The great MYSTERY OF GOD: OR, The Vision of the Evening and the Morning opened.  
Whereby comparing Scripture with acts of Divine Providence, will plainly appear that the Ruin of Mystical Babylon, and the Erecting of spiritual Jerusalem are the ground of these present Commotions; which are not to cease till by means of this present Parliament.  
The Work being so completed, That Christ shall in and by his Saints in tranquillity reign on earth one thousand years.  Revel. 1.2. 
Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this Prophecy, and keep those things that are written therein, for the time is at hand.  Exod. 15.18. 
The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.  Dan. 2.22, 
For he revealeth deep and secret things, he knows what is in the dark, and the light dwelleth with him.  Revel. 22.10. 
Stolen not the sayings of the Prophecy of this Book, for the time is at hand.  
LONDON, Printed for John Wright in the old Bayl●y. 1645.   

To the RIGHT HONOURABLE the House of PEERS: AND TO THE HONOURABLE the House of COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT at Westminster.  
HIgh and most honoured ever renowned Senators, the Lord of his free grace and love having about some two or three years since cast my thoughts and meditations upon that great vision showed unto his servants & Prophets Daniel and John concerning the time of the reign and the ruin of these five grand enemies of the Church, set forth by the Spirit of God to Daniel to be one Image, and to John to be but one Beast, all in league together to persecute the Saints of God, (by comparing the Words of God and the Acts of God's providence) one with the other, I find that these enemy's destruction is nigh at hand, and God's people's final deliverance near; yea, the work is begun already and will not be long before the Lord will consummate it. Withal, I humbly conceive, that You are those two great Witnesses which the Spirit of Christ foretold long since should be raised up to Heaven the high place of Justice and Judicature, though all the people and Saints of God from the year of Christ 375. unto 1639. be reckoned for his Witnesses, and so looked upon by Christ, because they all bore witness unto those Truths of Christ which that man of sin denied; yet You in a more especial manner at this time, because You are not only to protest against Antichrist and his grand lie, who said, That the power of Churches and States belonged to him. But You are that Judgement which should sit and take his Kingdom and Dominion from him, 
Dan. 7.26.  raised up to Heaven by the power of Christ's Spirit for the same end. 
Dan. 2.34, 45.  And by that little stone cut out of the Mountain without hands even by the Spirit of God the day You ascended up into Heaven, by this little stone shall you destroy all those enemies; and when You have taken all powers from them, 
As will further appear in the following Treatise. Psal. 149.6.  the Civil power will remain in Your hands as You are Christ's civil Magistrates, and all the exercise of the Ecclesiastical power of Churches shall You give unto the people of God, (which are the Body of Christ, whereof You being Members) and sitting with the rest of Your Brethren in God's House, 
Rev. 21.2, 10.  shall exercise that spiritual Sword; and by Your leave and Authority the Saints of God are to build that holy City new Jerusalem, 
Psal. 149.6.  where God and the Lamb will have his Throne. 
Rev. 22.1.   
He who is the meanest and lowest Instrument that ever the Lord Christ made use of for so great a work, doth humbly crave leave to conceal his name, and to present these his Labours to Your Honours, that the whole world may see and know what great things Christ will by You do for his Church and people.  
The Lord make good his great and gracious promise unto You, 
Isa. 28.6.  who hath promised to be a Spirit of Judgement to You that sit in Judgement, and Strength to You that have turned the battle to the gate, and for a Crown of glory, and for a Diadem of beauty unto the residue of his people.   

The Preface to the Christian Reader.  
THe union and oneness of all the grand enemies of the Church of God, 
Dan. 8.26.  from the evening to the morning, with their fury and rage against the people of the most High, and the time of their destruction and ruin, with the time of the Church's Captivity, with those several Titles which the Spirit of God sets them forth by, suitable to their conditions they were to be in, and the time of the enemies fall, & the final deliverance of the Church, together with the ways and means of their Redemption is called The great Mystery of God, 
Rev. 10.7. and 5.1. Dan. 12.9. and 8.19. Rev. 1.1. and 22.6. and 5.3.  written in a little book and sealed on the back side with seven seals, and the words closed up and sealed till the time of the end: A mystery and vision shown to Daniel and John. But no man was found in Heaven nor in Earth, neither under the earth worthy to open and to read the book, 
Vers. 5.  neither to look thereon; but the Lord Jesus, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, he prevailed and was counted worthy to open this little book and to lose the seven Seals thereof. And you have this Lion or Lamb who had been slain opening all the seven Seals 5, 6, 7, and 8. Chapters. And this mystery of God or little book, was not finished or opened till the seven Trumpets sounded, 
Rev. 10.5.  and then an Angel that stood upon the sea and upon the earth, lift up his hand to Heaven; and swore by him that liveth for ever and ever, That there should be time no longer, that is, that the enemies of the Church should have no longer time to tyrannize and reign over the Churches of the Saints, nor the mystery any longer concealed. And saith further, that in the days of the voice of the seventh Angel (when he shall begin to sound) the mystery of God should be finished. 
Vers. 7.  And we shall find that this Angel did not begin to sound until the witnesses were ascended up to Heaven, and the tenth part of that Antichristian City fell. 
Rev. 11.5.  Therefore though many learned and pious men have undertaken to open this book and to lose the seven Seals thereof, 
Rev. 5.4.  yet indeed were not able (because) they were not found worthy and (because this vision was to be shut up for many days) and the words and book closed up and sealed with seven Seals till the time of the end. 
Dan. 8.26, and 12.19.  
Rev. 5.1.  Something indeed hath been done by way of Ecclesiastical History and paraphrasing upon the Text: 
Vers. 9, 10.  but to open the book and lose the seven Seals did only belong to that Lamb which was in the midst of the throne, and of the four beasts, and in the midst of four and twenty Elders; he only was counted worthy because he had been slain, and redeemed his Church and people not only from the wrath of God and Hell, and Death, but out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, and hath made them to God Kings and Priests, and they shall reign with Christ upon the earth 1000 years. 
Rev. 20.4.  This mystery being now finished, and this little book and seals broken open, 
Rev. 11, 12.  which were done the year the witnesses ascended up to Heaven 1639 when the tenth part of that Antichristian City fell (as shall be showed at large in its place) than the Lord commanded his Prophet to make it plain upon tables, 
Vers. 13.  that he may run that readeth it. 
Hab. 2.2, 3. Dan. 12.10.  And saith further, that at the end the vision shall speak and not lie: The Lord promising they that are wise shall understand this vision at the time of the end. 
Rev. 1.3. Prov. 1.6.  Now they are counted wise and blessed in this respect, to understand a vision or mystery and the interpretation thereof, 
Dan. 9.2.  the words of the wise God and his dark saying; who search and read the books and rolls wherein God hath wrapped and folded up these great mystery of the enemies ruin and the Church's deliverance: and that trace and eye God in those secret ways of his providence as that holy man of God did, Psal. 107. By which acts the Lord makes his vision and mystery plain upon tables, that he that runs may read. The Lord of his free love and grace having given some understanding in this great mystery and vision, accordingly we will by God's assistance endeavour to hold forth this light, knowing that it is a great and heinous sin inexcusable before God at that great day, either to put our light under a bushel, or to hid that talon in the earth which the Lord hath given us to trade with for his glory, his Churches good, and our own everlasting comfort. Therefore we will declare and make known what we understand of this great mystery in several Chapters. What is gold and pure mettle, will endure the day of fiery trial; but what is hay and stubble shall be burned (which is my hearts desire.)   

THE MYSTERY OF God opened.  

CHAP. I. The Union and Oneness of those five grand enemies of the Church, daniel's four Beasts and little Horn, set forth by one Image and one Beast.  
THese four Beasts and little Horn that carried the Church of God captive at the first into Babylon, some 600. years before Christ, and hath kept them in bondage 1600. years, and upwards, 
Isa. 28.15.  all these were confederate together to break, devour, and trample under their feet with great fury, rage, 
Dan. 7.7.  and malice all the time of their reign, 
Isa. 21.15.  are therefore said to make a Covenant with Hell and Death for the same purpose. First, 
Dan. 2.31.  the enemies are set forth by one Image, the King of Babylon being the head of it, who carried the Church of God first captive, ver. 38. is the first Beast, chap. 7.4. The King of Persia, which is the Breast and Arms of this Image, who took the Kingdom from the King of Babylon, Dan. 5.31. was daniel's second Beast, Dan. 7.5. The Belly and Thighs of this Image was the King of Graecia, who took the Kingdom from the King of Persia, Dan. 8.6, 7. & 20, 21. which was daniel's third Beast, Dan. 7.6. The Legs and feet was the King of the Romans, who took the Kingdom from the Grecians, Dan. 11.20. set forth by this Character, a raiser of Taxes, as indeed he was, as we may see plainly, Luk. 2.1, 2: he was daniel's fourth Beast, Dan. 7.7. and was more terrible in his persecuting the people of God than any of the three Kings or Monarches were that went before him, set forth in these words, 
Verse 7.  Dreadful, terrible, and strong exceedingly, and had great iron teeth, who devoured and broke in pieces, and stomped the residue under his feet. 
Dan. 2.41.  And in this King's days, this great Kingdom and Monarchy was divided into ten Provinces or Kingdoms, set forth by ten horns, Dan. 7.7. and by ten toes, Dan. 2.41. which were on his feet, but yet all under his power and jurisdiction, and therefore he is said to have ten horns, ten Kings that had ten powers under him; and these ten Kings are not absolute Kings, 
Rev. 17.12.  therefore are said to have received no Kingdom, but reign as petty Kings under him, and so receive power as Kings one hour with the Beast, not distant from him, 
Dan. 7.8. Rev. 13.11.  but one with him. Now this little horn which Daniel saw come up amongst those ten horns, which is that second Beast which John saw come out of the earth from amongst the common men of the earth, as indeed he did, was Antichrist, (for he did not come or issue from any royal race or blood) therefore called by the Spirit of God, 
Dan. 11.21. verse 24.  a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the Kingdom, but he shall come in peaceably and obtain the Kingdom by flatteries, as you may read, ver. 24. So that the Roman Monarch, who is set forth by a raiser of Taxes, was destroyed neither in anger nor in battle, ver. 20. but this little horn through his policy, caused craft to prosper in his hand; 
Dan. 8.25.  he is noted to be very deep and subtle, understanding dark sentences, ver. 23. showing signs, and wonders, 
Mark 13.22. Rev. 13.13, 14.  and miracles, making fire to come down from Heaven, by which signs he deceives the whole world, & would have seduced the Elect, if it had been possible; and by his policy and craft he began to work himself into favour with Constantin, 320. who gave him the power of the civil sword in Rome, and the other places adjacent in his time, 
Rev. 13.2.  & afterward obtained the whole Kingdom or Monarch by flattery from the Dragon the Roman Emperor, and therefore he is said to give him his power, seat, & great authority: 
Rev. 13.2. Dan. 11.23.  for after he had made a league with the Roman Emperor about 365. he works deceitfully & became strong with a small people; therefore saith the Spirit of God, his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power, no, 
Dan. 8.14.  for he got the power from the Roman Emperor by flattery and deceit, and not by strength of Arms; neither did the Romans give him the honour of the Kingdom at the first, but he by his policy and craft, like a Serpent, wound himself into the Roman Beast, and so became one with him; and so this Antichristian Whore made the Roman Emperor her stalking-horse to carry her to the Kings of the earth, that she might commit spiritual fornication with them, 
Rev. 17.3, 7. Rev. 18.3.  and make all the Inhabiters of the earth drunk with the wine of her spiritual fornication, v. 3. And this is noted in the Scripture of truth, that the Roman Beast, and all those ten Kings under him had all one mind to enslave themselves to this Antichristian Whore, 
Rev. 17.13.  and gave their power and strength to her: yea, saith the Text, God hath put it into their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree and give their Kingdom unto the Beast nutill the word of God be fulfilled, ver. 17. So ye see he became one with those four great Beasts or Monarches of the whole world, all folded and united into one, set forth by an Image, Dan. 2.31.  
Secondly, these enemies of the Church of God are set forth by one Beast; The Beast which thou sawest, was, and is not, 
Rev. 17.8.  and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the Beast that was, and is not, and yet is: ☜ Here is a great mystery in the oneness of these five great Monarches, the Babylonian, the Persian, the Grecian, the Roman, and last of all the Pope or papal Monarch, all make up but one Beast, who was, and is, and is not. For to understand this aright, we must find out the time of this vision, when John did see this Beast, in which of these King's reign it was: It is plain and evident both by Scripture and Ecclesiastical Histories, that John saw this vision when the Roman Monarchy was extant, and therefore this Beast (is) was, and is not. The Babylonian, the Persian, and Grecian Monarches was; they all had their time who were considerable with the other two grand enemies of the Church which followed after them, 
Isa. 28.15.  and had made a Covenant with hell and death to set themselves against God and his Church. These three great Beasts were once in being, but at this time, 
Dan. 7.8. Rev. 13.11  when John saw this vision, were gone and dead. That second Beast which John saw come out of the earth, is not, or is not yet come, ver. 10. is not and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and this is Antichrist; he was not come at this time, for he could not come till he that did let or hinder his coming was taken out of the way, 
2 Thes. 2.7.  saith the Text, which was the Roman Emperor: And being one with those former Beasts that went before him, by covenant and confederacy with them, he is said to be this Beast as well as they; but being not come the Spirit of God saith, he is not, or is not yet come, Rev. 17.10.  
Thirdly, (yet is) the three former Beasts was not, they were gone, the little horn Antichrist he is not yet come, but the Roman Monarch he was then extant, when John saw this vision, and is still in being; and that he was extant in John's time, it's plain and evident was the Roman Emperor, 
Rev. 13.1.  for he is said to have seven heads and ten horns; now none of the other three Monarches had their Kingdom divided into ten Provinces or Kingdoms, over which there was ten Kings. 
Dan. 2.41, 42  But this Kingdom in his time, the Scriptures note, was divided into feet and toes, into ten Kingdom which had ten Kings, ten heads over them, reigning one hour with the Beast a short time: 
Rev. 17.12.  And this Roman Beast had seven heads, he was not only mighty strong (having ten horns) but also full of subtlety and craft, set forth by seven heads; seven is a number of perfection; to note that he was perfect and complete in pollcy, to do hurt and mischief to the Church of Christ: These seven heads are set forth by mountains, 
Rev. 17.9.  to note their great power which the Roman Emperor had to destroy the Saints of God, not in regard of his ten horns only, but also his seven heads, full of subtlety & craft, which were as so many mountains of strength, and therefore saith the Spirit of God, 
Rev. 17.9.  here is the mind that hath wisdom: A wise man knows that wisdom and policy is seated in the head, which is the proper seat of wisdom, and not any natural power of flesh, which is set forth usually by the Arm: Neither are these seven heads seven mountains, on which Rome is built (as some have supposed) but seven mountains of wisdom and policy: All these ten horns and seven heads or hills of policy, 
Dan. 11.21. Rev. 17.8.  did the Roman Emperor resign to the vile person, Antichrist, who is said to come up out of the bottomless pit, because he was so deep in his subtity and craft: The Roman Beast and his ten horns and Kings had one mind, and gave their power and Kingdom to this Antichristian Beast, and likewise these seven heads, 
Rev. 17.11.  and therefore he is said to be of the seven: so the Roman Beast furnisheth him with power and policy to do as much hurt and villainy to the people of God: as himself did: And yet Antichrist is said to bring another head of policy and craft with him beside these seven which the Roman Beast resigned up to him: The Beast which was and is not (even he is the eighth, 
verse 11. Dan. 8.23.  he bringing another head of policy with him) and therefore he is said to understand dark sentences, and to have policy and craft, ver. 25. and to show such signs and wonders as to deceive the Elect, if it were possible, and doth great wonders, 
Mark 3.22.  so that he makes, as it were, 
Rev. 13.13. Rev. 17.11.  fire to come down from Heaven in the sight of men; this eighth head of policy, the Roman Beast had not, but Antichrist brings this along with him, the Beast that was, and is not, he is the eighth. Thus were these five great Beasts made up into one Beast, making over their power and policy successively one to another, to persecute and destroy the Church of Christ, and the Saints of the most High, 
Isa. 28.15.  by League and Covenant made with death and hell for many years.   

CHAP. II. This Chapter treats of these two witnesses, or opens those several titles which the Spirit of God is pleased to set forth his people by in the time of their exile, suitable to the state and condition wherein they were at the same time.  
THe people of the most High are set forth by the Spirit of God, by several titles, while they were in their great exile and captivity under these five devouring beasts; very suitable to that condition wherein they were at the same time. But he sets forth the state of the Church in what condition it was in Antichrists time, especially by those titles he put upon them.  
First, he calls them his two Witnesses. First witnesses; because they did bear witness against that grand lie of Antichrist, who denied the Church power to be in the hands of the Spouse of Christ, and that Christ had not left that Ecclesiastical power of the Church with them, but with him, & that he was Christ's Vicegerent; sitting in the Temple of God, 
2 Thes. 2.4.  lording it over all that is called God. To this great truth of Christ's Kingly power in his Church do they give testimony and bear witness, denying that he or any in the world hath power to lord it over the Church and Spouse of Christ in Ecclesiastical matters, 
Rev. 11.3.  for this belongs only to God and Christ, and so they are called Christ's Witnesses, I will give power to my two Witnesses: 
Rev. 1.1.  It was Christ that spoke here, this book being called the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, they who give testimony to any truth, though it hath been held forth by any other going before, such a one is called his witness; thus God is called Christ's witness, in saying that he was his Son, Joh. 5.32. John is likewise called Christ's witness, ver. 33. the Apostles are called Christ's witness, Acts 1.38.3.15. 2 Pet. 1.16. Christ is called the true and faithful witness, Rev. 1.5. & chap. 3.14. So the people of God and Churches of the Saints are said to be Christ's witnesses in the day and year that Antichrist entered into the Temple and denied the Kingly office of Christ, Anno 375.  
Secondly, 
Title 2. Rev. 11.4.  they are called two Candlesticks, and two Olive trees: they are set forth by two Candlesticks and two Olive trees, to show to us that at this time they were in a true Church-state, as the people of the Jews formerly were, 
Zach. 4.2. Rev. 1.20.  who are set forth by one Candlestick, and the seven Churches of Asia by seven Candlesticks, and the Officers of the Churches are set forth by two Olive trees, that stand before God, 
Zach. 4.12.  and are on both sides of the Candlestick, to empty the golden Oil of divine truth out of themselves into the bowl of the Candlestick into the bosom of the Church; so it is clear they were at this time in a true Church state, 
Why the people of God are called two Candlesticks. Dan. 18.32.  being complete with their Officers two Olive trees, & they are called but two Candesticks, not only to note to us that the people of God were worshipping him aright in a Church way; but at this time when Antichrist entered into the Temple & denied Christ's Kingly office, were few in number, even two, the least of all numbers; for many professors at this time did do wickedly against the Covenant, even broke that Church Covenant which was amongst them.  
Thirdly, 
Title 3.  they are set forth by this title, The Saints of the most high, or high Saints; 
Dan. 7.21. Rev. 13.7. 2 Thes. 2.4. Cant. 5.7. Rev. 12.6.14.  Antichrist having entered into the Temple and disthrone the Lord Christ, and plucked the Crown from his head, stripped the Spouse of Christ of her veil, & persecuted the Church into the Wilderness of that Antichristian world, and taken away all their Church power which the Lord Jesus gave them in the day of their espousal: 
Dan. 12.7.  And therefore he is said to scatter the power of the holy people, having so broken them to pieces by his hot persecution in the year 375. that they could not, neither might be suffered to hold forth the true worship of God in a Church way, therefore are called Saints of God, 
Dan. 7.18.21. 25, 26. Rev. 3.7.  and high Saints, they being scattered some into one place some into another.  
The fourth title by which the people of God are set forth by, 
Title 4.  is a woman clothed with the Sun, and travelling, 
Rev. 12.1, 1, 5.  and pained to be delivered of a man child that was to rule all Nations with a rod of Iron; the Saints of God being broken to pieces by a wicked and unjust Magistrate, and scattered up and down in the wilderness, some here and some there, not being suffered to congregate into a true visible Church by that man of sin, for the space of 1260. years; they having been persecuted by him that full space of time, and afterwards slain and laid dead for three prophetical days and a half. And some of their brethren and fellow-witnesses being raised up to the high place of Judicature and Magistracy, as was evident in the foregoing chapter, Rev. 11.12. The rest of the godly were now with child with this great truth of Christ in point of Civil Government, by which the Lord Jesus in and by his Saints, was to rule all nations with a rod of Iron. Therefore cried they earnestly to God by zealous and fervent Prayer, (and to his witnesses, their fellow-servants that sat in Heaven, by humble request and petition) that they might have a godly Magistracy set up in the world, and that Antichrist that wicked oppressor, who had made the world as a wilderness, 
Isa. 14.17.  and destroyed the Cities thereof, and that wicked murderer which had devoured the people of God for many ages, and slain his witnesses, 
Rev. 11.7, 8.  and laid their dead bodies in the streets, might be cast now out of heaven; the place of Judicature; and the people of God, and those that would reign for that man child Jesus, might be left in Heaven, to sit as Kings in the Civil Throne. 
* This birth and travel of the people of God was in the year 1641. and 1641.  And thus the Church and people of God traveled for, and took great pains to have it come to pass, and was much pained and traveled in their minds until they had accomplished their desires, and was delivered of this man child, the year of Christ 1641. as shall be showed more fully when we come to speak of those effects and consequences which followed upon the witnesses ascending up to Heaven. Thus you see the Spirit of God set forth the state and condition, in which his Church and people were to be in the time of their exile & captivity, under those five grand enemies of his Saints, especially that little horn Antichrist; by these several titles which he gave them, very fitting and agreeable with the present condition which they were in at the same time; not at any time mentioning some of his people, and leaving out others; but intending all of them: For Antichrist could not deceive any of God's Elect, it was not possible he should. 
Mar. 13.22. From the year of Christ 375. to 1635.  Therefore all of them, as one man, did witness to that truth of Christ in point of power, that he was to sit Lord and King in his Temple, and not Antichrist; and to be Lord over the consciences of his Saints and Spouse, and not man: So they were all scattered into the Wilderness, and there did prophecy and speak one to another for their mutual edification, and so are called Saints of the most High; and all of them were with child, and traveled for a godly Magistracy, 1641. Therefore set forth by a woman in travel. So by two witnesses ye see is meant all the people of God, and not two distinct men, or distinct offices, the Magistracy and the Ministry, as some of our learned have supsed, nor the two Testaments.   

