Matthew Poole and continuators on Revelation 8

1 AND when he had opened the seventh seal , there was silence in heaven c about the space of half an hour .

That is, the Lamb mentioned, chap. 5.7. who took the Book out of the Hand of him who sate upon the Throne, the Book of God's Counsels, and had now revealed mysteriously to John what should come to pass (under all the Pagan Emperors) to the Church of Christ, until the time of Constantine the Great, who (as was said) about the year 325 had setled the Christian Religion, and shut up all the Idols Temples, having conquered the Apostate Licinius.

He cometh now to open the seventh Seal, that is, to reveal to John what should be in the succeeding time of the Church to the end of the World. But before the great Evils should break out, which were to come to pass in this time, there was in the Church a Rest

for a small time; for whom the year 317 (when Constantine bare the greatest sway in the Empire) [illegible: 1 letter]r 325, when he had got a full Victory over Licinius, the Church had a great Peace for a little time, till 339, when the Empire being divided, and Constantius having the Eastern part, and Constans the Western (both Sons of Constantine) Constantius being an Arrian ▪ (who denied the Godhead of Christ) began again to persecute the Christians; and after him Iulian, who apostatized to Paganism. But after him they had a little further respite to the year 395▪ when Theodosius died, and the Christians Quiet died with him. I rather chuse to interpret this thus; than with those who understand the Silence in Heaven, of a Silence in the third Heavens, in Allusion to the Jewish Order; who, tho they sung during the time of the Sacrifice, and played upon Instruments of Musick all that time, yet kept silence while the Incense was offering. For (as divers have noted) it seemeth hard to judge, that in this Revelation there should be no mention of that▪ short Truce which the Church had during the Reign of Constantine, and for a small time after.

2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God , and to them were given seven trumpets

The seven mentioned hereafter, which bl[illegible: 1 letter]w with the Trumpets.

For we presently read, that seven Trumpets were given to them. Trumpets were used to call the People together, to proclaim Festivals, and in War. The use of these Trumpets we shall hereafter read, which was to proclaim the Will and Counsels of God, as to things to come.

3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer , and there was given unto him much incense , that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints, upon the golden altar , which was before the Throne.

By this Angel I understand Christ; (as do many very valuable Authors) nor, indeed, can what is said of this Angel agree to any other but him, who is called an Angel, Gen. 48.16. and the Angel of the Covenant, Mal. 3.1.

Here is a manifest Allusion to the Order in the Jewish Worship, they had an Altar of Incense, Exod. 30.1. upon which the High-Priest was to burn Incense every Morning and Evening, v. 7, 8. Whilst the Priest was burning Incense, as appears, Luk. 1.10. the People were without, praying. Christ is here represented as having a Golden Censer. The High-Priest's Censer amongst the Jews was of Brass; but he was a more excellent High-Priest.

By which is meant the infiniteMerit of his Death,

to be offered up by himself (who is the Golden Altar▪) with the Prayers of all his Saints. By all this Christ is represented to us, as interceding for his Saints that were to live after this time, during all the Troubles that were immediately to begin, and to follow on, during the Reign of Antichrist.

Marginal references: Or, add it to the Prayers.; Chap. 5.8.

4 And the smoke of the incense which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God, out of the angels hand .

This only denotes the Acceptableness of Christ's Intercession, and God's Peoples Prayers, through the Vertue of that Intercession unto God.

5 And the angel took the censer, and [illegible: 1 letter]illed it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth : and there were voices, and thunderings▪ and lightnings, and an earthquake .

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.

Upon which followed great Judgments, and Confusions, and Tumults, expressed here, or ushered in as before, ch. 6.1. with Thunderings; which being here more generally mentioned, are by and by more particularly expressed.

Marginal references: Chap. 16.18.

6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets, prepared themselves to sound .

The Angels are God's Ministers by which he bringeth his Counsels 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; the Execution of which was intrusted to them, and are therefore 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 , and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they wer[illegible: 1 letter] cast upon the earth , and the third part of trees were burnt up , and all green grass was burnt up.

The first of the seven Angels to whom the seven Trumpets were given, ch. 8. v. 7. began to execute his Commission.

The consequent of which were Hail and Fire mingled with Blood cast upon the Earth: By which some understand the primitive Churches Persecutions by the Jews, and the Heathen Emperors (but these were over.) Some understand 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 understand 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 fulfilled about the Death of Theodosius, 395. For in this very year (saith he) Alaricus the King of the Goths brake into Macedonia, with a great Army went into Thessalia, and so into Ac[illegible: 1 letter]aia, Pelopon[illegible: 1 letter]sus, Corinth, Argos, Sparta, burning, wasting, and ruining all places; and so went on till the year 400, then fell upon the Eastern Empire, and committed the same Outrages in Dalmatia and Hungary; then went into Stiria and Bavaria, thence into Italy, and to Venice. After this, in the year 404 these barbarous Nations invaded Italy, and took divers Places. In the year 406 the Vandals and Alans, with many others invaded France, Spai[illegible: 1 letter], and Africa; all which he proveth from the Testimony of Hierom Ep. 3.11. This he judgeth the Effect of the first Angel's sounding, and to have been signified by the Hail and Fire mingled with Blood, consonant to other Scriptures, Isa. ch. 28.2. compareth Salmanassar to a Storm of Hail: And Isa. 30.30. he so likeneth the Ruine to come u[illegible: 1 letter]on the Assy[illegible: 1 letter]ians.

