A Discourse Concerning the Witnesses, Question 1
A DISCOURSE CONCERNING The Witneſſes, Relating to the TIME, PLACE, and MANNER of their being Slain.
BY WILLIAM HOOKE, late Preacher of the Goſpel.
LONDON, Printed by J. Aſtwood, for Thomas Cockeril at the Three Legs in the Poultrey, over againſt the Stocks-Market, 1681.
Queſt. I. Whether the Witneſſes are Slain?
I Dare not be definitive and peremptory in making anſwer hereunto, being conſcious to much darkneſs in my ſelf about the underſtanding and unfolding matters Apocalyptical, and knowing alſo that there are many difficulties attending the Anſwer of this Queſtion; I ſhall therefore humbly lay before you what the Scripture ſpeaketh, and leave it to you to conſider and conclude as the Lord ſhall help you. And in order to what I ſhall ſay, there is ſomething that I would premiſe, and it is this: That in the ſlaughter of the Witneſſes there is that which carrieth a great analogy and proportion to the death of Chriſt, the conſideration whereof will much help us in the Anſwer of the Queſtion; but I mean not a complete and adequate proportion, but as to many remarkable Particulars.
The ſufferings of the Church are a great part of the ſubject matter of this Book of the Revelations, eſpecially under the Seals and Trumpers, till you come to the laſt Wo, which is objectated chiefly on Antichriſt: And theſe Sufferings were partly under the Pagan Roman Empire, partly under Rome Antichriſtian; and the ſufferings of the Saints under both are the ſufferings of Chriſt myſtical, and are ſo expreſſed as bearing a great proportion and likeneſs with the ſufferings of Chriſt perſonal.
The firſt of theſe ſufferings of Chriſt myſtical we find, Rev. 12.1, 2, 3. &c. where it is ſaid, The Woman being with Child, cryed, travelling in Birth, and pained to be delivered. The Woman here is the Church, and the Child that ſhe travelleth with is her Seed, which is Chriſt myſtical, whoſe Sufferings by the great Red Dragon (i. e. the Devil in the Roman Pagan Empire) do, in many things,*Mr. D… on Rev. 1… as a Learned Interpreter hath obſerved, allude to the ſufferings of Chriſt perſonal when he was born.
1. In that Chriſt was a Child born of a Woman under many outward wants, ſo as the condition of the Church is commonly.
2. In that Herod did watch to deſtroy Chriſt ſo loon as he was born, and as Paraoh (ſeveral times called a Dragon) ſought to deſtroy the Jews Male-Children as ſoon as they came into the world.
3. As Chriſt when he was born, was ſoon put to flee into Aegypt with his Mother; ſo it is here with the Church and her ſeed, they flee into the Wilderneſs.
4. The foreſaid Author affirmeth, that the time of Chriſts being in Aegypt was three years and an half, which (in the miſtery) is the time of the Church her Wilderneſs condition: For Chriſt (as my Author affirmeth) was born in the thirtieth year of Herods Reign, but he fled not preſently, but was firſt circumciſed and his Mother purified, after which alſo Herod ſought to deſtroy the young Children in and about Bethlehem: This took up ſome part of Herods thirty firſt year, and Chriſt returned out of Aegpyt immediately after Herods death, who reigned thirty four years.
5. As Herod vented his malice upon the Bethlehemitiſh Infants after the flight of Chriſt; ſo doth the Devil here vent his malice upon the Church her ſeed after her deliverance and flight.
6. As Chriſt was ſtill preſerved till he had finiſhed the work committed to him, notwithſtanding all the oppoſition he met with, but after that he ſuffered and was ſlain; even ſo it happeneth to the ſeed of the Church. Thus you ſee how the ſufferings of Chriſt myſtical under Rome Pagan, do in many things anſwer to the ſufferings of Chriſt perſonal.
Secondly, Let us conſider the other part of the ſufferings of Chriſt Myſtical under Rome Antichriſtian, and we ſhall ſee their conformity to the ſufferings of Chriſt Perſonal, eſpecially in and about his death.
