n Acknowledging, that for this God deſerved to be worſhipped and ſerved by all the VVorld ; 0 becauſe of his Holineſs much ſeen in the Juſtice and Truth af his VVays ; p Geclaring their Faith and Hope that now all Nationsſhould own and acknowledge Chriſt, and be ſubje& unto him. qg Now that his Judgments upon Antichriſt, _ _ Juſtice in all his Diſpenſations, was made ſo evident to the
'Vorld.
5 And after that 1 looked, and behold, the * tem- ple of the tabernacle of the teſtimony in heaven was opened 7 -
7 Here is a plain Alluſion to the Jewiſh Tabernacle or Temple, in which was the holy Place, and the Holy of Hlies : into the latter the High-Prieft only entered. There were kept in the Ark the two Tables of God's Law, often called the Teſtimonies of God. From this Tabernacle of Teſtimony proceeded God's Oracles; there God aye Anſwers from the Mercy-ſeat,and therefore in the Book of Kings it is called the Oracle. The Senſe ſome put upon this, 15s, That God here ſhewed unto his Prophet the Liberty that ſhould be after the downfal of Antichriſt, to preach the Goſpel. But in this ſenſe it muſt bean Anticipation of what orderly ſhould have come 1n after the pouring out of the Vials : I had rather underſtand it of God's being now about to give out an Anſwer to his Peoples Prayers for a Deliverance from the Tyranny of Antichriſt, as the place called the Oracle in the Jewiſh Temple was opened when the High-Prieſt had been inquiring of God, to give an Account of the Anſwer he had.
6 And the ſeven angels / came out of the temple 7z,
having the ſeven plagues z, cloathed in pure and
* Ch.1.x3, White linaen, and * having their breaſts girded with
golden girdles o,
{ The ſeven Miniſters of God's Vengeance on Antichriſt, to whom the Vials were given. #t That is, out of the Tabernacle of the Teſti- many; for in Moſes his Tabernacle, there was only this inward Court for the Prieſts, (the People worſhipped without) They came (as the High-Prieſt was wont) out of the Orac!/e, to bring God's Anſwer to all his Saints Prayers, u The Anſwer was, ſeven Plagues, that 15, thit God had imploycd them to bring ſeyen Plagues ſucceffively up- on the Antichriſtian Party, and all the Enemies of his Church, till by them they ſhould be conſumed. w Theſe Angels came in the habit of High-Pricſts, when they went 1n to inquire of God, or came out with an Anſwer from God.
7 And one of the four beaſts x gave unto the ſeven angels y, ſeven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liverh tor ever and ever 2.
x One of thoſe four Beaſts round about the Throne, ch. 4. 6. y The ſeven Angels mentioned, ver.6. 2 A Vial 1s a plain Pot or G!ak with a wide Mouth, uſed to drink in ; theſe were full of the Wrath of God, who liveth for ever. The meaning is no more than that the ſeven Anzels before-mentioned, were commitonated from God, by one Plague after another, to bring Antichriſt to his ruine,
8 And * the temple a was filled with ſmoke b from the glory of God, and from his power c, and no man was able to enter into the temple, rill the ſeven
plagues of the ſeven angels were fulfilled d. .
a That is, the Church (as Temple moſt ordinarily fignifieth in this Book.) b By Smoke, doubtleſs, is meant Confuſjons and Trou- bles, c cauſed by God's glorious. Manifeſtation of his Power, 1n bringing Antichriſt to ruine, who had fo twiſted his Intereſt with that of the Civil Magiſtracy in ſeveral Kingdoms, that there was no rootinz'him out, without a terrible ſhaking of all thoſe parts of the Earth, where he ſet his Foot ; d ſo as no part of the Church could be at reſt until God had fulfilled his Ruine by theſe Plagues : ner muſt any quiet ſtate of the Church be expeRted, until this great VVork be effeRed.
REVELATION.
CHAT. av
The Angels pour out the Vials of God's Wresth, t. The firſt upon the Earth, followed with a grievous Sore upon them that had the Mark of the Beaſt, 2,3. The ſecond upon the Sea, and every ltving Soul therein died, 3. The third upon the Rivers, which become Blood 4 The Righteouſneſs of God is praiſed, $——8. The fourth poured into the Sun, and ſ.orching Blaſphemers, 8, 9. The fifth upm the Seat of the Beaſt, filling his Kingdom with Darkneſs, 10, 11. The ſixth upon the great River Euphrates, drying up the Waters thereof, 12. Three unclean Spirits like Frogs appear, 13. Chriſt cometh as a Thief, and every one exhorted to watch, 15. The ſeventh Vial Pour- ed into the Air, it is finiſhed, 179. Thunders and Lightnings, the great City drvided, Babylon cometh into remembrance, 18, 19. Men blaſpheme God becauſe of the Plagues, 21.
God having ſhewed unto his Servant John in the Viſion of the firſt ſix Seals, the Fate of the Church under the Pagan Emperors of Rome, chap. 5, 5. and its Fate under Antichriſt, 7 the Viſion of the ſix firſt 1rumpets under the ſeventh Seal;ch.8.9. and diverted him by the Viſion of the little Book opened,ch.10. and by the Contents of it, ch. 12, 13, 14. and inſtruited him concerning the Afffairs of the Church, during all the time of the Reign of the Dragon and Antichriſt who waz the image of the Dragon, comes now 10 in:- ftrutt him particularly, how and by what means he would rume Antichritt,and reſtore peace to bisChurch,
N D I heard a great voice out of the temple a,
[ \ ſaying to the ſeven angels, Go your ways, and
pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth b.
a Either out of the Church Triumphant, Chriſt the Head of it, commanding the Executioners of his Juſtice to go and do their Office : Or out of the Church Militant, by their Prayers ſoliciting God te execute Vengeance upon the Beaſt. b All the Beaſts Ter-
ritories, or the ſeveral parts of his Kingdom, are expreſſed in this