Commentary on Revelation, Lecture 5
LECTURE V.
Vers. 12.
And the fourth Angel sounded, and the third part of the Sun was smitten, and the third part of the Moon, and the third part of the Stars, so as the third part of them was darkened: and the d…y shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
13.
And I beheld, and heard an Angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Wo, wo, wo, to the inhabiters of the earth, by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three Angels which are yet to sound.
THe fourth Angel with his trumpet, bringeth the last of the four lesser woes (it is greater than the former, yet lesser than these that immediately ensue) which clearly doth relate to that age immediately going before Antichrists discovery, and so falleth betw…xt this time andthe sixth Century. This is set down, vers. 12. And the 13. vers. is a preface and introduction to the three great woes, which the last three Angels bring.
There are but two things mentioned in this fourth trumpet. 1. The judgement or type, it is a smiting of the third part of the Sun, Moon, and Stars. 2. The effect of this judgement, is, a following darknesse suitable to it, and the day shone not for a third part of it, an… the night likewise: because the Sun that giveth light by day, and the Moon and Stars that give light by night, they were all darkned and …mitten. There is no word of any particular cause, or mean, wher… by the Sun was smitten, as under the former trumpets wasmentioned. By Sun, Moon, and Stars, we understand, and comprehend under them, light of all sorts, such as is the purity of Doctrine in the Word, compared to light, Psal. 119.105. And, 2 Pet. 1.19. the word of prophesie is called a light that shineth in a dark place: and so it may be, seing Christ who is the Sun of Righteousnesse shineth therein, Mal. 4. And by the spreading of the Gospel, is said to arise, for the direction and comfort of His people, (See also, Matth. 4.16.) Or also, the light of order, comlinesse, and a good conversation in the power of Godlinesse, as Phil. 2.15. and Matth. 5.17. So the Church (Cant. 6.) is called fair, as the Moon, and the Ministers compared to Stars, and the generall beauty of the Church is prophesied of in these terms, Isa. 30.26. The light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun, and the light of the Sun as the light of seven dayes: and consequently, the diminishing and contracting of these lights, must be the declining and decaying of light in the Church, both in respect of purity of Doctrine, when it is da…kened, and simplicity of Worship and Power in practice; these by humane traditions and ceremonies and superstitions, are quite dimned, ecclipsed and darkened. A third part is but smitten and darkened, and shineth not, which is in comparison of the totall ecclipse following under the fifth trumpet, when the Sun is wholly darkened, Chap. 9 vers. 1. This is higher and of larger extent than the former, yet lesse than these that follow in degree, but little odds in kind from the fifth. It differeth from the former as being of larger extent, affecting the Sun and light in a greater degree; also, in respect there is no particular instrument named; the reason is, because it relateth to no particular heresie, or defection, different from the former, or that which followeth, nor to no particular Heretick, but is a further and higher degree and step of that same declining, …lowing not from without, but from within, insensiblie growing by a generall declining, till it come to the top in the following trumpets.
The reasons why we apply it to the sixth Century, are from considering of the story, where it is clear, that in that age light was exceedingly (though not fully) darkened: and many things remarkable suit this type, As, 1. that there was no particular heresie, nor prime heretick in all that Century, though former heresies (as that of Arius, Eutyches, &c.) spread more, yet there was no particular heretick that arose to be instrumentall in this darkening, as in the forme… there was, to wit, Pelagius, Nestorius Bishop of Constantinople and Eutyches. See Cent. 6. Preface, and Cap. 1. 2. That though there was no heretick, yet there was a great and generall decay of simple purity, both in Doctrine, Worship,
Government and practice (as in that Century may be seen, and in … Gregorius, … his life by Platina) monasteries, superstitious dayes, doctrine of works, and traditions encreased, &c. See Cent. 6. cap. 1. & 7. where the building of Abbacies, deserting of Marriages, even by Kings and Queens for devotion, is mentioned. 3. That light and knowledge was very low now in the Church; few able men are marked to have lived in this Century: which certainly sheweth great decay of light, they being lights to the world: There are but two eminently marked, Fulgentius and Gregorius Magnus, who though in some things against the Arians and Eutycheans▪ &c. they do well; yet in many things their infirmity and declining from purity, especially of the last, appeareth, and yet never was there in Rome be far such a Bishop after him in any respect; he is called the worst of these, who went before him, and the best of these who followed. 4. That old heresies by that occasion did thrive well, the Eutycheans especially. 