n I doubt not but by Fire here, is to be underſtood the Wrath of God, often in Holy Writ compared to Fire, poured out upon the Roman Empire, or the viſible Church. o Upon which followed great Judgments, and Confuſions, and Tumults, expreſſed here, or uſher- ed in as before, Chap. 6.1. with Thunderings ; which being here ="ug generally mentioned, are by and by more particularly expref-
ed
6 And the ſeven angels which had the ſeven trum-
pets, prepared themſelves to ſound p.
þ The Angels are God's Miniſters by which he bringeth his Coun- ſeis to paſs in the World: they hearing the Thunders and Voices, knew the time was come when they were to begin the Execution of God's Judgments upon the Earth, intruſted to them, and are there- fore ſet out (though they be always ready ) after the manner of Men, preparing themſelves to execute what God had intruſted them with the Execution of.
7 And the firſt angel ſounded 9, and there follow- ed hail and fire mingled with Blood, and they were caſt upon the earth 7, and the third part of trees were burnt up /, and all green graſs was burnt UP. | A The firſt of the ſeven Angels to whom the ſeyen Trumpets were grven, verſe 2, began to execute his Commiſſion. x The conſequent of which were Xailand Fire mingled with Blood caſt upon the Earth: By which ſome underſtand the PrimitiveChurches Perſecutions by the Jews, and the Heathen Emperors ( but theſe were over.) Some un- derſtand God's Revenge upon the jews, but this alſo was taken ſome Hundreds of years ſince, Some underſtand unſeaſonable Weather in many parts of the World ( but we read nothing like this in Hiſtory. ) Some underſtand Conteſts happening in the Church; others under- ſtand Hereſies : But I cannot but rather agree with the Reverend Mr. Mede, who expounds it of great Troubles, and Blood, and Slaughter which ſhould happen ; and think that this Prophecy began to be ful- filled about the Death of Theodoſius, 395. For in this very year ( aith he) Alaricus the King of the Goths brake into Macedonia, with a great Army, went into Theſſalia, and ſo into Achaia, Pelyponeſiuus, Co- rinth, Argos, Sparta, burning, waſting, and ruining all places; and ſo went on till the year 400, they fell upon the Weſtern Empire, and committed the ſame Outrages in Dalmatia and Hungary ; then went into Stiria and Carinthia, thence into T7taly, and to Venice. Afffter this, in the year 404 theſe barbarous Nations invaded Taly, and took divers Places. In the year 405 the Vandals and Alans, with many others, invaded France, Spain, and Africa ; all which he proveth from the Teſtimony of Hierom, Ep. 3. 11. This he judgeth the Ef- fe& of the firſt Angel's ſounding, and to have been fignified by the Hail and Fire mingled with Blood, conſonant to other Scriptures, Iſa. chap. 28. 2. compareth Salmanaſſar to a Storm of Hail : And Iſa. 30. 30. he ſo likeneth the Ruin to come upon the Aſſyrians. ſ By the Trees burnt up, are ( faith he ) the great and rich Men to be un- derſtood ordinaryy in Scripture compared to Trees, 1/a. 2. 13. and 14.8, Zech. 11.2. And by the green Herbs, the ordinary com- mon People. Thus he judgeth the Effe&s of this firft Trumpet's ſounding, to have been determined in 15 years, viz. from 395 to 419,
$ And. the ſecond angel ſounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was caſt into the” ſea 7, and the third part of the ſex became blood z.
t There is a great variety of Senſes alſo about this Mountain of Fire caſt into the Sea. Some by it underſtand things happening in Fudea; but this had been not to have ſhewed Zohn the Tings which ſhould be, but which had been. Others will have the Devil under- ſtgod : Others, the Power of the Roman Empire : Others, ſome great War ſtirred up amongſt People :-Others, ſome notable Hereſie or Heretick: Others, ſome famous Perſons in the Church : But I moſt like Mr. Mede's Notion again here, who underſtands by this Moun- tain Rome, the Seat of the Weſtera Empire; great Cities being cal- led Mountains in Scripture-Phraſe, Iſa. 37. 24. Fer. $I. 25. u This Phraſe ſpeaks only the great Effuſion of Blood upon the taking of Rome by its Enemies. . 7 }
9 And the third part of the creatures which were in the ſea, and had lite, died; and the third parr of the
{hips were deſtroyed wv.
w Phraſes, all ſignifying the miſerable Cataſtrophe that ſhould |
follow the Deſtruction of this City by the: Slaughter of Men, the Ruin of Houſes and Towns in Ttaly, &. Hiſtory (as Mr. Mede ſheweth ) excellently agreeth with this. In the year 410, Rome. was taken by Alaricus ; this was followed with great Devaſtation both in France and Spain. Hnorius, to recover the Empire, was glad to give the Goths a Seat and Government in France, and the Burgundians and Vandals a Place near unto the River Rhoan ; and 415, to the » Vandals a Place in Spain; and 455, Rome was again taken by Gen- Jericits the Vandal, who divided the whole Empire into Ten King- doms; That of the Britains, ruled by Vortimer, 2 The Saxons, ruled by FRenzi8t, 3. The Franks, ruled by Childerich. 4. The Burgundian, ruled by Gundericus, $. The Wiſogoths, ruled by Theo- aorics It. 6. The Alans and Syev!, ruled by Riciarius. 4. The Fandals, ruled by Gen{ericzs, 8. The Germans, ruled by Sumanus.
REVELATION.
| was given the key of * the bottomleſs pit.c.
9. The Oftrogoths, ruled by Theodemerics. 10. The Grecians, ruled by Marciams. This is the Sum of what MrMede ſaith, and to this _— - Time betwixt 410, and 455, the ſecond Trumpet ſeemeth o relate.
io And the third angel ſounded, and there fell a great ſtar from heaven x, burning as it were a lamp y, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters }.
x Stars, in their metaphorical Notion, fignifie ſome eminent Perſons in the State, or in the Church ; accordingly Interpreters are divided in their Senſes ; ſoine thinking that it is meant of a Political Star, ſome eminent civil Governour, an apply it to Ceſar Auguſtulis, who, about the year 480, was forced to give over the Empire, by Odeacer ; of him Mr. Mede underſtands this Prophecy. Others underſtand it of ſome Eccleſiaſtical Star, who apoſtatized, and apply it to Pelagius;, I do rather incline to thoſe, who apply it to ſome Eccleſiaſtical Star ; and Pelagius might be pointed at, as probably as any other in theſe times; y for he was a great Profeſſor,
- - Bs as a Lamp ; and he did corrupt a great part of the wrch.