The Key of the Revelation, Part 1 · Section · Part · Part

The Key of the Revelation · Part 1 · Section · Part · Part

p. 80The meaning of the ſeventh Seale, that is, Of the ſeven Trumpets.

THe ſixe firſt Seales have beene handled, wherein the ſtate of At Chap. 8.the Empire as yet ſtanding and flouriſhing untill that the dominion of Idols ſhould fall, was deſcribed by inteſtine chances: the ſeventh ſucceedeth, the matter whereof is Seven Trumpets where in are opened, by accuſtomed repreſentations for that purpoſe, the deſtinies of the decaying and falling Empire being to be ruined by a ſeuen fold order of plagues, the Trumpets ſounding the allarum to the battell of its deſtruction, to wit, God taking puniſhment by that deſtruction for the blood of ſo many Martyrs ſhed by the Romane Emperours.

He which will not ſpare even the bruit beaſts, if at any time Exod. 21.28.Exod 21:28they ſhould ſlay a man, (his Image) ſhall not he require the blood of his ſervants of the Empire, which for ſo many yeeres Gen. 9. 6.Gen 9:6hath ſlaine the Martyrs? Neither ought the late godlineſſe of Chriſtian Emperours there governing, to ſtay Gods juſtice; any more then the godlineſſe of Ioſia that the Kingdome of I…da p. 81being guilty of bloud-ſhed by Manaſſes, ſhould eſcape the deſtruction Chap. 8.decreed by God. This revenge the ſoules of the Martyrs groning under the cruell ſlaughter of the fift Seale, importunately begged by prayers: this God promiſed, ſo ſoone as the Romane Tyrant had fulfilled his meaſure by the adding of thoſe who yet remained to be ſlaine, Chap. 6. 11. This time was now come. Wherefore the Angel the Prieſt of Heaven (as the manner was with the prayers of the people made in the Temple) ſendeth up thoſe prayers to the Throne of God in the ſmoake at the Altar of incenſe, and putteth him in minde. In the meane ſpace Silence was made in heaven for halfe an houre; to wit, according to the cuſtome of the Temple, in performing ſuch a Chap. 8.1, 2, 3.kinde of ſervice. For it is manifeſt there was ſilence uſed in religious worſhip in the Temples almoſt every where; for they ſaid to the people, Be ſilent. That was obſerved by the people of God, then when incenſe ſhould be offered. For while the Sacrifices were offered (which was the firſt part of the Liturgie) the Temple reſounded with Songs, Trumpets, and other Inſtruments of muſicke, 2 Chron. 29.25. unto the 28. But at the time of the Incenſe all was ſilent, and the people inwardly prayed to themſelves, Luk. 1.10. To this therefore is the alluſion, while the Angel was offering at the golden Altar, there was as is ſaid, Silence in Heaven for halfe an houre, that is, the whole time of Incenſe.

Which at length being finiſhed, the Angel filled the Cenſer Verſ. 5.with fier of the Altar, and caſt it into the Earth, to wit, that by this Ceremonie he might ſhew to what end thoſe prayers tended, which aſcending up together to God he had mixed with a ſweet ſavour; to wit, to obtaine revenge upon the inhabitants of the earth, who had hurt the Saints, yea had ſhed their blood.

And theſe prayers immediately have their anſwer. For there were (ſaith he, to wit, out of the Throne or moſt holy place of So alſo Acts 4. 3… God granted the prayers of the Apoſtles in an Earth-quake.Acts 4:3the Temple, as Chap. 4.5.) voyces, and thunders and lightnings and an earthquake. In which words is deſcribed the Oracle foreign that is, the daughter of voyce o… thunder, whereby God in times paſt to his old people gave anſwers, and with the ſame here he granteth the prayers of the Saints. For we muſt know in the Hebrew tongue, foreign voyces and thunders meane p. 82the ſame thing; for thunders are called foreign that is, voyces. Chap. 8.Therefore **Andforeign is to be taken by way of explication for, that is; or which I had rather by the figure **When by two w…rds one thing is ….foreign, voyces and thunders are voyces of thunder, or with thunder.

For God, for the moſt part did promulgate his decrees with thunder, even as God gave the Law, Exod. 19. 16. Yea that only Oracle left to the Iewes continued after the Babylonian captivitie. An example whereof is with our Evangeliſt Iohn, Chap. 12. 28. When the Lord had ſaid foreign. Father, glorifie thy name: there came, ſaith he, foreign a voyce from heaven, I have both glorified it, and againe I will glorifie it: it followeth there: And the multitude that ſtood by and heard it, ſaid, It thundered▪ Others ſaid, an Angel ſpake to him, that is, ſome ſaid, foreign a thunder from Heaven, or joyned with a voyce from Heaven, that is to ſay, the daughter of thunder; but others that an Angel ſpake. And hence it is, that in the Revelation, not in this place onelyonly, but otherwhere often thunder is joyned with Oracles and voyces from Heaven, as Chap. 4.5. Chap. 6.1. Chap. 10.3. You may ſee Ariſtarch. ſacr. clariſ. Danielis Heinſii, pag. 277. and 45….

The offering thus ended and the prayers of the Saints granted by God in a voyce of thunder, the ſeven Angels who had the ſeven Verſ. 6.trumpets prepared themſelves to ſound.

It is granted among all Divines that the workes of Divine providence and government, are executed by the adminiſtration of Angels. The Angels therefore in thoſe Viſions hold their place, over whom they are appointed by God to bring things to paſſe; and what is executed by the common meanes, as well of Angels, as of men, that is ſaid to be brought to paſſe, the Angels being Authours, as it were guides, and Captaines. So that they ſeeme to me to erre altogether from the ſcope, who thinke ſome other myſterie lyeth hidden under theſe names of Angels. The Angels therefore the Trumpeters, of whom the ſpeech is here, are they which are appointed to direct the plagues of the Trumpets, uſing thoſe men for execution, by whom it pleaſeth God to bring to paſſe his decrees.

But the foure firſt of theſe Trumpets are of ſuch plagues as are of leſſe extent and not ſo great; to wit, which reſting for the moſt part upon the Weſterne or Latine world, the Biſhop of Rome, p. 83which was hereafter to be the head, at leaſt of that world, was to Chap. 8.cure. In the right application of which repreſentations here alſo the Reader may obſerve that the Romane Empire with the reſt of the Kingdomes of the world by the holy Ghoſt are tacitly reſembled to the body of the world, the parts whereof are Earth, Sea, Rivers, Heaven, Starres; in that manner that the body of every Empire may have alſo his Earth which may be inſtead of that Earth, to wit, a certaine bottome and Baſis, on which the weight of the whole government may reſt; the Sea likewiſe, which, by environing its Earth, beareth altogether the likeneſſe of the Sea, (this is the largeneſſe or extent of the Dominion.) The politique Rivers alſo, which after the manner of other rivers, have their beginning from their Sea and thither returne: ſuch are Provinciall Magiſtrates, and other miniſters of the dominion, together with the Provinces themſelves the channels of the Rivers. To conclude, the Sunne and other Starres, in the heaven of Sovereigne power, reſembling the Sunne, the Moone, the Starres in the worldly heaven. This analogie being obſerved, the interpretation, as altogether confirmed with the figures of the old Prophets, will ſo be eaſie and altogether the moſt convenient to the matter in hand.

Now that there is ſo oft repetition of the third part, as of the third part of the Trees of the Earth, the third part of the Sea, of the Rivers, of the Heaven, that I take to be meant of the bounds of the Romane Empire, comprehending in the compaſſe thereof the third part of the knowne world in Iohns time. The which ſeemeth may be proved, out of that that afterwards Chap. 12. is Verſ. 3, 4.ſaid, that the Drag…n having ſeven heads and tenne hornes (that is to ſay, the heathen Romane Empire) drew the third part of the ſtarres of Heaven with his tayle, and caſt them into the Sea; that is, the third part of the Princes and Rulers of the world be ſubjected to his Empire. Theſe things thus ſettled let us come to the interpretation of the ſeverals.

And the firſt Angel ſounded, and there came Hayle and Fire Verſ. 7.mingled with blood, and they were ſent upon the Earth: and the third part of the Earth was burned, and the third part of the Trees was burnt up, and all the greene graſſe was burnt up. p. 84And the ſecond Angel ſounded, and as it were a Great Mountaine Chap. 8. 8.burning with fire was caſt into the Sea; and the third part of the Sea became blood. 9. And the third part of the creatures which were in the Sea and had life dyed, and the third part of the ſhips periſhed.

And the third Angel ſounded, and there fell a Great Starre from 1…heaven burning as it were a Lampe, and it fell upon the third part of the Rivers, and upon the Fountaines of waters. 11. And the name of the Starre is called Wormwood; and the third part of the waters became wormwood, and many men died of the waters, becauſe they were made bitter.

And the fourth Angel ſounded, and the third part of the Sunne 12.was ſmi…ten, and the third part of the Moone, and the third part of the Starres, ſo as the third part of them was darkened, and the third part of the day ſhone not, and the night likewiſe.

The firſt Trumpet.

The firſt Trumpet of the ſeventh Seale entereth at the Romane Idoll government, now at length beaten down and ſhaken at the going out of the ſixt Seale; and being about to ſtrike the firſt blow to the Empire now entering into ruine, it deſtroyeth the third part of the Earth with a terrible …torme of Hayle with fire and blood: that is, it waſteth the territory or people of the Romane Empire (to wit, the Baſis and ground of that …oliticall Vniverſe) with a terrible and bloody breaking in of the Northerne Nations, it vanquiſheth and conſumeth the Nobles and common people.

You may ſee the repreſentation of Hayle tending to the ſame purpoſe, I meane to ſignifie an hoſtile v…olent aſſault, Eſay Chap. 28. verſ. 2. Behold the Lord hath a mighty and ſtrong one (he pointeth at Salmanaſſar) as a tempeſt of Hayle, and a deſtroying ſtorme, as a flood of mightie waters overflowing ſhall caſt downe to the Earth with the hand, Verſ. 3. the crowne of pride, the drunkerds of Ephraim ſhall be trodden under foot. Alſo, Eſay 30.30. Concerning the ſlaughter to come upon the Aſſyrians: And the Lord ſhall cauſe his glorious voyce to be heard, and ſhall ſhew the lighting downe of his arme with the indignation of his anger and flame of devouring p. 85fire, with ſcattering and tempeſt and Haile-ſtones. 31. becauſe Chap. 8.Aſſur ſhall be beaten down through the voyce of the Lord, &c. Here is to be obſerved, becauſe haile is wont to be with lightening, eſpecially in the hotter Regions; therefore with the mention of Haile is joyned Fire, as well here by Iohn and Eſay, as alſo Pſal. 18. 13, 14. yea in the Hiſtory, Exod. 9. 23. But Iohn hath mi…ed Blood alſo beyond nature, that he might ſhew by this token the whole repreſentation to reflect upon Slaughter. Concerning the repreſentation of Haile let the Reader ſee alſo, Eſay 32. 19. and there the Chalde Paraphraſt.

Furthermore the ſame Paraphraſt doth teach that Trees in Propheticall parables doe ſignifie great Lords and wealthy men; which for Oakes of Baſan, Eſay. 2. 13. hath put Princes of the Provinces; for Cedars, Eſay. 14. 8. wealthy men; for Firre trees, ſometime Princes, Eſay. 37. 24. ſometimes Kings. …ſay 14. 8. by whom alſo that of Zach. 11. 2. Howleô Firre tree becauſe the Cedar is fallen, becauſe the magnificent are ſpoyled: Howle ye Oakes of Baſan, becauſe the fenced wood is fallen; is thus Paraphraſed; Howle ye Kings, becauſe the Princes are broken; who ſo were rich, are ſpoyled: Howle ye Rulers of Provinces becauſe the countrey of your fortitude is waſted. Whence from the Analogie it is eaſily gathered, that greene graſſe is taken for the common people; when, as here it is joyned with trees.