5. Anastasius the Emperour he countenanced this heresie, and though before his coronation he subscribed to the Nicean and Chalcedon faith, whereby this heresie was condemned; yet after he retracted, and became a great persecuter, banishing and cutting off many able honest Ministers, especially Euph…mius who crowned him (because he refused to give back his subscription, and would not admit him to Communicate, as infected with heresie) and also Macedonius his successour and sundry others, for not admitting the foreign he had appointed; some acriter impugnantes, alii imprudentius defendentes Concilium Nicaenum, saith the story. He would not have had that Councel mentioned, because it condemned his tenent. 6. This age is remarkable from the pride and practice of Iohn Bishop of Constantinople, who, by the consent (as it seemeth) of Mauritius the Emperour, and the Bishops of the East, took on him the name of Vniversal Bishop and Patriarch: and what fol… lowed upon that, may be seen at large in the writings of Gregorius Bishop of Rome, Where these things are clear, 1. That there was a decay of zeal and humility amongst Bishops, by their bussying themselves in things of the world. 2. That the title of Vniversal Bishop, was accounted a sure mark of Antichrist, derogating from all other Bishops, as if one only were a Bishop, and a stile that no Apostle, even Peter did ever assume. 3. He concluded, that Antichrist was neer, seing a Priest so exalted himself, and (which is hard to be said) he should have an Army of Priests ready to advance him: for (saith he) what is Antichrists exalting himself above all that is called god in this world, and sitting in his Temple as God, but a Priest lifting up himself above all his fellow-priests, which is to take Christs Chaire? as by considering these places is manifest, 4 Epist. 32, 34, 36, 38. ad Iohanne… Constant. where these words are, Rex superbia prope est, & quod dici nefas est, Sacerdotum praeparatus est exercitus, quia cervici militant superbia, &c. And again, lib. 7. Epist 30. ad Mauritium Aug. Ego autem fidenter dico, quia quisque se universale… Episcopum aut Sacerdotem vocat, vel vocari desiderat in elatione suâ, Antichristum praecurrit, qui superbiendo se caeteris praeponit. And (as he said, Epist. 34. lib. 4. ad Constantiam Augustam) he imitateth the devil in seeking to be above his Collegues. These things belonging to the same time that the series of the prophesie falleth into, and agreeing so well to the type in the Text, and to the succeeding trumpet, It seemeth clearly applicable to it, especially considering that these debates made way exceedingly for the Bishop of Rome, and his stepping up where the Bishop of Constantinople would have been, and endeavoured to be.
In the 13. vers. before the fifth Angel sound, there is a little interruption made to Iohn, to prepare him for it, An Angel flying through the midst of heaven, that is, so as he might be best heard, having a sad proclamation Wo, wo, wo, repeated thrice according to the number of the Angels that were yet to sound, that every one of them were to bring an harder and greater wo to the men of the earth, than any thing that had befallen them under the former four: and whether we take these woes, as denouncing judgement, or as lamenting over the earth for what was coming, as if he did say, Alace, alace, alace, it turneth to one thing, there were great woes coming. It is clear here, 1. That interruptions for Iohn's clearing, are not inconsistent with this prophesie. 2. That there is an order of time in the woes of the trumpets; these three have order, and follow the former four. 3. That the next trumpet is not the Saracens; neither do the former look m…inly to the Goths, &c. because it will appear in story, that the Empire suffered more from the Goths, and these other barbarous Nations, than it did from the Saracens, as they are distinguished from the Turks: so in that way of interpretation, there is not that remarkable and palpable gradation to be found, which is implyed amongst these woes. Some apply this to Gregorius, because of his prediction foresaid, and the words agree well to his time: but this Angel foretelleth three woes, and he did but foretell one at most. It is like therefore that no person is signified by this Angel in particular; but, the Lord by it giveth Iohn, and by him, others, warning, that there were sadder things coming after the first four had come. Hence,
Observe, 1. The nature of Truth and Error; the one is like light, the other like darknesse; the one comfortable and profitable, the other comfortlesse and hurtfull. Obs. 2. The nature of declining among Ministers and Professours in a Church is such, that, when once begun, it groweth. Obs. 3. The nature of judgements, when once inflicted they ordinarily pursue a person or people, and the greatest come last: when people abuse the light, it draweth on the darkening of it by degrees, and it resteth not till it come to a height. Unthankfulnesse for the Gospel, and not receiving the Truth in love, provoke God to give up to strong delusion, to believe lies, 2 Thes. 2.11, 12. Obs. 4. Gods way of dealing with His people, in giving warning before the judgement come, that these three great plagues come not on them unawares; He warneth, that folks may repent, and His own may be armed ere judgement come. 5. The Angel pronounceth a wo thrise, Observe, That spirituall judgements or offences, have many woes in them; and warnings against them would be doubled, and tripled, and cryed with a loud voice: for, when once such judgements sease upon people, they get not easily out from under them, and are not easily affected with them, Therefore is the wo proclaimed thrise and so loud.