LIBRARY

OF TIIIv

Theological Seminary,

T-^UNCETON, N. J

Case, \^^*^C^ pi vis; on

Shelf. Z^'^<:> / Section

Shelf, Book,

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REMARKS

O N T H E

PROPHETIC PART

OF THE

REVELATION

O F

St, JOHN.

REMARKS

O N T H E

PROPHETIC PART

OF THE

REVELATION

O F

St. JOHN:

ESPECIALLY THE

THREE LAST TRUMPETS. By T H O M AS'^R E A D E R.

Blejfed is he that readelh, and they that hear the Words of this Prophecy, and keep thoCe Things 'which are 'written therein ; for the Time is at hand. Rev. i. 3.

Comparing fpiritual Things nvithfpiritual. I Cor. ii. 13.

LONDON:

Printed by J. W. P a s h a m, Black-Friars;

And Sold by J. Buckland, Pater-noflerRow, G. Keith, Gracechurch Street, and E. and C. Dilly, in the Poultry.

MDC CLX XVll I.

INTRODUCTION.

* T TARDLY any one book of the New

* JLJL Teftament has more early, full, or ' authentick atteftations given to it,' than, this of Revelation ; and, befides that fo many of its prophecies have been already accompliflied, there are in the book itfelf fuch internal marks of Divine infpiration, that it would be needlefs to fay any more on that head.

But obferving the very lingular and re- peated demands of attention, which the Lord Jefus has made, in the beginning, middle and clofe of this prophecy, to the things contained therein, (fee Rev. i. 3. ii. 7, II, 17, 29. iii. 6, 13, 22. xiii. 9, 18. and xxii. 6, 7, 10.) I durfl not imitate the too common negleft by which many, even worthy perfons, inadvertently diHionour this myfterious part of the facred canon : Yet when I had drank, with fomc refrefh- ment, of ihefe holy ftreams, the miilakes which many great and good men had, in a long fuccellion, made in invefligating A 3 their

vi INTRODUCTION.

their courfe, for a confiderable time deterred me from fubmitting my apprehcnfions about them to the pubhc view ; And after- wards, a firm perfuafion that providence will foon throw fuch a farther liglit upon this, and other obfcure prophecies, by their accompUfhment, as will in a great mea- fure make many ancient and modern com- mentaries upon them ufelefs, occafioned a farther hefitation whether I fnould go on with this defign or not : But at length ap^; prehending that, notwithftanding involun- tary miilakes, from which I can fcarcely hope thefe remarks are wholly free, they may be afeful, to alnft the views of others ^ or at lead to warn my contemporaries of fome things which are intcrefting to them- felves and their poflerity, 1 have ventured to lay them before the woildj and fliall greatly rejoice, if this piece Ihould be the happy means of affifting others to lludy this precious part of God's vi^ord, with lefs la- bour and fatigue than it has coft me.

That this revelation was given after our Lord was afcended to Heaven, to prove the glorious lufficiency of his atonement, and the prevalence of his continued inter- ceffion ; as well as to difplay the glories of his godhead, and the extent, duration,

and

INTRODUCTION. vii

and uncontrouled fovereignty of his medi- atorial government— That it was given to the difcipk whom Jefus loved, in the dechne of his days, and when himfelf and the caufe of his great mafter were opprefTed w^ith the iron hand of tyranny — That it is the lafl infpired mefTage which the world will ever receive from heaven, till the con- fummation of all things j and contains an orderly feries of the grand events which are to befal the world and the church, from about A.D. 96 to the end of time, and to eternity — That it exhibits to every age fome new view of the wifdom and glory of the Lord Jefus, whilil it points out the defigns of men and devils againft his church, and the different fuccellive methods by which they will endeavour to accompliih them ; and at the fame time diredls the faith and duty of every believer in his own time— And finally, That this book cafts fo ftrong a light on many other parts of the Old and New Teflamemt, and efpeci- ally on fome ancient fcripture-prophecies, which it is impoffible for us fully to un- derftand, without a particular acquaintance with this book — All thefe confiderations may well endear this precious part of the word of God to us, by which the whole A 4 world

\m INTRODUCTION.

world is now governed, as all Ihall be ju'^^ed hereafter according to the things which are written in this, as well as in other of the infpired books.

Revealed things, fays Mofes, belo?tg to us and to Gur children for ever, Deut, xxix. 29 ; and if the Jews, in their re* fpet5live generations, had properly confi- dered the threatenings in that, and the preceding chapter, they might have efcaped the tremendous doom which has over- whelmed them ever fince A. D. 70; fo they who are efFe6lua]ly warned of the (ins of the beaft, will have nothing to fear from his plagues. And as the revelation may thus be perpetually ufeful to the men of this and other generations, whatever fome great men have faid, it feems to be no more vain and prefumpiuoiis in us, to en- quire into prophecies which are not yet accomplifhed, than it was in the Old Teftament prophets to fearch what, cr what manner of time the . Spirit of Chri/l which was in them did Jignify, when it tcp.ificd beforehand the fufferings of Chrijl, and the glory that ft-ou Id follow, i Pet. i. ID, II ; nor can the prefcni end of their publication be anfwered upon us without it. Who then fiiall fet hmits to that com- mand

INTRODUCTION. ix

mand fearch the fcriptures f John v. 39.— But if mirth, or malevolence fhould call my apprehenfions about future things, my prophecies-, fuffice it to afiure the intelli- gent reader, that he will meet with nothing here but my reafoniiigs, and conje6lures, (I hope not immodeiily offered) on God's prophecies ; and how far I have underflood them, the event will fhew : At the fame time he will carefully diflinguifh, between that degree of evidence which may be expe<5led now, and that which their fu- ture accomplifhment will yield to every eye.

It is with great pleafure that I con- fefs my obligations to Mr. Fleming, Mr. Mede, Mr. Lowman, Bp. Newton and others, for much of the knowledge which I have of this book: And where I have left my guides, I have fubmitted my rea- fons for it to the underftanding and can- dor of every reader, who muft judge of them as he can.

If it had not appeared of fome impor- tance, to give my reader a conne6led view of the whole feries of this prophecy, I fliould have confined my remarks to the three lall: trumpets, which would have cut off about the firfl fifth part of this book : But having, I imagine, fomething new to offer, even on fome of thofe parts of this

prophecy

X INTRODUCTION.

prophecy where I have received moft aflifl-. ance from others, I have thought it might be agreeable, even to my learned reader, and therefore have fpent a few pages in giving, I hope, a clear and concife view of the events and times of the feven feais, and the four firft trumpets.

If I had dared to indulge any other ob- je6l of attention, than that of declaring the whole courifel of Godj fome unpopu- lar fentiments would certainly have been concealed, which appear in the following pages J but \i pleajing men was my great aim, I JJjoidd not be the jervant of Chrifti At the fame time, as a judicious felf-love cannot be offended with any word which is really hoity.vqToq divinely infpired^ 2 'Tim. iii* ]6j fo, if I have overlooked, or miftaken the will or work of God in any refpedl, it is no more than m>any much greater men have, efpecially in their labours on this book J and I afk the indulgence which my reader believes to be due to erring integrity*

The very imperfe6l knowledge which the church of God had of this myfterious book, A. D. 16 1 1, when the prefent tranflation of the Bible was made, has occafioned many annotators fmce to give a new tranfla- tion of it 5 and I have attempted the fame 9n this prophetic part of it, with the affifl:-

ance

INTRODUCTION. xi

ance of Dr. Doddridge and others; yet without confining myfelf to any of them.

A few chronological obfervations are inferted in the following work; which, whilft they allifl the unlearned reader, may in fome inilances, refrefh the memories of the more informed. And befides an index of the principal matters confidered in thefe remarks, which is fubjoined to them; I have alfo added one, of thofe Old Tefla- ment prophecies and other fcriptures, which are more or lefs illuflrated in this work. Alfo ; an index of the Greek words which are referred to in this piece.

I am in queft of further knowledge, and fhall rejoice to receive it from any quarter. At the fame time, I heartily thank every chriftian and minifter, who helped me in this work, either by his prayers to God for me, or by offering me any ufeful hints on any part of this book. But my thanks are particularly due to the Rev. Dr. Gibbons; and efpecially to my brother the Rev. Simon Reader, of Wareham, Dorfet; whofe unwearied pains bellowed upon my MS, preferved me from fome mi flakes ; and occafioned a more critical examination and difcuflion of feveral points.

3 If

xli INTRODUCTION.

If He who gave this Revelation to his church, will pleafe at all to glorify his own name by this feeble attempt, my higheft ambitiort is gratified; and with this hope I would devoutly lay it at His feet.

1'auniony June 24,177s. T. R.

TWO

TWO ADVEPvTISEMENTS.

1.TT7HEN I delivered this piece to the W Printer, I had not the moft diftant apprehenfion, that the year 1778 would have produced any thing fo favourable to the Fapifts, as that ad of the Britifh legiflature, which relieves them from certain fcivil and religious) penalties and difabilities \ which v/ere impofed on them in the (eleventh and twelfth years of the) reign of king William the 111. At the fame time, my read- ers will obferve, that what I have*faid of the fu^ ture fpread of popery, is not fo niuch founded on the probabilities of things ; as on the plain fenfc of thofe words, by which the blelied God has cxprefTed his judicial fentence agamft the world ; which he refolves to punifli for their iniquities, by leaving them to the i jif ernal ahminalims ofyoptry . 2. The following words are iometimes printed by miftake for each other in this work ; viz. man and wensfon zndfim j who and whom j ihofe and thefe\prophefy and/'r^/>^fry,which,itis hoped, will occafion the intelligent reader no great trouble-, befides which he is r(;que(ied to correal the fol- lowing

ERRATA.

P. 75. 1. 34. /. and, r. chap.

p. 83. 1. 24. /. 315, r. 312.

p. 100. I. 16. f' p. 6g, r. p. q6.

p. lOl. 1. 32. /. //<?«, r. a lion.

p. III. I. 3. /. lam, r. lamb.

p. 126. 1. 34. /. haft, r. has.

p. 130. 1. 21. /. wrath, r. wroth.

p. 131. 1. 27. /. event! r. events.

p. 136. 1» 33» f. iii. r. 3.

p. 157. 1. 16. f. Lawds, r. Lauds.

p. 158. 1. 22. /. tenfe, r. fenfe.

p. 288. 1. 32. /. arranged, r. arrayed.

^ Any other trifling Errata that may have efcaped no- tice, will, it is hoped, on account of the Author's dif- tance from the Prefs, be readily excufed by the candid Reader,

A SCHEME

O F T H E

Revelation given to St. J O H N.

Chap. VI.

VII Seals from A. D. 96 to 395.

Verfe.

3>4>

Seal.

11. -

Times.

Perfons and Things.

A. D. 56 to the S Chrift conquers by his

End of the World - 98—134- - -

VII.

VIII.

5,C,

7, 8>

12 to

^7'

III.

. - IV. - - 235-2S4. - .

VI.

64—303

306 — 361

golpel. Jews and Heathens, de-

ftroy each other, inTia-

jan's and Hadrian's

reign. Famine, &c. in the reign

of the '\nlonine and

Septimian families. The fvvoid, famine^ pef-

tilence,and wijd beafts;

from Maximin to Dio-

clefian. The fouls of the martyrs

un'icr the altar. Th' Pi?ai> relijion fub-

verted ; and

peace

ertah-

- VII. - - 364-395 -

lifned by Conliantine, &c A half hour's filence in heaven ; the trumpets givento the angels.

VII Trumpets from A. D. 395 to 3125, i5!c.

7, - - I. - - 395—412 - - The Goths, &c. break In

upon ihe empire.

S, 9, - - II. - - 440 — 454 « - Attila and his Huns fall

upon the empire.

10, 11, - - III. - - 317 — 606 - - Ger.fericandhisVandals;

ai'dArius,Pelagius,and

n*	- - IV.	r.^■^ i-'ope, --456—566 -- The lights of the weftern empire put out.
13, A	Warning	- - 566 — 606 - - Of the three v.oe trumpets.
IX. 1-12,	- - V.	- - 606—756 - - The Pope and Mahomet.
13 to? XI. ,4, S	- - VI.	- - 606-1866 - - The Turks deftroy the
	eaftern empire ; the two
		witneffes \ and an earth-
		quake at Rome.
7—10,	.	iS62 - - The two witnefles fialn.
15 to 7 XXII. 21, :,	. -VII.	- -1866— 3125, &c. The end of the world.
	Judgment, and Eternity.

SCHEME

OF THE

SEVENTH TRUMPET.

Chap. Verfe.

XI. 15, -- A. D. 1866. -- The feventh trumpet founds,

XIV. 1—5, ----- - - The Jews return to their own

land ; and multitudes of 6 — JO, ----- - - Gentiles are converted : But

Xlli-ii — 17> ----- - - the Mahometans become Pa-

pifts. J872. -- TheMahometan chief calls him-

felftheapoftleof Chiift. 1 88a. - - He becomes the fecoiid beaft ; 1886. - - and works miracles, as a falfe prophet, before the firft btaft. XIV, 19, 20. - - J926, - - Many of the wicked are cut off.

VII Vtah from A.D. 1936 to 1942.

XVI, », - - I, - A.D, 1936. - Is poured out on the

earth. 3, - - II. - - 1937. - Is poured on the Tea.-*

4 — 7, - - III, - - 1938. - Is poured on the ri- 1

vers and fountains. I 8,9, -- IV. -- 1939. - Is poured on the fun. I

10, iz, - - V, - - 1940. - Is poured on the V

throne of the beaft. j It — 16, - - VI. - - I94»« - Is poured on the river j

Euphiates, I

J7— ai. - - VII. - - 1942. - Is poured on the air. -J

XVII. 16. From A. D. 1942 to 2016, the ten horns of the bealt hate

the whore, and burn her with fire.

XIX. 20, A. D. 2016, the beaft is call i.ito the lake of fire j and Po-

pery deftroyed.

XX. I — 6, A. D. 2016 to 3016. The glorious millennium, 7— 10, After 3016. Satan is loofed for a time.

II— 15, A.D, 3125. The world ends, and judgment begins; which may probably continue 22 c years. CXXI. I,

s to The new Jerufalem comes down to the new heaven and CXXII. 5, earth, where the faints dwell with God.

6—21, A moft gracif us call j a folemn warning j and a parting be- nediftion.

REMARKS

ON THE

REVELATION of St. JOHN.

REVELATIONS, CHAP. IV.

THE beloved difciple, having feen in the two preceeding chapters, the things that are^ to raife his attention to the thing which Jhall be hereafter^ ("Rev. i. 19.) and to give him clear ideas of the wifdom, pow^r and faith- fulnefs, which will be difplayed in the grand events which are to take place in the world ; is, in this chapter, honoured with a vifion of God himfelf, feated on his throne in heaven, incircled with a glorious hoft of angels and faints, (who here appear as fitting together with Chrift in heavenly places)^ the adormg fpeftators of thofe things which will certainly be accompliflied, in their refpedive times, exadly as heaven and earth here behold them.

B I. After

2 A Boor opened in Heaven, [IV. i, 2.

1 . After this I looked, and behold a door was opened in heaven : and the firfl voice which I heard was, as it were, of a trum- pet talking with me; which faid. Come up hither, and I will fhew thee things which muft be hereafter.

The firft Adam's apoftacy fhut up heaven againft himfelf and his pofterity ; but the fecond Adam opens it : fo the heavens were opened to Ezekiel, chap. i. i -, at Chrift's baptifm, Mait. iii. 1 6; to dying Stephen, J^svn.§6', to Peter, when the goipel was to be preached to the Gen- tiles, Jo^s X. 10 ; and here to our apoftle. And being opened, to roule him and us to the molt devout and fixed attention, fhe firji voice which he heard was, as it were, of a trumpet, talkiitg with him. Under the law it was commanded, Uumb. X. 4. If they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes which are heads of the thoufands of Ifrael^ fioall gather themfelves unto thee -, hearken parti- cularly then, ye heads of our gofpel-Ifrael.

2. And immediately I was in the fpirit : and behold a throne was fet in heaven ; and one fat upon the throne.

Endeavoring to obey the divine order, the Spirit came upon him in an extraordinary and miraculous manner, Ezek. viii. i. A£fs x. 10. 2 Cor. xii. 2. for v/hat God commands, he gives to his ftfrvants : and being in the Spirit, he could obey this order, Come up hither. Thus raifed in Spirit, he law God the Father, chap. v. i ; who never appeared, as Chrift had done, in bodily parts and proportions, chap. i. 13 — 16.

c?. And

IV. 3» 4'] AVifwn of GoiTs Glory. 3

3 . And he that fat was to look upon like a jafper, and a fardine ftone : and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in fight like unto an emerald.

The brilliant jafper, and red fardine flone, might intimate that he is ajufi God and a Savi- our: And probably the Lord appeared in the fplendor of thefe two ftones, which were the firft and laft upon Aaron's breaft-plate of judgement, Exod. xxviii. 17 — 21, that he might vifibly feal the whole of his covenant with the twelve tribes of Ifrael, through the great High Prieit of our profeflion, as well as to affure his people that he would bring them to that city, of which thefe were two of the foundations, Rev. xxi. 1 9, 20. A rainbow too furrounded the throne, both to fatisfy us of his care of every thing living, Gen,

IX. 12 — 17 ; and that he is not afliamed, or un- mindful of the peculiar covenant which he has made with his own people, Ifa. liv. 9. Ezek. i. 28 ; which Ihall be coniirmed and guarded, by every order which Ihall ever proceed from that throne. And the prevailing green, or emerald colour of this rain- bow, was defigned to fliew, that God's covenant will never grow old or de- cay, but produce the moft precious fruit -, and afford ever frefli delight to the believing eye that gazes upon it. Chrift alfo appears with the fame enfign of divine glory upon his head, chap.

X. I ; for he thought it not an aft of robbery to hi equal with God^ Phil. ii,'^6. So ap-Trji-yfj^oq fieni- fies in Plutarch : and this is agreeable to^the ufual fenfe of Greek verbal nouns, Which end m

4. And round about the throne were four , and twenty thrones : and upon the

B 2 "drones

4 ^be twenty -four Elders on Thrones y [IV. 5.

thrones I faw four and twenty elders fitting, clothed in white raiment ; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

Thefe thrones were prepared, not for the four animals or minifters, but for the twelve patri- arclis and apoftles, who were the reprefcntatives of the Jewifii and Chriltian church : and if arch- biihops confider themfelves as the fucceifors of the apoftles without either their credentials or Hccomplilhments, it might, at leaft, have been better if they had waved being eJtthro7ied till they came to heaven, where the apoftles were fo : But it our author, who was now the only furviving apoftie, not only knew the twelve Jewifli patri- arciis, as he knew Mofes and Elijah on the Mount of Tranfiguration, Matt. xvii. i — 3 -, but beheld his well-known eleven brethren thus ar- rayed in white, with crowns of gold upon their heads •, and faw his own future countenance in the appearance of one of the twelve, what un- imagined tranfport muft fill his heart, when in vifion he faw thole words accompiilhed, whilft yet in the body, Te are they which have continued with me in my temptation •, and 1 appoint unto you a kingdom^ as my Father hath appointed unto me ; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my king- dom^ and fit on thrones judgi-ng the twelve tribes of Ifrael. Luke xxii. 28 — 50. And, To him that Qvercometh, will I grant to fit with me in my throne •, even as I aljo overcame^ and am fet down with my Father in his throne ^ Rev. iii. 21. See chap. XX. 4. and F.ph. ii. 6.

5. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings, and thundrings, and voices : and there were feven lamps of lire burning be- fore

IV. 5*] Reprefent the Jewijh ^ Chrifiian Church. 5

fore the throne, which are the feven fplrits of God.

Thefe feven Spirits of God, which are fent out into all the earth., are declared to be the Jevtn horns., and feven eyes of the Lamb, chap. v. 6 j fee alfo i. 4. and iii. i. And, to teftify the divine power and wifdom, with which our Lord efFeds his defigns in the church and world by thefe feven fpirits, they are defcribed as lam'ps of fine \ which, as well as a horn., a reed and rod., are fcrip- ture emblems of authority and government, Ffc.L cxxxii. 1 7. I have ordained a lamp for mine anoint- ed \ fee 1 Kings xv. 4. Ifa. Ixii. i. Rev. viii. 10. So it is faid of Chrift, Ifa. xlii. 3. 'The fmoking flax., that weakefb enfign of his government in the foul, fhall he not quench. The Lord made a covenant with Abraham, by one lamp of fire., pafling between the divided parts of his facrifice. Gen. XV. 17; but now, as the light of the moon of Jewifh ceremonies, is htzomQas the light of the fun of righteoufnefs ; fo that light of the fun will be- come f even-fold., as the light of feven days., in the day when the Lord comes down to lind up the breach of his Jewifh people., and heal the ftroke of their wound., Ifa. xxx. 26. Thefe feven fpirits of God, which are ftill before the throne,, whilfl fhedding their moft potent influences upon the earth, were typified by the feven lamps which were continually kept burning in the tabernacle^ Exod. XXV. ^y ; fee Jinfworth in loc ^ and they are faid to be feven^ for the fupply of the {tvtn candlefticks, or churches •, and to comfort God's people in the times of the feven feals, feven thun- ders, feven trumpets, and feven vials -, and alfo to illuminate, chear and purify his miniflers through all the feve.a days of the week-, of each B 3 of

6 Sea of Glafs to wajh the four Animals^ [IV. 6.

of which he has faid, Lo, I am with you 7rao-«f T«? r//£p«? all days^ even to the end of the worlds Matt, xxviii. 20 •, and that through the fevea thoufand years which the world will certainly continue, before the eternal fabbath begins ; fee chap. XX. I — 6.

6. And before the throne there was 2, fea of glafs, like unto cryftal : and in the mftlft of the throne, and round about the throne were four animals or living creatures^ full of eyes before and behind.

It was the more improper to render the word ^wa heafis in this place, as two Ojipia heafis^ pro- perly fo called, appear in this book, in charac- ters fo diametrically oppofite to that of thefe idViX animals^ chap. xiii. i, 11.

The four living creatures in Ezek. i. 5. whom the LXX call ^wa, are generally apprehended to be angels •, and as their miniftry was employed m ordering and difpofing many of the great afi-airs of the Jewifli church, {Pfal Ixviii. 17. Atfs vii. 53. Gal. iii. 19.) that church was fut into a kind o^fiihjeBion to the angels, as officers ading under the captain of our falvation, Heb» ii. 2, 5 : but though there is fome affinity betweer^ that vifion and this ; I cannot underftand thefe four animals as hieroglyphical reprefentations ©f the angelic nature, but rather of earthly mini- flers (on whom God has now, in Chrift's time, befiowed the name of angels, and the vifible part of their ancient miniftry,) i. Becaufe they fing, chap. V. 9, 10. Thou wafi flain^ and hafi redeeuied us to God by thy bloody out of every kin- dred, and tongue, and people, and nation •, and haft Y.iade us unto cur God kings and priejls : and we Jhall reign on the earth ; none of which things caa

be

IV. 6.] Is as clear as Cryfial, 7

befaid of angels. 2. They are exprefsly diftin- guilhed from the angels, and placed nearer the throne than they -, on account of their nearer re- lation to the God-man mediator, chap. v. 11. / beheld^ and 1 heard the voice of many angels round about the throne^ and the animals^ and the elders : and, though their brightnefs was very far from eclipfing the glory of the four animals, the num- ber of them was almoft inconceivably greater than theirs •, for it was ten thoufand times ten thoiifandy and thoufands of thoufands. 3. Though ^aw and ^m exprefs life in general, yet as ^« is the found which we make in breathing ; and ^wa is never applied in the New Teftament, to any other be- ings but fuch as have animal life ; (fee Heb, xiii, 1 1 . 2 Pet. ii. 12. Jude 10.) it is mod reafonable to un- derftand it of the minifters who were upon earth A. D. 96 'and following, though the fcene is here laid in heaven. 4. If the four and twenty elders are the reprefentatives of the Jewilli and Chriftian churches, it feems natural to underftand the four animals, who are joined with them, of the minifters fent out into the four parts of the earth ; who are therefore reprefented as full of eyes before, behind and within, ver. 6, 8 ; though they are by no means equal to the angels in knowledge; of whom it is faid, Ezek. x. 12. ^heir whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, as well as the wheels which went by them, were full of eyes round about. 5. The large glafs velTel, called a fea of glafs, like unto cryfial, which John faw near thefe four animals, is not wanted for the purification of angels, but of gofpel minifters yet upon earth : And this fea, which ftood before the throne to teftify God's particular and gracious care for the fanc- tification of his minifters, v;as typified by the lavers of brafs in the tabernacle, and the molten B 4 fea

8 ^hey refemhk a Lion\ ai Ox, [IV* 7.

fea in Solomon's temple ; in which the priefts waflied, not the people or- the facrifices, but their own hands and feet, when they approach- ed \\nx.o God^ Exod.xxx. 18. 2. Chron,\v. 2.-6. Note, Jewifh priefts were cleanfed with water and blood ; buirgofpel minifters with water, the fire of the Spirit, ver. 5, 6. Mai. iii. 3, and of awful trials, Rev. xv. 2. Ifa. xxxi. 9 ; as well as with blood, Lev. viii. 23, 24. Heb. ix. 22; the latter of which, however, it was not neceflary to reprefent in this vifionary fcene, as the Lord Jefus himfelf, by whofe blood only they can be cleanfed, fiood before the throne, as a lamb that h(id heenjlain, chap. v. 6.

I only add here, when the word ^wa fignifies angels, as in, Ezek. \. 5, according to the LXX, it would be very proper to render it vital beings, as thofe pure intelligences have no principle of decay in their nature ; but animals, or living creatures feems a more proper appellation for earthly minijiers, whofe ftrength goes away with their time, and who are dying whilft they are at their work.

7. And the firft animal was like a lion 5 and the fecond animal like a calf; and the third animal had a face as a man -, and the fourth animal was like a flying eagle.

Every one of the cherubim had all thefe four faces, Ezek. i. 10 ; but in earthly minifters, we can only exped to find the ftrength and courage of a lion in one -, the patience of an ox in another ; the ftrong reafon of a man in a third -, and the quick fight and admirable velocity of the eagle 'in a fourth. And probably the order in which they here appear, may be defigned to teach us, that the primitive minifters, who were ro begin the attack upon fatan's kingdom, were courage- ous aiid undaunted as a lion, v/ho is made with- out

IV. 70 -^ Man attd an Eagle* 9

out fear ; fee Gen. xlix. 9. Dan. vii. 4 : That thefe fhould be fucceeded by others, who would abide firm and perfevering in labour and fuffe- rings as an ox, till the world fhould feed upon them : And after them (hould arife a third lore of minifters, able and determined to defend the caufe of their Lord, with the perfpicuity and for- titude of a man : whilft the high foaring eagle may defcribe the rapid motion, and great heaven- ly mindednefs which will probably charadlerize the minifters of God in the latter days, Ifa. xl, 31- Yet this is no reafon why we fhould not look for all thefe charaders in different minifters in every age : accordingly we hear a voice uttered in the midft of the four animals, at the opening of the third feal, chap. vi. 6; as they all advance in fuc- cefTion to our view in the three firft centuries, within which the four firft feals are generally thought to have been opened ; at the opening of which refpedively one of them cried. Come and fee^ ver. i — 7.

But 'about the middle of the third cen- * tury, fays Bengelius^ there arofe gradually ' an indilcreet averfion to the' millennium * it- ' felf; nay, even to the whole prophecy' of this book, {Introdu5fion to his expofiticn of the Apocalypfe by Dr. Robertfon, p. 288.) which may be one reafon why they cry no more, at the opening of the following feals. Come and fee. And though we find them ftill before the throne in the fourth century, under the fixth feal, chap, vii. 1 1 • they are there filent inadive fpedators of what paffes \ and after that time we hear no more of them, under the name of animals, till, under the feventh trumpet, or A. D. 1866, chap. xi. 15', when they refume their aflivity, and renew their worfliip, chap, xiv. 3. xv. 7. and xix. 4.

8. And

10 ^be four Animals give Glory tc God, [IV. S — lo;

8. And the four animals had each of them fix wings about him ; and they were full of eyes within : and they reft not day and night, faying. Holy, holy, holy. Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

See ver. 6. They give glory to the Father, Son, and Spirit, as the feraphim, Ifa. vi. 2, 3 -, and had the fame number of wings as they. Our Lord afferts the fame, and like glorious things of himfelf, chap. i. 8 •, for -if thofe had been the words of the Father, to have anfwered their end» they muft have contained his own diftinguifhing and appropriate charaders, which no h(jly crea- ture whatever would therefore have dared ta apply to himfelf : But our Lord affumes fome of the fame appellations immediately, ver, 1 1 ; fee alfochap. xxii. 13. But if Chrift was Alpha and Omega, ccnfidered only as mediator, then thofe words could not belong to the Father. 1 con- clude therefore that ver. ?, can be the words of no other perfon but the Lord Jefus, who gave this revelation to John ; for the Father never fpoke to him in this vifion : Te have neither heard his voice at any time, nor feen his Jhape^ John v. 37 5 fee Rev. xix. 6, 13.

9. And when thofe animals give glory, and honour, and thanks to him that fat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,

I o. The four and twenty elders fall down before him that fat on the throne, and worfhip him that liveth for ever and ever ; and caft their crowns before the throne, faying,

II. Thou

V. I .] The Father, Son, and Spirit. 1 1

II, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to re- ceive glory, and honour, and power : for thou haft created all things, and for thy pleafure they are, and were created.

If this worfliip was all heavenly, thefe words inform us of its order : but as this vifion chiefly refped:s the affairs of the church militant, we may obferve, that when minifters are burning and fhining lights, that light will inftrumentally inftruft and invigorate others ; and their zeal will provoke every one whofe heart is, like their own, attuned to the high praifes of God,

Kj>..

CHAP. V.

T^he vifton of the feakd book, which the Lamb only was found worthy to open \ who, on that aC' count, received the tmited acclamations of heaven and earth.

I , A ND I 'faw in the right hand of him ^/j^that fat on the throne, a book writ- ten within, and on the backlide j fealed with feven feals.

By appearing with this book in his hand, he that fat on the throne teltified to this grand con- vention of men and angels, that all his works were wrought after the immutable counfel of his cwn will, Eph. i. ii. Heb. vi. 17 ; and expref- fed his gracious defire that they might be made acquainted v/ith his fecrets : Yet looking to this fcroll, or volume, rolled up, the beloved difciple could only at prefent difcover, that its feven

leaves

12 No one worthy to open the Book, [V. 2 — 5.

leaves had each a diflinfl feal upon it ; and that it was written on both fides, or within and with- out J thoi7gh its furrounding brightnefs and glory- prevented his gazing {o attentively upon it, as even to read any of the oiufide writing; fee ver. 3.

2. And I faw a ftrong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, who is worthy to open the book, and to looie the feals thereof ?

3. And no one in heaven, nor i» earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look fiedfaflly thereon.

4. And I wept much, becaufe no one was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

If he who fits upon the throne appears with this book in his' hand, it caonot be to raiie dtlvi- five hopes in the hearts of his fervants •, there- fore, when heaven and earth, have confefled their infufficiency for it, himfelf will ^nd a perfon to open it. Obferve i. The 2l'^o^\q loved much, zr\d therefore wept much at the thought of having God's fecrets concealed from him •, but 2. The faith which produced that love cannot a£l in any inflance, without the immediate exertions of di- vine power. And, 3. Nothing is more com- mon than for good men to difcover their unbe- lief, even whilil ihewing their love to God. 4. To look only to creatures for the opening of God's book to us, though himfelf ftands clofebyus, is a work of unbelief; and the way to have forrow enough. 5. They differ much from the fpirit of our apoftle, and from the views of angels, who are contented to be ignorant of the things con- tained in this book, now they are revealed.

5. And

V. 5-] O'' ^'^^^ ^^ ^^°^ thereon. i ^

5. And one of the elders faith unto me, weep not : Behold the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loofe the i^wtn. feals thereof.

This elder, filled with the love of God, was glad to comfort our apoftle, by pointing out an unobferved Jefus, and fome unnoticed glories of his name to him : And as this vifion relpedts the affairs of earth, thefe words inform us, that even an aged apoftle may receive diredion and afiiftance from others ; for no member of Chrift's myftical body can fay to any other, / have no need of you. But as the fcene is here laid in heaven -, we may obferve, that an elder enthron- ed above could lee and draw confequences, with more clearnefs and certainty than our yet embo- died apoftle ; and they moft refemble the faints in heaven, who can moft clearly deduce, from eftabliflied principles, fuch conclufions as may fupport them under temptations, and animate to duty. 'Confider then,* as though he had faid, ' the lion which fprang out of the tribe of

* Judah^ Gen.xX\x.<). Heh.Viu 14. who had not ' his might and terriblenefs in vain ; he has con- ' quercd tviKmin ; (for I muft ufe a word which

* will lead thy thoughts to a view of his vicftory

* over) thofe fpiritual enemies, who, whilft they ' held us captive, locked up God's fecrets from

* us, and rendered us indifpofed, and even. ' dead to an acquaintance with them : but ha-

-' ving overcome them, both himfelf and we

* muft reap the fruits of his vi6tory ; one of ' which will certainly be his prevailing with the ' Father for the opening of this fealed book, ' which he now holds forth in our fight. He is ' alfo the immortal Root from whom the victori-

' ous

14 ^^e Lamh appears td open it, [V. ^^

* ous David, and all his renowned fucceflbrs

* fprang, Ifa. xi. i. Matt. xxii. 42. Rom. xv. 12 ;

* and as that great patriarch, who was fo emi- ' nent a type of him, enjoyed the blelTIngs of

* prophecy as well as of the fvv^ord, fo furely will

* this his root, now planted in heaven, yield us ' all tbe fare mercies of David,'' Ifa.lv. 3.

6. And I beheld, and lo, in the midfl of the throne, and of the four living crea- tures, and in the midft of the elders, ftood a lamb as it had been flain ; having {even horns and feveh eyes, which are the feVen fpirits of God fent forth into all the earth.

While this elder is fpeaking of Chrift, himfelf appears ; or, if he was vifible before, the eyes of our apoftle had been holden that he Ihould not know him, Luke xxiv. 16, ^6. But obferve where and how he appeared, i . Where ; viz. in the midji of the throne ; for Chrift is a middle perfon between the Father and the Spirit, the centre of their gracious thoughts and works ; and he in whom mercy and truth are met together^ righteoufnefs and peace have kijfed each other, Pfal. Ixxxv. ID. Who is fit to be in the midlt of the throne, but the God-man mediator } And what becomes of reafon and religion, if we would place a mere man, or any mere creature there ? He is alfo in the midft of the four living creatures or minifters, to maintain their life ; and to pre- ferve peace and order amongft them, by com- municating of his own light and grace to each. And for the fame purpofe he is in the miJJl of the four and twenty elders, on earth and in hea- ven •, ZQ feed them., and to lead them to living foun- tains of water : His influence upon them makes

them

V. 6.] H^ith recent Marks of Slaughter upon him. 1 5

them fweet and favoury to one another-, and when thofe of them who are here, derive virtue from him mutually to refer their different appre- henfions and interefts to this great mediator be- tween them, there can be no contentions among them. 2. How he appeared*, among his enemies he had roared as a lion tearing the prey ; but, as divine juftice could be no other way difarmed, but by his dying as a facrifice, therefore in the midft of the throne, he flood as a Lamh that had been Jlain^ with confpicuous marks of (laughter upon him. Gen. xxii. 8. John i. 29. As flain for us, he is our way to God, and our peace : and there is reafon to fear, that profelTors who deny his -atonement, have never yet favingly tranfadied any bufinefs with God before this throne. This Lamb had 2M0 feven horns^ and f even eyeSy which are the /even fpirits of God fent forth into all the earth : thefe could not be the feven artels ivkich Jiood before God, chap. viii. 2 ; for, befides that no creature can be the horn or the eye of the Lamb, or as it were an effential conflituent part of the mediator, thefe feven fpirits are actually invoked, chap. i. 3, 4, which is an honour pe- culiar to God himfelf ; Grace be unto you, and peace from the feven fpirits which are before the throne: Therefore by thefe y^i;d';?j5)inVj, or feven lamps of fire, chap. iv. 5, is meant the eternal Spirit, fo called with reference to his different ope- rations and influences, which are diredled by thofe feven eyes of Jehovah the Lamb, which run to and fro through the whole earth, to light the feven lamps of the church; and to fee the feven pipes which fupply thofe feven lamps, furnifhed with holy oil ; fee Jfa. xi. 2. Zech. iv. 2, 10, and John i. 4. And who but the true God can di- re6b, or fend out thefe feven fpirits into all the earth, as the Lord Jefus does ^ and though the

above

i^ The Lamb takes thefealed Book, [V. 7, 8f.

above prayer to the Spirit, proves that he has a diftinfl fubliftence from the Father and Son ; yet thefe feven fpirits, being called the feven horns and eyes of the Lamb, teftifies the intimate and indiffoluble union between Chrift and the Spirit j that thefe feven fpirits are elTential to the media- tor as his horns and eyes -, that where ever they are fent he is perfonally prefent ; and that the wifdom and power of thefe horns and eyes are his wifdom and power : and finally, as no one- can receive any of thefe feven fpirits but from Chrift, fo they who are neareft to him fhall com* municate moft with him of his wifdom and power : and all who fee with the eyes, or pufts their enemies with the horns of this Lamb, will certainly give him the praife of all they enjoy or perform.

7. And he came and received the book, out of the right hand of him that fat on the throne.

For the father willingly reached out this book to him, that he might go on with his prophetic office ; to open God's defigns, and confequently fhew his people what will be their Lord's em- ployments, cares, and interceflions for them in every age.

8. And vf\iQn he received the book, the four living creatures, and the four and twenty elders fall down before the Lamb ; having every one of them harps, and golden vials, full of odours, which are the prayers of faints.

Harps and cenfers, which feem to be here in- tended by the vials, were well-known inftruments of Jewifh worfhip j and are proper ernbiems of

prayer

V, g, 10.] Oui of the right Hand of him^ &c. 1 7

prayer and praife. And if our Lord will tran- flate the defigns of Deity into the language of earth, fliall we not cntertai-n him with the harps of our praife, and prefent the pleafing incenfe of prayer, Pfal. cxli. i, that we may underftand and improve thefe myfteries of God ? But thefe Words no more favour inftru mental mulic in our public worfhip, than the ufe of cenfers and in- cenfe, both of which came in, and went out with Mofes, Ffal. Ixxxi. 2 — 5. John i. 1 7.

9. And they fang a new fong, faying. Worthy art thou to take the book, and to open the feals thereof: for thou waft flain ; and haft redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation j

10. And hafl made us unto our God, kings and priefts -, and we iliall reign on the earth.

Thefe miniflers and elders, who were of every kindred, language, people, and nation, anima- ted with the fame fpirit, united their different tongues, in ftfains grateful to the Redeemer, though not underftood by each other; whilft they praifed him, (1.) Fur what he had done, thou haft redeemed us to Gcd\ and as redeeming love is the burden of all their fongs, if faints lived nearer the throne, they would fee more, clearly their intereft in the great redemption. (2.) For what they were therefore fure he would do; ^e fhall reign on the earthy firft in our own perfons, and afterwards in others, to whom God will make us inftruments of tranfmitting the fame fpirit and hopes, chap. xx. 6. We fhall reign over ourfdves by the power of that life of God, C which

1 8 Saints and Angels adore God. [V. 1 1 — i g .

which is given to every believer to controul the intercfts, and propcnfions of every other life in him. And over the lulls of others too we fhall reign, i. By the inrerGlts we always have in heaven, chap. xi. 6 : SoShadrach, Mefhech, and Abednego, by yielding their bodies to be burneclj chaiiged even Nebuchadnezzar's ztwrd^ Dan. iii. 28. See Johxxx'^u 7. Prov. xxi. i. 2. By the great advantages which the revelation, oof Lord is going to give, will afford us, under ihe influence of his Spirit, for the direction of our conducTt be- fore men -, which cannot but have fome effed; upon the Hates and kingdoms with which we are connected. The words alfo will have a further accomplifhment in the Millennium, chap. xx. 4. Pfal. Ixvi. 6 : And the faints fliall reign with Chrift for ever, irt the new heaven and the new earth, chap. xxi. i.

11. And I beheld, and I heard the volcd of many angels round about the throne, and the livino- creatures, and the elders : and the number of them was ten thoufand times ten thoufand, and thoufands of thoufands ;•

12. Saying with a loud voice, V/orthy is the Lamb that was flain to receive power,- and riches, and wifdom, and ftrength, and honour, and glory, and bleffing.

13. And every creature which is in hea- ven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and fuch as are in the fea, and all that are in them, heard I, faying; Bleffing and ho- nour, and glory, and power be unto him that fitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

14. And

V. 12— 14'] A general Chorus of Praife. 19

14. And the four living creatures faid. Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worihipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

In this grand chorus of heaven and earth, obferve the fingers and i\\^\x fongs. The Jifigers, are lirli the angels, who are innumerable -, and who magnify the once flaughtered Lamb for opening to them, as well as us, the things which con- cern the-church and world : And though meaner beings could not reach to join their notes, yet every creature in heaven, and earth, in his diffe- rent way, prolongs their praifes •, to which the animals and elders, in a devout tranfport, add their joyful Jmen. Their fong is, (i.) The higheft poflible afcription of praife to the Lord Jefus» by the bright intelligences of heaven^ ver. 12; in feven words, which might perhaps have fome reference to the feven feals which he was going to open: And, (2.) when their acclamation was finifhed, all the creatures in heaven and earth with all their might, join in four words (which might have a rcfpect to the four parts of the earth or the creation, which thefe feals concern,) in afcribing exaftly the fame glory to the Father and the Son, ver. 13. And as this fcripture cer- tainly contains a juft reprefentation of things, I befeech my anti-trinitarian reader to confider, whether it is poflible for ^hai fcripture to have been rightly underftood, which feems to contra- di<ft the plain fenfe of ibis. Surely all men muft give the fame honour to Chrift at the day of judgment as to the Father, whatever they do now, Jiorn. xiv. 10 — 12. Pbil. ii. 10. Tfn. xlv. 23.

C2 CHAP.

20 the Seals are opened. [VI. i, a.

•9-^-.

CHAP. VI.

An ace omit of the opening of the fiic firji feals ; and the great events which they difclofe.

I . A ND I faw when the Lamb had open- •^^ ed one of the feals ; and I heard one of the four living creatures which faid, as with a voice of thunder. Come and look- attentively.

2. And I faw, and behold, a white horfe ; and he who fat thereon had a bow; and there was given to him a crown, and he went forth conquering and to conquer.

As nothing could be more definable to this aged Apoftle, now baniflied to PatmoSy than to fee his divine mailer taking the field as a v/arrior, with that eafe, dignity, fpeed, and certainty of fuccefs which are peculiar to himfelf, to ref- cue fmners from their infernal flavery ; fo it will fcarcely admit of a doubt, but that this, and the following fcriptures fpeak of the fame perfon •, ?fal. xlv. 3 , i^c. Gird thy fword upon thy thighy O mofi mighty^ with thy glory and thy majefly; and in thy majejly ride profperoujly, ^c. thine arrows are JJjarp in the heart of the king's enemies, whereby the people fall under thee. Rev. xix. 11, &c. I faw heaven opened^ and behold, a white horfe -, and he that fat upon him was called faithful and true -, and in righteoufnefs he doth judge and make war — and on his head were many crowns — and he was clothed with a vefiure

dipt

Ihe^rfi Seal, A.D. 96, to the End of the IVor Id. 21

dipt in Mood \ and his name is called the word of God. Jnd the armies which were in heaven foil owed him upon white horfes. See alfo, chap. xvii. 14. The purity, beauty, joy, and triumphs of our Lord which are difplayed in the gofpel's wond- rous frame, are well expreifcd by the colour ot his horfe. We call that objed white which re- Hefls all the colours of the rainbow ; fo the gofpel reflefts every glory of God to our view, which we can behold in the prefent ftate ; for which reafon our Lord, in his Spiritual kingdom, conftantly rides this horfe, and inforces moral duties from evangelical motives. Yet many are afhamed of the gofpel and paint it according to their own diftempered fancy ; whilft thoufands more quarrel with its purity, becaufe they are blind to its beauty. But whatever others do, the armies which are in heaven, will follow Chrift upon white horfes, chap. xix. 14, and they that leave the gofpel, defert to the dragon and his army, chap. xii. 9 -, for we know who hath faid. He that is not with me, is againji me $ and he that gathereth not with me, fcattereth abroad. Matt, xii. 30.

A.D. 96, John faw his Lord taking the field upon this horfe ; and as we have no account of his return, fo we are fure he never will return till all the eleft are gathered in : Therefore the firft feal extends to the end of the world -, and furnifhes the faints with d.joy unfpeakable and full of glory, through all the darkeft fcenes of the fucceeding feals and trumpets: -And attention to this, is properly demanded by a fon of thunder, or by a to-like minifter, Mark iii. 17.

3. And when he had opened the fecond feal, 1 heard the fecond animal faying. Come and fee.

C 3 4. And

22 T'hefecond Seal, A. D. 98, lo 134. [VI. 4.

4. And there came out another horfe that was red -, and it was given to him who fat on iL to take peace from the earth, and that they fhould kill each other. And there was given to him a great fword.

In the kingdom of nature our Lord rides horfes of different colours, which immediately reflc6t the glory of only fomeof the divine perfe61:ions : So after the dellruftion of f he firft temple, Zecha- riah faw him upon a red horfe ; his angels fol- lowing him upon the red, Jpeckled, and whit^ horfes of different and mixed difpenfaticns, chap. i. 8 — I r. In A. D. 66, he brought the Romans upon the Jews •, who deftroyed one million and a half fay fome, or, as others, two millions of them, agreeable to the predidions of Mofes and our Lord, Deut. xxviii, and Matt. xxiv. This dread- ful war continued fevcn years ; ended A. D. j^ ; and Jerufalem was taken in the beginning of September, A. D. 70, fays Mr. Blayney in his Differtation on Dan. ix. 20 — 27, p. 58. Thus lite- rally in the midji of the week of their feven years war, he caufed the facrifice, and the oblation to ceafe for ever, ver. 27. liut this flaughter being now paft, the deftrudion intended under this feal, is generally thought to be that which the Jews and Romans, thole mutual enemies of Chriflianity, made of each other in the reigns of Trajan and Adrian ; in which the former, provok- ed by the idolatrous worfhip of Jupiter Capi- tolinus, killed fome hundred thoufands of the Romans \ but they on the other hand had a thoufand cities and fortreffes deftroyed with the flaughter of above 580,000 men. This they gain- ed by following that faife mefTiah Barchochab, the fon of a ftar ; and thus the poiflierds of the! earth ftrove with each other, from A. D. 98, and

efpecially

VI. 5, 6.] The third Seal, A. D. 1 38, /^ 2 1 1 . 23

efpecially from A. D. 107, tq A. D. 134; fee Mr. Mede,and Mr. Fleming: But bifliop Newton extends this leal tliroiigh the reigns of Trajan, and his llicceflbrs, by bluod or adoption, for the fpace of 95 years. Obferve, if men appoint the liieep of Chrill for Daughter, they will foon bring their royal Shepherd into the field, in a garment dipt in blood; fee Ifa. Ixiii. 1. And it was doubtlefs a great fupport to the primitive Chriilians to read this predicflion ; to which at- tention is very properly demanded by a living creature like an ox, who expefted himfelf to be brought to the Daughter for the name of Jefus -, for though this fcene is laid in heaven, it mani- feitly reipefts the affairs of earth.

5. And when he had opened the third feal, I heard the third animal, faying, Come and fee. And I faw, and behold a black horfe 'y and he tliat fat upon him had a pair of balances in his hand.

6- And I heard a voice in the midft of the four animals, faying, A meafure of wheat for a penny, and three meafures of barley for a penny! yet fee that thou injure not the oil or the wine.

The rider here is either the fame as on the former horfe,or fome angelic inftrument, by whom our Lord faw proper to effedl his wife and awful defigns in the kingdom of providence, for his own and his Father's glory.

The feals, like other parts of fcripture, are of no private interpretation \ therefore we muft not confine them to any one ccnne(51:ion of cir- cumftances, to the exclufion of all others which are fimilar. But as the church of God had much concern with the Roman en.pire at this time, we C 4 aie

24 Mixed Difpenfatioits. [VI. 5, 6.

are naturally led to look there efpecially for the events here dcferibcd. And, underftanding this feal of the affairs of that empire, during the reigns of the Antonine and Septimian families, we find the events here fpecified between A. D. 138, and A.D. 2ii,viz, (i.) A grievous famine, intima- ted by the black horfe ; Lam. v. 10. Our Jkin. was 'black, like an oven, becaufe ef the terrible fa- mine. And the divine order refpet^ting the oil and the wine ; or rather this humble requeft of the four minifters, that our Lord would not with- hold his ufual bleffing from thefe two articles, (that his power and geodnefs might the more vi- fibly appear, in the midft of deferved wrath) im- plies that the other fruits of the earth were to be hurt : And the diftrefs muft be great, when wheat was, as we fhould exprefs it, at more thar^ tv/enty fhillings a bufliel, or when a choenix or mealure of it, which fays Grotius, was no more than an allowance for a man for one day, coft a Roman penny, or 7d. -', which was a labourer's daily wages. Matt. xx. 2 •, and the barley in pro- portion i viz, three times that quantity, for the fame money.

According to this prediction, Mr. Lowman quotes, from the Roman hiftorians, accounts of laminc in the reigns oi Antoninus Pius, Antoninus Philofophus, a.ndCommodus ; which 'Tertuliianpo'mt- ed out as a judgment from God, for their perfe- cuting the Chriftians : x\nd when in fome of thefe famines, the Chriftians faw wheat and barley fold exadly at the price here fpecified, they could not but devoutly adore him who foretold the exa6t price of bread in this famine ; to make his own hand the more vifible in it, to fill them with an awe of his word, and at the fame time to reconcile them the more to their own Ihare in this cala- mity. (2.) Under this feal we have an account of 3 the

VI. 7, 8.] "the fourth Seal, A.D. 235,/^ 284. 25

the plentiful provifion of wine and oil, which was ordered not to be hurt : So Severus fet himfelf to guard, as much as poflible, againfl: that fcarcity of provifion which the empire had experienced in the reign of the Antonines-, and kept particularly a five years ftock of wine and oil io hand. Within this period too, (3.) we find jufticc ftriflly adminiftered, of which a pair of balances is the ufual emblem, both by the Antonines, and by Sepiimius and Alexander Severus ; the latter of whom v/as fo ftruck with the Chriftian maxim, whatfoever you would not have done to you, do not you to anotLT, that he commanded it to be en- graven on his palace, and on his public buildings. Bifhop Newton. Yet fome refer the pair of ba- lances to the famine mentioned above, and un- derltand it of their eating their bread by weight and with care, Ezek. iv. i6. But if we take the word ^vyo'j a pair of balances, in its ufual fenfe iovzyoke, this yoke was dcfigncd to fhew, that, as peililence is a judgment which can fcarcely come alone, fo if this did not humble his enemies, they mull: expeft to encounter that quaternion of deftroyers the fword, famine, peililence, and wild beafts, which will come yoked together under the next feal, death's hollow fquare, with hell in its train. But they would not believe, there- fore the four-fold vengeance advances, as the next verfes inform us.

7. And when he had opened the fourth feal, I heard the voice of the fourth animal faying, Come and fee.

8. And I faw, and behold, a pale horfe j and he that fat upon him, his name wzs death, and hell followed with him : and there was given to them, power to kill,

over

l6 God's four fore Judgments. [VI. 7, S.

over the fourth part of the earth, with fword, and with famine, and with death, and with the wild beafls of the earth.

It was the fin and fhame of the Roman empe- rors and people, that, when they faw the blefled fruits of the gofpel in the holy lives of many around them, Matt. xxi. 32, they not only refufed fubjedlion to the Lord Jesus, who was gone forth into their provinces on his white horfe ; but when his red and black horfe advanced to punifh their infolence, they were fo far from taking warning, that they even charged the Chriftians with being the occafions of thofe judgments, b/ which the Lord was avenging their blood — But when he judges, he will overcome ; therefore under this feal we fee him going forth on a pale horfe ; Beath and HelU (a^^'i? an invifible, yet contcious and moll fenfible ftate,) in his train, which opens upon the execution of thefe his four fore judgrnentSi-c'/z. the fword, famine, wild beads, and peftilence, Exek. V. 17. xiv. 21. and xxxiii. 27. Thelaftof thefe feems to be called by the name of the rider of this horfe, wz. Deaths as mjer. ix. 21; and the pef- tilence in Exod.ix.iSi is in theGreek and Chaldee, Death. Ainfworth. It is the fame word too in the LXX, I Chron. xxi. 12, where David is allow- ed his choice, whether the Lord fhould fend his black, red, or pale horfe,when he defigned to punifh him for numbering the people ; but God's ene- mies have nothing to do with the fure mercies of David \ much lefs with thofe, which were more than God had ever promifed even that patriarch himfelf. Yet though this four- fold vengeance is not confined to the Roman empire, it is merci- fully reltricled to the fourth part of the earth ; and executed, not all at once, but gradually; vix^ from the reign of the emperor Maximin to Dio-

clefian,

VI. 7, 8.] The fourth Seal, A. D. 235, to 284. 27

clefian, or from A. D. 235, to A. D. 284 : With- in which period, ( i.) the fword went forth awfully, for there were more than twenty emperors in the fpace of fifty years ; molt of whom died in wars, or were murdered by their own foldiers, or fub- je6ts : And, befides lawful emperors, there were, in the reign oWaliienus, thirty tyrants or ufurpers ; who fet up in different parts of the empire, and pame all to violent and mifcrableends: Thus of the koman empire it might be faid, as of Nineveh, Thy crowned are numerous as the devouring locujis who come as a plague from God ; and thy captains as the grafshoppers, which camp in the hedges in the cold day\ but when the fun arifeth^ they flee away-y and their place is not known where they are, Nah, iii. 17. (2.) Thefe wars produced famine; which was alfo brought on by other providential means, caufing the earth to withhold its increafe : Befides which, (3.) a nioft dreadful peliilence went through many provinces of the empire, A. D. 251, and for fifteen years made unexampled havock of human nature. (4.) By this means wild beafts were greatly multiplied, fo that ' 500 wolves together entered ' into a city which was deferted by its inhabi- ' rants.' See Mr. Lowman-, Bilhop Newton\ Uni' verfal Hiftory\ Dr. Cave'^s Liz-es of the Primitive Fathers ; and Eufebius''s Ecclefiafiical Hiftory,

But I mutl not conclude this Ihort account of thefe fore judgments without obferving, that the word which expreffes the colour of this laft horfe p^^Awpo? pale, every where elfe in fcripture fignifies green as grafs, fee Mark vi. o^^. Rev. viii. 7. and ix. 4; which may teach us, that, as the graces of the faints commonly flourifh moft when their tempo- ral comforts fade, fo defolating judgments are adapted to produce, and commonly fucceeded by, a moral verdure over the world -, as was the cafe in the Roman empire foon after thefe four

judgments.

2 8 The fifth fed, A. D. 64, to 303. [VI. 9— ij;

judgments, Ifa. xxvi. 9-, though the account of it is delayed till under the fixth ieal, by the inter- jecled hiltory of whatpaiTed in the invifihle world under the fifth. See Bright man in he.

9. And when he had opened the £fth feal, I faw under the altar, the fouls of thofe who were flaughtered, on account of the word of God, and for the teftimony which they held j

10. And they cried with a loud voice, faying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, e'er thou doll judge, and avenge our blood upon thofe who dwell upon the earth ?

1 1 . And there were given to each of them white robes ; and it was faid to them that they fhould reft yet for a little time, till their fellow-fervants and their brethren, who fhould be killed as they,, fhould be fulfilled.

The ten primitive perfecutions, (though there were not {o many, fays Mofjeim^ if we under- ftand them of thofe which were univerfal through- out the Romaft empire •, but many more, if we take in thofe which were only provincial, and lefs remarkable,) are thus reckoned by Dr. Cave ; viz.

fecution	Time	Em.perors
I. began A.D.	64 under Nero.
2.	90	Domitian.
3-	107	Trajan.
4-	118	Adrian.
5-	162	Verus.
6.	202	Severus.
7-	235	Maximinus.
a.	250	Decius.
9-	257	Valerian,
10.	303	Dioclefnn. But

Vl. 9-— 1 1.] The Souls under the Altar. 29

But the contents of this feal forbid us to reflrift it to any one of thefe perfecutions ; yet it is com- monly thought to refer immediately to the laft of them, which was more extenfive and bloody than any preceeding, and raged incefTantly for ten years, (or ten daySi as the blefTed God, and the faith of his people are ready to call them^- chap. ii. 10 ;) for it is often darkeft juft before the day breaks, and fo it was before Conftantine the Great drofe to relieve the groaning empire.

It is probable the four living creatures, did noC fee thefe fou-ls of the martyrs ; but whether their attention was drawn off to fomething elfe \ or whether it was not given them, as to John, to fee them, at leafl: they do not cry, as at the opening of the four firft feals, Ccme and fee. See the note on chap. iv. 7. But John faw them, either by- means of fome aerial vehicle with which they were clothed, to be vifible to him; or his being in the Spirit enabled him to fee and hear them, to cer- tify us, that unbodied fpirits, do not fmk into inienfibility till the refurreftion. He faw them under the altar-, but whether under the biazen altar of atonement, or the golden altar which was before the throne-, (both of which he faw in this viGon, chap. viii. 3, 5-,) we are not informed: As glorified fpirits, they had no further need of atonement to be m.ade for them ; therefore, if they are under the brazen altar, it mull be either to contemplate the wonderful price which was paid for their ranfom, or the avvful fire which will be taken from thence, and caft down among their enemies upon earth, chap. viii. 5 : But, as their Lord might perhaps yet have work to do, on be- half of their bodies, at the altar of incenfe, which Hands before the throne, to this I rather con- fider them as repairing-, and here, tne glory of God burfting upon their fight, they feel fuch an

indignation

30 Clothed with white Robes. [VI. 9— 1 1 ■

indignation at the contempt caft upon him in our world, as breaks out in this devout exclamation,' How long, O Lord, holy and true, e'er thou dofi judge and avenge our blood, on them who dwell on the earth ! In anfwer to which -, ( i.) Their purity, beauty, and triumph, are compleated: By a lively foith in the atonement, they had in this world, wajbed their robes, and made them white in the blood ef the Lamb, chap. vii. 14; and now, not only is every thing tempting, deforming and degrading removed, but white robes were given to every one of them^ as they fuccc/Tively arrived at that blifsful world; for it was promifed them, that theyfhould walk with Chrift in white, chzp. iii. 4. and vii. 13. (2.) They are commanded to refrejh avxTTccvc-uvriyA, and folace themlelves in God. And, as glorified faints cannot poilibly take in every part of divine knowledge, immediately upon their arrival in heaven, (3.) they are inftru6led in what they yet knew not -, viz. the wide reach of divine wifdom and patience, which would ftill permit the fame caufes to operate upon earth, which had haftened them to glory : Therefore it was faid to them, that they fhould refrejh themfelves tT» •x}ovov [jAy.poufor a little time; yet I cannot appre- hend that the word fi^r^^^j informed them how long they were to wait for the avenging of their blood. A time or chronos, fays the learned BengeliuSi and his admirer Mr. John Wefley, is 1 1 1 1 years ; but at whatever probable time this feal was begun or ended, 1 cannot find that 1 1 1 1 years (with the fra<ftion annexed to it,) could either inform them when their brethren, the martyrs under the man of fin, fliould either begin to come to them, or be all gathered in ; or confequcntly when their blood would be avenged, which was avengrd upon the Roman empire from A. D. 395, to 560-, chap. viii. 7 — 12; but will not befo upon the beaft, till under

the

Vi. 12 — 16.] The JixtB Seal, A.T). soSf fo ^6t, 31

the feventh trumpet, chap, xviii. 20, aiid x'lx. 2i Suffice it to add, that having read no more of this great man's Erklarte Offenbarung, (written from the Convent of Denkendorf, A. D. 17404) than Dr. Robertfon's tranflation of his introduc- tion to it, I do not apprehend there are any fuch fractions in the divine arithrhetick of time as he would introduce: Mr. Wefley has therefore wifely rejedl:ed them-, and without the arithmetical and fradtional fkiil which Bengelius has difcovered, we hope fuch a rational and confiftent account may be given of many things in this book, as lies level with the capacity of plain Chriftians, for whofe ufe divine revelation was indifputably defigned.

12. And I faw v/hcn he had opened the fixth feal, and behold there was a great earthquake ; and the fun became black as fackcloth of hair ; and the moon became as blood.

13. And the ftars of heaven fell upon the earth ; even as a fig-tree cafteth her untimely figs, being fhaken by a mighty wind.

14. And the heaven departed as a book that is rolled together J and every mountain, and ifland were moved out of their places.

,15. And the kings of the earth, and the grandees, and the rich men, and the chief rulers, and the mighty men ; and every flave, and every free man, hid themfelves in the caverns, and in the rocks of the mountains.

16. And they faid to the mountains, and to the rocks, fall upon us, and hide us from

the

32 Many of the Jews converted. [VII. i — 5.

the face of him that fitteth upon the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb :

17. For the great day of his wrath is come, and who can be able to fland.

CHAP. VII.

I . A ND after thefe things, I faw four an- -^^ gels {landing at the four corners of the earth ; holding the four winds of the earth ; that the wind fhould not blow on the earth, nor upon the fea, nor upon any tree.

2. And I faw another angel afcending from the rifing of the fun, having the feal of the living God ; and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given, even to them, to injure the earth and the fea :

3. Saying, hurt not the earth, nor the fea, nor the trees, till we have fealed the fervants of our God in their foreheads.

4. And 1 heard the number of thofe that were fealed ; an hundred forty-four thou- fand were fealed, out of all the tribes of the children of Ifrael.

5. Of the tribe of Judah, were fealed twelve thoufand. Of the tribe of Reuben, were fealed twelve thoufand. Of the tribe of Gad, were fealed twelve thoufand.

6. OF

VII.6— 13-] rhe/ixthSeal, A.D. 306, to^6i. 23

6 Of the tribe of A/lier were fealed twelve thoufand. Of the tribe of Naphthali were fealed twelve thoufand. Of the tribe of ManaiTeh were fealed twelve thoufand.

7. Of the tribe of Simeon were fealed twelve thoufand. Of the tribe of Levi were fealed twelve thoufand. Of the tribe of Iffa^ char were fealed twelve thoufand.

8. Of the tribe of Zebulun were fealed twelve thoufand. Of the tribe of Jofeph were fealed twelve thoufand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were fealed twelve thoufand.

9. After this I faw, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, out of every nation, and tribe, and people, and language, {landing before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palms in their hands ;

10. And crying with a loud voice, fay- ing, falvation to our God, who lits upon the throne, and the Lamb.

1 1 . And all the angels ftood round about the throne, and ai^out the elders, and the four living creatures ; and they fell down on their faces before the throne, and wor« Shipped God,

12. Saying, Amen : The blcfling, and the glory, and the wifdom, and the thankfgiv- ing, and the honor, and the power, and the llrength ife to our God for ever and ever. Amen.

1 3 . And one of the elders anfwered, fay- ing to me, Thefe who are clothed in white

D raiment.

34 ^hs Pagan Religion fuhveried. [VII. 6 — 17;

raiment, who are they, and whence did they come ?

14. And I faid unto him. Lord, thou knoweft. And he faid to me, thefe are they who are come out of much tribulation ; and have wafhed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb j

15. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and worfhip him day and night in his temple ; and he who fitteth upon the throne tabernacles upon them.

16. They Ih all hunger no more, neither fhall they thirft any more ; nor fliall the fun fall upon them, nor any fcorching heat ;

17. For the Lamb, who is in the midft of the throne fliall feed them, and ihall lead them to living fountains of waters; and God ihall wipe away every tear from their eyes.

We may reckon the time of this fixth fcal from A. D. 306, to 361 •, under which fix things open upon our view ; viz, (i.) The fubverfion of the Pagan religion in the world, and particularly in the Roman empire. (2.) The perfecutors of God's people, are feized witli inexpreflible hor- ror. (3.) Their deftru6lion is followed by an un'- verfal peace in the empire, for a little time : In which time, (4.) rinany of the Jews are converted : And, (5.) yet more of the Gentiles : (6.) Whofe glory in heaven producers the mofl triumphant Ihout from faints and angels, to him who fits on the throne, and to the Lamb. This feal begins,

I. With an account of the fubverfion of the Pagan religion in the world, chap. vi. ver. 12,

13' H-

VII.6— i;.] Theftxth Seal, A. D. 306, to 361. 35

13, 14. The Holy Ghoft has taught us, in Ifa. li. 15, 16, to confider every kingdom, as a kind of world in miniature, dependent on him, covered with a heaven ; whofe luminaries or magiiirates are to minifter to its comfort day and night for his praife : But if the Heathen emperors, confuls, priefls and augurs, thofe perfecutors of God's people, have been confidered as the fun, moon, and liars of the world in general, and their power and influence regarded as immoveable as moun- tains, and the frame of nature 5 it becomes him, who has all power in heaven and ea- th, to fpeak to them in his wrath, and vex them in his hot dif- pleafure ; efpecially as they refufed to take war- ning by any of the judgments which he had ex- ecuted upon them, under the four firfc feals. It be- came him therefore to make this fun black asfack' cloth of hair ; to turn the moon, the regent of the night, into a bloody hue ; with a folemn nod, to frown thekjlars down to the earth ; even as a fig- tree cajieth her untimely figs, when Jhe is fijake?i of a fnighty wind -, to hidthe hccrjens, which had fncd fueh a pefciiential influence upon the church and the world, depart as a volume when it is rolled together-, and remove thefe huge mountains or men, and the ifiands in general (which proudly reared their heads in the midfl: of the feas; and efpecially thofe which they had buik in the feaj out of their places.

In the fame lofty flrains the dcilruflion of Babylon is predidted, Jja, xiii. 10. I^he fiars of heaven, and the conficllctions thereof^ (hall not give their light -, the fun fijall he darkened in his going forth, and the moon fhall not caufe her light to fhine. And that of Idumea, chap, xxxiv. 4. All the hcfi of heaven fijall be diffohed : And the heavens fijall be rolled together as afcrcll-, and all their hofi fhall fall down, as the leaf fallcth from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig-tree, and D 2 thau

^6 7'he Pagan Religion dethroned. [VII. 6 — 17,

that of Egypt, Ezek. xxxii. 7 ; yea of Judah, an^ Jerufalem, Jer. iv. 23, 24. Joel ii. 10, 11, and Matf. xxiv. 29, fee alfo the fame mataphors again in this book, chap. viii. 12. ix. 2. and xii. 4.

Thefe ftriking images are fo often repeated to teach us, in every cataftrophe, and even in every revolution of the nations, to contemplate the folemnities of the great judgment day, (to which our Lord immediately leads our thoughts from Jerufalem's deftru6tion in Matt, xxivth ;) when all thefe things Jhall be dijfolvedy and the heavens Jhall pafs away with a great noife^ and the elements Jhall melt with fervent heat ; the earth alfo, and the works that are therein,Jhall be burnt up. 1 Pet. iii. 10, II. In this view we alfo, as well as the men of that generation, (hall hereafter be called to an account for this^r^^^ concuffion, (Ti\<T\^<i^ \t.iyoL<: ver. 12, here called an earthquake; but which manifeftly affefted both heaven and earth, ver. 1 2, 13, 14; and produced an eflential change of men and meafures, efpecially in the Roman em- pire, to eftablilh Chriftianity on the ruins of Pa- gan idolatry. So the Lord thus expreffes the removal of Judaifm-, I will fbake the heavens, and the earth, fignifying, fays the Holy Ghoft, the re- moving of thofe things that are fhaken, as of things that are made \ that thofe things which cannot be fhaken may remain. Heb. xii. 27 ; fee Hag, ii. 6 : He adds, ver. 21, 22, I will fhake the heavens, and the earth ; and Izvill overthrow the throne of kingdoms : And I will dejlroy the jirength of the kingdoms of the heathen : And I will overthrow the chariots, and thofe that ride in them, and the horfes and their riders fhall come down, every one by the fword of his brother.

Not to mention the inftances in which this prophecy had been fulfilled, before the open- ing of this feal, as it will alfo be hereafter ; ic received a manifeft accompli (hment in the

civil

VII. 6—17.] The ftxth Seal, A.D. 306,/^ 361. 37

civil and religious viSiorksof Confianline (be Greats the fon of Conjlantius, who began to reign A.D. 306 -, and who, after the defeat of Maximian, Galerius, Maximin, Maxentius, Licinius, and their adherents, openly defended the Chriftian religion.

This was the perfon by whom the church was to be holpen with a little help ; after they had done exploits in the ten heathen perfecutions, and infiru£ied many by their invincible patience -, whilft they fell by the /word, by flame, by captivity and by fpoil many days : But when the fun of profperity fhone upon the church, many cleaved to them with flatteries-, and afterwards, when Arianifm had poifoned the empire, /c;;?^ of them ofunderftanding fell, as they had under the heathen Emperors ; to try the church, and to purge, and make them white even to the time of the end. Dan. xi. 32, '^^ ; fee further of this prophecy at Rev. xivo

In the beginning, and at the clofe of his reign, Conftantine feems to have fludluated between the herefy of Arius and the Athanafian doftrine : Afterwards his fon Conftantius became an Arian ; whofe fucceffor was the infamous Julian the apof- tate, the nephew of Conftantine. — But though Chrift had faid, tny kingdom is not of this world, and exprefsly forbidden his fervants, to exercife that lordfhip and dominion over one another, m fpiritual matters, which the Gentiles exercife over their fubjeds,M^//. XX. 25 — ^%.Mark x. q,c^ — 45. Luke xxii. 24 — 30, this great man Conftantine took upon him to fecularize the ecclefiaftieai hierarchy, and adapt the government of tlie church to that new form of government which he had eftablifhed in the ftate j fee Bower's hift. of the 'Popes, vol. i. p. 99 — no. ' In his reign*, fays he, * it was that the titles of patriarchs, ex-

* arctis

38 Conf^a.ntine fecularizes the Church. [VII. 6 — i^.*

' arch? and metropolitans were firft heard of, or

* at kiift had any power, authority or privileges ' annexed to them.' And he particularly ihews us th'.- exaft ar^reement between the civil and ec- ckfiallical pol.ty of Rome and Italy : ' Under ' the prtefecl of Italy, fays he, were three ' diocefes, namely, Italy, Wtft lllyricum an4 ' Weft Africa. The diocefe of Italy was divided ' into two vicarages, and governed by two ' vicars ; the one called the vicar of Rcme^ and ' refiding in that city ; the others ftyied the vicar

* of Italy, and refiding at Mi'lmi •, under the for- ' mer were ten provinces, and feven under the

* latter. Such was the civil government of Italy ; ' and entirely agreeable to the civil, was the ec-

* clefiafticai ;' for the bifhops of Rome and Mi- lan enjoyed all the privileges of metropolitans, ever the bilhops of the provinces which were re- fpedively lubjed to the vicarages of Rome and of lUily.

But thcfe bifliops were only metropolitans, ' wihofe power was confined within the li- ' mits of their refpe(5live vicarages :' And 'as

* neither of them had the charge of an whole dio- ' cele, they were not like feveral bifhops in ' the eaft, diftinguiflied with the title of ex- ' archs j' who, fays the fame author, ' were em- ' powered to ordain the metropolitans, to con- ' vene diocefan fynods, and to have a general

* fuperintendency over their refpedlive diocefes, ' fuch as tlie metropolitans had over their refpec- ' tive provinces.' Sir Peter King in his enquiry about the Primitive Church, has proved that in the three firft centuries, bifhops or minifters had the care cnly of one parifh or congregation ; but Conftantine fecidarized the ecclefiaftical govern- ment \ and (o laid the foundation of that Anti- chriftian hierarchy, which the Pope has fince efta- bliihed at Romej and of thole other corrupt

eftablifh-

VIL6-- 1;.] 1'heftxth Seal, A. D. ^06, to ^61, 39

.eftablilhments, which have debafed Chrifcendom .ever fince the fourth century. — Thus foon after its glory, began the fpritual difgrace of that bloody city Rome, which is at this hour the moft execrable fpot upon earth: Conftan tine alfo be- gan its tempor-al difgrace ; for, about five years after he became fole lord of the Roman empire, A. D. 330, he removed the feat of the empire from Rome to Conftantinople, fo called after his name. He died A. D. '^'^J -y and the empire was divided into the eaftern and weftern, A. D. 395. ; But to return — While the heathens were dif- treffed to fee their baneful Siin^ Moon, and Stars extinguilhed ; the blood of God's fervants, which they had fo wantonly fpiit, cried aloud in their confciences j and, to tefcify the Redeemer's power over the fpirits of his enemies,

2. Thefe perfecutors are feized with inexpref- fible horror ; which is defcribed in fuch lan- guage, as points our thoughts again to the migh- ty terrors which v/ill fall upon the wicked, and .efpecialiy upon perfecutors, at the day of the Lord. The Spirit of God told us, Ifa. ii. 10, 19, 21, They JIj all go into the clefts and holes of the rocks, into the tops of the ragged rocks, and hito the caves of the earth ; for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majefty, when he arifeth to jhake terribly the earth. And to verify this pre- didlion, ver. 15, 16, 17. T'he kings of the earth, and the grandees, and the rich men, and the chief rulers ; and the mighty men, and every Jlave, and. every free-man hid themfelves in the caverns and in the rocks of the mountains : And they faid to the mountains and to the rocks, fall upon usj and hide us from the face of him whojitteth up en the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb ; for the great ^ay of his wrath is come, and who floall he able to

Jfand?'

40^ Perfecutors in Horror, [VII. 6 — 17.

jiand? To fay nothing of the common flaves or freemen, who had been the aflive tools of Hea- then vengeance, to drag the fheep of Chrift to the flaughter, whofe dying horrors are forgotten with their names -, Galerius^ Maximin and Ltd- nius made a pubHc confeflion of their guilt in this refped; revoked their edidls and decrees againft the Chriflians ; and acknowledged the juft judgmept of God in their deftruftion : The for- mer died by a loathfome difeafe, * whofe compli- • cated horrors no language can exprei's j' the fecond ended his life by poifon in defpair ; and the iaft of thefe was ftrangled. Their deftruc- tion v^^as fucceeded,

3. By a general peace in the empire for a time, chap. vii. i, 2, 3. Four angels itood at ihe four corners of the earthy holding the four winds cf the earthy that none of them fhould blow on the earthy fea^ or trees \ till the fervants of God were fealed in their foreheads. Obferve, the af- fairs of this world are ever fluduating, uncertain and empty, yet noify, llrong and terrible as the four v^'inds of the earth ; but God who holds the winds in his fift, here prevents thofe confufions, which the jarring paflions and interells of men woqld have produced, by the miniftry of four of thofe angels, who (land before him for orders from his thrqne, chap. viii. 2 ; the fame proba- bly who founded the four firft trumpets, which fhook down the weftern Roman empire j to whom however the Lord Jefus commanded, fay^ ing^ though you know a dreadful work is afligned you, yet at prefent injure not the earthy neither the fea^ nor the trees \ till I and my fervants have fealed the fervants of God in their foreheads, or till I have accomplilhed that great work the conver- fiofl of Jews and Gentiles, which ihali be affec- ted

VII. 6 — J 7-] the fixth Seal, A. D. 306, to 361. 41

ted by the inftrumentality of Conftantine ; who, though born in Britain, may be faid to have afcended, as an angel from the eafi, having the feal of the living God\ as, under the direction of fome celeftial angel, he ihed from Conftantinople in the eaft a falutary influence upon the empire \ and perhaps advanced the interefts of Chriftianity more from thence, than if his royal refidence had been amidil the augurs and temples of Rome, ver. 2. Accordingly we immediately hear,

4. Of the converfion of a great number of the Jews, who muft certainly be the people intended by the twelve tribes of Ifrael, ver. 4 — 8, as diftin- guiflied from the Gentiles, ver. 9 ; for converted Gentiles cannot be diftinguifhed from, though they are here diftinguiflied among, themfelves, by the refpedive countries, to which, they belonged. Befides the Jews converted in Chrift's time ; at the day of Pentecofr ; by theapoftles; and after the defer uction of Jerufalem, here is a bleffed in- gathering of a hundred and forty-four thoufand, that is, twelve thoufand out of every one of the tribes of Ifrael -, as a pledge of their general re- turn to God, and to their own land in the latter days ; of which we lliall hear under the feventh trumpet, chap. xiv. i — 5. And fays Dr. Sharpe, ' The infliftion of penalties, tortures and death,

* in the ten grievous perfecutions under the Hea-

* then emperors, fo remarkably increafed the

* number of believers, that in the time of Con^

* ftantine the Great, it was doubtful, whether in

* the Roman world, the Heathens or the Chrif-

* tians were the more numerous.* Introduction to UniverfalHiJl. p. 141. And if above twelve thoufand Jews and Idolators were baptifed at Rome, x\. D. 312, befides women and children i (fee bp. Newton,) ic is eafy to fuppofe that, in the

whob

42 ANumher of the Jews converted. [VII. 6—17^

whole empire, during the thirty OHe ye^rs of Conftantine's reign, the number here mentioned ihoLild be brought home to God j though it is from this prophecy alone, that we can expeft to leain the number converted in each tribe.

A mark on the forehead may ferve for diftinc- tion and fafety, Ezek. ix. 4 •, hut fealing expref- fes covenant tranfa<5tions between God and them : And this being externally miniftered by men, our Lord fays, ver. 3, //// we have fealed the fervants of God in their foreheads. The holy fpirit of pro- mife feals the foul, 2 Cor. i. 22 j but on their bo- dies too, the Lord will notify his authority over, and propriety in them, and their feparation for his life, by the common feal of his kindom ; which alfo witnelTed before men their relation to him, and CQn^t<\\:itntfecurityzndprefervation: Though, at the fame time, as things are fealed iox fecrefy^ fo the life of a Chriftian is much hidden in its origin, nature, actings, fupports and glorious ifiue. Col. iii. 3. Circumcifion had been a feal of God concealed in their flefh, Ronu iv. 1 1 ; and under the Heathen perfecutions Chriftians had been much compelled to worfliip God in lecret : But now Jews and Gentiles made a free, open, and public confeflion of their faith by hap- tifm ; which was then commonly called the feal of falvation, Gal iii. 27, 28 : And this feems to be, intended by their being fealed., and having the Father's name written in their foreheads., ver. 3, 4, and chap. xiv. i ; which phrales greatly favour the method of baptizing by iprinkling : Yet in no fenfe whatever can theie exprelfions be taken exaftly literally.

But whatever apprehenfions we form about that crofs in heaven, which Conllantine is faid to have feen, A. D. 312, as he was going to

Rome

y-II.6 — 17.] ^hefixth Seak A. D. 306, to 361. 43

Rome to fight Maxentius : And though himfelf, fays Eufebius, was figned with the crofs in bap- tifm, as thoLifands flill are ; neither this Expref- fion of fealing^ nor any othei^ in fcripture, ever Jaid any foundation for this airy fign in that ordi- nance ; which therefore is as really will-worfhip, as if we fhould imprint any felf-invented marks of Chrill in our flefh, fuch as fome of the Hea- thens bore of their mailers and gods, to which cuftom thele words feem to allude ; fee chap. xiii. 16. xiv. r. XX. 4. and xxii. 4. Scripture filence is as direftive and decifive as fcripture-words; for what God has not appointed in his worfhip, no man or body of men have any right to appoint \ k^Jer. xix. 5. Heb. vii. 3, 14. If this had been believed in queen Elizabeth's days, when the delaying fhades of papal night were yet ftruggling with the advancing morning :, at which time the Popifli habits were fofbamefuUyimpofed, England had been probably excufed, from moil ofthemifcries which it endured under the four following reigns. When the brazen ferpenc was idolized, Hezekiali broke it in pieces, and called it NeJiufhtan, Brafs- work^ 2 Kings xviii. 4. But this fign never was injoined from heaven; therefore the faith em- ployed about it, {lands only in the wifdom of men, and not at all in the power of God. We cannot enough glory in the crofs of Chrifi, Gal. vi. 14 •, but the fign of the crofs is the vain amufe- ment of multitudes in Chriftendom : May God remove this ftumbling-block of their iniquity out of the way of the Papifts ; and form profefling Chriftians of every name, to the unadulterated fimpliciiy of gofpel obedience.

The number here converted, is the fame as will hereafter return to their own land, chap, xiv. I : And the number mud be fo far definite in both places, that there mult be at leaft 144,000

44 JewsconvertedinConJtantine^sTime. [VII.6-17.

in all ; and here of each tribe 12,000 — And in this account obferve, that there are children of the bond-woman, as well as children of the free. Gal. iii. 28. That Judah is named firft, becaufe the Meffiah, the fountain of honour, defcended from him •, that Levi, who had no temporal in- heritance with his brethren, had neither more nor lefs inheritance in God than they -, that Ephraim, infamous for idolatry, is here called by the bet- ter name of his father Jofeph : But idolatrous Dan is not named at all in this account of the tribes •, which intimates, that, if he had any (hare in the grace of this feal, it was much lefs than the others : Yet this no more proved the tribe ex- tind, than omitting the name of Levi, Numb. xiii, or, of Simeon, Deut. xxxiii, proved them fo at thofe times. But if Dan had been a fon of ferdition^ we fee here, that the tribes would be as compleat without him, as the twelve apoftles were after Judas was gone to his own place, A£Is i. 26 : Yet I apprehend that tribe will not appear to have been loft hereafter j fee chap. xxi. 12.

The fignification of the names of thefe twelve tribes of Ifrael, in the order in which they are here placed, which is not the order of their birth, is thought by Mr. Mede to have fomething in- ilruftive in it to us •, for when we confefs to God by looking to his Son., as the words Judah and Reu- hen remind us to do •, a troop of happy perfons or things Cometh, asG^^and ^^rfignify. But even thefe happy perfons are to wrejile with thofe who forget their obedience to God ; as the words Naph- thali., Manajfeh and Simeon import : But who ever cleaves to the Lord Jefus,fliall have a great reward; for God himfelf fhall be their dwelling, and add them to the Son of his right hand in heaven, as the remaining names of thefe tribes teach us, viz» ^evif IJfachar, Zebulun., Jofeph and Benjamin.

5. The

VII.6— i;.] tbeJjxthSeaI,A.D.2o6,io^et. 45

5. The converfion of the Gentiles, ver. 9. y^- ter ibis Ifaw, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, out of every nation and tribe, and people, and language, Jlanding before the throne and before the Lamb -, for fatan can detain none of the prey, whom Jefus refolves to refcue ; and this is the infcription on every new-creature, / thatfpeak in righteoufnefs, mighty to fave, Ifa. Ixiii. I. And though their being fealed is not men- tioned ', yet their (landing before the throne, and before the Lamb implies it, as harvefh fuppofes fpring and fummer, or as the end of a journey in- cludes the way : Yet it is exprefsly hinted too, chap. ix. 4, that all, v»?hether Jews or Gentiles, who are preferred from the Mahometan and Papal locufts, have been fealed in their foreheads. And if there were Jews in this glorified company, who were of every tribe (puXatv, as well as of every nation, people, and language, their being fealed implied that all the company were fo -, for there can be no invidious diftin^tions made in God's family, Eph, iii. 15: Yet it was the more necefiary to fpeak of God*s fealing the Jews particularly, to teftify the immutability of his covenant engage- ments to that people •, as their defcendents were to fhare but little of the blefTmgs fettled upon their progenitors after this time, for about fifteen hundred years.

