A Scripture Line of Time, Treatise · Part 2 · Section 14
SECT. XIV.
Wherein is contained a brief Diſquiſition upon the ſeven Voices, as they run along. Apoc. ch. 14.
THE laſt Line of Time upon the grand Line of Daniel's 2300 Ev. Mor. ſtretches out it ſelf beyond the ſo often repeated Prophetical Line we have been upon; and yet it is moſt juſtly, and according to the Reaſon of the Line to be joyned with it, becauſe the holy Spirit hath in Daniel ſo joyned to 1260, 30 more, making 1290, and then 45, making 1335, as hath been ſo often obſerv'd: ſo that from hence, however joyn'd, riſes a diſtinct Line of 75 Years, conſiſting of its leſſer Diſtinctions, 30, and 45.
And with great Wiſdom and Deſign they are undoubtedly thus joyn'd, and yet diſtinguiſh'd; for hereby is ſhewn, 1. That it is the ſame principal Line of 2300 Ev. Mor. thus protended; 2. That the managements of Divine Power, as to the Divine Kingdom, are of a diſtinct nature from what they were, any part, even the laſt and beſt part, (that is, the Half-time) of the 1260 Days, or ſince the Reformation, and yet that there is an Agreement too; ſo that the Kingdom is diſtinctly advanc'd in the firſt 30, above the State of it along the Half-time, and ſtill farther and higher advanc'd in the laſt Diſtinction, or the forty five; and yet that the Kingdom does not appear in Glory, until the End of the 1335: all which appears very plainly both in Daniel and this Apocalyptick Prophecy: where ſeeing the Voices and the Vials come after the 1260 Days, we may conclude by the Union, and by the Diſtinction together, That the latter end of the ſixth Trumpet adheres cloſe to the ſeventh, and then by the Voices firſt, and the Vials after them [both of the ſeventh Trumpet] following ſo cloſe one upon another, and by the Bleſſed State coming upon all, we may be moſt aſſur'd, the Voices and the Vials anſwer to the Thirty and the Forty five Years of Surpluſage to the 1260 Days, ſo diſtinguiſh'd and ſo conjoyn'd.
Now that theſe Voices and Vials of the ſeventh Trumpet are yet to come, and to come in the Order laid down, and within the Time laid down; theſe ſix Things may indubitably convince us:
1. We may be fully aſſur'd, nothing ſo great, as the ſeven Thunders, could be heard before the Reformation, ſo high, ſo loud for the Kingdom of Christ; ſo they muſt be with the Reformation beginning.
2. There is moſt apparently a ſpace allowed for the Thunders, remaining ſeal'd, after their Voices uttered; which ſpace hath ſo great reaſon, as hath been given, to be rated at a Half-time, or 180 Years, and ſo cannot be run out yet ſince the Reformation.
3. Nothing ſo eminent ſince the Reformation, as the Fall of the Tenth of the Great City, or the Turkiſh Woe ceaſing, (whatever hopes now appear,) nor of the ſeventh Trumpet ſo cloſely lynck'd with both, hath yet been ſeen.
4. The Oath of Christ, that Time ſhould be no more, cannot poſſibly allow ſuch a ſpace of Time, or Delay, as the Half-time after Time, Times, Half-Time, within the ſeventh Trumpet; or indeed, any Time at all, wherein every thing ſhould not be in motion, and zealous of finiſhing the Myſtery of God, and that within ſo ſhort a Time, as 75 Years: ſo that as the Voices and Vials cannot have yet been ſince the Reformation, ſo they cannot take up above 75 Years after it. For to ſhew them quick, they are ſtyl'd Voices, ſoon given, and Vials ſuddenly pour'd out; and what is quicker than the Voice of God's Thunder, than the Spouts and Cataracts of Heaven?
5. If there be ſeven Voices or Thunders, they muſt needs unite with the ſeventh Trumpet, and the ſeven Vials muſt iſſue from the ſeventh Voice, or elſe the admirable Contexture of this Prophecy, its Symmetry, and Harmony, muſt needs be loſt; as therefore the ſeventh Seal comprehends the ſeven Trumpets, during which the Kingdom remains ſeal'd; even ſo muſt the ſeventh Trumpet, the Voices, and to ſhew the Voices are ſeven Voices, the ſeven Vials are fill'd from the Blood of the Wine-preſs of the ſeventh Voice.
