A Scripture Line of Time, Treatise · Part 2 · Section 12
SECT. 12.
In which is given an Explication of the Woe of the ſixth Trumpet, eſpecially to the taking of Conſtantinople, and by Proportion to the Reformation, and the end of that Woe, and an adjuſtment of the Hour, Day, Month, and Year, to the whole Time, upon Revel. 9. 12, 13, 14, &c.
HAving now ſettled the whole ſpace of Intimate Time, by the number 666, as it reaches from 725, to 1517; and alſo the Times of the first Woe Trumpet by the Reign, and Ravage of the Mahometan Locuſts, or Saracens, I come now to the ſecond Woe, or of the Turkiſh Horſemen, and to obſerve the prophetical Gauge of Time, or that moſt notorious Period, they made by taking Constantinople, ſtyl'd, as we have prov'd, killing the third part of Men at 1453; and ſo to judge of their Gourſe of Time, running down to 1697, which they complete there, with the ending of the Witneſſes 1260 days, and of this whole Line of Time in all its Denominations, and joyn in the proof, that then it muſt end.
Now that this Trumpet is the Symbol of the Turkiſh Horſemen, I ſhall firſt by the compare of the univerſal Knowledge, (that not only Hiſtory, but even common Experience gives of them) with the prophetical Scheme, make it moſt credible, they are here intended.
1. They are deſcrib'd, as four Angels bound in the River Euphrates, that is, according to this myſtick Prophecy, wherein the inviſible angelical Powers repreſented the Powers of this World, as guided and conducted by them, like the Spirit of Ezekiels four living Creatures in the Wheeles of worldly Events Ezek. 10. 13.and Mutations, ſo various, ſo full of Revolution, that it is cry'd to them, Oh Whele, Oh World.
2. A People, they were near the River Euphrates, both in their Original, and their after Potentacy, always ready to overflow, but that they were bound, till their due Time appointed by God; and four, either as a number of Univerſality, or that they eminently appeared in four Branches, till the Ottoman ſurmounted them all, and ſtrengthen'd it ſelf into Glory and Power.
3. They were looſed at the Voice, that ſounded from the Altar of Incenſe, from the Prayers of the Servants of God worſhiping there while the Gentiles trod the holy Court and City of outward Profeſſion. There was a cry of the ſouls under the Altar of Sacrifice in the fifth Seal, while the Church Revel. 6. 9. Revel. 8. 5.was in a State of Purity, though declining. On which followed the firſt deſolation of Heatheniſm by Conſtantine; there was much Incenſe offered with the Prayers of all Saints, under the ſeventh Seal, and by Coales taken from the Altar of Incenſe, while the Church was retiring hither, as at its laſt Gaſpes of general Purity the Effect of all was the final Deſolation of Heatheniſm by Theodoſius's Victory over Eugenius and Argobaſtes as before expounded; at the meaſuring the Temple, the Altar, viz. of Incenſe within it, and caſting Revel. 11. 19.out the outward Court, and its Altar of Sacrifice, to be us'd by the Gentile-profeſſors of Chriſtianity, (which was the taking away the daily Sacrifice) the Servants of God retired to the Altar of Incenſe, as in a Temple ſhut and not opened, till the ſeventh Trumpet▪ and from hence as in the deepth of their retired State the Voice came, as the Effect of their Prayers, and the Vengeance of the Temple upon the profane Gentiles; treading the holy Court under their beſtian Princes Protection.
4. The vaſt number of Horſes agrees to the huge numbers, of Horſemen, the Turkiſh Princes have by general Cuſtom brought into the Field, and uſed in all their warlike Expeditions and Aſſaults; and as this Prophecy, when it would have any point of Truth, made both moſt certain, and moſt remarkable; it uſes ſome ſuch vehement Remark, as this, I Revel. 7. 4.heard their number, and ſaw their Horſes in a Viſion, as I heard the number of the ſealed, I John ſaw the New Jeruſalem, c. 21. 2.&c. ſo here, I heard their Number.
