Rev. 8 Rev. 8:1 The seventh seal opened. Rev. 8:2 Seven angels receive seven trumpets. Rev. 8:3–5 An angel presenteth the prayers of the saints with incense on the golden altar before the throne. Rev. 8:6–13 Four of the angels sound their trumpets, and great plagues severally follow.

And when he; that is, the Lamb, mentioned Rev. 5:7, who took the book out of the hand of him that sat upon the throne, the book of God’s counsels, and had now revealed mysteriously to John what should come to pass (under all the pagan emperors) to the church of Christ, until the time of Constantine…

The seven angels which stood before God; the seven mentioned hereafter, which blew with the trumpets; for we presently read, that seven trumpets were given to them. Trumpets were used to call the people together, to proclaim festivals, and in war.

And another angel came; by this angel I understand Christ, as do many very valuable authors; nor, indeed, can what is said of this angel agree to any other but him, who is called an Angel, Gen. 48:16, and the Angel of the covenant, Mal. 3:1.

This only denotes the acceptableness of Christ’s intercession, and God’s people’s prayers, through the virtue of that intercession, unto God.

I doubt not but by fire here, is to be understood the wrath of God, often in holy writ compared to fire, poured out upon the Roman empire, or the visible church. Upon which followed great judgments, and confusions, and tumults, expressed here, or ushered in, as before, Rev.

The angels are God’s ministers, by which he bringeth his counsels to pass in the world: they hearing the thunderings and voices, knew the time was come when they were to begin the execution of God’s judgments upon the earth; the execution of which was intrusted to them, and they are therefore set…

The first angel sounded; the first of the seven angels to whom the seven trumpets were given, Rev. 8:2, began to execute his commission; the consequents of which were hail and fire mingled with blood, cast upon the earth: by which some understand the primitive church’s persecutions by the Jews and…

There is a great variety of senses also about this mountain of fire cast into the sea. Some by it understand things happening in Judea; but this had been not to have showed John the things which should be, but which had been.

Phrases all signifying the miserable catastrophe that should follow the destruction of this city, by the slaughter of men, the ruin of houses and towns in Italy, &c. History (as Mr. Mede showeth) excellently agreeth with this.

There fell a great star from heaven: stars, in their metaphorical notion, signify some eminent persons in the state, or in the church; accordingly interpreters are divided in their senses; some thinking that it is meant of a political star, some eminent civil governor, and apply it to Caesar…

His doctrine was as bitter as wormwood; and he was the ruin of many souls. But if any do rather choose to understand it of a political star, Mr. Mede’s notion bids as fair for the sense as any, because the western empire determined in Augustulus, and he reigned but a very short time; and he was a…

Interpreters (setting aside one or two, who conceit the Revelation is nothing but a repetition of things that happened in Judea before John’s time) generally agree, that the period of time to which this prophecy relates, is from the year 480, when the western empire ceased.

This verse is but an introduction to the other three angels sounding, declaring that the times which were to follow would be much more full of miseries and woes to the inhabitants of the earth; by which I understand all those countries which lately were subject to the Roman empire.