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IN the former verse, we heard of the place where the dead bodies lay: now here we come to see what is the carriage of their Adversaries towards their dead bodies; wherein we may con∣sider these particulars.
First, the persons exercised about
these dead bodies, and they are the peo∣ple, and Kindred, and Tongues, and Na∣tions.
Secondly, their carriages or actions towards these dead bodies, and they are two.
First, concerning the persons exerci∣sed about these dead bodies, and they are People, Kindreds, Tongues, and Nati∣ons. We may read the words partive∣ly thus: Some of all people and kindr∣eds, &c. which implies some principall ones, viz. those of power, strength, wisdome, authority, rule: These prin∣cipall men of all Nations, Kindreds, and Tongues, the most learned and wise, the most eminent and honoura∣ble of all Nations, the most choisest of men, of the greatest of gifts and abili∣ties, such as these shall be exercised a∣bout the dead bodies of the Witnesses. There is not a man that hath a lang∣uage,
gift, tongue, or dominion, and rule, but he is taken up, and employed, about these dead bodies: These are the persons thus exercised.
Secondly, how are they exercised a∣bout these dead bodies.
First, they shall looke upon the dead bodies of the Witnesses, not as the high Prie and the Jewes did upon Christ, with disdaine and scorne, Lu. 23. 25. The people with the Priests, beholding of him, derided him; but rather these looke upon them with delight and affectation, and as it's expressed in the next verse, they rejoyce over them: they make these dead bodies, or outward Carkase of heaven∣ly things, to be the very object of their joy and delight: they live upon these Carkasses, they uphold them as their very life and comfort.
Secondly, they shall not suffer these dead bodies to be put in graves: this commonly is done in dis-favour and scorn, it was spoken it was spoken to the indignity of the Babylonian Monarchs, that they should be cast out of their graves as on abo∣minable
branch, Issa. 14. 19. But I take the meaning here in the contrary sense, that they kept these dead bodies above ground out of favour and liking, that they might see them, and satisfie them∣selves with such a pleasing object.
These are they that possess the out∣ward Court, and will not suffer the dead bodies to be buried; the outward fleshly form of the Witnesses they will not let pass out of their sight, it is their life and Religion; the life and spirit of these things that were wont to tor∣ment them, is departed, and therefore they will not part with the externall forme that the Witnesses did once ad∣minister in. These outward forms and figures of worship they will keep above ground, and will not suffer them to be put in graves. Abraham desired, that when Sarah was dead, shee might be buried out of his sight, Gen. 23. 4. be∣cause the sight of his Wife was a griefe unto him: but it is not so here with those that manage the cause of the Beast, they preserve the dead bodies of the Witnesses, that they may from the Carkass or formes of the Saints, frame out, and set up a Religion unto them∣selves:
and therefore, though they slay the testimonie of the Witnesses that did vex and trouble them, yet they keepe their bodies above ground, that they might live, and be comforted by them.
Thirdly, how long these shall see their dead bodies, and hinder their bu∣riall, that is, three dayes and a halfe, which is spoken indefinitely and unde∣terminate: and as in Prophesie days are taken for years, so here it is meant of three yeares and a halfe, and so hold•• proportion with the thousand two hundred and sixty dayes, and 42. moneths, and a time, times, and halfe a time. For it cannot be meant, that the Witnesses should prophesie three yeares and a half, and at the end of their pro∣phesie should be slain, and lie dead three dayes and a halfe afterward: But this three dayes and halfe in which the dead bodies of the Witnesses lie slaine, and their dead bodies continue unburied, is the same terme of time with that of the Witnesses prophesie: even all the space that Antichrist doth possess the ou••∣ward Court, and trample under foote the holy Citie.
The words being thus explained, we proceed to the Observations, which are these.
First, That the power and greatness, the* 1.1 wisdome and abilities of men, are exercised about the dead bodies of the Witnesses.
