Annotations on the New Testament

CHAP. V.

1. AND I saw [note a] in the right hand of him that sat on the throne, a book [note b] written within and on the back side, sealed with seven seals.]

[Paraphrase] 1. And as God sat on his tribunal, or throne of judgment, behold there was in his right hand a book or roll (see note on Luk. 4. a.) full of writing on the in-side, and on the backside, a great way down, and that rolled up, and on the outside sealed, that no part of it could possibly be read; and this roll consisted of seven rolls, one within another, and everyone of them had a seal to it, ch. 6. 1. (This book of rolls containing in it the sealed, that is, secret decrees and purposes of God upon the Jews, which as they were foretold only by Christ, Mat. 24. Luk. 21, Mar. 13. so are they by him inflicted and executed upon them, and that an effect of his regal power, to which, after his crucifixion, he was by his resurrection installed.)

2. And I saw a strong Angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?]

[Paraphrase] 2. And I saw one of the Angels, of special dignity among them, making proclamation with a loud voice in these words, Who is able to unloose the seals of this book, and so to open it, to reveal to us what is contained in it?

3. And no man in heaven▪ nor in earth, nor under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.]

[Paraphrase] 3. And it seems, no creature in the world was able to do it, for upon this proclamation to all, none pretended to it.

4. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.]

[Paraphrase] 4. And my desire to know caused me to be much concerned and grieved at this, and so to make my complaint thereof.

5. And one of the Elders saith unto me. Weep not behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.]

[Paraphrase] 5. And one of the Elders ch. 4. 4. that was in one of the thrones, one of them that sat with God in judgment, comforted me, and told me that Christ, known by those two titles, of the Lion of the tribe of Judah, Gen. 49. 9. and the root of Jesse, Isa. 11. 1. having, by his voluntary suffering of death, received this reward from his Father, to have all power given to him at his resurrection, and so from a slaughtered Lamb, being turned into a roaring devouring Lion, had this privilege among others bestowed on him by his Father, to reveal, yea and to execute the decrees contained in these volumes.

6. And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne, and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the Elders, stood a Lamb, as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth.]

[Paraphrase] 6. This was farther exemplified to me: for I looked and saw what I had not seen before, a Lamb bloody, with wounds visible in him, as one that had been butchered, Christ crucified and risen from the dead, and so endued both with power to subdue his enemies (fitly expressed by this style of horns, see Luk. 1. n. and so used here ch. 17. 3.) and with all knowledge and wisdom to order it fitly, having instruments to execute his will, present, and ready pressed at his service, and also officers (Angels ch. 4. 5. and Zach. 4. 10.) to visit, and give him account of all that was done in Judea and elsewhere, the persecutions which the Jews brought upon the Christians.

7. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.]

[Paraphrase] 7. And this Lamb, Christ, came and took the book out of God's hand, that is, received power from God, as the reward of his sufferings, to reveal and make known, and then to execute on that people those heavy judgments contained in those rolls.

8. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty Elders fell down before the Lamb, having everyone of them harps and golden vials full of odors, which are the [note c] prayers of saints.]

[Paraphrase] 8. And when this power was given to him, this being the instating him in that royal authority next to God himself (that is, setting him on the throne of judgment, called sitting at God's right hand, or reigning till he brought all his enemies under his feet) the four living creatures, by which the four Apostles were represented, ch. 4. 6. and the Elders that (ch. 4. 4.) sat on the four and twenty thrones about the Judge, gave all acknowledgments of supreme power to Christ, and everyone praised and magnified God in these approaching judgments of his, and presented to him, beside their own lauds, the thanksgivings of all the believers then living, who had been persecuted, and denied the liberty of their Christian profession and assemblies (2 Thess. 2. 1.) by the malice of the Jews, but now by their approaching destruction were likely to be rescued from their pressures to a flourishing condition of quiet for some space.

9. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation:

[Paraphrase] 9. And in their names, and their own, they sang praises to him, acknowledging this dignity and regal power to be most worthily instated on him, as a reward of his sufferings, by which he overcame Satan, and redeemed all faithful believers, not only out of the power of sin and hell, but also of their persecutors on earth, bringing them to quiet halcyonian days, giving them tranquility, and liberty to assemble freely to his service, as a choice peculiar people of his (see note on ch. 1. d.) and accordingly concluding that this royal benefit they should now enjoy, through this act of vengeance (on Christ's and the Christians enemies, the obdurate Jews) which was here undertaken by him, ver. 6.

10. And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.]

[Paraphrase] 10. And in their names, and their own, they sang praises to him, acknowledging this dignity and regal power to be most worthily instated on him, as a reward of his sufferings, by which he overcame Satan, and redeemed all faithful believers, not only out of the power of sin and hell, but also of their persecutors on earth, bringing them to quiet halcyonian days, giving them tranquility, and liberty to assemble freely to his service, as a choice peculiar people of his (see note on ch. 1. d.) and accordingly concluding that this royal benefit they should now enjoy, through this act of vengeance (on Christ's and the Christians enemies, the obdurate Jews) which was here undertaken by him, ver. 6.

11. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many Angels round about the throne, and the beasts and the Elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,]

[Paraphrase] 11. And I looked, and behold all the Angels of heaven in infinite multitudes attending on God, joined with the Apostles and Bishops in giving praises unto him.

12. Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.]

[Paraphrase] 12. And all said with a loud voice, All power, &c. are most worthily attributed to Christ as a reward of his crucifixion. All this dignity to himself and advantages to believers are a just reward of his sufferings, by which he hath dearly bought them.

13. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.]

[Paraphrase] 13. And all other creatures in the world made the same acknowledgment (noting these judgments that should now fall on the Jews (as they were most just, so also) to be most seasonable, and infinitely advantageous to his people, who should be rescued by that means.)

14. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty Elders fell down, and worshipped him that liveth forever.]

[Paraphrase] 14. And a general adoration was paid unto Christ as unto God himself, noting this punishment of the Jews to be a just act of divine revenge on their crucifying of Christ, who being by his divine power raised from the dead, by the same destroyeth them, and preserveth his persecuted disciples.

Annotations on Chap. V.

[ a] V. 1. In the right hand ] That 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies not upon, but in the right hand of God, may appear by v. 7. where it is said to be taken 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 out of his hand, which supposeth it formerly to be in it. And though this be not the ordinary notation of the Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (and therefore I see it is conceived by some, that the book was here brought, and laid by him 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , on his right hand, ) yet the promiscuous use of Prepositions in these books (answerable to the Hebrews, whose Prepositions are used more loosely and largely) will give a full answer to this. Now this is no nice consideration, but that which is of use to explain that which follows, of the Lambs taking the book out of the hand of God the Father. For this book containing in it the decrees of vengeance and judgment upon the enemies of God, the crucifiers of Christ and persecutors of the Christian faith and Professors, and this power being by the resurrection of Christ seated and instated on Christ as a reward of his sufferings, and consequently the execution of these decrees of God put into the hand of the Son, whose coming and kingdom it is thence so often called, and this power being not again delivered up into the Fathers hands till the end of the world, all this is here fitly and fully expressed by the Lambs taking the book out of the right hand of God the Father, (and would not so commodiously be represented, if the book had lain by him, and had not been in his hand) and by his loosing the seals, and opening the book, that is, bringing forth those judgments of God which lay folded up in his decrees, but were now to be remarkably executed by Christ.