6. Their glory in heaven produces a trium- phant (hout from faints and angels, ver. 9 — 17. God is a rock, his work is perfeSl : And if Chritt perfeveres in his love to his people, they will perfevere to eternal life. Accordingly our apof- tle faw this, once fealed, and now glorified, com- pany before the throne, and before the Lamb -, from whofe blifsful vifion and enjoyment they Ihall no more depart. He faw them cloathed in white robes (?/perfed: purity, beauty and triumph,

v/ith

'^6 Jews and Gentiles before the^ krone, [ VII . 5 — i j,

with palms of vi6tory in their hands ; and they €ried with a loud voice ^ faying^ Salvation to our God whojitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels Jiood round about the throne, and about the elders, and the four living creatures -, the living creatures being neareft the throne, the el- ders next, and the angels outermoft ; and fell be- fore the throne on their faces, and worfhipped God ; faying. Amen to the preceding prailes of this ran- fomed multitude. And, though they needed no Ihare in their falvation, and could not therefore join in the words of their fong, they lubjoin ano- ther fevenfold afcription of glory to God, as they had done, chap, v. 1 2, faying. Amen ; bleffi'rig, and glory, and wifdom, and thankfgiving, and ho- nour, and power, and might be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

And as this fong of praife touched the beloved difciple's heart on its tendereft firings, one of the elders feeing, as though he had faid, a vifible joy upon my countenance, anf- wered to that joy ; though thou canft know but little at prefent about the angels, yet as for thofe who are arrayed in white robes, on which I fee thy eyes are fixed, who are they ? and whence did they come ? and I faid unto him, Kupts Lord or Sir, (the word commonly fignifies a mafteror governor ; and whoever teaches another, is fo far his governor) thou knowefi \ and canft inform me more particularly of that falvation, which I heard them juft now afcribe to him that fitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb. And he faid unto me, thefe are they who came out of great tribu- lation ', and have wa/hed their robes, and made them white, not in their own, but in the blood of the Lamb. Obfcrve, blood would defile in every other view but that of making an atonement, for which it was fhed : But Chritl's b;ood doe:, not walh the robes of our own natural righteoufriefs,

MatU

VIL6 — i;.] The/txih Seal, A. D. go6, to 361. 47

Matt. V. 20. i^^»?. X. 3, which muft be put off, Rom. vii. 6 ; but thofe ^^r;«<?;z/j of f ah at ion which we received from God himfelf, 7/??. Ixi. 10, and which we have defiled, Ifa. Ixiv. 6 : Yet wafhing thefe robes, it does not make them of its own colour red^ leafl the righteoiifnel^ of believers jfhould feem to have any concern in their j unifi- cation, Phil. iii. 9 ; but it makes them ivhitCy which is the emblem of purity, beauty, vidory, joy and glory. 'Therefore being juftified by that blood, and fanftified by the fpirit which flows in and with it, they are before the throne of God, and ferve him day and night in unwearying miniftra- tions in his temple ; and he thatf.tteth on the throne^ Ihall pitch his royal tabernacle over them: And, agreeable to the promife made to them in Ifa. xlix. 10, they fhall hunger no more., either in foul or body (when the latter is raifed from its dufty bed,) neither thirfl any more-, neither (hall the na- tural, or any metaphorical diftreffing fun light upon them, nor any fcorching heat : For the Lamb which is in the midji of the throjie, fh all feed them, and fh all lead them to living fountains of water., till he gives up the mediatorial kingdom to the Fa- ther ; and as they are paiTing over into the loving hands of an abfoKite Gcd., he fhail wipe away all tears from their eyes., and (top up for ever the fountain which fo long fupplied thofe briny ftreams.

But though the fcene is here laid in heaven, to affure us of the faints admiflion to glory imme- diately upon their leaving the body \ and in that world only can the exprefTions here ufed receive their full accomplifliment, yet many of them may be accommodated to a fcate of grace here, which is glory begun, 2 Cor. iii. 18.

C H A P.

^8 Half an Hour* s Silence in Heaven, [VIII. i— -6,

♦■'♦■ess: I . I I >■*■»■♦■< ..,•, II ■,■■•, ; , , , r»-.i^

CHAP. VIII.

^he opening of the feventh fed ; the founding of ■ four of the trumpets-, and a very folemn alarm given with refpe£i to the three remaining.

I . A N D when he had opened the fe- •^^ venth feal, there was filence in heaven about half an hour.

2. And I faw the feven angels who flood l)efore God j and there were given to them feven trumpets.

3. And another angel came, and flood at the alter, having a golden cenfer ; and there was given to him much incenfe, that he might give it to the prayers of all the faints, upon the golden altar which was before the throne :

4. And there went up the fmoke of the perfumes, with the prayers of the faints, from the hand of the angel before God.

5. And the angel took the cenfer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and threw it upon the earth j and there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings, and an earth- quake.

6. And the hwQn. angels, which had the feven trumpets, prepared themfelves that they might found.

The

VIII. 1,2.] Thejeventh Sealy A. D. 364, to 395. 49

The feventh leal introduces the fcven trumpets : But before they found, we have here an account of fix things; viz, i. A half hour's filence in hea- ven. 2. The trumpets are given to the feven angels. 3. The faints are very earneft in prayer. 4. Chrift prefents their prayers with his much incenfe. 5. Fire taken off from the altar, pro- duces great commotions in liates and kingdoms. 6. This gives a fignal to the angels to prepare themfelves to found, each in his place and order.

The time of thefe events feems to have been from about A. D. 364 to 395; in which time,

I. We have an account of a filence in heaven about half an hour ^ ver. i. As there can be no (cefTation of worfhip or paufe of bleffednefs in hea- ven above, it feems neceiTary to underftand this filence of the afiairs of the church below. Com- motions of any kind in a fociety produce noife and voices^ vcr. 5. chap. iv. 5. xvi. 17, 18. xviii. 2. and xix. 6; and when the kingdom of Chrift fhall be let up more univerfally in the world, there will be great voices in heaven, chap. xi. 15. and xiv. 2 : In oppofition to which, v/e may well underftand this filence in heaven, of a feafon in which little was done for the advancement of Chriflianity in the world: And fuch a time we find between the reign of Jovian and Theodofius the Great, from A. D. 364 to 379; in which time the Alemans, Pi6ls, Goths, Saxons, Sarmatians, Qiiades and Perfians, fo harrafiTed the different provinces of the Roman empire, as left God's fervants but little time to oppofe the Gentile fuperftitioris, in the reigns of Valentinian I, Gratian and Valencinian II: and by a method of computation which will be explained, chap. xx. i — 6, this time might be called about half an hour-, for the holy Ghoft did not defign, by this phrafe, to mark the pre- E cife

^oThefeven Trumpets given to fev en Angels. \y{\{.2,

cife time, in which his people had been providen- tially hindered from fpreading the honours of his name: And though this obitrudion did not con- tinue a iwW half hour ^ yet the mentioning ^^i/^;/ that time, was very proper to exprefs how dif- pleafing the hindrance of it was to God, and to his fervants. Or this filence in heaven might refer to what was done in the temple, which refound- ed with fongs, trumpets, and other inftruments of mufick, whilrt the burnt offering was confu- ming upon the altar, 2 Chron. xxix. 25 — 28; but afterwards the people prayed in filence with- cuty in the courts of the temple, whilft the pried was gone in to offer incenfe before God, Pfal. Jxv. I. Hzb. Liike'i. lO; and accordingly we hear of many prayers afcending from all the faints at this time, vcr. 3-, for however God's fervancs may be obftrufled in his other work, they cannot be taken off from praying to him. But before we come to confider this, the text calls us to ob- fervc,

2. That feven trumpets are given to the feven angels, ver. 2, I faw the feven angels 'who ftood be- fore God •, and there were given to them feven trum- pets. See the notes on ch.ip. v. 6. Obferve, fo im- portant is the numh^iY feven to us, with refpccft to the Lord's day, which is a feventh part of our time, that the Lo;d not only makes the age of the world feven thoufand years, and manages the affairs of the lad three thoufand of it, in this book, by fevens-j viz, feven feals, feven trumpets and feven vials ^ but he has alfo reprefented his own court in heaven, as having feven angels efpecially Handing before him, diilinguifhcd amid (I the thoufand thoufinds who minijier to him., and the ten thcuffjtd times ten thoufand who fland before him^ Dan. vii, 10. {^^o the Perfian Q\i\ti- h^d fev en princes ivbiclp faiv the king's face, and fat the firji in the

kingdom

VIII. 3>4-] "thefiventh Seal.A.V. 364, io 395. 51

kingdom as his counfellors^ Ejlh. i. 10 — 14. Ezr-^ vii. 14; who were called, fays Xenophon, the eyes and ears by which the king law and heard.) And though Jehovah needs none of the fervices of his creatures, yet, to thefe grand minifters of our God, the feven trumpets arc given -, which reach to the end of the world, and dilclofe the grand events which await nations and the church of God: But thefe trumpets being all given to them at the fame time, proves that they are an- gels properly fo called, not living men. Yet it does not appear, that John faw or obferved thefe angels, till the inllruments of their feivice were delivered to themj for holy beings muft be, and defire only to be, noticed in the difplay of their abilities, and the improvement of their talents for God's glory. But though we hear of voices^ thunders, lightnings, and an earthquake under this period, ver. 5; yet the incurfions of the nations upon the empire, fpoken of above, which were reprefented by them, were not crowned with fuch fuccefs as afterwards-, becaufe the firft of thefe angels had nor yet founded : They began before God's time, and therefore could not effecft their defigns.

3. The faints are very earned in prayer at this period, ver. 3, 4. when the Spirit, Chrift's glo^ rifier, has made known that fubftantial word in the heart, an everlalling intercourfe is opened be- tween God and that foul; and the perfons v/ho enjoyed this intercourfe, were now very nume- rous in the different parts of the empire, efps- cially in the reign of Theodofius: And the inva- fions of their enemies, but drove good men the more to their knees, and their God; for florms are God's mefTengers fent to haften his doves to their windows; and / — prayer is the language of every new-born foul, when his enemies are jiron^ E 2 and

52 Chrifi prefents the S dints Prayers. [V 1 1 1. 3, 4.

and lively, Pfal. xxxviii. 19—22 and cix. 4. Hei^i and he that will do no other good in the worlds may ferve as a Icourge to drive good men to God and heaven.

4. Chrift, being omnifcient and oriiniprefent, hears and prefents the prayers of each of them,- with his own much incenfe before the Father, ver.' 3, 4. Another angel came and flood at the altar^ &c. This could not be a created angel, for they were never called to be pfiefts unto or before God, Heb. v. 4. Gr. and therefore have nothing to do at the golden altar before the throne^ ver. 3. But our Lord is called an angel in many places befides this, Gen. xlviii. 15, 16. Hof. xii. 4. MaL iii. i. Rev. x. i. xviii. i. and xx. i. And as many prayers were now afcending in their na- tional troubles, it feemed needful that the belov- ed difciple fhould be able to inform the churches of the certain fuccefs of them, through their Re- deemer's interceffion j agreeable to the hopes which other parts of fcripture had given thenij Rora. viii. 34. Heb. vii. 25. i John ii. i.

But that the favourites of heaven may not fup- pofe that their prayers are accepted on their own account, they are here taught, that in order for their acceptance, i. There muft be under them, the fire of that juftice and jealoufy of God againft fin, and lov.e to men, which preyed upon the great facrifice Chrill, otherwife they cannot af- cend to God; fo the Jewiili pried took fire from off the brazen altar with his cenfer, to offer in- cenfe on the golden altar which was before the mercy-feat, Lev. ix. 24. x. i. and xvi. 12, 13. The Spirit both afTifts believers to wafh their fa- crifices by previous preparation. Lev. i. 9, 13. and alfo to feel fomething of this fire ift their ap- proaches to God, to quicken and purify their ' prayers: Yet our great high pricll coo mufl take

of

VIII. 45 5'] ^hefeventh Seal, A. D. 364, to 295- 53

of this fire himfelf, (or be imprefied with a prefent fenfe of that juftice which preyed upon him for our fins,) in order to enable our prayers toafcend as a delightful perfume, in his gracious intercef- fions. 2. They m.uft be picfented on the golden altar of ChriiVs divine nature before the throne. 3. Our Lord muft mingle his own fervent dcfires with ours J and as he offered himfelf a facrifice of a fweec fmelling favor to God, Epb. v. 2, fo, to overcome the offenfivenefs of our corruptions, which mingles itfelf with our prayers, he will perfume them with the much incenfe of his moft pure and perfed defires or interccfllons. And this incenfe is faid to be given him, as the incenfe- keeper gave out what was to be offered, every morning and evening, on the golden altar, Exod. XXX. 7. Numb. iv. 16. i Chron. ix. 29, 30. 2 Chron. xiii. lu Accordingly, to teftify the Father's concurrence and delight in this part of our Lord's prieftly ofxice, to which he had called him, Ifa. liii. 12; he is reprefented as giving him every defire which rifes in his heart, that he may offer it with the virtue of his atonement for his redeemed people: Therefore fays he, / know that thou heareji me always^ John xi. 42 ; for he whom God fent^ fpeaketh the words of God, on earth and in heaven. The Lord has refpefl to thefe three things in the prayers of his people; therefore they may be fatisfied, that he will be with and preferve them, am.idfi: the confufions which the feven trumpets announce to the world.

5. In the cenfer in which our Lord had offered the prayers of his people, he took fire from off the brafen altar, which had preyed upon himfelf (and which flill continues burning as hot as ever againfl impenitent finners, and againlt the cor- ruptions of good men, Heh. xii. 29 •,) end threw E3 it

54 ^^^ Angels prepare to Sound. [VIII. 5, 6.

7/ into the earthy yet wifely direding it to every defigned Ipot, ver. 5, fee £2;^^. x. 2 ; to con- fume the wicked, Pfat. Ixxxiii. 14, 15. Ifa. Ixvi. 15. £2;(r/^. xxii. 20 — 22. A^^^. i. 6\ and at the fame time to purify the righteous and prepare thefe offerings of God to be fet before him, Ifa, vi. 6, 7. And as foon as it was kindled; a general cry was heard from numerous terrified vcices, when [he nations broke in upon the empire from A. D. 364 to 395; and as general a horror was fprcad, as when thunder^ lightnings and earth- quakes convulfe the frame of nature, and predift its diffolution: For to Heathen Rome, that flaughter-houfe of the Redeemer's flieep, it was now cried, as once to Jerufalem, Thou pah be vi- fited of the Lord of hofis, with thunder ^ and with earthquake^ and great noife \ with fiorm, and tem- pefi, and the flame of devouring fire^ Ifa. xxix. 6. Thefe dreadful guards attended when the Lord gave forth his fiery law at Sinai, Exod. xix. 16 — 18; and the fame awful artillery will be difcharg- cd when the fevench trumpet founds, chap. xi. 19; and efpecially when great Babylon, worfe than the ancient, comes to be vifited of God, chap. xvi. 18.

6. Upon this fignal given, the angels prepare to found their trumpets, each in his own place and order, ver. 6 : And though one of them has not yet founded, after fo many hundred years, the apoftle faw them all preparing-, to afTure us that, when the tim.e is come, there will be no de- lays J and that angels are waiting, as well as we, for the accomplilhment of the things here pre- dided.

Obferve, feals may be broken and viais poured out without noife, whatever commotions m.ay be confequent upon them, chap. vi. 4, 12, &c. vii. i. viii. i.and xvi. 12 — ^ij but a trumpet intimates

a loud

VIII. 6, 7-] Thefirjl Trumpei, A.D. 395, /0412. $5

a loud noife, addrefled to onr fenfes, to awake and roufe us, eipecially when this trumpet is in the hand of an angeJ; for the found of the trumpet is the alarm of war ^ Jer. iv. 19-, and fuch is every one of thefe feven trumpets. And it feems rea- fonable to fuppofe, that an intelligent ear fliould be able to diilinguifh, both when each found be- gins and when it ceafes; and confequently to difcover how long the miniftry of each of thefe fcven angels, and of thofe celeftial attendants who are ranged under his order, contimirs; which no doubt continues during the whole time allotted to his trumpet-, fee chap. xvi. 4 — j.

We may further obierve, that, as the voice of the arch-angel and the trump of God, will here- after fummons the hofts of heaven, and difll^lve all nature's frame-, fo the firft four trumpets of thefe angels, are generally thought to havefiiakcn down the Roman empire: which never was more than about the third part of the known world, though they vainly boafted of univerfal empire: For America was not dilcovered by Chriftopher Columbus, till eleven hundred years after this time; viz, A.D. 1492: But Rome poffeffcd about as much in Afia and Africa, as it wanted of the whole fovereignty of Europe. And though Rome could now boafl its Chriftian emperors; yet this can no m.ore prevent the aven<2;ing of the blood of God's fervants, upon them, than Jofiah's reformation prevented God's avenging upon the kingdom of Judah, the innocent blood v.^ith which Manafleh had ftained that long-favoured country,

7. And the iiril angel founded, and there

was hail and fire mingled with blood, and

it was cafl down upon the earth; and tlic

E 4 thiid

^6 Hail, Fire and Blood cafi on the Earth. [Vill. 7.

third part of the trees were burnt up, and the green grafs was burnt up.

It was an entertainment to the great Mr. Mede, to obfcrve from Achmetes, and the documents and monuments of the Indians, Perfians and Egyptians, that fome of the fame bold figures, which adorn the pages of infpiration, were in ufe amongft them; and applied to the fame things as they are in fcripture, but the fcriptures are wonderfully fufficicnt to explain themieives, as thele trumpets fhew-, wiih refpe6l to the firlt of which Sir Ifaac Newton obferves ' That ftorms

* of thunder, lightning, hail and overflowing ' rain, are, in the prophetic language, put for ' a tempeft of war defcending from the heavens ' and clouds politic:' And as blood is here ming- led with the hail and fire, this naturally leads our thoughts to the defolations of war-, fo that the words muft have a metaphorical, whatever literal, accomplifliment they have; fee Exod. ix. 23.

Mr. Mede begins this trumpet at the death of Theodofius the Great, A. D. 395; at which time,

* The Huns, Goths, and other barbarians,' (ex- cited by the perfidy of Rufinus, prime minifter to Arcadius the Eaflern emperor) ' like hail for mul- « titude, and breathing fire and {laughter, broke ' in upon the bell provinces of the empire, both « in the Eall and Weil, with greater fuccefs than

* they had ever done before.' The fame year the famous Alaric, with his Goths * began his

* incurfions: FirCl: he ravaged Greece, then waft-

* ed Italy, befieged Rome, and was bought off ' at an exorbitant price: Befi-gcd it again in the *year4io; took, and plundered the city, and « let fire to it in ieveral places.'

So I he L,c"o fcnt a mighty and Jlrong one, the king of Aflyria; who, as a tempejl of hail, and

dejiroying

dejiroying ftorm^ as a flood of mighty waters over- flowing^ cajl down the houfe of Ifrael to the earth with his hand^ Ila. xxviii. 2 : And this Gothic ftorm Ipared neither high nor low, young nor old; but came rcfiftlefs as hail mingled with f/re^ upon the trees of the field, and upon the greengrafs, to which refpcdively men of high and low degree are 'compared in fcripture -, ktEcclef. xi. 3. Ifa. ii. 12, 13. and xl. 6. £2;^^. xvii. 24. andxxxi. 8,-9. Dan. W. 10, 15, 26. Zech. xi. 2. Matt. iii. 10.

And befides the iword of the barbarians, which deftroyed the greateft multitude of men, Philoftorgius who lived in, and wrote of thefe times, faith ; " That among other calamities, dry " heats with flafhes of flame, and whirlwinds of " fire, occafioned various and intolerable ter- " rors : Yea, and hail fell down in fcveral places, " weighing as much as eight pounds." See bifhop Newton, and Univerfal Hiftory.

Thus thefe words were both literally and me- taphorically accompliftied, from about A, D. 395 to 412 i v/hich we therefore reckon the pro- per time of this trumpet.

8. And the fecond angel founded, and as it were a great mountain, burning with fire, was cafl into the fea j and the third part of the fea became blood.

9. And there died the third part of the creatures in the fea, which had life -, and a third part of the fhips were deflroyed.

The blood under this trumpet, intimates that the defolations of war are intended here, as well as under the former; the inilr .ment of which is reprefentsd by a grand metaphor, as if a great mount ain^ burning with fire ^ was caft v'to the fea'.

§S j^ Burning-mountain caft into the Sea. [VIII. 8, 9*.

w? as ify for no fiich mountain really fell into the fea ; and if it had, it could not have turned it to blood, much lefs could the fall of any one moun- tain, fo generally affed the third part of the fea^ and the living creatures in it. Befides, to pro- duce blood, the fea into which it fails muft be feopksy multitudes^ nations and tongues^ chap, xvii^ 15. And if luch a mountain as Atrila and his Huns, fall upon the Eaftern and Weftern em- pire, he will crufh them to death •, and at the fame i\m.t hum tlxm with fire. This man called hinifelf the fcourge of God., and the terror of men i and fo he was literally, efpecially to the Vv^efterrj emperor Valentinian the third, with his 700,ocx> attending barbarians. See the Roman hillories from A. D. 440 to 454, within which time this Toyal murtherer and others not only crufl^ed the third part of men, as if a mountain had been thrown down out of the clouds upon the fifhes of the fea ; but alfo dellroyed the third part of the (hips trading, or taking their pleafure there- on*

, Obferve proud men efteem themfelves as moun- tains, Ifa. ii. 12 — 14. and xl. 4. Zech. iv. 7. Rev, vi. 14; and haughty oppreffors are burning moun- tains : Such a defiraying mountain was Babylon, till the Lord rolled it down from the rocks, Jer. li. 25 ; fee alfo Pfal. xxx. 7. and Ixv. 6. Dan. ii. g^, 44, 45. But Sion need not fear, whatever mountains arc carried into the midfi of whatever feas ', for God is in the midfi of her, floe fhall not be moved: And whatever fires kindle upon the firll Adam's world, under the preceding and fol- lowing trumpets, previous to the general con- flagration, God fhall help her right early. PfaL xlvi. 2, 5. Rev. xvi. 18, 19.

10, Af>4

VIII. lo, 1 1 r^X^je third'Trumpet^A.'D.^i 7, to 606 59

10. And the third angel founded, and there fell from heaven a great ftar, burning like a torch; and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters.

1 1 . And the name of the ftar is called wormwood; and a third part of the waters became wormwood : and many men died of the waters, becaule they were made bitter.

Kftar in prophetic language, is a ruler in the church or ftate, -^prince or a prophet. It is ap- plied toChrift, ihdit morning ft ar of J acol^. Numb. xxiv. 17. Rev. xxii. 16, and to the fons of Ja- cob, who were the heads of the tribes of Ifrael, Gen. xxxvii, 9, 10. When the word ftars is joined with the fun ^nd moon, it fignifies inferior officers in the ftate, Ifa. xiii. 10. Ezek. xxxii. 7, 8. But a ftar is a very common, and nioft fignifi- cant hieroglyphic of a prophet or minifter in the church, Dan. viii. 10. Jude 13. Rev. i. 20. ix. r. and xii. i, 4. And, whether this was a religious or political ftar, it fell fudden and unexpeded from the lower heaven, down ro the earth, /»«r«- ing like a torch; and though it could neither burn up the rivers nor fountains, nor even make them change colour, chap, xvi, 4; yet it impregnated them with fuch a bitternels, as ended in death to wretched multitudes.

Such a ftar was Genferic; who, having found- ed a kingdom in Africa, A. D. 427, ' embark-

* ed with 300,000 Vandals and Moors, and ar-

* rived upon the Roman coaft in June 455 ; the

* emperor and people not thinking of any fuch ' enemy : he landed his men and marched dire(5lly

* to Rome; whereupon, the inhabitants flying

* into the woods and mountains, the city fell an

eafy

6o A burning Star falls on the Rivers. [VIII. i o, 1 1 •

' eafy prey into his hands: He abandoned it to the ' cruelty and avarice of his foldiers, who plun- ' dered it for fourteen days together. He then

* fet fail again for Africa, carrying away with him

* immenfe wealth, and an innumerable multitude ' of captives; and lefif the ftate fo weakened, that ' in a little time it was utterly fubverted.' Bifhop Newton.

Underftanding this ftar pohtically, we may begin the time of this trumpet from the above year; viz. 455, and conlider its effeds as con- tinued till the time of the founding of the follow- ing trumpet; which period was a time of as great bitternefs to the Roman empire, as if the rivers and fountains, which fupply cities and countries, were impregnated with wormwood. And per- haps Rome, which had been confidered as a fea^ or coUedtion of people under the former trum- pet, now greatly diminiflied, might be as fitly reprefented by rivers and fountains, which were running faft towards another fea or colleflion of people, that is, to a different government. Dry- ing up rivers and fountains would produce a fear- city of the neccffaries of life, Hof. xiii. 15. Ifa. xix. 5, 6; and, though this trumpet does not dry them up, they are imbittered-, fo that ma7jy died by drinking of them.

Some years before this, the Romans had given np the defence of Britain; which called in the Saxons to its aid about the year 450: And in A. D. 456, fays Mr. Mede, the Roman empire was crumbled into ten kingdoms, which are after- wards called the ten horns of the beafi, fee chap, xiii. I. and xvii. 7, 12, 16.

But underftanding this ^rf^//jr 'of a religious governor, we may obferve, that, as Genferic was a perfecuting Arian, fo Pelagianifm rofe up in this century, about the year 410 ; and, join-

VlII.10,1 ujihe thirdl'rumpet^ki).^!'] ^to6o6. 6i

inor its forces with the Arianifmof the former cen- ' tury, dreadfully poifoned the rivers and fountains of the church-, fo that many died, both tempo- rally and fpiritually, of one part or other of this double root of bitternefs, which bore gall and wormwood; fee Dent. xxix. i8. Jer. xxiii. 15. Amos vi. ii\ Or confining ourfelves yet more clolely to that fenfe of the word flar which the holy Ghoft has given us in this book. Rev. i. 20, by this^r^^/7r<^r may be meant the Bifiop of Rome -^ whofe proud affeftation of fuperiority over all other biihops, produced fuch awful political and religious contentions, in the Eaft and Weft, from A. D. 312 to 606; or from the time that the em- pire became Chriftian, till he had gained his airy point. After this fiar had compieated its fall from heaven^ our author at A. D. 606, faw the key of the well of the abyfs given to him, as we fhall fee, chap. ix. i ; but here he faw his fall, and marked its bitter effefls upon the rivers and fountains of water % which pciibned ;;?^»7, though not all the men v/ho drank of them.

But as his fall has been fo fatal to the world, for our own warning for the future, fuffer me to point out the circumftances which facilitated his defcent.

And here not to fay that the myfiery of iniquity had been working in the church, ever fince the apoitle Paul's time; or that unguarded hyper- bolical expreffions, which fome of the primitive fathers of the three firft centuries had ufed, about the Virgin Mary ; minifters and faints (if their writings have not been interpolated or altered) miniftered an occafion of promoting the papal caufe*, I. When the biftiop of Rome became preacher to the head of the Roman empire, through the corruption of nature, this both ex- cited an improper elatement in his own breaft, and gave him an undue confequence among his

brethren.

62 A burning ^tar falls on the Rivers. [VIII. i o, 1 1 .

brethren. 2. When Conilantine had fecularized the ecv.lefiaftical government, in the manner ex- plained at chap. vi. j 2, &c. this gave a fair op- portunity for the further exertion of his lordly pride; efpecially as from the beginning, ' the ' povsrer of the biHiop of Ro77ie far exceeded,

* within his jurifdiftion, that of other metropoli-

* tans.' Mr. Bower^ vol. i. page io5. And, g. When the bifhop, or patriarch of Conftantinople, after the feat of the empire was removed thither, became his rival; this only put an edge upon his thirft after unlimited power, and exciced dread- ful contefts, before he could attain the arrogant title of Univerfal Bijhop.

But the moft effential thing in popery is its leading dodlrines, which may be all reduced to thefe two; viz, degrading Chriji^ and fetting up the creature: The firft of theie was effected by Arius, A. D. 317; and when they had taken off the crown from Chrift's head, it was eafy to fee for whom they defigned it; though Pelagius did notfet it upon the head of free-will, till almoft a hundred years after that time. Thefe two abo- minations, nourilhed by a worldly fpirit, produc- ed popery A. D. 606: And as the fpirit of the world has ftill dominion in the church, and its rivers and fountains are not yet healed of their Arian and Pelagian biiternefs; therefore, as every feed will have its own body, there is reafon to apprehend that the modern contempt caff on the perfon and offices of Chrift, and that Ar- minianifm which has deluged Chriftendom ever fmce A. D. 1602, will again produce popery, and give if another infernal triumph in our worldj fee chap. xiii. 11 — 18. And how far it is already begun, in the filence of the friends of the gof- pel, and in the impudence of its enemies, I Z Icay.;

VIII. 1 2.] The fourth Trumpet, A.D. 456 to 566. 63

feave to their confideration who have the moral life of their intelledtual light.

Underftanding this trtimpet, in this laft fenfe, I reckon the time of it from A. D. 317 to 606 5 all that time the pope lay upon earth, ftruggling with the church and ftate for pre-eminence •, and v/hen he had gained it. Pelagian and other er« rors were abforbed in popery, that grand collec- tion of almoft every error with which the devil was ever permitted to torment the Chriftian world.

12. And the fourth angel founded, and the third part of the fun was fmitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the ftars j fo that the third part of them was darkened : And the day did not appear for the third part of it -, and the night likewife.

This trumpet predids the darkening of the great lights of the empire •, as we have fcen the fame metaphors explamed under the fixth feal, chap. vi. 12, 13-, but, though the images are in both places nearly the fame, there is an obfer- vable diiference, between the defcription which the holy Ghoft there gives of that religious refor- mation in Conllantine's time, and the political dif- folution of the em>pire vv'hich thefe words an- nounce. In the former cafe, the fun became Mack as fackcloth of hair^ but foon put off its mourning to congratulate the vidlories of Con- ftantine ; the 'moon became as bloody but at the next lunation flie Ihewed a fairer face -, yet the inferior officers in general were removed at that time, to make way for better men;- which is thus exprefied in prophetic language, the flars of heaven fell unto the earthy 4Jen as a fg-tne caft-

eth

64 A third Pari of the Sun, ^c. darkened. [VIII. li,

eth her untimely, and therefore iinfavoury, figs when fide is Jhaken of a mighty wind: But in this diffolution of the empire the fun, moon and ftars 2Ci^ fmitten, darkened ^ndfhine not; for they could not fhine as lights of the empire, whert there was no empire to be illuminated. There is alfo this further difference, that religious refermation, under the fixth feal, extended further than the Roman empire ; this revolution concerned that empire only, for it darkened but the third part of the heavenly luminaries. In the former cafe too, an extreme horror, down from the throne to the cottage, for the great fm of having perfecuted. God's fervants, made way for the removal of the Pagan religion and government, ver. 15, 16; but we read of no fuch horror here -, nor was there fuch a caufe for it in theprefent, as in that cafe : This was a forrow not unufual in the world ; though fpreading wider than in former indances 5 a forrow at the funeral of an empire, at which were interred the hopes and joys of v/eeping mul- titudes : For Rorne, having ftruggled with its fate, through eight turbulent reigns, was at length ruined in the year 476, under Momyllus or Auguilulus, as he was called in derifion, by Odoacer king of the Heruli -, who being flairi A. D. 493, Theodoric founded the kingdom of the Oftrogoths in Italy, which continued about fixty years. Yet the rnoon and fiars ftill fubfifted i for the fenate, confuls and patricians were not wholly extinguifhed till A. D. p,66, when Italy was conquered by the eaftern emperor Juftin II ; who governed it by the exarchs of Ravenna, un- der whom Rome vv'as made only a dukedom : and this was the feventh form of government there, after kings, confuls, dictators, decemvirs, military tribunes with confular authority, and emperors ; fee chap. xvii. 10. Therefore we may 3 reckon

VIII. 1 3 .] the fourth Trumpet^ A.D, 456, toc^66. 65

reckon the time of this trumpet from A. D. 456 to C)66.

Rome, often warned, \vould riot obey that folemn mandate, Jer. xiii. 16. Give glory to the Lord your God before he caufe darknefs^ and be- fore your feet fiumhle upon the dark mountains^ and while ye look for lights he turn it into the Jhadow of death, and 7nake it grofs darknefs ; therefore Egypt's doom became theirs, Ezek. xxxii. 7, 8. When I floall put thee out, Iivill cover the heavens,, and make the ftars thereof dark : I will cover ths fun with a cloud, and the 7noon ftoall not give her light. All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee ; and fet darknefs upon thy landy faith the Lord God. See alfo If a, xiii. jo, 11,

13. And I beheld, and heard one angel flying in the midfh of heaven, faying with a loud voice. Woe, woe, woe to thofethat dwell upon the earth ; becaufe of the re- maining voices of the trumpet of the three angels, who are yet to found.

This angel, flying alone, brings the mod in- terefting and alarming tidings^ 2 Sa?n. xviii. 25. And each trumpet here fpoken of, has a diftimft \voe of its own ; which concerns thofe who dwell upon the earth in general, from the rifing of the fun to the going down thereof. For if the holy Ghoft had only defigned to denounce a woe againft the world in general, from fome or other of thefe trumpets, the words mufl have run thus, JVoe to the inhabitants of the earth, becaufe of the iJoices of the trumpets; but the trumpet being in the Angular number, extends the woe of each to the eaft and weft. True, the fingular number is often put for the plural, where no poiTible miftake can be made by it, as in 'Pfal, xii. 2. F 'v^^xii. 26,

66^ An Angel warns us of three Woes, [VIII. 13.

xxii. 26. xxxi. 24. xxxiii. 19, 20, 21. xliv. 18, 21. and xlv. 5. and many other places •, but though the woe-trumpets arc certainly three, if the word trumpet had been in the plural number, it would have produced this miftake, that each trumpet had not a woe for every part of the profelTing world. And for the fame reafon as the trumpet is fmgular, the 'voices arc plural, to intimate that each trumpet founds an alarm both againft the eaft and weft. Accordingly under the fifth trum- pet, the locufts are a woe to the eaft and weft, chap. ix. 7 — 10 : Under the fixththe Turks are a woe to the eaft, chap. ix. 13 — 19-, and (to fay nothing of the fpiritual judgment mentioned in the two laft verfes of that chapter) the earth' quake at Rome is a woe to the weft, chap. xi. 13 : And under the feventh, the two bcafts are a woe to both, chap. xiii. i, 11.

Perhaps the trumpet may alfo be made fmgu- lar, to inform us that but one fubjed is purfueci through all the woe-trumpets, though that fub- jcd is twofold : Accordingly we find that the firft of them defcribes the rife of popery and mahomc- tanifm -, the fecond amplines the account of both, and puts an end to the latter •, and the third ftiews us, that after mahomctanifm is fwallowed up in popery, the two popifti beafts fhall be deftroyed : After which we have an account of what faints and fmners have to exped from God, from that time to all eternity. If we hope to decipher the charadlers of this book, wc mult carefully attend, to every word.

According to the order of this prophecy this warning falls between A. D. ^66 and 606: And indeed the fixth century concluded, as the feventh began, with very clear moral prognofti- cations of thofe two infernal evils, which at A. D. 606 poifoned the eaft and weft ; the ap- proach

IX. I — 4.] SoIemnPFarnmg/romA.V. 566,(0606. 67

proach of both of which is here announced to the church, by this celeftial meflenger.

Kind Spirit ! it was God himlelf who fent thee to give men this needful warning. Thy voice too was loud enough to have roufed the eaft and weft ; and thy flight low enough, eveii in the midft of the heavens, where the birds fly, chap, xiv. 6. and xix. 17. And oh! that the world had attended thy faithful admonitions from God ! or would even now, in its old age, hearken and receive thy long-negledted inftru6lions, which are ftill addreffed to finners of Adam's family.

CHAP. IX.

I . A N D the fifth angel founded, and I -^^ faw a liar fallen from heaven to the earth : And there was given to him the key of the well of the abyfs.

2. And he opened the well of the abyfs ; and a fmoke afcended from the well, as the fmoke of a great furnace : And the fun and the air were darkened by the fmoke of the well.

3. And out of the fmoke, there came locufts upon the earth ; and power was given to them as the fcorpions of the earth have power.

4. And it was commanded them, that they fhould not injure the grafs of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree ; but the men only who have not the feai of God in their foreheads,

F 2 5. And

6B The Pope, a Star fallen from Heaven. [IX. i — 1 2,

5;. And it was given them, not that they fhould kill them, but that they fhould be tormented fiv^e months : And their torment ivas like the torment of a fcorpion, when it flrikes a man.

6. And in thofe days Ihall men feek death, and fhall not find it ; and they fhall defire to die, and death fhall flee from them.

7. And the refemblance of the locufts, was like horfes prepared for war -y and on their heads as it were crowns, like gold ; and their faces as the faces of men.

8. And they had hair like the treifes of women ; and their teeth were as thofe of lions.

9. And they had breafb-plates like breaft- plates of iron : And the found of their wings was like the noife of chariots, with many horfes running to battle.

10. And they had tails like fcorpions, and flings were in their tails : And their power was to hurt men five months.

1 1 . And they had a king over them, the angel of the bottomlefs pit; whofe name m Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek tongue he has the name of Apollyon.

12. One woe is pafl ; behold two woes more are coming after.

A falling ftar is a globule of fire compofed of oily, fulphurous and nitrous exhalations from the earth ; which, upon the clalh of two clouds, breaks, fhocts out in a fiery ttreann, and imme- diately difappears : And many eftccm this a pro- per

IX. I — 5 2.] Thefifth Trumpety A. D.606, ^075 6. 69

per hieroglyphic to reprefent the Pope and Mo- hammed, or Mahomet ; in both of whom the chara(5ters o^a/nW^ and prophet are united, as we have feen the word Jlar explained, chap. viiL ID, II. But though a ftar may defcribe a falfe, as well as a true, miniiler, chap. viii. 10, 1 1 ; yet the further account given of thisy^^r, as fallen from that heaven the cliurch lo the earthy by no means agrees to Mahomet, who never was in heaven^ either before or after the year 606 -, and therefore could not fall from thence ; nor had he even the honour of his famed predeceffor Balaam in the eaii, who uttered true prophecies from God. Bur this charader exaftly agrees to that minifter who had long been in the church, before the bloody emperor Phocas declared him univerfal bifhop, A. D. 606 ; and who had de- fired to fet his throne above the fiars of God : But finding that he could not be the only oftenfible figure in the fkies, his earthly nature (which was not at all changed by his heavenly fituation j ope- rating ftrongly upon him, brought him down with the rapidity of a hery meteor, blazing all Che v^ay, in hafte to gain the parent earth.

A ftar, fays bifhop Warburcon, in the Egyptian hieroglyphics, alfo denoted God, J^nos v. 26. Te have born the tabernacle of your Moloch^ and Chiun your images, the Jlar of your God which ye wade to yoiirfelves ; and how applicable this is to him sN\iofttteth in the temple ofGod^fheizing him- felf that he is God, is plain to every intelligent proteftant, 2 'Theff. ii. 4.

If this man had refembled a watery exhalation from the earth, he might have returned to it as a generous refreJliing ihower; but as the holy Ghoft has reprefenied him by a body of an oily, ful- phurous and nitrous nature, it was not likciy he F 3 Ihould

7© The Pope opens the Well of the Abyfs. [IX. i — 12.

fhould defcend to it as good angels do, chap. x. i, xviii. I. andxjj. i j but inafiery ftream, prediflive of the burning which he will kindle here. So fell the pope, from that heaven to which he was not adapted : He fell alrpoil from the firft hour that the empire became Chrillian ; and efpecially from the time when he fo far caft off fubjcdion to Chrift, as to become a metropolitan. Then it was that our author faw him fall, chap. viii. 10, 1 1 •, though this promotion was but the begin- ing of his perdition, yet his fall was not gene- rally taken notice of till A. D. 606, when he fhamefuliy accepted the title of univerfal bilhop, which he had fo fcandaloufly folicited : From that time it became vifible that he had been fallen before; and that the church of Rome was no more a church of Chrift, but a part of the common earth to which this ftar was fallen. But our author has awful things to fee after he was fallen ; for to blaze for a moment and then die (which is all the glory of a falling ftar) could give us no adequate idea of the defigns and works of this earth-born vapor ; therefore, obferving him when he was fallen ■n-BTrTUKora, he faw the key of the well of the abyfs given to him.

It v^as not confiftent with the fcheme of divine grace in Chrift Jefus, to give him the key of the abyfs itfclf -, but, in righteous indignation againfl: the hypocrify of the eaft and weft, the Lord gave him the key of its well, Obferve, (i.) God alone can open heaven ; but men could in fome meafure have opened hell, if he had permitted them i and he has given the key of its well to this man of fin. Well therefore might 'the * whole fyftem of nature put on mourning at his ' birth, to fyfnpathize with the church's afflic- ' tion :' And fo hilterians tell us, that about this time, ' the air grew peftilent ; the earth became

' barren j

JX.i — 12.] TheJifthTrumpet^A.lD.CQSjojs^' Ji

* barren j the fea overflowed its banks •, and a

* mighty mortality of men, beads and filhes ' enllied.' . Hiji. of Pcpery, vol. i, p. 59. (2.) Schemes to do mifchief, like a well, furnilh hell with all the entertainment which it has : With thefefatan attempts to mitigate the torment of his burning rage againft God ; yet every draught he takes increajes his Icorching thiril: after more wickednels, v/hilft the moments of even this cruel pleailire fliorten apace.

(3.) As all believers are daily employed in draw- ing water out of thewells offalvation^ which God has opened on niount Sion,i/^.xii.3 •, fo eminentiinners take the fame methods to quench their infernal thirft as fatan does -, and fur this purpofe the pope opened the well of the ahyfs : Therefore, (4.) Popery and its appendages, , proceed from infer- nal depths. And, (^5.) That enmity to God, which fupplies hell with its fticceffive fchemes ot pride, deceit and cruelty, fupplies alfo the Pa- pifts with theirs : This is the well to which this Ihepherd leads his flock of goats, to quench their thirft ; and no other key but this was ever given him. Yet, (6.) As wells are deep, and their bottoms generally unfeen, we can form no com- pleat idea of the wickednefs or mifery of hell, by any infernal religions -, or other things, which proceed from thence. But; (7.) If men may be fo wicked on earth, as to open the well of the abyfs, to torment and damn their Jenow-crea- tures ; what will the inhabitants of hell do againft one another to all eternity, who are for ever loft to every virtue and hope ! — Obferve aHb the diffe- rence between Chrift and Anti-chrift ; the latter has only the key of the well of the ahyfs^ and that given him •, the former has the key of the ahyfs^ itfelf, which is his own property as God, chap. jtx. I : And A.nti-chrift brouglit up Abaddon and F 4 ApoUyon

7 2 The Pope defcends into the Ahyfs, [IX. i • — 12^

Jpollyon from hell •, but Qhnkputs him up there, 'dnd fets a fed upon him, ver. 2, r>.

But to proceed — Anti-chrift, being fallen from all that common grace of God, which preferves even the wicked v/ithin fome bounds of moderar tion and decency ; and not knowing the horrors of that bcttomlefspit^ to which the devils belbught our Lord not to command them to return, Luke viii. 31, having received the key of tbis weiiy he refolves (upon an infernal journey)

Fle5ierefi nequeam fuperos^ acheronta moveho : and, following the propenfions of his own heart, which ftill led him downward, he opened the zvell cf the abyfs, and took an oath of allegi- ance to fatan : The common wickednefs of earth would not fulHce him, therefore he digs down to open the infernal ftore-houfe, to fetch from thence the thickeft fliades to vail the day -, for he loved darknefs rather than li^ht, becaufe his deeds were evil ^ .

We cannot doubt the propriety of applying this to that grand enemy of the church of God, who is fo much fpoken of, and fo fully defcrib- ed from this place to the end ot the xixth chap- ter ; not only becaufe every charader here given exadlly fuits the Pope, but becaufe it is exprefsly faid of the fame perfon, when he became a beaff^ A. D. 756, that he afcendeth out of the bottomlefs pit^ chap. xi. 7. and xvii. 8. The holy Ghoft fays of Chriit, Eph. iv. 10. He that defcended-, is the fame alfo that afcended up far above all heavens : Reverfe t)\p words, and they are true of Anti-chrift, He tl^t afcended is the fame alfo that defended ; for Kcixould not cfce-nd^ if he had not firft defcended z Ye§ as no key but that of the well cf the abyfs had been given him, we are naturally led to under- ftand, that he both defcended to, and afcended from the bottomlefs pit, through the well of it, I which

IX. I— 12.'] tbeffth*rrumpet,A.D. 6o6,/<? y^6. y^

vyhich communicates with the abyfs ; for we have no account of his opening the abyfs itfelf immediately, though he opened its well, A. D. 606; which will not be fhut till A. D. 2016, chap. XX. I, 2. It was the beaft then, and not Chrift ! who defcended into hell : But as we cannot underftand this of a local hell, to which he could not defcend clothed with an animal body, I am ready to afk, how did he defcend to open this well of the abyfs .? certainly he could go down no other way than through his own vicious heart ; nor could he defcend further than his own inclina- tions, inftigated by fatan, Ihould lead him ; and they led him downwards till he came to the bot- tomlefs pit : And as all human hearts are natu- rally alike. Matt. XV. 19, it is only the reftraint of providence which keeps every man from open- ing the well of the abyfs as the pope did ; for if God Ihould leave every man to himfelf. he v/ould prove, as he did, that the bottom of hell is the bottom of his heart.

Satan gladly affifting the defigns of this man offm, he found it eafy to turn the key of this well of the abyfs ; and immediately afmoke^ like thdt of a great furnace^ afcended from the well j and the fv.n and air in general were darkened by the fmoke cf the well^ efpecially in thofe parts which were neareft to Rome, where this well was opened, ver. 2. And^ every part of this fmoks being prolific, out of it there came hciifis upon the earth, ver. 3, which filled every place which this fmoke had darkened. Thefe locufts were the Saracens and Mahometans in the eaft ; who, like other people (though unlike the natural locufts, Prov. XXX. 27.) had a king over them, the angel of the hottomUfs pit \ who came forth in this fmoke unobferved, to fpread death all around him : But in the weflern part, nearer the mouth

of

74 ^^^ Smoke of the bottomlefs Pit, [IX. i — 12,

of this well, this fmoke produced the monks and friars and other religious orders amongft the Pa- pifts, who had the fame king over them as the eaftern locufts -, who, under the Hebrew name of Abaddon^ employed fome of thefe armies againft the Jews ; and others againft the Gentiles, under the name of Ap oily on, ver. 1 1 .

If it fliould be afked, how could the pope's opening the well of the abyfs affedl the eaft, as well as the weft? I anfweri (i.) the pope was at that time confidered as the eye of the world ; and when the light which was in the world was become darknefs, the whole body muii be full of darknefs, Luke xi. 34, ^S- Nor could that falfs ^prophet Mahomet have eftablifhed his arrogant pretenfions, if an extreme darknefs had not fat upon the face of the churches of God in general, at A. D. 606. (2.) This fmoke afcending out of the bottomlefs pit, would naturally move which way ever the wind drove it ; and, as it continued to rife all the time of this trumpet, the changing winds would in fuch a length of time, neceifarily drive it to every quarter of the heavens — Befides, though the pope alone opened the well of the abyfs, yet, (i.) It has been already proved that every trumpet has at leaft two voices, or a woe to thofe who dwell on the earth in general, chap, viii. 13 ; therefore this trumpet has a woe for the places where the Saracens did, and where they did not come. (2.) As we Iliall find the two witr neffes prophefying both againft Popery and Mo- hometanifm, during the whole time of this trum- pet, as well as long after; fee chap. xi. i — 13, no doubt this angel from the beginning announc- ed both thefe evils, againft which they are fub- poenaedtowitnefs. (3.) 'The funand the air'm g€:i\t' ral were faid to be darkened, by this fnoke of the well; agreeable to which, both the Papifts an4

Mfihometan^

XI. i—i2.']7'heJifihtrumpet,A.'D.6o6,toy ^6. 75

Mahometans are reprefented as in a ftate of com- parative darknefs, chap. xi. 2, 3 : And Rome ef- pecially is known to have been as full of chofen darknefs in the feventh century, as it will be of judicial darknefs when the fifth vial is poured out, under the feventh trumpet, chap. xyi. lo. In con- fequence of this darknefs it was, that even profef- fing Christians took up with maJJessLnd altars; with images znd pi £lures \ with cups^ crojfes and candle- Jiicks i with relicksy garments, holy water, number' ed prayers, pilgrimages, &cc. &c. inftead of Chrift : For the fmoke, not of a common fire, but of a great furnace arofe in thick and awful pillars around them, and darkened the fun and air in general : Accordingly the Papifts ufe candles in their worfliip at noon-day, chap, xviii. 23, as if to light Proteftants to fee their darknefs. And though thefe pillars of fmoke might be fomething lelTened, in the time they would take in moving from Rome to Arabia, yet the darknefs was alfo great there-, which feems to have been notified to the eaftern nations, in a language which they were likely to underftand -, viz, by the literal darkening of the fun and air, which was probably effeded by the miniftry of the angel who found- ed this trumpet. So bifhop Newton quotes an Arabian hiftorian, who fays that half the body of the fun was eclipfed, fo that little of its light appeared from Odlober, A. D. 626, to June 627 ; at which time Mahomet was exercifing his fol- lowers in depredations at home, for greater con- quefts abroad.

The prophet Daniel feems to have predicted both thefe evils together, chap. xi. and xii. and xi. 4, the angel foretells the deflrudion of Alex- ander's empire, and ver. 5 — 29 defcribe the con- teft which was between two of the four horns, or kingdoms into which Alexander's dominions

were

y6 An Account of Mahcmet, [IX . i — 12.

werc broken ; viz, Egypt and Syria, called the

kings of thefouth and of the norths whofe alternate fucceffes affeded the land of Ifrael, which lay be- tween them. And having fpoken of the Roman empire, ver. 30 — ^^ •, the angel led him to a view of both thefe abominations, ver. 36 — 43. Po- pery is defcribed, ver. ^6 — ^g. The kingfhall do according to his willy more than any other king ever did •, and he fhall exalt and magnify himfelf above every gcd \ and fhall f-peak marvellous things againji the God of gods, and fhall profper, till the indignation defigned againft the world is accom- plifhed. It is added, ver. '^y, that he ihall apof- tatize from the God of his Fathers-, and not regard the defire of wives, or conjugal affedlion, ver, 38, 39. He fhall alfo honour Mahuzzim ; viz, the Virgin Mary, faints and angels, whom he con- fiders as the bulwarks, fortreffes, protestors, and guardians of mankind : He fhall acknowlege and increafe them with glory : And he fhall caufe them to rule over rmny ; and fhall divide the land among xhtm for gain : * St. George fhall have England ; ' St. Andrew, Scotland ; St. Denis, France ; St. ' James, Spain -, St. Mark Venice ;' &c. fee Mr. Mede, and bifhop Newtcn. What follows, ver. 40 — 43, is probably an account of the Saracens, who forely wounded the Greek empire, and of the Turks who totally ruined and deftroyed it -, as we Ihall fee at chap. ix. 13 — 19 : And we fhall find the two laft verfo of that chapter, ver 44, 45, and fome things in chap, xii, accomplifhed under the feventh trumpet ; feei^^i;. xvi. 12 — 16. But to return,

I. The Mahometans are indifputably intended by the locujis which this fmoke produced in the eart:, ver. 3 — 11. Mahomet was born at Mecca A. D. 571, and when he began to vent his impoff ture^ there was but one man in that city who

could

JX.i— 12. ^Tbef fib Trumpet, A.D.6o6, toy ^S.y:^

could read or write -, which made it the more ealy for him to feign an intimacy with heaven, in order to make himfelf great upon earth. He retired to his cave near Mecca, A. D. 606, where lie pre- tended to converfe with the angel Gabriel : And, by the affiftance of a Chriftian Monk and a Per- fian Jew, he maniifaftured and fabricated that falfe religion ; which, like the moift, filthy and fuffocating/w(?^^ of a great fiirnace has filled the eyes of many with tears, and of more with dark- nefs : And by this fmoke, and the Saracen locufls which proceeded out of it, the fun or governor of many a city and kingdom, was both morally and politically darkened ; fo that the air itfelf forgot the light which ufed to fhine joyfully through it. And to fupport his pretenfions, this monfler of ambition and luft, afterwards feigned an afcent to heaven from Jerufalem, upon a ladder of light, attended by the angel Gabriel : And, having taught his followers that his religion was to be propagated by the fword; and flattered their hopes with every fenfual enjoyment, in that pa- radife to which he affured them, that they fhould go, if they fell in his wars ; arrayed in armour and in blood he rode in triumph over the fpoils of thoufands and ten thoufands, till he had found- ed the Saracen empire, ' which, in eighty years ' time, extended its dominion, over more kiog-

* doms and countries, than ever the Roman could ' in eight hundred : But it continued in its

* ftrength not much above three hundred years j* fee Prideaux's Life of Mahomet .

Thefe Arabian, Hagarene, or (as they proudly called themfelves from Sarah the free v/oman) ■Saracen invaders of the eaftern empire, are pro- perly called lociifis^ not only for their number and devouring nature ; but becaufe locufts are the natural produce of Arabia, which feems to have

taken

^8 The Saracen Locujls darken the Sky. [IX. i — i iw

taken its name from them, Judg. vii. 1 2. Heb. They alfo made their chief inroads upon thofe parts of Chriftendom, where locufts are wont to be feen ♦, and nearly in the fame proportion too, as to time and degree. Locufts are bred in pits, and the fchemes of thefe men proceeded from the bottomlefs pit ; the fmoke of their religion urg- ing them forward in queft of prey, ver. 2, 9.

The ftrength of thefe Arabians alfo confifted much in their cavalry j therefore, like locufts, their refemblance was that of horfes prepared unto battle : And their teeth were as the teeth of lions ^ tenacious of every thing they feize. And as the locufts have a hard ftiell upon their breafts, to prevent them from being hurt on whatever they light i io thefe had breajl-plates, as it were breajl- plates of iron : And, flying with great rapidity upon their prey, the found of their wings was as the noife of chariots^ with many horfes^ running to battle, ver. 7, 8, 9 ; fee Joel i. 6, and ii. 3 — 8 •, for they came as a judgement from God, and the nations could no more refift them than they can locufts. And, to intimate their relation to the ferpent, the old one, who (being fo much older than us) deceiveth them that dwell on the earth, chap.xii.9. and XX. 2. Gr. it isadded,ver.3.P6W^r was given to them as the fcorpions of the earth have pozver •, for they had tails like fcorpions, which, fays Mr. Brightman, carries its fting out of its tail, awry and unobferved, ready to ftrike a blow any moment ;/<jr their flings were in their tails, ver. 10 i and the anguifti they gave zvas as the tor-

ver.

i> •

ment of a fcorpion when he flriketh a man. Such was the torment of their falfe religion, and of the brutal cruelty and oppreflion which it coun- tenanced ; the fting of which they left in the fouls and bodies of men wheree ver they came : And what better could be expedled from the bottom- lefs

IX. I— 1 2 .] the fifth 'Trumpet^ A. D. 606, to yn,^. 79

lefs pit, and from Abaddon and Apollyon their king, ver. 11, if men would but have traced their infernal origin and direction !

It is added, ver. 7, 8, They hadc;z their heads as it were crowns like gold, alluding to the turbants or mitres which thefe proud Arabians wore -, as well as to intimate the prodigious number of kingdoms which they fhould conquer ; Mr. Mede mentions about eighteen. They had 2\{o faces as the faces of men, with beards or muftachoes : And it was the more proper to take notice of their faces, if they were as large as they are pidured. And they had hair as the trejfes of ivomen, long, flowing or plait- ed, agreeable to the lafcivious genius of that people J by their manner of dreiling or plaiting which, one part of them was diftinguifhed from another.

Yet to fatisfy us that thefe are not natural, but fymbolical, locuRs, // was commanded them, * by ' the fecret power of God upon them,' ver. 4, that they floould not hurt the grafs of the earth, nei» ' ther any green thing, neither any tree ; and this order was literally obeyed, in the care which the firft Saracen leaders took, tofpare as much as pof- fible the countries they invaded : Or, taking the words grafs^ green things, and trees figuratively, as in chap. viii. 7, they were commanded not to hurt thofe of low, middling or high degree in the world, hut the men only who had not the feal of God in their foreheads -, viz. the Jews, and thofe idola- trous Chriftians in the eaft and welt, who, if they ever had the feal of God fet upon them, had vio- lated and profaned it by worfliipping faints and images •, who Mahomet and his followers pretend- ed to chaftife for their idolatry : And when their avarice carried them beyond their commiflion, falUng upon thofe who had the feal of God ia their foreheads, *in Savoy, Piedmont, and the

* fouthern

Bo The Saracen Locujls darken the Sky. [IX. i — 12.-

* fonthern parts of France, (which were after-

* wards the nurferies and habitations of the Wal-

* denfes and Albigenfes) they were defeated with

* great (laughter, by the famous Charles Mar-

* tel, in feveral engagements ;' fee bifhop New- ton, and Univerfal Hifi. vol. xix. p. 670. And as to thofe who had not this feal, // was given them^ not to killy but to torment them^ ver. 5 ; therefore when theybefiegedConftantinople, A.D. 672, and again in 718, ' they were forced to de- ' fill by famine, peftilence, and lofTes of various

* kinds J* for the putting an end to the Roman empire was referved for the Turks, as we fliall fee under the next trumpet : Yet they tortnented them by their invafions, by their brutal lufts, and by what they obliged them to pay for liberty to pro- fefs their own religion ; till in thofe days n\tr\ fought death and found it not., and earneftly dejired to die, hut death fled from them, vtv. 6.

But though this trumpet fpeaks exprefsly of nothing but woes, yet mercy is always mixed with the forell judgments in this world : Accordingly we Ihall hereafter find, chap. xi. 3, &c. that the two witneffes began to deliver their teftimony, in the eaft and weft, at the fame time that this trum- pet was founded : And with refpe<ft to thefe lo- cufts too, here are three reftriftive claufes in the power given to them ; viz, as to thtperfons whom they may injure ; the degree of injury to be done them ; and the time to which they are limited, which is five months, ver. 5 : So long the locufts live ; viz, from April to September ; and fcor- pions too are faid to be noxious for no longer time ; after that they become torpid and ina6live. So the Saracens made their incurfions in the five warmefl: months of the year ; then retired, and difperfed themfelves to their own homes for the

winter.

IX. 7— 10.] T'hefifthTrumpei, A. D. 606/^756. 8 1

winter. And as the words had thus an annual accomplifhment, fo taking a day for a year, as in chap. x^i. 2, 3, the. Jive mGnihs inform us, tiiat they were to continue their tormenting invauons for a hundred and fifty years : And accordingly, we find the chief part of their rehgious and politi- cal conquefts, between A. D. 606 and 756. The year before that; viz, A. D. 755, fays the Gof- pel Magazine for May ijyj^ 'the Turks, burfting ' forth in great numbers out of Tartary, feemed

* to carry all before them : They fought for a ' confiderable time, and with various fuccefs ' againfl: the Perfians and Saracens ; at lail they ' obtained a peace from the Saracens, and a

* quiet fettlement in Afiii, upon condition that ' they ihould adopt the Mahometan religion, and ' unite their armies with them againil the Chrif-

* tians' — fome therefore reckon the above the proper time of this trumpet, as it refpeds the Mahometans : But if the repetition of the five months ver. 10, intimates that another hundred and fifty years is to be added to the account, the whole three hundred years will give us the whole time in which the Saracen empiic had power to hurt men, before it was broken into feveral prin- cipalities or kingdoms •, See Mr. Mede, Mr. Lozvnian^ and bifliop Nezvtcn.

Sir Ifaac Newton reckons the times of the Sa- racen conquefts from A. D. 637 to 936 inclufive: Others, looking only upon the Mahometan and Saracen conquefts, begin this trumpet fome at 612, when Mahomet began to call himfelf the apojtle of God', others at 622, when he fled from Mecca, from which the Arabians date their ^l^ra or Hegyra ; or they might be dated from A. D. 626 when the Sun ivas darkened in the eaft, as we have feen before. But thefe dificrent times, feem rather to look at the different incidents, which G occur

82 The Roman Locujis. C^^- 7 — lO*

occur under this trumpet, than at the time when the pope became a univerfal billiop A. D. 60^.

This was the beginning of thistrumpet; and as human affairs move on in fucceflion, the open- ing of the well of the abyfs, the afcent of the fmoke, the darkening of the fun, and air, and the coming forth of the locufts, muft be confider- ed as events gradually opening after the above time — But it is not necejflTary to determine how long this trumpet is to continue ; for, as 1 hope hereafter to prove that the fixth trumpet will commence at the fame time with this, and its found will be prolonged 1260 years, confequently it mnft coincide with the whole time of this trum- pet; whether that is reckoned 300, or only 150 years. Only we may obferve, that the repetition oi the five mcn^bs, ver. 10, which is certainly de- figned to fecure a particular attention to the 1 50 years of this trumpet, no more necefTarily implies that another 150 years are to be added to thofe mentioned ver. 5, than the doubling of Pharoah's dream, Gen. xli. implied any addition to the mercy and judgment of the firit part of that dream. Yet as this was not an age for reformation, we are not to expert to fee the flings of thefe fcorpions ex- tracled from the fouls or bodies of men for many hundred years: Nor did Popery or Mahometanifm conclude with this trumpet, whether it ended at A. D. 756 or 906, at g^6 or even at 1067, when Tangrolipix the Turk, put a final end to the Sa- racen empire, by conquering the caliph of Per- fia; for alas! both Mahometans and Papifts continue to our own times, though the found of the Bfth trumpet has long ago ceafed. But this reminds me to return from the Ealt, to take a view,

2. Of thofe locuils the }-!0/!ks and friars, and oihrr religious orders among the Pa- pvfts, which came out of tut fmoke of the bottom-

h-fs

lefs pit, ne^r where the mourh of its well was opened : Thefe, Mr. Brightman, Mr. Fleming, Mr. Durham and Dr. Gill, iinderftand by the lo- cufts hei'c tpoken of: And ii' they were a plague to the world ; if they originated from, the bot- tomlefs pit, in the time of this triimipet ; if what is faid of thelc locufts is an exaft defcription of them i and if it fhould hereafter appear, that Po- pery is one of the abominations which the witnefies teftified againft, in the time of this trumpet, I know of nothing that can be wanting to compleac the demonftration, that they are as really inten- ded by thefe • locufcs, as the 5'aracens ; efpecially as it is not probable that this fmoke, which vv'as fo prolific at a diftance in the eaft, fliould be wholly barren near the mouth of that well at Rome from which it proceeded -, and as the Greek and Hebrezv name of their king ver. 1 1, affjres us that thefe locufts will be employed againft Jews and Gentiles in general, both in the eaft and v/eft.

The ground about this infernal well at Rome had continued fmoking five or fix hundred years, 2 Thef, ii. 6, 7 ; and this fmoke eminently in- creafed after A. D. 315, chap. viii. 10, 11, and efpecially from A. D. 566 to 606, ver. 13 of that chapter ; when the fire of this furnace could be no longer concealed : Then it was that the pope began to lord it over God's heritage, under the character of a univerfal bifhop-, for the fupporc of whofe throne, fuperftition had been long pre- paring well adapted materials, fuch efpecially were the monks and friars, and other religious orders among the Papiils; who had the faine king over them as the eafrern locufts ; who, under the name of Abaddon, employed fome of thefe armies againfb the Jews, and others againft the Gentiles, under the name of Apollyon.

G 2 And

8 4 ^he Monks refemhle Locujls. [IX. 7 — 10.

And it is remarkable that, though the monaf- tic life began to be held in undue veneration as early as the fourth century, yet thefe religious orders were not railed to a level with, or let above thepriells till A. D. 605. Hiji. of Popery^ vol. ii. page 422. Then was fatan's hour, and the power of darknefs ; for after this, thefe holy fa- thers (who hid long lived, like locuits, upon the labours of the indu(lrious) leaped from place to place in infernal fvvarms, leagued under Abad- don and Apollyon, under the lying pretence of fubjt(!lion to Chritl •, and tormented thofe wlio had nor the leal of God in tlieir foreheads, by tricking heirs out of t'leir ellates, and filling the dying with a mortal horror of the fires of purgatory (which were firft feigned about five years before ; viz, A. D. 600) till niQn fought death, but could noifi?:d it •, and defired to die^ but death fled from- them'. For their fhewy religion increafed the mife- ries of life, yet added new horrors to the grim tifage of death.

Thefe cattle were fierce as horfes prepared for hr.tile : For they were champions for the pope againfl: Chrin •, and many thoufinds of them en- tered, into the wars againft the Albigenfes, and others of God's fervants — And on their heads they had, not really, but as it were crozvns like gold ; which Mr. Fox and Mr, Brightm.an underlland of their fiiaving the top of their heads, that it miglitrefemble a crown Handing above their tem- ples : This fhaven crown they gloried in as much as princes In their golden crowns : And the mo- dern monks are dillinguifhed by fomething upon the crov/n of their heads. Yet the more artfully 1 1 compafs rhcir impious defigns, they bad faces courteous and humane •, as the faces of men : And pof]"}bly between their faces and their ihaven crowno, they had hair as the trefj'es of 'womcn^ tl^e

more

IX. 7— I O.J ThefifthTrumpet.A. D. eoGjoys^. ^5

more to rcfcmblc the Virgin Mar\\ wiiom thev confidered as the patronefs of their Qrders •, as the Saracens took their name from another v/oman ; viz, Sarah : But as all the Popidi orders are thde locufts, their ha^r may defcribe their nuns. And thei'r teeth -ivere as the teeth of lions ^ which will let nothing go, on v/hich they faflen. And for their defence, they had around their hearts breafi-pLites of pretended righteoufnefs, but of real impeni- tence, hard as iron: And Mr. Fox the martyrolo- giit lays. That fome of the monks wore coats of mail next their flefli. And when they vilited any place, it was with pomp, fpeed and terror ; and the found of their ivings, when they clapped them together, was as the found of chariots v;ith many horfes, ver. 7, 8 : Yet many deluded perfons, re- ceived them with reverence and tranfport, as if they had been the chariots of Ifrael and the horfe- men thereof-^ though they had not deliverance, h'yxx. flings in their tails, like fcorpions, ver. 5, 10 ; efpecially lo in their begging friars, who were the laji, and the loweft of their orders.

On fome accounts, there feems to be more un- certainty in fixing the time of this, than of any other of the trumpets : We have heard before, that it may be 150 years •, or, adding the five months, ver. lo, to thole at ver. 5, it v/ill be 300 years ; or reckoning thofe times together, and allov/ing one 300 years for the Saracen, and ano- ther for z\\t Roman locufts, the whole time of this trumpet will be, as Mr. Brighrman reckons ic, 600 years. In this way of computing it will end A. D. 1 206; which will conclude this wee j^ years before A. D. 12S1, when the woe of the fixth trumpet begins -, but 1 have reckoned ic only 1 50 years, for a reafon bc-fore affigncd ; and this time well agrees with what is. here laid of rhefe Roman locufts ; who (though they may probJoly G 3 condnue'

86 "The Monks refemhle Locufts. [IX. 7 — 10.

continue even more than 1260 years) had not power to kill, but only to torment men for xh^five months of this trumpet ; viz, from A. D. 606 to "^^^^ when the pope received his fecular power as a heaft \ after that they became more abun- dantly mifchievous : And the nefts of thefe locufts were not d^flroyed in England till A. D. 1540, by king Henry the Vlllth.

- But whatever is the real time of this trumpet, the mentioning oix\\tfive months twice, ver. 5, 10, tends to prepare the mind to contemplate a re- markable 150 years, which occur at the begin- ning cf each of the following trumpets -, one of wliich, as a part of the time of the two witnefles, C(-incides with the fuppofed time of this fifth trumpet, chap. xi. 3 — 7 : And the other, under the feventh trumpet, is the time when the beaft will become a dragon, fupported by the approach and by the power of the fecond beaft ; viz, from A. D. 1866 to 20 16 J fee chap. xii. 6. xiii. 11.

It is added, ver. 12. One woe is paft; which being in effedl called the firft, chap. viii. 13, fup- pofes another or others coming, and prepares the mind to contemplate them : So at the clofe of the fixth trumpet it is laid, The fecond ^-jcoe is pafi^ chap. xi. 14 •, yet the tv/o witnefTes, of whom that trum- pet Ipeak?, were no woe to the world ; therefore, if we fliould find that they piophefied in the times of the fifth trumpet, as well as under the fixth, this will be no contradiction to thefe words, om ivcsispr>fi: For the v;oe denounced fignifies fome fin to which the world is left, or the punifliment o\ r^n •, befides which the two laft trumpets ma- iKkftly fpeak of the triumphs of God's grace. Be- held two ivoes niore are coming hereafter \ of both which v.'arning is here given, (i) becaule little or no time v^ill intervene between the two laft woes, chap. xi. 14 j and (2) becaufc there is this

circum-

IX.;-— 10.] ThefifthTrumpetyK.D.G^ejojs^. 87

circumftance common to them both, that under each trumpet, there is a period of 1260 years re- ferred to; or>e to be employed in God's work, and the other in the devil's. But this phrafe two woes come [MTo. ravTcc, her-eafter^ intimates that the fecond woe will not com.e, till fome time after the time of this trumpet is expired : Accordingly (that which thev/orld would reckon a woe) the ea(iern woe did not come till A. D. 1281 ; fee chap. ix. 13 — 19, though the holy city was trodden down from A. D. 606, chap. xi. 2 : And the weftern woe will not come till the very hour when the fixih trumpet concludes, chap, xi, 13 ; for the Lcrd is flow to anger ^ and of great mercy.

13. And the fixth angel founded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar, which is before God;

14. Saying to the iixth angel who had the trumpet, Loofe the four angels, who are bound by the great river Euphrates.

1 5. And the four angels were loofed, v\Aho were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year; that they might kill the third part of men.

16. And the num.ber of the armies of horfemen was tv/o hundred millions \ and I heard their number.

17. And I faw the horfes thus in their appearance, and thofe who fat upon them, having breaft-piate? of fire and hyacinth and brimftone : And the heads of the horfes were* as the heads of lions ; and out of their mouths proceeds fire and fmoke and brim- ilone.

G 4 18. From

88 Thel'urksfallupontheRomanEmpire. [lX.i3,&c.

1 8. From thefe were the thud part of men killed ^ out of the fire, and out of the fmoke, and out of the brimftone, which proceeded out of their mouths.

19. For their power^. are in their mouths, a?id in their tails ; for their tails are like to ferpents having heads, and with them they do hurt.

20. And the reil: o^ the men, who were not killed by thefe plagues, repented not of the works of their hand ; that they fhould not woriliip demons, and idols of gold, and filver, and brals, and Hone, and wood ; which can neither fee, nor hear, nor Vv'alk.

2 1 . And they repented not of their mur- ders, nor of their forceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

C H A P. X.

I , A ND I faw another mighty angel com- ing down from heaven, clothed round with a cloud, and a rain-bow on his head -, and his face as the fun, and his feet like pillars of fire.

2. And he had in his hand a little book open : And he placed his right foot upon the fea, but his left upon the earth. : 3. And

IX.i— 1 1.] TbeJixlbTrumpet,A.'D.6c6,ioiS66. 89

3 . And he cried with a loud voice, as a lion roars ; and when he had cried, the {cvta thunders uttered their voices.

4. And when the feven thunders had ut- tered their voices, I was about to write ; and I heard a voice from heaven, faying unto me. Seal up the things which the {qvqd. thunders have fpoken, and write them not.

5. And the angel which I faw ftanding upon the fea and upon the earth, lifted up his hand to heaven,

6. And fware by him who liveth for ever and ever, who created the heaven, and the things in it, and the earth, and the things in it, and the fea, and the things in it; That the time Ihall not be yet :

7. But It Jhail he in the days of the voice of the feventh angel, when he fliall be about to found his trumpet, and the myftery of God fliall be fulfilled ; as he hath declared the glad tidings to his fervants the pro- phets.

8. And the voice which I heard from heaven fpake with me again, and faid. Go thy way, take the little book, which is open in the hand of the angel who is fianding upon the fea, and upon the earth.

9. And I went away to the angel, faying to him. Give me the little book ; and he faid to me. Take and eat it up ; and it fhall make thy belly bitter, but in thy mouth it fiiall be fweet as honey.

10. And I took the little book out of the hand of the angel, and eat it up; and it

was

9 o The two Witnejfes frophegl [XI. i — 14*

was in my mouth fweet as honey ; but when I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.

r I . And he faith to me. Thou muft again prophecy to, or concerning many people, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

CHAP. XL

I . A N D there was given me a reed, like •^^ a rod ; and the angel ftood faying, Arife and meafure the temple of God, and the altar J and thofe who wor/liip in, or at it.

2. And the court which is without the temple cail out, and meafure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles ; and the holy city lli'all they tread under foot forty- two months.

3. And I will give power unto my two witnelTes ; and they fhall prophecy a thou- fand two hundred and fixty days, clothed in f^kcloth.

4. Thefe are the two olive trees, and the two candlefticks, which ftand before the God of the earth.

5. And if any one will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devou- reth their enemies ; and if any one would injure them hemuft thus be killed.

6. Thefe have power to fliut heaven, fo that no rain may be fhowered down in the

days

XL I —1 4.] TbeJiXtbTrumpei,A.T),6o6,ioiS66. 9 1

days of their prophecy : And they have power over the waters, to turn them to blood; and to fmite the earth with every plague, as often as they will.

7. And when they fhall have iiniflied their teftimony, the wild beail which afcends out of the bottomlefs pit, fhall make war with them ; and (hall overcome them, and kill them,

8. And their dead bodies fiall lie in the ftreet of the great city, which is fpiritually called Sodom and Egypt, where alfo our Lord was crucified.

9. And they of the people, and tribes, and tongues, and nations, &all view their corpfes three days and a half, and fhall not fuifer their corpfes to be laid in graves.

10. And they who dv/ell upon the earth fhall rejoice over them, and make merry, and fliail fend gifts to one another ; becaufe thefe two prophets tormented them who dwell upon the earth.

I I . And after three days and half, the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they flood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon thofe who looked upon them.

12. And they heard a great voice from heaven faying to them. Come up hither. And they afcendcd up to heaven in a cloud ; a. id their enemies looked on them.

13. And in the fame hour there v>^as a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell ; and there v/ere killed in the earth- quake

5 2 An Earthquake at Rome, [XI. 13, 14.

quake kM^n thoufand names of men : And the reft were terrified, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

14. The fecond woe is paft^ behold, the third woe cometh quickly.

This trumpet demands our attention, (i.) To the deilruftion of the cadern Roman empire by the Turks; and, (2.) to the impenitence of the weftern Chrillians, and of the world in general, imder the warning which that deftruftion gave them. After which, (3.) the Lord Jefus ap- pears to his fervant John having [ah ati on \ (4.) orders him to meafure the temple; (5.) gives him an account of his two witneffes, and what ihould befal them ; and (6.) of an earthquake v/hich fliould fall upon the court part of the city of Rome.

I. The deftruftion of the eaftern Roman em- pire by the Turks ; which is reprefented by the loofing cf four evil angels^ who had been bound by the river Euphrftes \ whofe reftraint being taken off, they go forth at the head of a moft formi- dable cavalry, with thundering engines of war, chap. ix. 13 — 19.

That thele words are to be undefftood of the Turks, not the Saracens, many things perfwade us; viz, (i.) their being bound at the great river Euphrates, chap. ix. 14, agrees to the four ful- tanies, or principalities from which the Turkifh nation originated ; not to the Saracens or Arabi- ans, who in a ^zn'it were never bound any where, though they received a limited commiflion, ver. 4. (2.) The Saracen locufts refembled horfes prepa- id to battle^ ver. 7 ; but without fuch a term of fimilitude, this army is expresfly called hcrfemsn, ver. 16; which well agrees to the Turkifli ar- mies.

IX. 1 3 — i<^.~\ThefiXthTrumpet,A,T> .^oG.toi'^GS. ^^

mies, which are fllil fo remarkable for their nu- merous cavalry •, and whofe fuccefs againft the Roman emperor feems to be predided, Dan. xi, 40 — 43. At the tme of the end of the Roman empire, the king of the fouth ; viz, the Saracens, Jhall pujh at him and wound him ; and afterwards the king of the norths that is, the Turks, who were originally of the Scythians, and came from the north, fio all come againfi him ^ like a whirlwind, with chariots^ and with horfemen^ and with many flsips : And he jhall enter into the countries^ andfhall overflow and pafs over. He fijall enter alfo into the glorious land of Ifrael ; and 7nany countries fljall be overthrown : But thefe fhall efcape out of his hand^ Edom^ and Moab^ and the chief of the children of Ammon -, whole countries are now pofleffed by the Arabians, who the Turks could never con- quer. He fhall ftretch forth his hand alfo upon the countries •, and the land of Egypt fhall not ef- cape: But he pall have power over the treafures of goldy and offilver \ and over all the precious things- of Egypt : And the Lybians and the Ethiopians in Africa 7^^// be at hisjleps. The prophet Ezekiel alfo fpeaks of them under the fame name oihorfe- men, clothed with all forts of 2.rmQm\c\\-^^. xxxviii. 4, 5, and xxxix. 20 j for this is the fame people who will come up againft Judea, after the Jews are returned to their own land ; as we fliall fee under the fixthvial, chap. xvi. 12 — 16. (3.) Their colours, which were a fiery red, blue, and yellow ver. 17, fpeaks this army Ottoman, not Saracen. (4.) The ufeof fire arms, cannon, and military ord- nance, which are fuppofed to be referred to in thefe words, out of their mouths proceeds fire, fncke and brr,nftone,Yzx. 17, confines our thought here to the Turks ; for gun-powder was but little ufed in war till about the year 1342, which was after

94 ^beTurksdefiroy theEafternEmpire.\yK, 1 3 — 19.

the Saracen empire was broken to pieces : But by means of this invention the Turks took Conflan- tinople A. D. 1453 » ^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^^^^ known that thele horfemen trampled down, and put a final end to the Roman empire, here called the third fart of men, vtY. i8; which is the conftant de- scription of that empire under the four firft trum- pets, chap. viii. 7 — 12. Thofe four trumpets fliook down the Latin cr Weftern empire; and the fifth had greatly weakened the eaftern or Conftan- tinopolitan part of it, by the incurfions of the Saracens : Yet they would not take warning j therefore their time comes totally to fall by ano- ther enemy.

To prepare the way for this deflruclion, when the fixth angel had founded, John heard a voice frcTii the four horns of the altar, that is, from each of them, or from among them. This voice came not from the brafen altar of atonement, but from the golden altar of incenle which is before God % on which our Lord had offered the prayers and in- terceffions of his people, chap. viii. 3. Aaron offered incenfe in the tabernacle, not for Heathen nations, but for thellVaelof God, Excd.xxx. lO; and Chriil fays of his own people, I pray for them, I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hafl given me -, for they are thine, John xvii, 9. But this altar, which v/as eredled on behalf of God's people, in great indignation againil an em- pire of hypocritical Chriftians, feenis to cry to the angel who had founded this trumpet-, faying. As God has given the eie<51: angels as well as to fants on carrh, a dominion over beings of their own rank and nature, v/ho live in enmity to him- felf 5 fo, the time which infinite wifdom had fixed for this work being arrived, to thee it is command- ed, Locfe the four evil angels j who, like the princes

of

IX,i3 — ig.']1heJxthTrumpeiyA.'D.6vj6^toiS66.g5

of the kingdoms of Perfia and Media, Dan. x. 13, 20, (under the prince and God of this worlds John xii. 31. 2 Cor, iv. 4.) prefide over the four lul- tanies, or Turkifh principalities, which were foun- ded at Bagdat, Damafcus, Aleppo and Iconium between A. D. 1055 and 1080 ; all of them bor- dering upon the great river Euphrates. Thefe angels had been bound, or rellrained from lead- ing forth the Turks to extend their conquefts fur- ther than the neighbourhood of that river for many- years ; particularly by the Croifades, thofe mur- therousexpeditions of the Chriftians, into the holy land, in the eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth cen- turies. But when an end was put to thefe unholy wars of the Chriftians, the four angels were loofed A. D. 128 1, and fuffered to follow their own pro- penfions in plundering and deftroying the Chrif- tians.

The Turks had long been prepared to exe- cute this defign any day^ hour^ month and yem\ in which God iliould permit them to follow their ambitious aims, ver. 15 : But, underftanding thefe times prophetically, fome begin them A. D. loc^"]^ when Tangrolipix the Turk was inveiled with the imperial robe upon his taking Bagdat, and €nd-them, A. D. 1453, when Conftantinople v*'as taken. Or, if inftead of ending, we begin them at tl:^e year 145:?, they will end not far from the year 1849, about which time fome have expeded the period of papal ufurpations. But, waving fpeculations, the text requires us to begin them from the time v/hen the four angels were loofed from the ri'^er Eupiirates, whichvvas in 1281: Add to this a prophetic year, or 360 years-, a month 30 years; and a day one year, and the Whole 391 years contains the exad*: time in which the Turks were to flay the third, part of men, \h.\l is of the Greek Roman empire : And this

added

^6 Turks dejiroy the Roman Empire. [IX. 13 — 1 9,

added to 1281 brings ns to A. D. 1672, at which time, lays bllhop Newton, the laft of their con- quefts was gained over the Chriilians, by taking Cameniec from the Poles. And though no no- tice is here taken of the hour, or fifteen daysj when Chriftianity Ihall more illuminate the eaft, probably as great exadnefs will be difcovered with refpeft to theday^ as has been already obferved in the year which put an end to their vidories; viz, 1672. Since that time the Ottoman affairs have been vifibly declining, efpecialiy fo in their late war with the Ruffians : Yet we fhall hereafter find, that the Turkifh empire will not be finally brought down, till the lixth vial is poured out under the feventh trumpet, after the Jews are brought back to their own land •, though they will ceafe to be Mahometans before that time.

