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1 After the opening of the seuenth seale, 3 the Saints pray∣ers are offered vp with odours. 6 The seuen Angels come forth with trumpets. 7 The foure first blow, and fire falleth on the earth, 8 the sea is turned into bloud, 10. 11 the waters waxe bitter, 12 and the starres are darkened.
the altar hauing a golden censer; and much odoures was giuen vnto him, to offer with the prayers of all the Saintes vpon the golden altar, which is before the throne.
4 And the smoke of the odours with the pray∣ers of the Saintes, b 1.6 went vp out of the Angels hand, vnto the presence of God.
5 Then the Angel tooke the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were made voyces, and thundrings, and lightenings, and earthquake.
6 4 1.7 And the seuen Angels, which had the se∣uen trumpets, prepared them selues to blow the trumpets.
7 5 1.8 So the first Angel blew the trumpet, and there was haile and fire, mingled with bloud; and they were cast into the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt vp, and all greene grasse was burnt vp.
8 6 1.9 Then the second Angell blew the trumpet, and as it were a great mountaine, burning with fire, was cast into the sea; and the third part of the sea became bloud.
9 And the third part of the creatures, which were in the sea, and had life, dyed; and the third part of ships were destroyed.
10 7 1.10 Then the third Angell blew the trumpet, and there fell a great star out of heauen, burning like a torch, and fell into the third part of the ri∣uers, and into the fountaines of waters.
11 The name of the starre is called 8 1.11 worme∣wood: therefore the third part of the waters be∣came wormewood; and manie men dyed of the waters, because they were made bitter.
12 9 1.12 After the fourth Angell blew the trumpet, and the third part of the Sunne was smitten, and the third part of the Moone, and the third part of the starres; so that the third part of thē was darke∣ned, and the third part of the day did not shine, and likewise the night.
13 10 1.13 And I beheld, and heard one Angell fly∣ing through the middes of heauen, saying with a loud voyce, Wo, wo, wo, to the inhabitants of the earth, from the soundes remaining of the trumpets of the three Angels, which yet must blow their trumpets.
Hee retur∣neth to the hi∣storie of the seales of the booke, which the Lambe o∣peneth. The seuenth seale is the next foresignification, and a precise commaundement of the execution of the most heauie iudgements of God vpon this wicked world: which foresignification being vnderstood by the seale, all things in heauen are silent, and in horrour through admiration, vntill commaundement of execution be seuerallie giuen of God vnto the administres of his wrath. So he passeth vnto the third member, of which I spake before in the sixt Chapter and first verse, which member is of the execution of those euils wherewith God most iustly determined to afflict the world.
F. IVNIVS.
Now followeth the third braunch of the common historie, as euen now I sayd: which is the execution of the iudgements of God vpon the world. This is first generallie prepared, vnto the sixt verse; then by seuerall partes expounded according to the order of those that administred the same, vnto the end of the Chapter following. Vnto the preparation of this execution are declared these things: first who were the administers and instrumentes thereof, in this verse; secondly, what is the worke both of the Prince of Angels giuing order for this execution, thence vnto the 5. verse, and of his administers, in the sixt verse. The administers of the exe∣cution are sayd to be seuen Angels: their instruments, trumpets, whereby they should as it were sound the al'arme at the commaundement of God. They are propunded seuen in number, because it pleased not God at once to powre out his wrath vpon the rebellious world, but at diuerse times, and by peece meale, and in slow order, and as with an vnwilling mind to exercise his iudgementes vpon his creatures, so long called vpon both by word and signes, if happily they had learned to repent.
Which ap∣peare before him as his ministers.
This is that great Emperour, the Lord Iesus Christ, our King and Sauiour: who both maketh intercession to God the Father for the Sainctes, filling the heauenly sanctuarie with most sweete odour, and offe∣ring vp their prayers, as the Calues and burnt sacrifices of their lippes, in this verse: in such sort as euerie one of them (so powerfull is that sweete sauour of Christ, and the efficacie of his sacrifice) are held in reconcilement with God and themselues made most acceptable vnto him, verse 4. And then also out of his treasurie, and from the same sanctuarie powreth forth vpon the world the fire of his wrath, adding also diuine tokens thereunto: and by that meanes (as of old the harauldes of Rome were wont to doe) he proclaimeth warre against the rebellious world.
Our prayers are nothing worth, vnlesse that true and sweete sauour of that onely obla∣tion be especially and before all things with thē, that is to say, vn∣lesse we being first of all iusti∣fied through faith in his Son, be acceptable vnto him.
This is the worke of the administers. The Angels the administers of Christ, onely by sound of trū∣pet and voyce (for they are onely as ha∣raulds) do effe∣ctually cal forth the instruments of the wrath of God, through his power. Hitherto haue bene things generall. Now followeth the narra∣tion of things particular, which the Angels six in number wrought in their order, set out vnto the nineteenth verse of the next Chapter: and is conclu∣ded with declaration of the euent which followed vpō these things done in the world, in the tenth and eleuenth Chapters.
The first execution at the sound of the first Angell, vpon the earth, that is, the inhabitants of the earth (by metonymie) and vpon all the fruites thereof: as the comparing of this verse with the second member of the ninth verse, doth not obscurely declare.
The second execution, vpon the sea, in this verse, and all things that are therein, in the next verse.
The third execution vpon the flouds and foūtaines, that is, vpon al fresh waters, in this verse: the ef∣fect where of is, that manie are destroyed with the bitternesse of the waters, in the verse fol∣lowing.
This is spo∣ken by meta∣phor, of the name of a most bitter herbe, and com∣mōly knowne: vnlesse perhaps a man follow∣ing those that note the de∣riuation of wordes, had rather expound it adiectiuelie, for that which by reason of bitternesse can not be dronke, or which maketh the liquour in∣to which it is powred, more bitter then that anie man can drincke the same.
The fourth execution vpon those lightsome bodies of heauen, which minister vnto this inferiour world.
A lamentable prediction or foretelling of those parts of the di∣uine execution which yet are behind: which also is a passage vnto the argu∣ment of the next Chapter. Of all these things in a manner Christ him selfe expressely foretold Luke 21. 24. &c. and they are common plagues general∣ly denounced, without particular note of time.