It is ſaid (you know)*Rev. 11.8. that the doad Bodies of the Witneſſes ſhall lye in the Street of the great City, which is ſpiritually called Sodom and Aegypt, where alſo our Lord was crucified. Which laſt words are added, not only to diſcover under what power the Witneſſes ſhould be ſlain, viz. that of Rome, ſpiritually called Sodom and Aegypt; but alſo to ſhew us the conformity that ſhould be between the ſlaughter of Chriſt and his Witneſſes. And yet we muſt not expect a complete analogy and proportion between them, for in ſome Circumſtances they differ, but in ſeveral material ones they do agree.
1. Chriſt preacheth forty two Months, literally taken; the witneſſes propheſie as long, taking forty two months*Numb. 14.34. Ezek. 4.6. prophetically and myſtically.
2. Chriſt is ſlain when he had finiſhed his Teſtimony, and could not by any means be ſlain before; ſo it is with the Witneſſes, Rev. 11.7.
3. Chriſt is ſlain by the*Rev. 11.8. with Luk. 18.32 33. Gentiles, grammatically and properly ſo taken; and the Witneſſes are ſlain by the*Rev. 11.2, 7. Gentiles, metaphorically ſo taken.
4. Chriſt aroſe after three days, figuratively taken, i. e. part being put for the whole: His Witneſſes ariſe after three days and an half, prophetically taken, i. e. three years and an half.
5. Chriſt's Sepulchre was guarded to keep him down in his Grave, and hinder his Reſurrection,*Mat. 27.64. which his enemies could not bear the thoughts of: In like manner the enemies of the Witneſſes endeavour to keep them down by power, and ſo to bury them (but that they are hindered) that they might never riſe again.
6. When Chriſt was crucified, preſently beginneth the Jews Paſſeover, where his Enemies rejoyced together and made merry, becauſe Chriſt, who had tormented them was crucified:*Rev. 11.10. Even thus deal the Enemies of the Witneſſes when they are ſlain.
7. Chriſt aroſe notwithſtanding the Soldiers who guarded his Sepulchre, and when he aroſe they were wofully skared at the ſight of him:*Rev. 11.11. Even ſo it is at the Reſurrection of his Witneſſes.
8. When Chriſt aroſe there was a great Earthquake, properly ſo called: So, not long after the Reſurrection of the Witneſſes, there is*Rev. 11.13. a great Earthquake, myſtically and metaphorically ſo called.
This Analogy thus premiſed, I ſhall expreſs to you what the Scripture ſaith concerning the ſlaughter of the Witneſſes, that you may make your Collections from it as the Lord ſhall help you.
1. The*Rev. 2….8, 9. Text ſeemeth to hold forth ſuch a ſlaughter of the Witneſſes, as is partly civil and partly ſpiritual: For were the ſlaughter literal and proper, the enemies of the Witneſſes would not have endured their dead Bodies to have lyen ſo long unburied in the Street, becauſe of the noiſomneſs thereof; nor would Kindreds, and Tongues, and Nations have hindered their burial, from the Principle of mere Humanity. And therefore this their death muſt be of another kind, and that is partly civil, the Witneſſes being deprived of their liberty and free exerciſe of their Religion by humane Laws and Conſtitutions; whereupon their death becomes alſo partly ſpiritual, in that their Spirits faint and fail ſo far, that they are bereft of ſpiritual Life and Courage; the ſpirit of Life is greatly withdrawn from them, and they are poſſeſſed with great fear and faintneſs. And that this is the manner of their death, appeareth, in that upon their Reſurrection it is ſaid, that the ſpirit of life from God entred into them, which clearly ſignifieth, that during their ſlaughter, they were deprived of ſpiritual life and activity. You ſee then what kind of death this of the Witneſſes is, partly civil and partly ſpiritual, civil as to the outward means, ſlaying, ſpiritual as to the inward man, ſlain.
And if it be thus, then we are not to account the great ſlaughter of the Saints in other Countries, viz. Germany, Holland, France, Piedmont, England in thoſe Marian days, to be this ſlaughter of the Witneſſes, becauſe thoſe ſlaughters were properly ſuch in a literal ſence, and the Saints ſo ſlain were buried in a proper ſence.
