7.8.

be fwallowed up in Superftition & Idolatry; & that in fuch a manner that the number of the faithfull fhould be almoft as nothing. The 144 thoufand, fignify the Church, the pure Church under Antichrifts reign. Now 144 thoufand are almost nothing in comparison of that innumerable multitude that is in the reign of Antichrift. This little number therfore was to be fealed, to the end that the destroying Angell of Spiritual Egypt might pass over them, & fpare them. And they were to be fealed before the feven Trumpets founded, because the ruin of the Church was to happen under these feven Trumpets. Thus you have the whole mystery of the 7th. Ch.

In the beginning of the 8th. Ch. after the opening the feventh feal, there was filence for about half an hour, plainly by way of allufion to what was done in the Temple, where while the incenfe was offering, the mufick ceased, & all was in filence. The feven Trumpets are given to seven Angels: Every thing is made ready for the founding of thefe Trumpets.

The first Angel founded, & there followed Hail, Fire mingled with Blood, & they were caft on the Earth, & a third part of the Trees was burnt up, & all green grass was burnt up.

The feven Trumpets continue to concern the Roman Empire as the feven feals had done. The firft Trumpet begins where the fixth feal ended. The fixth feal brings the Roman

begins

the youn

ger, &

the firft

of the Bar?barians.

with

Empire to the total fall of Paganifm, which happen'd under the two Theodofius's, Father & fon. The firft Trumpet then must begin The firft at the fame time. Hail mingled with Fire, Trumpet Blood falls on the Earth. 'Tis a lively & good under representation of the inundations of thofe Theodofius barbarous people, who in the reign of Theodofius the younger, came out of Thrace under fignifies the conduct of Alaric, & ravaged first of all irruptions Macedonia, Theffaly, Greece Achaia , Corinth, Argos, Sparta, Epirus & Italy it felf. Afterwards & about the fame time,the Vandals, the Alanes, the Marcomans; the Herules, the Sueves, the Allemans poffeffed & defolated Gaul, Spain & Afrique. 'Tis a Hail mingled with fire & blood. For these barbarous people fell on like a storm of hail violence & in a fudden manner. They carried fire every where, & bathed the Earth with blood. We may fee Hail used for the like If. 28. 2. inundations of ftrange people in divers places & 32. 19. of the Prophets; So is the coming of Salmanaffar & his Affyrians expreffed by the Prophet Efay. And the third part of the Trees was burnt. It must be obferved that this The third third part appears again in all the Trumpets; part figni& this third part certainly fignifies the Roman Roman Empire. The reafon of it is evident. 'Tis Empire, because this Empire did poffefs, & doth still, the third part of the World. Geographers divided the world into three parts, Europe, Afia, & Africa. The Roman Empire took up one of these three parts, viz. Europe. So that when the Prophet faith that the feveral plagues

& 30, 30.

fies the

plagues of the Trumpets afflict the third part of the world, 'tis as much as to fay, they afflict Europe. It will be faid that the Roman Empire extended it felf alfo into Afia & Africa. But

1. there was alfo in Europe a great extent of Northern countries that was not poffeffed by the Romans. So that what it had in the other parts of the world could only serve as an equivalent for what it had not in Europe. So that it always remained true that the Roman Empire did not reach to above a third part of the world.

2ly. Moreover, Europe being the feat of the Roman Empire, because Rome & Con ftantinople are both of them feated in this third part of the world; it is clear the Roman Empire can't be better reprefented than by Europe, or a third part of the world.

Laftly 'Twas Europe chiefly that was harraffed by the inundations of the barbarous people. Therfore by the third part we cannot understand any thing but Europe.

The third part of the Trees was burnt: See here a Grammatical figure, that must be well obferved, for it is much used in the three following Trumpets. That is to fay, the trees of the third part of the world, viz. of Europe, was burnt. Now the Prophet represents this firft inundation of the Babarians, as having yet afflicted the Trees only of Europe or the Roman Empire, because the following plagues made so very much greater havock. This firft tempeft (if I may use the

1

expreffion) touch'd the Trees only, did not caufe fuch terrible defolations as the following ones did; the Barbarians contented themfelves with the spoils of the fruits of the Earth & mens goods.

And the fecond Angel founded, & as it were a great Mountain burning with fire was caft into the fea, & the third part of the fea became blood.

And the third part of the Creatures which were in the fea, & had life died, & the third part of the fhips were destroyed.

v. 8.

V. 9.

And the third Angel founded, & there fell v. 10. a great Star from heaven burning as it were a Lamp, & it fell on the third part of the Rivers upon the fountains of Waters.

بع

And the name of the Star is called Wormwood, & the third part of the Waters became Worm-wood, & many men died of the waters because they were made bitter.

V. II.

fecond &

the bitter

which the

These two plagues of the fecond & the The third Trumpet are very like thofe two of third the fecond & third violl in the 16th. Ch. of Trumpet fignify the the Revelation. For in this later place the effufion of two vialls fall as they do here on the fea,& the blood & rivers. They produce the fame effect, which afflictions is, that they turn the Waters into blood, & Barbarians into liquor of Worm-wood. The fecond & caufed in third viall is but one plague continued, fo the fecond & third Trumpet is but one & the fame plague continued. So that these two places of the Revelation may give much light one to the other, not that they fignfy the fame events, but very like ones,

the Roman Empire

See. Jer. 51.36.

35.4.

11. 19. S.

In the one & in the other 'tis certain the 44. Ezek. fea & the Rivers fignify people. 'Tis the resemblance & emblem which all the Prophets ufe, & particularly St. John. We shall fee the whore fitting on the Waters, i. e. on the people. For in all languages in the style of the vulgar, in that of Orators & Prophets to make a fea of blood always fignifies to make a great flaughter. We fhall fee that the fea of blood in the 16th. Ch. fignifies the great Slaughters caused by the Crufados. Here the fea of blood fignifies the flaughter which the Barbarians make in the whole extent of the Roman Empire.

This mountain burning like fire, this great ftar like a Lamp, at the bottom fignify but one & the fame thing, excepting that the Mountain of fire hath the fame proportion with the Star like a Lamp as the sea hath with the Rivers. The Mountain of fire falls into the fea, the star or the great Lamp of fire falls into the Rivers: .e. the great fire falls into the greater Waters, & the leffer fire into the feffer waters. For here a Mountain of fire is much more than a ftar of fire, tho in truth a ftar is a thousand & a thousand times bigger than a Mountain. But the H. Spirit frames his fpeech according to appearances, & hath chiefly arefpect to thofe fires that are often feen falling from heaven, which are called Falling-ftars.

Jofeph Mede with all other Interpreters would find in this Mountain of fire, & this Star like a Lamp, much more of mystery than