Commentary Upon Revelation, Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
FOllow the heauier woes, denounced in the fourth Trumpet, to fall on the earthly ſort, on whome are all theſe iudgements, from which the ſealed ones are exempted. Of theſe three, the firſt is in this fift Trumpet: euen that huge miſchiefe of Antichriſt, to which height of iniquity, the former euils were als many ſteppes. The other two woes, following in the 6. and 7. Trumpets, are the conſequences in God his iuſt indignation, of this great woe: the one, for puniſhment, to prouoke repentance in the 6. Trumpet: which being ineffectuall to conuerſion, vponupon obſtinate impenitency, verſe 20. 21. the ſeuenth Trumpet bringeth the third great woe and laſt wrath, to Antichriſts vtter deſtruction.
2 In this euill, are the origine whence it ariſeth, and the euill it ſelfe, the origine, is firſt and ſecundarie ariſing of the firſt. The firſt is the fall of a great ſtar from heauen to the earth, the type of Paſtors of great marke falling from being heauenly, to becom earthly, from the true ſtate of Saints to the ſtate of the world, and to the louelove thereof: from light to darkeneſſe, from the keyes of the kingdome of heauen, to the keyes of the bottomleſſe pit. Now as this fall was not in one inſtant or point of time (nemo repente fit turpiſſimus) but by degrees, ſo is it not to be taken of one man perſonally, but is the generall type of that euill, wherein Paſtors falling, they became ignorant, and miniſters of darke ignorance: out of which aroſe the miſchiefe of Antichriſt and his poyſonable Armie: the euill is the louelove of the earth, where through cometh this change of Keyes, by an Apoſtaſie and falling away of theſe who had beene ſtarres of heauen and miniſters of light, as hauing the keyes of the kingdome of heauen, to bee the miniſters of other Keyes, euen theſe of Gehenna. This is that ſucceſſion, and theſe are the Keyes, the Church of Rome and Biſhoppes thereof ſo much bragge of, as this whole propheſie euinceth clearely. The ſecundary origine of the euill, is darkeneſſe ariſing through this fall and change of Keyes, and that in a ſtrange degree; for this darkenes is not in part, as that of the fourth trumpet, but it eclipſeth all light, actiue and paſſiue, ſunne and aire. Chriſt is our ſunne, whoſe beames lighten our ſpirituall aire, whereby wee both walke in light, and draw in a pure breath for intertainement of our ſpirituall life. This by this darkeneſſe of the bottomleſſe pitte, (which aroſe through that paſtors falling to the louelove of earthly things, loſt the key of knowledge, and became Miniſters of darkeneſſe) is wholy eclipſed, ſo as all the face of the viſible Church is darkened, and common life in it corrupted The euill of the third Trumpet, was by fall of a great ſtarre, but that fell in the fountaines and riuers, ſo making them in a part bitter: but here the deſire of riches and louelove of the earth maketh all erre from the faith.
3 Of theſe beginnings ariſeth the miſchiefe, wherein are two things, the abhominable Army of darkeneſſe poiſoning all: and the head of ſo damnable a band, the Army is deſcribed, firſt ſummarily by their quality, and their annoying power, verſe 3. Hereafter more at large, this their annoying power is exponed, and their properties, whereby they are inabled to the harmeful execution thereof, are declared. In all which is a moſt liuely repreſentation, and moſt conuenient type of the Romane Clergy, who are euidently this army of darkeneſſe, whoſe monſtrous ſwarmes nothing but helliſh ignorance brought in the Church: as earthlineſſe of great Paſtours, brought the ignorance. Their qualitie, firſt is ſhewed, in that they are Locuſts: both, for their ſwarming multitudes, and for their deſtroying and eating vp al green Nahum. 3.thing in earth: as, who not onelyonly deuoure the beſt of things belonging to this life, but alſo deſtroy all ſpirituall life in men. For their grouth and ſucceſſe in both ſee the Story and be amazed.