2. The Text telleth us,*Rev. 11.7. that the Witneſſes muſt finiſh (or be in finiſhing) their Teſtimony, before they can be ſlain; that is, they muſt be finiſhing it,
1. As to the time or period of their propheſying, viz. at the end of 1260 years, a day being put for a year.
2. As to the matter of their Teſtimony, or the thing to be witneſſed by them.
And therefore begin the Epocha and riſe of their Propheſying where you will, you fail in the commencement thereof, if the 1260 years do not determine and conclude in the finiſhing of the matter of the Teſtimony, which is to be inſiſted upon as much as the period and concluſion of it. And from hence again I gather, that all your former ſlaughters in other Countries, cannot be that mentioned here, Rev. 11.7. becauſe the Teſtimony of Jeſus was not materially finiſhed in any of them, no nor in finiſhing.
When therefore is this Teſtimony finiſhed,…. A…. as to the matter of it?
When the whole Office of Chriſts Mediatorſhip is teſtified unto; that is, not only his Prophetical and Prieſtly, but alſo his Kingly Office, When Antichriſt wrought, as it were under ground, during the ſounding of the four firſt Trumpets, he oppoſed the Perſon of Chriſt by thoſe ancient blaſphemous hereſies of the Arrians, Neſtorians, Eutichyans, Macedonians, &c. But ſince the ſounding of the firſt Wo-Trumpet, he hath more eſpecially oppoſed his Mediatorſhip, which the Witneſſes have ſtill aſſerted to this day. And this Teſtimony of theirs muſt be complete, and conformable alſo to that of Chriſt himſelf, who finiſhed his Teſtimony*1 Tim. 6.13. when he witneſſed a good Confeſſion before Pontius Pilate: And what was that Confeſſion? You may ſee in Joh. 18.33-38. where he aſſerteth and avoucheth his Spiritual Kingdom before the Roman Governor, and therein he finiſhed his Teſtimony; for he was put to death upon that very account, as appeareth hereby; in that when Pilate ſaid unto the Jews, *Joh. 19.6, 7, 12.Take ye him and crucifie him, for I find no fault in him: Say the Jews, We have a law, and by our Law he ought to die, becauſe he made himſelf the Son of God. I ſay, this did not move Pilate at all, but rather affright him from medling with Chriſt, and cauſe him to attempt his releaſe; for Chriſt muſt not die upon the confeſſion only of his Perſon, that he was the Son of God.
When the Jews therefore perceived that this would not prevail with Pilate, they cryed out, ſaying: If thou let this man go, thou art nor Caeſars Friend; whoſoever maketh himſelf a King, ſpeaketh againſt Caeſar. Ay, now Pilate is put hard to it, and ſits down again upon his Judgment-Seat, and ſaith to the Jews, Behold your King: But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, Crucifie him: Pilate ſaith unto them, Shall I crucifie your King? The Chief Prieſts anſwered, We have no King but Caeſar. Then Pilate delivered him to be Crucified. The Jews were weary enough, as we know, of the Roman Yoke, and had no cordial zeal for Caeſar, ſave only when he comes into competition with Chriſt, who muſt dye upon the point of his Kingly Power and Government, where his Teſtimony was finiſhed. And upon the ſame Confeſſion, muſt the Teſtimony of his Witneſſes be completed. And hence, again, I conclude, that all the former ſlaughters in other Countries, cannot be (upon this very account) the ſlaughter of the Witneſſes ſpoken of, Rev. 11.7—becauſe thoſe that ſuffered, dyed not upon this Confeſſion.