Now that we may pick ſomething out of Hiſtory concerning the event, I will derive (untill ſomething more certaine ſhall appeare) the beginning of this trumpet from the death of Theodo…ius the firſt, that is, from the yeere of Chriſt 395; becauſe then Chriſtian Religion ſeemed plainly to have triumphed over the Gods of the Heathen, and withall, as it were in a certain common terme of the former Seale ending, and this beginning, the invaſions of the Barbarians ſomething attempted before, but in the yeers next following the Empire being again quieted, ſuppreſſed, at length began in a horrible manner to be ſtirred up and to fall upon almoſt the whole Romane Empire by fire and ſword continually and cruelly waſting and ſpoyling it.

For this very yeere Alaricus firſt brake in out of Thracia upon Macedonia with a huge Army of Gothes and other Barbarians, ſparing neither towns nor men. Thence marching forward thorow Theſſaly, taking the ſtreights of Thermopilae he came down p. 86into Greece, that is, Achaia, he raced all the Cities except Thebes Chap. 8.and Athens. He forcibly entred Peloponneſus, he waſteth Corinth, Argos and Sparta. I hence he brought himſelf into Epirus, where he goeth on to make the ſame ranſackings and deſtructions.

The yeere following leaving Epirus, he invaded Achaia, and the ſame with Epirus and the bordering Provinces for full foure yeers ſpace he laboureth ſhamefully to deſtroy by ſetting them on fire and razing them.

When thus for five yeers he had afflicted the Eaſt with cruell ranſacks, he ſet his minde to invade the Weſt, he paſſeth into Dalmatia and Panonia, and thoſe regions he razed farre and neere. Heare Ierome who then lived be wayling the ſtate of this time, the tempeſt hitherto raging Epiſt. 3. The Romane blood is daily ſhed between Conſtantinople and the Iulian Alpes: The Goth, the Sarmatian, …dus, Alanus, the Hunns, the Vandals, the Marcoman…i do …orce and …ake by violence, Scythia, Thracia, Macedonia, Dardania, Dacia, Theſſaly, Achaia, Epirus, Dalmatia, and all the countrey of Panonia. How many Matrons, how many godly Virgins, and comely and noble bodies were mocking ſtocks to theſe beaſts? The Biſhops taken, the Presbyters and divers Orders of the Clergy ſlain. The Churches overthrown, Horſes ſtabuled at the Altars of Chriſt, the reliques of Martyrs digged up. The Romane Empire goeth to ruine; what heart doeſt thou thinke have the Corinthians now, the Athenians, Lacedemonians, Arcadians, and all Greece, over whom the Barbarians command?

But the yeere following, being of Chriſt 401, the ſame Alaricus, the Gothes, Alanes, and Hunnes following him, about to wage warre in Italy alſo, brake thorow Noricum and came thorow the …orreſt of Trent into Venice, thoſe Cities in a ſhort time he brought under his power, and beſieged the Emperour Honorius at Haſta; ſo that almoſt all in Italy now thought upon removing. But here at length, Stilicho the Captain of Honorius, having gathered a great Army, ſtayed his fury, and conſtrained him being once or twice overcome and wearied with battels which …e…l out againſt him to retire into Panonia, whence he came. Out of which a little after, a league being made, and he honoured with a Military government by Honorius, he departed into Illyricum a Province of the Eaſt.

Alaricus being quiet a little while, yet leaſt thenceforth the p. 87Weſt ſhould be at any time idle, forthwith in the yeere 404, another Chap. ….memorable violent breaking in of the Barbarians upon Italy is undertaken, Radagaiſo a Scythian being Captain; who with an Army of Gothes, Sarmatians and Germanes to the number of two hundred thouſand, the fortifications in the Alpes being beaten down, he paſſeth into the Venetian region Aemilia, and Hetruria, beſiegeth Florence; where being vanquiſhed with a great ſlaughter by Stilicho he is taken and beheaded.

This enemy, howſoever terrible, in a ſhort ſpace of time and with leſſe loſſe, being taken away, preſently in the yeere 406, the third, and that the moſt grievous and deadly inrode of the Vandales and Alanes is made upon the Weſt, taking with them the Marcomanni, Heruli, Sweves, Alemans, Burgundians with a rabble of other Barbarians: whereby firſt France, then Spaine, and laſtly Africa are taken, and afflicted with all kind …f calamities. Which deſtructions Ierome Epiſt. 11. hath thus partly expreſſed, partly implyed. Innumerable, ſaith he, and moſt fierce na…ons have taken whole France. Whatſoever is between the Alpes and Pyrenaean mountains which are encloſed with the Ocean and the Rone, the Quadus, the Vandale, Sarmatian, Alans, Gipides, Heruli, Saxons, Burgundians, Alemans and Panonian enemies have deſtroyed. Mentz is taken, and plundered, and many thouſands ſlain in the Church. The Vangions with long ſiege are deſtroyed, the ſtrong Citie of Rhemes, the Ambians, A…trebates, Morini, Tornacus, Nemete, Argentoratus tranſlated into Germanie. Aquitan and the Provinces of Novem populorum, Lyons and Narbon excepting a few Cities are all razed. I cannot mention Toloſa without teares, which that it is not yet deſtroyed, the merits of Exuperius that holy Biſhop were the cauſe. The very Spaniards even now ready to periſh tremble. Rome ranſoms her life with gold.

And this was that terrible ſtorme of Haile mixt with fire and blood; a repreſentation truly of ſo eaſie an application, that there fell ſo apt a thing from Niceph. Gregor. lib. 2. cap. 7. never thinking of the Revelation, but yet treating of the Scythians, that I cannot but ſet it down: As, ſaith he, terrors from heaven are oftentimes ſtricken into men by God, as lightenings, flaming fires, and ſuddain ſtormes, &c. So theſe Northern and Hyperborean terrors are reſerved by God, that they may be ſent for p…niſhment, when and upon whom it ſhall ſeeme beſt to his providence. But I will adde a p. 88Corolary alſo out of Achmetes, for the Readers further confirmation.Chap. 8.

A Corolarie out of Achmetes concerning the ſignification of Haile, Fire, and Trees, in his interpretation of dreames.

In the …91 Chapter out of the Rules of the Indians, Perſians and Egyptians: Snow, Haile, Ice; doe portend miſeries, cares, and torments.

If any ſhall ſeeme to ſee Haile any where fallen, let him expect a ſuddain hoſtile aſſault.

If he ſhall ſeeme to ſee Haile, which ſhall have hurt the ſtalkes of Wheat or …arley: in that place where the ſtalkes were broken, warlike ſlaughters ſhall happen.

Alſo Chap. 159. out of the declaration of the Indians, Chap. 160. out of the explication of the Perſians and Egyptians, Fire ſignifyeth death, war, fightings, puniſhment and affliction, If it ſhall ſeem to burn any thing or any one.

Alſo chap. 151. The Perſians, Indians, Egyptians, interpret trees to ſignifie men, chiefly Magiſtrates, Peeres, and honourable men: as,

If any ſhall ſeem to himſelf to water trees and to pruy… them, he ſhalbe an Honourable man, and a nurſing father of the people.

If a King ſhall ſeem to himſelf to have planted trees, he ſhall ordain new Magiſtrates. Alſo,

If trees, by continuance of time being corrupted and putrifyed, ſhall decay, the Peers of the King ſhall die of a naturall death.

If he ſhall ſeem to ſee young ſprouts which are growen to trees, this appertaineth to the ſucceſſion of his Lords.

If one of the common people ſhall ſeem to himſelf to have gathered leaves of trees into his houſe, he ſhall obtain wealth from the Nobility according to the meaſure of the leaves, &c.

The ſecond Trumpet.

The ſecond Trumpet being about to ſubvert the Romane Empire p. 89now enough waſted in the Earth thereof, with a more grievous Chap. 8.ſtroke yet aſſayleth the Sea: the third part whereof by the fall of a great Mountaine anciently threatning it, but now burning turneth it all bloody, with a great deſtruction as well of living creatures or fiſhes living therein, as alſo of the navy. That is, the deſtruction of Rome the great Citie once or twice taken, ſpoyled, and burning with hoſtile flames, brake out to the ruine of the largeneſſe of the Romane iuriſdiction; the Barbarians now at their pleaſure fiercely entering into the Provinces thereof, by reaſon of the weakneſſe of the head ſo afflicted and dividing them into new kingdoms; with an irreparable ſlaughter, both of the legions there abiding for defence, as alſo with loſſe of all aydes of retaining and upholding, as of traffique, the authoritie thereof.

The Sea of the politique world, as I have ſaid, is that fulneſſe of dominion compaſſing all the inhabitants in the communion of the ſame politique right. By this repreſentation the Dominion of Babylon is expreſſed, Ier. 51. 36. where the Lord threatneth, that he will dry up the Sea thereof and make the ſpring thereof dry, which verſ. 44. is expounded holding the ſame Metaphor, the nations ſhall flow no more unto her. The amplitude alſo of the Aſſyrian kingdom is ſo deſcribed, Ezek. 31. 4. The waters made her (to wit the Aſſyrian Cedar) to grow, the deep or the ſea hath exalted her. Happily alſo the dominion of Pharao… is the Sea, Eſa. 19.5. where concerning the deſtruction of his kingdom it is ſaid, the waters ſhall faile from the Sea thereof, that is, his Dominion ſhall be taken away. Whereupon thoſe great Empires in Daniel are beheld to aſcend out of the Sea, that is, to ariſe out of the largeneſſe of Dominion.

Now that the third part of the Sea, that is, the Romane ſea, is ſaid to become blood; we muſt know that blood firſt is take for ſlaughter, then for Death alſo without blood: but that Death in a manner is taken for ruine, even of a thing wanting life, ſee Ezec. 14.19. & 3.18.20. ct 18.13. Amo. 2.2. Rom. 7.9. whereupon to become bloody, is a repreſentation of a thing that ſuffereth ruine, to wit as it were like a living creature ſlain or butchered bleeding. That therefore here the Sea is ſaid to become bloody, by the fall of a great Mountaine, it ſheweth nothing elſe, but that it ſuffered by that fall a certaine Death, or a violent Ruine. That w^ch in the phyals, where the ſame repreſentation is, is a little more plainly ſaid, **Chap. 16.3.that it became as the blood of a dead man, that is, of one ſlaine: the Romane Dominion p. 90or fulneſſe, was overthrown, cut in pieces, rent, deſtroyed.Chap. 8.

The like myſterie of a Mountaine ſignifying a Citie is found of old Babylon, Ierem. 51. 25. Behold I come unto thee ô plague-bringing (or deſtroying) Mountaine which deſtroyeſt the whole Earth, and I will ſtretch out mine hand, &c. and I will make thee a Mountaine of burning, where the Septuagint have it foreign, a mountaine on fire, in the ſame ſence wherein Iohn here foreign a mountaine burning with fire. Concerning the ſame, Eſay 13. 2. upon the high Mountaine, lift up a Standard. Targum, upon the Citie dwelling without feare. The like Chap. 37. 24. to Senacherib King of Aſſyria: Thou haſt railed, ſaith he, on the Lord, and ſaid, by the multitude of my chariots I have aſcended the height of the mountains. Targum, I have aſcended into the defence of their Cities; but whether rightly I doubt.

Furthermore, that a Mountaine is here ſaid to be put or caſt into the Sea, it is the **foreign.elegancy of the figure, ſince a Mountaine can no otherwiſe hurt the Sea, then by being thrown into it. And remember that this hath place in the following Trumpet alſo, concerning the falling Starre, Verſ. 10.

As concerning the Hiſtory, Rome was firſt taken in the yeere 410, and that by the ſame Alaricus King of the Gothes, who had brought in as it were the entrance of the deſtinie in the former Trumpet; but now after the death of Stilich… making new ſtirres, and preparing a new and fatall expedition into Italy; whereby he brought Honorius into ſuch ſtreights, that the Barbarian himſelfe could make a new Emperour of Rome, namely, Attalus, with whom he beſieged Houorius Auguſtus at Ravenna, now, in deſpaire of his eſtate, thinking to flye into the Eaſt, leaving the Weſt. But the enemy repenting himſelfe, wholly reſtored Honorius, Attalus being depoſed from the Empire.