4 Their annoying power is ſummarily ſet foorth, in that they ſting as Scorpions. A venemous and bitter kind of Serpent, walking waiwardly, and ſtinging when it would appeare leaſt to doe ſo. This their power (in the larger expoſition thereof) hath this generall note, that it is limited and not abſolute. The firſt point of their limitation is, of ſuch as they are permitted to harme. The next is, in what degree they might doe it. As for the firſt, they are reſtrained wholly from hurting the ſealed ones, of whom Chapter 7. Which reſtraint, is heere pertinentlie recorded, both to ſhew that this euill, is the height of that miſchiefe portended in the 7. Chapter. Againſt which the elect were ſealed: and alſo, to ſhew heere the truth of their preſeruation; and ſo, how it was, that Chriſt, in this totall eclipſe of light by Antichriſt his darkeneſſe, yet preſerued a Church. Wherein yet, be not ſo groſſe as to thinke that one number ſtill of the ſame perſons continued all that time. But it is to ſhew God his continuall courſe in helping his owne, all the time of this miſcheife on the world. Obſerue heere alſo, that by graſſe and trees, men are meaned, as I ſhewed Chapter 7. And, as fitlieſt thus The alluſion is to Ioel 1. & 2.expreſſed, in the euill of locuſts. Now, of theſe, in the firſt trumpet, onelyonly the third part was burnt: heere all feele this plague, except the ſealed ones. The ſecond point, in their limitation, is the degree of hurting. Wherein are two cauſions. Firſt, the quality of the harme permitted them to practiſe: and next, the time limited to their working. The quality of their harme is cleared by a diuers kind, from which they are reſtrained. For it is permitted them to torment men but not to ſlay. This their tormenting, againe is cleared by a compariſon, that it is ſuch as ariſeth vponupon the ſting of a Scorpion, that is ſo painefull, as death is more tollerable, as the effect thereof well ſheweth. Now conſider well, that this torment and plague is on the inhabitants of the earth, and, heere to be taken vp as God his iudgement on the world, whereof the true Church is free. And ſo, this army hath not power to ſlay: as neither, that way, plague they the men of the world, as doe the miniſters of the ſixth trumpet; who, both ſting with poiſoning tailes, and ſlay with heads, as hauing power in both. But, theſe hauehave their power in their tailes, onelyonly to torment with poiſonable ſting, and not to murther openly. For other waies, as they are conſidered in their dealing againſt the Saints (which is not in this place) their blood is found with them: yea and all the blood ſhed on the earth: albeit not for direct profeſſed power and practiſe of the ſword: Chap. 18. 74.but, as on the Iewes came all the blood from that of Abel the righteous to the blood of Zachary: who, yet Math. 23. 35.profeſſed that it was not lawfull for them to put any man Iohn 18. 31.to death. This is heere put for an euident note of Antichriſt his dealing: of purpoſe, to diſcerne this euill from that of the ſixth ttumpet: and that ſo eleerely, as it is wonder, how, men of learning and iudgement could confound things ſo notably diſtinguiſhed, and which can receiue no other accommodation. Now, that this their tormenting of men, is leſſe tollerable then death. We know, that no vexation is comparable to that of a conſcience, wherein is put the ſenſe of God his terror and eternall wrath, if therewith the true remedy be not applied. For, as Skin for skin, and all that a man hath he will giuegive for his life: ſo Iob. 2. 4.life and all a man wil giuegive for his ſoule and the peace▪ thereof, who once hath felt the terrour. For, a troubled ſpirit who can beare? and a good conſcience is a continuall Prou. 18. 14.feaſt. But all the doctrine of the Church of Rome, is ſuch Prou. 15. 15.as putteth in this ſting in the conſcience, whereby the torment is bred, but neuer applieth the true remedy: But ſuch baſtard cures, as augment the anguiſh. Heereof it is that ſuperſtition is moſt buſie and reſtleſſe. For, Hee multiplieth Pſal. 16. 4.his owne ſorrow which offereth to an other God. Hence aroſe, painefull pilgrimages, deuoting to ſacred wartes, Kings bequeathing their Crownes: husbands their wiues and children: wiues their children. Hence were ſo many erections, and fond donations for ſoule Maſſes: if ſo be after death they might finde that repoſe and comfort, which they neuer felt in their life. Heerefore is this vexation fitly compared to the ſtinging of a Scorpion, moſt painefull of any. How many ſtrange policies and treacherous deuiſes (as of walking ſpirits, and forged miracles) theſe Locuſts hauehave practiſed, and ſtill doe, to ſubdue to themſelues the conſciences of men and hold them in torment, is more then manifeſt. And by ſuch as they hauehave ſtung deepely, it is that ordinarily they acchiue all their deſperate Treaſons and murthers of Princes: Acts, forſooth, of ſuch merit as will obtaine heauen to a perſon otherwaies condemned. And what is it; that vponupon this preſumption, the tormented ſpirit will not runne to? what a ſtrange practiſe is that (amongſt many moe) of the Ieſuits with their nouices in their chamber of meditations?
