Witnesses lie slain in the streets) should be accomplished in three common years and a half, but must have the full time of the Beasts reign for the same; the time of those Gentiles treading the holy City under foot, and of the woman being fed in the wilderness even 1260. years.  
After which (as the text saith) the Spirit of life from God shall enter into his two Prophets, and they shall stand upon their feet, etc.  
God will then, in, and about that time especially, raise up faithful Scribes indeed, and Shepherds of understanding hearts, whom he will teach and instruct in the ways of his truth; and give them so to understand the words and testimonies of his two Witnesses, as that they shall through the power of his grace, declare the true intent and meaning of them, and set forth and divide the same unto the people: (Like unto the good householder, or as the Scribe taught in the Kingdom of God, that is always provided of things both new and old, and is ready to minister upon all occasions, in, and at all due times and seasons, according to the words of Christ, and as Paul once charged Timothy) that they also may understand it, and walk in the light thereof to the praise of God, and their own salvation.  
And so, the true spiritual and heavenly meaning of Gods two Testaments, their light and life, (which their enemies had taken away, and kept out of fight and knowledge so long, being now restored) they his two Prophets walk upon their feet again, as well to the terror and astonishment of all false and lying interpreters, as to the reverend fear, admiration and comfort of all the children and justifiers of wisdom; for so much do the words imply, And great fear fell upon all that saw them.  
And if any man shall marvel how the two Witnesses may be said to prophesy all the time of the reign of the Beast, and their bodies lie dead in the streets of his Sodomitical City all the while, let him consider, that although they lie dead in his streets, yet they speak and prophesy notwithstanding, like as did the blood of Abel, and the bones of Elisha. And whatsoever they have spoken or prophesied in the written words of their Testimony, either against the Beast and his Church, and all other false accusers and beliers of them: or as concerning their own restauration, and the good of the Church and children of God, shall surely come to pass and be fulfilled, let the Beast and all the rest of them do what they can.  
Neither do nor did their bodies lie dead and unburied among the Saints, and children of the woman that fled into the wilderness, they have been living and prophesying with them all this while, and their enemies have heard their voice from thence many and sundry times sounding in their ears, though they hardened their hearts against it, and sought still by their cunning inquisitions to lay hold of, shut up in their dungeons, and slay all those that testified the same.   
Ver. 12. And I heard a loud voice from Heaven, saying, Come up hither, and they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. 
NOw the true meaning of the Scriptures contained in the two Testaments of God, which had been so long obscured by false and lying expositors, shall be so famously published and made known, and by such plain demonstration of the Spirit and power of God, as that no power of wickedness whatsoever shall any longer be able to stop or hinder the glorious course and prosperous proceeding thereof: but that (as one well observeth from the words, And I heard a loud voice from heaven, saying, Come up hither) it should be more possible for them to stay Elias Chariot from ascending, or to pull the wind back from pursuing his point, then to resist the power and wisdom of the same, which shall vindicate the abuse of the Scriptures, and by the same Spirit and power of God in the ministry of his faithful servants (as in the strength of cloud) shall hold them up, and restore them to their spiritual and heavenly meaning again: And so as the beast with his false Prophets, Sorcerers and liars, (which have been their long and ancient enemies) shall see the glory of their restauration, and wonder thereat and die: for so much do the words imply in saying, And they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.   
Ver. 13. And in that hour there was made a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the City fell, and there were slain in the earthquake names of men seven thousand, and the rest were east into a fear, and gave glory to the God of heaven. 
ANd in the same hour (saith the Spirit of God) there was made a great earthquake: As much as to say, In the same very time when it should please God to begin his work of raising up and restoring his two Witnesses to life and strength again (as before is declared) there should be made a great disturbance in the Christian world (where the Beast should reign) concerning matters of religion: And that a tenth part of the City, that is, of the same Christian world or State where the Beast is worshipped, should fall from the Beast.  
And that in this great earthquake and disturbance, and fall of the tenth part of the City, there should be slain many thousand men, signified here by names of men seven thousand, for standing up to maintain the true doctrine of Gods two Testaments against the Beast, and his abominations and lies; and because they would not worship him nor his image any longer.  
And that the rest (meaning those that were in their consciences reproved, and in their minds enlightened by the evident light of the truth so witnessed) were cast into a fear, etc. that is, into a reverend fear and admiration, and gave glory to the God of heaven, praised his name, and used all means both by word and deed to establish and support the same doctrine of truth, that it might be yet more publicly known to the world. The words implying, that among these rest so enlightened, which gave glory to the God of heaven, some were Princes and Rulers of the people and Nations, who had civil power also to promote this great work, and made use thereof accordingly.  
And the hour or time in the which this great earthquake should be made, and work of reformation begin, was (as it must needs be understood and acknowledged) that very time when those great troubles, broils and bloodsheddings were in Bohemia, Germany, France, Flanders, & others parts, as also in England, for and concerning the institution of religion, whereof histories do so clearly report.  
Whereupon (as we have seen, and do see by experience) sundry Kingdoms and States of Christendom (a tenth part at least) that were under the power and subjection of the Beast, have fallen from him, and forsaken his abominations, and have set their helping hands to the building of the walls of Jerusalem, and to restore the morning and evening Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to God in some part and measure answerable to that which was once in the former time, and in the days of old. And so it is true, a tenth part of the City fell and is fallen.  
