The Mystery of the Two Witnesses Unveiled, Verse 12
VERS. 12. And they heard a great voyce from heaven, ſaying unto them, come up hither, and they aſcended up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies beheld.
IN the former verſe we heard of the witneſſes reſurrection: here in this verſe, we come to treat of their aſcention; wherein we have an evident alluſion to the reſurrection and aſcention of Chriſt. And they heard a great voyce from heaven, ſaying, Come up hither, &c. In which words conſider.
Firſt, the cauſe of the witneſſes aſcention; They heard a voyce from heaven, &c.
Secondly, the aſcention it ſelfe; And they aſcended up to heaven in a cloud.
Thirdly, we have a ſpeciall Adjunct of their aſcention; And their enemies beheld them.
We are no more to underſtand this aſcention of theirs in the letter, then we did of their reſurrection: but as we underſtood before a myſticall reſurrection; ſo now underſtand a myſticall aſcention alſo: Their killing was myſticall, as being ſlaine in their teſtimony, ſo of neceſſity, we muſt underſtand their reſurrection and aſcention to be myſticall. This having been formerly inculcated, and now alſo premiſed, that we are to enquire after a myſticall aſcention. We proceed to ſpeak of the firſt thing; viz. the cauſe or meanes of their aſcention. And they heard a voyce from heaven, ſaying to them, come up hither. In theſe words obſerve.
Firſt, a voyce.
Secondly, from whence it comes.
Thirdly, to whom it ſpeakes.
Fourthly, what it ſpeaks.
The firſt thing to be taken notice off is the voyce: This voyce is no other then the very call of God, the appointment of the Lord. The great voyce of his ſpirit; 'Tis not like the ſtill voyce, in which God did impart his minde to Eliah, or the voyce ſpeaking behinde his people; but a great and mighty voyce, like the ſound of a Trumpet, as it's expreſſed in Revel. 4. 1, 2. This is a tranſlating voyce, changing the Saints into the voyce it ſelfe, they are ſuch as the voyce is, as John confeſſes; immediatly, ſaith he, I was in the ſpirit. This voyce is the breathing forth of the ſpirit of God, the ſpirit of the Lord appointing, calling, enabling, directing the witneſſes to aſcend up to heaven, and accordingly they doe aſcend.
Secondly, the place from whence this voyce cometh, that's from heaven, that ſhews it is a moſt eminent, powerfull, and certaine voyce. It's the voyce of righteouſneſſe revealed from heaven, it's full of certainty, the mouth of the Lord hath ſpoken it, it's full of excellency, coming from the excellent glory, it's powerfull and full of majeſty, it comes from heaven, and brings the power of heaven along with it, it prevailes in the thing, unto which it was ſent, it commands all, it carries all before it. All the power of the earth is not able to withſtand this great voyce.
Thirdly, take notice unto whom this voyce is ſent; it ſpeaks unto them; namely, the witneſſes and faithfull ſervants of the Lord. This voyce ſpeaks onelyonly to the holy ones of God, none elſe can underſtand it's language. Thoſe that accompanied Paul in his way to Damaſcus in Act. 9. heard a voyce, but ſaw no man, neither did they underſtand the meaning of the voyce, that was ſpoken to Paul. So the men of the earth, may heare the outward ſound of this voyce, but they underſtand it not, neither is it ſpoken to them; it's onelyonly ſpoken to the witneſſes, and they heare it, it's directed to them, and they onelyonly underſtand it.
