Matthew Poole and continuators on Revelation 9:1

1 AND the fifth angel sounded , and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth b: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit .

The fifth of the seven Angels mentioned, ch. 8.2. to whom were given seven Trumpets. It denoteth the beginning of a new Period of Calamities and Miseries to the Earth, or to the Church.

What this Star falling from heaven means, is not easie to resolve. Those who think it the Devil, once a Star, but fallen, forget that Iohn is not here told a Story of what was in the beginning of the World, but what should be, and that 500 years after Christ's coming. And the same reason holds against those who think those seditious Persons are meant, who did so much Mischief in and about Hierusalem during the Seige. This had been to have revealed to Iohn those things which he knew were done many years before. Amongst those who think some particular eminent Minister of the Church, who apostatized, is meant; those seem to me to judge better, who think that Boniface the third is meant, who, in the year 606, obtained the Priviledge of the Popes Supremacy, than those who understand it of Arrius or Pelagius, who both of them fell two hundred years before this. It seems very harsh to interpret it of Christ, or any good Angel's descending from Heaven, because the word [non-Latin text not transcribed] is rightly by us translated, falling, and not to be interpreted so softly as descending. In all probability, therefore, the first Apostacy of the Bishop of Rome was here prophesied.

But how to him was given the Key of the bottomless Pit, (by which Hell is meant here, as often in Scripture) is hard to say; unless we understand it of his Instrumentality, to send many thousands to Hell by that corrupt Doctrine and Worship, which by him then began to obtain? But his Key was borrowed, (if God had not permitted him, he could not have done it) and it turned but one way; he had only a Power to open it, not (as Christ) both to open and shut it.

Marginal references: Luke 8.31. Chap. 17.8.