Revelation 9

Revelation 9:1

A Star fall] See the like, chap. 8. 10. Gr. a fallen star. It fell so swiftly, that I could scarce descrie it till it came to the ground, which it did, before the fifth angel had done blowing, and then it appeared to me to be a star.

to him was given] Or, to it: that is, to the star. Not to the angel; for the angel had his employment set down before, which was, To blowe the trumpet: but no end of the falling of this star is mentioned, unlesse this be it, To receive the key of the bottomlesse pit. Yet some person must be intended by this star; for a star could not tell how to use the key of the bottomlesse pit. Some take it to be a good angel, that had power given him to hinder or let loose hellish operations, chap. 20. 1. Others take it for the devil, the angel of the bottomlesse pit, v. 11. Others, for some minister (for such are compared to stars, chap. 1. 20.) who fell from the true religion, and turned apostata; such as Sergius of Constantinople, the Nestorian monk, and John of Antioch the Arrian, who are said to assist Mahomet in the composing of his lying alcoran.

the key] For hell is a prison, and must be locked up, 1 Peter 3:19.

bottomlesse pit] Hell is compared to a dungeon, that hath a narrow entrance, but a deep gulf within. Sometimes this word is used for the sea, whose bottom we know not; as Luke 8:31.

Revelation 9:2

And he opened the bottomlesse pit] Before, some errours brake forth, as it were by chinks and crannies; but now false doctrine came forth abundantly, as if hell had been let loose, or broke up, and the gates of it set wide open, to let it out at large: for now Mahomet setteth forth his alcoran for divine Scripture, the like whereof no heretike durst attempt before, or at least, could not prevail with multitudes of men to believe him, as Mahomet did. So that the opening of the bottomlesse pit, is the apostata’s using their power to let in such grosse errours into the world, as could come from none, as their authour, but from the devil of hell.

a smoke out of the pit] The great wrath of the devils in hell, like a great fire, brought forth Mahumetanism in abundance, which, like smoke, kept the light of Gods truth and favour, of Christ and his Gospel, from a great part of the world.

and the sun and the air were darkened] It was not a small darknes, as when some high mountain hideth the light from the valley neer; but a very great one, as if all the air, nay, the sun it self, that giveth light to the air, were darkened; as Matthew 27:45.

Revelation 9:3

out of the smoke] Out of this devillish plot of Mahumetanism: or, out of Satans hidden subtilty.

locusts upon the earth] Vermine that use to feed on grasse and fruit, v. 4. whereby are meant, men sprung out of Arabia to afflict the world, as the locusts came thence into Egypt, Exodus 10:13-14. Genesis 25:6; Genesis 25:12; Genesis 25:18. Locusts help to make up the great armie, Joe 1:4; Joe 1:6.

power as the scorpions] For they had tails, like them, v. 18. and wounded men, like them, v. 5. with cruell and poisoned wounds, Jeremiah 8:17. Strange monsters, that, with locusts, could devour all, and, with scorpions, sting and poison besides. So did the Mahometans devour with their armies, and poison with their errours, and that under a colour of pulling down idols, and serving the onely true God.

Revelation 9:4

commanded them] God did not suffer them to hurt his true servants, though they wanted neither courage nor endeavour to do it.

the grasse of the earth, &c.] Or, hay. Such as are cut off from the earth; that is, separated from the ungodly men. Or, the grasse may signifie weak Christians; the green plants, growing ones; the trees, strong ones; as, little children, young men, fathers, 1 John 2:13-14. Or, neither mean men, nor great, of such as were marked, chap. 7. 3, 13, 16. The Saracens have done much hurt to ignorant Greeks, and idolatrous papists; but not much to the protestants persecuted then, and professing the true religion openly now.

but onely] As chap. 2. 25.

in their foreheads] Gr. on their foreheads.