The means of their viftoryare further defcribed ver. 16 — 19 ; The 7imnber of all the armies^ which were fucceffiveiy led into the field againft the Chriilians, during the 391 years of the Turkifh conquefts was t-zvo hundred millions. Xerxes, the fourth king of Perfia, after Cyrus (who by his jirength, through riches, Jiirred up all againft the realm of Grecia, Dan, xi. 2.) brought the largeft army together which the world ever faw at one time, by fea and land; viz, 5,283,220 men, as Herodotus reckons them : But the divine omnifci- ence foretold that, at different times, 200,000,000 ■would be employed in thefe expeditions. And I heard the ?iumber of the?n ; not indeed from the principal of thole four evil angels, w^ho was t3 lend them on to the war ; who would have beea ready enough to boafl of fuch a number to im- ploy againfl the Chriilians, if he had known it ; but he knew not their number, till he had read this prophecy. But John heard their number,

either

IX. 13 — i().]SixihTrumpef,A.'D.6o6,foi$66. 97

either from the angel who blew this trumpet, or rather from the Lord Jefus Chrift himfclf.

Vcr. 17. And thus If aw the hcrfes in the vifiony and them that fat on them^ having breafi -'plates red zsfire^ light-blue ^%jacin£l, and yellow as brim- fione. The Turks much affed thefe colours; as the whore of Babylon does jnirple and fcarler, chap. xvii. 4 : But obferve, they have left for the followers of the Lamb, the livery of heaven and earth ; viz, the ficy blue, and the living green, as well as the pure white, chap. iv. 3. vii. 14. Ex. xxiv. 10 : And when the iaints have done with their mourning, the wicked fhall put it on to all eternity.

It is added, the heads of their hcrfes were as the heads of lions; and'iheir riders firing their pieces over their horfcs heads, it appeared as if out of their mouths iffued fire^ and f moke ^ and brimfione: And — M-KQ From thefe were the third fart ofjnen kill- ed^ in their different engagements with the Chrif- tians ; out of the fire, and out of the fmoke, and out of the brimfione^ which iffued out of the mouths of their heavy cannon •, for their power is in their mouths, which inforced, in word and deed, the fame curled religion as the Saracens had before them : Nor failed they of fuccefs ; for to all the force of power, they added the craftinefs of the ferpent •, nor could they conceal their relation to the old ferpent, for their tails were like unto fer- pents, and had heads like the Amphifbasna (fo called from its moving either end foremoft •, and with them they do hurt to the Greek church, and indeed to every one to whom they come.

But can fuch a rod of God be ftretched our, for lo many hundred years, almofl in vain .? alas ! the next words inform us,

\\. That the refi of the men, the other two

thirds who were not killed by thefe plagues^ whether

H thcv

9^ Latin Church would not lake fP^arning. [IX.20,2 1 .

they were Heathens or ChriQians ; and particu- larly thole of the Latin, or weOern church, who kave been fpoken of fo much under the four firft of thefe trumpets, thefe walked as men, and amidlt the empty boall of being the only Chrillians, hav- ing long indulged to fuch infernal works as were a daring infult upon that honoured name, the holy Ghofl: may well call them, with an emphafis, Men: For, whilft theie judgments of God were abroad in the earth, neither in the beginning, nor at the end of them repe?Jted they of their works ^ that they Jhould not worjhip Sxifj^onx devils, as the Heathens ; or fuch mediatory gods and god- deflcs, has have been the reproach of Chrilten^ dom ; viz, thofc Mahuzzim the Virgin Mary, laints and angels, to whom the apoilate church of Rome applies as their bulwarks^ guardians and ■prote^ors^ according to the predidlion, 'Dan. xi. 38, 39 i fee p. 57. This was robbing God of the brightcft jewel of his crown, Pj'al. xxvii. i. xxviii. 8. xxxi. 3„ 5,, and xxxvii. q^(^. Yet bcaiheiis and pretended Chriftians ftill perfifted in their '^^orjhip of idols of gold^ and filver, and brafs^ and Jione, and wood; which neither can fee^ nor hear ., Jior walk : And this they did all the time from A. D. 1281 to 1672 •, even while the Lord was punifhing the Greek empire, for thefe as well as other fins: Neither repented //j^j of the Latin Church, any more than the Heathens, of their murders^ committed upon thofe whom they called herericks, and upon their own bafe-born infants (who fell, in awful crouds, thevidtims of papal inhumanity; nor of their forceries^ by pretended miracles and revelati- ons-, nor of their temporal and {^Ww-XS-Apoifonings^ as the word ^*ppaxf<a often fignifies, for which Rome has been fo infamous •, nor of their for- nications, far which this mother of harlots afts as procurcfs. And as this is the firft of the fevep

tim?s

IX.20,2i.] TheJxthTrumpet,A.V.6o6,toiS66. 99

times that the word -jro^vsio, fornication occurs in this boolc, as applied to Rome papal ; and this word properly fignifies the lewdncfs of an unmarried peribn, fuffer me to fay, the bible is the wrong place for this whore to look into, for a certificate of her marriage with the Lord Jefus : On the contrary he here difclaims her j and all her pro- geny, as hers, are baftards and not fons. And what has fhe to do in his houle, who has been fo intimate with the dragon ? Accordingly Rome is reprefented in this prophecy by Sodom and Ba- bylon, chap. xi. 8. andxvi. 19 •, neitherof which were ever married to God, or could therefore be guilty of fpiritual adultery. It is added, nor repented they of their thefts, which they had committed by means of their priefls, their pardons and purga- tory, ver. 20, 21 : For God, in righteous ven- geance, fent them Jtrong deluftons, which hold them faft to this fatal hour, that they fhould be- lieve a lie ; that they all might be damned, who be- Heve not the truth, but have ■pleafure in unrighte- oufnefs, 2 T^heff. ii. 1 1, 12.

Of vvhat a hardening nature is fm ! and how horrible the moral ruin which has deluged the world ! Therefore nothing has hitherto appeared under thefe two woe trumpets ; viz, from A. D. 606 to 1672, but defolation and deftruftion to the fouls and bodies of men, except the reilric- tive claufes under the former trumpet, in favor of the men who have the feal of God in their foreheads : Yet the Lord lives and loves ; and the great head of the church is ftill in office faving fouls, in fpite of fatan's rage : And even whilft fl-orms of divine vengeance are falling upon peo- ple and nations, every eye of faith {^(^% and adores him, through all the darkfome fcene.

But before I enter upon theconfideration of thofe

works of grace, which are publifhed under this trum-

H 2 pet.

100 Chrifi appears to kis fervant J ohft. [X. ly

pet, I muft obferve ; that, though the angel who founded this trumpet, will be employed, withother angels, in miniftering to God's earthly witneffe^^ during the whole of their 1260 years, Heb. i. 14 ; yet not a word more is faid of him under this trumpet, after he has loofed the four angels, ver. 14: For though angels have a minifterial domi- nion over the devils ; yet the works of grace arc too mighty for them, as v/ell as for us ; falvatioH lelongeth only unto the Lord. At the fame time, as the found of the trumpet is an alarm of war, Jer. iv. 19, fo, as far as the external miniftry of this angel is employed in founding this trumpet, re- fpeding the Turks we muft reckon the time of it as before mentioned, viz, from A. D. 1281 to 1672 ; fee p. 69 : Yet ftridly fpeaking, the time of a trumpet, muft be the time which all thofe events take up which fall under it ; which under this trumpet is 1260 years, as we {hall fee when we come to the ti?ne of the witnefles. Therefore pafiing away from this adlion of the angel,^ ob- ' ferve,

III. Our Lord appears to his fervant John, for his and our comfort ; fee chap. x. throughout. Ver. I. And I faw another mighty angel \ (for Chrift, being ftill m.ediator between God and xxsy will wear this name angel i\\\ the day of judgment) come down from heaven-, for Chrift muft come down, or there can be no good work going on upon earth, John xv. 5 : We afcend as our Lord defcends ; and he muft come very low, if we rife very high. Thus he came dov/n to begin to the reformation from popery, A. D. 151 7i which had made confiderable progrefs by the year 1672 above named ; at which time king Charles IL gave a general indulgence to the Englifli noncon- formifts. — lie came clothed zvith a cloudy the ufual emblem of the Divine Prefcnce j which yet con- cealed

X. 2 .] The/ixth trumpet, A. D. 606, /<? 1 8 66. i o i

cealed him both from faints and finners — and a rainbow, which furrounded the throne of his fa- ther, was alfo upon his head ; to afTure us that he is ever mindfull of all the articles of his well or- dered covenant ; fee chap. iv. 3. — And his face was bright and glorious as the fun ; and his feet as pillars of fire, ready to confume what he trampled upon, chap. i. 15, 17. Mai. iv. f, 2. ' Ver. 2. And he had in his hand, not a book as large as the bible, nor yet ^i^Xxov, as large as the whole revelation of this prophecy, chap. v. i ; but (3(€Aa^j(Jiov a very little book open \ which, pro- bably contained an iliuilration of the great defigri of the three woe-trumpets, which ferve as a key to the whole revelation. And this book now lay open in Chrift's hand, to intimate that this revela- tion, which was in fa6l but little ftudied from the fourth century till after the reformation from po- pery, fhould be much better underftood under this trumpet ; efpecially after the Turks hadcom- pleated thofe vicStories over the eaftern Roman empire, A. D. 1672, which are predidedin the preceding verfes. And he firft majefticallyy^"^' his right foot upon the fea, out of which the firft beall arofe, chap. xiii. i ; and afterwards his left on the earth, out of which the fecond beaft afcended, ver. 1 1, and to which, as a flar, the pope defcen- ded, chap. ix. i ; thus keeping all his enemies by fea and land under his feet.

g, 4. And in this folemn attitude, fo exprefllve of his boundlefs authority and dominion, he cried with a loud voice, as lion roars. And when he had cried, feven thunders uttered their awful voices ; and when the feven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write : And I heard a voice frcy,i heaven faying unto me. Seal up in thy own breafl thofe things which the feven thunders uttered, and write them net : Therefore it would be in vain to H 3 conjcdure

1 o 2 Stands on theSea and Land with an openBook,[X..2 .'

conjedure, whether they contained an explana- tion of the feven trumpets; or an account of fevcn grand and awful events which were to occur un- der this trumpet. Suffice it that the church of God, does, or fhall know as much about them, as its all-gracious Head defigned they Ihould : And if any thing which thefe thunders uttered, would be ufeful for us to know at prefent, it is as certainly fome other way revealed, as the fub- ftance of Chrift's converfation with his difciples going to Emmaus, is found in other fcriptures, Luke xxiv. 27. Yet as thunder is a loud voice of God in the heavens, Pfal. Ixxvii. 18-, if the Lord fhould hereafter pleafe to reveal by his works, what he has not here by his wordy poflibly the future church of God may be able to point out feven awful attacks made upon the man of fin, between A. D. 1672 and 1866: And to their confidera- tion, I fubmit it, whether the expulfion of the Je- fuitsA. D. 1773, and the earthquake at Rome chap. xi. 13, may or may not be two of them.

5, 6, 7. And the angel which I f aw ft and upon the fea and upon the earth, in fuch a pofture of majefty and grace, lifted up his hand to heaven, as he had done before in the fight of Daniel, when fpeaking of thefe times, Dan. xii. 7 •, and /ware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created hea- ven and the things which are therein, ayid the earth ■and the things in it, and the fea and the things in it j thus calling his Father, as Lord of all to witnefs, that pi^povor ovx jo-tki ni, the time fo much defired,, and fo defirable, v^^hich was to put an end to Po-- pery and Mahomecanifm /jo^^/^ not be yet \ yet the timeiox concealing this myHtry, fiall be no longer than to the end of this trumpet : For in the days cf the voice of the feventh angel, when he fhall b^ about to found, the myftery of God, which has fo long amazed the world, whilft wrapt in awful

darknefs,

i. 2.} The Sixlh trumpet, A. D. 606^ to 1866. 103

darkncfs, under the preceding trumpets even this myftery, that a being of every perfedion, fhould fuffer fuch infernal abominations as Popery and Mahometanifm, to abufe his immortal creatures jfor fo long a time J^jall be Jinijhed ; according as he hath declared one part or other of it to hisfervants the prophets. When that trumpet founds, every believing eye fhall trace the riches and fovereignty of divine grace ; when the Jews are brought back to their own land, according to the following prophecies, Ifa. xi. 10 — 16. xxx. 19. xliii. 5, 6. xlix. 1 4 — 26. andlxvi. 6 — 1 6. Jer. x vi. 14, 1 5. xxxi. 4 — 12. andxxxiii.23 — 26.Ezek.xv1.52 — ^3' 7^^^ iii. throughout. Jmos ix. 11 — 15. Hof. 'm. 4, 5. Zeph. iii. 8, ig^ 20. Rom.xi.is-, 26. When the numerous promifes of the converfion of the Gen- tiles are fulfilled ; and when the man of fm fhall be deftroyed, according to the following predic- tions, £2^-^. xxxviii and xxxix. 2TheJf.\\.6 — 10 ; the times of which had been before pointed out to the prophet Daniel, chap. viii. 13, 14. and xii. 7—12.

^ — 1 1 . And the voice which I heard from heaven^ ordering me not to write what the feven thun- ders had uttered, fpake with me again, and /aid ; Go thy way, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel, who is Jianding upon the fea and upon the earth -, that book, written in heaven, and fo long concealed there, now lying open in his hand, tells thee that the time is come, when he will make known his fecrets to his fervants, that they may prepare to meet him, in the way of his vengeance and grace. By this order emboldened I went immediately to this angel (as we muft now, go to Chrift, if we would know any thing to good purpofe about the book of revelation :) And as I approached, a countenance of tendernefs gave frefh courage to my heart •, therefore / faid um$ H 4 hinif

104 John is ordered to eat the Book. [X. 9,

him, give me the little book : And he jaid to me^ Take and eat it up. Juft lb my fervants will do under the fixth trumpet •, for though the Synod of Thouloufe will deprive them of my word, A. D. 1228, yet when Wickliffe has publifhed my hon- ours to a gazing world, A. D. 1380; and when I have difcovered to them the art of printing, A. D. 1450, Prov. viii. 12 ; like hungry men long de- tained from their neceflary food, fo will my hum- ble followers feize this inftrumental bread of life, when it is before them, efpecially after I have, at the reformation from popery, A. D. 15 17, refcued the key of knowledge from the impious hands which had fecreted it from them.

And I have appeared to thee with this little book open in my hands, after the account of the firft woe of this trumpet is finifhed, to affure thee, ihatafter that time particularly; viz, A. D. 1672, I will hold this book open in my hands, for thofe of my fervants who defire to read it. Yet this book will have this effetft upon thee, and upon all my fervants, who fhall ever ftudy it, before the things therein contained are accomplifhed; it fiall make thy belly bitter ; but it jh all be in thy mouth fweet as honey. But not difcouraged by this, fays our apoille, I took the little book out of the angel'' s hand., and eat it up ; as others of God's prophets had done before me, that word which was given to them, Jer. xv. 16. Ezek. ii. 8. and iii. i, 2, 3 : And "nKiI^ I was eagerly reading it, // was, fweet in my mouth as honey ; but when I had eaten it., meditating upon its contents, my belly was bitter.

And he [aid tome., Take carethat neither the joy,, nor the forrow of thefe difcoveries, may drink up thy fpirits-, for, old as thou art, thou muji again pro- pkefy, or preach ; which is in fa6l prophefying to every man that hears thee, what will be his own prefent and eternal ftate, according as he does, or

do^s

X. 9.] Thefixth Trumpet, A. D. 606^ to 1866. J05

does not receive the meffages with which I fend thee i fo preaching wasca]led/'r<?p^^j5'^>/^^^''^ in England, Ia queen Elizabeth's days ; and that word leems to fignify the exercifes of religion in general in I Sam. xix. 20. i Chron. xxv. 2, 3. and Matt, vii. 22. — Nor let the man honoured with my vifits and revelation, fhrink back from the fervice, or indulge to impious timidity ; for my work muft be done -, and 1 will help thee to prophefy tort to, upon, and concerning many ■people, and. nations, and tongues^ and kings. And this no doubt he did literally, in many parts of Afia, after he v/as returned to Ephefus from Patmos ; where he had lain by to fit him for further fervice ; and that whether he lived four, fix, or twenty four years after this time, as is differently con- jedlured. He probably prophefied too, by writ- ing his gofpel the next year; viz, A. D, 97: And his three epiftles, 1 apprehend, were written about the fame time \ at lead nothing certain to the contrary appears.

And Chrift's minifters in general have ftudied this book to purpofe, if they are the more ani-r mated thereby, by every method within their reach, to fpread the blefTings of that gofpel, v/hich has been already teftified to many people, (efpecially fince A. D. 1672; when the firft part of the woe of this trumpet was finifhed) and which thefe words, as falling under the fixth trumpet, affure us will be yet more teftified to different tongues and kings before A. D. 1866; efpecially after A. D. 1816, if the converfion of the Jev/s fhould be then begun. God haften the time when even finners of the higheft rank, fhall hang upon the lips of thofe who bring the glad tidings of the gofpel to them •, and when thefe meffengers of falvation, fhall have no other am- bition thfin that of guiding their feet into the way

of

106 Heiserderediemafareibel'empk. [XI. 1,2;

of everlafling peace, under the eye and band of the great Ihepherd and biifhop of fouls.

And that otir apoftle too might enter upon iffirtjediate work, though he was in Patmos, a vifkmary fcene rofe to his view, as of a church gathered out of thofe people, nations, tongues and kings, who were to be evangelized undcf this trumpet ; and

IV. He is ordered to nfieafure this future tem- ple and its worftiippers, chap. xi. i, 2. And there ^aj given me a reed, no doubt by the Lord Jefus ; whom Ezekiel faw meaforing the temple, which was afterwards to be built at Jerufalcm, chap. xl. 3 : But this reed was fhort, like unto a rod, or the fccpter of a governor. And the angel from whofe hands I received the little book, flood faying, Arife and meafure the temple -, not that at Jerufalem, which was long ago in ruins ; nor will there be any temple for God there all the time of this trumpet ; but meafure the church of God, which is called his iemple^ Zech. vi. 12, 13. Eph. ii. 21. 2TheJf. ii. 4. A^l;. iii. 12. — And the altar-, for the wor- Ihip of my people, in all ages, muft have a ref- pe6t to a facrifice of atonement : And them that worjhip therein. This meafuring was to teach us, (i.) That the perfedbions of God will never fo far connive at any degeneracy of the times, as to accept of any doctrines, perfons or worfhip which fall fhort of the llandard which himfelf has efta- blifhed ; for I change not, faith the Lord. And, (2.) This meafure or ftandard, is to be eftimated by the writings of the prophets and apoftles, Eph, ii. 20. God help his minifters faithfully to re- gard this.

But the court which is without the temple, that great court, 2 Chron. iv. 9, the outer court, Ezek, X. 5, which was feparated from the fanfluary, leave outy and meafure it not 5, for it is given to

thofe

XI, 1, 2.] theftxth Trumpet, A,D. 606, tai $66. 107

thofe Gentiles who dwell in the environs of the temple. If this court had been to be meafured, a longer rod would have been given him : But this court was only a paffage to good men (who will be meafured when they come into the tem- ple, and before the altar,) whilft carnal profeflGjrs of religion meet and flay there ^ and, as if they had no bufinefs with the heavenly King, give tbac honour to his fuppofed atetndants and courtiers which is due to himfclf alone. But, whilft they are mutually applauding each others idolatries in this court, the holy Ghoft calls them Gentiles -, and this outer court is exprefsly given ta them under that name ; fee Pfal. lix. 5, 8. Luke xxi. 24 : And how applicable this name Gentiles is to the Papifts, may be feen in Dr. Middleton's letter from Rome ; which fhews the exadt conformity between popery and paganifm, or that the religion of the prefent Romans is derived from that of their Heathen anceftors ; fee further on this fubjedt at chap, xiii. 2, and in Delaune's Flea for the Nonconfor" mifts.

How then can Protectants call thofe Chriftians, who worfhip faints, angels and irn^es ? Are they wifer, or will they be more charitable, than God himfelf? Alas! fuch baftard charity is real en- mity to God and men ♦, (and fuch is aifo that cha« r-ity which is now fo refolutcly demanded, for thofe doctrines among us which lead over to Rome) nor can popery come down, till we have the piety, the zeal, and (I muft add) the modefty to think and fpeak of it, and its abettors, as God himfelf has.

And the holy city fhall they tread under foot forty two months ; that is, the Papifts and Mahome- tans, having the outer court of the temple given them, in the eaft and weft 5 the former Ihall tread

down

fo8 I'be holy City trodden under Foot. [XI. 2.

down the weftern church, that city of God, Pfal. ?:lvi. 4.andlxxxvii.3.i?fi;. iii. i2,duringthewhole time of this trumpet ; and the latter, viz, the Ma- hometans will tread Jurufalem, which is exprefsly called the holy city, Ifa. lii. i. Matt. iv. 5, under thtlY feet, for the fame 1260 years; viz, from A. D. 606 to 1866 ; whilft their own inhabitants are driven out into the wildernefs for fafety ; the Jews by the juft judgment of God, and Prote- ftants by the unrighteous perfecution of their enemies.

Agreeable to ancient prophetic language, thefe 1260 years are called forty two months, ver. 2 : So thirty years before Ifrael's deftruftion by the AfTyrians, the prophet Hofeafaid, chap. v. 7. Now Jhalla month devour them with their portions ; un- lefs thofe words mean only, that their deftruftion will be thirty years in the effeding, before it is compleated. So thirty years before our Lord entered upon his public miniftry, which was a dark month to the Jews, the Lord fpiritually cut off thofe three fhepherds, the prince, theprieft and the prophet, Zech.xi. 8-, fee ver. 12, 13, and ver. 3, of the preceding chapter: For there could be no legal ]Qwi(h prophet, priejl or king, when Chrift himfelf adually became all thefe to his people, except fuch prophets only as himfelf faw proper to employ, to inform the world that he was really come. But whilft many afFe(5ted one or other of thefe characters, in thofe days of general expedla- tion i and fome even procured a venal prieft- hood, our Lord fays of all thefe three fhepherds. My foul lothed them, and their foul alfo abhorred me.

In like manner, the times here fpoken of being

called months, in oppofition to the 1260 days of

the two witnelfes, intimates the comparative dark-.

nefs which will be both upon the Papifts an4

J Mahometans

XI. 2.] TbeJixibTrumpet,A.D.6o6,to iS66. 109

Mahometans all this time 5 whilft the fun of righteoufnefs continues to be a ftranger to their wretched horizon, and they only enjoy fuch dif- ferent degrees of its refledted light, as their cruel leaders allow them : The confequence of which muft be, they will be morally cold, whilft fym- bolizing with the ancient Jews, and efpecially with the Heathens in their idolatrous worlliip ; which will ftill wax and, wane as the Moon, not- withftanding their vain boaft of uniformity.

This 1260 years defolation of the holy city, is the fame length of time, as Daniel's time, times and half aiimty chap. xii. 7. Rev. xii. 14, which is the time of the beaft's continuance, chap. xiii. 5 j- and the fame as the 1260 years of the two wit- neffes ; with which laft they coincide, and there- fore will end with them, A. D. 1866, as will be fhewn under the next head — But this leads me,

V. To the account of the two witnejfes^ ver. 3 — 12. And here it muft be enquired, who are thefe witneffes ? What is their commiflion and employment ? The time of their miniftry ? And what is to befal them after they have finilhed their teftimony ?

I . Who are thefe witneffes ? Anf, They can- not be two individuals ; for as no man was ever fuffered to continue 1260 years by reafon of deaths Heb. vii. 23, fo they are exprefsly called two dif- tin<5t candlefiicks^ or churches, ver. 4. chap. i. 20. They cannot be the Jevvifti and Chriftian churches, for there will be no Jewifti church, properly, fo called, during the whole time of their pro- phecy : Nor can they be the Proteftant churches only i for, however thefe may be diftinguiflied in other refpef^s, they are all but one as a witnefs againft popery : Yet Proteftant churches in gene- ral are, no doubt, one of thefe candlefticks, or witneffes i and, I apprehend, the Greek church

1 1 o The two Wititefes Prophefy, [XI. 3, 4.

is the other ; the former to witnefs againft popery (as the mz-ny people^ nations^ tongues and kings do, who are evangelized under this trumpet, chap. X. II.) and the latter againft mahometanifm. Thefe are the two abominations which are ex- prefsly mentioned under this, and the preceding trumpet ; and againft which of them is it that the Lord will leave himfelf without witnefs ? fee Gen. xxxi. 48. Deut. xvii. 6. John i. 7. A^ls i. 8. Heh, xii. i. and if there are Chriftians, real or no- minal, in the eaft, as well as in the weft, it is im- poffible but that they fhould bear witnefs againft: the delufion that reigns there : And the woman, the church, borne on the great eaftern and wef- tern wings of the Roman eagle, chap. xii. 14, who is in different views, the fucceffor of thefe wit- neftes, and the fame with them under another name, exprefsly dircfts us to look for them both in the eaft and weft ; over both of which it is well known that eagle fpread its wings.

But to furnifh thefe churches to be witnefies for God, they muft have their minifiers to teach, and magifirates to guard them ; and thefe are here reprefented by two dive trees^ growing by the two candlejiicks, and continually feeding them with oil, that they may not go out, ver. 4 : Such were Jojhua the high Prieft and Zerubbabel the governor, thofe fons of oil, who ftood before the God of the earth, on the right and left fide of the Jewifh church or candleftick, Zfri'. iv. n — 14. Hel).

Hereobferve, (i.) each of thefe two witneffes is threefold ; viz, the church, with its magifirates^ and minifiers, who are to fupply each candleftick with oil ; therefore in all the number is the fame with the three who bear witnefs in heaven and in iarth, I Johnw. 7, 8 •, and (if I may without blaf- phemy name them together) the whole number

makes

makes a third fwsive, who teftify the fame thing as the (welve tribes of Ifrael, and the (zv^h^e apoi^ tics of the Lam

(2.) As God has faid to his people,^// things an yours, 2iVid for your fakes, i Cor, iii. 2 1, fo miniftem ^nd magiltrates then only anfwer their end, when in the difcharge of their rcfpedive offices, they fur- nifh the church with pure olive oiU And if either o| them, either withholds this oil, or fuppiies the can- 41eftick with the poifoned oil which refult-s from a worldly carnalfpirit, h^lhall bear his fin and (ham* whoever he is; for he is cmel as a man who puts out the fire of a light- houfe in a dark night, whichmay occafion the moft fatal fliip-wracks — -But whert thefe inftrunients are ever fo faithful to God, left they fhould think they can effed any thing favmg without him, it was cried to them long ago, mi by the might of the magiftrates fword, or by any army he can bring into the field ; nor by xht power of the minifter's learning, oratory, wealth or in- ftuence, is the work of falvation to be efFe<5bed ; but by my Spirit, faith the Lord, aduating thctn both for my own praife, Zecb, iv. 6 •, fee alfo 2 Cor. X. 4, 5 : This is the oil they are to poffefs •, that they may minifterially communicate it for the good of the church.

(3.) The Lord planted thefe two olive trees, as far diftant from each other as poflible, to anfwer their one end, which was that of fup- plying the candleftick with oil ; and when ever the church and ftatecome into cont^d, they neither of them, properly {peaking^ Jland before the God of the earth, ver. 4; and if they do not fpeedily become as the trees of the wood, or poifon-trees ; yet, being planted too clofe together, neither of them, can poffibly yield the fame quantity of oil as they did before : Therefore the light of the can- dlellick mufl: either go out, or be fupplied with

ofFenfive

ill The Protejiant and Greek Churches. [XI. 3, &€••

ofFenfive oil : The church of God will profper as foon as ever this is believed.

Thus, in fome meafure magiftrates, minifters and churches have united their teftimony againft popery in the weft •, and in the eaft ; the Greek church too, with their minifters and magiftrates, teftified againft Mahometanifm, till Conftantino- ple was taken by the Turks, A. D. 1453 • ^^^ are any of thefe wholly wanting now in Ruffian And though the account which Sir Paul Rycauty Dr. Smith, and Mr. Sandys give of the eaftern Chriftians, fhews them to be fi,mk in ignorance and irreligion ; yet in the times when they came neareft to popilh fuperftition and blindnefs, they were ftill fufficient witnefies againft Mahometa- nifm. Weknowby what a contemptible inftrumenc God rebuked the madnefs of that prophet Balaam,-" 2 Pet. ii. 16: And to the blind people ivho have eyes, and the deaf who have ears -, even to thofe- who had not called upon God., but been weary of him, he fays, Te are my witneffes, faith the Lord ; and efpecially fo my fervant whom I have chofen,- Ifa. xliii. 8, 10, 22. And whatever the minifters or members of the Greek church in Turkey are, the money which theypay the grand Seignior,forliber- ty to beof that religion, is to thisday a wicnefs againft that ftiameful impofture : Nor are they lefs credi- ble witnefTes againft it, than many Proteftants in England againft popery, whofe wicked princi- ples and practices are haftening its return, while they vainly teftify againft it.

Dr. Allix and many others have proved, that in the darkeft times of popery, the Lord never left himfelf without witnefs againft the different parts of that grievous abomination : Nor can we doubt of the fame withrefpedl to Mahometanifm, though the fair beams of fcience and literature are now fo beclouded in the caft, that we cannot

trace

XI. 3»4-] "thefixth trumpet, A . D. 5o6, /-? 1 8 66: i ty

trace his witnefs there with the h'v/- exaflnefs ai in the weft. Both of them havepropheiied, and ftiil continue, holh. in 2iV\<\ b) lhc\\' fackc'oth.

2. The commiillon and employment cf thefe witnefles, ver. 3, 5, '6. I will give it; or, fup- plying a word from ver. 6. / will give powr^" to my two witnej/es ', and they Jhall proyhefy 1260 days, clothed in fackcloth. So profelTors of every name are called to .vitnefs for God, in word and deed, by their fpirit and converfation ; and even by their blood, when ever it; becomes neceflary. But though the life of every true Chriftian is a prophefy of heaven and hell to the righteous and the wicked, it is efpecially given to minifters amongft them to prophecy or teach •, and to qua- lify them for this work, they are called to Jland before the God of the earth, ver. 4 : And when they do fo, efpecially in conjun6lion with the church and their magiftrates, they have power, by their prayers, tojhut heaven that it rain not in the days of their prophecy, as Elijah did, i Kings xvii. j •, and have power over waters to turn them to blood, as Mofesdid, Exod.vu. 8 — 12 ; or over peoples and nations to counterad their defigns, as tar as is for God's glory. Rev. xvii. 15 : Andto fmite the earth with all plagues^ as often as they will, ver. 6. But good men only have this power •, and they have it when God immediately gives it : Yet they might have it more frequently, if they walked more clofely with God, ver. 3, 6. But, though we need no excitements to ufe thole temporal powers which diftinguifh and dignify us; through their remaining corruption, God's fervants need many arguments, to engage them to ufe Liieir power with him by prayer. Jam, v. 17, 18.

It is required of fewards, and of thole who are

witneffes of eternal life and death to men, thct

a man be found faithfiiU i Cor. iv. 2 : And if God's

witnefles are fo in word and deed, and will rather

I vi.ld

1 1 4 The EffeBs of their Minifiry on others . [XI . 5 — 10.

yield up their lives than his truths, or the fpiritu- ality and purity of Chriftian difcipline and worfhip, they cannot but torment them that dwell on the earthy vzx. 10 •, whofe unworthy attachment to ieen things makes them unwilling, in thought and afFeftion, to change their element : But as the Lord never fubpoenas witnelTes, without bearing their expences in delivering their teftimony, and finally rewarding their unfhaken fidelity ; lb if any man will hurt them, the fire of God's word, and particularly of his awful threatnings, proceeds out cf their mcuth and devours their enemies, as fire de- vours wood, Jer. V. 14; deftroying their prefent peace in the way of fin, and cutting oflf all their future hopes, while they perfift in their rebellion againll God : For wickednefs, which makes men as dry ftubble, burneth as the fire ; it Jhall devour the briers and thorns (that is, the wicked, 7, Sam. xxiii. 6,) and kindle in the thickets of the forejls; ayid they fhall mount up, like the lifting up offmoke, to warn others, Ifa. ix. 18. They carry indeed no carnal weapons about them, though the magi- ftrate is ordered to ufe thefe for their defence ; but if dny man zvill injure them, let him look to himlelf, he mujl in this manner be killed, that is, not tern.- porally in common cafes, but fpiritually, accord- ing to, and by, that word of God to which he refufes to be in fubjedlion, ver. 5.

3. The time of their miniilry, which is 1260 days, ver. 3. The word day tells us that it is day with them, (for they teftify that which they have feen and heard -,) whilft the nightly moon alone gives light to their enemies, for the fame length of time, ver. 2. Tiiere we took it for granted, but mull here prove, that thefe 1260 days fignify years — And, not to fay how improbable it is that the holy Ghoft fliould predi6l a teftimony of ma^ giUrates, minifters, and vaft crouds <:y^ inferior

witnelTes

XI. 3-] "TheftxtbTrumpet^A.Ti.Soe.toi^Ge. 115

witnenfes in the church, who were only to conti- nue three 3/ears and a half; the very continuance of thefc churches, to witnefs againft Popery and Mahometanifin for To great a part of the 1260 years already, fcarce leaves a doubt but that the whole of that time was defigned to be foretold. And to this agrees the language of other fcriptures, Pfal. xc. 12. So teach us to number our days^ &c. Numb. xiv. 34. After the number of the days, in which ye fearched the land, even forty days ; each day for a year, fhall ye bear your iniquity, even forty years. So Ezekiel was to lie on his right and left fide a day for a year, to bear the iniquities of Judah and Ifrael, chap. iv. 4 — 8. After the fame manner are Daniel's 2300 days to be computed ; chap. viii. 14; his feventy weeks, chap. ix. 24; and his 1290 and 1335 days, chap. xii. 11, 12. When aftrOnomy was but little underftood, twelve months, of thirty days each were reckoned for a year : And it is generally apprehended that thofe 1260 days fliould be reckoned fo many proper -years-, though the real or Julian year is now found to be 365 days, five hours, and 49 minutes; which feems the more probable, as times fignify years, Dan. iv. 16, 23, 25. and xi. 13. Heb; and as the holy Ghoft calls a period of exadiy the fame length as this, a time, times, and half a time. Rev. xii. 14; that is a year, two years, and half a year; or, in other words, 360, 720 and 180 days, or 1260 in all. I fee therefore no folid reafan for adding the eighteen years, which fome have propof-d, on account of the different computa- tion of the prophetic and the real year.

But we muit further enquire when thefe 1260 years began, that we may know nt v/hat time they will conclude. And here it would be eafy to prove, that the two witnefles prophefied before A. D. 1281, v/hen this fixth angel announced the I 2 firft

1 1 6 ^he time of the two Wiinejfes. [XI . 3 ,

firfl: woe of this trumpet, by loofing the four angels who were bound by the river Euphrates, chap. ix. 14, 15 : And as the account of the witnelTes fuc- ceeds the account of the Turkifh woe of this trumpet •, fo after that woe is concluded, our Lord not only fpeaks of his witnelTes as ftill in office, but particularly predicts the power which he will give them after, A. D. 1672, when that woe concludes. But though this ftill leaves us at a lofs when to begin their 1260 years, other confiderations offer themfelves to oblige us to be- gin them from A. D. 606, when the fifth trum- pet founded, to open thefe two abominations. Popery and Mahometanifm, upon the world.

To prepare the way for the proof of this, ob- ferve, that the woe part of every trumpet ftands eiTentially diftinguilhed from that grace of God on the hearts of men, which is difplayed under it : And if the firft feal extends to the end of the world •, and the religious part of the third trum- pet, takes up more than t\\t fectdar time of the four firll trumpets -, there can be no impropriety in beginning the religious part of the fixth trum- pet, at the fame time with the woe of the fifth : So under the kventh trumpet we Ihall find, chap, xii. 14, that the 1 260 years of the woman's flight into the wildernefs, muft neceffarily be reckoned far back into the times of the fixth trumpet: And as thefe witnelTes are only fpoken of under this trumpet, it is more reaibnable to go backward into the 150 years of the fifth trumpet, (in which time we are fure they both lived and prophefied,) than to advance 150 years forward into the time of the feventh trumpet ; when we fhall find them raifed up to heaven, ver. 1 2 -, which forbids us to extend their times into the time of the feventh trumpet.

XI. 3-] TbeftxthTrumpet^ A.D.606, to 1866. 1 17

We therefore reckon their times, not from A. D. 756 to 2016, but from A. D. 606 to 18661 For, ( 1 .) It was not poflible for good men to for- bear teftifying, both againft Popery and Maho- metanifm, as foon as they difcovered them : And the feal of God, which was firll faid to be fet upon the faints in Conftantine's time, chap, vii, and is mentioned again under the fifth trumpet, chap. ix. 4; viz, from A. D. 606 to j^^^ necelfanly made them witncfles for God ; though this name is not exprefsiy given them till under this trum- pet. (2.) Mahometanifni, one of the things to be witneffed againft, certainly began A. D. 606 : And though we read of 2i falfe prophet under the feventh trumpet, yet not as a Mahometan •, nor is there the leaft notice taken of Mahometan ihn under that trumpet; therefore the witnefs againft that abomination, which began A. D. 606, muft conclude A. D, 1866: And as they both lie dead together, confequently they muft have begun to- gether, A.D. 606: And the teftimony, as well as the death and refurredion of them both, muft con- clude with this trumpet-, for one of them does fo.

And accordingly the church of God, was divided into the Greek and Latin churches, which are the two witnelTes, near the beginning of the feventh century; See Mofljeini's Eccles, Hijl. vol. \\. p. 591. (3.) If the time of the wit- nefies had coincided with the 1260 years of the beaft; viz, from A. D. 756 to 2016, chap. xii. 14. and xiii. 5 ; nopoflible reafon can beaffigned v.'hy they ftiould not both have been defcribed under the fame trumpet : But nothing being faid of the witnefTes under the feventh trumpet, it is proba- ble their times conclude before that is founded. (4.) Jerufalem feems to be intended by the holy city^ chap. xi. 2 ; but in whatever fenle we take that phrafe, as the holy city cannot be faid to be I 3 trodden

1 1 8 'TheWitneffes Prophecy,fromK.T>. 606,/^ 1 866»

trodden under feet^ when the Jews are returned to their own land, and when the kingdoms of the world are become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Chrifi ; both which events will take place before A.l3. 2016, chap. xi. 15, andxiv. i — 7-, therefore the prophefying of the two witnefies, which fyn- chrcnizes with the trending of the holy city under feet^ chap. xi. 2, 3, mult be finiflied before that year. (5.) The word witnejfes uippofes a caufe litigated, and yetful\judice undecided in the court where they, appear : But after the earthquake at Rome, chap. xi. 13 •, after the dragon is call out of the church chap. xii. 9, and believing Jews and Gentiles are taken in, chap, xiv ; and efpe- cially afrer thepouring out of the vials, chap. xvi. the caufe between Chrift and the beaft will in no fenfe remain undecided : But all thcfe things will occur before A. D. 2016 j therefore the witnelTes mud be fiain, and raifed again b:^fore that time. True, the world will be filled with glorious wit- neiTes for God under the feventh trumpet •, yet the grand events juft now referred to, together with the nurrerous angel witnefies which we read of, chap, xivth, will afford inch ftriking teftimo- nies for God, that they will not under that trumpet be called witneffes; but be reprefented as a woman clothed with the ftin^ halving the 7noon under h^r feet, and upon her head a crown of tzvelve Jiars^ chap. xii. i. (6.) As the witnefies will be fiain by the firft beafi^ who afcended out of the bottomlefs fit^ chap. xi. 7, and therefore probably whilfi: he reigns alone ; there is reafon to believe they mufi: be fiain before A. D. 1866, as will appear when we come to confider the times of the fecond beaft, chap. xiii. 11. (7.) Their enemies will have great power at the time when thefe witnefTes are fiain, jb as to prevent their bodies being interred, and to ftir up the world againft them, ver. 9, 10 ; but

after

XL^.] TheJiXlhTrtimpef^A.D.ecSytoiSee. 119

after the vials, and the rage of the ten horns have weakened them, they certainly can have no fiich power at or near A. D. 2016; which is the year of the beaft's final fall chap. xiii. 5, and the grand iEra from which the millennium begins. (8.) The fame hour as the witnelTes afcend up into heaven, an earthquake will fall upon the court part of the city of Rome, and dcftroy 7,000 of their nobiliry and gentry, chap. xi. 13; but there will probably be no fuch city as Rome A. D. 2016, chap. xix. 3, 20 — I only add, by that earthquake the rem- nant will be affrighted, and give glory to the God of heaven, chap. xi. 1 3 •, but at A . D. 20 1 6, the retn- nant WiW htjlain by i\\g fword of him 'who/itteth upon the horfe •, and all the fowls will bt filled with their flefh, chap. xix. 21.

From thefe confiderations I conclude, that the 1 260 years of the witnefTes, which is the time of this trumpet, muft be reckoned, not from A. D. ys6 to 2016, but from A. D. 606 to 1 866. They cannot be begun fooner, becaufe Popery and Mahometanifm did not begin till A. D. 606 ; and the above reaibnings feem to neceffitate us to con- clude them by A. D. 1866.

But if it Ihould befaid, the time of this trum- pet ought to be reckoned, not from the time of thefe witneffes, but from the time of the woe de- nounced in iti I anfwer, (i.)each of the three woe trumpets has both zfemlar and fpiritual woe in it : And (2.) if one part of the fecular woe of this trumpet was concluded A. D. 1672-, fee page 116, yet it has in it afpiritual woe too ; viz, the flaying of the witneffes •, whofe refurrecftion is fucceeded the fame hour with another y^r^^/^r woe ; viz, an earthquake 2iiV^omty ver. 13 : Therefore, whatever fixes the time of the death and refur- reftion of the witneffes, certainly fixes the real time of this trumpet ; which we have heard will I 4 be

120 ll'l^fJwillhefaltheWitneJfesatlaft, [XI. 7 — 12*.

be from A. D. 606 to 1866 j therefore to return to the witneires, let us iee,

4. Wiiat 13 to beial them after they have finifli- ed their teftimony, ver. 7 — 12. IV hen they Jhall haze tinijhsd^ or are about to ^mihtheiriefiimony, (till then they are immortal \) ihe beajl which af- cen/h out of the Iwitomlefs pit •, fee chap. xvii. 8, the fame who opened the 'well of the ahyfs^ while he was only a univerfal bifliop, chap, ix 2 •, and who, when he had obtained the dominion of a beall, opened the mourh of hell out of the fea at Rome, chap. xiii. i •, ihv^beajifljall make war againjl both thefe witneffes, and fa all overcome them, and kill them. Thus, 1 apprehend from A. D. 1862 to 1866 the pope will prevail againft theProteftant and Greek churches; putting down and filencing. both thefe wicnefies, fo that neither of them will be able to fpeak for God any more for three years; nnd a half: But this time is certainly to be reckon- ed as a part of their 1260 years; for, (1.) if the time they lie dead is added to their 1260 years, the fame length of time muii be added to the 42 months, in which the Gentiles are to tread down the holy city ver. 2 •, for which we have no war- - rant. (2.) The phrafe orai; teAeo-wctj, when they fhall have finifhcd, or be about to finifh their tcflimony^ may mean the time while they are any- way delivering their teftimony, as well as the end of it i feeMz/. x. 19. Gr. (3.) Their dead bodies kept above ground, efpecially confidered in con- nection with the inebriated ftate in which their enemies will ftand exulting over them, will afford as clear and ftriking a teftimony for God, as they had ever been able to deliver in their lives. (4.) 1260 years arefo repeatedly mentioned under the fixrh and feventh trumpets, that I cannot fuppofe either of thofe trumpets to continue longer than that, chap. xi. 2, 3. xii. 6. and xiii. 5.

To

Xly'^i2,']The/txthTrumpet,A.'D,6o6joiS66, 12 1

To fay nothing of the fatal tendency which there is, in every part of our depraved nature to- wards Popery i three things may aflift our belief of the accomplifhment of this dreadful work, by the above time ; viz, (i.) The ten kingdoms into which the ancient Roman empire Was divided, will continue to give their power to-the beall, till long after that time, chap. xvii. 17. (2.) Though the fecond bead, (now tho Mahometan chief) will not be adually rifen out of the earth to mpport the pope; yet things will probably be openly- preparing for his advent, about the time of this murder •, which will infpire the firft beaft with frefh fpirits and vigor, chap. xiii. 11. (3.) Things are already working towards fo dire an event againft the eaft'irn and weftern churches : For as their, fins and ours are fowing the fatal feeds of this de-. ftru6tion ; fo the Popifh powers difcovered a great- er inclination to affift the Turks, in their late wars, than the Ruffians ; which loudly tells the eaftern churches what they are to expeft in every future rupture, from that papal pride which ef- fects univerfal fway, and cannot endure the lead; controul or oppohtion — And as to ourielves, as Arian and Pelagian errors in the fourth and fifth centuries, paved the way for Popery in the fixth and ieventh ; it will be nothing new under the; fun, if the Arian and Arminian errors of the feventeenth and eighteenth centuries, introduce popery in the nineteenth and twentieth : And if thele errors have already deluged our churches. Popery cannot be far off; for they have the very efience of Popery in them ; and whoever pro- motes them is to all intents and purpofes, advanc- ing its interefts, however fincerely and refolutely he may feem to himfelf to oppofeit.

I am fenfrbie the Papills (or Pappaifls) deny that chey are Arians j but they muft ceafe to ad-

drefs

122 the Credibility of ibis. L^ ^' 7 — ^ *•

drefs the language of blafphemy to the Virgin Mary, refpeding her Son, &c. if they expert men of fenfe to credit the afiercion — And though proteftant Arians can do but little, befides what the pride of their hearers does for them, to pro- mote their own caufe ; ( — for it will be always, difrcputable for a finner openly to degrade his Saviour; befides Arianifm naturally inclines its vo- taries morally to doze, except when rage againft the Trinitarians keeps them av;ake) — yet Armini- anifm, which is the gate into Arianifm, being ever confident and noify, and putting on bewitching appearances of humility and holinefs, can eafily effect great things unlufpecfted, to promote it in the world -, for high thoughts of felf, demand and produce low thoughts of Chriji> And both thefe abominations lead d.\xt€i\y to prof anenefs ?ind deifm : But if a thunder Itorm, if ficknefs, earth- quakes or any awful providence befal the finner, he cannot flop in either of thefe; he muft fly to Chrift by faith and repentance ; or Popery will be- come his laft landing place in his way to everlaft- ing burnings.

I have written the above, that I may be clear from the blood of all men, into whofe hands thefe lines may fall ; and efpecially from that innocent blood of unborn pofterity, which Popery is now preparing to pour out, as a libation to the God of this world. In purfuit of this end, fuffer me to add, if the fcripture word reward^ and the like, has emboldened fome profefling Proteftants, with an unblufhing countenance, to defend the ufe of that Popifli phrafe the merit of works •, if religious articles are fignedhy many, who know at the fame time their fixed intention to oppofe them; if much of the modern religion confifts in mifreprefenting the counfelsof God, and the men whofe confci- cnces oblige them to declare them j if the names

of

Xl.y — i2.yrhe/txtb7'rumpet,Pi.T>.6o6,toi266. 12^

of fome of the reformers are treated with the mofl fpiteful contempt, by many who know not how to value the bleffings theyfo painfully tranfmitted to them ; if faille crouds of pretended witneffes a^ainft Popery fcarcely forbear avowing it, that they had rather fall into the fee of Rome, than remove a hair's breadth further from it ; and the horror of Popery abates in the minds of the peo- ple, in proportion as the danger of it advances : If at the fame time profanenefs and diflipation in- creafe, which even now call for the aid of pious tricks tofatisfy the clamors of waking confcience: If — but why {hould I add any more ? — My tears ihall tell the reft — But if this is in any degree a juft portrait of the times, it furely cannot appear incredible to any man, that the above event fhould take place within eighty-eight years from this prefentA. D. 1778. A prudent man fore feeth the evil, (ind hideth himfelf; but the Jimple pajs on, and forge both moral and penal chains for their off- fpring . So did the good Jehofhaphat for his, even to the fourth generation, by his curfed complai- fance to the idolatrous kings of Ifrael; fee 2 Chron, xviii. and xxv. chapters.

If it is afl<-ed, what will become of the church, when the two witnefles are flain, and afterwards ? I anlwer, the myftical body of Chrift is tempo* rally, as every limb of it is Ipiritually, immortal ; fee chap, xii : And probably when the witneffes are flain in the eaft and weft, the church will find an afylum in AmericaC — which would have been much more extenfivcly poifoned by Popery, if the European nations had found it out fome hundreds of years fooner) till after the vials are poured out A. D. 1942. From that time England, and the other horns of the beaft, will probably hate the v/hore, and burn her f^efli with fire, chap. xvii. 16. And if the children of the two witneffes fly thither,

foon

1 2 4 "^he JVitneJfes lie dead. [XL S, 9^

ibon after A. D. »866 to 1942, this will much people the American wafte. I only add here, when the gofpel came to England, it came to that which was then reckoned the end of the world : And when the fon oi righteoufnefs flione from England to America, his going forth was to the end of heaven ; and perhaps from thence his cir- cuit will be to all other ends of it •, fee Pfal. xix. 4, 6. Rom, X. 18.

But Hep forward, and, in this prophetic glais, fee what a fecond Judas will do againft the bride the Lamb's wife, ver 8, 9. Thefe wicnefTes being fiain, their dead bodies fhall lie in the Jireet of the great city, which is fpiritually called Sodom and Egypt ', where alfo our Lord was crucified. Literal Sodom is now the Dead fea; but ipintual bodom, that mother of harlots and abominations of the earthy is Rome, chap. xvii. 5 : At leaft the unnatural abomination denominated from Sodom, feems not to have been publickly heard of in England, till the priefts were forbidden to marry ; for the firft law here made againft it was A. D. 11 12. Hifi. of Popery <, Vol i. page 359. The Protef- tant churches will then lie dead in the Roman ilate, called Sodom ; and the Greek church in that •which is fpiritually called Egypt, for its ignorance, bafenefs, fervility and theft ; which will be emi- nently the reigning characters of the eaft, while thefe witnefTes lie dead there. The fins of both thefe places debafed Jerufalem when our Lord was crucified there j and in thefe ftates he is again flain in his members. And they of the people, and kindreds, and tongues, and nations, in the eaft and -wtft, fhall view their dead corpfes three days, that is, three years and a half ; and not tYtnfuffer their corpfes to be laid in graves. Not fo did the Jews treat our Lord himfelf, he was buried j nor fo -will they hereafter treat the Turks, they will bury

every

•Xi. S, 9.] Thejtxth 'Trumpet, A,T>.6o6,io 1 865, 1 25

every bone they find, Ezek. xxxix. 11 — 16. But who that believes God, ever expefted humanity from this beaft ? Rome had rather that the eaft and weft fhould bear the ftench of thefe dead, than not have the pleafure of looking upon them. Thus God's truths will be kept as it were dead above ground, perhaps under the hated name of Cal- vinifm, to make fport for a fcoffing world. But God's hand is in it, that they cannot bury thefe witneJGfes : However, this is not politic ; for as long as they keep them within view, fomething which they have faid will rife up in the confciences of men : Yet they refolve upon a triumph, and the joy is almoft univerfal -, for it is added,

Ver. 10. They who dwell upon the earthy a terras — filial brood, Jball rejoice over them ; that is, the weft over the Proteftants, and the eaft over the Greek church yjx,pov<Tiv kcci EV(ppxv^Ka-ovTKi : And they will fo caroufe^ that whole hecatombsof themfelves will fall together at the fhrine of Bacchus •, and (ofrantick will their joy be, that if God was nof foon to reanimate his witnefles, human nature could not long furvive the wounds which it will then receive from its own intemperance ; whilft ihty make merr)\ and fend gifts to one another-, be- mufe thefe two prophets, in word and deed torment- ed them who dwell upon the earth, ver. 3 — 6. Thui will Chrift myftical be wounded in the houfe of his '^Ttttndtd friends, Zech. xiii. 6. But this triumph- ing of the wicked will hefhort. Job xx. 5 ; for

Ver. II, 12. After three days-, that is, three yt2Lrsandahalf, thefpirit af life from Ccd (which had, in a great meafu re, awfully fufpended itsin- ^uences for xht fame length of time as the heavens withheld their rain, at the prayer of Elijah, i Kings xvii. I. Jam. v. ly -,) again entered into them \ and immQdhtdy they flood upon their feet : And,

126 The Death of the IVitneJes, [XI. 7—10.

in the midft of the forementioned diflblute ban- quetings to which thefe hypocrites had abandoned themfelves, great fear fell upon thofe who looked upon them^ like that which feized Belfhazzar, when the fingers of a man's hand, writing againft the wall, announced his irrevocable doom, Dan. v. 6. Andt whilfl: their enemies wifhed in vain to turn their eyes from the terrifying fight ; they heard a great voice from heaven, faying to them. Come up hither : And thankful for fo high a call- ing, immediately they afcended up to heaven ; and their enemies fixed their aftonifhed eyes upon them,

Thefe phrafes of the beafis making war againfc the witnefies, and overcoming and killing them ; and their dead bodies lying in thejireets of the great cityi, probably defcribe a literal flaughter which the beaft will make of the Proteftant and Greek churches about A. D. 1862. Yet as the witnejfes may be faid to be flain, as to their ofiice, when, through the power ot a deep fleep falling upon them, and the aboundings of a worldly fpirir, they ceafe to prophecy againfl: thefe abominations y fo their death will doubtlefs be ffiritual before it is temporal; and the former more extenfive than the latter : For (i.) perfecution alone, can never reduce the church of God to fo low a ftate as is her€ defcribed. When men 2iVt reproached for the name of Chriji, the fpirit of glory and of God rejis upon them, i Pet. iv, 14 ^ (and this will make the blood of the martyrs the feed of the church at A. D. 1866 ; after that feed has lain three years and a half under the clods :) But no fuch glory awaits profcfilbrs, when they are taken in the de- vil's net, and when Balaam's advice haft caft the moft fatal of 2i\\ flumbling- blocks in thcir way, to eat things facrificed io idols, and to commit forni- cation. Rev. ii. 14. ri.) U but few magiftrates have now the oil of the fpirit in them, to furnifh

the

XL 7 — I o.] Theftxth Trumpet, A. D.6o6,to 1 866. 1 2 7

the candleftick with light ; and they have gene- rally ceafed to exert their power both againft Po- pery, and that profanenefs which leads to it: And if at the fame time, many minifcers and churches (proh dolor!) virtually bear witnefs for, rather than againji Popery -, whatever our fucceffors may fee, we already behold t\\Q fpiriUml death of many of the witnefles. (3.) If the refurreftion and af- cenfion of the witnefles are to be underflood fpi- ritually or metaphorically, it will be the more probable that their death ought to be underflood in part fo too ; but the following reafons incline me to underftand their refurredtion and afcenfion to heaven fpiritually, viz,

(i.) Becaufe this phrafe the Spirit of life, haS a fpiritual meaning in otherplacesj fee Rom. viii. 2. The law of the fpirit of life in Chrift Jefus, hath made me free from the law of fm and death; and John vi. 62,, The words that I fpeak unto you, they are fpirit and they are life, (2.) Standing upon the feet, in many places of fcripture, fignifies, having ftrength and courage for vigorous exertion, Exek. ii. i, 2. iii. 24. and xxxvii. 10. Ban. vii. 4. and x. 11. Rev. i. 17. AndChriftians are not only faid to be raifed up together, but made to fit together in heavenly places in Chrifi jefus ; which was eminently and vifibly true of many primitive believers, after the day of Pentecoft, Eph. ii. 6; feealfo Heb. xii. 22 — 24. ^3.) If the witnefTes fhould be literally raifed from the dead A. D 1866, this would feem to be the firfh refur- region \ but thefirft reftirreSlion will not take place till a hundred and fifty years after that time, and that alfo will be fpiritual j fee chap. xx. 5. (4.) The fimilar phrafe of the Man-child caught up to God and his throne, chap. xii. 5, feemsto be under- ftood fpiritually -, therefore the afcenfion of thefe witnefTes may be fpiritually too. And (.5.- if all thefe witnefTes are caught up into heaven, as

\£noch

128 An Earthquake at Rome, [XI. 1 1, 1 2,

Enoch and Elijah ( — not to fay, that fome who may witnefs againft Popery and Mahometanifm, will be altogether unfit for fuch an honour— ) there will be none left, that we know of, for God upon earth ; yet a great work is to be done under the feventh trumpet, in which human inftruments will no doubt be employed. But if thefe witnefTes attain unufual degrees of heavenly mindednefs, which feems to be meant by their afcending up into heaven^ they will be the fitter inftruments of God's glory, under the feventh trumpet : And at the fame time their fpirituality will vex their enemies, more than if they had been taken to jheaven out of their way.

VI. This trumpet concludes with an account of an earthquake, which will fall upon the court part of the city of Rome, ver. 13. And not only the fame year, month, week, and day, but in the fame hour in which the fpirit of God came, in fuch a fudden and moft extraordinary manner upon thefe witnefles, there was a great and violent concuffion, or earthquake felt at Rome : And the tenth 'part of the city fell \ and in the earthquake were killed feven thoufand ovoi^xtx av^poon-uv names of men ; that is, men of figure and note ; who were unhappily, but, as it were, the names of certain ufe- iefs figures upon earth: Vox etprMerea nihil — And the remnant were affrighted^ and gave glory to the God of heaven : But this was no more than a legal or fervile a6l of worlhip ; as appears by the pouring out of the fifth vial upon the feat of the beall fome years after j fee chap. xvi. 10. (fo it isfaid in Pfal. Ixvi. 3, Through the grealnefs of thy povoer^ fhall thine enemies lie unto thce^ Heb.) And that Rome is the city here intended is certain, be- caufc no other literal earthly city, then ftandiiig, is fpoken of in this prophecy, but th?.t which at tiie time of this vifion, reigned ovrr the kings of

the

^hefeventh 'trumpel, A. D. 1866, to 3125. 129

the earth chap. xvii. 18. Such an earthquake Rome has not yet experienced ; but will at the clofe of this trumpet, probably in the year 1866 ; fee chap. xi. 13.

It is added ver. 14. ^he fecond woe is paji ', in the time of which notice has been given us of a mod horrid abomination chap. xi. 7, which will not be finifhed till under the next trumpet ; to which place a full account of its nature, and the time of his continuance is therefore delayed. Be- hold, though this woe did not come till many years after the firft, yet the third woe, as a woe, Cometh more quickly after it, than that came after the firfl ; for fuch warnings have been given, both by the witneffes, and what has befallen them, and by the above earthquake, that there is no need of further delays : And accordingly a word is here ufed ; viz, ray^jfpeedily, which every where in the New Teftament expreffcs an adlion immediately begun, or advancing from the timefpoken of; fee Matt. V. 25.andxxviii. 7,8. Mark ix. 39. and xvi. 8. Johnxi.2C). RevAuiG.m. 1 i.andxxii.7, 12, 20, Accordingly, I apprehend, that the Mahometan chief will be converted to papalChriftianity A.D. 1866; will begin to call himfelf the apoftle of Chrift, within fix years after that -, and exert all the infernal powers attributed to the fecond beafl by A. D. 1882, or at furtheft by 1886; fee chap. xiii. 11 — 17. But though the third woe comes fo quickly after the former, and the war of the fecond beaft is announced by found of trumpet, as the two preceding woes had been ; (fee again Jer. iv. 19.) — yet

The feventh Trumpet

has this peculiar to itfelf, that, whilft the others

begin with defolations and deftruftion, this founds

aloud the triumphs of divine glory and grace,

K before

i^ol'heKingdomsofiheWorldhecomeChriJl's.\XlA^.-

before any thing is exprefsly faid of the malicious rage of the enemy ; which gives iis rcafon to ex- pe(5t fome very glorious difplay of divine grace (as well as of wrath) at the beginning of this trumpet •, and fucb will the return of the Jews to their own land be chap, xiv, r — 5, and the ful> fequenc converfion of the Gentiles, ver. 6^ 7.

15. And the feventh angel founded, and there were great voices in heaven, faying. The kingdoms of the world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Chrifl ; and he fhall reign for ever and ever.

16. And the twenty-four elders, who fat before God on their thrones, fell upon their faces, and worfhipped God ;

17. Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, who art, and who wall, and who art to come ; becaufe thou hail taken to thee thy great power, and hail reigned.

18. And the nations were wrath; and thy wrath is come ; and the time of the dead, that they fhould be judged : And to give a reward to thy fervants the prophets, and to the faints, and to them that fear thy name fmall and great j and fhouldeft deilroy them who deftroy the earth.

19. And the temple of God was opened in heaven ; and there was it^n. the ark of his covenant in his temple : And there were lightenings, and voices, and thunders, and an earthquake, and great hail.

The three laft trumpets contain an orderly fcries of the moft intereiling events, which are to

befal

^hefeventh trumpet, A. D. 1 8 66, /^ 3 r 2 5. 1 3 r

befal the church and the world from A. D. 606 to the end of the world, and to all eternity ; the times of which are partly marked by the trum- pets under which they are defcribed •, but much more by the years allotted to fome confiderable events which are exprefsly defcribed under each of thofe trumpets. Therefore, as this part of the word of God will foon become as clear as any Other, fo thefe confiderations may well encourage us to endeavour to develope thofe myfteries, which yet lie concealed for unborn pofterity ; whom we cannot fufficiently ferve, without warning them of what we apprehend they are to expedt.

We found the time of the fixch trumpet, by the two 1260 years given under it ver. 2, 3 ; the one for the Popifh and Mahometan Gentiles^ and the other for the ivitmjfes ; whofe times we found to coincide with each other from A. D. 606 to 1866 ; fee page 116 — 120. And as the third woe Cometh quickly after the lecond ver. 14 j and the ^jovdro^yjj fpeedily^ there uled, teaches us to ex- ^e6t fome melancholy events of the feventh trum- pet, a6lually to commence from the time of this warning-, fee page 129, 130-, therefore we conclude that the feventh trumpet will found A. D. 1866 — • May the Lord from his word open to us, by his Spirit, its great event !

This trumpet fpeaks nothing of Mahometa- nifm •, but gives us a fuller explanation of that greater abomination Popery, which is to furvive it 150 years. And ver. 18 gives us a fummary of the contents of this trumpet, or a general account of the things which will occur, from the time when it is founded to the end of the world, and to eternity.

Immediately after the Lord has reanimated his

dead witneffes, and after the earthquake at Rome

ver. II — 13, there will h'<t greats numerous, and

K 2 mod

1 gs The Bufmefs ofthefeventh Trumpet . [X 1 . 1 5 — 18.

moft earned voices htzxdi in heaven, that is, in the church ; fee chap. viii. i, faying. The kingdoms of (his world ea(V, weft, north and fouth, are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Chrijl •, and men and babes of every tongue, now refign them- fclves up to his tender and faithful care -, and he ; viz, God and his Chrift (who are 07ie John x. 30.) _/&^// difpiay his faving power upon them, in fuch a manner as he had never done before ; and reign for ever and ever, vtr. 15.

And though no notice had been taken, in this prophecy of the four and Hventy elders, who are the heads of the Jewilh and Chriftian church, ever fmce that remarkable converfion of Jews and Gentiles in Conftaniine's time, chap. vii. 11, 13 : Yet now at the beginning of this trumpet, the Jews are to be brought back to their own land ; fee chap. xiv. i — 5 ; therefore we hear again of thefe elders, ver. 16 — 18, who fit on thrones as kings, chap. i. 6: And probably their being found on thrones before God when this trumpet founds, may intimate, that their converfion will begin before A. D. 1866 •, though their return to their own land will not take place till that time, as this trumpet declares. Thefe elders then being before the throne, and hearing this jubilee trum- pet found, they fell upon their faces and worjhipped God ; faying. We give thee thanks, 0 Lord God Almighty, whofe glorious effence takes in paft, prefeni: and to come, that thou haft taken to thee thy great pozver, and haft reigned. And the nations in ^tnexAwere wroth, particularly Gog and Ma- gog, chap. XX. 8, at thy nearer approach to, and more dreadful exertions againft: them ; therefore thefe briers and thorns will fet themfelves againft thee for 150 years, under this trumpet; after which thou wilt put a period to their ufurpations, and Ihake their Babel down : For thy long-pre-

dided

Thefeventh I'rumpet, A. D. i U66^ to 3 1 25. 13 j

difted ivrath is come : And the time of the dead* that they Jljculd be judged \ and the fct time to give a reward^not of debt but of grace, to the fouls and bodies o{ thy few ants the prophets, both on earth and in heaven ; and to the faints in general, and to them that fear thy name bozh fmall and greats and that ihoujhouldeji dejlroy them who deftroy the earth. The nearer our Lord comes to men, with the greater rapture will the faints contemplate his perfonal dwelling in our nature, that temple of God^ John ii. 2 1 •, and fee fo much the more glory in his church which is his body, Eph. i. 23. Rev. xi. I ; and which exifts partly in heaven , 2nd partly on earth. But, befidcs the new views which v/ill be given of thcfe things under this trumpet, is is added ver. 19, And the temple of God was opened in heaven j and there was feen in his temple the ark of the covenant ; which once contained the two tables of the law for the Jews, yet concealed them from them : So concealed too was the heavenly manna, after they came to Canaan, and the ever-bu(kiing rod of our great High-Prieft which lay befide the ark ; together with all other things which the holy of holies con- tained j fee Exod. xvi. 33. Numb. xvii. 10. 2 Chron, v. 10 ; fee alfo Mr. Poole on Heb. ix. 4. Once thefe things had been done in parables ; and Uzzah the prieft died for touching the ark, when he ought to have borne it on his (houlders ; and the Bethfhemites were fmitten for looking into it, iSam,v\.i(^. iChron.x'iu. 10. andxv. 14,13: But now the grace, reprefented by thcfe material fym- bols, is laid open to the view of every believing worfbipper, Jew and Gentile j for A. D. 1866 being come, the Lord hath bound up the breach of his Jtw^iih people, and healed the Jlroke of their wound ; therefore now, according to his promife, Jfa. xxx. 26, the light of the mQon of Jewifh K 3 fhadows

134 ^^^ temple opened in Heaven. [XI. 19.

fliadows is as the light of the fun^ and the light of the fun fevenfold^ as the light of feven days •, lee at chap. iv. 5. ChrilVs death rent the vail of the temple. Matt, xxvii. 51 ; and under the feventh trumpet the Spirit of God will glorioiifly rend the vail which is upon our hearts, iCor/iu. 16. Hof vi. 3. Yet when the temple of God is opened and the ark feen, that ark of the covenant cannot be fully opened to the fiiints, till they come to heaven, — And therewerelighienings^ and voices^ and thunders^ and an earthquake : Thefe were the ufual attendants and indications of the divine prefence, when hecame toeftablifh a new law, to reveal fome thing before unknown, or to give a new difco- very of himfelf in providence or grace, Exod. xix. 16. Rev, iv. 5. and viii. 5 : And, as thefe dreadful figns will be repeated at the pouring out of the feventh vial, chap. xvi. 18, 21 i fo on this occa- fion too they demand attention, to preferve wor- fhippers from irreverence, whilft admitted fo near, as to look into thefe facred myfteries : For even our new covenant God is a confuming fire^ to all who trifle with his grace Heb. xii. 29 -, and he will be fan5llfied in them that come nigh him, Lev, X. ?.

S-o-,*':

CHAP. XII.

I . A N D there was feen a great fign in -*^ heaven, a woman clothed with the Sun and the Moon under her feet ; and upon her head a crown of twelve flars.

2. And

Theftventh 'Trumpet^ A. D. 1 866, /c 3 125. 135

2. And being with child, fhe cried, tra- vailing in birth, and pained to be delive- red.

3. And there w^as i^tn another fign in heaven j and behold a great fiery dragon, having feven heads and ten horns ; and upon his heads feven crow^ns.

4. And his tail drew down a third part of the ftars of heaven, and cafl them to the earth : And the dragon flood before the wo- man, who was ready to bring forth, that when flie was delivered he might devour her child.

5. And fhe brought forth a mafculine fon, who was to rule all the nations with a rod .of iron; and her child v/a.s caught up to God, and his throne.

6. And the woman fled into the wilder- nefs ; where fhe hath a place prepared of God, that they might nourifli her there, a thoufand two hundred and fixty days.

7. And there was war in heaven ; Mi- chael and his angels warred againft the dra- gon ; and the dragon fought and his an- gels,

8. And they prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

9. And the great dragon was cafl out ; the old ferpent called the devil and fatan, who deceives the whole world, was cafl out into the earth ; and his angels were caft out with him.

10. And I heard a loud voice, faying in

heaven. Now is come falvation, and the

K 4 power.

136 The Church beautifully arrayed^ [X 1 1 . i — 13,

power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Chrift ; for the accufer of our brethren is cafl out, who accufed them before our God day and night.

11. And they have overcome him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their teftimony : And they loved not their lives unto the death.

12. Therefore rejoice ye heavens, and ye who dv/ell in them. But woe to thofe who inhabit the earth, and the fea -, for the devil is come down to you, having great wrath, becaufe he knoweth that he hath but a fhort time.

In thefe verfes we have an account (i.) of the church, under the fimiliiude of a woman heau- tifuliy arrayed and pregnant ; (2.) of a great fiery dragon which ftood before her, ready to devour her child : Yet (3.) {he is fafely delivered, and her child efFediially guarded, (4.) She flees into the vvildernefs, for 1260 years. (5.) Awarenfues in the church between Chrift and the dragon •, in which the latter is routed and caft out. (6.) A tri- umph is lung on thisoccafion: And (7.) an alarm is founded to the inhabitants of the earth, on ac- count of the dragon's being caft out amongft them.

I. We have an account of the church under the ftriking fimilitude of a woman, beauti- fully arrayed and pregnant ver. i, 2. At ver. 14, it will be proved that this is the fame perfon, who had been reprefented at A. D. 756, as two wit- nefies prophefying in fackcloth chap. xi. iii-, only th:7i and there fhe appears without that confpicu- ous glory, here defcribed, which John did not fee the church arrayed with till under this feventh 3 trumpe

Thefeventh Trumpet , A. D. 1 866, to 0^12^. 137

trumpet j nor may we therefore expecl to fee it generally diffufed, till A. D. 1866. Yet obferve, our author does not fay of this woman, or of the dragon ver. 3, I faw them, which is the phrafe iifed feven and thirty times in this book, but unph there appeared or was feen in heaven-, for thefe figns will be generally and univerfally feen by all, in their own times.

That the church militant is here defcribed is plain J for the prefent is the only ftate in which this woman, the church can be pregnant, bring forth a man-child, or be annoyed by the dragon: Yet fheis feen in heaven, both to intimate that the church of God is as much raifed above the men and the enjoyments of the world, as the vifible heavens are above the earth j and that grace is glory begun. In the prefent ftate even the ge- nuine m.embers of this heaven the church, are feeble, tender and delicate as a woman; but being taken out of the fide of the fecond i\dam, in the hourof his crucifixion, (See Gen. ii. 21, 22,) they ^11 love him tenderly, and rely upon him with iinreferved confidence : And thefe happy perfons, living in a ftate of vital union with the Son of God, are even here faid to be clothed with the Son of Righteoufnefs, Rom. xiii. 14. Gal. iii. 27 : For the bride the Lamb's wife, ftiines in the rays of her Huft)and, (Uxor fulget radiis maritis.) No doubt this phrafe chiefly defcribes the fpiritual glory of the faints, as it is feen by theeyeof God, pfalmxlv, 13; yet when their Lord is eminently with them, his glory is feen upon them by man too ; and they diffufe around them that inftrumental light, heat and fruflifying influence which this metaphor ex- preftes. Every age fince A. D. yc^G., has pro- duced here and there an inftance of a perfon clothed with the fiin\ for whofe fake the witnefl^es are called by the name of this woman, ver. 14.

But

l^S J Dragon Jlands before the Woman . [XI 1 . 3 —9 .

But the church of God in general, never yet ap- peared with that confpicuous glory, and prolific Spiritual pov/er which this metaphor imports, but will when the feventh trumpet founds; at which time Hie v^ill not only trample upon all fublunary things, but have the moon of Jewifli ceremonies fo under her feet as Ihe has not at prefent, yet not to defpile, but to ule them as her liable ground to (land upon, Ifa, i. 13, 14 : Ayid upon her head a crovon of twelve fiars^ which are the twelve apoftles of the Lamb, chap. i. 20. and xxi. 1 4 ; Therefore to defpife their writings is not the fpot of God's chil- dren; who on the contrary, efpecially at the time here fpecified, will as earneftiy contend for their jnfpired epiftles, as the princes of this world fpr their crowns, though in a far different manner.

^Viz\i a great and confpicuousT^;^ will the church afford under his trumpet, and exhibit to the world a ftriking view of what it infinitely concerns them to be If a. viii. 18 ; for it fhall be then eminently cried to her from the word, Ihai:c efpoufedyou to one Huflmnd^ that I may prefent you as a chajie virgin to Chrift, 2 Cor. xi. 2 ; therefore thy Makers isthy Hiif- hand^ ihe Lord of Hcfts^ is his name If a. liv. 5. Heb. And as our Lord will then come, by his Spirit, to dwell with his church, 'which is the mother of all be- lievers^ fhswillf;7, travailing in birth ^ and pained ia he dell^-ered. Chrifl brought forth the church meri- torioufly with travailing pains wsji/aj J5!s ii. 24; and churches and minifters muil not hope to bring forth Touls for God without pain even in thefe gracious times: "We muft travail in hirth^ if we expe6l to have Chrifl formed in any by our means, Gal.'iy. 19.

IL A great red dragon {lands before lier ready to devour her child, ver. 3, 4. This enormous ferpent is the devil, that old ferpent^ v^ho deceiveth the whole worlds ver. 9 ; but as it cannot be faid of

the

^he feventh trumpet, A. D. i S 66, /«? 3 r 25. 139

the devil perfonally, that he has /even heads, ten horns, and fevcn cro-wKs upon his heads, \\hich is the well-known delcription of the beaji every where in this prophecy, chap. xiii. i. and xvii. 3; therefore we muft neceffarily iinderftand what is faid of the dragon, ver. 3, of the pope to whom the Holy Ghoft has here given the devil's own pame a dragon; the reafon of which may be well exprefledinthe wordsof JeromonD^^;?. viith; who, fpeaking of the ten kings who were to fhare the Roman world amongft them, adds ' an eleventh ^ Ihall arife, a little king, in quo totus fatanas ha- ' bitaturus fit corporaliter^ in whom ' fatan fhali * wholly inhabit bodily;' fee Dr. Halifax on Pro- phecy, page 91. Obferve therefore, that that power at Rome, which had been czWttddL fallen ft ar under the fifth trumpet, chap. ix. i, and a heaji under the fixth, chap. xi. 7, obtains under the feventh trum- pet the devil's ov/n name, a dragon. Set an obfer-- vation on this word near the end of the remarks on chap. xiii. In times paft fatan raged againft the church, as a dragon, by the Egyptians, Pfal. Ixxiv. 13. Ifa. li, 9. Ezek, xxix. 3: But now his fury is to be exerted by a Chriilian Roman power, under whofe purple and fcarlet he con- ceals himfelf; and the felf-colour of his native cruelty is not altered, by thofe oceans of pro=- reliant blood which he flieds, under this red flag of infernal war.

The time when the dragon will make this at- tack is alfo declared, both by the trumpet under which this defcription falls, and by the account here given of him ver. 3. He appeared having fev en heads -, which ars both the feven hills on which Rome ftands, and the feven dillind: forms of ^^- vernment which fuceeeded each other there, chap. Xy\\. 9, 10 : And ten horns, which are the ten king- dpms into which the Roman empire was divided,

ver^

140 The'DragonfcekstodevoiirtheWoman. [XII.45&C.

ver. 12. of that chapter: And f even crowns upon his heads^ that is, a crown upon each hill, as well as upon each of thofe feven forms of government \\(hich took place amongft them -, viz, kings, coniuls, di'ftators, decemvirs, military tribu- nes, emperors, and dukes fay fom.e: And if the dukedom of Rome, under the exarchs of Ra- venna, was his feventh crown, he was degraded to this A. D. 566, which continued till A. D. 727; when this dukedom, threw off allegiance to the eaflern emperor, and revolted from the exarch to the pope. Taking the words in this fenfe, the heafi is the eighth form of government at Rome, chap. xvii. 11. But as a ducal coronet was not very worthy to be joined with his other fix crowns, we may therereiore confider him as obtain- ing his feventh crown, A. D. 756, when the pope became a beaft: In this fenfe he is cf the [even forms of government, chap. xvii. 1 1 \ and then it was that tkc dragon^ the devil, gave his -power^ his throne^ and great authority to the beaft, chap.xiii. 2. (which will be again renewed and confirmed to him, under the devil's own name a dragon, in the time of this trumpet, by means of the fecond beaft,) chap. xiii. i r.

Taking the words in this fenfe, this event falls in exadly with the firft vifible flight of the woman into the wilderneis, for a time^ times^ and half a time^ ver. 14. But though his feven forms of go- vernment have been crowned fo long ago, his feven hills have not yet been all crowned, or made the feat of royal refidence; but thefe words in- form us that they will be fo by the time that this trumpet founds : For obferve, it is not faid, chap, xvii. 9, 10, that K\s feven heads are feven mountains OR feven kings ^ hwx. feven mountains and feven kings ^ which obliges us to enquire for a time when his heads, taken in both thefe fenfes, will be crown- ed.

Thefevenib Trumpet A. D. 1866,/^ 3125. 141

cd. The word occurs in both thefe fenfes, chap* xiii. I, 3, and muft have both here. Rome's kvtn. heads of government were all crowned by A. D. 756 ; but the feventh trumpet had not then found- ed, the church was not then clothed with the fun, or eminently pregnant, nor was the dragon caft out of the church foon after that time-, but all thefe things muft concur to mark the times here pointed out. Befides the text fpeaks of the heads of this dragon himfelf as crowned ; and though the fix crowns fet upon the heads of his heathen prede- ceiTors, might, in a fenfe, be called bis crowna (as bis both refembles, and derives honour from each of theirs -.,) yet when his feven hills fhall be crowned, it will then be more literally true, that ^pon his own beads 2iXt feven crowns.

But who would have thought to find a dragon, fo near this woman, or in the chuch of God ! yet the bead had been nurfed up for many centuries, where we fhould leaft have expeded to find himt And, though his nature feemed eflentially contrary to her's, he lived in aftual peace with her, while Ihe was contented with the mere name of a Chrif- tian, and, under that abufed fignature, played the harlot with him : But if the Lord Jefus muft dwell with her by his Spirit; if ftie is with child, and defires to bring forth fruit to her divine Hufband ; this will turn the beaft into a dragon, and as fuch he here ftands before her, when ftie was about to be delivered, that he may devour her off^spring (which he knew would fight againft him) and fecure her for himfelf afterwards. Yet fee !

III. She is fafely delivered, and her child caught up to .God and his throne, ver. 5. Sbe brought forth Miov upjuvji a mafculine fon -^ who in a vital union to the Lord Jefus, was not only to rule the nations with which he had any immediate concern, as it is promifed to every one that overcometh^

chap.

i 42 She and her Child arefaved. [XII. ^j 6c-

chap. iii 26, 27-, but as the fpiritual empire of Chrift was now become moreextenfive than ever, it is promifed to this new-born heir of falvation, that \itfljall rule all the nations in general with a rod of iron.

This mafculine fon could not be Chrift hiiii- felf; for, not to fay that his birth occurred above eighteen hundred years before thefe times j or that the charaders here given of the church, as clothed with thefun^ having the moon under her feet^ and upon her head a croivn of twelve Jlars^ neither fuit- cd the Jewilh church, nor even his own mother the Virgin Mary, at the time of his birth ; though nature had given Rome {tvtn hills from the be- ginning, at the time of Chrift's birth it had not had its feven kings., nor its ten hornsi nor feven crowns upon its heads., in either fenfe of that word. The fame reafons in general alfo conclude againfl imderilanding this mafculine fon of Conftantine the Great, of whom many expofitors have under- ftood this J and one or other of them will forbid us to apply the word to any perfon whatever, who fhall be born before this trumpet founds. Yet I cannot fuppofe that any individual Ciily it intended by this mafculine fon; but rather the glorious inllruments in general which the church will bring forth, under the feven th trumpet, to oppofe popery (with the unanimity of one man;) andefpe- cially thofe of the Jewifh nation: For when the; Lord comes to perform that good thing which he promifed to the houfe of Jfrael^ and to the houfe ef Judah\ in thofe days., and at that time., faid the Lord^ will I caufe the Branch of righteoufnefs to grow up unto Davidy and he floall execute judgment and righteoufnefs in the land And this /j the name where with the mother of this illuftrious progeny,- who is clothed with the fun, fhall be called, the Lord \%our Righteoufnefs., Jer. xxxiii. 14 — 16. But

Ifaiah

The feventh Trumpet^ A. D. 1 8 66 /^ 3 1 2 5. 143

Ifaiah feems to fpeak yet more exprefsly of this malculine fon, chap. Ixvi. 5 — 9 ; where, predidt* ing the Jews return to their own land, it is de- clared, ver. 7, 8. Before pe travailed Jhe brought forth^ before her pain came Jhe was delivered of a man-child^ whofe exploits will make his name re- membered as long as the world flands, as the word 13] a man-child imports : Therefore it is added, who hath heard fuch things? who, even among Abra- ham's defcendants themfelves, hath feen fuch things? fhallthe earth be made to bring forth in one day I or JhalL a nation to be born at once ! for as foon as Zion travailed Jhe brought forth her children^ even this mafculine fon, with whom the promifes had been big for fo many hundred years. But now at the beginning of this trumpet, Sion will bring forth fuch an offspring, as will be adapted to give a convincing, and almoit irrefiftible demonfiration of the excellence and glory of the gofpel. And the above fcriptures, compared with this, feem to give additional reafons to believe, that the Jews will he brought home to their own land at the beginning of this trumpet; fee chap. xiv. 1-5. That the Lord might perfbnn his word to David, he preferved Joafh from the bloody Atha- liah by Jehoftieba, who hid him ftx years in the temple^ 2 Kings xi. i — 3: So this mafculine fon> who was inftrumentally to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, vprxch was fnatched up fuddenly, haftily and powerfully to God and his throne ', fee Eph, ii. 6. Col. i. 13. Gr. And fome of thefe fervants of God may perhaps be taken to dwell with him at Jerufalem ; others preferved by flight into the wildernefs, ver. 6 ; whilil others are re- moved to heaven : But all v/ill be fafe, as if caught up to God and his throne-, where they fhall rule with the faints \ and take, and poffefs the king- domfor ever and ever. Dan. vii. 18.