The rending of the Romane Dominion immediately followed this deſtruction of the Citie of Rome. I call Sigonius to witneſſe: The miſerable deſtruction, ſaith he, of Italy, the continued warres of France and Spaine, and the new Empires now at laſt of the Barbarian Kings in both the Provinces, have ſucceeded the Romane overthrow.

For firſt Honorius that he might recover Rome with the Empire, having made a league with Alaricus, was conſtrained to yeeld the Countries and Kingdom in France to the Gothes.

p. 91Two yeers after, in the yeere 412, the H…nnes running over Chap. 8.Panonia which the Gothes had left, the ſame (Honorlus) being deſtitute of power to make reſiſtance in ſo great difficulties, made a league with them giving and receiving Hoſtages.

Afterwards in the yeere 413, Conſtantius Captain of the ſame Honorius, leaſt happily he ſhould fall into any ſtreights of warre, did willingly receive into friendſhip and ſeated upon the Rhone the Burgundians, who in theſe former yeers, the Eſtate being ſo diſordered, together with the Vandales had betaken themſelves into France.

To conclude in the yeere 415 the ſame Honoriu… (as Procopius delivereth) when the Gothes a little after had paſſed over into neighbouring Spaine, he granted to the Vandales alſo with their King Gundericus, being lately driven out of Gallia by the Frankes, the places which they had entered, to be inhabited, upon condition of making warre upon the Gothes. He that deſireth to know more, let him reade the forementioned Sigonius concerning the Weſterne Empire, lib. 10. & 11. whence we tooke theſe things.

And ſo thence forward the largeneſſe of the Romane Dominion is daily more and more rent and cut off, untill, again in the yeere 455 Rome being taken and ſpoyled by G…nſericus the Vandale, the whole Body of the Empire the next yeere, or not much after, appeared to be divided into ten kingdoms: which together with the names of the People and of the Kings, and the Provinces over which they reigned, and moreover certaine things noted out of the Hiſtory to give greater light, the following Table will ſhew.

p. 92A type of the rending of the Empire or Romane Dominion in Chap. 8.the yeer of Chriſt 456 and ſo forward.

p. 93And at length after this manner theſe tenne Kingdomes, into Chap. 8.which the holy Ghoſt had foretold, as well by Daniel, as by Iohn, the Romane Empire at the laſt ſhould be divided, ſeeme to be reckoned; and not at all to be eſteemed according to ſo many bare names (as uſually is done) of ſo many regions, or tracts of land, but rather Kingdomes, into which the Dominion and Lordſhip of the Empire ſhould be rent. Yet notwithſtanding let us not thinke that the limitation of this number of tenne is to be ſo ſtrictly conſtrued, that it excludeth at any time more Kingdomes, or any manner of governments: but that the Empire ſhould be ſevered into ten at the leaſt, or into ten principall Kingdoms. That which even from that originall rending which we have ſet forth untill our age, under ſo many fates and alterations, I think to have been alwaies the truth; although it were ſufficient for confirmation of this truth, if onelyonly in the beginning it had been divided into ſo many Kingdomes, howſoever happily afterwards the number were diminiſhed. But the like propheſie concerning the rending of the Monarchie of Alexander, may teach us that ſo as I have ſaid, and not otherwiſe, that limitation of the number of ten Kingdomes is to be underſtood: in which, although beſides theſe foure principall Kingdomes, of Macedonia, Aſia, Syria, and Egypt; a fift alſo Thracia was added, Lyſimachus being the founder: yet the holy Ghoſt bounded that multiplicitie in a number of foure. Reckon them to be ſo many at the leaſt, or ſo many principall Kingdomes. For there was no ſucceſſion in the Kingdome of Thracia, though it began together with the reſt, and endured forty yeeres, but it ended with the firſt King Lyſimachus, and therefore not to be brought into the number. The like hereunto is to be judged of this ten fold Romane diviſion. Wherefore, let it move no man, if beſides the Kingdomes reckoned up in France he ſhall happily finde there the Kingdome alſo of the Alanes of Orleance, and alſo the dynaſtie of the Cities of Baitaine, continuing from the Empire of Honorius untill theſe times. For he ſhall finde the latter to be but of a very meane Dominion, the other to have from thence endured but a ſmall time, to wit, tenne yeeres at the moſt. Neither of them therefore to be reckoned with the reſt for like place and order, nor if any be to be found of the ſame ſort otherwhere.

p. 94The third Trumpet.Chap. 8.

The third Trumpet did utterly throw downe and extinguiſh Verſ. 10.the ſhining ſtarre, to wit, the Romane Heſperus or the Weſtern Caeſar, even now from the time that Genſericus the King of the Vandals had ſpoyled Rome being taken, falling headlong, and as it were, ſtruggling a little while with death, under theſe names, of Caeſars of no account, Avitus, Maioranus, Severus, Anthemius, Olibrius, Glycerius, Nepos, dying with mutuall treaſons and ſlaughter, at length, in the yeere 476 fetching his laſt breath under the fatall name of Auguſtulus, and pulled from the heaven of his authoritie by Odoacer King of the Heruli ſent againſt him; this being the moſt bitter fate of the Rivers and Fountaines, that is, of the Provinciall Cities and Magiſtracies.

The Heſperian Caeſar here I call him, who, after the diviſion of the Empire into Eaſt and Weſt eſtabliſhed, even from the death of Theodoſius the firſt, remained as yet Emperour of ancient Rome and the Weſt, but of a very ſhort continuance; as who ſhould utterly fall from his heaven at the ſound of this Trumpet after the yeere 91.

For whereas the Biſhop of Rome more then 320. yeers after that this Heſperian Caeſar had ſet in Auguſtulus, did anew ſurrogate the Kings of France (who were afterwards of Germany) into that name and title: he brought no other thing to paſſe, but that, by this coverture of Caeſar revived, or of the ſixt head of the Beaſt yet reigning, he himſelf might not at length be ſo apparently accounted for the laſt head, that is, Antichriſt, by men of ordinary underſtanding.

But this papall Caeſar pertaineth not to the heads of the Roman Beaſt; but to the hornes or Kingdomes, into which, the Empire of the ſixt head, now about to yeeld his roome to the laſt head was to be rent. Neither indeed after ſo great a ſpace of time as is of 325. yeeres, (for ſo many they are from Auguſtulus to Charles the Great) could there be a ſucceſſion as it were of a continued ſeries of Heſperian Caeſars.

But goe to, let us give further light to the Text of Iohn, that the reaſon of the interpretation may be manifeſt. And there fell, ſaith he, a great Starre from Heaven burning like a Lampe. He ſeemeth to deſc…ibe a blazing Starre or Comet, amongſt the kinds of which reckoned by P…iny, Lampadias is one, ſpecially ſo called. p. 95And ſurely not unfitly is Caeſar of the Weſt figured by ſuch a ſtarre, Chap. 8.for ſhort duration. Concerning whom therefore it will be ſaid, Chap. 17. When he cometh he muſt continue but a ſmall time. But the Starre was a great one; as the fitter to reſemble a Supreme Majeſtly, Verſ. 10.whoſe excellency the Sunne otherwhere in Prophetique parables doth repreſent. And ſurely it is knowne, there have been Comets which have ſeemed to equall even the Sunne in magnitude; of which ſort that this Starre was, happily he ſhall not erre who affirmeth it.

Now the like parable of a falling Starre, leaſt thou doubt of the application, Eſay uſeth, Chap. 14.12. of the fall of the King of Babylon. How, ſaith he, art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer Sun of the morning, thou art cut downe to the ground, which didſt weaken the nations? Otherwhere alſo, as in the place of Eſa. Chap. 34.4. already before cited Starres falling from heaven are underſtood of the ruine of Princes or great perſonages. A ſtarre therefore of a ſingular and unuſuall magnitude, doth deſigne a Prince, above the common ſort of Princes, that is, a great and excellent one. It followeth:

And the name of the Starre is called Wormwood. It is a propheticall figure, wherein by the impoſition as it were of a proper name, the qualitie or deſtinie, of the thing or perſon handled is ſet forth; ſince other where alſo in the Hebraiſme, foreign is foreign the matter (as Luk. 1. 37. foreign every thing is not unpoſſible with God) and to be called, is all one as to be or to exiſt, as Eſa. 56.7. My houſe ſhall be called an houſe of prayer, for which Luk. 19. foreign is, ſhall be, or ſhall be accounted an houſe of prayer. And Gen. 21. 12. In Iſaac ſhall thy ſeed be called, that is, ſhall be. You may ſee alſo the Septuagint, Eſa. 14. 20. Ruth. 4. 11. And examples of this figure whereof I ſpake are every where obvious. For ſo in Eſa. 7.14. concerning Chriſt, his name ſhall be called Emanuel, that is, he ſhall be foreign, God-man. And Chap. 9▪6. His name ſhall be called Wonderfull, Counſellour, the mighty God, the everlaſting Father, the Prince of peace, that is, he ſhall be all theſe. Likewiſe in Jerem. 23. 6. And this is the name whereby they ſhall call him: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESSE. And Zach. 6. 12. Behold the man his name is the BRANCH, it followeth, becauſe he ſhall ſpring out of his place, &c. Adde hereunto, Rev. 19. 13. His name is called THE WORD OF GOD, that p. 96is, he is that Word of God. The like to theſe are found, Ierem. Chap. 8.20.3. The Lord calleth not thy name Paſhur, but Magor-Miſſabib, [that is, feare round about] for thus ſaith the Lord: Behold, I will put feare into thee, to thy ſelfe and all thy friends. And Ezech. 23.4. The names of them (that is, of the women of Samaria and Ieruſalem) Aholah and Aholibah. Adde hereto Eſa. 8.3. Hoſ. 1.6.9.

By the very like figure is this Falling ſtarre called Wormewood, that is, (according to the Hebrews with whom the abſtracts are uſed for the concretes) Abſinthites, to wit, A Prince of bitternes and ſorrowes Such indeed was that Heſperian Caeſar, if ever any were, exerciſed with continuall calamities from his firſt riſing unto his end. Who while he reigned the Romane Empire ſhould be ruined. Yea by the ſetting up of whom, occaſion of the ruine was given, becauſe by the ſuch diviſion of the Empire brought in, a way was opened to the Barbarians, and the Roman State was caſt into fearefull calamities. Is not he worthily called Wormwood for his lot which fell out to be ſo bitter to himſelfe and others? according to that of Naomi, Call me not Naomi, call me Marah, becauſe the Almighty hath afflicted me with bitterneſſe.

But before I depart hence, ſomething muſt be ſaid of the ſtate of the City, and Romane State after that fall of their Caeſar, that a way may be prepared to the interpretation of the following Trumpet. Caeſar therefore of the Weſt being ſo caſt downe and extinct, the meane while Odoacer the Herulian held Italy 16. yeeres by name of King: who after two yeeres reſtored the Conſulſhip to Rome and to the Weſt and ſtill kept it, which notwithſtanding in the beginning upon diſpleaſure he had taken away. Him did Theodoricus the King of the Oſtrogothes ſucceed; and that, as Paulus Diaconus reporteth, Zeno the Emperour of the Eaſt delivering him Italy by pragmaticall ſanction, and confirming it by putting upon his head a ſacred veyle. Who, Odoacer being vanquiſhed and ſlaine, added Sicilia alſo to his Kingdome, beſides Dalmatia and Rhetia, which were Provinces of Odoacer, he repaired the wals and ſome buildings of the Citie of Rome, having gathered together a great ſumme of money for that purpoſe; ſo that there ſeemed nothing could be deſired more to the height of her former fortune, the infamy of a City ſacked and burnt being excepted: he ordered the Kingdome very wiſely, he changed no Roman Ordinance, but retained the Senate p. 97and Conſuls, the Senators, the Governours of the Praetorium, the Governours of the city, the Queſtor, the high Treaſurer, the Maſter Chap. 8.of the privie purſe, and Captaine of the Guard, Captaines of foot and horſe, and other Magiſtrates that were in the Empire, and committed them onelyonly to Romans, which was alſo a while kept by his Succeſſors, Athalaricus, Theodobatus, Vitiges, Oſtrogothian, kings of Italy. See Sigonius de imperio occidentali lib. 15. An. 479. lib. 16. annis 493. 494. 500.

The fourth Trumpet.