6. It is moſt impoſſible the Beſtian or Antichriſtian Power ſhould be in ſuch a State as at this day it is; If the ſeventh Trumpet, with its Voices and Vials, had made their Impreſſions on it, it muſt needs have been torn and rent in pieces thereby.
But becauſe that ſo illuſtrious End of the ſixth Trumpet and the ſeventh Trumpet are to come, and that the ſeventh Trumpet is ſo expreſly ſtyl'd Myſtery, I ſhall with all Humility, Modeſty, and Brevity, undertake not any thing in their Explication, as to the very manner, or preciſe ſenſe of Particulars, but only in the general, demonſtrate their Order and Sequence, and obſerve their neceſſary main Importance: but whether even that Fall of the Tenth of the City, and the concomitant mighty Works, do not with a great notice of themſelves, only given at the end of the ſixth, iſſue into the ſeventh Trumpet, and ſo are gradually fulfill'd in the Voices and the Vials, and how the Beſtian Power, or the ſpiritual Pharaoh and his Egypt, is ſo much as kept in a State of Being or Exiſtence at all, and ſurvives (as Pharaoh and Egypt of old) under ſuch Voices and Vials to the laſt, or as the City where our Lord was crucified did under ſuch a Miniſtry, and a courſe of Miracles, and Prophecies fulfilling upon it, till deſtroy'd by Titus, I confeſs my ſelf unable to account; but muſt leave it to that Time it ſelf, that will be ſo full of Light to explain it.
But that the Prophecy gives us an orderly courſe of ſeven Voices, although, in reverence, as it were, of the Prophecy it ſelf to its own Type of the Thunders once ſeal'd, they and their Order is ſo much cover'd, I ſhall thus argue:
There are in this Apocal. Prophecy, ch. 14. ſeven diſtinct Iſſues Arg. 1 or Emanations, following in a Connexion, and yet to v. 1. v. 13. v. 6. v. 14, 15.each is annex'd its ſignal Note of Diſtinction; ſo that while they are in a Connexion, they are alſo under a Diſtinction, v. 8. v. 18. v. 9.and they are juſt ſeven, and moſt undeniably ſo. From hence it appears they concert with all the Apocalyptick Sevens, in which Number the whole Prophecy is all along conveyed.
To each of theſe, there is applied either a Voice from Heaven, Arg. 2 a loud Voice, or a loud Cry, according to the Note of the ſeventh Trumpet, There were great Voices in Heaven. Every one of theſe Sevens hath therefore this Note, except the Third, concerning the Fall of Babylon, omitted then, as it were on purpoſe to diſtinguiſh it, and that it might not be miſtaken for the Execution of this Voice by the ſeventh Vial, c. 18. elſe it cannot but be thought, That Angel diſcharg'd his Office and Truſt with the ſame Zeal the other Angels did, and that a Point of ſo great Concernment to the Kingdom of Christ as Babylon's Fall, was neither whiſper'd in a low Accent, nor coolley, or ſo much as calmly pronounced.
To ſhew there is a Connexion of the Seven, when there had been no mention of any Angel in the first Voice; yet it is Arg. 3 ſaid in the ſecond Voice, Another Angel. Now ſeeing he cannot be call'd Another with reſpect to any precedent Angel, it muſt undoubtedly be with Relation to the firſt Voice: and thus as there is a Connexion, ſo there is an Order; in the fourth Voice therefore, the Angel is call'd the third Angel, to ſhew there is a deſign'd Order. And as to ſhew the ſame Order alſo, the first Angel was called not the first, but another; and if Another, there muſt be a former; another can't be without a first other; for Another is a ſecond other. So it appears again, there is an order of Voices ſignified in this third Angel but fourth Voice; for the Order is again expreſs'd by Third, a moſt expreſs Note of Order.
The very Importance of each Voice carries a Succeſſion to Arg. 4 the Kingdom of Christ; which that we may better underſtand, we muſt conſider, Voice, and Voices, and Thunder in their general Notation in Scripture, ſignifie Doctrine, and an Emanation of Doctrine; ſo John Baptiſt is called a Voice, and thoſe two Apoſtles Boanerges, or Sons of Thunder; and eſpecially in this Prophecy, Thunders, and Voices are always big with ſome Appearance of Chriſt's Kingdom; This courſe of Voices muſt therefore be a courſe of Doctrines very productive of Chriſt's Kingdom, and in the two laſt of earneſt Prayers for it, that were returned to (as Chriſt's Prayer, Glorifie Joh. 12. 28.thy Name,) by a Voice of Thunder, I have both glorified it, and will glorifie it again; and as the Place where the Apoſtles prayed, was ſhaken, ſo theſe Petitions will be to the Acts 4. 31.World as a Thunder and Earthquake, and yet the Kingdom it ſelf, after theſe Preparations, is in a ſtill Voice of Grace and Peace.
We muſt then enquire from whence theſe Voices riſe and ſpring, and we may find three Origins of them.
1. They riſe from the Church of Philadelphia, whoſe proper Interval, or Support of the Line of Time, is at the ſeventh Trumpet, as hath been affirmed; And it is ſaid, Chriſt ſet it an open door, viz. of divine Doctrine, reaching to Chriſt's Kingdom. So the Apoſtle calls the Propagation of the Goſpel 1 Cor. 16. 9. Col. 4. 3.by his Miniſtry, the opening to him a door, wide and effectual, and the very Publication it ſelf, a door of Ʋtterance.
2. They ſpring from the ſeven Thunders, that uttered their Voices but, as not in due time to proceed, nor in the order of the Apocal. Sevens, were then ſealed, but are now written. The firſt Voice therefore, as the Voice of Thunder, allies the whole Courſe of them to the Thunders; and the Perſons from whom the Voice of the firſt Thunder proceeds, had the Name of the Lambs Father Written; which Number was firſt under Seal at the Apoſtacy beginning; then they ſhewed themſelves at the Thunders, but immediately were ſeal'd again, and now unſeal'd, and written at the Thunders unſeal'd and written in theſe Voices. So in the fifth Voice, Write. Now Writing in this Prophecy, as contrary to the Sealing, ſignifies an Impreſencing of Things; ſo unſealing and writing moſt naturally begin together.
3. Theſe Voices are begotten by the ſeventh Trumpets fruitful ſound: for tho' there were many Voices and Thundrings before and after, yet none made a courſe of Apocalyptick Sevens but theſe.
I have thus far ſettled this divine Sett of Viſions, or the ſeven Voices, as they conduct the courſe of Time, or the firſt thirty of the ſeventy five Years; which are not indeed numerally given in this Apocalyptical Prophecy, either for the ſecrecy of Prophecy or for the diſtincteſt ſecuring the right underſtanding of that alone given Number, the great prophetical Line before diſcourſed, which fall upon a Time of greateſt Obſcurity, and of all other leaſt diſcernable; and laſtly, bebecauſe this Time, when it comes, will be fulleſt of Light. But this notwithſtanding by that whole Symmetry of Prophecy, and the compare of Daniel's Numbers, viz. the Grand one of 2300 Ev. Mor. and the 1290 Days, and 1335 Days; and comparing them with this Complex of Voices, it is enough clear and demonſtrative, This is an Order of ſeven Voices.
I will not do ſo much injury to ſo divine a Mount of Viſion, as to give an imperfect Landſcaph of it, nor of the following awful one of the Vials; a Mountain, in ſome Regards, like that which burn'd with Fire, and was not to be touch'd; nor of that glorious Mountain of the Heavenly Tzebi, the Mountain of Spices and Delights on which the New Jeruruſalem is planted, as to give imperfect Landſcaphs of them by half Treaties upon the Delineations of them in this and other Prophecies. Seeing therefore that part of the Diſcourſe which I deſign chiefly to the Line of Time, will not allow me a full Treaty, I will ſatisfie my ſelf with the Evidences of Prophecy concerning the ſpaces of Time, deſtin'd to each, and the naked Summary of them, and reſerve the fuller draughts to another Treatiſe (if God ſhall vouchſafe me opportunity,) concerning the ſeven Churches, of which I have only alſo given a ſhort view, and as in perſpective. The ſeven Churches, the ſeven Voices, the ſeven Vials, and the cubical thouſand Years, I reſerve to a diſtinct full Diſcourſe.