Fourthly, what direction doth this voyce give forth: it calls the witneſſes to aſcend, ſaying, Come up hither. As if the Lord had ſaid; Come my people, you have been clothed in ſackcloth and aſhes, you have been made the reproach of the world, and the Gentiles have trampled you under their feet, you have lived upon the authority and opinion of men, you have lived much below in the earth, you have lived too far and remote from my ſelfe, you have mourned, as in the abſence of the bridegroome; but now you ſhall live ſo no longer; Come up hither; live in me, in my glory, in my ſpirit, in my ſtrength, in my kingdome; you ſhall have liberty, peace, and joy in me: come up to me, from under the captivity of Babylon, from under the oppreſſion of Egypt, from amidſt the filthineſſe of Sodome: come now, enjoy my ſelfe, my wiſdome, my ſtrength, my kingdome: you ſhall now live upon my holy mountaine, and there ſhall be no deſtroying beaſt, you ſhall not be deſtroyed by your adverſaries, neither ſhall the beaſt, that aſcendeth out of the bottomles pit be able to make war wth you, to overcome, and kill you any more. Here is the voyce of the Lord, powerfully calling, the boſome of the Lord opened in goodneſſe and love, the face of God ſhining forth in beautie and ſweetneſſe, the hand of the Lord effectually reached out, here are the gates of the new Jeruſalem, and of the kingdome of Chriſt ſet wide open, and all comprehended in this moſt excellent and precious, in this moſt tranſcendent and glorious voyce of the Lord, expreſſed in theſe words, come up hither.
Thus we ſee by what means the witneſſes are made to aſcend. The mighty voyce of the ſpirit of the Lord, enabling, calling, and directing them. It comes from heaven; having the majeſty, power, certainty of heaven with it. It ſpeaks to the witneſſes only, becauſe they onelyonly underſtand it, therefore directed to them. And the glorious direction it gives forth, it calls up the poore deſpiſed ſervants of the Lord, to live in the power and kingdome of Chriſt, ſaying, Come up hither. We now goe on to that which follows.
The ſecond thing to be conſidered is the aſcention it ſelfe; And they aſcended up to heaven in a cloud. In the conſideration hereof, wee may conſider three things.
Firſt, their action, they aſcend.
Secondly, the place whether, that's up to heaven.
Thirdly, the manner of their aſcention, It's in a cloud.
Their action is to aſcend, which ſignifies ſome greater acceſſion of honor, dignity, greatneſſe, and proſperity. When Nebuchadnezzar once ſaid, I will aſcend up to heaven, I will exalt my ſelfe above the clouds, Iſa. 14. 14. it's meant that he would in his heart be greater in name, honour, ſtrength and dignity, then he had been formerly.
So the Witneſſes ſhall aſcend into a ſtate and condition, much more excellent then they had before enjoyed. This aſcention is diametrically oppoſed to their ſack cloath condition, to that meane and low condition theſe Witneſſes had lived in, while they were under the power and raign of the beaſt. This aſcention is not a carnall or bodily tranſmutation, or a motion from place to place, but of a mutation of ſtate and condition; 'tis an aſcention unto more liberty, freedome, knowledg, ſtrength and glory then they had lived in before.
Secondly, the place unto which they are to aſcend, and that's to heaven; the kingdome of Chriſt is myſtically called Heaven. The Saints are ſaid to dwell in Heaven, as Antichriſt is ſaid to dwell in Earth; the meaning is, they ſhall aſcend into a more heavenly condition, of liberty, power, ſtrength, wiſdome, knowledge, light, and life. They ſhall come to poſſeſſe the Kingdome of Chriſt, and enjoy all the immunities thereof. They ſhall live more in heavenly diſcoveries of God and Chriſt, and his will: their externall peace, and internal glory ſhall be very heavenly and glorious. And in this reſpect the Saints that ſhall ſound forth the everlaſting Goſpel, are ſaid to be in the midſt of heaven, Chap. 14. 6. The Saints are called Heaven it ſelfe, Chap. 18. 20. The multitude of Saints that ſhall ſing Allelujah's and praiſes unto God, upon the deſtruction of Babylon, are called a people that dwell in heaven, Chap. 19. 1. becauſe they live in heavenly enjoyments and praiſes. So here the Witneſſes are ſaid to aſcend up to heaven, in reſpect of that heavenly and glorious condition and ſtate that the Lord will advance his people unto, when hee ſhal wholly break the power of the beaſt, and advance his people to partake of the glory and dignity of his owne kingdome.
