Revelation 16

God having showed unto his Servant John in the Vision of the first six Seals, the fate of the Church under the Pagan Emperors of Rome, ch. 5, 6. and its Fate under Antichrist, in the Vision of the six first Trumpets, under the seventh Seal, ch. 8, 9. and diverted him by the Vision of the little Book opened, ch. 10. and by the Contents of it, ch. 12, 13, 14. and instructed him concerning the Affairs of the Church, during all the time of the Reign of the Dragon and Antichrist, who was the Image of the Dragon, comes now to instruct him particularly, how and by what means he would ruine Antichrist, and restore Peace to his Church.

AND I heard a great voice out of the temple Either out of the Church Triumphant, Christ the Head of it, commanding the Executioners of his Justice to go and do their Office: Or out of the Church-Militant, by their Prayers solliciting God to execute Vengeance upon the Beast., saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth All the Beast's Territories, or the several Parts of his Kingdom, are expressed in this Chapter, under the Notions of the Earth, the Sea, the Rivers, and Fountains, the Sun, and the Seat of the Beast. The first Command to the Executioners of God's Justice, is, to pour out his Wrath on the Earth. By the Earth, Pareus understands some parts of the Earth; others, the common People; others, the Roman Empire; but others, considering the Earth as the firmest part of the Universe, say, That by the Earth is meant the Popish Clergy, the Basis of the Papacy; and I am very much inclined to judge, that the most probable sense of it, not only because there is little of Heaven in them, and their whole Frame and Model is the Product of earthly Policy, but because Experience has told us, that the Pope here received his first Wound, in the Diminution of their Power, and Authority, and a Contempt of them. God has used many Instruments to pour out this Vial, even so many (whether Princes or Ministers) as he has made use of to root out Monastries and Abbeys, and to expose Mass-Priests to Scorn and Contempt. Mr. Mede seemeth to be of another mind, thinking, that by Earth is meant the Commonalty of the People, whose Defection from the Pope was his first Plague: but that which is to be understood by the Earth, being the affected part of Antichrist, I cannot agree with that learned Man; for tho the Beast suffered by the Defection of the Commonalty, yet I cannot see how those that made the Defection, suffered at all by it..

And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth, and there ell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image Here is a plain Allusion to the Plagues which God brought upon Pharaoh King of Egypt for his Oppression of his ancient Israel; God hereby showing us, that he would deal by this Romish Beast for his Persecutions of his Gospel-Churches, as he dealt by Pharaoh; as he turned the Egyptian Rivers into Blood, so as the Fish died, and the Waters stunck, Exod. 7. 20. and as he plagued the Egyptians with Bil s and Blains, Exod. 9.9. so he would plague the Papacy by proportionable Judgments, until, as Pharaoh with his whole Party was at last drowned in the Red-Sea, so all the Antichristian Party shall be rooted out. Here are two of the Egyptian Plagues mentioned, but this Vision begins with the sixth of the Egyptian Plagues, viz. that of Biles breaking out in Bla es. What is meant by this grievous Sore, I must profess my self not to understand, but think Dr. Moor speaks very probably, interpreting it of Trouble and Vexation, which the Popish party should have upon the first Prospect of their Kingdom's going down; it being of the Nature of Sores, to vex and disturb those that are affected with them, so as they are very uneasie so long as they are affected with them. And indeed, I find many Interpreters agree in this Notion..

And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea This answered the first Plague upon Pharaoh, Exod. 7.20. All the Waters that were in the River, were turned to Blood; and the Fish that were in the River, di d. By the Sea here, Dr. Moor understands the Iurisdiction and Dominion of the Papacy, wherein he agrees with Mr. Mede. I rather agree with those who understand the whole System of the Popish Religion; their Rites and Ceremonies, their Doctrines of Indulgences and Purgatory, &c., and it became as the blood of a dead man God shows his Prophet, and instructeth us, that he will bring the Papacy to ruine, first by bringing his Clergy, (which are the Earth upon which he stands) into Scorn and Contempt; discovering their Frauds and Cheats. 2. By discovering the Folly and Vanity of their pompous, and Theatrical Religion, consisting only in vain Shows, and idle Rites and Ceremonies, without any Regard to that Religion which is spiritual, and pure, and undefiled before God; discovering the Cheats of their Confessions and Absolutions, their Masses, Pardons and Indulgences; making them appear to be not only idle, but pernicious and damnable; so as: and every living soul died in the sea Christians could not live in the Communion of their Church, but it must be damnable to those who keep in the Communion of it..

