Revelation 9

Revelation 9:1

The falling star, to whom was given the key of the bottomless pit, may denote Boniface III. of Rome, who, by flattering Phocas, an almost infernal emperor, about A. D. 606, obtained an imperial edict, by which he was declared universal bishop of the church:—and Mahomet, who, about the same time, pretended a journey to heaven, to fetch thence his delusions;—both of whom were divinely empowered to plague mankind, and had the assistance of hell to promote their schemes

Revelation 9:2

The darkening smoke rising from hell imports the terrible ignorance, superstition, error, and wickedness, which then reigned among Christians, and made them an easy prey to the Popish and Mahometan delusions, which more and more darkened men’s understandings, hid the fight of God’s truth from them, and destroyed every thing dear and valuable

Revelation 9:3-11

The locusts denote the Popish clergy, regular and secular, under Satan, and the Pope as their head; tormenting men by their introduction of error, idolatry, superstition, and horrid profaneness; and, by their tyrannical oppressions of men’s consciences, exaction of their wealth, excommunications, interdictant persecutions, massacres, fearfully enslaving magistrates, murdering men’s seism and bodies, and sinking even natural life a burden to them, during the time fixed by God, perhaps five twelfths of the New Testament period;—and denote the Saracen armies, who, chiefly mounted on horses and commanded by murderous generals, did, with great pride and fury, for about 150 years, and chiefly during the five summer months, spread ravage, desolation, and bloodshed, through much of Asia, the north of Africa, and south of Europe; there establishing their delusion and empire. [See INTRODUCTION, chap. iv. sect. xvi.] 13—19. The four angels bound by the Euphrates denote, not the Saracens, in whose history, after their former period of 150 years, reaching to A.D. 760, nothing answers to this vision, but the Turks, who, after pouring themselves into Persia, and places about the Euphrates, for 300 years, did, A.D. 1040—1080, form themselves into the four kingdoms of Bagdad, Damascus, Aleppo, and Iconium, all adjacent to that river. By their own mutual contentions, and by the war which the Popish Europeans carried on with them, for the recovery of Canaan, and by the invasion of the Jenghisam Tartars, they were indeed about 200 years divinely restrained from ravaging the countries of the corrupt Christians; but these restraints being removed, the Ottoman Turks, about A.D. 1281 or 1302, began their ravages and conquests on the Christians, and carried them on till A.D. 1672 or 1698, and with great fury and bloodshed established an extensive empire in Asia, Africa, and Europe; and their Mahometan delusion along with it. See Introduction, chap. iv. sect. xvii. 20, 21. But the professed Christians, whether Papists, Greeks, or others, who survived these fearful ravages and murders of the Ottoman Turks, were not in the least reformed by these calamities from their idolatries, murders, frauds, and dreadful apostasy or uncleanness. [Introd. chap. iv. sect. xix.]

REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. IX.—If the solemn warnings of Jesus and his faithful ministers be condemned, tremendous executions of his wrath may be expected. He can let loose the most numerous and well furnished armies of devils and of men, crafty and furious, to deform his church, or desolate her countries of hypocritical professors. And, according to his sovereign will and powerful intercession, he restrains, or lets them loose, when and where he pleases. How active, sagacious, and insinuating are the instruments of his wrath! and yet, how furious and destructive! But it is the comfort of the saints, that Jesus can, and will preserve them as his sealed ones, in the worst of times, as far as is for his glory, and their real benefit. And alas; how stupid and hardened their hearts, who, under the most terrible judgments of God, refuse to repent and reform, bloquew words and worse, till they be utterly destroyed by the vials of his wrath! 150