3 God, and seven trumpets were given them. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer, and much incense was given him, that he might place it with the prayers of all the saints, upon the golden altar 4 which is before the throne. And the smoke of the incense ascended before God out of the angel's hand, with the 5 prayers of the saints. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it upon the earth, and there were thunderings, and lightnings, and voices, and an earthquake.

So the seventh trumpet begins earlier than the phials, and yet extends beyond them all. The seven angels which stood before God—A character of the highest eminence, and seven trumpets were given them-When men desire to make. known openly a thing of public concern, they give a token that may be seen or heard far and wide, and among such none are more ancient than trumpets, Lev. xxv. 9, Numb. x. 2, Amos iii. 6. The Israelites, in particular, used them, both in the worship of God and in war, therewith openly praising the power of God, before, after, and in the battle, Josh. vi. 4, 2 Chron. xiii. 14, &c. And the angels here made known, by these trumpets, the wonderful works of God, whereby all opposing powers are successively shaken, till the kingdoms of the world become the kingdom of God and his Anointed.

These trumpets reach nearly from the time of St. John, to the end of the world, and they are distinguished by manifest tokens. The place of the four first is specified, namely, east, west, south, and north successively; in the three last, immediately after the time of each, the place likewise is pointed

out.

The seventh angel did not begin to sound, till after the going forth of the second wo: but the trumpets were given to him and the other six together, (as were afterwards the phials to the seven angels;) and it is accordingly said of all the seven together, that they prepared themselves to sound. These, therefore, were not men, as some have thought, but angels, properly so called. V. 3. And-In the second verse the trumpets were given to the seven angels, and in the sixth they prepared to sound. But between these, the incense of this angel, and the prayers of the saints, are mentioned: the interposing of which shews, that the prayers of the saints, and the trumpets of the angels, go together. And these prayers, with the effects of them, may well be supposed to extend through all the seven: another angel-Another created angel. Such are all that are here spoken of. In this part of the Revelation, Christ is never termed an Angel, but the Lamb: came and stood at the altarOf burnt-offerings, and there was given him a golden censer-A censer was a cup on a plate or saucer. This was the token and the business of the office. And much incense was given-Incense generally signifies prayer. Here it signifies the longing desires of the angels, that the holy counsel of God might be fulfilled. And there was much incense: for as the prayers of all the saints in heaven and earth are here joined together, so are the desires of all the angels, which are brought by this angel; that he might place it—It is not said, offer it; for he was discharging the office of an angel, not a priest: with the prayers of all the saints-At the same time; but not for the saints. The angels are fellow-servants with the saints, not mediators for them.

V. 4. And the smoke of the incense ascended before God, with the prayers of the saints A token that both were accepted.

V. 5. And there were thunderings, and lightnings, and voices, and an earthquake These, especially when attended with fire, are emblems of God's dreadful judgments, which are immediately to follow.

6 And the seven angels, who had the seven trumpets, 7 prepared themselves to sound. And the first sounded, and there was hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of the earth was burnt up, and the third part of the trees was burnt up, and all the green grass was burnt up.

8

And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great

V. 6. And the seven angels prepared themselves to sound-That each, when it should come to his turn, might sound without delay. But while they do sound, they still stand before God.

V.7. And the first sounded-And every angel continued to sound, till all which his trumpet brought was fulfilled, and till the next began. There are intervals between the three woes, but not between the four first trumpets. And there was hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth-The earth seems to mean Asia, Palestine in particular. Quickly after the Revelation was given, the Jewish calamities under Adrian began; yea, before the reign of Trajan was ended: and here the trumpets begin. Even under Trajan, in the year 114, the Jews made an insurrection with a most dreadful fury: and in the parts about Cyrene, in Egypt, and in Cyprus, destroyed four hundred and sixty thousand persons. But they were repressed by the victorious power of Trajan, and afterwards slaughtered themselves in vast multitudes. The alarm spread itself also into Mesopotamia, where Lucius Quintus slew a great number of them. They rose in Judea again in the second year of Adrian; but were presently quelled. In the year 133, they broke out more violently than ever, under their false messiah, Barcochab; and the war continued till the year 135, when almost all Judea was desolated. In the Egyptian plague also, hail and fire were together. But here hail is to be taken figuratively, as also blood, for a vehement, sudden, powerful, hurtful invasion; and fire betokens the revenge of an enraged enemy, with the desolation therefrom. And they were cast upon the earth-That is, the fire, and hail, and blood. But they existed before they were cast upon the earth. The storm fell, the blood flowed, and the flames raged round Cyrene, and in Egypt and Cyprus, before they reached Mesopotamia and Judea. And the third part of the earth was burnt up—Fifty well-fortified cities, and nine hundred and eighty five well-inhabited towns of the Jews, were wholly destroyed in this Vast tracts of land were likewise left desolate and without inhabitants; and the third part of the trees was burnt up, and all the green grass was burnt up -Some understand, by the trees, men of eminence among the Jews; by the grass, the common people. The Romans spared many of the former: the latter were almost all destroyed.

war.