CHAP. III This Chapter shows the time of those five Monarches reigning and tyrannising it over the Church, (especially of the little borne Antichrist) when he began and when he ended his reign, at the same time the witnesses began to prophecy and ended.  
THose five cruel and malicious Enemies of the Church of Christ, 
Dan. 8.26.  were to continue for many days. From the very first beginning to the last period and time of their end when they shall be quite destroyed, and the Church set free from all her enemies, and set down in peace and tranquillity upon the throne with Christ here on Earth, to rule the Nations with a rod of Iron. The Spirit of God holds forth in Daniel, 
Dan. 8.14.  to be two thousand and three hundred Prophetical days, or natural years. Six hundred years from the first time that the people of God, and Church of the Jews. was carried captive by the Babylonians to Christ's time. And from Christ's time, to the enemies last period or total ruin, and the Churches final deliverance, 1700. years. 
Isa. 14.19.  And then the Beast and Antichrist shall be quite cast out of the World, as an abominable branch. And this the Spirit of God notes, 
Dau. 8.26.  that the time of this vision is not only true, but is the vision of the evening and morning. The evening beginning at the first time that the people of God went into captivity, and entered upon the night of their exile and banishment by the Chaldeans. And the morning beginning not before all the darkness of that antichristian night be gone, & the Church freed from all her enemies, 
Mal. 4.2. Rev. 2.27. Isa. 24.23.  and risen with that Sun of righteousness to the thrones of his glory, to rule the Nations with a rod of Iron; And to reign upon Mount Zion and in his new Jerusalem, before his Ancients gloriously. From the evening to the morning shall be 2300. prophetical days, and not natural days, for that cannot be meant, providence hath declared the contrary very evidently.  
This is the full time of all the enemies reign in general, and of the people of God's captivity and bondage from the evening to the morning; (but Antichrist, that little horn or power which Daniel saw come up amongst the other ten horns; 
☜ Dan. 7.8.  the Spirit of God spoke more distinctly and exactly of the time of his reign, and of the time of his ruin, then of any of the other four Monarches, 
Dan. 2.7. and 11.12.  he being the last & more cruel in his persecution against the Saints, than any of the other; though the Roman Monarch came very near to him: the time of his reign is set down to be a Time, Times, and half a Time by Daniel, and 42. Months by John, 
☜ Dan. 12.7. Rev. 13.5. ) Power was given to him to continue forty and two months. And the Saints captivity under him the same time, who are set forth by the work which they did, and the state they were in the same time Antichrist is said to begin his reign; their work was to give testimony, and to bear witness of that great truth of Christ's Kingly power in his Church and Temple, and to protest against Antichrist his lie, (who said, he had the power given to him) and against his act, sitting in the Temple of God. And they were to continue witnessing and prophesying the same time which Antichrist is to reign, 
Rev. 11.3. Rev. 12.6.  set forth by 1260. days, and to be in their exile and banishment in the wilderness of that antichristian world, nourished and fed by Gods providing and overshadowing hand of providence, 
Rev. 12.14.  for a Time, Times, and half a Time, the same with Antichrist. A time may be taken for 1000 years, times for 200. years, half a time for half a hundred years: Or thus, a time to be one year, times to be two years, half a time half a year; there being 1260. days in three years and a half. And so the Holy Ghost reckons a day for a year, us he doth in Daniel in the vision of the evening and morning, 
Dan. 8.14, 26.  2300. days for so many years; 
Rev. 11.3.12, 6.  and this agrees with the other times that the witnesses should prophesy, and that the woman was to be fed in the wilderness, which was 1260. days, a day for a year, being so many prophetical days or natural years. 
Rev. 13.5.  Antichrist continuing forty and two months, being the same with the former, every month containing 30. days, which according to the Grecian account amounts to the same number 1260. days, a day for a year. So the time of Antichrists reign, and the people of God's bondage and slavery under him, is 1260. prophetical days or natural years. Now we are to find out when he began his reign, and when he is said to end. About the year 320. Constantine stood up, the Church and people of God having been exceedingly broken to pieces, devoured & trampled under foot, for some 320. years by daniel's fourth Beast, 
Dan. 7.7.  Constuntine standing up for the Christians, and favouring their way, 
Syluster Bishop of Rome. Dan. 11.23.  thereupon resign the civil power of Rome and other places adjacent to the Bishops of Rome; and so he began to take the power of the Emperor and the civil sword, being noted by Daniel, that he began by a small people, and is called a little horn; as indeed they were but very few Christians to the whole body of that Roman Empire, neither had he any great power at this present time: But at this time he did not begin his reign, (some say) 315. or 316. but that cannot be. But most agree upon 365. and that the whole power of the Empire was resigned up to him by the Roman Emperor at this time, which is very likely, that he by his policy and craft gained the power of the Empire, at or about this time, 
Dau. 11.21.23.  or the most part of it; for he crept in by little and little into the hearts of the Roman Emperors, and so into the hearts of his Kingdom even by flattery, and began with a small people; 
Dan. 11.25.  and through his subtlety and policy caused craft to prosper in his hand, and by peace destroyed many, pretending to the Christian Emperors that he was for the good and welfare both of their souls and bodies, Church and Empire, and if the power of the Empire might be resigned up to him he would employ it for the good of both. Whereupon the Roman Emperor resigned up the whole power, or most of it, to the Bishop of Rome 365. or thereabout. And this is noted in the Scripture of truth. That he took away the Jewa sacrifice the same year, called, 
Dan. 9, 11.  The daily Sacrifice; therefore it is said that an host was given him against the daily sacrifice, Dan. 6.12. The Spirit of God charactariseth him by a little horn, which none of the other Monarches were ever set forth by; and because he is said to wax great to the host of Heaven, which none of the other did, 
Vers. 12.  And by him (saith the Text) was the daily sacrifice taken away, and an host was given him by the Roman Emperor against the daily sacrifice; 
Dan. 11.31.  and arms shall stand on his side, and they shall pollute the Sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily seerifice, and they shall set up the abomination that maketh desolate. Antichrist the Bishop of Rome could not be against the Jews way of worship, 
1 Thes. 1.7.  so as to destroy it and take it out of the way, nor pollute God's House and Sanctuary and set up his abomination, until the Roman Emperor was taken out of the way; that is, until he had resigned the civil power of the Empire to him, or most of it. And therefore it is said, that an host was given him against the daily sacrifice, and armies shall stand on his part. So it's clear, the daily sacrifice was taken away by Antichrist, and those armies and hosts were given him by the Roman Emperor; and this he did by an host and by the power of aims (which was the civil power of the Empire:) and he took the daily sacrifice away about 365. as Carrion affirms. 
Carian Chron. lib. 3.   
But the Spirit of God doth not begin his time when Antichrist took the power of the Empire into his hand, nor when he took away the Jews daily sacrifice; for if he had not entered into the Christians Churches and true Temple of God, and disthrone Christ, and stripped his Spouse of her vale, and scattered the power of the holy people by the civil sword of the Empire, but ruled for God and Christ and the welfare of his people, the Spirit of God would not have looked upon him as Antichrist. And therefore the Lord gins Antichrists time when he first entered into his Temple, 
2 Thess. 24.  and sat as God himself, lording it over the consciences of men in matters divine, which only belong to God and to Christ. From this time doth the Spirit of God begin Antichrists reign and the Church's slavery and bondage under him, which he did not do so soon as he entered upon any of the power of the Empire, either 320. or 365. for this is noted of him, He came in (saith John) like a Lamb, 
Rev. 13.11.  seeming to all the Churches of the Saints (and to the people of the whole Empire, to be an innocent Lamb) one that would do no harm, which he did not from 320. when he had the civil power of Rome and other places adjacent resigned up to him, until he had through his policy and craft made a League with the Roman Emperor Anno 365. or thereabouts. 
Ban. 11.23.  Then after this the Spirit of God notes that he shall work deceitfully; as indeed he did now at the coming in of Constantine, that great persecution for 320. years against the Churches ceased, and the Saints had through Constantine's becoming a Christian respite and reviving, for now the Roman Beast had such a wound given him at this time, as if that he would die presently and not live again. But after some few years this wound was cured, and Antichrist starts up in the former Beasts stead, 
Rev. 13.11. Dan. 7.8, 20.  and speaks (like a Dragon) very great things against the people of God, and wrought deceitfully against the Saints, pretending at the first to be all for them, but now having got the civil power in his hand, is quite against them; and by this civil horn or power enters into the Temple where the people of God was congregated according to the order of the Gospel and takes away their power, and so is said to be a Lamb that had two horns, two powers, the Civil and Ecclesiastical; 
Eev. 13.11.  which was done about the year of Christ 375. some ten years after the daily sacrifice was taken away. From this time doth the Lord reckon, 
Antichrist gins his reign.  and thus Antichrist is said to begin his reign 375. and reigns 1260. years, and the two witnesses to be in sackcloth, and to prophesy the full space of time 1260. years. Then they are to end in the year 1635. for 375. and 1260. makes 1635. until this time is Antichrist to reign and the witnesses to prophesy. That he began Anno 375. will appear more fully when we come to speak of the witnesses arising and ascending up to Heaven, and Antichrist his fall; God having promised, 
Hab. 2.3.  That at the end the vision shall speak and not lie: Now it must speak by those great acts of God's providence by which God is pleased to open visions and mysteries. For this time of Antichrists reigning over the Saints was hid from all men both in Heaven and Earth, he not beginning when he took the Civil power, as all our former writers have supposed, none looking to the time when he entered into the Temple, and made war with the Saints which were in a Church way, and this he took but by parcels. And in that he is said not to begin until he enter into the Temple, and when he entered is not recorded in Ecclesiastical History, truly (as I conceive) the reason may be, That it might be hid.   

CHAP. IU. The tyranny and cruelty of Antichrist against the people of God all his time he was to continue, and the Saints to prophesy; and likewise when they had ended their testimony with the work and employment of the Saints and witnesses while they were in sackcloth.  
THe tyranny of Antichrist is set forth by this, that he exercised all the power of the former Beast, 
Rev. 13.2. Rev. 17.3, 7.  the former Beast having given him his seat, power, and great authority: This Antichristian Whore now rides upon the Roman Emperor, and makes him her stalking beast, 
Vers. 2.  not only to commit spiritual fornication with the Kings of the earth, and make all the Inhabiters of the earth drunk with the wine of her fornication, but likewise to devour, break in pieces, and stamp the residue under his feet, even the poor Saints and Churches of Christ for 1260. years; and he is said to exercise all the power of the former Beast, the Roman Emperor daniel's fourth Beast, 
Rev. 13.14, 15 First steps of Antichrist, cruelty against the Saints. Dan. 11.38. Dan. 11.30. Dan. 11.32. Dan. 11.28.  who did the same to the Saints as ye may see, Dan. 7.7. And fitly called the Image of the Roman Beast, both in his malice, cruelty, and strength. First, he breaks the Saints or Churches of Christ in pieces the day he entered into the Temple 375. and broke that League and Church-covenant which were amongst them, and so he and many more that were of them in the same League and Covenant, are said to do wickedly against the Covenant, and his heart is said to be against the holy Covenant; meaning that Church Covenant that was amongst the people of God, for he knew very well, that so long as the people of God kept close to that Church Covenant, that they would retain that Ecclesiastical and Church power amongst themselves, and so have kept him from mixing his cup and his inventions with the pure doctrine of the Church, therefore his heart was said to be against this h●ly Covenant, 
Rev. 12.13, 14. Dan. 12.7.  and he broke it all to pieces, persecuting the Saints into the Wilderness, scattering their power up and down into the world; here one Saint, there another, and thereupon he takes all the Church power into his hand: Thus the Church and Church Covenant was broken all to pieces by him, 
2 Thes. 2.3, 8.  and so he scattered the Ecclesiastical Church power; for which act of his, he is called That man of sin, and That wicked one: and saith the Spirit of God, He is Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son. 
1 Joh. 2.22.  Antichrist he sits in the Temple of God, showing himself to be God, in that wicked act of his, in exalting or lording himself over the consciences of all those that are Gods, and so deny Christ to have any power in his Temple, in that he denied the Saints of it, to whom Christ had given it, saying, that he was Christ, that he hath power over men's consciences in matters of worship, therefore saith our Saviour, 
Luke 21.8.  False Christ's shall come in my name, in my power, saying, that the power belongeth to him, and so he denies the Son; 
1 Joh. 2.23.  now saith the Scripture, He that denies the Son, denies the Father, for he denies that God or Christ hath now the power in their hands, but hath delivered over to him all concerning worship in his Church, 
verse 22.  and so he indeed is Antichrist.  
This sin of his is called The Mystery of Iniquity: 
2 Thes. 2.7.  It is such a deep and covered sin as that it is called a Mystery, having such fair pretences and glosses going along with it; yea, and it may be he did really intent to rule for God and the good of his Church, as out of doubt it was thus with the Bishop of Rome at this time, 375. Therefore men might think, surely God and Christ had given him power so to order things both in the State and Church, that there might be a uniformity in Religion, that men might be all of one mind in the worship and service of God, and so both the Church and the whole Empire might live and be in much peace and quietness. Who would think this to be an evil or sin? If a sin, yet not such a sin as the Scriptures make it to be, no, indeed a man would not think it to be so at the first view; therefore the Spirit of God saith, 
2 Thes. 2.10. Rev. 11.7.17.8. Dan. 8.25.  That he ascended out of the bottomless pit, digged deep for this his subtlety and craft, and that his working is after the manner of Satan, with all deceivableness of unrighteousness, transforming himself into an Angel of light through his craft and policy: pretending it is for their good and welfare, as the Serpent did to Eve, thereby deceiving the whole world, 
Gen. 3.5. Mark 13.22. John 10.6.8.  and would have done the like to the Elect of God and witnesses of Christ if it had been possible. But the Sheep would not hear him, for they know not the voice of a stranger, but they know the voice of Christ and will follow him, ver. 4. But Antichrist that was a stranger they would not follow, for they know not his voice (to come from God.) Whereupon he broke them all to pieces, and their Church Covenant, and cast the Spouse of Christ out of God's House and Temple, sitting as God himself over men's consciences, directing and teaching them how to worship God after his own precepts: for which God calls him proud Lucifer, 
Isa. 29.13.14.13.  who said in his heart, I will ascend up to Heaven, I will exalt my Throne above the Stars of God, I will be like the most High, 
verse 14.  (Oh proud Lucifer, son of the morning:) Therefore the Lord calls him, that man of sin, and that wicked one and his sin, 
2 Thes. 2.3.8.  a Mystery. We do not meet with the like expressions in the Scripso high and sublime, to note and set forth to us the heinousness of this sin: a sin next to the sin against the holy Ghost, and the depth of his sin a Mystery. For to take the Crown from the King's head, and to take him off from his princely Throne, and throw him out of his Palace against law and justice, is a horrible thing yea further, to force his Queen, & to make her to prostrate herself to a stranger, yea, to a vile person, this is a sin unparaleld; but to do so to the Prince of Princes, and of the Kings of the earth, 
Rev. 1.5.  and to his Spouse the Church of Christ, and Saints of the most High, this is a sin brought out of the bottomless pit by Lucifer son of the morning, even that son of perdition, (the Lord of his free grace and mercy kept his Witnesses from this sin, who now are ascended up to Heaven to execute judgement upon Antichrist for this sin.) Yea, he hath secretly hinted to us in holy writ, that he will keep them from this sin, yea, they shall be so fare from this sin, that they shall give some liberty to weak consciences for the present, 
Rev. 6.11.  while they are pouring forth the fifth and sixth Vial.  
Secondly, Antichrist did not only break the Church and people of God, and that Church Covenant into pieces, but devoured many of the Saints all the time of his reign, witness all those holy and godly Martyrs that suffered Martyrdom before and in Queen Mary's days.  
Thirdly, the rest that were left of the Saints he stamped under his feet, that is, he kept them in slavery and bondage all his reign, by those ten horns or Kings who gave their power and strength up to him, who are set forth by those ten toes that are on his feet.  
Thus Antichrist exercised all the power of the former Roman Beast, 
Rev. 3.12.  and exercised as much malice and cruelty against the Saints in breaking them to pieces, devouring and trampling those that were left, 
Dan. 7.7.  as the Roman Emperor did.  
Object. But it will be objected; how comes it to pass that that sin of Antichrist in breaking the Churches and Church Covenant to pieces to be so great in him, and not in the Roman Emperor, when he did the same thing, Dan. 7.7.  
Answ. The Roman Emperor did it ignorantly, Antichrist knowingly, against the light of his own understanding, he did it as an open professed enemy; Antichrist as a secret enemy and open professed friend, like Judas; yea, he and the rest with him who dealt wickedly against the Covenant, professed themselves to be the Spouse and Witness of Christ: And for them to deal treacherously, and break this holy Covenant and Oath of wedlock, and play the harlot, and commit spiritual fornications with the Kings of the earth; and not so only, but to break this Covenant betwixt Christ and his dear Spouse, and take the Crown from his head, and his Spouse out of his bosom, and cast him and them out of his House and Temple, and sit as Lord and King, as though he was God or Christ himself; surely this is a greater sin than that of the Roman Emperor, for he never did sit in the Temple showing himself to be God.  
The work and employment of the Saints of God, and witnesses of Christ, all the time of Antichrists tyranny, and their being in sackcloth, 
Rev. 11.3, 7.  was to prophesy and give testimony. To prophesy is to speak and preach to the mutual edification and comfort of another; this they had liberty to do all, 
1 Car. 14.31.  all the time of their bondage, 1260. years, I will give power to my two witnesses and they shall prophesy. 
Rev. 11.3.  When God gives liberty and power, neither Devils nor the Roman Beast, or his Image the Pope can hinder them.  
Secondly, they are to give testimony, or bear witness to all the truths of Christ, especially that truth which Antichrist was to deny in point of power; that Christ was Lord and King over his Church; which they did from the first rising of Antichrist. 375. to his end, 1635. for they are said, 
Rev. 11.7.  not to finish their testimony until that time, and to his Priestly office; that we are freely justified by his grace, and not by our own merits.   