For we are to understand, that although the resurrection of the two Witnesses, or restitution of the true meaning of the Scriptures, is not yet perfected, nor so known and understood (in every part) and published, as God will have it to be in this last age of the world; nor the woman, his true Church, come fully forth of the the Wilderness, nor shall till after the three days and a half of the beasts reign, mentioned in verse 11. yet the beginning of both was to be before, and their light and brightness have increased ever since to this day, and shall yet still more and more daily, even as Antichrist and his Church with her abominations, consucmeth daily.  
For like as the beast and his Church, with that mystery of iniquity, came not to perfection at once, but by degrees, according as they could, and did by degrees put out the light of the Scriptures, and extinguish the beauty and face of the true Church of Christ (the life of the one depending (as it were) upon the death of the other.) So on the contrary part, it is and shall be now, the Lord Jesus Christ (with the Spirit of his mouth) is to consume the beast by degrees, his two Witnesses are to stand upon their feet, and his Church is to appear out of the wilderness in part and measure sometime before the end of the beast, that they may by the truth of their testimony, discover him and his abominations openly to the world, that so those ten horns, or Kings, and Kingdoms which formerly gave themselves and their power unto the beast, might by degrees also, some after other, fall from him, and come to hate the whore with her filthinesses, & to devour her flesh by the Sword, and burn her with fire, according to the word of the Lord, Rev. 17.6. And that also (for Gods elect sake) those days (in respect of the evils and great tribulation of them) might now even while the beast yet remaineth in his throne, be shortened, according as Christ foretold, Matth. 24.  
Therefore let not now any of Gods chosen be dismayed at any thing they shall hear of or see, though in their present apprehensions never so contrary, but let them know there can nothing prevent God of his purpose, nor hinder or put by the fulfilling of any part of his word; what he hath spoken shall stand, let the beast, and all the powers of wickedness in the world with him, do what they can, the truth shall certainly prosper, and the beast with all his power the Dragon bestowed upon him, of what kind soever, shall prevail no longer.  
For who art thou, O great mountain Babel, the perfection and full accomplishment of all the former Babel's and mountains of confusion that have been in the world? And what art thou before him that fitteth on the white horse, whose name is called, The Word of God? He with the sharp sword that proceedeth out of his mouth, shall not only go on to consume thee even to the last hour of thy days determined, but shall also take thee and thy false prophets, those two hundred thousand thousand Clergymen, that wrought miracles before thee, and cast ye both alive into the lake of fire, burning with brimstone, according as it is written, Rev. 19  
And then shall his two Witnesses prophesy in their full strength more publicly and freely then yet they do, and his Church come fully forth of the wilderness, that her modest countenance, her holy and heavenly conversation, may be more clearly seen then yet is or hath been for these many hundred years past.   
Ver. 14. The second woe is gone, and behold the third woe will come quickly. 
IN Chap. 8. mention is made of three woes that were to come upon the world, and be within the time of the sounding of the three last of the 7 Trumpets which the 7 Angels were to sound, v. 13. where John saith, And I beheld and heard an Angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, by reason of the other voices of the Trumpets of the three Angels which are yet to sound.  
The first of these three woes being that of Arianisme before mentioned, which is described in Chap. 9 from ver. 1. to ver. 11. and is said to continue five months, ver. 5. meaning in the prophetical understanding, months of years, which according to the Hebrews account, who had thirty days to every month, and twelve months to every year) do contain the just number of an hundred and fifty years, which was the time of the Arian persecution, and prevailing of that heresy, as Histories do plainly report.  
This, and no other thing, can rightly be taken for the first Woe; neither may the persons or workers thereof, be thought to be Saracens, Arabians, Mahometans, as some name them and would have them, nor any other heathen powers or people without the outer Court or Pale of the Church: but Christians by profession, and such as had great place and power in the outward state of the Church, whereby to work their mischievous Woe in stinging and poisoning the inhabitants of the earth with their hellish smoky blasphemous doctrine, and to persecute the Saints of God that opposed the same.  
The holy Ghost having from the first verse of this ninth chapter, to the eleventh verse, made a full description of this first Woe, it being the least of the three, and no more again to be mentioned, saith here, ver. 12. One woe is past. And because each of the other two would be fare greater, he saith, And behold (as requiring all men to hearken and take special notice of it) two woes more come hereafter. And then presently following, saith, ver. 13. And the sixth Angel sounded, etc. From which to the end of the Chapter, in a very brief and general manner, is foreshowed not only the frightful ugliness, and monstrous deformed shapes of the creatures that should work this second Woe, and cause that abominable mystery of iniquity to overspread the earth, and how great the number of their Army of Horsemen should be; but also with what Devilish weapons of hellish fire, smoke, and brimstone, issuing forth of their mouths and tails, they should effect it, to the slaying of the the third part of men.  
Which strangely deformed great Army, are not nor may be thought to be that of the Turks, which have invaded, and do now possess a part of Europe, as some conceive and publish. Nay, but they are Christians also by profession, as were the authors of the first woe, even the whole race and generation of the great Antichrist of Rome, and legions of his false prophets. These are the true authors and workers of this second Woe; who now began to show themselves in their fashion when the sixth Angel began to sound, v. 13, 14.  
And so in respect of that first Woe of Arianism, which began with the sounding of the fifth Angel's Trumpet, and continued five months: This of Antichrist, which was to begin with the sounding of the sixth Angel's Trumpet, and to continue forty and two months, is in Chap. 11.4. called, The second Woe. Which woe although it was to be, and is more particularly, and much more exactly and largely discovered in Chapters 13. and 14. and Chap. 17. and 18. and 19 yet because it is here in Chap. 11. in a general manner fully revealed, the Lord (to whom all things past and to come are present) saith vers. 14. The second woe is gone.  
