Exposition on the Catholic Epistles, Revelation · Chapter 9

Exposition on the Catholic Epistles · Revelation · Chapter 9

p. 343CHAP. IX.

ANd the fift Angell blew his Trumpet, Queſt. 1 and I ſaw a Starre fallen from Heauen to the earth, and to him was giuen the key of the bottomleſſe pit, &c. What is meant by this Starre, and by the Locuſts comming out of hell, together with the circumſtances of their deſcription in their forme, time, manner of tormenting, and King, which is ſet ouer them?

Many Writers by this Starre vnderſtand the Biſhops of Rome in their ſucceſſion, Anſw. when they fell from being heauenly and ſeeking after the ſaluation of mens ſoules, to be earthly, and to ſeeke more after honours and riches here: for then they had keyes indeed, but of the bottomleſſe pit.Brightman. And ſome more particularly referre this Trumpet to Boniface the third, who obtained of the Emperour Phocas to bee vniuerſall Biſhop: for then the fall appeared being indeed before, as is intimated in the word fallen, not falling, but now the fall was made more ſenſible. Darkneſſe aroſe when ignorance preuailed, and in theſe times of ignorance an innumerable company of religious perſons of diuers orders, who like Locuſts eat vp the fat and beſt things eueryevery where. They ſting like Scorpions when they ſeeme leaſt to intend any hurt, but only ſuch as are not marked, for God hath his Church in the midſt of Popery: others which are miſled by them are not proceeded againſt, as by perſecutors before deſcribed; but vnwittingly p. 344receiue ſuch Doctrine from them as turneth to a ſting of conſcience more grieuous than the bodily death, viz. the doctrine of Purgatory, and of vncertainty of ſaluation, and of the merit of workes, and of ſuperſtitious orders, and tedious pilgrimages, and bloudy whippings, more grieuous than preſent death. The time of fiue moneths limited vntounto them, ſome vnderſtand indefinitely,Bib…an …r. Arto …us. Rullinger. Chytraeus. this being the whole time of the Locuſts which lay their egges in Autumne, and being kept all winter in a thin coat, they are hatched in mid-Aprill, and periſh in mid-September, and according to this they will hauehave the whole time of theſe Locuſts ſet forth, which is all the time of their flouriſhing, but how long this ſhall bee it is vncertaine.Ioach. Abbas. Brightman. Some reſoluing theſe moneths into 150. and taking a day for a yeere, reckon vponupon 150. yeeres, for in the time of Innocent the third, ann. 1210. the warme time of their hatching came in by the new orders of Dominicans, Franciſcans, Mendicants, Obſeruants, Trinitaries, and Friers of the holy Ghoſt, in ſo much as Polidor Virgil ſaith,Lib. 7.3. That no age was ſo fruitfull of the Religious as this. But in the time of Wicliffe, ann. 1360. they were blowne away as by a ſtrong weſt wind in many places. Some vnderſtand by theſe fiue months a ſhort time only for the comfort of the godly,Ioan. Leonard. D. Fulke. or fiue ages of ſix, which is the whole time of the world, and ſo this ſhall laſt till the ſixt age. Some the whole time of this life,Ambroſe. Primaſ. Beda. Richard. de Sancto Victore. Thom. Aquin. Haimo. Forbs. which is maintained by the fiue ſenſes, or conſiſteth of fiue ages, infancy, child-hood, youth, mans eſtate, and old age. Some laſtly hold, that it is alluded vntounto the time of the floud preuailing vponupon the old world, which was fiue moneths. They goe forth like horſes prepared vntounto battell to ſhew their ſtrength, they hauehave Crownes of gold to ſhew their vſurped power ouer Kings, they hauehave the faces of men to ſhew their flattery, haire like women to ſhew their alluring inticements, the teeth of Lions to ſhew their deuouring of all. Their breſt-plates for defence ſhew, that they are exempt from the reach of all ſecular power, their ſting in their taile ſheweth their falſe doctrine vnderunder the beſt pretext, for the falſe prophet is the taile, their King is Satan, and his Vice-gerent vponupon earth the Pope, deſtroying all his