5 Thus is the quality of their harme. The time limited to them ſo to torment the world, is Fiue monethes. In which, for ought I know, the mind of the holy Ghoſt hath beene highly miſtaken of all men. For cleering then, of an The times recorded in reuelation.obſcure matter; In this whole booke, are but ſeuen times recorded. That of tenne daies, Chapter 2. That of halfe an houre, Chap. 8. This of fiue moneths, heere. Thatof a yeere, monethmonth, day, and houre, in the ſixth Trumpet. That of fourty two moneths, Chapt. 11. and 13. with which, that of 1260. daies. Chapt. 11. and 12. And of a time, times, and halfe a time, Chap. 12. are all one. That of three daies and a halfe, Chap. 11. 9. And that of a 1000. yeeres, Chap. 20. Of theſe, all ſound interpreters, (for how maliciouſly the Romans, to obſcure cleere ſtory, doe expound them, ſhall appeare after) fall to one of two opinions. Some taking theſe times indefinitely. But, while they bring no reaſon, why ſuch and ſuch, are put of the holy Ghoſt for indefinite times, they rather cut the knot then loſe it. Others, and ſome of the moſt learned, take theſe times for definite, in exact calculation, but that they are not to bee taken in propriety of ſpeech, except the laſt: and that by a Propheticall frame of ſpeech, a day is to be taken for a yeere, and ſo by conſequence, a monethmonth for a monethmonth of yeres, and a yere for a yere of yeres. But in my iudgement, there is hereof, neither ground nor example in all Scripture. The 4. of Ezechiel, whereon all this opinion is builded, yeeldeth to it no ground at all. Where God commanding the Prophet, in a typicall action, to expreſſe the long rebellion of the people, being impoſſible to doe it ſo many yeres: that ſome analogy at leaſt, might bee, hee biddeth him lie ſo many daies: and therefore the interpretation is added, that a day was inioyned him for a yere. But that in any part of Scripture, calculation of time, either propheticallyforetold, or hiſtorically recorded, is thus expreſſed, I ſee it not. That place Nom. 14. 34. maketh leſſe for it; God ſhewing but the analogy of his iudgemēt to the peoples rebelliō: whereon, if any thing of this ſort might be built, it ſhould rather ſeem that a yere were for a day then a day for a yere. Now, vponupon this weake or rather no ground, to infer, that as a day in Scripture, is found put for a yere; ſo heere by conſequence, a monethmonth is put for a monethmonth of yeeres, and a yeere for a yeere of yeeres: without ſo much as a ſhew of example; for me, I thinke it too great licence in interpreting God his Oracles. As for theſe places in Daniel, where yeeres ſeeme to bee, by daies, calculated: they are of the moſt learned, taken in propriety, and the accommodation of ſtory fitly giuen. which maketh me much maruell, that an exceeding learned man, euen ſo, interpreting Daniel: yet in his notes vponupon this place, for warrant of the other interpretation, ſhould ſay, apud Danielem paſſum. And for what reaſon ſhall daies in Daniel be taken for yeeres in other places, more then Chap. 10. 13? that he counteth yeeres by the hebdomades, and onelyonly Chap. 9. it ſtrengtheneth their opinion nothing. For, in the common vſe of Hebrew ſpeech, hebdomades, are no more properly of daies then of yeeres, but alike of both, as the count falleth, either for the ſabbath day or ſabbathicall yere, whether common in the ſeuenth yeere, or great in the Iubily: and, as in the 9. Chapter of Daniel, the matter euidently ſheweth the account, to be of yeeres, ſo Chap. 10. 