And because the third woe is to come very soon after, and it being the greatest of all, he saith again, And behold, calling unto (as it were) and requiring all men to hearken and consider of it, saying, And behold, the third woe will come; meaning the great day of the Lords coming in his glory to judge the world, which will be a day of terror unto all those inhabitants of the earth that repent not of their sins, and sorceries, and murders, etc. that believed not in him, and of the greatest woe to them that ever came.  
For all the woes as they are woes, do belong to the ungodly, and are so called in respect of them, not of the just; neither will the day of the Lords coming in glory, be a day of terror or woe to them; but rather on the clean contrary, the day of their greatest joy, the day which they looked for.  
And that they his chosen and faithful, should know and understand upon certainty, that this great day of the Lord shall not tarry long, but come soon after the desolation of Antichrist, he addeth this word quickly, And behold the third woe will come quickly.  
Which very thing the Lord also confirmed before in another place, by the like word, immediately, Matth. 24. where he having spoken of the tyrannous reign of the selfsame Antichrist, and his false prophets, verse 23, 24. saith, Immediately after the tribulation of those days, shall the Sun be darkened, and the Moon shall not give her light, and the Stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be shaken, and then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, and then shall all the Tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory, and he shall send his Angels with a great found of a Trumpet, &c verse 29.13.31.  
And as concerning the length of the time that is to be between the end of Antichrist and the day of the Lords coming in glory, intended by the word quickly, and the word immediately. The Prophet Daniel (speaking likewise of the reign of the same Antichrist, and number of his days, as also of the end of the world, which is to be at the day of the Lords coming) declareth it plainly to contain forty and five years, according to the Chaldees account, Dan. 12. his words being these; And from the time that the daily Sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate, set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days; (adding to the thousand two hundred and ninety days, five and thirty days more, which make a thousand three hundred thirty five) and then saith (as being the words of the Angel of God to Daniel) But go thou thy way till the end be, for thou shalt rest and stand up in the lot at the end of the days, verse. 11, 12, 13. The Prophet (from the Angel) intending by days, years, and counting the years after the use of the Chaldeans, and not of the Hebrews, between whom (in three years and a half, there was as it seemeth, thirty day's difference.  
And so, if Daniel was to go his way and rest till the and be, and that he shall stand up in the lot at the end of the days, then must the end of necessity be at the end of the days. But Daniel was to go his way till the end should be, and was to rest, and stand in the lot at the end of the days; therefore the end of the days must needs be the end, even the end of the world.  
And now therefore, if the time between the end of those days of Antichrists reign, and the end of the world, will indeed for certain be so short as those Scriptures declare, then where will there be time or place for that glorious thousand year's Monarch of Saints, which so many learned Ministers and zealous people at this day look for, and hold as an Article of their faith, to be here in this present world, before the end thereof? Surely, neither the Prophets, nor Christ, nor any of his Apostles, do admit of such a thing.  
Those people and Ministers whatsoever they are for zeal and learning, they are herein utterly deceived, misunderstanding the Scriptures, which speak indeed of a glorious Kingdom, and many great and excellent things the Saints shall receive and possess, not for the limited time of a thousand years in this corrupt world, but for ever and ever, a thousand and ten thousand times ten thousand years, even for eternity in the uncorrupt world to come, which world and kingdom shall have no end, as the Scriptures declare, Esay 9.7. Esay 45.14, 15, 16 Dan. 7.14.25. Luk. 1.32, 33. and sundry other places. Those Ministers and people therefore which look for such a millenary Monarchical kingdom in this world, may do well to renounce that Atticle of their faith, as they call it, & in meekness and humbleness of heart seek and desire of God, to give them his holy Spirit of truth, whereby to understand with comfort his word of truth.  
The things that are to be between the end of Antichrists reign, and the end of the world, are by Christ himself foreshowed in these words, Matth. 24. Immediately after the tribulation of those days, shall the Sun be darkened, and the Moon shall not give her light, and the Stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken, etc.  
Where the Lord intendeth by the Sun, the word of his truth, the Gospel of salvation, which had been darkened by Antichrist, and should now toward the end of his days, break forth and shine again, to discover his abominations, and for the saving of Gods elect, (which the Lord also intended before, ver. 22. in these words, But for the elect sake those days shall be shortened.) And implying also that it should shine yet more brightly after the end of Antichrist, and that the greatest part of the time of 45 years, intended by the word quickly, and the word immediately, shall be for the prosperous proceeding of the Gospel, and full accomplishing of all Gods elect.  
And as the Sun thus shineth, so shall the Moon, that is to say, the earth, and the inhabitants thereof, whose light doth depend upon the light of the Gospel, as the light of the Moon doth on the light of the Sun, she shall now give her light, according also as a holy one in another place saith, The Sun shall suddenly shine again in the night, and the Moon three times in the day, etc.  
And the Stars of God shall appear in heaven, God will raise up in his Church true and faithful Shepherds, that shall as stars in heaven hold forth the light and truth of his two Testaments to the word, and so the powers of the heavens spiritual, will be in their heavenly way and order again.  