IV. The

l44 ^^^ Wontanjkes into the Wildernefs^ [XII. B

IV. The woman, the church, flees into the wildernefs-, by which word, fay the learned Ainf- worth and Dr. Doddridge, is meant uncultivated lands, in opppofition to thofe which art and in- duftry have made fruitful: But this was not her firft flight into the wildernefs ; which is related in its proper place, ver. 14, where it is referred to as in a great meafure pait; and what remains of her 1260 years, there mentioned, at the time of the founding of this trumpet, will be ful- filled under it; viz, from A. D. 1866 to 2016. At the founding of this trumpet, neither the holy city Jerufalem, nor yet the church of God in general will be trodden under feet ; as they both had been during the whole time of the witnefl!es^ chap. xi. 2, 3 : Yet, frefh troubles arifing againft the woman under this trumpet, at A. D. 1866, fhe will again obey that order of her Lord, when they -ptrfecute you in this city, flee ye to' another Mat. X. 23 : Therefore, leaving that part of the wildernefs where flie had long been, (and which through the blefilng of God on her induftryy in a great meafure, ceafed to be a wildernefs,) as Judea could not hold all God's out-eafts, at A. D< 1866 flie/<?i, probably into the 'wildernefs of A- merica ; that there flie might peaceably wear her unfalliionable celeftial drefs, ver. i -, to which the; corrupt ejlablijhments in her former neighbourhood were, alas I too unfriendly. Here, pleafed with her folar robes and ftarry crov/n, her divine Hufband dwells with her -, and (he enjoys the place of her refidence, as it was prepared of God for her ; that her magiftrates and minifliers, yea that men and angels, under the eye and bleffing of her own God, might nourijhher there a thoufand two hundred and fixty days, or years. It is the fame length of time as the two witnefl^es prophefied in fackcloth j called forty two months, as they will be to their

enemies

Ithe feventh Irumpet, A. D. 1866 fo 3125. 145

enemies, chap. xi. 2, 3 ; and the fame as the timey times, and half a time^ ver. 14 of this cha' rei.

But the grand enquiry here is. From what period are thefe 1260 years to be dated:' — And how earneftly I have ftudied, and befought the God of heaven, to enable me to give my reader fatisfadion in this point, will appear when time is no more — I can think of but three periods from which the preceding and fubfequent prophecies of this book will, in any fenfe, permit us to begin them ; and they are all very remarkable in this vifion-, viz, A, D. 606, yc^G, and 1S66 — Let us coryfider what may be laid of each of thefe, with refpedl to this her 1260 years flight.

It does not feem reafonable to begin them from A.D. 606; becaufe(i.)Astheho]yGhofthad be- fore informed us of the ftate of the church from A. D. 606 to 1866, by the account of the two witnefles, chap. xi. 2 — 12 ; in fo fhort a prophecy, it is more honourable to the infpired author, to fuppofehimto go forward to lome nevv^ matter, than to return, without necefTity, to a fubjeft which had been defcribed before. (2.) This would be to de- fcribe a time which has no concern with this trumpet but as there are no other defcripnons under this, or any preceding trumpet, but what, in part •, at leail, concern its own proper time, therefore this alfo muft. (3.) This would make the woman's flight into the wildernefs, as it \izx^ from the face of the ferpent^ 1410 years; but though fhe may be much longer than that in a wildernefs, fhe is to fiee from before the ferpent only 1260 years, ver. 14. (4.) It would be abfurd to begin the time of her flight from the Romarn beaft, or dragon, ver. 3, before the time that the Pope became fuch ; but he wa<? neither a beaft, nor a dragon, at A. D. 606 •, therefore; llie could not then flee from him as fuch.

I^ Nor

146 ThelVomaninaWildernefs, A.D. 1 866, /o 3 1 25.

Nor can her 1260 years be reckoned from A.D. 756 i (i.) Becaule this would make ver. 14, a tautology, or needlefs reference to what had been before defcribcd ; for there it will appear that her flight from the face of the ferpent^ exadly coincides with his 1260 years from A. D. 756 to 2016; fee chap. xiii. 5. (2.) Not one of the things which are faid of this woman, or of the dragon, in thefe veries will agree to A. D. j^G.

It remains therefore, that her 1260 years muft be dated from A.D. 1S66, when this trumpet founds. They cannot, I apprehend, begin fooner, (i.) Becaufc the church (which is reprefented as GodV fealed ones under the fifth trumpet-, as his ivitnejj'es under the fixth-, and as the Redeemer's bride under this trumpet) will be clothed ivith fack- cloth from A. D. 606 to 1866, chap. xi. 3; therefore Hie cannot be clothed with the fun till Ibme time in that year : For that this woman and the witneffes both reprefent the church of God, will appear at ver. 14; and as the Lord cannot have two different interefts in the world, fo his church cannot be both clothed with fackcloth, and clothed with the fun, at the fame time. (2.) It is not till A. D. 1866 that it is faid, 'The kingdoms of the world are become ChrijVs, chap. xi. 15 ; therefore till then the church v/ill not eminently cry, travailing in birth, or be in fain to be deliver sd, ver. 2. (3.) As the Roman beail will not have his /f"i;f7z crowns upon his heads, in both fenies of the word head, till A. D. i866; fo God has not given him the name of a dragon, till under this trumpet, ver. 3. True, at ver. 1*4, he is called aferpent from A. D. y§6 to 2C?i6-, but though every dragon is a ferpent, evirv ferpent is not a dragon ; nor is the pope called fo till A. D. 1866. (4.) Though the wit- neffes, by their teftiniony, tormented them that dwell on the earthy chap. xi. 10, yet as witneffes it was not their bufinefs to fight j but in thefe

times.

Thefeventh 'Trumpet, A. D. iS66, to 3125. 147

times, both Michael and his angels fought againji the dragon, ver. 7; which inclines me to dace thefe times after the 1260 years of the witnelfes. (5.) After this engagement the dragon zuas cajl out into the earth, and his angels were cajl out with him ; neither could they find their place any more in heaven, ver. 8, 9 : But the dragon was rather taken into, than call out of, the church at A. D. •]^^ ', nor was it likely that his fentence of excom- munication Ihould be even pronounced by the court, till the witneffes had finifhed what they had to fay againft him, A. D. 1866 : From A. D. 606 to that time, which is the Vv'hole time of the fixth trumpet, the Pope fits in court unbluihing to hear what the witnelles tefti y againft him. And when his fentence of expulficn is pronounced, it muft be executed by force of arms ; for which pur- pofe two fv/ords will hardly be enough (unielswe underftand them of the temporal and fpiiitual fword) ; therefore he who laid. Put up thy fword into his place, when his own life was in danger, may perhaps hereafter, in favour of his bride, vifibly lay by his providence. He that hath no fword, let him fell his garment and buy one,Matt.yiXYi. 52. Luke xxii. 36, 38 : For now the dragon, who has never yet been caft out of the church ; (but is exprefsly laid to ftand before the woman, when llie was reaay to be delivered, v€r. 4.) will be cajl out after A. D. 1866, and his angels with him. (6.)

If the Pope in anyfenfe^ir^'ix; down the political or tcc\t^va.?t\cz\ far s of heave nzx. ^A^. y§b^ I fear at that time he drew much more than a third part^ or even two thirds of them : But while it fills me with horror to hear, that after the refune(ftion of the witnelfes, and their afcent to heaven, his tail will draw fome of them out of the church, and cajl them to the earth •, it is a pleafure to hear that he will prevail but againil one //juV^i />^r/ of them, ver. 4 : And the time when he will lb prevail, L 2 leerns

148 7 be Woman in a IVildernefs [XII. 6.

feems to be intimated in the word o-upa he drew •, for ills drawing them down fuppofes his own de- IceiU with them, which, we have before heard, will not rake place till after A. D. 1866. I only add, (7.) Tliisenemy, who had accufed the witneffes before God day and nighty cannot be faid to do it fo immediately before God, when he is caft out of the church into the earth: And the triumph fung on this account, will be more proper after A. D. 1866 than it had ever been before; viz, Now is came fahation, and firength, and the kifigdo77i of our God, and the authority of his Chrijl, ver. 10 ; fee chap, xi 15.

lithcic reafonings arejuft; and if the things which are here faid of the woman, of the dragon, and of Chrill'i vi^ory over him, will agree to no year before 1866, the conclufion is unavoidable ; viz, that her 1260 years, ver. 6, mull be dated from that time ; and confequently they will end A. D. 3126, which is the laft account of time in this book ; but I have reckoned it 3125, becaufe the Pope was nearly a univerfal bifliop A. D. 605, as he became a beaft A. D. j^s j though he is not commonly thought to have had full polTefTion of a beall-like power till the year after.

I confider therefore the words in ver. 6, as an account of the ftate of the church from A, D. 1866 to the end of the world -, and reckon her 1 260 years the time of this trumpet, fo far as time reaches; fee chap. xx. 11 — 15, where the ob- jections againft fuppofmg the tim.e of the end of the world to be given us in this prophecy, will be carefully difculTed. At prefent it may favour this thought to obferve, (i.) That, as the time of both the preceding woe-trumpets has been exprefsly given us under each, it is the more reafonable to t'xpect that of this ; efpccially as the giving us the time of this trumpet^ aHigns additional rcafons

of

■iThefivenih Trumpet, A. D. 1 866, /(? 3 1 25. 149

of importance for giving us the times of the pre* ceding. (2.) Separate from what is faid in this verfe, we have an account of 1150 years which will be fpent under this trumpet ; viz, 150 years at the beginning of it, which are the lalt times of the beaft, in which the woman Jlees from the face of the Jerpent^ properly fo called ; viz, from A. D. 1866, to 20 1 6, ver. 14; and the looo years in which fatan is bound and call into the bottomlels pit, chap. XX. I — 5 : After which he will be looied out of prifon for a little Jerf on, that is, for a part of the remaining 109 or no years.

(3.) There is an oblervable difference between what is faid of xhtviom^n' ^feeing -i^ndi flying into the wildernefsatver. 6 and \\\ which may incline us to make a very different cflimate of them. At A. D. ']^6^ when the bcaft was rifing, and the holy city trodden under feet, chap, xi, 2 ; being the minority^ and her enemies triumphant, the wildernefs was this woman'j own phce^ ver. 14-, but at A. D. 1866 ver, 6, when the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of Chriit, it will ap- pear that file deferves a more honourable place in the world ; Yet being ftill forced to fee afrer A. D. 1866 from the fame beaft, fhe hath a place prepared for her, not of men, but of God : And if America is the wildernefs here intended, where Ihe is to be fed to the end of the world, by the time this trumpet founds, it will appear by what methods God has been preparing this wildernefs for her reception, ever fince Mr. Robinfon's fiock fettled there A. D. 1620 — Again, at A. D. 756 fhe flies, for the whole of her 1260 years, from the face of the ht^?i, that is, the ferpent^ ver. 14, chap. xiii. 11 •, but at A. D. 1866 vc. 6, tJjere are but 150 years of the beaft's time Icfr, in which flie can flee frorn him •, and his chief exploits in that time will be confined to near the firft ha C:of L 3 tv

150 Even in the Millennium. [XII. 6.

it -, therefore it is not, nor could it have been faid of this her fecond flight as of the former that Hie fled lo long from him — At A. D. 756 fhe flew with rapid hafte upon the two wings of the Kom^^n eagle, ver. 14, which (he faw were given her for her fafetv ivoc TrnnTon that (he might j^y into the wildcrnefs ; where even this bird of prey forag- ed for her, as long as it had any ul'e of its wings ; but being off from thefe wings at A. D. i>i66, when (he is doathed with the fun ^ &c. (he will be more confident and daring ; and, having flayed in her own place for perhaps two thirds of her month of thirty years, after her hard travail in bringing forth the mafculine fon, (lie will at length, probably at A. D. 1886, flee tipvytv into the wilder-' nefs, bee auie fhe fees it is iht place prepared of God for her •, not merely for fafety, but ivx iytn Tp- fwfl-iv auTnv that they may nourijh her there, ver. 6 : Accordingly, when this trumpet founds, it is faid in the prefent tenfe «xft r(.s(psTon,JIje is nourifhed there from the face of the ferpent^ ver. 14.

Having thus remarked the difference between her firit flight A.. D. 756 ver. 14, and her fecond after A. D. 1866 ver. 6, it may be afked, Butwhy is the account of her fecond flight into the wil- dernefs ver. 6, placed before her firll: ver. 14.? I anfvver, in every fhort hiflory, while the author is defcribing a regular feries of events, it is com- mon to referve fome grand incident, which will throw conJiderable light upon the preceding and fubfequent parts of the hiffory, to be produced when it becomes immediately neceffary ; and tp which he v^ill refer back in the plu-perfed tenfe, Juft fo the holy Ghoff has done in this prophetic hifbory : At ver. 6 and following, the events which will occur under the feventh trumpet, follow each other in a regular fuccefTion ; but »t ver. 14 he informs us, chat there had hen

given

thefeventh Trumpet^ A. D. 1 8 65, /^ 3 1 2 5. 151

given to the 'woman (long before fhe was in that danger which he had mentioned in the verfe be- fore) two wings of the Roman eagle •, that fhe might fly into the wildernefs from the face of the ferpent 1260 years. It was neceflary to fpeak of this in the plu-perfe<5t tenfe, as 1 1 10 of thele 1 260 years were elapfed before this trumpet founded j yet this was the propereft time and place to men- tion it, juft before that full account of the beaft which follows chap, xiiith. The concinnity of the prophecy required it to be mentioned here ; be- fides under this trumpet, the works of God are commonly defcribed before thofe of the dragon.

Reviewing what has been faid, I apprehend that the church, being found in a wildernefs at A. D. 1 S66, will foon after that time be forced to flee into another, a different wildernefs till A. D. 2016, from the dragon and the fecond bcall. Yet if the fecond wildernels into which Ihe flees fliould, in every view, rereinble the firfl:, it can- not be the fame to her, when clothed with the fun, as the former had been, while flie was clothed vi\xhfackcloth% for, after A. D. 1866, her folar robes will brighten every opening fcene, guide her way, burn up the briars and thorns around her, fertilize the ground, and draw heavenly com- pany down to her. "^ut clothed with the fun., it is impoffible that the moft defirable place upon earth, fiiould appear any otherwife to her than as a wildernefs : Therefore, though fhe is only to flee from the dragon, in this her fecond flight, for a little part of her 1 260 years ; fliie is to be in the wildernefs for the whole of that time, even in the millennium and afterwards : Yet, as her folar robes make the wildernefs different to her after A. D, 8866, from what it had been before, fo tbe grace beftowed in the millennium will make it yet more difterent. i\t that time the earth will L 5 yield

I SiWarinHeaven, the Dragon cajl out .[XW.^j — 16.

yield an eminent temporal and fpiritnal increafe, Ezek. xxxiv. 27j but, as fome lands mull from their own nature remain uncultivated to the end of the world, lo thoie words will be confpicuoudy true to the end, In the world ye Jh all have tribula- tion^ John xvi. 33 ; and Who is this that cometh up from the wildernefs^ leaning upon her beloved ? Cant. viii. 5. Man) mileries will be removed in the mil- lennium i yet many will be left, to exercife and improve the Chriftian's graces. And as the dreams of feniual pleafure have, in every age, ib abuled the mind •, if we have not miftaken the fenfe of thefe words, it feemed necelTary to the holy Ghoft to inform us, a little before the millennium be- gan, that the w -rid will be a wildernefs to the church in its pureil and happieft times : It can- not be othervvife to a finful creature-, therefore as the world was all of it a wildernefs, in one view, at A. D. jPfS^ when the woman flew into that which was emphatically called a wildernefs ; fo it will be .1. her iecond flight into the wildernefs, after A. D. 1866. He that dwelkth in God will always find the world a wildernefs — But let us proceed to confider,

V. The war v/hich enfues, after this woman's flight into the wildernefs, between Chrift and the dragon •, in which the latter is routed and caft out ver. 7, 8,9. Ar^d there was war in heaven, that is, in the church militant, the only heaven that can be made a field of battle : And here the com- batants v/cre Michael and his angels^ and the dra- gon and his angels. Whether Michael, whole name fignifies Who is like God? was a guardian angel of higheilrank, or Chrill himfelf is not univerfaliy agreed; fee Dan. x. 21. andxii. i. But if Michael's angels are his, in the fame fenfe as the dragon's angels are his, then Michael is the Lord Jefus ; 'vvho here fought, as the captain of the Lord's

hoft-s

Thefeventh Trumpet, A. D. 1 8 66, /<? 3 1 2 5. 153

hods, at the head of thofe invincible Chieftains of war whom his grace raifed up after A.D. 1866. The dragon alfo fought and his angels \ but, the pope having been confidered as Anti-chrift ever fince the tenih century (fee bifhop Hurd on pro- phecy, vol. II. p. 26,) and the fervants of God having, in every fucceeding age, treated him as fuch ; when this main engagement began in the nineteenth century, the dragon and his army^r^- vailed.not to keep their place any ?nore in the church, but were cajv out into the earth.

To fay nothing of the 338 Bifhops whom the emperor Conltantine Copronynuis convened ac Condantinople A. D. 754, to proteft againft the idolatrous praftices of Rome -, or of the refolute oppofition m.ade by the Emperors of the Greek church, and minifters of the gofpel, in the eighth and ninth centuries, againft worfliipping of images, and praying to faints and angels •, to fay nothing of the attack made upon them by Wick- lifFeA. D. 1380-5 of the reformation A. D. 1517-, or of the abolition of the Jefuits A. D. 1773 (whofe order had been played off againft the church everfince A. D. 1540,) as it is twice faid ver. 9. that the devil is cafi oiit^ and alfo afferted that his angels were caji out with him^ therefore we exped: that, after this woman's fecond flight into the v/ildernefs, in the time of this trumpet, both the devil, the pope and their angels will be fo caft out of the church down to the earth, as they had never been before — God keep pro eflbrs of religion from doing any thing, mediately or im- mediately, for that caufe, againft which he has thus refolutely fet his face.

VI. A triumph is fung on this occafion vcr. io, II, 12. And I heard a loud voice /trying in heaven^ Nozv is come falvation and the power ^ and the king- dom^ of our God; and ihe authority of his Chrifi

is

154 't-heWorldwarned of their Danger, [XII. 13-

is difplayed : For the accufcr of our hrethi'-en^ whofe names are dear to us as our own -, ijho accufed them, not only in the prefence of thtir fellow men, but alfo before our God day and night (as long as he was permitted to ftand as before him) is cafi out of the church, ver. g ; fee Job i. 9. And this triumpli feems to be continued at ver. 10, through the millennium; when this accufer of the brethren will hQcaJl down Y.xii^kTih into hell, fo as perhaps not to be permitted to accufe them before God, for that 1000 years. Long it had been faid, buc faid in vain to many profefTors, Be not railers, re- viler s or devils^ I Cor. V. 1 1, and vi. 10. i Tim. iii. II. Gr. But now the lying tongue is put to filence in the church of God, and chiefly confined to the world : And they overcame him by the blood of the. Lamb •, which at once atoned for their fins, and conveyed to them the Spirit of all grace for their fupply. And this Spirit, which made the blef- fings of the gofpel their own, taught and embold- ened them to publifh the word of their tefiimony, though with more than the rifk of their lives: For they loved not their lives unto the death ; on the contrary the king of terrors wore to them the mort inviting charms, ' when endured in liich a * caufe and prefence.' Therefore rejoice ye heavens above; and ye who dwell in them ^ ftrike your ce- leilial firings to yet higher ilrains of joy and praife, for what almighty grace has done for your perfe- cuted brethren below.

VII. The world is warned of their danger from the dragon, ver. 12. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, which gave birth to the fecond beaft ; and ofthefea, out of which the firft arofe, chap. xiii. i, II : For the devil "^ho had fo dreadfully poifon- ed, torne and mangled the church, as fcarcely to, leave it one Chrilt-Iike feature, wherever he had power, is come down out of the church to youy^ ' ■ having,

1'hefe'venth Trumpet, A. D. 1 8 66, /o 3 1 2 5. 155

having great wrath: And a defcending degraded devil is the moft horrible of all ; efpecially as he knozvs that he has now but ajhort time in which to exert his rage againft Chrift and precious louls. He knows from the bible, that he is to be bound, and caji into the hotlomlefs -pit for a thousand years, chap. XX. 2, $' i and probably underftands from this prophecy, better than we, when the time is : And if this will take place about A. D 2016, as foon as the feventh trumpet founds A. D. 1866, and he fees himfelf about to be call out of the church, whim the kingdoms of the world are efcap- ing from his cruel tyranny, and becoming fhe kingdoms of the Lord and his Chrifi ; he will haften up the fecond beaft out of the earth, to oppofe thofe fwelling floods of falvation, which are going forth over the whole earth. Hear Chriftians, and for once learn of the devil, to haften your work as your time (hortens. Fas eft et ah hofie doceri.

1 3 . And when the dragon faw that he was cafh out into the earth, he perfecuted the woman who had brought forth the male- child.

14. And there had been given to the wo- man two wings of a great eagle, that fhe might fly into the wildernefs to her place ; where fhe is nouriihed there for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the ferpent.

15. And the ferpent had caft out of his mouth water as a river after the woman ; that he might caufe her to be carried away with the flood.

16. And the earth helped the woman, and opened its mouth, and drank up the ri- ver

I ^ST'be Dragonperfecutes the Woman, f XII. 13—17,

ver which the dragon had thrown out of his mouth.

17. And the dragon was enraged againil the woman j and went away to make war v/ith the remainder of her feed, who keep the commandments of God, and who retain the teilimony of Jefus Chrift.

In thefe words we have an account of the works of God, and of the devil. To begin with the latter of thefe ;

I. The dragon makes a moil fpiteful attack upon the woman in the wildernefs, ver. 13, 15, 16, 17. The beaft has found ever fince the r^- formaiion^xhzx. notwithftanding hisboafted holinefs, he cannot prefer ve himfeif from being treated by intelligent Proteftants as a Heathen man and a publican ; efpecially on account of thofe unpar- doned, and for ever unpardonable, rivers of in- nocent blood which he has flied. But when he has flain the two witnefles A. D. 1862, it will ap- pear to every one, who has any moral ufe of his eyes, that he is the mod: terrene potentate upon earth : And after he has driven the woman into the wildernefs the fecond time, the war will vifi- bly appear to be betv/ixt Chrift and the dragon, ver. 7 — 12 : And when the witneffes are raifed from the dead, they will not touch him^ with thofe light and gentle ftrokes, by which fome former heroes of the pen fo loudl; fhv.wed their own du- plicity and folly ; but he will be univerfally and finally call out of the church : After which he will become more explicit in his hatred, and with the m.ore fviXy perfecute' the woman, who brought forth the male- child, ver. 13. He had ftirred up many people againft her ever fmce A. D. 1517 *, but when the fe^cnd beafl arifes, under, this trum-»

pet.

^hefeventh Trumpet, A . t). 1 8 66, /<? 1 8 2 5. 157

pet, fpeaking like a dragon, chsLp. xiii. 11, this lerpent will cajl out of his mouth yet more abun- dant waters than ever, that is, peoples, multi- tudes, nations and tongues, as a river to drown her-, fee chap. xvii. 15. When God fpeaks it is done; and this ferpent muft imitate the moft high, in calUng nations to his feet with a word ; whom he may pour out, as eafily as he can fpealc, filthy as they come from his mouth, after the 'Woman, that he may caufe her to he carried away with the flood -, either to flow in the channel which he has cut out for her, or to be fwept off the earth, ver. 15. Prov. xv. 28.

But as the more humane earth had in ages paft helped the woman, and intombed the Hilde' brands, the Banners and the Lazvds of the world ; fo now it more than ever helped her, and open- ing its mouth wider than common, it fwallow- ed up that flood of people which the dragon had cafi out of his mouth, ver. 16; fome by defola- ting wars ; others by the cruelty of their refpec- tive governors ; and many more by the treading of the wine-prefs without the city, A. D. 1926, chap. xiv. 20 ; and by the grievous fores and plagues of the flrft and fifth vials A. D. 1936 and 1940 ; all of which fall within thefe times. This is the Lord's doing, and will be marvellous in the eyes of thofe who behold it. But v/hen, in fome of the firft of thele executions, the earth is made fat with the blood of its guilty fons, the dragon, jnraged againjl the woman, and Hill thirfting for vi(5tory, will turn indignant from the fight of his own dead troops ; and, with what forces he has left, make war with the rejl of her feed -, who, in fpite of all his efforts, keep inviolate the command- ments of God, and retain in heart and life unvary- ing //.J^ glorious teftiniony of Jefus, ver. ij. i Cor. i. 6. I John v. 10,

Thus

i^BThePFcman isprefer-vedon Eagle's Wings \Xl. 1 4,

Thus we have feen what the Lord will do againft that earth-born race, who inhft them- felves under the banner of the dragon j but let us fee,

II. What he does for the woman ver. 14. Her God had been before hand with this dragon 5 for

* previous to his perfecution of her, and as a

* provifion for her efcape from him,' to the wo- man there had been given (in the time when fhe was called the two witnefTes) two wings of a great eagle, that Jhe might fly into the wildernefs, to her place. The Greek Aorift is, as that word figni- £es, indeterminate in its kn{t ; it is commonly rendered in the prefent or imperfe5f tenfe ; and the word Kpvyiv jhe fled occurs in this fenfe ver. 6, where we found no reafon to depart from the fenfe in our tranflation : But not to mention £T£A£o-fi/ Matt. xxvi. I ; or ccXu^oca-a. John xi. 2, the Aorift sMri feems to have at leaft a perfe^ meaning in the following places -, viz, Matt, xxviii. 18. John i. 17. andxii. 5. 2 Cor. xii. 7. Eph. iii. 8. andiv. 7. 1 Tim. iv. 14. It has alfo a. plu-perfe^ tenk in our tranflation. Gal. iii. 2 1 . If there had heenalaw given., &C-, and might have been rendered had been given^ or were given in Rev. vi. 2, 4, S.andviii. 2, and in moft of the nineteen places in which it occurs in this book : And tcJoOjio-av muft be fo tranflated, in the verfe I am now confidering •, for if the two wings of the Roman eagle are given this woman., they muft be given her at a time when both the eaftern and weftern empire was fubfifting. Thefe two wings had in fad been given her from A. D, 395, when the empire was divided into the eaftern and weftern j but, though flie flew upon them from other enemies before, flie could not fly upon thefe wings from the enemy here fpoken, till he became a ferpent, a beaft or a dragon A. D. ']S^' From that %\^q the Proteftants flew from him

upon

9'befeventh l*runipet, A. D. i S 66, /<; 3 1 2 5. 155

upon the weftern wing of this eagle, and the Greek church upon the eaftcrn. But thefe wings could not be laid to be given her A. D. 1866, when this trumpet was founded; for if the weftern empire ftill continues, and will till A. D. 2016, in the ten kingdoms into which it is divided ; yet, whatever may be faid of the eaftern empire be- fore A. D. 1453 when the Turks took Conftan- pnople, it in no fenle continued to be a wing of that eagle after that time; for the Turks have no fuch devotednefs to the Roman fpirit and manners as the Europeans. I conclude therefore, that thefe words refer us back to A. D. 756 when both jthefe wings of the Roman eagle were given her. And this eagle, which is a bird of prey, was willing to protect her as a fubjedl, though not for ChrilVs fake. Si nojlra tueri non vultis, at vefira (defendetis ; If you will not -protect our things^ at leaft defend your own. The Lord himfelf bore Ifrael, as the eagle bears her young on her wings \ which therefore cannot be pierced, but through her own body, Exod. xix. 4 : And if he commits his trcafure to this eagle, to carry it into the wildernefs, he will be always with it himfelf; and whoever forages for his fpoufe in this wildernefs, Chrift alone can, and he will fpiricually nourilh her there all her 1260 days.

This view of things, both proves that we were right in feeking for the witneffes in the eaft and' weft; and that this woman is the fame perfon with the witneffes, though that name is dropped at A. D. 1866, from which time the glory arrays her which is dcfcribed ver. i. And this alfo fixes the fenfe of the time^ times, and half a time, fo far as it concerns the beaft to A. D. y^6 and 2016; fee Dan. vii. 25. and xii. 7. I only add, as £|3«X£i» has necelTarily a plu-perfe^i meaning ver. 16, it fpuld nop be improper to render it fo ver. 15:

And

j6o TheWoman is defended and fed, [XII. 14 — 16.

And the help which the earth affords the woman ver. 16, will be pafi^ yet eminently future^ at A. D. 1866. And as the woman is really noii- rifhcd, ver. 14, through every of her 1260 years, Ihe will be confpicuoufly fo, after this trumpet founds A.'D. 1866 — But it is time to enter upon a more immediate defcription of the enemy, from whom this woman is even now flying.

CHAP. XIII.

I. A ND I ftood upon the fand of the fea, •^^ and faw a wild beaft rifing up out of the fea; having feven heads and ten horns ; and upon his horns were ten diadems j and upon his heads the name of blafphemy.

2. And the beaft which I faw was like a leopard, and its feet as thofe of a bear, and its mouth as the mouth of a lion : And the dragon gave him his power, and his throne, and great authority.

3- And I faw one of its heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed : And the whole world wondered after the beaft.

4. And they worfhipped the dragon who gave authority to the beaft : And they wor- ihipped the beaft, faying. Who is like the beaft? who is able to make war with him ?

5. And there was given to him a mouth fpeaking great things, and blaiphemies. And

authority

authority was given him to prevail forty- two months.

6. And he opened his mouth to blafphe- my againft God ; to blafpheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

7. And it was given to him to make war with the faints, and to overcome them : and power was given him over every tribe, and tongue, and nation.

8. And all that dwell upon the earth fhall worfhip him, whofe names are not written in the book of Life of the Lamb, flain from the foundation of the world.

9. If any one has an ear, let him hear.

10. If any one leads into captivity, he fiiall go into captivity. If any one killeth with the fword, he fliall be flain with the fword. Here is the patience and the faith of the faints.

11. And I faw another wild beafc riling up out of the earth ; and he had tw^o horns like a lamb y and he fpake as a dragon.

12. And he exercifes all the power of the firft beaft before him ; and makes the earth, and thofe v^ho dwell therein to wordiip the firffc beaft, whofe deadly wound was healed.

13. And he doth great wonders, fo as to make fire come down from heaven to earth before men.

14. And he deceives the inhabitants of the earth by the figns which it is given him to do before the beaft ; faying to the in- habitants of the earth, to make an image to

M the

i62 The Jrft wild Beajl. [XIII. i—io.

the beaft, which had the wound by the Iword, and did live.

15. And it was given him to give fpirit to the image of the beaft -, that it might even fpeak, and caufe that as many as would not worihip the image of the beaft, fhould be (lain.

16. And he caufes all, both fmall and great, rich and poor, freemen and Haves, to

fubmit that he fhould give them a mark on their right hands, or on their foreheads :

17. And that no one fhould buy or fell, except he who has the mark, or the name of the beaft, or the number of his name.

18. Here is wifdom. Let him who hath underflanding, count the number of the beafl ', for it is the number of a man : And his number is fix hundred fixty-fix.

The word ^Dpiov z favage beaft, by which the Hoick philofophers ufed to exprefs our natural concupifcence, fignifies in prophetic language an idolatrous perfecuting empire : Such were the four monarchies defcribed, JDafi. viith; viz, theBa- bylonian, Perfian, Grecian and Roman: And tak- in<y the word in the fame fenfe here, we have an account. of two wild beafts j with refped to eacli of which, let us endeavour ro trace his o-ngin^ cha- ra^er, operations^ and times. And

I. Of the firft wild beaft, ver. i — 10. And I jlood upon the f and of the fe a in the ifleof Patmos, to take a view of thofe dafhing waves, which ' afi-ord fo lively a reprelentation of the tumults and confufions of the world ; and while I was gazing, wrapt in deep thought, I faw a wild beaji rife out ifthefea^ having feven heads, and ten horns-, and 2 tipon

Whefeventh "Trumpet^ A . D. 1 8 66, /^ 3 1 2 5, 1 63

upon his horns ten diadems^ and upon his heads or hills the midLniQusname of blafphem)\Ytx'. i.

That thisbeaft reprefents an empire fubfifting at Rome is indifputable, and confelled by writers of every name ; for the leven hills of that city which reigned over the kings of the earth, A. D. 96, are the f even mountains on which this woman iitteth, chap. xvii. 9, 10, 18. But in order to find the government here intended, we muft enquire for fuch an idolatrous perfecuting power at Rom.e as John could fee rifing j therefore it muft not be rifen before his time. It muft alfo be a power which will continue, neither more nor lefs than 1260 years from its commencement; and muft polTefs thefe feven hills, after that city has ex- perienced feven different forms of government ; for this beaft is the eighth; And it muft fo refem- ble fix of them as to be of the feveji, chap. xvii. 1 1. It muft alio fubfift after the Roman empire has been divided into ten horns, or kingdoms ; and when tlie ten diadems which cnce adorned the Roman crown, are diftributed among thefe ten kingdoms : None of which chara6lers can pof- fibly agree to Rome Heathen, but all of them concentre in Rome Chriftian or Papal ; therefore there can be no rational doubt, but that the holy Ghoft fpeaks of this. This is that power which the prophet Daniel has defcribed, under the charader of a little horn which arofe among the ten, and after them •, and was diverfe fror/i the firfi ten, being fpiritual as they are fecular \ yet he (hall fuhdue three of them, and pluck them up by the roots. He adds, this horn fnall have eyes like the eyes of a man ; and a mouth fpeaking great things : For he Jhall fpeak great words againfi the mod highy and fo all wear out the faints of the mofl high ; a'fid think to change times^ and lazvs : And they fd all he given into his hands, for the fame M 2 len-th

1 S^-'ff'^e Chara^er andOrigin of the Beaft. [ XI II . i , 2 .

length of time as is here fpecified -, viz, until a time^ times and the dividing of time^ chap. vii. 8, 24, 25. But as thefe charafters can never agree to any otiier power but the pope, no wonder that he dares not fufFcr his dupes to read the bible, where he is fo plainly charaderized, and fo aw- fully Higmatized, by the bleffed God. But let us,

1. Enquire into the origin of this beaft. He firft proceeded out of the well of the ahyfs^ under the charafter of a univerfal bifhop, chap. ix. r. Gr; then, as a beaft, he proceeded from the abyfs it- felf, up through that well, chap. xi. 7. and xvii. 8 ; {^^ Luke v'm. 31. But he made his firft- appearancs ii-5 our world out of the fea at Rome, ver, i, in a time of great tumult amongft the nations of the earth-, which was, in a great meafure, occafioned by the bloody manner in which the emperor Pho- cas gained, and adminiftered the aff'airs of, the empire.

2. His character . As the Heathen Roman em- pire was diverfe from the other beafts, and, having all the horrors of the three former concentred in itfelf, had no immediate hieroglyphic of its own, except its iron teeth, Dan. vii. 7; fo theholy Ghoft finds, no one hieroglyphic which could perfe6lly reprefent this beaft : It had indeed the mouth of a Hon., like the firft Babylonian beaft ^ and the Feet of a hear., like the fecond, or Perfian empire •, but upon the whole it moft refembled the third, the Grecian empire, Dan. vii. 3 — 6 ; being like a leopard., \n\z\\ ^ lion" s mouth., znd 2i bear s feet.

Ver. 2. And the dragon gave him his power ^ and his throne^ and great authority -, that is, (i.) The devil, chap. xii. 9, who had reigned over Pagan Rome-, and afterwards in the times of chriftianity, diffufed the fpi.it of popery there, long before tliC Pope or the beaft arofe, 2 ThcfJ'. ii. 7 ; finding

things

Thefeventh ^rumpet^ A, D. i ^66^ to^iiS' 1 65

things now more matured to his own hopes, when this church and ftatemonfter arofe, charmed with his appearance, he came nigh to him A. D. 756, and gave him, not the power and authority of ano- ther, but his ov^n power, and his throne, and greni authority ; fee chap. xi. 2 : Therefore we do not wonder to find, even in the churches in Rome chriflian, the fame kind of incenfe^ holy water, worjhipping of images, candles hurrdng, and votive gifts as debaled Rome heathen -, to fay nothing of their images of faints placed on the roads, of their crucifixes, holy days, proceflions, flagellants, ^c. &c. See Dr. Mi ddlet on'' s letter from Kofne. From all which it appears that this grant from the devil to the beaft was fubjed to that condition of his worfJdipping him, which our Lord had treated with fuch infinite abhorrence. Mat. iv. 8 — 10 -, but to which this pretended fuccefibr of St. Peter has no objedlion, provided he can hr.ve his feven heads or hills adorned with the yiarae of blafphemy, ver. i. (2.) After A. D. 1866, when the iecond beaft 2in\t5 fpeaking as a dragon, ver. 11, having two little horns or kingdoms of liis own, he will lay them down at the feet of the bealt •, and give him that pciver, throne, and authority which himfelf pofi^eJTes ; which will both enable the beaft to take the devil's own name, ftyle and title a dra- gon, and to fpeak and ad: accordingly, chap. xii. 3, 9 ; whiift his wretched votaries both worfhip the dragon, who renewed this grant to him by the fecond beaft, ^ndworJJjip the beafi himfelf, ver. 4. Ver. 5, 6. And by means of this great power which he had received, there was given unto him a mouth fpeaking great things and blafphemies : And having a mouth according to his own heart, he opened it to blafphemy againjt God, even to blaf- pheme his name j that is, his titles, attributes, or- M 3 dinances

1 66 T!UWorh'anlTimeioftheBeafi. [XIII. 4— 8.

dinanccs, words and works : He blafphemes his tabernacle too, by anathematizing the true fer- vants of God, under the name of Hereticks and Schifmaticks ; and them that dwellin heaven^ both faints and angels -, mifreprefenting their words and works, Ro7n. lii. 8. i Cor. iv. 13. and x. 30. iTiyn. i. 20. I Pet. iv. 4. Jude 8. Gr. to oppofe their de- figns ; yet paying them undue honours. Col. ii. 8, 18 ', and at the fame time debafing their names with fabulous legends and lying miracles. And no wonder when he has opened his mouth to Mafphemy againfl God himfeif. Father, Son, and holy Ghoft -, oppofmg his worfhip, and arrogat- ing to himfeif divine honours. But words are not all ; let us fee,

3. ¥^\s works y ver. 4, ^.^j., 8. Power was given him TTOJucraj to pra6liie and prevail^ during his whole 1260 years; for it was ^fi'd-?? him to make war with the faint s^ end overcome them., as to this world, in which view only faints can be overcome : He alfo engages fome to v/orfhip him out of love, and others out of fear •, the former even worjhip- ^ed the dragon^ the devil, who had., mediately and immediately, given this power to the heaft \ and both together worpipped the heafi., fay^^S-> '^^^^^ ^^ like the beaft ? who is able to make war with him ? For unhappily he is the grcateft being with whom they are acquainted; fee 2 Ki?igs iii. 13, 14. 1 Cor,

.^^- 34- . . .

Obferve, it is fix times faid that this power was given the bead : The dragon's hand in it is alTert- ed tv.'ice, ver. 2,4; for after the devil has given him his power A. D. 756, he will renew the grant, and enlarge it by an acceiTion of new power to the papal caufe, by the hands of the fecond beaft, vfho /peaks as a dragon. Afterwards it is four times mentioned in general terms, that th'ispower was given him^ ver. 5, 7. As men had a hand in

^hefeventh Trumpet^ A. D. i ^66^ to 3125. 1 6j

it, the four times may exprefs the confent of the four quarters of the world to it ; fee ver. 7, 8, or of the remnant of thofe /(?z/r horns^ the Baby- lonian, Perfian, Grecian and Roman empires which had fcattered Judah and Ifraek Zech, i. 1 8 — 2 1 •, and whofe lives had httnproloyiged for a feafon and time^ after their dominion was taken away^ Dan. vii. 12 : But as it was difpofed by the uner- ring counfel of the Divine will, this repetition may inform us, that this power was given him by the Father, Son and holy Spirit, and by the God-man Mediator, to whom all judgment is committed : And if men will accept of a commifllon from the devil, it isjuft in God judicially to allow them opportunities and abilities to execute it. But God's hand in this affair is a filencing thought to all our murmurings ; even while >?'/V way is in this Roman fea, and his paths in thefe mighty devour- ing'zc;^/<?rj, PfalAxxwn. 19.

4. The time of his continuance, ver. 5. Autho- rity was given him to prevail^ in this vj3.\\ forty -two months^ that is 1260 years-, yet thefe times are not days to him but rnoriths^ or like moon-Yi^t nights, in which to fporc or fleep ; the holy city being trodden under feet the greateft part of this time, and the woman in the wildernefs through the whole of it ; fee chap. xi. 2. and xii. 6, 14. Thefe 1260 years, reckoned from A. D. 756 when the pope became a beaft, will end A. D. 2016 : But as there are 238 years of this time to come, from this year 1778, fo two other things arefaid of the beaft, which are not yet accompliflied i viz, (i.) Something awful await- him, which is taken no- tice of early in this account of him, in order to keep up the fpirits of good men, ver. 3. And I faw one of his heads as it were wounded to death ; and his deadly wound was healed : And the whoh world wondered after the beafi. His feven head? M 4 ar*i

1 6 8 A Head of the Beajl is zvounded. [X 1 1 1 . 3 .

are /even hills on which the woman fittcth, and feven kings or forms of government, chap. xvii. 9, 10. Dan. vii. 6. Thefe kings might be called his heads, as they were his predecefiors, as he derives gloyfrom them all, and as his government par- takes more or lefs of the peculiarities of each. Thefe Heathen heads had all of them the najne of hlafphemy upon them, though not comparable to himlelf, ver. i ; and one of thefe ; viz, the laft received fuch a wound with the fv/ord, that it was not probable that it fliould ever have had fuch an eighth head as the pope is to fucceed the duke of Rome, in fuch pomp and pov/er as he pcfleifcs — But taking the word head in the other fenfe for a hilU though one of the feven hills on v^'hich that city ftands cannot be really, yet it will hereafter be as it were, wounded by. the fzvord, when it is -taken out of the hands of the pope, by fome en- raged power : And fuch an event v/i!l feem to be a decuily wound to the beafi ver. 12, 14-, from which his recovery will for a time feem doubt- ful.

Without pretending to know certainly when, or by vjhom, this wound will be given the beaft, I incline to believe it u'ill be inflided upon him by the ftate of Rome itfelf ; for as his ten horns are to hate the whore, chap. xvii. 1 6, I am unwilling to fuppofe that the moil injured of the ten, fhould have no hand in executing the vengeance writ- ten : But after the vials are poured out, whilft the other horns are making her feel their honourable refentment, Rome will probably be a lake of fire, chap. xix. 3 ; therefore if ever this ftate takes vengeance, it muft be either now, or when the vvine-prefs is trodden without the city -, fee xiv. 20. If this is the event intended in chap. xi. 1 3*, if the earthquake there fpoken of reprefents a civil commotion, as in chap. vi. J2, in which a tenth

part

'J^he feventh^rumpet, A. D. 1866, z^? 3125. 169

fart of the inhabitants of Rome will be flain, theiv the time of this event muft be A. D. 1866: But as the fimilar phrafe, chap, xvi. 19, The cities of the nations felU rather favours the literal fenfe of the word earthquake in chap. xi. 13, we are left uncertain when this difafter will befal the beaft. But if the angel flying through heaven with this cry, The hour of his judgment is come, chap. xiv. 7, refers to this event ; this wound mull be given him foon after the refurrecftion of the witnefTes, near the beginning of this trumpet : And if his wound is not healed before, it will be compleatly healed by the fecond beaft by A. D. 1886 ; then will thofe words be fulfilled. The whole world won- dered after the beaft 'f which leads me to confider — (2.) His glory after this, ver. 7, 8. Power was given him over every tribe, tongue and nation. Oblerve, pomp and univerfality are the chara(fters of the beaft's, not of Chrift's, kingdom : But thefe and fimilar phrafes, defcribe fuch an extent of influ- ence as the beaft has never yet obtained, but will hereafter J fee chap. v. 9. vii. 9. and xi. 9. Yet, as if this had not fufficiently informed us of his fhameful glory, it is added. All that dwell upon the earth eaft and weft Jhall worlhip him, except the ele6l who fiiall not be fo deceived, Matt. xxiv. 24 ; whofe peculiar bleffednefs it is, that their names are written in the book of life of the Lamb, who was flain, in types and prophecies, /r^»2 the foundation of the world : And this his unbounded influence, will take place, when the fecond beaft arifes to exert his utmoft power for his fupport.

But come and fee what will be the end of this beaft, and of all fuch as he is, ver. 10. If any one inflaves the fouls or bodies of others, and leads them into captivity, he is himfelf a flave, and fhall be further inflaved, and go into captivity, under the power of fatan ; fattening on the chains

of

170 1'he End of the Beafi, i^c. [XIII. 9— 10.

of others, he rivets on his own ; fee Mait. vii. 2 — He that killeth any, and efpecially the faints, with the fword^ muji bejlain with the /word; and this will be the end of the beail, as we (hall fee chap. xiv. 20, and chaps, xviii. and xix.

Two things are further added to the account of this beaft j viz, ver. 10. Here is the patience and the faith of the faints ! which were never fo glorioully difplayed fince the world began, as in the 1260 years of this beaft; fee chap. xiv. ii.Heb.y'i. ii.

* Under heavy prefTures, without faith, patience

* could not hold out : And under lively views of ' the future glory, without patience, faith could ' not hold in :' Faith fupports patience ; and patience prepares the foul for the further exercifc of faith, for God's glory and our own falvation.— > Again, ver. 9. If any one hath an ear, let him hear ; fee Matt. xi. i5.andxiii. 9, 43. At theclofeof the epiftles to the feven churches in Afia, Rev. ii. and iii. chapters, it is added to thefe words. What the fprit faith unto the churches \ but thefe words are addreffed to all, whether in or out of the church — How dare then the fervants of the beaft to keep God's word from the laity ! And how can Pro- teftants fatisfy themfelves in their criminal inat- tention to this part of God's revealed will ? Do they not pleafe the beaft by it .^ — But has not God commanded. In underfiandingbe ye not children^ but men ovperfeSi? i Cor. xiv. 20. Gr. Hear there- fore I befeech you, that you may know what hu- man nature is, even when it is externally chrif- tianized ! What villainies have been, and will yet be malked under the name of Jefus ! And what abominations may be expected when eccle- fiaftical men affe6t a monopoly of civil and facred honours ! Hear, that you may be preferved from the damning arts of popery ; and fee, with your own eyes, how providence and grace will proteft

the

^hefeventh ^rumpet^ A. D. i %66^ /^ 3 1 25. 171

the faints, when ejirth and hell are in arms againft them — Hear for Chrift's lake •, for fee ! a

II. Eeaft arifes, ver. 11 — 18. The v/ord finpjov M, wild beajiy muft neceifarily have the fame fenfe, ver. 1 1, as in ver. i, and in the prophecy of Daniel ; and fignify an independent, idolatrous, perfecuting power : Therefore it cannot be un- derilood of any of the religious ord/rs among the Papifts, or of ccciefiaftical perfons no 'v amongft them, who are invefted with temporal authority ; who are neither another, nor a beaji, being the creatures, members and dependents of the firft bead. Nor can this fecond bead, be nominally of any other religion than the Chriftian -, becaufe his whole authority and influence will be em- ployed for the honour of the firft beaft. Let us then, as in the former, attempt to trace his origitiy chara5fers, operations, and times.

1. His origin, ver. 11. And I beheld another wild beaft rifing up out of the earth. As the/m out of which the firft beaft arofe, ver. i, is to be un- derftood both literally and metaphorically ; for our apoftle fays, that he ftood upon the f and of the fea, and faw it rife out of it ; fo the earth as op- pofed to it, is no doubt to be taken both ways ; and probably the fecond beaft will fpring up gra- dually and unobferved, as a Papal beaft, out of fome inland country j as the other role out of the fea at Rome,

2. His character, ver. 11. He had two horns like a Lamb, or like the Lamb, Chrift : Thefe are two kingdoms, Dan. vii. 24. and viii. 3, 20. But though his horns are like thofe of a gentle Lamb, his voice will give the lye to their infidious ap- pearance, when he fpeaks like the dragon we heard of in the laft chapter ; for in him diflimulaticn and cruelty will be carried to the utmoft height they will ever attain on earth j whilft he works

miracles

I'ji'the Origin^ (^c. ofthefecondBeaJi. [XII 1. 1 1 ,&:c.

miracles before the other beaft, with which he will amazingly deceive them who dvjellon the earthy even all that receive the mark of the beaft, and worfhip his image, ver. 14, 16. But this leads me,

3. To his works, which are two- fold, ver. 12^ — 17 ; for firft as a beaft, he exercifes all that au- thority which the firft beaft had ever affumed over the fouls and bodies of men before him -, and makes the earth in general, and them that dwell therein to worjhip the firft beafi^ whofe deadly wound was fo recently healed, about the time of this beaft's rifing. Befides this, he doth great figns and won- ders-, for the holy Ghoft had told us, that his coming would be after the working of fat an, with all "power, and figns, and lying wonders; with all deceivablenefs of unrightcoufnefs in them that periflpy 2 Theff. ii. 9, 10. Accordingly, that he may not feem to come behind Elijah in power with God, He makethfire to come down from heaven to earth before men ; as if to teftify God's difpleafure againft thofe who oppofe his infernal defigns, 2 Kings i. 10 — 12. But whatever pretended miracles are wrought in fupport of falfe doctrines and worftiip, they muft be from the devil ; fee Deut. xiii. i — 3. However, having forged the broad Teal of heaven, his end is anfwered, he deceives them that dwell on the earth, or earthly minded creatures, by thofe miracles which he hath power to do ; not in the iight of God, or for his praife, but in the fight of ibebeafi; by thefe miracles, faying to them that dwell upon the earth, that theyftould make an image to the beaft, which had fo lately a wound by the /word, and did live, ver. 14.

We have heard that heaven will open under this trumpet, chap. xi. 15, 19, therefore hell will certainly ftrive to open ; for the laft years of the beaft will be bufy years to the devil, before he is

confined

Thefeventh trumpet, A.D. i865, /^3i25. 173

confined to the bottomlefs pit : And as in this pe- riod the faints will have the name of God in their foreheads^ chap. xiv. i, fo this beaft caufeth all oi every rank iLud condition, fmall and great, rich and poor, bond and free to receive a mark on their right hand, the hand of adion and of honour ; or on their foreheads; as flaves wore their .mailers marks, and the votaries of Heathen idols had fome kn- preffion of their Gods on their flefli, ver. 16.

In thefe days there will be upon the bells of the ^^r/^j",as upon Aaron's mitre, HoUnefs tothe Lord; yea, every pot in Jerufalemand Judah^fhall be Ho- linefs to the Lord of hofts, Exod. xxviii. 36. Zech. xiv. 20, 21. On the contrary, befides his mark, his name, or the tiumher of his name, which the votaries of the beaft muft receive, he will caufe them to have an. image or pi(5ture of the beaft in their houfes, or on their furniture and the vellels they ufe ; and command that a ftatue of the beaft fhall be fet up in every town, and perhaps at the corner of every ftreet ; and compel every wretch- ed paffenger to pay homage to it, ver. 14, 17. Yea he will have power to give fpirit to the linage of the beafi ; thus i^nitating, in order that he may infulr, \-i\m v^ho only give th breath to the people upon earth, and fpirit to them that walk therein, Ifa. xlii. 5 : That the image of the beafi might even fpeak •, either as the Heathen oracles ufed to do, by the lying artifice of the priefts •, or by the power its votaries have to reward, or revenge what is done to this image : And caufe that as many as would not worfbip the image of the beaft fhould be Jlain J for now again is their hour, and the pozver of darknefs. Obferve, this image breathes no- thing but death •, temporal death to iis defpifers, but eternal death to its admirers, ver. 16. Yet the beaft prevails fo far, that 7io ?nanmay buy or fell, except be who has the mark, or the name of the

beaft.

1 74 ^^^ Beajl^ the Mahometan Chief. [XIII. 3.

^^<2/?, or the number of his name, ver. 17. The firft beaft had ifTued fuch an order -, but his au- thority was chiefly confined to fome parts of Eu- rope ; but now the people of every tribe^ tongue^ end nation, ver. 7, are forbidden to exercife their trades, or enjoy the comforts of life, except under an avowed fubjedlion to thefe two beafts •, who are in fadb one in their operations and defigns.

This fecond beaft may perhaps be the perfon who ufed to be called the Mahometan chief, who ■will probably become a Papal Chriftian foon after the firft beaft has flain the eaftern witnefs, the Greek church •, for, (i.) I can fee no other method by which the beaft can be fo likely to attain that extent of influence and authority over all kindreds, tongues, and nations, which he is to poflfefs, ver. 7, 8, 12 — 17. (2.) It is faid of the grand Turk, Dan. xi. 44. He fh all go forth with great fury to defl^'oy, and anathematize inany, Heb. Thisphrafe defer ibes a religious war, which he will make between A. D. 1866 and 2016, probably under the fixth vial, A. D. 1941 ; fee chap. xiv. 5. and xvi. 12 — 16 : And his anathematizing many, feems to intimate that he will become a Chriftian before that time •, for he certainly will not em- brace the Jewifli religion -, fee Godwyn's Mofes ajid Aaron, page 201. (3.) Every charafter of this fecond beaft fuits the Mahometan chief : He is called a falfe prophet, chap. xvi. 13. xix. 20. and XX. 10, which is the name by which Mahomet is known in every part of the Chriftian world, eaft and weft. True, he wrought no miracles whilft he was a Mahometan ; but it has been prov- "ed that Mahometanifm will expire by the year 1866; fee chap. xi. 3 : And after that year we read here of a beaft, a falfe prophet who wrought miracles before the firfi leaf ; by which he fo far tricked men out of their reafon that, like beafts,

they

Tkefeventh 'Trumpet, A. D. 1866, to 3125. 175

they tamely fubmitted to receive any mark he pleafed : And who can this be but the Mahom.e- tan chief, turned a Popifh Chriftian, and amufing himfelf with that fuppofed miraculous power, by which Rome had long iniiilted the underftandings of deluded Europeans ? His defcription alfo as a beaft agrees to Mahomet, who literally came up out of the earthy ver. 1 1, when he left his cave near Mecca, which was in the inland part of Arabia ; fo that the fecond bead, both literally and meta- phorically, rofe out of the earthy as the firft rofe out of thefea — And he had two horns or kingdoms ; and if thefe are fecular, they probably refer to the two kingdoms of Arabia and Syria, which Ma- homet perfonally conquered : And, though it is well known the Turks were never able to reduce Ilhmaers defcendents in Arabia into a flate of fubjed:ion, nor will they be long fubjeft to any foreign power whatever; yet by the year 1866 the grand Turk's dominions may be reduced to two little inland horns or kingdoms, though we know not which they v/ill be.

But as the beaft and the Mahometan chief have always agreed in this, to unite inthemfelves an ab- folute fecular and fpiritual power ; fo thefe two horns may poflibly refer to the temporal and fpi- ritual government which the fecond beaft will con- tinue to claim •, for he exercifes all the pozver of the firft beajt before him. Accordingly it is faid of thefe his two horns^ that they were like thofe of a Lajnb, or oftheLamb Chrift; whofe temporal and fpiritual government are both of them reprefented by his hornsy chap. v. 6. Hab. iii. 4. And he fpake as a dragon ; and if' literal dragons exift now any where they originated from the eaft -, which in- clines us the more to underftand this fecond beaft of the Mahometan chief. The following ac- counts reprefent him as powerful, yet meanly

giving

176 ^he Times of the fecondBeaJl. [XIII. 11 — 17.

giving up all his glory to the firft beaft; before whom he iscontentedto ftand prophefying, charmed with that pretended power of working miracles, with which his new religion has furniflied him. And probably he wiil be fo degraded in the eafl before A. D. 1 866, as may heartily incline him to change his fituation, and come and work miracles before the firft beaft at Rome. Thus Popery will fur- vive Mahometanifm ; and appear in the end to have been a more mafterly engine of the devils kingdom, than ever that had been. But we are yet to confider,

4. The times of this beaft ; of which nothing being faid, we are naturally led, v/ith all others, to look for him in the 1260 years of the firft beaft ; and what has been already offered, dircds us in what part of that time to expect his advent. As nothing is faid of Mahometanifm in this pro- phecy after A. D. 1866, probably the Mahome- tans will become Papifts about that time, and join the ftandard of that power which had flain for them the Greek church. And as Mahomet began to call himfelf the apoftle of God A. D. 612 ; as the ?vlahometans date their hegyrafrom A. D. 622, when he fied from Mecca-, and the fun in the firmament gave notice of that infernal abomination upon earth, by withdrawing much of its light A. D. 626; fo 1260 years after thefe different times, probably the grand Turk will ad- vance towards the height of his papal power. If he is a temporal prince, with two horns or king- doms at A. D. 1866, by A. D. 1872, he may perhaps call himfelf an apoftle of Chrift ; enter upon his full reign temporal and fpiritual A. D. 1882 ; and go to w^ork miracles before the beaft at Rome A. D. 1886; fee chap. ix. 5, 10. And from this time to A. D. 1936, when I exp?6t the firft of the vials to be poured out, will probibly

be

Ihefeventh Trumpet^ A. D. i ^66^ /^ 3 1 25. 177

be the darkeil fifty years the world ever faw • But for the ele<5l's fake thofe days will be fhorren- ed. And though this ignoble pair of brothers will reign together from the above time to A. D. 2016, yet the vials will reduce them to a ftate of great imbecillity ; and the laft of them, however filently it may fall upon the air^ in the calm ear of refleflion and thought, will invite exulting na- ture to attend their funeral.

But though fuch a particular notice is here given us of this fecond beatl, it was not neceffary that the prophet Daniel ftiould have any account of him, as he only rifes for the fupport and hon- our of the firft beail in his laft times.

It is added, ver. 18. Here is "duifdom \ for he is divinely wife who can deted and guard againft the fpirit of popery, in every form, in himlelf and others : Let him that hath a mind or underftnnding count the number of the beaji. The word ^'^fpio-w fignifies to count the number of white or black ftones, by which votes had been given in any affair. Rev, ii. 17 ; {o if we add the numeral figni- fication of one letter of his name to another, we {hall find the number of the beaft; for it is the number of a man \ therefore I d ) not feek the num- ber in thoie three Greek words HuAov fjcuoou yji^oo the wood of the crofs of Chrift -, thcaigh it cannot be improper for Proieftants or Papifts to obferVe, that the initials of thofe words give us the number 666. But of what man is \i the number ? I anfv/er. It cannot hurt the French king, who is the Pope's firft-born, to obferve \.\ya.i Ludovicus or Lewis will give us the above number •, yet to find the per- fon whom the holy Ghoft immediately intend?, we mud look for a man, who may be denomi- nated from the country where the beaft reign.% whofe capital city is fo vifibly pointed out in this prophecy, chap, xvii. 1 8 ; that is reckoned by N liu:):ercil

178 ^be Number of the Beaji is 666. [XIIL 9— iS.

numeral Letters, as the Greeks and Hebrews ufed to count the names of their idols, or of fa- mous perfons amongft them. Iraeneus there- fore juftly judged that the name muft be hxrim^ A 30

<e	I
	300
	5
	10
	50
	70
	200
	666

the Latin man emphatically fo called ; and the Hebrew word Romiith, a Roman, gives us exaftly the fame number ; viz, 6^6 : And about that year the Latin fervice began. Chrili's accufation was written in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew letters, Lukexxm. 38 : And though we are not to ex- ped: to find the number of the beafl in the Ro- man word Lateinos, (for the Latins ufed but few of their letters as numerals,) yet this word being originally written the fame way in Latin and Greek, the number of the beaft is virtually an- nounced in ail thefe three languages •, though it is really defcribed only in the tv/o laft of them ; in which this v/ay of numbering by letters was fo commonly ufed. But whilfc the Roman word Lateinos (for fo it was anciently fpelt) teaches us that he will fpiritually tyrannize by means of his Latin fervice, his name thus publifned in Greek and Hebrew, ftrengthens our afTurance, that as he will pradife his tyranny upon the weftern churches, who are one of the witneffes, fo alfo upon the other of them the Greek church.

The Jews alfo, who ufed to number by alphabeti- cal letters as well as the Greeks, muft feel his iron

teeth

Thefeventh Trumpet^ A, D. 1 866, to ^i2§. 179

teeth when they are brought home to their own land ', fee chap. xiv. i — 5. And his number is fix hundred ftxty fix : The firft beaft no doubt is chiefly intended, who will continue the whole 1260 years; and who is, in every fenfe of the word Lateinos^ a Latin man, a man of Italy, and a Heathen man, notwithfranding liis vain pre- tenfions to Chriltianity ; yet the word, and the number agrees to both thefe beafts, who are fo one, that one word will defcribe them both ; for their religion and language being the fame, they will latinize and tyrannize together. At the fame time, as their grcatefc exploits againft the Jews and Greeks, will fall in the fliort time of the fe- cond beaft, their common number, which is de- fcribed in the numeral letters of thofe two lan- guages, is given us in his time.

Thus in various ways the Lord has defcribed thefe two beaks, that the little flock of ]d\\s may know from whom to flee. But obferve, Though the beaft \v^% 2i ferpent from the beginning, and exprefsly fo called through the whole of his 1260 years chap. xii. 14, yet he will not be a dragon till A. D 1866, ver. 3. of that chapter; where however, the regular feries of the times of the fe- venth trumpet, required that he fliould be defcri- bed as a dragon^ before he is defcribed at full length as a beaft in this chapter ; in which all the abominations of his character are gathered into one point of view, as they will be feverally difplay- ed in the times of thefe two laft trumpets — But whilft chriftianized men are appointing the fheep of Jefus far the fiaughter, fee ! their great Shepherd advances! Jehov.ah is his name ! And his abounding grace to Jews and Gentiles, Vv'hich is fo loudly announced in the next chapter, will fill my reader's heart with joy, if it is at all at- tuned to celeftial ftrains of lovc anu prai.e.

N 2 CilAP.

iSo The Lamb Jlands on Mount Sion. [XIV. i — 5.

»-♦•♦•■:

CHAP. XIV. 1—5.

I . A N D I looked, and behold, a Lamb ■*^ flanding on the mount called Sion ; and with him a hundred and forty-four thoufand, having the name of his Father written on their foreheads.

2. And I heard a voice out of heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of great thunder ; and I heard the voice of harpers, playing on their harps.

3. And they fung, as it were, a new fong before the throne, and before the four living creatures and the elders : And no one could learn the fong, but only the hundred and forty-four thoufand, who are redeemed out of the earth.

4. Thefe are they who had not been de- filed with women, for they are virgins ; thef© are they who follow the Lamb whitherfo- ever he goeth : Thefe were redeemed from among men, the holy firft-fruits to God, and to the Lamb.

5. And in their mouth was found no guile ; for they are without blame before the throne of God.

Oi

ider this trumpet we have already heard of th :/:..';r and f-crfy elders, who are the heads of the Jewifh and L lu-illian church, fee chap. iv. 4 ;

and

^hefeventh Trumpet^ A. D. 1 866, /^ 3 1 25. 181

and of the temple opened in heaven, chap. xi. 16, 19 : And 1 cannot but confider thefe words as an account of the Jews return to their own land ; the proofs of which will open in the words them- felves: For fays our apoftle, ver. i, after I had feen the former vifion, ftruck with horror at the depredations of the two beafts, I looked rounds and lo ! a moll relieving fight met my view ; for the Lord Jefus Chrift, as a Lamb who had made atonement with his blood, chap. v. 5, 6, flood on the mount Sion j which fhould feem to be taken literally here, as fuch things are faid of it, ver, 3, 4, as do not agree to the ft ate and circum- ftances of the church of God in general : And we know that all Ifraeljhall be faved ; as it is 'written, ^here Jhall come out of Sion the Deliverer^ and Jhall turn away ungodlinefsfrom Jacobs Rom. xi. 26.

Yet our Lord will no more come corporally to mount Sion, than he will literally Jiand there <^j a Lamb ; for the heavens mufl: receive him till the times of t\\Q regulation of all things ', fee Doddridge on A£fs iii. 21. — And with him a hundred and forty four thoiifand\ the fame number as the Jewifh converts in the time of Conft:antine the Great, in the fourth century, chap. vii. 3 — 8 : And it is the more reafonable to underftand this of the fame people, as both here and there they are contra- diftinguiihed from the converted Gentiles, who were there faid to ft:and before the thorne and be* fore the Lamb, ver. 9, as the blelTed company here Hand with him on mount Sion : Having his Fa- ther's name written in their foreheads, to intimate the notoriety of their reiblute and avowed fub- jedion to him. Their anceftors had been fealed in their foreheads^ c\\2i^. vii. 3; but, likeepiftles of Chrift lying v/ide open, thefe carry his Father's name upon their foreheads •, in oppofition to the idolaters of that age who have the mark, the namc^ N 3 of

1 82 Thejewsreturnto their own La7td. [XIV. i — 5.

or the number of the beaft on their right hands^ where they might conceal it, or on their fore- heads where they could not, chap. xiii. 16, 17.

2. And I heard a voice from that heaven the church, loud and folemn as the voice of many waters^ or people, chap. xvii. 15; who were ga- thered together to gaze upon this blefied phjsno- menon in the world, the return of the Jews to their own land j for the receiving of them will be as life from the der.d to the church, Rom. x\. i^: And their fettlement in Canaan will be as the re- turn cf Lazarus, and the widow cf Nain's fon to their own habitations, out of which they had been carried dead — And as the voice of a great thunder ; fee Exod. xix. 16 -, for this is a kind of new difpenfation of divine authority and grace, which fills the believing nations with tranfport- ing joy — And 1 heard the voice of harpers -playing on their harps •, an inllrument of Jewiih worlhip with which the four animals, and the four and twenty elders praifed God, when our Lord took the fealed book into his hands, chap. v. 8. Pfal. Ixxxi. 2 — 5.

3. And this exulting croud of Abraham*sdefcen- denrsy'?/^^, not really but, a-s it were a i^Ewfong ^ for though their renowned progenitors had be- lieved and gloried in a Meffiah to come, their nation had fhamefully flighted him for about 1500 years: However, recovered by his grace, they now Jing before the throne^ and before the liv- ing creatures^ and the elders : But there were fuch peculiar ftrains in that fong that no on? could learnit^ but only the 14,4,000 who were redeemed from the earthy that is, frcm the different countries in which they had been difperfed j for converted Jews will have a fong peculiar to themfelves, in which the vader crouds of gentile converts can- not

^'hefeventh Trumpet, A. D. 1 866, /o 3 1 25. 1 83

not join, as it is predifted, Jfr. xvi. 14. 15, and xxiii. 7, 8..

4. ^/j^y^ ^r^ /^^j W/^^ had not been defiled ivith women, either in corporal, or in the fpiritual un- clean nefs of indulged idolatry ; for they are vir- gins, returned to that blefTed Hufband to whom their anceftors had been fo long ago efpoufed, Hof. ii. 7 : And whatever adulterous ideas had once debafed their fathers, who had been convert- ed in the different countries where they lived, A. D. 18 1 6 (fee chap, xi. 16, and a remark on Dan. viii. 13, 14. at p. 193) and whom grace had brought back again to virgin purity, as the wo- man of Samaria, John iv. 29 ; thefe their more favoured defcendents, to whom the honour of returning to their own land is indulged, had ne- ver been defiled with women — Thefe are they who know the power and grace of the Lamb fo well ; and have fuch an affeftion to, and confidence in him, that they chearfuliy/;?//^-:^ him, even through giants, terrors, and temptations, to the land which the Lord gave their fathers for an everlaft- ing poffeffion, whitherfoever he goeth-, as their anceftors in the v/ildernefs, going to Canaan, never refufed to follow the leading pillar of cloud and fire; which was long afterwards remembered to their honour, Jer. ii. 2 — Thefe were redeemed^ with aftrong hand and out-ftretched arm, out of the nat'ons/r^;/3 among men, being the fir ft fruits (bkll earnefb of a vafter harveft of their own na- tion at hand ! And as fuch they are prefented) to God and to the Lamb, whom they declare to be their God ; for he is the Lord and God of every believer, 7^?/:?a XX. 28.

5. And in their mouth was found no guile ; for thefe ranfomed of the Lord do not compafs him about with lies, as manyof their fathers had done : And as the Jewifli firfc-fruits were the molt ex-

N 4 ccilent

184 ^"hejezvsreturn to their ownLand. [XIV. i — 5.

cellcnt in their kind, fo thefe happy perfons, like the facrifices chofen out of the fold or the ftall, were witbcut blame or blanifi a.iJi.wy.ai, before the throne of God's grace here j as they Ihall loon be without fpot or wrinkle^ or any fuch thing in the prefence or his glory above, Eph, v. 27-, tor grace and gh;ry differ only in degrees.

Thus honoured inwardly and outwardly will be the delcendents of that long, and now again favoured people : and the words virgins c.n^firji' fruits^ may perhaps intimate, that the young among them will Ihew an exemplary zeal to re- turn to their own land.

Now p obably the time is come for thofe words to be fulfilled, Dan. xi. 44 •, where, fpeaking of the grand Turk, it is faid, Tidings cut of the eaj}, either of the Perfians coming againft him, or of the Jews returning from thence to their own land ; and out of the north., of the afTiftance which RufTia gives them towards their fettling there, troubled him i therefore he fhall go forth with great fury\ particularly under the fixth vial, to defiroy and anathematize many, Heb. after the manner of the bead •, whole religion the Turks will probably imbrace after the bead has flain the Greek church ; lee p. 1 74.

Many things incline me to expedl this long- predidled event about A. D. 1866 ; not fooner» becaule the feventh trumpet will not be founded till then, or the kingdoms of this world fall into the extended arms of Immanuel, chap. xi. 15 : And as the account of their return falls under this trumpet, it is not reafonable to exped it be- fore that founds ; unlefs any previous intima- tions had been given of that event under the fixth trumpet •, as there v/ere implicitly of the woman's flying into the wilderneis, and explicitly of the beail ; the accounts of both of which were begun

under

Thefeventh trumpet^ A. D. 1 866. to 3 125. 1 85

under the former, and ended under this trump- et ; fee chap. xi. xii. and xiii : But, nothing of this nature occurring with refpeft to the Jews return, I cannot exped it before A. D. 1866 — But it is not probable that it fhould be deferred beyond that year-, {^1.) Becaufe their converfion will be begun before that time •, for at the found- ing of this trumpet the four and twenty elders, who are the heads of the Jewifh and Chriftian church, chap. iv. 4, are before God, chap. xi. j6 : And the number is never more than twelve when the tribes of Ifrael, or the apoftles of the Lamb are fpoken of diflindly and Separately ; fee chap, xii. I. and xxi. 12, 14, 21. And if they return to God fifty years before the end of thefixth trumpet, this will prepare for their return to their own land by the time this trumpet founds.

(2.) As this trumpet begins differently from any of the preceding ; viz, v ith an account of the triumphs of Chrift's kingdom in the world, chap. xi. 151 fo, as foon as the holy Ghoft has finifhed, chap. xii. and xiii, what he had begun to fay under the preceding trumpet of the woman's flight from the bead, he refumes the fame fubjed with which this trumpet began, by giving us this account of the Jews return. And though their return, and the converfion of the Gentiles, will be nearly co- temporary events, yet the favour iliewn to the former, is both here and in Conftan- tine's time, fpoken of before that indulged to the latter •, fee chap. vii. 8, 9 •, and ver. 6, &t. of this chapter-, which inclines me to place this event at, or near the beginning of this trumpet \ for the holy Ghoft has fpoken of it before all chofe great events which are predided from ver. 6. of this chapter to the end of chap, xixth : There- fore it mull not only precede the general conver-. fion of the Gentiles, but the pouring out of the

vials.

iZ6 Daniel's Prophecy of the Jewsre/um.lXlY. 1-5,

vials, and the deftrudion of the two beafls ; with whom the Jews, as well as Gentiles, will be called to ftruggle through the whole time of the fecond beafl, that is, from foon after A, D. iS66 to 2016 : But they will receive the ftorm near tneir Redeemer's fide, and as hfore the throne vf God^ againft whom it is raifed, ver. j, 5. [i.t When the fixth trumpet ibunded, the Geniil'-is '.vcre to tread the holy city Jerulakm under feet for no lon- ger time than che 1260 years of that trumpet; which coincided with the times of the two v/it- neffes, and which it has been already proved will end at A. D. 1 866 •, fee chap. xi. 2, 3 : Therefore the Jews muft return to their own land about that year.

If we fliould find that the prophecies of Daniel point out the fame time for their return to Judea, the conviction will be the more clear and fitisfy- ing. Obferve therefore, As the atonement of Chrift is the grand hinge of every gofpel hope, fo the daily facrifice which typified it, is mention- ed in three of the four vifions which were given that prophet ; and the time of its ceafing is given us in moll of them. It ceafed

ByManaffeh 684 p , r

Jiy Nebuchadnezzar 584V J^^l^^>^ ^°^^^

By AntiochusEpiphanes 1683

And finally by the Romans A. D. 70. We read of its ceafing four times in Daniel's pro- phecy, by means, or on account of the tranfgref- JioTiy or abomination of defolation ; viz, chap. viii. .13, 14. ix. 27. xi. 3i,and xii. ii : And the chief difficulty is, to determine to which ceafing of the facrifice each phrafe refers, and in afcertaining the time of it. If the holy Ghoft takes ho notice in this prophecy, of any one of thefe times of its ceafing, it will probably be that which Antiochus Epiphanes occafioned ; becaufe it continued at the furthelt but three years and ten days, i Mace.

i. 54>

^hefevenih Trumpet, A. D. 1 866, /^ 3 1 2 5. 1 87

i. 54, 59, and iv. 52—54' But whatever may be faid of its ceafing by Manalieh (whofe abomina- tions laid a dreadful foundation for the deftruc- tionof the Jewifh nation, 2Kingsxxl4, 5.andxxiv. 4 0 to have judged before hand, we Ihould cer- tainly expect that (orr.e notice fhould be taken of its ceafing by the Babylonians ; and efpecially of its final conclufion by the Romans : And it is fo ; for our Lord has explained, Dan.'ix. 27, of the final ceafing of the Jewilh facrifice by means of Titus, which took place A. D. 70 j fee M?//. xxiv. 15. And the fame event feems to be refer- ed to Dan. xi. 3 1 i where, having fpoken of the Jloips of Chittim, or the Roman power, (fee bifhop Newton on prophecy, vol. i. page 147-7 151) which fliould come againft Antiochus Epi- phanes, who reigned \ntht latter /?W of the Gre- cian empire, Dan. viii. -23, 168 years before Chrift's time, ver. 30 •, it is faid ver. 31, *)JDD after him (fo Sir Ifaac ISfewton reads it,) arms^ or the Roman ^o^tv fJoall fiand up; and they fhall pollute thefan5iuary of Jlrength -, and thoy fhall take away the daily facrifice •, and place the aho-mination that ma- keth defolate on the once holy ground.

Antiochus indeed had indignaticn againfi the holy covenant and intelligence with thofe profligate Jews who forefook'Vi^2.%''X\% mentioned, ver. 30; and for- bad the offering of burnt- offerings and facrifices in the temple, I M^^c.i. 1 1—15* and45— 54; Buthis profanation of the temple was but a prelude to the greater devaftationof the Romans, who came agai^ift him, ver. 31, took away xht daily facrifice A.D.70-, and at A. D. 132 erefted a temple to Jupi- ter Capitolinus where the temple of God had ftood.

And itis the inoreprobable that ver. 3 1 fpeaks of the Romans, becaufe ver. 32 — 35 c-jntain fuch an exaft defcription of the ftate of the Chriftian world, for the firft five or fix centuries, viz, And

fuch

1 8 8 DaniePs Vifton explained, [X IV. i — 5.

fuch profefling Chriftians who do wickedly againji that covenant of God, which they vainly pretend to take hold of, JhallHe^ the Roman, corrupt by flattery ^ hut the people who really know their Godjhall he firongy and do {\.\c\\ exploits as will amaze the empire. And they that underjiand a?nong the people, Jhall in- ftrucimany, by theiraflivityin lipreading the gofpel, and by their holy lives •, yet, beneficent as they are to human nature, they Jhall fall by the fwordy and by flame, by captivity and by fpoil in the ten Heathen perfecutions -, in which they will how- ever, be more than conquerors over death in its moft frightful forms. And when they flsall fall in Diocleiian's ten years perfecution, they Jhall he bolpen with a little help by Conllantine the Great, who will eftablilh Chriftianity in the empire j but then many Jhall cleave to them with flatteries : And zfterwavds fome of them of underftanding Jhall fall by the Arian perfecutions, to try them, and to purge them, and to make them white even to the time of the end', when the Arian herefy will iffue in that po- pery to which it vifibly tends -, becaufe it is yet for a time appointed. Then follows an account of the depredations of popery, ver. 36 — 39; fee page 3 7.

But the defolations to be made by the Babylonians feem to be intended by this phrafe, Ban. xii. 1 1 ; where, fpeaking of the power of the bead, which is to continue 1260 years, ver. 7, our author is in- formed, that /row the time when the daily facriflce Jhall be taken away, to the time when the confound- ing abomination Jhall he given, Heb. Jhall be 1 290 days or years. Arias Montanus reads it. Ad dan^ dum abominationcm ohfr.ipefacientem ; andnri doubt- lefs fignifies giving % this is its ufual and moft natural fignification, though it is rendered to place in Dan. xi, 31, which I have juft confidered 5 and the word DDtt^ which is ufed in all thefefour places in Daniel (and which founds in 'E.n^i^Jhame 'em) fignifies ftupifylng or confounding j and eminently

fuch

thefeventh Trumpet^ A. D. 1 866, /<? 3125. 189

fuch is the abomination fpoken of. Rev, xvii. 2, 6. If we reckon thefe years from Antiochus's profa- nation of the temple ; and much more if we date them from A. D. 70, when the Romans put an end to their facrificing, the 1290 years will carry us far beyond the time when popery was fet up : They muft therefore necelTarily refer to the time of Nebuchadnezzar's conquefts, who deftroyed the temple at Jerufalem, fays Dr. Prideaux, 588 years before Chrift's time ; yet two or three months after the temple was burnt, offerings were brought to the houfe of the Lord, Jer. xxxix. 2. andxli. 1,5-, as they were alfo prefentedonthe altar, feven months before the foundations of the fecond temple were laid, Ezra. iii. i — 8.

And though they were not tofacrifice in Heathen lands, charity muft fuppofe that a people who had been ufed toofFer facrifices time immemorial, and whofeanceltors had praflifed this facred rite, by the divine order, before they had either a tabernacle ortemple, would continue this facred cuftom as long as there were any devout people left in Judea, who had any cattle; for they knew, that without /bedding of blood there was no remijfion of fins. Accordingly, fays the fore-mentioned author^ ' Though the temple was deftroyed, the people ' that were left continued to offer facrifice and * worfhip there on the place where it ftood \ And he reckons they did fo for four years ; which brings the ceafmg of the facrifice to 584 years be- fore Chrift's incarnation. Add thefe ; 2.90 years to the year 584 before Chrift, and it br Ingr, us to A. D. 706 : And as the text fpeaks of fomething voluntary ^/■z;^;^ to the pope or tiie cJ'Uich, ;rith- ouc force of arms, fuch \vere the p-xlrimonies of which hiftory fpeaks, (fee Unlv^tJafH/Jl, v» ■•. xi.::. page 652 — 654) which v. ere fo liberally btsKOvved upon the Romiili churcii, efpecially Ll x.\\<: besi/i?* ing of the eighth c^*;-;;.;, ana puuicui^. Iv" at

4^. D.

190 Daniel's Prophecy ofthe*Jews return. [XIV. 1-^5

A. D. 706 : For as liberal donations to the church were about this time fuppofed to make atonement for fin ; fo fays Mofheim, ' Emperors, kings and

* princes fignalized their fuperftitious veneration

* for the clergy, by inverting Bifhops, churches ' and monafteries in the poffeflion of whole pro- ' vinces, cities, caftles and fortrefles j with all the ' rights and prerogatives of fovereignty that were

* annexed to them under the dominion of their

* former mafters.' Eccles. Hiji. vol. I. page 349. He adds, page 351, 'The barbarous nations

* looked upon the bilTiop of Rome, as the liiccef-

* for of their chief druid, who under the dark-

* nefs of Paganifm enjoyed a boundlefs authority ; ' and, upon their converfion to Chrillianity, they

* thought proper to confer upon the chief of

* Bifhops,' who was fham.efully ready to claim, as well as accept, 'the fame honour and authority as

* had formerly been veiled in their arch-druid.* Accordingly the elegance of kifTmg the pope's toe came in fafhion in this century. But though this confounding ahomination of fpiritual and lecuiar power was given the pope A. D. 706, he could not fet it up as a beaji till A. D. 755 -, when Pepin king of France, by force of arms, gave him the exarchate of Ravenna, and fome time after the Roman dukedom.

Or if by this confounding ahomination is meant Mahometanifm, which is thought to be fpoken of in this chapter as well as popery ; fee chap, xvi. 12 — 16, and which, as well as that, unices in itfelf a fpiritual and fecular power ; this will require us to date the ceafmg of the daily facrifice from 684 before Chrift's time, when it ceafed by Manaffeh; to which year add the 1290, and i« points out A. D. 606, which was the time when that abomination was given as an infernil prefent, to the world j fee chap. ix. i : Of whicli nothing

being

^hefeventh Trumpet, A. D. 1 8 66, /<? 3 1 2 5. 1 9 £

being faid under the feventh trumpet, we have before heard that its 1260 years will conclude A. D. 1866.

What has been here offered on Daniel's prophe- cy thu.N far, ferves to illuftrate fome preceding and fubfequentpartsof this; butwehave yettoconfider Dan. viii. 13, 14, which will throw further light on the prefent fubjed; and at the fame time Ihew theneceffity of introducing what has been already faid onDaniel's prophecies. Obferve therefore, in the third year of Beljbazzar, ver. i. Daniel had a prophetic view of the three great beads which were to fucceed the Babylonian empire then (landing ; viz, (i.) The Medo-Perfian, reprefented by a i?^;» with two Horns-, the one higher th^in the other, and x\it bigheji came up laft; viz Darius and Cyrus ver. 3, 20. (2.) The Grecian, reprefented by a He-goat^ which had z. noble Horn between his eyes 5 viz, Alexander; and when this was broken, for it came up four notable Horns, ©r kingdoms towards the four winds of heaven, ver. 5 — 7, 21, 22. (3.) The Roman empire, reprefented by a little horn jD^». vii, 24, 25 ; which came after that particu- lar one of the four preceding Herns, into v/hich Alexander's kingdom had been broken ; viz, Syria which had been fo troublefome to the Jews in theperfon of AntiochusEpiphanes, ver. 9 ; Hcb. fee a remark on Dan. x'u 31. page 187. This feems to be the power defcribed, ver. 23 — 25, which flood up in the latter time of the kingdom of the four Horns whenthe tranfgrejjhrs, amonglt the Jews and Gentiles were come to the full. He fhall be a king of a fierce countenance % tinderftanding dark fentences, by means of his priefts and augurs. And his power fhall be mighty, but not by his oivn power: And he Ihall deftroy wonderfully, ani Jhall profper, and pra^ife ; and floall dft^oy the mighty and the holy people. And through h's policy alfo he fhall cmfe craft to profper in hi. ha id; and

he

igzDanier s Prophecy of theJewsreturn,[K.lV. I — 5..

he Jhall magnify himfelf in his heart, and by peace Jhall dejiroy many. He fhall alfo Jiand up againji the Prince of princes the Meffiah -, but hefJoall be broken without hand. This is the power which waxed exceeding great, toward the fouth, and toward the eafiy and toward the pleafant land of Judea, vcr. p. — 12 : And it waxed great even to the hoji of heaven, in the Jewifli world ; andit cajidcwnfome cfthehofi and of the ft ars to the ground, and ft amp- ed upon them. Tea he magnified himfelf even to the Prince of the hofi ; and by him the daily facrifice was taken away, A. D. 70; and the place of his fane- tuary was caji down. And an hofi was given him Ggainfi the daily facrifice, by reafon of tranfgreffion ; tind it cafi down the truth to the ground \ and it pra5lifed andprofpered.