oppoſites corporally, and his followers ſpiritually. p. 345There are ſome differences in reſoluing this deſcription, but all ſpeake almoſt to this effect. Some adde vntounto the Papiſts, the Saracens ariſing about the ſame time,Brightman. and ſo will hauehave them ſet forth by the Locuſts alſo. For ann. 630. they began vnderunder Mahomet to afflict the Countries of Arabia, Syria, Meſopotamia, Armenia, Perſia, Egypt, Affrica and Spaine, and continued till about the end of the reigne of Leo Copronimus, ann. 780. at what time, though their forces were not vtterly broken, for they continued 400. yeeres, yet they were ſo broken, as that they could not doe ſuch hurt as in times paſt. Lacanadraco ſubdued them in Aſia, Conſtantine with his mother Irene ouerthrew them, and ſo did Nicephorus, and Theophilus, and Michael, &c. After this in Italy, being called from Babylon to their helpe, ann. 830. they proued moſt infeſt enemies, waſting all, neither could they bee ſuppreſſed, till that Otto the ſecond ouerthrew them, ann. 980. with ſo great a ſlaughter, as that the place where, was called The death of the Saracens till this day. Some preferre this of the Saracens,Fox. as moſt agreeable to theſe Locuſts, becauſe they are profeſſed enemies to Chriſtianity, and come in great multitudes armed againſt them, yet where they ſubmit their liues are ſpared, but by taking their children from them, and rauiſhing their wiues, and inthralling them to baſe ſlauery, they make their liues more tedious to them than death: and as for the time of fiue moneths he ſubſcribeth to that alluſion noted before vntounto the time of the Locuſts life. The popiſh ſort expound this Trumpet altogether of things yet to come. For they ſay, that the Deuill by Gods permiſſion ſhall ſtirre vp a great number of Heretikes towards the end of the world, who ſhall perſecute the Catholikes and torment them diuerſly: for this Blaſius Virgas ſaith, is their common expoſition.

Lyra. R…pertus.Some by the Starre falling from Heauen vnderſtand Lucifer, and therefore it is ſaid which had fallen; he by Gods permiſſion bringeth as it were out of hell, an infinite multitude of cruell and barbarous Vandals, who vnderunder fiue Kings which they had, ſwarmed in all places, namely vnderunder Gunderinus, Genſericus, Hunericus, Trafimundus, and Gelimer, moſt horribly tormenting the world both in the Eaſt and Weſt. Now of p. 346all theſe expoſitions, I finde that moſt of our ſide preferre the firſt, touching the Pope and his religions, and many things in the deſcription doe fit ſo well that I would gladly ioyne with them, but that I am reſolued vponupon ſuch reaſons as I hauehave already ſet downe, that not corruptions in Religion, but plagues comming vponupon the world therefore are here repreſented. Which being ſo, and the laſt iudgements hauing beene executed againſt profeſſed enemies of Chriſtianity at the foure firſt ſoundings; order requireth that ſome thing now ſhould follow againſt Heretikes, as they were the next troublers of the Church. If then any great iudgement which may be fitted to this deſcription, can be found out in the time of the Arrian hereſie, it ſeemes moſt reaſonable to me that this ſhould be held to be the figure thereof. For it is not likely, that when the Lord is ſo carefull in ſetting downe the iudgements to come vponupon the heathen perſecutors and vponupon the Antichriſt of Rome, that the middle time bringing the Church to ſo great miſery, and therefore moſt remarkably puniſhed certaine hundreds of yeeres together ſhould be paſſed ouer in ſilence, a… it is if we finde not out ſomething agreeing vntounto it vnderunder this fifth Trumpet. I hold therefore with Lyra, Rupertus, and ſome others, that here is a deſcription of the Goths and Vandals, a baſe and ignoble people, and in times paſt without name, leaping about like Locuſts to make a prey of other mens poſſeſſions, and by their huge ſwarmes and multitudes preuailing where they came to the bringing of all things to ruine. They were firſt brought in by Valens an Arrian Emperour, about ann. 366. but fighting againſt him they became his deſtruction,Ruffind. 