All these things are plainly implied in the words of Christ, else how can the Sun be said to be darkened, and the Moon to lose her light, and the Stars to fall from heaven, etc. immediately after the tribulation of those days of Antichrist, if they did not, and should not shine forth and give their light some time before the end of those days, and also after, more especially, therefore all these things must be. And the true Church of Christ which had been trodden under foot, and caused to hid her face, as it were, in the wilderness so long, shall come forth and be seen near like as she was once in her primitive state, clothed with the Sun, even Jesus Christ and his righteousness; and having the Moon, that is, all earthly and corruptible things under her feet, as disregarded, her conversation and affections being fare above them all, in heaven where her Lord is, and from whence she looketh for him to come, and bring all those his rewards with him that he hath promised: And having also on her head a Crown of twelve stars, the true and sound doctrine of the Lambs twelve Apostles, and of the holy Prophets, walking in the light and truth thereof, according as they walked with true love toward God, and also toward men. And so be, as once she was (in these spiritual & heavenly respects) truly visible, like a City set upon a hill, that cannot be hid; and as a Candle in a Candlestick which giveth light to all in the house, her faith shining again throughout the world.  
And when she shall be in this estate (like as at the first) when she was travelling with child to bring forth her first fruits unto God and to the Lamb, the Dragon stood before her to devour her child, and persecute the woman into the wilderness, as Rev. 12.  
So now, when she shall be travelling with child again, ready to bring forth her last fruits unto God and to Christ, than the Dragon, that old Serpent, being loosed out of his prison (where he had been bound so many hundred years) shall go out to deceive the Nations that are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, and gather them together, and compass the camp of the Saints about, and this the beloved City, till fire descend from God out of heaven and devour them, as it is written, Ezek. 38. and 39 Rev. 16.21. Rev. 20.9.  
For as the time of the Church's fairest beauty was but short before the Dragon so cruelly used her: so shall this time of her renewed beauty be as short before he shall be loosed to work this his last misehiefe against her.  
Then shall the Sun be darkened more than ever it had been, it shall be as black as Sackcloth of hair, and the Moon shall not only be darkened, but also be turned into blood, as it is said, Rev. 6.12. according to joel 2.31. For great bloodshed shall be upon the earth at this time as the Prophet Esay also saith.  
And the Stars, that is, such as are in outward place and name, as stars and lights in the Church, shall like untimely figs, fall from Christian religion to Mahometism, or other such like heathenish Apostasy, and then shall the powers of the Heavens be shaken.  
These are the signs that shall go before the great and terrible day of the Lord, as those Scriptures before mentioned declare.  
And then those Armies of Gog and Magog being destroyed by fire from heaven, and the Devil that deceived them being cast into the lake of fire, the seventh Angel shall sound the great and last trumpet, as followeth.   
Vers. 15. And the seventh Angel sounded with a Trumpet, and there were made loud voices in heaven, saying, The Kingdoms of this world are made our Lords, and his Christ's, and he shall reign for ever and ever. Amen. 
MAny great things are to be done at the sounding of this Trumpet: For this is it of which St. Paul saith, We which are alive, and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them that are asleep, for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, & with the Trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we be even with the Lord, 1 Thess. 4.15, 16, 17.  
And again, Behold, I show you a mystery, we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed, etc. 1 Cor. 15.51, 52, 53.  
And Christ saith, Mat. 24. Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then shall all the Tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, and he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, etc. verse. 30, 31.  
And again, Rev. 10. And the Angel which I saw stand upon the Sea, and upon the earth, lifted up his hand to heaven, and swore by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea and the things that are therein, that there should be time no longer. But in the days of the voice of the seventh Angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the Prophets, verse 5, 6, 7.  
When this great and last trumpet shall sound, mentioned in all those places before cited, and whereof the Prophet Esay long before this, spoke, Esai. 27.13.  
Then shall all those great things be done, spoken of in the same places. The Lord shall come in his glory, and then he shall sit in the throne of his glory: the dead both good and bad shall be brought before him, and be judged: Then shall all the Tribes and kindreds of the earth, even the whole multitude of the ungodly, that ever had been on the earth, and they also which pierced him, see him, and mourn and wail because of him, and he shall send his Angels with the sound of the same great Trumpet, and they shall gather his elect together from the four winds, etc.  
Then there shall be time for repentance no longer: but the great mystery of God shall be finished, even that great mystery of the redemption of all Gods chosen one's, the whole house of Israel spiritual, as he had declared to his servants the Prophets, and whereof, they all (that have been since the world began) have spoken, according as it is testified of them, Luke 1.69, 70, 71, etc. Acts 3.21. and as their own written prophecies do show more abundantly.  
And this is that redemption wherewith the Lord himself doth comfort his chosen, he having foreshowed all the sig●●● that should go before the same, saying, And when ye see these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth near. Then know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand, Luke 22.28, 31.  
Now the kingdoms of this world so long time usurped by Monarches and Antichrists, shall be made the Kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever.  
The kingdoms of this world, in respect of the creation and works of God, for so by right they did always belong to the Lord, and to his anointed the Prince of the Covenant, though they have been usurped and polluted by Satan and his powers of wickedness, which now shall be removed, and the earth and heavens cleansed; all things shall be new, as it is written, Esay 65.27. & 60.22. 2 Pet. 3.13. Rev. 21.1.5.  
This corrupt world shall be purged, and made incorruptible, as these our corrupt bodies shall, and instead of corruption and evil, righteousness and holiness shall dwell therein. And so in this consideration (as the state shall be in the restitution of all things, differing from that it is now) it shall be another world, not this, and therefore the Scripture calleth it, the world to come, Heb. 2.5, etc.  