Hearing this, a holy one aflfs the Lord Jefus, ver. 1 3. For how long a time fhall the vifton lafi, the daily facrifice be taken aw ay, and the trangreffion ofdef elation^ to give both the fan^luary and the hofi to be trodden under feet ; fo Mr. Lowth tranflates the words, agreeable to the Hebrew, the LXX, the Arabic verfion, and the vulgar Latin; See bifJjop Newton : And the anfwer isver. 14, Unto 2300 evening morn- ings, Heb. that is, to fo many days or years ; (fee ver. 26, and Gen. i. 5 : The phrafe feems to be of the fame import as the apoftle's vu;^6»jjtt£jOov a night and a day, 2 Cor. xi. 25 ;) or /«? 2400 evening morn- ing days, as the LXX read it. And as the daily facrifice was to ceafe for the greateft part of the time of this vifion, probably the holy Ghoft ex- prefled thefe facrifices by the times in which they might have been offered, awfully to remind us. That they who live without prayer, and without applying to a facrifice of atonement, have, as it were, no mornings or evenings -, but are dead in trefpaffes and fins.

If we date thefe years from the beginning of the Grecian empire with which this vifion be- gan.

thefevcnth trumpet^ A. D. 1 866, to 3 1 25. 193

gan, Dr. Prideaux fays exprefsly that Cyrus took Babylon 539 years before Chrift's time; and allowing him five years to compleac his conquelt of that vafl: empire, this brings us to 534 years before Chriit ; to which time add the 2400 years of this \ ifion, and it points out A. D. 1866 as the time for the cleanfing of the fanduary, as we found before : And this is probably the proper folution of this difficulty : At lead I can "find no interpretation of this prophecy whatever, that will either allow us to underRand thefe 2300 or 2400 days of natural days, that is, of fix years, and 140 or 240 days •, or that will admit of 2300 or 2400 years to intervene between any ceafmg of the daily facrifice whatever, and the literal' cleanfing of the temple. If we think of its ceaf- ing by /^ntiochus, or by the Romans (who are fpoken of in the two preceding verfes) to add only 230Q years to the firft, and efpecially to the iaft of thefe times, would bring us far into the time of the millennium, before which the fanduary mull be cleanfed. Andjf the ceafmg of the facri- fice by t^iQ Babylonians, 584 years before Chrift, had been intended, this would end the 2400 years at A. D. 18 16 • at which time many of the Jews maybe converted; but the fanftuary cannot be cleanfed, nor will the church of God in general be purged, till about the time of the Jews return to their own land ; which will not take place till the beginning of the feventh trumpet. Yet pof- fibly the fandtuary may be fpiritnally cleanfed 2400 years after the year 584 before Chriit ; that is, by A. D. 1816.

But I have the lefs hope of living to fee this text compleatly developed, becaufe the Angcl- interpreter added, ver. 17. At the time of the en4 Jhall be the vifion : Till that end comes, manyjhall run to and froy and knowledge fiall be increcfedy O Dan,

1,94 Mulutudssof Gentiles converted, [XIV. i — ^5

Dan. xii. 4 ; and who would not enquire into thefe things, who has ever read the words which follow there, ver. i o. None of the wicked pall un- derjiand^ but the wife Jh all underftand ?

I only add here, That as the confounding abomi- fiation is connected with the removal of the daily facrifice^ in all the above places -, fo it is impoffi- ble that zfinner fhould do any thing more hateful to God, or mifchievous to men, than to talk or print any thing againft Chrift's true and proper atonement for the fin of the world •, without which the gofpel is a medley of inconfiflencies, and falv^tion a painted dream.

6. And I faw another angel flying in the midft of heaven, having the everlafting gof- pel, to preach the gla4 tidings to them that dwell upon the earth ; and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue and people.

y. Saying with a loud voice. Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come : And worfhip him that made heaven and earth, and the fea, and the fountains of waters.

As the converfton of the Gentiles immediately followed the fealing of the twelve tribes of Ifrael, chap. vii. 9 *, fo here, after the gathering in of the Jews to their own land, a glorious harveft fprings up in the gentile world, by means of the angels of the churches^ chap. i. 20 ; for though only one angel is mentioned, more muft be employed in preaching to every nation^ kindred^ tongue and people. The inftruments of the Jews converfion in Conftantine's time j are fpoken of both in the fin<?ular and plural number, chap. vii. 2, 3 : But minifters in the nineteenth century will fo refem» . ■■■■■ ■' ' blij

ThefevenlhTrv.mpetiA.'D. 1 366,^0^125, igs

bie angels in their unanimity, as .well as in their purity and zeal, rhac they may fitly be called one ; And this a}2gel flying through the jnidji of heaven^ as Mr. Whitefieid lately did through the Britifli dominions, intimates the rapid progrefs of the gofpel, after the Jews are returned to their own land.

With a very different m.ellage another angel had polled through heaven, A. D. §66, &:c. to give warning of the three woe-trumpets, chap, viii. 13 ; but this bears no flying roll of vengeance, Zech.y. 2 •, but has thcit gojpel, v\^hich is everlaft- ing in the purpofe, contrivance and blelTed fruits of it, to preach to every nation upon earth ; faying^ with a voice, loud enough to roufe the animal foul. Fear Gcdyt finners of every name, and give glory to him -, for the long appointed hour of his judg- ment of the great whore is come -, as though he had faid. You have already feen Rome Judged by the earthquake there, chap. xi. 13 •, and as one of its fcven hills is nov/ taken out of the hands of the beaft, chap. xiii. 3 ; fo this double attack made upon him, afilires you that all the vengeance writ- ten againft him will be fpeedily executed. Judg- ment alfo even now begins again at the houfe of God, by means of the lecond beafl:, who is rifing out of the earth. Sin and fatan too, yea and your own fouls are now to be judged, by that gofpel which is preached to you ; which both fets you over to a judgment to come, and fhews, that judgment very near : And with fuch a day in his eye, with what ardor will he cry. Oh ! worjhip him that made the heavens, which beam every day with his various glories, and the earth, his hum- ble footftool, which fupports you; the fea iroin which vapors arife to fertilize the land, and the fountains <?/w^/d'r which quench your daily third ! He made your progenitors too, from whom you feverally fprang, through all their fuccefiive ge- O 2 nerations

196 The Gofpel preached to the Gentiles. [XIV. 1—5,

nerations, chap. xvii. 15. Ifai, xlviii. i. Come therefore, fall down and adore him in his works of nature, providence and and grace.

The return of the Jews to their own land will be very fpeedy; for that nation will be, as it were, horn in a day : And as there is no time mentioned as intervening between the fcaling of the tribes of Ifrael, and the converfion of the Gentiles in Conftantine's time, chap. vii. 8, 9 -, fo we have reafon to believe this angel will begin his flight through heaven -at, or Toon after A. D. 1S66; for as loon as Zion has travailed and brought forth^ her breads will be full of tlie fincere milk of the word-, and the Gentiles JJjall fuck^ and be fatisfied with thefe brecfts of her ccnfolation : And God will extend peace to her like a river., and the glory of the Gentiles as a f owing flr earn, Ifa. Ixvi, 6 — 12. And. when thefe events take place, the hearts of Sion's inGndsJhall rejoice, and i\\t\( bones fijall flourifJj as an herb., Pfal. cii. 3, 5. Prov. xv. 30. ancl xvii. 22. And the hand of the Lord Jh all be known towards his fervants., and his indignation towards his enemies \ for by fire and by his fword will the Lord after- wards plead, not only with the Turks, but with all fiefjj, till the man of fin is confumcd ; and the. f*ain of the Lord, amongft thefervants of the two beafts, foall be many ; efpecially by means of the feven vials, ver. 14, 15, 16. See further of the calling of the Jews and Gentiles in the feven laft chapters of Ifaiah.

8. And another angel followed faying, It is fallen, it is fallen, Babylon, the great city ; becaufe fhe made all the nations drink; of the wine of the rage of her fornication.

9. And a third angel followed them fay-, jng, with a loud voice, If any man worfhips.

the

• Tkfevenih frumpei, A. D. 1 866, /^ 3 1 25. 197

the beaft, and his image, and receives the fnark on his forehead, or on his hand ;

10. Even he fhall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed, yet not diluted in the cup of his wrath : And he fhall be tormented with fire and brimftone, in the prefence of the holy angels, and in the prefence of the Lamb.

1 1 . And the fmoke of their torment af- Cendeth for ever and ever ; and they have no reft day nor night who worfhip the beaft, and his image, and whofoever he is who re- ceives the mark of his name.

12. Here is the patience of the faints! here are they who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jefus 1

13. And I heard a voice from heaven, faying unto me. Write, blelTed are the dead who die in the Lord even henceforth. Yea faith the fpirit, that they may reft from their labours j and their works follow them.

Obferve, the fervants of God In this period are not called witnefTes, but angels, which was the name eminently given to gofpel minifters in the firft century j fee chaps i. ii. and iii •, and now the ftrength, wifdom, purity, adtivity, fiirplicity and fervour of the primitive times, begin again to beautify and adorn the churches of God : Accord- ingly thefe two angels follow the former, inno every nation, and to every kindred, tongue, and people, loudly and folcmnly denouncing God's Judgments againftthe Papifts: Which implies that the two bealls have poifoned the whole earth with O 3 their

1 9 8 Angelwarns theIVorldagainfiPopery.\^\ V.9-- 1 1 ^

their infernal doftrines, which is alfo affcrted, ver- 8. She made all nations dri/ik of the zvine of the yage of her fornications. The firft of thefe angels declares, that Rome is a mere babylon of pride, idolatry, perfecution and lafting infamy •, He an- nounces her fall as the ancient prophets did that of literal Babylon, and in the fame words, Ifa. xxi. 9. Jer. li. 8 ; faying, Babylon is fallen., is fallen to the earth, chap. xii. 13, and (hall be foon ihaken out of it •, and indifts her in God's name for having baniflied fobriety and modefty from the earth : She hath made all nations drink of the wine of the rage of her fornicatio'as •, particu- larly in the ' ftews licenfed by the Pope, which « are no inconfiderable branch of his revenue-,' fee chap. xvii. 4 ; which the Lord certainly would not have fufFered, if he had not been greatly provok- ed by the wickednefs of the world.

After this, ver. 9, jo, 11, a third angel follows the former-, preaching as earneftly as he, and faying with a loud voice. If any man, high or low, worfhips the hsafi and his image, and receive the mark which he appoints, on his forehead or in his hand -, whatever excufes of fecular advantage, or fear of perfecution he may plead for fuch an in- fult upon the Divine throne and government \ even He, whoever he is, fhall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed by every abufed attribute of Deity, without iuffering any one alle- viating ingredient to foften the terrors of that dreadful mixture, in the cup of his indignation which his enemies muft drink ; who frjall be tormented with fuch fire and brimfione, as it never was in the power of the beaft to kindle againil God's fervants ; though he could once madly amufe himfelf, by making /r^ come down from heaven in the fight of men, chap. xiii. 13: And this torment Ihall be inflicted upon them, not only before thofe

angels

Thefevenib trumpet. A, D. 1 866, ^^ 3 1 2 5. 1 99

tangels who pour out the feven vials-, but in tht !pre fence of the holy angels in general : For at cer-, tain feafons at lead, through eternal ages, their ^ torments will become a fpe6lacle to the inhabi- ' tants of the bleffed worlds above,* fee Luke xiii. 28. and xvi. 23 — and in the prefence of the Lamb^ to whom all judgment is committed : And now that long merciful and compaflionate High- Prieft, will for ever laugh at their calamity ^ and. mock 'when their frar Cometh^ Prov. 1. 26 — and the fmoke of their torment afcends up for ever and ever i and befides their eternal torments^ even here upon earth, efpecially in this period, they have no refi who continue to worfhip this infernal beafl and his image, and whofoever receives the mark of his name. And ' I heartily wifh that all thofe, who connive ' at fuch things in the difciplinc and worfliip of ' Proteftant churches, which they, in their own ' confciences, think to be fmful remains of Popifll

* fuperftition and corruption, would ferioufly at- ' tend to this palTage, which is one of the moft ' dreadful in the whole book of God, and weigh

* its awful contents, that they may keep at the ' greateft poflible dillance from this horrid curfe, ' which is fufficient to make the ears of every one

* that hears it to tingle-. Compare Jer. xxv. ifj

* 16,' Dr. Doddridge.

Ver. 1 2. Here is the patience of the faints, which will be more tried and honoured in the times of the fecond beaft, than when the firft reigned alone, chap. xiii. 10 — here are they who keep the com- mandments, not of the beaft but of God-, and in the face of every danger, preferve the faith ofjefus, and their own inviolable fidelity to him.

Ver. 13. But as the happinefs of the faints in

heaven immediately after death, is a point of the

higheft importance to be eftabliflied, for its greater

confirmation, ' it is announced to our autiior by

O 4 * two

2C0 the BUJfednefs of the pious Dead. [XIV. 1 3*

* two different ways of infpiration at once-, viz,.

* by a voice from heaven, and the fecret irradiation

* of the fpiritj' for fays he, I heard a voice from heaven^ faying^ IVrite, hleffed are the dead that die in the Lordy Martyrs and others, even henceforth^ from the time of their death, by which they ef- cape many calamities which will terrify thefe times; and they are now known to enter into gior)'', without having any thing to fear from the feigned fires of purgatory : T'ea faith the fpirity ufing his own well known voice in my heart \ that Sperit which is in all the faints,which brought them into a vital union with their Lord, and taught, quickened, and fanflified them -, for they refi from their labours \ and their works, fo much defpiled by men, though they do not go before to procure their admifTion into heaven, yet follow \ not a thoufand years after, but y-iv ccvtuv with theni^ as the certain witnefTes of the fincerity of their faith and love ; which are to be rewarded with imme- diate glory.

14. And I faw, and behold a white cloud, and on the cloud one fitting like the Son of man ; having on his head a golden crown ; and in his hiind a fharp fickle.

1 5. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that fat on the cloud. Put forth thy fickle and teap ; for the, hour is come for thee to reap, for the harvefl of the earth is ripe.

16. And he that fat upon the cloud, thrufl In his fickle on the earth -, and the earth was reaped. -

The general harveft for heaven and hell will be at the end of the worlds Matt, xiii, ^9 J but be- fore

th fevinth Trumpet, A. D. 1 866, /c? 3 i 25. i6i

fore that, we have here an in -gathering to heaven,' as the next verfes give us an account of one for hell: And as the lad of thefe fignifies the cut- ting off the wicked out of this world, as grapes thrown into a wine prefs ; fee ver. 1 7 — 20, fo the fame phrafe of putting in the fickle to reap his wheats doubtlefs defigns God's removing his children out of the way of danger ; for I cannot recoiled that the word fickle is ever ufed^ where only a gathering into Chrill is intended ; fee Matt. ix. 37, 38. Luke x. 2. John iv. ^^ — -i^'^i Nor does the grace of God cut men off from the earth, or remove them from the fociety of their fellow-men.

Ver. 1 4. / faw and heboid a '■Jjhite cloud, the ufual emblem of God's gracious prefence in the temple ; and upon the cloud one fat, confpicuous to my view in the moll ferene fplendors, like the Son of man, on whofe bofom I had leaned in his incarnate ftate •, having on his head a golden crown j for he was now going about an important a<5t of his kingly office, chap. i. 1 8 : And in his hand a jharp fickle 5- which was fharpened to make the ilroke of death the more quick and eafy.

Ver. 15. And another angel or miniller, perhaps of Jewiili extradtion, came cut of the temple^ chap. xi. 19 ; and feeing this fickle in the hands of his Lord, he knew it was intended for ufe : Therefore, though the complexion of the times affured him that many of the faints would be cut off by fharp perfecutions, as the word fickle inti- mated; leaving the methods of their removal with fecure confidence in his hands, without whom he knew none of them could be cut off; he cried with a loud voice to him who fat on the cloud. Put in thy fickle and reap ; for thy fervants have been fowing the good feed of the word over all the earth, and now the time is come for thee to reap^^

lor

20i Many Sainisremovedio Heaven. [XIV. 14^-16*

for the harvefi of the earth is ripe or dried^ Gn And as thou canft not leave out thy wheat through all the cold and ftorms of winter ; fo thy late declaration of thebleffednefs of thofe who died in the Lord, was certainly dcTigned to reconcile lis to thofe bereaving providences, which await the church and the world. And perhaps at this period, peculiar reafons may appear to vindicate llich a prayer as this ; which intimated ' a high * degree of holinefs, and a great defire to be with ' God,' in thofe who offered it. And accordingly our Lord anfwered their requeft, ver. 1 6. He that fat on the cloud put in his fickle on the earth : So juft before the following defolations, perhaps from about A. D. 1920 to 1925, there will be a glorious in-gathering of the faints to heaven, though by a (harp perfecution ; for it is God's way to houfe his faints when a ftorm is coming, Jfa. Ivii. I : But the world has every thing that is horrible to exped when they have (lain God's people.

17. And another angel came out of the temple which was In heaven, he having alfo a fharp fickle.

18. And another angel came out from the altar, having power over fire ', and he called with a loud cry, to him who had the iharp fickle, faying, Put forth thy fliarp fickle, and lop off the clufters of the vine of the earth ; for her grapes are fully ripe.

19. And the angel thrufl in his fickle upon the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth ; and caft it into the great wine- prefs of the wrath of God,

20. And

S^hefeventh Trumpet, A. D. 1 8 66, /o 3 1 2 5. 203

20. And thewine-prefs was trodden with- out the city , and blood came out of the wine-prefs even unto the horfes bridles, from a thoufand fix hundred furlongs.

David faid. Evil doers Jhall he cut off\ and yet a little while and the wicked Jhall not he. The Lord Jloall laugh at him, for he feeth that his day is coming, Pfal. xxxvii. 9 — 13 : Accordingly, when the Lord had removed his faints to heaven, ano- ther angel comts out of the temple which is in heaven^ which manifefted that he was a heavenly angel 5 he alfo having a fharp fickle, ver. 17. Oblerve Chrift reaped his wheat himfelf, ver. 16; and though wicked inftruments were employed, there is only a kind of tacit notice taken of them in the ^Qx^ fickle : But in the deftruflion of the wicked, an angel is employed, as againft Sennacherib and his army, Jfa. xxxvii. 36.

Ver. 18. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over the fire -, and if the fire of the altar is intended, we may fuppofe this angel to be Chrift, as in chap. viii. 3, 5 : But if fire in general is meant, fo reftriftive an idea does not feem fufficiently honourable to our Lord; but rather defcribes an honour proper to fome of his fervants, who have that power over fire which the fecond beaft vainly pretended to, chap. xiii. 13; as others of them have £^ou(na power (the fame word as here ufed) over waters, chap. xvi. 5. And he called upon this celeftial minifter of vengeance with a loud veice, as David calle'd upon the angels to praife God, Pfal. ciii. 20, faying, the time is come ; therefore now exert thy excelling jirength, that the church of God may fee thy power: Hafte, put forth thy fJmrp fickle, with which God has intrufted thee, and lop off, and gather the duffers of the vine cf the earth j for it is

the

204 IVine-pre/s tredden without the City. [X IV ; i ^..

the vine of Sodom, and her grapes are fully ripCi So cried the Prophet Jci'/iii. 13, againfl the ene- mies of Ifrael, Put ye in the fickle^ for the harzefi is ripe: Come, get you down for the prefs is full, and, under your powerful feet, the fats overflow ; for their wickednefs is great : So Edom's dellrue- tion is reprefented by treading a wine-prefs, Ifa, Ixiii. 3 ; fee alfo Ifa, xviii. 5. It is natural to reap wheat with a fickle •, but the ufe of this inftru- ment in cutting off grapes, feems to intimate that thefe finners fhall be hurried out of this world with violence, as well as in anger — But God mufl: be glorified — ■

Accordingly, ver. 19, 20, though this angel had no orders to cut down the tree itfelf, which was referved for future perdition, He thruflin hisfickle- into the earth \ and gathered the prelent fruit of this vine, which was wholly ^//.v-? earth, andfup- ported by it ; and, to prepare a dreadful liba- tion to Divine juftice, he caft the grapes he had out off into the great wine-prefs of the wrath of God; and the wine-prefs was trodden without the city Rome •, and blood came out of the wine-prefs even to the bridles of the hcrfes -, a ftrong metaphor to exprefs the moft horrid llaughter made by fome hoftile power, (fee bifliop Newton on the placed from, or at the diflance of a thoufandftx hundred furlongs, or 200 miles ; which, fays Mr. Mede, is the exaft length of Stato della Chiefa, or the flate of the Roman church, moft alfurdly called St. Peter's patrimony-, viz, from the walls of Rome to the river Po ; fee A6ls iii. 6.

This awful carnage, a little time before the vials are poured out, may probably be made about A. D. 1926 : For as 'the Babylomifii captivity ' was accompiiihed by two or three different tranf- ' portations, and its feventy years concluded by • two or three different returns, fo the 1 260 years

' ' of

^he fevmh trumpet , A. D. 1866 to 3125. 205

* of popery may be reckoned to begin differently ; ' viz, ac the feveral very remarkable fleps it took ' towards its full power; as at A.D. 606, when

* the Pope became a iiniverfal bilbop •, at A. D. ^ 666y about which time his Latin fervice begun ;

* and at A. D. je^6, when he became a temporal

* prince : So popery will have a remarkable blow

* when Jews and Gentiles are gathered in A. D. '1866; and we expedt the next attack upon it, 'A. D, 1926, before that by the vials -, which

* will be fucceeded by his total overthrow A. D.

* 2016.' But as this ftroke will fall without the city, it mufl: be different from, and the account here given reprefents it as fome confiderable time after, that which will befal the firil beaft, when one of his feven hills are taken from him by the fword ; fee chap. xiii. 3.

This vengeance will probably be occafioned by fome daring atl of wanton cruelty and op - preffion perpetrated by the two beafts ; which will roufe fuch an indignation as will produce blood up to the horfes bridles -^ aphrafe which oc- curs no where elfe in fcriptqre. But we are un- certain whether to look in the eaft, or welt for the inftruments of this deftruflion ; as the united power of the two beafts will, before this time, have imitated Chrift himfelf, and fet its right foot on the fea^ and its left on the earth, chap. x. 2. Poffibly this fword of God may come down upon the whole length of the Pope's territories, by fome friends of the Greek church ; againft which the Popifh powers have already begun to fhew their rancour and impertinence : Or if the words which God has fpoken about this beaft, may be faid to be fulfilled, when the fecond beaft has at^ tained the full height of his power (which he cer- tainly will by A. D. 1926; fee chap. xvii. 16, 17.) perhaps this vengeance may be executed upon ^ them

2o6 ^heWim-Prefs trodden^ K.D. 1^16. [XIV. 20.

them by the ten Horns of the beaft: But whoever are the inftrumcnts, this truth will be written plain to every eye in their blood. He that killeth with the fwordy mujl be Jlain by the fwordy chap. xiii. 10.

CHAP. XV.

I. AND I faw another fign in heaven, -^^ great and wonderful, feven angels having the feven laft plagues ; becaufe in them the wrath of God is filled up.

2. And I faw as it were a fea of glafs, mingled with fire; and thofe who had efcaped conquerors from the beaft, and from his image, and from his mark, and from the number of his name, ftanding on the fea of glafs ', having the harps of God.

3. And they fung the fong of Mofes the fervant of God, and the fong of the Lamb ; faying. Great and marvellous are thy works. Lord God Almighty ; juft and true are thy ways, O King of faints;

4. Who would not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name ! becaufe thou only art holy -, becaufe all nations fhall come and worfhip before thee ; becaufe thy righteous judgments are made manifeft.

5. And after thefe things I looked, and behold the temple of the tabernacle of the teflimony in heaven was opened.

6. And

^hefeventh Trumpet, A. D. 1 866, /<? 1 825. 207

6. And there game out the feven angels, v/ho had the feven plagues, from the temple ; clothed with pure and fhining linnen, and were girded about the breafts with golden girdles.

7. And one of the four living creatures gave to the feven angels itw^n vials, full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.

8. And the temple was filled with fmokc from the glory of God, and from his powers and no one was able to enter into the temple, till the {Qwcn plagues of the {twtn angels 'were finifhed.

Sinners of every name muft turn or hum ; for God can and zvill be glorified in all his realbnable, as well as in all his other, creatures : And when he begins, as here, with the man of fin, he will make an end : The beloved apoftle faw this in vifion ; happy they, who fee, believe and flee from the wrath to come !

Our author had before feen a fign of the glory ^nd conflids of the church, in the woman clothed with the fun^ &c. chap. xii. 1,2; and another fign of the rage of fatan, in the perfon of the fe^ cond bead, ver. 3. of that chapter : After which he faw here another Jign^ in that earthly heaven the church, (where God has reprefented every thing, which will ever be interefting to human nature to obferve, in this world ;) a fign of the day of judgment, great and marvellous ; viz, feven angels, the fame who ftood before God, chap. viii. 2 *, and who, having in many vifits ftudied, in the church, the nature and effefls of the great falva- tion, Eph, iii, 10. i Pet, i, 12, were now the 3 willing

2 o ? The /even Angeh ivith the [even Vials, [X V. i — 8.

v/illing inftruments of Divine vengeance on thofc hypocrites who had fo fliamefully oppofed it, un- der the fpecious pretence of regard to it.

As to the times of the vials ', the order of this prophecy inclines us to believe that they are not poured out ; for the great things predifted, chap, xivth are none of them yet accomplifhed. It is alfo manifeft that the firft vial has not been pour- ed out ; for it is to fall on the men who have the mark of the beaji^ and worjhip his image, chap, xvi. 2 j but we do not hear of the mark of the beaft, or of his image, till in the times of the fecond beafts, who is not yet rifen, chap. xiii. 14, 16. The vials are alfo called the laji plagues -, for in them is filled up that wrath of God againfb the man of fin, which began to be publickly teftified by tht earthquake at Rome A. D. 1866, chap. xi.

3 ; was confirmed foon after by the taking of one of his hills from the beaft, chap. xiii. 3 ; and aw- fully fealed in blood again, by the treading of the wine-prefsof his wrath about A. D. 1926: There- fore it is not reafonable to exped; them very long before A. D. 2016. And accordingly, though the woe of this trumpet, fo far as it declares the fpreading of fin, began with it ; fee chap. xi. 14, yet as it fignifies the pumf}r,nent of thefe tranfgref- fors^ it is not exprefied till after all the vials are poured out, chap, xviii. 10. Gr. But the woe which God has denounced againft the wicked, falls upon them, both in the fuccefs, and in the punifhment of their works, Jfa.'m, 11.

But before our apoftle was allowed to take any farther notice of ihefe fliining minifters, or the feven fold vengeance they were commiffioncd to execute, his eye is drawn away to a triumphant company who had conquered the two beafis, ver. 2, 3, 4; I faiv, not a real, but as it were a fta ffglafj (alluding to that great vafe, in which the

pricfts

thi feventh I'rmnpet, A. D. 1^66, to ^i 25. 209

priefts of the Lord wafhed their hands and it^x.'^ fee chap. iv. 6.) ' large enough for all thefe con- * querors to ftand upon', and tranfparent; which was alfo mingled with the fire of -pQvkcuiion^ to make gofpel truths and hopes yet more purifying : So fays David, PFe went through fire and through water, Pfal. Ixvi. 12 •, ittNumb. xxxi. 2, 3.

And, though they meant not fo, even their ene- mies were Qhn^Jsfire in Zion, and his furnace in Jerujalem, to purge his gold and filver, Ifai. xxxi. (^. Mai. iii. 3 — And thofe who had efcaped vi^torSy iv. Tou Ojjpiou from the beafi, fro?n his image, from his mark and from the number of his name \ fiand- ing iTTi upon ih\s, fea ofglafs\ from which neither flattery nor force could remove them as they came along in life : And now, having gained the victory, this fea furnifhed a tranfparent pave- ment for, and reflefted a glory upon their feet; whilPi they ftood exulting as having preferved the moft valuable of all pofleflions their inte- grity.— Having the harps of God in their hands ; and they fung, Jews and Gentiles together, the fong of Mofes the fervant of God ; who in fuch exalted frrains praifed him, Exod. xv, for the great deliverance v^rought out for his people from the opprefllng Egyptians ; and the fong of the Lamb, both that which his grace infpired, and which his example had taught them ; when he laid, / beheld Satan as lightnirig fall from hea- ven : And again. Father I thank thee. Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hafi hU thefe things from the wife and prudent, and haft revealed them unto babes \ even fo Father, for fo it feemed good in thy fight, Luke x. 18, 21. Thus they praifed God for mercies temporal and ipiritual, which dillinguiflied themfelves and others •-, faying. Great and marvellous are thy works of nature, provi- dence and grace, Lord God Almighty ; jiijl and ? true

2IO The Temple opoiedin Heaven. [XV. 5 — S.

true are thy ways^ 0 King of faints : Who (hould not, who that has the reafon of a man, zvsiddnot^ fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name ? hecaufe thou only art holy in a lenfe peculiar to thyieif ; and whatever others do, at the remembrance of this we give thee' thanks, Pfal. xcvii. 1 2 ; Be- caufe all nations, as nations, fhall come and loor- Jhif before thee •, and becaufe the righteous judg- ments, both of thy word and fword are now made manifejl, fo as they never were before : And as furely as thy papal foes are now to be made thy footftool-, fo fhall every finner receive his awful •doom from thy lips, at the day of judgment, Kom. xiv. II, 12.

Refrelhed with the view, and with the mufical harps of thefe conquerors ; Hooked, fays our au- thor, ver. 5, 8» and behold the temple of the taber- nacle of the tefiimony in heaven was opened, that is, the moft holy place, for the whole tabernacle was called the tabernacle of ivitnefs, or teftimony, ji^s vii. 44; and the temple of this tabernacle muft be the place of the oracle, where the Lord manifeited himlclf to the High Pried : And this was left open, after the feven angels 'came out of it in folemn procefiion, ver. 6, 8. But when our apoftle began to enjoy the hope of having an immediate difcovery of God's grace and glory, behold the flames of Divine juftice burnt hot and ll:rong there for the prefent ; and the temple was {o filled with fmoke from the glory of God, and from his power, that no one was able to enter into this vciWiO'^^zxx.oi- the temple, till the feven plagues of the f even angles were finifoed ; for God will have his people meditate terrour, and confider what themfelves have delerved as finncrs, whilft they fee his vengeance upon the workers of iniquity. Yet as this holy oracle ftill lay open, he doubt- iefs conceived hopes, that believing Jews and

Gentiles

The feventh Trumpet, A. D. 1866,/^ 3125. 211

Gentiles fhoiild foon have an abundant accefs to this dwelling-place of the Mod High, and fhare his hitherto-unequalled grace.

This propliecy is in every part highly figura- tive ; and, if I could have conceived of any thing in it analogous to the paintings which are cafl: around a pidlure, merely to decorate the piece of which they are no part, 1 might have confi- dered what is faid of this temple as fuch : But however obfcure our views may be, it is moft honourable to the infpired author, to fuppofe every word big Vv^ith an important litenil, or metaphorical meaning -, therefore I afk. What temple is here intended ? — It cannot be the tem- ple of Chrift's body, John ii. 21, from which angels could not come out ; nor could it be filled v/ith fmoke, ver. 6, 8.— It cannot be a temple in heaven properly fo called, for John faw no temple therein, chap. xxi. 22 ; nor can God's dwell- ing place in heaven ht {o filled ivitb fmoke from his glory and power, as to preclude the entrance of the celeftial worfhippers : Nor have we any idea of the faints in heaven giving the vials into the hands of the angels there j but a gofpel minifler may give the vials to thefe {tvtr\ angels, as they come out of fome earthly dwelling of our God, ver. 7. — Yet it is not probable that all the thurches of God fhould be fo filled with his glory at this period, that no worfliippers can enter into them, during the v/hole time of the pouring out of thefe vials-, though fuch a glory of God would increafe the reverence, as much as it interrupted the ufual forms, of worihip. — But if a facred building of vafl dimenfions Ihould be erefted at Jerufalem about this time, both thele words, and thofe in chap. xi. 19, may have a literal ac- complilhment — Unborn ages will clearly fhew our P 2 fuccefibrs

1 1 2 JeiosandGent'des zvorjljip together. [ XV. 6 — S.

fucceffors many things which we know not — But certainly.

When the- Jews return to their own land, with an ardour which can neither be cielcribed or ima- gined, they will mott devoutly adore -the God of thicir fathers •, and having put away for ever all thole traces of Maliometan and Popifh delu- fions, which had difgraced their country, they will rebuild their long-delblated city, and divide their land by lot among themfelves, and the ftrangers who come up to Jerufalem with them : And this may well be effedledin feventyyears after their return-, viz. by A. D. 1935 or 1036. And being now ^g\v,n precious in the Jig.bt of God, they will be honourable in the eyes of the nations, Ifai. xliii. 4", andefpecially of thofewho keep the truths multitudes of whom v/ill, no doubt, vifit them to be witneiTes of the grace bellowed upon them : And as the Lord of Hofis will now, more literally than he had ever done before. In this mountain, Jerufalem 7nake unto all people a feafi of fat things^ ^Ifai. XXV. '6, fo redeemed Jews and Gentiles will doubtlefs enjoy this feaft in their unitc-d v/orfhip i in which the ftrains of praife which are peculiar to the Jews, chap. xiv. 3, will but add new fervour to the devotion of converted Gen- tiles, when they fall in again with them, in the loud triumphs of one univcrfal chorus.

Thofe words are yet to be accomplifhed, and why may they not be literally lb ? There fJoall be one fold, and one fldepherd, Johnx. 16. But when the inclement fl^y forbids them to fing redeeming love in the open air, where can they worfhip to- gether, unlefs a fpacious edifice is erected for this purpoie at Jerufalem, which will now again be made the head-quarters of falvation ? And- if fuch a temple iliould be compleated juil before the vials are poured out, and the glory of God

take

Thefeventh trumpet, A,D.iS66, ^03125. 213

take and keep pofleflion of it, the whole time they are pouring out ; this will be taking poffeflion in the fame glorious manner, as he entered the an- cient tabernacle and temple, which the Lord filled with his glory, Exod. xl. 33, ^^. 1 Kings w'\\\. 10, II. 2 Chron. v. 14. That entrance was defign- ed to typify the incarnation of the Son of God ; and this will loudly announce both the certainty of tlie thing, and the manner in which God will for ever dwell in the fouls of faints and finners, by his vengeance or grace.

In thefe happy days greater light will certainly beam out upon the now obfcureft parts of fcrip- ture ; among which fome may be ready to reckon the nine lall chapters of Ezckiel, which predial the fecond temple, and the divifion of the land. Many things may indeed be laid in favour of the literal fenfe of that prophecy j which was doubt- lefs defigned to allure the captives in Babylon of their return to their own land, and that their temple Ihould be rebuilt. That temple is defcribed, chap. xl. and xli ; and afterwards facrifices are appointed. In chap, xliii. ib — 18, an altar is ordered twelve cubits fquare-, which was a medi- um fize between that of Moles in the wildernefs, which was five cubits fquare, Exod. xxvii. i. and that of Solomon, which was twenty, 2 Chron. iv. I ; at this altar the feed of Zadock was to mi- nifter; and therefore certainly at a time while their genealogies remained to dillinguifli that fa- mily, chap, xliii. 19. And the Jive hundred fquare reeds which the temple, its out-buildings and courts occupied, fome reckon a fpace fomething lefs than a mile fquare ; and fo it mull be if the cubit and hand breadth, chap. xl. 5, is only twenty one inches ; for then the reed of fix cubits long, is 126 inches, or 3 yards and an half; and the P 3 500 reeds

214 ATemple evened at 'jerufalem, [XV. i, s—^-

500 reeds fquare makes 1750 yards fquare; fee chap. xlii. 20, and xlv. 2.

By the meafures given in this prophecy, perhaps Jewifh builders may hereafter be able to deve- lope the myfteries of this defcription, better than we can at prcfent : And, as there is more obfcurity in this vifion than in the account of the Jewifh ritual by iVIofes, and the divifion of the land by Jofhua; it is natural to fuppofe, that the light which \$>fo'wn for the church, will hereafter more irradiate this part of infpiration. But thofe v/ords were more than once accomplifhed literally. Out of Egypt have I called my fon^ Hof xi. i . Matt. ii. 15 i and as the land of Ifrael is yet to be di- vided a third time to Abraham's defcendants, it is not impoflible but that a third temple, here defcribed, may be erected at Jerufalem j though no worfhip can be performed in it, but fuch as is adapted to gofpel times. If fuch a building fhould be railed, whether its breadth does, or nor, ftill increafe upwards^ chap. xli. 7 ; and even if the worfhippers in it fhould not literally go out at a gate of the temple, oppofite that at which they en- tered, chap. xlvi. 9 ; yet they will pofiefs that growing fpirituality, and make thofe advances in religion, which feem, to have been the chief de- fign of thefe orders. And if what is faid of the holy waters, chap, xlvii. i— -12, which proceed- ed from under the threfhcld of the houfe, fhould be no more literally realized in fuch a future build- ino-, than it was in the fecond temple ; yet when the faints in the twentieth century, fee the holy waters oi {d.\w2it\on fruflifying every barren fpor, except the miry and marfJjy places^ and fpreading wide the mofl glorious fpiritual fertility -, will they not confefs, with grateful joy, that they are to them become waters to fwim in., in comparifon of what they were to the patriarchs and prophets ; I in

Thefevetith Trmn'pet^ A . D. 1 8 66, /^ 3 1 2 5 . 215

in whofe times they were only ankk^ or knee deep, or, at the furchefl:, up to the /i??>j ? And Vv'ill they not fay with rapture, Happy the fpiritual trees which now grow on the banks of this river !

Thefe are fome of the^Z/j/r/V^^/ufes which God's fervants have made of this part of the word in gofpel times, while ftiil they are waiting for thofe clearer difcoveries of its meaning and grace, which may pofiibly be referved for the times we -are now confidering ; in which certainly the fpiri- tual dangers which invade men, when they return from worlliip to their own abodes, will be much lefs than in times pad ; for the name cf the whole city from that day Jloall be Jehovah Sh amm ak, the IjOrdis there^ chap, xlviii. 35. '

But it may be enquired. What time will the vials take up ? and how long will the glory of the Lord fill his temple? — I anfwcr, there is an ob- fervable diiFerence between what is faid of the trumpet- minirters, and the language addrefled to thefe minifters of divine vengeance ; '^0 thsm were given [e-ven trumpets \ and they prepared them - felves to found : But to all thefe together it is laid, Gi?, and pour cut the vials of the iz^rath of God upon the earthy chap. xvi. i ; which inclines me to be- lieve that the vials will make much quicker dif- patch than the trumpets : And as they m\\\ not be poured out till after the treading of the wine-prefs A. D. 1926 v/ithout the city, which is detcribed in the clofe of the preceding chapter; fo they muft conclude foon enough before A. D. 201 6, to leave room for thepublick wailing, &c. exprefled.chap. xviii. andxix-, which will be fucceeded by the final rout of the two beads, chap. xix. 11 — 21.

But to come yet nearer to the times, It is proba- ble the plagues of Egypt were not more, if fo long as a month apart from each other, as the Jews conjedure \ poffibly fome of them might P5 be

2i6 ^ he Vials take lip fcvenl'ears. [XV. i — 8,

be only a week, Exod.vW. 25, and others not fo long : But the foliowing confiderations incline me to luppoie, that the ieven vials may probably take up ieven years, (i.) Becaufe Jerulalem was fp long in deftroying by the Romans -, viz, from A. D. 66 to 73. So fix or eight years before that time, the apoftle faid of them, Rora. ix. 27, 28. A remnant q\\\v Jhall befaved : for the Lord is Jini- Jhing and cutting frjort his account in righteoufnefsy Gr •, and one awful week fettled it : And in that 'Week Got] confirmed his coz^enant ivith many •, viz, v/ith the Gentiles, Dan. ix. 27. See ilfr. Blayney in he.

So probably by another feven years deftruc- tion upon the kingdom of Anti-Chrift, he will again confirm his covenant with the Jewifh and Gentile church ; for the following words of the apoftle (land yet in the bible for a further accompiifhmenr, I'he herd will make a Jhcrt ac- count upon the earth ; and if we afk, How fhort ? the preceedJng hiftory feems to anfwer, Seven years, (2.) Probable reafons will be adduced un- der the fixth vial, both why we may expedl that vial to be poured out, A. D. 1941, and that it will take up one year •, v/hich may give fome co- lour of reaion to fuppofe that the other vials will take up the iame time. (3.) The nature of fome of thele judgments, as immediately in God's hands •, fet: chap. xvi. 8, 9, feems to forbid the thouglit of their being of long continuance j for if a noifome and grievous fore on the bodies of men j if the fea and rivers becoming blood -, and the fun's fc arching men-wkh. burning heat, fhould con- tinue long, who then could be laved ^ — True, the fame judgments metaphorically underftood, vmder the trumpets, in which men were employed as inftruments, might be expeded to be of lon- ger continuance ; as is plainly fup^ofed in the choice allowed David of (hree years famine, three

' month's.

^hefeventh trumpet, A. D. 1 866, /o 3 1 25. 217

month's defolating war^ or three day's peJlUcnce^ I Chron. xxi. 12. But when they are immediately in God's hands, he will probably make as Jhort an account upon the earthy as he made with Jeru- ialem by the Romans : Nor is it any objefbion to the (hortnels of the time here allowed for the vials, that upon this fuppofition, they pofiefs a difproportionate part of this prophecy ; for we could certainly have formed no idea of the time which the deftruftion of Tyre, Babylon, Egypt, or Jerufalem would take up, from the number of words ufed to defcribe, or bewail, that of each.

On the contrary, it feems needful to allot them fo much time, that the fervants of the bead may hear of one another's miferies from each vial, in the different places where they live. And if thefe plagues are brought upon them by any -natural means, a year will both afford fufficient time for the operation of thefe fecond caufes, which may produce them^ round the world -, as for the fun's fcorching men with heat, &c. and at the fame time give us reafon to believe, that they probably may not continue fo long upon anyone fpot ; but each move gradually irom one place to ano- ther, to the end of its year — But to return —

Thti'Q fsven angels, halving the fevtJi \a.^ plagues, yer. 6, 7, being called to offer a dreadful facri- ficeto the jufticeof God, were clothed in robes of * more thun bare innocence j' viz, ivith pure and Jh'ming linen^ and having their brenjls girded with golden girdles, to denote the firmneis, dignity and fplendour with whxh they will perform this dreadful work; fee chap. i. 13. And, that it might appear, what power God's miniilcrs have with him over their enemies, and that the woric which thefe angels were going about was the avenging of his perfecuied fervants, om of the four

living

2i8 AMiniJlergivestheVialstoAngels. [XV.6 — 8.

living creatures — (But, left any of them fhould» through unbelief, fuppofe himfelf incapable of fuch an honour, the Lord has not informed us whether it was he who refembled the lion, the ox, the man, or the eagle — ) gave to the feven angels feven vials^ that is cenfers, cups, or bottles full of tke zvratb cf Gcd, 'xho liveth for ever and ever \ the unchanging enemy of every impenitent im- mortal, who has dared to take up arms againft him and his Chrill, chap. viii. 5 : So David, by his prayers, gave the angels thofe vials which they poured upon his enemies, Pfal.xxxv. 5, 6; and Ifaiah and Hezekiah gave that vial to the an- gel which he poured upon the 185,000 AfTyrians, Jfa. xxxvii. And when thefe vials are to be poured our, Gcd will put it into the heart of fome gofpel minifter, or of a fett of minifters of fmiilar difpofitions, firmJy to believe, and therefore to defire of God by prayer, the execution of thisven- geance -, whichmay properly becalled their giving the vials to the angels, though we have no reafon to fuppofe that thefe angels will vifibly appear to him or them, when they are going about thia work.

Obferve, (i.) God bottles the tears of his faints, not only to be witnefles of the fmcerity of their love to him, but alfo to make them vials of his wrath on the heads of their enemies, PfaL Ivi. 8. Fcr Jba II not God avenge his own ele^^ %vho cry day and night unto him ? I tell you that he will avenge them fpeedily^ Luke xviii. 7, 8 ; as he pro- mifed to the fouls under the altar, chap. vi. 10. 1 1. Yet, (2.) all that fmners can endure in this world, is no more in comparifon with what they fliall fuffer in eternity, than a cup or bottle to the ocean : And fligliting, and much more defpifmg Chrift, merits all that Divine vengeance can eter- nally inflid upon a finner-

CHAP.

Thefeventh Trumpet^ A. D. 1 866, /^ 3 1 25. 219

CHAP. XVI.

I, A ND I heard a great voice out of the -^^ temple, faying to the feven angels; Go away, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God into the earth.

2. And the firfl went, and poured out his vial upon the earth ; and a malignant and grievous fore, fell upon the men who |iad the mark of the beafi:, and them who worfhipped his imaged.

3. And the fecond angel poured out his vial upon the fea; and it became blood, like that of a dead man ; and every living foul that was in the fea died.

4. And the third angel poured out his vial on the rivers, and on the fountains of waters ; and they became blood.

5. And I heard the angel of the waters faying. Righteous art thou, O Lord, who art, and waft, even thou holy One j becaufe thou haft judged thefe things;

6. Becaufe they have poured out the blood of faints and prophets ; and thou haft given them blood to drink ; for they are worthy.

7. And I heard another from the altar faying. Yea, O Lord God Almighty -, true and righteous are thy Judgments.

8. And

220 nefirjl Vial poured on the Earth. [XVI. 2.

8. And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the fun ; and it v/as given to it to fcorch men with fire.

9. And the men were fcorched with great heat : And they blafphemed the name of God who had power over thefe plagues j ?Lnd repented not to give glory to him.

The four firll feals, trumpets and vials, fo far differ from the three following, that the three laft of each, are either more extenfive or more awful than the preceding-

The reiemblance between the four fird trum- pets and the four firft vials, is remarked by every writer on this fubjed ; each of them refpedively affefts the earth., the fea., the rivers and the funy chap. viii. 7 — 12 •, folemnly to remind us of the time when the elements Jh all melt with fervent heat \ end the earth alfo., and the works that are therein Jhall be burnt up., 2 Pet. iii. 10 : But there is this difference; thofe trumpets affe6l but the third part of each of thefe things ; viz, the Roman em- pire ; thefe vials are not fo reftrained, but fall upon the fervants of the two beads where ever they are. There is alfo a llriking refemblance between the three laft trumpets and the three lafi: vials, which will be remarked as we come to each of them.

The four firft trum.pets fhook down the weftern Roman empire from A. D. 395 to c,66 ; and thefe four vials make fuccefllve attacks upon the beaft -, whofe kingdom, however fpiritually it may be faid to be adminiftered, is in every view of it, as much of this world as the ancient Ro- man or any other kingdom ever was.

I. And after the feven angels had received the vials from one of the four animals, chap. xv. 6,

7» ^

^hefevent-h "Trumpet^ A. D. 1 866, /^ 3 1 25. 221

7, / heard u great voice cut of the temple^ which declared the will of God, and the united defire of his people, faying to them. Go away •, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God^ with which you are charged, into the earth. Obferve, God is long-fuf- fering, but he will not be always-fufFering •, and he that defpifes the riches of his goodnefs and forbear- ance, leflens that ilock which will be expended upon himlelf every moment.

2. And thefirfi v:ent, and, probably in the pr^- fence of the other fix angels, chap. xiv. 10, poured out his vial upon the earth ; and prefently either the food which the fervants of the beaft ear, (who were become very dainty, chap, xviii. 14.) was impregnated with a multitude of noxious anirnalcula ; or by fome other means ^ maglinant, epidemic and grievous fore fell, not upon God*s fervants, but iipcn the men ijoho had the mark of the beaft, and upon them who worfaipped his image. This plague will be worfe than the hail 2indfire of the nrft trumpet, chap. viii. 7 ; and refemblc the fixth plague of Egypt, wJiich was boyls break- ing forth with blains, Exod.ix. 10. Lazarus died partly by his fores, Luke xvi. 20 — 22, Gr-, and thole ipoken of here being malignant, grievous 2ind inflided in anger, no doubt multitudes will die of them ; though probably feme will languilh un- der them till the time of the fifth vial, ver. 10, 1 1 ; that is, four or five years, if each vial fliould take up fo long time as a year.

3. And the fecond aiigel performed his allotted fervice, ^ndpoured out his vial upon the fea -, and immediately the briny flood, which had fo long rolled from fide to fide in the fpacious hand of in- finite goodnefs, arrefted by Divine juftice, not only forgot to flow with wonted rapidity, bul be- , came black and putrid blood, like that of a dead .man ; and every foul that had animal life in, and 3 upon

222 Theziand^doniheSeatind Rivers, [XVI.3— ^i-

upon thofe feas which wafhed the territories of the beaft, prefently died\ for they would not worfliip him that made they^^ and the fcuntains of waters, chap. xiv. 7. Exod. vii. 20. Yet they ftill remain- ed incorrigible; therefore,

4. Ihe third angel advanced forward, and pour- ed out his vial on the rivers, and on the fountains of waters ; and they became blood. K nd, though it is not for us to know, how long time this angel would take in vifiting all the rivers and fountains^ againft which he has a commiflion, a year will certainly afford a full fufficiency of time for this purpofe; if indeed his pouring his vial on one of each, does not inftantaneoufly affedl all the red; as afhes of the furnace, fprinkled by the hand of Mofes, became a boyl with blains upon man and beafiy throughout all theland of Egypt, Exod. ix. 8 — •

5. And as foon as he had done this, / heard the angel who had power over the waters in gene- ral, fait and frefh (as another of them had power over fire, chap, xiv 18.) under whom probably this minifter of vengeance was ranked and rang- ed, in the wife order of the angelic hierarchy, Col. i. 16; Idiilindly heard \\\m faying. Righteous art thou 0 Lord, who art and wajl, even thou holy One (for many copies inftead of 0 ifrou.iwc, read ^ (XTio? thou holy, ox gracious One ; fee aftsxiii. 34, 55, compared with Rfal. xvi. 10. Heb. and both thefe charaders were defigned to be eminently difplayed to faints and finners in the vials) — be- caufe 'thou hafi thus judged ; for, in defiance of all thy gracious warnings, they have wantonly foed the blood of faints and Prophets ', an din return thoU hafi given them blood to drink : For, fuffenng no guilt upon earth to equal their own, they are nioil confpicuoufly worthy, they have merited their portion at God's hands, v-hich cannot be fai<l of

the

^befeventh Trumpet, A.D. 1866, /o 3125. 223

the faints, though they alfo are faid to be worthy, chap iii 4. The zvages of fin is death •, hut the gift of God is ternal life, through Jefiis Chrifi our Lord, Rom. vi. 23. Sinners are worthy, in and of them- felves, of the deilrudion to which the broken covenant of works dooms them -, but faints are only worthy, in and by Chrift, according to the tenor of the covenant of Grace which faves them.

7. And I heard another angel, who came out from the altar ; the place of him who had power over fire, chap, xiv 18. Cof which the next vialfpeaks)/^j, n^, 0 Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments—So under the fe- cond and third trumpets, a burning m.ountam turned the fea to blood, and a burning irar made the rivers and fountains bitter as wormwood, chap. viii. S; 10. And this fpiritual Egypt is judged, as that literal houfe of bondage had been, E>sod. vii. 19. , r . • 7

8, 9. And the fourth angel poured out his vtal upon the fun, and it was given to it to fcorch the men with fire, no kind cloud daring to interpofe to mitigate the flaming day : And the men wen fcorched with great heat, which would naturally inflame their fores, ver. 2 •, and cafting th^ir fain- ting eyes upwards, they hlafphemed the name of God, who they knQ'N had power over thefe plagues : Yet unconcerned about the more dreadful fire which awaited their removal out of life, their hearts ftill hardened, whilll their animal moilture was confuming away, they repented not to give him glory : For it is not in the finner to give God any willing glory •, nor is it even in hell-fire to abate the enmity of the carnal mind againft him : It is the grace, not the wrath, of God that brings fahation, Tit. ii. ii—i^. Rom, viii. 24.-~See the fourth

trumpet :

224 'The fourth Vial g7i the Sim, [X VI. 8 , 9^

trumpet : And when the vials are poured out, the trumpets will be better underftood.

Reafons were affigned under the four firfl trum- pets, for underilanding them metaphorically j but I incline to take the vials literally, as the plagues of Egypt, 1. Becaufe the two laft muft: be taken literally. 2. That phrafe, ver. 5, The cngel of the vjaters^ inclines me to the literal lenfe ; as we know of no created angel who has power over ■peoples^ multitudes and nations in general, chap. xvii. 15. 3. I fee nothing in the account of the vials which confines them to a figurative fenfe, as in the trumpets. 4. The order to render to her according to her works^ is not given to the faints till after the vials are poured out, chap, xviii. 6 ; nor will the kings, fignified by the ten horns of the beaft, recover from their drunkennefs, ver. 3, to effect any great things againft her before, A. D. 1926, or perhaps before A. D. 1942 i fee chap. xvii. i^. Befides, 5. By giving thefe vials to the angels, this earthly minilter teftified that neither himfelf, nor any of mankind were to be employed in pouring them out, chap. xv. 7 •, yet the fixth vial will bring crouds of the human race upon the ftage to fight againft God j fee ver. 1 2 —

Parhaps many of the faints may be removed to heaven, juft before the pouring out of the vials, Ifa. Ivii. I ; as many of them had been houied in alory, a little before the wine-prefs was trodden without the city, chap. xiv. 14 — 20. But whether they are or not, as the firll: part of this fourfold vengeance is exprefsly reftric^ted to thefervantsof the beaft, ver. 2 -, fo probably will the remainder of it: At leaft providence will as certainly make all necefifary diftindions in their favour, as it did for th« liraelites in Egypt, and for the Chriftians in lenifalem's deftrudion by the Romans.

10. And

The feventh Trumpet, A. D. 1 865, /^ 3 1 25. 22 /J

TO. And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the throne of the beaft ; and his kingdom was darkened : And they gnawed their tongues for pain ;

1 1 . And blafphemed the God of heaven, for their pains and their ulcers^ and repent- ed not of their works.

A literal darknefs that might be feli was one of the plagues of Egypt, Exod. x. 21, 22 ; and as Popery and Mahometanifm, like the imoke of a great furnace, wrapt the ealt and weft in dreadful moral night under the fifth trumpet, chap. ix. 2. So, as the temple at JerulVlem was deftroyed in the fifth year of the Rom.an war ; viz. at A. D. 70, when this fifth vial is poured out, the throne of the beafi- at Rome, whatever it may be of lite- ral, will probably be as full of metaphoricalj darknefs as Jerufalem was when their temple was burnt by the exulting Romans : And if every one of the feven hills of Rome, (hould have been made- by this time the feat of royal refidence, the whole city may well be called his throne : Accord- ingly I expefl that the papal kingdom will be dark- ened, A. D. 1940, as the great lights of the Roman empire had been under the fourth trumpet, chap^ viii. 12: And at the fame time, fuch pains and ulcers will invade the man of fin, as will leave him no prefcnt ability, to catch at thofe reins of go- vernment which are nowfnatched from him. Now alfo the dependents of the beaft, not kn -wmg what to do, in great confufion and anguilli, even gnaw their tongues for pain, fee ver. 2 ; thus proudly taking vengeance on themfclves when they cannot on God's fervants, and anticipating the torment of everlafting burnings. Yet ftill unhumbled, they blafpheme the God of heaven for Q^ their

226 Thejixth Vid dries up Euphrates . [ X VI . 1 2 — 16.

their pains and their ulcers \ which were much inflamed by the grievous heat of the fourth vial, ver. 8, 9 : It is added, And they repented not of their works ; for it Chrill does not give repentance, y/^j V. 31, no temporal, or even eternal torments will, in the lead, move the hiflexible difpofitions of God's enemies.

12. And the fixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates ; and its water was dried up, that the way of the kings from the eaft might be prepared.

13. And I faw, leafing owt of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the teaft, and out of the mouth of the falfe prophet, three unclean fpirits like frogs :

14. For they are the fpirits of devils, working miracles ; which go forth to the kings of the earth, and of the whole world, to bripg thern together to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

15. Behold I come as a thief: Bleiled is he that watcheth, and keepeth his gar- ;nents •, that he may not walk naked, and they fee his fhame.

16 And He gathered them together to a place called, in the Hebrew tongue, Arma- geddon.

The river Euphrates muft be underftood lite- rally under the fixth trumpet, which took off the reftraint from the four Turkifh principalities, who had long been confined near it, chap. ix. 14: And no reafon appears for undcrftanding it other- wife under this vial, which is poured upon the fame river, co dry up its water y not its waters in

the

Thefeventh Trumpet-, A. D. 1 866, /^ 3 1 25. ^a*?

the plural number, or ihtpeople who dwelt on it? banks ; the Holy Ghoft has fufficiently notified his meaning, where ever he has uled the word waters in that fenfe, as in Ifa. viii. 6, 7. Rev, xvii. 15 : Yet it v^ill make no great difference in the fenie, whether we underftand the word meta- phorically or literally •, for either way the water is dried up^ previous to the mighty convulfionsi which the next vial will occafion ; that the way of the kings from the eajl might be prepared, who are marching from India, Perfia and other eaftern parts towards Judea : For the river Euphrates which lies in their way to Jerufalem, as well as the Hebrev/ word, Armageddon, fufficiently in- forms us that their defign is againit that place ;^ and that they are coming in hoftile forms is very vifiblc from ver. 14, 16: Therefore we cannot by: thefe eaftern kings underftand the Jews, who re- turned to their ov^'n land feventy five years before this, as we havefeen, chap. xiv. i — 5.

There will be nothing remarkably tempting to thefe kings in Judea, till the fmiles of provi- dence upon Abraham's deicendents, have made it again a delightfome land. But it appears from Ezckie!, chapters xxxviii. and xxxixth, that after they are brought back to their own land, the Turks and eaftern nations v.'ill come upom them, in dreadful I'warms, to plunder and dtftroy \ to carry away Jilver and gold, to take away cattle and goods-, to take agreatfpoil, chap, xxxviii. 13. But, inftead of fucceeding in this defign, they (hall themfelves return no more out of the land oi Ifrael, but find their graves there : And the Ifrac-^ Jites will be feven months in burying them ; and (in that warm climate where fewel is not much wanted) feven years irh burning their weapons, chap, xxxix. 9 — 15. This feems to be the grand event for which the fixth vial prepares the way :

i2% Darners Prophecy \ thefixthVial [XVI. 1 2 — 16;

For the three frogs here fpoken of, go forth to gather thefe kings to fight againft God, ver. 14, 16 : And as the literal drying up the river Eu- phrates, will give them an opportunity to follow their avaricious hopes \ fo probably thefe croaking advocates for the dragon and the two beafts, will repreient the drying up of that river, as a loken from God of their certain fuccefs. Thus many of the Jews, miftook the prodigies which prece- ded Jerufalem*s deftruclion by the Romans, for certain prognofties of their deliverance. Jojephus's wars, &;c. B. vii. chap. xii. But in fa6b the dry- ing up of this river will, in the eventj be as real a plague from the zvrath of God to thefe enemies of his people, chap. xv. i, 8 •, as the dividing the fea and Jordan was to the Egyptians and Canaa- nites, which were fucli eminent mercies to Ifrael. Yet when that river, which fo long fertilized the banks of ancient Babylon, is not only divided as the Red-fea and Jordan, but dried up ; this may be afterwards a great mercy ro the nations, who de- fire to come and worihip God at Jerufalem.

Probably this is the holt of which it is faid, Dan. xi. 45. He foall^ with much ftrength and confidence, plant the tabernacles of his palace be- tween the feas, that is, between the fea of Galilee and the dead lea ; fee page 236, in the glorious holy mountains: Tet in the midll of his vain hopes, he JJoall come to his end, and none fhall help him : For after the Lord of Hofts has made in this mountain unto all people a feafl of fat things^ he foall bring down the pride of their cne;uies, together with the fpoils of their hands, I fa. xxv. 6, 1 1.

The prophet Zechariah feems to fpeak of the fame times, chap, xiv \ from which we may further learn the following particulars ; viz. That this war wiil continue o;z:' i/i^j' or year (which inclines me the more co allow the fame length of time for the

other

Thefeventh trumpet ^ A. D. 1 865, to ^12$. 2 29

other vials :) Jndit Jhnll come to pafs in that day y that it jloall not be clear nor dark ; hut it Jhall he one day, or year, and no more, and unlike any other they ever law •, yet known to the honour of the Lord', not day nor night k^^Vatt and alone : But it JId all come to pafs that at evening time it fhall he light, ver. 6, 7. The morning of that day will in- deed be dark ; for the nations gathered againji Jerufalem to battle, v/ill take the city, rifle the boufes, ravifh the women, and tdke half of the City into captivity, ver. 2. For God will vifit his return- ing people, for that Laodicean lukewarmnefs into which there is reafon to believe they will be funk, fome years after their return to their own land (notwithftanding their building a temple at Jerufalem) through the fatal influence of the dra- gon, and the two beafts ; who have extinguilhed Light divine, and quenched celeftial fire where ever they could.

Yet the refidue of the people fhall not be cut off from the city : And before this day or year concludes, the Lordjhall go forth, and fight againji thefe nations ; as when he fought in the day of bat- tle againft the Midianites, Judg vii. 22 : Thofe children of the eafi fell upon, and deftroyed one another; and fo fiiall thefe, ver. 13. Tea their flefh Jhall confume away, while they ft and upon their feet 'y and their eyes fhall confume away in their holes j and their tongue Jhall confume away in their mouth, ver. 12. In that day the Lord fhall ft and uPon the mount of Olives, which will cleave in the midft, and remove to north andfouth, ver. 4 -, which certainly hath not yet been accompliflied. At that day Judah floall fight at Jerufalem ; and the wealth of all the Heathen roundabout floall be gathered together^ gold, and Jtlver, and apparel in great abundance^ ver. 14; which will of cou: le fail inro i he n p s of the Jews, when they who brought it thither are cip^d. After this every one that is left of all the na^ Q^ 3 tion^

230 Dan.xii.y, iiy 12, explained. [XVI. 12 — 16.

lions that came up againft Jerufalem^ fhall come and worjinp the King the Lord of Hojis •, whofe worfhip to the end of the world will be a fpiritnal keeping the feafi of talernacles, ver. 16. And this judg- ment fhall be inflifted upon thofe nations who will not keep this feaft. Rain fljall be withheld from them ; and the heavens, becoming hard as brafs over their heads, will declare to every one their impiety and impudence, ver. 17, 18, 19. Thus things will go on till the Spirit is poured out in the millennium. But as to the Jews, after this there fhall be no more deflruSlion -, but Jerufalem fhall be fafely inhabited to the end, ver. 1 1 , in great purity and peace, ver. 20, 21.

The time alfo when this event will take place? may be conjedtured, with confiderable probability, from Dan. xii. 7, 11, 12. To explain which, ob- ferve, That it is univerfally agreed that the time, times and half a time, ver. 7, are the 1260 years of the bead ; and fo we have confidered them, Rev. xii. 14. Theie years, dated from A. D. JS^'* will end A. D, 2016 : But after that it is added, ver. 1 2 , Bleffed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the iSS5 days or years; that is, to y^ years after A. D. 2016, or to A. D. 2091 ; at which time probably fome unknown glorious event will fill the church of God with tranfporting joy : And at that time we expect the great things which are pre- difted in the fix laft chapters of Ifaiah, will be fulfilled in all their glory to Jev^s and Gentiles. But this cannot be the vidory mentioned above, for popery will be concluded before A. D. 2091 ; and we know of no wars which will difgrace the millennial ftate then begun. We muft therefore enquire whether the words will not admit of, and may not even oblige us to begin the 1260 years at an earlier date : And obferving that, after what i$ faid of the beaft in Daniel's vifion, chap. xi. 3 ' ^^—29^,

~ Thefeventh Trumpet^ A. D. 1 866, /c? 3 1 25, 231

■36 — 39, the Saracens and Turks are fpoken o*^, ver. 40 — '43 -, our ablefl expofitors have juftly confidered thefe 1260 years as the time of the Mahometan, as well as of the Papal delufion. But as we hear nothmg of the Mahometans, as fuch, in fcripcure under the feventh trum-^ pet, or after A. D. 1866, though the Turks ar€ mentioned under this vial, and in thofe old teftament prophecies which relate to the fame fubjeft; fo far therefore as the 1260 years relate to the Mehometans, we are neceflitated to begin them from A. D. 606, when Mahomet retired to his cave. How Ban. xii. 11. is to be underftood agreeable to this fenfe, we have fhewn before at chap. xiv. I — 5; viz, by adding 1290 years to the year 684 before Chrilf, when the daily facri- Hce ceafed by ManalTeh ; which points out A. D. 606 for the I'ettmg up of Mahometanilm. So far then as concerns the Jews,, whofe country is now in the hands of the Mahometans, thefe 1260 years, v^r. 7, are to be dated A. D. 606, and will end A. D.. 1866.

And though popery as reckoned from the time of ihe bead, muft be dated from A. D.. y^6, yet we have feen under the fixth irum- pet, that that monfter, a univerfal bijhop upon earth, will tread the holy city, and the outer court of the temple under feet, for the whole 1260 years of the two witnelTes, chap. xi. 2, 3 •, and that thefe years are to be reckoned trom A. D. 606 to 1866. Dating therefore the above 1335 years from that time, they v/illlead us to 75 years after i%()6\ that is, to A. D. 1941 ; at which time probably the church will experience the blejfednefs fpoken of Dan. xii, 12 ; viz, the defeat of thofe eaftern nations which Ezekiel has predidted will come up againft Jerufalem, and which this vial fliews will be inlifted under the banner of the dragon and the two beafts. To effed this we have before heard that the Maho- 0^4 mctans

232 The/ixtbFialpouredout^probably, A.D. 1941.

metans will become Papifts, after the beaft has flain the Gieek church, A. D. 1862, and after they are raifed again A. D. 1866-, and that the grand Turk will be the fecond beaft. And this vifion itfelf tells us, that as thefe eaftern nations muft be under the fatal influence of a moft avari- cious fpirit, to be fo ready to come upon this fhameful expedition againft the Jews : So, if they had not favoured the Tee of Rome before A. D. 1941, thefe croaking emiffaries of the beaft would fcarccly have invited them to ftiare this expelled plunder of Judea ; and, if they could have been prevailed upon to fall upon the Jews in the man- ner here delcribed, they would not have been fo ready to inlift under the banner of the beaft, in this war againft God.

In explaining the above fcripture, perhaps the text might have allowed us to add the whole 1335 years to the 1 260 years of the beaft, or the Pope; but this would have carried us beyond the end of the world •, therefore the fulfilment of the pro- phecies obliged us to add only 75 years to the 1260. But fee a conjecTiure about the length of the day of judgment, founded upon adding the whole 13351:0 the 1260 years, at the clofeof the :(xth chapter;

The prophet Daniel adds, chap. xii. i. Ai that time-, viz, A. D. 1941, fb all Michael fi and up, the great prince which Jlandeth for the children of thy people. Chrift had ftood upon Mount Sion, A. D. 1 8 66, chap. xiv. i — 5; and now he will both ftand up himfelf, and employ his holy angels to put an everlafting end to the troubles of his people, as a nation ; which will make this a moft blefjed XAvciG, ver. 12. But long before this blefled ^ra, in the time of the Roman empire (which has been already fpoken of in this vifion, chap, xi. 30, 31 ; and whofe ten horns will continue to

be

Tbefevenlb 'Trumpet, A. D. 1866, to 312.5. 233

be an important fubjed of this prophecy, even beyond A. D. 1941) there flidl he a time of trouble to thy people ; fuch as 7tever wasfince there was n nation^ to that fame time \ our Lord adds, no, nor eve^Jhallbe, when he exprefsly applies thefe words to the deftrudlion of Jerufalem, Mat. xxiv. 21, which occurred A. D. 70. And at that time par- ticularly, as well as in other of their fubfequent troubles, 7^^// thy people be delivered-, even every one that (hall be found written in the book. And, as an emblem and earneft of the general refur- reflion at the great day, many of them that now Jleep in the duji of the earth \ and feem as unlikely to return to Judea, as the dead are to rife from their dufty beds, Jhall awake and come as out of their graves. But, as all the Jews who return to their own land will not favingly return to God, therefore I add, fome of them fhall awake to ever- lajting life ; and fo7ne to floame and everlafling con- tempt, ver. 2. And as the church will now refem- ble a woman clothed with the fun, &:c. Rev. xii. I ; fo efpecially in thefe times, fl^all they that he wife fhine as the hrightnefs of the firmament ; and they that turn many to righteoufnefs, as the fiars for ever and ever, ver. 3 — But to return —

I faw, fays our apoftle, ver. 13, 14, three un- clean fpir its like thole impudent and loquacious creatures which have their dwelling in fens, marlhes, ditches and filthy places, the frogs — coming, after their own frightful manner, out of themoutlfof the dragon the devil, chap. xii. 9 ; and out of the mouth of the firft heaft, chap. xiii. i ; and out of the mouth of the fecond, ver. 11 ; who, when the power of his temporal horns failed him, refolved toad 2is 2. falfe prophet \ not only work- ing miracles like the firit beaft, and before him, but perhaps alfo keeping up his own peculiar pre- eminence as a prophet, by uttering falfe predic- I tions

234 '"^kree Frcg3 plead for the Be&fi. [X VI . 1 3 , 1 4

tions to promote their common caufe; that he might one way, when he could not another, de- ceive and damn immortal louls •, fee chap. xix. 20. and XX. 10. Thefe frogs, which arefpawnedand bred in the mouth of the devil, the beaft and»the falfe prophet, from their corruptions, (and which had been rolled as a fweet morfel under their tongues) are certainly human fpirits, though the holy Ghoft calls them the fpirits ef demons, work- ing pretended miracles \ which go forth, with more than common human a<Stivity and wickednefs, to the kings of the earth papal and pagan ; even of the whole world, eaft, well, north and fouth, fee Ezek. xxxviii. 2, 5, 6, 13, 15, to bring them, as they defign, to the afiiftance of their three prin- cipals ; but in faft to gather them together to the battle of the great day of God the Almighty. Be- ware therefore, ye kings ; and, if you defign to be the loyal fubje6ts of Jehovah, look carefully down and watch your palace gates at this feafon a9;ainft thefe croakino; vermin.

But whilft our author was contemplating thefe frogs, he to whom all judgment is committed, laid to him, ver. 15, as thefe frogs will enter imobferved ; fo Behold 1 2.\\o come as a thief, fud- denly, unexpected, and in the night ; yea with great furprize and dread I come, to take away all that the fmner hath : But the Chriftian can lofe nothingby mycoming, to whom I am All in All — Lord bring thyfelf to me, then take away what thou wilt from me ! — Yet adds our Lorcl, as this time will be dark and trying to my fervants, Blefj'ed is he that watcheth -, and keepeth bis gar- ments, that heavenly drefs which I gave to cover him, Ifa. Ixi. 10 -, that he may not walk naked, and . they fee his jhame. Every Chriftian is atleaft a Vv'atchman over himfelf.

But come, and in devout thought, attend the fiincral of thefe anti-cbriftian powers, ver. 16.

And

fhefeventh Tnmpet, A.D.1866, /<?3i25. 235

And He^ the Lord Jefus, gathered them together. •' They were the dragon's army, yet God affembled ^ then). Such oblique intimations of the inter- * pofition of -providence^ are wonderfully inftruc- ^ tive, and they are fcattered up and down in ^ many places of the facred writings,' fee Dod- dridge in loc. He gathered them to a place, to which the prefent polTefTors of that country have given a different name ; but which is called in thg Hebrew tongue, Armageddon, that is, the mountain of Megiddo in the tribe of Manalfeh, Jojh. xvii, 1 1 -, which ha^ a well watered valley lying under it, famous for the flaughter made there in times part, Jud. V. 19, 2 Chron. xxjfv. 22. Zech. xii. 1 1 : And, if the derivation of words is regarded, this eminence will be differently to God's people and to their enprnies, a mountain of delight, and a mountain of dej^ru^ion : For the enemy being ga- thered thither, a dreadful flaughter will enfue, as is defcribed by Ezckiel,

Probably the prophet 7^^/ fpeaks of this flaugh- ter, chap, iiid •, where, to give usaftriking reprefen- tation of the future judgment, the valley of Jeho- floaphat \% called a valley of decifion, ver. 2 — 17. Hear the fummons, ver. 11 — 14. Affemhle your- f elves and come, all ye heathen ; and gather your- felves together round about : Thither caufe thy mighty ones to cotne down, O Lord, Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehofhaphat ; for there will I fit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the fickle, for the harveji is ripe : Come, get you down for theprefs is full, the fats over^ jiow •, for their wickednefs is great. Multitudes, muU titudes in the valley of decifton I for the day of the f^rd is near in the valley of decifton I We heard before that at firft the enemy will feem to have

the

2^6 Joers Prophecy of this. f XVI. 1 6,

the day ; but when they have taken half the city captives, Zcch. xiv. 2, probably they will not go away with them out ot" the land •, but il;iying as they expert to compleat their conqueft, the men who took them captive, will lell the children ofjo- rufalem to thole who follow the camp for gain. And give a hoy for a harlot \ and fell a girl for wine that they may drink, Joel iii. 3, 6 : But before the night of ihat day comes, the fcene is changed •, death feizes on them, and they go down quick into the pit, from the valley of JehofJjaphat, that is, either from a valley which lay between Jerufa- lem and Mount Olivet, or from Engedi fo famous for Jehofhaphat's vidory there, 2 Chron. xx.2 --, both of which were in the tribe of Judah,^;?/!??. xv. 62 i

Thefe fcriptures therefore compared teSch us, that thefe enemies will plant the taberna- cles of their palace between thofe two feas, the fea of Galilee and the dead fea, which are inland feas of Judea, Dan. xi. 45 : That their camp will extend about fixty miles m length; (and we know not how far in breadth) viz. from Megiddo in the tribe of ManaiTeh, near the fea of Galilee, almoll to Jerufalem •, and that an eminent (laughter will be made at both ends of it; viz. at Armageddon^ and in the valley of JehofJjaphat^ which is the val- ley of Cedron. See Dr, IVells's Geography of the Old and New "tefiament, vol. 3. page 79, 80.

Nowwillthofewords of Balaam be fulfilled again^ as they had been by the dtlirutlion of the devoted nations of Canaan, '^fhefiar of Jacob [hall defiroy the children of Shethy or of men, Numb. xxiv. 17. Gen. iv. 25. And, as providence had made Saul king of Ifrael, higher than Agag., the king of the A male- kites (fee 1 Sam. xv. chapter-,) fo the kingdom of 1t'iv\s fhall now be exalted above Gog, as the LXX read that word, Numb. xxiv. 7. And it floall come to pafs in that day, that, befides the great fertility

of

Thifeventh Trumpet ^ A. D. 1866, /£» 3 125. 237

of the earth, the mountains^ or the princes of JudeA fioall drop doivn refrefhing nezv wine^ and the hills Jhall flow ijoith nutritious milk \ and all the river's of Jtidah^ or the common people Jhall flow zvitb frudifying waters % and a fpiritttal fountain floali come forth of the houfe of the Lord, and jhall water that valley of Shittim, on the borders of Canaan, in which Ifracl had committed abomination with the daughters of Moab, Numh.yixv. i. Joel iii. 18. — But the time is not yet come for the beaft and the falfe prophet finally to fall; fee chap. xix. 20.

17. And the feventh angel poured out his vial into the air ; and there came forth a great voice from the temple of heaven, from the throne, faying. It is done.

18. And there v/ere voices, and thun- ders, and lightnings -, and there was a great earthquake, fuch as there had not been from the time that men were upon the earth, fuch an earthquake, and fo great.

19. And the great city was divided into three parts j and the cities of the Gentiles fell down : And Babylon the great came into remembrance before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceneis of his anger.

20. And every ifland fled away, and the mountains were not found.

21. And a great hail, as the weight of a talent, fell dov/n from heaven upon the men, and the men blafphemed God for the plague of the hail, for the plague of it was exceed* ing great.

When

2 3 S 1'he fevenih Vial^ on the Air. [ X V'l . 1 7-r-^2 1 .

When the feventh trumpet (punded there were great voices, as well as Itgbtfiings and thunders in the air, chap. xi. 15, 19 ; and the kventh vial is poured into the air-, which the devil, as the prince of the power of it, had fo often employed againft God and immortal fouls, Job i. 19. Eph, ii. 2 : But now, divefled of its I^aling virtue, and im- pregnated with the feeds of death (except that part of it in which God's feryants breathed) there came forth a great voice from the temple of heaven \ that is, from the temple which had been filled with fmoke, while the vials were pouring out, chap. XV. 5, 8 ; from the throne of grace which is ereiff ed there, faying. It is done y my fervants may now live at peace ; for the fcene is concluded, and the words of God in a fenfe fulfilled which he has fpoken againft the man of fin, chap. xv\\. 17, though he is not yet abfolutely deftroyed —

For what can his enemies do, when God with- draws breath from them, or poifons thofe floods of air which once refrefhed their lungs ? And there were hideous founds, voices and thunders in the terrified air. (And if this vial fhould be poured out on the air, A. D. 1942, this will be about 1260 years af- ter the time that the pope eftabliihed the ufe of organs in the church, which w^s a returning to judaifm ; but they will be ufed no more after A, D. 1866, when the church has the moon under her feet^) It is added, And vengeful lightnings flafhed the wrath of hpaven in the face of impeni- tent finners •, whilft the air itfelf, ftriving to hide itfelf from the wrath of God in the bowels of the earth, added unufual horrors to fuch earthquakes as the world had never trembled under before. And the great city Rome, {ktcha.p.Y.'u 8. xiv. S.xvii. 18. and xviii. 10.) was divided into three parts — Come hither, ye murdering beafts, and fee what yc have done upon the affrighted earth, and againft your 3 owa

• fhi feventh trumpet, A. D 4 1^66^ fo 212 S' ^39

own city ! — And the cities of the nations in general, and efpecially thoie who were in friendfhip with the besi^, fell down -, which miniftered an occafion for the redudion of the vaft empires and monar- chies of the world, to a lefs enormous, that is, to a more rational fize ; fee chap, xx. 4. And that great Babylon of tyranny and perfecution, ca^ne in remembrance before God^ to give her the cup of the wine of the fiercenefs of his wrath ; yet all that fhe can endure here is no more to hell, than a cup td the ocean, as we obferved before. And every IJland^ which had proudly reared its head amidft the fwelling floods, /fi away, either finking down, or removing to another place : And the mountains were not found where they ufed to (land, * What ' an awful change will this be upon the terraque-

* ous globe ! yet the end of the world is not ' come' — The chapter concludes with an account of a great hail of the weight of a talent, fome fl:ones fixty, fome a hundred pound weight, which fell upon the fervants of the beaft ^ yet the few whom it mifled, or who found caverns of the earth ftrong enough to fhelter them from it ; as well as thofe on whom it fell, fo as not to kill them immediately, unhumbled ftill, blafphemed God fo much the more for the plague of the hail\ for the plague of it was exceeding great, ver. 21,

The vials are faid to be the lafi plagues, for in them is filled up the wrath of God, which had been begun^ before, chap. xv. i : Yet, as the deflruc- tion of Pharoah and his hoft in the Red Sea, was not reckoned among the ten plagues of Egypt, which are here referred to ; fo I apprehend the final deftrudtion of the two beafts, defcribed in the clofeof the nineteenth chapter, is not to be reckon- ed a part of this laft vial, (i.) Becaufe the vials are predicted at fuch a diftance from the account

oi

^heVials arethelajl Plagues. [XVI. 1 7—2 1 .

or the final deftruftion of the two bcafts, chap, xix. 19,20. (2.) As the prefent reign of mercy- will fhorten God's judgments, as much as is con- fiftent with his glory ; fo no man's being able to €nter into the temple, till the plagues of the feven angels were fulfilled, chap. xv. 8, inclines me to fuppofe them fpeedily concluded. (3.) If the laft vial concludes A. D. 1942, as all of them to- gether will, for a time at leaft, have broken the fpirits of the fervants of the beaft, this gives us a pleafmg hope of the partial and comparative reft which the church may probably enjoy from A. D. 1942 to 2016; and at the fame time allows the enemy fufficient opportunity, in thefe feventy-four years, to recruit their ftrength and fpirits again, for that laft attack which they will make upon the Lamb, A. D. 2016: For Divine vengeance will no more immediately fall upon them after the vials-, till their final overthrow. Yet now proba- bly is the time for the ten horns of the beaft to bate the whore, to make her deflate and hum her flejh with fire ; for now the words of God againft her are fulfilled, and all that remains is his work, in executing the fentence written; fee chap, xvii. 16, 17.

^*-%^

CHAP. XVII.

J, AND there came one of the feven an- •^^ gels, who had the feven vials, and talked with me, faying. Come hither, I will fhew thee the judgment of the great whore, who fitteth upon the many v/aters.

2. With

'^he feventh Trumpet^ A. D. 1 866, /c 3 1 25. 241

2. With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication ; and the in- habitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

3. And he carried me in fpirit into the wildernefs ; and I faw a woman fitting upon a fcarlet beaft, full of names of blafphemy ; having feven heads, and ten horns.

4. And the woman was covered round with purple and fcarlet, and adorned with gold and precious ftone, and pearls ; having a golden cup in her hand, full of abomina- tions and uncleannefs of her fornication.

5. And upon her forehead a name written MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS, AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

6. And I faw the woman drunk with the blood of the faints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jefus : and I wondered, fee- ing her, with great amazement !

7. And the angel faid unto me, Why didfl thou wonder ? I will tell thee the myftery of the woman, and of the beail which carries her, which hath the feven heads and ten horns.

8. The beaft which thou faweft was, and is not ; and will alcend out of the bottom- lefs pit, and go away into perdition : And they who dwell on the earth Ihall wonder, (whofe names are not written in the book of life, from the foundation of the world) fee- ing the beaft who was, and is not, though he is.

R 9. Here

242 ^he Whore riding on her Beaji. [XVI I.

9. Here is the mind that hath wifdom. The kvtvi heads are feven mountains, where the woman litteth upon them.

TO. And they are feven kings : Five are fallen, and one is ; the other is not yet come ; and when he cometh, he muft con- tinue a little time.

1 1 . And the beafl that was, and is not, even he is the eighth ; and is of the feven, and goes away into perdition.

12. And the ten horns which thou faw- eft, are ten kings, which have not yet re- ceived their kingdom ; but receive autho- rity as kings, one hour with the beaft.

13. Thefe have one mind ; and will give their power and authority to the beaft-.

14. Thefe- will make war with the Lamb; and the Lamb ftiall overcome them, becaufe he is Lord of lords, and King of kings j and thofe that are with him, are called, and chofen, and faithful.

15. And he faith unto me. The waters which thou faweft, on which the whore fitteth, are people; and multitudes, and na- tions and tongues.

