Annotations Upon the New Testament, Revelation · Chapter 9 – Chapter 10
CHAP. IX.
Vers. 1. AND I saw a starre fall from heaven unto the earth] i.e. The Pope,Under this Starre both Mahomet and also the Pope of Rome is to be comprised. Brightm. Whitakerus de eccles. controvers. secundae, quaest. tertia, c. 3. Vide Pateum. & Deut. not one man, but that person and that seate, that is, the whole series of all Anti-christian Popes, they casting away heavenly doctrine, embraced earthly and Hereticall doctrines.
And to him was given the key *Hoc est facultas expromendi & docendi Diabolicas opiniones. Erit ergo regnante Antichristo generalis quaedam eclipsis. Whitak. ubi supra. Vide Pareum.of the bottomlesse pit.]
Vers. 2. And there arose a smoke out of the pit as the smoake of a great furnace, and the sunne and the aire were darkened] As it were a certaine cloud & night of errours; the sun and aire are said to be darkened by this smoke, because this cloud of errours and superstitions was largely spread over al things. By the sun Aquinas understands the Doctors to whom it belongs to inlighten others, by the Aire the Church spread farre and largely, which borrowes its light else-where from the Doctors. Dionysius Carthusianus understands by the Sun the prelates, by the aire the people.
Vers. 3. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth] Those orders and number of religious people,Whitaker-Deut. viz. Fryers and Monkes which have been the followers and Patrones of errours.
And unto them was given power, as the Scorpions of the earth have power] Scorpions are of the nature of Serpents; God usually expresseth all deceivers of his people by serpents, because the Devill deceived our first Parents by a Serpent.Brightman. The Scorpion is one of the insecta, divided in the body, which hath five armes forke toothed. Of all creeping things that are poysonfull, the sting thereof is most cruell and grievous, as Plinie speaketh. It is of a very angry nature, and there is a verbe in the Greek tongue taken from a Scorpion, signifying to exasperate and to provoke like a Scorpion.
Vers. 7. And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battell, and on their heads were as it were Crownes like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men] Mr Mede saith, the Saracens and Turkes invading the Romane Empire are called locusts for their multitude. See Judg. 7.12.
Others say, that the Teachers of Popery are here resembled to Locusts, their faces were like men, their Doctrine in shew hath no terrour in it.They have Crownes of gold upon their heads, they prevaile much, and have great reverence and authority where they come. Mr Hildersam. Vide. Pareum. Brightman would have both the Saracenes and the Monkes and Fryers here meant. 2. They have the haire of women, vers. 8. their Doctrine hath many enticements to allure men to the liking of it, and to provoke unto spirituall fornication.
And their teeth were as the teeth of Lyons] A symbole 1. Of cruelty, Joel. 1.6. 2. Of insatiable covetousnesse. Those which they cannot allure with their faire speeches, they terrifie with threatnings, and the faggot.
Mr Hildersam. The sting in the taile, the propagation of the Mahometane heresie, say some, the smoake of which in the beginning of the Chapter rose out of the bottomlesse pit; they first conquered the nations, then infected them.Vers. 10. There were stings in their tailes] Their Doctrine in the end will intollerably torment the Conscience of them that receive it.
Vers. 11. And they had a King over them] The Pope over the Friers and Monks, who glories in the title of the Head of the Church. But none ever acknowledged Arrius, Luther, or Calvin for their King, though the Rhemists so interpret it. This Star, and this Angell of the bottomlesse pit, is a destroyer, as the Pope draws infinite number of soules to hell with him. Si Papa multa millia hominum mittat in infernum, nemo ei dicet Quid facis?
Whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon] In both Languages the Destroyer, because a destroyer both unto the Jews and Gentiles.Both passively and actively, both destroyed and destroying, as Danaeus observeth, because he destroyeth many others, and at length is destroyed himselfe. 17.11. 1. Spiritually, 2 Thes. 2. 2. Corporally, Rev. 18.8. foreign significat perdere & funditus evellere. The Hebrew word signifieth destruction, a metonymie of the effect for the Destroyer. The Devill or the Pope, which you will saith Deut. Pareus, Brightman, and Forbes interpret it of the Devill.