5. Their excellent poliſhed Armor, like Breſt-plates of Jacinct and Fire, or the blue and livid Flame of Brimſtone, Their inſolent and terrifying Grand loquence, Their falſe and ſerpentine tayl'd Religion, or impoſture, which with its Succeſs was become Head of Policy, pretended Argument, and Reaſon of Imperial Power and Grandeur, on pretence of which, they claim'd univerſal Power, and with which they made ſo loud a noiſe in Diſdain of Chriſtianity, that with their Mouths and Tails they were ſo hurtful; and which is moſt critical of the Time near the taking of Conſtantinople by Mahomet the Great, thoſe Guns and great Pieces.formerly unknown Engines, vomiting out Brimſtone, or the ſulphurean Powder, Fire, and Smoak were of ſignal uſe in the taking Conſtantinople, or killing the third of men. All theſe agree.
6. That monumental period it ſelf determines all; for what ſo great, as the final deſolation of the Grecian Imperialiſm, call'd the killing the third part of men.
And herein is the difference moſt remarkable betwixt Caſting Rome, as a burning Mountain into the Sea, and ſmiting the third of the Lights of Heaven, Then Rome reviv'd, and the Beſtian Glory inlight'nd it. But this third of men are kill'd, and ſhall n'ere revive, to be an Antichriſtian Empire.
7. Now to all theſe ſo lively Emblems and Pictures of this Ottomanick Power, in which the Turkiſh Dynasties both centred, and aſcended their height; let us adjust the Aſſignation of the Time; The Day, the Month, the Year, make in prophetical Account 395 years, and they both aſcertain, joyn'd with the former years from the Mahometan Hegira, ſo great a ſpace as 830 years of the 1260; they parallel the days of years, the Month of years, the year of years, us'd in deſcyphering the Times of the ſufferings of Gods Servants, and of the Beaſts Tyranny, and are therefore compounded of lunar and ſolar Time, and as in ſignification of the cleaving and parting the Bestian Night-piece, there is moſt of ſolar Time.
The Hour is of moſt particular and ſignal Importance both as it is ſet, as it were on purpoſe, to anſwer the one Hour of the ten Kings receiving Power with the Beaſt; and alſo as an Hour ſignifying an intire Seaſon at the ſetting out of the Turkiſh Time, and when the Day, the Month, the Year are run out, the Hour remains an Hour ſtill, and makes a juſt ſeaſon to the paſſing away of this ſecond Woe, at the end of the 1260 days, which long Time of Duration ſeems imported in that foreign, or hereafter, ſignifying a lieſurely Motion; but the ſeventh Trumpets Motion is as we ſhall find, very ſudden, quick, and diſpatchful.
The Hour, the Day, the Month, the Year reaches then to the taking Conſtantinople, and then going on, there remain juſt ſixty years to the Reformation, during which Time God expected the Repentance of the other, or Weſtern part of the Antichriſtian World upon ſo great a Judgment on that Eaſtern part, in which the Western had ſo great an Intereſt by ſuch an Union in Antichriſtianiſm, while the Eaſtern Horn ſo earneſtly affected, and aſpir'd to the ſame Primacy, and Univerſality, and alſo were guilty of much the ſame Idolatry and Superstition, and as the Union was thus near, ſo the claim of Dominion by the Western Horn over the Eaſtern, was very bold, confident, and impatient of denyal, and ſubmitted to at that Councel of Florence, 1439, juſt before this killing the third part of men (as it were providentially) the more apparently to intereſt the Weſtern Antichriſtian State in this Woe, by the Greeks which made them one before men, as they were always before God.
Immediately after the ſevere cenſure upon the impenitency of the whole Beſtian State, compar'd with the very worſt of the Gentiles in all manner of Idolatry, Sorcery of Seduction, Senſuality, Blood, hateful ſacrilegious Thefts, Cheats, Frauds, and Emunction of mens Eſtates on religious Pretences; on all theſe, I ſay, follows the divine Portraicture of the Reformation under the next Head.
Now the Argument confirming this true Motion of things upon the Line of Time, as hath been ſtated, is very forcible, for it ſhews the deſcent of it ſo many years from that famous date of Mahometaniſm, at 622, ſo often mention'd; and it leads to a Period ſo very grand in Hiſtory, as the Expiration of the Grecian Monarchy; after that, The continuing Impenitency of the Weſtern Apoſtacy, and Eaſtern alſo, as we ſhall ſee, was ſo notorious, as to improve it ſelf, rather than to abate any thing.
