of the REVELA TION. S E C 1'. J. 1he Expojitio11 of t!Je EigT,t/, Cbapter. Tbe four firft Trumpets {tgnify~ i1tg the (j(uin of the Weftem Emptre~ THe four firll: Trumpets are chiefly upon the Well:ern Empire extended all over Europe ; which was performed by four Steps or Degrees. The Firll: f.11ling on the Earth; verJ7· The Second on the Sea, verJ8. , The Third on the Rivers, verJ to. The Fourth on the Sun, Moon, and Stars, verjr2. Yon mull: remember (as before was faid) that Kingdoms and Empires are re~ prelented in Scripture, by a World that bath Heaven, Earth, Sea, &c. (as ]er. 4· 23.) Wherein, 1. The Earth, and Grafs, and Treesthereon, are the lower fort of People, both the Richer and Poorer, as Zech. r r. 2. Howl Fir-Tree, for the Cedar is fol– len, becaufe aU t.he Mighty are JPoiled: Howl, 0 ye OaR_, of Bajban, for the Forreft tJj the Vintage is COIJie don:n, 2. The Sea is the Extent of the Jurifdiction of an Empire or Kirtgdom over fever>! Dominions. Thertfore Rome is f.1id to fit on maily Waters, and to arife out of the Sea; which is but the Collection of many Waters; that is, many Nations. The like phrale to which is ufed of the Babylonifh Monarchy over many Kingdoms; they are called Her SM, Jer. 51. 36. and 44· compared, Therefore thw ji1ith the Lord, Be!Jo/d, 1will plead thy Caufe, a11d take Vengeailcefor thee, and I will dry up her Sea, <md mal{! her Springs dry. And I will punijh Be! in Babyion, and will bri11g forth out of his Mouth that which he bath (w,i/lowed up, •11d the Nidions jh.11t not flow together any nUJre 1mto him, yea 1 the Wall of B:1byioa foal/ fi'"· And the many Nations under the Aifyrian Monarchy are fo called, Ez.ek., 3I. 4• The Water I made him great, the Deep jet him up on high, with her '!Jiver I mnning YOimd about hi< Pla»ti, and fent out her little Rivers unto aU the Trees of the pdcl. 3· The Rivers are the feveral Cities and Magill:rates over them, who have a le!fer kind of Jurildil.tion over thole Cities or Provinces. 4· By the Sun, Moon, and the other Stars in this World, are meant the Su– perior Magif\rates,and the Glory of them, as lfa.r3.10. For the Stars of Heaven, and the Co,ifiellati011I thereof, JhaU not give their Light: the Sun foal/ be dark._ned in his going forth, and the Moon JhaU not caitfo her Light tp jbine. Jer. I 5· 9· She that hath born feven, languijheth ; }he hath given up the Ghofl; her S11n i< gone down while it i1 yet day; foe hath been a/hamed ·and confounded, and the r'!Jidue of them will] deliver to the Sword before their Enemiu, faith the Lord. Now thefe four Truro'pets, contain four feveral Degrees of Calamities by Wars that befel the Well:ern Empire, and the City of 'J&me, the Head of that Empire, by ·the lncurfions of the Goths and Vandals, from the Year of Chrill: 400, to the Year 540. Of which, The Firll: harrowed the Earth, the People of that Empire, as Wars at firll: I.Trl!mpet, uled to !Jght moll: heavy upon them. It proceeded to no further harm, than the burning up of the Trees and Grafs, as Rev.8.7. The jirji Angel founded,and there followed Hail, •nd Fire Mingled with Blood, and they were cafl upO/l the Earth, and the third part of the Trees was b11rnt up, and all green Graf was burnt up. The Second fell on the Sea; for the Goth1 did break off from the Imperial 2.'!_mmpet~ Yoke, thole Nations that were fubject to it; and gave them opportunity to fet up Ten Kmgdoms, which remain in E11rope to this day, beginning in France, A~no41?; and by 4.50, oil the Ten were up, (asthe Chronicles !hew). And th1S rentmg of the Kmgdoms from it, with the burning of that great Mountain, the facl\mg of Rome It [elf (which, as Baby/onof old, Jer. 5 I. 2 5· IS called a deH 2 flroJin~;.
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