Thirdly, wee have the manner how theſe Witneſſes aſcend, that's in a cloud. This great thick Cloud that God draws over the Earth, and with which he doth over-ſhadow the face of all things; this is that darkneſs, that confuſion, diviſion, conteſt, warre, envie, this I ſay, is that dark cloud, that the Lord hath drawn over the face of the Earth. Hath not God drawn this black cloud upon the affairs, counſels, wiſdome and actions of men; the order, government, peace, proſperity of the world is all over-ſhadowed, men know not where they are, nor what they doe, when they goe too faſt, nor when too ſlow; the very hearts and affections of men are divided, the world is full of conteſts and wars, and confuſions; and there is ſuch a miſt upon mens ſpirits, that they ſcarce know which way to turn themſelves. It's in this cloud of confuſion, in which the Witneſſes do aſcended. We cannot but remember that the Lord brought his people from Aegypt, by dividing of the Sea, by ſeparating of the great waters: ſo wil the Lord raiſe up his Saints by dividing of the men of the earth, the great Sea, or peoples of the earth, by dividing of them, by confounding of the wiſdome and policie of the world, by daſhing one part of the earth againſt another; I ſay in this manner, and by this means, the Lord will cauſe his faithfull ones to aſcend.
Laſtly, we have that ſpecial Adjunct that is hereunto annexed: And their enemies beheld them. By their enemies, we are to underſtand People, Nations, Kindreds, and Tongues, with all the inhabitants of the Earth: All worldly, carnall, Antichriſtian men, theſe ſhall behold them to their griefe and vexation. This is mentioned firſt, as to the torment and exceſſive grief that the Adverſaries ſhall take, when they ſhall ſee them that they have deſpiſed, trampled upon, and contemned, to be lifted up, to aſcend unto honour and dignity, unto life and glory. And ſecondly, it's mentioned in the praiſe and happineſſe of thoſe that doe aſcend in the view of their Adverſaries: As the Prophet makes it an augmentation of bounty, that the Lord ſhould ſpread his table in the midſt of his foes, Pſal. 23. So this is an addition to their honour, they ſhall aſcend in the midſt of their Adverſaries, in their view, and before their eye. This is the ſaddeſt ſight that earthly men can behold; they ſhall ſee them aſcend, and ſhall not be able to ſtop their paſſage: this ſhall be as worm-wood, as gall and bitterneſſe to their ſpirits, this ſhall even make them gnaſh their teeth, but they ſhal not be able to help themſelves. The words being thus far opened, we now come to raiſe ſome obſervations from them.
Firſt, obſerve, That the Witneſſes are 1 Obſerv:enabled to aſcend by the powerfull voyce of the ſpirit of God. They can never riſe nor aſcend, until they are called up to the Lord by this great voyce, this loud heavenly voyce, this voyce of Majeſtie and glory. Antichriſt was able to ſuppreſſe and keepe under theſe two Prophets of the Lord, untill the Lord comes and raiſes them up by his owne voyce and command. If all the world ſhould call upon them to ariſe, they could not, untill the Lord ſpeake the word, and ſay, Come up hither. When the Lod ſpeaks with a heavenly voyce, it is ſo full of love and joy, of light and life, that every thing in the hearts of his, doe heare his voyce; every faculty, every member, all parts heare and obey. The ſoule is never willing to aſcend, untill the Lord calls by his eternall voyce, and that hath ſuch force and power, ſuch excellency and and majeſtie, that it removes every obſtacle out▪ of the way, and ſets aſide every thing that would hinder. And again, this voyce is ſo great, ſo powerfull, carries with it ſo much authority, that the men of the Earth cannot hinder their riſing▪ If the Lord ſpeak with a powerful▪ voyce to the world, …o Antichriſt, to the men of the Earth▪ Let my people aſcend, l…t them come up hither, all the force, power, policie of men ſhall not hinder them. This voyce is dreadful to the men of the earth, and doth ſo much affright them, that they are forced at laſt (as once Pharaoh was) to let the Iſrael of God goe, and aſcend out of Aegypt to Jeruſalem, from bondage to liberty, from weakneſſe to ſtrength, from perſecution to dominion, from light to darkneſſe, from Earth to Heaven. Now the Saints are taken up to live in heavenly comforts and joyes, in heavenly diſcoveries of …ight and life, in heavenly immunities and priviledges. And all this is done by the great, the mighty, and powerful voyce of God.