CHAP. V The witnesses are slain by Autichrist, and lie dead three days and a half, are raised upon their feet, and ascend up to Heaven.  
THe witnesses were to prophesy and give testimony 1260. years, from 375. to 1635. and had power given them of Christ so to do: when they have finished their testimony and done their work, 
Rev. 11.7.  than Antichrist, that Beast that ascended out of the bottomless pit, was to make war against them and slay them.  
There is a natural, civil and spiritual slaying, we cannot suppose it to be meant of a natural slaying: for by those two witnesses, is meant all the Saints and people of God; and Christ will not suffer the Devil and wicked men to slay all his people at one time, or in one age, no not in the hottest persecution of the Roman Emperor, in those 300. years, though many hundred have been slain at a time. And if we should understand by these witnesses the godly ones of the Magistracy and Ministry, and to be naturally slain, so they have been in former ages, in the days of their prophecy, as other of the Saints have been, (as is set forth by the word devour,) and so the Spirit of God hath said no new thing, but what he had formerly spoken; therefore it cannot be meant a natural slaying.  
Secondly, there is a spiritual slaying, and this cannot be meant; neither men nor Devils can spiritually slay the Saints and witnesses of Christ, none is able to pluck them out of Christ's hand.  
There is a civil slaying, and that must needs be meant in this place. Now by civil slaying is meant nothing else but a taking away all their civil power which they had, as they were free born subjects in the State or Kingdom wherein they live, that they might not give testimony to the truths of Christ, and prophesy to the mutual edification and comfort one of another, as they had formerly done for 1260. years. But if any Magistrate or Minister, or private man, did protest against that grand lie of Antichrist, saying that they had no Power, Pope, Cardinal, or Prelate, to sit in Christ's Temple, and to Lord it over the consciences of his people, presently they were cast out of office, their mouths were stopped, and their bodies imprisoned or they banished out of their own native Country. And this was very apparent here in our Island, when most of the witnesses were so dealt withal, who did openly oppose Antichrist, between the year 1635. and 1638. and a half: Those three ever honoured worthies of Christ, Master Burton, Doctor Bastwick, Master Pryn, (who were a lively emblem of the rest, witnessing against the power of the Prelates,) and others, who were forced to ●lye their own Country.  
Thus were they civilly slain by Antichrist, 
Rev. 11.8. and 11.  and their dead bodies lay in the streets of that spiritual Sodom, three days and a half, the power being taken out of their hands that they might neither give testimony nor prophecy; in the Scripture sense they are said to be not only slain, but to lie as dead bodies; that is, men made as useless in the world: And [they would not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.] That is, they would not suffer humane courtesies to be showed to them, not to buy nor sell, no not not to have commerce or converse with any; 
Rev 13.17.  so bitter and cruel were the Pope and Prelates between 1635. and 1638. and a half. We in England found it by woeful and sad experience, and our neighbour Nation of Scotland, in both which most of Christ's witnesses were slain. 
Rev. 15.2.  Indened there were other witnesses which the Lord Christ had in other places, but those had got victory over the Beast, 
Rev. 7.14, 15.  and his Image, and mark, and number of his name, who came out of the great tribulations, had endured great conflicts with Antichrist, but at last came out of them, and so made their garments white with the blood of the Lamb, and now worship God and Christ in his house and Temple day and night, 
Rev. 7.4.  who are the sealed one's of God; sealed, when the sixth Vial was to be poured upon the great River Euphrates, 
Rev. 16.12.  when those four Angels were loosed that were bound in that River. These were not slain by Antichrist, but are said to be upon Mount Zion with the Lamb, 
Rev. 9.14.  upon the hill of his Church, singing a new Song, 
Rev. 14.1.  which none can sing but the 144000. who have not defiled themselves with that Antichristian Whore, or any of her spiritual fornications, 
Vers. 3.  these are redeemed from amongst men, from being slain by Antichrist, 
Vers. 4.  that they might be the first fruits to God and to the Lamb in a Church way.  
When Antichrist had thus slain the witnesses, and laid them dead three days and a half, not suffering their dead bodies to be put in graves; then at the end of time, which was 1638. and a half, just at that instant of time did the Spirit of God enter into the hearts and spirits of the godly part, 
Rev. 11.11. Ezra 1.1.  both in England and in Scotland, as he did into Cyrus. And they stood upon their feet] that is, they took courage, and put liberty, life, goods, and all to their hands, and took to them all that power and strength they had to free themselves from that dead and slavish condition wherein Antichrist had brought them. Thus the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and saith the Text, Fear fell upon them that saw them. And indeed so there did fall a great fear upon all that saw them of the antichristian party, 
Rev. 11.11.  both in Scotland and England, yea, at Rome itself, witness the Pope's Masterpiece. All that knew of the godly party rising, fear and horror seized upon them, and when they stood thus upon their feet, 
Vers. 12.  ready to do any service that God should put them upon, Presently they heard a voice from Heaven saying, Come up hither. This voice was not from the material Heavens, or the third or high Heavens, where God and his Angels are, for than they should have ascended up thither: neither is this voice from the Church or Temple, for than they should at the same time have ascended up into a true Church-State; and if they had done so, Antichrist would quickly have brought them down, & broken them all to pieces again, as he had formerly done by the power of the civil sword, which was still in his hand. Therefore by Heaven is meant in this place, the place of Judicature, the mount of the Congregation, 
ssa 14.13.  the place of justice, the voice came from this Heaven. That wise and godly men would now ascend to this place to do justice upon Antichrist, who had slain the Saints of the most High, and witnesses of Christ, and by his oppression and cruelty. This voice was heard first from the whole Commons in Scotland, in whom all the power which is in Heaven did originally reside, and afterwards in England, both from the whole Commonweal, and likewise from the King himself, who sat in Heaven, 
Rev. 11.12.  And they ascended up to Heaven, that is, they ascended to the high place of Judicature, the same time 1639. in Scotland, and afterward here in England. They ascended up in a cloud; 
Ma●. 4.16.  that is, in a time of great darkness and ignorance, the whole world being overwhelmed with darkness and ignorance; Likewise by a cloud and darkness is set forth, 
Joel 2.2.  a state of misery and distress. And what misery and distress was the people of God in, and all the whole world at this very time, and therefore is truly said, that they ascended up in a cloud in a time of great ignorance and misery.   

CHAP. VI Christ is said to come at this time in the clouds of Heaven, or in his Saints, to execute juddgement upon Antichrist, with those signs of his coming; very few of his Saints that have faith to believe this, only some few, who are counted wise.  
THe witnesses being in Heaven, 
Mat. 14.30.  the Lord Jesus is to come in the clouds of Heaven to execute judgement upon that man of fin. By clouds is mystically meant the witnesses of Christ, in whom he is by his Spirit, as is noted in the Scripture of truth: When he is said to come in the clouds of Heaven, he is said at the same time to come with his Saints, 
Dan. 7.13.  Daniel saith, He 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the Son of 〈◊〉 come in the clouds of Heaven, when the thrones of those Beasts or Kings were cast down, 
Zach. 14.3.  And Zechariah saith, when the Lord shall go forth to fight against those Kings that carried Jerusalem captive● meaning the Church of God, whether J●●es or Gentil●●, and by those Kings he means those four Beasts, and the little horn Antichrist; then saith he, The Lord my God shall come; 
verse 5.  and all his Saints with him; and when the Lord Christ speaks of his coming to judge the enemies of the Church, and to deliver his people, he saith, That he shall come in the clouds of Heaven; and again saith John, 
Matth. 24.30.  Behold he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they that pierced him, meaning the Jews, 
Rev. 1.7.  who shall be brought to Christ in this age; and Enoch, the seventh from Adam, saith, Behold, the Lord cometh with 10000 of his Saints to execute judgement upon all for their ungodly deeds which they have committed, etc. ☜ The Saints of God and witnesses of Christ that are now in Heaven are very fitly resembled to clouds, in a twofold respect: They serving for the same end and use in a mystical and spiritual way, as clouds do in a literal and natural way.  
First, clouds are to keep us from the scorching and burning hear of the Sun; so do the clouds of our mystical Heaven, the Saints of the most High, and Witnesses of Christ keep the people of Christ from those scorching and burning beams of that Antichristian Sun, which hath burned many of the dear Saints of Christ to a●●es, and would do the like to us at this time (being so much enraged with malice and fury as they are) if it were not for these mystical clouds that are fixed fast in our Heaven.  
Secondly, clouds serve to carry water and moisture to water and fatten the dry and barren earth, to make in fat and fruitful: To the same end, in a mystical and spiritual way, serve the clouds of our Heaven, not only to the Saints of God, but also to all other who have been dried and parched by the heat of that Antichristian Sun, even by his oppression, tyranny and cruelty; and the clouds of our Heaven are to carry water that may refresh the people of God and the whole land, I mean just and righteous laws and ordinances, which may free us from those great taxations and oppressions which we meet with from Antichrist, which hath been done in part, and were those evil spirits which were raised by those three unclean spirits like frogs which came out of the mouth of the false prophet, 
Rev. 16.13.  out of the mouth of the Dragon, and out of the mouth of the Beast, destroyed out of our land, we should see such great floods of waters flow from our clouds, as though the windows of Heaven, and flood gates of the great Ocean were set open, foretold, and prophesied of by the servants of God, and therefore it is said, The Lord will send down blessings like rain upon the mown grass, 
Psal. 72.6.  and as showers that water the earth, the Valleys shall bring forth abundantly, and the hills shall drop down fatness, 
verse 3.  the mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills by righteousness. Thus we see the Saints and Witnesses fitly resembled to clouds, in whom the Lord Jesus by his Spirit is come, and sits upon the Throne to judge Antichrist: we shall see it more plainly if we look into, and open those four signs which the Lord Christ gives us of his coming to judge Antichrist. One sign is before his coming, another just at his coming, two after he is come. The signs before his coming is, 
First sign of Christ's coming to judge Antichrist.  the Sun shall be darkened, and the Moon shall not give her light; we are not to understand this literally: at Christ's first coming to judgement to judge Antichrist, but at his last coming to judge quick and dead than it may be literal, but not now; of those two luminaries, but mystically. Antichrist is said to have a world, 
Isa. 14.13.  to ascend up to Heaven: In this Heaven here is the Sun, and Moon, and Stars, himself being the Sun, Oh Lucifer Son of the morning, 
Isa. 14.12.  and his Cardinals that receive their light from him are the Moon, and the Prelates the Stars of this Heaven, for they are in this Heaven, in the House and Temple of God, where the Stars or Saints of God were, and they lorded it over all that was called Gods, as though they themselves had been God, and they likewise sit in the high place of judicature. ☞ Now these two great lights of this Antichristian Heaven were darkened a little before Christ came in the clouds of Heaven; they began to grow dark in Luther's time, and in King Edward the fixths' time, and likewise. Queen Elizabeth's time, by the rising and shining of that glorious Sun of righteousness in the preaching of the Gospel's truth: 
Matth. 4.2.  and the more this Sun shined, the more those Antichristian lights grew paler and darker, until the very time that he came in the clouds of Heaven; this sign before Christ's coming was and is plainly fulfilled and accomplished before our eyes.  
Secondly, the sign at, and in the very instant time of his coming, and this sign is in Heaven; 
Matth. 24.30.  we are to keep the metaphor, not literally to be understood for those natural Heavens, as many have supposed, and so have dreamt of a glorious light which was to shine or break forth from those Heavens immediately before Christ came, which may be true at his last coming: But by those Heavens or Heaven, is meant the Heaven or high place, where Antichrist had his seat and throne: First, he had his high place, where he sat about Ecclesiastical affairs and Church matters, this is not the Heaven here meant. Secondly, he had his high place and throne, where he sat to determine matters of the State and Commonweal, 
Isa. 14.13.  Upon the Mount of the Congregation in the sides of the North, where the Judges of the civil law were wont to sit in ancient time; this is the Heaven or high place where the sign of the Son of man is to appear, immediately at his coming in the clouds of Heaven: and this sign was nothing else but that sudden alteration that was in this Heaven, the day or year the Witnesses ascended up to this Heaven, in the year before 1638. Pope and Prelate sat as sole Judges in this Heaven, over the Saints and people of God; but 1639. the Witnesses are raised up to this Heaven in Scotland, and sit as Lord and Judges of them, who by a solemn Oath made with the most high God, cast out Pope and Prelate out of Heaven: never to have to do or to meddle with Church or State affair, but to be cast from Heaven, as the Spirit of God foretold; 
Isa. 14.2.  How art thou fallen from Heaven O Lucifer son of the morning, and how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the Nations: 
Rev. 12.9.  and again; The great Dragon was cast out into the earth, and his Angels with him. This is the sign of the Son of man in Heaven, which appears plainly by this which our Saviour notes to be at the same time: Then (saith he) shall all the Tribes of the earth mourn, when they see the Son of man come in the clouds of Heaven. 
Mat. 24.30. Rev. 1.7.  Was not this very evident? did not all the Tribes of that Antichristian earth mourn when they see the godly party not only to stand upon their feet, which had lain dead three years and a half? but now seeing them ascend to the high place of Judicature, they were filled with fear and sorrow, supposing some dreadful thing would follow: The Pope's Masterpiece witnesseth at large, what fear and sorrow was not only here amongst the Antichristian party, but at Rome itself.  
Thirdly, the third sign was, that the Stars should fall from Heaven. By Stars, 
Matth. 24.29.  we shown was meant those lesser lights of that Antichristian Heaven, which was popish Lords and Prelates, which were as fixed Stars of this Heaven; they fell down to the earth (not to have any more power in the Church or State) in Scotland, the year 1639. and in England 1641. and shall fall from Heaven in all the other eight Kingdoms of the Beast very shortly.  
The fourth and last sign of Christ's coming in the clouds of Heaven to judge Antichrist, 
The fourth sign. Luke 21.25.  is the roaring of the Sea; The Sea and the waves thereof shall roar, we are to keep to the metaphor: Antichrist had a world, in that world he had his Heavens and lights therein, and he hath an earth and sea: by sea in a natural way is meant, 
Rev. 17.15. Psal. 2.1, 3. Psal. 149.8. Psal. 2.6.  nothing else but many waters gathered together metaphorically, and mystically many people, multitudes, and nations, and tongues; and these are said to rage and roar when Jesus Christ in his Saints are about to bind the wicked with cords, their Kings in chains, and Nobles in fetters of iron, and when God is about to set his King upon his holy hill of Zion. And have not we seen the Heathen and the Antichristian party rage and fume even like the waves of the Sea, as though they would overwhelm and bear down all before them? but yet this their rage is nothing, or but very little to what will be in all the other eight Kingdoms: Oh how will they rage's and lift up their waves to Heaven when Christ and his witness shall come to pour forth the fifth Vial upon the seat and throne of the Beast, and the sixth Vial upon the River Euphrates amongst them there, which will be as soon as they have poured them forth here. 
Matth. 24.30.  Thus have we seen these four great signs of Christ coming to judge Antichrist in the clouds of Heaven in part fulfilled before our eyes, And be is said to come in power and great glory. This glory is not an outward lustre, or glory as some have supposed to be in the firmament, 
Matth. 16.27. Exod. 34.6. Exod. 33.19.  which may be true at his last coming, but a mystical and spiritual glory at this time, even the glory of God his Father. The same glory which God shown unto Moses, when he desired to see his glory, which was called all his goodness or excellency, which indeed is the glory of all his Attibutes; and in this glory Christ is said to come at this time, when he came in mystical clouds.  
First, 
Rev. 11.12.  he is said to come in power: What great power did Christ manifest in raising up his Saints and Witnesses from such a low state, a state of death, and to set them upon their feet by his Spirit, that entered into them the year 1639. and raised them up to Heaven and cast their enemies out. Here was the glory of his great power seen, 
Rach. 4, 6.  as the holy Ghost saith, not by power of an Army, or by the might of a fleshly arm was they raised up to Heaven, but by the Spirit of God.  
Secondly, 
Rev. 11.8.  the glory of God's mercy did shine forth in delivering his Saints and people, which were in a such miserable condition, who were slain, and lay as dead men in the streets of that spiritual Sodom, & their dead bodies not suffered to be put into graves; for the Lord Jesus to send his spirit of life into them, & to set them upon their feet, and to raise them up to Heaven, whereby they were freed from the rage of their enemies, and made Lords and Judges over them, to reward their enemies as they rewarded them, yea, to return them double: 
Rev. 18.6.  Oh the glory of the mercy of Jesus Christ towards his poor servants.  
Thirdly, the glory of God's wisdom was much seen in this great work, to do it at such a time when his people could not see how or by which way they should be delivered; & Antichrist thinking himself to be now securer, and safely seated in peace & tranquillity, 
Rev. 18.7. Rev. 11.10.  rejoicing and sending gifts one to another, because those two Prophets were slain which tormented them. The wisdom of God now stepped in at the very nick and point of time, and by his wisdom makes this to be the only and chief time of the beginning of the enemy's downfall, and the Church's deliverance. Oh the admirable and unspeakable glory of Christ's wisdom! his wisdom is infinite, and there is no searching of his understanding!  
Fourthly, the glory of God's free grace and love were wonderfully manifested; there was no worth nor desert in his servants to move him to have pity or compassion on them in such a low condition: All that they did in the days of their prophecy and giving testimony was but their duty, and in all they were but unprofitable servants: and therefore what the Lord did to them and for them at this time was of his free grace and love; 
Zach. 4.7.  therefore well may we with shouting cry Grace, grace, unto this great work. 
Luke 18.7. Rev. 18.8.   
Fiftly, the glory of his truth and faithfulness appears in making good his Word and promises unto his Church and people, which he hath made often in the Scripture of truth, and in performing his Word and threaten against the enemies of his Church.  
The glory of his justice and holiness shineth forth with much glory and brightness, 
verse 6.  in executing justice upon such an ancient enemy of the Church, which with his predecessors hath been an enemy this 2300 years almost; and so cruel and malicious an enemy, who hath magnified himself to the Host of Heaven, yea, 
Dan. 8.10, 11.  to the Prince of the Host, and cast him from his Throne, taken his Crown from his head, cast him and his Spouse out of his House and Temple, strip● her of her robes, and would have forced her to commit spiritual fornication, and broken the Church all to pieces, devoured many of them, and trampled the rest under his feet; and last of all, slain the Witnesses of Christ, and laid their dead bodies in the streets, not suffering them to be put into graves; all this villainy hath he done to the Saints; and for the people of the Antichristian earth, 
Ya. 4.16, 17.  whom he hath reigned over so long; he hath made the very earth to tremble, and did shake Kingdoms, the world he made as a Wilderness, and destroyed the Cities thereof by his tyranny and oppression, and loosed not the house of his prisoners. Doth not the glory of Christ's justice and severity appear wonderfully in the ruin and utter destruction of such a grand, notorious, cruel, malicious, and insolent an enemy as this? and the glory of his holiness in destroying such a filthy Whore and Strumpet as Antichrist is, 
Rev. 17.2.  who hath committed spiritual fornication with all the Kings of the earth, and the Inhabiters of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication; 
Rev. 15.4.  therefore saith the Scripture, who shall not fear thee, and glorify thy name, for thou only art holy, and all Nations shall worship before thee, for thy judgements are made manifest, and again, True and righteous are his judgements, for he hath judged the great Whore which did corrupt the earth with her fornications, 
Rev. 19.2.  and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hands. In the glory of these great Attributes is the Lord Jesus come, and they have shined forth in some measure to the joy, and comfort, and salvation of his people, and to the sorrow and destruction of his enemies: But when the Lord Christ shall come to the end of this great work of his in the utter ruin of his enemies, and perfect deliverance of his Church; then will the glory of these Attributes shine forth with such glory and splendour as shall darken the eye of the clearest understanding, and affect the most flinty heart, putting them to admiration and astonishment. But this the Spirit of God notes in the Scripture, 
☞ Luke 18.8.  that when Christ shall come to avenge his Elect, meaning this very time, which is the time of the enemies utter ruin, and the Churches small deliverance, he shall hardly find faith upon the earth; he means, he shall hardly find faith in his Saints concerning the enemy's ruin and their deliverance, and not justifying faith; intimating to us, that the Church shall be brought so low, as they shall not have faith enough to raise them so high, as to look to God for their deliverance through so many difficulties. 
Dan. 12.9.  This time & mystery was hid from all former ages, and the words closed up and sealed until the time of the end, & written in a little book, and sealed with seven seals, none being able to open it neither in Heaven or earth, 
Rev. 5.1. Rev. 5.4. Rev. 5.5. Rev. 10.7.  or under the earth, but Christ only, & it is called, The great Mystery of God, not opened till the seventh Trumpet gins to sound; and we do not read he began to sound until the Witnesses were in Heaven, and the tenth part of the City fell, which was the year of Christ 1639● at which time God promiseth it shall speak and not lie, 
Hab. 2.3.  as indeed it did speak if we could have heard it and understood it.  
But saith the Lord, None of the wicked shall understand, 
Dan. 12.10.  but the wise shall understand; none of the wicked shall understand, 
Isa. 29.10, 11, 12.  Priests nor Prophets, Rulers nor Seers, all hid & covered, & the vision is become to them all as a sealed book, if one desire them to read, they cannot, it is sealed but the Lord gives many reasons why these wise & learned Doctors & Rabbis could not understand the vision of the time of the end when it is to speak, and to be made plain upon Tables. 
Hab. 2.2, 3. Isa. 29, 9   
First, because they are drunk, but not with Wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. This drunkenness is not a drunkenness with natural wine, but it is a spiritual drunkenness with the wine of that spiritual fornication, 
Rev. 17.2.  with which that Antichristian Whore hath filled her cup, and made them drunk with it, therefore they err in vision and stumble in judgement. 
Isa. 28.7.   
Secondly, 
Isa. 28.10.  they having drunk of this wine of spiritual fornication now a deep sleep of security and spiritual stupidity hath seized on them, and so cannot make use of their understanding nor learning in such a spiritual way, as to come to understand a vision or mystery of God: It is true, there is darkness as well as light, 
Zach. 4.6, 7.  but if it were not for this spiritual slumber, they might see as well as others though the light be not clear.  
Thirdly, Because they draw nigh to God with their lips, 
verse 13.  but their hearts is fare from him. Teaching men to fear God by their own precepts and commands; Therefore the Lord will proceed to do a marvelious work amongst this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder, for the wisdom of the wise man shall perish, and the understanding of the prudent shall be hid; yea, such a marvellous work shall be done in their days, that they will not believe it though it be told them. 
Hab. 1.5.   
Fourthly, 
Vers. 15.  Because they seek deep to hid their counsels from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seethe? or who knoweth? They by their own policy & craft did take counsel together to mingle their own water with the Saints wine, and their dross with the people of God's silver, 
Vers. 15.  their own traditions with God's institutions; and for this they digged deep, wrought in the dark, and hid their craft from God's people, and said in their hearts, Who seethe us? 
Vers. 16  or who knoweth? & by this means they are said to turn the worship of God up side down, even quite overthrow the whole worship of God, and to make his Law of none effect. But saith the Lord, It shall be counted as Potter's clay, at the end all broken to pieces and never set together again. Thus none of the wicked shall understand, nor but few of the Saints, (only the wise.) The wise, they shall understand; Dan. 12.10. we are to find out who are said to be wise in this sense, which the Spirit of God speaks of in this place: This is not that wisdom which makes a man wise unto salvation, (for with that all the people of God are invested,) but it is that wisdom which the wise man speaks of, 
Prov. 1.6.  To understand a Proverb, and the interpretation thereof, the words of the wise, and their dark saying. Which is to be done two ways.  
First, 
Dan. 9.2.  by searching and seriously pondering the books and the rolls of the Proverbs and Vision, as Daniel did, which speaks of the vision and mystery which God hath showed to his Prophets, and they that do so are blessed of God, and wise.  
Secondly, and they that secretly eye God in those secret and hidden acts of his providence, by which he usually makes a vision to speak, 
Psal. 107.43.  and makes it plain upon tables, Who so is wise and considereth these things, saith the Text, what things? why? they were the acts of God's providence all the Psalm over, Even they shall understand the loving kindness of God to his Church and people. And who are those? you have seen they are none of the great Rabbis and Doctors of our age, but such that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts; 
Isa. 28.9.  those young babes of Christ that have not drunk of that filthy abominable cup of that Antichristian Whore: Them will the Lord teach knowledge, and instruct in the way of understanding.  
Thirdly, they that have not drank or sipped of that Antichristian cup, but hath overcome that beast and Whore with all their abominable errors and heresies, to them hath Christ promised to give the morning Star, Rev. 2.28.  
By Star cannot be meant Christ, as some have supposed, for there is none able to overcome Antichrist, his mark or number of his traditions, brought in by his power, which is called his name; but he must first be made one with Christ by faith, and draw and derive power and strength from him to enable him thereunto; therefore by morning Star is meant some thing else. 
Rev. 13.14.  The morning Star doth rise before the day come an hour or two, to give notice the day is not far off, but nigh at hand. So the Lord Christ by his Spiritin those secret ways of his providence, will give to those his servants that overcome Antichrist, the bright morning Star: That is, will discover such a light to them, as shall be as the morning Star, to give them notice that the glorious day of Jesus Christ shall shortly appear, wherein he and his Saints shall reign in peace and tranquillity for 1000 years. Thus those that are wise shall understand, and they that overcome shall see the first dawning of that glorious day of Christ.  
God doth so loath that abominable cup of spiritual fornication, that whosoever drinks or sips thereof; shall not lie so near Christ's heart, as to have the vision or mystery made known to him; no, they that are the young men, they shall see visions, even the young babes of Christ, 
Act. 2.17. Mat. 21.16.  that out of the mouths of babes and sucklings he may perfect praise: This vision is both meant of Christ's coming in the flesh, and of his coming to judge Antichrist; and none of those great Doctors and Rabbis did understand when Christ should come in the flesh; but the young men and poor men, they understood and believed. And so it is with this present age; who will believe of all our great men, and learned Prelates, that Jesus Christ is come in the clouds of Heaven, and is set down upon the throne of Judicature in his Saints and witnesses, to judge that man of sin?   