And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters Mr. Mede and Dr. Moor both agree in interpreting this of the Iesuits and other Popish Emissa ies., and they became blood And the Laws made for the Execution of them in England in the time of Qu. Elizabeth, not excluding those civil Powers, which are the Upholders and Maintainers of Antichrist, as the Spaniard, who also within these last 100 years, has had Blood enough given him to drink, both in 1588, and in the Low-C tries. It seemeth a little hard to interpret a Prophecy relating to the whole Church, by what is done in so small a part of it. We know in what credit these Emissaries are at this day, both in the Empire, and in Spain, and in France, and Venice, (from whence they sometimes were expelled.) We have, indeed, Laws against them in England but principally relating to those of them, who, being native Subjects of England, have apostatized. So as I had rather think this Vial is not yet poured out, or that Interpreters mistake the meaning of these Fountains and Rivers, than agree with them in that Interpretation of this Prophecy. I am much disposed to believe that we are not further than the pouring out of the second Vial. God, indeed, has made the Romish Clergy contemptible enough, and has vexed and enraged them sufficiently. He has also made their Scenical Religion as contemptible to, and justly abhorred by a great part of the Christian World; but how far he has proceeded further to the Ruine of Antichrist, I do not understand..

And I heard the angel of the waters say All these three Verses do but express the Honour and Glory that shall be given unto God, when he shall have accomplished his great Work in destroying those who feed, and uphold, and maintain the Beast, partly by those Instruments he shall use in that Work, expressed here by the Angel of the Waters, partly from others., Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus Acknowledging the Lord's Justice and Righteousness in such Destruction.:

For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy Because of their Persecutions of, and cruelty towards God's faithful Ministers and People, which rendred the spilling of their Blood but a condign Punishment suted to their Sin..

And I heard another out of the altar, say Others also, either Members of the Church Triumphant or Militant, or both, shall in th t Day give Glory to God,, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments as a God of Power, able to do such things; of Righteousness, thus giving these bloody Men their due; and of Truth, thus fulfilling both his Promises to his People, and his Threatnings against his Enemies. But it is easier to determine who shall thus rejoice, th n the time when this Joy shall be. This certainly is God's Work, but in fieri, now doing, but not yet done..

And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun Here we have no History to guide us in the Government of our Fancies and Judgments, but their Opinion seems most probable to me, who, by the Sun, understand some great Prince or Potentate, or the whole civil Power in the Antichristian Heaven; suppose the Spaniard, or the Emperor. It seems to signifie either some Destruction of such civil Powers, or some Defection of them from the Papacy,; and power was given unto him to sco ch men with fire which will vex and inrage Antichrist and his Party, as if they were scorched with Fire. This I look upon as much more probable than theirs who interpret it of the natural Sun, or the Word of God..

And men were scorched with great heat What the damned do in Hell, where the Wrath of God is poured out upon Men to the utmost, that Reprobates do upon Earth, they are scorched with great Heat, the Vengeance of God cometh upon them, they are mad and inraged,, and blasphemed the name of God, which has power over these plagues and speak evil of a just, and righteous God, who bringeth such Plagues on them;: and they repented not to give him glory But they have no sense of their Sins, nor any Thoughts of turning to God, confessing their Sins, and giving him Glory. This will be the Upshot of God's lesser Judgments upon the Papacy: They will be mad at them, and rage, and reproach God's Justice, but prove an hardned Generation, given over to Ruine, that will never be sensible that these Judgments come upon them for their Idolatries and Superstitions, and for their Persecutions, and the shedding the Blood of God's Holy Ones; not that all adhering to that Church will be so (many, probably, will convert, and be brought to acknowledge the Truth) but there will be a great Party of them, whom nothing but the Wrath of God come upon them in the bottomless Pit to the utmost, will ever make sensible that they have done amiss, being given up to strong Delusions, to a blind Mind, and an hard Heart, and a re robate Iudgment..

