Commentary on the Epistles and Revelation of John, Commentary 22 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Verſe 1. One of the ſeals]
THat is, The firſt of the ſeals, as Gen. 1.4. Mar. 16.2.M Cotton. Under theſe ſeven ſeals fals Rome pagan (ſaith an Interpreter) as under the ſeven trumpets Rome Chriſtian, under the ſeven vials Rome Antichriſtian. So all the judgements in the Revelation are ſtill upon Rome. Hence Mr Dent cals his Expoſition upon the Revelation, The ruine of Rome.
The noiſe of thunder] This firſt beaſt was like a Lion, Chap 47. whoſe roaring is as thunder.
Verſe 2. And behold a white horſe] The Apoſtles and Apoſtolike Preachers of the primitive times: white for their purity of doctrine, diſcipline and converſation.foreign … l. 2. …p 3. Horſes for their n…ble and ſwift ſpreading the Goſpel, which ran thorow the world like a Sun-beam (as Euſebius hath it) and was carried abroad as on Eagles, or as on Angels wings. A horſe hath his name in Hebrew from devouting the ground by his ſwiftneſſe, and was therefore by the Heathens dedicated to the Sun; whoſe going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it, Pſal. 19.6.Cranz in Sax. Cranzius tels us, that the Saxon Princes, before they became Chriſtians, gave a black horſe for their arms, but being on… baptized, a white horſe; with reference, haply, to this text.
He that ſat on him] Chriſt, Chap. 19.11. Pſal. 45.5.
Had a bow] The doctrine of the Goſpel, whereby the people fall under him, Pſal. 45.4.Adve … I…d c. 7
Conquering and to conquer] Brit…nnorum inacceſſa Romanis lo…, Chriſto …men patuerunt, ſaith Tertullian. Chriſt cam… and conquered this kingdome: which the Romans with all their power could not do. A Christo vinci, ſumma victoria eſt, vinciri ſumma libertas, ſaith another, There is no ſuch conqueſt as to be conquered by Chriſt, no ſuch liberty, as to be hound by him.
Verſe 3. Come and ſee] Johns better attention is called for. How dull and drouſie are the beſt in perceiving and receiving heavenly myſteries! A ſea-coal fire, if not ſtirred up, will die of it ſelf, ſo will our ſpark and ſpunk of light. Chriſt cals upon thoſe that had come far to hear him, ſaying, Let him that hath an ear hear, Mat. 13. See Zach. 4 1.
Verſe 4. That was red] Portending troubles and tragedies, bloudy wars and terrible perſecutions. Thoſe ten firſt were ſo cruell, that S. Hierom writes in one of his Epiſtles, that for every day in the year were murdered 5000, except the firſt day of January.
To him that ſat thereon] Chriſt, Mat. 10.34. Zach. 1.8. He ſtands over his Church as the Agonothetes. So he did at S. Stephens martyrdom, Act. 7. he moderates and over-rules the enemies cruelty.
And that they ſhould kill one another] viz. The perſecutours ſhould riſe up and deſtroy one another, as the Romans did the Jews,Tacit. and the Jews the Romans in divers provinces: And as the Emperours who got nothing (moſt of them) by their adoption or deſignation to the Empire, Niſi ut citius interficerentur, but to be cut off the ſooner. All or moſt of the perſecuting Caeſars died unnaturall deaths.
A great ſword] That of the Goſpel, Epheſ. 6.17. which takes away peace, by accident, Mat. 24.6. Chriſt threatneth the contempt of the Goſpel with wars and rumours of wars. Our late Edgehill-battle was fought in the vale of Red-horſe; as if God had meant to ſay, I have now ſent you the red horſe, to avenge the quarrel of the white.
Verſe 5. A black horſe] Famine diſcolours and denigrates, Lam. 4.7, 8.Turk Hiſt. fol. 426. It accompanies war for moſt part, and in ſieges is very extreme, as at Samaria, where an aſſes head was worth four pounds: at Rome, where this proclamation was made in the market, Pone pretium humanae carni: At Scodra, where horſes were dainty meat, yea they were glad to eat dogs, cats, rats, &c. At Antioch in Syria, Ibid 18.where many Chriſtians (in the holy war, as they called it) were glad to eat the dead bodies of their late ſlain enemies.foreign
Had a pair of balances] Gr. The beam of ſcales. To ſhew that bread ſhould be delivered out by meaſure, as is threatned, Ezekiel 4.6. Deut. 26. and men ſhould be ſtinted and pittanced.
Verſe 6. In the midst] The voice of the Lamb, Chap. 5.6. Who appoints and orders all: he cuts us out our ſeverall conditions, cautioning for the wine and oil, when other food fa…leth.
A meaſure of wheat] A quart, ſay ſome, a pottle others,foreign an allowance for a day. Among the Greeks (ſaith Suidas) Chaenix dictim dabatur. And that the Iſraelites in the wilderneſſe (according to Rabanus) had each of them, three Chaenices of Manna by the day, that was to be aſcribed to the divine bounty, as Junius noteth.
Verſe 7. See the Note on Verſe 3.
Verſe 8. A pale horſe] Fit for peſtilence, and pale death to ride on.
And hell followed] ſc. To them that were killed with death, Revel. 2.23. (See the Note there) that died in their ſins, which is far worſe then to die in a ditch.