16. And the ten horns which thou faweft upon the beaft, thefe ill all hate the whore, and (hall make her defolate, and naked, and fliall eat her fiefh, and burn her with fire.

17. For God hath given it into their hearts, to efredt his defign, and execute one purpofe ; and to give their kingdom to the beait, till the words of God Ihall be ful- filL^d.

18. And

rhefiventhrrumpet.k.Vi. 1866,/^ 3125. 243 18. And the woman which thou faweft is

that great city, which hath Qoininioii over

the kings of the earth.

We have here a more parricular account of that perlecuting power which had been deicribed before, and will be perfeftly known when the viah are all poured out, A. D. 1942; nor is even now unknown, except to thofe who are given up 10 Jlrong deluftons, that they JIjouU believe a lie,

2 rhtrff. ii. II. r 1 r

Ver I, 2. And there cam one of the feven an- £./i, who had had thefe-jen vials, (iee the note on chm. xxi. 9.) and talked m luch t.^miliar terms with me, as precluded every degree of terrour ;

fay in?: ^^^^ ^"^' ^''''' ^'^^'"'^ ^ "^'^^ ^^'"^ iudzment of the great whore, who fitteth, m pomp and power, tt4>on the mcny waters ^ with whom the kings of the earth, ihrou-h many long infa- mous ages, have committed Ipiritud and corporal fornication -, in circumrtancc^s of more aggravated guilt, than thofe in which it was conimirted at Tyre, in times paft, Ifa. xxiii. i 7. ^^^^d the mc^aner inhabitants of the earth, in every quarter of it, have been made fpirituallv drunk with the^ wme of her fornication; and intoxicated with a talle zeal, have as chearfuUy parted with their realon for her, as if it had been a ufekfs incumbrance to, or the difgrace of their nature.

Ver. 3 6. And he carried me in fpirit into the

wildernefs, where I miQ;hr, more compof-dly con- rcmolate this execrable delulion, which his m faft'reduced the country about Rome to a com- parative wildernefs. And I faw a woman fitting upon a fcarlct beaft ; for cities an 1 countries are often reprefented by a v;oman (as Britannia (-ur mother, on fome. of our coins;) fuU of names of bhfnhemy •, having feven heads, and t:n horns, as • R 2 ^^'-

244 Woman Br unkiviih Saint's fi/ccJ.LX VII. 6^-8

we heard, chap. xiii. i. And the ivoman, which reprefentcd the city of Rome, ver. 18, was array- ed, or covo'ed round 77fpi(3£j3Ar;|U£^n, like the Roman emperors and fenators in a time of peace and war, with purple and f carle t \ «;zi adorned, Gr. golden over with gold, and precious ftone (without leav- ing out one of that name, which the earth could furniflij) and pearls \ fuch as St. Peter never re- commended •, fee I Epijl. iii. 3 •, but it was no part of her defign to engage the heart, or attract the eye of Deity, Cant. iv. 9 : Having however with thefe ornaments caught the vulgar eye, like other harlots, fhc holds out a golden cup in her handy full c/ impure ingredients, here called the abominations and fdthinefs of her fornication •, that with rhefe philtres or love-podons, Ihe may af- fimilate all that approach her to her own brutal diipofrions, Jer. li. 7.

And, as fome fhamelefs proftitutes had their names written over their doors, fo, in order that ihe might appear as much as pofTible un- like the fervants of God, who have his name in their foreheads, chap. xiv. i •, upon her forehead was a name written, which in fa(ft announced the crimes for which God will punifh her-, viz. MYSTERY ■, ' this very word was infcribcd ' on the front of the pope's mitre, till fome of * the reformers took public notice of it,' fays M'-. John "Wefley, but l>ifhop Newton in loc : only freaks of it as a point highly probable, though mu. h controverted. BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER, the nurfe and patronefs OF HARLOTS, AND in fhort of all THE ABO- MIiNATIONS, corporal and fpiritual, which fill the different regions OF THE EARTH. — God forgive and humble thofe, who will not read this character of Rome papal, which is written, (not on her hand where Ihe might conceal it, but) ilandsconfpicuous on her forehead, fo that no man

can

Thefcventh Trumpet, A. D. i866, to 3 125. 245

can look her full in the face without feeing i^unlefs God has given him eyes that hejhould not fee — vcr. 6. Jnd I Jaw the woman drunk with the blood of the faints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jefus. ■' Tobedrunk fuppofes the draughts to have been ^ frequent, large and plcaLnt: No body chufes ^ to be drunk with what is unpleafant to the pa-

* late. And what a palate muft that be to which ' blood is pleafant, but cruelty itfelf? And as

* people when they are drunk talk nonfenfe, and ' do extravagant things; lb this woman, having ' by cruelty and blood intoxicated herfelf with

* the grandeur thereby attained, fhe fays, and in- ^ fids upon it. That number one is number a ihou-

* fiindj that an inch is as long as five or fix feet ; ' that ihe never did, nor can, tell a lye in her life,

* nor do any thing amifs •, and fhe raves at every ^ one that does not believe all this, and vows to ' be the death of them, when fhe gets them in her ' power.' See Dr, Grofvenor's fermon, p. 29, 30, in the fermons againji popery, vol. 2d. She alio calls the Proteftants hereticks and dogs j but God has called fome of them/^/«/i : Therefore fays our author, Seeing her in fuch a ftate, oy fuch a pod- on, I wondered with great amazement, to fee even a ChriiVian power outdo all that Heathen rage it- felf had ever meditated againft the name of Jefus.

Ver. 7, 8. And the angel f aid unto me. Grieved as thou mayeft well be at this horrid ruin of thy own nature, IVhy didfi thou wonder ? John iii. 7 : Knoweft thou not, that all the wickednefs of de- vils will be atrled out by inhuman, though no.'ui- nallyChriltian hands, againft thy Lord that bought thee? But that thou mayeft point out to tlie fu- ture church of God their enemies and dangers, / will tell thee the myftery of the woman, or of Rome •, and of the beaft, or the papal ft:ate which carries her, which hath the feven heads find ten R 3 horns'.

246 Rane PaPal defcrihed. [XVII. 9 — 1 1.

horns ; and by whofe incans flic rages and triumpl.s lo. ^be hcajt, that temporal perkcuting power 'which thcu fawfjl, and wnich bears the woman, ivas in being, long before thy time : and yet is not now, in the manner in which he will be hereafter; ior being an inrernal power, he v:ill ajcend cut of the bottomkfs pit, to torment the earth a while, rjid then go cixiay into temporal and eternal perdition : ylnd they ii-ho dwell" io\:A and body en the earth, fbail wonder at this mondrous piodigy ; (the in- fmcerc profefTors 1 mean, whom fhou waft forbid- den to mealure, chap, xi. 2, ivhcfe names are not i'ouud'ivritteni?itht book oflife^from the foundation of /he world, chap xiii 8. xx. 1 5. and xxi. 27.) v\htn ihtj fee in the ourer couit the beajl who was, and yet is not; though in {a6t he is now in the fpiric of Diotrephcs, and oi\ho\c falfe apofles, deceitful work- ers who want to have the pre-eminence themitlves in the chinch and world, inltead of giving it to Chrilt; fee 2 Cor. xi. 1 ^. Col. i. 18. 3 John 9, 10.

Ver. 9 — 1 1. I[ is in vain to pretend to wifdom, if m.en will not endeavour to difcover and avoid inch a bead as this -, therefore, as it had been faid before, chap. xiii. 18, i7^r^ is wifdo7n; fo, whilil the fervancs of the beafl dand wondering r.t him, this angel adds again. Here, fixed in cau- tionary attention, is the mind that hath wifdom in it; tor he is truly vvile who can deteft the fpirit of this bead in others, and guard againft it in himfelf. Bur tj-.rt you may know his place, The feven heads are fven mountains where the woman., the city fiiteth on them; viz, the Palatine, Capi- toline, Qiiirinal, Cieli.m, i^ifquilian, Viminal and Aventiiie hills on which Rome ftands; every one of vt hie h will probably be honoured, as three or four of thrm have already been, to have a royal palace erettcd upf.n ir, by fome pope or other, be- fore this abomination is fwept down in:o hell.

And

Thefeventh Trumpet, A. D. 1866, to 3125. 247

Jnd they are /even kings, or fcven different forms ot government, which are to take place at Rome, lee Dan. vii. 17. 24, of which the holy Ghoft Taw proper to take no other notice in this prophecy, than merely to inform us of their number \ that we might the more certainly know the beaft which is the eighfh : But their own hiftorians have given lis their names-, viz, kings, confuls, dilators, decemvirs, military tribunes, emperors, and dukes. Thtfive firlt of thcfe are fallen^ and palfed away betore this A. D. 96; and one^ the fix:h ; viz, emperors now is : the other \ viz, dukes is not yet come \ and when he cometh^ he muji continue a little time, that is, from A. D. 566 to ^27, fays bifhop Newton ; which was but a fhort fpace compared with the preceedmg i fnper i al pov/cr^ which conti- nued above five hundred years-, and efpccially with xht papal which followed ic, and will conti- nue 1260 years. A^id the beaji ddcx\b<:d before, that uas and yet is yiot, even he is the eighth : But as the dukedom ot Rome, lubjirdt to the exarchs of Ravenna, under the Greek emperors, fcarcely dcferves to be named as a different head of Roman government-, therefore ic is added, the beaft is of the f even, and mult accordingly be reckoned with, the other fix heathen forms of government, which have taken place in that city : Yet a heavier doom awaits him than them -, they only landed thcm- lelves in fomeehing not utterly unl ke thcmfeives, but he goeth away into compleat, final and irrevo- cable perdition.

Ver. J 2 — 14. And the tenhorns which thou Jaw ejt are, ten kings, that is, kingdoms or diftind govern- ments, (for fo the holy Ghoft 'has explained the word, D<?«. vii. 17, 23O which have not yet re- ceived their kingdom, being only at pref'-nt n^em- bers of the Roman empire j and fo they conri- nyed till about A. D. 456 i fee chap. viii. j^, 1 1 •, U 4 vvhcn

248 "the ten Horns of the Beaji. [XVII. 12—14.

when the empire was crumbled into ten kingdoms, three hundred years before the time of the bealt; who at his rifmg, finding theie ten horns in full pofTefTion of their refptdive thrones, infiduoufly fupplanted three of them, and pulled them up by their roots, Dan. vii. 8. But it is not the defign of the holy Ghofl to fpeak of thefe ten kingdoms, confidered as fragments or remains of the Roman empire, but only as they arc the horns vviih which the beajl pufhes at the church of God: And as horns of this bead, they receive authority as kingS: fMiKv upciv, both at the fame time, and for the fame length or time as the bead. When his head is broken, his ten horns can do nothing; and to in- timate both the fhort continuance of his reign, and of their abje6t fubmifllon to him as his horns, they are faid to receive royal authority with him but one hour: Yet in the review, when they become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Chrift", they will think that hour long in which they accepted authority with him, and pulhed at the church of God under his infamous diredion.

The three kingdoms which this little horn the bead acquired, are generally reckoned to be the exarchate of Ravenna, gained for the pope A. D, 755-, the kingdom of the Lombards, A. D. 774; and the lUte of Rome gained foon after -, on which account the pope wears a triple crown. The other feven, bilhop Newton reckons thus in the eighth century, when they were properly confidered as horns of the bead ; viz, the Huns in Hungary, the ^/^-wz^/^j in Germany, \\\q Franks in France, the Burgundians in Burgandy, the 6"^- racens in Afric and Spain, the Goths in other parts of Spain, and the Saxons in Britain : But all aaree that Britain is one of thefe ten kingdoms ; for, from fifty five years before Chrift's time, Britain felt the valour of the Roman arms, for

about

7'hefeventh 'Trumpet, A. D. 1866, io 3125. 249

about five hundred years : And that fhe has been a horn of this beaft is too notorious.

It is added, ver. 13, 14. Tbefe kingdoms, in- toxicated with the wine of this harlot's fornica- tion, however their interefts or inclinations may clafli in other refpeds, have all one mind in this point J and will give their power and authority to the beaji, in an offenfive and defenfive alliance : Therefore they will all make war with the Lamh in his followers ; and the Lamb from one age to zxiQikitx Jhall overconife them^ becaufe he is in truth, what the beaft vainly pretends to ; viz. Lord of lords and King of kings -, and thofe who are with him, as all his faints are, even in his hand, are called, and chofen, and faithful : And as fuch they wi 1 joyfully light under his banner j for they love not their lives unto death, when t.he honour pi their Lord calls for it.

Ver. 15, 16, 17. And he faith unto me, l^hewa- ters which thou faweft on which the whore fittethy are people^ and multitudes, and nations and tongues ; whom the holy Gholt taught the ancient prophets to compare x.owaters,iox their multitude, inftabili- ty and turbulence; fee Ifa. viii. 6, 7. and xxviii. 2. Jer. xlvii. 2. And the ten -horns which thou fawefi upon the beaji, thefe, when they recover from their drunkennefs, will mortally hate the whore after A. D. 1942-, and obferving the command which fucceeds the vials. Reward her as fhe rewarded you^ chap, xviii. 6 -, in obedience to God they will make her df Slate, and naked, and eat her fiefh, and burn her with fire. And as fuch a doom awaits her, though the fine of it, which makes hafte, is not yet anived, i. is the fin and fhame of modern Proteftants, and of feme true Chrifiians, that they do not now feel indignation againft her, more proportioned to '■hat which will hereafter dignify their more iliuminaced luccefiors. At the fame

time

250 The ten Horns ■ii-ill bate the Whore. [ X V 1 1 . 1 5- r 7.

tim- let no man be ftiimblcd, cither at our luke- warmnels, or the future indignation which will be conceived againfl her ; for the righteous hand of God is in the one and other of thele things : For God hath given it both into our, and their hearts^ to effect his awful defign^ and execute one iixtd pur- J>o/e : And, as the Lord frequently punifli^s one fin by leaving men to commit others which are more dreadful ; io, in righteous vengeance, he has lett thefe deluded kings to give their kingdom fo the heaft \ till the words of God, which he has fpoken on this fubjed, by one and another of his- prophets, jjjall be fulfilled. When the beaft is. deftroyed thofe words will be compleatly fulfil- led : But as thefe horns cannot turn upon the whore, to make her naked and hum her ivith fire when fhe is not ; his zvcrds muft be con fide red as fulfilled, either v. hen the fecond beaft has attained the height of his power, A. D. 1886, chap. xiii. 17, or a little before A. D. 1926; lee chap. xiv. 18 — 20 ; or rather when the vials are poured out A. D. 1942, at which timeout Lord will proba- bly tread the wine-prefs alone, and of the people there will be none "uoith him, Ifa. Ixiii. 3 : But after this, his fervants will certainly defire to come in and teftify their duty to him ; for now his words are fulfilled, and the only work that then remains is the final execution of the beaft, chap, xix. 20. But the above words affure us, that thefe ten horns of the beafts will give their power to him, at leafl: till after the fecond beaft is come, and has attain- ed the height of his power.

' General prophecies, fays Biftiop Newton, like ' general rules, admit of limitations and cxcep- * tions ;' but nothing of this nature can take place, when the Lord is defcribing the finful condudl of his creatures, as in the prelent cafe, and drawing ■lip accufations againft them for violations of his

law ;

The feventh Trumpet^ A. D. 1 866, /o 3 1 25. 251

law; here every thing muft be fyllabically true» nothing can be exaggerated here, or protraded beyond its real rime : Therefore, as the holy Gholl fpeaks of all thej'e ten horns without diflinc- t!on, as giving their power to the bead, till the ivords of God are fulfilled \ how many individuals foever there arc, or have been in theie ten king- doms, who never confented to the unworthy deed, M the ivDvds cf Cod arc not yet fulfilled^ (and in- difputably iliey are not:) the ten kingdoms (\q all of them to this hour, in fome degree or other, give their power to him.

Hear my dear countrymen, and tremble at this word of the Lord — It is the honour of the Britifh horn that it does not now bow down to the bead, as in agt's pad, or as othtrs of them continue to do: Yet this fcripture affcrts that England now gives its power to the bead ; for the words of God are vioi fulfilled. If it is demanded, //(Ste'/ 1 anfwer. To fay nothing of bowing to the ead, or at the name of Jelus ; of the fatal confidence in baptif- mal regeneration with which life is begun j of the impodibilities, with refpcft to themlelvcs, which the fponfors then promife; or of the fign of the crofs in that ordinance — To be filent about the office of confirmation ; at the conlequences of which good men, whatever they have figned^ can- not but fluidder; as well as at fome things in the vifitation of the fick, and in the burial fervicc — To pals over holy-days appointed merely by the will of man; an unindituted liturgy^ which militates againd that love of variety which is eflential to the foul of man, and fo wonderfully provided for in God and in his word-, and the manner in which that liturgy is chanted in cathedrals, and repeated in common churches; neither of which are at all adapted to the purpofes of devotion — To wave the thought of the people's being deprived of their

unalienable

252 EnglandgivesitsPozver totheBeaJl. [XVI f. 17,

unalienable right to choofe their own minifters, and fuch frequently obtruded upon them as are no way morally adapted to promote their everlafting interefts ; and that fuch a door is left open to the Lord's table, as cannot but fill good men with horror at the company they Ibmetimc-s meet with there. Thefe, and fimilar things, awfully eftahlijh- ed\.\it diffenting intereft, A.D. 1662, (when more than 2000 minifters were ejected for not fubmit- ing to the fpiritnal ordinances of men) before it was tolerated in 1689 — But to fay nothing of thefe things, my grand objedtion againlt the church of England arifes from what this concluding bock of Icripture fuggefts under the word heqft; which fignifies fuch an unlawful combination of civil and facred power as intoxicates the minds of church-men, whilft it invades the prerogative of the Son of God, and in part at leaft obiirutfls the ends of his incarnation.

King Henry the viiith afllimed to himfelf that ecclefiaftical fupremacy which the pope had long fo fhamefully ufurped ; and, as might be expect- ed, his children walked in the fame fteps. And is that fupremacy to this hour reftored to the Son of God, if ftill the ftate maintains. That * the church has power to decree rights

* and ceremonies, or authority in matters of

* faith?' See article xxth. Alas! thefimple laws of Jefus are thought infufficient for the government of his church, without the fuperadded decorati- ons of human inventions ; and the ftate infifts upon being Chrift's coadjutor, to eftablifh fome things which it feems he omitted. True, it does not ' enforce' its peculiar requifuions, as things ' to be believed for the neceffity of falvation \ but thofe who will call no one mafter but the Lord Jefus, are not permitted to exercife their mini- ftry among, or to commune with, them ; which

3 is

T'he feventh Tumpet^ A. D. 1 866, /« 3 1 25. 253

is a direfl invafion of Chrifl's government, who opens and no man jljuts, -dnd/buts and no man opens.

David indeed was both a prophet and king; but if any king now becomes a preacher, as he cannot be infpired to give any new revelation to the world, tlie New Teftament gives him no more authority than the meaneft of his fubjcds, to al- ter, or make any additions to, the eftabliflied con- ftitutions of that kingdom of grace, of which he has the honour to become afubjeffl — And as to the prieflhood, among the ancient Heathens the fame perfon was often king and prieft, as Anius :

Rex Anius, Rex idem hominum Phcehi^ue facerdos,

Virgil.

But among the Jews, when the priefthood was fettled upon Aaron's family, and royalty upon David's, fhefe offices were of courfe kept fuffici- cntly diftinc^ from each other : And after the captivity, by planting the two olive trees, which reprefentcd the magiltraoy and miniftry, on the right and left hand of the Jewilh church or can- dleftick, the Lord forbad the latter to grow under the fhade of the former ; fee chap. xi. 4. Zech. iv. 3, 1 1 : For to be a priefi upon his throne was an honour referved for Immanuel only, Zech. vi.- ?3 : And when James and John requefted to have thefe charafters united in themifelves, our Lord's anfwer was clear and peremptory, Itjhall not befo among you. Matt. xx. 20 — 28. Mark x. 35 — 45. Oh I that profeffing Chriftians had confidered his decifion as definitive to themfelves ! But the Pope, as well as Mahomet, has fet up his will in this re- fpedl againll the will of God, which ruined the church of Rome ; and England can never reco- ver its fpiritual glory till it knows but one Lord in

fpiritual

254- Rome is ihe Seal of the Benjl. [XVIf. iS.

fpiritual things. There is one Lord Bijhop of louls, and but one -, and as he did not at firll, he never can build his church upon hierarchical or prelacical ground •, for his plan is incapable of improvement \ and as fuch will be univerfally adopted in the millennium, when i\-\tr^ Jhall be one Lord'm the church, and his name one^ Zech. xiv. 9 : Nor have we now, asChriftians, any concern with any other officers or offices in the houfe of God, but fuch only as our great Lord appointed ; for one is our mafter, even Cbrijl. And by the time the church of England has fat three hundred years from the reformation, or from A. D. 1362, •when the thirty nine articles were firft produced in a convocation of the clergy -, or two hundrtd years from A. D. 1662, deliberating upon it whether fhe fhall be more reformed ; there is reafon to fear that heaven, earth and hell will fay. It is time for her to be more deformed^ by that po- pery which fhe never would wholly extirpate — ■ True, tht worldly faH^uar)\ both at Rome and in England, preferves a unity -, but it is a unity of founds noz of the faith \ a unity which has wound- ed ten thou and confcienccs, for the fake of eccle- fiaftica! gain ; while many pretended followers of St. Pau'^, almoft avow the maxim which he deteft- ed i viz, of doing evil, that good may com.e \ whofe damnation is jnji.

Alas ! figning religious truths or conftitutions which are not believed, is a crying fin, which tends to deftroy all tendernefs of confcience. At the fame time, in men of no confcience, the vain trammels of orthodoxy, confine nothing but the tongue and pen, and that only for an hour. But is fatan in jeft too } And has his fervant the levia- than, who is playing in thefe waters^ no other defign but to amufe himfeit? — Credat Jud<eus appella I

2 To

The feventh Trw.npet, A. D. 1866, /^ 3125. 255

To explain ver. 17, lb far as it concerns the Britidi horn^ was my chief defign in what I have written above: And I befeech my epifcopallan reader, to read Mr. FlaveVs Tidings from Rome, or England's Alarm ; and prove to hmifelf at leaft, the improbability that the words of a Mr. Reeves^ and others there quoted, fhouid ever be fulfilled againit our dear nadve country, before or after A. D. 1866, before he fuffers himfelf to decide againft the literal ienle of this 1 7Lh vei fe j or takes upon him to aflert that the command, chap, xviii, 4, Come out of her^ my people^ does not concern him — The church, I apprehend, is then only built on Icriptural ground, when God's miniiters nei- ther claim, nor accept any precedence, but what arifes from their fuperior age, gifts, graces or ufefulnefs ; for Chriil is to be exalced, and not men.

The diffenters indeed have no power of the horn to give the beaft ; yet fome of them too are vifibly lerving his interefts, by degrading the Lord who bought them^ and indulging to that Arminian pride and deceit which are popery begun.

But that no man may plead ignorance of the enemy v/e are here warned againft, the holy Ghod, by this angel, points out the fpot whence all this mifchief was to arife, ver. 18. And, the woman which thou faweji riding upon the fcarlct beaft, is that great city Rome •, which hath now, and will long continue to have, dominion over the kings of the earth. This is the execrable fpot where hell opened its mouth, chap. ix. 1 ; to fend out the firlt beaft, chap. xiii. 1 ; the Sodom and Babylon of the world, chap. xi. 8. and xviii. 10. And this woman or city now rides in pomp and pride, upon that papal power which at prefent fupports her ; but foon flie will find her beaft too low-, and when he ftumbles and throws her, fhe will fink

Ike

236 Rome arraigned and condemned. [X.VIII. i — 3.

like lead in the mighty waters, on which fhe now fits, as fccure as if they had been everlafting

mountains, ver. i.

CHAP. XVIII.

I. A ND after thefe things, I faw an angel •*^ coming down from heaven, having great power ; and the earth was enUghten- ed with his glory.

2. And he cried in ^is might, with a loud voice, faying. It is fallen, it is fallen, even Babylon the great; and it is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every impure fpirit j and a cage of every un- clean and hateful bird.

3. Becaufe fhe hath made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her forni- cation : And the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her ; and the merchants of the earth have been enriched by the power of her luxuries.

When Ezekiel faw the glory of the God of Ifrael, ihe earth fhincd ijoith his glory., chap, xliii. 2 ; which makes it the more probable, that the angel who here enlightened the earth with his glory, was the Lord Jefus ; who fuddenly darted himfelf down from heaven to the view of his apoftle, as he will be fecn by every eye at the great day. And he cried in his might zvith a loud voice., to awake attention, faying., in the fame language which had

announced

The/evenfbTrumpei,A.D. 1866,^0^125, 257

announced the fall of the Old Teftament Baby- lon, (Ifa. xxi. 9, and Jer. 1. and li. chapters) // is fallen, it is fallen ; Babylon the great : And as Ifaiab, chap. xiii. 21, 22, had predi6ted, The wild leaf s of the defert foall lie there, and their houfes fhall he full of doleful creatures -, and the owls fh all dwell there \ and fatyrs, or demons, fuppofed to take the fhape of goats (fee hXX) Jhall dance there; and the wild heafs of the iflands fhall cry in their deflate houfes, and dragons in their pleafant palaces -, fo this New Teftament Babylon is beccfne the habitation of demons, and the (pv7.otx^ the cage, the hold, the -prifon-houfe of every impure fpirit ; the place where every unclean and hateful bird is confined. ' Siippofe then Babylon to mean Hea-

* then Rome, what have the Romanifts gamed ;

* feeing, from the time of that definition which

* they fay is paft, thefe have been, and are to

* be its only inhabitants for ever ?'

The caufe of this follows, ver. 3. For fie hath made all nations from pole to pole, to drink into her principles and pradices ; which have over- come them like wine, morally difturbed their iindeiftandings, and heated them into rage and fury againft God and men : But as this wine ili- iBulated the vilefl lulls of the heart, it became the wine of the wrath of God againft thofe whom he permitted to drink of it. Yet, fee with hor- ror ! the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her ; and the merchants of the earth, who took out their licences to trade from her office, chap. xiii. 17 •, and particularly the Romifti cler- gy, who deal in her trinkets and fpecial commo- dities, have been enriched by the abundance of thofe her luxuries tjj? ovvxixsug tou a-Tfrii^ovg, whic li cherilh wantonnefs, and difpofe to adls of uncha- ftity ; fee Doddridge in loc. which yet have had fovere'gn and the moil fatal power over her.

i> 4. And

258 Godftirs his People againfi Rame. [ XVII 1 .4.&C.

4. And I heard another voice from hea^ ven, faying, Come out from her, O my people, that ye may not be partakers of her fins, and that ye receive not of her plagues :

5. Becaufe her fms have followed otie ano- ther up to heaven, and God hath remembe- red her unrighteoufnefs.

6. Render to her as flie hath rendered to you ', and double to her double according to her works : In the cup which fhe hath mingled, mix for her a double quantity.

7. As much as £he hath glorified herfelf, and lived in luxury, fo much torment and grief give her : Becaufe flie faith in her heart, I fit a queen ; and am not a widow^^ and fl:iall not fee forrow.

8. On this account, in one day fhall her plagues come, death and mourning and fa- mine J and fhe fhall be confumed with fire : For flrong is the Lord who judgeth her.

9. And the kings of the earth who have committed fornication, and lived luxurioufly with her, fhall bewail her and lament for her ; when they fee the fmoke of her burn- ing:

10. Standing a far off, for fear of her torment, faying, Alas, alas, thou great city Babjdon, the ilrong city ! for in one hour thy judgment is come.

1 1 . And the merchants of the earth fhall wail and lament over her ; becaufe no man buys her wares any more.

12. The yZiz^-lading of gold and filver,, ^^d precious flone, and pearls, and fine li- nen.

^hefevenih Trumpet ^ A. D. 1866,/^ 3125. 259

nen, and purple, and lilk and fcarlet ; and all odoriferous wood ; and every ivory vef- fel ; and every vefTel of mofl precious v^ood ; and of brafs, and of iron, and of marble ;

13. And cinnamon J and perfumes; and ointment, and incenfe, and wine and oil ; and fine flour, and wheat, and cattle, and fheep J and horfes and chariots, and flaves, and fouls of men.

14. And the fruits which thy foul lufted after, are gone from thee ; and all thy deli- cious and fplendid things are gone from thee; and thou flialt never find them any more.

15. The merchants of thefe things, who were enriched by her, ihall fland a far ofi^, for fear of her torment, weeping and wail- ing ;

16. And faying, Alas, alas! the great city, which was clothed with fine linen, and purple and fcarlet, and adorned with gold, and precious ftone, and pearls !

17. For in one hour is fo great wealth de- folated. And every fliip-mafter, and every company in the fliips and the mariners, and all that labour upon the fea, flood afar off,

18. And cried, when they faw the fmoke of her burning ; faying, What city h like the great city !

19. And they caft dufi: upon their heads, and cried, weeping and lamenting ; faying, Alas, alas ! the great city, in which all who had Ihips in the fea were enriched, through her expenfivenefs ; for in one hour fhe is made defolate.

S 2 20. Rejoice

z6o7heNaiiofts^etvailBa.bY\on*sfaIl.[XVlll.4i&:c.

20. Rejoice over her, O heaven, and yc holy apoftles and prophets ; for God hath avenged ^er judgment of you upon her.

As Jehu took care, that none of God*s fervants fliould be (lain with the worfhippers of Baal, 2 Kings X. 23 ; and the angel haftened Lot out of Sodom when it was going to be dellroyed. Gen. xix. 15; fo I beard a voice from heaven, fays our author, faying to the faints fcattered amongft them. Come out from her my people \ that ye be not partakers of her fins ^ and that ye receive not of her plagues; for none but God's enemies and yours, will now dare to promife you fafety in her com" munion : And this order will be duly regarded after A. D. 1942 j though alas! at prefent, for the fake of gain, many profefTors choofe to build their houfes in the fuburbs of Rome, and, en- tangle themfelves in the fkirts of this whore's garments; fee chap. xvii. 17. But there is no room for trifling or duplicity now, for her Jins, ripe for judgment, have followed one another like mountains piled up to heaven -, and God will at length prove that he hath remembered her iniqui- ties. And as men are to be the inftruments of this vengeance, fo I command my people, ver. 6, 7, 8, Render to her for her fins, as fhe hath rende- red, to you for your faithfulnefs to God : And as the thief found with ftolen goods was to reftore double, £.W. xxii. 4, fo double unto her double % for this will be but according to her works : Yea, no temporal punifhments you can infliftupon her, can compeni'ate the everlafting injury fhe has done the fouls and bodies of men : But though fhe cannot in this life fufiFcr a full retaliation, yet /;; the cup which fhe hath mingled., mly, for her a dcu' Ik quantity in terrorem, and as a warning to others. Slit has robbsd me, and funk my glory*

^he feventh trumpet^ A, D. 1866, to 3125. 261

in the whirlpool of felf ; therefore as much as /he hath glorified herfelf^ and lived in luxury £rp))H«(r« Gr. as the minifters of my vengeance, fo much torment and for row give her; for even now, go- ing down into the jaws of ruin, fuelled with pride, ihe faith I fit a queen to be adorned, and am no widow, and fh all fee no for row ^ Ifa. xlvii. 7 — 10. Say, delufion, cotildfl: thou have done more than this on a race of thinking immortals ! But on this account, in one yet future day, foall her plagues come from God and men ; viz, death and mourn- ing-^ and famine, and fhe fhall be burnt with fire, like Sodom, till Ihe is confumed-, for firong is the Lord whojudgeth her, and flie muft feel the power Ihe would not fear.

It is impoffible that the followers of Jefus fhould be men of cruelty and blood ; yet you fee the order which God has here given his fervants, with refpedt to Babylon's fall : Therefore, with whatever horror the view fills me, I'll give up the unmeaning name of a Chriftlan, when 1 am afhamed to avow my joy in the profped of our Lord's future triumph over her, and the glorious fpreading of his kingdom.

But her death warrant being thus ligned, here follows the wailing of her friends over her, ver. 9 — 19. I^he kings of the earth, who have committed corporal or ipiritual fornication, and lived luxurioujly, with her, elpecially after the rife of the fecond bead ; and ail the merchants, and trading people of every name, who hsd "been enriched by her magnificent expences, in the moft palTionate ftrains bewailed her ruin ; {land- ing afar o^ for fear of her torment, when they faw the fmoke of her burning •, cafling dull on their heads, wringing their hands, crying, weeping., wail- ing and faying, Ouai, o-jai. Wee, woe, Alas, alas! that great city Babylon! that mighty city I whofe royai mandates once controlled the fou's and S 3 bodies

fiSiBahylon^s former Glory r ever fed. [XVIII.4,&c.

bodies of men; for in one long predifted hour is thy judgment come: And now, this mart of plea- sure being (hut up, the world itfelf looks like a defolated wildernefs to thofe different perfons; for the bills which thefe beafts had drawn upon heaven and hell, being now returned, with a vengeance, both upon the drawers of them, and upon many of the kings of the earth who had indorfed them, 710 man buys their merchandife any mere ; nor can her lying currency any more procure any one of the following twenty-eight articles, in which fhe had long traded, ver. 12, 13 ; viz. Gold, fdver, pre- cious Jlone^ pearls, fine linen j purple, ftlk, fcarlet, odoriferous ivood\ ivory'Veffels, and veffels of mofi precious wood, and of hrafs, of iron, and of marble-, cinnamon, perfumes, ointment, incenfe, ivine, oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, fheep, horfes, chariots, flaves, and fouls of men.

Many of thefe bounties of providence, from the refpedive climes which produced them, had been brought to Tyre for fale; but when the fecond bead has fpread popery over the whole earth, Rome v/ill far exceed Tyre in the extent of her commerce, and in the abundance of her delicacies; and efpecially in her cruelties. Did Tyre trade in the perfons of men ^ {Nephejh, Heb. vtu;>/jt»f LXX, Ezek. xxvii, 13.) to the Romifh market too are brought, not on\y flaves, but the fouls of men, to be fold there; to v/ork in the 'hnoke of that furnace, where adamantine chains are forged for immortal minds; and where the dupes of this infernal delufion, are contented to yield to the will of Rome their civil and religious hopes. But behold ! in one hour ftie is irreparably defolated; fee Ifai. xxiii. i, 7, 14, and Ezek, xxviith throughout.

But amidft all this hopelefs wailing, here is no forrcw lor the difhonour done to God, no

penitent

Thefeventh trumpet, A. D. 1 8 66, /» 3 1 2 5. 2 63

penitent confeflions of their guilt and (hame in lupporting her fo long; no cries to heaven for mercy for themfelves; no compafiionate warn- ings flow from the lips of thole kings and traders bf the earth ; no intreaties are addrefTed to the votaries of the beaft, already brought low by the vials, fo fave themfelves from that future vengeance which ftands ready to blaft them for- ever.— Thefe would have been fubftantial proofs of love to God, to men, and therefore to them- felves.— But alas! theirs was the forrow of the world which worketh deaths 2 Cor. vii, 10 j or perhaps worfe than fo. — It is well if it did not arife from the dilappointment of their lulls ; and if there was not anger burning in their breafts againft God, for fpoiling their fhameful markets^ by taking this juft and neceffary vengeance on the treafons of men. — Alas! they give the beaft their tears, when they have nothing elfe to give him. They had iron eyes in the day of God's diflionourj but when he takes to himfelf his mighty power and reigns, they can weep aloud. — Rebellious wailings thefe, which quarrel with the righteouf- nefs of God ! for pride, avarice and defpair can furnilh their plenteous tears, as well as repen- tance and faith.

But turning from thefe unheeded wailings of the kings and merchants of the earth, the angel adds, ver. 20, Rejoice over her^ O heavens, the Father, Son, and Spirit rejoice at her fall, and fo muft you-. And ye holy apofiles and prophets^ who predicted her ruin, and have been yourfelves fo fhamefully difhonoured by her idolatrous and fuperftitious rites, rejoice over her\ for God hath judged^ or avenged her impious judgment of yen upon her\ and dafhed that Babel down which had fo long dared his vengeance, by diicharging its^ artillery againft his precious fam.ily.

S 4 21. And

iSj^BahyloncaflasaMiiJioneinioiheSea.lXVlU. 2 1

2 1 . And a mighty angel took up a ftone, like a great milftone, and caft it into the feaj faying. Thus (hall Babylon the great city be hurled away, and never be found any more.

22. And the found of harpers, and mufi- cians, and of pipers, and trumpeters fliall be heard in thee no more; and no artift of any art whatfoever, fhall be found in thee any more; and the found of a milftone fhall be heard no more in thee.

23. And the light of a lamp fliall fhinc in thee no more; and the voice of the bride- groom, and of the bride fhall be heard no more in thee; becaufe thy merchants were the grandees of the earth; becaufe all the nations were deceived by thy forcerics.

24. And in her was found the blood of the prophets, and of faints, and of all who were flain upon the earth.

When that quiei prince Seraiah, who was fcnt as an envoy from Zedekiah to the court of Baby- lon, had finifhed reading the book which Jere- miah had written againft that place, he was or- dered to bind a ftone to it, and caft it into the midft of Euphrates; faying, Thus pall Babylon fmk^ and Jhall not rife from the evil that I -will bring upon her^ Jer. ii. c^<^ — 64. But Euphrates was now dried up, chap. xvi. 12; and when this mighty angel took up a Jione^ like a great inilflsne^ he cafl it, not into a river but, into the fca \ faying, Thus fhall Babylon the great city, not merely fall by its own weight, but, with the flrength of an all-avenging arm, be 'violently hurled atjjay, as a milftone into the fea; and never be found any

tbefeventh 'Trumpet y A. D. 1 866, /«> 3 1 25. 16^

more. For Rome being firft burnt, ver. i8« Dan.Vii. II, may probably afterwards become a lake of fire and brimftone, chap, xix. 3 -, and as furely as God has taken from the ancient Baby- lon the voice of mirths and the voice of gladnefs, the voice of the hridegrooniy and the voice of the bride-, the found of the milfiones^ preparing, bread for the hungry, and the light of the^ candle^ Jer. XXV. 10; fo furely fhall the fame things, here predicSled, ver. 22, 23, befal Rome, whofc temporal and fpiritual candle fhall be put out ; efpecially thofe which they have fet up at noon- day on their altars, and before their idols: But now a general vengeance fhall blaft her, becaufe under the lying pretence of feeking a better country, her fpiritual merchants were not con- tented to be any thing lefs than y-syifOiVBi the grandees of the earth ; becaufe fhe hath deceived all the nations with her forceries-, and becaufe, (as if ihe had obtained a patent from hell to be the only murderer upon earth) in this flaughter-houfe of the Redeemer's fheep, was found the blood of the prophets, and of faints, and of all who were flain upon the earth, ver. 24-, where no murder was ever perpetrated, but under the influence of fome or other of thofe principles, which have found fanftuary at Rome.

CHAP. XIX.

I. A ND after thefe thirxgs, I heard aloud •^^ voice, as of a great multitude in hea- ven, faying, HaUelujah; falvation, and glory, and honour, and power to the Lord our God:

2. For

2. For true and righteous are his judg- mentsj for he hath judged the great whore, who corrupted the earth with her fornica- tion 5 and hath avenged the blood of his fer- vants at her hand*

3. And again they faid. Hallelujah; and lier fmoke alcends for ever and ever.

4. And the four and twenty elders, and the four animals, fell down and worlhip- ped God who fat on the throne, faying. Hallelujah.

5. And a voice came out from the throne, which faid, Praife our God, all ye his fer- vants, and ye that fear him, both fmall and great.

6. And I heard, as // were, the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thun- ders, faying. Hallelujahs for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.

7. Let us rejoice, and exult, and give, glory to him; becaufe the marriage of the Lg.mb is come, and his wife hath made her- felf ready.

8. And it was given to her, that flie Ihould be cloathed in fine linen, pure and refplendent; for the fine linen is the righ- teoufnefs of the faints.

9. And he faith unto me. Write. Blelfed are they who are called to the marriage fup- per of the Lamb. And he faith unto me, Thefe are the true Vv^ords of God.

10. And I fell before his feet to worihip him. And he laid to me. See, not; I am

afel-

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a fellow fervant with thee, and with thy brethren who have the teftimony of Jefus. Worfhip God J for the teftimony of Jefus is the Spirit of prophecy.

It was cammanded, chap, xvlii. 20, Rejoice over heVy O heaven^ and ye holy apojiles and pro- phets-, and accordingly, fays our author, ver. i. / heard a loud voice, as of a great mttltitude in hea- ven^ faying. Hallelujah^ praifeye the Lord: This word occurs four times in this paragraph, ver. i, 3, 4, 6, to the glory of the Father, Son, and Spirit, and of the God-man Mediator — yea let theya/- vation wrought, and all the glory and honour of it, and the power by which it was efreded, be afcribed to the Lord our God; for true and righ- teous are the judgments both of his word and his hand; and his righteoufnefs, long concealed under a cloud of popifh darknefs, is now mani- fefted, by his judging the great whore, who cor- rupted the earth vAth her fornication •,• and by avenging the blood of his fervants at her hand, as the fouls under the altar long ago requefted hira to do, chap. vi. 10, 11. Ajtd again they faid^ ver. 3, Hallelujah, And her fnoke afcends for ever and ever: For from about A. D. 2016, to the end of the world, Rom'e will probably become a lake of fire and brimflone: So, at leaf!:, the Chaldeeparaphrafeunderftands thofe words, Ifai, xxxiv. 9, 10, which were never verified in the literal Edom; "The fir earns thereof fh all he turned into pitch, and the duji thereof into briinfione, and the lafid thereof fhall become bivniing pitch; it fhail not he quenched night nor day; the fmoke theredf Jhall go up for ever: And it is the more probable that Rome may be intended in thofe v/ords, be- caufe the enemies of God's people in general are judgf^dj in that chapter, under die -Rame-df

2 Edom ;

268 God ispraifedfor Babylon's/^//.[XIX. i~l(?;

Edom J fee ver. i, 2, 8 : And under the fame name we have the doom of thofe enemies of Ifrael, chap. Ixiii. I — 6, who will come upagainft them, after they are returned to their own land; fee that chapter throughout. And it is well known that the foil about Rome is fulphureous and bitumi- nous, ready to be kindled by the breath of God; fee Bp. Newton,

If Rome fhould be made a lake of fire and brimftone from A. D. 2016, to the end of the world, it will be a yet more confpicuous emblem of hell to the men of that generation, than Sodom in old times was, and ftill is, to the Gentiles, and the valley of the fon of Hinnom to the Jews; (where they burnt the children to Moloch, and confumed the filth of the city) which is called Gehenna hell in Matt. v. 30, Gr.

Ver. 4 — 8, And the four and twenty elders^ who flood furtheft off from the throne, as well as the four animals who were nearer toit,chap. iv.4, 6, and V. 8, 14; feeing this great work of God, which had delivered them from this blood-thirfly enemy, fell down and worfhipped God, who fat on the throne^ faying. Hallelujah. And a voice came out of the throne, though I faw not the perfon who fpakej faying, Praife and magnify our God all ye his fer- vants -, and ye that fear him, fmall and great, though you dare not call yourfelves by this honourable name his fervants, yet prove your- felves fuch by joining in this blefled work : And this voice was no Iboner uttered, but immediately / heard a. found, as the voice of a great multitude^ and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice cf mighty thunders; faying. Hallelujah, for the Lord Q TTJivTOKpxrKp, the Omnipotent reigneth ; and as Ghrift will reign and judge at this time, fo He applies this word to himfelf, chap. i. 8; fee chap. iv. 8; And he is that Lord God Almighty

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who will fight the battle of the fixth vial at Ar- mageddon, chap. xvi. 14, 16. Befides, creating all things out of nothing, which is faid of him, is an incommunicable charadler of Deity, Rom, i. 20 ; for a mere creature could not have re- ceived into himfelf thole Divine perfe<5lions, from which alone creation could originate : Therefore they add, ver. 7. Let us rejoice, and exult j and give glory to him. If Chrift had not been Almighty, he would not have had power to redeem us from the wrath of God, and the tyranny of Satan ; or love fufficient to make us his fpoufe. If he had not been man, our fpiri- tual marriage with him had been impolfible ; and if he had not been God, it had been unlawful, Pfal. ex. 3. Eph. V. 25 — 32.

But as his minifters have been longefpoujlng fouls to him, by the aids of his own Spirit, t Cor. xi. 2 ; fo now, fay this exulting throng. The marriage of the Lamb is come, and he is come down for this purpofe : And as Jacob kept a feaft feven days upon his marriage both with Rachel and Leah, Gen. xxix. 27, 28. Judg. xiv. 10, 12; fo now the feventh day, or the feventh thoufand years begins to dawn, which will compleat the Re- deemer's marriage with the Jewifli and Chriftian Church ; and his wife, knowing well, at this fea- fon, the time when Ihe is to be brought unto the King in the glorious millennium, hath mad^ her f elf ready. And, whilft Ihe was ftirring up her graces to meet her Lord, as fome royal bride- groom bellows a coftly array on his bride, fo to her it was now txmntniiy given, that fhe fhould bs arrayed 'n■tfl^(x,x■nrx^ (not like the idolatrous har- lot we heard of, chap. xvii. 4, m purple and fcurlet^ to catch the vulgar eye; but) with fine linen, pure and refplendent, fit for the Lamb's wife; for thsfine Hmn is ^ikohu(ji.utx the righteoufnejes of

^70 The Church adorned for her divine Husband.

ihe faints, both of juftification and fandification -, and efpecially thofe amiable, triumphant and glorious ro^es of holinefs, which fhall adorn the church of God, when her Divine Hufband has de- ftroyed the man of fm, by the breath of his noftrils, and by the brightnefs of his appearing.

Ver. 9. ^nd he, that kind angel who had been talking with me, chap. xvii. i, faiih unto me,, as the time draws near, Write \ and fend the folemn meffage round the world-, faying, Inexpreflibly hleffed are they who are honoured fo far as to be called to this marriage flipper of the Lamb \ which will be folemnized about midnight between the fixth and feventh day, or the fixth and fever^th thoufand years ; or at leaft not half an hour after. Matt. XXV. 6 -, fee chap. viii. i . and xxi. i — 6. And though the Jewiih day began at fun-fet •, yet their polity being deftroyed, and our apoftle now a Roman prifoner, 1 can fee no improbability in fuppofmg him to underfland the artificial day as beginning at the time, at which it will be univer- fally reckoned to begin, when thofe great events take place. This will be a feafon of fignal, and hitherto unequalled, grace, the glory of which will make faints as confpicuous, as if they wore pure and fhining linen •, for nov/ the Lord's people will be willingncffes, (as Bp. Reynold's renders th» word) or willing offerings in the day ef his power. Pfal. ex. 3. Heb. And in that day they fhall not teach every jnan his neighbour, and every man his brother, faying. Know the Lord ; for all fhall know him, from the leaf: to the greateft, Heb. viii. 11. ^nd he faith unto me. Let not thy unbelief ftagger at the greatnefs of this grace 5 for thefe are the true "Words of God, and the fcripture cannot be broken. John x. 35.

Ver. ro, Greatly enraptured with this account, which I was enabled to underftand and feel, /

^hefeventh Trumpet, A. D. 1866, io 3125. 271

fell, fays our author, at the feet of the angel who fhewed me the great things mentioned, chap, xviith, and ilood by me whilfu I heard the things fpoken in chap, xviiith, and in this to worjhip him : And immediately he f aid unto me, with a hafte and eagernefs which v/as very ftriking — Seel not ! lam only a fellow fervant with thee, and with thy bre- thren who have the teftimony of Jefus-, worfhip God \ for the teftimony of Jefus is the Sprit of pro- phecy, whether given to faints or angels. And though prophecies will be rendered ufelefs in hea- ven, when the glorified bodies and fouls of the faints predid every thing to them, which they can want to know, with refpedl to themfelves; and here on earth thefe holy waters will fail from the foun- tain of Ifrael, when the facred canon is clofed ; fee I Cor. xiii. 8, 10, 11, Gr; yet good men to the end of time will be enabled to fee, and declare from the written word, whatever it will be ne- cefTary for the faints to obferve and do, for the honour of their Lord ; fee Amos iii. 7.

That this celeftial courtier could not affecft his Lord's appearance ; and that John could not de- liberately defign to worlhip an angel, are both indifpucable; and yet that fuch an ad of worlhip was performed as creatures have no right to re- ceive, the angel's anfwer to him loudly declares. But we may well fuppofe that our author was not perfeftly compofed, but overpowered as Daniel, chap. vii. 28. viii. 27. and x. 8— 11, 15 — 19-, and therefore miftook the angel for Chrift, though he appeared only in his own proper glory. But is there no fm in fuch weaknefs ? at leaft it was occafioned by fm -, and in the prefent cafe a re- prehenfibJe adion refulted from it : Nor will all danger of worflnpping angels be eternally paft, with refped to any of us, till all remains of a fefhly mind are for ever removed, Col, ii. 18,

Therefore

272 Chriji comes on his White Hor/e»[XlX. 1 1 — 2 1.

Therefore let us be fatisfied, though angels don't appear to us, as to our apoftle : And, as there is fuch weaknefs in human nature, let no man glory in man, on their own account, i Cor. iii. 21 ; and let us learn to beware of church-idols, and hea- venly idols; when we think we have fhaken off thofe of the world. In many things we all offend^ fays the apoftle James, chap. iii. 2, and to fup- pofe himfelf perfetflly free from fin, is a miftakc which a child of God can fcarcely make. If we fay we have no fin in us, we deceive (probably not Others, but certainly) ourfelves, whilft we tell the world that the truth is not in us^ i John i. 8.

11. And I faw heaven opened; and be- hold a white horfe, and he that fat upon him was called faithful and true ; and in righteoufnefs he judges and makes war.

12. But his eyes were as a flame of fire; and upon his head many diadems ; having a name written which no man knows but himfelf.

13. And he was covered round with a garment dipped in blood ; and his name is called The Word of God.

14. And the armies which are in heaven followed him upon white horfes, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

15. And out of his mouth goeth a fharp fword, that therewith he might fmite the nations ; and he fhall rule them with a rod o? iron : and he treadeth the wine-prefs of the Indignation and wrath of Almighty God.

16. And he hath on hrs garment, and on

his

^hefeventh Trumpet^ A. D. 1 866, /^ 3 1 25. 273

Ills thigh, a name written, KING of KINGS, AND LORD of LORDS,

17. And I faw one angel ftanding in the fun ; and he cried with a loud voice 5 fay- ing to all the birds which were flying in the midft of heaven. Come and gather your- felves to the fupper of the great God ;

18. That ye may eat the fiefh of kings, and the fleih of generals, and the flefli- of the mighty ; and the flefli of horfes, and of thofe who fit on them ; and the fiefh of all men, both free and bond, both fmall and great.

19. And I faw the beafl, and the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered to- gether, to make war v/ith him who fitteth upon the horfe, and with his army.

20. And the beafl was taken ; and with him the falfe prophet, who wrought figns before him; by which he had deceived thofe who received the mark of the beafl:, and thofe who worfhipped his image. Thefe two were cafl: alive into the lake of fire, burnino: with brimflone.

21. And the reft were flam witn tne fword of him that fitteth on the horfe, which proceeded out of his mouth ; and all the birds were fatiated with their fiefli.

We have feen Rome, which had burnt the martyrs of Jeius, itfelf burnt with fire, ver. 3, kindled by the breath of God; but the beall is ftili alive, to make this lafc vain attempt againfc the Lamb and his followers. The "ivords of God on this lubje^t, have been in a great mcafure T flLfiUcd;

274 Chrift onhisWhtteHorfeoflVar.\X.lX.. 1 1— 14.

fulfilled \ but one dreadful work yet remains: And fee ! the long-expefted A. D. 2016 is come j at which time the Lamb will overcome the powers who are confederate againft him, for he is Lord of Lords, and Kin^ of Kings ; and they who are with him are called, and chofen, and faithful, chap, xvii. 14, 17. Accordingly, fays our author, ver. 11. 1 faw heaven opened in a way of vengeance, which had ftood open long, beaming in vain with negledled grace to men -, fee chap. iv. i . — And behold, a white horfe, the emblem of ftrength, dignity, purity, beauty, triumph, joy and glory •, that fame white horfe the gofpel, on which John faw his Divine Lord taking the field, A. D. 96. chap. vi. 2 ; which he ftill keeps, and will till all his enemies are driven thence : For the deftrudion of Anti-Chrift will not only be a fulfilment of gofpel threatenings, but it is an efTential confti- tuent part of the gofpel of Jefus ; for it is men- tioned as one of its peculiar blelTings, that by it the prince of this world is judged, both perfonally and in his fervants, John xvi. 11. And as white refieds all the colours of the rain-bow, fo the gofpel of Chrift, both as it faves believers and deftroys their enemies, refleds the full glory of the Father of lights to every well-prepared eye: And our Lord comes on this horfe with purity, dignity and fplendor, whether he comes to fave or to deftroy : And when he comes on this awful expedition, in the light of his judgments, every eye fliall fee that he is faithful and true ; and that in righteoufnefs he judges and makes war.

Ver. 12. But on this occafion his eyes were as aflame of fire, to confume his enemiesj chap. i. 24. And on his head were many diadems-, which our victorious David had taken from the heads of his enemies, 2 Sam. xii. 30. i Chron. xx. 2. and which had been voluntarily furrendered to

him.

'The feventh Trumpet y A. D. i866,7<j 3125, 275

him, by the numerous nations and individua.b whom his grace had conquered, efpecially under this feventh trumpet. Cant. iii. 11. Rev. xi. 15. and 'Xxi. 24, 26. Having that name., exprelTive of his mature and defigns, written in each diadem, which no -man knows but himfelf, and the Father, who are one. Matt. xi. 27. John x. 30 i for there are myfteries in the nature and mediation of the Son of God, which confound the moft prying eye of creatures.

Ver. 13, 14. And he was clothed with a gar' ment dipped in blood., as when he returned from the flaughter of the Edomices, Jfa. Ixiii. i ; for he had been at war with popery from its carheft in- fancy i both by his witnefles, and by the repeated exertions of his own immediate power againft it. A7id his name., that wonderful name which I juft now fpoke of, is called^ The Reafon, "Wifdom, Sentence, Speech, Oracle or IVord of God, John i. I . jind the armies of angels in heaven, and of faints in the church below, moft joyfully /i'/ZiJWffi bimy to fiiare in the triumphs a::d joy of their Lord ^ riding upo% "s'hite horfes, and animated by that pe- culiar Spirit which, according to the prophecy, nx chap.xvii. 16. fhall influence the faints from A. D. 1942, to 2016; yet, to intimate taiir purity in the part they were now taking againft the beaft, their drefs correfponded to the appearance < of their horfes ; they were clothed in Jine linen, -whi^ and clean,

Ver. 15, 16. And (to fay nothing more of the armies, v/ho followed our Lord, rather as .wit- nefles of his triumph, than as inftruments of his vidiory) out of his 7notith goeth a jljarp /word, the word of God, Eph. vi. ly -, whofe edge they had refufed to feel when it was lliarpcned againft their corruptions j but our Lord has now taken up his defpifed words, as a fword in his own nao.uth i T 2 ihata

276 ^he Fowls are invited to a Feaji. [XIX. 1 7, 1 8.

that therewith he might fmite the nations, who had been confederates with the two beads, and as devouring wolves to his fheep and lambs : Thefe, as well as others, were the fheep of his ge- neral pafture •, therefore he who would have fed them as a gentle fhepherd, now rules them rroiiAxvii with a rod of iron •, which they can no more refill than a potter's vefTel, Pfal. ii. 9. Rev, ii. 27. and xii. 5. And he treadeth the wine-prefs of the indignation and wrath of almighty God, into which his enemies are caft, with as much eafe and pleafure as men burft grapes under their feet, Ifa. Ixiii. 2, 3. Rev. xiv. 19, 20. And he hath upon his garment, and upon his thigh, that feat of his natural and federal military Itrength, (Gen. xxiv. 2, 3. Pfal. xlv, 3. Jer. xxxi. 9.) that name written which the Eaftern monarchs fo in- folently affed:, and which the Pope arrogates -, viz. KING OF KINGS and LORD of LORDS, chap. xvii. 14. i Tim. vi. 1 5. This is he who Com- eth forth for this final viftory over the bead, and over the kings of the earth, whoever of them Ihall then be found confederates with him. y

And as he invited the beads of the field, andj the fowls of the air to his facrifice, when he flew the nations which broke in upon the land of If- rael, under the fixth vial; fee chap. xvi. 12. Ezek. xxxix. 17 — 21 ; fo fays our apodle, ver. 17, 18. I faw one angel fianding in the fun, whofe fiery beams had no manner of influence upon this celedial Warrior -, and he cried with a loud voice, faying to all the birds of prey, which were flying in the midfi of heaven, in qued of food ; Hither, hither wing your way -, Come, gather your- [elves to the fupper of the great God •, that ye may eat theflefh of kings, of generals, and of the mighty^ who have long feaded themfelves for this day of (laughter, James v. 5 ; or, if the fleflo of horfes is

more

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more grateful to you, you w;ll find it here in a dreadrul plenty, lying mingled zvith the fleflo of all forts of men, both free and hond^ both fmall and great \ and what you cannot devour, muil remain as dung to fatten the earth, i ^am. xvii. 44, 46. Jer. ix. 22.

Ver. 19, 20. This order had no fooner ifTued out of the lips of this angel, but I faw the %vild beafl^ and the kings of the earthy and their armies gathered together \ to make war with him who fit- ieth upon the hcrfe^ and with his army : But whe- ther any of thole nations, which have long been called the ten horns of the bead ; and who have mortally hated the whore ever fince A. D. 1942, will now io far repent of their vengeance upon her, as to join their forces in this final war againft Chrift, we are not told; fee chap. xvii. 14—17. However, in fpite of every warning, fee ! many are gathered together, as if they hoped to outbrave Omnipotence : But what can created force do againfl God ? therefore, faying nothing of the engagement, it is only added. The firft heafiwas taken^ and with him the fecond, who had both pufhed at the church of God with his two little horns, chap. xiii. 1 1, 12, and, as ?l falfe prophet^ wrought y?^/w btfcre the firft beaft; by which 'he had deceived thofe who received his mark^ and thofe who worfJjipped his image. And thefe two beajls, who were the laft of their name and rank, were cafi alive into the lake of fire., burning with hriwftone \ which doubtlefs is to be under- ftood of hell, whither Satan is caft, chap. xx. i, 3, 10, 14: And they defcended thither foul and body together, as the moft diftinguiflied monu- ments of Divine vengeance ; to teftify to damned friends what their own refurredion bodies Ihall be; as Enoch and Elijah had been long ago caught up into heaven, to witnefs there what fu- T 3 tare

tyS The two Beafts cajl into the Lake. [XIX. 19-21 .

ture glory fhall array the faints at the refurreftion* But as hell is a ftate invifible to us, and the place of it unknown, as this battle will probably be fought in the heart of the pope's territories •, if Rome fhould be at that time a burning furnace, and thefe two beafts fliould be call alive into this lake of fire, in their way to eternal burnings, they will then perifli in feme refpe6ts like Korah and his company. Numb. xvi. 32, ^^', and, like So- dom and Gomorrah, be fet forth as an example buffering the vengeance of eternal fire ^ Jiide 7: Yet their doom will be more complcat at once, than that of Korah, or of Sodom.

But after our Lord has gained this vidory, if his attending angels fhould be employed in catl- ing them into this lake, this will be fimilar to their future binding the tares in bundles to be burned, Matt. xiii. 30. And if any of the ten horns of the beaft fhould have any concern in this deftrudtion, thofe words will then be literally fulfilled. They fhall burn her tvith fire, chap, xvii. 16.

Ver. 21. And the refl of this confederate army, ivere flain with the fword of him who fat on the horfe •, which proceeded out of his mouth., and mowed down their ranks with infinite eafe; which inclines me to believe that there will be no literal fighting of men on either fide, in this lafl engagement i whether they are or not employed, after the vidtory, in cafling the two beafts into the lake of fire. And all the birds of every wing, which could relifli fuch provifions, were fatiated with their flefh.

And now we have heard the lad of this beafl and his army; for at A. D. 2016, the world will have for ever done with that which is called Popery •, which had been virtually concluded ever fince the pouring out of the fevenUi vial, chap. xxi.

17 J though

The feventh'Trumpet^ A. D. 1866, /o 3125. 279

' ; though all remains >t be eradicated from made perfedt in heaven.

1 7 ; though all remains of this abomination will not be eradicated from human nature, till it is

..«..»

C H A P. XX.

A N D I faw an Angel coming down from -*^ heaven, having the key of the bottom- lefs pit, and a great chain in his hand.

2. And he feized the dragon, that old ferpent, who is the devil, and fatan; and bound him a thoufand years.

3. And caft him into the bottomlefs pit, and fliut him up, and fet a feal upon himj that he might deceive the nations no more, till the thoufand years were finifhed: And then he muft be loofed for a little feafon.

4. And I faw thrones, and they fat upon them; and judgment was given to them. And I faw the fouls of thofe who had been beheaded for the teftimony of Jefus, and for the word of God; and who had not wor- ihipped the bead, nor his image, and had not received his mark upon their forehead, or in their hands; and they lived and reign- ed with Chrifl a thoufand years.

5. But the reft of the dead lived not sgain, till the thoufand years were finiflied. This i? the firfl refurredion.

6. BlelTed and holy is he who hath part in the firfl: refurredion, on thefe the fecond

T 4 death

28o The glorious Millennium, A. D. 2ci6 io 3016

death hath no power; but they fhall be priefls of God and of Chriftj and fhall reign with him a thoufand years.

In fix verfes we. have here a prophetic hiflory, of far the moft important thoufand years which the world will ever know: But lb fhort a delcrip- tion of it was furely defigned to remind us, that a thoufand years is nothing, v/hen compared with that vail eternity which awaits our immortal na- ture! As a thoufand fabbatical years, out of feven thoufand, is nothing to the interminabley^-^- batifm of the faints in glory, Heb. iii. 9. Gr.

We have already feen the dreadful end of the two beafts ; beheld the ftable burnt in which they lay down; and marked the vengeance which blafted them as the vengeance of the gofpel : And now the dragon, the devil, who had inftigated this earth-born and fea-born monfter, to all the outrages they have feverally and together com- mitted, comes himfelf to be dealt with; As an immortal fpirit he has no hope of dying; yet his rage is reftrained to the bottomlefs pit.

It had been given to the pope to open the well of the ahyfs, A. D. 606, chap. ix. i, to fetch afi^iftance from thence in framing his deceits, and fheets of infernal darknefs to cover his impious dcfign: And in that darknefs the angd of the hct-^ tumlcfs -pit had come out, at the head of his Ma' hometan and Roman locufts, and raged and reigned even in the church, from that time till he was caft out after A. D. 1866, chap. ix. 11. and xii.7 ; foon after which the Mahometan chief, as he ufed to be called, foribok the prophet of the eaft, to become himfelf a falfe prophet^ working mi- racles before the firft he^Jl at Rome. But obferve, as the earth could not fupport the wickednefs and niifery of licll without becoming itfelf a hell,

there-.

TbefevenlbTrumpeiiA.D.iS66,fo2i25» 281

therefore the Lord had never fuffered either o£ thole beafts immediately to open the abyls itfelf, any other way than through its well, chap. ix. i : And now the key of that well being wrefted out of the hands of the beail, and both the beafts caft into the lake of lire; not only that well itfelf is fhut up, but the dragon the devil is feized, and cq/l into his fiery den, Jhut up^ and difeal fet upon him for a time, by the Captain of our falvation, of whom thefe words indifputably fpeakj for He was manifefted to deilroy the works of the devil; and he only has the keys of death and hell) chap, i. i8.

1. And I fazv an Angela fjr Chrift will wear that name till he has made all his people equal to the angeb, Luke xx. ^6-y even he who caft the dragon and his angels out of the church, chap, xii. 7, 9 — Come down from heaven^ from the im- mediate prefence and glory of the Father*, hav- ing the key not only of the well of the abyfs, but of the hottomlefs pit itfelf; as he has alfo the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Matt. xvi. 19: Yeai'^ opens (the human heart, the mouth, and heaven and hell) and no manfhuts\ and he Jhuts and no man opens^ chap. iii. 7. And a great chain in his hand', v/hich this proud fpirit v/ill find too heavy for his utmoft ftrength to fupport.

2, 3. The apoftle Jude tells us, ver. 6, That the angels, who kept not the government of them- felves, under their own head Chrift, he hath re^ ferved in everlafiing chains under darknefs (fee Dod- dridge in Loc.)-, but Satan's chain had been aw- fully lengthened from A. D. 606 to 18 66-, in which time the outer court worftiippers had been delivered unto him, by a fpiritual kind of excom- munication from God, chap. xi. 2 : But foon after A. D. 1866, the devil having been caft even out of the outer courts of the temple into the earthy

chap.

2^2 Satan is hound a thoufand Tears. [XX. 2, 3, 7.

ehap. xii. 12 -, and having from that time to A. D- 2016, moft dreadfully raged there, the time is now come in which Divine mercy will, more glo- rioufly than ever, exert its gracious power for a long enflaved world: y^;?^^? accordingly, all judg- ment being committed to the Son, he feized the dragon^ whom nothing but force could caufe to ungrafp his prey; that old ferpent^ who is the devil and fat an-, whofe names and accufations are here folcmnly publifhed, juft before he is caft into •prifon: And bqund hi?n a thoufand years \ which arc mentioned three times, ver. 2, 3, 7, for the greater certainty both of the thing, and of the length of the time •, as well as perhaps to inform us, that this reftraint will be laid upon him, about the beginning of the third thoufand years from Chrift's incarnation. And cafi him into the bottomlefs pit; which will be his eternal prifon, ver. 7, 10, to which fatan intreated our Lord not to command him to depart, in the days of his flelh, Luke viii. 31. And fet a feal upon^ over or above him-^ as the Jews had done on Chrift's dead body, Matt, xxvii. 66; and the heathens on Daniel in the lions den, chap. vi. 17, but as this fealing will neither deftroy the aftivity, nor the wickednefs of his nature, I am ready to aflc. Will he not ftill be the prince of this world, though his power is much limited? Or will all thofe fcriptures be rendered ufelefs in the millen- nium, which now warn us againft this adverfary ? Poflibly thefe phrafes may not predid the total fufpenfion of his temptations •, this putting him up may chiefly refer to that opening of the well of the abyfs, mentioned chap. ix. i, 2, in which fatan came out, ver. 11, at A. D. 606; as he alfo greatly exerted his power, A. D. i866-, fee chap. xii. 9. By popery and mahometanifm he had long abufed the nations; but now he is fliut

v.p,

Thefeventh Trumpet, A. D. 1 866, /^ 3 1 25. 2,83

yp, Tbat he might DECEIVE the Gentiles or na- tions no more, as he had before, //// the thoufand years were finijhed-y and then he muji be loofed for a little feafon, to renew his efforts againft Imma- nuel: But, bleffed be God, he will not be loofed for Bengelins's Chronos of mi years, nor for near fo long a time-, fee ver. 7 — 10.

4. When the dragon is thus caft down to hell, the church will profper, as Daniel predi6bed» chap. vii. 27. And the kingdom, and dominion^ and the greatnefs of the kingdom under the whole heaven, fhall he given to the people of the faints of the Mojl High; whofe kingdom is an everlafting king- dom, and all dominions fhall ferve and obey him. In every age the Lord's people have been kings and priejis unto God and his Father, chap. i. 6; and eminent faints have confpicuouQy reigned on the earth, chap. v. 10, in and by that divine life which they have received from Jefus Chrifi, Rom. V. 17. But in this bleffed time fays our author, Ifaw thrones prepared for living faints, the thrones^ not of Heathen kings, but of the houfe of David, Pfal. cxxii. 5 ; which were placed over all thofe nations which fatan had fo long deceived, ver. 3. And as the faints will in general be of a princely fpirit in this period, fo the particular notice here taken of thefe thrones, inclines me to believe that they will be very numerous in the millennium. Chrift has always fed his flock as a fhepherd, Ifai. xl. II, who knows the name and ftate of all his fheep: And the dominion of thefe princes will probably be no larger than they can perfonally fuperintend and judge-, which will greatly con- tribute to make civil and religious liberty com- pleat, in thefe thoufand years. — And they fat on them, as lords over their own power and glory, not vaffals to them ; therefore thefe thrones neither rival, nor envy each ©ther. And judgment was

givew

,284 I'he Saints reign "ivith Ojrijl 1000 Tears.

given to tlmn to determine wifely, and execute vigoroufly. But though the faints will have do- minion over their enemies in the morning of the feventh millennary, and execute upon them all the judgment which is written, Pfal. cxlix. 5 — 9; yet when the fcale is turned, they will not treat the few wicked who are left amongft them, as themfelvcs were treated, when they were the mi- nority. At the fame time, God's people will not be fo free from fin, forrow and afflidions, as either to render their bibles ufelefs to them, or fuperfede the need of miniders, ordinances and magiilrates : But as they will be all righteous, fo will their officers and exaftors be; and the faints will be fo generally qualified to judge of one ano- ther's matters, i Cor. vi. 2 — 5, as will glorioufly preclude vexatious law-iuits.

* Thou bright celeftialDay begin;

* Dawn on theffe Realms of Woe and Sin.*

And I faw the fouls of thofe who had been be- headed for the tejiimony cf Jefus^ and for the word of God ; and who had tiot^ in any form whatever, paid their fenfelefs homage to the beaji; and they lived and reigned zvith Chrifi^ in fuch different cir- cumflances as infinite wifdom faw fit to mark out for each of them, for that thouf and years in which fatan was fo reftrained : And this thoufand years of their reign with Chrift, as well as of fatan's confinement, is alfo mentioned three times, and for the fame reafons as the other; fee ver.

4> 5» 6-

5, 6. But the refi of the dead, who died in en- mity and arms againfl God ; for of fuch this word 91 XoiTToi. the reft or remnant, who were, as it were, the caput mortumn, of human nature is to be un- derftood, chap. ix. 20. xi. 13, and xix. 21, lived not again, till the thoufand years zvere finijhed. 2 Ihis

^I'hefeventh Trumpet^ A. D. 1866, to 3 125. 285

^his is the firji refurreElion : Truly blejfed^ and in every fenfe of the word hQl)\ is he who hath part in the firji refurre^ion \ on thefe the fecond death, which will be inflidedin the lake of fire and brimftone, ver. 14, hath no power or authority c^ova-ix; but they Jhall he, not only kings and priefts to God and Chrift, chap. v. 10, who will be the united objed: of univcrfal adoration in the mil- lennium; but, to exprefs their perfonal excellen- cies and accomplifn meats, they fhall be priefts of God and of Chrift j and they ftjall reign with him a thouf and years.

For a long time I underftood this firfi refurrec- tion literally, viz. of the martyrs rifing out of their graves, to reign with Chrift in heaven, a thoufand years before the other dead arofej but as this book every where abounds with figures, and the two witnefles arofe only figuratively or fpiri- tually, fo the follov/ing reafons now incline me to the figurative fenfe here, (i) Becaufe it feems as if their reigning with Chrift muft be upon earth, though it is not afferted: For as Chrift's binding fatan, ver. 2, and his deceiving the nations, ver. 3, 8, and his troops incompailing the camp of the faints, ver. 9, muft be upon earth; fo it may be doubted, whether the faints can properly be faid to hz priefts of God and of Chrift in heaven, ver. 6, and to \\2m^ judgment given to them there be- fore the great day of God, ver. 4. (2) This phrafe, I faw the fouls of them who had been beheaded, iyc, and they lived and reigned with Chrift, ver. 4, is not a natural or common defcription of raifing men from the dead. (3) The reft of the dead are reprefented as living again immediately after this thoufand years, ver. 5, 7; but the general refurrec- tion certainly will not take place, till more than a hundred years after the millennium-, in whi'ch time another effort will be made, by the God of

ihiS

286 'The firfi Refurre5iion is fpiritual. [XX. 5, 6.

this world to regain his loft power-, fee ver. 7, 8, 9 : Therefore the refurreftion of thefe martyrs, and the living again of the wicked muft be both of them figurative. (4) To fay nothing of the improbability, that glorified faints Ihould return to live in animal bodies upon earth again; if the martyrs are raifed to reign with Chrilt, either on earth or in heaven, it would feem very flat and low, to fay of thofe who had been fo eminently with God for fo long a time, The fecond death had no power over them^ ver, 6 : But if living faints upon earth, attain fuch purity and peace, as to have no fear of eternal perdition, the fecond death may well be laid to have no power over them^ in vi\iom perfe5l love has cajl cut fear.

(5) After the account of the dignity of the faints, as living and reigning with Chriil, ver. 4, it feem- ed reafonable to expe6l a proportionable charac- ter of them -, and what more glorious could be faidofthem, than to reprefent them by thofe illuftrious chieftains of our David's war, who adorned the line of falvation in the primitive ages, and in the times of the fharpeft papal perfecution ? And if in fcripture, perfons and places eminent for wickednefs, are frequently defcribed by the names of their fimilar predeceifors, who flourilh- ed before them, we cannot wonder that John the Baptift is called Elijah, in whofey^/nV 2in6. power he came, Luke i. 17-, or that the return of Ifrael to their own land is thus exprelTed by Ezek.xxxwii, 3, 12 — 14, I will open your graves^ and caufe you to come out of your graves^ ^ and bring you into the land of Ifrael: To the fame purpofe Dr. Whitby quotes the following fcriptures-, viz. Ezra'ix.^, 9 i Pfal Ixxi. 20. Ixxx. 18. Ixxxv. 6. Ifai. xxvi. 19, The earth fhall cajl out the dead. Hof vi. 2, 3, ajid xiv, 7, and Zech. x. 8, 9; iee his Treatife on the Millenmum, The primitive chriftians and martyrs,

were

thefeventh Trumpet , A. D . 1 8 66, /^ 3 1 2 5. 287

were defigned to be a kind of firfi-fruits of his creatures, who were to arife in every fucceeding age, Rom. xvi. 5. Jam. i. 18; and the general gofpel harveft being now come, I faw, fays our aportle, the fouls which refembled thofe who had been beheaded (which was a Roman punifhment) for the witnefs of JefuSy and for the word of God, in the days of Nero; and thofe whom no allure- ments or terrors, could tame into a compliance with the views of the bead -, either to worfhip him, or his image, or to receive his mark on their foreheads, or in their hands.

And though thefe men will have no bead to con- flid:within the millennium-, yetit willbeeminently for the glory of their Lord that they (hould, by a princely fpirit, reign in life over their own corrup- tions within, and over temptations from fatan and. the world without : yf»^/ accordingly men who re- fembled thefe ancient worthies lived and reigned with Chrifi ; ' and therefore certainly not in ' fenfuai pleafures,' a thouf and year s\ and the Z-cr J alone was exalted in that day, Ifai. ii. 11. But the refi of the dead, who had the fpirit of Sodom, of Babylon and Egypt in them, lived not again, that is, they had none to fucceed them in their fpirit and views, till the thoufand years zverefnijh- ed; for the few wicked who will be found in thofe times, will be greatly awed by that glory of the divine perfections which will beam forth from his fervants. — In fupport of this fenfe, I only add, (6) That the living again of the reft of the dead . is not, nor could it properly be called a refur- . region, becaufe their wickednefs will originate from their indulging the natural propenfions of their own depraved hearts ; and as their living again after the thoufand years, will not be in con- fequence of any literal refurredion of wicked .pcrfons before the day of judgment, it is the more 2 " rcafon-

288 ^'he Glory of the Millennium is fpiritual.

reafonable to fuppofe that that refurreftion of the faints, with which it is contrafted, will not be a literal refurredtion ; but only an appearance of perfons of fimilar difpofitions, with the eminent heroes of ancient times.

When man was become dead to the original ends of his being, if mercy will fave him, that refurre5iion which is firft in God's defign, in na- ture, as well as in the order of dignity and pre- cedence, muft be the refurreftion of the foul from the death of fin, which (will afterwards fecure a glorious refurreflion for the body j as it) was the grand defign of the Redeemer's incarnation ; fee John xi. 25. Eph. i. 19, 20. So this refiirreElion in the millennium, which is analogous to it, though it is not ftri6lly fpeakingthe firft inftanceof a re- furredlion which our Lord had ever fhewn, taken cither literally or figuratively ; yet being both fpiritual in its nature, and eminent and unparal- leled in its kind, it is properly called the jirjl re- furre5lion \ to intimate that all that he had wrought before, was as nothing in comparifon of this ; which will afford as ftriking a difplay of his power and glory, as his raifing the dead in general at the day of judgment. Happy and holy are they vjho have part in this refiirre5iion^ or partake of that fpirit of glory, which a6luated the primitive chriftians, and the confefiTors and martyrs of fuc- ceeding ages ; for the fecond death will have 7io power on fuch even to terrify them -, they fhall live in the full afiiirance of faith ; and as the priejts of God andChrifi, arranged in fpiritual roy- alty, they fhall minilter to him, in fuch a man- ner as will raife them much above the mean glo- ries of the earth, Hof xi, 12, Rom. v. 17. Hafte then reader! fo live as to teach unborn ages how to live for God ; then live thyfelf in fimiiar fuc-

If

^he feventh "trumpet, A. D. 1 8 66, /^ 3 1 2 . 2 89

celTors in the miilennium. He that aims high, will fly the higher.

If the Holy GhoR had defigned that we fnould compute this thouland years, in the fame way as the 1260 years in chap. xii. 6, 14, he would probably have called thele, as he did them, days or times \ viz. 360,000 days or times : But though days, weeks, months and tiiiies are ufed in pro- phetic language to rcprefent years, as the fcvcn days of the week adumbrate the feven thoufand years of the world's age ; yet, if a year fignifies 360 years in chap. ix. 15, 1 do not recoiled any place in fcripture, where years, in the plural number, are put for years, in the manner they mult be here, if thefe 1000 fignify 3 60,000 j'^^rj ; much lefs whbre they are fo ufed, without any annexed circumllance necefiarily fixing them to that meaning, as may perhaps be the cafe in ohap. ix. 15. And if Chrid Ihould reign fo long upon earth, how then can his people be called a little flock, and a remnant ? Befides, though we know but little of fpiritual bodies, if Chrift reigns fo long fpirituaiiy upon earth, probably the new Jerufaiem would have been larger than it is de- icribcd, chap. xxi. 16. Again, it is faid thac Chrijk appeared in the end of the world, to put away fin, lleb. ix. 26, (for as Chrift's crucifixion, near the beginning of the gofpel difpcnfation, would feem to be improperly called the conclufion of the ^^^5 in general, as Dr. Doddridge reads it; there- fore I read a.\mm the world, as our tranflators do here, and in i Cor. ii. 7. and x. 11.) and his appear- ing in the end of the world, fuppofes that the world had paiTed the meridian of its age, at the time of his appearing : ^Accordingly the Lord is faid to have Jpoken to us by his Son, in thefe lefl days, Heb. . i. 2 •, and the gofpel is the laft time, i Jchn ii. 1 8 j which feems to give us reafon to believe, that the U • world

29c ^f^£ Milhnnium not 3 6o,oco Tears. [XX. i — G,

wodd will not continue fo long after Chrift's time, as it had before. Dr. Owen indeed underftands, Heb. i. 2, of the laft days of the judaical ftate ; but I John ii. 18, was written after the judaical ftate was deft toyed : And as this phrafe the lafi days^ in Gen. xlix. i. Ifa. ii. 2. Mich. iv. i, ftill prcr di(5ls what is yet to befal the Jews, after their re- turn to their own land -, fo the days of the gofpel are exprefsly called the lafi times ^ i Pet. i. 20, reckoned from the foundation of the world •, and the lafi times., abfolutely confidered, feem to fup- pofe the world to have continued more than half its time, when thefe words were written.

It is acknowledged, that we fometimes fpeak of the lafi days of any government, or any affair, without adverting Co the proportion, which the time we fpeak of bears to the preceding : But ifa reign continues fifty one years and a half, or a book has fo many pages, if we call all thofc years or pages, except the firft, the lafi ; — (and this is nearly the proportion be'tween the two fuppofed times of the world's continuance*, viz. 367, 125, and 7,125 years), we plainly intimate that we do not intend to inform the world any thing about the time of that reign, or the length of that book. If the Holy Ghoft had fpoken in this manner, i Pet. i. 20, this phrafe the lafi timesy would only fignify that the gofpel, Avas the laft difpenfation of grace to the world ; and iffo, hi^ meaning would have been clearer if he had ufed the word difpenfation., inftead of ti?nes : But the lafi times., in connexion with what he had fore- ordained before the foundation of the world., proba- bly both points at the time, and at the grace dif- played in it.

Befides, believing Jews and Gentiles never ap- prehended, that the world was to ftand much more, ;han 7000 years: And as I cannot, withaut proof

of

7'hefeventb Trumpet^ A. D. 1 866, /<7 3 125. 29 ^

of ic, confent to the thought of the faints being confined to their graves fo many additional thou- fands of years, beyond what Hying faints in gene- ral have ever expe(5ted •, fo the account of the glory of the church in Ifa. Ix. 15, 21. an-d Ixi. 7, 8, does not neceiTarlly imply any fuch continuance-, for the eternal excellency^ the everlajiing covenant, and the everlafiing light and joy there fpoken of, are of the fame nature, and exprefled by the fame word, as the everlafiing priefihood given to Fhi- nehas, Numb. xxv. 13-, neither of which can be fully accomplifhed, any where but in heaven. — - I might have added, that if this i poo years is not a part of the 1260 years of the fcventh trumpets chap. xii. 6, both the proofs of that there ad- duced, muft be annulled ; and the futility of the fuppofed fcriptural illuftrations of the times of the day of judgment, which are mentioned after ver. 15th of this chapter, muft be demonftrated ; till both thefe points are etfedted, 1 muft underftand thefe words of a thoufand literal years.

We may further obferve, as a conclu'^ing thought on this fubjecl. That this revelation pro- ceeds in every thing by fevens ; and accordingly beginning the Chriftian jcra at A. M. 4000, the preceding prophecy fticws us, that this thoufand years will be the feventh thoufand of the world's age : and, as it is generally apprehended that wc are Itill under the fixth truriToet, at this A. M. 5*778 ; and there will be at lealt a looo years un- der this feventh trumpet, therefore the world will indifputably continue near 7000 years ; and may probably remain lomething longer. Accordingly the Talmud fpeaks to this purpofe, ' This world

♦ is to lafi 6000 years, in its prefent ftate ; and

• ^//<?r (j;?^ millinary more, it fljall be defiroyed\ as

* it is [aid. And the Lord alotie jhall be exalted in

* that day^ thaUs in, the feventh millinary.* See

U 2 the

2cj2 The Millennium is a Sabbath of Tears. [XX. i — 6.

the bifliop of Clogher's Enquiry into the Time of the Mcjjiah's Comings p. 'i^.