[ b] Ib. Written within and on the back-side ] It may here be thought probable of this book, which is said to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that by putting a comma after 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 within it should thus be rendered, written within, and sealed upon the back, and so that the seven seals were all on the outside of the book. But besides that the ordinary punctation, putting the comma after 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 on the back, resists this, there be many other circumstances clear the other to be the meaning, that the book, or roll, was written within and on the back-side; by within meaning the inner concave superficies of the roll, and by the back-side the convex, which is outermost in rolling up, (see ch. 4. Note i.) As first, that in the process it appears that the opening of every single seal brings forth some representation, which could not be if all the seals were on the back-side; for then they must all be opened before any part of the book could be discovered: and therefore it must be supposed that the main book or roll had seven rolls in it, and each of them sealed. Secondly, the phrase in this place refers to the like in Ezekiel, c. 2. 10. where a long succession of calamities is represented by a roll written within and without, that is, a roll written within throughout, and on the backside a great way down, yet leaving enough in the lower part of the back-side to wrap up all that was written, and keep it from being seen; and so for sealing also. And that is perfectly appliable to the phrase here, written within and on the back-side, but so, as there should be void space left to cover all, & to seal up all. Thirdly, because the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 on the back-side here being all one with without in Ezekiel, and so fitly denoting not the outside of the roll when it was made up, or that part of the outside which appeared then, but the backside of the roll written on a good way, when the inside or foreside was all written on. This is fitly appliable to the matter here foretold at the opening of these seals, a long series of calamities which should fall upon this people, (just as in Ezekiel it was:) for that is the reason why a roll at any time is written on the back-side, viz. because the inside (which alone is wont to be writ on) will not contain all that belongs to it; Scriptus & à tergo being the expression for a very long roll, or book, that it is written on the back-side also.

[ c] V. 8. Prayers of Saints ] Who the Saints are whose prayers are here mentioned, as odors, may appear, v. 10. where of them it is said, that they shall reign on the earth, that is, that the effect of the execution of these judgments of God on the enemies of Christianity, noted by the Lambs opening the book (Note a) should be this, that the Christians should thereby have a peaceable being upon earth, to assemble and serve Christ, (see c. 1. Note d.) By this it is evident that the Saints here are the Christian people upon earth, and not the Saints which reign in heaven. And this also is agreeable to the notion of odors, by which their prayers are expressed: For those refer to the incense that the Priests were wont to offer in the Sanctuary, whilst the people prayed without, Luk. 1. 10. and their prayers supposed to go up with that incense to heaven. By this it also appears that the four living creatures, and four and twenty Elders, which have here the vials in their hands, as also the harps, the one to denote the prayers, the other the praises of the Christians, are the Apostles and Bishops of Judea, (as in the laying of the scene appeared, c. 4. Note d. and g.) whose office it was to present the prayers and praises of the Christians to God: and so by all these together the Christian persecuted Church of Judea, (and by consent with them, all other Christians over the world) are represented here, as those that had now their prayers heard, and those by the destruction of their persecutors turned into praises.

CHAP. VI.

1. AND I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.]

[Paraphrase] 1. And as the Lamb, that is, Christ, opened the first seal, which closed the first roll, I looked, and the first of those four living creatures called aloud to me, or in such a kind of voice as is wont to come out of thunder, when a voice is heard from heaven (see note on Act. 9. 6.) saying, Come and see, or, Here is a more full relation and prediction of those things which Christ had foretold concerning the Jews, Mat. 24. (set down here in this chapter in gross, and more particularly, as they have their execution, in the following chapters.)

2. And I saw, and behold a white horse, and he that sat on him had a bow, and a crown was given unto him, and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

[Paraphrase] 2. And as I looked, me thought I saw a white horse, and one sitting thereon, that is, an Angel representing Jesus Christ (see c. 19. 11.) now in another posture then that in which he had been, c. 5. 6. There he was a Lamb slain, now he is a King riding in pomp, (the white horse noting his glory) but this a spiritual King, the horse that he rides on being mystically the Gospel, in respect of the purity and gloriousness or divinity of its doctrine. And this horse-man, or Prince, the Lord Christ, had a bow in his hand, that is, menaces and terrors held out against his enemies, before they be really inflicted on them, as the bow is first held in the hand, then the arrow prepared upon the string, before it be shot out at them: and he had a crown given to him, as to one now instated and installed in his royal office: and his business at the present was, that which was primarily proper to the white horse, the Gospel, to be the power of God to salvation to them that believe, to convert the Jews to the faith, and so to conquer and melt his crucifiers; and then for the future (as the Gospel is by consequence the savor of death unto death) to bring down, or destroy the obdurate, (these two being generally the ways of Christ's conquering in this book) and as the Jews, so after, the Romans, by converting some, and destroying others, conquering and breaking the infidelity of some, and then bringing down and destroying the impenitent.

3. And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.]

[Paraphrase] 3. And when he had opened the second seal, which had the second roll under it, the second of the living creatures called to me to come, and behold what was represented there.

4. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon, to take peace from the earth, and that they should [note a] kill one another; and there was given unto him a great sword.]

[Paraphrase] 4. And I looked and saw another horse red, or of blood-color, & an Angel (as minister of God's judgments) sat upon him: and of him it was told me, that he had power given him to embroyl the land of Judea (see c. 7. 1, 9.) with war, thereby to pour out a great deal of blood; and to that purpose, me thought he had a sword put into his hand, a presignification of the slaughters that should be committed by the Jews one upon another, see Mat. 24. 7.

5. And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse: and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.]

[Paraphrase] 5. And when he opened the third seal, which had the third roll under it, the third of the living creatures called to me, to come and see what was in that roll: and it was a third horse, black and soul to look on, and by that was signified a sore famine (which discolours the skin of men, and makes them look black, and sad, and dismal;) and to signify this, he that was on this horses back, the Angel that was executioner of this judgment, had a balance in his hand to weight corn, (as 'tis usual in time of scarcity, or approaching famine, when bread is distributed out to everyone by weight, no more then is thought necessary to life.)

6. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, [note b] A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measure of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.]

[Paraphrase] 6. And from the midst of the four living creatures there proceeded a voice, as the prediction of some prophet, saying, The scarcity of corn is such, that the price of a man's days-labor will buy no more then is went to be thought sufficient for a man's food for a day, and if he eat that all himself, there is nothing left to provide for wife and children, much less for clothes for all of them, and so in proportion the price of barley; such scarcity there is of the necessaries of life for men and cattle: whereas of oil and wine (of which there is no necessity, the first might wholly be spared, and is of no use in such times of extreme dearth, and the want of the other might competently be supplied by water) there was store enough: the scarcity was to fall heavy upon the necessaries of life, but not on the superfluities, which is an expression of the heaviness, not lightness or supportablenesse of it.