3. When the Witneſſes are ſlain, it is the act of the Beaſt, as the ſame Text tells us: which word Beaſt, as applyed to Antichriſt, you ſhall ſometimes find mentioned in the Revelations, *Rev. 1….1, 4, with 11.as diſtinct from the two horned Lamb that ſpeaks like a Dragon;†Rev. 17.7. ſometimes you will find the Beaſt diſtinguiſhed from the Woman that ſits upon him;*Rev. 16.13. & 1….2…. another time you will find him diſtinguiſhed from the falſe Prophet. And when you find it thus, then by the Beaſt we are to underſtand the ſecular power of Antichriſt; and by the two horned Lamb, the Woman, and the falſe Prophet, we are to underſtand his Eccleſiaſtical. But when we find the word Beaſt mentioned alone, as it is in the ſlaughter of the Witneſſes, then it holds forth his complex Power, both Civil and Eccleſiaſtical. This being ſo, you here find this complicated Power of the Beaſt in the ſlaughter of the Witneſſes, who muſt be ſlain by both theſe Powers. And though the Eccleſiaſtical is included in the word Beaſt, when it ſtands alone; yet the Secular Power hath the preheminence therein: For it may ſo fall out, that when the Witneſſes are to be ſlain, there may not be ſo much power in the High Prieſt and his Followers, as to do it of themſelves; their former Power, perhaps, may be diminiſhed, inſomuch that they muſt crave the help of the ſecular Officers to perform this work for them, like as the chief Prieſt and Elders did of Pilate; and this civil power muſt exert it ſelf, and make Laws and Decrees for the ſlaughter of the Witneſſes. It is therefore the Civil or Secular Power (implyed here more immediately in the Beaſt) that muſt commit this ſlaughter. True, the earneſt Votes, fervent Affections, and utmoſt Endeavours of the two horned Lamb, the ſcarlet Whore, and falſe Prophet, will be found in this Slaughter, as the Eccleſiaſtical Power was acceſſary to the killing of Chriſt Perſonal; but as it was Pilate's Secular Power that ſtruck the great ſtroke; ſo muſt the Secular Power be eſpecially the Inſtrument in the death of the Witneſſes.
4. There muſt be a*Rev. 11.7. particular, eminent and ſignal War waged with the Witneſſes by the Beaſt, when they are to be ſlain.
For there is a clear diſtinction between the Beaſts war with the Saints, and his war with the Witneſſes when they are to be overcome and killed by him. As for his war with the Saints, it commenced with the beginning of his Reign, as is apparent, Rev. 13.4-8. And this war runneth through the whole Reign of the Beaſt unto the very time that the Witneſſes have finiſhed their Teſtimony; after which there*Rev. 11.7. beginneth a diſtinct particular war with them; otherwiſe why is it ſaid, That when they have finiſhed their Teſtimony, the Beaſt that aſcendeth out of the bottomleſs pit, ſhall make war with them, overcome them, and kill them? For it may be ſaid, the Beaſt hath been at war with the Saints ever ſince he firſt aroſe. True; but this laſt war of his with the Witneſſes, is more particular, eminent and ſignal, as directed eſpecially againſt them, and not generally againſt all the Saints, as his former wars were, by which he roſe ſtill higher and higher, whereas after this particular and laſt war of his with the Witneſſes, he deſcendeth, and falls ſtill lower and lower, whereof I ſhall ſpeak more hereafter. By his firſt wars*Rev. 13.7. he got power over Kindreds, Tongues, and Nations; whereas when he hath ſlain the Witneſſes, the Kindreds, and Tongues, and Nations ſhall diſlike his doings, and hinder his attempts to bury them.
It being thus, hence it will follow, that in this laſt war, the Miniſters of the Goſpel, and the Churches (*Rev. 11.3, 4. who are properly the Witneſſes) muſt be the ſpecial object of the Beaſts oppoſition. As for the reſt of the Saints, they ſhall eſcape this civil ſlaughter, that is, they ſhall fare better, the enemy ſhall not fight with ſmall nor great, ſave only with the Witneſſes; I mean, the heat of the Battel ſhall fall eſpecially upon them, they ſhall be ſadly handled, others ſhall not be ſo ſtrictly looked after, the weapons of the Adverſary, viz. his Edicts, Mulcts, Fines, Counſels, Menaces, Searchings, Apprehenſions, Reſtraints, Confinements, Impoveriſhments, Baniſhments, &c. are principally directed againſt them; they ſhall be ſought after and carried away, when others ſhall better eſcape. So that this war (you ſee) is diſtinct from that general long laſting war againſt the Saints ſpoken of in the thirteenth Chapter.
But are not all the people of God Witneſſes,Queſt. eſpecially when they profeſs and practiſe againſt the Beaſt?
Yes,Anſw. in a large ſence, but not in the ſtrict meaning of the word in this eleventh Chapter. And among all the Saints, the Martyrs of Jeſus may beſt be called Witneſſes, for ſo the word ſignifieth; but the Witneſſes that we have here to do with, are (as I humbly conceive from the Text) Miniſters and Churches of Chriſt.
5. The Witneſſes muſt be ſlain,*Rev. 11.2. not in the ſtreets, but ſtreet of that great City; that is, not in all places under the power and dominion of the Beaſt, but in ſome one particular Province or Nation, which hath not (at leaſt fully) caſt off and renounced his Intereſt.
