The Sounding of the Two Last Trumpets, Title page – Dedication
THE SOVNDING OF THE TWO LAST TRVMPETS, the ſixt and ſeventh: OR Meditations by way of Paraphraſe upon the 9th. 10th. and 11th. Chapters of the REVELATION, as containing a Prophecie of theſe laſt Times.
Digeſted by Henry Burton during his Baniſhment, and cloſe impriſonment in the Iſle of GVERNSEY.
Revel. 1.11.11.
I heard a great voice as of a Trumpet, ſaying, what thou ſeeſt Write in a Book, and ſend it to the Churches.
LONDON: Printed for SAMUEL GELLIBRAND at the Brazen Serpent in Pauls Church-yard, 1641.
TO The Honourable the Knights, Citizens, and Burgeſſes of the Honourable Houſe of Commons now aſſembled in Parliament.
MOſt Noble & grave Senate, having by me a certain Idea of ſome Meditations upon the ſounding of the ſixth Trumpet, which Idea I firſt conceived in my cloſe Priſon and Exile, the wombe of its breeding, forming, and growing to that ſmall ſtature it is of: and finding (by comparing with this trumpets ſound, the ſight of thoſe remarkable things within the circuit of our times) ſuch an harmony between them, as the things themſelves ſeemed to returne a full eccho to the ſound; which as it afforded mee matter to exerciſe and recreate my thoughts, and ſo to deceive the naturall taedium of ſo horrid a ſolitarineſſe, and to ſupport humane infirmities with ſome hope, that it was not impoſsible (all circumſtances weighed) that ſuch a dying life (meerly upheld by a divine power) might yet ſurvive to bee an eye-witneſſe of the accompliſhment of the things then remayning to be fulfilled: ſo now (though ſo long ſince my returne) I have conceived it might bee not altogether unſeaſonable for your godly wiſdomes to take notice of it, as who have no ſmall intereſt in it, ſeeing it hath pleaſed the Divine Providence in ſo full and important a ſeaſon to call you together to be the grand Agents and Inſtruments of accompliſhing his great worke falling within the ſound of this Trumpet, and haſtning on the terrible ſummons and conſummation of the ſeventh and laſt: to whom then ſhould I now dedicate theſe my Meditations but to your worthy ſelves, and that not only for the intereſt you have of right in them, but in me alſo, whoſe deliverance from Priſon and Exile, your unanimous votes made the handſell and firſt-fruits, and ſo the happy Auſpicia of this ever famous and unparalleld Parliament? ſo as I have received, and doe enjoy a ſecond life, which under God I owe to the immaculate juſtice of this Honorable Houſe; nor a life only, but (which is better then this life) a glorious libertie, and that not only from a perpetuall priſon and exile, but (with many thouſands more) from the bonds and chaines of a Babyloniſh and Antichriſtian captivity, from the remainder whereof (ſtill ſurviving) we hope and pray for a full deliverance by you. And for me, if my late teſtimony againſt theaRevel. 11.7. Beaſt may come in for a ſhare with thoſebIbid. v. 3. two witneſſes mentioned in this ſixt Trumpet (which I am farre from arrogating to my ſelfe) then this I dare be bold to ſay, that your unanimous vote which called mee from Exile, is that Great voice from Heaven, ſaying to the Witneſſes, Come up hither. And was not that a Great voice, which was made up of the whole Houſe, none contradicting, when the widows petition for her exiled Husbands liberty was read and granted? And the Order for his liberty came it not to his Priſon juſt in the beginning of that monethmonth, which made up three yeeres and half, anſwering to three days & a half, as here yee ſhall find it calculated? But I ſubmit all to the charitable & judicious interpretation of your excellent wiſdomes. But little thoughts had I of ſuch a Parliament as this, when theſe Meditations were a working. And this I humbly pray you to take notice of, that I have, without any alteration, or addition, of ſecond thoughts, preſented theſe my Meditations unto your Honours, as they were firſt conceived, that wherein (at ſuch a diſtance, as I then was) they have come home to the Prophecie, God may have the Glory, and wherein ſhort, or wide, humane frailty may obtaine pitie and pardon. Now the Lord Ieſus Chriſt be pleaſed to continue his March before you, and fill your hearts more and more with all holy Zeale and invincible courage, to fight his ſpirituall Battell againſt the Beaſt and his Crew, that you being his Called, and Choſen, and Faithfull, may with the Lamb overcome, and reigne with him for evermore, which is and ever ſhall be the fervent prayer of
Your ever vowed Servant, Henry Burton.