An Exposition of Revelation, Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. Act I. Viſion third.
Verſ. 1. There was ſilence in heaven about the ſpace of halfe an houre]
THough the 7. Chapter concludes with the day of Judgement, and the freedom of Saints from all miſeries, yet this ſilence I underſtand not of that tranquility which we expect to follow that day, becauſe that is to laſt for ever, this for half an houre; what then? by it I underſtand a ſhort ſpace, in which (the former Viſion being Acted) John had permiſſion to deſiſt from the contemplation of theſe high myſteries, and to prepare himſelf to contemplate on new Viſions.
Verſ. 2. And I ſaw the ſeven Angels] The ſeven Angels whom he ſaw before, Chap. 4.5. to whom Chriſt that ſate on the Throne gave ſeven Trumpets to ſound withall.
Who ſtood before God] Their office was (as Heralds) to ſtand in the preſence of God ſpeedily to performe his commandements. Now theſe Angels do repreſent the Miniſters of the Goſpel; who, as trumpeters by comiſſion, were to cry alound, and proclaime the will of God: Seven is a perfect number, it notes Chriſts ſending a compleat or perfect number of Preachers, or labourers into his harveſt: yet 'tis ſuppoſed the ſeventh means the Archangel mentioned, 1 Theſſ. 4.16. to ſound at the laſt day.
Verſ. 3. And another Angel came and ſtood at the Alter] Chriſt (before theſe Miniſters begin to preach or ſound, ſteps in to ſanctify them, by ſending them his ſpirit to enable them to go through with their work) comes forth with a golden cenſure. I follow Annonymus upon the place: who by the Altar underſtands Chriſt, under whoſe protection the Saints are, chap. 6.9. By the fire of the Altar his ſpirit, which as fire deſcended and lighted upon the Apoſtles. Acts 2. Thus 'twas caſt into the earth; Now as the fire is from the Altar, ſo it notes the ſpirit to be God and from Chriſt: If I go, I will ſend you the comforters, ſayes Chriſt. Here note an alluſion to be had to the Types of the Old-Teſtament, where the Prieſt went to the Altar, whereon continuall fire was preſerved; And he took a golden Cenſure, and he put incenſe therein, which being kindled by the fire of the Altar, was reſolved into an odoriferous ſmoke acceptable to God. Now in heaven there is no Altar but Chriſt, who as our high-Prieſt appears, being God and man, who ſanctifyes the prayers and endeavours of the Saints with the Cenſure, that is, his moſt precious death and paſſion, which he applies to the Saints; which is expreſſed in that he offered up the Incenſe with, or to the prayers of the Saints. Thus by prayer Chriſt offering up the Incenſe of the application of his paſſion unto it, the Saints may get the aſſurance of Chriſts death, and conſequently of eternall life: Now upon Chriſts offering himſelf up for us, and upon the preaching of the Goſpel, comprehended under the word voyces; there followed the thundering of Tyrants, the lightnings of Hereſies (you ſee they be dangerous) and the great earthquake of Antichriſt ſpoken of chap. 6.12. where obſerve that this part of the Viſion agrees with that in chap. 6. Chriſt at the Altar giving ſeven Trumpets to ſeven Angels, here reſembles Chriſt on the white horſe there. The thundering here after the voyces, or preaching of the Word, and the fire of the Altar ſent, or Spirit given to the Church, reſembles Chriſt on the Red horſe. The lightning which burnes, deſtroyes and makes look pale (as experience teſtifyes) reſembles CHRIST on the pale and black horſe of ſickneſſe and hereſie.
Verſ. 6. The Angels prepared themſelves to ſound] To wit, now after that Chriſt had ſent his ſpirit, till then the Apoſtles were not to departed from Jeruſalem, nor theſe Angels to ſound; Thus then the ſeven Seals and Trumpets agree, and perhaps the voyals for Chriſt ſignifyed the ſame thing to John under ſeverall formes.
Verſ. 7. The firſt Angelſounded, and there followed haile,] By this expreſſion, the contradictions and perſecutions of the enemies of the Goſpel are ſet forth; for as haile is hurtfull to green Corne, ſo is oppoſition and gainſaying unto young beleevers; fire and blood reſemble perſecution and baniſhments which happened to the Diſciples when the Goſpel began to be preached from Penticoſt, and forward as the Acts of the Apoſtles witneſſe; it has alluſion to the ſeventh plague of Egypt, and agrees with the firſt Seal; by this means moſt of the Apoſtles and cheif Teachers in the Primitive time, meant by trees, were burnt up or deſtroyed; And divers (even very many) Saints as green graſſe (being weaker then the trees) were conſumed, at leaſt bodily. This may teach all ſincere Teachers to expect at leaſt haile, that is, contradiction, its well if not fire and blood; let us be however, like the trees planted by the water ſide. Pſal. 1.
