Jn ExPOSITION ~you will fcarce believe that God !hould ·intend this fo great a Priviltdg unro 1~ (uch, even the poor Chnfhan Elect Believers, dtfpe&dly fcattered over the Ea– L fiern parts of the World (the now Turki!h Dominions) which were anciently called the Eajlern Empire, and the Churches therein, called the Grecian Churchn. And forthis, I take the Holy Ghofi's own defignation, (and as it were his point– ing with the Finger at them) to be my Guide and .Warrant for this Interpreta– tion; as alfo the Characters of, and Notes of dtffcrence of the 144000 here, and in chap. I 4· I. it isevident, their Sealing here is for their prefervation from h11rt, (as verf 3· Sa)'ing, H11rt not tLe Earth, neitber tbe Sea, nor the Trees, till we have foaled the Servants of 011r G•d in their 'Foreheads) from the four Winds that were to be let loofe, (mentioned verf I. And after theft things, 1ji'w four Angelsftrmding on t!Je fo11r Corners of the Ea>·th, holding the four Winds of the Earth, that the Wind JboiJ!d not blow on the Et~rth, uor on tbe Se11, nor qn any Tree); by which are meant the cruel Blafis of devaftating and depopulating Wars of fierce and cruel Nati– ons, dafbing againfi each other, as Winds u(e to do. Thus the Wars that fcat– tercd ElafJJ or Perjia, (in ']erem/s Prophecy) are expreifed ']er. 49· 36. And up– on Elamwill I b1·ing the follr Winds from the four !f0.arters of Heaven, and will ji-"ller them torrMrds all thofe Winds, and there Jba/1 be 110 Nation, whither the Ollt-cafls of Elam Jba/1 not come. Now thefe Wars, or Winds, are all one with the Blafis of the enfuing Trumpets, (chap. 8. 9· ) for to prevent the hurt of thefe Servants of God under them Trumpets is it that thefe are thus aforehand fealed, Only, what is there particularly expreffed by Trum– pets, is here in general exprefled by the four Winds. Now then, accord– ing to R.cafOn, look which of thefe enfuing fix Trumpets are the forefr, and bring mofi hurt and danger to the Servants of God, the fealing of them rnufi mol! refpefr the Times, and Plagues of thofe Trumpets. Now according to the Note of Aggravation, which the Holy Ghofi himfelf hath put upon the fifih and fixth Trumpets, is that they are the V:. Tub£, the Wo Trumpets; fa-chap. 8, I 3· ./lnd I beheld, and heard an Angel flying through the •nidjl of Heaven, JilJ'– ing with aloud Voice, Wo, wo, wo to the Inhabitants of the Earth, b)' reafon of the other Voices of the Tmmpet of the three Angels which are )'et to found ; in re!pect of which the four firfi are but mild and gentle : And then, according to the for– mer Interpretation given, thefe two Wo Tmmpets being the over-runnings of the Saracen and Mahumetan Nations, the greatefi Plague in refpefr of outward War and Bondage that ever befel the Chrifiian World; which Trumpets were to be (and have been ) for Time, five times double the continuance of the other four Trumpets, for it is already 1000 Years fince they began; and the other four took up but ooo Years; and for extremity of Bondage, there hath been no compari(on between thofe four firft Trumpets, and thefe two latter. The Wars of the Goths indeed, did rather relieve the Servants of God againfi the Flood of Arrian Perfecution, (as chap. 12. t6. And the Earth helped the Wonlfm, rmd the EJrth opened her Mo11th? a"d Jivallowed 11p the Flood which the Dragon caft Old of his Mo11th) although tt dtd break and harrow the Empue. Hence therefore furely the Hurt aimed at by God, which·thefe 144000 were in danger of, mull: needs in reafon be from thefe two Trumpets efpecially; and therefore mufi chiefly refpefr the Elect Chrifiians in the Eafiern Parts, where thefe Trumpets founded; for the Chrifiians in the Weft were in no danger of them. It mufl therefore re– fpefr thcfe Tribes feated among them. Add to this,that even the Winds offome of thofe four firfi Trumpets alfo reached unto great devafiations of fome of thefe Eaflern Parts, And the firfi breaking forth of thole Goths and Barbarous Na– tions, was upon Th1·ace, M"cedon, The.Jfo&, and Greece, ruining all the Cities therein, except Athens and Thebes; and then after five Years harrowing the Eafi, they fell upon the Wefi, but firfi began in the Eafi. So then, the two firfi, and longefi, and forefi, being upon the Eafiern Chriflians, and they be– ginning and ending thus alfo with them; in reafon, the fealing of them mufl: principally and eminently be intended, according to the proportion that the Trumpets fell upon them; which was ten-fold to what they did upon the Weflern, ~.And
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