Secondly, obſerve, from the aſcention it ſelfe; That the Witneſſes have their 2 Obſerv▪time of triumph and rejoycing, as well as they have a time of ſack cloath and mourning. When they aſcend, they ſhal ſhake off their ſack-cloath and mourning, they ſhal aſcend farre higher, unto an eſtate of more liberty, honour, peace, and glory, then their former eſtate was. They ſhall not alwayes be made the ſcorne and reproach of the world, and be trodden under foot of the Gentiles, and▪ be driven into the Wilderneſſe, and their dead bodies to lye in Aegypt & Sodome, and their Adverſaries to make merry, and rejoyce over their Carkaſſes; but they ſhall be advanced above all the pride & ſcorn of their adverſaries: wel may their enemies vexe and ſtorm at them, but they are above their reach and danger; theſe Witneſſes ſhall be cloathed with honour and dignity, for all the wrongs and injuries their Adverſaries have put upon them. Now they ſhal ſit upon Chriſts throne, weare Chriſts crown, enjoy Chriſts kingdome: now they ſhal quit the Earth, and aſcend farr above men and feares, above griefs and troubles, above ſhame and contempt; to live more in God & Chriſt, to enjoy more of his life and righteouſneſſe, to become more inheritors of his Kingdome and glory.
Thirdly, In that the Witneſſes ſhall3 Obſerv. aſcend up to He…ven, obſerve, That the ſtate and condition the Saints ſhall aſcend up into, is moſt heavenly and glorious. The Saints ſhal not dwell in the earth, their faces ſhall not looke downward, but their nature and priviledg is now to aſcend to Heaven, unto heavenly priviledges and immunities, unto heavenly life and joy; great ſhalbe their enjoyments, when they ſhall aſcend above the oppreſſion of men, or the powers of fleſh and hel; great ſhalbe their deliverance in reſpect of external liberty and peace, and alſo of internal light and glory.
The externall glory, liberty, and redemption that ſhal attend the Saints in this heavenly condition that they are inſtated in by this aſcention, wee may conſider in theſe particulars following.
Firſt, theſe Witneſſes upon their aſcention ſhalbe delivered from the oppreſſion of their Adverſaries. The oppreſſion of Aegypt, Aſſyria, and Babylon ſhall all ceaſe, and be broken in pieces My people went downe to Egypt, and the Aſſyrian oppreſſed them without cauſe: Now therefore what have I here, ſaith the Lord, that my people are taken away for nought; they that rule over them, make them to howle, Iſa. 52. 4, 5. Behold I will bring them againe out of the land of Egypt, and gather them from the coaſts of Aſſyria; and the pride of Aſſyria ſhall be broken, and the Scepter of Aegypt ſhall depart away, Zach. 10. 10, 11. ſee alſo Iſa. 10. 24, 25, 26, 27. And this proverbe ſhall be taken up againſt the King of Babylon, and it ſhall be ſaid, How hath the oppreſſor ceaſed, and the golden Citie: the Lord hath broken the ſtaffe of the wicked, and the red of the rulers, Iſa. 14. 4, 5▪
Aegypt, Aſſyria, and Babylon were the mightieſt Oppreſſors of the people of Iſrael, by which are typified thoſe Antichriſtian powers that have overcome and killed the faithfull Witneſſes of God. But now theſe oppreſſors ſhall ceaſe, and the golden Citie, that Eccleſiaſticall or Church-eſtate ſhal ceaſe, and the Saints that have been oppreſſed ſhall goe free, the Lord wil take off the yoak of their burthen, and break the ſtaffe of their ſhoulder, thoſe that ruled over them, and were their taskemaſters, ſhal be trodden down as mire in the ſtreets.