Revelation 9:5

To them was given] They had no further power nor commission from God; as chap. 13. 7.

not kill them] Not presently kill them, but torment them so as they die after it, as if they were stung with scorpions. Or, not kill them at all, but keep them for slaves. Both which agree with the Saracens, who have many oppressed by them, that wish rather to be dead; as v. 6. Or, they did not take so much boldnesse on them, as to kill men at their first arising; but stayed till they had gotten greater strength, under the next seal, v. 15, 18. At first, many Christians yeelded to the Saracens, and took part with them: afterwards, when the Christians warred against them, they killed them cruelly. They that must not be killed, but tormented by these Saracens, were such as were not sealed, v. 4. for the sealed ones, they might not so much as torment.

five moneths] A short time; as locusts are bred in April, and die in September. Or, an hundred and fifty yeers: for so many days are in five moneths; and the prophets reckon a day for a yeer, Daniel 9:24. And the Saracens vexed Italy, from the yeer Eight hundred and thirty, to Nine hundred and eighty.

as the torment of a scorpion] Painfull till death, or cure by liberty, v. 3. Or, if they did not kill them, they kept them from freedom, and from their wives and children, and all worldly comforts, which is a living death.

Revelation 9:6

And in] Or, Therefore in; as 1 Corinthians 5:13.

shall men seek death] Chap. 6. 16. Isaiah 2:19. Job 3:20-21. Though men naturally abhor death, yet they shall desire it, that they may be rid of their grievous torments; as esteeming death a lesser evil then those miseries they endure.

Revelation 9:7

like unto horses, &c.] Joel 2. 4. They were not altogether like locusts, but in some part resembled horses. The Saracens made sudden incursions into many countreys, and were fierce warriours; as horses are swift and fierce in battel, Job 39. 22, 23, 24, 25.

crowns like gold] That is, bright headpieces shining like gold. This may signifie, as their compleat furniture for war, so their many victories, who, within eighty yeers, overcame a multitude of nations.

as the faces of men] Either in regard of some shews or pretences of humanity; as Isaiah 47:3. or for stoutnesse, courage and confidence; as Isaiah 46:8. 1 Corinthians 16:13. and, as we use to say, A manly face.

Revelation 9:8

as the hair of women] This may signifie, that by flattery and fair shews, they used to perswade, like women, Proverbs 6:24. that they might make their foes secure, and destroy them the more easily.

as the teeth of lions] Joe 1:6. This setteth out their cruelty, and tyrannicall government. Notwithstanding their flattery, they destroyed men, as if they had had lions teeth; Psalms 57:4. & Psalms 58:6.

Revelation 9:9

as it were] It was not fit to clothe the locusts with iron brestplates, but somewhat like them; although the Saracens, signified by them, might wear iron brestplates indeed.

brestplates of iron] They were strongly armed themselves, and their kingdom, so that their foes could not hurt them.

of chariots, &c.] Joe 2:5. Swift and terrible were they in their invasions, 2 Kings 7:6-7. Isaiah 5:28. & Isaiah 66:15. Jeremiah 4:13.

horses running] See v. 7.

Revelation 9:10

stings in their tails] As they sought dominion over other people, so they poisoned them with false religion. Or it may be understood of tormenting their captives, or putting them to miserable slavery by their inferiour officers. See v. 5. Or of deceiving them in the end, who trust to them.

five moneths] See v. 5.

Revelation 9:11

a king over them] Herein they differ from common locusts, Proverbs 30:27.

the angel of the bottomlesse pit] Some take it to be spoken of the devil: others, of the commander of the Saracens, the devils great agent.

in the Hebrew, &c.] Either because the destroying angel was known to the Jews, as well as to the Christians: or else because the Saracens opprossed both.

Apollyon] That is to say, A destroyer. Some say, Mahomeds name signifieth so also; and the name Turk, in the eastern language. Sure it is, they have made havock of men, churches and schools, where they have prevailed. Some take it to be spoken of the devil, who destroyeth others, and in the end, shall be destroyed himself, 1 Peter 5:8. Chap. 20. 10.

Revelation 9:12

One wo] Chap. 8. 13. & 6. 1.

is past] Is fully revealed: or, is done, before the other two begin.