2.6.13. for they fired the towne into which he fled, ſo that he miſerably periſhed together with it. And after this, partly in Affrike, and partly in Italy, Germany, and France, euen almoſt all ouer the Chriſtian world, they were moſt manifeſt ſcourges ſent for a plague vponupon the Hereſies which were moſt rife in thoſe times,Victor. vticenfis. and chiefly that of Arrius. And this plague continued breaking out oft times more violently the ſpace of about 184. yeeres from the firſt to the laſt, viz. till ann. 550. in which time, when they gat the victory, no manner of barbarous cruelty was ſpared, in ſo much as Writers p. 347compare ſome of them with Diocleſian and Maximi…nus, the moſt bloudy perſecutors that euer were. Some were ſent into baniſhment, and if through infirmity any could not keepe pace with the reſt, they were faſtened to the tailes of horſes, and dragged againſt the ſtones till they were pitteouſly rent and torne. Some were compelled to carry vnreaſonable burthens, and if being oppreſſed with the weight they went ſlowly, they were whipt with whips full of iron prickes, that put them to exceeding great torment. Then they which before had beene rulers of the world, were made ſlaues vntounto a barbarous people. For Auguſtulus was compelled by them to deueſt himſelfe of his imperiall robes, and to goe into baniſhment; the Empire in the Weſt being thence forward ruled by Odoacer the King of the Rugians, and Theodoricus of the Goths, and his ſucceſſors, till that Etius being ſent by the Emperour of the Eaſt, cut them quite off from hauing any dominion more. And yet neither then were they free from the oppreſſion of ſtrangers, for the Longobards brought in by the ſaid Etius, obtained the Kingdome of Italy, and ruled for the ſpace of aboue two hundred yeeres, till the time of Charles the great. All which Hiſtory, that it may be vnderſtood the better, I hauehave thought good to tranſcribe hither as I finde it to hauehave beene by others collected together. I hauehave already touched Valens his bringing in of the Goths into the Eaſt to his owne ruine about ann. 380. After him reigned Theodoſius ſixteene yeeres, all which time that ſauage Nation was able to doe no great hurt. But in the daies of Arcadius and Honorius, the ſonnes of Theodoſius, they came in great multitudes, eſpecially into the weſt where Honorius reigned. For Radagiſus King of the Goths came in the eighteenth yeere of his reigne into Italy, with 200000. men ann. 409. but this great multitude being diſperſed and periſhing by famine, he came to a miſerable end: but fiue yeeres after, Alaricus who ſucceeded him, beſieged and tooke Rome and ſpoiled it and the reſt of Italy. Adaulphus ſucceeded him, and tooke Rome the ſecond time. After him Genſcricus came with 500000. and tooke Rome the third time, ann. 445. After this, Odoacer King of the Rugians tooke Rome, and quite ouerthrew the Empire, reigning in Italy p. 348fourteene yeeres. Againſt him came Theodoricus King of the Goths, ſent by Zeno Emperour of the Eaſt, who ouercomming him, reigned in Italy three and thirty yeeres. Atalaricus ſucceeded him and reigned eight yeeres: then Theodatus two yeeres, and he being depoſed, Vitiges was made King, and reigned fiue yeeres; he being taken priſoner by Belliſarius, a Captaine ſent by Iuſtinian Emperour of the Eaſt, Totilas ſucceeded; vnderunder whom, and Vitiges his predeceſſor, Italy and Rome indured infinite miſeries. Totilas tooke Rome the fifth time and razed it to the ground, burning all with fire fourteene dayes together, and ſo the Citizens being left harbourleſſe, wandred about the fields of Campania, hee reigned ten yeeres; and then Etius, another famous Captaine being ſent againſt him, he was ouercome, and an end was put to the Kingdome of the Goths. Theſe times being computed together from the eighteenth yeere of Honorius, when theſe Locuſts beganne firſt to ſwarme in Italy