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Vers. 8. AND the fourth Angel poured out his Vial upon the Sun.
By Sun here cannot be meant (as some) Christ the Son of Righteousness; nor (as others) the Scripture revealing Christ; for the manifest truth of our fourth Proposition,
as also because according to either of these opinions) the Subject of this Vial, is made singular from all the rest, for the Subjects of every of the other Vials are things evill, and peeces of Antichrists and Satans Kingdome, and con∣fessed so to be; but according to these interpretations, the Subject of this Vial should be good; either Christ him∣self, or one of the principal things, and of greatest value pertaining to his Kingdom.
A late worthy Writer, who interprets this Sun to be some high, eminent Head of State, who like a Sun in the Popish world upholds all; and by his splendor and govern∣ment giveth strength and lustre to all; Like as the Sun in the created world, by its light and motion, guides and moves the forces of nature; he that hit the mark in ge∣nearl, but not having pointed who, or what this Head is, hath yet left room for a more particular inquiry.
By Sun therefore (as some others more fitly and rightly judge) we are in this place to understand the Ger∣man Empire, or House of Austria; but these also in the application fall under a mistake, whilst looking upon the late German War to be the Effect of this Vial, they bring us down to the fifth or sixth Vials; which opinion for our two first reasons laid down to disprove the very same opinion (urged by another Author, and to another end) in opening the Subject of the second Vial, cannot stand with truth.
And here, by the way, I cannot but give the Reader a hint, how easie a thing it is to be deceived by likelihoods; The German War having in it the likelihood of a Vial, hath given occasion to some to bring it under the second, to others under the fourth, whereas indeed it pro∣perly belongs to none. Spiritual prudence and direction from above, is wanting in nothing more than this, to judge aright of likelihoods.
Yet although in respect of the time they step aside,
that yet they have judged aright concerning the Subject, is clear; because the Sun here being to be understood of no other Sun than that which shines in the Antichristian world, or Popish Horizon (for it is upon that world, and that alone) all the Vials (the two last excepted) are to be poured forth) it cannot to any be so properly and parly applyed, as to the German Empire, or the House of Austria; which although for present, through the late War, it hath suffered an ecclipse in respect of its former lustre and beauty; yet was it when Antichrists King∣dome was in its highest altitude, and the top of its glory, the very Sun, and glory of that Kingdome.
And that which doth yet more strongly confirm me in this conjecture, is, the consideration how exactly the same, according to this interpretation doth agree both to the time and place of the Witnesses killing, and rising; for that they about this time lye dead in that street of the Great City, (the very, and only place they are to be slain in) and shall shortly there arise; some weighty grounds for proof hereof, are laid down by the worthy Author of Clavis Apocalyptica, of whom mention was made in the foregoing Vial, to which it were not im∣possible to adde some farther proof, though here to do it would be to make this word by the by, swell into a Tract of it self, and therefore I forbear, not without some hopes and expectations, that instead of verbal, the thing by real Arguments may prove it self ere long. Onely ad∣ding, that it may more concern the higher powers of this Nation, than possibly many are aware of, to cast an eye that way: And what the design of God may be, or whe∣ther or no tending to any such thing in the present War with Holland, we shall know hereafter.