Secondly, God will make thoſe that have perſecuted and trodden under feet the Witneſſes, to ſerve and obey them. For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet chuſe Iſrael, and ſet them in their owne Land, and the ſtrangers ſhall be joyned with them, and they ſhall cleave to the houſe of Jacob: and the people ſhall take them, and bring them to their place: and the houſe of Iſrael ſhall poſſeſſe them in the land of the Lord for ſervants, and handmaids: and they ſhall take them Captives, whoſe Captives they were, and they ſhall rule over their oppreſſors, Iſa. 14. 1, 2. For that nation that will not ſerve thee ſhall periſh; yea thoſe nations ſhall utterly be waſted: The ſonnes of them that afflicted thee ſhall come bending unto thee; and all they that deſpiſed thee, ſhall bow themſelves downe at the ſoles of thy feete, and ſhall call thee the Citie of the Lord, Iſa. 60. 12. 14. The nations ſhall ſee, and be confounded at all their might, they ſhall lay their hand upon their mouth, their eares ſhall be deafe, they ſhall licke the duſt like a Serpent, they ſhall move out of their holes like wormes of the earth, they ſhall be afraid of the Lord our God, and ſhall feare becauſe of thee, Mica 7. 16, 17.
When Chriſt ſhall put his Scepter into the hands of his people, the men of the earth ſhall bow downe themſelves, and ſubmit to their authority; the very ſpirits of men ſhall fall downe and ſtoope before the Saints.
Thirdly, the Saints ſhall be abundantly bleſſed in peace and quietneſſe, they ſhall have reſt from all their enemies. And it ſhall come to paſſe in that day, the Lord ſhall give thee reſt from ſorrow, from feare, and from bondage, Iſa. 14. 3. The wolfe ſhall dwell with the Lamb, and the Leopard ſhall lie downe with the Kid, and the Calfe, and the young Lion, and the Fa…ling together, and a little child ſhall lead them: And the Cow and the Beare ſhall feede, and their young ones ſhall lie downe together; and the Lion ſhall eate ſtraw like the Oxe: And the ſucking childe ſhall play on the hole of the Aſpe, and the weaned child ſhall put his hand on the Cockatrice den: They ſhall not hurt nor deſtroy in all my holy mountaine, Iſa. 11. 6, 7, 8, 9. And againe, I will extend peace to her, like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing ſtreame, Iſa 66. 12.Iſa. 33. 20
Theſe Scriptures I know are myſterious, and there is a ſpirituall meaning of them: but they are alſo true in the letter, and hold forth that externall peace and reſt, when the Lord ſhall cauſe his people to aſcend farre above the power and malice of all their adverſaries: then hee will ſo take away that wolviſh and ravenous diſpoſition of worldly men, that his people ſhall live in peace and quietneſſe among them.
Fourthly, the Lord will raiſe up his people from reproach and ſhame, unto a ſtate of dignity and honour. For Zions ſake will I not hold my peace, for Jeruſalems ſake I will not reſt, untill the righteouſneſſe thereof goe forth as brightneſſe, and the ſalvation thereof as the lamp that burneth: And the Gentiles ſhall ſee thy righteouſneſſe, and all Kings thy glory: And thou ſhalt be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord ſhall name: And give the Lord no reſt till he eſtabliſh, and till he make Jeruſalem a praiſe in the Earth, Iſa. 62. 1, 2. 7. And yee ſhall leave your name for a curſe to my choſen (ſpeaking of the Adverſaries) for the Lord will ſley thee, and call his ſervants by another name, Iſa. 65. 15.