By the Trees burnt up, are (saith he) the great and rich Men to be understood ordinarily in Scripture compared to Trees, Isa. 2.13. & 14.8. Zech. 11.2. And by the green Herbs, the ordinary common People. Thus he judgeth the Effects of this first Trumpet's sounding, to have been determined in 15 years, viz. from 395 to 410.

8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire, was cast into the sea , and the third part of the sea became blood .

There is a great variety of Senses also about this Mountain of Fire cast into the Sea. Some by it understand things happening in Iudea; but this had been not to have shewed Iohn the Things which should [illegible: 1 letter]e, but which had been. Others will have the Devil understood: 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 Mountain, Rome, the Seat of the Western Empire; great Cities being called Mountains in Scripture[illegible: 1 letter]phrase. Isa. 37.24. Jer. 51.25.

This Phrase speaks only the great Effusion of Blood upon the [illegible: 1 letter]aking of Rome by its Enemies.

9 And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed .

Phrases, all signifying the miserable Catastrophe that should follow the Destruction of this City by the Slaughter of Men, the Ruine of Houses and Towns in Italy, &c. History (as Mr. Mede sheweth) excellently agreeth with this. In the year 410, Rome was taken by Alaricus; this was followed with great Devastations both in France and Spain. Honorius, to recover the Empire, was glad to give the Goths a Seat and Government in France, and the Bu[illegible: 1 letter]gundians 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 Gensericus the Vandal, who divided the whole Empire into Ten Kingdoms; That of the Brittains, ruled by Vortimer. 2. The Saxons, ruled by Hengist. 3. The Franks, ruled by Childerick. 4. The Burgundians, ruled by Gundericus. 5. The Wisogoths, ruled by Theodoricus II. 6. The Alans and Suevi, ruled by Riciarius. 7. The Vandals, ruled by Gensericus. 8. The Germans, ruled by Sumanus. 9. The Ostrogoths, ruled by Theodemirus. 10. The Grecians, ruled by Marcianus. This is the Sum of what Mr. Mede saith, and to this Tract of Time betwixt 410, and 455, the second Trumpet seemeth to relate.

10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven , burning as it were a lamp , and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters .

Stars, in their metaphorical Notion, signifie some eminent Persons in the State, or in the Church; accordingly Interpreters are divided in their Senses; some thinking that it is meant of a Political Star, some eminent civil Governour, and apply it to Cesar Augustulus, who, about the year 480, was forced to give over the Empire, by Odoacer; of him Mr. Mede understands this Prophecy. Others understand [illegible: 1 letter]t 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;

for he was a great Professor, and so burned as a Lamp;

and he did corrupt a great part of the Church.

11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood , and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters because they were made bitter .

His Doctrine was as bitter as Wormwood;

Marginal references: and he was the Ruine of many Souls: But if any do rather chuse to understand it of a Political-Star, Mr. Mede's Notion bids as fair for the Sense as any, because the Western Empire determined in Augustulus, and he reigned but a very short time▪ and he was a Prince of many Sorrows and Afflictions, and many perished with him in those Sorrows and Afflictions, which he underwent. Whether we understand it of some eminent Political Magistrate (such was Augustulus); or some eminent Light in the Church (such was Pelagius); they both fell about this time, the one from his terrene Dignity, the other spiritually from the Honour he had in the Church; and many fell with them, either in a civil, or in a spiritual Sense.

12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars, so as the third part of them was darkned; and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise .

Interpreters (setting aside one or two, who conceit the Revelation is nothing but a Repetition of things that hapned in Iudea before Iohn's time) generally agree, that the Period of time to which this Prophecy relates, is from the year 480, when the Western Empire ceased. The History of the Age next following, both relating to civil and Ecclesiastical Things, doth so fit this Prophecy, that Interpreters are much divided about the Sense of it, whether it be to be understood of the Miseries befalling the Roman Empire, or the Church in that time: For, as great Princes in the former, so great Lights in the latter are metaphorically expressed in Scripture, under the Notions of the Su[illegible: 1 letter], Moon, and Stars, in regard of the great Influence they have upon Men, as those Luminaries of Heaven have upon the Earth. Mr. Mede understands it of Political Magistrates here expressed, (as in Ioseph's Dream) by the Sun, Moon, and Stars: and to shew us how the Event fitted the Prophecy, he tells us out of the best Authors, That when Odoacer had routed Augustulus, and turned him out of the Empire, himself ruled Rome under the Title of a King 16 years, and destroyed all their old Magistracy, but after two years restored it. That Theodoricus following him in the Government of Italy, restored all their Rights again, which so continued under three Kings (all Goths) for near 50 years. But after the year 546, Rome was taken and burnt once and again, and a third part of it demolished by Totilas. Others understand it of Pelagius, or some famous Heretick in that time. But to speak freely, the words of the Prophecy, and the Histories we have, rather agree to Mr. Mede's Sense; for (except Pelagius, who began about 406) we read of none in this Age to whom the words of this Prophecy will agree in any good Sense.

13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Wo, wo, wo to the inhabitants of the earth, by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels which are yet to sound .

This Verse is but an Introduction to the other three Angels sounding▪ declaring that the times which were to follow▪ would be much more full of Miseries and Woes to the Inhabitants of the Earth: By which I understand all those Countries which lately were subject to the Roman Empire. Others understand the more earthy, unsound, hypocritical part of the Church. The Wo is thrice repeated, either to shew the greatness of the Calamities, or rather correspondently to the Number of the Angels yet to sound.