7. And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.]

[Paraphrase] 7. And upon the opening of the fourth seal, wherewith the fourth roll was sealed up, the fourth living creature called to me to come and see the representation contained in it.

8. And I looked, & behold, a pale horse, & his name that sat on him was [note c] Death, and hell followed with him: and power was given [note d] unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with the sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.]

[Paraphrase] 8. And it was a pale horse, and a rider thereon, signifying great death or mortality, whether by extraordinary ways of death, the sword and famine, or by that ordinary known way of pestilence, following (as ordinarily it doth) upon those two and sweeping away many. And these three horses, in the three last rolls, that is, sword, famine, and death or pestilence, (all named together in this matter, Mat. 24. 7.) should destroy the fourth part of the land of Judea, men and beasts, or else should make such a vastation, that the wild beasts should increase, and be too strong for the inhabitants there. (And all this but a fore-runner of the far greater destructions that should afterwards be wrought among them at the siege of Titus.)

9. And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw [note e] under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held.

10. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?]

[Paraphrase] 9, 10. And upon the opening of the fifth seal, I saw in the lower part of the Sanctuary, beneath the altar of incense, the souls of the Martyrs, (see ch. 7. 9, 14) that had been slain by the Jews, for their constant preaching of Christ, and this blood of theirs, like that of Abel, called to Christ, as a righteous and faithful Judge, for judgment upon those wicked men, who were guilty of all the blood of all the prophets (Mat. 23. 35.) even as far as to Christ himself and his Apostles, and other Christians afterwards, whom they persecuted also, and caused many to be put to death, Luke 21. 12.

11. And white robes were given unto everyone of them, and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow-servants also, and their brethren, which should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.]

[Paraphrase] 11. And this crying of their blood for instant justice was at the present answered with giving them white robes, acknowledgements of their constancy, and perseverance in suffering, and consequently a present state of blisseful reward; this revenge of their blood being for a while, for some few years, deferred, till all the blood-guiltiness of these Jews should be filled up, all the other Martyrs slain, James the Bishop of Jerusalem, &c. and then should the vengeance come on these impenitent obdurate persecutors, see c. 7. 9, 10, &c.

12. And I beheld, when he had opened the sixth seal, and lo there was a [note f] great earthquake, and [note g] the Sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the Moon became as blood;]

[Paraphrase] 12. And at the opening of the sixth seal, in that roll there was a representation of Eclipses of Sun and Moon, &c. figuratively to express great destructions, Ezek. 32. 7. Isa. 13. 20. Joel 2. 10. and 31. and ch. 3. 15.

13. And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs when she is shaken of a mighty wind:]

[Paraphrase] 13. And the same was again signified by an appearance of falling stars dropping down as the withered figs, those that are of a second spring, and come not to be ripe that year, but hanging on the tree in the winter, are frost-bitten, and with a great wind are shaken down and fall from the tree, Is. 34. 4.

14. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.]

[Paraphrase] 14. And by the appearance of great, black, gloomy clouds, covering the whole face of the sky, not a star to be seen anymore then the writing is discernible in a roll folded up, (see note on Luk. 4. a.) and by the earthquakes ver. 12. whereby many hills and islands were moved out of their places, Is. 34. 4.

15. And [note h] the Kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bond-man, and every freeman [note i] hid themselves in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains;]

[Paraphrase] 15. And the governors and great ones, of several degrees of power among the Jews, the Generals of the several factions among them, and every meaner person of all sorts, appeared in the vision to be in an horrible consternation:

16. And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:]

[Paraphrase] 16. And the guilt of the blood of Christ and Christians, which they had shed, and of which they wished that it might fall upon them and their children, now fell upon them, made them fly into vaults or caverns under grounds, and into walls, (according as it really fell out, and as it was foretold by the Prephets, Is. 2. 19. Hos. 10. 8. and by Christ, Luk. 23. 30.)

17. For the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?]

[Paraphrase] 17. As seeing this inevitable vengeance now falling on them.

Annotations on Chap. VI.