This present world is not that world which was before the Flood, as Peter saith, The world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished, 2 Pet. 3.6. and yet we all know, and so did Peter, that (in respect of the works of God's creation of the heavens and the earth) it is the same, though in some other kind of respect, it is not the same, but another.  
So the world to come, though it shall be another world fare differing from this world in state and condition, yet in those respects of creation, it will be the same.  
And therefore it may rightly be said, in the day (when the Lord shall come to reign) The Kingdoms of this world are made our Lords, and his Christ's, and he shall reign for ever and ever. And because others, to whom they belong not, do now possess them: And they with the whole earth, unto the utmost ends thereof, by right of inheritance, are the Lords, as it is written, I will declare the decree the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee, Ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces like a Potter's vessel, Psal. 2.7, 8, 9 And again, In his days shall the righteous flourish, and abundance of peace so long as the Moon endureth; he shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth, they that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him, and the enemy shall lick the dust, etc. Psal. 72.  
And the Prophet Daniel declareth, saying, I saw in the night vision, and behold one like unto the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not passaway, and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, Dan. 7.13.14.  
Again, he having spoken of the four Monarches that in this world should usurp the kingdom, saith, But the Saints of the most High shall take the Kingdom and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever, verse. 18.  
And again, And the Kingdom, and dominion, and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of Saints of the most High, whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him, vers. 27.28.  
This Kingdom of Christ and his Saints is to be after the four Monarches are ended, as the Prophet doth plainly declare: and that it being once set up, shall continue much more time than they all, it shall not pass away, nor be destroyed, but remain for ever, even for ever and ever: It is to have no end, as the Angel Gabriel from heaven testified to Mary, saying, Fear not Mary, for thou hast found favour with God, and behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call his name Jesus, he shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his Father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end, Luke 1.30, 31, 32, 33.  
And according to all this spoke the Lord before by the Prophet Nathan to David, saying, And it shall come to pass when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy Fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons, I will establish his kingdom, he shall build me an House, & I will establish his throne for ever. I will be his Father, and he shall be my Son, and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee: but I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever, and his throne shall be established for evermore, 1 Chron. 17.11, 12, 13, 14.  
And in another place the Lord God confirmeth it again, saying, Also I will make him my first born, higher than the Kings of the earth, my mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him, his seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven, etc. Psal. 89.27, 28, 29.  
And again, My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone forth of my lips. Once have I sworn by my holiness, that I will not lie unto David, his seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the Sun before me, it shall he established for ever as the Moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven, vers. 34, 35, 36, 37.  
And as one Apostle testifieth from another Psalm, saying, But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever, a Sceptre of righteousness is the Sceptre of thy kingdom, thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity, therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows, Heb. 1.8, 9 Psal. 45.6.  
Many more great and excellent things are spoken of this glorious kingdom of Christ, and his Saints, which (as plainly appeareth by all these Scriptures) is to have no end, but is to endure for ever, even for ever and ever world without end. And shall be manifested when the 7th Angel soundeth the great and last trumpet, even when Christ shall come in his glory, and all his holy Angels with him, and then shall he sit in the throne of his glory, as himself saith, Matth. 25.  
And so it is plain, that it cannot be understood of this world, but must needs be of the world to come, when all rule, all authothority and power, all enemies, are subdued under Christ's feet, which in this world are not, nor can be until the end thereof, as the Apostle yet further confirmeth, saying, For unto the Angels ha●h he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak, Heb. 2.5.  
By which words he first showeth plainly, that all their doctrine of the Gospel tended to an estate of inheritance in a world to come, not this present world, and that it was not to be in subjection to the Angels.  
But as he saith, One in a certain place testifieth, saying, What is man that thou art mindful of him, or the Son of Man that thou visitest him: thou madest him little lower than the Angels, thou crownedst him with glory and honour, thou didst set him over the works of thy hands, thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet, etc. ver. 6, 7. according to Psal. 8.4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9  
And then argueth, saying, For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him.  
But now we see not all things put under him (saith he) But we see Jesus (who was made a little lower th●n the Angels for the suffering of death) crowned with glory and honour, that he by the grace of God might taste death for every man: for it became him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings, ver. 8, 9, 10.  
Now is Jesus Christ crowned with glory and honour in the throne of God the Father at his right hand in the heavens, where he is to fit and reign with him until he hath put all enemies under his feet, as in Psal. 110.1,  
Not only all the Monarches and powers of wickedness, but also all enemies besides, and death which now hath dominion over the bodies of the Saints, it being the last enemy, as in another place he proveth, saying, For as in Adam all died, even so in Christ shall all be made alive; but every man in his own order, Christ the first fruits, than afterwards they that are Christ's at his coming.  
Then cometh the end (saith he) when he shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God, even the Father, when he shall have put down all rule and authority and power. And then reasoneth from the words of the Psalm 110.1. For he must reign until he hath put all enemies under his feet: The last enemy that shall be destroyed, is death, etc. 1 Cor. 15.22, 23, 24, 25, 26, etc.  
Where the Apostle proveth plainly, that the Kingdom which Christ at his coming is to deliver up to his Father, when all his enemies are subdued under his feet, is the Kingdom where he is now sitting in the throne of God the Father at his right hand, of which David said, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sat thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool: and therefore he calleth it, The Kingdom, that is to say, The supreme Kingdom and throne of God; not his own, which he is to receive and take possession of with his Saints, in the world to come, when all things are put under his feet. Nay, herein he is to be settled for ever, as God promised his Father David, I will settle him in my House, and in my Kingdom for ever, and his throne shall be established for evermore.  