What is all the studie and care that men take, what do they spend their time and parts about, but concerning these dead bodies; yea, the most excel∣lent of men, Nations, Kindreds, and Tongues; these with all their domini∣on and greatness, with all their learn∣ing and wisdome, they are all employd about the Carkass, or externall forme of things: All the syllogisticall reason∣ings and disputes, all the maximes and rules that worldly men are exercised in, what are they, but the very forme and figure, the superficiall and extern∣all part of those things, that the Saints have in their time administred in: now the Gentiles come to possess the out∣ward Court, and all their paines and endeavours they use about it, to ad∣vance it, and make it glorious in the earth.
Secondly, observe, That the great care that those of the Nations and Tongues, &c.
take about the dead bodies of the Witnesses, is to keepe them above ground.
The remembrance and sight of these are very deare and precious to the world: these are their very life, peace, and joy, they cannot live or enjoy themselves without them. The exter∣nall formes of Religion, that the Wit∣nesses have sometimes given forth their testimonie by, and having laid them a∣side, the world doth with much gree∣dinesse take up to use them, and to make them their very stay & comfort. I have observed, that the Saints did ne∣ver cast aside any externall form of Re∣ligion, that sometimes they have been exercised in; but worldly Christians did readily embrace them, they use them; they keep them above ground, and will not suffer them to be put in graves, because they cannot subsist without these, their very life and be∣ing is upheld by these dead bodies, by these Carkasses, or outward things. Hence it is, that when the Witnesses have cast aside some formall wayes of worship; what is the question of world∣ly professors? what Religion shall we be of now, say they? when shall we be
setled? Alas, their Religion and life is gon, if the external from be taken away: They will not suffer these to be put in graves, if they can with all their endea∣vonrs keep these bodies above ground: and why? the life and spirit of these things is departed, with the Witnesses laying of them down, so the world is willing to embrace them: So long as the Witnesses used them, and there was some spirit and life in them, it tor∣mented and vexed the worldly people, they continually opposed the Witnesses in those very wayes and formes that now they take up themselves: they on∣ly persecuted the spirit and testimony of the Saints, but their Carkases they keep above ground; for alas, take away these, you take away their Religion, their life, and all they have: they have but the outward Court to possess, and if you deprive them of that, they have nothing left: No wonder then, if worldly Christians will not suffer the dead bodies of the Witnesses to be put in graves. Now what is all the work and labour of those that manage the cause of the beast? but this, that after they have-slain the testimony of the
Saints, to advance the fleshly part, and outward Carkass of heavenly things, in relation to their owne advantage.
It's said in vers. 18. The nations were angry, for his wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they shouid be judged. All the Ordinances and Worships, all the rules and authorities, all the orders and services of Antichrist, are but dead things, and shall be judged as dead, having nothing of the light of life of God in them. Well may the nations be angry, fret, and vex, and why? the Lords wrath is come upon all Religi∣on, and glorious formes of worship, they are judged but as dead bodies, as empty Ca••k••ses, without any spirit or life at all, and the glory of the worldly and carnall Church is now o∣verturning, and all is, because it is but a dead Carkass, and shall be consu∣med.
Thirdly, In that these bodies lie un∣buried three dayes and a halfe, observe, That the dead bodies of the Witnesses are* 1.2 kept above ground, all the time of Anti∣christs reigne. As before their dead bo∣dies (viz. their outward formes of worship) did lie in all the streets and
dominions of Antichrist: so also are they kept above ground in every age and period of time, in which the beast doth reigne. For these bodies have an agreement with the outward Court, which is given to the Gentiles for forty two moneths. This also is the time of the womans being driven into the wil∣derness a thousand, two hundred, and threesore dayes, Chap. 12. 6. where she was nourished for a time, times, and halfe a time, Ver. 14. So that these three dayes holds proportion with the forty two moneths: the same time that Anti∣christ doth posses the outward Court, so long doth he make make use of the bodies of the Witnesses. Then it is not in some particular time, or in some short peri∣od, that the Beast shall rise up against the Witnesses, but namely all time of his Raigne he shall make warre with the Saints, slay their testimonie, and make use of their dead bodies. And though he could not endure the spirit & truth that the Saints held forth, yet hee knows how to make use of their exter∣nall forme and image, which hee will not part withal, so long as he is able to keepe it above ground, untill the
wrath of the Lamb come, and that the dead shall be judged.
1 Observ.
3 Observ: