A Scripture Line of Time, Treatise · Part 1 · Section 8
SECT. VIII.
Wherein is given a Prefatory Survey of the whole Apocalyptical Prophecy.
I Am now brought down, by the courſe of prophetick Time, to that very Point of Time where the Series of Apocalyptical Viſions begins; ſo that although the Line of Time was by Daniel ſtretch'd over whole Apocalyptick Time, in the Number given to him, and in a general way, ſome Umbrages of thoſe Viſions had been preſented by Ezekiel, and even by all the Prophets ſince the World began, that ſo in the Mouth of not only two or three but many Witneſſes, every word might be eſtabliſh'd; yet it appertains to the Glory of the New Teſtament, the Goſpel, and Kingdom of the Mediator, there ſhould be ſo great and ſtupendious a Prophecy peculiar to it, as that of the Revelation, wherein God and Jeſus Chriſt are for ever to be ador'd, and had in reverence of all that approach the Profeſſion of Chriſtianity.
I ſay, It muſt be of neceſſity agreeable to the Excellency of the New Testament, there ſhould be, beſides many Incidental Prophecies, ſo divinely majestick a Prophecy, as this of the Apocalyps, ſuch a Temple of Prophecies, whoſe Symbols ſhould be ſo high and lofty, its Light more clear and full, its Lines of Time, in what it pleas'd to give, more evident and certain; the Doctrines intermingled more ſpiritual, the Promiſes more heavenly, and explain'd; the Threats more dreadful and more open; that in every thing there may be a Becomingneſs of All to the Old Teſtament, unveil'd, fulfill'd, and excell'd in the New.
And accordingly, we ſhall find all theſe, to the very height, taken care of and adjuſted; we ſhall ſee this all along the Iconiſms and Figures of Things in the Churches, in the ſeveral Viſions, in the Doctrines, in the ſolemn mentions of the Lamb, of his Blood ſo often memorializ'd, as an Antidote againſt the Poiſon of Antichriſt, as alſo the Miniſteries of Angels and their moſt peremptory Abhorrence of all Worſhip offer'd to them; Its only numbred Line of Time, till the 1000 Years, is ſo often repeated and aſcertain'd; that it does in all things illuſtriouſly ſhew it ſelf to be that grand Revelation of Jeſus Chriſt, which God gave him to ſhew to his Servants to the tranſcendent Honour of the Son, by whom he thus ſpake laſt of all; Who is the Heir of all things, eſpecially of the World to Heb. 1. 1.come, of which this Prophecy ſpeaks.
So that to raviſh this from the Search and Enquiry of his Church, or by Imputations of immodeſt Preſumption to bar from it the utmoſt Endeavours of his Servants, to compare ſo great a Prophecy, and its Events, is to take from them one of the principal Props of Chriſtian Faith and Obedience, and to deveſt the New Teſtament of ſo high a Glory as this ſure Word of Prophecy, to which we ought to take heed, as to a Light that ſhineth in the obſcure and even ſqualid Ayr of the Apoſtaſie, till the Bright Morning-Star appear; and therefore notwithſtanding all Prejudices the Apoſtacy hath rais'd againſt Reſearches into it, Bleſſed is he that Readeth, and they who hear the Words of this Prophecy.
That which this Prophecy reveals, is the glorious Reſtitution of all things in the Kingdom of Christ, and his Reign with his Saints, the Deſtruction and Conſumption of all the wicked, ſo as to be no more as they have been in God's Creation and Earth, Pſal. 104. 35.
The Senſe, in which it reveals, is not only Prophetical, Doctrinal, and Verbal, but Real and Eventual; and that immediately from the very Beginning of it. All the Viſions in their own Order, each in their Seaſon, come quickly or ſhortly to paſs; that is, begin to come to paſs, and ſo go on to their End, according to the Types wherein they are imprinted.
This Revelation begins juſtly at the Reſurrection of Christ, conjoyn'd as in one entire Act and Time with his Aſcenſion, when all power in Heaven and Earth was given to him, at the Lord's Day, dedicated by himſelf to the Glory of his Riſing, and the Publication of his Anointing, by the coming down of Act. 1. c. 2.the Holy Spirit. Then could he ſay, Behold I was dead, am alive, and live for evermore: Then he was brought near to the Ancient of Days, and receiv'd the Aſſurance of his Kingdom; Then had he Right to be the Prince of the Kings of the Earth, though he was pleas'd to ſtay, and to joyn Patience to and with his Kingdom. And this was as in the middle Rev. 1. 9.of the Five hundred ſixty ſecond Ev. Mor. from Cyrus, and in the middle of the laſt of the ſeventieth of the ſeventy Weeks, and at the Time the Roman Empire was come to Maturity in the AUTONOMY of Auguſtus and Tiberius, in the Time of which the firſt Right of his Kingdom began: and e're that Empire in its last State ends, it ſhall be ſet up in Glory.
For though the Apocalytical Prophecy was not actually given to the Apoſtle John till ſome years after; yet, as Prophecy calls the future, ſo that which is paſt, to the preſent Time; and repreſents in an entire Frame both together, a Priviledge, as to that which is paſt, neceſſarily allowed to Hiſtory and to a prophetick Frame much more, when it hath occaſion for it.
The Period of the Revelation (till the thouſand years) is moſt evidently thoſe two Apocalyptical Pillars, bearing the two anſwering Inſcriptions, IT IS DONE, IT IS DONE, Apoc. 16. 17. c. 22. 6.from whence the Kingdom begins.
So that this Book of the Revelation is juſtly to be ſtyl'd the Book of the Kingdom of Chriſt in its ſeveral Offers of Appearance, and rending the very Clouds to ſhew it ſelf, in the Acts 1. 7. Dan. 12. 7.Juſtice of its Claim; and yet retiring it ſelf till the very moments appointed by the Father, and ſworn by himſelf. In which Regards, this Prophecy is call'd (A Book) both in Daniel and here in the Apocalyps, on all occaſions.
So that the thouſand Years are properly within this Book, as the Book of the Kingdom. There is alſo beyond the thouſand Years a foreign, a little Space, as it were the Revel. 20.Hour of the thouſand-years-day of the Lord, or of the Son of Man, in which the natural Apoſtacy of Humane Nature ſhews it ſelf in the lukewarm Laodicean Church, and in Gog and Magog, as at a bluſh; but the whole of any State, either 1 Cor. 15.of Church, or Nation below, immediately is ſwallow'd up in Flames, and Death and Hell, with their whole Propriety, ſhut up within themſelves, and the Kingdom reſign'd to God ALL in ALL.
The Paſſage or Conveyance of this Apocalyptical Time, is through the ſeven Churches, comprehending the whole Time within themſelves, as alſo Symbols proper to the Prophecy, as peculiar to the Chriſtian Church; and then the whole Time begins again, and runs in ſeven Seals, ſeven Trumpets, ſeven Voices, as unſeal'd Thunders, ſeven Vials, as ſo many Conduits, Tubes, or Pipes of the whole Prophecy, under the Conduct and Government of the Lamb with ſeven eyes, and the guiding Operations of the ſeven Lamps, the ſeven Spirits of God, that is, of the Divine Spirit in its ſevenfold Operations. And in all I underſtand the ſabbatical Number deriv'd from the first Sabbath, and terminating in the laſt great Sabbatiſm of Chriſt's Kingdom, continued with the Sabbatiſm of Eternity.
Thus the Prophecy is divided into two Syſtemes, or Complexes of Viſions; The Syſteme of the ſeven Churches, that is proper and particular to the Church, wherein the Churches, as Symbols ſuſtain the whole Prophecy, which is worthy the Spirituality and Clearneſs of a New Teſtament Prophecy, ſo to Order, and of great Grace, Elegancy, and Condecency to God's great Regard to his Church: The Second is that which embraces the whole State of the Church, but propp'd and ſupported with ſuch Imperial Events, as moſt nearly related to the Church, adorn'd with ſuch Symbols, ſuch Notes of Time, ſuch Events, as agree to thoſe Times, whereby Hiſtory, both Common and Eccleſiaſtick, may be adjuſted to, and concerted with both, and the Truth of the Prophecy, and its true Interpretation juſtiſted before, and by all the World. And this is that Syſteme, or Complex of Prophecies, that firſt by the Seals runs through the Roman Empire; till the ſixth Seal, Pagan; and Chriſtian in the ſixth and ſeventh Seals; in thoſe things wherein the Kingdom and Church of Christ are moſt intereſſed, until the Empire was blaſted in the firſt Trumpet, and true publick Worſhip alſo, by the 1260 Days of the Daily taken away entring; The Imperial City was thrown like a Mountain into the Sea in the ſecond and in the third Trumpet, when the Roman Empire expiring in the Weſt was ſurrogated, or new founded in the Beaſt ſucceeding in his forty two Months: and ſo the Prophecy goes on in the other Trumpets, till it comes to the Kingdom of Chriſt in the ſeventh Trumpet, in its juſt Succeſſion, to the last State of the Roman fourth Monarchy, according to all Prophecy. And this till the thouſand Years runs through the Voices of Preparation into the Vials, and the Vials prepare to the thouſand Years glorious Reign of our Lord Jeſus Christ.
So then this is the only true proper Diviſion of this Prophecy into its two Syſtemes of the Churches, and then riſe the Seals, Trumpets, Voices, Vials, in another Syſteme, ſupporting all things relating to the Church by Imperial Motions, Mutations, and Times. And in the latter Syſteme, all theſe Tubes of Time are each Sett of them, and each of each Sett ſo united one to another, that they can neither be disjoyn'd from their immediate ſequence one upon another, nor mov'd out of their order; ſo that the Trumpets follow the Seals; the Voices the Trumpets; the Vials the Voices; and each Seal, Trumpet, Voice, and Vial, follows immediately upon its foregoing Seal, Trumpet, Voice, and Vial; and every ſeventh comprehends the following Sevens, the ſeventh Seal, the ſeven Trumpets, the ſeventh Trumpet, the ſeven Voices, the ſeventh Voice, the ſeven Vials; and each precedent Seventh hath ſome graſp on all the following Sevens. So the ſeventh Seal comprehends the Trumpets, the Voices, the Vials; the ſeventh Trumpet the Voices and Vials; the ſeventh Voice the ſeven Vials; ſo admirably is this Prophecy united and interwoven.
And to other Diviſion than this of the ſecond Systeme of Prophecies, I can by no means ſubſcribe; as of the Prophecy divided into the ſealed and open Book-prophecy; or the Prophecy of the Empire firſt, and then of the Church. For that remarkable part of the ſealed Book-prophecy, viz. the palmbearing Company, by peculiar Right pertains to the open Book, or that muſt be ſo, if there were ſuch an open Book-prophecy; and much of the open Book-prophecy, allowing ſuch a one, muſt needs pertain to the ſealed: but indeed there is no ſuch Thing as an open Book-prophecy in that place, where it is ſaid to be open'd; for the Book was no ſooner open'd but it was eaten, and ſo abſconded aſſoon as open'd, till open'd by the Voices, c. 14. as ſhall be farther clear'd: nor is there any Prophecy of the ſecond Syſteme, but pertains properly to the Church, as within firſt the Pagan, then the Chriſtian, then the Beſtian State of the one Roman Empire, and laſtly of the Ʋniverſal Empire and Kingdom of Christ.
Now in this Order apocalyptical, Both Viſions and Times in the firſt Syſteme, run through the ſix Churches, In the ſecond through thoſe four Sets of prophetical Tubes, Seals c. 6. c. 7. c. 8. to v. of Trumpets, c. 8. v. 8. to the end of c. 11. of Voices, c. 14. of the Vials, c. 15. c. 16. and ſo laying theſe Chapters together, the order is moſt exact, except that in c. 7. There is an Anticipation of the Triumph of the New Jeruſalem from v. 9. to the end. In c. 11. there is a Collection of the whole State of the Apoſtaſie, during the ſix Trumpets, into one Body together, as it conſiſts of the Sufferings of the Witneſſes, and the Tyranny of the Beſtian Apoſtaſie, excepting ſome cloſe Intimations in the very Compoſure of the Symboliſms of thoſe Trumpets [for the great Reaſons hereafter to be given,] that refer to the ſame Apoſtacy, and begin at the firſt Trumpet.
And then in the twelfth and thirteenth Chapters the extravaſated Account of the Dragon, watching the Woman, and her manly Birth, the Dragon caſt down, and the manly Birth caught up, is to be reduc'd within its moſt proper Channel; viz. the fifth and ſixth Seals. And this prepares for the right underſtanding of the Beaſt mention'd ch. 11. as deriv'd from the Dragon, c. 13. arriving his Number 666, which belongs to the ſix firſt Trumpets; and it is there fitly ſet to prepare for the Viſion of the Lambs Number. c. 14.
And as to the Chapters 17. 18. and 19. they are moſt evidently the Progreſs of the Hiſtory of the ſeventh Vial, and the full Relation of its Effects. To prepare for which, an extraordinary Deſcription of the Woman, or Great City reigning over the Kings of the Earth, oppoſite to the Woman in the Wilderneſs, is prefix'd; and on her occaſion a more perfect Portraicture of the Beast, and of his ten Horns or Kings is given, in preparation to the Judgment executed on all, c. 19. And then the Milennial State being drawn up, c. 20. it is carried on to the end of Apocalyptical Time, as it reaches into the complemental State of Eternity, which the Prophecy briefly abſolves, and then returns upon its more proper Subject, or the 1000 Years of the New Jeruſalem. c. 21. c. 22.
Now this Order began with the Preface to the Churches Viſion of the first Syſteme, c. 1. and then the Preface of the ſecond Syſteme, and laſtly a Poſtſcript, returning eſpecially c. 4. c. 5. c. 22. 16.to the Vials as given by the first Angel of the Vials. This Order is, I ſay, the whole entire natural Order of this Apocalyptical Prophecy; which is contriv'd indeed ſuitable to the Secrecy and Myſticneſs of the Prophecy, ſo as often ſymbolically to declare, when theſe Prophecies would have the cleareſt and moſt efficacious Diſcoveries in the Church, viz. after the Half Time, when the Thunders had utter'd their Voices, and the Book open, was ſhewn in the hand of Christ. That was the juſt Seaſon for the Diſcovery of the Apoſtacy in the ſuffering of the Witneſſes, and the Tenthly Fall of the City; and then after the ſeventh Trumpet the whole Series of Viſions concerning the Beast, deriv'd from the Dragon, will be beſt underſtood, and moſt fully believ'd; even as at the Reformation there was moſt neceſſarily an Acknowledgment of a long Apoſtacy, of the cruel Tyranny of the Beaſt over true Chriſtians, and a viſible Pledge; The Ten Kings on the Head of the Beaſt, that carries the Woman, would at length fall from it: but the End of that Half-Time will make a farther, both Notoriety and Aſſurance of theſe things.
This allowed, the Prophecy takes no Freedome, but what is due to the graveſt Hiſtory, to place, by way ſometimes of Anticipation, ſometimes of Recollection, the Parts of the Hiſtory ſo, as may beſt ſerve the Purpoſes of the Hiſtory: And yet we cannot deferr ſo little to the Majeſty of Divine Prophecy, as is even challengeable by Humane Hiſtory; For that is juſtly entitled to a Right of ſecret and inſenſible Tranſitions, Connexions, Tranſpoſitions from one part to another, which require leiſurely Meditation and thoughtful Pauſes, to find them; and yet are ſo plac'd, as when found they give Light one to another with Ʋſury.
Altho therefore I riſe up with greateſt Reverence and Honour to thoſe great Names, who have thought otherwiſe, I can allow no Beginning of Apocalyptical Time anew, either at the open Book ch. 11. or at ch. 12. but only a Recollection of thoſe things after their redundant Swellings out of their Channels, one to the firſt Trumpet, the latter to the fifth Seal; Only The two Syſtemes have each one and the ſame Epoch, given particularly to each: The Churches are cloſe and evenly cemented, and ſouldered one to another, and ſo the Seals, Trumpets, &c. and their Connexion even hermetically ſeal'd; And Both from the ſame Epoch, the Reſurrection of Chriſt, derive themſelves.