The fourth Trumpet proceeding yet further, did utterly take away the light of the Roman Majeſty in the citie of Rome wherwith Verſe 12.it had ſhined untill then, even under the Oſtrogothian kings: to wit, after the Conſulſhip of Rome had failed from the yeare, 542. in that Oſtrog…thian war waged for the recovery of Italy, firſt by Beliſarius, afterward by Narſetes Captaines of Iuſtinianus, then it ſelfe once and againe taken, burned, and the third part of it demoliſhed by Totila, forſaken moreover, (a memorable mock of fortune) by all her inhabitants, at length after ſo many decayes and …laughters, being regained by Narſetes, but a little after overthrowen by aboiſterous ſtorme and lightnings; ſhe that was ſometimes the Queene of Cities, now at length being How doth th… city ſit ſolitari… that was full of people! how is ſhe become as a widow! ſhe… that was great among the Nations, and Princeſſe among the Provinces, how is ſhe become tr…tulary. Lament. 1. 1.Lam 1:1bereaved of Conſular power, authoritie of Senate, and other Magiſtrates, wherewith as with ſtars ſhe had enlightned the world, is fallen from ſo great glory, into I know not what ignoble d…kedome of Ravenna, over which in times paſt ſhee had commanded, after is conſtrained to ſerve under the Exarchate (O miſerable darkneſſe) and pay tribute.

And this which is here mentioned was the ſmiting of the third part of the Sun, Moon, and ſtars, whereby it came to paſſe, that the third part of the day could not give light, and the third part of the night likewſe. Where the light of the day, which is the ſunne, is called by the name of the day, and the light of the night which is the moone and the ſtars, of the night; according to that, Iere. 31. 35. Which giveth the Sunne for a light to the day; and the courſes of the moone and of the ſtarres, for a light of the night. The ſonne of Rome ſhonne, as long as ſhee enjoyed the Conſular diguitie, and her raigne over other cities, and p. 98provinces. The moone and ſtarres there gave light, as long as the Chap. 8.ancient authoritie of the Senate and other Magiſtrates there yet remained. But theſe being all taken away (which commeth to paſſe in this Trumpt) what was there but darkneſſe and a totall eclipſe of the light, aſwell of the day as the of the night? to wit, which appertained to her to whom the third part of the light of heaven was due.

The repreſentation of the ſun, the moone and ſtars, in this underſtanding is moſt uſuall with the Prophets, as Eſay. 13 10. alſo 60. 20. Where for thy Sunne ſhall ſet no more, and thy Moon: ſhall not be in the waine, &c. The Targum hath. Thy kingdom ſhall never ceaſe (he ſpeaketh to Ieruſalem) and thy glory ſhall not be taken from thee. Alſo Ier. 15.9. where concerning Ieruſalem; The ſunne thereof hath ſet whilſt it was yet day. The Targum turneth. Their glory departed in their life time. And Ez…k. 32. …. That concerning Pharaoh, when I ſhall put thee out, I will cover the heavens, and make the ſtars thereof dark. The ſame Paraphraſt turneth it, Tribulation ſhall cover thee, when I ſhall put out the Splendour of the Glory of thy Kingdome, &c.

Let the Reader transferre hither alſo thoſe things which I have noted before out of Achmet…s to give light to the ſixt Sea…e, which it is admirable to ſee how they agree.

Of the thr…e Woe Trumpets.

There remaineth yet three trumpets the greateſt of all, and the moſt grievous, and therefore differenced from the former by the title of three Woes. For after the **…explanation of the 4^th trumpet. I beheld, and heard, ſaith hee, a certaine Angell flying thorow the midſt of heaven, ſaying with a loude voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabitants upon the earth, by reaſon of the other voices of the trumpets of the three Angels, which are yet to ſound. Alſo …ha 9 12. and 11.14. Doubtles when the inhabitants of the Chriſtian Roman Empire, in the mean ſpace, while the former Trumpets ſounded, had defiled themſelues with the worſhip of new idols, the trumpets which remained are increaſed for the puniſhing now of a double ſin. For that that ſin alſo of the Roman Empire, came moreover into the reckning of a crime to be puniſhed with the former of the death of the Martyrs, it appeareth in p. 99that to the ſecond Woe is conjoyned this Elogie, to wit, the reſt of the men that were not killed by theſe plaguer (that is as I conceive Chap. 9. ver. …truly by that Woe and the former) repented not of the workes of their handes, that the ſhould not worſhip Divils, and Idols of gold and ſilver, and braſſe, and ſtone, and wood, which can neither ſee nor here to walke.

The firſt Woe Trumpe… OR, The Fifth Trumpe…

The firſt Woe trumpet is long ſince paſt. That hath ſent out to Chap. 9. ver. 1…deſtroy the world, horrible bands of Locuſts iſſuing out of the helliſh ſmoke of the bottomleſſe pit, now by the helpe of Satan opened, that is, the Sara…ens or Arabians (a nation populous and innumerable like Locuſts) ſtirred up by the horrible falſe prophecy of Muhamed to the ruine of ſo many nations.

For the ſmoke aſcending out of the infirnall pit, is Muhamadiſme, which the Muhamadan impoſters call Gſlaniſ…e, this newly Verſe, 20obſcured the world lately inlightned with the Goſpell of Chriſt the ſon of righteouſneſſe, the darkneſſe of the heatheniſh errours Chap. 9…being diſpelled.

And ſurely the type of Locuſts is the more apt, becauſe the Egyptian Locuſts alſo came out of the ſame Arabia, to wit, bordering upon Egypt eaſtward. For ſo Exodus 10. 13. 14. The Lord brought an Eaſtwinde upon the land and it brought the Locuſts, and the Locuſts went up over all the land of Egypt, and reſted in all the coaſts of Egypt. Beſides, the Arabians are likened to Locuſts for the huge multitude of the nation Iudg. 7. 12. The Midianites and the Amalekites, and all the Sonnes of Kedem or the …aſt, lay in the valley like graſhoppers for multitude, &c. Where is to be obſerved, that the Arabians in holy writ are peculiarly named Sonnes of the eaſt, as is Arabia it ſelf foreign or the eaſt; as in reſpect of Egypt, where the Iſraelites learnt ſo call it you may ſee Gen. 10. 30. and 25. 6. 1. Kings 4. 30. Eſay. 11. 14. Ier 49 28. perhaps alſo Mat. 2.1. the ſame reaſon plainly, for which Aſia, the leſſer is called at this day Natotia, and Arabia faelix ſeated ſouthward from the reſt of the Arabiaes, Ayaman, that is the ſouth. When the Queene of the ſouth Matth. 12. 42. But theſe things by the way.

p. 100The like repreſeination of Lo…, concerning the A…yrians and Babilonians about to deſtroy Iude…, is to be ſ…e in …oell, in the two firſt Chapters: from whence he will not deny that this type is borrowed, who ſhall compare the deſcription of them Chap. 9.both.

But that the interpretation thereof is to be …ferred to hoſti…e bandes, Ac…metes ſhoweth out of the uſe of the Eaſt, whoſe words I have thought ſit to be inſerted in this place. For ſo hee …hap. 300 out of the learning of the Indians, Perſians, and Egyptians.

Loc…ſts without doubt are referred generally to the multitude of enemies, for ſo it is regiſtred in holy writt, that Locuſts goe forth by divine commandement for the deſtruction of Kingdoms like ſome Armie. This of holy writt is meant of the holy writings of the Indians onelyonly; as alſo whatſoever in this booke relliſhet… of the knowledge of Chriſtian Religion, as will appeare to the Reader. He goeth on.

If any either King, or endned with Authority ſhall ſeeme to ſee Locuſts going forth againſt any region: in that place let him expect a multitude of enemies with great power; and how much damage the Locuſts ſhall doe, ſo much ſhall they h…t.

Now therefore the repreſ…ntation being con…ir…d, we ſhall ſee of the reſt of the deſeription.

There was given to them ſaieth he verſe 3 power ſuch as the Scorpions of the earth have, for they had v…rſe. 10. tayles like unto Vers. 3.Scorpions, and in them ſtings with which they might hort, and (ve. 5) their torment, is as the torment of a Scorpion, when he ſtriketh a man.

That is, they had not onelyonly power proper to Locuſts of conſuming and waſting the regions over which they ſwarmed; but like monſters, tayles as ſcorpions by the ſtroke whereof they alſo diffuſed their venome. An admirable thing, A Locuſt ſcorpion, but what manner of evill he meaneth, the ſymbole of a ſerpentine kinde ſeemeth to declare; ſince … ſcorpion is a kinde of ſerpent. But by this kinde, wher with the devil firſt deceived ma…k…nde, and alienated it from God, the Spirit of God liketh to bring him in who was …urther to ſeduce men, whence that is, foreign the ſerpent the old one which deceiveth the world. Chap. 12.9. ad 20.2. The taile, therefore, of the Scorpion with a p. 101ſtinge, doth ſet ou… the propagation of that diabolicall Mu…amme…n, falſe prophecie, with its whole ſurniture, where with the Aralin L…cuſts did harme where…oever they came (a horrible thing as Chap. 9.much as by force of armes, yea the Sara…ens were the firſt from the cre…tion of man…inde that drew after them this traine of moſt …thy er…o …ither doe I be…eeve ever any nation before theſe attained the Monarch… of the world, by the like impoſture concerning Religion, and pretence of deſtroying idoll worſhip.

But it is …aid to them, foreign Verſe 4.foreign, That they ſhould not hurt t…e gra…e of the earth, Neither any greene thing neither any tree: but thoſe men onelyonly, who had not the ſeal of God …o their fore heads.

For the ſignification of the partic…e foreign the ſenſe is either exceptive that they ſhould hurt none neither graſſe (for this is foreign with the 70.) …r greene thing nor tree, except thoſe herbes onelyonly, trees and gre…ne things which were not marked with Gods ſeal (to wit that as men, and graſſe, trees, and greene things mutually expound themſelves: or it may be expounded not exceptively but adverſetively, after the uſe of the particle foreign in the **M…. 12.4. R…. 14.14. and … h…c.ſacred Greeke dialect for foreign To wit that it is ſaid to them, they ſhould not after the manner of common Locuſts …eed upon, either graſſe, or trees, or any thing at all thot is greene, but that ſuch things paſſed by, they ſhould deſtroy men onelyonly: to wit of the number of them, whom the ſeal of the Angel had not freed in the beginning of the trumpets from the plagues of them.

Whether way ſoever it be taken, it were in vaine to trouble our ſelves about the ſignfication and diſterence of graſſe, greene foreignthing, and trees; as which are to be referred to thed corum of the …igure, wherein a myſteri… is not to be ſoug…t. For ſo concerning the Egyptian Locuſts Exodus: 10. 15. They covered the face of the whole earth, ſo that the land was da…kened, and they did conſume every herbe (…eptuagint foreign.) of t…e land, and all the fruit of the trees, and there remained not any greene thing (foreign) on any tree, or in the herbes of the field, through all the land of Egypt. But that our Locuſts ſhould a…ct men, i… appeareſh hence, that they are not of the kinde of vermine, to wit na…rall Locuſts, but ſymbolicall upon o…aſion whereof p. 102it will be worth our labour once to ſet this rule, when any thing is attributed to a propheticall type, which by nature cannot complie with the ſame, that leadeth to the underſtanding of the thing ſignified in the type, and teacheth that the interpretation is to be made according to the condition thereof. Which thou mayeſt obſerve to be done foure times at the leaſt in this viſion; as when there is attributed to Locuſts, not only power to ſet upon men, but alſo the face of a man, the haire of women golden crownes breſtplate Verſe 7.8.9.of iron: by all which is meant that not vermine but men are meant; and thoſe not clergie men, as many gueſ…e, but altogether war deſtroying ſoudiers of which Locuſts it is further ſaid.