By theſe Scriptures it appears, that the Lord will not alwayes give up the names of his people to reproach and infamie: they ſhall not alwayes lie under ſhame and diſgrace; but when the Lord ſhall lift up the head of his poor deſpiſed people, they ſhall have another name, which the Lord himſelf ſhall name, a name of praiſe and glory; when the Lord ſhall adorne his Spouſe with the brightneſſe of the ſun and▪ make her terrible as an army with banners, then the daughters that ſee her ſhall bleſſe her, and the Queens and Concubines, they ſhall praiſe her.
This ſhall be the ſtate and condition of the Witneſſes, when they ſhall aſcend up to heaven, to live in heavenly enjoyments, or liberty and freedome, in reſpect of their outward and externall glory: they ſhalbe freed from the oppreſſion of their Adverſaries. Their enemies ſhall ſerve them; they ſhal abound in peace, and be bleſſed in praiſes.
Now it followes, that wee ſpeake ſomething of their internal glory and excellency that they ſhal be advanced unto: And that you may, take in theſe particulars following.
Firſt, the Saints ſhall abound in heavenly knowledg and underſtanding of the myſteries of truth. The earth ſhall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the Sea, Iſa. 11. 9. And he will deſtroy in this mountaine the face of covering caſt over all people, and the Veile that is ſpread over all nations, Iſa. 25. 7. Moreover, the light of the Moon ſhall be as the light of the Sun, and the light of the Sun ſhall be ſeven-fold, as the light of ſeven dayes, in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people, and healeth the ſtroke of their wound, Iſa. 30. 26.
There hath been a vaile of covering ſpread over all Nations, and that by the operation of the man of ſinne: but now the vaile ſhall be taken away, and the light of one day ſhall be as the light of ſeven, there ſhall be a perfect diſcovery of light, a perfection of truth ſhall appeare in the Saints.
Secondly, the Saints ſhall be taken up into higher enjoyments of ſpirituall comfort and joy, by a clearer apprehenſion▪ of divine love, then when they ſate mourning under the ſenſe of their owne defects. And the ranſomed of the Lord ſhall returne, and come to Zion with ſongs, and everlaſting joyes upon their heads▪ and they ſhall obtaine joy and gladneſſe, and ſorrow and ſighing ſhall …e away, Iſa. 35. 10. and Chap. 51. 1…. And the dayes of mourning ſhall be ended, Iſa. 60. 20. And God ſhall take away all teares from all faces, and the rebuke of his people ſhall be taken away from the earth, Iſa. 30. 8. And GOD ſhall wipe away all teares from their eyes▪ and there ſhall be no more death, neither ſorrow nor crying; neither ſhall there be any more paine, for the former things are paſſed away, Revel. 21. 4. And the inhabitant ſhall not ſay, I am ſicke, the people that dwell therein ſhall be forgiven their iniquity, Iſa. 33. 24.
All which places ſhew, that when the Saints ſhall be delivered from the ſpirituall captivity of Babylon, they ſhal have no more occaſion of ſorrow, thoſe evills that expoſed them to reproach and perſecutions, which lay ſo heavy upon them; and thoſe evills that cauſed them to ſhed ſo many tears ſhall be all done away, they ſhall not now be grieved under oppreſſion, and crying for deliverance: For their Officers ſhall be peace, and their Exactors righteouſneſſe, righteous ones ſhall have the dominion. Neither ſhall the Saints live under any ſuch apprehenſion of ſinne as now, which cauſes ſoule ſickneſſe: for their iniquity shall be done away, and they shal enjoy ſpiritual freedome and comfort.
Thirdly, the Saints shal act more in the power of God, and leſſe from ſelfe and creature. And he that is weak among them at that day, ſhall be as David, and the houſe of David ſhall be as God, as the Angell of the Lord before him, Zech. 12. 8. For there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers, and ſtreams, wherein ſhall goe no Galley with oares, neither ſhall gallant ſhips paſſe thereby: Their tacklings were looſed, they could not well ſtrengthen their maſt, they could not ſpread their ſaile; Then is the prey of a great ſpoyle divided, and the lame take the prey, Iſa. 23. 21. 23.
