The Whole Revelation of John in Two Treatises, Treatise 2 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
THE ARGVMENT.
God in the former chapter, hauing firſt marked his elect Iſraelits, now in this proceedes to the deſtruction of Ieruſalem, and reprobate Iſraelites, in reuenge of their tyrannie vſed againſt Chriſt and his ſeruants, at which deſtruction of Ieruſalem, ends the hiſtorie by-gone, of the ſealed weekes, & beginneth the propheſie then to come, of the ſeuen trumpets, eueryevery trumpet conteining the ſpace of 245. yeares, wherein, are orderly expreſſed, the notable accidents & alterations, that were to come among the chriſtian kingdomes, in a maner to the worldes end. In this chapter, then is intreated of the laſt of the ſeauen ſeales, and firſt four of the ſeauen trumpets, as followeth.
Hiſtoricall application 1 IN the ſeuēth ſeven years, beginning in the yeare of Chriſt 71 came the Chriſtiā Emperours, Ʋeſpaſian and Titus, vnderunder whom the Church of God had peace a litle while.
Anno Chriſt 71. a Iubile The opening of the ſeauenth Seale, and progreſſe of the firſt age or trumpet
Paraphraſt. expoſition AND as the ſeavēth ſealed week (after Chriſt opened the Evangel) came, Gods Church had peace a litle while.
The Text. 1 AND when hee had opened the ſeventh ſeal, ther was ſilence in heauen about halfe an houre.
Hiſtoricall application 2 And here begins the ſeauen ages to the worldes end, this 71. yeare being Iubile,
Paraphraſt. expoſition 2 And beholde, here the a Angels of the ſeauen ages, beginne to receiue the ſeuen trumpettes of Gods wrath.
The Text. 2 And I ſawe the ſevē Angels, which ſtood before God, and to them wer giuen ſeuē trumpets.
Hiſtoricall application 3 And was that year in the which Chriſt Ieſus procured the revenge of his blud, and the blood of his holie martyrs vpō the Synagogue of the Iewes (vponupon whome the ſaid innocent blood had hitherto craued vēgēce.) So that nowe (by the interceſsion of Chriſt) God in his juſtice, ſtirreth vp the ſaid Romā Emperours, Veſpaſian & Titus againſt them.
Paraphraſt expoſition 3 And the b great Angell Chriſte Ieſus, came and ſtoode as our high prieſte before the juſtice ſeate of God, hauing the office of interceſsion and many ſweete acceptable prayers wer made to him of all Gods martyrs and elect, that he by his c mediation mig… offer vppe the ſame before that juſtice ſeate of Gods throne.
The Text. 3 Then another Angel cam & ſtoode before the Altar, having a golden cenſer, & much odours were giuen vntounto him, that he ſhoulde offer with the prayers of all Saints vponupon the golden Altar, which is before the throne.
Hiſtoricall application4 And the continuall prayers of poore martyres, crauing the revenge of their blood now takes effect,
Paraphraſt expoſition 4 And the ſweete requeſt of theſe praiers were accepted, & granted by God the Father, through the procurement & interceſsion of Chriſt Ieſus.
The Text. 4 And the ſmoke of the odours with the prayers of the Saintes, went vp before God, out of the Angels hand.
Hiſtoricall application 5 For the ſaid Titus, accōpanied with many thouſand Romanes, in cloſeth the whol Iewes celebrating the Paſſeouer within Ieruſalem, wher they ar beſieged and overcome, their citie deſtroyed, innumerable ſlaine, and the reſt are taken, and ſolde as bond-ſlaues, abiding without land, libertie, or gouernmēt to this day. At this time God thundered out againſt them, all manner of plagues, of warres, both external and inteſtine, of famin and of peſtilence, and the great Roman Empire, Monarchie of the earth, is now ſtirred & occupied in this deſtruction of the Iewes:
Paraphraſt expoſition 5. So that Chriſte took the cup of gods vengeance, and filled the ſame with the fierie wrath of his juſtice, and poured it out vponupon the tyrants of the earth, murderers of the Saintes of God: and ther came greate thunderinges of Gods vengeance vponupon thē, with forthſhewings and threatnings of all maner of tēpeſtuous plagues, and the greate Empire of the earth was then aloft, & greatly commooved.
