095. The Preface
THE PREFACE The main thing I aimed at, both in my first studying this book, and also in this my exposition of it, was to search into such passages therein as did concern and fall upon the last days, especially the present times of the church; and to inquire and find out under which of these constellations our own times do fall, and what is certainly yet to come. Now, what hitherto hath been expounded by me I found, by the general consent of the best expositors, though upon diverse grounds, to belong unto more ancient times, long since past. And hence it is that, in the exposition of those 6th, 8th, and 9th chapters, I have been the less inquisitive, therein especially following Mr. Mede, whose scheme and division also of this whole prophecy into the Seal-prophecy and Book-prophecy, and making the one to contain the fates of the empire and the other of the church, I ever accounted a happy notion for the understanding of this book, and have therefore enlarged it; although, in the exposition of the 7th chapter, I altogether differ from him, as also in some few things else. Now, those parts of this prophecy which belong to more elderly times being thus briefly run over and despatched, I have now selected and singled out all that I find, both in the seal-prophecy and in this book-prophecy, to have an eye to these present times, or to those yet to come, and have cast them apart by themselves, as being those things in this book which it concerns us more especially to search into. And to the end that I might begin at a right joint, without mangling the whole, I have chosen to begin from that state and time of the church’s separation from Popery, and of the Reformation, which this book-prophecy begins at,—namely, Revelation 14:6,—and so to give upon this, but especially what concerns the present age, a larger exposition than upon the former I have done: having written that First Part, especially that brief exposition of the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th chapters, but to make way for the understanding of that which now follows; it being impossible for any man to be confirmed in the true interpretation of any part without some general insight into the whole.
Now, in general, if you would know what belongs to these latter times in this prophecy:—
1. The seal-prophecy, from the 6th chapter to the 12th, running over all time from John’s days unto the kingdom of Christ, and the passages thereof in the 10th and 11th chapters, (being the last under that first prophecy,) do therefore belong unto the last times, as hath been abundantly declared in that general scheme given in the First Part; and, indeed, most of the things in the 11th chapter do belong to the times of the vials, Revelation 16, as will appear in the exposition of it. Then, again—
2. At the beginning of the 6th verse, Revelation 14:6, in the book-prophecy, begins the great restoration of the gospel from under Popery, and so the story of the last days, which is continued along in such things as shall befall the church unto the kingdom of Christ, which begins not until Revelation 20. Hence, therefore, all these passages in those chapters mentioned out of both prophecies, being put together in their due place and order, do fitly fall in together, to make the story of the church complete, from the first separation from Popery unto Christ’s kingdom; and do indeed take in all that in this book of the Revelation is spoken of these times: which, therefore, I call a Second Part of the exposition of this book. A particular scheme and division, presenting, in their due order and succession, all the contents of those chapters which do concern our times
Because the right ordering and ranking of the particular visions of this book in both prophecies in their due times, either of succession after each other, or their synchronising or falling out together at the same time, is the chief key of interpretation; therefore, as I gave a more general scheme and division of this whole book at the first, to make way for the exposition thereof, so I will now premise a particular scheme of these chapters mentioned, so to make way for the understanding of the exposition thereof also.
First therefore I will set together the materials therein contained, according to that right and due order, either of synchronising each with other, or due succession after each other; that is, shew what times the several visions of those chapters do belong unto; which of them are, in order of time, before the other, and which fall out at the same time with other. The full proof of which method, and my so ordering them, I shall in part reserve to the larger exposition its elf, which follows; only now take it briefly, for the better clearing the exposition.
Two representations of the church, from the separation to the New Jerusalem The church of Christ, from those times of separation unto the New Jerusalem, is presented, either—
I. In the various conditions which in itself it should run through, all the time until then, in several ages, both in respect of the progress of its separation further and further off from Rome, and so of its increase of light, purity, and reformation; as likewise in respect of persecutions and judgments upon it, and its restitution and deliverance again from under them. Or else—
II. It is presented in one uniform, entire, and general condition, suiting with all those times of it, first and last, both as within itself it partakes of like privileges all that time, and especially also in relation to the execution of plagues and punishments, poured out of the seven vials, on the enemy of the church, whom this true church is to be the instrument of ruining. And both these ways the Holy Ghost hath been pleased to represent the story of it. The church’s uniform and alike condition entirely set forth together in the 15th and 16th chapters This same entire condition of it, during all this long time, as I take it, is set forth in the 15th and 16th chapters.