Vers. 18. By these three was the third part of men killed] In allusion to the Romans (say some) who conquered the third part of the world.
CHAP. X.
IOhn having before prophesied of many mischiefes to befall the Church by Antichrist and the Turkes, both conspiring against it, in this Chapter he brings Christ in a vision for the comfort of the Church, thus described.
Vers. 1. And I saw another mighty Angell] Protector of his Church, the Angell of the Covenant, our great Mediatour. Come down from *1. Per carni… assumptionem. Ioh. 6.28. Sic Psal. 72.6. Esa. 64.1. 2 Perverbi praedicationem. 3. Per auxilii exhibitionem. Ex. 3. v. 8. Esa. 41. v. 4. 4. Per poenarum inflictionem. Gen. 11. v. 5. c. 19. v. 24. Cum primis hic ad tertium membrum respectus habetur. Gerh.heaven] To make himselfe better known, and nearer to his Church. Cloathed with a cloud] Not only in our humane nature, clouding and vailing his Deity, but still obscured by the world. And a rainebow was upon his head] a signe of reconciliation, an assurance that he will remember his Covenant, Gen. 9.15. See ch. 4. v. 3. And his face was as it were the Sun] Shining as in his Transfiguration to his Church. And his feet as pillars] For strength. Of fire] To consume the enemies as chaffe and stubble.
Vers. 2. And he had in his right hand a little *foreign deducitur diminutivum primum foreign, secundum foreign, tertium foreign: proinde ac à Latino liber diminuitur libellus, indeque libellulus, & libellunculus, hoc ergo tertio diminutivo significatur hunc librum satis minutum fuisse & exiguum. Porro hic libellus est ille de quo cap. 5. v. 1. à Lapide.booke open] That is, the Bible saith Deut, the Revelation. Gerha…d.
Christ opens it to the world, and holds it open, though Antichrist would shut up the truth, and did a long time.
And he set his right hand upon the Sea, and his left foot on the Earth] To note the subjection of the Sea, and Earth, and all Creatures to him. Ponere pedem alicubi est possessionem & dominium sibi vendicare. Gerh.
The word here rendred roaring doth properly signifie the …owing of Oxen and such beasts; Lyons roaring is called by three other names in Greek. Brightman. Pareus.Vers. 3. And cried with a loud voice, as when a Lyon roareth] That is, manifests his wrath against the Tyrants, and Antichrist. Some say, foreign is proper to Oxen foreign To Lions, but that difference is not perpetuall, saith Gerhard.
Vers. 5. And the Angell] That is, Christ the Angell of the Covenant.
Lifted up his hand to heaven] According to the ancient solemne manner of those that sweare. Therefore to lift up the hand is often put for to sweare. Gen. 14.22. Numb. 14.30. Ezek. 20.5.
Vers. 6. He sweares that time or delay shall be no longer] Some thinke he speakes of time absolutely, no more time at all; rather time no more to the Romane Monarchy,No more to that effect, but that the ancient prophecies should be quite fulfilled. Thorndikes Review p. 172. to Antichrist and the Devill.
Vers. 7. The mistery of God should be finished] That is, (say some) Gods secret in saving the Gentiles, Ephes. 3.6. and Jews, Rom. 11.25. viz. In the seventh Trumpet (saith Dr Taylor) an end shall be of the tyranny of Antichrist, and the Church shall obtaine happy daies.
Vers. 9. Take it and eate it up] That is, Read it over earnestly, know it exactly; so Tully called Cato, Helluonem librorum, Ezek. 2.9. See Ezek. 3.1.because he did greedily read them and could not be satisfied with reading.
Vers. 10. And I ate it] That is,Perkins. by study and meditation digested and setled it in his heart.
Vers. 11. Thou must prophesie againe before many Peoples, and Nations, and Tongues, and Kings] That is, before the time of fulfilling of all things,Mr Bur. on Hos. this Booke of the Revelation shall be made as cleare as if John were come to Prophesie againe before men.