This is that of which himself speaketh and promiseth, to his Saints, saying; And I appoint unto you a Kingdom, as the Father appointed unto me, that ye may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel, Luke 22.29, 30.  
And where he saith again, To him that overcommeth will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set with my Father in his throne, Rev. 3.21.  
And again, He that overcommeth, and keepeth my words unto the end, to him will I give power over the Nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of Iron, and as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers, even as I received of my Father, Rev. 2.26, 27. According to Psal. 2.8, 9 Where the Lord God also saith of him, notwithstanding all those his enemies his opposites, Yet have I set my King upon my holy Hill of Zion, verse. 6.  
By which testimonies a plain distinction is made between God the Father's throne and kingdom, and the Son's kingdom and throne. In the throne of God no man or Angel ever sat, nor shall sit, but Christ the Son of David (david's and our Lord) he only obtained it till all enemies were subdued. But in the throne of the Son, the Saints may and shall sit with him, as the Son hath promised.  
Now is the Son to be substitute under God the Father, as his King, his special anointed King and first borne, to sit upon his holy hill of Zion, in the throne of his Father David, to reign over the house of jacob, whereof David is one. He and they his redeemed, ruling the Nations with a rod of Iron. Which throne and kingdom God will so establish, as that it shall remain for ever as the Sun, and as the Moon before him, even for ever and ever world and kingdom without end, as he promised.  
And so (God having thus put all things under his Son Christ (himself only excepted) and the Son having resigned & delivered up the supreme kingdom and throne wholly to God the Father) now is the Son also himself to be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all, as the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 15.27, 28.  
And herein shall the Son lose no honour: for as he is God he is the same for ever, as before, when he was upon the earth; having taken our nature upon him; he prayed and gave thanks, and was obedient: for although he were the Son, yet learned he obedience, as it is written.  
So now he with his redeemed, his Spouse the Church, is to be subject unto God the Father, and to honour him as his head, even as the Spouse his Church is to be subject unto him, and to honour him as her head.  
And here now let me ask the Millenaries a question or two, and first this; That if these things be so, and that the coming of Christ, and his delivering up the Kingdom to God the Father, and the end of the world, and resurrection of the dead, shall be so together at one and the same time, without any distance of time, either days or hours between, as Paul, 1 Cor. 15.22, 23, 24, 25, 26, etc. in plain words expresseth them.  
Then I ask, Where they will have time or place for their thousand years' Monarch, which they expect shall be between the coming of Christ, and the end?  
A second question is, That if at the very time of Christ's coming, the dead in Christ shall be raised, and his elect that are living be changed in a moment, and caught up together with them, to meet the Lord in the air, and so be ever with the Lord, as the same Apostle also saith, 1 Thess. 4.15, 16, 17. Then I ask, Where they will have more Saints to die and to rise again from the dead a thousand years after, as they teach?  
A third question, if Christ unto them that look for him, shall appear the second time without sin unto salvation, as it is said, Heb. 9.28. Then I ask, where they will have a third time of coming to such purpose, which some of them imagine shall be?  
A fourth question is, That if Christ at his appearing, and his kingdom, when he cometh in his glory, and all his holy Angels with him, and shall sit in the throne of his glory, and all Nations and people both quick and dead, be brought before him, and judged according to the words of Christ, Matth. 25.31, 32, etc. and Paul, 2 Tim. 4.1. Then I ask how they can put it off to a thousand years after his appearing, or make it a thousand years a doing?  
A fifth question which is this, And if they do believe, that although the people and children of this world here marry, and are given in marriage, and die, yet in the world to come, which is to be in subjection unto Christ, they who shall be counted worthy to obtain the same, and the resurrection from the dead, as Christ himself saith, shall neither marry nor be given in marriage, nor die any more, but be as the Angels in heaven, etc. Luke 20.34, 35, 36. Then I ask how they will make this their opinion (That there shall be a multitude of people of all sorts, as now, possess that world after the resurrection of the just, which shall for a thousand years' space successively marry, and be given in marriage, and die,) to stand and agree with that which Christ speaks, and not rather be clean contradictory to the same?  
And as touching the first resurrection, and living and reigning with Christ a thousand years, spoken of Rev. 20. it is clear by the very words of the text, that the holy Ghost speaketh of, and intendeth a resurrection spiritual of the soul, which the Saints living here, did, and do partake of according to the words of Christ, john 5. where he saith, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear it shall live, verse 25.  
And then afterward saith; Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voyes, and shall come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation, verse 28, 29.  
Where the first resurrection which is spiritual of the soul, and the second universal resurrection of the body, are both of them plainly and distinctly described.  
And the Apostle Paul to the Saints of the Church of Colossia, saith, And ye are complete in him which is the head of all Principality and power, in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with him in Baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God; who hath raised him from the dead. And you being dead, hath he quickened, together with him, Col. 2.10, 11, 12, 13.  
And Coloss. 3. he saith, If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God, verse. 1.  
So Rev. 20. And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the Beast, nor his Image, nor had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands, and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years, verse. 4.  
And then saith, This is the first resurrection, Blessed and holy is be that hath part in the first Resurrection: for on such the second death hath no power; but they shall be Priests of God, and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years, verse. 5, 6.  