It was not given to them that they ſhould not kill men, but they Verſe 5.ſhould torment them five moneths. To wit in this the Arabian, Locuſts differ from the Euphratern horſmen of whom in the following trumpet. It was given to the Saracens that they ſhould long and cruelly torment the nations of the Romane Empire; but it was not at all given to them any way to bereave the very Romane trientall that I may ſo call it, of life. For ſince, in the meane ſpace while the former trumpets ſounded, a new pontificiall Kingdome had grown, up, out of the ruines of the politique ſtate of old Rome, as it were on the ſame pace with the ruine of the other: the Saracens could neither extinguiſh the kingdom of this, nor of that new Rome Conſtantinople. Contrariwiſe the Turkes, the royall city being taken utterly ſubuerted the Conſtantinopolitan Kingdome, as in the following trumpet we ſhall heare. But of the five moneths in the compaſſe whereof that tormenting by the Locuſts is limitted, we ſhall more aptly ſpeake where it commeth to the petition of them in the tenth verſe.

In thoſe days men ſhall ſeeke death, & ſhall not finde it: and ſhall Chap. ….deſire to die, & death ſhall fly from thē: that is, the calamity of thoſe Ver…e 6.times ſhould be ſo great, that men ſhould be weary of their lives.

For that thou mayeſt nor think… they dealt by bare perſwaſions, or wiles of deceipts; they caried the matter by force of armes, and that by the inſtruction of Muhamed himſelfe, whoſe propagation certainely terrible enough, together with largeneſſe of ga…ning dominion, and habit of a warlike nation, is ſet forth in a moſt lively manner. The warlike preparation thus: And the ſhapes of the …ocuſts, like unto horſes (that is horſmen) prepared to bartail. Their t…eth, as the teeth of Lions (that is they were ſtrong to devoure Ioel 1. 6. Dan. 7. V. 7. 23.) And they had breſtplates p. 103of iron, and the ſound of their wings, as the ſound of charets with many horſes running to battel. The whole deſcriptiō is taken out Chap. 9.Ioel, whence is that very repreſentatiō of locuſts as I have ſaid (ſee cha. 2 4 c…a 1. 6. cha. 2. 5. The ſucceſſe and largenes of ſeeking dominion, Verſe 7.The crownes as it were like gold ſet upon their hea…s, do ſhew, and that not unfitly. Never was the dominion of any nation ſo far …pread nor in ſo ſhort a ſpace, were there ever ſo many kingdoms, ſo many regions brought under the yoke. It is incredible to be ſpoken, yet it is moſt true: In the ſpace of foureſco…e yeers or not many more, they ſubdued & added to the diabolicall kingdom of Muhamed, Paleſtina, Syria, both Armeniaes, almoſt all Aſia the leſſe, Perſia, India, Egypt, Numidia, all Barbarie, even to the river Niger, Portugall Spaine, Neither ſtayed their fortune or ambition here; till they added alſo even a great part of Italy, as far as unto the gates of Rom…, as alſo Sicily, Can…y, Cyprus, & the other Iſlands of the Mediterranian Sea. Good God what a huge tract of the world is this, how many crownes here, whence it is worthy of obſervation alſo, that there is no mention madeof a third part as in other trumpets. For this deſtruction fell no leſſe without the bounds of the Roman Empire, then within it, extending even to the fartheſt Indians.

It remaineth we ſpeak of the habit of the warlike nations. And the faces of them, ſaith he, were as the faces of men. Theſe locuſts were with a humane face, that is, indeed men (leſt any happily ſhould conceive that it was meant of vermine) having hair as the hair of women, that is, by nation Arabia…s, who ſaith Pli…ie, uſe long hair, and (after the manner of women) wear head tiers, Pliny lib. 6. cha. 28. with whom it is the manner even to this day, as travellers affirme, that going into battell they make themſelves horns and curled locks of their own hair, Cam rar operum ſub…iſ. tom. 1. c. 39. whence it will be evident, that the place cited by our Brightm in out of Herodotus in Th…lia, as i… were for the polling of the Arabian is to be taken, not of polling the head, but either ſome cuſtome of cutting the beard uſed by the Arabians in imitation of Bacchus; of which Plinie maketh ſome mention, when he …aith their beard was wont to be ſhaven, ſaving on the over lip, or of the rounding of the ends of their haire, without the whole polling of the head. Both which, happily becauſe it was an enſigne of the worſhippers of Bacchus their neighbou… idoll, God forbade his people, Levit. 19. 27. and 21. 5. Howſoever p. 102duplicate page p. 103duplicate page p. 104it be, I doubt not but Plinie had ſeen Arabians at Rowf.

It followeth of the continuance of the Plague, which ſurely Chap. 9…is determined in the compaſſe of five moneths according to the type of locuſts, which continue ſo many moneths: to wit, from Verſe 5.the riſing of the ſeaven ſtars (by the ancient called **Abe… verg…ttarnm.the going out of the ſpring, about one monethmonth after the vernall Aequinoctium) when they are hatched of egges left i… the earth all the winter, unto the beginning of Autume, when, leaving other egges upon the earth for an increaſe of the next yeere, they preſently die, you may ſee Plinie lib. 11. chap. 29.

Yet God would have this notation of time agree not onelyonly with the type, but with the antitype alſo, when as hee delivered to be vexed with invaſions by the Saracenicall locuſts, Italy the chiefe of lands, and the moſt eminent for ſinne, which cauſed the plague, from the yeere 830. to the yeere 980. that is, 150. yeeres, or five moneths of yeeres.

The Plague in truth reſted upon other countreys longer, but in a certaine courſe: for ſeverall ſpaces of time, ſome ſhort…r, ſome longer; chiefly upon the Eaſterne regions, of Syria, Egypt, and Aſia the leſſe, which bordering upon the head of that Empire, which firſt was Damaſcus, after Bagdad, became for many ages as it were the foreparts of the Saracenicall body.

And that I may note this; although what countreyes ſoever they poſſeſſed, they tormented the Inhabitants thereof with that venemous ſtroke of the Scorpions taile, as I have ſaid; yet the Italians ſeemed to have felt the ſtroke of the taile of the locuſts after another (I know not what ſingular) manner. For the whole ſwarme being compared to a body, and the former parts, as it is meet aſſigned to the Eaſt, what ſhall the Affrican troupe be, reaching ſo farre from the head into the Weſt, but the tail. But from theſe is all the cala…ity of Italy; which they did ſtrike without intermiſſion with a by blow (ſee the ſubtiltie of Scorpions) through the Mediterranian ſea, and the Iſlands thereof, Sardin…a, and Sicilia as if the holy Ghoſt had pointed his finger hither, when as by an itterated mention of moneths he ſaid, And … 10.they had tailes like Scorpions, and ſtings, and in their tailes they had power to hurt men five moneths. For ſo the Complutenſe book readeth, Syras, Primaſius, Andreas, and Aretas, agreeing therewith. Such interpretation although it be not unproper for declaring of the time; yet that there is another ſignificati… of that p. 105ſerpentine trayne and extending it ſelfe much further, I have already ſaid, neither doe I here alter, if any ſhall ſuffer himſelfe to b… perſwaded to admit of ſome ſecondary ſence (beſides this primarily intended ſuch as I am not eaſily wont to admit) let him for me.

And this is one way, how the five Monthes of type of Locuſts may be fitted to the thing it ſelfe acted. There is alſo another, if becauſe theſe five monthes are twice ſett downe, the account be Ver. 5, 10.therefore dou led: as if forſooth the Holy Ghoſt would uſe the number of five, for the analogie and decorum of the type; but doublee it, that it might anſwer the antitipe in ſome more large ſpace For wherefore otherwiſe ſhould he iterate the mention of theſe monthes almoſt …n the ſame wordes? Is there not ſome miſtery in this iteration? I doe not r…member the like to be any where elſe, in the continued de…cription o… the ſame type,

If therefore this ſhall pleaſe, three hundred yeares for ſo many doe twice five monthes of yeares make, will comprehend, that noble ſpace of the kingdome of the Sarac…ns, which is drawne from the beginning of the Calip…ate of the Apaſid… (who firſt made Ba…da… heir Imperiall ſeate) to the taking of the ſame Bag…ad by Togrul ecus King of the Turks (whom we call Ta…grolipix;) that is, from the yeare of Chriſt 750 to the yeare 1055. This ſpace truly is larger about five yeares, but ſince the account is made by Monthes, there is no greater care to be taken of a few dayes, then is wont to be of houres where the account is by dayes. This alſo may be added, that this ſpace may begin fitly, from the taking away of the yoke of the Exarchate from the city of Rome, wherin the calamity of the former trumpe… ceaſed. For this happened at the ſame time, happily alſo the ſame yeare.

If thou enquire yet wherefore the Holy Ghoſt did not comprehend the whole continuance of the Saracenicall plague in theſe n… bers, Chap. 9.ſince the principality of the Abi…die to wit from the yeare 630, the Saracens by continued ſucceſſe had ſo inlarged their Empyre, that now it was come to its perfection: it may be anſwered becauſe this number of five Monthes; was rather of the type of L… cuſt…, foreignthen of the Antitype of the Saracens. And therefore what did properly comply with them, was ſufficient, if in theſe it ſhould be ſet forth by ſome more remarkeable ſpace of time, although it did not perfectly meaſure it. Notwithſtanding I determine nothing here, but leave it to others, to whom God ſhall have given p. 106more abi…itie, to be further ſearched out. In the meane while, this difficulty doth nothing prejudice the interpretation concerning the Saracen…. For whatſoever interpretation thou ſhalt follow, the ſame difficultie will preſſe thee.

It remaineth yet to treate of the King an… his name. They Verſe 11.had, ſaith hee, over them a King th… Angel of t…e bottom…eſſe pit. whoſe name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greeke A…ollyon, that is, a Deſtroyer

The Holy Ghoſt ſeemeth, in that he calleth the Angell of the bottoml…ſſe pit a King, to intimate, that theſe Locuſts ſhall bee a Nation, not Chriſtian but Infidell, which had not given their name to Chriſt. For the Children of unbeliefe or Pagans are ſayd by Paul, Epheſ. 2.2. to bee ſubject to the Prince, whoſe power is of the ayre, who is none other then the Angell of the bottomleſſe pit. Contrariwiſe, who ſo become Chriſtians are taken out of the power of Satan, to be converted to God, Acts 26. 18.

Whatſoever it may bee, it is a thing moſt worthy the examination, Chap. 9.wherefore hee calleth this Prince of the bottomleſſe pit here plainely by a new name and unheard of; and not as hee is wont, The Devill, Satan, the Serpent, or Dragon? or that he had rather from the notion of deſtroying; why not rather Aſmodaus, … name (foreign) of like ſignification, whereby the Jewes …d already uſed to call him; but Abaddon never? whether becauſe ſince the Muhamedans doe glory, that they doe adore and worſhip no other God, but that one ſole God De…urgus, or Maker of the univerſe, which to the Chaldeans and Syrians …oundeth foreign Abada, and to the Arabians themſelves is made knowne by the Epithit… foreign Abdi, that is eternall; the holy ſpirit would meete with them in a word of the like ſound, but of a contrary ſence? by which forſooth he would intimate, that they were ſo farre of, (whatſoever they pretended) from worſhipping Abadan or Abdin that eternall maker of the world, that in the eſtimation of God Himſelfe, whom they would have to bee foreign one only perſon, and not to bee come unto by Chriſt, they tooke for their King or divine power not him, but an evill Angell Abaddon, that is, not the Maker but the deſtroyer of the world. So when the Jeroboamites thought they worſhipped the God of Iſrael in their Calves; the Scripture notwithſtanding ſaith, they ſacrificed to Devils, 2 Cro…. 11. 15.