CHAP. VII. The seventh Chapter openeth the seven Seals, Trumpets, and Vials; showing that they are all about one and the same thing.  
THat great mystery of God, concerning the ruin of all those enemies of the Church, 
Rev. 5.1.  is written within a little books, Rev. 5.1. and this book is in the hand of Christ, who sits upon the throne, and it hath seven plagnes written within it, (seven is a number of perfection,) a perfect number of plagues to be poured upon the enemies of God's Church, 
Rev. 5.3.45.  to their utter ruin. These seven plagues are as it were written in seven sheets of parchment, and rolled up together, and sealed with seven seals, as the manner and custom of the Jews was, in all businesses of great consequence: The seven Seals could not be opened by any, 
Vers. 8, 9.10.  neither in Heaven, or Earth, or under the Earth, but Christ only, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah; and he is counted worthy to open this book, by the four Beast, & the four and twenty Elders, and to lose the seven seals thereof: Whereupon they sing a new song to God and the Lamb, giving him glory, because he had been slain, and had not only redeemed them from wrath, hell, and eternal death, but also from the slavery and bondage of wicked and ungodly men; yea, out of all Nations, tongues and people, and made them unto God Kings and Priests, and they shall reign with Christ upon the Earth in peace a thousand years: this is that new Song that they sung, and it is sung again by those sealed one's of God, in Rev. 7.4. by the 144000. Which are upon Mount Zion with the Lamb, Rev. 14.1. Hence note the quick eye of the Saints faith, as soon as Christ takes this book in his hand, they look upon the work as done, as though their enemies had been quite ruinated and themselves delivered; they look from the beginning to the end of the work; Christ is to open this book, and to break open these seven seals, and no other. But there are seven Angels with seven Trumpets to sound, Rev. 8.2. who were to prepare themselves to sound, ver. 6, when the seals were to be opened by Christ, to declare and make known what was written within the Roll, even what the vial was which was to be poured upon that Antichristian state.  
And here is likewise seven Angels appointed to pour forth those seven vials upon Antichrist, Rev. 15.6, 7. which were full of the wrath of God.  
When Christ opened the first Seal, than the first Angel sounded his Trumpet, and the first Angel poured out the first Vial, and so the second, and third, to the seventh; the Seals, Trumpets, Vials, all about one and the same thing.  
First, the seven Seals served only to keep those things secret which were written within the rolls. The Trumpet or Trumpets, to sound and to declare what the Vials were, that were written within the roll, or rolls: The Angel or Angels to pour forth the Vial or Vials upon that Anthristian state.  
That you may see this more plainly, we will open and explain the Seals, Trumpets, and Vials, and compare them one with another, and see how they agree.  
At the opening the first Seal by the Lamb, 
First Seale is opened. Rev. 6.1, 2.  John heard the noise of thunder. When the Lord Christ goes out first to make war against those grand enemies of his Church, he thunders & is very tertible; he had a bow given him, which notes war against that antichristian Earth, as ye shall see by the Trumpet and Vial; and he is upon a white horse, and he hath a Crown given him, which notes both his innocency and victory, therefore he is said to go forth conquering to conquer.  
This Seal agrees with the first trumpet, 
First Trumpet soundeth. Rev. 8.7.  that when it sounded Then came hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon that Antichristian Earth, even the men of the Earth, that seemed to be living trees and green grass, but were burned up by the preaching of the Gospel. In this we are to note, that the sounding of the trumpets is nothing else but the preaching of the Gospel.  
This Seal and Trumpet agrees with the first Vial which was poured upon that antichristian Earth, Rev. 16.2. 
First vial is poured forth. Rev. 16.2.  And there fell upon the men of that Earth, which had received the mark of the Beast, and that worshipped his Image even a noisome sore. By the preaching of the Gospel by the Angels, or Ministers of the Churches, these men appeared very loath some and vile unto all godly and sober minded men, even they who had received the mark of the beast, or worshipped his Image, and thus Christ goes out with a how in his hand, conquering to conquer, beginning first with that antichristian Earth.  
When the second Seal was opened, 
Second Seale is opened. Rev. 6.3.  there appeared a red horse, which betokens blood, and it was given to him to take peace from the men of this Antichristian earth, and that they should kill one another, as indeed they did, by their impure and cursed doctrine, as we shall see anon, and a great sword was given unto him, which was the sword of the Gospel as we shall see noted by the second Trumpet.  
And when the second Trumpet sounded there appeared a great mountain burning with fire, 
Second Trumpet soundeth. Rev. 8.8.  which was cast into the sea, and the third part of the sea became blood, and the third part of the creatures that were in the sea, that had life, died, and the third part of the ships were destroyed.  
When the second Angel preached the Gospel, than a great mountain burned with fire: By mountain is meant power, great power was given to the Ministers in sounding this second Trumpet, and this power burned upon that Antichrists sea like fire; by sea is meant the doctrine of the Church of Rome, and they by the preaching the Gospel against that sea or doctrine of the Church of Rome, the third part of it became as blood. Bloody doctrine, so that they that seem to live in this sea before, now died, yea, now it appears that they spiritually destroyed one another by this impure and poisonous doctrine; and the third part of the ships that traded upon this sea, or traded with this doctrine are destroyed.  
This Seal and Trumpet agrees with the second Vial fully, 
Second vial poured forth.  which was poured upon the sea, and it became as the blood of a dead man, and every living soul first and last, that drank of this cursedand poisonous doctrine of the sea of Rome, spiritually died.  
And when Christ had opened the third Seal, 
Rev. 16.3. Third Seal opened. Rev. 6.5, 6.  lo a black horse: which betokened death, as we shall see anon; and he that sat upon him had a pair of balances in his hand, and a voice cries in the midst of the four Officers of the Church, and says, A measure of Wheat for a penny, and three measures of Barley for a penny, and see thou hurt not the Oil and Wine, Christ here hath a pair of balances in his hand, as a righteous and just Judge, to weigh all those wrongs and injuries which those Priests and Jesuits had done against his Saints and servants, and he will repay them accordingly, therefore saith the voice, A measure of Wheat for a penny, and three measures of Barley, but no hurt must come to the Saints, that are the Oil and Wine of the earth.  
And this we shall see agree with the third Trumpet and Vial, 
Third Trumpet sounds. Rev. 1.10, 11.  the Trumpet when it sounds, Then there fell a great Star from Heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the Rivers and Fountains of water, and the name of the Star is called Wormwood, and the third part of the waters became Wormwood, and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.  
By Star, is meant an Angel or Minister of the Church, see Rev. 1.20. by Heaven is meant the Church, by Rivers or Fountains of waters is meant, those Jesuits and Priests that are set forth by Rivers and Fountains of waters, who naturally draw and derive water from the Sea to water the Earth; so do they mystically as Rivers draw and derive their poisonous doctrine from that Antichristian Sea of Rome, and so water the whole Antichristian earth. The Ministers of the Churches by the preaching of the Gospel shined as a Lamp; and these Rivers become blood, noted by the the third Vial, Rev. 16.4. and likewise made their doctrine to be bitter and loathsome, showing that they by their poisonous doctrine did seduce the people, and spiritually slayed men; yea further, by their doctrine had stirred up the Beast and his Image to slay the Saints and Prophets of Christ, as is noted by the third Angel that poured forth his Vial upon them, Rev. 16.5, 6. therefore they themselves became blood; that is, their blood is shed, and they are put to death in Queen Elizabeth's time, and since, and as Master Cotton well observes; thus Christ weighs the wrongs done to his Saints by these Priests and Jesuits, who are those Antichristian Rivers and Fountains of water, and so repays them accordingly.  
This Seal and Trumpet agrees fully with the third Vial, 
The third Vial is poured forth. Rev. 16.4.  which was poured upon the Rivers and Fountains of waters, so that they became blood, not only appeared by the sounding of the Trumpet to be bloody men, such as thirsted after the blood of God's Saints, but their own blood was shed, for they were worthy, as the Angel of the waters well notes, because they had caused the blood of the Saints to be shed, therefore God was just and righteous because he had so judged, Rev. 16.5, 6.  
When the Lamb opens the fourth Seal, behold a pale horse, 
Fourth Seal opened. Rev. 8.7.  which notes darkness and misery, and he that 〈◊〉 upon it was Death. Now Christ threatens death unto that whole Antichristian state, the lights of their Heaven grow pale and dark, as is noted by the Angel that sounded the Trumpet, and that poured forth the fourth Vial, and Death and Hell followed with him; and afterward power was given to him over the fourth part of the Earth, to kill with the sword, with hunger and death, and the Beasts of the Earth.  
This horse was a pale horse, 
Fourth Angel sounds. Rev. 8.12.  betokening blackness and darkness, as is noted by the fourth Angel that sounded, that when he sounds, the the third part of the Sun, Moon, and Stars of that Antichristian Heaven, Pope, Cardinals and Prelates, glorious lights of that Heaven, when this fourth Angel preacheth the Gospel, the late Ministers of our foregoing Age, these lights lost the third part of their glory, and shined not so bright as they did before by the third part.  
The fourth Angel which poured forth the fourth Vial agrees with this Seal and Trumpet, 
The fourth Vial poured forth. Rev. 16.8.  who poured his Vial upon that Antichristian Sun, and so notes to us, that all the other lights of that Heaven were darkened with it, because they drew their lights from it in a mystical way, as the Moon and Stars do in a natural way from the natural Sun.  
The Ministers of Christ by preaching the Gospel, darkened these glorious lights of that Antichristian Heaven; and by so doing scorched and burned them with fire; that is, put them to as much pain and torment as though they had scorched them with natural fire, whereupon they blasphemed the name of God; that is, spoke more evilly of the ways and Saints of God, and proceeded more harshly and bitterly against them, even to their civil slaying, and lay their dead bodies in the streets.  
That death and hell followed upon the fourth Seal, Trumpet and Vial, is noted by an Angel, Rev. 8.13. which flies through the midst of Heaven, crying, Woe, woe, woe: Three woes, because of those three Angels which were to sound, and three Vials which were to be poured forth upon that Antichristian state to its utter ruin.  
When Christ had opened the fifth Seal, 
The fifth Seal is opened. Rev. 6.9.  the souls under the Altar come to see what was written within the Roll, and there they see Christ and his Witnesses ascend up to Heaven, the high place of Judicature, to take the Kingdoms and powers from Antichrist presently, 
Rev. 1. 1●.  they cry for vengeance upon them that had shed their blood.  
These souls are the Saints of God in our age which see themselves slain, for the word of God, and the testimony which they held: By word of God is meant Christ, 1 John 1. and 14. and their testimony is their bearing witness unto those truths of Christ which Antichrist denied, their slaying was civil, all power taken from them, that they could not prophesy nor give testimony to the truths of Christ, as they had formerly done; they are said to be under the Altar, by Altar is meant Christ, Heb. 13.10.  
They were under his spiritual power and jurisdiction, though civilly slain by Antichrist, and laid dead for three days and a half; these souls that see themselves slain, had white robes given them by Christ and his witness in that space of time that the fifth Vial was pouring forth.  
By white robes cannot be meant the righteousness of Christ, inherent or imputed for that they had before, which made them to undergo that flory try all, and suffer civil marty doom; which righteousness is set forth by gold tried in the fire, 
Rev. 3.18.  Rev. 3.18. but these white robes is that outward government and discipline that is to be set up in all the Churches of the Saints, set forth by white raiment: Fine gold make the Saints spiritual, rich, and enable them to endure the fiery trial; eyesalve clears the eyes of their understandings, that they thereby come to see the way of Christ in his house and Temple, in what way he will be worshipped; white raiment is the government and discipline of the Church, which is to cover the shame of the Church's nakedness, that it doth not appear unto the world; every member of the Church, and the Church herself walking according to the rule and order of the Gospel. 
Matth. 18.15, 16, 17.   
We shall see this Seal agree with the fifth Trumpet and fifth Vial in the sense of it.  
The fifth Angel sounding, a Star falls from Heaven unto the Earth, 
The fifth Trumpet sounds. Rev. 9.1. Isa. 19.15. Rev. 13. 1●.  & unto him was given the Key of the bottomless pit. By Star is meant a Minister or Ministers of Christ; by Heaven is meant the Church; by Key is meant power, by bottomless pit is meant the depth of the craft and subtlety of that nian of sin in his cursed doctrine & traditions.  
So the Ministers of the Churches were invested with power from Christ in the preaching of the Gospel, to open the depth of Satan and Antichrist in his cursed doctrine ferched out of that bottomless pit, especially concerning the usurpation of his power.  
Whereupon cometh a great smoke, noting thereby darkness, and therefore it is said, That the Sun and Air was filled with darkness, and in Rev. 16.10. when the fifth Vial was poured out, it said, His Kingdom was full of darkness.  
This smoke notes misery likewise, therefore Locusts are said to come out of the smoke, unto whom was given power, as the Scorpions of the earth have power, and they were to torment the men of that Antichristian world five months; a certain time set down for an uncertain; and their torment is very sore, as when a Scorpion striketh a man, that they shall seek death and shall not find it.  
This is noted further, that these Locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle, when Christ and his Saints take the power of Churches and States from Antichrist, it is to be pre-supposed that Antichrist will presently raise a very great Army to make war with them, as ye shall see anon fall out to be so, by the sounding of the next Trumpet.  
But these men that was counted as Locusts unto Antichrist, they have Crowns of gold, to note their victory; if Antichrist should make war with them, and they have faces like men, to note their Majesty and authority, and hair as the hair of women, to note their terribleness and fierceness, and teeth of Lions, to note their greediness, to pray upon these Antichristian men, to eat their flesh, 
Rev. 19.17.  and to burn them with fire.  
And brest-plats of iron to note their strength to encounter with him, the sound of their wings being as the sound of Chariots, of many horses running to battle, and their tails like unto Scorpions to torment them, 
Rev. 6.12.  and to put them unto grievous pain, and he that is King over them is the Angel of the bottomless pit, even the Lord Christ, see Rev. 20.1, 2. that will ere long cast the Beast and that false Prophet into it, Rev. 19.20. Rev. 20.10. yea, and the Devil himself, and shut him up and set a seal upon it, binding him for a thousand years, verse. 1, 2. Thus the first woe is past, and behold there cometh two woes more herereafter.  
The fifth Angel poured forth the fifth Vial, 
The fifth Vial. poured forth. Rev. 16.10.  Rev. 16.10. upon the seat of the Beast, and then they gnawed their tongues for pain.  
And all this torment was when the fifth Angel poured forth his Vial upon the seat and throne of the Beast, 
Rev. 11.12. Dan. 7.26.  even when the Lord Christ and his witnesses ascended up into Heaven, 1639. and when the judgement sat, and took his Kingdom and Dominions from him. For wicked and ungodly men to be taken from their high places of honour, it is as great a torment to them, as when a Scorpion striketh a man; when Pope, Cardinal, and Prelates, are cast from the high place of Judicature, they that do it are as Locusts unto them, and their torment is insufferable, they gnaw their tongues for pain, and they desire to die, and death flees from them.  
When the sixth Seal was opened, Behold a great earthquake, 
Sixth Seal opened. Rev. 6.12.  and the Sun became black as haircloth, and the Moon as blood, and the stars fall from Heaven unto the Earth, and the Heaven departed as a scroll, when it is rolled together, and every mountain and Island were moved out of their places, and the Kings and great men and mighty men of the Earth hid themselves in dens and in the rocks of the mountains, that they might be hid from the face of Christ that sits upon the throne, because the great day of his wrath is come, and they will never be able to abide it.  
Christ and his witnesses being upon the throne, takes away Antichrists Kingdom and Dominions from him, 
Rev. 12.7.  whereupon there falls out to be war between Christ and Antichrist, foretold by the fifth Trumpet: In this war there follows a great earthquake, a great slaughter amongst the men of that Antichristian Earth, and the Pope, the sun of this heaven, becomes black as haircloth, 
Isa. 14.13.  and his Cardinals set forth by the Moon, become as blood; and Popish Lords and Prelates, set forth by Stars, falls from Heaven, those high places where they had their seat and throne, even above the stars of Gods, in God's House and Temple, and in the civil throne, upon the Mount of the Congregation. After they are fallen from Heaven; their Heaven fell with them, and is rolled together as a scroll, and all their Mountains and power of States and Islands is moved out of their place, and set in their right place. And in this battle and earthquake Kings & the great men of the world cry to the Mountains to fall upon them, and to hid them from the face of the Lamb the Lord Christ, because now the great day of his wrath is come, in which he will take geance upon all these five grand enemies of his Church, and upon that Antichristian world.  
But this is noted in Rev. 7.1, 2, 3, 4. that at this time in the midst of all this wrath and fury of Christ against this wicked antichristian crew; he takes care of his Elect & chosen people, (especially those that are in a true Church-state) as the children of Israel was, (therefore set forth by them) & who are said to be upon Mount Zion with the Lamb, Rev. 14.1. singing a new Song; these must be all sealed and have the mark of God set in their foreheads; 
Rev. 7.1, 2 3, 4.  therefore those four Angels that stands upon the four corners of the Earth, to hold the four winds of God's wrath in their hands, ready to blow upon that antichristian World, must not let those winds blow, until an Angel hath sealed the servants of Christ, and there was sealed 144000. the same number that are upon Mount Zion, in a true Church-state, with the Lamb the Lord Christ, their Lord and King, Rev. 14.1.  
This sixth Trumpet appears to be one and the same with the sixth Seal; 
Sixth Trumpet sounds. Rev. 9, 14.  when this Trumpet sounds Those four Angels which were bound in that great river Euphrates is loosed for an hour, day, month, and year, to slay the third part of those antichristian men, a certain time for an uncertain, as is supposed about the space of 14. years, beginning in 1641. and ends 1655.  
By four Angels is meant a certain company of men, instruments of God's wrath to destroy Antichrist and his great Army; the number of these men are set down in the next Verse, to be two hundred thousand thousand: 
Rev. 17.15.  By river Euphrates, is meant mystically, a great company of People, Nations, and Tongues, on which that antichristian Whore did sit; and amongst those was these instruments of God's wrath bound, by that civil power which Antichrist had in his hand, 
Rev. 12.16.  before the witness ascended up into Heaven, but after they were ascended, and Christ had cut a little stone out of that great monntaine, even a little civil power out of Antichrists great power; by virtue of this did Christ and his witnesses lose those four Angels out of this great river Euphrates, and being loosed, they presently stand up with Christ and his Saints, 
Rev. 12.16.  and open their mouths and swallow up that flood which the Dragon cast out of his mouth after the woman; yea, and they shall take part with Christ and his Army, and hate the Whore, and shall make her desolate. At this time is noted in Rev. 10.2. and 8. that this little book was open in the hand of the Angel, which had been formerly shut and sealed up; yea, this Angel swears by him that liveth for evermore, that there should be time no longer; that is, this mystery of God should now be finished and made plain, that men may now see and understand what was contained within this little book.  
This Seal and Trumpet agrees with the sixth Vial, 
The sixth Vial poured forth. Rev. 16.12.  and so appears to be one and the same, Which was poured upon that great river Euphrates, whereupon three spirits, like frogs, go out of the mouth of the Dragon, and out of the mouth of the Beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophets, even the Devil and the Roman Emperor and the Pope, and these are the spirit of Devils working miracles, Priests and Jesuits, etc. who go forth to the Kings of the Earth, to gather together many waters or people unto the battle of the great God Almighty, now upon this great river Euphrates; or many people doth Christ and his Saints, with the men of the Earth that help them pour forth the sixth Vial, and so drieup this great river, that way may be made for the Kings of the East; yea, that Christian Kings and Princes may reign upon the Earth. The second woe is past, and behold the third woe cometh quickly, Rev. 11.14.  
The seventh Seal being opened, silence is in Heaven, 
The seventh Seal is opened. Rev. 8.1.  the high place of Judicature, for the space of half an hour; see chap. 9 at this time is the Prayers of all Saints offered up to God upon the golden Altar which was before the throne in the Temple; that is, then shall the Churches of the Saints in and upon that golden Altar, Christ offers up praises and thanksgiving unto God, for executing vengeance upon his Enemies, and for the delivering of his Churches from bondage and misery, which hath been the prayers of all Saints from the evening to the morning, 2300. years almost, and now will be fully answered at this time.  
This agrees with the voice of the seventh Trumpet, for when it sounded, there was great voices heard in Heaven in the Church, 
The seventh Trumpet sounds. Rev. 11.15.  saying, the Kingdoms of this world are now become the Lords, and his Christ's, and now Antichrist is destroyed, and the powers of States is in the hands of Christ and his witnesses, and therefore he and they shall reign for ever and ever. Whereupon the Church, with her officers which sit upon the Seats of their glory in Christ's House and Temple, fell upon their faces, noting thereby their own humility and their high esteem of Christ, worshipping him, and giving thanks to God Almighty, which was, is, and is to come, because he hath now taken to him his great power, and doth reign.  
Which Seal and Trumpet argues with the seventh Vial which was poured upon that Antichristian air, 
The seventh Vial poured forth. Rev. 16.17, 18.  by the peaching of the Gospel, which is to be done when the fifth and sixth Vial is poured upon the seat of the Beast, and that great River Euphrates; Even than came voices out of the Temple, which causeth a great spiritual earthquake amongst those antichristian men; that there shall be such infinite store of men converted to the faith, and brought home to Christ, as never was since men was upon the face of the Earth; and then shall an infinite company, as it were, be before the throne, singing Alleluiah, saying, Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, be unto the Lord our God, for executing justice and judgement upon that great Whore. 
Rev. 19.1, 2. and 6.  Yea, the voice of a great multitude, and the voice of many waters of many people, and of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluiah, and the four Beasts and the twenty four Elders fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, 
Vers. 6.  Amen, Alleluiah, vers. 4. Thus the third woe is come upon that antichristian state to her utter ruin and destruction.  
Thus we have seen the seven Seals, and the seven Trumpets, and seven Vials, to be all about one and the same thing.  
First, sealing up Gods judgements for a time; afterwards the Seals broke open, the Ministers of the Churches by the preaching of the Gospel declares what these judgements are, and then the Angels poured forth their Vials upon that Antichristian world.  
The next thing we are to do in the following Chapters, is to show what the fifth and sixth and seventh Vials are more fully, and whom those Angels be which are to pour them forth.   

