The Revelation Unveiled, Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. Of the ſeven Vials, and that they are not all under the ſeventh Trumpet.
AS the ſeven Seals were ſeveral degrees of Judgment upon Rome Dragon or Pagan; and the ſeven Trumpets ſounded an Alarm of Judgment upon the Civil State of the Empire; ſo the ſeven Vials are ſeveral degrees of Judgment coming upon it after its Papal State; and alſo upon other Enemies of Jeſus Chriſt at laſt.
Rev. 14 relateth to the time of the Vials; For there is the Song of the Lamb, v. 1. which anſwereth Rev. 15. 1.
It referreth to a time of viſible Separation from Antichriſtian Pollutions and Victory over the Beaſt and his mark, Rev. 14. 1, 4, 9. So the Vials, Rev. 15. 1, 2, 6.
It relateth to the time of witneſſing againſt, and crying down Babylon, Rev. 14. 8, 9, 10. Babylon is fallen, if any Man worſhip the Beaſt—he ſhall drink of the wine of the wrath of God: and it is under the Vials that there is this Victory over the Beaſt, Rev. 15. 1, 2.
It concerneth a time wherein an Angel hath Power over fire, Rev. 14. 8. and this is the Angel of the fourth Vial, Rev. 16. 8.
And it mentioneth a Harveſt and Vintage, Rev. 14. v. 15. to the end; which muſt relate to the latter Vials, Rev. 16. 19. and 19. v. 15.
And ſo, Rev. 14. declareth the work of the Angels, or how they pour out the Vials, as well as the Condition of the Church under them.
As to Rev. 15. I take it to be no Propheſie of what ſhall be accompliſhed before the Vials begin to be poured out; but it giveth a Compendium or general view of Matters relating to the Vials, from the beginning to the end; like the Contents of a Chapter ſet before it; and it diſcovereth the State and Condition of the Church and People of God during the time of the Vials in a general way. It containeth a Deſcription of the Virgin Saints, v. 2, 3, 4, 5. by their Conqueſt over the Beaſt, and triumphant Song for that Victory, and a ſubſequent Privilege; [The Temple of the Tabernacle of the Teſtimony in Heaven was opened] v. 5. i. e. not before, but after Vial Judgments, v. 4.
And the Vial Angels more particularly are deſcribed, v. 5. 6, 7, 8. by their place from which they come; not out of the World, but the Church, [out of the Temple] v. 6. by their Qualifications, [clothed in pure and white Linnen] by the Inſtruments given them, v. 7. [golden Vials] by the Perſons from whom they receive theſe Vials, v. 7. by a token of a Divine Preſence during the Vials, v. 8.
Some think that none of the Vials are yet poured out, others are otherwiſe minded; for clearing this Matter, take a Rule or two.
Rule 9. That the ſeventh Trumpet doth not contain all the ſeven Vials.
Some ſay, that none of the Vials are poured out, till the Reſurrection of the Witneſſes is paſt, and that all the Vials are under the ſeventh Trumpet.
On the other hand, I am perſwaded that moſt of the Vials are poured out before the Witneſſes Reſurrection, and that only the latter part of the ſixth and the ſeventh Vial do fall under the ſeventh Trumpet; and that upon theſe Grounds.
1. The Conſummation of the Myſtery of God (the Jews Converſion) is at the beginning of the ſeventh Trumpet, Rev. 10. 7. Rom. 11. 25, 26. Rev. 11. 15. Therefore before the beginning of the ſeventh Trumpet moſt of the Vials muſt be poured out; for the Converſion of the Jews is not till latter Vials, as the ſixth. And indeed by Vials the Kingdoms of the World muſt be brought off from the Beaſt, elſe they cannot become the Lords and his Chriſts.
2. There have been Storms of Wrath upon, and remarkable decays of the Papal Kingdom, anſwerable to the Vials (as will be proved in the next Rule) Therefore ſome Vials are poured out; whereas the Witneſſes are not yet aſcended, and the ſeventh Trumpet hath not yet ſounded, Rev. 11. 15.
3. All the wrath of the ſeventh Trumpet is contained in the ſixth or ſeventh Vial, Rev. 11. 18, 19. The anger of the Nations, Lightnings, Voices, Thundrings, Earthquake, great Hail—All are found under the ſixth or ſeventh Vials, Rev. 16. 12, 14, 16, to the end.
4. There is no Scripture-Evidence that all the Vials muſt come under the ſeventh Trumpet; without which, the Suppoſition is groundleſs,
The contrary ſeemeth to be aſſerted; for, before the Witneſſes Death or ſeventh Trumpet, they have Power to turn Waters into Blood, Rev. 11. 6. which is the work of the ſecond and third Vials, and to ſmite the Earth with all Plagues, which reacheth other Vialwork.
It's true, The ſeventh Seal delivereth itſelf into ſeven Trumpets, as its work, Rev. 8. 1, 2, 6. But ſo doth not the ſeventh Trumpet deliver it ſelf into ſeven Vials, that hath much other work of its own; and Men muſt not coyn ſuch a Method there, without a Divine Warrant.