It muſt be ſuch a Nation in which Jeſus Chriſt doth not Reign viſibly, but the Government thereof is ſubſervient to the Beaſt, at leaſt as to the end and iſſue of the work, if not alſo as to the intention and ſcope of the workers. And yet it is not totally immers'd in Popery, becauſe there is a plentiful Teſtimony therein given againſt it, elſe how ſhould the Witneſſes be ſlain therein?
But what Street may this be?Queſt.
I will not define particularly; only it is ſome remarkable Street, Anſw.becauſe there is*foreign&c. an Article, in the Original, prefixed to it, as much as to ſay, that Street. And when this Street is afterward mentioned under the notion of the tenth part of the City, both the tenth part and the City have this Article of Eminency ſet before them: foreign; Ver. 13. Now it is eminent either in relation to the Witneſſes that have formerly lived in it, and eſpecially that live in it immediately before the Slaughter; i. e. It muſt be a Nation eminent for its Teſtimony againſt the Beaſt, and for its Teſtimony for Jeſus Chriſt and his Kingly Power in and over the Churches, which is the ſpecial matter of their Teſtimony for which they are ſlain; or elſe it is eminent, as belonging to the Beaſt in a ſpecial manner. And in both theſe reſpects (as ſaith a worthy and learned Writer) this Street is no other but Germany: But I do rather fix upon the firſt of theſe reſpects, becauſe that Teſtimony is the point upon which the Witneſſes are ſlain, and no other eminency can be found in the Text; though peradventure, there may be ſome other Countrey beſides Germany, which hath been very eminent for its relation to the Beaſt, and which hath afforded him no ſmall revenue and ſupport.
It therefore concerneth us to conſider, what Countrey and Nation hath been moſt eminent for its Teſtimony for Jeſus Chriſt and his complete Mediatorſhip: For though Germany hath been famous for its Witneſſes, in their generations, yet the eminency of the Witneſſes muſt lye, not in the number of them that give the Teſtimony, but eſpecially in the clearneſs and completeneſs of the Teſtimony given; I ſay, The Street muſt excell in that reſpect, which will not be found in Germany, but rather in ſome other Country, in which the Kingly Power of Chriſt in and over his Churches, hath been teſtifyed both by Doctrine and Practice; and if you can find out that, you have found the Street. And, peradventure, when you have found it, you may find alſo that ſuch a Street may better brook the Prophetical and Prieſtly Offices of Chriſt, than his Kingly Power and Government: I ſay, better, though you may not find a full and cordial approbation of either; but as touching the Kingly Office of Chriſt, that will in no wiſe be admitted, but pertinaciouſly rejected, upon this apprehenſion, that Chriſt and Caeſar cannot conſiſt,*Joh. 18.36. though Chriſt hath ſaid the contrary; but the pride of man will not endure it.
You ſee, partly, what a Street it muſt be in which the Witneſſes muſt be ſlain. And by this you may further ſee (by the way) what it is in Reformations, not to make through work: For ſuch a Street (I conceive) it will be, that is not diſcharged from ſubjection to the Beaſt, but is ſubſervient to his Intereſt, though it may not be profeſſedly cordial to him. But what then is it, you will ſay, not to go through ſtitch with Reformation? It greatly gratifieth the Devil… who, when he ſeeth that there is ſtill a remnant of Idolatry and Superſtition unpurged, preſently he markes uſe of that for the continuance of that perſecution which before was grounded upon other Cau…es, which are now removed by a partial Reformation. For ſuch a perſecution muſt neceſſarily be in ſuch a Nation, or elſe how could the Witneſſes be ſlain there? So dangerous and dreadful a thing it is, not to do as J…holad… did after the death of that wicked woman Athaliah; *… Kings 11.18.for he cauſed the people to break the Altars and Images of Baal in picces thorowly.
But (to return) the Witneſſes you ſee muſt be ſlain, not in the Streets, but Street, i. e. in ſome one remarkable Country under the power of the Beaſt, and which hath not caſt off his Government, though yet there muſt be ſo much of Proteſtancy, and Teſtimony againſt Papal Uſurpations and Impoſitions, and for the Kingly Power of Chriſt in and over his Churches, as will be a fit object for Perſecution even unto the ſlaughter of the Witneſſes.