Revelation 9:13

a voice] Gr. one voice. It was the voice of Christ, as some think.

from the four horns] Or, out of the four horns; (of which, Exodus 30:10.) That is, out of the midst of the altar, where the incense, with the prayers of the saints, was oftered up, chap. 8. 3. It seemeth to be Gods voice, answering out of the same place, those prayers, and the complaints of the souls under the altar, chap. 6. 9, 10. by giving the Saracens a command to invade Europe, v. 14. to revenge their cause on the Romane persecutours.

of the golden altar] Whereon the incence was offered, chap. 8. 3. An allusion to Exodus 30:1.

before God] That is, before the ark, which was a visible signe of Gods presence and residence among them, Exodus 30:8. Psalms 80:1.

Revelation 9:14

had the trumpet] Had newly sounded, and had not yet laid down the trumpet out of his hand.

loose the four angels] Four governours of the Mahometans; as chap. 16. 12. for they were now divided into a tetrarchie, under four sultans of Asia, Alepo, Damascus, and Antioch.

bound in the great river Euphrates] Had not yet set footing in Europe, but were kept back by their own dissentions, and the victories of the Christians, or rather, by the overruling providence of God.

Revelation 9:15

were loosed] Set at liberty by the angel that sounded this trumpet. See v. 1.

prepared for an hour] Or, at an hour, &c. It may signifie their readinesse to go at any time, when they should be loosed. Or, to follow the work from time to time. Or, at the time appointed by God. Or, a short time. See chap. 3. 10. Or, the time of their coming to take Constantinople, from the beginning of their empire, which is to be reckoned from the taking of Babylon, was three hundred ninety and six yeers, and some odde time: for so days, in the prophets, are put for yeers, v. 5.

for to stay] See notes on v. 5.

third part of men] Of such as were not sealed, chap. 7. 3.

Revelation 9:16

of the horsemen] The Turks army consisteth most of such, for swiftnesse, Ezek. 38. 4, 15.

two hundred thousand thousand] Such great armies they used, for terrour to their enemies.

and I heard] Or, for I heard; as Luke 6:32. The number was so great, I could not reckon them: but I was told the number of them. This he addeth, that no man might think he made the number greater then it was.

Revelation 9:17

in the vision] Before, he was said to be in the spirit, chap. 1. 10. and 4. 2. now, he seeth these things in a vision. The former setteth forth his preparation; the later, the manner of the revelation. His eyes were first taken off from gazing on worldly things, and then fastened on these heavenly apparations.

brestplates] Or, corslets. For matter of defence.

of fire, and of Jacinct, and brimstone] Either their brestplates were made each one of these materials, or of some common matter that had these severall colours; unlesse, as some think, their army consisted of severall nations, which had severall colours in their habergeons, to distinguish the Saracens, Turks, and Tartars by fiery, Jacinct, and brimstone-colours.

of fire] Not of materiall fire; for there are no such brestplates, neither can any bodily creatures wear such: but they appeared like fire to saint John, in the vision. It signifieth, that the sight of them should be so terrible to the enemies, that they should no more dare to come neer them, or be able to hurt them, then if they were compassed about with fire; Zechariah 2:5.

of Jacinct] It is a stone of a skie-colour (of which, chap. 21. 20.) and may import, that these were invincible armies sent from above, from God, to punish the wicked Romanes.

of brimstone] This might also signifie, that God, who useth to punish great sinners with fire and brimstone from heaven, Genesis 19:24. Psalms 11:6. Job 18:15. and setteth out hell-pains thereby, chap. 14. 10. & 19. 20. did employ these to scourge the wicked world. It importeth a great desolation; for brimstone feedeth the fire, and keepeth it burning, till it have destroyed all before it; Isaiah 30:33. & 34. 9, 10.

the heads of the horses] Their defensive arms were set down before: now he describeth their offensive ones. Souldiers use to take care for their own safety, before they set upon their enemies.

as heads of lions] They were very stout, fierce and cruell.

cut of their mouthes] This fire might seem, to those against whom they shot, at the first, to come out of their horses mouthes. For the new invention of guns, used by them at the taking of Constantinople, seemeth here to be foretold; out of which came fire, smoke, gunpowder, made of brimstone, with other materials. Or, it may import a great devastation of the countries they came in; as before in this verse, and the next, Joe 2:3.

smoke] The smoke is very great at the shooting of great ordnance, because the fire is soon kindled, and quickly dissolveth into smoke. It may import the sad and dismall estate of those regions which are wasted by the Saracens. A thing worthy of great observation, that God should bring in Turks, that hate idols, to destroy Christian idolaters.