The Text. 5 And the Angel took the cenſer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and caſt it into the earth, and there were voices, & thunderings, & lighteninges, and earthquake.
Hiſtoricall application6 At which deſtructiō begins the account of the ſeuē ages to come to the worlds end.
Paraphraſt expoſition 6 At this inſtant, the Angels of the ſeven ages, hauing the ſeuen laſte plagues, mak themſelues readie to blowe out the ſame.
The Text. 6 Then the ſeuen Angelles, which had the ſeuen trumpets, prepared themſelues to blowe the trumpets.
Hiſtoricall application7 In the firſt of the which ages, to wit, frō this 71 year of Chriſt, to the 316 year, the effeminate and ſoft Emperors, Macrinus, Heliogabalus, Philippus, Gallus Ʋoluſianus, Licinius, & Gallienus, by their great ſloth and coldnes: and the fierie & fierce Emperors. Domitian, Commodus, Didius, & Maximinus, by their fury & raſhnes, mixt with the tyrāny of the 30. tyrāts that then raigned, as vnderunder them began the firſt decay of the Romane Empire. During this time the miniſters of Gods word, chieflie in Europe, are perſecuted: for even of Rome 33 Biſhops, ſucceſsiuely after other, wer martyred, & the weake in faith were conſtrained to make defection.
Paraphraſt expoſition 7 And the Angels of the firſt age blewe forth their plagues, and there were certaine effeminate Emperous, cold as haile, and other furious & fierce as fire, & bloodie tyrantes among them, who al were caſte in the Empire of the earth. At this time the cōſtant profeſſours of Chriſte, thorowe the thirde part of the worlde, were perſecuted, and the weak in faith vtterlie decaied, withered, and fell away therefrom.
The Text. 7 So the firſt Angell blew the trumpet, and there was haile and▪ fire mingled with blood, & they were caſt into the earth, & the third part of the trees was burnt, and all green graſſe was burnt.
Hiſtoricall application8 Hitherto the Empire of Rome decaying, and nowe in this 316. year, the Emperor Conſtantine trāſporting the ſeat therof to Conſtātinople, the whole Peninſul of Cethim which is interprete the gathering or toſsing of the ſeas, & now called Italie, is left a pray to the Hunnes, Gottes, Ʋandals & other fierce nations
Anno Chriſt 316 A Iubilee. The ſecond age
Paraphraſt expoſition 8 And the Angels of the ſeconde age threatned out Gods judgment, and there came a multitude of people, fierce as fire, who entered vponupon ſome d Peninſull of the ſea, or landes named by the ſea, and they conſumed with the edg of the ſword the thirde parte of that Peninſull and ſea coaſt.
The Text. 8 And the ſecōd Angel blew the trumpet, & as it vver a gret mountaine, burning with fire, was caſt into the ſea, & the thirde parte of the ſea became blood.
Hiſtoricall application9 Who deſtroyed Rome, and ſubdued all Italie, ſlaying & ſpoiling of greate and ſmal euen every third man.
Paraphraſt expoſition 9 And the thirde part of the people of that Peninſull, who dwelt there, were ſlaine, and deſtroyed, even from the poore e Marriner and inhabitante to the great Pylotes, and gouernours.
The Text. 9 And the third part of the creatures, which wer in the ſea, and had life, dyed, & the third part of ſhippes were deſtroyed.
Hiſtoricall application10 Then in the yeare of Chriſt 561. begins the thirde age, in the which, anno 591 (as the Arabians compts per an nos Hegirae) there aroſe the horrible Mahomet, who firſte profeſsing Chriſt to be that moſt high Prophet, thereafter made defection, & throgh pride & glory to raign, hee with the aid of Sergius a Monk, deviſed the damnable and bitter doctrine of the Alkaron, & by the aſsiſtance of the Saracenes, he began his conqueſt anno Chriſt. 623.