The weake and the feeble ſhall be filled with ſo much grace, majeſtie, authority, ſtrength, and truth, that as the very Angels of God, they ſhall be carried forth in the moſt heroicall and divine vertues, that the moſt weak and impotent ſhal be able to take the ſpoyle, and ſeize on the prey of divine things; they ſhal not ſaile in any gallant Ship of outward enjoyments, there ſhal be no rowing of the Galley with oares of creature-ſtrength and ability: but they ſhal got forth in the name of the Lord, and ſhal in his ſtrength alone performe all their undertakings.
Fourthly, and laſtly, God ſhal more immediately communicate all knowledge, comfort, ſtrength, and all divine grace unto his people, then hee hath formerly done. The Saints ſhall enjoy divine things, by a more neer and intimate way from Chriſt, then formerly they have done: They ſhall not ſo much rejoyce in the externall part or out-ſide of things, as in the indwellings of the ſpirit and life of God within them. The Sunn ſhall be no more thy light by day, neither for brightneſſe ſhall the Moone give light unto thee, but the Lord ſhall be unto thee an everlaſtong light, and thy God thy glory: Thy Sunne ſhall goe no more downe, neither ſhall thy Moone with-draw it ſelfe: for the Lord ſhall be thine everlaſting light, and the dayes of thy mourning ſhall be ended, Iſa. 60. 19, 20. And I ſaw no Temple therein, for the Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb are the Temple of it: And the Citie had no need of the Sunne, neither of the Moone to ſhine in it; for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof: And the Nations of them that are ſaved ſhall walke in the light of i…, for there ſhall be no night there, Rev. 21. 22, 23.
When all external means and wayes ſhall ceaſe, God and Chriſt ſhal be all in all to his Saints. The earthly Jeruſalem had à Temple, and viſible ſigns of Gods preſence in it: but now in the new and ſpiritual Jeruſalem, that ſhall come down from above, this heavenly frame and condition that the Saints ſhal aſcend into, after the Witneſſes ſhall ariſe, it ſhall be more heavenly and divine, more pure and ſpiritual, then ever they enjoyed before; yea, all their wayes and worſhips ſhal be more holy and ſpiritual; their light and communion with God and Chriſt ſhal be ſuch, as that they shal not need any outward or external meanes. They shal not be over-shadowed by the night of ignorance, or perſecution, or darkneſſe, but shal be filled with the in-dwelling of God, and of the Lamb, and they shal walk in the glory of that divine light.
This and much more might be ſpoken of the glorious condition of the Saints, when they shal aſcend up to heaven, to live in heavenly enjoyments and priviledges, both of externall liberty and peace, and alſo of internall light and glory. This is part of the glory of the new Jeruſalem, and of the Kingdome of Chriſt, when Antichriſt ſhall be throwne downe from his throne and authority; and when Chriſt ſhall be exalted, and the Saints poſſeſſe his Kingdome. Wee now proceed to the next obſervation.
Fourthly, do the Witneſſes aſcend4 Obſer. in a Cloud? then obſerve; That in the middeſt of the great confuſion and darkneſſe upon the face of the world, ſhall the Witneſſes aſcend.
There is a great thick cloud of darkneſſe, diſtraction, diviſion, and confuſion upon the minds and actions of the men of the earth this day: Now I ſay, that in theſe thick miſts and fogs of trouble and contention, the Witneſſes daily get ground, and ariſe higher and higher, and aſcend gradually every day, though the world neither ſees it, nor knows it. Iſrael of old paſſ…d through the Wilderneſſe, untill they came to Canaan by the conduct of a cloud: So this cloud that hath this day over-ſhadowed the world, ſhall not paſſe away, untill the Iſrael of God are aſcended up to the land of Meſſiah, our new Jeruſalem. Suitable unto our purpoſe is that place, Iſa. 51. 9, 10. Awake, awake, put on ſtrength, O arme of the Lord. Awake as in the ancient dayes: Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the Dragon? Art thou not it that hath dryed the Sea, the waters of the great deep? Thou haſt made the depth of the Sea away for the ranſomed to paſſe over.