CHAP. VIII. The first work of the witnesses after they are in Heaven, is chief the pouring forth of the fifth Vial, and the means whereby they do it, with those effects which follow upon it.  
THe witnesses being ascended up to Heaven, and Christ come in them, and sat down upon the throne to execute judgement upon Antichrist; 
Isa. 28.6. Rev. 16.10 Isa. 14.13.  the first thing we read shall be done is the pouring forth the fifth Vial, which is poured forth upon the throne and seat of the Beast. He is said to have his throne above the Stars of God, above his Saints in his Temple, and likewise upon the Mount of the Congregation, the high place of Judicature; It hath appeared to all the world that he hath taken all power into his hand, both Ecclesiastical and Civil; upon these powers must the witnesses pour forth the fifth Vial; that is, they are to take all power from Antichrist both in Church and State; 
Dan. 2.26.9.  therefore saith Daniel, the judgement shall sit, and they shall take away his dominions: Again, saith he, I beheld till the thrones were cast down. And when Jesus Christ sat upon his throne, Rev. 6.16. than every mountain was moved out of his place, meaning the powers which Antichrist had in the world. Now the means by which Christ and his witnesses shall take these powers and dominions from Antichrist, and so slay him as he did them, is by the power of the civil sword, as the Lord saith, He that leads into captivity, 
Rev. 13.10.  shall go into captivity, be that kills with the Sword, shall be killed with the Sword.  
Antichrist by the power of the civil sword, which he received from the Roman Emperor, 
Rev. 13.2.  did carry the people of God captive into the wilderness, for the space of 1260. years, where they prophesied in sackcloth and afterwards civilly killed them, and laid them dead for three days and a half. The like must the witnesses do to Antichrist, carry him captive, and civilly kill or slay him: this was that which the Saints of God believed long since, and with patience have they waited for it; therefore saith the Lord, This is the faith and patience of the Saints, the Saints believed it, and patiently did wait for it: By this power shall Christ and his witnesses take the Kingdoms and Dominions from Antichrist, 
Dan. 7.26. Dan. 2.45.  and consume him to the end, which is set forth to be a little stone, cut out of the Mountain without hands.  
By Mountain is not meant the Church, and by little stone Christ, 
Isa. 2.2.14.13. Psal. 48.1. Mich. 4.1.  as some have supposed; but by mountain is meant that great civil power which the four great Beasts, and little horn Anrichrist had in the world, set forth by those ten horns. For by Mountain or Mountains, is meant power or powers; either the civil power of States and Kingdoms, of the Ecclesiastical power of Churches, usually and frequently set forth by Mountains. That great civil power which these great Beasts had, is set forth by a Mountain; 
Dan. 2.34, 35.  and there must be a little stone or little power cut out of this great power, that must smite this great Image of those five Beasts upon its feet, and break it all to pieces, and it shall become like the chaff of the summer threshing-floore, that no place shall be found for it And this little stone● shall become a very great Mountain, and fill the whole Earth; a little stone shall be cut out of this great mountain without hands; that is, a little civil power shall be cut out of that great civil power which Antichrist had in all his ten Kingdoms, and this must be done without power of hands; not the power of an Host or Arms, but another way. And this we see fulfilled before our eyes, in the year of Christ 1639. when the witnesses ascended up to Heaven, and the Lord Jesus not only raised them from that dead state and condition, and set them upon their feet, but took them up to the high place of Judicature, and by his Spirit hewed or cut a little power out of that great civil power which the Roman Beast and the little Horn had in all these ten Kingdoms: By which little power or stone the witnesses in Scotland, and they here in England, have begun to break this Image and will go on in this and the other eight Kingdoms, till they have broken it all to pieces; and this little stone in their hands shall become a very great Mountain, and fill the world very shortly.  
So ye see the means by which the Lord Christ and his witnesses, shall take the Kingdoms and Dominions from Antichrist, and consume and destroy him to the end, even by the power of the civil sword, so far as he hath seated and rooted himself in the world; but as he hath ●ooted himself in the hearts and minds of men, by his cursed errors and heresies, 
2 Thes. 2.8. Eev. 19.21. ☜  So the Lord will consume him by the breath of his mouth, and brightness of his coming; even by that spiritual sword of the Gospel, which sword proceeds out of his mouth.  
The fifth Vial must be the first work which Christ and his witnesses shall do after they are ascended up to Heaven, and sat upon their throne; and this they must do by that little stone cut out of the Mountain, by that little civil power, put into their hands; which we see done the same time in which they ascended to Heaven in Scotland. Did not the godly party, by a solemn Oath taken before the most high God, cast off Pope and Prelate, and all that whole Antichristian rabble out of Heaven, for having any more power, either in Church or State, but to be cast out to the Earth? And this was done by virtue of that little civil power which they had as they sat in the place of Judicature. This was evident before our eyes, 1639. done by the godly party in Scotland; and it was foretold to be so by the Spirit of prophecy: 
Rev. 11.13.  The same hour was there a great earthquake, a great shaking and fear amongst the antichristian party, when the tenth part of the City fell.  
By City is not meant the City of Rome, but all those ten Kingdoms that are under the government of the Beast and his Image; and the tenth part is one of these ten Kingdoms, which was Scotland, and this fell the same hour; and in this earthquake, when the tenth part fell, there was four great effects or consequences which followed upon it.  
First, there was slain of men seven thousand, 
Four effects which follow upon the fall of the tenth part of that Antichristian City.  a certain number set down for an uncertain; this slaying is not natural but a civil slaying, a taking away all that power which they had in Church and State affairs; so it came to pass in Scotland at the same time when they cast off the power of Antichrist; there was civilly slain a great number of Popish Lords and Prelates.  
Secondly, the second effect is the sounding of the seventh Trumpet, vers. 5. which was the preaching of the Gospel, 
Effect 2.  the witnesses being in Heaven, gave leave to have the Gospel preached, which was denied by Antichrist: at the sounding of which Trumpet the Lord foretold, Rev. 10.8. that then the mystery of God which was revealed to his Prophets, and written in a little book, 
Rev. 5.1. Dan. 11.9. Hab. 2.2, 3.  sealed with seven Seals, fast closed up till the end, is now finished, and is to speak and to be made plain upon tables, 
The seventh Trumpet is said to sound presently upon the Witnesses ascending up into Heaven, because they gave liberty to have the Gospel preached, which is indeed the pouring forth of the seventh Vial.  that he that runs may read it.  
Upon the seventh Trumpet sounding and declaring what was now done in Heaven the high place of Judicature, presently there was great voices of confidence and affiance in Heaven, the Church, that now the Kingdoms of this world should be taken out of that wicked antichristian Beasts hands, and given into the hands of Christ and his Saints. The people of God seeing Jesus Christ and his witnesses taking but the tenth part of the Kingdoms from Antichrist, they look from the beginning of the work to the end, and were confident that the time of the enemy's ruin was now come, and the Churches sinal deliverance, and the civil power of all the Kingdoms in the world should be put into the hands of Christ and his Saints, and they shall reign for ever and ever.  
The same thing was showed to Daniel almost 2300. years since, when he saw the ancient of days sit, and the thrones of the Beast cast down: 
Dan. 7.9.13.14.  Then one like the Son of man came to the ancient of days, and there was given him dominions and glory, and a Kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him; and not him only, but the Saints of the most High; and the Kingdoms and Dominions and the greatness of the Kingdoms under the whole Heavens shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high, and they shall possess the Kingdom even for ever, ever and ever.  
Three terms and sections of times shall the Saints possess the Kingdoms of the world after Antichrist hath his powers taken out of his hands, as we shall show anon: The Churches of Christ do not only express their confidence and affiance they had in God for the accomplishment of this great work that was now begun, 
Vers. 16.  but they with all humility and reverence fall upon their faces before God, and worship him in giving him thanks and praise, which is, and was, and is to come, who hath taken to him his great power, and hath reigned.  
And they further declare, that the Nations of the antichristian world were angry, 
Vers. 18.  as indeed they were, at his great work now begun; and that the time of his wrath against the wicked is now come, and the time of the dead that they should now be judged, that is, that now judgement shall be given to the poor Saints of God, and witnesses of Christ that were slain, and lay dead for three days and a half, and that he should give a reward unto his servants the Prophets, and to the Saints, and to them that fear his Name, both small and great; and should destroy them that have destroyed the Earth, which the Lord will accomplish in this present age.  
The third effect is the opening of the Temple by Christ and his witnesses which sat in Heaven, 
Effect. 3. Vers. 19  and the Temple of God was opuned in Heaven.  
By Temple is meant the Church the people of God: By Heaven is meant the high place of Judicature, so by the Temple of God; being opened in Heaven, is nothing else but Christ and his Witnesses giving leave and liberty to the people of God thus congregated to worship Christ in his Temple.  
And this they did, first, by their connivance and forbearing to trouble them and to molest them, as Antichrist and his faction did, and afterwards they shall give them some liberty, 
Rev. 6.12.  being tender over the consciences of men in matters of worship. 
Rev. 21.6.  But at the end of the ruin of Antichrist, Then the Temple shall be set wide open, that whosoever will shall enter in, if they be not such as defile or work abomination. This we have seen fulfilled before our eyes, that those that were Christ's Witnesses, 
Rev. 10.  they countenanced and spared to molest the people of God, that had joined themselves in League and Covenant to come out of Babylon, 
Rev. 27.  and not to meddle at all with that Antichristian cup of spiritual fornications, and to worship their Lord and Husband Christ, according to divine institution; but those that were of Antichrists side, though pretended otherwise, they would be stirring up the common people against them, until they were cast out of Heaven to the earth, even all those popish affected ones.  
When the Temple of God was thus opened, there was seen in his Temple the Ark of his Testament, that is, 
verse 19  than the Lord Christ who is the Ark of God's testament, was seen to be in his Temple, in the midst of those people that before was looked upon as factious and seditious men, but the Temple being open they prove otherwise. And when the Antichristian party saw that Christ and his Witnesses took part with these men, than there were Voices and Thunderings, and Lightnings, and an Earthquake, and a great Hail, that is, than there was great stirs, combustions, hurliburlies, quakings, and fears amongst the Antichristian party. And last of all, these grew to a great hail, or great storm and war (as weshall see anon) between the servants and Witnesses of Christ, and those that were for the Dragon and Antichrist in Heaven.  
The fourth effect was A great wonder which appeared in Heaven, 
Effect 4.  a Woman clothed with the Sun. By Woman is meant the Church of God, who is clothed with the Sun of righteousness, and which have her Officers in the midst of her, officiating and emptying the golden Oil out of themselves into the bosom of the Church, 
〈◊〉 4.12. 〈◊〉 1.6.20.  and are as a Crown of gold unto her head, set forth by 12 Stars, after the Tribes of the children of Israel; and the Moon is under her feet; that is, under her feet are all sublunary conentment and delight, she contemning them with holy scorn & derision, and being great with child, cried travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered; that is, the people of God seeing Christ and some of his Saints and Witnesses in Heaven, and many that were with them were against Christ, and for the Dragon: The Church hereupon is with child, as it were, and travails in pain to have a godly Magistracy set up in the world, that those which were in Heaven, the high place of Judicature, that was against Christ and his Government, might be cast out, that so the Lord Christ that man-child might in and by his Saints rule the nations with a rod of iron, and this they cried and travailed in pain to God by humble and fervent prayers, and to his Witnesses that sat in Heaven by humble petitions from the year of Christ 1639. to 1641.  
☞ Whereupon another Wonder appears in Heaven, a great red Dragon, having ten Horns and seven Crowns upon his heads, he stood ready to devour this manchild so soon as it was borne. The devil and satan in the Roman Beast, and his Image the Pope, and they in and by those popish Lords and Prelates stood ready to hinder this great design and birth of the Church by all the power and strength they could make, which were clear and evident to all our sights, 1641. when the people of God bestirred themselves both to God by prayer, and to the godly party in the Parliament, that those popish Lords and Prelates might be cast out: 
Rev. 12.5.  Whereupon those Petitions and prayers were heard of Christ and his Witnesses, and so the Church did not only bring forth the manchild or government, but it was likewise received up to God and his Throne, into the high place of Judicature, and the Dragon and the Beast in those popish Lords and Prelates were cast out to the earth by a wonderful and miraculous hand of divine providence.  
These four Effects have been very evidently fulfilled and brought to pass before the eyes of all, from the time the Witnesses first ascended up to Heaven, 1639. in Scotland, to the year 1641. when the Popish Prelates were cast out of Heaven here in England. Some say that the Church travailed in birth 320. with Constantine, who was that manchild, and so he was taken up to Heaven, and then the Church fled into the Wilderness. But that cannot be the meaning of the Text; for the Church's work at that time, as the Spirit of God hath declared, was to bear witness, and to give testimony to that great truth of Christ's kingly power in his Churches, and so to all other truth which. 
Rev. 11.3.  Antichrist would afterward deny, all the time of their prophecy 1260. years: And as for Constantine, he was not to rule all nations with a rod of iron, this only belonged to Jesus Christ, and to his Saints, 
Rev. 2.21.  who were to reign with him; therefore this cannot be meant of Constantine, nor of that time, but of this very time, which we may plainly see by those things which have been done in our sight; and for that 6. verse chap. 12. of the woman fleeing into the Wilderness, is brought in as a seal to the prophecy, with the 15. verse. For from the 7. verse of chap. 11. to the end of the 12. chap. the Spirit of God sets down nothing but what was to come to pass in our time here amongst us, from the day and year, 1635. when the Witnesses were slain, to the year 1641. when the war fell out to be in. Heaven, between the Dragon and his Angels, and Christ and his Angels; only those two verses 6. and 14. of the 12. chapter, of the Church fleeing into the Wilderness, 375. And when this manchild was received up to Heaven, and the Dragon and his Angels cast out of Heaven to the earth, here in England by Christ and his Witnesses, was a second degree of the pouring forth of the fifth Vial upon the Throne of the Beast; for this casting him out of Heaven to the Earth, is a taking away all his power from him both Civil and Ecclesiastical in Church and State.  
Thus that proud Lucifer, Son of the morning, 
Isa. 14.10.12.  is said to be fallen from Heaven, and to be cut down to the ground, and to become weak, like the common people of the earth, both in Scotland and here in England.   