And the fifth angel The fifth of the seven Angels mentioned, v. 1. by which, as was said, is to be understood the instruments which God will use gradually to destroy the Papacy. The fifth Rank of Persons, whom God will imploy in the Execution of this his Purpose, by his Acts of Providence. poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast Shall execut God's Wrath upon the City of Rome it self, wholly destroying the Papacy in their Power.; and his kingdom was full of darkness Upon which his whole Kingdom shall be full of the Darkness of Misery, Trouble, and Affliction (Darkness was one of the Plagues of Egypt.), and they gnawed their tongues for pain And they shall be full of Calamities, like Men in so much Pain, that they bite their own Tongues for Pain. When this shall be God alone knows; I think, and Experience has proved, that they were much too hasty in their Speculations, that prophesied it should be 1656, or 1660, or 1666. For my own part, I do not believe it will be before 1866, or betwixt that and the year 1900. The Determination of it depends upon the right fixing of the Epocha, or beginning of the 42 Months, or 1260 prophetical Days, which I think most probably fixed upon the year 606 or (according to Mr. Stephens his Notion) 666, which, according to the Iulian Account, is the same (See the Note on ch. 13.18.).

And blasphemed the God of heaven, because of their pains, and their sores, and repented not of their deeds This is the same that was said v. 9. of a former Party belonging to the Beast, and does but signifie, that there will be sound the same Vein of Blindness of Mind, Hardness of Heart, and Reprobacy of Sense running through that whole Party, until they be wholly ruined..

And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates Upon the Turkish Empire. See the Notes on chap. 6.14; and the water thereof was dried up Their Force, Power, and Strength shall be destroyed,, that the way of the kings of the ea might be prepared that a Way may be prepared for the Conversion of the Iews. This I find to be the Sense of the most learned and judicious Interpreters of this mysterious Book amongst whom I count Mr. Mede, Dr. Moor, Pareus, Mr. Darham, &c. B t it will be reasonable to say something further to show the Probability of this Sense. Euphrates was a great River that ran by Babylon, the depth of it was (as Historians tell us) about two Men's height. When Cyrus and Darius came to conquer Babylon, they diverted this River, Ier. 51.32, 36. Here is an Allusion to that History. The Turks first took up their Habitation about this great River, as was said in in our Notes on Chap. 9.14. where the Providence of God restrained them for many years, till the 6th Trumpet sounded. The Iews, who are observed to be in greatest Numbers in the Eastern Countries, having had a Promise, Exod. 19.6. to be a Kingdom of Priests, may well be called here the Kings of the East. Two things hinder their imbracing the Christian Faith: 1. The Image-worship, and Idolatry of the Papists. 2. The Power of the Turks, with the Success they have had against Christians; but both these being taken away by the Fall of Babylon, and the Ruine of the Turkes, the way seems to be prepared for the Iews receiving of the Christian Faith, In a case where nothing can be certainly determined, this seemeth a very probable Opinion. To which it contributes a little, that it's probable, that the sixth Vial answereth the sixth Trumpet; and that as they were the People first let loose by Euphrates, where they were bound, so they are the People to be destroyed under the Notion of drying up the Waters of Euphrates: and this seemeth to be a Work of Providence brought forth after the Ruine of Rome, and the total breaking of the Power and Dominion of the Papacy. Thus we have foretold the breaking both of Pope and Turk, and all their Upholders; but we must not imagine them so ruined, but that Parties of both should be left in the World, which combining, made up the Army to fight the Devil's last Battel in Armageddon, of which we shall read, v. 16..

And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast God here shows Iohn, that after the Power and Strength both of the Pope and Turks should be broken, the Devil would yet make one Push more; to which purpose, he would influence some, on the behalf of the Antichristian secular Power, others on the behalf of the Beast with two Horns, or the false Prophet, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

For they are the spirits of devils working miracles Which from the Influence of the Devil,, which go forth unto the kings of the earth, and of the whole world, to gather them to the battel of that great day of God Almighty should sollicite the Kings of the Earth to join together in a Battel against the Church. This is, undoubtedly the Battel in Armageddon, v. 16..