2. (where doubt might hauehave troubled the Reader, with an apparent ſtrange thing, if they had beene taken of yeres, as in the former Chap.) hee addeth the interpretation for a cleare diſtinction. If it had bene the purpoſe of the holy Ghoſt, through all the reſt of this Propheſie, to ſet downe in theſe formes of ſpeech, the exact ſupputation of time: I ſee no reaſon why in the laſt, of a thouſand yeres (which only of them all, is to be taken definitely, and for great reaſon, as ſhall beſhewed) hee ſhould hauehave altered his ordinarie manner of ſtile. This wrong conception of theſe times, hath marred all the accommodation of this Propheſie: making euen notable learned men, and who otherwaies hauehave had deepe inſight in theſe myſteries, to iumble and confound diſtinct matters; while ſtill, according to this forelaid preiudice of definite calculation, they apply things, but giuegive no ſatisfaction: and the matter here handled, and the manner of leading, being opened vp, will ſhew cleerely, how by this preiudice, they hauehave laide, both before themſelues and others, great blockes, to impede a cleare way. This time, then here, of fiue moneths, is to be taken indefinitely, and put here, for a conſolation: to ſhew, that this terrible plague, ſhould not alwaies preuaile ouer the world. But beſides this, we muſt finde out ſome reaſon agreable to the maieſty and wiſdome of the holy Ghoſt, why this time, in this place, and the other, in their places are taken of the ſpirit, more then any other time. As for that of tenne daies, Chapt. 2. it is eaſie, by common frame of Scripture ſpeech, both for time and number. The parents of Rebecha intreated her abode tenne daies: Iacob his wages were changed tenne times: Wiſdome ſtrengtheneth more then tenne Princes: Ruth to her mother in law, and Elkana, to his wife, were better then tenne ſonnes: tenne Virgins hauehave tenne lamps: and Chapt. 11. the tenth part of the great City falleth: tenne men take hold of the skirt of a Iew, and many ſuch. So as for this number, or of ſeuen, in matter or time, the ordinary vſe of Scrpture anſwereth. The reaſon of others is more difficulte, and moſt of all, that of this time here put: why it is (ſeeing this euill of the fifth trumpet, is all one with that beaſt which worketh 42. moneths, Chap. 13. All which time accordingly, the heathen trod vnderunder foot the holy City, and the Prophets propheſie in ſackecloth 1260. daies, Chap. 11. and the Church is ſo long, fed in the wilderneſſe, Chapt. 12.) that here, to the Locuſts ſhould bee attributed fiue moneths: a time, through all this booke, no where elſe recorded. And this is indeed wiſdome, for perceiuing whereof, we muſt vnderſtand, that as all the types, yea and frames of ſpeech in this Propheſie, are from the old Teſtament; the collation whereof, bringeth to both great light: ſo theſe times heere, are put by alluſion to the like times there: not onelyonly to ſhew, that theſe euils ſhould hauehave an end, as had the others: but alſo, by the ſame time attributed, to take vp the conformity of caſe, in things here propheſied, to thoſe, to which, the ſame time in the old Teſtament is giuen, for more cleare light in both. And to ſtirre vsus to aduert this purpoſe of the holy Ghoſt in vſing theſe times, not onelyonly is the ſame time, but alſo the ſame ſpeeches put: to moue vsus to the collation of things, and ſo, therein to finde, both great light, and delightfull ſatisfaction. Now then, albeit this time, as the others laſt mentioned, bee of the working of Antichriſt, yet the euill here, hath a farre different conſideration from the ſame euill, where the other times are thereto attributed. Here it is deliuered to our conſideration as the plague of God vponupon the whole world, from which the ſealed ones (the true Church) are free; as the other times are attributed to it, it is put, as the wreſtlings, ſufferings, and troubleſome ſtate of the true Church, vnderunder, and by this euil are to be conſidered. Therefore to the euill here ſuch a time is giuen, as may leade vsus by the like time and like frames of ſpeech ioined therewith, to find out and conſider ſuch a like caſe in the old Teſtament, of a generall plague on the world, which yet the ſealed ones eſcape; that by comparing, wee may finde what a huge wiſdome here in two words is compriſed Now in all the ſtory of old, no ſuch caſe occurreth, but onelyonly the deluge of Noah, in all things ſemblable to this. That was the onelyonly generall plague wherewith euer at one time the whole world was puniſhed: and this darkeneſſe of Antichriſt is a ſpirituall plague, ouergoing once all the Chriſtian world. In that onelyonly they eſcaped whom God ſealed vp, and incloſed in the Arke (the type of his true Church) here none eſcape but the ſealed ones who are on Mount Sion with the Lambe, while all the earth follow the beaſt. That plague ouerwent the earth by opening the fountaines of the great depth, Abyſſi magnae, Tehom Rabbah, & of the windows of heauen. This by fall of a ſtar from heauen, opening the bottomles pit, & ſmoake bullering out therat, ouergoeth all. That by degrees grew, till at length, it ouerwent the higheſt mountaines fiue times three cubits: this by degrees roſe to ouerwhelme ſunne and aire. Theſe waters preuailed ouer the higheſt mountaines fiue times thirty dayes, that is fiue monethes: this euill growing by degrees to a height, ſhall hauehave a time of preuayling, and obtaining place ouer all. Theſe waters preuailed not ſtill, but after an hundred and fifty dayes, that is, fiue monethes, they beganne peece and peece to decreaſe, til at length the earth was dried, the Arke opened, and the cloſed and ſealed vp ones came forth, and repleniſhed the earth. This euill after a time of preuailing ouer all, ſhall abate, and by the light of the Sunne of righteouſneſſe, and wind of God his mouth by degrees bee conſumed, as by degrees it did grow, and the true Church ſhall breake forth, the Tabernacle of Teſtimony ſhall bee opened in heauen, and theſe 144000. hid ones ſhall become a number innumerable with palmes in hands. And as Elizabeth the mother of Iohn Baptiſt bearing the reproch of barrennes, hid her ſelfe fiue Monethes, thereafter to appeare with big bellie: ſo in this preuailing euill of Locuſts, and their King Abaddon, Luk. 1. 24.the true Church as barren ſhall lurke fiue monethes (that is, for a time) to breake forth thereafter big with child. Of theſe, who ſhould bee preachers of repentance from Antichriſtian workes, and forerunners of the Lord his laſt comming, as Iohn was of the firſt. Finally, as the waters of Noah was ſuch an euill, as neuer Gen 9 11. Iſai 54. 9.ſhall come againe, and thereof the Rainebow made a Seale: ſo the darkeneſſe of Antichriſt once diſpelled ſhal neuer againe ouergoe all: for hee muſt goe to deſtruction. And for this it is, that agreeably thereto, the great Angell comming to his ouerthrow in the next Chapter hath the Rainebow about his head. Now weigh what plenty of light and depth of wiſdom lye hid in theſe two words, of fiue monethes, which the ſpirit repeateth twice, of purpoſe to waken our negligence, to take it vp. Of the other times wee ſhall ſpeake in the owne place.
6 This was the generall note of their limitation. Now follow the properties of theſe Locuſts, whereby they are able to vexe: firſt, they are like horſes, not common horſes, but prepared to battell, luſty, f…d, ſtrong, and fierce, ouer comming all opponers. Hereto they are ſtrengthned by vſurped ſpirituall authority, expreſſed in Crownes, which are neither vpright in forme nor matter. With this is ioyned hypocriſie; for they look like men, who meaſure their affaires by iudgement, as full of reaſon and humanity. For ſimulate modeſty and ſimplicity, and for force of alluring inticements, they hauehave haire like women, with faire and flattering ſpeeches, deceiuing the hearts of the ſimple, and prouoking to ſpirituall fornication. But vnderunder this, they are cruell deuourers, as hauing teeth of Lyons, deuouring widdowes houſes vnderunder colour of long prayers, whiles within, they are rauening Wolfes. They are armed againſt all inuaſion, hauing priuiledges and immunities from all ſecular power, ſhaking their tippets on Kings, as being onelyonly ſubiect to their King Abaddon. Now al theſe make their inuaſions terrible to the greateſt, they being therefore like horſes and chariots ruſhing to battell, and Ioel 2. 4. 5.it is well knowne, how the conteſting with them hath often brought Princes to the pinche of their eſtates: and their daily treaſonable bloody attempts and ſuggeſtions againſt the liues of Princes, proue this clearely. All this is effectuate by the ſtings in their railes, that is, their poiſonable doctrine: The ancient and honourable man is the head, and the falſe Prophet teaching lies is the tatle, Iſai 9. 15.