CHAP. IX. The sixth Vial poured upon Antichrist, with the way or means by which it is done, and the Instrument by whom it is poured forth, the Beast and the false prophet taken and cast into a Lake of fire, with the silence in Heaven about the space of half an hour.  
THe Churches of the Saints declaring to all the world, that the way to have all oppression and tyranny removed, and to bring in all peace and tranquillity was to have all those that did formerly tyrannize over them cast out of office and place of government, and let the Civil power be put into the hands of Christ and his Witnesses, she bringing forth this manchild into the world, is presently received up to Heaven by Christ and his Witnesses: the devil and his angels who ruled the world before is now cast out of Heaven to the Earth. ☞ Upon this follows war between the Dragon and his angels, and Michael and his angels, Rev. 12.7. The Dragon at the same time, by his tail draws the third part of the Stars of Heaven after him, verse 4. the devil will not fall from Heaven alone but he will draw some of the Stars with him.  
By Heaven is meant the place of judicature: by Stars is meant those men that sits in Parliament. And was not this evident? did not the third part of the Parliament fall off at the same time, and was drawn after the Dragon, even with his tail the popish Lords and Prelates, who are his tail, to make war with Christ and his Church. 
Rev. 16.13, 14  There g●es at the same time three unclean spirits like Frogs out of the mouth of the Dragon the devil, and out of the mouth of the Roman Beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet the Pope, which are the spirits of devils working miracles. That is, those Jesuitical spirits, which work with as much policy and craft, as though they did work miracles, and so deceive and delude men. These go forth to the Kings of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of the great God Almighty: 
Rev. 11.15.  so the devil is said to cast a flood out of his mouth after the woman the Church, which brought forth this manchild, a flood of wicked and ungodly men, which he had gathered by those three spirits, This hath been partly fulfilled before our eyes: Did not those Jesuitical spirits go● up and down to the Kings of the earth, France, Spain, etc. to gather them together in battle against the Witnesses and the Church of God? when they saw that popish Lords and Prelates were cast out of the Parliament 1641. who are still at work with the Kings of the earth, and will be until the work be done. Christ and his Witnesses seeing this, presently they prepare and make ready for to wage war against Antichrist: Therefore he is said, in righteousness to judge and make war, and shall break them in pieces like a Potter's Vessel, 
Rev. 19.11. Dan. 7.26. Psal. 2.9. Rev. 18.6. Rev. 2.27. Sixth vial poured our. Rev. 12.7, 8.  so the Dragon fought and his angels, and Michael and his Angels; but saith the holy Ghost, they prevailed not, neither was their place any more found in Heaven. Antichrist shall not prevail, though the war be long and bloody; neither shall he get the power of Church or State any more into his hands, after it is once taken out.  
This war which is in Heaven between the Dragon and his Angels; and the Lord Jesus and his Witnesses that sit in Parliament; 
Rev. 17.15.  is the pouring forth of the sixth Vial, upon that great River Euphrates, which must be dried up before that mystical Babylon can be taken, as that old river Euphrates was before; literal Babylon could be taken by the King of Persia, as the Lord foretold by his Prophet Jeremy, as ye shall see in jeremy 50.38. so see 38. compared with Jer. 51.32. where you shall see the Lord threatening destruction unto literal Babylon, with the drying up of that great river Euphrates, by stopping up the passages, and by burning up the reeds thereof with fire, which were done by Darius, who took this City from the King of Babylon, Dan. 5.30, 31. so shall this mystical river Euphrates be dried up in a mystical sense.  
By this river is meant those great multitudes of people that shall be gathered together into Armies, to destroy Christ and his Witnesses, and to keep the Dragon, Beast, and false prophet in Heaven, in their seat and throne. And they are said to be gathered together into a place called Armageddon, by the Devil, the Beast, 
Rev. 16.16. Rev. 17.13, 14.  and the false prophet, and with them those ten Kings which gave their power and strength to the Beast; these shall all make war with the Lamb, 
Rev. 17.4.  and he shall make war with them, and will raise a great Army against them, who are said to be called, and chosen, and faithful. 
Rev. 12.6.   
The called one's are the men of the earth, who are said to help Christ and his Church; 
Rev. 17.16.  and the ten horns which were upon the Beasts head, are to hate the Where, and make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.  
By these horns is meant the Commons of all those ten Kingdoms, which were under the government of the Beast, in whom the power of States originally lies; and these shall be with the Lamb, and take part with him against the Beast, as we see Scotland and England hath done already, and so will the commons of all the other eight Kingdoms do, for the Word of God must be fulfilled. But those ten Kings that were heads of those ten States they shall take part with the Dragon, and make war with Christ.  
Secondly, by chosen are meant the Saints of the most High, who are said to overcome Antichrist.  

Firstly, 
Rev. 10.11.  By the blood of the Lamb.  
Secondly, By the word of their testimony.  
And last of all, They loved not their lives unto death.   
☞ They willingly engaged themselves in this great quarrel between Christ and the Beast. Chosen one's will be faithful, (but not the called,) chosen and faithful.  
The Lord Christ notes this of them that are chosen, that they shall be faithful to him in this war, but yet he secretly hints to us, that the men of the earth will be treacherous: This great Army of Christ shall be raised by that little stone cut out of the Mountain without hands, by that civil power which Christ and his witnesses hath in their hands now they sit in Heaven; therefore Heaven is said to be opened; 
Rev. 19.11.  that is, now there is liberty given by them that sit in Heaven. That now men shall take up arms against Antichrist: The Lord Christ is upon a white Horse in Heaven, as the Captain of the Lords Army; 
Josh. 5.14.  and the Armies which follows him, is said to be in Heaven, being raised by that civil power which the witnesses have in their hand in Heaven; and Christ and his Army is said to be upon white Horses, which note the innocency of the cause, and victory over them in this quarrel; it being the custom of the Romans to ride in triumph after victory, upon white horses, or else their Horses and Chariots covered with white.  
Again, 
Zach. 14.4.  the Lord Christ is said to stand upon his feet upon the Mount of Olives, in the day he goes out to fight against those Kings that carried the Church and people of God captive; which is meant of this very time.  
By Mount is meant power, and there be but two powers in the world, the Church power and the State power: It is not meant the Church power, for then this mount should have been called Mount Zion, by which the Church power is always set forth; and this Mount should have been in Jerusalem in the Church, and not before the Church. But this Mount is that civil power of States set forth by that Mount Olives which is before Jerusalem; so this civil power is before the Church of God, and chief for the good of the Church. And upon this Mount or power doth Christ stand with his feet. By feet he means his Saints, so the Lord Christ by his Spirit in his Saints and witnesses, stands this day upon this Mount Olives. And this mount (saith the Text,) shall cleave in the midst, towards the East, and towards the West, towards the North, and towards the South. This is fulfilled at this day; Is not this power or Mount cloven in the middle? part of it is in the hands of Christ and his Witnesses, as they sit in Heaven, and part of it in the hands of Christ and his Army, which is in Heaven upon white Horses. And this power shall extend itself from West to East, from North to South, to take away the power from Antichrist in all his ten Kingdoms, and to dry up that great river Euphrates from one end of the world to another; and this power or Mount is to be divided one part in the high place of Judicature, and the other part in the Armies, as is at this day, until they have poured forth the fifth and sixth Vial, and then it shall close and become one, in the year of Christ 1655. So by that little stone, even that little civil power which is in the hands of the Witnesses, shall the fifth and sixth Vial be poured upon the Beast and that great River Euphrates.  
This sixth Vial of God's wrath and indignation, 
Isa. 34.2.  is said to be poured upon. Euphrates, upon all Nations, and his fury upon all their Armies, upon all the ten Nations of Antichrist, and upon all their Armies that shall be raised; be will utterly destroy them, 
Vers. 5.  and give them up to the slaughter. The sword of the Lord shall be bathed in Heaven, upon the high one● which are on high, 
Isa. 24.21.  upon the Kings of the Earth upon the Earth; it shall be filled with blood, 
Isa. 28.18.  that the Mountains shall be melted with their blood. This is called the overflowing scourge, which was to pass over the whole earth; and the hour of temptation that should come upon all the world to try them; 
Rev. 3.10. Chap. 19.17, 18.  and the slain shall be so many, that it is called the supper of the great God, and all the fowls of Heaven are to eat the flesh of Kings, of Captains, of mighty men, of the flesh of horses, and them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, 
Rev. 9.18.  small and great, bond and free; Even the third part of men that are upon the Earth shall be slain in this war, to dry up this great river Euphrates; 
Isa. 13.12.  that a man of that Antichristian and mystical Babylon; shall be more precious than fine gold, even a man, than the golden wedge of Ophir. 
Dan. 7.11.  For by fire, and by sword, will the Lord plead with all flesh, and the slain of the Lord shall be many, Isa. 66.16. In this war the Roman Beast shall be taken and slain, and his body given to the burning flames, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, 
Rev. 19.20.  with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the Beast. These both are cast alive into a lake, burning with fire and brimstone, this is the purpose which is purposed upon the whole earth, and this is the hand that is, and shall be stretched out upon all Nations, for the Lord of Hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it, and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back, Isa. 14.26, 27.  
Thus we see the fifth and sixth Vial poured upon the seat of the Beast, and upon that great river Euphrates; all his powers and strength taken from him in heaven, himself cast down to the earth, yea to hell, and his armies utterly destroyed and given to the beasts of the field and to the fowls of Heaven.  
Yet there is another Vial to be poured out, namely, upon the air, wherein Antichrist breathed; but when the Witnesses, Christ's civil Magistrates that sit in Heaven, have done that work which is proper for them, as they are civil Magistrates; they shall sit still and keep silence in Heaven about the space of half an hour, which is the full time that the seventh Vial shall be pouring forth, though the Beasts have their Dominions taken from them. Yea, both the Beast and false prophet are cast into a lake burning with fire and brimstone; 
Dan. 7.12.  yet these are said to live still in the hearts of those men, in whom those errors and heresies do still abide, which they brought into the world by their Antichristian air; and this remnant of men are not to be destroyed by the power of the civil Sword; 
Rev. 19.21.  but to be destroyed by a mystical and spiritual sword, which proceeded out of the mouth of him that sits upon the white Horse, and by spiritual men sent out of the Temple, 
Rev. 16.17.  therefore the civil Magistrate shall keep silence all the same time, even about the space of half an hour, and sit and rest themselves, having done the best work that ever was done before them, or that shall be done after them.  
We cannot suppose this silence to be in Heaven strictly for half an hour; no, nor half a day, month, or year; for the seventh Vial must be poured forth upon that Antichristian air, all the ten Kingdoms over; in this space of time that this silence is to be in Heaven, which cannot be in so short a time, neither can it be meant of any long time, 
Luk. 21.32.  because Antichrist must be destroyed in one age and generation of men, Christ speaking of the ruin of Antichrist mystically, as well as of Jerusalem literally: therefore we are to take this silence for the space of half an hour, for the space of 45. years, in which time the seventh Vial is pouring forth, as shall appear more fully when we come to speak of the time or times of the ending of these Vials.  
It is said, that this silence was in Heaven when the seventh Seal was opened; this we are to note, that it was the custom of the Jews, to write those things that were of greater consequence in sheets of parchment, and so to roll them up, and seal them if they were things secret. The Spirit of God alluding to this their custom, sets forth to us, that every Vial was written in a roll of parchment, and every roll was sealed, seven Vials were written in seven rolls, and every roll had a seal; and when the first Vial was to be poured forth, than the first seal was broken open, and the first trumpet sounded.  
The Seal was broken open, that men might see what was written in the roll: and the trumpet, which was the Gospel in the mouth of the Ministers of the Churches, was to declare to that Antichristian world, what the Judgement or the Vial was, which God was then pouring forth upon them; and the Vial or Judgement that they were to feel with pain and anguish, when the Lord poured it forth.  
☜ So when the first Vial was poured forth, the first Seal was opened, and the first Trumpet sounded, and so in order the second and third, unto the seventh.  
And when the seventh Seal was opened, the seventh Vial was poured forth, and then this silence was in Heaven.  
Before we leave speaking of the sixth Vial, we are to take notice of this; that although the Lord be come in the clouds of our Heaven, even in his Witnesses standing upon the Mount Olives, and the judgement seat, and the Thrones are casting down, yea, and the Lord is gone out to fight and make war with those Kings that carried the Church of God captive, and himself upon the white horse, and much of the work is done; yet at this time, the holy Ghost saith, 
Zach. 14.6. Rev. 2.28.  That the light shall not be clear no● dark, the morning Star is but newly risen, and a very little light doth yet appear.  
There is so much darkness, as very few of the Saints themselves do not see nor know what the Lord Christ is doing, either for Churches or States; great fears amongst most of the Saints, that sorrow and misery will come to both: They cannot as yet see how or when the Church of Christ shall be delivered, nor the pure way of Christ's worship in his House and Temple set up; only a few choice ones that be wise, 
Dan. 12.3.  and they shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament: That is, those godly ones whom the Lord hath made wise to understand the Mystery of pure Ordinances of worship, and the way and Government of Christ in his House and Temple, at this time wherein the worship of God is so exceedingly corrupted and polluted by the abominations of that Babylonish Whore, they shall shine in this Antichristian world as the brightness of the Firmament, for the present; And they that turn many to righteousness as the Stars for ever and ever.  
When they shall not only see and be able to discern between gold and dross, water and pure wine; Christ's own institutions and men's inventions, and the false government of Antichrist, and the true government of Christ in and over his Church and people; but also turn many unto those righteous and pure Ordinances of worship, even they (saith the Lord) shall shine as Stars, not in this age and time only, but for ever and ever, their names shall be famous, unto all the Churches of the Saints. For the first ever or term of time which Christ and his Saints shall reign, in peace even a 1000 yerres. And for ever to the second term or end of time; after the 1000 years are ended from the destruction of Gog and Magog unto the end of the world, because they were so wise to see, and diligent and faithful to turn many unto the right way of divine worship.  
But there is some light, though it be not cleared, so that those which are said to be wise, can see and understand in part, that now the daystar is risen, and the great work concerning the enemy's ruin, and the Saints final deliverance is begun, and the Sun of righteousness, the Lord Christ, will ere long arise with healing in his Wings. 
Maal. 4.2.   
But at this time it is not light nor dark, 
Zach. 14.6, 7.  a day as it were known to the Lord, only, none else knowing or understanding what God is doing for his people, only a few whom he hath made wise to understand a vision, the words of the wise God concerning this great Mystery, and the dark say thereof.  
Again, this is noted, that it is not day nor night: The day of the Church's peace is not yet come, nor the night of her misery and bondage is not fully upon her as it hath been, but she is between the day and night (in the birth) and upon the borders of spiritual Egypt and Canaan.  
But at the eventide, when the work shall be almost at an end, 
Zach. 14.7.  than it shall be daylight, all shall see what God is doing for his Church, and then will that glorious Sun shine forth in his full brightness and glory, that the light of the Moon shall be as the Sun, and the Sun sevenfold, than the eyes of the blind shall be opened to see the way of Christ in his House so plainly, that way faring men, though fools, shall not err therein. 
Isa. 35.8, & 6   
And this is also noted in the Scripture of truth, that an Army out of the North shall come up against Babyon, and be the chief cause of her mine and destruction: They come from a fare Country, from the end of Heaven, 
Isa. 13.5.  the Lord and the Weapons of his indignation to destroy the whole Land: which is meant of England and Scotland. For we are a very remote Country from mystical Babylon, from the end of Heaven as Scotland is; yea, if we look to the men that are to be employed in this war, we shall see them to be the same which the Lord Christ hath in his Army at this day, as we may see in the third verse: I have commanded my sanctified ones, 
verse 3.  I have also called my mighty ones for my anger, even them that rejoice in my highness: The Lord meaning his own servants, who are said to retoyce in his highness, and are set forth by chosen and faithful ones, which are now with the Lamb, Rev. 17.14. following him upon white horses in Heaven, Rev. 19.14. who are this day upon the high places of the field, and are said to be in Heaven with their Army, because they are raised by Christ and his Witnesses, who are in Heaven, and by that civil power which they have in their hands by right, as they are lawfully called to that high place.  
Again, we shall see that the Lord intended England and Scotland to come against this mystical Babylon, if we look in Jeremy 50.9. I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an Assembly of great Nations, from the North Country. Now of all Countries in the World, England and Scotland is North to mystical Babylon.  
And again, 
Dan. 11.44.  Tidings out of the East, and out of the North, shall trouble him.  
By East, here surely (as may be supposed) is meant the swedes. And by North is meant England and Scotland; so consequently they shall join together against Antichrist.  
Object. Rutilio all these threaten were against literal Babylon?  
Answ. I grant they were in the Letter, but as truly as Rome is called mystical Babylon; 
Rev. 17.5.  and as truly as all these threaten which the Lord hath pronounced against literal Babylon, were made good in the Letter against them; so will the Lord do against mystical Babylon, in a spiritual and mystical way: Therefore when Scotland and England have dried up the River Euphrates here, they shall not then sit down on this side Jordan, to enjoy peace themselves, and leave their brethren in misery beyond the Sea, and out of their own possessions, but shall go over Jordan with a strong Army, to help their Brethren, that they may likewise dry up that River Euphrates there, to the utter ruin of Antichrist, and for the settling of a perfect peace in the ten States, that the powers of States and Churches may be put into the hands of Christ and his Saints, that they may live and reign over the Nations of the earth in peace and tranquillity 1000 yeaees.   