This vengeance began at the Jewish enemies of Christ's kingdom, though even then the Romans did not quite escape; but afterwards it came upon them more and more violently: the second trumpet affects the Roman heathens in particular: the third, the dead, unholy Christians: the fourth, the empire itself.

V. 8. And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire, was cast into the seaa-By the sea, particularly as it is here opposed to the earth, we may understand the west, or Europe, and chiefly the middle parts of it, the vast Roman empire. A mountain here seems to signify, a great force and multitude of people, Jer. i. 25: so this may point at the irruption of the barbarous nations into the Roman empire. The warlike Goths broke in upon it about the year 250: and from that time, the irruption of one nation after another never ceased, till the very form of the Roman empire, and all but the name, was lost. The fire may mean, the fire of war, and the rage of those savage nations. And the third part of the sea become blood-This need not imply, that just a third part of the Romans was slain: but it is certain, an inconceivable deal of blood was shed in all these invasions.

mountain, burning with fire, was cast into the sea and 9 the third part of the sea became blood, And the third part of the creatures that were in the sea, which had life, died, and the third part of the ships were destroyed.

10

11

12

And the third angel sounded, and there fell from heaven a great star burning as a torch, and it fell on the third part of the rivers, and on the fountains of waters.

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. And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of

V. 9. And the third part of the creatures that were in the sea-That is, of all sorts of men, of every station and degree, died-By those merciless invaders. And the third part of the ships were destroyed-It is a frequent thing, to resemble a state, or republic, to a ship, wherein many people are embarked together, and share in the same dangers. And how many states were utterly destroyed by those inhuman conquerors? Much likewise of this was literally fulfilled. How often was the sea tinged with blood? How many of those who dwelt mostly upon it were killed? And what numbers of ships destroyed? V. 10. And the third angel sounded, and there fell from heaven a great star, and it fell on the third part of the rivers-It seems, Afric is meant by the rivers, (with which this burning part of the world abounds in an especial manner,) Egypt in particular, which the Nile overflows every year far and wide. In the whole African history, between the irruption of the barbarous nations into the Roman empire, and the ruin of the western empire, after the death of Valentinian the Third, there is nothing more momentous than the Arian calamity, which sprung up in the year 315. It is not possible to tell how many persons, particularly at Alexandria, in all Egypt, and in the neighbouring countries, were destroyed by the rage of the Arians. Yet Afric fared better than other parts of the empire, with regard to the barbarous nations, till the governor of it, whose wife was a zealous Arian, and aunt to Genseric the king of the Vandals, was, under that pretence, unjustly accused before the empress Placidia. He was then prevailed upon to invite the Vandals into Afric; who, under Genseric, in the year 429, founded there a kingdom of their own, which continued to the year 533. Under these Vandal kings, the true believers endured all manner of afflictions and persecutions. And thus Arianism was the inlet to all heresies and calamities, and at length to Mahometanism itself. This great star was not an angel, (angels are not the agents in the two preceding or the following trumpet,) but a teacher of the church, one of the stars in the right hand of Christ. Such was Arius. He fell from on high, as it were from heaven, into the most pernicious doctrines, and made in his fall a blazing on all sides, being great, and now burning as a torch. He fell on the third part of the rivers-His doctrine spread far and wide, particularly in Egypt, and on the fountains of water-Wherewith Afric abounds.

V. 11. And the name of the star is called Wormwood-The unparalleled bitterness both of Arius himself and of his followers, shews the exact propriety of his title: and the third part of the waters became wormwood-A very considerable part of Afric was infected with the same bitter doctrine and spirit, and many men (though not a third part of them,) died-By the cruelty of the Arians.

V. 12. And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten -Or struck. After the emperor Theodosius died, and the empire was divided into the Eastern and the Western, the barbarous nations poured in as a flood. The Goths and Hunns, in the years 403 and 405, fell upon Italy itself with an impetuous force: and the former, in the year 410, took Rome by storm,

the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so that the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for the third part thereof, and the night likewise.

13 And I saw and heard an angel flying in the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Wo, wo, wo, to the inhabitants of the earth, by reason of the other voices

and plundered it without mercy. In the year 452, Attila treated the upper part of Italy in the same manner. In 455, Valentinian the Third was killed, and Genseric invited from Afric. He plundered Rome for fourteen days together. Recimer plundered again in 472. During all these commotions, one province was lost after another, till, in the year 476, Odoacer seized upon Rome, deposed the emperor, and put an end to the empire itself.