7 Thus is the Armie. Their head is deſcribed, from his ſtate and his name agreeable thereto, his ſtate is, that he is their King, euen ſetting himſelfe vp againſt the great King, foreign. 2. Theſſ. 2. the quality of this his Kingdome is ſhewed, in that hee is the Angell of the bottomleſſe pitte, that is, the Diuell his Lieuetenant: for to him the Dragon giueth his throne and great authority, Chap. 13. Hee is the man of ſinne. His name, fit for ſuch a King, is deſtroyer, foreign, both for deſtroying the faith of others, and for that hee goeth to deſtruction, Chapter 17. Paul calleth him accordingly, foreign, & hee goeth foreign, Chapter 17. 11. It is wonder, in ſo clear conſent of ſcripture, how any learned could doubt who here is deſcribed, Hee is ſo called both in Hebrew and Greeke, to ſhew that hee ſhall bee no proper head of Iewes or of Gentiles: but a common deceiuer of both Iew and Gentile profeſſing Chriſtianity, and whom, at length, both Iewes conuerted to the faith, and Gentiles ſhall know, and call the Antichriſt, when the place of his foile ſhall bee called in Hebrew Armageddon: Chap. 16. 16for euen in this, that hee ſhall bee ſo called in Hebrew, is implyed a propheſie of the conuerſion of the Iewes, as in the ſame ſenſe, Chap. 1. with foreign in Greeke, is put, Amen in Hebrew.
8 This is the firſt great woe, now ſaid to bee gone, & the ſecond to come anone, in reſpect of their deſcription here, not that for euent in time, this woe was fully paſt before the beginning of the next, as is euident by the end of this Chapter, where, after the deſcription of the ſixt Trumpet, the impenitency of men ſtill continuing in Antichriſtian works is ſhewed: ſo as the firſt woe holdeth on all the time of the ſecond, and this ſecond woe had his beginning ſoone after the open beginnings of the firſt! God ſo puniſhing ſinne by ſinne, & according to the growth and induration of men in the firſt impietie, giuing the more free ſcope to the ſecond, till deſperate obſtinacie bringeth on the laſt woe and finall wrath; for as the woe is not ſaid to come till the height thereof, at leaſt in ſuch degree, as wherefore it may iuſtly bee eſteemed the ſoareſt iudgement in the time, albeit in ſome degrees it hath beene working on before: ſo the next woe comming in ſuch height, as the former, in compariſon is not ſo much felt, the firſt is ſaid to bee gone; and that wee may take vp this courſe and reaſon of God his working, the ſixt Trumpet hath this ſingular in it, that vponupon the ſounding thereof, commandement is giuen to looſe the foure Angels, &c. and accordingly the Miniſtrie of the fixt Trumpet performeth, onelyonly to ſhew, that the plague therein was in God his iuſt indignation, the puniſhment of Antichriſtian Idolatry; if ſo be, therby men could hauehave been moued to repent before effu…ion of the laſt wrath: but they perſiſting notwithſtanding in obſtinate impenitency, the great Angell in the next Chapter ſweareth finall ouerthrow. And this is the reaſon of that which this ſixt Trumpet hath in it, ſingular from the former; ſo wiſely is this propheſie penned.
9 In this ſixt Trumpet then are the euill, and the euent. In the euill, are noted how it is brought on, and the particular deſcription of the miſchiefe. It is brought on by commandement from Chriſt, who is the golden Altar, to the Angell of the ſixt Trumpet; the tenor wherof is to looſe the Miniſters of this woe, for working of it. The reaſon hereof we touched. The Miniſters of the woe, are the heades, and the deſtroying armie. In the heades are noted their number, condition, place, and end of looſing. In number they are foure, as a number competent, yet not for that reſpect which is of the foure, Chapter 7. (for the foure corners of the earth) for this plague goeth not ſo wide, being but againſt the third part of men (a cleare diſtinguiſhing note of Mahometiſme from Antichriſt) but here, they are foure, for all occaſions, as the other were for all places: and therfore foure times are put (an howre, a day, a monethmonth, a yeere) not to deſigne the ſpace of this woes durance, but to ſhew that theſe were ordained, and in number competenr, to execute God his wrath at all occaſions, ſhort, or long, as God ſhould bee ſtirred to indignation, and ſend them forth. Agreeable hereto the commandement commeth from the foure hornes of the Altar, to ſhew Chriſt his ſufficiencie of power, to raiſe vp inſtruments of his iuſtice according as by the ſinnes of men he is prouoked. For, from this Altar both the prayers of Saints, goe vp before God, and the fire of vengeance is powred downe on the world, Chapter 8. this maketh the alluſion, and conueniency in number of foure Angels, foure hornes, foure times.