1. In the 15th chapter is set forth the common, uniform, and like state of the church all that while—
(1.) As within itself, Revelation 15:2-5.
(2.) In the common and like description of the angels or powers out of the vials which come out of those churches, from Revelation 15:6 to the end. Which representation of the church, and of these angels, all that whole time, is also made as the immediate sign, great and wonderful, or the forerunner, of the New Jerusalem, Revelation 15:1-2. There being after these vials, and this state of the church, a more glorious state of it to come; which, Revelation 15:5, is called the opening the temple of the tabernacle, (so called by way of distinction from the temple of the seven angels,) as wherein the ark, Christ himself, is to be seen, as Revelation 11:19; which, until the vials are all poured out, stands veiled, as the holy of holies did. And so this present state of the church, which is the temple out of which the seven angels come forth, Revelation 15:6, holdeth but the proportion and allusion of the inward court of the priests unto the holy of holies in the Jewish temple, in comparison unto that other church or temple to come after this, as Revelation 15:5 speaks. And so the erection of it is made the sign or immediate forerunner of this holy of holies, as Revelation 15:1; Revelation 15:5, compared, do evidently shew. And then—
2. In the 16th chapter, you have the execution and pouring out of these seven vials by the angels out of this church or inner temple, erected from the first separation from Antichrist, all along those times unto the New Jerusalem; which, in their several orders and successions, are in one view exhibited in that 16th chapter. The various condition of the church scatteredly presented in three parts
Now, although this common, uniform condition of the church all this time is set thus, in relation to the execution of those vials on the enemies, in one entire view, in the 15th and 16th chapters; yet that other various condition of the church, as in respect to its own particular and diverse state in all those times, the Holy Ghost was pleased variously, and in several places of this prophecy, to describe and set forth, as best suiting to a special end and occasion, yet with such infallible characters of their times, of the vials they belong unto, and also unto what times of each vial, as cannot deceive us.
Thus, the first part of the story of the various condition of the church during the four first vials is set forth, Revelation 14, from the Revelation 14:6 to the end; at which 6th verse the separation of the true church from Antichrist beginning, there began also the first erection of true churches, or the temple, first made mention of in that chapter, when Waldus and his company first fell off from Rome. And the reason why this was first done, ere the vision of the vials was presented, was because it was meet to shew how the temple was first built and reared, ere the seven angels and their vials poured forth out of this temple should be mentioned. And therefore chap. 14 shews that first part of the church’s story in all its first comings forth from Antichrist, and laying the foundation of churches; but then it breaks off at the times of the fourth vial, for that so far precedes the reformation of the true church, as it respected a separation from Antichrist, and so runs along with such vials as should by degrees first prepare for his ruin, as the three or four first vials do. But then the next state of the church, from the time of the fourth vial to the fifth vial, when Antichrist’s time of forty-two months is to expire; that the 11th chapter, which comes in as a chronology to shew the end and expiring of those times of Antichrist, doth supply the story of it, Revelation 11:1-14. And this story comes in there, rather than here in Revelation 14, because that was to be as an immediate signal of Antichrist’s downfall; and so comes in most fitly there in that 11th chapter; that chapter being intended as an exact chronology or computation of the times of the beast’s reign, to the end it might be discerned when his time should end: and so the immediate sign before it is therefore annexed, for the church’s warning and comfort against the approaching of the time of his ending, and a fatal prevailing of Antichrist over them just before. And so the story of that 11th chapter doth indeed begin where that 14th chapter endeth, or about the same time. And as the 14th chapter presented us with the story of the reformation of the church from Antichrist and his false church, and so what befell the church during that time; so the 11th chapter begins with a new reformation of the reformed churches among themselves, and what should befall them upon that reformation—namely, the killing the witnesses between the fourth vial and the fifth, or, at the utmost, before the sixth vial. And then the third part of the church’s story, from after the fifth vial until the New Jerusalem,—which New Jerusalem begins Revelation 20 of the book-prophecy, and Revelation 11:15 of the seal-prophecy,—the 19th chapter presents us with in its due place: for the 17th and 18th chapters being, the one but an explanation who was the beast, and where his seat was, that so the church might be able to discern this Antichrist; and the other being a funeral-song for the pouring out of the fifth vial, when the seat of the beast, the whore, (the city described in the 17th chapter,) is ruined, when also Antichrist’s kingdom, as it is most probable, doth end: therefore fitly, after both these digressions, comes in, in its due order, the state of the church from the time of that fifth vial, or the ruin of the city, unto the New Jerusalem. And therefore the 19th chapter thus begins, ‘And after these things, I heard the voice of an innumerable company,’ &c.,—that is, after the ruin of the city and whore described in Revelation 17, and ruined, Revelation 18,—and so goes on to describe the state of the church then until the New Jerusalem.