[ a] V. 4. Kill one another ] The great intestine broils among the Jews, those especially of the Seditious and the Zealots, are at large set down by Josephus l. 4. and l. 5. De Bel. Jud. so great, saith he, that Vespasian on purpose deferred the siege of Jerusalem, that they might more easily be destroyed by their own then by the Roman 's swords: see Luk. 21. 10. Thus about the twelfth of Nero, when Florus crucified (beside great multitudes of the ordinary sort) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , saith Eusebius out of Josephus, many myriads of the most honorable among the Jews, there was, saith he, first in Cesarea, then in all Syria, such a disorder and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , terrible tumult, of those that dwelt in the country against those that inhabited the cities, invading and laying them wast in a most hostile manner, that one might see whole cities full of unburied carcasses, old men and children thrown dead together, women shamelessly uncovered, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the whole Province full of inexpressible calamities. And the observation is once for all, Eccl. Hist. l. 2. c. 6. that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , seditions, and wars, and mischievous projects one upon the neck of another, never left the city and all Judea, till at last the siege came upon them. And at that very time when it came, three factions there were on foot among them, under three commanders, Eleazar, John, and Simon. And though Tacitus say that the approach of their enemy gave them peace one with another; yet Josephus, that was an eye-witness, relates it much otherwise, only that the three factions 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , were divided into two, by the oppression of the third, John upon the day of unleavened bread sending some into the Temple, under pretence of sacrificing, which killed Eleazar and butcher'd his party, and seised upon the Temple, where before Eleazar and his Zealots had fortified themselves. And however, though the seditious join'd a while to repel the enemy, yet they soon returned to their former feuds, and one faction fighting against the other, the weight and smart of both fell upon the communalty, who were plundered by each of them. More of these civil combustions, and the fearful effects of them, we read of most notably in the time of the siege; when the scarcity began to pinch the besieged, then the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 broke into all houses, tormented the possessors to bring out their provision. When mothers, saith he, snatched victuals out of their babes mouths, in came the seditious, and snatched it out of theirs, and catching up the children which held fast the bits in their mouths, and would not let them go, they dashed them against the ground. Those that, to prevent them, eat up what they had before they could come to them, they used with most horrid cruelties, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , taking themselves to be injured by them who thus rob bed them of their prey: And those that were ready to die through the famine, they would yet search more strictly, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , lest they should have some food in their bosom, and only make as if they were famished, when they were not; and then 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , horrible ways of torment did they use to find out food. And so true is that which is here said, of their killing one another, that saith he, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , they would run through those that lay alive (but ready to faint) before them, to try their weapons. And the horridnesses of these practices of theirs upon one another was such, saith he, that if the Romans had delayed the work, the earth would have swallowed them up, or fire and brimstone would have fallen from heaven on them, as on Sodom. And though the whole faction of the Zealots were killed by Titus in the Temple (a part of which they fortified and defended) yet still after that, even to Adrian 's time, we find mention of their frequent tumults, and butcherings of one another. But the particulars which are here in this place intimated, and the same Mat. 24. 6, 7. seem to be earlier then these, as being both here and there set before the famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes; all which, as they are both there and here mentioned, are but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the beginnings of their ensuing calamities, the signs and forerunners of them. And many such slaughters there then were in the latter end of Claudius, and throughout Nero 's reign, caused by seditions and tumults, from time to time succeeding one another, and famines in like manner consequent to their seditious commotions; and so, as it is uncertain, so it matters not much in what point of time these here are placed. Only for the preventing of mistakes, we may proceed thus far in defining of this time; that the famine here mentioned cannot be that foretold by Agabus, nor consequently can the slaughters here mentioned be any preceding that, if what is here said be by way of prophecy. For that famine foretold by Agabus came to pass in the second year of Claudius which was before S. John 's banishment can be imagined to be: For that S. John was at Jerusalem about the sixth of Claudius appears by Paul 's finding him there, Gal. 2. 9. at his coming up with Barnabas from Antioch to the Council there. And that Claudius did not banish the Jews from Rome till after this, appears, Act. 18. where upon that occasion, Aquila was but newly come from Rome ver. 2. at the time of Paul 's being come from Athens to Corinth: and there must be some competent time intervening betwixt the Council and this: For after he separated from Barnabas, his business was in Syria, Silicia, Derbe, Lystra, Phrygia, Galatia, Mysia, Troas, Philippi, Amphipolis, Apollonia, Thessalonica, Beroea and Athens. This banishment of the Jews from Rome, Orosius l. 7. c. 6. relates out of Josephus to have been about this ninth of Claudius. And that Claudius did any act against Christians before they were involved in that expulsion among the Jews, we have no ground or reason to affirm: But on the contrary Suetonius is clear, Claud. c. 25. that he banished the Jews that followed Christ. Which makes it reasonable to assent to the judgment of Chronologers, that in this ninth of Claudius John was banished from Ephesus to Patmos; all parts of the Roman dominions doing the same that was done at Rome. However, that John was not sent into Patmos before that famine, doth thus appear irrefragably; No manner of persecution fell upon the Christians from the Roman Emperor, or Proconsul, or Procurator, before they were stirred up by the Jews, the fountains of all the persecutions, saith Tertullian cont. Gnost. And the Jews stirred not up the Gentiles until, by the Apostles turning away from them to the Gentiles, they were incensed and provoked, Act. 13. 46. and that was after the death of Herod Agrippa, which was in the fourth of Claudius. And therefore supposing the exile of S. John to Patmos to have been toward this end of Claudius 's reign, it is consequent that to that time also, and not before, these mutual slaughters must belong. And of this sort Josephus mentions very bloody ones, when the Sicarii raged in the time of Felix, Ant. l. 20. c. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 And at the end of that chapter he adds, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that many of the Priests were in distress, and died for want; though because that famine seems to have been on the Priests only by the oppression of the high-priests, it is not certain that that is it which is here mentioned, but some other about that time, not particularly mentioned by him. And these slaughters wrought by these seditious persons as they are properly parallel to the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the beginnings of pangs, Mat. 24. so are they to the second horse in this Vision. And presently after, the state of Judea is so related by Josephus c. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as their condition may well be represented in this Vision, v. 8. where the power is given to them to kill upon the fourth part of the land with sword, and hunger, and death, the Jews never desisting from sedition, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 until they kindled & accended a war. And this will be a fit season also in which to place the crying of the souls beneath the Altar, which must be somewhat before the murder of S. James the Bishop of Jerusalem, set down after the death of Festus, (and before Albinus entered the province, c. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .) and said to have raised great grief and indignation in all that had any sense of justice, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , all that were most just in the city, and exact concerning the laws, took it very ill, saith he.

[ b] V. 6. A measure of wheat for a penny] Choenix is not any set measure, but hath often varied in several times, saith Waserus, Ant. Men's. l. 2. c. 3. and doth ordinarily signify that proportion of wheat which will be sufficient for one man's food for a day. So 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is, it seems by the Gospel, Mat. 20. 2. the wages of a days labor. And then the meaning of A choenix for a penny is, that a man's days-labor shall but bring him in as much bread as he daily wanteth, all other necessaries for him, and even bread for his whole family, being wanting; for the choenix was but the proportion for one person. This signifies the beginning of a famine, the dearness of corn, as will be discerned if it be compared with the difference that is among us between the day-wages of a laborer, and the quantity of bread which is necessary for him; two pence in bread being thought largely sufficient for a single man's food, when yet his ordinary wages is five or six times as much: by which may be guessed the meaning of a choenix of wheat for a denarie, viz. two penny-worth of bread (perhaps less) sold for a shilling, or everything six times as dear as ordinary. And so this whole verse, and the rider of the black horse, with the balance in his hand, is an emblem of dearth beginning, though not yet rioting upon them, and so is most proper to be applied to the famines in Judea, foretold by Christ, Mat. 24. 7. which yet were none of them comparable with those horrible straits of famine which befell them afterward in the siege, &c. See Note a.

[ c] V. 8. Death, and hell followed ] By death here, and Hades (or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 destruction ) along with it, the pestilence is most probably signified, which follows the famines immediately, Mat. 24. 7. and so here in the end of this 8 ^th ver. ( sword, famine, death. ) Death sure is pestilence, and that some particular pestilence, soon after the famines forementioned. Yet will it not be amiss to observe how properly this word (which signifies mortality in general, without defining the way of it) may be also set to denote some other of those prodigious slaughters which after fell upon the Jews, which could not be contained under either the sword or famine before mentioned. Of this sort there were many, that especially of the three myriads, that is, thirty thousand, which in a tumult at the feast of the Passover were thrust and trod to death by themselves, as they ran tumultuously out of the gates of the Temple; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , saith Eusebius l. 2. c. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

[ d] Ib. Unto them ] The 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 them here in the Plural seems to signify the three last horses and their riders, and so to denote sword, and famine, and pestilence, the same that was mentioned by Christ, Mat. 24. 7. as the beginnings of their sorrow, or pangs of a far heavier travail, which after followed: and so no doubt there was a completion of it, in such a degree as is here spoken of, that is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 upon the fourth part of the land; whether that signify to the destroying one tetrarchy or fourth part of the nation, (as it is certain it fell very heavy upon Galilee ) or whether to the destroying very many in several parts of the nation, so that not all, but only a fourth part of the nation were thus visited by these destructions. This latter will seem the most probable, if it be applied peculiarly to that point of time which is parallel to the beginnings of sorrow, Mat. 24. And then the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by the beasts, if that be the right reading, will signify the prevailing of the beasts of the field, as a token and effect of a vastation in those places, where the sword, and famine, and pestilence had made such havoc, that is, in that fourth part of the land. But the King's MS. reads not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , by the beasts, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the fourth part of beasts, answerable to the fourth part of the earth precedent; and then the meaning will be, that this destruction fell upon the cattle as well as men, as either in war, or famine, or pestilence it is wont to do. This hath thus far been said on supposition that what is described here belongs to the beginnings of sorrows, and not the bitter pangs themselves. As for those, they were far more sharp and wasting, and infinitely above this proportion. The story is full of them. At the Passover (to show the just judgments of God in avenging on them the death of his Son, at that very time wherein they crucified him) no less then 300000, which came up to that feast out of all Judea, were shut up in Jerusalem, as in a prison, in that close siege of the Romans, which made the famine so soon to rage most furiously; and this whole number, being but a small proportion to the infinite multitude more of those which were in the city before, (for by Cestius 's computation of the 255000 and 600 sacrifices offered at one Passover, at the rate of ten persons to one sacrifice, the number will be near ten times as great as this now named, besides the unclean that were excluded the sacrifice) were all, one and other, destroyed either by the famine, or by the seditious and turbulent among themselves, killing the rich 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 under pretense they would betray the city, or by the pestilence, or by the enemy (when they were taken forraging for food, and crucified great multitudes of them before the city) or at last taken captive by the besiegers. So that of those that fell by the famine and sword, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in Josephus de Captiv. l. 6. c. 44. (as here 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) he there casts up the sum to an hundred and ten myriads, that is, eleven hundred thousand. And for the rest of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the seditious robbers and thieves, as they were by their own accused and appeached, they were all put to death by Fronto a Roman, after the taking the city; and of those that were still left, those which were tallest and 〈◊〉 , they were reserved for the triumph. Then of the rest that were above seventeen years old, many were sent prisoners to the works in Egypt, and many sent into the provinces to be destroyed in the Theatres, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , saith he, by sword and by wild beasts. And for all those that were under seventeen years old they were sold for slaves. And of these alone, saith he, the number was above nine myriads, that is, ninety thousand.