And perhaps the thoufand years of which I am fpeaking, rnay be mentioned fix times, ver. 2 — 7, to eltabhili an expeftation, that this glorious period will begin after fix thoufand years are pad. Infix days the Lord made heaven and earth., and rejied on the feventh day •, and after fix days labour, a feventh is to us the fabhath of the Lord our God\ fo the feventh thoufand years will probably be the Lord's reft and ours. All believers, live fpiritu- ally and eternally, in confequence of Chrift's living two or three days or years upon earth, Luke xiii. 32 : And as this reign of the faints with Chrift is mentioned three times, fo v/e expe6t that that after two days., or two thoufand years from Chrift's time, he will revive us ; in the third day^ or third thoufand years, the great reftorer Jeilis will raife us up, and we jhall live in his fight., Hof. vi. 2 : For the words we and sj, may be ufed here with as great propriety, as David faid of Ifrael's pafiing through the Red-fea : There did we rejoice in him., Pfal. Ixvi. 6.

This reft will be glorious after fix days, or fix thoufand years of labour : And, though the faints will not then be free from fin, tempters or temp- tatiani, there will probably be the fame difference between the millennium and the prefent time, as to the fpirituality of it, as betv.ecn our prefent Lord's days and common days; for now fatan being much reftrained, Chrift will reign among his faints •, and his v;ord will come to them, as at firft, in power., in the Holy Ghoji, and in much af- furance., i Thejf. i. 5 : And this will produce a truly divine fpirit in men, when that ieed of God, the word, more glorioufiy opens and expands its immortal life in their exulting powers, than it hatl in, the preceding ages, i Pet. i. 3, At the iamc 3 ti"^<^>

I'he fiventh Trumpet^ AJ). 1866, /<? 3125. 293

time, the v/icked of former times will, at pre- jfi^nt, have none to lucceed to their impudence, however wicked their hearts may be; for now the Lord JId all be King over all the &arth: And in that day there Jhall be one Lord^ and his name one^ Zech. xiv. 8, 9.

Reckoning this feventh thonfand years as a fabbath day, v/hich was typified by the ancient iabbatical feventh year (m which fervants v»^ere re- leafed, and the land refted, Exod, xxi. 2. and xxiii. 10, II;) fuffer me to add, that, comparinp: the millennium with the fix preceding days, or 6000 years of labour, vv'e are entered upon the lall quarter of the fixth milleniiary, and are at near feven o'clock on the faturday evening of the fixth thoufand years; for if a day Ihadows forth a thou- fand years, an hour, the twenty-fourth part of that day, muft be forty-one years and eight months; (fee the half hour's filer.ce, chap. viii. i); therefore the night is already begun v/ith us, John xi. 9 : And as the lad quarter of the fourth and fifth millennary, was remarkably dark to the church, fo probably will the laft quarter of the fixth thoufand years be. But when the tvvo beafls are cail alive into the lake of fire, A. D. 2016, chap. x';x. 20, this prophetic day will be- gin ; and the night itfelf, while it continues, will pjtne as the day^ and the darknefs refemble the noon, after the vials are all poured out, A. D. 1942; fee P/^//». cxxxix. 12: Ifai. Iviii. 10.

It is no objedtion to this prophetic fenfe of the hour^ orof the half hour, chap. viii. i, that the word occurs, chap. xvii. 12, and in many other places, in no fuch determinate fenfe; for it is well known, in facred and common language, that Uoth a day and an hour are ufed in a determinate and indeterminate fenfe; and the fubjcd or cir- cyiriftances only can fix their meaning; fee Jolm U < iv. 21.

2<^^Satanloofedfrom A.D. 301 6 to 3 1 25. [XX. 7- 1 0.

iv. 2 1 . 1 Ccr. iv. II. and viii. 7, where a day repre- fents diyear^ as in chap. ix. 15, the twenty-fourth part of that day mull be fifteen days j but if it here refembles a thoufand years, an hour of fuch a day muft be forty-one years and eight months. If it Ihould be further objected to this fcheme, that I ' affign no lei's than three different fignifi- ' cations to prophetic time-, fometimes it is quite ' literal, as in the thoufand years of the church's ' glory, fometimes a day ftands for a year-, and ' fometimes, as in this inftance, for a thoufand * years.' 1 anfwer, at chap. xi. 2, I have endea- voured to prove that a day is put for a year in Hof. v. 7, and Zech. xi. 8 •, befides which, who- ever reads thefe two prephecies through, efpe- cially that of Zechariah, will fee that a day is alfo taken both literally and for 2i feafon-^ which fuf- ficiently vindicates our taking the word day for different lengths of time in this prophecy, as it is ufed both in facred and common language. True, it is this prophecy only, which feems to conftitute a thoufand years 2Lfeafon -, but, as every thing in this book is difpofed and ordered by f evens ^ if the faints in the feventh millennary, fee that as a kind of fabbatical year, it will be im- poflible for them to avoid confidering the feven thoufand years of the world's age, as adumbrated by a week of fix days labour, fucceeded by a fabbath of facred reft.

7. And when the thoufand years are ended, fatan fliall be loofed out of his pri- fon.

8. And he {hall go forth to deceive the nations, which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog; to gather them

together

ThefrcenthTrumpet.h.X:), iS66,/^3i25. 295

together to battle, whofe number is as the fand of the fea.

9. And they went up over the breadth cf the earth, and furrounded the camp of the faints, and the beloved city : And tire came down from God out of heaven and devour- ed them.

10. And the devil who deceived them, was caft into the lake of fire and brimftone, where the beaft and the falfe prophet are ; and they (hall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Notice had been given in the above thoiifand years, that fatan would be loofed from his prilon for a little time, wht-n thfy were finiflied, vcr. 3; ■for our moii: durable pleaiures upon earth, are attended with the alarms of future danger. Ac- cordingly A. D. 3016 being come, the reftraint which had been laid upon this immortal enemy of men will be taken off; and his nature not be- ing at all changed, only exalperated by the tor- ment which his interdidion occafioned, he will go forth to deceive y (not only individuals, but) the nations in general ; efpecially thofe of them who are in the four corners of the earth, mod remote from Jerusalem, that centre of the world and of falvation •, whom he can no way ruin, but by de- ceiving them either by a repetition of fome of hi^ former methods, or by fome new devices which he has ftudied in the laft thoufand years. Now alfo the impious dead of every name, who had lad none to fucceed them in their fpirit and views in the millennium, live again in their fimilar fuccrf- fors, ver. 5 : Yet fatan will not now be able to make fuch inroads upon the purity and peace of the church, as t-he beaft had done in his times •, U 4 for

296 Satan gathers an army againjl .God.\X.X.'j- 10.

for the camp of the faints in thefe happy times, is kept diftind from the devil's camp : And the be- loved of the Lord dwell by him, as little Beniamin of old, Deut. xxxiii. 12-5 and are with our David in fafeguard, 1 Sam.xx'n. 2^-^ keeping a fpiritual feajl of tabernacles before him, Zech. xiv. 16, 18, 19.

But as the three frogs out of the mouth of the dragon, the bead and the falfe prophet, alTem- bled the kings of the eaft againft the Jews, under the fixth vial, chap. xvi. 12 — 16; fo now, for the laft time, the devil will once more gather his hofls together to battle againfi God \ whofe number will be immenfc, as the fand of the fea \ fee Gen. xxii. 17. Jofh. xi. 4. Pfal. cxxxix. 18. Rom.'ix. 27 : And this hod will go up, from eaft to weft, ever the breadth of the earth -, perhaps attacking every church of God, tvtry camp of the Jaints, in their way, till they come to the beloved city Je- rufalem, fo called, Eccluf. xxiv. 1 1 ; where many of the Jews and Gentiles will be gathered to- gether.

Thefe confederate troops, who all turn out volunteers againft God, are called by the name of that enemy who, eleven hundred years before, broke in npon the land of Judea; viz. Gog and Magog; the former the Prince, and the latter the kingdom which ftands devoted to deftrudion, Ezek. jcxxviiith and xxxixth chapters. Yet thefe are not the identical hofts whole doom is there read, though they came from the fame country, for, not to repeat all the arguments mentioned, chap. xvi. 12 — 16, to prove that the deftrudion predided in thofe chapters of Ezekiel will be ac- compliftied A. D. 1941, after the Jews are re- turned to their own land, and before the millen- nium begins \ there are tilings faid of that flaugh- tcr of the enemy which do not agree to this ; as

(i)That

f he fevenih Trumpet, A. D. 1866, /o 3125. 297

(i) That pefHlenre and the fwcird were employed againft the iormer enemy, as well as fire from heaven, chap, xxxviii. 21, 22; againft tliis it is only faid. Fire came do-wn from God out of heaven and devoured them, ver. 9. (2) A fixth part "^t^o. left after that deftrudlion, chap, xxxix. 2 ; but we have no account of any thing left in this. (3) After that deftruiftion the Lord relblved to be eminently glorified in the Jews, from A. D. 1941 to the end of the world, chap, xxxix. 22 — 29 ; but we have no account of any thing after this but the day of judgment. I might add, ^4) the former enemy came up only againft the Jews \ thek furround the camp of the faints in general^ Jews and Gentiles, ver. 9. We conclude there- fore, that this enemy is the fuccefTor of thole hardy Scythians, who came up againft the Jews eleven hundred years before, as they came from the fame country, and probably with the fame cruel and avaricious views. But they were not Scythians only, for they overfpread ihe furface of the earth, as Mr. Worfley reads thofe words ; and encompajfed the camp of the faints, and the beloved dty : But weapons, and the hands which might have ufed them, are now become ufelefs ; forjire came down immediately /r£'/« God out of heaven and devoured them, before the general conflagration began.

And now thofe words in Ifai. ixvi. 24, are verified a third time, as they had been once in the 185,000 Aftyrians (lain, i/^/. xxxiii. 11 — 14, and afterwards in the deftrudion of the kings in the land of Ifrael, under the fixch vial ; (fee chap. xvi. 12 — 16, and Ezek. xxxviiith and xxxixth) They f/j all go forth, and look upon the car- caffes of the men who have tranfgreffed againjl me \ for their worm fhall not die, neither fhall their fire •be quenched : And thiy fjall be an abhorring unto

aU

29 5 ^Vw^ is 7w more at A. D. 3125.

ell ftejh. And, to ftrike the deeper terror into the minds of finners, the devil who deceived them, and who had been only reftrained by the Redeem- er's chain in the millenninm, ver. i, 2 •, may now probably, in his way to the hell prepared for him, in fome vifible form be cajt into that lake of fire and brimjlone^ which will continue burning at Rome, where the beajl and the falfe prophet are before him-, a72d they fio all all he tormented toge- ther day and night for ever and ever^ without any poflible hope of efcape.

Fromtheclofeof the millennium, A. D. 3016, to the end of the world, A. D. 3125, we have 109 years; but in what part of that time, this great head of the apoftacy will be call: into this lake, and his army deftroyed by fire from heaven, we know not : But as thefe events are fpoken of before the account of the day of judgment, in the following verfes ♦, probablythey may occur fome years before it: For if that day begins with this execution, how then can the faints judge angels, the good and evil, before they are judged themfelves ? And if it oc- curs only a few days or months before that day, how then can the world, fo foon after, be funk again into that lupine fecurity, which will, not- withilanding every warning, difgrace human na- ture at the coming of Chrift ? Matt. xxiv. 37 — 51. But whenever it occurs between A. D. 3016 and 3125, the world's finking afterwards into that brutifli infenfibility which our Lord has moft furely predided, even when a tempting devil is caft into the lake of fire, will probably afford fuch an awful view of human nature, as had never been given before.

As the fixth trumpet continued 1260 years, chap. xi. 2, 3 •, viz. from A. D. 606 to 1866, fo will this, chap. xii. 6, that is, from A. D. 1866 to about 3125, which is the furtheft account of

time

^the feventb Trumpet, Time cor.cluded. 299

time we have in this book ♦, all beyond that is vaft eternity. And polTibly fome may think it remarkable, that if we add the three numbers together which occur in Dan. xii. 7, 11, 12-, viz. 1260, 1290 and 1335, they make 3885, which is the number of years from the time when Ifaiah began to prophely, who firft fpoke of many of thefe great things, to the end of the world -, for he began to prophefy 760 years before Chrift's time, which added to A. D. 3125 makes 3885 ; and this feems to ftrengthen the evidence, that the end will be about the time here fpecified.

But as we have now done with the hiftory of Time, I call upon my reader mod devoutly to adore theWONDERFUUCOUNSELLOR, who in fo fliort a compafs (as lefs than fifteen chapters, and in lefs than 255 verfes,) has given us the civil and religious prophetic hiftory, of near half the time of the world's continuance ; viz, from A. D. 96 to 3125. It was indeed expedient that our Lord fliould go away, to receive this revelation for us chap. i. I ; as well as to fend us the Comforter. And the writings of the four Evangelifts, fcarce yield fo bright a difplay of his power and glory, as this book contains •, which^ under the Divine blefling, will not fail to excite the moft devout awe in every pious heart at every attentive peru- fal. Yet fuch is our native blindnefs and unbe- lief, that it was neceffary to diftinguiih this book with the following preface ; viz. Blejfed is he that reddetb, and they that hear the zvords of this pro- phecy ; and keep thofe things which are written therein: for the time is at hand, chap. i. 3. And what can be more adapted to beget reverence, and kindle affedlion to Jefus, and to the word of his grace, than the concluding accounts here given of things the moft interefting to u? ! We are however not 3Tt come to the conclufion ; for thouc^h time is

300 the RefurreElion and Judgment^ A. D. 3125.

no more, the great day of judgment is to be de- icribed, and the everlafting bleflednefs of the faints in heaven ; which makes this feventh an eternal trumpet.

11. And I faw a great white throne, and him who fat thereon ; from whofe face the earth and the heaven fied away, and there was found no place for them.

12. And I faw the dead, fmall and great, fland before God ; and the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of lifej and the dead were judged out of the things written in the books, ac- cording to their works.

13. And the fea gave up the dead which were in itj and death and the invilible Hate gave up the dead which were in them : and they were judged every one according to their works.

14. And death and the invifible ftate were caft into the lake of iire. This is the fecond death.

15. And if any one was not found writ- ten in the book of life, he was caft into the lake of fire.

That day is now come, which every preceding day had predicted and prepared for, the day which will fix every one of us in infinite blifs or irremediable woe. It is come ! And the Lord is revealed frofn heaven in flaming fire^ taking ven- geance on them ischo know not God, and obey not the ^[cfpcl of our Lord J ejus Clrifl: ; who ftjall not only 'feel the pain of IoIf, by abfence from the grace of tte Lord^ but hepuhijh/dwith everlafting drjiruciian

fronk

7he feventh 'Trumpet. The Judghient Day. 301

from his ivnmtdizxrx prcfence^and frcm the glory of his power: At the fame time he comes to be glorified in his faints^ and to he admired in all them that be- lieve. See ! for thef^ purpofes the Lord hi^nfelf defends from heaven ivn., a jhout^ with the voice of the Arch-angel, and the trump of God •, and before him the heavens pafs away with a great noife, and the elements melt with fervent heat •, the earth alfo^ and the works that are therein are burnt up. So the apoflles had predi6led to Jews and Gentiles» I T^heff. iv. 16. 2 'Theff. i. 7 — 10. 2 Pet, iii. 10 — 12.

And accordingly, fays our author, Ifaw a great white throne-, great to contain the far-extended fplendors in which the Judge appears; and white to refledt the glories of every Divine attribute, chap. vi. 2. and xix. 1 1. And him who fat on it, from whofe face the earth and heaven fled away ; and there was no place found for them, that is, in their prefent form and appearance-, which is fuited to a mixed ftace of goodnefs and wrath, but muft be effentially altered if grace or vengeance reigns alone in them. ' Here the Son of the eternal God ' appears only, and all nature is alarmed : Nor ' heaven nor earth can kecrp their (landing-, they ' flee away like the affrighted roe — How grove- ' ling are the loftieft flights of the Grecian and

* Roman mufe, compared with this magnificence ' and elevation of the prophetic fpirit !

' It is not faid, a few herds of the forefr, a few ' kings, or armies, or nations ; but the whole

* fyitem of created things — It is not faid. They

* were thrown into great commotions, but they

* fled entirely away; not, Theyfliarted from their

* foundations, but they fell into diflToiution ; not, ' They removed to a difliant place, but there was

* found no place for them — And all this, not at

* the ftrift command of the Lord Jesus ; not at

' his

302 Men -are judged according to their Works.

* his awful menace, or before his fiery indigna- ' tion, but at the bare prefence of his majefty,

* fitting with ferene but adorable dignity on his ' throne.* Mr. Hervey.

But affrighted as the earth is, it cannot flee away, till it has given up the living and the dead which were upon and in it, each in his own time and order, i Cor. xv. 23 •, it cannot carry off, or conceal the bodies of the righteous or the wicked» to defraud grace or vengeance of its own. As radiant ftars, the righteous fhall afcend out of the earthy i .S^^?. xxviii. 13-, arrayed in glory, far exceeding that of a royal bride on the day of her coronation : On the contrary, the blackeft horrors of defpair deform the impious race, who died in arms againft God j and are now dragged to his tremendous bar.

The apoflle fpeaking of the refurre£lion of the righteous, fays, iThef. iv. 16, 17. The Lord him- feif Jhall defcend from heaven with a Jhout, with the voice of the Arch-angel, and with the trump of God: And the dead in Chrijl fhall rife firji : And as their graves are opening, the faints which are alive and remain, fhall be fiatched up fuddenly and powerfully, together with them, in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. This change upon their bodies will be effected in a moment, in the twink- ling of an eye, at the Infi trump, and as the Judge defcends to that lower region of the air, where they arc to meet him, 1 Cor. xv. 51, 52. And when all the faints are caught up to him in the air, that near approach of the returning Judge may perhaps fo convulfe this globe of ours, as to throw the waters of the fea over all the land 5 and pofTibly the earth may continue in this cha- otic ftate, with the bodies of the wicked in it, all the time that the faints are judged : Afterwards the wicked fhall be raifcd ; therefore our author,

who

*The feventh trumpet. The Judgment. 303

who is indifputably fpeaking of the general refur- redion, taking no notice of the land, only fays, ver. 13. And the fea gave up the dead which were in it i fee the concluding remark on thefe verfes — He adds. And death and hades gave up the dead which were in them, their fpirits returning from heaven and hell, to reanimate their now immor- tal bodies. Then I faw them, fays he, fmall and great Jland before God ; every eye fixed, with unutterable joy, or overwhelming horror upon him : And the bocks which God had written were opened \ the books of natural and revealed reli- gion j. the book of the law and the gofpel; the book of God's omnifcience and remembrance; and the book of confcience, the now deepened charaders of which appear all of them written as with a pen of iron, and with the point of a dia- mond : And another book was opened^ which is the book of life ; which contained the names, and defcribed the chara6ters of all thofe whom the Father gave to Chv\9i.,John vi. 59 and xvii. 6: And the dead were judged out of thofe things which were, written in the books \ according to the nature, origin and ends, as well as according to the number, and the different degrees of good or evil which were found in their works-, whether they died under the covenant of works, or of grace : And now it appeared vifible to every eye, who were really in Chrift, and who were only nominally and in profeflion fo. And to preclude every poilible hope or fear of any future difunion, or diffolution of their two natures, Beath which had once devoured their bodies ; and tht feparatefiate^ which had furnifhed an abode for their fpirits when parted from it, were themfelves fwallowed up in the lake of fire-, for the joy or torment of an unbodied fpirit, will neither of them be

enough

'^o\'Death andUades cafi intothelake. [XX. 14, 15.

enough for that foul when it is reunited to its (body: And this /r/(?"of fire, which \viJl probably be typified in a lively manrer by that lake at Rome, vhich continues burning from A.D. 2016 to the end of the world, chap. xix. 3, 20) is that feccr.d immortal death, of which Chrifl has pro- mifed that they who cverccme J}: all not he kurt^ chap, ii. II.

But, left our pride Ibould fwell with the thought of being judged according to cvr 'works \ to point out the celeftial origin of all works which are fpi- ritually good, and trace up our falvation to its fountain head in God; it is added, ver. 15. And whofoever, or if c.ny one Gr. was not found written in the beck of life-, (by which cannot poffibly be meant a book of external church privileges,) hg was cafi into the lake of f.re^ chap. xiii. 8 : Vox there fhall in no wife enter into heaven any n jw*i but they which are written in the LamVs lock of life, chap, xxi. 27. Matt. XX. 1 6, 23. Rom. viii. 29 — 33. and ix. II — 16. £/^. i. 4 — 6. 2 Thcf. ii. 13. 2 'lim. i. 9. I Vet. i. 2. Pride may rage itl'elf into a fever ?.t this; but God's ccunfel will ftand, and he will do all, and only his pleafure.

Profound awe certainly becomes us, if we pre- fume to think of the time when this day of the Lord will begin or end\ yet of the former there can be no drubr, if we have not miftsken in computing the time v;hen the world will end (under the preceding verfes, and at chap. xii. 6); for the day of judgment will begin at the end of the world., Matt. xiii. 49, 50: And if the v/orld ends A. D. 3i2£; •, lee ver. 7 — 10, judgment will then begin : And if fo the time of it will bear fome analogy to the time of fome important things which are mentioned in the old leftamenr, as well as of cne or tv;o of the molt inrerefting

events

The fevcnth Trumpet. The Judgment. 305

events, which the world ever faw ; viz, the re- furreftion of Chrift, and the gift of the Spirit at the day of Pentecoft.

The rib which was made into a woman, was probably taken out of the fide of Adam, on the eighth day of the world's age-, at leaft the parti- cular hiftory of it fucceeds the account of the fabbath day, and the command given him not to eat of the tree of knov/ledge of good and evil. Gen. ii. 18 — 25. Having fpent that firft fabbath alone with God, probably at the cloie of it, the brute creatures paffed in review before Adam (after the fabbath had fanftified them to God;) that, as their Lord, he might give each of them names. After this, the third hour of the eighth day might be a probable time for that deep lleep to fall upon him, which is mentioned, ver. 21 — But whatever may be thought of this, it certainly was not without fome m^yftery, that all the fol- lowing things were fixed to, or concluded die . eighth day •, viz, circumcifion. Lev. xii. 3 ; the prefenting the young of the beafts to God, Exod.^ xxii. 30 ; cleanfing of the leper, and of the per- fon who had an iffue, Lev. xiv. 10, 23. and xv. 14, 29; the confecration of the priefts. Lev. viii. ^S' and ix. I, &c; the holy convocation at the clofe of the three annual feafts of the Lord, Lev, xxiii. 39', and the dedication of Solomon's tem- ple, 2 Chron. vii. 9, which was finilhed the eighth year, i Kings vi. i, 38.

But to come to the New Teftament — Every week affords a lively emblem of the 7000 years of the world's age : And after the conciufion of that week, which introduced the moft interefling palTover the Jewifh nation had ever kept, our Lord rofe from the dead early in the morning of the next day, v^hich began another v/eek; and which was, with relation to that remarkable week, X an

3o6 The Timerefemhies that ofChriJl^s Refune^ion.

an eighth Day; which our Lord has made the Christian Sabbath. We have indeed no cer- tainty at what hour he returned to life; nor could the time of his leaving his grave inform us of it, if that could be alcertained. Gilbert Weft, Efq-, fuppofes that he arofe, that is, left the grave, fome time between the dawning of the day, and the fun-rifing ; but as Mark xvi. 2, firft part, might have been read in a parenthefis, fo the Amv 7rpw» v€ry early, feems to defcribe an ear- lier hour than fifty- nine minutes after three o'clock, at which time, fays Mr. S. Reader, the day broke at Jerulalem in N. Lat. 31^ 50', April 25th, A. D. 34, the Friday before which Sir Ifaac Newton feems quite pofitive was the day of Chrift's Crucifixion ; as the fun rofe 30 minutes after 5 o'clock that morning.

But at whatever time the women came firft to the fepulchre; the earthquake, and the defcent of the angel to roll away the ftone, which mini- ftcred to his coming forth from the tomb, had nothing to do with our Lord's return to life: And as he was crucified at the third hour of the Jewifh day; viz, at 9 o'clock, the time of the morning lacrifice, Mark xv. 25, fo probably he revived at the third hour of the Roman day; viz, at 3 o'clock in the morning ; for whilft our Lord's body was a Roman prifoner, his day muft be reckoned to begin at their time; viz, at twelve o'clock at night ; and fo all the Evangelifts ex- prefsly reckon his rifing day ; fee Matt, xxviii. i. Mark xvi. 2. Luke xxiv. i. John xx. i. V^ery early that day our Lord returned to life; and as his ibul, like all other human fpirits, was created with a propenfity to its own body, returning to it, he probably for a time contemplated with pleafure the fears of his wounds, and the future olory which fhould foon array Jiis body in hea- \en: And having in thi^r body bowed before his

eternal

^he feventh Trumpet. The Judgment. 309

Away \ fo fljall alfo the coming of the Sen of man be^ Matt. XXIV. Q,"]-* 38- Our Lord had alio in that chapter, been Ipeakingof Jeruialem's deftrudionj from which he feems to make a tranfition, at ver, Q,(i^ and in Mark xiii. 32, to the great day of the Lord : Now, though no man knew the day or hour of Jerufalem's deflrudion, yet. Daniel had predided, chap. ix. 25- — 27, that dihci feventy feveu weeks., and threefcore and two years., that is, 60 1 years after the 536th year before Chrift, when Cyrus gave forth the decree to rebuild Jerufalem^ or by A. D. (y^., Mejfiah would cut off from belong- ing to him both the city and the fancluary ; to which if we add the week., or feven years which their deftruclion took up, ver. 27^ it will bring us to A. D. 73, by which time jcrufalem was utterly defolated, as Mr. Blayney underilands that pro- phecy : But Jerufalem would not know the day of their vifitation ; therefore the day of the Lord came upon them as a thief in the night: And whilft they \^erc faying, Fence and fafety., fudd'en deflru5fion came upon them, for that contempt of Chrift which was indulged amongft them ; as travail upon a woman with child^ which they cannot ifcaps. But yz brethren., who are taught of God, are not in darknefs., that that great day of vvhich the apoftle is fpeaking, fhould overtake you as a thief -^ ye are all the children of the light., and the children of the day^ which (hines into every well prepared eye; we are not of the night, nor of dark- nefs., I Thef. V. 3 — 6.

Two other illuftrations of this point our Lord makes ufc of-, viz, by a houfholder and a fervant ; of both of whom fuch things are faid as incline us to fuppofe, that about the year of judgment will be known, though not the day or hour\ fee Matt, xxiv. 42, 43. If a houfholder is only informed in general, that an enemy has a defign upon his houfe, whatever other precautions he may X 3 ufc-,

3 1 o 'The Tear of Judgment known. [XX. 1 1 — r 1 5«

life, he cannot himf^lf fit up every night; but if he knows the night when a thief cometb, though he knoivs not in what watch he will come, he is un worthy of the name of the good man of the hdufe^ if he will not %vatch\ hm fujfer his houfe to be broken up. Watch therefore^ for ye knovj not what hour your Lord doth come. The fame fubjed; is reprefenred in Mark xiii. 34, 37, under the charafler of a fervant^ who knowing v/ithin a few hours, when his maftcr will return ; (tor that is fuppofed in what is required of him,) it is ex- peded that he be not found Jleepng : So, if we know that our Lord will come about A. D. 3125, He may well expect the world to watch ; though they know not whether he will come at the eve?i- ing of that year ; at midnight^ at the clofe of it -, or at the cock crowing^ or in the morning of the next year — And to us who know neither the day, the hour, nor the year of our death., well might our Lord add j What I fay ur^to you, I f^l unto ally Watch.

From thefe confiderations it feems more thaq probable, that the concluding year of the world will be known before it arrives ; to which the faints of thofe times will look forward with the mod rapturous and joyful awe \ whilft the wicked are fhut up in unbelief about it. I might add on this fubjed, If the Lord does nothing without re- vealing his fecret to his fervants the prophets, Amos iii. 7 ; it is probable he has fomewhere revealed the time of the day of judgment, as well as of events of lefs importance: And if the Lamb's wife was informed by this prophecy, of the time cf her Divine Hufband's coming, and therefore made herfelf ready for him juft before the millen- nium, chap. xix. 7 ; will not her Lord give her the fmie advantages to prepare for her great and final prefentation to him ? This at leait we are

certain

The fevcnth trumpet. The Judgment. 307

pternal Father, and turned his fepulchre into a "profeuche^ or houie of prayer for a time-, and having ahb created new garments for his body, in which to appear in the world, when he law proper to leave the tomb, at his Iblcmn nod the earth quaked, and the angel defcended to roll back tjie Hone, and to fright the guards away, perhaps at break of day — So if the great deci- five day fhould begin at 3 o'clock in the morn- ing of the eighth tho' ifand years, this will fall at h. D, 3125, or A. M. 7125, (that is, reckoning the Chriftian ^ra to commence at A. M. 4000 5) for an hour is forty one years and eight months j fee ver. 1 — 6, and three hours is 125 years.

But the day^ as oppofed to nighty begins at fun- rifing, or at 6 o'clock in the morning-, and the fif- tieth day from the- pafibver was the Chriftian fab- bath, and confequently an eighth day with refpe6t to a JewiOi week : And at tne third hour of that day, the Spirit was miraculoufly poured out upon the apoftles and others, Acis\\. i — 15-, which, reckoning a day for a thouland years, after the above manner of computing, fymbolizes with A. M. 7125, or A. D. 3125 — Thus probably about the fame time as our Lord rofe from the dead, and the Spirit was poured out on the eighth day, the eternal joys of the faints in foul and body, and the eternal woe of the wicked, may begin in the eighth thoufand years.

Obj. But did notour Lord fay, Mark xiii. 32. Of that day and hour knoweth no man \ no not the a-ngeh which are in heaven \ neither the Son, but the Father? Anfwer i. Even the Man Chrilt Jefus could receive nothing, except it was given him from heaven, John iii. 27 : And perhaps his human foul knew not why his Father hid the gofpel from the wife and prudent, and revealed it unto babes ; which yet his perfcd purity chearfuUy referred to his Father's good pleafure. Matt. xi. 25, 26, X 2 as

3o8 The Tear of the Judgment may he known,

as we alfo (hall, if led by his Spirit. As the Go(i- hcad communicated to him, lb he increafed in wifdonit and in favour with God and man, Luke ii. 52; and all things ncceilary to our lalvation, which he had heard from the Father^ he made known to his difciples before he left the world, John xv. 15 ; which he afterwards explained by his Spirit from heaven. Ard after his afcenfion, this fur- ther revelation was given hir/i^ chap. i. i -, which he fent and fignified by his angel to his fcrvanc John, A. D. 96. But if Chrifl received know- ledge gradually, it would be great pride in us to cxped to be informed of every thing at once : Yet,

2. Our Lord might at that time know about t\\^ year, though he knew not the day or hour, of judgment : At leatt, if the year was known in all thole adumbrations by which our Lord reprefents the day of judgment, though the day and hour was not ; this both fets this thought above con- tempt, and feems to affure us that the facred canon would not conclude, without informing us of the year of the general judgment j for what rea- fon Can be affigncd for pointing out xhc year of Noah's flood, and Jerufalcm's deftrudion, but what will equally hold for pointing out the year ofjudgmcnt.'*

Noah knew not, till within a few days of the deluge, the day or hour ; but he knew the year when it would come ; and gave warning, that it would be in 120 years. Gen. vi. 3. and vii. 4. 2 Pet. ii. 5 : But they faw in vain his afllduity in preparing the ark, therefore their unbelief drown- ed them -, for, inftead of repenting of their fins, they were eating and drinking., marrying and giving in ?narriage, until the very day that Noah entered into the ark -, and knew not, becaufe they would ' not know, //// the flood came and took them all

away y

^he feventh 1'rumpet. The Judgment. 311

certain of, that towards the clofe of the millen- nium, and afterwards, when the prophecies are fulfilled, the fcene of things will as vifibly an- nounce the approach of the great day, as the opening buds of fpring predi6l the coming fum- mer, Mark xiii. 28 — Happy they v/ho now know Chrifl's near approach to remove them to glory, by the lefTening of their own fpols, and the fmooth- ing of their moral wrinkles, Epb. v. 27.

But feeing ye look for fuch things^ he diligent profeflbrs, that ye may he found of him in peace \ — JVhat meanefi thou, O fleeper ! Up, and be doing ! The judge Jlandeth hefore the door! What thou dofl, do quickly — Hafte ! hafte! thou hall no time to loicer — Flee for thy life ! Stay not ! There is no device to efcape ruin in the grave, or in hell !

OH ! THE JOYFUL ! DOLEFUL DAY ! ' — We have feen its beginning! Will my reader in- dulge me in (I hope at lead) a harmlefs conjedlure about the time of its ending? — It is called the work o{ a day, A^s xvii. 3 1. i Thef. v. 2 ; but fure- ly not of one day only, nor even of a prophetic day, that is, a year. The word days, in common as well as fcripture language, fignifies the times of any perfon or work ; as the days cf Noah and of Chrifi — Accordingly the words times 2Lnd feafons are ap- plied to this great event, 1 Thef. v, j ; which in- clines me to believe that it may be a work of many years.

We found the end of the world, and confe- quently the beginning of the day of judgment, by adding the 1260 years of the fixth, and of the feventh trumpet, to the year 606, when the fixth trumpet began : And by a like method we may guefs at the time of the judgment from Dan.x'u. chapter; where, after popery has reigned 1260 years, ver. 7, it is added, ver. 12. Blcfjed is he that 'Waiteth, and cometh to the thoufand three hundred X 4 and

312 The Judgment may perhaps he 2ic^ Tears.

and five and thirty days-, that is, to A.D. 1 941, when the kings of the eaft, who come up againfl Ju- dea, will be Qain there •, {o we explained the word under the fixth vial, chap. xvi. 12 — 16. p. 230 — 233. But that accomplifliment of thefe words, certainly does not preclude the pofiibility of an- other. In the iormer explication, beginning the 1260 years, ver. 7, at A.D. 606, and adding only yc^ years more, they brought us to A.D. 1941 . But beginning them at near the fame time ; viz, A. D. 605, we may add both thcfe numbers to them •, viz, 1260 'and 1335 *, which will bring us to A. D. 3200, that is, to. about feventy five years after the end of the world : And if the judgment of the great day Ihould continue fo long, this will be half as many j^^rj as the waters prevailed days^ upon the earth in Noah's flood. Gen. vii. 24: And as all the creatures muft have been drowjied in much lefs time than that, if is probable the Lord had fome other end befides that, in fuffer- ing the waters to prevail fo long ; which he had ordered to defcend in fuch a manner, and in fuch degrees, as not to endanger his covenant treafure in the ark.

But the abomination which maketh defolate was not fully fet up till A. D. 755, or jc,^ : Add to that year the above 1260 and 1335, and it brings us to A.D. 3350 or 3351-, that is, to about 225 years after the end of the world : And about fo many days the Lord took in judging the old world by the flood, before the tops of the moun- tains were feen, Gen. viii. 1 — 6. We can indeed have no abfolute certainty of thefe things, as the Holy Ghoft has not feen proper to inform us, what is" the bleflednefs to be expected at the end of the 1335 years. But if the day of judgment Ihould continue the above 225 times or years; and the firft fevemy five of them iliould be taken up

in

the fevefttb 'Trumpet. The Judgment. 313

in judging faints and angels, and the remaining feafon, in judging the wicked; as the righteous and the wicked will (land before God, in their refurredlion bodies, ftriking fpedtacles of glory and of horror to each other, well may it be faid, Blejfed is he that "joaiteth^ and comet h to the 1335 days^ which will conclude this final judgment. For then the righteous will be removed from the fight of the wicked, and enter with Chrift into his glory •, to behold the beatific vifion of God, and join the everlafting hallelujahs of exulting feraphs — At the fame time the glory of their re- furreflion bodies, and the perpetual influx of Di- vine love upon their fouls, will preclude all anxious uncertainty, whilft they Hand waiting be- fore the judgment feat.

At that great day of which I have been fpeak- ing, JVe muji all appear before the judg^nent feat of Chrifi^ 2 Co'fi. v. 10 : But as the dead in Chrifi fhall rife firft^ i "Thef iv. 16, perhaps they may be judged before the wicked are raifed to life ; and pollibly the earth, after the bodies of the faints are fnatched up from it, may lie in that kind of chaotic flate fuppofed in ver. 13, with awful marks of God's vengeance upon it, for feventy five years, whilft the faints are judged: But then the wicked will be raifed ; and fmall and great, ftand together before God, as it is afferted, ver. 12. But when the righteous appear before the judgment feat, it will not be either in the place, or with the appearance of criminals : Yet, whe- ther they are judged in the prefence of the wicked, or before they are raifed, their appearing before the judgment feat feems to intimate that their fins will be mentioned; though it will be only to in- hance the riches of that grace, and glorify that fcheme of redeeming love, which has laved them. Neither God nor themfelves can fimply forget

their

314 '^^■6 ^^i'-^' Heaven^ ^^'^ ''^^'^ £^?r/^.[XXI.i — 8.

their fins to all eternity -, but as they will not be mentioned againlt them as matters of judicial ac- cufation, fo their carnal ielf-love being now fwal- lowed up in a regard to God's glory, it will ra- ther give them pleafure than pain, however pub- lickly they are mentioned; whijft. gofpel finners with horror fee in them what they have loit, for want of applying to the blood of fprinkling.

>...4^>

CHAP. XXI.

AND I faw a new heaven and new earth, for the iiril: heaven, and the firft earth was pafTed away ; and the fea was no more.

2. And I John faw the holy city, the new Jerufalem, defcending from God out of heaven; prepared as a bride adorned for her hufband.

3. And I heard a great voice out of hea- ven, faying, Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them; and they fliall be his people, and God him- felf {hall be with them, e'^jen their God.

4. And God ihall wipe away every tear from their eyes ; and there fliall be death no more, nor grief, nor crying, nor fhall there be any more painful labour ; for the forme? things are palfed away.

5. And he that fat upon the throne faid, Ijcliold, I make all things nevv ! And he faid

to

^'he feventh Trumpet. Eternity ! Eternity 1315

to me. Write ; for thefe words are true and faithful.

6. And he faid to me. It is done ; I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End : I will give to him that is athirfl, of the fountain of the water of life freely.

7. The conqueror fhall inherit all things; and I will be to him a God, and he fhall be to me a fon.

8. But to the fearful and unbelieving; and to the abominable, and to murtherers, and whoremongers and forcerers, and idola- ters, and all liars, their part JJjall be in the lake which burns with fire and brimflone ; which is the fecond death.

Time was concluded when the day of judg- ment began, and that alfo is now pad ; all there- fore that remains is vaft boundlefs eternity — We have feen, in this prophetic glafs, a reprelen- tation of that lake of fire, where the wicked are to be tormented for ever ; and have now only to view the bleffed eternal abodes of the righteous, and devoutly attend the parting admonitions which conclude this prophecy, and the facred canon.

It is not probable, that infinite power and wif- dom fhould ever remand any part of the material creation into its primitive nothing-, yet the hofts of heaven will be difbanded, and the heavens themfelves, which have feen and covered oui< crimes, Jljall pafs azvay with a great noije \ and the ekinents, which compofe the material creation, JImU melt with fervent heat ; the earth alfo, and the works which are therein floall be burnt up, 2 Fet. iij. 10: For there is to be a grand rejlitution, or reftoration of all things, aTroxarajTao-j?, A5ls iii. 21 •,

called

3 1 6 fhe new Heaven, and new Earth. [XXI. i — S.

called the regeneration. Matt. xix. 28j by which God will reconcile all things in heaven and earthy to his own delightful enjoymenr ; as he has al- ready fo far reconciled them, by the blood of the Redeemer's crofs, as to employ them for his ufe and praife ; whilft flill the earth and the vifible heavens, wear the confpicuous marks of his dif- pleafure againft fm upon them. Col. i. 20. There can be no reconciliation of fouls without regene- ration ; of which though Chrift is incapable, his people may be laid x.o follow him in it, when they begin from their hearts to trace his holy fteps. But polluted matter cannot be reconciled, with- out diffolving its fubftance by fire, taking it all to pieces, and glorioufiy changing everything which has been either defiled by fin, or an cccafion or inftrument of, or any temptation to it: This there- fore will be done j and after this was effected by the power of God, fays our author,

I, I f aw mzx. new heaven and new earth, which had been typified by the purity and glory of the Jewilli nation, after they were brought back to their own land, Jfa. Ixv. 17 — 25-, and in which the Holy Ghoft will continue to the end of time tQ fromife the faints a Ihare, when the preient material creation is dijfolved, 2 Pet. iii. 11 — 13: For the firji heaven, and the firfi earth were pajjed away, and had loft their former appearance and pollution, in the penetrating fire through which they had paffed. And now, purged by fire, perhaps the earth refembles fome refplendent 'diadem, refle6ling from every part the various glories of its maker ; at leaft, it labours no more to bring forth food for its now immortal inhabi- tants ; whofe animal life is fwallowed up in fpi- ritual glory.

The former earth, (let us look back a little upon it!) had been founded upon the fea -, had

trembled

The feventb Trumpet, A glorious Eternity! 317

trembled with its motions, and could not reft, Pfal. xxiv. 2. and xlvi. 3 : And time was when that fea, prelTed with the unwieldy load, fo re- fented an aiTault made upon it by the four winds of the earth, that it caft out four beafts upon the earth -, viz, the Babylonian, Perfian, Gre- cian and Roman empires, Dan. vii. 2, 3 •, and when the earth had intombed thefe, it fent forth a fifth more mifchievous than all of them toge- ther. Rev. xiii. i. But to be revenged, the earth afterwards fent out another beaft •, which, joining with the former, fuiiiciently tormented bothfea and land, chap. xiii. 11. But fee! the general conflagration has now drank up all the waters of the deep •, therefore in this new earth there is no fea-, nor any turbulent and unquiet fpirit, to excite commotions in this new-made world of grace.

It is not for us to know, in what part of illi- mitable fpace the new heavens and earth will be fituated ; but as they are to rejnain before God^ 7/"^. Ixvi. 22, no doubt they will be inhabited; for he makes them not in vain^ Ifa. xlv. 18. And as they will be inhabited by rational, yet not by miferable beings, fo the following verfe informs ns particularly of their inhabitants.

2. And I John., who add my name again to this part of the prophecy, which refpefts another world, as I had before when fpeaking of the affairs of this chap. i. i, 4, (^—faw the holy city., the new Jerufalerd, coming down front God out of heaven y prepared as a bride adorned for her hufband. If this city was not to be inhabited by the human race, why is it called the holy city., ths new Jerufalem? If the inhabitants had been changed, no doubt the name would have been different. And as this city appears in the fplen- dor of a royal bride, it may be alked, Who, be- 2 lidcs

3 1 8 The new Jerufakm adorned as a Bride. [XXL 2,

fides believers of Adam's family, were ever the

bride adorned for this Hu/hand? And when the iirft earth was removed, to what great and high mountain could John poflibly lee this city defcend- ing, as a bride out of heaven from God, but to a jnountain of that new heaven and earth, of which he had juft Ipoken before ; and to which the angel had carried him away in fpirit, ver. 10 ? Befides, it has been remarked before, that the Spirit of God promifed every believer a fhare in this new heaven and earth, 2 Pet. iii. 13.

At judgment the faints were caught up to meet the Lord in the air ; and that day being concluded, they muft inherit the kingdom ■pre- pared for them, from the foundation of the world. But alas ! wrapt in fenfe, we are ready to con- ceive of a meer local heaven, where the Divine glory beams with inexpreflible, yet confined ra- diance*, but this confinement of God's glory, is all felf-created and therefore contemptible : Wherever God reveals his glory, there is hea- ven i and if this bride adorned for her Hujhand, goes from the feat of judgment to the new earth, Ihe will find him here to receive her, and to con- tinue eternally with her — But oh ! how is fiie altered ! — When the Gentiles were reprefented to Peter in vifion, in a Iheet let down from heaven, four-footed beajls of the earth, wild beajfs, creeping things, and fowls of the c.ir were the natural and Itriking hieroglyphics of all of them, A5ls x. 12, 28 i and when the Father drew them to Chrift, they were all over wounds, and bruifeSy and putrifying fores : But now, befides the regu- larity and glory which reigns in all their fouls, their bodies are fafhioned like Chriit's glorious body, which had afcended, with fo much eafe, from Mount Olivet to heaven, Jcls 1. 12 j and being fpiritual, they are adivc, quick in their

motions.

^fhe pventh I'rumpet. Glory! Glory 1 319

motions, incorruptible, and impaflible ; and need neither food, phyfic nor fleep, nor know they any fear of decay. Yea, they Ihine as the hrightnefi of 2. beaming Firmament^ and as the Jiars for ever and ever -, and may perhaps with as much eafe vifit other parts of God's dominions, as light travels from the fun to us.

The foLil now often wants to fly, and looks wiihfully upwards in vain ; for the body has no wings like itfelf ; but hereafter it fhall have a body to its own mind; for the wide extremes in our nature will come nearer together, when the t-errene part is made fpiritual^ as light and air : And when this immortal bride is fully adorned, Ihe fiall walk with her Divine Hufband in white^ chap. iii. 4 ; and who will let bounds to her •walk ? or feperate \\& from him, Rom. viii. '^^ — The Spirit which fometimes tranfported the pro- phets, and particularly Philip in the fight of the eunuch, through the air, fcemed by this 10 predid the future flights of all the redeemed; fee I Kings xviii. 12. 2 Kings ii. 16. Ezek. iii. 14. A5is viii. 39. And as the faints will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air^ i Thejf. iv. 17, they certainly cannot be afterwards confined to one place ; unlefs it is mod for God's glory, and their own good to be lb : But if it is their prefenc imperfedion, that they can only view the difl:ant glory of many of God's works, in one part of their nature ; when that which is perfect is come^ that which is only in part fhall he done away, i Cor. xiii. 10. The v»icked too will have fpiritual bodies, as well as the righteous, to ca- pacitate them to fuftain eternal torments ; but having fpiritual bodies adapted lor flight, it will probably bean additional circumi^ancr co heighten their mifery, that they will b.^ corfned forcvtr in the lake of Hre and brimitonr.

I may

320 ^hs Bodies of Saints made fpirituah [XXI. 2.

I may add here, that the ne-jj heaven and new earthy being only mentioned once, and this holy city being reprefented as coming down from the third heaven, as it were, to them both i this may intimate, that there will be a free communication and intercourfe, between this heaven and earth for ever and ever.

3. And I heard a great voice^ following this royal Bride out of heaven ; and faying^ Behold th& tabernacle of God is now, and will be for ever ijuith man •, and, as really as the Divine glory fills the human nature of the Son of God, Heh. viii. 2 •, fo furely will he dwell with them^ and enter- tain their fouls for ever, with the different and fucceflTive rays of his glory ; and they fh all he own- ed and treated as his people -, and God himfelf^ no more fending to them by heavenly or earthly angels, Jhall be with them^ as their own God : And this threefold declaration, that God will dwell with them, be with them, and be their God, both afcertains the hope -, and may perhaps be defigned to feal the grace of each perfon in the adorable Trinity to them for ever.

Ubi uxor, ibi domus ; Where Chrifl's fpoiife is, there is his home: And if we take the word men emphatically, this phrafe '^he tabernacle of God is with MEN, may intimate that the glory of God, and particularly of the God-man Jefus, will take up its refidence in this new heaven and new earth ; Other worlds being probably lb placed around this new earth, as that his glory, reflected from it, may lliine through them all. At the fame time, as a tabernacle or tent is eafily removed, poffibly this word may intimate, that, in fomc unknown point in eternity, (to afford the wider fcope for the Divine power and goodnefs) this fcene of things may give place to another, or others ; ■while (till every fuch fuppofed new fcene, has in

it

ne fevmth'trumfet. Glory! Glory! 321

k all the fplendor, durablenefs, eafe and dig- nity, which our Lord ever intended to exprefs by this phrafe, the manfwns in his Father's hotife^ John xiv. 2. — It is added,

4. And God the Father, Son and holy Spirit, Jhall wipe away all thofe tears from their eyes^ which he left in them here, to wafli the dufl: of earth out of them ; and death Jhall be no more natural nor moral, nor griefs nor crying', nor jhall there be any more painful labour for foul or body; for the former things are eternally pajfed away.

5 — 8. And when I had gazed on this rapturous fcene for a time, he that fat upon the throne; viz, the Father, chap. iv. 3, and Chrift, chap. xx. 11, faid. In order to fecure that glory which thou haft feen, and preclude all creature decays. Be- hold I make all things new. Then he faid unto jne his honoured Amanuenfis, Write, that every rnan may read ; for thefe words are true and faith- ful \ and all my, words (hall foon be works: Yea he faid unto me.. It is done-, the fcene is con- cluded in eternal glory : And now by my own name I fign it; I am Alpha and Omega^ that is, the Beginning and the End, chap. i. 8, n. and xxii. J 3. Go therefore and tell my fervants, that, whatever refer ves 1 may now fee proper to make, while fm keeps them at a partial diftance from me; when they are come to this blefied world, / will give to him who is now a thirfi, as much of the fountain of the water of life as his foul can hold ; while, through eternal years, he confcffes that I give it freely. Yes, the conqueror, and every thirily foul bears that honoured name, fhall inherit all things, which I either am myfelf, or have made in this new creation : Thefe are the holy men, who as new creatures, are made with- out fear of any thing but offending me ; and of every fuch perfon, I am not afhamed to fay, / will be the God ; and he fhall ^2^nd eternallv con- Y fcfied

32 2 The Saint's and the Sinner's Portion.HiXl.^ — 8'.

fefled as my Son. But to the fearful and unbelieving^ who chofe their lot out of God, and turned their backs on heaven to fecure the Imiles of their fellow-men •, and to the ahominahle^ and to mur- therers^ and whoremongers^ andforcerers<pap[xocKiV(rt thofe temporal and fpiritual poifoners ; and to ido- laters i and (to comprehend all fmners under one name, I add) to all liars, to every one of thefe I have very different language to addrefs ; a language adapted to convulfe their hearts with infinite horror, while I alTure them, upon the immutable word of a God, that their part fhall be in the lake which burn<: with fire and brimfione j which is the fecond deaths the due wages of fin, Rom. vi. 23. He that turns from God's grace, only runs into the hands of his flaming juilice ! Hear, finners, tremble ! and flee for your lives !

9. And there came to me one of the feven angels, who had had the itMtw vials full of the feven laft plagues j and fpake with me, faying, Come hither, I will fhew thee the bride, the wife of the Lamb.

10. And he carried me away in fpirit to a great and high mountain ; and he ihewed me that great city, the holy Jerufalem, com- ing down out of heaven from God ;

i I . Having the glory of God ; and its luminary uoas like a moll precious ftone, as a Jafper-ftone, clear as cryftal.

12. Having alfo a great and high wall ; having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written, which are thofe of the twelve tribes of the fons of Ifrael.

13. On the eaft three gates; on the north three gates ; on the fouth three gates j and on the weft three gates.

14. And

The feventh Trumpet. Eternal Glory ! 323

14. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations ; and in them the names of the twelve apoftles of the Lamb.

1 5. And he that talked with me had a golden reed, that he might meafure the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.

16. And the city lieth four fquare, and its length is the fame as its breadth ; and he meafured the city with the reed, amount- ing to twelve thoufand furlongs. The length, and the breadth, and the height of it are equal.

17. And he meafured its wall, a hundred forty-four cubits, after the meiifure of a man ; which is that of the angel.

18. And the il:ru6lure of its wall was jafper, and the city pure gold, like tranf- jjarent glafs.

19. And the foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every precious ftone i the firft foundation, a jafper ; the fecond, fapphire j the third, chalcedony ; the fourth, emerald.

20. The fifth, fardonyx ; the fixth far- tiins; the feventh, chryfolitej the eighth, beryl ; the ninth, topaz ; the tenth, chry- foprafus i the eleventh, hyacinth ; and the twelfth, amethyft.

21. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls ; each of the gates was of one pearl throughout ; and the ftreet of the city pure gold, like tranfparent glafs.

22. And I faw no temple in it j for the Lord God Almighty is the temple of it, and

fo is the Lamb.

Y 2 23. And

324 ^he cehjlial City defcrihed, [XXI. 9— -27.

23. And the city had no need of the fun, nor of the moon, that they fhould fliine therein -, for the glory of the Lord en- lightened ir, and the Lamb was its light.

24. And the nations of thofe who are faved fhall walk in its light ; and the kings of the earth bring their glory, and their honour into it.

25. And the gates of it fhall not be fhut by day -, for night is not there.

26. And they fhall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

27. And there fhall in no wife enter into it any thing that is common (or unclean) and that worketh abomination, and a lye ; but thofe only who are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Our apoftle had ktn the holy city, the new Jeruialem, come down from heaven ; and heard this rapturous exclamation, The temple of God is with me?!^ &c. But he muft fee more of ir, for our confolation and refrefhment ; for who that has read the former verfes, would not wifh for a further account of this city ? Therefore one of the angels who had had the fevcn vials, full of the feven laft plagues, came and fpake with him. Ob- ferve, this angel had not now this vial, for he had poured it out •, nor could it be poured again, for the fir fi earth, which had received it, was paffed away,v(tv. i : Therefore, though s^ovruv and yiy-ova-ui; are both of them participles of the prefent tenfc, the fcnfe obliged me to render it, that he had had the vial •, fee the following fimilar in- ftances, in which the prefent participle refers to fomcthing pafl: •, viz, Mark vi. 44. and viii. 9. John ix. 25. Phil, iii, 4. Rev. xv. 2.

Saying,

The feventh 'Trumpet. Eternal Glory ! 325

Saying, Come hither^ I will pew thee a. fight, which will make all the glories of time ficken upon thy view, and fire thy heart with more abundant, Chriftian and miniflerial, ardor; I will fliew thee, as far as thou canft bear the fight, the hide, the wife of theLamh, in her celeftial drefs.

10, II. And he had no fooner fpoken the word, than he carried me infpirit away from things about me, to a great and high 7nountain of that new heaven and earth, to which the holy city was come down ; for the new Jerufalcm will be more eminently^ city fet upon a hill which cannot he hid, than the church on earth had ever been, Matt. V. 14, And now thofe words are to be fully verified, God is not afhamed to be called their God\ for he hath prepared for them a city, Heb. xi. 1 6. Accordingly, he fhewed me again that great city^ the holy Jerufalem, which as before, ver. 1, ftill appeared as coming down out of heaven from God ; to afiure me of the conftant unremitting inter- courfe, which the new heaven and earth will perpetually enjoy with the blefied God ; which was further proved by the glory which I faw upon this city, for it appeared having the glory of God, or the beauty of all his perfedlions, lliining with united and the mod vivid rays in every part : And her luminary <pu?T/ip was like a mofl precious ftone^ as a jafper, xpuo-raAAK^ofTj, clear as cryftal; or perhaps it communicated the tranfparency of cryftal to every thing on which its holy beams fell ; fee ver. 23. At leaft every thing in that world, will be as much adapted to refled the Divine glory, as the moft precious itones here, to refled the fplendors of a beaming noon.

12,13. This city had alfo a wall great and high, to denote its fecurity •, and twelve gates, andat the gates twelve angels, watchers, as centinels on du- ty ; and names written thereon, 'which are thofe of Y 3 the

326 The IFall and Gates of the New Jerufakm..

the twelve tribes of the Jons of Tfrael; who had reprefented the church of God on earth, Gak vi. 16 •, and been the means of introducing the Gentiles into it. It will appear in the millennium, that none of thefe tribes have been loft, Ezek, xlviii. I — 34 -, and after their return to their own land, when their glory there has given the world a ftriking reprefentation of the eternal bleffcdnefs of the faints in heaven, as we have feen, ver. i •, the names of every one of them fhall be transferred to the twelve gates of the celeftial city ; and writ- ten three on ihtEafl fide, and the fame number on thcNorthy South and fVe/t, ver. 13. For as the new heavens and new earth, fo flmll their name remain ifor ever, 7/"^. Ixvi. 22 •, and, whilft the names <?/ the wicked rot^ the righteous pall be in everlafiing remembrance^ Pfal. cxii. 6. J he name of this city had been written upon their hearts here, Heb. xi, ,3 — i6. Rev. iii. 12^ and now their names arc written on its gates, yea I have graven thee^ faith the Lord, on the palms of mine hands^ Ifa. xlix. 16, 14. And this building, being either fufpended in the air, or at leaft its foundations being' per- fectly tranfparent ; our author obferved, that its wall had twelve foundations y lying one under the other J (alluding to the llrata of different and du- rable materials, which were anciently laid upon each other, to make the foundations of the walls of large and opulent cities) — And as the church of God on earth had been built upon the foundation of the apoftles and prophets, Jefus Chrift himfelf l^eing the chief corner ftone, Eph. ii. 20 ; fo in the foundations of this city wall, were written the names of the twelve apojlles of the Lamb ; who had been employed in laying the foundations of heaven in the hearts of men. And this account is here given us, to beget in us the higheft veneration for their infpired writings, which no traveller to

this

7 he feventh trumpet. Glory! Glory! 327

this city can with fi^fety negleft; as well as to en- gage us to an ardent imitation of their fpirit and views.

15, 16. And^ as our author was to report the fize of this city to the faints below, the angel v^ho talked with him, had a golden reed to meafure it, and its gates and wall; as the Lord Jefus had meafured Jerufalem in the fight of Ezekiel^ chap. xl. 3 : And upon meafuring, it appeared to be a perfeft fquare of twelve thoufand furlongs, that is, fifteen hundred miles long, high and broad. If this city had been defigned for the habitation of pure fpirits only, nothing need to have been faid of the fize of it : And though fuch a city as this would not be fit for animal bodies, who cannot rife fifteen hundred miles high, it is perfectly adapted to the fpiritual bodies v/ho are to inhabit it •, who will afcend to thefe heights, and go thefe lengths, with much greater facility, than we now advance to the ufual heights, or move through the compa- ratively trifling lengths of our earthly cities.

The circumference of the prefent earth is about 24,000 miles; but it is well known how fire re- duces the fize of things : And though we have no account of the fize of the new earth, whatever that may be, from the glory of the city which de- fcends to it, we conclude, that it can have no un- inhabited wafte upon its furface j nor any fuch hidden, and comparatively ufelefs bowels in it as the prefent earth; but probably it will fliine throughout with a tranfparent glory, fuited to the dazling, yet ferene fplendor of that new Jerufalem which comes down to it. This city being a fquare of fifteen hundred miles, (and confequently fix thoufand miles in circumference) the largeft cities upon earth fink into mere villages, when com- pared with this city of the great king; in which there are many blifsful habitations, and one for 3 the

328 ^be Safely and Beauty of ibis City. [XXI. ly, iB.

the man who is reading this, if he will turn his back on the vanities of time, and run for his life to Jesus the Bridegroom of this refplendent bride.

17. Jnd, to fatisfy us that no poflible danger can ever invade this new-made world of grace, be meafured the thicknefs of ils walU at one of the ' gates, a hundred forty-cubits^ or feventy two yards ; according to the meafure of man^ who reckons it a' cubit from his elbow to the end of his middle finger ; and the angel who talked with me had, in appearance, afiumed a body of the fame fize •, that he might not draw ofl' my attention from the city he defigned to flicw me, any more by his extraordinary dimenfions, than by his over- whelming glory — But hafte ! hade ! thee, my reader, for as thy life itfelf never was half a cubit long j fo perhaps thou haft not half an inch fur- ther to travel, before it will be decided whether thou fhalt ever inhabit this city.

1 8. And the pile, the ftrudure, or building of this wall was one folid jafper^ red, green and white, to delight every enraptured eye •, and the city was fure gold, without any alloy of a bafer metal ; yet it was unlike that thick clay which puts out the eyes of deluded mortals here, being clear as refined glafs.

19. 20. We heard before of the twelve founda- tions of the wall of this city^ which had the names of the twelve apoftles of the Lamb in them, ver." 14-, but the holy Ghoft faw fit to add, that thefe foundations were adorned zvith precious ftones of every name, which are here mentioned. Come hither then, ye vain and gay, who are fo often put befides yourfelves by the fatal glare of fen- fual enjoyments ; come and fee how mean thofe dying fplendors are which captivate your hearts, when compared with the folid glory referved for thofe men, whom you are now fo ready to fcorn.

The

T'he feventh Trumpet. Glory ! Glory ! 325

The names of the twelve tribes of Ifrael had been fet,in Aaron's bread-plate, in twelve precious ftones ; which the learned Ainfworth takes to be the fame v/ith the twelve ilones here nientioned ; fee Exod. xxvm. 10, 17- — 20. There they were placed according to their birth ; but no fuch or- der is obferved here, for the account of thefe foundations begins with thejafper, which belonged to the tribe of Benjamin^ (out of which the apoftle Paul fprang; and fo the laft is firll. Matt. xix. 30,) and ends with the amethyft the ftone of Gad\ for the order of nature is not the order of grace or glory.

The jirji foundation (reckoned from the lower part, which firft met the apoftle's eye in its de- fcent from heaven) was a white, green and red jafper ; the fecond^ a fky-blue fapphire^ flreaked with gold; the thirds chalcedony, like red hot iron; the fourth^ a beautiful grafs-green emerald ; the fifths a red fardonyx^ ftreaked with white; the fixth^ a deep xtdfardius\ the /event h, a deep yel- low gold-coloured chryfolite\ the eighth^ a fea- green, or wateriih fky-coloured heryl\ the ninths a pale green gold-coloured topaz\ the tenth, a green and gold chryfoprajus \ the eleventh, a red purple hyacinth ; the tivelfth, 4 violet purpie ame- thyft,

Thefe bright and durable foundations of the heavenly city, may well remind us of the follow- ing twelve perfections of the Divine nature, which God himfelf has laid at the foundation of our eternal hopes; viz, felf-exiftcnce, infinity, eter- nity, immutability, fovereignty, omnipotence, omnifcience, omniprefence, holinefs, jufticc, goodnefs and truth — Thefe, Chriftians, are the bleffed foundations of that wall of your defence, on earth and in heaven, which you may well call falvatiotii J/a, Ix. 1 8 ; which have the names of the

twelve

330 TheTweheGates of the cekjial City.\X.Xl.n,

twelve apoftles of the Lamb in them, ver. 24; and fhine to beh'eving eyes, with a beauty and glory- far exceeding that ot the mofl precious flones.

It is added, ver. 21. The twelve gates in this wall, at which twelve angels attended, and on which the names of the twelve tribes of lirael were written, ver. 12, were twelve pearls ; each of the gates, with its pillars, arches, mouldings and corniflies, was of one undivided ^^^r/ throughout H And as Solomon overlaid the floor of the temple with gold within and without^ i Kings vi, 30, fo the ftreet of this holy city ^2,% pure polifhed gold\ yet tranfparent as glafs.

But though our darknefs cannot at prefent fup- port the dazling light of celeftial fcenes, or our earthly powers bear the radiance which thefe gates emit ; that we may hereafter enter this city, lee us often meditate upon the following great gofpel truths ; which we may call twelve gates^ which inflrumentally lead into the city of our God below •, viz, Man is mean, yet important, as a creature — but ruined as a finner. — His God fo- vereign, yet gracious — Lays a wonderful plan for his falvation — fends his equal Son to teach, to die a ranfom, and to reign — This is to be tefti- fied ill due time to all — The Spirit makes this teftimony efficacious to whomfoever he pleafes — They who receive his teftimony, are united to Chrift — And live by faith in him — This pro- duces univerfal holinefs in heart and life — God keeps them by his pov/er — And finally, makes both parts of their nature happy together in heaven. — Thefe are fome of the truths by which the Lord fanofifies his people, John xvii. ijy which have the names of the twelve tribes of Ifrael in them, and more than twelve angelic guards (land over to defend them ; whilft they make the man who fpiritually receives them, one

of

^he feventh Trumpei. Eternal Glory ! 33 ;

pi God's jewels, Mal.m. 17. If God will lead me into the pracftical knowledge cf thefe things, I will not doubt his bringing me to glory.

After this account of the wall, the foundations, and gates of this city, it may well afford the humble Chriftian, a devout pleafure to obferve; that the glorified bodies, who are to inhabit this city will, no dcubr, as much exceed the city where they dwell in glory, as their prefcnc bodies excel the appearance, and the nature of the (ireets and walls, of our earthly cities : If the hrigktnefs of thefirmamentj excels the diamond which reflects its light, how much more will fpiritual bodies excel thefe pearley gates and walls !

Our author adds,

Ver. 22, 23. And I faw no temple in it, where worlhippers were to affemble for the more imme- diate a<fls of devotion •, for the whole city was fanflified, to the higheft poflible degree, by the Lord God Almighty, who is the temple in every part of it j and fo is the Lamb, though his human nature is now no more their way to God. And the city had no need of the fun, nor of the moon, that theyjhould fijine therein -, for thefe inflruments of the Divine gocdnefs, which had miniftered to the faints in their m.inority, are now for ever re- moved ; and the bleffed inhabitants of that world, being fitted for an immediate intercourfe with God, have no fuch dependence on intervening creatures and means as we; for \\\s glory enlight- ened this city, and the Lamb is its light ; whofe body beams with the moft delightful fplendors, -whilfl ftill it wears the marks of that atonement, which is the foundation of all their bleffednefs. But befides the glory of his human nature, if Chrift had not been God by nature, and had a fubfiftence in fome fenfe, diflindl from the Fa- ther ; it furely could not have been faid of him,

after

332 It's '^atesjl and ever open, [XXI. 25, 26.

after he had given up the mediatorial kingdom, as it is of the Father, that he is the Temple and the Light of heaven ; fee chap. xxii. 5.

24. And the nations of thoje who are faved^ Jhall walk in its light j for their bodily eyes are adapt- ed to itj and their glorified underftandings now pofiefs all that fpirituality, clearnefs, capacity, fanftity, flrength and fixednefs which they had fo earneftly defired in this world. And they idisitA kings of the earth \ (for that is the idea to which the preceding claufe of the verfe reftricls this,) do bring their glory and honour into it ; viz, thofe kings who had been evangelized towards the clofe of the fixth trumpet, chap, x. 1 1 i and whofc thrones had made fuch a diflingiiifhed figure in the millennium, chap.xx. 4; at which time, as it ■were, whole nations together had been faved, as the former part of this verfe intimates. Thefc are the only kings who can bring their glory and honour into the new heavens and the new earth j and they do fo, (i.) As the dominion intruded in their hands, anfwered its Divine defign, and became a means of peopling heaven with bleffed inhabitants ; (2.) As all the wifdom and good- nefs which had dignified their government, fhall be fully compleated in that world of regularity and blefTednefs, and (3.) As all its bleffed inha- bitants Ihall appear arrayed in fplendor and glory, far fuperior to that of courtiers. But the wicked kings of the earth in every age have been the va0als of the devil, led captive by him at his ■will ; and the vain glories of fuch men would not fuit the millennial, much lefs the heavenly ftate — But fee ! thefe redeemed kings, who have walhed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, move off from the place of judgment, each at the head of his faved nation; and in the folemn joyful throng, methinks I fee

every

The feventh Trumpet, Glory! Glory! 333

fcvery miriifter of Chrift, at the head of that large or lefs number, in whom Divine grace had wrought favingly by his means — See I all triumphant they enter thefe pearly gates ; and go, in joyful ranks, to inherit the kingdorh prepared for them from the foundation of the world.

ii5, 26. Jnd the gates of it Jhallnot be Jhut by day^ the only time that world knows ; for nighty natural or moral, is not, cannot be there-, where what had been predicted of the millennial ftate, which typified this, Ifa. Ix. 19, 20. muft: be fully accompliftied, The fun fhall be no more thy light by day, neither for brightnefs (Id all the moon give light unto thee •, but the Lord floall be unto thee art everlafting light, and thy God thy glory. Thy fun fhall no more go down, &cc. — and the days of thy mourning fhall be ended — And they, the Father, Son and Spirit, or the holy angels, fJjall bring (the faints ; and in and with them) all that which true wifdom had ever efteemed the glory and honour of the nations into it -, where every thing that had been truly excellent upon earth, fhall attain its higheft and mod durable perfection.

But as thefe pearly gates will remain, afcer all the glory of ihe nations is brought into it ; I am ready to alk, What purpofes can they anfwer after the faints are entered, unlefs they ferve for the ad- miffion of guefts from the other worlds -, who, if they come to vifit this new Jerufalem, will cer- tainly enter orderly into it ; agreeable to the eilablifhed regulations of wifdom and recftitude, which will eternally govern every happy being .'' — If the church is the angel's ftudy now, Eph. iii. 10. I Pet. i. 12, no doubt it will be fo here- after, wherever it is found : And if the faints ftiould be permitted to vifit different worlds after the refurredion -, (when their bodies are perfeflly fuited to the difpofitions of the immortal mind %)

fee

334 Nothing common can enter Heaven. [XXI. 27<,'

fee vcr. 2, they will go forth through thefe twelve gates. And as happy beings, from difFerenc worlds, had become intimately acquainted with each others perfons and hiftories, whilft they flood rejoicing together at the right hand of their Judge ; nothing but the Divine will, arid their refpedive natures, can fix any limits to thofc expreffions of joy in each others blelfednefs, to which their ardent love to God and each other,' will for ever and immutably prompt them. Ever fince the fall of man, for their fafety, they had been all gathered together, in one common head of prefervation Christ, Eph. i. lo, though they did not all need redemption : And having been, in the fullnefs of time, affembled all together at the feat of judgment, they will probably be llrahgers to each other no more -, but fall in, at certain feafons at lead, in the moft animated llrains of one univerfal chorus-, whether they hadj like us, defcended from one common parent, or been, as the angels, created all at once. And if the inhabitants of the new heaven and earth," fhould be adapted to fuch an unbounded fociety with other worlds, no doubt their joy in each other will be inexpreflible, whether they look back on what grace has done for each other here, or forward to their mutual interminable glory.

Reviewing what has been faid of this city, we muft confefs that the mod magnificent ideas, and the boldell: images of nature, have done their utmoft ; yea have been even put upon the rack, to give our too-fenfual minds fome proper con- ceptions of the celeftial glory. Lord, increafe our faith of thcfe glorious, though yet invifibie rea- lities ; and efpecially imprint upon every heart the all-important declaration with which this chapter concludes, ver. 27; viz, that this city is unlike the ptireft focieties v/e ever faw upon earth ; for

thert

The feventh trumpet. Eternal Glory ! 335

there Jhall in no wife, or under any pretence what- ever, any thing enter into it that is common^ or un- clean; and that worketh abomination of any kind, or that fets up any thing above God in their heart -, and that frames a lie^ to fcreen that abomination from their own or others eyes ; but « /x») thofe only who are written in the Lamb's book of life •, whofe charafters and difpofitions, the reverfe of the others, refulted from, and were the accomplilh- ment of, God's gracious purpofe in their favor, •2 Theff. ii. 13.

CHAP. XXIL

I * A ND he fhewed me a pure river of -^^ v^^ater of life, clear as cryftal, pro- ceeding out of the throne of God, and of the Lamb.

2. In the midlt of the ftreet of it, and of the river, on the one fide and the other, was the tree of life ; producing twelve fruits, every month producing one kind of fruit : And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.

3. And every curfe fhall be no more: And the throne of God and of the Lamb fhall be in it ; and his fervants fhall ferve him.

4. And they fhall fee his face j and his name fhall be on their foreheads.

c. And

33^ 'i'welve Kinds of celejiial Fruits. [XXII. i, 2c

5. And there fliall be no night there : And they have no need of a lamp, nor of the light of the fun, becaufe the Lord God enlightens them ; and they fhall reign for ever and ever.

The angel is flill fpeaking of the celeftial city, which God has prepared for his fervants ; and of which fuch glorious things are here, and elfe- 'wV'.Qxe fpoken.

When the body is animal, and therefore thirfty, no more, there muft be fuch a thirft in the glorified foul, as to welcome and endear all further Divine difcoveries: J7td accordingly, as a tiver proceeded out of the ancient Eden, to watct that garden of God, and quench the thirft of its happy inhabitants, Gen ii. 10 -, fo he JJoewed me a pure river of the water of life^ clear as cry flat \ which was adumbrated by the living waters which ijfued from under the threfhold of Ezekiel's temple, and came out from the right Jide of the hcufe, at the South fide of the altar ^ chap, xlvii. i John vii. 37: But thefc waters proceeded immediately cut of the throne of God and of the Lamb -, for the Lamb could fay, ' All that the Father hath ii ' mine^ even to the throne of his glory :' And if the Father and Chrift communicate of their grace here, how much more will they in heaven ? — There the glorious Lord will be unto his people, a place of broad rivers with fireams^ wherein fhall go no galley zvith oars ; neither fljall gallant fhips pafs thereby. If a. xxxiii. 21.

In the midfi of the fireet of this city, and of the river, which branched itfelf out into glorious ft reams -, en the one fde and on the other, both of the ftreet and the river, was that tree of life, in the midft cf the Paradife of God, of which our Lord promiicd thofe who overcame, that

ihey

The feventh Trumpet. Eternal Glory ! 337

they fhoLild for ever eat^ chap. ii. 7. fee Gen, iii. 22 — Producing twelve fruits for the twelve tribes of Ifrael ; and yielding one kind of fruit every month-, v^hich fpeaks the enjoyments of heaven various, progreflive, yet ftill the fame, though ever new and young.

This tree of life rcprefents Jefus Chrift, who, when wounded v/ith the fword of Divine jufticc, bled out the only balm which could ever heal a dying world ; and when as thus wounded, he is cad into our bitter waters, called Marab, he makes them both fweet and purifying, Exod. XV. 25. The faints ftt under the fJjadow of this tree of life in this world with great delight ; and bis fruit is fweet to their tajle. Cant. ii. 3, par- ticularly thefe twelve ; viz. Spiritual L//>, Wifdom^ and Faith; Strength, Repentance and Love; Pardon, San^if cation and Adoption ; Patience, Heavenly- mindednefs and Perfeverance ; fruits wliich no other tree, but the Tree of Life can ever yield to fallea men — But who can venture even to guefs at the fruits which this Tree will yield in heaven ? — Mr. Cafe (on mount Pifgah, part 3. page 50.) men- tions ten ingredients, which make up that enjoy- ment which the faints have in heaven, viz, Sui- tabknefs, Fulnefs.^ Prefence, Propriety, Poffejfion, In^ timacy, Freflrnefs, Fixednefs, Reflection and Compla- cency; to which if we add Company and Immutability, we (hall have twelve ingredients of the heavenly BlefTcdnefs : But thefe are properties of the fruit which this Tree will yield every month of their eternal years, not twelve different kinds oi fruits. Every power of the foul v^ill however have new delights, and new pleafure in them, though it doth not yet appear what we JJjall be ; but we know fays this apollle, that when Chrift fJjall appear we fhall be like him, for we fhall fee him as he is, I John iii. 2.

Z And

338 TbeLeavesofibeTreebealibeNalwnj.[XXU.2.

And the leaves of the Tree have been, are, and Ihall be, (as the verb is not mentioned, we may read it either way) for the healing of the nalions^ Pfal. i. 3. The leaves of a tree fliew both the reality and the Ipecies of the life which is in its root; fo that good confejpion which our Lord witnejfed before Pontius Pilate^ John xviii. '^y. I 'Tim. vi. 13 ; and the gracious affurances which he gives in the word, of his willingnefs to help and fave every returning finner, have been, and fliall, to the end of the world, be for the healing of the nations-, particularly of this dreadful ma- lady, their unbelief j and for this they are pre- ferved in the word, as in fpirits, publifhed by miniiters, and applied to the finner's bleeding wounds by the Spirit of God. And in heaven too, the unceafing declarations which our dear Lord will make, of his unabating and everlaft- ing tendernefs to them, will for ever preclude all decay of that affeftion and duty to him, which might otherv/ife take place, through the natural defectibility of all creatures as fuch; for faints and angels in heaven know nothing of felf-fuf- ficiency: But whilft they fee their everlafting blelTednefs refulting from the mediation and the guardian care of the Son of God, his continued demonftrations and communications of love to them, will make it impoffible that their duty or" blifs fliould ever decay.

3, 4, 5, And, though the effeds of the firft curie had been long written in the duft of the faints in the grave, now after the faints are raifed, are publickly i'cquitted, and placed in this new heaven and earth, every curfe fhall ceafe, and he no more ; nor fhall there be any appear- ance of it left, either on foul or body, or in their fituation, connexions, or circumftances-j/cr on the contrary, the throne of their now perfectly

reconciled

The feventh 'Trumpet. Glory! Glory! 339

reconciled God^ and of the hanih Jhall he in the city they inhabit, and fill every part of it with the moit tranfporting joy : And his fervants Jhall ferve him, in llich animated and traiilporting mi- niftrations before him, as God himfelf and they defire. And they Jhall, not as here behold his back parts, or the fkirts of his garments, hut fee his face unclouded, without an envious veil be- tween. And his name, which had here been their truft, fliall there be their everlafting boaft on their foreheads ; as Aaron had holinefs to the Lord on the fore-front of his mitre, £x^^.xxviii.36, 37, and as they had worn his name on their foreheads in this world, chap. xiv. i. And as that world will know no fcenes of inward or outward mifery, darknefs, forrow or fear, to be covered up in a fable gloom ; fo there floall be no night there, to ihatch the very diffelrcnt fcenes of that blelTed ftate from view, but perfe6t, unclouded, eternal noon ; and this not occafioned by any external or created light ; for there they have no need of a lamp, for their inward or outward illumination, feor of the light of the fun -, hecaufe the Lord 'God perpetually enlightens them; ver. i, 3 : And they fjall perfe^ly reign over their own thoughts and affections ; and the holy commaRds of the now glorified foul, lliall run with more facility through every power of their natures, than royal orders on earth had ever fwayed the different parts of a kingdorh : And this their reign fnall be for ever and ever, aS well over them.feives, as over all their enemies ; in whofe doom, however dread- ful, they fhall with pleafure fee every Divine per- feftion difplayed and honoured.

6. And he faid to me, Thefe words are

faithful and true; and the Lord God of

the holy prophets, hath fent his angel, to

Z 2 Ihew

3P Cbrift comes quickly. [XX. 6 — 9.

fhew to his fervants what mufl quickly be done.

7. Behold I come quickly; bleiTed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.

8. And I John am he who faw, and heard thefe things; and when I had heard and feen them, I fell down to worfliip before the feet of the angel, who fhewed me thefe things.

9. And he faid unto me. See, not ; for I am a fellow fervant with thee, with thy brethren the prophets, and with thofe who keep the words of this book : Worfhip God.

Having finilhed that account of the celeflia^ city, which the Lord faw needful for us, the angel repeats a third time the affiirance which had been given before,chap.xix. 9, and xxi. ^^ilr^t thefe words are faithful and true \ and, adds he, The Lord God of the holy prophets hath fent mc his angel, to open forne of his fecrets ; zndijljew to his fervants, for their dire6lion, honour and comfort, the things whi^ mujl foon he done in fucceffion, till they are all accomplifhed.

And while the angel was fpeaking, his Lord ftept forth, and faid. Behold I come quickly : They are Chrifl's words. Rev. iii. 11, and ver. 12, 20, of this chapter ; as well as the fimilar phrafe, chap. xvi. 15 : And it is well known, that ' the

* fcripture, as v/ell as every other animated ftyle,

* abounds with inftances of tranfition from one ' fpeaker to another, as well as of the perfon

* fpoken to, without any other warning of it

* than what the words thcmfelves give;' kc Pfal. XX. 5, 6, 7. A^s I 4. Rev. xvi. 13 — 16. True

3 indeed.

The /event h Trumpet, Glory ! Glory I 341

indeed, this angel will come with his Lord; and the apoftle John will probably diftinguifh him from others, when he lees him Ihining in his great Mailer's train -, but there fcems nothing fuf- ficiencjy inrerefting, either to our apollle or to us, in his coming to make it the fubjed; of fuch a declaration — Therefore our Lord proceeds, as it was faid at the beginning of this book, chap. i. 3, fo 1 fiy again, Blejfcd is he who fo hears and reads, as really to keep the words of the prophecy of this book^ which affords to every humble eye of faith, a brighter difplay of the various glories of JESUS, and particularly of his wifdom, au- thority and power, than what appeared in his Hate of humiliation.

And I John am the perfon \n\\o faw^ and heard thefts things •, and when I had heard and feen thera^ notwithllanding the rebuke I had had before for the fame, chap. xix. lo, I fell down to wcrfhip before the feet cf the angel^ who fhewed me thefe things ; and whom I had not fufficiently diftin- guilhed from the perfon who fpake laft to me — Lord ! what is man ! Alas i with the pureft in- tentions in his heart he may, by one means or other, fall into things v/hich his foul abhors. To fuppofe himfelf pf.rfeftly free from fin, is not the fpot of God's children : Learn however from this inftance, to bev/are of giving undue honours even to eminent fervants of God, who have been diftinguilhed inftruments of good and comfort to you. At the fame time, obferve from this ccndudl of the angel ; that the nearer men ap- proach to angelic perfedion, the more they ab- hor and guard again (t being unduly honoured : And he faid unto me^ See ! not ! for however my na- ture, fituation, and fcrvices may be exalted above thine at prefent, Ihn even now but a fellow- fer- vant with thce^ and with thy brethren the prophets ; Z 3 and

342 The Book muji not he fealed. [XXII.ig,&g,

and in general with all thofe who keep the words of this book: I'Vorpip God with undivided, undi- verted, and everlafling ardor ; for he is all in all to us all ; fee A5is xiv. 1 1 — 18.

10. And he faith unto me. Seal not the words of the prophecy of this book j for the time is near.

11. He that is unjuft, let him be unjuft ftill ; and he that is filthy, let him be filthy ftill : And he that is righteous, let him be righteous ftill; and he that is holy, let him be holy Hill.

12. And behold 1 come quickly; and my reward is with me, to recompence to every one as his work fhall be,

13. I am the Alpha and the Omega, Be- ginning and End, the Firft and the Lafi:.

14. Bielled are they who do his com- mandments, that they may have a right to the tree of life; and may enter by the gates into the city,

15. But without are dogs, and forcerers, and fornicators, and murtherers, and idola- ters ; and every one v/ho loves and make$ a lye.

16. I JESUS have fent my angel, to teflify thefe things to you in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David ; the bright and the morning ftar.

17. And the Spirit and the bride fay. Come ; and let him that is athirft come : And whofoever will, let him receive of the water of life freely.

18. For

T'he fevenih Trumpet. Vaft Eternity! 3. 5.3

18. For I teilify to every one that hear- eth the words of the prophecy of this book. If any man add to thefe things, Cod fliall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book :

19. And if any one fhall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

It was time for the angel to withdraw, and for the Lord of angels to appear again, when his fervant was in danger of being miitaken for him- felf; and He it is who fpeaks in ver. 10, 11, though he is introduced without the mention of his name, till himfelf publifnes it ver. 13, 16. Buj: with what rapture did the difciple %vboi}i Jefus Icved hear, if his J^ord addreffed him with a voice akin to, or the fame which he had ufed in the days of his flclh, when he faid to him, ver. 10, Though I ordered Daniel to Jljut up the words^ and feal the book to the time of the end, chap, xii. 4 ; yet now feal not the words of the prophecy of this book; nor \&t any of my fervants feal it, either by their fiience about it, or by difcourag- ing men from ftudying it ; but let them rather tear off every guilty feal which either my enemies, or miftaken fervants have fet upon it; for the time is near? And if it was fo almoft feventcen hundred years ago, it is ftill niuch nearer now.