vnderunder Radagiſus, vntounto Totilas the laſt King of the Goths, will appeare to be about 150 yeeres. For the eighteenth yeere of Honorius, when Radagiſus came, was the fourth of Theodoſius of the Eaſt, who reigned 38. yeeres after; Martianus 7. Leo 17. Zeno 17. vnderunder whoſe reigne Odoacer beganne and reigned 14. yeeres, Theodoricus 33. Atalaricus 8. Theodatus more than 2. Vitiges 5. an inter regnum after that Belliſarius had ouerthrowne Vitiges 2. Totilas 10. From Radagiſus then to the end of Zenoes reigne are 80. yeeres, when the Roman Empire was put downe in Auguſtulus, which time I reckon by the eaſterne Emperours, becauſe that after Honorius, who reigned 29. yeeres, Valentmian the third onelyonly reigned 30. yeeres, but after him there were many which ſtood ſo ſhort a time, and were ſo vnhappy in their reignes, as that their times are not counted, as namely Auitus, Richimex, Maioranus, Senerus, Anthemius, Olibrius, Gliceri…s, Nepos, Oreſtes, Auguſtulus. From Odoacer to the end of Totilas, are 74. yeeres, which being put vntounto the former 80. amount to 154. Now it is to be noted, that the Kingdome of theſe ſtrangers was ſome yeeres before the end of Zenoes Empire before ſpoken of, and the time of Theodatus might be two or three yeeres more than are reckoned, wherefore p. 349we may deduct out of this ſome fiue or ſix yeeres, becauſe this change was vnderunder Zeno, and ſo the time will be 148. vntounto which if we adde againe the foreſaid two or three, the whole will be about 150. from ann. 409. to ann. 559. This ground being thus laid, all things will moſt excellently agree to theſe troubles. For firſt the Deuill, who is a murtherer from the beginning, in times paſt a Lucifer, but fallen, is by God appointed for a puniſhment of hereſie to bring in an infinite multitude of ſtrangers, and this is his opening of the bottomleſſe pit, becauſe the purpoſe of ſpoiling, waſting, and deſtroying is from hell. Theſe are compared to Locuſts, darkning the aire through their multitude, as in Egypt, both becauſe they had no certaine place of habitation, but preyed vponupon others, and becauſe they were not of any great power to hurt, but by reaſon of their great multitudes. They hurt like Scorpions, becauſe when Valens firſt brought them in, they came as helpers, but after a while they proued moſt miſchieuous to Chriſtendome; as the Scorpion looketh pleaſantly, and putteth to no paine at the firſt, till after three daies, when the torments of his ſtinging are moſt grièuous and kill, for which cauſe alſo their ſting is ſaid to be in their taile. Yet there is a difference from the Scorpions ſting, in that theſe only torment and kill not, and torment ſuch onelyonly as want the marke of God in their forehead. For though many in theſe warres were ſlaine, yet the Empire was but wounded as it were, and not for euer deſtroyed, ſeeing after a certaine time it reuiued againe. And it is the ſtate in generall whereof it is ſpoken, when he ſaith, That they ſhould not kill, but torment them. As for the exception of the ſealed ones, whereas it may ſeeme that they were hurt moſt, for ſo much as the Orthodox were moſt pereſecuted by the Goths, being partly after a time drawne to be Arrians. This exception I take it, is made to note that ſuch as were not ſealed, but turned away after Hereſie, were the cauſe of this miſchiefe, neither could the Elect receiue any dammage hereby, ſeeing all outward calamities ſuffered for Gods ſake are turned to an inward aduantage vntounto them. The time of fiue moneths being reſolued into daies, is iuſt the foreſaid terme of 150. yeeres, a yeere being vnderſtood p. 350by a day, as is frequent in propheſies. It may alſo bee applied vntounto the fiue times of Romes vanquiſhment in the compaſſe of theſe yeeres. The ſtate being thus often ouerturned, and they who were wont to bee Lords of all into ſeruitude reduced, their houſes fired, their wiues rauiſhed, their riches comming into the poſſeſſion of others, and themſelues expoſed to extreme pouerty