Verſ. 8. And the ſecond Angel ſounded, and as it were a great mountaine burning with fire, &c.] This Mountain I beleeve not to be immediatly the devil as ſome think, but the Roman Empire (for he began not to burne with envy againſt the Church now, but was a murderer from the beginning) perchance ſtirred up to do this miſcheif by the devil. Now the Kings and Emperours or Empires, are mountaines, is ſaid chap. 6.14. being higher then ordinary; but what high mountaine was in the world now (in this ſenſe) but the Roman Empire? The Sea is the gathering together of waters, and by it either the world or Church is underſtood. Now the Roman Empire violently ruſhed in upon both, and in the Church with fiery rage oppreſſed many thouſand Saints, witneſſe the many perſecutions. Thus the Church was the red horſe, red with the blood of Martyrs; Many in the Church bodily were deſtroyed underſtood by creatures dying in the ſea.
And the third part of the ſhips were deſtroyed] That is, many Teachers who under Chriſt, were able to manage the Sea or Church; (ſee the skill that ought to be in the Miniſters of the Goſpel,) but their ſouls were not loſt, though they were bodily deſtroyed, ſince Chriſt was aboard: but here is comfort, not all, but the third part of the ſea was blood; alſo the Sea quencheth fire, ſo the Church through Chriſt ſhall have the victory at laſt. And perchance it might be ſpoken, becauſe the Roman Empire ſhould embrace the faith of Chriſt as Conſtantine did. Thus the mountains was ſwallowed up with the ſea, but by this means Antichriſt was neerer home.
Verſ. 10. And the third Angel ſounded, and there fell a great ſtar from heaven.] Here as Chap. 6. are denoted all Arch-hereticks, who for many years after the Apoſtles deformed the Church: but eſpecially here is ſignifyed the Apoſtacy of the Biſhops of Rome, as it were falling by degrees; For indeed above thirty Biſhops before Sylveſter, for the moſt part ſhined as ſtarres in heaven, and ſuffered martyrdom for Chriſt; But after peace brought in by Conſtantine (tis pitty ſuch fair weather ſhould do hurt) the Roman ſtar like the Babylonian Lucifer (or the devil himſelf) began to lift up himſelf above his fellow Miniſters—Sylveſter is ſaid to be the firſt that much degenerated, burdening the Church with Heatheniſh rites and ordinances.
On the third part of the Rivers] By Rivers I underſtand the Biſhop (ſucceſſor of Sylveſter and other Teachers) from whom divine doctrine ought to flow to others: By fountains I underſtand the Scriptures: by waters the comforts and doctrines of Scripture infected.
The ſtarre was called Warmewood] From the effects of it, becauſe it did imbitter.—Thus alſo did Arrius that Heretick imbitter the Rivers (partly by force, partly by cunning) that who drank did indanger their ſalvation, here is an alluſion to the waters of Marah, this bitterneſſe continued untill Gregory: Too too long, had it pleaſed God otherwiſe, yet here is comfort, ſince but the third part of either was infected.
Verſ. 12. And the fourth Angel ſounded, and the third part of the Sunne Was ſmitten,] In the ſixth Seal there is a totall Ecclips threatned, the Sun ſhould be as dark as ſack-cloth of haire, that is very dark; but here only the third part of the Sun is ſmitten, yet the apparitions much agree; or as the pale horſe noted the ſickly eſtate of the Church, (of which ſee the expoſition) ſo ſomewhat of the ſame thing is here foretold; the Sun ſhadows out the cheif Prelates, as Pope & Cardinal, who ought to ſhine forth in life and doctrine; the Moon which receives her light from the Sun, ſignifies other inferiour depending orders, as Prieſts and Curates.—The ſtars being leſſe in light, ſignifie the layity (thus Annonimus upon the place) all which grew ſickly pale and dime in the matters of Chriſt, yet here is comfort only the third part, for Antichriſt was not yet lifted up into his ſeat.
Verſ. 13. And I beheld, and heard an Angel flying thorough the midſt of heaven] John ſaw this Angel fly in the midſt of heaven, which noted ſome notable Miniſter living in the Church or Kingdome of grace, who ſpoke of the miſeries of the Church enſuing; 'tis conceived Gregory Biſhop of the Church of Rome was meant by this Angel, who as a heavenly Herauld foretold of the grievous calamities to befall the Church by Antichriſt, witneſſe his Epiſtles to the Emperour Mauritius.
Woe, Woe, Woe,] noting the three following Trumpets, or many great miſeries enſuing.
To the inhabitants of the earth] Noting earthly-mindedmen, and hypocrites contradiſtinct to Saints, whoſe names being written in heaven were more happy. Note how Muckwormes and Hypocrites are called inhabitants of the earth, but Saints as they have their Original from, ſo their converſation in heaven.