I know there are ſuch as like not to have this ſlaughter ſo narrowly confined, whereas the Text is expreſs for ſome particular Street; And there ſeemeth to me to be reaſon for it, why it ſhould be thus limited.
1. Becauſe if the ſlaughter ſhould be in all the Streets of the great City, i. e. in all the Countries under the power of the Beaſt, there would be a very large Teſtimony, and the Witneſſes would be numerous, who (in reſpect of their paucity)*Rev. 11.3. are here ſaid to be two. For the Teſtimony muſt be but little and narrow when the Witneſſes are ſlain, as it was never very large before.
2. If they were to be ſlain in all Countries where the Beaſt hath to do, where ſhould we find thoſe Kindreds, Tongues, and Nations, that muſt hinder their Burial? For as concerning theſe hinderers, they ſeem to be a middle ſort of people, ſuch as neither like the ſlaughter of the Witneſſes, nor yet are full for the Teſtimony of the ſlain; but are of a mungrel kind, and ſtirr'd up by a worldly intereſt to hinder the Burial of the Witneſſes.
They aim not herein at Reformation, nor at the exalting of the Kingly Government of Chriſt in the Churches, according to the rule of the everlaſting Goſpel, but are wholly ſwayed herein by Principles of State. Now I ſay, if the Witneſſes were to be ſlain in all places under the Beaſts Dominion, where ſhould we find out ſo many Kindreds, Tongues, and Nations, ſo and ſo qualified, as might ſuffice to hinder the Buryal of the Witneſſes?
Again; That it is not to be a general ſlaughter in all Countries, but only in ſome one particular, here called the Street, I ſhall demonſtrate by a further Argument.
In order hereunto, we muſt know, that this Street is that which in Rev. 11.13. is called the tenth part of the City; for that Verſe is coupled with the precedent, as belonging to the ſame Story of the Death, Reſurrection, and Aſcenſion of the Witneſſes, and as*Vindicta divina d… teſtium inimi…is. Piſc. in Rev. 11.13. Piſcator obſerveth, there is expreſſed in it, the revenge of God upon the enemies of the Witneſſes, and I cannot …ee how it ſhould be otherwiſe underſtood. Hence then I thusargue:
Where the revenge of God is inflicted for the ſlaying of the Witneſſes, there (and there only) are the Witneſſes ſlain.
But the revenge of God is inflicted only upon the tenth part of the City for the ſtaying of the Witneſſes; therefore in that tenth part only are they ſlain.
For the God of Revenges, in the execution of Judgment for ſuch and ſuch ſins, doth not exceed the limits of the Place and Perſons offending; he will not puniſh the Innocent for the ſins of the Delinquent, nor one Place for the iniquity of another. And yet I cannot but ſay, that the whole City is vertually guilty of this ſlaughter, as being not only guilty of the like, but alſo as approving of this. But God hath*Rev. 16.18. another gueſs Earthquake in ſtore for the whole City, (i. e. the whole Papal Dominion) which ſhall deſtroy it all totally and for ever. This Earthquake (Rev. 11.13.) reacheth only the tenth part.
I might further enlarge upon this point (which is of great moment as to the purpoſe in hand) by paſing through the ſeveral Streets of the great City, and rationally conſidering which of them is moſt likely to commit this Martyricide, as I may call it; eſpecially weighing withal what the Teſtimony muſt be upon which the Witneſſes muſt be ſlain, viz. Such as aſſerteth and exalteth the Kingly Power of Chriſt in his Churches, as you heard but now in the ſecond particular.
Now this being granted, that the Witneſſes muſt be ſlain in ſome one particular and eminent Street, and not in all the whole Dition and Dominion of the Beaſt; it will follow, that the former ſlaughters which have been committed in many Countries, and near about the ſame time, are not the ſlaughters that we are here enqui…ing into. For I have read of many hundred of thouſands ſlain in ſeveral Countries for the Teſtimony of Je…us, about the year 1540. and afterward for ſome years; but
1. They were ſlain in a proper ſence.
2. Not upon the point of the Kingly Power of Chriſt; and therefore the Teſtimony was not finiſhed when they were ſlain.
3. Their dead Bodies were buried, nor did any hinder it.
4. They have lyen dead above an hundred years, and are not like to riſe again till the Reſurrection at Chriſts coming; whereas, if the death of the Witneſſes is proper, ſo muſt alſo their Reſurrection be.