CHAP. X. The seventh Vial poured forth; two great effects follow thereupon: The first is the hringing in the fullness of the Gentiles. And the second is the calling of the Jews, with the time when the fifth, sixth, and seventh Vial began and ended, and liberty given to the Saints by the Witnesses, to build that new Jerusalem.  
THe fifth and sixth Vial being poured upon Antichrists seat and thrones, and upon his Armies, the Beast and false prophet taken by Christ and his Army that followed him upon white Horses in Heaven, and both of them cast into a lake, 
Rev. 19.21.  hurning with fire and brimstone. Yet there is a remnant of that Antichristian race left, whom Antichrist hath poisoned with his Antichristian air, with errors and heresies, in whom those five Beasts are said to live, 
Dan. 7.12.  though they be dead: Therefore the Lord Jesus hath another Vial to pour upon these men, as is the malady, such is the medicine; 
Rev. 17.10.  and as the disease, so is the cure. The disease is inward in their spirits, their understanding is filled with mists and darkness which Antichrist brought into the world, with which he filled his whole Kingdom. 
Rev. 15.10.   
This Vial must be poured upon this Antichristian air and darkness by the preaching of the Gospel. For this being an inward and spiritual work, is fittest for spiritual weapons and spiritual men, and such will Christ have to do the work, 
Rev. 16.17.  Therefore voices came forth of the Temple: The Ministers of the Churches are to be employed in this work, and spiritual weapons or swords, therefore saith the Scripture, The remnant were slain by the sword of him that sat upon the white horse, which sword proceedeth out of his mouth. 
Chap. 19.21.  The way of Antichrist hath been to slay such men, (as they conceive factious and erroneous,) with the civil sword; 
Dan. 8.12.  therefore he gets an Host, or the power of Princes, 
The civil sword used by Antichrist to root errors out of men's hearts.  and hales them before Princes and Judges for to root out errors, (as they pretend) out of their minds; but this is a preposterous way, they may sooner root their hearts out of their breasts. But we see Christ's way, he useth the Civil Sword to take away all Antichrists power, which he got by the Civil Sword, 
Christ useth a spiritual sword to remove and cast out all those errors that are in men's spirits.  and so slays him, carry him captive, and likewise dry up that River Euphrates, but spiritually to slay men, in removeing darkness and ignorance out of their understanding, and so consequently errors and heresies, he hath a spiritual Sword fit for the work.  
So the seventh Angel poured forth the seventh Vial into the air, and then came a great voice out of the Temple of Heaven, 
Rev. 16.17.  from the Throne, saying, It is done.  
By air is meant that Antichristian ignorance and darkness wherewith Antichrist had filled the whole world. 
Rev. 16.10. Rev. 14.6.7.  By voices is meant the Gospel. By Temple is meant the Church or Churches of the Saints, 2 Cor. 6.16. This voice came out of the Temple, that is, the Churches of the Saints sent forth Messengers or Ministers to preach the Gospel, 
Rev. 14.6.  to every Nation, kindred, tongue, and people. The Temple of Heaven from the civil throne, Christ and his witnesses being in Heaven, the high place of Judicature, where they have their throne; the Spirit of God joins the Temple and this Heaven together, and Christ's civil Magistrates and his Churches go hand in hand, and with joint consent send forth Ministers to preach the Gospel; 
Rev. 14.6.  therefore it is said, I saw an Angel flee through the midst of Heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach, etc. saying, It is done. These Ministers shall declare to all the world, that now the work is done; the Kingdoms and Dominions are taken from the Beast, 
Dan. 7.11, 12.  and their bodies given to the burning flame, and their Armles utterly destroyed, and given up to the slaughter, and so the work is as good as done; 
Isa. 34.2.  And another shall come after them, and say, 
Rev. 14.8.  Babylon is fallen, Babylon is fallen: And another after him shall come and pronounce the judgements of God against every man that retains and holds fast those Antichristian errors, 
Vers. 9, 10.  saying; If any man worship the Beast and his Image, and receive his mark in their hands, or in their foreheads, the same man shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation, and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone, in the presence of the holy Angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.  
Upon this great voice of the Gospel shall follow two great effects or consequences:  

First, the bringing in of the fullness of the Gentiles.  
Secondly, the calling home of the Jews.   
First, the fullness of the Gentiles shall come in, declared in these words, That there were voices, and thundering and lightning, 
Rev. 16.18.  and there was a great earthquake. By voices, lightning, etc. is meant great stirs and combustions amongst men, not in a warlike way, as were before, but in disputing and arguing about matters of Religion. And by earthquake is meant a great falling off and renouncing those Antichristian tenets and errors, which they formerly held, to embrace the sincere truths of the Gospel, both for Doctrine and Discipline, which is called the bringing in of the fullness of the Gentiles. And this earthquake shall be so mighty and so great, as was not the like since men lived on the earth, there will be such a general falling off and renouncing of their errors, 
Rom. 11.25.  and such a true and thorough embracing of the truths of the Gospel, as never was since men were upon the earth; this is called the first resurrection. 
Rev. 20.6.   
And this great City is said to be divided into three parts, 
Rev. 16.19.  one part is to be slain civilly, to have all their civil power taken from them, as those seven thousand were slain in Scotland, 
Rev. 11.13.  at the fall of the tenth part of the City, by Christ and his witnesses that sit in Heaven.  
Secondly, Another part is to be slain by the natural sword, 
Rev. 19.11. and 14.  by him that sits upon the white Horse, and they which follow him upon white Horses in Heaven; upon the high places of the field, in his Army.  
Thirdly, The third part is to be slain spiritually, by that spiritual sword of the Gospel, which proceedeth out of the mouth of Christ, which is that voice that came out of the Temple. So this great City is divided into three parts, 
Vers. 21.  and thus great Babylon is said to come into remembrance before God, and to drink of the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath and fury. Thus will the Lord deal with Babylon, even deal with her as she did with the Saints; yea, reward her double, 
Rev. 18.6.  she broke the Saints to pieces, so shall she be broken to pieces like a Potter's Vessel, that shall not be set together again, 
Psal. 2.9. Rev. 2.27.  she devoured the Saints, so shall she be devoured; Every man that is found of her shall be thrust through, and every one that is joined to her, 
Isa. 13.15.  shall fall by the sword. She slew the Saints by a civil sword, and took away all their powers from them, and led them into captivity, so shall she be civilly slain by the same Sword and carried captive, 
Rev. 13.10.  and shut up as prisoners in a pit, and civilly bound for many years. They laid the witnesses dead bodies in the streets of that spiritual Sodom, 
Isa. 24.22.  so shall they lie dead and bound with Satan a thousand years, 
Rev. 20.3, 5.  not put into their graves; 
Isa. 14.19.  nay worse, they shall be cast out of their graves, like on abominable branch, loathsome and vile for all men to behold, even as the raiment of him that is thrust through with a Sword, and as a carcase trodden under foot; thus shall it be done to mystical Babylon, the mother of Haroots, 
Rev. 17.5. rindx;  and the abominations of the whole earth; the zeal of the Lord of Host will do all this in his appointed time: And the Lord gives the reason of all this his fury, 
Esa. 37.32.  and wrath, and indignation, against Babylon; and saith, 
Isa. 34.8.  It is the day of the Lords vengeance, the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion, and it is the vengeance of the Lord, even the vengeance of his Temple; 
Jer. 50.28.  the violence done to me and to my flesh, be upon Babylon, shall the Inhabitants of Zion say, and my blood upon the Inhabitants of Chaldea, 
Jer. 51.35.  shall Jerusalem say: Thus will the Lord plead his Church's cause, and take vengeance for her.  
The second great effect which follows upon the seventh Vials pouring forth, is the calling of the Jews, The Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover Israel: 
Isa. 11.11.  When the Jews shall see the utter ruin of the Romish Beast, and his Image the Pope, with the dissolution of all his Images and Idols. And likewise the extirpation of all that cursed tradition and invention, which Antichrist is said to bring into the world with him by his power, which are said to be (666.)  
Here is wisdom, 
Rev. 13.18.  let him that hath understanding, count the number of the Beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is (666.) That is, he that hath wisdom to distinguish between those traditions which that Antichristian Beast brought into the world, and mixed his cup with, and those pure Ordinances of Worship, which he took from Christ and his Saints, in the day he entered into the Temple, let him but divide between the one and the other, and he shall find those traditions to be (666.)  
And when all these abominations are cast out of the worship and service of Christ, and they likewise hear those blessed voices of the Gospel, 
Rom. 3.25, 26. Jer. 20.37. Rom. 11.25.  which came out of the Temple; and likewise hearing the same voices of the Gospel, declaring the truth of the promises made to their fathers of old, and Gods free grace and love, and mercy in Jesus Christ, shall thereby be brought into the bond of the Covenant; for saith the Text, blindness happened unto the Jews, but until the fullness of the Gentiles came in, and then all Israel shall be saved.  
Here we have, first, the means of their calling; secondly, the manner of it; thirdly, the effects of it.  
First, the means or way by which they shall be called, is by the sound of the Trumpet of the Gospel, 
Matth. 24.31.  and he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet, 
Isa. 11.12.  and they shall gather together his Elect (meaning the Jews) from the four winds, from one end of the Heavens to another.  
Secondly, the manner of their callings; Then shall the Lord pour upon them his spirit of humiliation and godly sorrow, that they shall look upon him whom they pierced, and shall mourn bitterly as one that mourneth for his only Son, yea, 
Zach. 12.10.  as the mourning of Haddadrimmon in the Valley of Megiddon, which was the greatest mourning that ever we read of Again, 
Jer. 13.9.  with weeping and supplication will I lead them. Thus than the manner of it shall be with much sorrow, lamentation and humiliation.  
Thirdly, the effects which follow upon this their great humiliation and conversion is, they shall inquire after the true Churchway of the Gospel, which way the Lord Christ will be worshipped in his House and Temple, ask the way to Zion, with their faces thitherwards: which notes, 
Jer. 50.6.  that their hearts shall be fully set to worship Christ after his own way, and it notes likewise their willingness and readiness to the work, but yet not all of them shall God take into his House and Temple; no, but one of a City, 
Rev. 3.14.  and two of a Family, and bring them to Zion his Church.  
Secondly, But all of them shall have their own. 
Ezek. 28.25.20.42.34.13.24.  I and given them again for an everlasting possession, and they shall dwell in it for ever, and none shall make them afraid, and they shall be no more a prey to the Heathen. Again, I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel, and they shall build the waste places, and plant Vineyards and drink the Wine thereof, 
Jer. 9.14, 15.  and make Gardens and eat the fruit thereof, and I will plant them upon their own Land, and they shall be no more pulled up out of the Land which I have given them, saith the Lord. Now the Jews being scattered to the four winds of Heaven amongst all the people in the world, therefore this is noted of them, that they amongst whom they lived in all Nations shall bring them to their own Land upon horses and in Chariots, and in Litters, and upon Mules, and upon swift Beasts, 
Isa. 65.20.  for an Offering to the Lord, to his holy Mountain Jerusalem. God's Covenant in an outward way, is with all the natural seed of Abraham, to bring them all into their own Land, and to give it them for an everlasting possession; and they shall no more be two Nations, nor divided into two Kingdoms any more, 
Ezek. 37.22.24.25. Jer. 3.18.  even the Lord Christ shall be King over them for ever, as he sits King over Nations: But that Zion and Church-Covenant shall be but with some of them. By which Covenant, God is said to be married to them: Therefore saith the Lord; 
Jer. 3.14.  I will take you one of a City, and two of a Family, and bring you to Zion, my Church and Temple: For we are not to suppose that the whole Nation of the Jews, from Generation to Generation, for so many hundred years, will be all godly men and women; no, but all indeed shall submit to that outward way of worship as other Kingdoms shall, 
Zach. 14.16.  over whom Christ in his Saints shall reign a thousand years: But not all godly and holy men and women fit to be taken to Zion into that new Jerusalem and holy City, 
Rev. 22.1.  where God and the Lamb hath their spiritual Throne: Therefore saith the Lord to Daniel, All thy people shall be delivered, that is, with an outward deliverance from that captivity and slavery that wicked men kept them it; 
Dan. 12.1, 2.  But some of them shall awake to everlasting life, and some to everlasting shame and contempt. Now we are to speak of the time of the pouring forth of these three last Vials, and the end of Antichrist; with the final deliverance of the Churches from their captivity, and the beginning of that glorious reign of Christ and his Saints, for a thousand years; the time of the little horn, Antichrist, and the last enemy of the Church: we have it set down in Dan. 12. by a threefold gradation.  
The Question being put by one, 
Dan. 12.6.  to the man clothed in linen, How long it should be to the end of those wonders; after a solemn Oath taken by him that lives for ever. Which Oath notes the certainty and infallibility of the thing he swore to, he gives a threefold answer. First, That it should be for a Time, 
verse 7.  Times, and half a Time. Secondly, a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Thirdly, a thousand three hundred and five and thirty days,  
The first, is the full time of Antichrists reign, in which he was to scatter the Church's power, 
Dan. 12.7.  called the power of the holy people. Which power he scattered from the time of his beginning to reign (not so much over the Empire) as over the Saints, to the end of his reign, from the year 375. to the year 1635. the full time of 1260. years, 
vid. chap. 3.  which is a Time, Times, and half a Time, see the third Chapter. At which time then almost all his cruelty against the Saints shall be finished, for he did to this very year slay the Saints, and laid them dead, and triumphs over them, and make merry, sending gifts one to another; and at this time Antichrist is said to finish his reign over the Saints having slain them: and so is one time of his end come.  
Second time of his end, is 1290. days, which time gins, saith the Text, when than daily Sacrifice was taken away, and that abomination set up, which made all desolate. Which was done in the year of Christ 365. now 365. and 1290. are 1655. which is the second time of his end, which is the end of the fifth and sixth Vial pouring forth, 
Carion. Chro. lib. 3. Rev. 12.17, 18. Dan. 7.11.  when all Civil and Ecclesiastical power shall be taken from him, and his Armies destroyed and given to the Fowls of Heaven, and their bodies to the burning flames. And all the civil power of States put into the hands of the godly, but not the Ecclesiastical power, until the seven plagues of the seven Angels be fulfilled.  
The third time of his end is set down in the 12. verse, to be 1335. days. By days, he means prophetical days, a day for a year, This time is to begin when the 1290. began, at the year 365. so 365. and 1355. make 1700. which is the third and last time of his end, when he shall be spiritually slain and cast out of the hearts & minds of men, in whom he hath fastly rooted himself by his Antichristian errors; 
Dan. 7.12.  in whom he and the rest of the Beast was said to live after they had their Dominions and Kingdoms taken from them.  
At this time the Lord Christ is said to sit upon the Throne, 
Rev. 19.1, 6.  and much people in Heaven crying Alleluiah; and the voice of a great Multitude, and as the voices of many waters, and the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluiah, for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. In the year 1655. Christ and his Witnesses are to take the powers of all the ten Kingdoms which Antichrist had into their own hands, and shall reign; but yet Christ is not said to reign fully, 
Christ not said to reign until his reign in and over his Church as well as over Nations.  until Antichrist be quite removed out of the hearts of men, and the Church way of Christ clearly seen by all his servants, both by his Witnesses in Heaven, and other of his Saints, that so he may reign, not only upon the thrones of Nations, but likewise upon the hill of Zion his Church, and then Christ is said to reign truly; which he shall do at this last term 1700. Then shall the Lamb Christ be married unto his Church, and the new Jerusalem built: Antichrist being quite destroyed, and cast, not only out of the would, but out of the hearts of men, and all that Antichristian darkness and ignorance out of the minds of men, that the way of Church-discipline at that time shall be so plain, 
Isa. 35.8.  that wayfaring men, yea, though fools, shall not err therein; and so much light, that all shall see the way of Church-discipline, 
Zach. 14.7.  which way the unclean is not to pass over, but it shall be for those, 
At even time it shall be light, which is meant of this year 1700. Rev. 19.7. The Spouse married to Christ by a Church-Covenant.  even for those that are holy, which do not pollute nor defile, and not for the unclean. At which time all the people of God seeing the Church way of Christ so plain, are said to make themselves ready and prepared to be married to Christ, not but that they were married to him before in a spiritual way by faith and love; Else how could they have this title of Bride or Wife? But to be married to him, is in an outward way by a solemn League and Covenant in the sight of all the world and Nations round about them, which is called the building of that new Jerusalem and holy City, 
Rev. 21.2, 10.  which is said to come down from Heaven. By Heaven is meant the place of judicature, where Christ and his Witnesses sit; from this high place or Heaven the Church and Spouse of Christ, who is that new Jerusalem or holy City, being invested with liberty and leave from Christ and his Witnesses, to enter into a true Churchway, and to set up such a Government in all the Churches of the Saints, 
Isa. 24.22.  whereby the Lord Jesus may be Mount Zion, and in his new Jerusalem before his anciemts gloriously: The Lord Jesus who is the Tree of Life, 
Rev. 22.2.  who is in the midst of his Church, is said to yield twelve manner of fruits, twelve sorts of fruits, after the twelve Tribes of the Children of Israel: That is, in him is all kinds of spiritual meats, to feed and nourish all the Churches of his Saints, though their wants be divers and many; And this Tree yields his fruit every month in the year. The holy Ghost secretly hinting to those Churches that shall live in those thousand years, that he would have them to eat of that Tree of Life but once a month. Now by Tree of life is set forth to us the Lord Christ in that great Ordinance of the Lords Supper, who doth fully communicate himself to his Saints by that Ordinance. In other Ordinances there is but a communication of Christ by parcels; but in this, of whole Christ, and a participation of all spiritual gifts and graces: and therefore the Lord Jesus the Tree of life is said to yield his fruit but once a month; therefore the Saints are not to take fruit from this Tree, but as it yields it, not to pluck the Tree before the fruits be ripe: and it is likely this will be the custom of all the Churches in the thousand year's reign.  
Though the Churches in the primitive times did receive it every seventh day, because they were then in their infancy, and childhood, and so the Lord Jesus had need to be as a Nurse with his Breasts full of Milk to nourish his young ones every day as it were: But when the Church shall be grown up to the age and stature of a man, and so to be fed with meat and not with milk, than Christ will be a Tree of life in his Church, yielding meat and fruits for strong men every month; for his Saints at that time are foretold by the holy Ghost, to be ancient men, ancient Christians; 
Isa. 24.23.  such that are grown up towards the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 
Ephes. 4.13.  before whom he is said to reign in Mount Zion & in Jerusalen gloriously. This liberty to build this holy City, new Jerusalem, shall be to the Saints 1700. by the Witnesses in the high place of Judicature; therefore it is said again, That this holy City or new Jerusalem cometh down out of Heaven from God, 
Rev. 3.12.  prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband; the Spouse of Christ had before her inward clothing all of wrought gold, standing on the right hand of the King in gold of Ophir; 
Psal. 45.9.13.  called gold tried in the fire, which made her spiritually rich and beautiful in her soul, in the eyes of her Lord and Husband Christ. But this is not sufficient, she must also have an outward raiment to make her beautiful without, both in the eyes of her Lord that looks upon her, and the men of this world; therefore it is said, that she shall be brought to the King in a raiment of needlework, 
Psal. 45.14. Rev. 19.8.  curiously wrought and embroidered, even in fine linen, clean & white, which is the righteousness of the Saints: That which none hath right unto, or aught to meddle with but Saints, 
Isa. 35.8.  it being the Government and Discipline which Christ is to set up and exercise in his own House and Temple over his Saints and people, and this fine linen was granted to her by Christ and his Witnesses, and it was also granted to the souls under the Altar, which saw themselves slain for the testimony which they held, that they should have white robes given them by Christ and his Witnesses, when the fifth Seal was opened, which was when the fifth Vial was pouring forth, betwixt 1639. and 1655. but not fully to all the Saints until the end of the seven Vials 1700. 
Rev. 15.8.  And the holy Ghost gives the reason why no man, that is (not many) shall not be able to enter into the Temple, because the Temple was filled with smoke from the glory of the Lord, and from his power.  
By smoke is noted God's presence, God's presence in his House and Temple is so glorious and so holy, that very few shall be able to endure it, his Government in his House will be too strict for lose and formal spirits.  
By smoke is likewise noted darkness, the way of Christ's Government in and over all the Churches of the Saints, is for the present hard to be found out, it lies deep, and is, as it were, hid in the inmost bowels of holy writ, not open in the letter of the Scripture, but wrapped up in the spiritual sense thereof. And Antichrist hath by his Antichristian air which he brought with him into the world, out of that bottomless pit, so darkened the understanding of men, yea, of many of the dear Saints of God, that they cannot see Christ's way in his House and Temple.  
Again, Antichrist having taken & kept this Church power from the Saints 1260. years, and therefore they are, as it were, quite ignorant of this Discipline and Government (as well they may) therefore not able to enter into the Temple, but this Church power shall be granted unto the Saints again by Christ and his Witnesses the year 1700.  
The Church being thus adorned with pure gold in her inward man, and with a broidered garment and fine linen upon her outward man, and that by authority from Christ's civil Magistrates in the place of Judicature, 
Rev. 21.10, 11  is said to descend out of Heaven from God, having the glory of God, and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like unto a Jasper stone, 
Verse 3.  clear as Crystal. And at this time the Tabernacle of God shall be with men, even with the Saints and people, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them and be their God, verse 3. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain. All those tears, or death, sorrow or pain, which came by the oppressor, shall be taken away; for, 
Verse 4.  saith he, the former things are passed away, all oppression and tyranny of the enemy, and he that sits upon the Throne will make all things new, new Heaven and new Earth; 
Verse 5.  new Government in the Church, and a new Government in the State: In this new Jerusalem shall be no Temple, nor need of the Sun or Moon to shine in it: That is, the Church and people of God shall have no need of outward glory to make them beautiful in the eyes of Nations, but God and the Lamb shall have their spiritual Throne there, 
Rev. 22.3, 4.  and be their light and glory, and his servants shall serve him, and shall see his face, that is the brightness of his glory and his Name shall be in their foreheads. 
Rev. 3.12. & 22.4.  The power of Christ in his Church shallbe as visible upon them, & seen to belong to them at that day, as though it were written in their foreheads. And in this City shall be a pure River of life, clear as Crystal: that is, 
Verse 1.  all pure Ordinances of worship, which proceed from the Throne of God and the Lamb (who sits in the midst of his Church) and on both sides of those pure Ordinances is Christ, the Tree of life, communicating himself to his Saints. Thus shall this holy City and new Jerusalem be built by authority from Christ and his Witnesses in the year of Christ 1700. which shall be that great work of the Witnesses that same year throughout all their Dominions, 
Zach. 9.10. Psal. 72.8. Dan. 7.13, 14. & 18. & 27. Psal. 2.6. & 8, 9 Rev. 5.9, 10. Isa. 24.23. etc.  which shall be from sea to sea, from the River even to the ends of the Earth, after they have kept silence in Heaven half an hour. At this time will God make good all his promises made unto Christ and his Saints concerning their reigning over the Nations, and upon the hill of him in his new Jerusalem.   