p. 107Or ſhall wee ſay that there is alluſion to the common name of the Kings of Arabia of that Coaſt, whence Mu…amed with his Locuſts was firſt to ariſe? who are afterward called Ob… d… a name of authoritie, from the Ancient King Obodi being eſteemed of his in the number of the GODS, and from whoſe Sepulcher Oboda continued a name of the Kings of Arabia to the Region of the Nabat…ans; as the Kings of Aegypt Phara…hs, Chap. …and Ptolom…i, of the Romans, Caeſars, of the Parthians Arſac… and the neighbouring KINGS of Arabia, Petr…a, A…et…? For Stephanus the Byzantine out of the fourth booke of Ʋra…ius a Writer of the Arabian Hiſtorie, ſaith foreign. Oboda a Country of the Nabat…ans, where Obodes the King whom they made a God was buried. But Strabo and Ioſephus aſſure mee that from him, the Kings of that Coaſt were afterward called by the common name Obodas of whom this mentioneth two of that name; one a Warrier, and too well knowne to the Jewes for the ſlaughter of Alexander Iamnaus De…bello I…d…ico lib. 1. cap. 3.their King; whom certainely that Obodas the Arabian con…trained to flye to Ieruſalem, his whole Army being ſlaine in the Country of Gilead about Ninetie yeares before Chriſt. Whom the Iewes not unworthily might call with a ſmall change Abad Antiquit. jud. lib 16. …. 11. 13. 14. 15.don, that is a deſtroyer. The other dull and Idle, of the ſame time with Her…d the great, whoſe vicegerent Syll…us (who governed the ſtate as hee liſted) ſought Salome the Siſter of Hero… in marriage: but being fruſtrate of his deſire, and becomming the enemy of Herod, by falſe accuſations of him unto Auguſtus, brought him into great danger. Of this Obada Strabo maketn mention once or twiſe in the Arabian expedition of Aelius Gallus▪ and that with the ſame note of ſlothfulneſſe; and ſaith the ſame was …oyned in affinitie to the neighbour King Areta and this was a common name as I ſaid of the bordering Kings of Petr….) Out of the ſame Writer is to bee gathered, that the Kingdome of Obod… being ſeated more towards the South, reached to the Red Sea. In which Coaſt of Land I doe verily believe the Iſmaelites and Sar…ens inhabited. p. 108For ſurely it is manifeſt that the Na…a ha…s whoſe coaſt Ʋranins witneſſeth did comprehend the region Oboda were Iſmaelites, obtaining that name from Nabaiot… the firſt borne of Iſmael, …en. 25.23.13.Ioſphus addeth, that Oboda being dead, Areta, by the favour of Auguſtus joyned his Kingdome to his owne.

If any therefore being moved with ſo great an agreement and aptneſſe of things, ſhall be of opinion that the holy ghoſt of purpoſe uſed this name Abaddon, that by a certaine par…nomaſia of the name of Kings pointed his finger to that nation, whoſe cuſtom was to name their Kings with the like appellation, I ſurely think him worthy to be pardoned; eſpecially ſince both words ſeeme to be from the ſame roote, common to the Hebrewes and Arabians, although, as otherwiſe it commeth to paſſe, in a contrary ſignification; and ſeeing with the old prophets examples ſometimes happen of alluſions little or nothing differing. So that which Eſay calleth Chriſt foreign that is, A branch, Matthew turneth it to … 11.1.the name of Ieſus of Nazareth chap. 2. verſe 24. you may ſee alſo Ier. 1. 11. 12. foreign an almond tree foreign I will haſten. Amos. 8.2. a basket foreign that is, of ſummer fruits, becauſe there commeth foreign that is an end, &c, And alſo that the Iewes of the later age did uſe ſuch agnominations, even this may ſerve for an argument, that a li…tle before the comming of our Saviour, becauſe that Acheron the river of hel (as they heard from the Grecians) in ſound did not differ from Accaron the city of the Philiſtins (for ſo in times paſt Ekron was pronounced) of Beelzebub the God See the Lxx. Mat. 12.24. Luke 11.15.Matt 12:24Luke 11:15hereof, they made the name of Satan the Prince thereof, that is the Prince of hell. For hence, truely as I conjecture, is Beelzebub the Prince of Devills in the goſpel.

The ſecond woe Trumpet OR, The ſixt Trumpet.

Another woe of pl…gues (which untill this day O grievous!) …. Chap. 9.lyeth upon it calleth forth the …etra…chs of the Turk…s with a numerous troupe of horſemen, from Euph…tes (where they had now long ſtayed) into the Roman Empire.

Looſe (ſaith the voice from the ſoure hornes of the Altar of Ve…ſe 14.incenſe the foure Angels which are bound at the great river p. 109Euphrates. Angels are put for the nations which they were thought to governe, a metonymie not unuſall in this booke. That appeareth out of this, that thoſe who are immediately looſed by …teirdion of the oracle, are an army of horſemen, ſent for…h to kill men.

He biddeth looſe the Angels bound, Who breaking in upon the Romane regions, the former plague yet enduring were reſtrained at Euphrates a few ages, that they ſhould not at their pleaſure overrunne further. In the beginning truely they adventured a little further, even unto Nira… of Bithynia, but Solyman being vaniſhed were againe driven backe to Eu…hrates, by the Chriſtian Sea worthies in their expedition unto the holy land.Ar…gmenta.

Furthermore the foure Angels ſignifie ſo many Sultani…s or Kingdomes into which the Turkes were d…vided, when firſt having paſſed over Euphrates, they had ſpread themſelves into the neighbouring coaſts of A…a and Syria Theſe Chriſtopher Ric…erius, concerning the originall of the Turkes, doth thus reckon up out of Scilix a Greeke author; the firſt of Aſia, the ſecond of Alepo, the third of Damaſcus, and of Antioch the fourth. The firſt of which the Aſian or of Aſia the leſſe had its beginning in C…tlamuſus (otherwiſe called by Elmachinus except I be deceived Sedyduddrulas) allyed to that Tangrolipix who firſt tooke Bagdad. He began his Kingdome, in the parts of Aſia bordering Chap. 9.upon Euphrates; Caeſ…ria or Capadocia being conquered and taken from the Romanes to him and his poſter…ty about the yeere of Chriſt 108. as the ſame auther witneſſeth. The borders whereof afterward Solyman his ſucceſſor enlarged as farre as Nicaea of Bithynia; but being vaniſhed by ours in that renowned expedition unto Jeruſalem, he was conſtrained to leave the whole region which he had gotten and to retire to Euphrat…s And the ſeat of this Tetrarchie, though in the beginning it were elſe where, yet for the moſt part was at Iconium in the ſame Ca…adocia.

The ſecond was the Tetrarchie of Alepo the city thereof being Alepo which is watered with an arme of Euphrates, brought thither by one of the Sultanus, Siarſud aulas was the firſt king hereof (as witneſſeth Elmachinus) having obtained Alepo in the yeere 1079. whoſe ſucceſſor was R…duwanus Salgh…ides, in the yeere 1095.

p. 98The founder of the third Tetrachie, whoſe chiefe city being Damaſcus, (by the teſtimonie of the ſame author) was Tagiuddaulas Niſus the nephew of Togrulb…cus (or Tangr…lipix) who ſubdued Damaſcus in the ſame yeer 1079. His ſucceſſor was Ducathes or Decacus the brother of R…duwanus, the Sultan of Alepo in the yeere 1095. Whom (ſaith Scilix) all the region of D…cap…lis obeyed. But this reached to Euphrates.

To theſe Scilix reckoneth the Antiochian …o… a fourth, contained within moderate boundes. For ſaith he the Calipha of Egypt out of the Saracenicall ſtock poſſeſſed the regions of Syria unto Laodicea. But foraſmuch as that Anti…chean Kingdome, as it was a little remote from Euphrates, ſo it endured not but fourteene yeeres, Anti…chia being preſently taken by ours under the conduct of B…mund: happily it were better leauing out Antioch to adde for the making up of the number of four… the Bagdad or Perſia… Empire upon the other ſide of Euphrates (for Scilix had onelyonly reſpect to the Turkes, who had paſſed Euphrates) that ſo the whole Turkiſh Empire, beyond and on this ſide Euphrates, may be underſtood to be devided into thoſe foure Sultanies: which with the courſe of the Kings or Sultans for a certain time, ſee Reader deſcribed in the following figure for thy more diſtinct Diagra…mate.contemplation.

p. 111A Diagramme of the T…kiſh Kingdome parted in Foure Partes at Euphrates from the yeere 1080. and ſo forth, out of Elmachinus, the Arabian, and S…il…p, a Greeke Author.

And this was the ſtate of the Turkiſh affaires, when firſt they paſſed Euphrates, and as it were making a ſhew of their breaking in upon the Romane territories▪ they were reſtrained in their limited priſon at Euphra…e…. But howſoever this quaternion of Sultans remained not entire till the the time of their looſing, but underwent divers changes: yet the Holy Ghoſt eſteemeth the nation according to the ſtate of the firſt irruption, wherein having paſſed Euphrates, they are bound untill an appointed time.

And thoſe foure Angels were looſed, being prepared for an houre and a day and a month and a yeare, that they might ſlay the third part of men.

This looſing of the Turkes happened a little before the yeare 1300, the Caliphatſhip of Bagdad (with which the firſt Woe utterly expired) being now extinguiſhed by the Tartars in the yeere 1258, and the remnant of the Turkes, who on the other ſide of Euphrates, hitherto raighned in Perſia, being caſt by the ſame (in the yeare 1289) as it were out of a ſ…ng into the countries belouging unto the Romane Empyre on this ſide of Euphrates. p. 112For things thus framing, it happened alſo, that at the ſame time the Latines, who had hindred, and ſtaied the irruptions of the Chap 9.Turkes now almoſt 200. yeares were driven out of Syria and Palestina, in the yeare likewiſe 1291. In the meane time the Turks, although as yet devided into ſeverall provinces, invaded almoſt all the leſ…er Aſia, parted it among themſelves to be poſſeſſed by right of inheritance, and at length uniting themſelves under the ſole conduct of my Oth…man, without any reſtraint, cruelly raged and paſſed over into Europe: ne ther could they any …ore bee reſtrained with any force, untill t…ey had deſtroyed the whole Conſtantinopolitan Empire with miſerable ſlaughters.

But unleſſe I be deceaved, the Oracle deſigneth the time alſo of this overthrow of C…nstantinople: to wit, that it ſhould come to paſſe, a day, a month, and a yeare, that is, 396 yeares af…er the Turkes, the Saracenicall Empire being given them, d…gan to be made ready by God; that is, from the time that B…gdad was taken by them. For this was the beginning of the breaking of the Turks when the Empyre of the Saracens began to be ſubverted, and the dominion of the Romanes to be afflicted; yet ſo as the force of the cvill, was to be reſtrained until the appointed time of ſetting them looſe. Certainly the ſpace of time, agreeth to an inch. For Almachinus the Arabian Hiſtorian, whom we hauehave ſometimes cited, then whom none hath more accurately noted, the moments of times, reporteth that Z…grulbecus Salghucides the Prince of the Turkes (whom we cal Tangrolipix, of the Zelzuc…ian family) the royall city of Bagdad being taken, was clothed with the Imperiall robe, by Caliph… Ca…inus Biamrilla and enſtauled in the kingdome, in the yeare of the Hegira 4.9 that is 1057 of Chriſt, then ſayeth he,, was the kingdome ſtabliſhed to him. From this time therefore the Turkes, having the principall ſeate of the Sarecenicall Empire, with the whole dominion beyond Euphrates are prepared, that after a propheticall day, month and yeare, they ſhould kill the third part of men; that is in the yeare of Chriſt 1453 they ſhould utterly cut of the reſt of the Romane Empire in the Eaſt, the royall city of Conſtantinople being taken. Fro the ſpace from the yeare 1057 to the yeare 1453 wherein Conſtantinople was taken, is prec…ely 396 yeares, whereof the day maketh one, the Month 30, the yeare 365. The exactneſſe of the account is ſuch that any one may eaſily imagine that even the howre (which according p. 113to the proportion of the reſt ſhould make fifteen dayes) agreed in like manner with the event, if the month of the inauguration of Togrulbecus had beene declared, aſ well as in the yeare is. In the meane while, untill that appeare foreign an houre may he taken here, not for th… twentieth part of the day, but for a fit time, and the coniunctionk… (and) to be expounded declaratively as it were foreignprepared for a fit time, to wit, for a day, a month, and a yeare, to ſlay the third part of men. But how many yeares after wardes ſhould runne till the ruine of the Turkiſh kingdome, is no where had: only it is ſaid that it ſhall come to paſſe at the end of the times of the Beaſt; to wit, the ſecond Woe ſhall paſſe, when the third Woe ſhould be at hand for the aboliſhing of the kingdome of the Beaſt chap. 11, v 14.15.