Revelation 9:18

By these three] Working together, and at one time. For guns make a greater and speedier havock of men, then swords did before.

out of their mouthes] These do not flatter, as the locusts did, v. 8. but threaten fire and death where ere they come.

third part of men] As v. 15.

Revelation 9:19

in their mouth, and in their tails] The power of other horses is in their body, and in their feet; but of these, in their head and tails. In their head, because thence cometh fire, smoke and brimstone, out of their mouthes, v. 17, 18. In their tails, because when they have overcome men, and ruled them quietly a while, they will return to their former cruelty. Therefore their tails also are said to have heads, and to be like serpents, which come suddenly out of their holes, and sting men, before they see them. Or, they use power and subtilty. Or, they kill bodies by force, and sting souls to death, by Mahumetan impostures.

Revelation 9:20

the rest of the men] The other two third parts of the idolatrous Christians, which were not slain by the Mahometans.

yet repented not of] Gr. from, or, out of. That is, so as to depart from, Hebrews 6:1. Repentance from dead works; that is, whereby men do so repent, as that they depart from dead works. Or, come out of them; as Acts 8:22-23. Repenting of wickednesse, and coming out of the gall of bitternesse. Or, neither repented of. Though they were spared, yet they amended not at all, but remained obstinate in the practise of all their former sins hereafter mentioned.

of the works of their hands] All actuall sins are so called, because they are properly our works, Psalms 28:4. and the hand is the ordinary instrument of acting. God hath no hand in these, as he hath in our good works. But here, making idols to worship is signified; as Deuteronomy 31:29. Isaiah 2:8. Hosea 14:3. Though the eastern Churches were wasted by the Turks, for their idolatry; yet the western ones repented not of their making images. The example of Gods judgements on their fellow-idolaters, could do no good upon them. This must needs be meant of the papists; for neither protestants, Jews, Turks, nor any other in Europe, make images for worship.

not worship devils] Saints, who are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Or, images, as followeth. See Leviticus 17:7. Deuteronomy 32:17. Psal. 106. 36, 37. 1 Corinthians 10:20. For, worshipping of images cometh from the devil, being contrary to Gods commandment: and the devil was worshipped in them.

and idols] Or, even idols. So Titus 2:13. Chap. 1. 6.

of gold] Psalms 115:4. and Psalms 135:5.

and silver, &c.] This sheweth they had a multitude of idols; as Daniel 5:23. So, many vessels in a great house are set out, 2 Timothy 2:20.

and of stone, &c.] Such desperate idolaters were these popish Christians, that they which wanted wealth to make golden, silver, or brazen images, made images of stone and wood; Isaiah 40:20.

which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk] Psal. 115. 4, 5, 6, 7. O the folly of idolaters which can do these things themselves, and yet worship them which can do none of these; much lesse can they help them in time of trouble, Isaiah 46:7. So that their madnesse is set out, first, from the authour of their idols: they are the works of mens hands. Secondly, from the object of their worship; the devil, Gods greatest enemy. Thirdly, from the multitude of their idols; which sheweth their strong affection to that sin, as multitude of adulterers sheweth the unsatiablenesse of a whore, Ezekiel 16:28-29. Fourthly, from the blockishnesse of their idols: they could not see, nay, they could not hear, nay, they could not so much as move out of their places, Isaiah 41:7.

How then could they do them any good at all? Isaiah 41:23. Jeremiah 10:5.

Revelation 9:21

murders] In killing Gods saints.

serceries] A sin too rise in that Church, reported to be practised by divers of their popes.

fornication] All manner of loosnesse and wantonnesse.

thefts] In getting away the wealth of the simple people, by offerings, pilgrimages, &c. So that they brake not onely the first table, but the second also. As they wronged God in his worship; so men also, in their bodies and estates.