[ e] V. 9. Under the Altar ] 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 here, and c. 8. 3. must signify the altar of incense (called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Luk 1. 11. but properly 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) not of burnt-sacrifice, the whole place here represented from ch. 4. being the Sanctuary within the veil, where this altar of incense stood, that other of the burnt-sacrifice standing without in the court (see Note on Mat. 23. i.) and so 'tis clear by the mention of incense, ch. 8. 3. To which purpose may be observed, what we find in Theophylact, that the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 was used peculiarly for that censer which the Chief Priest once a year carried with incense into the Holy of holies, and that the standing altar in the Sanctuary was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . And therefore 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 must not be rendered under the altar (as they that conceive it the altar of burnt-sacrifice, conceive also that the souls of the Martyrs do here lie at the foot of the altar, where the blood, which is the life of living creatures, is wont to be poured out) but in the lower part of the Sanctuary, beneath the altar of incense. Of this word see more in Note on ch. 11. a. As for the souls of those that were slain, by that phrase is signified their blood, (as the soul and the life is all one, and the blood is the life, Gen. 9. 4.) and the blood of the slain is the effusion of their blood, (as the blood of Abel ) the sin of murthering them. The same is after expressed by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , those that were slain; for of them in the Masculine gender, and not of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the feminine, it is said, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , they cried saying, How long, &c. All which signifies no more but the sin of slaying the Christians, and the vengeance that in justice from God, and by the promise of Christ, was due to it: And the whole passage seems to allude to 2 Esdr. 4. 35. where the souls of the righteous ask in their chambers, saying, How long, &c. and the answer is, (as here) By measure hath he measured the times, &c. and, he doth not stir them, till the said measure be fulfilled; and ch. 15. 8. Behold, the innocent and righteous blood crieth unto me, and the souls of the just complain continually, and therefore saith the Lord, I will surely avenge, &c. And so here the great persecutions and slaughters of the Christians wrought by the Jews, added to their crucifying of Christ, provoked God's vengeance on them, which should shortly be poured out in fury, they still going on to slay more, James the Bishop of Jerusalem (known by the name of the Just ) and others, whose slaughters, by their own confession, brought down that fatal destruction upon them.

[ f] V. 12. Great earthquake ] Of the great earthquakes ( in divers places, saith S. Luke ) which were both in Asia and at Rome, see Eusebius in Chronico in the time of Nero, and Baronius, An. Chr. 68. Neronis 12. and so also of the Eclipse of the Sun; and of a star or comet like a sword, that stood over the city, and continued a year, and of a great light, that shined about the Altar and the Temple at nine of the night, upon the feast of unleavened bread, for half an hour together, and of Meteors that were seen through all the region, and of an apparition in the clouds of chariots and troops of armed men encompassing the city, and many the like, see Eusebius Eccl. Hist. l. 3. c. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . who calls them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , prodigies manifestly foresignifying the approaching desolation, and sermons as it were of God himself, which is the meaning of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the sign of the Son of man appearing in heaven, Mat. 24. 30. And among these Meteors, the falling stars that are here described, v. 13. would go for no great rarity. But Arethas mentions some of the ancients, who interpret this earthquake here tropologically of Vespasian 's siege of Jerusalem; and so it may well be understood, and by analogy all the rest also. See Note g.

[ g] Ib. The Sun became black ] That the blackness of the Sun, and bloodiness of the Moon, and the falling of stars from heaven upon the ground, have a literal interpretation, of which they are capable, so as to note prodigies in the heavens, Eclipses and Meteors, &c. there is no doubt. But yet here they are sure brought to signify something else. For if these words be compared with Mat. 24. 29. to which they are perfectly parallel, it will appear that they are not a setting down the prodigies before the siege of Jerusalem, but that (that being set down, v. 15.) the darkening of the Sun, &c. is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 after that tribulation, or pressure. All the question is, whether these here be only a general representation of slaughters and blood-shedding, which (because, when they are excessive, they may cause clouds and meteors in the air) are by some thought to be so expressed ordinarily in the Prophets, or whether they may not signify the falling of these judgments upon the Civil and Ecclesiastical state represented by Sun and Moon, and the whole multitude of that people signified by the stars of heaven: And the latter of these seems the more probable (see Note on Mat. 24. n.) for thus in the Prophets of the Old Testament it is ordinary, as when we read, for the iniquity of the people is the land darkened, and the like, that is, the glory and luster of it destroyed. An eminent example, directly parallel to this, we have Isa. 34. 4. All the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll, and all their host shall fall down as the leaf falleth off from the Vine, and the falling fig from the fig-tree; and my sword shall be bathed in heaven. And all this but a representation of God's judgments upon Idumaea, as in the next words it followeth. And so the host of heaven, Dan. 8. 10. is set to denote the Jews, which being supposed, the stars that here fall, will be the common people or multitude of that whole Nation, all expressed distributively in the words that follow, v. 15. the Kings and great ones, and the rich, and commanders of thousands, and the mighty, and every servant and freeman: see Note on Chap. 8. c.

[ h] V. 15. The Kings of the earth ] That this prophecy belongs to the Jews, hath been cleared by other evidences, and accordingly 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 must be translated the Kings of the land, and signify in this place those that had or assumed to themselves the greatest authority among them, and not in any stricter sense Kings, or Heads of the people: for that notion is not appliable to any that were at Jerusalem at this point of time, to which this Vision refers, (see Note i.) And proportionably must the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 great men denote the principal that were then in the city. And then the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 are the commanders or officers in their armies, the leaders of the several factions, as will appear Note i. (being elsewhere used for Roman officers of their militia. ) And then the rich men, the bond-man, and the free-man, make up all that were in Jerusalem at this time, expressed, as 'tis the fashion of the Scripture, by the several sorts of them.