Now to sum up all. As the story in the 14th chapter containeth the first reformation and separation of the church from Antichrist in several degrees, and the 11th chapter containeth a second reformation of the church within itself from profane mixture; so this 19th chapter contains a third reformation personal, of the saints themselves in it, as then with might and main preparing and adorning themselves for the marriage of the Lamb, which then they shall evidently see approaching, now when the whore is cast off and burnt; and there you may see them getting all the fine linen they can,—that is, of holiness and growth in grace, ‘the righteousness of the saints,’—that so their Lord and Husband might greatly delight in their beauty, as you may see, Revelation 19:7-8. And this is the true general coherence and order of what yet remains to be interpreted. The particular synchronism of the several visions and contents of all those chapters: and, first, of the 14th chapter, fromRevelation 14:6, with the 15th and 16th, to its 8th verse (Revelation 16:8)
Now because, according to this division and general scheme given, the visions of the 15th and 16th chapters, namely, those of the vials, do run along the same whole course of time through diverse ages that the visions of the 14th chapter, from Revelation 14:6, and also of the 11th chapter, to Revelation 11:15, and of the 19th chapter also, do, (though the one in a uniform continued way, the other in a scattered successive representation of the church’s condition, all along the same tract of time through many ages;) therefore it will be expedient to shew which of these several parts of these two representations do synchronise and fall out together in the same age, and which of them do succeed each other.
I will therefore a little more particularly set together the several parts of these stories; both of that of the seven vials, which are put together, Revelation 15, 16, and those other several pieces and scattered passages of those other chapters, in all their due times as they fell out together.
1. That same temple filled with smoke, Revelation 15:8, out of which come the seven angels, I conceive to have been begun to be set up in the times of the first separation from Antichrist, Revelation 14:6. When also the everlasting gospel was begun distinctly to be preached, both by Waldus and his followers, who did erect true churches unto Christ, (as the history of the Waldenses shews,) when those harpers on the glassy sea, Revelation 15, began more distinctly to sing the song of Moses and the Lamb; that is, the doctrine both of the law and gospel, which the hundred and forty-four thousand, in the darker times of Popery, had but muttered, and that so confusedly as none could learn it. For this, compare Revelation 14:6-7, with Revelation 15:3-4. So that the doctrine of the gospel, and the erection of the temple out of which the vials do come, and the separation from Popery, do all begin together.