CHAP. XI. The two Governments of Christ, the one over the Nations, and another over his new Jerusalem; Christ reigns 1000 years; Satan and wicked men bound all that same time, afterwards loosed and utterly destroyed; The Saints reigning three Terms.  
CHrist and his Witnesses having taken all power into their hands both Civil and Ecclesiastical, and being to reign over the Nations, and upon Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, they must have two Governments set up to rule them by, one to rule the Nations, another to rule upon Mount Zion.  
That whereby Christ and his Saints is to reign and rule the Nations by, is just and righteous Laws. 
Christ's government over the Nation. Isa. 32.1. Psal. 72.2.3.4. Verse 7. Jer. 33.15.  A King shall reign in righteousness, and Princes shall decree justice, he shall judge thy people with righteousness, and the poor with judgement; the mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills by righteousness; he shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor, and in his days shall the righteous flourish, and abundance of peace so long as the Moon endureth: at that time will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up to David, and he shall execute judgement and righteousness in the Land, justice and judgement shall be the habitation of his Throne, mercy and truth shall go before thy face; 
Psal. 89.14. Jer. 23.5.  a King shall reign and prosper who shall execute judgement in the earth.  
Secondly, Christ will not only give them just and righteous Laws, but he will also give them his Gospel, 
Rev. 14.6. Zach. 14.16.  which shallbe preached to all Nations, & they shall come up to Jerusalem to worship, & keep the feast of Tabercacles. They shall submit to his power so fare as to have the Gospel preached to the people of the Nations: 
Rev. 22.2.  Which Gospel is called the leaves of that Tree of life, which is to heal the Nations of their deadly wounds and diseases, that they may do the Commandments of God, and have right to the Tree of life, and so enter in through the Gate inthat holy City, 
Isa. 65.17.  new Jerusalem.  
This Government by which Christ will rule in the world, 
Rev. 21.1. Matth. 24.35.  is called The new Earth, which God promised to make (the old earth being passed away, even that old Government of oppressions and cruelty which the five Beasts set up, 
Rev. 21.1.  being now dissolved by Christ and his Witnesses; Christ set up a new Government to govern the men of the earth by, called The new Earth, lust and righteous Laws, and his Gospel, 
Rev. 14.6.  to be preached unto all Nations.  
The second Government which Christ is to set up in the Churches of his Saints and new Jerusalem, is a more stricter government than the former: 
Zach. 2.1. Rev. 21.15.16. Rev. 11.1.  He shall sit upon the throne of his glory in his Church and Temple, with a measuring line and golden reed, to measure Jerusalem, that holy City, to see that the length and breadth and height of it be equal; the highest Officer, and the meanest Member of the Church must be equal in point of power: and with this rod or golden reed he is to measure the Temple of God, and the Altar, and them that worship therein; but the outward Court must not be measured. They that come into the outward Court; that is, they that come to the preaching of the Gospel, measure not them, for it is given to all the Nations of the world to be as leaves of the Tree of life to cure them therewith; but the stones of the Temple and Altar, and they that worship therein, must be measured.  
First, Christ will measure all the stones which this holy City, new Jerusalem is to be built withal, none is to be admitted but precious stones, 
Rev. 21.18.  even of Jasper, godly men and women, and the city is to be all of pure gold, like unto clcere glass. None are to enter into a Church-league and Covenant, to be a stone of this new Jernsalem, but such as have their clothing of wrought gold, 
Psal. 45.13.  befitting the Spouse of Christ and Queen of Heaven, those graees of God's Spirit which are as gold tried in the fire, 
Rev. 3.18.  like unto clear glass, without spot or defilement, which are so, I say, in the judgement of Charity, for so must the Saints judge, if one be without spot, not defilling by any outward sin, as to work abomination, or make a lie, he is to be admitted, the Saints is to believe that such a one is a precious stone, and pure gold, in the judgement of charity.  
2. The Temple must not only be measured, that is, godly men and women which are as lively stones, and spiritual, 
Psal. 1.2.5. Ezek. 43.13.  to build this spiritual Temple, but the Altar must be measured, all ordinances and instruments, with which the Saints are to worship, are to be measured; nothing is to be admitted as an Ordinance of worship, but what is of divine institution, which will agree with the touchstone of the Word, and balance of the Sanctuary: Not any of that Romish trash of men's inventions and humane traditions, with which the Whore of Rome mixed her cup, 
Ezek. 43.26, 27.  but the Altar must be cleansed seven days, seven times, as gold or silver, and then the Lord will accept of our offerings, These are the Ordinances of the Altar of Christ within his Temple.  
3. They that worship in the Temple must be measured, Christ sits upon the throne of his Church in the Temple, and all that come in after it is built, to worship, shall be measured, if they do not agree with the golden reed of divine truth, no admittance into his Temple; nay, after they be admitted, if they walk not according to the rule of the Gospel, after the third admonition, 
Matth. 18.17.  they are to be cast out of his house: 
1 Cor. 5.7.  As none shall enter into his house that defiles, so nothing is admitted to stay there, for he would defile all the rest. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump; 
1 Cor. 5.6.  therefore he must be cut off by the sword of Christ that goeth out of his mouth. This is that government and discipline which Christ will set up in his Temple and holy City, 
Rev. 2.16.  and exercise in all the Churches of his Saints all the 1000 years, and to the end of the world: And these are the laws, ordinances, and forms, and going out thereof, and come in thereof, this is the law of the house, 
Ezek. 43.12.  upon the top of the mountains, which is called that new Heaven which he will make, 
A new Heaven.  that old Heaven being passed away; and there was found no more sea, no more of that Romish doctrine or humane traditions which that Antichristian Whore brought into the world with her; but that Roman Beast, and Babylonish Whore, with all her abominations, is now to be removed out of the way, which she set up in the Temple and Heaven; and now the Lord sets up pure ordinances of worship in all the Churches of the Saints, which he calls the new Heaven, which new heaven and earth shall ever continue, 
Isa. 61.17. Rev. 21.1. Rev. 20.3, 4. Isa. 24.22.  not only for 1000 years, in which Christ and his Saints shall reign, Satan be bound, and wicked men shut up as prisoners in a pit, and lie civilly slain, but even to the world's end; and then shall that be fulfilled, Isa. 16.16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. Thou shalt also suck the milk of, etc.  
So the Lord Jesus is to reign over the Nations of the world and Churches of his Saints, 1000 years, which 1000 years gins when Antichrist is quite destroyed, which will be 1700. years, and continue unto 2700. in which time Satan is said to be bound and shut up, 
Rev. 20.3.  and sealed in that bottomless pit: Not so shut up, but he shall still tempt and entice the men of the world, yea, and Saints too, to sin; but this, he shall be bound from tempting men to civil war against one another, 
Mic. 4.3.  all that 1000 years, and therefore they are said, not to learn war any more, that is, not all that 1000 years; and wicked men shall be civilly slain and laid as dead men, and not to live until that 1000 years be ended, 
Rev. 20.5.  and shut up as prisoners in a pit; not but that they shall have as much liberty as the Saints in an outward way, to trade and to have commerce in the world, but they shall have all civil power taken out of their hands, and so lie as dead men, and useless men in the State or Kingdom where they live, and be in that respect as prisoners gathered into a pit, and shut up in prison. 
Isa. 24.22.   
But after this thousand years is ended, than Satan shall be unbound in the year 2700. and the rest of the wicked, 
Rev. 20.7. Vers. 5. Isa. 24.22.  which were civilly dead, shall live, and the prisoners which were shut up, shall be visited; that is, let forth out of their prison, and the Devil shall go out to deceive the Nations of the earth, by stirring up wicked men to make civil war with the Saints; and the wicked of the earth shall be suffered by God to take up arms against his people, and so are said to be let out of prison, for it is a prison to wicked men and the Devil, 
Rev. 20.5.  to be kept from warring against the people of God. And likewise are said to live when the 1000 years are ended, that is, civilly, they now having taken up Arms, have civil power in their hands, 
Ezek. 39.1.  and so live, And they shall gather together into a great Army horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company; all of them handling the sword, the number of whom is as the sand of the sea, God and Magog. The chief Princes of Meshech and Tubal, Captains of this great Army, shall go upon the breadth of the earth, and compass the Camp of the Saints, and the beloved City. But God will destroy them with a mighty destruction. 
Rev. 20.9.   
First, he will call for a sword against him throughout all his Mountains, or powers of States, all being in the hands of him and his Saints at the same time throughout the world. 
Ezek. 38.21.   
Secondly, God will turn the sword of the enemy against themselves, every man's sword shall be against his brother.  
Thirdly, God will send his pestilence into their army, 
Vers. 23.  
Rev. 20.9. Ezek. 39.2, 4.9.12. Ezek. 28.23.  and reign upon them great hailstones, fire and brinstone, and but the sixth part of them shall return back, and the rest shall fall upon the Mountain of Israel, and the people of God shall be seven months burying the dead, and seven years burning their weapons; Thus will the Lord magnify and sanctify his great Name in the fight of the Heathen, and in the eyes of many Nations, and they shall know that he is the Lord, and they shall know that the people of Israel went into captivity, for their iniquity and for their sin; Therefore God hide his face from them, and gave them all into the hands of their enemies; and the house of Israel shall know that the Lord is their God, from that day forwards; neither will he hid his face from them any more, because he hath poured his Spirit upon them; And thus shall God destroy this great army of Gog & Magog, & the Devil that deceived them shall be cast into a lake of fire burning with brimstone, 
Rev 20.10.  where the Beast and false prophets are, and shall be tormented day and night, for ever and ever. And then the Saints of God, and Churches of Jesus Christ, shall reign in peace and quiet, never to be molested by the Devil and wicked men, in a way of civil war more, and shall reign to the end of the world; but when that end of the world shall be, is not known Our Saviour gave four signs of his coming to judge Antichrist, but of that last judgement of quick and dead, when Christ shall deliver up the Kingdom to his Father, and God to be all in all, 
1 Cor. 15.24. & 28. Mark. 13.32.  of this day and hour knows no man, no not the Angels in Heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Only he hath hid this time and season in his own heart and breast, and it is not for us to search into it, or to meddle with it; It may be hundreds or thousands of years after this year, 2700. when Gog and Magog shall be destroyed.  
But this is noted in the Scripture of truth, that the Saints shall reign for three periods, they shall take and possess the Kingdom for ever even for ever and ever. Ever is a term of time; 
Dan. 7.8.  the first ever gins 1655. when the Beast, and the false prophet, and their Armies shall be destroyed, and the Saints take possession of the Kingdom to the year 1700. unto which time the seventh Vial shallbe pouring upon that Antichristian air, and so cast out of the world, as out of the grave, as an abominable branch.  
Second Ever is from the year 1700. to the year 2700. all that 1000 year's reign of Christ and his Saints, wherein Satan is to be bound, and the wicked civilly slain and lie dead; at the end of which term they shall assay to take the power out of the hands of the Saints, but shall not be able. This is the second term of time, or ever, to which the Saints shall reign.  
The third Ever is from the year of Christ 2700. to the end of the world, when Jesus Christ shall come to judge the quick and dead, and deliver up the Kingdom to his Father, and God be all in all.  
Then also who knows whether the Lord will fulfil all these things in a literal and natural way, at his last and personal coming to judgement, as he hath fulfilled them in a spiritual and mystical sense, as hath been showed in this discourse, so that the sun shallbe darkened, and the moon be turned into blood, the stars fall from Heaven, Heaven and Earth to be rolled together as a scroll, and pass away, and their place be no more found, and the sea not only to roar, but there to be no more sea; and a new Heaven and a new Earth to be made by the almighty power of God, which shallbe as a great new City for the servants of God to dwell in, and to behold his face, and see his glory, which City will have no need of the light of a natural sun or moon, for the Lord God and the Lamb will be the light and glory thereof.   
FINIS.