6. When the Witneſſes are ſlain, they muſt be looked upon by their enemies, as it were naturally dead, ſo dead in law, as if they were alſo dead in body. This may be gathered from Rev. 11.8, 9, 10. For the Kindreds, Tongues, and Nations, could not ſo look upon them, if their enemies did not ſo behold them; nor could their dead Bodies lye dead in the Street, and their enemies there living not look upon them; nor would the dwellers upon earth rejoyce and make merry at their death, did they not account them ſo dead, as that they would never riſe again; for did they but fear their Reſurrection, it would marr their mirth, as the Hand Writing on the Wall did Belſhazzar's; becauſe if the Witneſſes did torment them before they were ſlain, O how would they excruciate them to the very death, ſhould they but riſe again! And hence it is, that their enemies will not be contented with the death of the Witneſſes, except alſo they be buried, and therefore they attempt their interment, but that they are therein hindred: ſo that this attempt to bury them is not out of any love to them, but merely out of hatred, fearing leſt they ſhould riſe from the dead; for they will never think them dead enough. To this end, they will make one Law after another, and throw upon the ſlain Witneſſes one Edict after another, as they do upon dead Bodies when they throw one ſhovel-full of earth after another, ſaying, Earth to Earth, Aſhes to Aſhes, &c. only not in ſure and certain hope of the Reſurrection of the Witneſſes to life again. And this multiplying of Laws upon them, is (interpretatively) their attempt to bury them.
7. There ſhall be no humane help, nor Arm of Fleſh imployed in their Reſurrection, this ſhall be wrought only by the Spirit of Life from God entring into them: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, ſaith the Lord. If any liberty ſhould be procured by force (which ought not to be) it will not proſper, nor will any attempts that way. The Reſurrection of the Witneſſes ſhall be like a Reſurrection, wrought only by the omnipotent hand of Heaven, even by him in whoſe power alone it is to raiſe the dead, and to call things that are not as though they were. It is true indeed, when the Earthquake cometh, which followeth ſoon after the Aſcenſion of the Witneſſes, there will be great Concuſſions in that Country, whatever it is, where the Witneſſes muſt be ſlain; but who ſhall be the Authors of them and Actors in them, I do not know; but as for the Reſurrection it ſelf, it ſhall be effected immediately by the Spirit of Life from God, who will certainly blaſt all humane attempts by Conſpiracies and Inſurrections in order (or rather diſorder) to the Reſurrection of the Witneſſes.
Men were as good go about the raiſing of the dead out of their Graves, as to raiſe the ſlain Witneſſes by humane endeavours. When the Iſraelites were e'en upon the point of their Reſurrection out of Egypt (which was not complete till they aroſe out of the Red Sea; Ex. 15. compared with Rev. 15.2, 3.) what ſaith Moſes to them?*Exod. 14.13, 14. Fear not, ſtand ſtill and ſee the ſalvation of God—The Lord ſhall fight for you, and ye ſhall hold your peace. And yet the Iſraelites at that time were†Exod. 13.18. harneſſed, marſhalled, and prepared with Arms; and they uſed them not long after this their Reſurrection*Exod. 17.9.13. againſt the Amalekites at Rephidim; but at their Reſurrection there muſt not be a Sword drawn, nor a ſtroke ſtruck; but as Jahaziel ſaid to Jehoſaphat and the men of Judah, *2 Chr. 20.17.Ye ſhall not need to fight in this Battel, ſet your ſelves, ſtand ye ſtill and ſee the ſalvation of the Lord with you. Thus (ſhould I live to the Time, and in the Street of the Reſurrection of the Witneſſes) would I ſay, and as Moſes alſo ſaid to the Iſraelites (who would needs go up uncalled, and fight againſt the Canaanites,)*Numb. 14.41. Wherefore now do ye tranſgreſs the Commandment of the Lord? But it ſhall not proſper; Go not up, for the Lord is not among you, that ye be not ſmitten before your enemies: Yet they would preſume and go up, but the Amalekites and Canaanites ſmote them and diſcomfited them even unto Hormah. *Ex. 17.When they had a call to fight againſt the Amalekites, they conquered them; but when they will fight with them uncalled, they are ſmitten by them.