Anno Chriſt 561 a Iubile The third age.
Paraphraſt expoſition 10 And the Angels of the third age, blew out Gods thretnings, and there fell frō the true Church a notable and f great Apoſtate, burning in pride, and wrath, and he entered and ſowed his hereſie in the thirde parte of the world, amongſt the g liuelie fountaines of the pure doctrin of the Evangell
The Text. 10 Then the third Angel blew the trumpet, & there fel a great ſtar from heuen burning like a torch, and it fell into the thirde parte of the riuers, & into the fountains of waters.
Hiſtoricall application11 And ſpred that bitter hereſie through al Aſia, impoiſoning therby the ſouls of al theſe of Aſia, that cam vnderunder his dominion, & receiued the ſame hereſie.
Paraphraſt expoſition 11 And hee may juſtlye bee called h galle or wormwood to the ſoules, for hee made the doctrine of the third part of the world bitter as wormwood, ſo that many ſoules thereby dyed, euen all that ſpiritually dranke of that doctrine, becauſe it was horrible and bitter hereſie.
The Text. 11 And the name of the ſtar is called wormwood: therefore the third part of the waters became wormewood, and many men died of the waters, becauſe they were made bitter.
Hiſtoricall application12 Thereafter in the fourth age beginning in the yeare of Chriſt. 806. this erroneous doctrine of the Mahomet, ſo on the one part increaſed, & on the other part ſuch hereſies & newe traditions are crept in & authoriſed by the Pope, that both Eccleſiaſtical doctors, ſecular Magiſtrats, and ſimple profeſſors, are polluted and darkned with the Mahometik & papiſticall errours, ſo that the third parte of the light of gods truth that ſhined ſomtime in the primitiue Church, is nowe extinguiſhed, the oriental or Graeciā Churches being ſeduced by the Mahomet; & the Occidētal or Latin churches, by the Pope of Rome.
Anno Chriſt 806 a Iubile The fourth age or trumpet.
Paraphraſt expoſition 12 And the Angelles of the fourth age blew forth Gods wrath, and the third part of the ſpirituall Preachers, ciuill Magiſtrats, and Chriſtian profeſſors, wer ſo plaged with theſe hereſies, and were ſo blinded with mens traditions, that they loſte that light of God his trueth that ſometime ſhined in them, and neither the Oriental i or Eaſterly Church (where the day ſprings) nor the Occidētal or Weſterly (Church where the night gloumes) hauehave (by the third parte) that brighte light of Chriſts pure Euāgel that they wer woont to hauehave.
The Text. 12 And the fourthe Angell blewe the trumpet, & the third parte of the ſun was ſmitten, & the thirde parte of the moone, & the thirde parte of the ſtarres, ſo that the thirde part of thē was darkened, & the day vvas ſmitten that the thirde part of it could not ſhine, and likwiſe the night
Hiſtoricall application13 This muſt needs ſpeedily procure Gods true Church to lurk in patience, & abide inviſible, til God in his juſtice & juſt judgment, hauehave broght moſt terrible plagues and vengēce vpō the world, for theſe errors & vniuerſal defections, wherof the reuenging plagues ſhal immediatly follow & fal out in theſe three next ages yet reſting.
Paraphraſt expoſition 13 Whereupon I beheld, and foreſaw Gods ſpeedie warning, as the k flight of an Eagle, going thorough the whol congregation of his Electe, proclaiming in his terrible threatnings, threefold l wo & wrack, yet to come therefore, vponupon the wicked worldlinges, by the executers of the plagues of the three ages folowing.
The Text. 13 And I beheld, and heard one Angel flying throgh the mids of heauen, ſaying with a loud voice, Wo, wo, wo to the inhabitantes of the earth, becauſe of the ſoundes to come of the trumpet of the three Angells, which were yet to blowe the trū pets.