This Sett of Voices therefore, is the wide door, and effectual, c. 14.that will be open'd at thoſe thirty Years enſuing the Riſing of the Witneſſes at 1697, who are here ſet as a contrary Number to the Men mark'd with the Beaſt's Number, and at that Number expir'd at the 1260 Days ending, and the 75 beginning in the Goſpel, diſcover'd firſt in that pureſt cleareſt Doctrine of the Redemption of Jeſus Christ the Lamb, in that, as it were, new Song of Praiſe, communicated from the c. 13. ult.triumphant Witneſſes with the Lamb on Mount Zion, by the Holy Spirit to the Servants of God here below, who are Followers of Chriſt in the Philadelphian Church, in that, as it were, new Song, ſo long out of uſe, or not ſung by skillful Muſicians that excell'd, that ſhall now be full of all Sweetneſs and Delight; upon which ſhall follow a Propagation of it to the whole World, as if a flying Sermon were borne thro' the midſt of Heaven, that all Nations, People, and Tongues, under Heaven, might hear, founded on that grand Principle [The one God Creator of Heaven, Earth, &c.] that had been ſo long abuſed by Heathen and Antichriſtian Idolatry, dividing their Gods and Mediators to the ſeveral parts of the Creation; upon which the Fall of Babylon, the City of Graven Images, mad of Idols, mad of falſe Mediators, muſt needs enſue, as moſt naturally to be declared next; And that Declaration is moſt worthily attended with that righteous Denunciation, That if any one ſhall continue, upon ſo clear Evidences from Heaven againſt it, to worſhip the Beaſt, their Caſe is irremediable, and becomes like the unpardonable Sin. Which Denunciation ſhews the juſt and neceſſary Situation of this Voice in ſpace of Time, and ſo of the other Voices ſo orderly connex'd with it: it could not be before the Beaſts 42 Months ended; for it muſt have immediately broken his Kingdom, as the Cedars of Lebanon are broken with the force of Thunder: nor can we ſuppoſe it after the Effuſion of the Vials; for God gives warning before he deſtroys. Within theſe thirty Years therefore it is neceſſarily plac'd together with the other Voices.
Between this, and the following Voice of the Saints Reſurrection, is Recall'd an Inſcription, engraven upon, as it were a Boundary-pillar of the Beaſts Tyranny, and the Saints Sufferings, c. 13. 10. Here, or thus far reach the Faith and Patience of the Saints, viz. to the Beaſts Captivation, and his Party kill'd with the Sword. Between theſe two Voices of the Eternal Burnings of the Lake, into which the taken Beast and his Worſhippers are cast, and of the declar'd Reſurrection of the Saints, that Inſcription here Recall'd is declar'd, as appearing in its Verification, Here, viz. Recorded in Glory, and ſpeedily to be Rewarded is the Faith and Patience of the Saints. Here appear, as ready to enter into Glory, thoſe ſuffering Witneſſes ſpoken of c. 12. 17. who keep the Commandments of God, and the Faith of Jeſus.
Next in order follows the Promulgation of the first Reſurrection ſo nearly approaching, which is not truſted only to a created Miniſtry, nor to a Sound only, but the Holy Spirit takes it at the Rebound, and declares it by it ſelf, and commands it to Writing. Upon this follows a loud Voice of Prayer and Supplication to the crowned Son of Man, Lord of the Harvest, to reap the Earth by an abundant Converſion of Jews and Gentiles; which is graciouſly anſwer'd by him to whom the Crown was given at the firſt preaching of the Goſpel in the firſt Seal, and at this Harveſt he appears crown'd, as the ultimate preaching of it. And as the laſt of Remedies, a Supplication for Vengeance upon irreconcilable Enemies follows, on which the Guilt of former and preſent Ages of ſuch Enemies, who as the Grapes of Sodom, or the Fruit of the degenerate Vine, are caſt into the Wine-preſs of the Wrath of God, the Demerit and Guilt, comes out like Blood, from which are fill'd the Vials of the Wrath of God; and that in the ſeventh Vial flows out upon the whole Circumference or Quadrature of 1600 Furlongs, the whole Latitude of the City of Sathan, even to the Horſe Bridles of the Armies of Heaven, with Chriſt, the ſupreme Prince, treading this Wine-preſs, and executing …. 19, …the Vengeance of this Vial when he appears with many Crowns.
How glorious, and how terrible, will God be at this Remark.Time in his Word? How admirable, and how dreadful, will be the Spirit of Chriſt's Mouth, and the Breath and Rod of his Lips? That which is now accounted the Fooliſhneſs of Preaching, and the Burden of Prophecy, grown into a Proverb of Contempt, ſhall then be the perfect fulfilling of that Prophecy on his profeſs'd Enemies, Iſa. 30. 27. which I deſire may be turn'd to, and pondered by every conſidering Perſon that reads theſe Lines; And on mere Sardian Profeſſors, that are not among the Few Names, nor the Overcomers, It will be Christ coming as a Thief, and they not knowing at what hour he comes; but to all his Servants it will be with Tabrets and Harps, a Song of Praiſe, excelling the imaginary Muſick of the Spheres.