An humble attempt to promote explicit agreement and visible union of God's people in…

of a great Conflict between Antichrist and God's People, wherein the Latter are overcome and slain, and lie dead three Days (or three Years) and an half, and their Enemies triumphing over them, but God's People rising again from the Dead in the midst of this Triumph of their Enemies, and ascending into Heaven, while their Enemies stand astonished and amazed Spectators,— that the Manner of the Description leaves fair Room for us to suppose, that after this Resurrection of God's People, they continue long before they ascend, to encounter with Antichrist in a new Conflict, wherein their Enemies, after long Time to prepare, should engage with them with vastly greater Preparation, Strength, and Violence than before, and should wage War with them with the mightiest Army that ever was gathered against the Church, and in the greatest Battle that ever was fought?

And besides, the Witnesses ascending into Heaven in the Sight of their Enemies, spoken of Chap. xi. cannot be the same with the Church's gaining a glorious Ascendant over her Enemies, in her final Victory over Antichrist, spoken of Chap. xvi. and xix. because the Descriptions of the Events that attend the one and the other do by no Means answer each other. For, observe, 'tis said, that when the Witnesses arose, and stood on their Feet, and ascended into Heaven, the same Hour there was a great Earthquake: But this don't seem to answer to what is described Chap. xvi.18. And there were Voices, and Thunders, and Lightnings, and there was a great Earthquake, such as was not since Men were upon the Earth, so mighty an Earthquake, and so great. 'Tis said that at the Time of the first Earthquake, Chap. xi.13. The tenth Part of the City fell: But how far does this fall short of what is described, as attending the great Earthquake? Chap. xvi.19, 20. And the great City was divided into three Parts, and the Cities of the Nations fell; and great Babylon came into Remembrance before God, to give unto her the Cup of the Wine of the Fierceness of his Wrath; and every Island fled away, and the Mountains were not found. 'Tis said of the Earthquake, Chap. xi. And in the Earthquake were slain of Men Seven Thousand: But how far is this from answering the Slaughter described Chap. xix.17, &c.? Which is represented as a general Slaughter of the Kings, Captains, mighty Men, Horses and Armies of the Earth and of the whole World; so that all the Fowls that fly in the midst of Heaven, as far as the Sun shines, are filled with the Flesh of the dead Carcasses, it being the Flesh of all Men, both free and bond, both small and great: (Compare Chap. xvi.14.) Who can think, that this great Slaughter that