Matthew Poole and continuators on Revelation 7:1

AND after these things , I saw four an[illegible: 1 letter]gels standing on the four corners of the earth , holding the four winds of the earth , that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree .

The first Sufferings of the Church under the Roman Emperors that were Pagans, was fore-told under the first six Seals, as hath been shewed, but they had yet more, if not greater things to suffer, which are discovered to Iohn, as we shall see when we come to the opening of the Seventh and last Seal in the next chapter; only it pleaseth God by a Vision in this chapter to comfort his Church; so as tho this Vision relateth to the sixth Seal, and was before the opening of the seventh, yet it hath a relation to that, to shew the care that God would take of his Church under those great Evils that should happen upon the opening of the seventh Seal; or when the things fore-told upon the opening of it, should come to be accomplished.

Four good Angels, God is called their God, v. 3.

That is, to whom God had given it in charge, that they should inflict his Judgments upon all the parts of the Earth; for God often useth, by his Prophets, the Metaphor of Winds, to express stormy, troublesome Dispensations, as Jer. 49.36. & 18.17. & ch. 51.1.

This Phrase is interpreted variously, God making use of the Winds in a way of Judgment, to throw down Buildings and Trees. 2. In a way of Mercy, to purifie the Air, and by their gentle Breathings to cherish things. Some interpret this Command to the Angels, into a Command to these Angels to forbear a while those Storms of Judgment which were coming, till the Servants of God should be sealed. Others interpret them into a Command to bring Judgments, either corporal or spiritual, which they think is signified by the Winds not blowing. The first seemeth to be favoured by the the next Verse, To whom it was given to [illegible: 2 letters]rt the Earth, and the Sea; which seemeth to me to interpret the blowing mentioned in this Verse, of an hurtful blowing.

The Earth, the Sea, and the Trees, seem to signifie all the sub[illegible: 1 letter]unary World, especially the Church.