God hath ſeemed in former times, as it were, to be aſleep, as if he had altogether forgotten the ſorrows and ſufferings of his people. But now, when the Lord ſhall arm himſelfe with power, and cloath himſelfe with ſtrength as with a garment: as in the generations of old, or auncient dayes, when thou didſt cut Rahab, and wound the Dragon, that's meant of Aegypt and Pharaoh. And how was this done? by dividing of the waters, and drying up the Sea, he reſcued his people from the bondage of Pharaoh, and the oppreſſion of Aegypt. Thus God delivered his people from the captivity of Babylon by the ſame power, as in the ancient dayes. Now in the ſame manner, when the Lord ſhall redeeme his people from thoſe burthens of ſpirituall captivity that his people have endured under the tyrannicall dominion of Antichriſtian Babylon, God will dry up the Sea, and divide the waters; that is, he will waſt and conſume the ſtate and ſtrength of man, and divide Peoples and Nations one againſt another, a thicke Cloud of darkneſſe ſhall over-cover them all: what a groſſe thick Cloud hangs over all men this day, upon all their Actings, Counſels, and Deſignes: Moſt men grope in the darke, and know no… what they doe; what a darke cloud of feare, anger, diviſion, contention, diſquietneſſe and confuſion of face, is this day upon the men of the earth.
Now in the midſt of theſe confuſions and diviſions aomngſt the men of the world in theſe Clouds of darkeneſſe, the faithfull Witneſſes of Chriſt, they get ground, and aſcend higher and higher, untill at laſt they ſhall fully aſcend up unto the heavenly ſtate and glory of Chriſts kingdome. The Witneſſes aſcending in a Cloud, the world ſees it not, 'tis a miſterie that few underſtand. Then this thick cloud of darkneſſe, fear, diviſion and confuſion upon the world, doth plainly demonſtrate, that the Witneſſes are now ariſing, ſhaking off their ſackcloath, and mourning, and are now aſcending up to Heaven, to live in, and enjoy the Kingdome of Chriſt, to enjoy that freedome and peace, that light and glory that we laſt ſpake of.
Fifthly, and laſtly, do the enemies5 Obſerv: of the Witneſſes behold their aſcending up to Heaven? Then obſerve, That all the power and policie of the Enemies of the Witneſſes, ſhall not be able to hinder their aſcention. The Adverſary doth behold them, doth ſee them▪ get ground, ariſe, and aſcend, and faine would hinder them, but cannot. This is the greateſt and moſt amazing fight that ever the world did ſee, the ſaddeſt ſpectacle that ever it beheld; this fills the earth with aſtoniſhment and trembling, to perceive the riſing and aſcending of theſe Witneſſes formerly ſlain and it cannot in the leaſt retard or hinder them. This ſhall be the very glory and triumph of the Saints, that they ſhall aſcend in the view and …ight of all their Enemies, that hated, perſecuted, and killed them. Now as it was the ſport and joy of theſe Enemies to kill and ſlay theſe witneſſes, how much more will it be their griefe and torture, to ſee them ariſe from the dead, and aſcend into honour.
It could not be more grievous to Haman, to ſee Mordecai advanced, then it amazeth the world to ſee theſe aſcend, and that in their ſight and preſence. This ſhall be the honour and joy of theſe Witneſſes, that they ſhall aſcend in the view and ſight of their Adverſaries; who ſhall look on them, and be exceedingly troubled and vexed, but yet ſhall not be able in the leaſt to hinder them, from aſcending into the glorious liberty, peace, light, and comfort of Chriſts Kingdome.