The Two Witnesses, Appendix – Errata
Appendix.
I Have already diſpatched at leaſt the ſumme of what I preached on this Subject (I mean the Propheſie of the Witneſſes.) In the carriage whereof, ſave only in ſome few particulars I have not much varied from the beaten tract of the lateſt▪ and moſt received Interpreters; ſo that however in point of Computation there may be ſome difference, yet in matter of Interpretation, I have adventured to ſtand or fall with them. But now becauſe I would contribute all that poſſibly I could in this buſineſſe, and leave no mean unattempted for this purpoſe; I ſhould yet further crave leave to offer an other Int…pretation of this Propheſie, which after I entred upon this work, I have met withall, avowed alſo by ſome late Proteſtant Writers; That if ſo be any thing may be made of it, it might be here neer at hand, and thoſe who ſhould deſire to ſee as much at once, as they could in this matter, might hitherto have recourſe, where at leaſt all the common, and likely apprehenſions in this buſineſſe are preſented.
This Interpretation is not the ſame with that groſſe Popiſh, which at the beginning of this diſcourſe was there propounded: nor upon the ſame ground▪ contended for, yet withall, though not the ſame, yet neer bordering upon, and of neer affinity to it. They indeed who firſt cryed up that opinion which was formerly mentioned as the Popiſh, did it upon miſtake, the Papiſts that ſince have propagated it, did it meerly in deſign, neither whereof, this Interpretation by and by to be named, may be challenged with all.
Upon miſtake I ſay, they firſt did it, for as ſome well obſerve, Antichriſt being a Counter-Chriſt, and ſo the coming of Antichriſt, a counter Reſemblance of the coming of Chriſt, it came to paſſe there were no leſſe miſtakings in the coming of the one, then there were in the coming of the other: For example, The Jews expected Chriſt to come when he did come▪ and yet becauſe they fanſied him another, then indeed he was to be, and his coming to be in outward pompe, and in the manner of ſome moſt potent temporall Monarch, they knew him not when he was come. So the Chriſtians expected Antichriſt to come at that time when he came indeed, but becauſe they fanſied him to be ſome ſtrange barbarous Tyrant, that by the ſword and power of Arms ſhould not only deſtroy the Church, but conquer the world; therefore they knew him not when he was come: So that as Chriſt came to his own, and his own received him not; So Antichriſt came to thoſe that were not his own, and they eſchued him not: So that miſtakes begat the forementioned opinion concerning Antichriſt, and the ſeveralls hereupon depending.
And then it became afterward propogated in deſign; I ſay, indeſign; for the Popiſh faction, to the end they might draw off the eyes of men from looking upon the Pope, as Antichriſt have bid you not to look for Antichriſt till the end of the Word, at what time Enoch and Elias the two Witneſſes, as the immediate Harbingers of Chriſts ſecond coming muſt be expected alſo.
But this opinion is founded upon no ſuch miſtakes, nor yet drives any ſuch deſign; grants you that Antichriſt is come, that the Pope is Antichriſt. One dividing the times of Antichriſt into three ſeverall periods. 1. The time of his riſing, and growth, mentioned at the 13. Chapter of this Propheſie and the firſt verſe. 2. The time of his declining, at the third Verſe. 3. The time of his recovering again after his deadly wound, at the 4, 5▪ verſes. Tells you, that in this laſt Period, this time after the deadly wound healed, there ſhall be ſome moſt cruell Savage-Monſter that ſhall then be Pope, whoſe moſt tyrannicall reign ſhall continue 42 moneths, which preciſe time, that is, three yeers and an half underſtood in the letter, ſhall be the time of the two Witneſſes extraordinary Propheſie alſo.
But to hold you no longer from this opinion concerning the Witneſſe, Take it thus.
About the time of the calling of the Jews, ſignified by the meaſuring of the Temple in the two firſt verſes of this Chapter. There are raiſed up two extraordinary Witneſſes, being two ſingle perſons, who ſhall teſtifie unto the Jews now miſled by the impoſtures of the falſe Prophet, then firſt brought forth are appearing in Judea, and as the Popes ſervant, and ſubſtitute, doing all he poſſibly can in the behalf of him there: This their Propheſying in Sackcloth, laſting juſt three yeers and an half; namely all the time of the Beaſts 42 moneths, all the time of that laſt and moſt bitter perſecution, of the laſt and worſt Popiſh Antichriſt.
Theſe Witneſſes further, the better to defend themſelves and annoy and torment their enemies, as alſo undeceive the Jews miſled by the fained miracles of the falſe Prophet, ſhall indeed as once Elias by fire, deſtroy their Enemies, ſhall ſhut heaven that it rain not, and as formerly Moſes, and Aaron; turn the Waters into bloud, and ſmite the earth withall plagues as often as they will.
But when the three yeers and an half of their Propheſie in Sackcloth is expired, then the Beaſt, the falſe Prophet there reſident ſlayes them, ſlayes them indeed; after which, their dead bodies lie juſt three dayes and an half in the ſtreet of Jeruſalem. which is here meant by the great City Spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, Where alſo our Lord was crucified; where for that ſpace, the ſeverall Nations at that time there meeting▪ ſhall look upon the dead bodies of theſe two Witneſſes: During which time, the miſled inhabitants ſhall rejoyce, and make merry, and ſend preſents, becauſe now got rid of theſe two Prophets that did in their life time miſerably tormented them.