[ i] Ib. Hid themselves in the dens ] This hiding themselves in dens, or caves, is an expression of a great fear and consternation, and the thing that was foretold by S. Luke c. 21. 26. Men despairing for fear, and for the expectation of the things that were a coming on that people, and this there immediately attending the Gentiles treading down of Jerusalem, ver. 24. This makes it not so fit to apply it to their flying to the mountains, which was before the siege, or to those fears that were produced by the prodigies, the forerunners of the destruction, such as the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the promiscuous noise or voice, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Let us remove thence, which was generally thought to signify the departure of God from the Temple, adytis arísque relictus, for this still was before the destruction: but the passage to which this most punctually relates is that in the very time of destroying the city by Titus. For when the Temple was burnt, and the Priests hanged up, and upon an affront offered to Titus, (refusing to relieve, or take quarter from him) the soldiers were permitted to plunder and fire all; the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or seditious go to the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or Palace, where many had laid up their wealth, drive out the Romans thence, kill eight thousand of them, four thousand Jews that had gotten thither for shelter, plunder the place, and the whole lower city, and then 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , retired to the upper city, Zion, the best fortified place, and there planted themselves. For the taking of this, Titus was fain to use engines of battery, and to that end to cast up works: And having done so, as soon as ever a piece of the wall was beaten down, of a sudden a strange fright and consternation took them, some crying out that the whole wall on the West was demolished, others that the Romans were entered, others that they saw them in the Towers; and such a change followed in the minds of all their leaders, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , parallel to the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Kings, and mighty men, and commanders here, that they that were just now in the greatest pride and rage, and contempt of their enemies, and by the deceits of false prophets suborned by them, endeavored to make all confident that they should have success, now trembled and quaked, and sought which way to fly: upon which Josephus observes 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the power of God upon impious men. For, saith he, the Tyrants of their own accords coming down out of their towers, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , quitted their garrisons, which otherwise no force could have been able to take. And a multitude of them endeavoring to get away, but being not able to do so, run into caves under ground, and into the foulest vaults, and so the Romans took the towers, and burnt the houses, killed a multitude in the streets, without any the least opposition. And so the city was taken, this being the last act of that bloody tragedy, as here this hiding in the caves appears to be attended immediately with these words, for the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand? answerable to the Romans setting up their ensigns on those towers at this point of time, and celebrating their victory with shouts and singing, as Josephus saith; adding, that when Titus came and saw these towers thus madly forsaken by the Jews, he wondered exceedingly, and left them standing for a monument of his strange success, when he demolished all other walls of the city. After this the Romans making a narrow search in all the noisome vaults and caverns, they killed whom they found there. And John, one of the Generals of the seditious, being almost famished in a vault, beg'd quarter, and was taken out, and kept in prison: and so Simon son of Gioras, the other of their Generals, having gotten into an inner vault, after some days his victuals failing, came out of the vault in his white stole and purple garment, and yielded himself to a Roman soldier that was left there. And him Titus reserved to be carried in triumph to Rome with him. And for the rest of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , seditious and robbers, so called from their short sword, (that is, the remainders of the two factions, the Zealots being before murdered by the former of them in the Temple) they were appeached by one another, and brought out, and either killed by the Romans, or kept to adorn the triumph, or sent as slaves into Egypt, or in the several provinces set to fight with wild beasts on the Theatres. So exactly true is it which is here said, that as the Kings and great ones, so 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , every servant and every free-man, did thus hide themselves in the caves, as the final completion of this destruction. And if the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the stones of the mountains, have any farther peculiarity of signification, it may fitly be interpreted of the walls of the Temple, where Josephus saith the Priests hid themselves at the time of the fiting of the Temple by the Roman soldiers, from whence five days after they came out, being forced by hunger, and were brought to Titus, and put to death. To which purpose it is commonly known, that as the Temple is called the mountain, or hill, of the Lord, so 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 stones may fitly signify walls that are made of stone, and so may probably signify Mat. 27. 51. the walls of the Temple, rather then the Tomb-stones. And if so, then their hiding themselves in the walls of the Temple, as Josephus relates, will be literally expressed by this phrase 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the stones of the mountains; or if not, yet prophetically and mystically it may thus be signified, as that which follows, their crying to the mountains to fall upon them, is a prophetical expression to signify the sadness and direfulnesse of their present condition.

[ k] V. 16. Wrath of the Lamb ] The anger of the Lamb, and the great day of his anger here, v. 16, and 17. and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , thine anger, ch. 11. 18. are set to express this vengeance on the Jews, whereof the crucifixion of Christ was so great and particular a provoker. Hence is it that in the Gospel 'tis called the kingdom of God, and the coming of Christ, and in Josephus and Eusebius, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , divine visitation, Euseb. l. 3. c. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , destruction from divine vengeance, c. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 punishment from God, ibid. and all this from S. Luke, ch. 21. 22. who calls them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , days of vengeance from God, poured out upon them remarkably for what they had done unto Christ. And one phrase yet more eminent there is to the same purpose, Rev. 16. 14. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the war of the great day of God that ruleth all, that is, the bloody destruction which this just judgment of God brought upon them, for their crucifying of Christ, and persecuting and killing of Christians.

CHAP. VII.

1. AND after these things I saw four Angels standing on the four corners of [note a] the earth; holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on [note b] the sea, nor on any tree.]

[Paraphrase] 1. After the general view and description of God's vengeances on the Jews, succeed now the particular executions of them: and therein the first thing that was represented to me, was, Christ's peculiar care for the preserving of the true penitent believers of them out of the common destruction, who are therefore first to be marked (as the houses of the Israelites in Egypt, that the plague may pass over them) and so secured before the vengeance break out upon them in common. This is here thus expressed in vision; I saw, saith he, four Angels that had power to bring punishments, famine, &c. (foretold c. 6.) upon Judea, but making stay before they would do it, not permitting any of these mischiefs as yet to break out upon them.

2. And I saw another Angel ascending from the East, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four Angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea.

3. Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, or the trees, till we have [note c] sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

[Paraphrase] 2, 3, 4. And whilst this was a doing, I saw another Angel coming on a message from Christ (entitled the East, or rising Sun, see note on Luk. 1. s. and Rev. 16. f.) with a writing sealed (an ordinance or commission from God) in his hand, that they proceed not to any such act of mischief, till the believers, or orthodox, pure, steady Christians be sealed, that is, put into a safe condition, that they partake not in that destruction. And these that are thus sealed, and so-preserved, though they are a very small despicable number, in respect of the far greater number of those that were destroyed, only a remnant, as Noah's family of the old world, or Lot's of Sodom (see Luk. 17. 27, 29. and note on Mat. 24. k.) are yet fourteen myriads and four thousand, that is, a great number, (not precisely so many, or just 12000 and no more, of every tribe;) and these were by God's appointment to be secured, before the judgments were to break out upon that people.

4. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an [note d] hundred and forty and four thousand, of all the tribes of the children of Israel.]

5. Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.

6. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Naphtali were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasseh were sealed twelve thousand.

7. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.

8. Of the tribe of Zebulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

9. After this, I beheld, and lo a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands,]

[Paraphrase] 9. After this immediately I saw all the orthodox, pure, constant Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles, everywhere dispersed, of all nations, that had continued thus long under persecution of the Jews, see v. 14. looking up with faith and constancy to Christ, attending this vengeance of God on the unbelieving Jews, and owned, and acknowledged, and rewarded by God, as those that had stuck to the faith, and persevered constantly, Mat. 24. 13. though they had not resisted unto blood, Heb. 12. 4.

10. And cried with a loud voice, saying, [note e] Salvation to our God, which sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb.]

[Paraphrase] 10. And these praised God for his deliverance (as the Martyrs called for vengeance c. 6. 9.) acknowledging all their delivery to be imputable, as a most remarkable act of mercy, to God the Father, and to Christ on whom they have believed.

11. And all the Angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders, and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

12. Saying, Amen. Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might be unto our God forever and ever, Amen.]

[Paraphrase] 11, 12. And a multitude of Angels stood waiting on God, and encompassing the Bishops of Judea, (which were, together with the Apostles, to be gone out of the Country at this time, and so to partake of this delivery) and they joined with them in this rejoicing, and blessing of God.

13. And one of the Elders answered, saying unto me, What are these that are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?]

[Paraphrase] 13. And me thought, one of the Bishops asked me, who I thought those were (or whence) that were in the white garments of unspotted innocence, v. 9.

14. And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said unto me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.]

[Paraphrase] 14. And I told him I knew not, desiring him to tell me. And he told me, saying, These are the Confessors (though not Martyrs) ver. 9. that ventured their lives for Christ in the confessing him constantly.

15. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his Temple, and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.]

[Paraphrase] 15. Who shall therefore live to enjoy, some tranquility, and peaceable assembling, to serve him in the Church: see 2 Thess. 2. 1. and Rev. 5. 10.

16. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore, neither shall the Sun light on them, nor any heat:]

[Paraphrase] 16. They shall no more be persecuted or restrained from assemblies: see Isa. 49. 10.

17. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.]

[Paraphrase] 17. But live peaceably in Christ's fold (see Psal. 23. 2.) and having sown in tears, they shall now reap in joy the fruits of their patience and perseverance, (see Isa. 25. 8.) a peaceable time of serving God, (Such as the Christians had in the days of Vespasian and Titus, after the destruction of the Jews.)

Annotations on Chap. VII.

[ a] V. 3. The earth ] That 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the earth, or land, signifies not the whole world, but particularly the land of Palestine, in many places of the New Testament, according to the notion of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 among the Hebrews, see Note on Mat. 5. b. and so in like manner the four corners of the land, Ezech. 7. 2. Thus saith the Lord God unto the land of Israel, An end, The end is come upon the four corners of the land. And so sure 'tis very generally, almost constantly, taken in this book, and accordingly is to be rendered, the land, and not the earth, as in the fifth commandment, and in the Prophets generally, the Hebrew is wont to be rendered; and in the latter part of this verse, where 'tis set opposite to, or distinct from the sea, &c. it may possibly signify Judea, or that part of Palestine.

[ b] Ib. The sea ] If 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the sea here be taken for any part of Palestine distinct from Judea, it may then seem to signify that part of the country which was near the sea, or lake of Genesareth (see Note on Luk. 8. c.) as Capernaum 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , by the sea-side, Mat. 4. 13. in the borders of Zebulon and Naphtali. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by the sea-side, v. 15. This sea was the sea of Tiberias, Joh. 6. 1, & 23. &c. 21. 1. the city Tiberias being by Herod built in the prime part of Galilee, saith Josephus, Ant. l. 18. c. 3. And so under this title of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 sea, Galilee may be described, of which there was a Tetrarch under the Romans, and that different from the Procurator or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Governor of Judea, Luk. 3. 1. as here 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the land and the sea, are set differing one from the other (see Note on Luk. 21. e.) And then for the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 every tree which is added, that also may signify that country wherein the trees did principally grow, and that may be the tetrarchy of Abyla, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Abylene region, Luk. 3. 1. for that, saith Josephus, and the region about that, which made up Lysanias 's tetrarchy, was situate in Libanus, which is so famous in Scripture for trees. See Josephus Ant. l. 18. c. 4. But the truth is, all these together, land, and sea, and trees, may perhaps fignifie no more but the whole people of the Jews, without any nicer consideration of different countries in it.

[ c] Ibid. Sealed the—in their foreheads ] This sealing in the forehead is the same that is mentioned in the prophet Ezekiel, c. 9. 4. a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as it is thought, either for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the law, or for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 repentance (and so Theodotion renders the Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 there, not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a sign, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the letter Tau, noting the promise of deliverance that is ascertained to such penitents or obedient servants of God when all others are destroyed, for that this is the use and meaning of sealing, see Note on Ephes. 4. g.) And that this was most remarkable among the Jews at this time, appears, not only by the frequent mention of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 those that escape, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , deliverance or salvation, often shown to belong to this matter, and again by the plain prediction of Christ, one shall be taken and another left, and many the like; but by that passage in story (mentioned on Mat. 24. 26.) how Gallus having sat down and besieged Jerusalem, neglected many opportunities of taking it, and in the very next month raised the siege, recalled the army again, by which means the Christians that were in the city, remembering Christ 's words, When you see Jerusalem encompassed with armies, then let them that are in Judea flee to the mountains, (and perhaps admonished by the voice, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Let us go hence, thus understood) immediately removed out of the city, and indeed out of Judea, and went to Pella (see Euseb. Hist. Eccl. l. 3. c. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .) and were dispersed some in Europe, others in Asia (see Note on John. 7. d.) and at Titus 's besieging the city there was not one Christian left in it.

[ d] See Josephus de Bell. Jud. l. 2. c. 22. &c. and Note on Mat. 24. g.