And, as the lail irreverfible leal v/ill foon be itl upon the charaiflers of all men, fo now, before it is atlually fet, at the clofe of this book, with awful juftice I fay it, ver. 11, Let him that is unjuji, be unjuji Jlill , and he who is filthy^ after all the means I have appointed for his purgation ; Z 4 as

344 JVithoui are Dogs^ Sec. [XXII. 15 — 19

as it is unreafonable that any further grace fhould be thrown away upon him, therefore this long- pitying heart now fays, Lei him be filthy ft iU : But, as the contrary charadlers have been formed with infinite expence, by the Eternal Three; therefore with pleafure I add this immortal feai to my own gracious works -, and fay, Let him that is right sous ^ he righteous ftill; and let him that is hcl)\ be holyftill: For as for God, his way isperfetl.

To the one and the other of thefe I fay it, ver. 12, Behold I come quickly, and what my fervants now fee, may furcly enable thern to behold this grand event, both as certain and near : And as I fliall come in that glory which is, and will be the juft reward of my own humiliation, John v. 27. Phil. ii. 6 — 10 •, fo my rezvard, which 1 will give, is with me •, to recommence to every one., as the nature, the fpring and principle, and the leading aims and ends of his work pall, in that day, ap- pear to be : For however various the works of any man may now appear, when his cho^. n em- ployments are traced up to their fountain head, they will appear to be but one continued work. Matt. XXV. '^i — 46. Johnv\..ii^. Rom.n. 10.

And that none may trifle v/ith fuch a declara- tion, I (eai again its immutability, by thofe folemn names of my:e)f, which I have fo repeatedly pub- lifhed •, to be the ftrong tower of my people's defence, before I appear to the joy, or terror of every reafonable creature; viz, ver. 13. I am the Alpha and the Omega ; Begimiing and End \ the Firft and the Laji ; fee Ifa. xli. 4. xliv. 6. and xlviii. 12. Rev. i. 8, 11. and xxi. 6. Therefore, whatever men may think or fay, Happy are they^ and they only, ver, 14, vjho do his command- ments, that they may have i^ovcioc a new-covenant right or' authority, founded in the purchafe of Chrift, and the promife and oath of God, to the

^ree

The feventh Trumpet, Vaft Eternity ! 34^,

Tree cf life ; for thou^rh they can never attain any legal right, upon the terms of any covenant of works whatever; yet their keeping my command- ments, will be an evident token, that they have taken hold of n^y falvation, and confequently have a right, a^ the {o\->i of God, to enter through the gates into that city, wiikK has been fo fully defcribed, chap. xxi.

But, remark it. Reader, ver. jj. Without are thcfe finners who refemble dogs ; who here flew upon the affrighted fheep of Jefus, as long as they v/ere withm their reach, and whofe brirtal natures render them incapable cf enjoying the celeftial bleffednefs ; and jorcerers^ -^'ho poTfoned the fouls or bodies of men-, and whoremongers, who lunk their reafon under a load of brutality ; and murtherers, and idolaters, who let up fome- thing in their hearts and lives above God ; and every one who loveth and froMifeth a lye, to cover the fms he refolves not to pare with.

Thus fpoke the Son of God j or if an ancrel littered thole words in ver. 14, 15, to give The greater folemnity to them, his Lord added, ver. 16, / Jefus have fent my angel, to teflify thefe things to you in the churches : And now I leave with you one more concluding name of myfelf; which will declare both my nature, and my federal re- lation to my covenant people, whom I mull guard during the night of their darknefs and conflids here -, for as God, / am the Root from which David fprung •, and as man, the Offspring of that illuftrious prophet and king ; v^ho alio, on a parti- cular occafion, wore a prieJUy attire, that he might be the more lively a type of my three offices for the falvation of finners ; fee i Chron.; xv. 27. Matt. xxii. 42 — 45. Rev, v. 5. I am alio from and in heaven, as the bright and morning Star •, and in a fovereign manner, I (hed my uncontrolled in- fluence

346 An Invitation to Chrifl. [XXII. 17.

fiuence upon tPie earth, and particularly prj Mount Sion, chap. ii. 28. Enough, will faith re- ply ; for, when the Spirit applies thefe characters and glories to my heart, I want no more to in- gage me to count all things but lofs and dung., for the excellency of the knowledge of Jefus Chrifi my Lord. But what can a prorefTor do, a.ainft the gigantic hods who con(tantly oppole his en- trance into heaven, without fuch a view of his Lord ? or, who is he that overcom-eth the zvorld^ but he that believeth that Jefus is the Son of God? I John V. 5.

But left the trembling foul fhould fear, that this glorious Jesus will not beftow himfelf upon him, he adds one more concluding invitation to every one who reads and hears this •, which he alfo connects with his own preceding names, ver, 17. Jnd the Spirit and the bride continue to fay ^ Come ; the former faith it by the word, ordinances, facramcnts, minifters, providences, and by al] the gifts and graces of his fervants-, as well as by his own immediate influences orj the humau heart: And the latter faith it, by her heavenly drefs, by her holy converfation, by her ferene and joyful countenance, by coming daily herfelf; as well as by word and deed inviting others. And I Jefus now command. Let him that heareth, not fufter this order to flop in himfelf; but as this is a word of life and death, to every man to whom it comes, let the favoured creature to whom I fpeak convey this call from me, to every one with whom he is connedled, and in whom he has any interefti and fay to them, in my name. Come : And let him who is athirfi for the pardon of fin, for fandihcation, for the Spirit of God, and for grace and glory, let him come im- mediately ; for my heart is tender, and my arms expanded wide, as on the crofs, to receive and

embrace

"The fevenlh Trumpet. Vaft Eternity! 347

embrace him : And, that I may not feem to neg- left the mcanefl worm who has any defires after my falvation, my eyery bleeding wound opens, as it were, a new moinh to iay, Whofoever "dvill, let l^im receive of the water of life^ as freely as this all-boimteous heart can give it — Hark ! fmner \ this is the laft call of fcripture; and he that re- fufes it, dies eternally.

But as adding to, and taking from the fenfe of the word of God, was the ruin of our female parent in Eden, Gen. iii. 3-, the Lord will not conclude the facred canon, without, as it were, placing a wall of fire around thcfe infpired deeds and writings, to fecure them from daring crafc- ments, and furreptitious additions : And this properly follows upon the preceding gracious invitation ; as fuch alterations are molt likely to be attempted, with a view to make new terms of our acceptance with God ; therefore he adds^ yer. i8, 19, For I tejiify to every one that heareth the words of the prophecy of this hook,, and gather ail my glories around to feal this awful truth to him, Jf any man add unto thefe things,^ as if the facred canon was npt compleat, till he had de- bafed it with his fancies and inventions ; as he has forged the broad feal of heaven, to the infi- nite detriment of all that follow him ; therefore, to all the weighty wrath which will fall upon liim for his other fins, God floall add to him the plagues which are written in this book^ again ft the bcait and his followers-, whofe fpirir he has fo Shamefully imitated, though perhaps under the . lying pretence of great zeal againil it; fee Deut. iv. 2. and xii. 32. Prov. xxx. 6. And on the other hand. If any one, not through ignorance, or miftake, but in a daring arrogance, and to fup- port any hypothefis of his own, floall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, and,

by

34* Neither add, ncr diminijli. [XXII. 18, 19.

by a parity of rcalbn, from any other infpired book -, like anotiicr Judas he flies upon that which is as dear to me as my life, therefore, like him, he fiiall be blotted out of the hook of the living \ and net he written with the righteous^ Pfal. Ixix. 28. God will take away the part which he had out of the hook of life of church privileges, and treat him as a ftranger, and an alien ; fee Exod^ xxxii. 32. Rev. iii. 5 : Yea, he will take away the part which he would have had in the hcly city above, if he had foug^ht it, as his external pro- fefiion feemed to inthnate : But now the Lord will feparate him for ever, from all the glorious things which are written in this hook — Hear and tremble, ye papifts, who have taken away the key of knowledge, and thereby introduced a ca- tholic ignorance and impiety, to invelope and deluge the world. And let thofe proteftants, more immediattly intended here, tremble too, whofe high thoughts of thenifelves, and light thoughts of the perfon and offices of Chrijl, have made it necef- lary for them to quarrel with the obvious fenfe of one infpired part and another of the facred canon ; which naturally and conftantly tends to a deiflical difaffedlion to the whole of it •, whether it does or not proceed fo far as to terminate in it.

But fee ! thefe holy fl:reams of infpiration are NOW going to be cut off from the infinite Foun- tain which poured them forth — That blefied Fountain will give us no more at prefent; fo Father, for fo it feemed good in thy fight ; thy wif- dom has ccnfulted our weaknefsj and therefore fealed up infinite eternal things in a companion- ate filence, after thou hadft furniHied us with the moft honourable and interefting employment for devout meditation, even if our days fhodld be prolonged to the utmofc pofiible date of frail mortality— yet hear, for our apoftle, full of the

infpiring

The feventh Trumpet. Vafl Eternity ! 349

infpiring God, has yet a few words more to fay in his name.

20. He that teftiiies thefe things faith, Surely I come quickly. Amen, even fo come Lord Jesus.

21 i The Grace of our Lord Jefus Chrifl be with you all. Amen.

As though our apoftle had faid, Whatever you forget, do not forget this one word, ^ickly ; and that you may not, as his minifter, I thankfully take it up from the lips of my Mailer, and his angel-, and oh 1 that God would found it out fo loud, as to drown the noife of every intruding vanity ; for He who tejiifies thefe folemn and glo- rious things^ faith. Surely I come q^ukkly by death to every individual, to feal up the ear which now hears thefe words; and at the final judgment I fhall come quickly to all — Reader, are you ready? Can you welcome him? Where is the heart that fays Amen to this declaration ? Can the creatures whom he came to fave, wifh his continued abfence or delay ? — At lead, fays our apoftle, my heart replies Amen -, even fo ame Lord Jesus quickly as thou haft faid; for what have I here, as from the earth, but what is mingled with fin and forrow? I long, I pant for thy pre- fence too, my Dear All in All ! My life is hid with thee in God ' Oh! for compleat falvation! Come, my Lord, Come quickly. My fleflj and my heart cry out for the living God. And while thy chariot yet delays, I will imitate the mercy to which I owe all my hopes; and, with an eye lifted up to God, and a hand ftretched out to men, with all the fervour of a chriftian, I will fay officially as a minifter of falvation ; May the illuminating, quickening, transforming, fandifying, comfort- ins:

^^6 A Concluding Prayer.

ing and prefefving Grace:, which is in and of our Lord Jefus Chriji^ trealured up in him for the life of dying finners, be with you all\ to forni every power and faculty divine, fo that you may ^^erceive your heaVen begun •, and be able to (hed the light and glory of the great falvation al! around yoii — And that the glorious Amen^ Jesus, to whom thefe laft words of fcripture are a Ib- lemn prayer, may grant in our favour this apoftolic requeft, I intreat my Reader to join me heartily in this concluding

P R A Y E R.

"OLESSED be God for all his words and •^ works •, add efpecially for this Revelation of Jefus Chrifiy which He gave unto hini^ to fhe-w unt6 his ferv ants things which mufi JJjortly come to pafs. And now let the power of our Lord be great, iri the accomplifhment of the glorjous things which he has here fpoken •, and adapt thy people iri every future age to ail thy will concerning them. Forgive whatever, has been offenflve to thee, in the fpirit of the writer or reader of this piece; and, if it may be the will of God, fuffer no man to read it wholly in vain-, or without growing in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jefus. If knowledge is, in ever fo fmall a degree, increafed, let it not puff up any man i but kindle upon the altar of every heart that love which edifieth : And even now give us by faith the fubftance of the things hoped for; and fuch a prefent intercourfe with eternal fcenes, as may difarm the temptations of life -, that fo God in all things may be glorified, through Jefus Chrift ; to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

appendix:.

( 35« )

APPENDIX.

SOME complain that there are not fufKcient Data (marks and charaders) laid down, to enable us certainly to diftinguifh the events and times of this revelaition. But that this charge, if it has any appearance of foundation, by no means lies againit the far greateft part of this prophecy, is, I hope, evinced under the three laft Trumpets, which clearly defcribe the grand events which the church and the world are to exped from A. D. 606 to 3125, and the times of each-, as the laft of thofe trumpets alfo clearly opens the things of eternity to our view, fee chap. ix. to the end of this book. True, in the former part of this prophecy, grand events are pointed out, under the fix laft feals and the four firft trumpets, without any account given us in the revelation itfelf, of the times of any of them ; which was, no doubt, defigned to intimate that, for wife reafons, the Lord would not give his church, at that time, fo clear a view of this reve- lation, as he intended to give in the time of the fixth trumpet, and efpecially under the feventh •, fee chap. x. 2, 6, 7. But though it feemed need- ful, that fome of thefe prediftions fhould be vailed in obfcurity, before their accomplifnmenr, it by no means follows from hence, that we muft always remain uncertain about the times of thefe undated prophecies : And as the three laft trum- pets defcribe an orderly feries of events from A D. 606 to the end of the world, it is natural

to

2 $2 The Times may be known.

to exped the fame, with relation to the five hundred and ten years which occur between the opening of the firft feal, A. D. 96, and the found- ing of the filth trumpet, A. D. 606. What kind of events the intermediate feals and trum- pets between ihofe announce, and in what order they will occur, the feries of the prophecy fuf- ficiently declares. To arrive therefore at a cer- tainty about thefe prcdidions, we have only fur- ther to enquire vjhere we are to look for the events delcribed; and this mufc certainly be in the neighbourhood of the church, which, is the guardian of thcfe facred oracles, that is, in the Roman em.pire, (though not only there) which arofe to, and continued fo long in its power for the fake of the church. In that empire therefore chiefly, we were neceflarily led to lock for the calamities and judgments which open at the breaking of the fecond, third and fourth feals.

Afterwards the fixth feal opens fuch atri- iimph of chriilianity in that empire, as obliges VIS to think of Conilantine the great, who reigned from A. D. 306 to '^'^^f \ and the date of this triumph being thus fixed by hiitory, both enables us to fix the date of the fecond, third and fourth feals, and throws confidcrable light upon the times of the four firft trumpets. By the time of the founding of thofe trumpets, it began to be known that the Roman empire was but about the third 'part of the then kpown world ; and this defcriptien of that empire under thefe four trumpets, leaves no doubt on what place the judgments predicted would fall: and the Vv^eftern part of that empire being ruined under the fourth trumpet, A. D. 476, and yet more compleatly by A. D. ^^^^ this made it very eafy to point out the judgments intended under each preced-

the Times may be known. 253

ing trumpet -, the firft of which hiflory afllires us began A. D. 395.

Thele things confidered, I hope it appears, that there are in every part of this prophecy, fufficient data to enable us, or at lead to enable the fervants of God who fhall live in the time of the feventh trumpet, to fix the date of every event defcribed in this book •, though it does not appear that he defigned that his fervants in every age Ihould equally underftand this reve- lation.

FINIS.

Aa AN

A N

N

D E

X

OF THE

SCRIPTURES more or lefs iUuilrated in thefe Remarks.

	Gen.		1	Ch.	Verfe.	Page.
Ch.	Verfe.	Page. 1	xxiv.	10 -	- 97
i.	5		192	xxv.	31 -	- 5
ii.	18—25	-	3^5	xxviii.	10,17—	-20-329
	21, 22	-	m		17—21	- 3
iii.	3	-	347	XXX.	7 -	- 53
vii.	24 -	-	312		10 -.	- 94
viii.	1—6	-	lb.		18 -	- 8
XV.	17 -	-	5	xxxii.	32 -	- 348
xxii.	8 -	-	15	xl.	33-> 35	- 213
xxiv.	2. 3	-	276		Lev.
xxix.	27, 28	-	269	i.	9' 13	- 52
xxxi.	48 -	-	110	ix.	24 -	- ib.
[xxvii.	9, 10	-	59	X.	I -	- ib.
xlviii.	15, 16	-	52	xvi.	12, 13	- ib.
xlix.	I	-	290		Numb
	9 -	-	13	iv.	16 -	- 53
	Exod.			X.	4 -	2
vii.	8—12	-	113	xiii.	-	- 44
	25 -	-	216	xvii.	10 -	- 133
ix.	15 -	-	26	xxiv.	7:17 -	59^236
XV.	25 -	-	337	xxv.	^3 -	- 291
xix.	4 -	-	159		Dent.
	16 -	54	5134.	xiii.	'—3	- 172
			182	xvii.	6 -	- no
			A	a 2		Ch.

Texts illujlrated.

Ch.	Verfe. Page.	Pfal.	Verfe.	Page.
xxviii.	-	22		Pfal.
xxix.	i8 - -	61	xvi.	10 -	- 222
xxxiii.	-	44	xix.	4, 6	- 124
	Judo.		xxvii.	I -	- 98
vii.	12 T -	78	xxviii.	8 r.	- ib.
	I Sam.		XXX.	7 -	- 58
xix.	20 - -	105	xxxi.	h5	- 98
xxviii.	13 - -	302	XXXV.	5,6	218
	2 Sam.		xxxvii.	29 -	- 98
xii.	30 - -	274	xlv.	3, &c.	- 20
xxiii.	6 - -	114		13 -	- ^37
	I Kings		xlvi.	2,5 -	- 58
vi.	30 - -	330		4 -	- 108
viii.	10, II -	213	Ivi.	8 -	- 218
XV.	4 -	- 5	lix.	5,8	- 107
xvii.	I - -	125	Ixv.	I	- 50
	2 Kings			6 -	- 58
i.	10 — 12 -	172	Ixvi.	3 -	- 128
iii.	13. 14 -	166		6 -	18, 292
xviii.	4 -	43		12	209
	I Chron.		Ixviii.	17 -	- 6
XV.	27 - -	345	ixxiv.	13	- 139
xxi.	12 - 26,	217	Ixxvii.	18	102
XXV.	2, 3 -	105		19	- 167
	2 Chron.		Ixxxi.	2 — 5 -	17,182
iv.	2—6 -	- 8	Ixxxiii.	i4, 15	- 54
V.	10 - -	^Z3	Ixxxv,	10	14
	14 - -	213	Ixxxvii.	3 -	- 108
xviii.	- -	123	xc.	12	- 115
XXV.	- - _	ib.	cix.	4 -	- 32
	Ezra		ex.	3 -	- 270!
vii.	14 -	51	cxxxii.	17 -	- 5
	Erther		cxxxix.	12	- 293
i.	10 — 14 - Job	51	cxlix.	5—9 Prov.	- 284
i.	19 - r	238	Ch. XV.	28	- 157
XXXVI.	7 -	j8		30	Ch,

Texts illujirated.

Ch.	Verfe. Page.	Ch.	Verfe. Page.
xvii	22 - 196	xl.	II - 283
xxi.	I - - 18		31 • - 9
	Ecclef.	xlii.	3 - - 5
xi	3 - - 57	xliii.	4 - •^ 212
	Cantic.		5^ 6 - 103
ii.	3 - -317	xlv.	18 - 317
iii.	II - 275		23 - 19
viii.	5 - 152	xlviii.	1 - 196
	Ifaiah	xlix.	10 - 47
ii.	2 - 290		14 — 26 - 103
	10.19,21 - 39	Ii.	9 - 139
	12, 13 - 57		i5> i^ - 35
	12 — 14 - 58	liv.	5 - 138
iii.	1 1 - 208		9 - - 5
vi.	6> 7 - 54	Iv.	3 - - 14
viii.	6, 7 - 227, 249	Iviii.	10 - 293
	18 - 138	Ix.	15, 21 - 291
ix.	18 - 114		i9> 20 - 32^
xi.	I - 14	Ixi.	JO - 47
	2 - -IS		7, 8 - 291
	10 — 16 - 103	Ixii.	I - - 5
xiii.	10 - 35^59^^5	Ixiii.	I - 2j, 45
	21,22 - 257		I — 6 - 268,275
xviii.	5 - 204		3 - 204
XXV.	6,11 - 212,22s	Ixiv.	6 - 47
xxvi.	9 - 28	]xy.	17—25 -31^
	19 - 286	Ixvi.	5—9 - 143
xxviii.	2 - - 249		6 — 12 - 190
XXX.	19 - 103		6 — 16 - 103
	26 - 5, .33-		15 - 54
xxxi.	9 - 8, 209		22 - 326
xxxiii.	II — 14 - 297		24 - 297
	21 - 336		Jerem.
xxxiv.	I — 10-267,268	ii.	2 - 183
	4 - 35	iv.	19 - 55^
xl.	4 - - 58		100,129
	6 - 57		23, 24 - s^

Aa 3

Ch

Texts illnftrated.

Ch.	Verfe. Page.	Ch.	Verfe. Page.
ix.	21 - - 2d	xxxix.	II — 16 - 125
xvi.	14,15-103,183		20 - 93
xix.	5 - - 43	xl.	3 - 106
xxiii.	7, 8 - 183		5 - 213
	15 - 61	xli.	7 -• - 214
xxxi.	4 — 12 - 103	xlii.	20 - ib.
xxxiii.	14 — 16 - 142	xliii.	16—19 - 213
	23 — 26 - 103	xlv.	2 - 214
xlvii.	2 - 249	xlvi.	9 - - ib.
li.	7 - - 244	xlvii.	I — 12 - ib.
	Ezek.	xlviii.	I - -33^
i.	5 - - 6,8		35 - 215
	10 - - 8		Dan.
ii.	I - 127	ii.	35.44,45 - 58
	8 - 104	iii.	28 - - 18
iii.	I, 2, 3 - ib.	iv.	10,15,26 - 57
	24 - 127		16,23,25 ' 115
ix.	4 - - 42	vii.	- 162
X.	2 - - 54		3—7 - 164,168
xvi.	53—63 - 103		4. - - 127
xvii.	24 - 57		8,24,25 - 164,
xxii.	20 — 22 - 54		i7i^i9i»
xxvii.	13 - 262		247,248
xxix.	3 - 139		10 - 50
xxxi.	8, 9 - 57		II - 265
xxxii.	7 - - 3'->		12 - 167
	7' S - 59^ 65		18 - 143
xxxiv.	27 - 152		25 - 159
xxxvii.	3,12 — 14 - 286	viii	3,20 - 171,191
	10 - 127		5—7y 7 187,
xxxviii.	- 103, 227,		21, 22 5 191
	296, 297		9—12, 7 191, 23 — 26 3 192
	4> 5 - 93
	i^ - 227, 234		10 - - 59
xxxix.	103, 227,		13,14 - 103,
	296, 297		115, 186,
	9—15 - 227		191—193
			Ch.

	Texts illuftrated, §
ch.	Verfe. Page.	Ch. Verfe. Page.
viii.	17 - ^93	Joel
ix	20-27 - 22,115,	i. 6 - . y^
	186,187,	ii. 3 — 8 - ib.
	216, 309	10, II - ^6
X	II - 127	iii. - - i03
	13, 20 - ^5	2-18-235-237
	21 - 152	13 - 204
xi	2 - - <^6	Amos
	4—43 - 75.7^^	V. 26 - 69
	188,231	vi. 12 - 61
	J3 - 115	ix. II — 15 - 103
	30—35 - 1 87,	Micah
	188	iv. 1 - 290
	21—35 - 37^	Nahum.
	186-188,	i. 6 - - 54
	191	iii. 17 - 27
	38,39 -98,230	Habak.
	40 — 43 - ^^	iii. 4 - i 175
	44 -174,184	Zephan.
	45 -228,236	iii. 8,19,20 - 103
xii.	- 75^ 76	Hag.
	t - 152	ii. 6, 21, 22 - ^6
	1,2,3-232,233	Zech.
	7 - i02.	i. 8 — II - 22
	109,159	18 — 21 - 167
	7—12 - 103,	iv. 2, 10 - 15
	115,299	3. II - 253
	II - 188— 191	6 - - III
	12 - 230—232,	7 - - ss
	311— 313	II — 14- no
	Hofea	vi. 12, 13 - 106
iii.	4, 5 - 103	X. 3 - - 108
V.	7 - . - 108	xi. 2 - - s7
vi.	2 - - 292	8,12,13 - 10^
xi.	I - - 214	xiv. 2 — 21 - 228 —
Xii.	4 - - 52	230, 236, 296
xiii.	15 ~ - 60	9 - - 254 A a 4 Gh.

Texts illujirated.

Ch.	Vcrfe. Malac.	Page.	Ch,	Verfc. Mark	Page.
iii.	I -	- 52	' iii.	17	21
	3 -	- 8	vi.	39	27
	17	^Zi		44	324
iv.	I, 2 -	101	viii.	9	ib.
			IX.	19	129
	Macth.		X.	35—45	- Zl
ii.	15	214	xiii.	32	307
lit.	10	57			—310
iv.	8—10	- 165		34, Zl	- ib.
V.	14	Z^5	XV.	25	306
	20 -	- 47	xvi.	2	lb.
	25	129		8	129
	30	268		T.vike
vii.	2 -	- 170	i.	10	50
	22	105	viii.	31 - 7	2, 104
ix.	37> 38 -	201	x.	2	201
xi.	25, 26	- 307	xi.	34, ZS	- 74
xii.	30	21	xiii.	28 -	199
XV.	19 -	- n		32	292
xix.	28	3 '6	xvi.	20 — 22	- 221
	30 -	'i^9		23	199
XX.	2	24	xxi.	24 -	107
	25—28	- 37	xxii.	24—30	- Zl
xxi.	32	2b		28—30	- 4
xxiv.	-	22		36-38	- 147
	15 -	187	xxiv.	27	IC2
	29 -	36		John
	36-38	- 309	i.	I	275
	37—51	- 298		4	15
	42, 43	- Z^9		17 - ]	7,158
XXV.	6	270	iv.	21	'^9Z
xxvi.	I	158		29 -	^^Z
	52 -	'47		35--38	- 201
xxviii.	7^8 .	120	vi.	^3 - '	127
	18 -	158	ix.	25	324
	20	6	X.	16 -	212 Ch.

Texts illujirated.

Ch.	Verfe.	Page.	Ch. Verfe. Page.
xi	2	158	x. 30 - 166
	9 -	^93	xiii. 8,10,11 - 271
	29	iig	xiv. 20 - 170
	42 -	53	2. Corinth.
xii.	5	158	iii. 18 - 47
	31 -	95	V. 10 - 313
XV.	5	100	X. 4, 5 - III
xvi.	33 -	152	xi. 25 - J 92
xvii.	9	94	xii. 7 - - 158
	17 -	330	Gal.
- XX.	2.8 -	183	iii. 19 - - 6
	AAs		21 - 158
ii.	1—15 -	307	27, 28 - 42
	24 -	i3«	iv. 19 - ij8
iii.	6	204	Ephef.
	21 - 181	^3^5	i. 10 - 334
V.	31	226	II - - II
vii.	53 -	6	19, 20 - 288
X.	12,28 -	318	ii. 6 - 4.127,
xvii.	31 -	3ii	143
	Rom.		20 - 106, 326
i.	20	269	2 1 - 106
iii.	8	166	iii. 8 - - 158
iv.	II -	42	10 - 207
Vii.	6 -	47	15 - - 45
viii.	24	223	IV. 7 - 158
	i5	3 '9	10 - - 72
ix.	27,28 -	210	V. 'i-5-~3- - 269
x.	18	124	27 - 184
xi.	25, 26 -	103	Philip.
XIV.	1 0 — • 1 2 -	19.	i). 6 - - 3.
		210	10 - 19
1	. Corinth.		iii. 4 - - ^24
iii.	21	ifi t	9 - 47
iv.	13	166	Colof.
V.	II	J 54	i. 13 - 143
vi.	10	lb.	16 - - 222 Ch.

Texts illuftrated.

Ch.	Verfe. Page.	Ch.	Verfe. Page.
i.	20 - 316		Jam.
ii.	18 - - 271	V.	17,18-113,125
iii.	3 - 42		I. Pet,
	I. Their.	i.	12 - - 207
iv.	16, 17 - 302,		20 - 290
	Z^3'>?,^9	iv.	4 ^ - 166
V.	1,2 - 311		14 - 126
	3—6 - 309		2. Pet.
	2. Their.	ii.	12 - - 7
i.	7 — 10 - 301		16 - 112
ii.	4 - 106	iii.	II — 13 - 316
	6.7 . - S3		I. John
	I.Tim.	i.	S - - 272
i.	20 - 166	ii.	18 - 289, 290
iii.	II - - 154		Jude
iv.	14 - 158		6 - - 281
	Tic.		8 - - 166
ii.	II— 14 .223		10 - - 7
	Heb.		13 - ' b9
i.	2 - 289, 290		Rev.
	14 - ICO	i.	3» 4 - 15
ii.	2, 5 - 6		6 - - 132
iii.	9 - - 280		8,11 - 10,268
V.	4 - 52		13 — 16 - 2,217
vi.	17 - - II		15, 17 - 127
vii.	3> 14 - 43	ii.	10 - - 29
ix.	4 - - 133		16 - 129
	22 - - 8		17 - - 177
	16 - 289		28 - 346
xii	22 — 24 - 127	iii.	4 - 223,319
	27 - 36		5 - - 34S
	29 - 5^^ 134		7 - - 281
xiii	II . - 7		11 - 129 12 - io6,ioS

AN

A N

N D E X

OF THE

Greek Words and Phrafes referred to in thefe Remarks.

aiccvcav

avzTTavauvTai

ap7ray/j,os

yElxouaag -

c'a.ifxovia

sfSahev

£xei rpi(pBTcci

STTl

srpYiviaae

Page. 26

28Q

158

30

3

lOI lOI

- 324

98

269

- 159 - 158

- 335

150 209

- 13

203, 285, 344 105, 209

222 261

ZTiXsaiv - - 158

£Tt XpOV^^ /MKpOV - 30

£(puy£V - 150, 158

£%0V TUV - - 324

^uyov - - 25

^ua, ^un-, ^ciUf ^n - 6,7,8 »p77-ajS-i - - 143

flEOTTVEvjToj p. viii. Introd.

finpiov, 9y]f>ta - 6, 162, 17 iva EKEt TpE(puaiv auTTiv 150

iva TTETYiTai - 150

xaTE^M^r) - - J 5 4.

Kpva-raXXi^ovTi - 325

xvpis - - 46

haTEivog - - 178

Mav '71 pm - 306

IxEToi raura IMiav upccv v'JxhixEpov

Page.

265 200

87 248 192

suxcv ravpQU xp^rou - 1 77

hi "KOITTQI - - 284

evof^ccra avOpcoTTUv - 1 28

b'oa-io^ - - 222

0 TiCcvroxpaTup - 268

oTav TE7\E<TU(n - 1 20

o:/;X(, owat - - 26 1

^rauaj tixj YifASpag - 6

TrETTTaaoTa - - 70

TiEpi^aM'Tai - 269

TTipi^EBM/^EVY) - 244

TTOiY^crai - - 166

WOl/^aVEJ - - 276

TtopvEia - - 99

tTe<jpto$ ^Eyaj - 36

«7yc£J - - 1 48

Ta^y - - 129,131

iy]<;o-uvotij.ca^ Tou ^pnvoui 257

uiov appEva, - - I41

v7ro - - - 97 (papiJi.aKEia^(popix7MEvai 98,322

(p'jXuv - - 45

(pcoa-TYip - - 325

X>^"p,- - - 27

%£;oi'oj oy;i EfaiETi - 102

ili'pJO'w - - 177

■>l^uxoci; - - 262

wJiyflij - - 138

ui ~ - 58

w^5n - - 137

A K

A N

INDEX

OF THE

Principal Subje6ls confidered in thefe Remarks.

yiARON's rod which budded, p. 133.

•"^^ Abaddon and Apollyon^ come out of the bot- tomlefs pit, p. 71,73,74. employs his armies againft the Jews and Gentiles, p. 83.

Abyfs opened, how, when, and by whom, p. 70 — 73, 280, 281.

Agag king of the Amalekires, p. 236.

Air, the feventh vial poured into it, p. 268, 269.

Alarick^ and his Goths, invade the Roman em- pire, p. p,6.

Alexander's empire deftroyed, p. 191.

Altar, the golden, p. 29, 50, 52, 94. the brazen, p. 50, 53, 203, 2 > 3.

America, when difcovered by Chriftopher Collum- hus^ p. CjC^. why providence did not permit the Europeans to difcover it fooner, p. 123. M^hen Mr. Robinfoii\ flock fettled there, p. 149. will probably become an afylum to the children of the two witnefies, p. 123, 144. it will appear how God prepared this Wildernefs for the fVoman, by the time that Ihe flees into it, p. 149.

Angel, Chrifl:fo called by his office, p 52, 100,281.

Angels, are innumerable, and all worfliip the Lamb, p. 18, 19. have dominion over the De- vils,

INDEX. II

vils, p. 94, loo. the works of grace too

mighcy for them, as well as for us» p. loo.

fome of them have power over fire, and others

over water, p. 203, 222 — 224. feven efpeci-

ally reprefented as (landing before God, p. 50.

mult not be worfhipped, p. 271,272, 341. Angels, earthly miniiters fo called, and why, p.

194, 195, 197, 198, 201. Anti-Chrift, nature mourned at his birth, p. 70,

71. when the P^/)^ began to be fo called, p. 153. Antiochus Epphanes, when he lived, p. 186, 187,

191. How long he caufed the daily facrifice to

ceafe, p. 186. Arabia, (b called from the locufls it produces,

p. 77, y'i. was never conquered by the Turks,

P- 93-

Arcadius, in his reign the Huns, Goths and other barbarians, invade the Roman empire, p. ^6.

Arianifm, when it fprang up, p. 67,

Arian and Pelagian errors imbitter the world like wormwood, p. p^c^ — 62. by the affiftance of a worldly fpirit, they produced Popery at firft, p. 62 -, and Arian and Arminian errors will introduce Popery again, p. 62, 121 — 123.

Ark of the covenanr, p. 133, 134.

Armageddon, what place, and where, p. 235, 235.

Articles, the thirty nine of the church of England, when firll produced in a convocation of the clergy, p. 254.

Atonement of Chrift, our only hope of falvation, p. 46, 47, 53, 106, 194.

Attila and his Huns invade the Roman empire, p. 5«-

B

"DABYLON, when taken by Cyrus, p. 193. ^ Rome, papal fo called, p. 99, 198, 239,

Palaamy

n INDEX.

Balaam, uttered true prophecies, p. 69. fome of his prophecies explained, p. 2? 6. reproved by a very contemptible inftrumenc, p. 112.

Baptifm, the lealing of God's Tervants on their foreheads, p. 42. properly adminiftered by fprinkling, p. 42. the fign of the crois in it, is will-worlhip, p. 42, 4., 251.

Barchochah, a falfe Meflirii, feduces the Jews to their deftruv5cion, p. 22.

Beaft ill, the Pope fo called, p. 72, 163, 190. afcends out of the bottomlels pit, p. 72, 164. obtains three of the ten kingaoms of the ancient heathen Roman empire, p. 247, 248. has fev en heads and ten horns^ p. 139 — \\i, 163, 246 — 248. receives his power trom the Devil, p. 164 — 167. the vafl: extent of that power, p. 169, his works, p. 166. his times, p. 167. will have one of his fcvcn hills taken from him, and when, p. 167 — 169. when his feven hills will all be crowned, p. 140, 141. his miferable end, p. 169, 170, 277, 278.

Beaft 2d, the perfon now called the grand Turk^ p. 174 — 177. his origin and chara6lers, p. 171. A falfe Prophet, p. 174. his works, p. 172 — 174. his times, p. 176. his, and the firft beaft's number, p. 177 — 179. they are both caft alive into the lake of fire, p. 277, 278. The fowls of the air are invited to feed on their troops, p. 276 — 278.

Bengelius, his chronos, and fradions, rejeded, p. 30,31,283.

Bethfhemites fmitten for looking into the ark, p. 133.

Bible, the ufe of it prohibited by the fynod of Thouloufe, p. 104. nothing muft be added to, or taken from it, p. 347, 348.

Blaney Mr, his dilTertarion on Daniel's feventy ^x?eeks,. p. 22, 216, 309.

Bloody

INDEX.

'3

Blood, hail, and fire, caft on the earth, p. g^ — ^y.

Bodies of the faints fpiritual, and adapted to fly after the refurredlion, p, 318 — 320.

Book the feaied, which none but Chrift could open, p. II — 17; StQ Revelation. The liitle i?ook what k probably contained, p. loi.when. it lay open in Chrift's hand, p. loi, 104. The I?ook of life contains the names of all who will be iaved, p. 304.

Books which are to be opened at the day of judg- ment, p. 303, 304.

Bower Mr, his account of the rife of Exarchs, Patriarchs, and Metropolitans, p. '^j., 38, 62.

Britain, when it called in the Saxons to its aid, p. 60,

c

/^HARITY, the modern cenfured, p. 107, 123, 249.

Charles lid, when he gave a general indulgence to the Englifh non-conformifrs, p. 100.

Chrifl^ equal with the Father, 3, 10, 19, 52, 183, 268, 269, 331, 332, ^^6, 344, 350. His Re- furreiflion ; and a conjedure about the time when he returned to life, and left the tomb, p. 305^ — 307. interceeds before the golden altar, p. 52. The word of God, p. 275. as foon as he is known, the foul falls to prayer, p. 51. the only perfed expofitor of the revelation, p, 103, 104. appeared to John as a Lamb that had been JIain, having feven boms and fevefi eyes, p. 14, 15. The rooi and offspring of Da- ^id\ and the lion of the tribe of Judah, p. 13, 345. triumphs by his Gofpel, p. 20, 21. is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, p. 276. when he will appear with many diadems on his head, p. 274, 275. when his marriage with the Jewifh and Chrillian church will be folemnized,

p. 269,

14 INDEX.

p. 269, 270. the key of the bottomlefs pit in his hand, he feizes the dragon, and fhuts him up there, p. 281, 282. — The bright and the morning Jfnr., p. 345, 346. — The tree cf life^ and what fruit it bt-ars on earth, p. 337. its leaves are for xht healing of the nations, p. 338. — Since the fall of man, he is a common head of prcfervation to all the holy beings in the univerfe, p. 334. — The laft invitation of fcrip- ture to him, p. 346 — comes as a thief ^ p. 234. — comes quickly, p. 349.

Chriftians, an account of them, before and after Conftantine's time; p. 41, 45, 49, &c. the caftern an account of them, p. 112. — In this prophecy firft called fealed ones, then zvit- nejfes •, and afterwards reprefented by a woman doathed with ihe Sun., &c. p. i 36, 146.

Church compared to a candleltick, p. 109, 110. when divided into the Latin and Greek, p. 117. The Greek and Proteftant churches are the two witnejfes, p. 109, no. — When, and for how long time, the church will be trodden under feet, p. 115 — 119. when fhe will rden)b]e a woman beauiii'uWy arrayed and pregnant, p. 136, 137^ See RomifiJ church.

Church of England, objeclions againft it, p. 4, 17, 37— 39' 42, 43' 61, "62, 248— 255.

Circumcifion, a feal of God in the flelh conceal- ed, p. 42.

City, the holy, what it fignifies, p, 107, 108. how long it is to be trodden under feet, p. 107. id8, 117, 1 18, 186.

City, the heavenly defcribcd, p. 317 — 339. its fize, p. 327. its wall, p. 325, 326, 328. its foundations, p. 326, 328, 329. its gates, p. 330, 3^53. has no temple in it, p. 331, has a river of water of life in it, p. 336. God is its light, p. 331, 359. nothing unclean can enter into it, p. '^^s-

I Choker

INDEX. 15

Clogher the bifhop of, his Enquiry into the times of the Mejfiah's coining^ p. 291, 2g2.

Colours which the Turks and Papiils affcd, p. 97^ 244.

Confiantine the Greats where he was born, p. 41. when he began to reign, p. 37. fluduates be- tween the herefy of Arius, and the Athanafian dodrine, ibid, is faid to have feen a crofs in the heavens, in his way to Rome, p. 42, 4g. cftablifhes a new form of governmen:, and fe- cularizes the ecclefiaftical hierarchy, p. o^'jy 38. removes the feat of the empire 10 Con- ftantinople, p. 39. begins the temporal and fpiritual difgrace of Rome, ibid, how long he reigned, p. 39, 42. not the man child men- tioned, chap. xii. 5. p, 142.

Conftantine Copronymus^ convenes three hundred and thirty eight biiliops to Conftantinople, to proteft againft the Romiili idolatries, p. 153.

Conjlantius^ the father, and fon of Condantine the Great, p. -^y,

Conftantinople, when taken by die Turks, p. 94. 95,112.

Counfellors, the eyes and ears of kings, p. 51.

Croifades, when begun and ended, p. <^^.

Crown, the monkilh, what, p. 84.

D

r^ANIEL, his propliecy of the four empires,' ^-"^ p. 162, 164. of the Medo-Perfian, Grecian, and Roman, p. 191 — iq^' of the Roman, p. 76, 187. of the Jews cleilTudion by the Ro- mans, p. 22, 187, 188, 233. of Conftantine and his fuccefTors, p. 27'> 188. of the Mahome- tans, p. 190. of Popery, p. jS'> 7^> 9^5 i^S- of the Jev/s return to their own land, p. 186 — 194. of the Turks and Saracens, p, y6y ^o,, ?3i. of the Turks, p. 93, 184. of their invad- B b , ing

i6 INDEX.

ing Judea, after the Jews are returned thicher,- p. 228, 236. of the time when this event will take place, p. 230 — 232.

Darkneis, occafioned by the fmoke out of the well of the abyfs under the fifth trumpet, p. 69 — 87. fills upon the throne of the bead under the fifth vial, p. 225.

David, allowed his choice of the fword, famine of peftiience, p. 26. gave the angels the vials which they poured on his enemies, p. 218. Sec Chrifi.

Day, taken in a determinate and indeterminate fenfe, p. 293, 294. 2. prophetic day is d. year, p. 114, 115. what a (i^ry fignifies as oppofed to a month, p. 114. a day adumbrates a thoufand years, p. 292, 293. a conjcdure, why fo many ceremonial appointments were fixed to an eighth day, p. 305. Sec eighth

Dead, blelTed who die in the Lord, p. 199, 200.

Demons, p. 98.

Devil, (fee Dragon,) the accufer of the brethren, p. 154. will perhaps not be fuffered to accule them before God in the millennium, ibid, they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their teftimony, ibid, in whac fenfe he will be fliut up in hell in the millen- nium, p, 282, 283. when he will be loofed again, and the coni'equence of it to the church and the world, p. 295, 296. will be cafl into the lake of fire before the day of judgment, aa enquiry about the time of it, p. 298.

X)/<:'<:/f/?^;^'s perfecution, p. 28, 29, 188.

Difl^entingintereft, the grounds of it, p. 4, 17, 37, 39, 42, 43, (yi, 62, 238, 248 — 255. when vir- tually eftablijhed, p. 252. when tolerated, ibid.

Dogs, finners compared to them, p. 345.

Dragon, fignifies the Devil, who is reprefented

on earth by the Pope, p. 138, 139, 164, 165.

when the Pope will become a dragon, p. 145,

3 H7.

INDEX, 27

U7, ^53' ^'s ^^^^ againft the church, p. 152, r.^6, 157. when the dragon and his angels will be caft down to the earth, p. i47' ^5^y ^53- the dreadful ftatc of the world, when the dracron is caft down among them, p. 1 54» ^55'—^ Th? fecond bcaft vAWfpeak like a dragon, p. 171, 175. and give his power and authority to the Pope, p. 176. Dukedom, the feventh form of government at Romc^ p. 64, 140, 247.

E

EAGLES. See IVings, Earth, fea and trees, reprefent the political world, p. 40. hail, Bre and blood caft upon ic tinder the firft trumpet, p. 56, 57- ^ grievous fore confcqucnt upon the pouring out the hrft vial, p. 221. its circumference, p. 327. will give up Its dead, each in their proper time and order, p. 302. may perhaps be reduced to a chaos again, after the bodies of the faints are railed, p. 302, 303, 313. will not be anni- hilated, but purified by fire at the day of the Lord, p. 315, 316. Earth the new, what it may probably be, p. 315,

320, 327. .

Earthquakes, reprefent political revolutions, and religious alterations, p. 36. a great one expefted at Rome, and when, p. 119, 128, 129. the «//^i of the nations fall by them under the feventh vial, p. 238, 239. Ecclefiaftical Hierarchy, fecularized by Conftan-

tine the Great, p. ^"j — 39. Egypt, a fouth kingdom from Judea, p. 76. a conjeaure how long its plagues were apart froni each other, p. 215, 216. the eaftern world will be a fpiritual Egypt, when the Greek church lies dead there, p. 124.

B b 2 £^g^t

i8 INDEX.

Eight, what important things occurred on ari eighth day, and that the end of the world will probably come in the eighth millennary, p* 304—307.

Elders, the twenty foutj the heads of the Jewifh and Chriftian church, p. 4, 132.

Elizabeth ^een^ fhamefully impofes the popilh habits, p. 43.

Emperors, of the Greek church, when they pro- tefted againft worlhipping images, and pray- ing to faints and angels, p. 153.

End of Time, when it will probably be, p. 148^ 298, 299. See Judgment.

England, one of the ten horns of the Romifli beaft, p. 24^. gives its power now to the beaji -, and how long it will continue to do fo, p. 250

Epiftles, the three of John, when written, p. 105.

Euphrates, the four evil angels loofed who had been confined near it, p. gc^. its water dried up under the fixth vial, that the way of the Kings of the Eafi might be prepared, p. 226 — 228.

Exarchs, Patriarchs, and Metropolitans, when, and by whom, eftablilhed in the church, p.

Ezekiel^ his prophecy of the Turks, p. 93. of their invaiding the land of Judea j and their final overthrow there, p. 227. of the fecond temple^ its fize, ordinances, and ceremonial and fpiritual worlhip, p. 213 — 215.

Evening Mornings, what that phrafe fignifies, p. 192.

pAITH and patience of the faints, much tried

* by popery, p. 170.

Famine, reprefented by sl black horfsy p. 24.

Figures

INDEX. 19

Figures of fpeech, the fame bold ones ufed by many of the eaftern people, as occur in fcrip- ture, p. 56.

Fire, of God's jealoufy always burning, p. 59, 54, fire, hail, and blood caft upon the earth, p.

Fire-arms, when they began to be ufed in war,

p. 93, 94, 97. Firll-fruits to God, fome faints fo called, p. 1B3,

287. Flaveiy\x.\\\^ tidings from Rome^ or E?2gland's

alarm recommended, p. 255. Flood. See Noah.

Fornication of the Romifh church, p. 98, gg. Fox Mr. his accoiint of the monks, p. 84, 85. Frogs, three coming out of the mouth of the

dragon^ thebeaji^ md the falfe prophet, p. 228,

G

/VALERIUS, Maximin and Licinius, their

^^ miferable end, p. 37,40.

Gallienus, thirty ufurpers in his time, p. 27.

Genferic and his Vandals, plunder Rome, p. 59, 60. he was a perfecuting Arian, p. 60, 61.

Gentiles, the hieroglyphicks by which the holy Ghoft has reprefented them, p. 318. God con- firmed his covenant with them, by the deftruc- tion of the Jews, p. 216. multitudes of them converted in ConlUntine's time, p. 45. the Pa- pifts and Mahometans fo called by the bleffcd God, p. 107. when their general converfion will begin, p. 194 — 196.

Gog and Magog are the Turks, p. 132. come up againft the land of Ifrael under the fixth vial, p. 236. their fucceflbrs 1 100 years afterwards, compafs about the camp of the faints^ and arc de- voured hj fire from heaven^ p. 296, 297.

B b 3 Gofpel

20 INDEX.

Gofpel, compared to a white horfe, and why, p,

20,21,274,275. of John when written, p,

105. Goths invade the Ronian empire, p. c^6, PjJ. Grafs and trees, reprcienc men of low and higl^

degree, p. 57, 79. Grecian empire reprefented by a he-goat, p. 191, Creek churchy one of the two witneffes^ p. 109, 110.

funk in fuperllition and bhndnefs, p. 112. GrofvenorDr, his defcriprion of the woman drunk

with the blood of the faint Sy p. 245. Gun povvder when it began to be ufed in war,

P- 9i'

H

TTABITS, the popifn, fhamefully impofed iu

•^"^ queen Elizahety^ days, p. 43.

Hail, fire and blood call on the earth, what they reprefent, p. 5S—57- ^ dreadful hail under the fcventh vial, p. 239,

Harps and vials the emblems of prayer and praife, p. 16.

Heads of the dragon fignify both his hills, and his different forms of government, p. 139 — 141,

Heart, down through it the road to hell, p. 73.

Heaven opened, p. 2, 274. heaven and earth j^y' away before the judge of all, p. 301. the new heaven and earthy an account of them, p. 3 15 — 320. twelve properties of the faint's enjoy- ment there, p. 337.

Hell, not imimediately opened by the Pope, only through its well, p. 70—73, 280, 281. a lake of fire andbrimjione^ p. 304, 322. adumbrated by Sodom, the valley of Hinnom^ and Rome, p. 267, 268.

Henry VIIL aflumes to himfelf an ecclefiaftical fu- premacy, p. 252. deltroys the monafteries ii^ ;^ngland, p, 8(5.

Hezekiah^

INDEX, 21

HezeJiiah^ gave that vial to the angel, which he

poured on the Affyrians, p. 218. Hills, the ieven on which Rome Hands, p. 246.

the Pope will have one of his feven hills taken

from him J an enquiry of the time, p. 167 —

169. Horn, a little one, reprefents the Roman empire,

p. 191, 192 ; and the Pope, p. 163, 248. Horns, fignify kingdoms, p. 167, 172, 175, 247.

when the ten horns of the beaft will begin to

hate the whore, p. 240, 249, 250. Horfes red, fpeckled and white, what they repre-

fent, p. /2. the red horfe of war, p. 22. the

Mack horfe of famine, p. 23, 24. the pale horfe

of peftilence, p. 25 — 27. the white horfe of

the gofpej, p. 20, 21, 274. See Gofpel. Hour, ufed in a determinate and indeterminate

fenfe, both in facred and common language, p.

293, 294. v!\\2i.t i\ii^ half hour'' sfdenceli^m^tAy

p. 49, 50, 293. liuns, invade the Roman empire, p. 56^5^*

I

JASPER and fardine (lone, what they repre- Itnt, p. 3. 'Jehcjhaphafs curfed complaifancc to the idolatrous

kings of Ifrae], p. 123. the valley 0/, where,

p. 'n^' Jerufalcm, when taJ<.enby the Romans, p. 22, 186,

189, 216. when, by whom, and for how long

time, to be trodden under feet, p. 107, 108,117,

118. when a gofpel temple may probably be

built there, p. 210 — 215. ■ the new, comes down from God, by

whom inhabited, p. 317, 318. See Heaven,

and the Holy City. Jerome^ an important quotation from him, p. 139. B b 4 Jefuits,

22 1 N D E X.

Jelliits, when their order v^as fir:t eredleJ, p. 753; vvHen abolifh.ed, ibid.

Jewilh prophet, prieft and king, when, and how cm off. p. 108.

Jews, they and ihe Romans miuually deftroy each orhcr, p. 22. milrook the prodigies which preceded Jeruialem's dtilrudion by the Ro- mans, for certain prognofticks of their delive- rance, p. 22 B. half of the twenty four elders, p. 4, 7, 132, 181. their twelve tribes, accord- ing to the New Teftament account, with the fignification of their names, p. 44. multitudes of them converted in Conftantine's time, p. 41 — 44. when their general converfion will begin, p. 105, 132, 183, 193. prophecies of their return to their Qwn land, p. 103. when this will take place, p. 1 84 — 193.' their being invaded by the Turks under the fixth vial, p. 226 — 230. their purity and peace after that time to the end of the world, p. 230.

Image pf the heafi, what, p. 173, 208.

JoeVs prophecy oi multitudes Jlain in the ZHzlIey of

^deciJiQi:,\^, iiS^'^3^'

John the apoftle, when this Revelation was giveri to him, p. 2 1. when he wrote his goipel, and three epillles, p. 105. a cOnjedure how long he lived, ibid. .:

Jojephus quoted, p. 228.

Jojhua and ZeruhhaheU olive trees growing by ;he Jewilli church, (jx candUftick^ ^. no, in.

JJaiah gave that vial to the angel which he poured on the Affyrians, p. 218. when he began to pro- phecy, p. 299. of what his feven lalt chapters treat, p. 196.

Jjhmad^ the Arabians dcfcended from him, p.

Judah^ why placed firft in the account of the tribes of Ifrael, p. 44.

Judgments,

INDEX. 23

Judgments, God's four fore on the Romar^ empire, p. 26, 27. immediately in God's hand, make quicker difpatch than when meri are employed as inftruments of them, p. 216,

217.

Judgment^ the general, year of it may be known, though not the day and hour, p. 304 — 311. the righteous will be judged, as well as the wicked, p. 313, 314. a conjefture of the time, which the judgment of each will take up, p. 311 — 313- that all will be judged according to their works, p. 303. the time when the judgment begins, bears fome analogy to the time of Chiiil's rcfurredlion, and the gift of the Spirit at the day of Pentecoft, p. 305 — 307. the world will be funk into brutifh infenfibility at the time of ir, p. 298.

Julian the apoftate, p. 37.

Jupiter Capitclinus, a temple ereded to him where, the temple of God had flood, p. 22, 187I

Juftice adminiilered, reprefented by a pair of balances, p. 25.

Jujiin II. the eallern emperor, compleats the ruin of the v/eftern empire, makes Rome a dukedom under the exarchs of Ravenna, p. 64.

l/'EY, the Pope received no other, but that of

•*^ the well of the ahyfs, p. 70 — 73.

King Sir Peter, his enquiry into the do5lrine and

wcrjhip of the primitive church, p- 38. Kingdoms, the ten into which the Roman empire

was divided according to bilhop Newton, p.

1248. the kingdoms of the world will probably

be fmall in the millennium, p. 239, 283. Kings, have no right to alter, or add to the con-

ftitutions of Chrift's kingdom, p. 252, 253.

Killing

34 I N B E X.

JCifling the Pope's toe, in what century introi duced, p. 190,

L^

AMP, as well as a horn, alfo a re^d and rod^ are fcriptural emblems of authority, p. 5.

Lafi times, what rhat phrafe denotes, p. 289, 290.

Lateinos^ the word which exprefTes the number of the bead in the Greek, p. 178.

Latin church, not effectually warned by the ruii\ of the Greek empire, ^j, 98.

Licinius. See Galerius,

Lightnings. See Thunder.

Little horn. See Horn.

Little book, what it might contain, p. ici. lies open now in Chrift's hand, ibid.

Locufts, coming out of the fmoke of the bot-? tomlefs pit, reprefeqc the Saracens, p. 74, 76, 79 ; alfo the monks, and other religious or- ders among the Papifts, p. 82 — 85.

Lord's day, moil important to us, p. 50.

Ludovicus or Lewis gives us alfo the number of the beaft, p. 377.

M-

M

'AGISTFvATES and minifiers, reprefented by olive-trees growing by the ccindiejtick, the church, p. no. placed by God at a diftancc from each other, p. iii, n2. can neither ot them anfwer their end, without having the Spirit of God in them, p. 1 1 1. Mahomet, an account of him, p. 'jS, 77, 117. pretended to chaftife idolaters, p. 79. ^.falfe -prophet, p. 174. came up out of the earth, conquered the kingdoms of Arabia and Syria, unites in himfelf an abfolute fecular and fpi- riiual power, p. 175.

Mahuzzimj

INDEX. 25

Mahuzzim, tjtie Virgin Mary, faints and angels,

p. 76, 98. _

Manajfeb, his abominations laid a foundation for

the definition of the Jewiffi nation, p. 187.

when he mi^de the daily facrifice to ccafe, p,

186, 190. Man of Sin, St. Paul's prophecy of him, p. 995,

164, 172. Marriage of the Jewifh and Chriftian church to

the Lord jefus, when it will be foleninized,

p. 269, 270. Mafculine child, vv'hich the church will bring

forth, who, and when he will be born, p,

141 — 143. Maximin. See Galerius. Meafuring the temple &:c. what it intimated, p.

106. Mede Mr. Jofepb^ apprehends the fignification

of the names of the twelve tribes of Ifrael, in

the order in which they are placed in this book^

inftrudive to us, p. 44. his obfervations on,

the documents and monuments of the Indians

&c. p. ^6. at what time he begins the firlt

trumpet, ibid. Megiddo, a great (laughter of the Turks there,

p. 235, 236. Men, compared to grafs and trees, p. 57. Metropolitans and patriarchs, when and by whom

eftablilhed in the church, p. 37, 38; fee Ex- archs. Michael, probably fignifies Chrid", p. 152, 232.

he and his angels fight againft the dragon and

his angels, p. 153. Middleton Dr. his letter from Rome, p. 107, 165. Millennium, what kind of time it will be, p. 151,

152, 282- — 285, 292, 293. what length of time,

p. 289 — 292. when it will begin and end, p.

2.82, 284, 2920

Minifters,

i6 INDEX.

Minifters, reprefcnted by four animals, viz. a lion^ an ox, a man, and an eagle, p. 6 — 9. their common accomplilhmenrs and work, p. 10, II. called 'witnejj'es, p. no, 113. what power they have over their enemies, p. 114, 217. re- prefcnted by an olive tree growing by the church, or candleftick, p. no, ni. called ^;/^^/j, and when, p. 194 — 198, 201. give the vials to the angels, and how, p. 217, 218.

Momyllus or Augujlulus, the iail of the Roman emperors, p. 64.

Monaftic life, when it began to be held in undue veneration, p. S4.

Monks, friars &c. why compared to locufts, p, 82 — 85. when fet on a level with the priefts, p. S4. their power reftrided under the fifth trum- pet, p. 86. when put down in England by king Henry VIII. ibid.

Months, as oppofed to days, what they fignify,^ p. 107 — 109, 114.

Moon and Stars, reprefent inferior officers in a ftate under the Sun or principal governor, p.

35' 3^» ^3^ 64.

Mojheini, his account when the church was di- vided into the Latin and Greek, p. 117. of the patrimonies of the church, p. 190.

Mountains, reprefent great or proud men, p. s^^, mountains, hills and rivers, reprefent the differ- ent degrees of men, p. 2.57.

Murders of popery, p. 98, 156, 2.65.

Myftery, the devils, p. 244. God's permitting this, a great myftery for a time, p. 102, 103.

N

Ji^EBUCHADNEZZAR, when he deftroyed -^' the temple at Jerufalem, and caufed the daily facrifice to ceafe, p. 1S6, 189.

Nehulhtan^

I N D E X= 2;

Nehiifhtan, hrafs-work, the brazen Terpen t fo called, p. 43.

Newton Sir Ifaac^ his fenfe of what ftorms of thunder, lightning, and hail fignify, p. ^6.

Noab, knew the ye^/r^ but not the day and boiir of the flood, p. 308. how long the waters pre- vailed in that deluge, p. 312.

Number of the beaft, what, and how reckoned j p. 177— 179.

Nuns, defcribed by their hair, p. ^S-

O

/^DOACER, ruins the v/ellern Roman empire^ ^ p. 64.

Oppreflbrs, refemble burning mountains, p. gS. Organs, fit for Jewifli, not for Chriftian worfhipj

p. 238. Oftrogoths, their kingdom in Italy, p. 64.

T)A FISTS and Mahometans are Gentiles^ p. 10 j, ■*■ Patience of the faints much tried by popery,

p. 170* 199' Patrimonies fettled upon the church, p. 189, ic^o,

204. Peace in the empire in Conftantine's time, p. 40. Pelagianifm, when it fprang up, p. 60, 62. and

Arianifm bitter as wormwood, p. 60, 61. thefe

two produced Popery at firft, p. 62. Pentecoft, the hour at which the Spirit was

poured out, that day bears fome analogy to

the time of Chrift's rcfurredion, and of the

final judgment, p. 305—307. Perlecutions the ten heathen Roman, according

to Dr. CavCy p. 28. Perfecutors fcized with horror, p. 39, 40.

Perfeverance

fe8 1 N b E X.

Perfeverance of the faints to eternal life, p. 45^ 46, 53, 344. how their perfeverance in duty will befecuredin heaven, p. 338.

t^erfian empire, reprefented by a ram, p. 191. had the feet of a bear, p. 164.

Pcftilence, by way of eminence called deaths p. 26.

Philtres or love-potions of the Babylonian whore^ p. 244.

Pit, the bottomlefs, how the Pope went down to open it, p. y^.

The Pope, firft called a fallen Jlar^ afterwards a heafi^ then z dragon^ p. 69, 70, 120, 139 — 141, 146, 147. (See Z*^^/? irt, and dragon.) a falleri liar, p. 61, 6^. when fell from heaven, p. 61, 70. three circiimftances which facilitated his fall, p. 61 j 62. how long he lay on the earth ftruggling for the character of tmiverfal bidiop, p. 6^. decends into hell, through the well of the abyfs, opens the bottomlefs pit, and brings up Abaddon and Apollyon from thence^ p. 70 — 73. unites in himfelf an abfolute fecular and fpiritual power, p. 175.

Popery, its leading doctrines, p. 62, 122. dc- fcribed by the prophet Daniel, p. 75, y6, 16^, 164. together with Mahometanifm, darkens the fun and air, like the fmoke of a furnace, p. 75 — JS' has been aKvays witneifed againft, p. 112. will have another triumph, and how and when, p. 62, 120 — 123, 169, 174 — 177.

Prayer, how it may be acceptable, p. 52, s^^ faints quickened to it by their troubles, p.

51. 52-

Preaching called ^rc'pi'^^'/^?,^, p. 104, I05.

Prideaux Dr. his account of the life of Mahomety p. 76, 77. of the time when the daily iacrifice ceafed by the Babylonians, p. 189. and when Cyrus took Babylon, p. 193.

Printing,

INDEX. 29

Printing, when this art was difcovcred, p. 104. Froteftant churches, of every nan^^e, are one of

the witnefles, 109 — 113. Proud men refemble mountains, p. 58. Providence, controuls the defigns of the wicked,

P- 235- Purgatory, v^^hen firlt feigned, and for what pur-^ pofes, p. 84, 200.

QUARTER, the Lift of the fourth, fifth and fixthmiilennary, eminently dark to the church, p. 2^3.

R

"O AINBOW, 7'ound about the throne, what it fig-

-^^ nified, p* 3, loi.

Ram, represents the Perfian empire, 191,

Reformation from Popery ^ when begun, p. 100, 104, 153, 156.

Religion, the Pagan, when fubverted in the Roman empire, p. 34 — ^6.

Repentance, if Chrift does not give ir, no temporal or eternal torments can produce it, p. 222, 223, 226.

Refurreftion, the firft is fpiritual, p. 285 — 288, the dead in Chrift ftiall rife and be judged firft, p. 302, 303, 313. a conjecture how long it will be that the wicked rife after them, p. 312, 313. refurretftion of Chrift. See Chrift.

Revelation, when given to John, p. 7, 105. con- veyed to him by an angel, p. 271, 325,341. a fealed book till Chrift opens it, p. ii — 19. gives us the civil and religious hiftory of near half the time of the world's continuance, p. 299. that there are fufficient data in it, to fix the limes of moft of the events, p. 351-^35^. that ir is our

duty

^ .INDEX.

duly to (ludyit, p. 170, 343. the ftudy of it be- fore the things therein predicted, are accom- Tp\i(hed,fweet in the mouth, but bitter in the belly y p. 104. when it is ftudied to purpofe, p. 105. when it began to be neglecled, p. 9. when the chief knowledge of this book began, p. 103 — 105. when it will be compleatiy underftood, p. 102, 103, 131.

Rivers and fountains, reprefent the ftreams of people which fupply a nation or government, p. bo. a itar called wormwood falls into them under the third trumpet, p. 59 — 63. become blood under the third vial, p. 222.

Robes white, of what they are an emblem, p. 45, 46.

Roman empire, a third part of the then known world, p. ^5. compared to a fea, p. 57, 60. and to rivers and fountains of water, p. 60. har- raffed by the Alemans &c. p* 49, 51. when divided into the eailern and weilern, p. 39. when it gave up the defence of Britain^ p. 60. when crumbled into ten kingdoms, ibid, when, and by whom the weftern empire was ruined, p. 64. defcribed by Daniel, p. 191.

Romans, about what time St. Faid\ epiftle to them was written, p. 216.

Rome, the feven hills on which it ftands, p. 246. its feven different forms of government, p. 64, 140, 247. often warned, yet would not take heed, p. 26, 6c^, its temporal and fpiritual dif- grace, when, and by whom begun, p. 38, 39. made a dukedom under the exarchs of Ravenne, p. 64.

Rome papal, why compared to Sodom and Babylon, p. 99. reduced to a comparative wildernefs, p. 243. an earthquake cxpeded there, p. 128, 129. will probably be made a lake of fire and brimllone, and when, p.

265,

INDEX.

31

p. 265, 267, 268, 278. her ruin bewailed,

p. 257—263. Romilh church a fornicator, p. 99. communion

with her now finful, p. 107. when it will be

temporally uniafe, p. 260. Rttfinus^ a prime Minifter, his perfidy began the

deftruflion of the Roman empire, p. ^,6.

VABBATICAL year adumbrated the millennium,

p. 293. Sacrifice, /^^ Jewifh daily ^ when it ceafed by Ma- nalTeh, p. 186, 190. by the Babylonians, p.

186, 189. by Antiochus Epiphanes, p. 186,

187. by the Romans, p. 186, 189, 192. Saints, Kings and Priejls^ how they reign on the

Earth, p. 17, 18, 283, 287. will be raifed firft, and judged probably before the wicked are raifed, p. 302, 313, 314. a conjediure how long time the judging of them, and of the angels, may probably take up, p. 3 1 1.

Saracens, why compared to loculls, p. yj, 78.

. their conquells defcribed by Danici, p. y6, 93. fpared the countries they invaded, p. 79. their time, and manner of making their in- vafions, p. 80. pulh at the eallern Roman empire, p. y6, 80, ^^. the time of their con- queirs, p. 81, 82.

Sta, reprefents a government, p. c^y, 60. a great mountain call into it under the ft-cond trumpet, p. sy, s^. becomes as putrid blood under the feccnd vial, p. 211, 222. fca if glafs, what it reprelented, p. 7, 8, 2 ;5, 209. what is meant by the fea giving ttp the dead which were therein, p. 303, 313.

Sealing, what it fignifies, p. 42.

C c Seals,

32 INDEX,

Seals, Chrift only ^worthy to open tbem^ p. i^, thofe of this book not of any private interpre- tation, p. 23. what the firft: difcloles, p, 20, ■21, the fecond, p. 22, 23. the third, p. 23 — 25. the fourth, p. 25 — 27. the fifth, p. 28 — 31, the fixth, p. gi — ^j, the feventh, p. 48 — ^s^ wherein the four firft feab^ trumpets and viaht dilfer from the three laft of each, p. 220.

Seven, this number important to us, with refpe<^ IQ the Lord's-day, p. 50, 51. th^feven/pirits^ reprefented by the feven lamps of fire, are the feven horns, zndfeveu eyes of the Lambj

p. 5» H5 55« Sicide, an inftrument by which both faints and

fmners are removed from the earth, p. 200 —

205. Sign of the crofs, not appointed of God in bap-

tifm, p. 43. figns in this book, p. 207. Silence in heaven, what it fignifies, p. 49, 50. Sinners, what they can endure here, nothing to

what they fhail fi'ifFer hereafter, p. 218, 239.

See Hell Sion, when, and how Chriji ^i\\ fi and upon X.\i3X

mouyit, p. 18 i. Smoke of a great furnace, an emblem of the

manner in which Popery and Mahometanifm

darkened the world,^ p. ^'i — 75. tSodom, Rome papal fo called, p. 99, 124. when

the firft law againft its abomination was made

in England, p. 124. Sorceries, or poifonings, p. 98, 322, 345. Souls under the altar, p. 28 — 30. Star, in prophetic language, fignifies 2i prince ot

prophet y and efpccially the latter, p. c^^^ 61,

a falling ilar what, p. 6S. the Pope fo called,

p. 6^, z

INDEX. 33

p. 6^, 70. when he fell, p. 61, 70. when his fall began to be generally known, p. 70.

Stars, joinc i with the fun and moon, fignify in- ferior officers in a ftate, p. S9'

Sultanies, or the four Turkifh principalities, when and where founded, p. 95.

Sun, moon and ftars, reprefenc jupreme and fub- ordinate governors in a kingdom, p. 25'> 3^-> 5^ — gr, the third part of them fmitten under the fourth trumpet, p. 6^ — 65. when the light of the fun was literally darkened in the eaft, p. 75, 81. it will fiorch men with heat under the fourth vial, p. 223.

Syria, a northern kingdom, with refpedl to the land of Ifrael, p. 'jo.

cr'ABERNACLE of God with men, what thit

• phrafe figi ities, p. 320. whcit the temple of ths^ tabernacle of witn^fs \\gm^(t% p. 210.

Tears, why God botdes thofe of his fervants, p. 218. ■

Temple, opened in heaven, p. 133, 134, 210, 211. how the Lord rook poHlOlon of th-* tem- ple whicli Solomon built-, and what his entrance into it typified, p. 213. a third tf-tr pie may probably be built at Jerufalem, for chriilian worihip, p. 214.

Theodoric, founds the kingdom of the Oilirogoths in Icaly, p. 64.

Theodofius, the Great, p. 49, 51. when he died, p. 5b.

Thrones, the twenty-four for the elders, not for miniiters, p. 4. the throne of God in heaven, p. ^, 5 — 8. the Ji-idgc afcends a gnat white one at the great day, p, 301,

C c 2 Thunder,

34 INDEX.

Thunder, lightning &c. awful indications of God's prerence, p. 5, 54, 134, 182. the feven thunders, p. 101, 102.

Titus., when he deftroyed the temple at Jerufalenij p. 187.

Tranflation of the bible, when the prefent was made, p. viii. Introdudion.

Tree of life. See Chrift.

Trees and grafs, reprefent men of high and low degree, p. S7'

Tribes, the twelve of Ilrael, the fignification of their names, p. 44. their names written on the gates of the heavenly Jerulalem, p. 325, 326.

Trumpet, why the word is fingular, (ch. viii. 13.) p. 6^., 66. what is the proper time of a trum- pet, p. 100. its time may be known, p. 55. the time of the fifth, p. 81, 82, 85, 86. of the fixth, p. ICO, 115 — 119. of the feventh, p. 129, 131. wherein the ieventh trumpet differs from the preceding, p. 129, 130, 185. the fe- venth, is an eternal trumpet, p. 299, 300.

Trumpets, give aloud and awakening found, p. 54, c,^. the four iirft ihook down the Roman eaipire, p. sSi 220. the three laft treat of one fubje^t, p. (>6. wherein the four firft feals, trumpets and vials., differ from the three laft of each, p. 220. wherein the four firft trumpets and vials refemble each other, ibid, wherein they differ, p. 220, 224.

Turban, the vulgar Turkifh crown, p. 79.

Turks, are horfemen, p. 92, ^^. their vicftories defcribed by Daniel, p. g'^. deftroy the eaftern Roman empire, p. 94. when they took Con- ftantinople, ibid, what numbers they employed ao-ainft the Chriilians, p. ^6, when the laft of their conquefts over them, ibid, how long

their

INDEX. 35

their luccefles againft the Chriftians continued, p. 95, ^6. exad money for liberty to be of the Greek church, p. 112. they, and others, fall together in the land of Judea, under the fixth viaL"), p. 227 — 237. deftroyed by fire from heaven after the millennium, p. '^^S—'^91'

U. V TTZZAH dies for touching the ark, and why,

Valentinlan I. and II, and Gratian, when they

reigned, p. 49. VaUntinian III. attacked by Attila and his Huns,

p. 58. Valley, of Jehojhaphat^ v,'hsre it lay, p. 236. of

Shinim, an eminent effufion of the Spirit

there after the fixth vial is poured out,

P-237-

Vials, tall under the feventh trumpet, and are none of them yet poured out, p. 208, v/hat the word fignifies, p. 218. mnft betaken literally, p. 224. given to the angels by gofpel minifters, p. 218. by them. God avenges his p^ifecuted minifters and fervants, p. 217. what tiiiie they will probably take up, p. 215 — 217. the time of the firft, fecond, third, fourth, fifth, fixth and feventh, p. 220 — 240. wherein the four firft vials differ from the three laft, p. 220. wherein the vials refemble, and wherein they differ from the trumpets, p. 220, 224, &:c. they 2ire the hj} plagues, p. 239, 240.

Voices, thunders, lightnings and earthquakes, reprefent hoftile incurfions, p. 51, 54. great voices, what they fignify, p. 49, 13'!, 132. each of the three woe trumpets has two voices, p. 6.6.

C c 3 W fFJR

36 INDEX.

W

TI/l'lR reprefented by a red horfe^ p. 22. by

''^^ ^oxxViS of thwider^ lightnings haiU and over-

fowing rain, P« 56- the war of Michael and his

angels, againft the dragon and his angels, p.

, «52» ^53^ 156.

Warning, given of the three woe-trumpets, p. 6^ — 6j. the Latin church would not take warning by the deftrudion of the eailern em- pire, p. 97, 98. the world is warned of their danger, when the devil is call down among them, p. 154, 155.

Waters, reprefent feople, multitudes, nations and tongues, p. 227, 249. the waters of the fandu- ary of different depths, at different times, p. 214, 215.

Well, of the abyfs what it fignifies, p. 70, 71. when and by whom opened, p. 70, 281. how the Pope defcended to open it, p. 72, y^.

Whithy\ Dr. his treatife on the millennium, p. 286.

ll^icklife, when he lived and preached, p. 104,

1.53- Wildernefs, what that word fignifies, p. 144. the

nature, difference, and times of the woman's firil and fecond flight into it, p. 144 — 152. America probably the lafl wildernefs into which Ihe will fiec, p. 144, 149. the world will be a wildernefs to the church, even in the millennium, p. 151, 152. Winds, the emblem of commotions in the world,

. P-40-

Wine prefs, trodden without the gates of Rome,

when, p. 157, 204, 205. Wings, oi the Roman Eagle, when given to the woman, p. 158, 159.

Witneffes,

INDEX. 35?

Witneffes, who the two are, p. 109—11^, i^g, their commifTion and employment, p> iij, 114, 118, 1465 147. what power they ha/e, p. 113, 114. in what part of their time they will have the greateft power, p» 116. what is to befal them when they have finiSied tbrtr teftimony, p. 120 — 125. their deatk both fpiritual and temporal, p. 126, their refur- redion fpiritual, p. 12.7. the difference be- tween ibem and Gods fealed ones, and the woman clothed with the fun^ &c, p. 1^6, 146.

Woe, what it fignifies, p. 86» 87, 116, 119, 208. each of the three lad trumpets has a woe both for the eail and v/eft, p, 6^j 66, the time of the firft, p. 82, 85, of the fecond, p. 95, 96, 100, 119. of the third, p. 144. a woe denounced againil the v/orld, v/hen the devii is call down amongd them, p. 154^

155- Womauy clothed with the fun, p. 336—138. her

fleeing and flying into the w^ildtrnefs, p. J 49,.

150. a conjefture at what time, the rib was

taken out of Adam's fide to be formed a

woman, p. 305, Woman^ arrayed in purple and fcariet, has on.

her forehead the names of blafphemy, p.

243 — 249. druck with the blood of the iaints,

p. 245. Wormwood, its bitternefs reprefents natural anci

moral derolations, p. 59' — 62.

X VERXES's great army, p. ^6,

Y

'Y^EJRy the fabbatical, what it adumbrated, -* p. 293.

C c 4 -Z. ZECHA'

3? INDEX.

yECHARIAlV^ prophecy of the deftruaion ^ of the Turks in the land of Judea, p.

228 — 230, 236. Zerubbabel2iV\A Jojhua, olive-trees growing by the

Jewifh church or candleftick, p. no.

A BRIEF

29

A BRIEF

CHRONOLOGY

O F T H E

PRINCIPAL EVENTS, mentioned in thefe REMARKS.

I. Before the Incarnation of Chrill.

Events. Years.

^T'HE creation of the world, 4000

-*• 7/"^z^/& began to prophecy, 760

The daily facrifice ceafed by 7 ^^

Manaffeh, - S "^

' by Nebuchadnezzar, 584

byAntiochusEpiphanes, 168

Page.

291, 299

186

ibid, ibid.

307

II. Between Chrift's Incarnation, and A.D. 1778.

N.B. See the time of the ten heathen Roman perfecntions, p. 28.

The Roman war againft the

Jews, which continued fe- >

ven years, began, A. D. J

Jerufalem taken by the Romans,

Tht Revelation given to St. John,

The gofpel, and epifl:les,of St. 7

John written, - ^

A temple ered:ed to Jupiter 5

Capitolinus, where the tem->

pie of God had Hood, ^

66, 70

97

132,

22, 309

22, 186

22

105

S7

Afa-^

-ars.	Pag?;.
138	24-
251	27
306	37
312	4.1
312	61
317	6z
330	39
337	ibid.

40 A brief CHRONOLOGY.

Events. A famine in the Roman empire,

began, A fifteen years peftilencc in

that empire, began, Conftantine the great begins his

reign.

Above 12,000 Jews and Idol- 7

ators baptized, - ^

The Pope fails as a ftar from 7

heaven to the earth, 5

Arius fpreads his errors,

Conftantine removes the feat of?

the empire toConftantinople^

., — — he dies,

Theodofius the great dies ^ the Roman empire is divided in- to the eailern and weftern, and the Huns and Goths make incurfions upon it, Alaric and his Goths bcfiege^ Rome, and PelagianiimjV fpreads, - 3

Attila and others fall upon the 7 Roman empire, - ^

Britain calls in the Saxons to its? aid, about, - ^

Genferic plunders Rome, The Roman empire crumbled? into ten kingdoms, - 5 Rome ruined under Momyllus, Odoacer flain.

The Roman fenate, Confuls*^ and Patricians, wholly de-> ftroyed, - j

Purgatory firfl: feigned.

395

410

440, &c.

450 455 456 476 493

600

39, 5^-

^6 J 6a

58

6q ibid. 60, 247

64

ibid.

ibid.

84 The

A brief CHRONOLOGY. 4t

Events.

The monks r.v'ed to a level? wich,or fet above the priefts, $

Th? emperor Phocas 'leclares") thebilhopofRomeuniverfal j BiH-iop, I

Mahomet retires to his cave Y near Mecca,

And the holy city is trodden under feet, - J

Patrimonies given to the church,

Mahomet begins to call him /J felf the apoftle of God, I

he fiets from Mecca,

The light of the fun eminently 7 darkened in the eall, - 3

The Latin fervice bc^jn to be? ufed in the churches, - I

The Saracens befiegeConilan-? tinople, - 5^

and again in,

The Exarchate of Ravenna gained for the Pope,

The kingdom of the Lom- bard's gained for him,

Tangrolypix the Turk puts a final end to the Saracen em- pire.

The firft law againft the abo- 7 mination of Sodom made r in England, - ^

The fynod of Thouloufe for-T bids fhe reading of the fcrip- > ^ tures, - J

The Turks loofed, who had? ^ been bound near Euphrates, 3 ^

Years. 605

606

607 612 622 626

666

672

718 755 774

1067 1112

,228

Page. 84

69

77 108 189, 190

8r

ibid.

75^ 81

178

80 ibid. 248

ibid.

82 124

104

S5. 95

Gun--

Years.	Page.
1342	93
13S0 1450	104 ibid.
1453	94
1492	55>i25
1517	100, 104
	'53

I

1540

1562

1602 1662

42 A brief CHRONOLOGY.

Events. Gunpowder begins to be ufed7

in war, - S

Wickliffe preaches. The art of printing difcovered, Conftantinople taken by the 7

Turks, - I

America difcovered by Chrifto- 7

pher Columbus, - ^

TK*e reformation from Popery 7

began, - S

The order of the Jefuits efta-1

blifhed, - I

And the religious houfes put >

down in England by King I

Henry VIII, - J

The thirty nine articles of the^

church of England, firft pro-f

duced in a convocation of (

the clergy, - J

Arminianifm fpreads greatly. More than 2,000 minifters

ejeded from the church of

England, The Turks gain the laft af their

victories over the Chriftians, The Revelation begins to be

more underftood; and KingCharlesII. gives a general

indulgence to the Englifh 1

nonconformifts,': - J

The a6t of toleration given to"^

the Diflenters in England, ^ The expulfion of the Jefuits,

> 1672

^773

86

254

62

252^ 254,

96

loi, 104,

100

252 102

III. Events

A brief CHRONOLOGY.

4^

III. Events which the Author of thefe i^^w^r;^^ expeds after this A. D. 1778.

Events. Years

■:|

1862 1866

866

>iS66

The convcrfion of the Jews? ^g begins,

The two witnefics flain,

Are raifcrd again,

An earthquake at Rome de ftroys 7,000 of their nobi lity and gentry,

The feventh trumpet founds.

The Jews return to their own land.

The church puts off her fack- cloth and is clothed with the fun.

The converfion of the Gentiles begins,

The Mahometans become pa- pal Chriftians,

And the Roman bead becomes a dragon.

The Grand Seignior calls him- felf the apoftle of Chrift,

enters upon his full reign 7 ^ gg

with the firft beaft, - ^

and goes to work miracles ?

before him at Rome, - 5

The beafts wound in one of his heads, is completely heal- ed i but

The church flees probably into the wildernefs of America,

The wine-prefs trodden with- out the city of Rome,

1886

886

> 1926

Page.

105,193

120 ibid.

129

184, 193

137, 146

196

176

179

176

ibid, ibid.

69

150 204 A Tem-

44 A brief CHRQNOLO G T.

1942

1942 2016

Events. Years,

A temple built at Jeriifalem, 1936 The fevcn vials darken and al- j moft deftroy thePope's king- > dom,fromA.D. 1936, to ) The ten horns of the beaft be- gin to hate the whore, and burn her with fire. The millennium begins, Some unknown glorious event ?

for the church, - i ^

The millennium ends, - 3016 The world ends, and judgment /

begins, - {^ ^ 5

The judging of the righteous ends-, and all the wicked are raifed, The judging of the wicked ends i and faints and fmners are removed to heaven and hell^

3200

66b'

Page. 212—214

206—240

249, 250

278 230 295, 298

304,307 312

ibid.

N I S.

Printed hy the fame Juthor^

Ab^ Sold by J. BucKLAKD.Pater-NofterRow; T. Cad el, at Briftol ; J. Willis, at Newbury ; and J. Buncombe, £t Taunton,

F-

'AMILT RELIGION, a Sermon on Joftiua's Rdblution. Chap. xxiv. 15. Price 6i.

Jlfv, Price Q.d,

A LETTER to Dr. PRIESTLEY, occafioned by his Appeal to Profeffors of Chriftianity, on the following Subjedis, viz.

i. TheUfeofReafonin Matters of Religion.

IL The power of Man todotheWiilofGod.

HI. Original Sin.

ly, Eledion and Re-

probation.

V. The Divinity of Chrift, and

VI. Atonement for Sin by the Death of Chrift.

'mmim».^Mit^