88 ~~~ExPOSitiON ~ with the re!l:, after this !4th Chapter; yet they have be~n a pouring forti\ upc P A R r 11. on the Bea!l: and his Company, from that ·firfl: preachmg of the Gofpel until ~ now, (as wiil further appear). And the R.eafon why I WO\lld open thefe foQI" fir!l: Vials, e're I open the 11th Chapter, is, becaufe they Cynchronize with this q.thChapter : and hecaufe four Vials are mentioned, as poured out, chap. 11. e're the Witnelfes being !lain, which cannot be under!l:ood till thefe be fir!! explained. CH A P. 11. T'he-Expofoion of Chap. 15. THE Holy Ghdft having thus firfl: of 'all !hewn how the Reformation from Popery was to he bro'Ught about, and Churches erected ; he here beginneth to fet before us the uniform State of Believers in this Temple, and the fevetal degrees of their ruining the Falfe Church, by Ceveral Vials. And this, as fet together in one continuea view throughout all thefe Times, from the fir!l: Separation from Popery, until Chri!l:'s Kingdom. Concerning which, in general, I !hall premife three Thil)gs. Fir!l:, The difference between ,their Condition h!'re, and the. Condition of the Churches under the dark Times o( Popery, as . is uniformly <lefcrihed chap. 14. from verJ r, to the 6. And obferve thls difference in thefe four Particulars. ' I. Thofe, chap. 14. were Virgins, but not feparate ; but thefe here ftand alone in a Temple by themfelves, walhing themfelves from the Defilement of Popery, as being Ceparated therefrom. 2. Thofe fung a New Song confufedly, but thefe ling the Song of Mofes and ·the Lamb, (that is, the Law, and the Gofpel) di!l:inll:ly. 3· Thofe there !l:ood naked upon the Hill of Sion, as it was, e're a ,Temple was reared upon it; but thefe here are gathered into a Temple, and roofed over their Heads. 4· Thofe fung their Song in EgJpt ; but thefe are come out of EgJpt, and fo ling Mofes his Song. · The,fecond Thing to be premifedis, That thefe feven Angels, and their Vi– als, and this Company here, are ln the general defcription of them, (or in that Preface to their defcription prefixed, verJ1.) called a Sign, great and marvellotH, and another Sign. . 1, It is called a Sign. A Sign is always a fore-runner of fomething to come. Now what it is that is here pointed at as to come, verJ 5· tells us; namely, that •fier'tl>efe thingJ,(that is,after thefe Vials) the Temple offhe Tahernacle ofthe Teftimo• ny"'"' opened in Heaven. So then, thefe Vtals, they are the Sign of that glorious Holy of Holies, which John law was to come after_them; or they are the Sign of the NertJ Jerufalem, (for hy t~t _Temp/~ of the Taberna<le of the Teftimony, is that !l:ate meant) and alfo of Chn!l: s coinmg; and,fo they are.tbatSig'l of the Son •f Man fpoken of, Mttth. 24. And ~hefe. Plagues do here go before him, as in like IIiann~r the Prophets ufe to d~fcrtbe hts Progre~ w~th :P.la'giJes and·Pe– !l:tlente afore htm~ And therefore ( tf you obferve 1t) ju{fwhen the la{t Vial approacheth, Chap. r6. 14. then warning is given, Behu.ltj, I comf-a/ ·a T!Jief, &t, i j ' .,, , .2; It
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