Over the fourth part of the earth] That is, of the Roman Empire. This fell out in the daies of Decius: Oroſius bearing witneſſe, that the peſtilence which then raged did extend no further, Quam ad profligandas eccleſias edicta D…ij cucurrerunt, that is, then the proclamations of Decius came for the overthrow of the Churches.
Verſe 9. Ʋnder the altar] i. e. Under Chriſt, Heb. 13.10. under his cuſtody and ſafe-gard, Or, Ʋnder the altar, that is lying at the bottom of the altar, as beaſts newly ſlain for ſacrifice. See Phil. 2.17. & 2 Tim. 4.6.
Which they had] Gr. Which they had,foreign and would not be drawn by any terrours or tortures to part with. They may take away my life (ſaid one) but not my faith, my head but not my crown.
Verſe 10. And they cried] When God intends deliverance to his people, he poureth out upon them the spirit of grace and ſupplication, Zach. 12.9, 10.
How long, O Lord] Calvin had this ſpeech alwaies in his mouth; breathing out his holy deſires in the behalf of the afflicted Churches, with whoſe ſufferings he was more affected,B 22 in vita. then with any thing that befell himſelf.
That dwell on the earth] In oppoſition to the inhabitants of heaven. As names written in heaven ſtand oppoſed to thoſe that are written in the earth, Luk, 10.20. Jer. 17.13.
Verſe 11. And whiterobes] Their innocency was cleared, and their perſecutours convinced. God would ſpeak for them in the hearts of their greateſt enemies.
Ʋntill their fellow-ſervants alſo] We doubt not (ſaith a learned Interpreter here) but that the crowned Saints do in generall know the afflicted condition of the Church militant, and do wiſh them deliverance:M … b…. but our ſpeciall neceſſities and occurrences of particular perſons they cannot know. Brother Bradford (ſaid Biſhop Ridley, Act and Mon. fol 1566.a little afore he was offered up) ſo long as I ſhall underſtand thou art in thy journey, by Gods grace I ſhall call upon our heavenly Father to ſet thee ſafely home: and then, good brother, ſpeak you for the remnant that are to ſuffer for Chriſts ſake, according to that thou then ſhalt know more clearly. But this is to be taken with a grain of ſalt.
That ſhould be killed] Under Liciuius, Julian the apoſtate, and the Arrian Emperours.
Verſe 12. There was a great earthquake] Underſtand hereby thoſe horrible commotions and confuſions that fell out in the Roman Empire upon thoſe ten bloudy perſecutions, and the earneſt ſupplications of the Saints, which can work wonders in heaven and earth.Socr…t. l 1. c. 15 The death and deſtruction of the perſecutours, was (as it was ſaid of the death of Arrius) Precationis opus non morbi, the effect of faithfull praiers calling for full and finall vengeance.
The Sun became black] It is ordinary in Scripture to ſet forth horrible commotions of Common-wealths by ſuch figurative expreſſions as theſe, Jer. 4.23. &c. Joel 2.10, &c. Iſa. 13.10.
Verſe 13. And the ſtars] Romes dunghill Deities together with their Chemarims, or Chimney-chaplains, the Prieſts. Confer Iſa. 34.4. Dan. 8.10. Exod. 12.12. Numb. 33.4.
Verſe 14. And every mountain] See the Note on Verſe 12. Cinis quidam noxius è Viſuvio emiſſus, Romam venit (inquit D…o) ita ut incolae puture caeperunt omnia ſursùm deorſum ferri, ſolem que in terram cadere, ac terram in coelum conſcendere. I my ſelf ſaw, ſaith Bellarmine, a huge hill removed by an earthquake, and brought down to a Town, which was wholly covered by it, and as it were buried under it. Perhaps he meant Pleurs in Rh…tia, which was overcover'd ſuddenly with a mountain, ſo that 1500 perſons were buried there alive.
Verſe 15. And the Kings of the earth] Who came in to help their gods againſt the Mighty, againſt Constantine, Theodoſius, &c. that threw out their Prieſts, and pulled down their Temples. Theſe Kings and Grandees were Maximianus, Maximinus, Maxentius, Galerius, Licinius, Julianus, &c. and their complices, who were routed, ruined and driven into holes and corners by the Chriſtian Emperours: and afterwards ſo purſued by divine Juſtice, that they came to ſhamefull ends. Diocleſian poiſoned himſelf. Maximian hanged himſelf. Maximinus likewiſe and Maxentius became their own deaths-men. Galerius died of a loathſome diſeaſe. Julian had his deaths wound from heaven,Euſeb. …iſt. l. 9. … 8. & 10. & lib. 8. c. 27. I…e… devita Conſt. l. 1 cap. 51, 52. and died …aving and blaſpheming.
Verſe 16. And ſaid to the mountains] Which yet was but a poor ſhelter: for mountains melt, and rocks rent at his preſence.
Verſe 17. Who ſhall be able to ſtand] They could not ſtand before their own miſ-giving hearts, and ſoul-condemning conſciences, how much leſſe before God that was greater then their hearts? God ſent his hornet, which drove out theſe Canaanites, Exod. 23.28. Facti ſunt à corde ſuo fugitivi, as Tertullian hath it.