and want, harbourleſſe and comfortleſſe, no maruell though they deſired rather to die, expecting no end of theſe miſeries. To ſhew the warlike manner of their comming, they are further likened to horſes prepared vntounto the battell; to ſhew the ſoueraignty to which they attained, Crownes like gold are aſcribed vntounto them, to ſhew that they were no true Locuſts, but onelyonly of their quality and condition, they are ſaid to hauehave the faces of men, and the haire of women to ſhew their barbarouſneſſe, and the teeth of Lions for their deuouring and cruell tearing in peeces, none being able to withſtand them in their time. Their iron breſtplates ſhew their might, their wings their ſwift and ſudden comming, their noiſe their hideouſneſſe in their comming. Their terme of fiue months is againe repeated, to make the Allegory taken from true Locuſts to hold the better, ſeeing this is the whole terme of their life, as hath beene already ſhewed, and therefore it is ſet forth by months, and not by daies. The Angell of the bottomleſſe pit, a murtherer and deſtroyer, is ſaid to be their King, to note out by whoſe inſtigation they came forth, and vnderunder whoſe banner they fought, although God vſed them herein as inſtruments to execute his iuſt iudgements. And thus I hauehave by Gods grace fitted a moſt kindly expoſition to this moſt hard and myſticall paſſage. Whence we may ſee; that beſides ordinary, God hath vnexpected waies to plague wickedneſſe withall, and to abate the pride of thoſe that are moſt potent and thinke themſelues moſt ſecure. And whoſoeuer are the inſtruments to execute Gods will in this kinde, can doe nothing no longer time than he permitteth them. And howſoeuer the godly being mixt with others partake in outward miſeries, yet nothing ſhall be able to hurt them, God hauing a ſpeciall care at theſe times ouer them, ſo that they hauehave wherein to reioyce when all p. 351things are confounded; for no hurt, which is an hurt indeed, can come to them, ſeeing theſe outward things are but ſhadowes, and as the ſuperfluous haires of the head, in loſing whereof there is no detriment, as Chryſoſtome and Auguſtine ſpeake.

Queſt. And the ſixt Angell blew his Trumpet, Verſ. 13.and I heard a voice from the foure corners of the altar, &c. Looſe the foure Angels bound in the great riuer Euphrates. And theſe foure Angels were looſed, being prepared for an houre, for a day, for a month, and for a yeere. Who are theſe foure Angels? What voice commandeth their looſing, and what is meant by the time of an houre, day, &c. for which it is ſaid they are prepared?

Anſw. Some by theſe foure Angels vnderſtand two Popes,Lyra. P…t. Aureol…. D. Ant. and two Emperours; Symmachus, and Laurentius an Antipope, and Anaſtaſius Emperour in the Eaſt, an Eutichian Heretike, and Theodoricus King of Italy, an Arrian, about ann. 502. For theſe two in contending for the Popedome, this Emperour and King in ſtanding for their hereſies deſtroyed a great number of people, which they were ready to doe before, but now being looſed put it in execution; and they are ſaid to be bound in Euphrates, becauſe it was the bounds of the Roman Empire. Some, which deſire to draw men a farre off, that they may not looke at the Pope and Papacy,Beda. Richard. de Sancto victore. Haimo. Rupertus. Arethas, &c. expound this of all the Deuils in hell which are now bound, but ſhall be let looſe in the time of Antichriſt to make ſuch hauocke in the Church, deſtroying and killing of Catholikes, ſo as the like was neuer done before, and this, Viegas the Ieſuite ſaith, is the common opinion. But neither of theſe expoſitions can ſtand; not the firſt, becauſe it is much forced to expound the Angels bound in Euphrates of ſuch as liued a farre off, and farre diſtant one from another; nor the ſecond, becauſe it is a iudgement vponupon the world for ſinne, not a triall of the Church by further perſecution. And it may bee plainly found out to hauehave beene already fulfilled, and therefore in vaine applied to future times.