But before I depart hence, I ſhall not unwillingly confeſſe this, that except ſo exact an agreement of the propheſie with the thing done did as it were enforce mee, another interpretation ſhould no way have diſpleaſed mee, to wit, this, that thoſe Angels were prepared and furniſhed for every occaſion whether need ſhall require for an houre, or a day, or a month, or a yeare, to take the matter in hand. But whether it bee like, that ſo accurate anſwering of time, as here the event ſheweth, ſhould have happened by chance, let others judge. Some one perhaps there will be who will make conſcience ſo to thinke.

It followeth of the quality and number of the Armies: And the number, ſaith he, foreign, of the Army of horſemen, were two hundred thouſand, thouſand. Hee …ameth an Army of horſemen, and no other Armies, in the whole deſcription of the plague, as if this enemie from Euphrates ſhould be wholly an Army of Horſemen. Whether becauſe in the Turkiſh warre, the horſemen ſo farre exceed the foote men in number, that this is of no account in reſpect of that? rather (which I beleeve the Holy Ghoſt eſpecially reſpected) becauſe this is the very character, already conſecrated by Ezechiel, of the Nation of Magog, of whom the Turkes are derived. For ſo hee deſcribeth that Nation by warrfare on horſe-back in that famous propheſie concerning Gog (this in the ſame age of Ezekiel was the **R…b. Moſes Bar. Na…hman upon the Pentatench, Gog. ſaith he, is a generall name, by which every Prince of Magog is called the ſame ſaith Iohannes Baptiſta, of a lew becomming a Chriſtian, in the prologue of the ſecond part. Leunclavius in the Pandicts of the Turkiſh H…ſtory, p. 186. Gog at this day by the Turkes is called Giok or K…oc, with one only ſyllabl…: whence Kioc Can, wh…ch otherwhere is Gog Can &c. Gog E…p which alſo is Gug Elp.common name of all the p. 114King of Magog as Pharaoh was of the Aegyptians) Chap. 38. 4. And I will bring thee forth, ſaith he, and all thins army Horſes Chap. 9.and Horſe men, and all of …hem cloth…d with armour. Againe, verſe 15. And thou ſhalt come from thy place out of the Northparts, thou and people with thee, all of them Riders on horſ…s, &c. furthermore, this Gog is called the chiefe Prince of Meſhek and Tubal; That is, who going out of his coaſts commanded both the Armeniaes beyond and on this ſide Euphrates. I comprehend here under the name of the hither Armenia the Capadocians anciently called Meſchim and Moſchi, and where the chiefe towne Mazaca is, afterwards called (aeſarea, and in the ſame Coaſt the Moſchi mountaines, being no obſcure tokens that the Inhabitants are derived from Meſhek. The further or greater Armenia is that which is called at this day Turcomania from the habitation of the Turkes; wherein in time paſt the City Thelbalana was, the Tibarenian and Balbitenian people, the river Teleboas and other marks of the name Tubal. Yet notwithſtanding, the Warre which Ezechiel declareth, is not to be taken for this irruption of the Turkes which Iohn deſcribeth (this only he ſeemeth to intimate) bee underſtood of another the laſt under the returne of the Jews, and that if a man may conjecture, this which now is, ſomething before departing.

But of the type of the Armie of the Horſe-men, there is another thing which with the good leave of the Reader I will adde; but on this condition, that no man thinke mee over much to regard the deceitfulneſſe of names and e…ymologies. Even ſolid and well cooked meates, are wont to taſte more deliciouſly with ſauc…. Let not the Reader therefore diſdaine that I ſet ſuch before him. To wit, that the Turkes before the looſing, now by long habitation have beene Perfians, and by that name called every where in the Byzantine Hiſtorians. Certainely Nicetas, who in a Hiſtory comprehended the moſt part of the time wherein they were reſtrained at Eupbrates, almoſt alwayes calleth them Perſians, verily rarely Turkes. Now the Perſians, if thou marke even by the very ſound of the name, are Harſe men: ſince foreign Paras by which name Perſia is called in ſacred writt (with which Parthia is the ſame, onelyonly otherwiſe Chap. ….pronouned) in the three Eaſterne languages, the Hebrew Chaldean, and Arab…an, dothſignifie a Horſe or Horſe-man p. 115Therefore by this reaſon the Euphratean Horſe-men are Turcoper…ians, that is, the borderers of Euphraces by a nam… of their Nation are called Horſe-men.

Neither doth example of ſuch alluſion (if any ſhall object diſpoſe) ſeeme to bee wanting in Daniel, chapter 8. where the Macedonians, who at that time were called Aegeades (that is to ſay Goatiſh) are ſignified by a type of Goates, and the King is ſet forth by the repreſentation of a hee Goate. Behold, ſaith hee, Hircus Caprarum that is the Male of the Goates) commeth Verſe 5.from the Weſt, &c. for hee meaneth Alexander the great the KING of the Aegeans. They are the Macedonians. For ſo that Nation was called, where the firſt ſeate of the kingdome was, from Caramos the Founder, about two hundred yeares before Daniel. The occaſione of the name the Epitomizor Iuſtinus reporteth out of Trogus lib. 7. whoſe words I will not ſticke to mention. Caranus, ſaith he, with a great multitude of Gr…cians, being commanded by an anſwer of the Oracle to ſeeke places of habitation in Macedonia, when he had com…into Emathia, he poſſeſſed himſelfe of the Citie Aedeſſa, following a ſtocke of Goates flying from a ſhower, the Citizens not perceaving by reaſon of the greatneſſe of the ſhowres and fogge: and calling the Oracle to minde, whereby he was bidden to ſeeke an Empyre by the conduct of Goates, he appointed it the State of the Kingdome; and afterwards religiouſly obſerved, whetherſoever hee removed his Army to have the ſame Goates his enſignes, uſing thoſe as guides for his enterpriſes which he had for authors of his Kingdome. He called the Citie Aedeſſa Aegeas, for memory of the benefit, and the people Aegeans. See the reſt.

Such is the aptnes here, that a man may judge that the type of the Ram alſo in the ſame viſion concerning the King of the Perſians Chap. …. Perſians.hath alluſion to the ſignification of the name Elam (which is the other of the two names whereby that Nation is called) For foreign with the Hebrewes (whence the name foreign a Ram) and foreign and foreign which the Chaldeans ſignifie the ſame, to wit, For…em ſ…n rebuſtu…ſſe.to be valiant or ſtrong. Happily therfore foreign Elam with thoſe ſounded as foreign a Ram with theſe, and thereupon the K. of Elam is figured to Daniel in this type. Howſoever it be, when the matter it ſelfe is confirmed otherwiſe, ſuch agreement of names with the type cannot but bee a godly ſolace to thoſe that ſtuddie thoſe p. 116things; whether wee beleeve it to have happened by chance or otherwiſe. And theſe things by the way.

Now againe I returne into the way to the Euphratean Horſemen: the number of whom is, ſaith hee; foreign, Verſe 16.two hundred thouſand, thouſand. Some read it foreign, Duaemyriades my…adum. Cu…rnum Dei dua …yriades, w…ll a d…p i…t.leaving out foreign as Cha. 5. 11. But a huge multitude is ſignified as Pſal. 68. 18. The Chariots of the Lord are twenty thouſands, thouſands, thouſands. For foreign or foreign is of thoſe numerall words, which in the Hebraiſme are wont to bee taken indefinitely, as Sexcenti with the Latines; and doth expreſſe not a number of tenne thouſand, but any great one whatſoever; eſpecially when it is ſo doubled, as is to bee ſeene Daniel 7. 10. But there is no man ignorant how great and how immenſe: the armyes of the Turkes in their expeditions have beene, and at this day are wont to be.

And I heard ſaith he, the number of them. For indeed it might bee demanded, whence the number could appeare unto Iohn, as which was impoſſible for him to account in a viſion. I heard ſaith he. The like is to be eſteemed to come to paſſe in other viſions alſo, as often as any thing is declared which could not be expreſſed in a viſion; to wit, that the Apoſtle was inſtructed therein by voyce.Chap. 9.

It followeth concerning their ammunition: And ſo I ſaw, Verſe … ▪ſaith he, the Horſes in appearance, and thoſe that ſa…e upon them, having (even) Brestplates of fire, of Iacinct, and of brimſtone, and the heads of the Horſes as the Heads of Lions, and as it we…e fire ſmoake, and brimſtone iſſued out of their mouthes; by which the third part of m…n was killed.

No where in any of the Prophets, or other where in ſacred writ doth ſuch like repreſentation of fire, Iacinthian ſmoak; and brimſtone offer itſelfe. Wherefore I take it according to the letter, of that new kinde of inſtruments of war, and before this Trumpet never heard of, which theſe Euphrat…an enemies ſhould uſe after their looſing: I meane gunnes ſending forth fire, ſmoak and brimſtone. For Gun-powder is a powder caſting out fire, with Iacinthlan ſmoke, the ſubſtance being ſulphurous. Which who ſo do… uſe in warre, appeare unto their enemies, as if they were covered as it were with fiery Iacinthian, and ſulphurous Habergions, in reſpect of the ayre, corrupted with fire, ſmoake, and ſulphurous p. 117ſmell: by reaſon of which, the heads of the Horſes alſo ſeeme dreadfull and terrible, as it were of Lions. Hence it is that Io… ſaith, …e ſaw horſes and horſemen, not indeed, but in appearance ſuch; I ſay, in appearance foreign, not indeed, having breſt-plates of fire, jacinth, and brimſtone; in appearance, having heads like Lions, to conclude, in appearance, not indeed, there came forth o… of the horſes mouthes, fire, ſmoake, and brimſtone; for that the thing is wont to appeare ſo to the beholders on the adverſe part. This is the force of foreign in appearance, which twi…e in this ſence is uſed in the fourth chap. ver. 3. foreign, like a Ia…per ſtone to looke upon, and a Chap. 9,Raine-bow like an E…rald to looke upon. Neither is that word to bee found in the New Teſtament, any other where except once o…ly.

By theſe three, fire, ſmoake, and brimſtone iſſuing out of guns, Verſe 9.he addeth, that the third part of men are killed, that is, they which were of that third part of men, whom wee called the Roman Empire. Neither is it neceſſary here of elſe-where, whre mention is of a third part, that the whole third part be underſtood, but to be taken partitively. Examples offer themſelves as well in this book as elſewhere in the Scripture of ſuch an Ellipſis of a word partitive: as Iudges 12. 7. Iephte was buried in the Cities of Gilead, that is, in one of the Cities. And Rev. 17. 16. The tenne hornes ſhall hate the whore, that is ſome of them. So the third part of men was killed (foreign) that is they which were of the third part.

Who knoweth not that this was abundantly fulfilled in the overthrow of Conſtantinople? was not that moſt noble City, the head of the third part of men, conquered and given up to an univerſall ſlaughter by theſe engines caſting forth fire? Here Chalcocondylas. Mechmetes, ſaith he, in the expedition againſt Byzanti…m, cauſed great gunnes to be made, ſuch as we never kne… to have beene …efore that time—thoſe …ee diſperſed every where through his Army, that they might ſ…oote bullets againſt the Grecians—One of which was of that greatneſſe, that it was to be drawen by 70 yoke of O…en, and two thouſand men—to this on either ſide two ot…er great o…es alſo were adjoyned either of which ſhot… ſtone, the w…ight wh…reof was halfe a tallent—that admirable peece of ord…ance followed them, which carried a bullet which weighed about three tallents, and did throw downe a great part of the w…ll—the …undering p. 116duplicate page p. 117duplicate page p. 118whereof is reported to have binn ſo greate, that the country Chap 9adjoyning for 40 furlongs diſtance was ſhake…, this peece of …rdinance by day did ſhoot… ſeven bullets, in the night one, which was a ſigne of day, and did ſhew in what place the bullets ſhould be caſt forth that day. He which deſireth. To know more and how gunnes were vſed in the beſieging of the City by ſea, and how the walls being ſhaken with ordinance by the ſpace of 40 dayes at length fell downe, and how Longe the Captayne of the Ge…ales with his ſouldiers being beatne with the bullets of the gunnes quitted there place, and made way for the Turkes into the City, lett him have recource to Chalcocoudylas himſelfe. Morover of the ſame he may learne, that the Peloponeſian ſtreight was alſo concured with the ſame armes, by Amurath this Mechmetes his Father, and the Pelqueneſians brought to obedience and by Mechmets himſelfe were wholley ſubdued, preſently after the taking of Conſtantinople Corinthus alſo being conqureed by this manner of ordinance.

