In the Evening There Shall Be Light, Title page – To the reader
Nor Truth, nor Error,
Nor Day, nor Night;
But in the Evening
There shall be Light.
ZACH. 14. 6, 7.
BEING The Relation of a PUBLIKE DISCOURSE IN Maries Church at OXFORD, BETWEEN Mr. Cheynel, and Mr. Erbery. January 11. 1646.
Printed in the Yeer. 1647.
TO THE READER.
WHen the little Book was open in the hand of the Angel, the Angel cryed, Revel. 10. 1. Verse 2. Verse 3.as when a Lion roareth, and seven thunders uttered their voices, &c. That is, when there was a powerful appearance of the Mystery of Christ; when the Mystery of God (which before was sealed, Revel. 5. but afterwards to be finished and fully manifested) began to be opened, and that so powerfully, Verse 7.even to the terror of the Christian world, and of the Churches also (for the seven thunders respect the seven Churches; that's all the Christian Churches under Antichristian Apostacy) I say, when the little Book began to be open, John began to write, &c. that's our weakness; Verse 4.when any light breaks forth in us, any new discovery of Truth be made out to us by the teachings of God in us, we begin presently to be Teachers of men, to write, to publish it in Pulpit and Print, or in our private Teachings. This was Johns weakness also; who was therefore commanded to seal those sayings, and write them Verse 4.not, till he had eaten the Book, and better digested that heavenly secret, The Mystery of God, Vers. 10.and of Christ; afterward, he was to Preach it, and Prophesie to Nations, Tongues, People, and Kings.Vers. 11.
This is another Mystery in the next Chapter, Reve. 11.where that prophesying begins. Those two witnesses who prophesie in sackcloth, signifie a few Saints, who yet make a full witness, Verse 3.witnessing Christ in Spirit, and against the spirit of Antichrist: These are the two Olive trees as having Verse 4.their teachings immediately from God, Zach. 4. 11, 12. And these are the two Candlesticks, the true Church in Spirit; for the seven Candlesticks were faln, and removed out of their place through the Apostacy; but these two witnesses have the Testimony of Jesus, which is the Spirit of prophecy, Revel. 19. 10. Which Spirit is that fire Verse 5.going out of their mouth, devouring their adversaries, and that spirit of Antichrist, appearing in several forms, the Dragon, the first beast, second beast, Babylon, the great whore, all is but the various appearances of that one spirit of Antichrist in the Christian Church, for there Antichrists seat ever was, and is, set up this day, though in a more glorious form, which is but the flesh of the whore, whose flesh is now fairer, and her forms, her array more fine in scarlet, &c. Revel. 16. 4. Yet these two witnesses in sackcloth (who were also in former ages) these few poor persecuted Saints still stand up, burning her flesh with fire, and by their prophesying, though in silence, plague men by shutting Heaven, that the rain (or waters from above) the Teachings Verse 6.of God, fall not on their fellowships, and turning their waters into blood, their formal worships, and teachings of men from below, into the blood of a dead man, Revel. 16. 3, 4. And all this those two witnesses do, as oft as they will, which needs must be none else, but Christ in them, God in their flesh, coming forth in power and Spirit from them, plaguing and tormenting them which dwell on earth, (i. e.) earthly Christians and Churches also. For this, the two witnesses suffer (their sufferings being shadowed forth by that sackcloth, and bitterness of the Book in their belly) yet all this is but the sufferings of their flesh, and filth of it (as 'twere in the belly) but yet they suffer with Christ, and Christ suffers in them; for they are slain where Verse 8.our Lord was crucified, thats (spiritually) fleshly Jerusalem, Christian carnal Churches, where spiritual Saints, and Christ in Spirit is still slain and crucified: but after three dayes and a half, Vers. 11.(that's a little longer then Christ in flesh lay buried) the spirit of life enters into those dead and unburied witnesses, who rise with Christ, and Christ riseth in them; yea, they ascend in glory, a greater glory (at least in the Letter) then Christ Vers. 12.ascended; for none but Disciples and friends, were witnesses of his Resurrection, and saw him ascend; but the ascension of the Saints, their Acts 10. 43.very enemies shall behold.
The sum of all is this, That which this man writes, he writes not as a clear Truth to publish to the world, not to put off his Earth, that heap of Heresie and Blasphemy cast upon him by enemies, to bury his name and make it rot; nay, he is content to lie unburied yet, to the loathing of his person; that the people who dwell on earth, may look on, rejoyce, and glory over his dead C…cass, lying in the streets of the great City.
'Tis well, if Truth shall rise in them that Read.
Farewell.