There is then a third expoſition embraced by all ours, by which the Saracens and Turkes are vnderſtood here, to hauehave beene looſed at this ſounding, to become a ſcourge to Popery, p. 352the laſt and greateſt trouble of the Church of God. This ſixt Angell ſounded vntounto iudgements vponupon the idolatrous Papiſts the great corrupters of religion, ſet forth before by the pale horſe, after that the Goths were put down, who were ſent for a plague of Arrianiſme. Now although the Longobards were the next iudgement in Italy, yet becauſe there will be a fitter place to figure them out in another viſion, Chap. 13. the Spirit of God proceedeth here to the Saracens, the greater and more vniuerſall iudgement. The voyce which was heard ſpeaking to the ſixt Angell from amongſt the foure hornes of the Altar, is by the conſent of all, the voyce of the Lord Ieſus, who had ſuffered, and was ſacrificed for our ſins: he vttereth his voice, not from the midſt of the throne, where he ſtood, but from the midſt of the Altar, vnderunder which it is ſaid before, the ſoules lay crying for reuenge; to ſhew, that their cries were heard and preuailed to the producing of the grieuous euils following. They were anſwered before by ſignes, for the Angell tooke coales from the Altar and threw them downe to the earth, whence inſued thunders, lightnings, and earthquakes: but now by a liuely voyce commanding to looſe the foure Angels bound at Euphrates, who ſtood alwayes ready at an houre, day, monethmonth or yeere, that they might goe forth to kill, and deſtroy, and come vponupon theſe groſſe corrupters of religion with innumerable and inuincible armies of Saracens and Turkes. Brightman.Some vnderſtand by theſe foure Angels, foure chiefe rulers of the Turkes ſtirred vp by the euill Angels, which are deuils, ann. 1300. For after a great ouerthrow receiued by the Scythians, recollecting their forces againe, they diuided that part of Aſia which they held amongſt foure Peeres, Carmanus, Sarchanes, Gregor. lib. 7.1.Calames, and Ottoman; there was alſo for a time a fift Amurius, but the gouernment was ſoone reduced to foure againe. They are ſaid to be looſed, when they began to preuaile on this ſide Euphrates, which was not till about this time. For howſoeuer they did much damnifie the Romans before, yet they were made ſtill to retire by the Catalaunes vnderunder the reigne of Andronicus, Gregor. lib. 7.3.who put them to flight and kept them in great awe, but not purſuing their victory, but returning home they brake out, and in a ſhort ſpace poſſeſſed p. 353themſelues of the holy land, held till then by the Chriſtians, and in other places alſo did greatly inlarge their dominions, whereunto they were more inabled by growing to a monarchie vnderunder Ottoman, after that they had beene a while diuided vnderunder foure. The time of an houre, day, month, and yeere, according to this, is applied to the continuance of the Turkiſh greatneſſe, which counting a day for a yeere, is 396. yeeres, and ſo ſhall hauehave end ann. 1696. for ſo much as it began 1…00. And vntounto this of Brightmans agreeth Fox, Fox.as touching the time when this taketh place, though not in the particular expoſition of theſe foure Angels, & of the houre, day,Bullinger. Ill…ricus. Pareus. &c. Others vnderſtand the Turks, with all that ioined with them from the firſt beginning of their preuailing, about ann. 620. in the dayes of Mahomet: for there were foure ſorts of people, who ioyned together, Saracens, Turkes, Arabians, and Tartarians. Theſe are ſaid to be bound in Euphrates, which is a great riuer deſcending from the mountaines of Armenia thorow the midſt of Caldea and Babylon, becauſe this riuer was anciently the bound of theſe barbarous people, paſt which they came not to infeſt the Romane Empire, till the time of Heraclius, who called forth the Saracens to helpe him in his war againſt the Perſians, but diſmiſſing them without their pay, they being hereby incenſed, vnderunder their Captaine Homar ioyned vntounto them the Arabians, &c. and inuading the Romane Empire, in a ſhort time ſubdued all Arabia, Paleſtina, Aegypt, Affrica, Cyprus, and Aſia the leſſer, euen to Bizantium, and afterwards Spaine, which they held till ann. 1488. in the time of Ferdinand king of Caſtile, grandfather to Charles the fift. Theſe foure peoples came together at the laſt vnderunder one Sultan Ottoman. They are ſet forth by the name of Angels, becauſe they were ſent of God to puniſh the wickedneſſe of Chriſtian people. They were ready for an houre, a day, &c. to note their ſudden comming and growing to ſuch a greatneſſe, and their armies are all figured out afterwards by horſmen.