This Impenitency, the very eſſential Character of the Apoſtacy to its final Deſtruction, draws the courſe of Time at this preſent Juncture down to the Reformation, or the laſt 180 years; in the mean while, the Turkiſh Woe continues its hour as an Evidence; That the 1260 days of the Witneſſes Prophecy in Sackcloth are not yet at an end; nor are they yet in full ſenſe riſen; nor can the ſeventh Trumpet yet have ſounded; becauſe the ſecond Woe, however in this face of Affairs now in the World, it ſeems upon its remove, is not yet gone, nor ſhall go; till all other things declar'd to come to paſs, before that ſhall have paſs'd, ſhall be ready to their proper motion alſo.
The People of God at the beginning of this Trumpet ſeem like the Iſraelites under the Egyptian Slavery, when the Conduct of thoſe two Witneſſes, Moſes and Aaron, appear'd to them; they cry out to Heaven, groaning under their Burdens: And there are many loud Sounds by way of Return from many eminent Servants of God, declaring his Judgments upon ſpiritual Egypt, and ſmiting it with Plagues in a free publication of the Vials of this Prophecy, to be fulfill'd in their Seaſon; The Mahometan Woes were the first Plagues, and the Vials the laſt: and from this Time eſpecially, the Strokes of theſe Plagues, were as often, as it were, as they would, call'd down firſt by Prayer, and then foretold by the Witneſſes; but much more it ſhall be done, and much more their Duty to do thus in the next State of the Witneſſes within the Reformation, as we ſhall then ſhew.
By all which, by way of Remark, we may ſee, God did not leave himſelf without Witneſs of his dreadful Diſpleaſure upon the Apoſtacy, and Antichriſtianiſm of the Beſtian Earth, and Prince; againſt whom, theſe two Trumpets ſounded; the ſecond of which cannot expire, nor ceaſe its Sound and Blaſt till the Tenth of this anathematiz'd City Jericho fall, in the full Revolt of its ten Kings, till the Earthquake ſlay the 7000, and the rest give Glory to God in the Converſion that ſhall be at that time in the midſt of a yet perſevering general Impenitency: and the Beaſts forty two Months end, as to his Monarchick Power, however he ſurvive till the Brightneſs of the coming of Chriſt, in ſome low ſtate of Being and Attempt to recover his Power.
And even as the Grecian, Antichriſtian Empire was now deſolated, the third part of men kill'd, and the Imperial Seat turn'd to the Ottoman Port, ſo in a much higher degree of Judgment Babylon ſhall then be burnt with a perpetual burning; and not only the third part of men, but the whole reſt of men, who have not repented ſhall be kill'd with the Sword of Chriſt's Mouth, that is, ſo utterly ſubdued, and condemn'd, as never to return to Empire any more, and the Beast himſelf, and falſe Prophet, who had deceiv'd them, cast into the Lake.
In the time of the ſecond Trumpet, Rome had been thrown as a burning Mountain into the Sea; where it was not only preſerv'd, but as it were, new caſt for a future Glory under the Beast. But at that time its Smoak ſhall aſcend for ever, and its Glory ſink as a Mill-ſtone, not to be recover'd.
In the third Trumpet many men died, but not ſo many, as to riſe to a third part of men, ſhewing the Imperial Beſtianiſm Rev. 8. 7.did immediately ſucceed, and keep that Imperialiſm alive, according to our Explication of the third part.
In this ſixth Trumpet, the third part of men died; the Grecian Empire is irrecoverably ceas'd, but the Weſtern Empire lives ſtill in the Beaſt and his ten Kings. But the whole Reſidue of men are kill'd, to ſhew the utter end of Beſtianiſm, Eaſtern and Weſtern alſo, when the ſeventh Trumpet ſhall have its full effect. In the fourth Trumpet the Sun and the Stars were ſmitten in their third part; The ſupreme and ſubordinate Magiſtrates, ſo that the day ſhined not for a third part, and the Night likewiſe. Yet within a ſpace after, the Beſtian Star fell from Heaven to Earth, and gave a new Light; but at that foreign, It is done. The Beaſt and all ſuch impure Lights, ſuch wandring Stars, are deliver'd up to the Blackneſs of Darkneſs for ever.
And as a Pledge of ſuch a Deſolation, The Grecian Antichriſtianiſm, ſo far as not repented of, ſo far as the Members of the Grecian Churches are not Witneſſes in Sackcloth, is kept up by God, in ſo deſpicable and ruin'd a condition to this day, as a monument prophetical of the laſt Judgment on Antichriſtianiſm: within the Number of which, I fear all ſuch Impenitents fall. All which may ſerve as a brief Remark on this joynt of Time.