The Eleventh Chapter: The Second Woe Is Past

The three last trumpets being called three woes, and one woe being past when the fifth trumpet had done sounding, (c. viii. 13; ix. 12;) as soon as the time of the sixth trumpet is being finished, it is said “The second woe is past, and behold the third cometh quickly,” v. 14. Now the sixth trumpet being the empire and tyranny of the Turk, and the sixth vial being that great and deadly blow that shall be given to that empire, to make way for the kingdom of “the kings of the east,” (the Jews,) mentioned in that vial, Mr. Mede interprets this passing away of the second woe, to be the very sixth vial, and the fifth to be the fall of the tenth of the city. But the last blast of the sixth trumpet seems here to synchronize with the earthquake, and the resurrection and ascension of the witnesses, and the fall of the tenth of the city; all ending in one period: for as soon as the Holy Ghost had narrated all these, he concludes w ith, “The second woe is past.” If then the fifth vial be the period of the Pope’s reign, and if the witnesses’ putting off their sackloth be at their rising, and at the fall of the tenth part of the city; how can the passing away of the second woe, (if it be the sixth vial,) fall out and synchronize with these; seeing the vials, seals, and trumpets, fall out successively, each after other, if not in equal distances of time? To reconcile this difficulty, 1st, Either the fifth and sixth vials shall fall out about the same time; and so the conversion of the Jews, and the rising of the European witnesses, fall out together as preparations to both: (and so Dan. xi. 45, with xii. 1, seems to connect the fall of Anti christ with the rising again of the Jewish nation from that paroxysm of Turkish trouble, accompanying their first conversion;) Or, 2dly, As the witnesses not only rise with an earthquake, but afterwards ascend also into heaven; there may be a space of years between, (as there was of days from Christ’s resurrection to his ascension,) wherein all their enemies and other obstacles are removed: so though their rising be preparatory to the sixth vial, their ascension may not be until the sixth. But 3dly, The angel’s scope in introducing this clause, “The second woe is past” may not be to denote the exact period of all these occurrences, or to shew the synchronism of the sixth vial and the end of the sixth trumpet, with this earthquake, &c. but rather, (as the Turkish tyranny was one part of the second woe 011 the eastern Christians,

678 “THE SECOND WOE IS PAST.” REV. XI. 14.

[c. ix.] and another part the treading down the outward court of carnal Protestants by the Papists, and killing their witnesses,) having related and put them both together, he comes in with “TJie second woe is past” q. d. “I have now fully declared what a woe God will bring on the eastern and western Christians, perfecting together the second woe, and making up the story of the sixth trumpet; and having done with these two parts, I pass therefore to speak of the third woe, which now cometh quickly” &c. So that this passage seems to shew materially what pertains to the sixth trumpet, rather than chronologically to shew the expiring of it: and this great punishment from the Popish Gentiles on the Protestant party in the west for their sins, is fitly cast under the trumpets, and joined to that great plague on the eastern Christians by the Turk, as a part of the sixth trumpet; and severed from the vials, as no part of them; they being to fall only on the enemies themselves of both these Christian companions, viz. on the Pope and the Turk. Thus the Holy Ghost homogeneally puts together the punishment of carnal Christians, eastern and western, under the woe of the trumpets; and in like manner involves these other two grand enemies to Christ’s profession and religion, wholly under the plagues of the seven vials: and this may be why the “treading down the outward court” and the “killing of the witnesses,” come in here; and why the “treading of the winepress,” (c. xiv. 20, which is part of the treading of the outward court,) is reckoned no part of the vials, it being to fall on the Protestant party: yet so as that, what with the trumpets and what with the vials, God will be sure to meet all sorts for their sins, and by a like just and impartial rule proceed both towards friends and enemies, without any respect of persons. 4thly, As the calling of the Jews is but tacitly intimited in this book, which is chiefly written for the Gentiles; may not this passage intimate the foundation of the Turk’s ruin by the Jews’ conversion happening together with the resurrection of the witnesses? for the height and bitterness of the Turkish tyranny is past, (though the empire may stand for a while,) when the Jews are called; the woe of it lying in its hinderance of the Christian religion, now to revive among the Jews in his territories. When the foundation of the ruin of any state is laid, and its dominion is past the meridian, and begins to decline, it is prophetically past; as things are said to be finished, when begun to be accomplished: as Babylon is said to be fallen, (c. xiv. 8,) when but the first vial was began to be poured out, and the open discovery of Antichrist made; and again her fall is finally pronounced, when she is unseated for ever, c. xviii. 2. Old Babylon is said to be fallen, (Isa. xxi. 9,) at the first revolt of the Medes: so the second woe, or sixth trumpet, (or Turkish empire,) is said to be past, when the Jews first begin to revolt in their conversion to Christ; therefore the angel proceeds to warn us, that “Behold the third woe cometh quickly,” at the blast of the seventh trumpet, introducing the

REV. XI. 1 — 14.] OBSERVATIO>s7S ON 670

new Jerusalem of Christ’s kingdom. Thus this chapter is a complete comment on the twelfth chapter of Daniel, and makes mention of all these things therein mentioned.