Some vnderſtand here the foure Angels of Chap. 7. which held the winds,Andreas. Graſſerus. becauſe their looſing hath not hitherto beene ſet forth, and by the horſes appearing, vnderſtand the Gothes ſacking Rome foure times, and by putting downe the ſecular p. 354Empire made way to a ſpirituall, by the horſmen the R…mane hierarchy. But this is nothing agreeable to our purpoſe, neither can I ſtand to examine the reaſon of bringing them in here which hauehave beene ſo aptly fitted to another place. I hold it moſt cleare and euident, that this paſſage doth properly belong vntounto the Saracens and Turkes with their aſſociates, being foure in number; ſo populous, and hauing vponupon ſuch a ſudden ouer-runne ſo great a part of the world.Ann. 631. For vnderunder Homar ſucceſſour to Mahomet, a great part of Syria and Aegypt were ſubdued by them, hauing before taken Damaſcus, Gaza, and Ieruſalem. Ormiſda the King of the Perſians at that time called to his aid againſt them the Turkes, Ann. 634.who ſoone after killing him, ioyned with the Saracens as one people, and wanne Cilicia, Cappadocia, Ann. 646.Meſopotamia, Cyprus, &c. VnderUnder Homan their next king, they wanne Affrica and Babylon, and ſo to the number of one and twenty more, ſucceſſiuely they were alwayes inlarging their bounds till ann. 832. their chiefe Gouernor being called Calypha, which ſignifieth a general Lord, and the gouernours of Prouinces, Sultans. After this, the Sultans growing ambitious, fought one againſt another, and againſt the Calypha; which opportunity the Turkes taking, committed many rapines, and enriching themſelues, at the laſt challenged to themſelues the Empire of Aſia, creating one Zadoc their Emperour ann. 1051. after whom diuers reigned, more and more inlarging their bounds, till ann. 1240. the Tartarians ſubdued them but in the dayes of Ottoman, ann. 1300. they recouered againe their former Empire, and further ſubdued Conſtantinople, and hauehave exceedingly ſhaken the ſtate of Chriſtendome in theſe neerer parts, as all men know. And the time of their firſt beginning agreeth beſt to our purpoſe, being not much aboue one hundred yeres after that the plague by the Gothes was ouer, ſo that I cannot aſſent vntounto them that will hauehave the yeere 1300. deſigned here, when the Turkes recouered againe their greatneſſe, and grew more potent than euer before, ſeeing there is no iuſt reaſon, if we proceed as we hauehave begun, to exclude, but rather to include the Saracens with the Turkes, ſeeing together they hauehave beene many yeeres, and are one common plague ſent of God, and are vnited in one and the ſame religion.