Notes, Reaſons and amplifications.
a That at this year of Chriſt. 71. beginneth both the laſt of the ſeuen ſeales, and the firſt of the ſeuen trumpets, appears plainly by this text, and is prooued by our ſeuenth propoſition, and how thereafter, eueryevery trumpet containeth the ſpace of 245. yeares, or fiue Iubiles, is alſo prooued by our fift propoſition.
b This other Angell muſt be Chriſt, for none ſtandeth before the Altar of Gods juſtice, as high prieſt and mediatour, making interceſsion for vsus, except onelie Chriſt, as in 1. Tim. 2. ver. 5. and Hebrues 7.8.9. chapters. We muſt not doubt hereof, though here he is ſimplie called but an Angell, for the like is founde in diuers ſcriptures, as in Malach. 3. ver. 1. Chriſt is called the Angel of the couenant, though hee was more than an Angel, as contrarilie, S. Iohn the Baptiſt, is there called the Angell that goeth before him, in Sanct Ieromes tranſlation, although he be leſſe than an Angell, as teſtifies Matthew. 11.11.
c Theſe Oriſons and prayers, though generally they meane all our prayers, which indeede Chriſt offered vp before God his father, yet in this place is ſpecially meant, the prayers made for reuenge of the late martyrdomes ſpecified. cap. 6. in the fift ſeale, which praiers, there ar delayed, & here taks effect, as by the text, paraphraſe, and hiſtorie thereof doth evidently appear.
d That the Sea is taken for ſea coaſts or peninſulls, reade Eſay. 21.1. by the burthen of the deſert Sea, meaning the burthen of the deſert land of Arabia beſide the ſea: alſo Eſay 23. ver. 4. by the ſea, and ſtrength of the ſea, is meant the peninſull of Tyrus: and again in Eſay 66. ver. 19. Italie (called there Tubal) is named among the ſea cuntries. Finally, a…ent the ſignification of Cethim, read Ierome de interpretatione nominum.
c That ſhippes be taken for their marriners, it is certain alſo: wheras the ſea is takē for the ſea coaſt (as by the former note) it is probable that the ſhippes betoken the inhabitants of that coaſt and gouernors therof, as in Ezechiel 27. ver. 25. by Ieromes tranſlatiō, Naves maris principes tui, &c. The ſhips of the ſea are thy princes.
f That ſtarres be taken for miniſters or profeſſors of God his trueth, euen after their defection or apoſtaſie, you may ſee both here by this Mahomet, and the Monk Sergius his colleague, as by the Turkes hereafter. Reve. 9. ver. 1. Of ſtarres generally taken for true teachers, reade Dan. 12. ver. 3. & Reuel. 1. notes q. & xtherof. Reuel. 6.13. & notei. thereof, and other places.
g What theſe floods and fountaines be, conſider by the hunger and thirſt ſpoken of before, Reuel. 7. ver. 16. & 17. And note h therof, and confer there with Ieremie. 2.18, ſpeking of the drinking of the bitter floods of the Aegyptians and Aſſyrians, alſo Iohn 7.37.38. and Reuel. 21.6.
h That this bitter wormewood meaneth the doctrine of falſe Prophets, how ſweet ſoeuer it ſeemes, read Ieremie 23.15. & howe bitter and vile the Mahomets doctrine is, they may conſider by his Alkaron.
i In theſe Churches of the Orientall and Occidental empyres, where God ſometimes was trulie honoured (as David Pſal. 113.3 prophetically foretelleth) at this time abounds Idolatrie, hereſies and many vaine traditions: of which, reade the Eccleſiaſticall hiſtories.
k There is ſo ſmall difference in the greek, betwixt the orthographie of an Angell and of an Eagle, that ſome old coppies hath the one, and ſome hath the other, alwaies to them both, agreeth the interpretation of ſpeedy warning or haſtie meſſage.
l The whole viſible face of the Oriental and Occidental Churches, hauing now made defection: he notes by wo, wo, wo, as by an emphaſis, how great & terrible ſhalbe the remanent three plagues that are to come vponupon them therefore.