Matthew Poole and continuators on Revelation 16:10

10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast ; and his kingdom was full of darkness , and they gnawed their tongues for pain .

The fifth of the seven Angels mentioned, v. 1. by which, as was said, is to be understood the instruments which God will use gradually to destroy the Papacy. The fifth Rank of Persons, whom God will imploy in the Execution of this his Purpose, by his Acts of Providence.

Shall execut[illegible: 1 letter] God's Wrath upon the City of Rome it self, wholly destroying the Papacy in their Power.

Upon which his whole Kingdom shall be full of the Darkness of Misery, Trouble, and Affliction (Darkness was one of the Plagues of Egypt.)

And they shall be full of Calamities, like Men in so much Pain, that they bite their own Tongues for Pain. When this shall be God alone knows; I think, and Experience hath proved, that they were much too hasty in their Speculations, that prophesied it should be 1656, or 1660, or 1666. For my own part, I do not believe it will be before 1866, or betwixt that and the year 1900. The Determination of it depends upon the right fixing of the Epocha, or beginning of the 42 Months, or 1260 prophetical Days, which I think most probably fixed upon the year 606 or (according to Mr. Stephens his Notion) 666, which, according to the Iulian Account, is the same (See the Note on ch. 13.18.)