p. 355Now to fit eueryevery paſſage in the Text vntounto them, verſ. 14. when it was the Lords will that they ſhould come and plague the world on this ſide Euphrates, hee declareth it by bidding the foure Angels bound in Euphrates to be looſed, becauſe as there are good Angels to excite vntounto good actions, ſo there bee euill ones to inſtigate vntounto euill, to rapine, murther, and bloud-ſhed. The Deuill had no power before in theſe barbarous people, becauſe not appointed by God, but prohibited from inuading the Chriſtian territories; but now he hath licence, and foure art ſaid to bee looſed, becauſe they inſtigated foure peoples. And there needed no more but to looſe them, for they were moſt ready at an houre, &c. whether the Lord would hauehave them goe forth at an houres warning, or a dayes, or a moneths, or a yeeres, ſo that whenſoeuer he ſhould ſay, goe this houre, or this weeke, &c. they were moſt expedite. As for Maſter Brightmans calculating of the time that the Turkiſh monarchy ſhould continue, it ſeemeth to be forced, both becauſe it is here onelyonly ſhewed vponupon what warning they were ready, and not how long they ſhould tyrannize, and becauſe the accounting of a day for a yeere holdeth not ſo currently in this place, in reſpect of the houre alſo mentioned. They kill the third part of men, ſuch great ſlaughters did the Turkes make where they came, that of three parts, not aboue two eſcaped. Verſ. 16. The number of their armies of horſe two millions of millions. Neuer was there ſeene ſuch an army of horſemen together, neither is i… poſſible, but by an hyperbole an infinite number is put for a wonderfull great number. And truly the armies of theſe people hauehave exceeded in number: Bai…z…t was once in the field with 500000. and Tamerlan the Tartarian with 1300000. Verſ. 17. Their breſt-plates of fire and Iacinth, and brimſtone, the heads of the horſes, as of Lions. This ſheweth, how they ſhould waſte the world of people by all meanes, euen as a deuouring fire and brimſtone, which (I take it) is added in alluding to hell, which burneth with fire and brimſtone. For as the rage of that cannot be withſtood, no more could theſe bee withſtood in their time, and as that fire is the moſt hideous of all fires, ſo theſe hauehave beene the moſt terrible of all people: Their Iacinth colour is red, or yellow, or blew, as p. 356the Lillie ſignified hereby. Their lions heads ſhew their fierceneſſe, Fire, brimſtone, and ſmoake went out of their mouths. They did euen breath out cruelty, threatning deſtruction to ſuch as withſtood them; if the great Turke doth but ſpeake the word, the greateſt of his ſubiects dareth not but ſubmit, euen vntounto the death, yea to the execution of himſelf. No Sanneherib hath euer ſpoken more proudly and minaciouſly, than hee hath beene wont to doe. Their powers are in their mouthes, and in their tailes: The Locuſts power was in their tailes onelyonly, for they ſpake not againſt Chriſtianity in generall, but were ready (though in a corrupt manner) to entertaine it: but theſe as profeſſed enemies defie Chriſtianity, and make war againſt it, and by cruelty and deceiueableneſſe ſeeke to draw as many to Mahumetiſme as they can; and thus they deſtroy both ſoules and bodies. And becauſe they are ſaid to hauehave lions heads, as the Locuſts Lions teeth, and it is the property of a lion to kill with his taile; they kil alſo with the taile, as they did being firſt called vponupon for aid, but turning to be deſtruction to ſuch as called them; as the ſerpent proueth to him that receiueth it.

Verſ. 20. The reſt neither repented that they ſhould not worſhip Deuils, nor images of gold, &c. Ʋerſ. 21. Neither repented they of their murthers, &c. In theſe words is ſet forth the obſtinacy of the Papiſts, and it is made yet more euident, that the Turkes were ſent for a plague of their ſuperſtitions and corruptions. And the euent anſwereth the prediction, for they are as great worſhippers of images, as great murtherers & fornicators as euer they were. Neither can this be applied to any but them, ſeeing they onelyonly of late dayes hauehave beene notorious for their idolatries, and maſſacres, and whoredomes alſo, which hauehave beene obſerued by all the world.

And whereas Deuils are mentioned, the worſhipping of whom, it ſeemeth, cannot be charged vponupon them, let their deluſions by apparitions, and voyces vttered at the Sepulchres of Saints, and by images be conſidered, and I doubt not but the indifferent arbiter will acknowledge that theſe things come from Deuils, who are worſhipped vponupon an imagination that they are the Saints. Againe, an idoll is nothing, ſaith the Apoſtle, but what is ſacrificed to idols, is to Deuils. Wherefore p. 357let not vsus that hauehave repented, and ſo are ſpared from the Turkes inuaſion, make a relapſe againe, but praiſe God for this mercy, and pity their obſtinacy and blindneſſe, which know not the time of their viſitation.