To this of their weapos is added another thing concerning the nature of the horſes and horſemen. That their power was not in … 9.their mouth only (of which hither vntounto) but alſo in their tayles. For their tayles were like ſerpents, having heads by which they doe hurte. That is, the ſame which before hath binne ſaid of the Saracens, is true alſo of the Turkes. To wit, that they brought deſtruction where they came, not onelyonly by hoſtile force, but alſo by the trayne of their Mahammedan impoſture. Whence it is that theſe are noe leſſe ſerpents in their tayle, then the Saracein…all L…uſts. whoſe religion they receaved. but that one kind of ſerpentine tayle is attributed to theſe, and another to them, that ariſeth from the naturall diverſity of the ſhape of both, the Locuſts and horſes; whereupon a ſharpe tayle of Seorpions to thoſe, but Chap. 9.to theſe tayles with ſerpentine heades did beſte agree.

But the reſt of the men which were not killed with theſe plagues ve…. 20.(or which eſcaped theſe plagues) repented not of the workes of their hands, that they ſhould not worſhip Devils, and idolls of golde, and ſilver, and braſle, and ſtone, and wood, which neyther … ſee, nor heare, nor walke. &c.

But who theſe may be, it wilbe no hard matter to gather; ſince in the whole Roman… Empire, or on this ſide Euphrates there are none now which worſhip Images (O ſhamefull and grivous!) but p. 119chriſtians. Muſt it not needs be then that the very ſame worſhip Divells, alſo ſince both is aſcribed to the ſame in this place, But what Devills then thou wilt ſay? Shurely not thoſe which they themſelves hold for vncleane ſpirits, and ſo call them (for what chriſtian wittingly and willingly would worſhip ſuch?) but thoſe Demone, which by the heathen theologiſts) were vnderſtood by this name Damonia; I meane Deaſtri conſecrated men dei…yed? ſee Hiſiod foreign Vers. 121.? in ſimpoſi…by the names both of Angells and of dead men, as it were mediators betwenne God and men foreign ſayeth Plato, foreign Devils, are of a midle nature betweene the Gods and mortall men. Likewiſe foreign God hath noe ſociety with man, but all comunion and conference of Gods with men is by mediation of ſpirits, or Devills. The ſame the other Platoniſts and the moſt philoſaphers of other ſects, except the Epicurians doe hold. I will only rite the words of Apuleius, where in the de Dhmonio ſocratisopinion of Plato and the reſt is fully and perſpicuouſly contayned. Devills, ſayth he are meane powers by whom both our deſiers and Let the Redet ſee Auſtin de civit, dei lib 8. ct 9.merits have acceſſe, to the Gods carriers betweene mortall men, and thoſe that dwell in heaven, hence of prayers, hence of gifts; which carry hither and thither, thence petitions, thence ſupplies, or certeyne interpreters or bearers of recomendations. Neither, Chap. 9.ſayth he, will it ſtand with the majeſty of the heavenly Gods, to take care of theſe thinges. Doubtles they had two ſorts of Gods; heavenly who were continually reſident in heaven, and would not abaſe them…ſelves to theſe earthly things, nor be defiled with the thought of them; theſe propperly and ſingulerly were called Gods: others Divells, who being as it were mediating divine power, & miniſters of the heavenly and chife Gods, had the overſight Daemonesof humane affayers Thoſe the holy cripture (if I conjecture rightly) calleth the hoaſte of heaven; theſe (eſpecyally thoſe that you …y ſee Hiero… vponupon 22 chap. of Ezech. likewiſe vponupon Ho… chap. 2. and vponupon Eſay. 46. Demonem vers. 5. 13.Isa 46they made of dead men) Baales of all the kinge of the Babilonians or Aſyrians, or in the Cald… pronunciation, Bel, who firſt was conſecrate by his for a Devil. whence after it came to paſſe that ſuch divine powers were called Baalim, that is, Baales; as Baal… peor, Baal-berith, Baal-zebub, Baal-melach (…er 19) even as from the firſt Emperor Julius Caſaer, the other Romane Emperors afterwards are called Caeſars.

p. 120But how this doctrine of Divels, agreeth with the worſhipping of Saints and Angels by the counterfeit-chriſtians, the thing it D…mon….ſelfe ſpeaketh: with this only difference, that with them there were many ſupreame or heavenly Gods; with us there is only one the Father of all. And truly there ought to be but one mediator alſo, our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, but that the falſe prophets have brought in more like the heathen D…mones. Plainely according to what Pa…l hath propheſied 1 Tim. 4. 1. 2, 3. That it ſhould come to paſſe in the latter times, by the hypocriſie of falſe ſpeakers faining lyes of De…ſtrorum.miracles, and through countorfeit holineſſe of the Monkes abſtaining from marriage and meates, by reaſon of their …ow: that foreign, that is, this doctrine of Divels ſhould be brought back againe into the world. The interpretation will aptly ſerve if thou take the ginitive foreign paſſively, that it may be the doctrine concerning devils as heb. 6. 2. foreign &c. The doctrine of baptiſme, the doctrine of lying on of handes. For ſurely that, foreign, by the hypocrocy of falſe teachers, and what followeth, that the order of conſtruction maybe ſafe it is expounded by the government of to ſubſtantives, foreign the prepoſition ſetting forth the in…trument and cau…e… which according to the Hebrew phraſe is familiar) But I have declared this more at large in another place in a peculiar tracte, neither is it my minde here to repeate it.

Of the third w…e Trumpet. OR The ſound of the 7. trumept.

The viſion of the ſixt trumpet being ended (for there is on Chap. 10. Yer…e. 1. 2.only viſion of one trumpet, even as of the ſeales and vialls) the next place in order of things was due to the ſound of the ſeventh, which notwithſtanding being put of to the prophecie of the little booke to which the ſpirit of God is now to paſſe: leſt any thing Ve…ſe. 6.in the meane ſpace on his part ſhould be wanting to the fulfilling of the prophecie of the …eales now to be ended, he ſupplyeth the cour… of the trumpets ſound w^ch was to be deterred with an oath wherein the event of the trumpet is ſhewed at leaſt in generall. To Yer…e, ….wit that it ſhall come to paſ…e, when that Angel ſhall ſound that the Romane Beaſte being deſtroyed, the times of the laſt head being come to an end, the myſtery of God ſhalbe finiſhed, as he p. 121hath declared to his ſervants the prophets. For ſo, long agoe, it was foretold to Daniell, that the fourth Beaſt being ſlayne, the Chap. 10.king of the ſaints ſhould rule through the whole world (c.7.) and together that glorious promiſe of reſtoring Iſrael ſhould be fulfilled (chap. 12.) But that this Kingdome is it which hee called the finiſhing of the myſtery of God, that acclamation ſubjoyned to the ſame Trumpet afterward ſounding, ſuffereth us not to doubt: the Kingdomes of this world are become our Lords and his Chriſts, and he ſhall ra…gne for evermore: That it is wonder, that there are any Cha. 11. v. 15.who ſhould underſtand it otherwiſe. Therfore that time, of which the Angell here ſweareth, that it ſhall be no more, cannot be any Verſe 6.other, then either the time of the foure Monarchies univerſally, or (which is more neere but the ſame in effect) of the laſt Kingdom; that is, the Roman, to wit, the laſt period, of a time, times, and halfe a time: ſince the ſame which here with Iohn is ſaid ſhall be, when time ſhall be no more; that with Daniel was ſhewed ſhould bee then, when that period of the laſt times ſhall be accompliſhed.

And ſurely this conſummation of the myſterie of God is the matter of the ſeventh Trumpet: to which are added as companions ſeven thunders. For they are not the matter it ſelfe which the Trumpet doth exhibit, but a temporary thereof. To wit while the Angell maketh his proclamation concerning the myſterie of the Trumpet, ſeven thunders utter their voyces. He cried, ſaith Verſ… 3.he, with a great voyce, as a Lion roareth; and when hee had cryed, ſeven thunders uttered their voices: that is, when he had begun his cry, ſeven thunders alſo began to ſpeake. Neither can they but contemporize with the ſeventh Trumpet, ſince that which followeth the ſixth Trumpet, neceſſarily falleth into the ſeventh. But what is this voyce of thunder? whether is it foreign Bath Kol? If it bee this; the ſeven thunders are ſo many Oracles, by which the ſpace of the ſeventh Trumpet is diſtinguiſhed as it were by certaine periods; but of a matter not at all to be knowne, nor to bee perceaved but in the proper times, which the prohibition to Iohn of writing the voyces of the ſeven thunders given from heaven, doth intimate. Seale up th…ſe things which the ſeven thunders have Verſe 4.ſpoken, and write them not. We ſhall therefore enquire in vaine of thoſe things which God would have kept ſecret and to be reſerved for their owne times.

And thus hath the ſeventh Trumpet beene fitly enough accommod…ted p. 122in its place and order, although the diſcoverie of the ſound thereof wherein the whole myſterie is fully unlockt, be reſerved Chap. 10.to another place. The purpoſe of which reſervation, with the whole frame of ſuch diſpoſition, although it be touched in the Key of the Revelation, yet it will be neither needleſſe, nor unprofitable, to repeate it here againe, and a little more at large; ſince the conſideration thereof doth eſcape moſt of the interpreters. The diligent contemplation of the body of the Apocaliptique viſions fra…ed by the characters of the Synchroniſmes, gave me the firſt light here, and will give light to thee ò Reader alſo except I be deceaved. But the matter (that I may diſcover it with what plainneſſe and brevitie of ſpeech I came) ſtandeth thus.

Both propheſies as well of the Seales, as of the little Booke are concluded with one and the ſame iſſue of things; to wit with that which the ſeventh Trumpet doth exhibit. For the declaring whereof the Holy Ghoſt hath deferred the more full opening of the ſound thereof, the myſterie of the ſeventh Trumpet, being touched before in its proper place in the order of the Trumpets lightly, and as much as was there needfull; untill, a paſſage being made to the new propheſie of the Little book, (Chap. 10. from the eighth verſe to the end) he had drawne up the firſt viſion thereof, the courſe of the Revelation being likewiſe finiſhed, to the ſame iſſue of things (Chap. 11. 14.) and then that Myſterie of the ſeventh Trumpet, the common Cataſtrophe of both propheſies, and only generally publiſhed, in the former propheſie (which was of the ſeal…s) is here, the ſound at length being uttered, fully expounded: and that ſurely in a moſt apt order; when as otherwiſe without a fore-knowledge of either prophe…ie, that which depended upon both could not have bin underſtood.

And hence it commeth to paſſe that the buſineſſe of that tranſlation, is not taken in hand, by any Angell o… the Trumpets, but b… that great and excellent Angell, who held in his hand the Little booke the Symbole of the ſecond propheſie, which was preſently Verſe 8, 9.to be eaten by Iohn. For it was requiſite for him, who ſhould reveale the ſecond propheſie, that the explaining of the ſound thereof, whic… contained the Catast…ophe of either propheſie, ſhould be deferred thither. Yea if that Angell bee Chriſt the Lord, as it ſeemeth may be gathered by his more royall attyre and the whole …rniture, this right of ſuſpending the laſt ſounding in favour of p. 133the other propheſie, doth agree to none ſo much as to him, who Chap. 10.was the Author of both the propheſies. Hitherto truely hee had appeared in forme of a Lambe; but now it ſeemeth he had put on the perſon of an Angell: for that he was about to reveale to Iohn the ſame myſterie of Conſummation, which hee had revealed long before to Daniel in the ſame appar…tion of an Angell, and in the ſame rite and words of an oath: you may ſee DANIEL Chapter 12. verſe 6. 7. with the fifth verſe of the tenth Chap…er.

FINIS.

p. 1THE INTERPRETATION of the little Booke: or of the other Syſtem of the viſions of the Revelation according to the rule of the Apocaliptique Key.