The Vial-Angels fine and white Linnen, ſpeaketh their Purity and Freedom from Antichriſtian pollution, and their having the Righteouſneſs of the Saints, Rev. 19. 8. but this is no way unſutable to the Witneſſes in their Sackcloth-ſtate, Rev. 14. 4. Their having Harps in their hands, and rejoycing under the Vials, Rev. 15. 2, 3, 4. is not inconſiſtent with the Witneſſes Sackcloth-ſtate, for they may have ſometimes and cauſe of rejoycing there, Philip. 4. 4. Hab. 3. 17, 18. Rev. 16. 4, 5, 6. although the higheſt rejoycing is reſerved to the latter Vials. Rev. 19. 1. to 8. and 11. 15, 16, 17.
That the ſeven Vials are the ſeven laſt Plagues, is no Proof that all of them muſt come under the ſeventh Trumpet; that differenceth them from the ſeven Seals and ſeven Trumpets, there were no more Seven diſtinct Diſpenſations to ſucceed or come after; and indeed the ſeventh Seal was opened, and divers Trumpets had ſounded before the firſt Vial was poured out, and ſo they may well be called, the ſeven laſt Plagues, though only the wrath of the ſeventh Vial ſhould come under the ſeventh Trumpet.
Obj. 1. Then there are Two Wo's in the ſecond Wo; one by the Vials, the other by Euphrates Angels; and the Subject of the ſecond Wo, and of the Vials differ.
A. 1. No abſurdity, if there be two different Diſpenſations of Wrath in the time of one Wo; viz. Vial-wrath, and Trumpet-wrath: as it's undeniable, under the ſixth Trumpet there is great Wrath, Rev. 9. 15. to the end; and yet alſo another great Earthquake, Rev. 11. 13. Yea, it muſt be ſo, if all the Vials came under the ſeventh Trumpet; for then there would be there, the Wo of that Trumpet, and alſo of all thoſe Vials.
2. They may contemporate, and yet the Subjects of the ſecond Wo and of the Vials differ; what ſhould hinder this? a Trumpet may blow Wrath to the Roman Civil Empire, and yet at the ſame time, Vials may pour out Wrath upon the Roman Papal State.
But the grand Objection is,
Obj. 2. The ſeven Vial Angels come not out of the Temple till it be opened, Rev. 15. 5, 6. but the Temple is not opened till the ſeventh Trumpet, Rev. 11. 19. and ſo on Vials poured out till then.
A. As to Rev. 15. It is an Epitome or general View of Vial-Matters; as, of all the ſeven Angels coming out, v. 6. which they never did together, but at ſeveral ſeaſons; and Mr. M. obſerveth, That the Complutens Edition readeth not, come out of the Temple, but out of Heaven. Some think, Rev. 15. ſpeaketh only of an opening of the Temple [of the Tabernacle] v. 5. noting an unſetled condition, or mixture of Tabernacle and Temple, ſutable to the former Vials, before the Sackcloth-ſtate was ended, anſwerable to which, the Song is mixed of Moſes, (whilſt yet in the Wilderneſs, Exod. 15. 1, 2.) and of the Lamb, v. 3. and that it doth not refer to the opening under the ſeventh Trumpet, Rev. 11. 19. [of the Temple] which concerneth a New Jeruſalem ſtate of Settlement; and ſo it's far from proving that all the Vials come under the ſeventh Trumpet. My Anſwer is,
1. The ſeven Angels come out of the Temple, before that opening of it under the ſeventh Trumpet, Rev. 11. 19. that opening is not to let Vial Angels out, but to let a vaſt number in, and to give the higheſt and moſt glorious Diſcoveries of Jeſus Chriſt and his Matters, and not till the ſeventh Vial, [The Temple of God was opened in Heaven] and what was the Effect of it? [There was ſeen in this Temple the Ark of his Teſtament] which was a moſt eminent Symbol of his Preſence. This opening was to give the choiceſt Manifeſtations of his Preſence; it noteth the unlooſing or opening the moſt hidden and Glorious Myſteries of all, even Chriſt himſelf. It cannot be proved that this opening is before any Angels going forth to pour out Vials; but rather after the ſeventh Vial was pouring out.
Then there cometh a great Voice out of the Temple of Heaven, [from the Throne] ſaying, [It is done], Rev. 16. 17. And this is, when the New Jeruſalem cometh down from Heaven, for there the like Phraſe is uſed, Rev. 21. 5, 6. [It is done] and, v. 25. the Gates of it ſhall not be ſhut at all.—Here is an opening at the ſeventh Vial; the New Jeruſalem ſtandeth open, in oppoſition to ſome ſhutting in the time of former Vials. Then the Lord maketh higheſt diſcoveries of his Glory, v. 11, 23. and 22. 4, 5. they ſhall ſee his Face.
2. I ſay therefore, there is a double opening of the Temple: One before the Vial Angels go forth to let them out, Rev. 15. 6. Another, after the Vials are poured out, Rev. 11. 19. joined with judging the Dead and rewarding the Saints, v. 18. Or often things are ſpoken abſolutely, which are to be underſtood comparatively; and ſo he doth not deny abſolutely that there is any opening of the Temple till the ſeventh Trumpet, but comparatively. At the former opening before the Vials, few in Compariſon enter, Rev. 15. 8. no Man could enter, till the ſeven Plagues of the ſeven Vials were fulfilled, i. e. till the latter Vials, few entred; but at the latter opening, many enter, Rev. 11. 15, 19. the Kingdoms of the World are the Lord's and his Chriſt's; and this is not before the ſeventh Vial.