2. This erection of the temple, and preparation being thus made by the first angel, Revelation 14:6, the first vial out of that temple, Revelation 16:1-2, began with the voice of the second angel, Revelation 14:8. So that the first angel, Revelation 14:6, sets up the temple, and the second angel brings forth the first vial. And therefore, accordingly, the voice of that angel, Revelation 14:8, is, ‘Babylon is fallen, Babylon is fallen;’ that is, now is the first foundation of her ruin laid, (as in opening the vials I shall afterward shew,) or, now do those vials begin which shall be her ruin. The second vial, Revelation 16:3, follows with the voice or cry of the third angel’s preaching, Revelation 14:9, then when the sea of Antichrist’s doctrine was both proved and pronounced damnable by Luther’s doctrine, and the waters which the whore sat on fell from her; that is, those kingdoms and commonwealths which had subjected themselves unto her. For this, compare the year of Luther’s preaching, recorded Revelation 14:9-11, and that second vial, Revelation 16. The third vial, Revelation 16:4, hath been pouring out since that harvest began, Revelation 14:14, since the summer weather and settled peace of the reformed churches, meant by rivers and fountains, as in the opening the meaning of that vial will appear. The fourth vial, Revelation 16:8, I take it, began about the time of the vintage, Revelation 14:18, whereof this to me is an infallible character, that an angel who had power over fire is said to excite unto it. Now, Revelation 16:8, the fourth angel, who poured out this fourth vial, is said to have ‘power given him to scorch men with fire.’ And so that description, Revelation 14:18, is of the same angel, to shew that these two (the fourth vial and this vintage) fall in the same times: and so it is evidently evinced that the 14th chapter, and the times of it, reach but to the fourth vial. The synchronism of the vision of the 11th chapter, in the age between the fourth and fifth vial; and of the 17th and 18th chapters, with the times of the fifth vial; and of the 19th, with the age after the fifth vial unto the New Jerusalem Come we next to the 11th chapter:—
Which, first, under the seal-prophecy, begins (now about the times of the fourth vial) before the expiration of the world’s monarchy, Antichrist’s times, and the church’s oppression, and before the seventh trumpet, which blows, Revelation 11:15. And it begins with the representing the temple of the reformation, the same which the 14th chapter had represented, (out of which the angel, with his sickle for the harvest, did come, Revelation 14:15,) in which these reformers, who erected that temple in the 14th chapter, having committed this error, to lay an outward court unto it,—John there bearing the persons of the godly of this age,—are bidden to measure that temple anew, as not fully conformed to the pattern, and to cast out the outward court. And so it contains a further reformation of the temple in that 14th chapter erected. And as in the vintage, Rev . 14, the Popish Gentiles had, as was said, trod down the grapes in Germany; so here, Revelation 11:1, the like outward court in other churches elsewhere is given unto these Gentiles to tread down, and so with that exploit to end their date of treading down the holy city for forty-two months, (or 1260 years,) with this their re-entry, which shall be their last upon the churches of the Reformation. And so you see the 11th chapter begins where the 14th chapter ends.
Then, secondly, Revelation 11:5-6 of that chapter, in the description of the witnesses, you furthermore expressly have the first four vials briefly summed up; and no more of them than the first four mentioned therein, to shew that these witnesses, in these latter times of their prophecy, are the same with those angels that pour out the vials, Revelation 16. And observe, that that mention of them comes in but by way of parenthesis in this speech of the angel unto John, that he might discern who they were, and know them again in this new book-prophecy; and all to this end, to shew what after these four vials, or from the time of the fourth and before the fifth, should befall them in the expiring of the 1260 years allotted them to prophesy in, in sackcloth, or in a mourning condition; which now should end with the beast’s reign also, which ends with the fifth vial. And so, Revelation 11:7, when they shall be about to finish their testimony,—that is, just now, at the ending of their prophecy,—they that formerly have had the power to execute four such vials on the beast’s company already, must now, before they do fatally darken and overcome his kingdom by the fifth vial, be themselves once more overcome by the beast. Which killing of them, being thus mentioned after four of the vials, summed up, Revelation 11:5-6, and in the end of their prophecy, and in the very expiring of their time of mourning, must needs therefore be from after, or upon the time of the fourth vial, and before the fifth, or at furthest with the sixth. And then, Revelation 11:13, the witnesses, they rise, and the tenth part of the city falls, which some have interpreted to be the fifth vial, the ruin of the city of Rome. But of that hereafter in the exposition.
After that, Revelation 11:14, the second woe passeth away, which notes the removing of the Turkish power and tyranny,—which was the second woe, or sixth trumpet, spoken of Revelation 9:12-13,—which is all one with the sixth vial, Revelation 16, the drying up the river Euphrates, or the preparation unto it; as in the exposition will appear.
Then follows the seventh, trumpet, Revelation 11:15 to the end; at which time the seventh vial begins, as is evident by comparing Revelation 11:9 and Revelation 16:18-21, as also Revelation 10:7, in that it is said in one place that ‘time shall be no longer’ than until the seventh trumpet blows, and in the other, ‘It is done,’ says the voice, when the seventh vial is poured out, Revelation 16:17.
And, lastly, as under the seventh trumpet comes in the holy of holies, which, as was said, is the opening the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven, in which the ark is seen, Revelation 11:18; so you may read, Revelation 15:5, that after the vials, (he says there,