V. 4. Hundred forty and four thousand ] This number of an hundred forty and four thousand, or the proportioning it so equaliy between twelve Tribes, must not necessarily be taken in a literal sense, that there were just so many Christians in Judea, that went out and were delivered at the time of the approach of those judgments, or those so equally divided by Tribes; but (as in Prophecies 'tis ordinary) a certain number for an uncertain, and an obscure representation made: And perhaps all that is to be understood by, or concluded from this number, is no more but the demonstration of the truth of what Christ had said, in answer to the question, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; whether the number of the Jews which should escape were, in proportion to the others, a small or great number. For there is advise to them of entering in at the straight gate; and so also the Prophet's frequent mention of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the remnant that should escape, doth demonstrate, that of the Jews there should not be found many in proportion which should be delivered from this wrath to come, by escaping out of that wicked generation. For though Christ after his own ascent left his Apostles to preach over all the cities of Judea (to rescue them yet, if it were possible) before this vengeance should break out upon them; yet it seems by his own prediction Luk. 18. 8. that after all this there should be found but little faith, that is, few believers, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the land of Judea, at the time of the Son of man's coming in judgment upon this people; few of that nation would sincerely repent and come in and adhere to him. There were indeed many of that nation which received the faith, three thousand converted at one sermon of S. Peter 's, Act. 2. 41. and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , (as 'tis there said ver. 47.) every day there was a proportionable addition of them, and so the Bishop of Jerusalem tells Paul, Act. 21. 20. that there were many myriads of believing Jews there. And Eusebius, mentioning Justus the third Bishop of Jerusalem, faith, that he was one of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the so many myriads of Jews that believed in Christ at that time, l. 3. c. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . (and accordingly the number which is here said to be sealed, comes to above fourteen myriads, which is no small number.) But yet of all these it must be observed, First, that many of the believers, being also zealous for the law, Act. 21. 20. fell out with the Apostles and Christianity itself when it came in competition with the Mosaical observances, and fell off to the Jewish and Gnostic part, when the persecutions fell upon the orthodox Christians, and accordingly were after destroyed with the unbelievers at this coming of Christ. Secondly, these many were yet few comparatively, or in proportion to the far greater number which held out obdurate, or else, as temporary professors, fell off again in time of persecution for the faith. And this will appear to be very fitly expressed here by this number of an hundred forty & four thousand. For, for the multitude of that people, we may make some guess at it, 1. by the account which Cestius brought Nero. He, when he had that Prefecture, being willing to give Nero an advertisement of the strength of that nation (because Nero so contemned it) labor'd to make use of the High-priest's Arithmetic to that purpose, and he did it thus. At the feast of the Passover they numbered the sacrifices that were brought to Jerusalem at that time, and found them to be 25 5600. Now of those Paschal sacrifices it must be remembered, that each of them was eaten by a society, consisting perhaps of twenty, but at least of ten persons. At the proportion of ten to a sacrifice the number of those that did partake of these sacrifices must be 2556000. 2 ^dly , it must be remembered also, that none had to do in those sacrifices but those which were pure and clean at that time, and therefore besides this number of these that did partake of them, it must be resolved that there was a very great number more which did not partake; all the leprous, all the women that were under any pollution, all the men to whom anything in like manner had befallen in the night, all that were under any infection, &c. these were excluded from that former number, & in the account must be added to it: & then 'twill appear what a small number this was of 144000. out of all Judea, in proportion to the whole people at that time, not above a thirtieth part at the highest valuation imaginable, perhaps a yet far more disproportionable number. Here if it be demanded, why the tribe of Dan is not numbered among the tribes, and Levi is; the answer for Levi will be clear, That though that tribe had no part in the division of the land, & so could not be numbered there, yet in Christ their portion was as good as any, and therefore were not here to be omitted. As for the tribe of Dan, it may be, because long before that time that tribe was either destroyed or brought very low, say the Jews; and so indeed it appears that it was not numbered among the rest of the Tribes, in 1 Chron. 2. or the following Chapters.

[ e] V. 10. Salvation ] 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 salvation is the word which most properly signifies this deliverance of them that are said to be sealed, that is, of the penitent Jews, or sincere orthodox Christians, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the saved. or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the remnant, (see Rom. 11. 26. and Note on Rom. 13. b.) and then the meaning of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 salvation to God will be obvious, the imputing this deliverance to God, acknowledging it his special act, giving him all the praise and honor of it.

CHAP. VIII.

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

[Paraphrase] 1. And after these six rolls and seals c. 6. containing the several previous judgments that were to fall on the unbelieving Jews, and the prodigies foregoing, and predictions of utter destruction that should fall upon them; follows now the seventh roll and seal, and on the opening of that there was a representation of the service in the Temple at the time of offering incense. For first I perceived an universal silence for half an hour, that is, the people praying by themselves silently in the court (as they are wont to do, while the high priest is offering in the sanctuary.)

2. And I saw the seven Angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven [note a] trumpets.]

[Paraphrase] 2. And the seven Angels or officers that waited on God, chap. 1. 4. like so many priests in the Temple, sounded their trumpets.

3. And another Angel came and stood at the altar, having a [note 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.

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

[Paraphrase] 3, 4. And another Angel, as the high priest, offered up the incense with which the people's prayers are supposed to ascend to God. By this signifying the prayers of all faithful people, persecuted by these obdurate Jews, to have come to God's ears, and to have found admission there.

5. And the Angel took the censer, and filled it with fire from the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were [note b] voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.]

[Paraphrase] 5. And as an effect or consequent of that, that is, of that persecution, and their prayers for deliverance (not for this vengeance) it is, that the Angel fills his censer with fire from the altar of burnt-offerings, that is, with the wrath of God (so oft expressed in the Prophets by fire) and that wrath consuming, (such as the fire that consumed the burnt-sacrifice totally) and cast it upon all Judea; and the effects of that were voices, and thunders, (that is, noise of thunders) and lightnings, and earthquake, that is, great, heavy, sudden, wasting judgments upon that people, represented here in general, but particularly set down in the consequents of the sounding the seven trumpets.

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

[Paraphrase] 6. Then the seven Angels set their trumpets to their mouths, everyone, and were ready to blow, and did so, one after another, each of which hath a several signification in it.

7. The first Angel sounded, and there followed hail and [note c] fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all [note d] green grass was burnt up.]

[Paraphrase] 7. And when the first sounded, I saw falling upon Judea hail and fire mingled with blood, a fit emblem of seditions and commotions, and they sell upon Judea, and wasted it in a bloody manner: And the obedient meek pious Christians that would not join with them in their seditious practices, were terribly plundered and wasted by them. And this fell heavily upon the Tetrarchate of Abylene (see note b. on chap. 7.) as well as upon Judea.

8. And the second Angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with [note c] fire was cast into the sea; and the [note e] third part of the sea became blood.]

[Paraphrase] 8. And upon the second Angels sounding there was another representation of a great multitude of the same or like seditious persons, rising in Galilee, and the suppressing of them cost a great deal of blood, consumed a great multitude of Galilaeans,

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.]

[Paraphrase] 9. Made a great destruction of men, and vastation of the most eminent cities there: see note e.

10. And the third Angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, [note c] burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters:

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

[Paraphrase] 10, 11. And upon the sounding of the third, an eminent person taking upon him to be a Captain among them, and drawing many after him, raised a sedition in the lesser cities and towns of Galilee: see note e. And this sedition was a bitter pernicious one to those that joined in it, brought a force from the Romans, slew a great multitude more in those parts of Galilee.

12. And the fourth Angel sounded, and the third part of the [note g] 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 darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.]

[Paraphrase] 12. And upon the sounding of the fourth, I saw the representation of a great judgment falling upon the holy city, a siege and attempt on Jerusalem itself.

13. And I beheld and heard an Angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, [note h] Woe, woe, woe to the inhabiters of the earth, by reason of the other voices of the trumpets of the three Angels which are yet to sound.]

[Paraphrase] 13. And a Prophet denouncing three horrible woes against the whole nation, which should particularly be set down in the three representations which should be ushered in by the three other Angels still behind, which would not be long before they sounded; the first of them belonging to the forerunners immediately before the last siege and destruction of Jerusalem, the second to that siege itself, the third to the sad events following it.