Where the Lord also speaketh to living men, and of them, who having their part here in the first resurrection spiritual, and suffering for the testimony of Christ, and dying with him (as Paul in another place saith; For the rejoicing that I have in Christ jesus, I die daily. And again, For thy sake, O Lord, are we slain all the day long, and counted as sheep to the slaughter) may herein be much comforted in respect of the promise, that the second death shall have no power on them, according to that in John 5. He that heareth my word, and believeth in him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death to life, verse. 24.  
So here, Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection, on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be Priests of God, and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.  
Whereby it is manifest the Lord speaketh to men living in the body, and of them: such as having their part here in this The first Resurrection (for there can be but one first resurrection) who although now, during the time of the reign of the great Antichrist especially, which was to be a thousand years at least, they (as touching their bodies) should for the word of God) and witness of Jesus Christ, be beheaded, slain, etc. and for the hope fake in Christ, die daily: yet in the spirit as touching the soul, live and reign with Christ, as Paul saith, dying, and behold we live, etc. 2 Cor. 6.9. Again, for ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God, Col. 3.4.  
And when the thousand years are expired, and Satan loosed out of his prison to go unto the Kings of the earth, and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty, according to Rev. 16.14. and 20.8.9.  
Then the Lord coming in his glory, all that are in the graves, even every one, small and great, shall hear his voice, and shall come forth. They that through the grace and power of the Spirit of God in the new birth and first resurrection, have done good, unto the resurrection of life eternal, in respect of their body also, united now to their soul, they being found written in the book of life.  
And they that have done evil (those rest of the dead, that had no part in the first resurrection spiritual from the death by sin, and so, not being found written in the book of life) unto the resurrection of condemnation in the lake of fire burning with brimstone, which is the second death.  
They now have a resurrection, and live again, though a miserable dying life, body and soul for ever.  
And that the first resurrection, Rev. 20. cannot possibly be meant of the bodies of any that are to rise from the dead, as the Millenaries would have it, we may perceive plainly by the words of the Text, verse 4. where John saith not, And I saw the souls that were he headed, as if that could be; neither doth he say, And I saw the bodies that were beheaded, and they lived, etc. But his words are, And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded, etc. that is, of those whose bodies were beheaded, of which souls he saith, And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years, etc.  
The soul can no more truly be said to rise from the dead with the body when it shall rise from the dead, nor for the body, than it can be said to be beheaded with it, or for it.  
For although in some other cases when bodies and souls are living together, it may be said, as in Genesis 46. All the souls of the house of jacob which came into Egypt, were threescore and ten, verse 27. in such like cases as this, the soul being the principal part of man, and the body living and moving together with it, may rightly and truly be named for both; yet in other cases not so.  
And to name the soul and say, when a body is beheaded, or dieth, the soul is beheaded, or dieth; or when the body shall arise from the dead, the soul riseth from the dead, it is to say and speak a very untruth.  
When the bodies of those Saints which slept, arose from the dead at the time of Christ's resurrection, it is not said their Souls arose, but their Bodies only, Matth. 27.52. And the graves were opened, and the bodies of many Saints which slept arose, and appeared unto many.  
The soul cannot with any truth or sense of reasonable understanding, be named for the body, nor for both in those cases. Nay, all the Millenarians in the world, how learned or orthodoxal soever they are accounted, are not able to prove this thing, except they hold and can prove (as some have been so bold of late to affirm and publish) that the soul of man is mortal, and dieth when the body dieth; and so lieth dead in the grave with the body, until the resurrection of the body, and then so to rise with it, and be named for both.  
For one corrupt opinion, or point of false doctrine, brings always more of the like nature with it.  
But I leave this to their consideration, and come again to the Text, to see what it further saith.   
Ver. 16. And the four and twenty Elders which sat on their seats in the sight of God, fell on their faces, and adoring God, said; We thank thee Lord God omnipotent, which art, which waist, and which shalt come; because thou hast received thy great power and brightness. 
NOw, the seventh Angel having sounded the great and last Trumpet, the Lord being come in his glory, and the Kingdoms of this world made his, who is to reign for ever and ever world without end. Hereupon the four and twenty Elders, which are Moses and the Prophets (as the four Beasts mentioned in Chap. 4.9. are the four Evangelists) fall down on their faces before the throne of God, adoring him for that his judgements against Antichrist and his worshippers, which they by the sevenfold Spirit of Majesty given them of God, spoke of and denounced from time to time against them, were now justified upon them. And the everlasting Kingdom of the Lord their God, whose dominion reacheth from Sea to Sea, & from the River to the ends of the earth, is now set up for evermore, according to all that he had foreshowed them, and by the same Spirit spoken by them. Hereupon they falling down, and adoring the justification of God, break forth into praises and thanksgiviving, saying; We thank thee Lord God omnipotent, which art, which waist, and which shalt come; because thou hast received thy great power and brightness, etc.   
Ver. 17. And the Gentiles were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead to be judged, and to render reward to thy servants the Prophets & Saints, & to them that fear thy Name, little and great, and to destroy them that have corrupted the earth. 
