THE APOCALYPSE OF IOHN THE APOSTLE — CHAPTER IX

 

Nota Bene: Before proceeding, the reader is advised to review our post titled, PREFATORY TO THE TRANSCRIPTION OF THE APOCALYPSE OF JOHN THE APOSTLE as well as our post titled, THE ARGVMENT OF THE APOCALYPSE OF S. IOHN. The reader is also advised that the source text of THE APOCALYPSE OF IOHN THE APOSTLE — CHAPTER IX transcribed herewith can be accessed online by referring to pp. 715–716 of the original Rheims New Testament through the following link: THE NEVV TESTAMENT OF IESVS CHRIST, TRANSLATED FAITHFVLLY INTO ENGLISH, out of the authentical Latin, according to the beſt corrected copies of the ſame, diligently conferred vvith the Greeke and other editions in diuers languages: Vvith Argvments of bookes and chapters, Annotations, and other neceſſarie helpes, for the better vnderſtanding of the text, and ſpecially for the diſcouerie of the Corrvptions of diuers late tranſlations, and for cleering the Controversies in religion, of theſe daies: In the English College of Rhemes. PRINTED AT RHEMES, by Iohn Fogny. 1582.



THE APOCALYPSE
OF IOHN THE APOSTLE

Chap. IX.

The fifth Angel ſounding the trompet, a ſtarre falleth. 3 The iſſuing forth of locuſtes from the ſmoke of the deepe pitte to vexe men, 7 and the deſcription of them. 13 The ſixt Angel ſounding, foure Angels are let looſe, 18 vvhich vvith a great troupe of horſemen do murder the third part of men.

1. And the fifth Angel ſounded vvith the trompet, and I ſavv ⸬ a ſtarre to haue fallen from heauen vpon the earth, and there vvas giuen to him the key of the pitte of bottomles depth. Most vnderſtand al this of heretikes. ⸬ The fall of an Arch heretike, as Arius, Luther, Caluin, out of the Church of God. Which haue the key of Hel to open & bring forth al the old condemned hereſies buried before in the depth. † 2. And he opened the pitte of the bottomles depth : and the ſmoke of the pitte aſcended, as the ſmoke of a great fornace: and the ſunne vvas darkened & the aier vvith the ſmoke of the pitte. † 3. And from the ſmoke of the pitte there iſſued forth c locuſtes into the earth. and povver vvas giuen to them, as the ſcorpions of the earth haue povver: c Innumerable pety heretikes folowing their Maiſters after the opening & the smoke of the bottomleſſe pit. † 4. and it vvas commaunded them that they ſhould not hurt the graſſe of the earth ″ nor any greene thing,1 nor any tree : but onely men vvhich haue not the ſigne of God in their foreheads. † 5. and it vvas giuen vnto them that they ſhould not kil them : but that they ſhould be tormented fiue monethes : and their tormentes as the tormentes of a ſcorpion vvhen he ſtriketh a man. † 6. And * in thoſe daies men ſhal ſeeke for death, and ſhal not finde it : and they ſhal deſire to die, & death ſhal flee from them. Apoc. 6,16.

    † 7. And the ſimiltudes of the locuſtes, like to horſes ″ prepared into battel: and vpõ their heades as it vvere crovvnes like to gold:2 & their faces as the faces of men. † 8. And they had heare as the heare of vvomen: & their teeth vvere as of lions. † 9. And they had habbergions as habbergions of yron, and the voice of their vvinges as the voice of the chariotes of many horſes running into battel. † 10. and they had tailes like to ſcorpions, and ſtinges vvere in their tailes : and their povver vvas to hurt men fiue monethes. † 11. and they had ouer them a king, the Angel of the bottomles depth The cheefe Maiſter of heretikes., vvhoſe name in Hebrevv is Abaddon אֲבַדּוֹן, and in Greeke Apollyon ’απολλύων : in Latin having the name Exterminans. In Engliſh, Deſtroier. † 12. One vvoe is gone, & behold two vvoes come yet after theſe.

    † 13. And the ſixt Angel ſounded vvith the trompet : and I heard one voice from the foure hornes of the golden altar, vvhich is before the eies of God, † 14. ſaying to the ſixt Angel which had the trõpet, Looſe the foure Angels which are boũd in the great riuer Euphrates. † 15. And the foure Angels vvere looſed, vvho vvere prepared for an houre, and a day and a moneth and a yere: that they might kil the third part of men. † 16. And the number of the armie of horſemen vvas tvventie thouſand times ten thouſand. And I heard the nũber of them. † 17. And ſo I ſavv the horſes in the viſion: & they that ſate vpõ them, had habbergiõs of fire and of hyacinth and brimſtone. & the heades of the horſes were as it were the heads of lions: & from their mouth procedeth fire, & ſmoke, and brimſtone.

     † 18. And by theſe three plagues vvas ſlaine the third part of men, of the fire and of the ſmoke and of the brimſtone, vvhich proceded from their mouth. † 19. For the povver of the horſes is in their mouth, and in their tailes. for, their tailes be like to ſerpents, hauing heads : and in theſe they hurt.

     † 20. c And the rest of men vvhich vvere not ſlaine vvith theſe plagues, c Pagans, Infidels, and ſinful impenitent Catholikes muſt be condemned alſo. neither ⸬ haue done penance from the vvorkes of their hands, not to adore Deuils and " Idols of gold3 and ſilver and braſſe and ſtone and vvood, vvhich neither can ſee, nor heare, nor vvalke, † 21. & haue not done penãce from their murders, nor from their ſorceries, nor from their fornication, nor from their theftes. ⸬ This phraſe being the like both in greeke and latin, ſignifieth ſuch ſorowful & penal repentance as cauſeth a man to forſake his former ſinnes and depart from them. ὸυ μ[…]ενόκσαν έκ τῶν έργων. See the ſame phraſe. c. 2,21,22. & Act. 8.v.22.

ANNOTATIONS
Chap. IX.

  1. 4. Nor any greene thing.] Vvho are ſeduced by Heretikes. The Heretikes neuer hurt or ſeduce the greene tree, that is, ſuch as haue a liuing faith vvorking by charitie. but commonly they corrupt him in faith vvho ſhould othervviſe haue periſhed for il life, and him that is reprobate, that hath neither the ſigne of the Croſſe (vvhich is Gods marke) in the forehead of his body, nor the note of election in his ſoule.↩️


  2. 7. Prepared into battel.] The manifold hypocriſe of Heretikes. Heretikes being euer ready to contend, do pretend victorie, and counterfeit gold : in ſhape as men, as ſmothe and delicate as vvomen, their tongues and pennes ful of gall and venim: their hartes obdurate: ful of noiſe and ſhuffling : their doctrine as peſtiferous and ful of poiſon, as the taile and ſting of a ſcorpion. but they endure for a litle ſeaſon.↩️


  3. [20]. Idols of gold.] Heret. tranſlation. Here againe the nevv Tranſlatours abuſe the people, for idols ſaying images : the place being plainley againſt the pourtraites of the Heathen Gods, vvhich are heare and in the Pſalme 95 called daemonia, Diuels.↩️


 
Edwin Wright