10 The condition of theſe heades is, that they are bound, whereupon is the commandement of looſing; this ſheweth the ſeuerity of theſe foure Angels of wrath, in that they are bound vp as ragefull beaſts, and giueth certaine expectation of cruell effects, they being looſed. God his patience is here alſo noted, reſtraining his iudgements, till the wickedneſſe of men extort them from him. Theſe foure Angels are the heades of the Mahometane and Turkiſh Armies. Not for ſo many heades in proprietie, as many vainely vexe themſelues to finde out, but for the reaſon aboue touched; who how they were tied vp at Euphrates, that is, reſtrained in the Eaſt parts about Babell and Perſia, partly by their owne inteſtine diſcords & wars, partly by ſome great victories of Chriſtians, from working this horrible deſolation which now vponupon this their looſing enſueth, is cleare in the ſtory. Mahomet aroſe ſoone after the open and auowed beginnings of Antichriſt, and ſpred his poyſon, aduancing it ſo with fire and ſword, that in ſhort yeers his Succeſſors ouerranne all Arabia, Egypt, Africa, Spain, and Perſia. This ſwift courſe was after tied vp; (as the commandement of looſing them from their binding neceſſarily implyeth, ſhewing that both before this they were, and from raging tied vp) for a good ſpace, till at length Turkes ioyned with Saracens, and becomming one people, and of one poiſonous religion, vponupon huge encreaſe of Antichriſtian impiety, they gotte free ſcope from Euphrates in God his iuſtice, to ſlay the third part of men, from which kind of working the Locuſts were reſtrained▪
11 Thus are the heades, their army is deſcribed from their number, kind, diſpoſition, horrible effects, and power of working, their number is huge, to ſhew their innumerable forces, wherein the Story is cleare. Their kind is that they are horſemen: both becauſe their chiefe forces conſiſt of ſuch, as alſo to ſhew their fiercenes and irreſiſtable inuaſion. Their cruell diſpoſition is expreſſed, in that their habergeons were of fire, brimſtone, & Iacinth. For when the Scripture deſcribeth horrible executions, it is ordinarily by fire and brimſtome, and aſcending ſmoake, as in the Pſalmes and Prophets often. Now brimſtone inflamed, yeeldeth both a flame and a ſmoake of a Iacinth colour, and accordingly they are here put, to ſhew in theſe a bloudy diſpoſition to worke vtter deſolation, like that of Sodome. For this, their horſes alſo are ſaid to hauehave heads of Lions, to deſigne open rage and profeſſed cruelty, whereas the Locuſts couered their Lions teeth with faces of men, and haire of women. Fire, ſmoake and brimſtone are ſaid to come out of their mouths, not onelyonly to amplifie this their cruell diſpoſition, as breathing nothing but vtter deſolation; but alſo to ſhew their facility of deſtroying all thinges, as with a breath or word. The third part of men are ſaid to be deſtroyed by them, to ſhew according to the Phraſe aboue in the firſt foure Trumpets, that this plague ſhould not ouergoe al, as did that of the Locuſts, but yet ſhould worke a horrible and great vaſtation, conueniently to their cruell diſpoſition, ſet forth in three things, & this effect is moſt euident: for neuer any conquering people before them wrought ſuch deſolation as they in the parts which they hauehave ouerrunne; ſo as in the moſt plentifull and beſt peopled parts of the earth, they hauehave ſcarſe left ſo many villages, as were ſometime famous Republikes. Theſe are their effects. Their power of working is both in their heads & tails, for they hauehave alſo tails like Serpents, ſtinging: all the power of the Locuſts was in their tailes, at leaſt by them they wrought all, that is, by poiſonable doctrine, therefore they pretended no power of open murthering men of the world: but theſe hauehave power both in heades and tailes, that is, both by their policy and gouernement they vſe and profeſſe plaine hoſtility and practiſe of the Sword, and alſo by their falſe Prophets they ſting as did the Locuſts, poiſoning alſo with falſe doctrine: ſo manifeſt a note of diſtinction is put here betwixt theſe woes, as they could not hauehave beene miſtaken, if forelaid preiudices had not forced the wreſting of cleare things to wrong accommodations.
12 Thus hath beene the euill, the euent is obſtinate impenitency, and induration of men in Antichriſtian workes, which are here ſo plainely ſet downe, as any hauing eyes may ſee, whoſe impietie hath looſed theſe Angels, and whoſe obſtinacy ſtill maketh them to preuaile; and ſo by iuſt conſequence, albeit to them directlie was not permitted to bee open murtherers of men, yet that with them truly, is found all the bloud ſhed vponupon the earth▪ Chap. 18. 24