But after thoſe three dayes and an half, they riſe up from the dead, after this, aſcend up to heaven in a cloud; whereupon there being a great earth-quake, the tenth part of Jeruſalem falls, ſeven thouſand men ſlain, all of it to be underſtood in the letter; and all this to be done toward the end of the ſixth Trumpet.
Thus you have the Interpretation: Now if any ask the reaſon why the letter is ſo exactly kept to, and this whole Propheſie of the Witneſſes underſtood to be fulfilled in the letter; 'tis this in the generall: This part of the Propheſie, I mean all that which appertains to the Witneſſes, is not ſhewn the Prophet in a Viſion, but reported to him of the Angel, as an Interlocuter ſpeaking all this to him by word of mouth. For this is a Rule; Look what things are preſented to the ſight, by ſimilitudes, and images, thoſe are all to be underſtood myſtically; But the things that are repreſented to the ear, whether in proper or figurative terms, unleſſe neceſſity enforce, are to be underſtood hiſtorically, and in the letter.
This in the generall: But now further, Why [the one thouſand two hundred and threeſcore dayes of the Witneſſes Proph…ſie in Sackeloth] are to be underſtood in the letter; Why the [great City] means [Jeruſalem] and the like: you theſe have reaſons in particular:
Firſt, For the one thouſand two hundred and threeſcore dayes] to be conceived juſt three yeers and an half properly; There are theſe reaſons offered: 1. This time falls out toward the end of the ſixth Trumpet; now to conceive one thouſand two hundred and threeſcore yeers to come in toward the end of the ſixth Trumpet, how abſurd, how impoſſible. 2. This term is ſuppoſed to be the ſame with the term of that laſt, and moſt cruell perſecution, of the laſt and worſt Antichriſt, the ſame alſo with that moſt unparalell'd time of trouble mentioned at the 12 Dan. 1. Such as never was ſince there was a Nation: which if ſo, it cannot be ſo long as that which the myſticall Interpretation contends for, but muſt be only three yeers and an half properly and in the letter ſo taken: according to which account, the two Witneſſes may well be two ſingle perſons alſo.
The reaſon why the turning waters into blood, and ſmiting the earth with all plagues be to be underſtood in the letter alſo, beſides that in the generall before mentioned, is becauſe ſome ſuch thing as this, is expected to be done about the time of the Converſion of the Jews; ſo you finde, Mich. 7. 15, 16. According to the day…s of thy coming out of the Land of Egypt, will I ſhew unto him marvelious things: The Nations ſhall ſee and be confound…d, &c.
And then the reaſon, why theſe two Witneſſes, who alſo are called two Prophets, together with the falſe Prophet, have all of them reference to the Jews, being all of them to reſide there, is this, becauſe whereſoever you finde mention of Prophets, whether true, or falſe, there is ſtill a reference had unto the Jews, to whom only it was peculiar, and their great priviledge, to be furniſhed with the Miniſtery of extraordinary Prophets.
And then laſtly the reaſons, why Jeruſalem is here to be underſtood by the great City, and not Rom (as is commonly conceived; are firſt, becauſe theſe two are expreſly diſtinguiſhed at the 16 Chapter of this Propheſie, and 18, 19, verſes, where you finde the great City, that is, Jeruſalem, is divided into three parts, and great Babylon, that is, Rome comes into remembrance, being there mentioned as two dinſtinct places. Beſides, Rome is no where in Scripture called Sodom and Egypt, but Jeruſalem is: Sodom 'tis called, Iſai. 1. 10. and Egypt it is called, Ezek. 23. 18, 19: And further, Rome was not the place where our Lord was crucified, but Jeruſalem, and therefore when 'tis here ſaid, [The Witneſſ…s dead bodies lye in the ſtreet of the great Citie] Jeruſalem is this place where they lye dead, where alſo the falſe Prophet hath his reſidence: and when tis ſaid [The tenth part of the Citie falls,] it means the tenth part of Jeru…alem falls.
And now you have together with the Interpretation, the reaſons (a… I could meet with them) which this Interpretation chiefly leans upon. If the Preſſe would have but reſpighted me a little, I had not only barely propounded this Interpreta…ion, with the reaſons, but had ſpoke my thoughts thereto alſo: But ſince I can procure leave …ut only to propound, the P…inter thinking long till the diſcourſe be gotten abroad; ſuffice it that I have propoſed it, hereby giving others an occaſion to examine, and upon examination, either to receive, or refuſe, as it ſhall be a…le to abide the tryall; I having the opportunity only to bring it in Medie, where alſo I muſt leave it.
Errata.
Good reader amend theſe faults of the Preſſe, which could I have tended upon, might happily have been prevented.
Pag. 4. Line 7. for ſtate read fate, p. 10. l. 6. for Church worſhips, read Church, worſhips, p 13. l. 24. for come when: r. come: when, p. 22. l. 23 for thoſe r. theſe, p. 28. l. 21. for theſe r. thoſe, l 37. for it however; r. it; howeuer, p. 31. l. 23 for foreign, p. 40. l. 8. for from r. for, p 49 l. 23. for former, whereof r. former whereof. p. 63 l 3. for honour have, read have honour, p. 68. l. 16. for theſe r. the, p. 71. l. 10. for foreign, p. 73. l 2. for Train r. Rain, p. 75. l. 11. for ends with it, r ends, with i…, p. 80 l. 31. for fifteenth r. thirteenth, p. 81. l. 14. for the r. that, p. 82. l. 10. for to r. two, p. 88. l. 14. for thing r. ſecond thing.
FINIS.
End of the text · Francis Woodcock, The Two Witnesses (1643)