Goodwin - BX9315 G6 v2

of tbe REV ELATION. s E c T. I I I. The Events tbat accompany their Refurretl:ion. NOw further; As there were certain Eveni~ which accom~anied Chrifr's Refurredion, fo the hke do accompany tbe~rs. When Chnfl: arofe; there was an Earth-q•ah.!, which affrighted the Souldiers that watch'd hlm; and fo wa• there here likewife, as vcrf. 13. Now to explain what is here to be underfl:ood by this Earthquake. I. For the Time of it; it is faid to be at the fame Hour, namely, with this their Refurrection, or beginnin~ ro rile; and fo may feem to be mentioned as one of the Means which did make way for, and fitcilitate this their Riling, by removin~ the Impediments of it, and, as it were, rolling the Stone away, that fo thefe Wimeffes might rife from under the Power of their Enemies; which former obtained Pmver of theirs, this Earth-quake doth fcatter and dilfolve. Now Whereas their Refitrl'eaion and Afcenfion, are borh together mentioned in verf 11, and 12; and then, after both_comes in the mention of this Earth– quake, verf I 3· [ Tbere w.u the fame ho11r, &c. J Yet (as I take it) this follows not, that all of them ( Refurret!ion, Afcenlion, a~d banh-quake) were at the lame Time, or Hour, together : For their Refurr<Ction and Afcenlion are two difl:inct Degrees of their Exaltation, \as in Chrifl they were) and therefore may not fo immediattly follow one after the other (as in Chrifl: they did not; his Afcenfion being forty Days after his RefurreC!:ion); and yet they are both recorded and fet to~ether, becaufe they are Things of a kind and fort; as pt'r· taining both of them unto the Exaltation of the Witnelfes. So that, for this Palfagc that follows, verf. 13. that there w.u an Barthq11ah.! the fame Hour; It may perhaps not refer to the Time of both (namely, their Rifing and Afcen– fion) but unto rhe beginning of the Time of their firfl: Riling, as an Occur– rence that fell out the Jame Hom· when this great Turn began ; or rather indeed; as the Way and Means God firfi ufed to remove Impediments, for the fetting free of thefe Wime(les, and refl:oring them unto their former State and Life. 2. For the Thing it fdf, and the Place where this Earthquake fi1all be, and what !hall be the Effects of it: This is expreffed in what follows; The tenth part of the City fill; and if the Namu of Men were jlain 7000. Great Earthquakes have oft-rimes !hook down Cities and Buildings, <&c. and many Men have often perill1cd by them. And fuch !hall be the Effects of this here. sEcT. IV; Tl,e Fafl of the tenth Part of the (ity , What! Whether tberehy he means the ~tin of Rome, (the Fifth Vial)! BUt the main ~ellion is; What is meant by [the tenth part of the Cilj J and what by [the N•mes of Men J? . Mr.. Mede thinks, that by th• t_enth part of the City, is meant Rome it felf, and Its Rum,by the fall of that tenth part : As being that which !hall fall out imme; dtatdy upon, or at the fame Hour with this Rihng and Afcending of the Wit; nelfes ; and fo to be all one with the fifth Vial. And his Reafon is, becaufe this bei~g an overthrow of the Popifh Party, who are the Enemies of thc(e Wtt' nefies, (for the Beafl: kills them) it mufi therefore be reduced to one of rhe Vials: and tO which of them, but to the Fifth? for four are mentioned befure, Z L in 171 "-A..r'l Chap. 7· ~

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