CHAPTER X. Contents of the little book-History of the Western Apostasy under the three woe-trumpets. ST. JOHN, having shewn the effects of the two first woe-trumpets in the East, next passes to the collateral and contemporary history of the West : for the same woe-trumpet, which called into action the Mohammedan Apostasy, produced likewise the developement of the papal Apostasy; both these two little horns commencing their joint reign of 1260 prophetic days in the self-same year. In order to avoid needless confusion, the Apostle throws the whole history of Popery, during the whole 1260 days, and under all the three woetrumpets*, into a sort of episode to his general * series Bp. Newton is certainly much mistaken in saying, that the little book" properly cometh under the sixth trumpet." The little book itself repeatedly declares, that it comprehends all the 1260 years: but the 1260 years extend through the whole period of the three woe-trumpets: whence it is manifest, that the little book must include, not only the sixth trumpet, but the fifth and seventh also. This is sufficiently evident both from the date of the fifth trumpet, and from the termination of the seventh: for the fifth trumpet begins to sound at the very commencement of the 1260 years, series of prophecies; which he terms a little book, or codicil, to his greater book of the Apocalypse. This little book comprehends the eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth chapters of the Revelation and, in point of chronology, all these chapters run parallel to each other, relating severally, though with some variety of eircumstances, to the same period and the same events; so as to form jointly a complete history of the western Apostasy, and of all the principal actors in it. 1. The first chapter of the little book* gives an account of the treading of the holy city under foot during forty two months; of the desolate prophesying of the witnesses during the same period of 1260 days; of the victory of the beast of the bottomless pit over them during three days and an half; of their triumphant ascent into the symbolical heaven; and of the earthquake which was to overthrow the tenth part of the city, and to be the last event under the second woe and it finally announces the sounding of the seventh trumpet, years, namely when the bottomless pit was opened in the year 606 by the fallen star Sergius; and the seventh trumpet brings us down, through the different stages of its seven vials, to the end of the 1260 years. Since then the little book comprehends the whole of the 1260 years, it must necessarily commence with the sounding of the fifth trumpet, and must likewise include the seventh trumpet. Accordingly we find, that the seventh angel is represented as actually sounding in the little book; (Rev. xi. 15.) though a more particular account of the effects of his, blast is reserved for a distinct prophecy in the large book. Rev. xv.-xix. * Rev. xi. which brings us down to the end of the 1260 days; but announces it without descending minutely to particularise its effects*. In this chapter, (it is to be observed) the beast of the bottomless pit is barely mentioned: and no intimation whatsoever is given, either what this beast is, by whose instigation he acts, or whose minister he is; the prophet reserving these particulars for his two succeeding chapters. 2. The second chapter of the little book † lets us into the whole mystery of iniquity, so far as its original mover is concerned. We there learn, that the 1260 years persecution of the true Church of Christ is the contrivance of that old serpent, the devil; who is represented under the image of a dragon with seven heads and ten horns, in order to shew us by the instrumentality of what minister he was about to slay the witnesses, and to drive the woman into the wilderness. 3. The third chapter of the little book, passes from the master to the servant; and shews us who is that minister of the dragon, that beast of the bottomless pit, which had already been represented as the murderer of the two witnesses. It describes him as having seven heads and ten horns; the very heads and horns, which the dragon induces him * Its effects are afterwards detailed very circumstantially under the seven vials, and in the chapters subsequent to that which relates to the pouring out of the vials. to use against the woman, mentioned in the preceding chapter. The third chapter further teaches us, by whose instigation as a second cause, the minister of the dragon, or the beast of the bottomless pit, is induced to take up arms against the woman and the two witnesses. His instigator is another beast, quite distinct from himself, though very intimately connected with him: a beast, which comes up out of the earth, or Roman empire; which has two horns like a lamb; which speaks as a dragon; and which exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, not in a hostile but in a friendly manner, for he causeth the whole earth to worship his colleague and supporter the first beast. 4. The fourth chapter of the little book* describes the state of the true Church during the prevalence of the western Apostasy; predicts the Reformation; and divides some of the most prominent events of the seventh trumpet, which are detailed at large hereafter under the seven vials, into two grand classes, the harvest and the vintage of God's wrath, teaching us that the winepress shall be trodden in a certain country the space of which extends 1600 furlongs. We learn then from the four chapters of the little book, both what the beast of the bottomless pit is, namely a certain beast with seven heads and ten horns; by whose instigation he acts, * Rev. xiv. namely namely by that of a second beast with two horns; and whose minister and tool he is, namely that of the great red dragon. We moreover learn, that, making himself a tool of the dragon, and acting by the instigation of the second beast, the sevenheaded and ten-horned beast of the sea and the bottomless pit (for the beast of the sea and the beast of the bottomless pit are one and the same power*, the sea describing his natural and the bottomless pit his spiritual origin) should wage a war of 1260 years against the woman and the two witnesses who have the name of God written in their foreheads; but that nevertheless the Apostasy should receive a great check by the preaching of the Gospelt, and afterwards should be totally overthrown in the time of God's vintage . The way being thus cleared by this general statement, I shall proceed to consider the contents of the little book at large in five different sections, according as it naturally divides itself. 1. The prophesying of the witnesses; 2. The war of the dragon with the woman; 3. The ten-horned beast of the sea; 4. The two-horned beast of the earth; 5. The collateral history of the true Church, and the harvest and vintage of God's wrath. * Compare Rev. xiii. 1. with Rev, xvii. 3, 8. + Rev. xiv. 6. ↑ Rev. xiv. 18, 19, 20. SEC |