ANd notwithstanding the rage & fury of those great Monarches of the world, that like wild Boars of the Forest, that risen up against the Lord, and against his people and City jerusalem; and of those Beasts of the field which said against the Lord and his anointed, Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast their cords from us. And of all those Antichristian powers of so long continuance, that have with the rest (to fill up their measure) rejected the Lord, and trod his truth to the ground, and made the holy City of his Saints as a street to trample upon. And of all that innumerable multitude of Gog and Magog; which that old Serpent the Devil and Satan shall at last gather together with their mighty men and chief Captains, against this great day of the Lord; bringing them down and compassing the camp of his Saints about, and the beloved City; intending to destroy, root out and take the prey and spoil of all.  
These all (who are here described, as they are also in Psa. 2. by the name of Gentiles: And the Gentiles were angry, etc.) are now to endure the wrath & judgement of him who with justice judgeth. The great day of his wrath being come, and the time of the dead to be judged. Now the Lord, for whose glory this day is made, will render unto every man justly and truly according to their works and ways wherein their hearts have walked and delighted.  
First, to his Servants, his Prophets, his Saints and Martyrs that through faith and patience have overcome, their just reward which for his name and promise sake is right and due unto them. And next, unto all those heathen Gentiles and people of all nations & kindreds of the earth, under what name, and of what profession of religion soever they pass, Jews, Catholics, Protestants, or other, whose hearts are hard, unrepentant and unbelieving, who by their evil deeds have corrupted the earth; their just reward also, and recompense which to their works and ways is rightly due unto them. For so much do the words conclude in saying, And to render reward unto thy servants the Prophets & Saints, and to them that fear thy Name little and great, and to destroy them that have corrupted the earth.  
And hereby it is also manifest, that at the same very time when the last trumpet shall sound, and the Lord shall come in his glory, the dead both good and bad shall be raised and judged without any distance of years or days between, the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised, as Paul saith.  
And although the salvation of the just, and sufferings of the ungodly, shall continue for a thousand, yea and ten thousand times ten thousand thousands of years, even for everlasting, as the Scriptures declare; yet the judgement and sentence passing, will require no longer time (in the hands of the Lord) than one day, as the Scriptures always express it.  
And that we should know for certain, that this day will come at the same time when Satan with his Armies of Gog and Magog shall be upon Christendom, compassing the Camp of the Saints about; and fire shall come down from God out of heaven, and devour them.  
The holy Ghost in Rev. 20.9, 10, 11, 12, etc. doth plainly declare it. And to the end that we should take notice thereof, he saith, chap. 21.6. It is done, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, etc. And in chap. 16. upon the same coming down of the Kings of the earth, and of the whole world unto the judgement of the great day, it followeth, vers. 17. It is done. And in Ezek. 39 upon the same destruction of Gog and Magog, it followeth also verse 8. Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord. This is the day whereof I have spoken.  
Which day will be the last day of this world, spoken of by Martha, Luke 11.24. and whereof Christ saith; But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no not the Angelt of heaven, but my Father only. Matth. 24. For although the Lord hath revealed, and men may know the year, yet the day and hour can no man know.  
And as in this last day, this present world shall end; so in it shall the world to come, and the kingdom of Christ and his Saints begin, as it is also declared, Matth. 25.31, 32, 33, etc. 2 Tim. 4.1. And then shall be the restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of his holy Prophets that have been since the world began; as it is also written, Acts 3.20.21. There shall be new heavens and a new earth, and Jerusalem shall be made a praise in the earth.  
And great shall be the difference between the estate of this world to come which shall be in subjection to Christ, and wherein he shall reign, and righteousness shall dwell for ever world without end; and the now present world wherein the heathen and Pagan Monarches and Antichrists reign, and iniquity beareth rule, and dwelleth.  
And for any to teach or persuade the Christian State now present, as some in their Sermons and Printed books have done, and do, that the Kingdom of Christ and his Saints whereof the Prophets have spoken, shall be in this present world for a thousand years before the last day, is to teach and persuade to a Doctrine against Christ, and not for him, whose Kingdom is not of this world, which is not, nor will be, being corrupt, subject unto him.  
Antichrist and his Clergy of false prophets, that have taken upon them as much as ever did any, the name of the only true Church of Christ in the world, have been as a great Monarch in this present world for a thousand years passed already, and let them take it for their portion of happiness. But let no true Christian Ministers, state or people, be of such a mind to teach such doctrine, or look for such a thing here again; But rather fly the glory and shadow of this world, and look for the eternal Kingdom in the world to come, ready to be revealed when Christ shall come at the last day, which I verily believe (upon the grounds before mentioned) many thousands now living, shall live to see. And so I rest their Christian friend, wishing them all true happiness, grace and truth, and peace in Christ. Amen.  
Now having here a little space, let me put a question or two more to the Millenaries;  
As first, if when God shall have created new Heavens, and a new Earth, Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy, there shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days, as the Prophet Esay saith, Esa. 65.20. Then I ask, how there can thence an infant or child of days, or an old man die, as they will have it in their Millenary estate?  
Again, if the resurrection of the ungodly shall not be till the thousand years' kingdom of Christ (which the Millenaries make to be the day of judgement) shall be expired, as they teach: Then I ask, what time they will have for that great multitude of ungodly, not risen from the dead, to be judged? and who they mean Christ shall be (all that time of a thousand years) a judging? Or how he can judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and kingdom, as Paul saith, if the dead be not all raised at his appearing and kingdom, and brought before him to be judged? or why he should need a thousand years or day's time of pausing in judgement, or more than one true natural day, though there shall be a thousand and ten thousand times ten thousand years of execution and suffering; yea years and days, and nights everlastingly, as it is written, Matth. 25. and sundry other places.   
FINIS.