An eclipse of the sun or moon, is termed by the Hebrews, a stroke. Now as such a darkness does not come all at once, but by degrees, so likewise did the darkness which fell on the Romans, particularly the Western empire: for the stroke began long before Odoacer, namely, when the barbarians first conquered the capital city. And the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so that the third part of them was darkened-As under the first, second, and third trumpets, by the earth, sea, and rivers, are to be understood the men that inhabit them; so here, by the sun, moon, and stars, may be understood the men that live under them, who are so overwhelmed with calamities in those days of darkness, that they can no longer enjoy the light of heaven: unless it may be thought to imply their being killed, so that the sun, moon, and stars, shine to them no longer. The very same expression we find in Ezekiel, chap, xxxii. 8, I will darken all the lights of heaven over them. As, then, the fourth seal transcends the three preceding ones, so does the fourth trumpet the three preceding trumpets. For in this, not the third part of the earth, or sea, or rivers only, but of all who are under the sun, are affected: and the day shone not for a third part thereof That is, shone with only a third part of its usual brightness, and the night likewise—The moon and stars having lost a third part of their lustre, either with regard to those who, being dead, saw them no longer, or those who saw them with no satisfaction.

The three last trumpets have the time of their continuance fixed, and between each of them there is a remarkable pause, whereas between the four former there is no pause, nor is the time of their continuance mentioned; but altogether the four seem to make up a little less than four hundred years.

V. 13. And I saw and heard an angel fiying-Between the trumpets of the fourth and fifth angel, in the midst of heaven-The three woes (as we shall see) stretch themselves over the earth from Persia castward, beyond Italy westward, all which space space had been filled with the gospel, by the apostles. In the midst of this lies Patmos, where St. John saw this angel, saying, Wo, wo, wo-Toward the end of the fifth century, there were many presages of approaching calamities, to the inhabitants of the earth-All without exception. Heavy trials were coming on them all. Even while the angel was proclaiming this, the preludes of these three woes were in motion. These fell more especially on the Jews. As to the prelude of the first wo in Persia, Isdegard II. in 454, was resolved to abolish the Sabbath, till he was by Rabbi Mar diverted from his purpose. Likewise in the year 474, Phiruz afflicted the Jews much, aud compelled many of them to apostatise. A prelude of the second wo was the rise of the Saracens, who in 510 fell upon Arabia and Palestine. To prepare for the third wo, Innocent I. and his successors, not only endeavoured to enlarge their episcopal jurisdiction beyond all bounds, but also their worldly powers, by taking every opportunity of incroaching upon the empire, which as yet stood in the way of their unlimited monarchy.

of the trumpets of the three angels, who are yet to sound.

CHAP. IX. 1. And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star falling from heaven to the earth, and to him was given 2 the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit, and there ascended a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened 3 by the smoke of the pit. And out of the smoke there came forth locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, 4 as the scorpions of the earth have power: And it was commanded them, not to hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only the men who have 5 not the seal of God on their foreheads. And it was given them, not to kill them, but that they should be tormented

CHAP. IX. Ver. 1. And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star-Far different from that mentioned ch. viii. 11. This star belongs to the invisible world. The third wo is occasioned by the dragon cast out of heaven: the second takes place at the loosing of the four angels who were bound in the Euprates. The first is here brought by the angel of the abyss, which is opened by this star, or holy angel, falling to the earth-Coming swiftly with great force; and to him was given-When he was come, the key of the bottomless pit-A deep and hideous prison, but different from the lake of fire.

V. 2. And there arose a smoke out of the pit-The locusts who afterwards rise out of it seem to be (as we shall afterwards see) the Persians; agreeable to which, this smoke is their detestable, idolatrous doctrine, and false zeal for it, which now broke out in an uncommon paroxysm, as the smoke of a great furnace Where the clouds of it rise thicker and thicker, spread far and wide, and press one upon another, so that the darkness increases continually. And the sun and the air were darkened-A figurative expression denoting heavy affliction. This smoke occasioned more and more such darkness over the Jews in Persia.

The

V. 3. And out of the smoke-Not out of the bottomless pit, but from the smoke which issued thence, there went forth locusts-A known emblem of a numerous, hostile, hurtful people. Such were the Persians, from whom the Jews in the sixth century suffered beyond expression. In the year 540 their academies were stopped, nor were they permitted to have a president for near fifty years. In 589, this affliction ended; but it began long before 540. prelude of it was about the year 455 and 474. The main storm came on in the reign of Cabades, and lasted from 483 to 532. Toward the beginning of the sixth century, Mar Rab Isaac, President of the Academy, was put to death. Hereupon followed an insurrection of the Jews, which lasted seven years before they were conquered by the Persians. Some of them were then put to death, but not many; the rest were closely imprisoned. And from this time the nation of the Jews were hated and persecuted by the Persians, till they had well nigh rooted them out. The scorpions of the earth-The most hurtful kind. The scorpions of the air have wings.

V. 4. And it was commanded them-By the secret power of God, not to hurt the grass, neither any green thing, nor any tree-Neither those of low, middling, nor high degree, but only such of them as were not sealed-Principally, the unbelieving Israelites. But many who were called Christians suffered with them.

V. 5. Not to kill them-Very few of them were killed; in general, they were imprisoned and variously tormented.