And as to the Interpretation of the whole, even as it is a Rule of great uſe in the Interpreting General Scripture, that the literal Senſe is to be preferr'd where no Analogy of Faith or Scripture-Reaſon is deſtroy'd by it; ſo here the myſtical ſenſe is rather to be choſen, where no ſuch Injury is committed upon the Analogy of Scripture Truth: and yet as in the one caſe a ſubordinate myſtical ſenſe may be allowed; ſo in this, a ſubordinate literal ſenſe may be allowed.
To give only two or three Inſtances. Hearing and Reading this Prophecy hath firſt the myſtical ſenſe of a cloſe Conformity to the Rules of Faith, Worſhip, and Practice, according to it; which makes All Bleſſed who ſo read and ſo hear, tho' they do not interpret, nor concern themſelves in the Interpretation of this Prophecy; and yet there is in the literal ſenſe an Accumulative Honour and Happineſs on thoſe who joyn both theſe Senſes in themſelves together. As on the other ſide, They who add and take away by Antichriſtianiſm from the Words of it, by breaking its Holy Meaſures in Faith, Worſhip, and Practice, ſhall loſe their part in its Promiſes, and have their part in its Plagues; altho they neither added nor took away in the litteral ſenſe, and yet They ſhall receive accumulative Plagues who have done the firſt, and then by falſe and diſtorted Interpretations added the latter alſo.
Thus Opening the Book of this Prophecy and its Seals, are principally the ſeveral Effects of the Kingdom of Christ, and that principal one at the Reformation, and not the Expoſition of the Book, or a new courſe of Prophecy: and yet it is ſubordinately true, There was then a greater Clearneſs and Illuſtration of the whole Doctrine of the Chriſtian Religion, and a new order, as it were, of Holy Prophecy and Inſtruction; And this Prophecy did then Recall its own Diſcovery of Things at that Time, after the Apoſtacy ſo long darkning it and the Goſpel, and enlarge its former brief Notes.
And ſo Coming quickly to paſs hath the literal ſenſe, That then immediately began Apocalyptical Events each in their own order, to come ſpeedily and immediately to paſs, altho' ſo many hundred years run out 'ere all come to paſs; As an Army may be ſaid to come preſently when the Avaunt Corriers firſt appear, altho' the Rere may be long in coming, becauſe of the numerous Body coming on orderly and in juſt Files. Thus every Apocalyptical Event was on the Wing, and darted it ſelf into Exiſtence, without the leaſt of ſlumbring or lingring, when its Time was, to come.
But the myſtical ſenſe is, that whereas that ſublime Event of the Death and Reſurrection of Christ roſe up, as a Mountain dividing and parting the former World and Time, from the latter Time, or the laſt Days, and All beyond the Reſurrection was as a Book clos'd and ſeal'd up, ſo as that it could not, till the Reſurrection, make an offer of Appearance; Then it did, and therefore then properly ſeal'd down with ſeven Seals: and yet by their opening it was in a daily motion to its Appearance. But thoſe two Worlds were of ſuch different Lines of Communications, that nothing paſs'd in prophetical Account into Exiſtence or Being, out of one into the other; even as the World, on the one and the other ſide of the Equinoctial Line, are remarkably taken notice of, as two diſtinct Parts of the World, how near ſoever they joyn who are on each ſide next to it. Thus nothing on the other ſide the Line before the Reſurrection was ſo much as coming to paſs that was to be after the Reſurrection, or to have any motion accounted to it. But after that Reſurrection every thing pertaining to the latter days is deſcrib'd as coming quickly to paſs, each in its own Order, and Time, and knowing its Place, and marching in its own Diſtances; none as that Army, Joel 2. 7, 8. thruſting another, or breaking rank; but all duely plac'd in their Climes, as on this ſide the Line.
And now having given this general view of the Apocalyptical Prophecy, and its Order of Times, I will diſcourſe briefly firſt on the Syſteme of the Church-Prophecy, or of the ſeven Churches, and obſerve their Concert with thoſe Lines of Time, that rule the Evenings and Mornings, or Nights and Days of Apocalyptical Time.