Behold, I come as a thief That is, I come suddenly and unexpectedly. See Matth. 24.43, 44. Luke 12.39. 1 Thess. 5.2. Reu. 3.3. It may be understood either of Christ's coming to the last Judgment, or of his coming in his vindicative Providence to be revenged on his Enemies.. Blessed is he that watcheth He is an happy Man that maketh it his Business to keep himself from Sin, in Prospect of any such Comings,, and keepeth his garments and that persevereth in my Ways and Truth;, lest he walk naked and they see his shame for if he does not, he will be found one of those that are not clothed with my Righteousness; and his Hypocrisie will appear to all Men..

And he Either the Devil brought them together, or God by his Providence ordered, that they should be gathered together into the place where God designed to destroy them and their Armies (for so the word Armageddon signifieth, say some); but others make it to signifie the Mountain of the Gospel; or to the Mountain of Apples, or Fruits; but the first Etymology, in this place seems best. The word does not signifie any particular place; but here is an Allusion, as some think, to that Megiddo, mentioned Iudg. 5.19. where Barac overcame Sisera with his great Army, and where Iosiah was slain, 2 King. 23.30. Of the Issue of this last Battel with the Enemies of the Church of Christ, we shall read more, ch. 19. gathered them together into a place, called in the Hebrew-tongue, Armageddon l.

And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air I take this to be best interpreted (as Mr. Mede does it) by the Power of the Air, of which Satan is called the Prince, Eph. 2.2. that is, upon all the Children of the Devil, that had so long given Disturbance to the Church of Christ., and there came a voice out of the temple of heaven from the throne, saying, It is done That is, the Work of God is done, his Counsels for the Destruction of his Enemies, and the Deliverance of his People, are brought forth in the Issue of his Providence, not ully yet brought to an issue, but accomplishing..

And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great See ch. 4.5. ch, 6.12. ch. 11.13, 19. either declarative of the Majesty and Power of God (as Exod. 19.16. when God came forth to give his Law, the Violation of which God here was coming out to punish) or of the great Stirs and Confusions in that part of the World, where the Beast's greatest Interest lay. Or, the Voices, Thunders and Lightnings, may be understood as declarative of the former, and the great Earthquake, of the latter..

And the great city Rome, afterwards called great Babylon in this Verse. was divided into three parts The Pagan part, the Evangelical part, and the Antichristian part (says Dr. Moor) the three Parties that made up the Armies that fought in Armageddon: Or else this is added as the Effect of the great Earthquake., and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath God now took Vengeance on the Papacy, and all their Adherents, tho he had for 1260 years spared them, notwithstanding their Idolatries and Persecutions, and behaved himself toward them, as if he had forgot them..

And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found These are the Effects of great Earthquakes, See ch. 6.14. Some, by Islands and Mountains, understand the Inhabitants of both. I know not whether those reverend Authors, who by this term understand their Idol-worship and Superstition, or Ecclesiastical Dignities (I suppose because the Heathens and Iews in imitation of them, committed Idolatry on Mountains, and high Hills) be not here too critical..

And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven The ail was another of the Egyptian Plagues, Exod. 9.22, 23, 24, 25. The Allusion also may be the Hailstones, Iosh. 10.11. by which God fought against the five Canaanitish Kings. It signifies only further great Judgments with which God will pursue the Beast and his Party, until they all be destroyed., every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great The latter words only show the continued Hardness of the Heart of the Beast, and all his Party; wherein also they answered Pharaoh and the Egyptians (their Type) who would relent with no steadiness and certainty, until they were all ruined by the Waters of the Red-Sea. In all this Prediction of the final Ruine of the Papacy, Pharaoh and the Egyptians are apparently made the Type of the Pope and all his Party: 1. As to their Sins, which were Idolatry, and the Oppression of God's Israel. 2. In the Plagues by which they were destroyed gradually; turning Waters into Blood, Bil s and Blains, Darkness, Hail. 3. In their Impenitency, and Hardness of Heart; only with these two Differences by which the Antitype exceeded the Type in Wickedness, 1. We read of Pharaoh oft relenting, tho his goodness was like a Morning-Dew, and he returned to his former Stubbornness. 2. We read nothing of the Egyptians blaspheming God, because of their Plagues, which is often said of these Egyptians..