A Plain Explanation of Revelation, Part 6
Apoc. Cap. 6. 1
After, I beheld when the Lambe had opened one of the ſeales, and I heard one of the foure beaſts ſay, as it were the noyſe of thunder, Come and ſee.
HAuing heard before in the former Chapters of the preparation, to the declaring of the things to come, he now ſpeaketh of the things themſelues that were to follow; and he ſpeaketh of them, as of great Miſteries.
And firſt, it ſeemeth in this Chapter is ſhewed to the Apoſtle, rather a warning, what things are to befall, then any declaration of the befalling of thoſe Iudgements; as the execution of the things themſelues ſet downe in the eight and ninth Chapters doe manifeſtly declare: And alſo it appeareth, becauſe in the ſeauenth Chapter, (as it is familiar with the Scripture) before the things doe come, he ſheweth matter of comfort to the Children of God, to prepare & arme them againſt thoſe iudgements to be executed.
So here in this Chapter is contained a denunciation of the iudgements to come to paſſe on the wicked, vnleſſe there were ſpeedy repentance; as in the next Chapter, a conſolation, to arme and ſtrengthen the godly, in that they ſhould not be touched nor hurt with theſe iudgements. And then laſt of all followeth in the eight and ninth Chapters, the declaration of the very execution of the iudgements themſelues. In that he ſaith, he heard one of the foure Beaſts ſpeaking to him as it were with the noiſe of a thunder, it ſheweth, that though it were in the ſame viſion, yet hee is faine to be raiſed vp by this mighty voice of the Angell; ſo that one ſtirring vp was not ſufficient. Which teacheth vsus, that in the ſame Sermon we are often to be raiſed vp, if not by the Angell, that is, by the Miniſter, yet by our ſelues: We are as it were to renew our attention to receiue inſtruction, reproofe, correction, or any other thing which the Lord would hauehave vsus to know.
Come and ſee: that is, attend diligently and carefully, with greater attention: Not onelyonly exhorting him to continuance, but alſo to heare more fruitfully and profitably.
After that the firſt Seale is opened by the Lambe Chriſt, the Apoſtle Saint Iohn ſaith, he ſaw a white horſe, and a man ſitting thereon: In that he is ſaid to ſit on a white horſe, and to hauehave a Crowne giuen him, it noteth victory: By the Man is vnderſtood, the Miniſters of the Sonne of God, Chriſt Ieſus, ſent forth to declare the iudgements of God to come vponupon the wicked for the neglect of the word.
And whereas it is ſaid for victory, it ſignifyeth that the iudgements which they threatned, ſhould hauehave euent, vnleſſe they repented ſpeedily. The Bow which he hath, ſignifieth the eaſineſſe of the victory, to wit, noting that the Lord wil ouercome a farre off, becauſe men with a Bow vſe to ſtrike a farre off their enemies without any labour; euen ſo would the Lord doe in the execution of his iudgements.
In the opening of the ſecond Seale, there appeareth a red Horſe, which together with the ſword that was giuen him that ſat thereon, ſignifieth the great bloudſhed that ſhould come on the world by fighting of one nation with another, or of nations within themſelues, as oft times it commeth to paſſe.
Then the third Seale is opened, whereupon appeareth a black Horſe, which noteth great famine to come vponupon the earth, becauſe that famine vſeth to make men looke blacke, as the holy Ghoſt interpreteth, and declareth it afterward, namely, when he ſaith that the man that ſat on that Horſe had Ballances in his hand; noting, that they ſhould not eate and drinke as much as they liſted, but they ſhould hauehave their meate and drinke giuen by meaſure, as it commeth to paſſe in the time of dearth.
A meaſure of Wheate. The word vſed in the originall, ſignifieth ſuch a meaſure as containeth the eight part of a Strike of Corne; the price is ſaid here, ſhould be a penny, to wit, of Romane money, being between foure and fiue pence with vsus, which then was the ſtipend of a dayes labour; ſignifying, that a man ſhould be conſtrained to beſtow that in bread alone, which ſhould ſerue him and his houſhold both for bread, and all other kinde of ſuſtenance; noting thereby the grieuouſneſſe of the dearth.
Whereas it is ſaid, that they ſhould not hurt the Wine, or Oyle: It ſignifieth that it ſhould be as deare as the bread ſhould be; and therefore hee counſelleth them to take heede that they vſe it not ill▪ either by miſpending it waſtfully, or elſe ſelling it ouer-deare; and therfore would not hauehave them to ſet too great a price of it, thereby to oppreſſe the poore buyers, but that they ſhould ſell as they might, noting therby a dearth of all other things as well as of bread.
After, is ſet forth the opening of the fourth Seale, where there comes a pale Horſe, noting Death, which is he that ſits vponupon him, and this ſhall befall to the wicked: And Hell is ſaid to follow him (not Purgatory as the Papiſts dreame) ſignifying that Hell accompanieth the death of the wicked, to wit, thoſe that diſobey Gods commandements. And this death commeth not onelyonly by the meanes of famine alone, and the ſword alone, as in the former Seales hath appeared, but by them ioyned together, and other meanes ioyned with them, as namely, the euill Beaſts. Which teacheth vsus (as we may alſo ſee in the fourteenth of Ezechiel) that when particular afflictions profit vsusEzech. 14. 13. 15. 17. 19. 21. nothing at all, and when by particular iudgements we cannot be brought to repentance; then the Lord muſt needs ſend manifold iudgements; yea, hee will ioyne them all together (as in that place of Ezechiel) and he will adde more vntounto them, as here he addeth the wilde beaſts vntounto the famine and ſword.
Afterward followeth the fift Seale, where there is no mention of any voice calling vntounto him to ſtirre him vp as before, for no doubt the Apoſtle was well prepared to heare whatſoeuer. And here it ſeemeth, the Apoſtle rendreth a reaſon of the iudgements to come, namely, that it was by reaſon of the cry of the ſoules of the Saints which were ſlaine for the truth, on the face of the earth: And theſe hee ſaith are vnderunder the hollow of the Altar, which Heb. 13. is interpreted to be Chriſt, and therefore they are in the cuſtody of Chriſt.
Theſe Soules cry for vengeance, ſaying, How long Lord, holy and true? &c. Which teacheth vsus what is the exerciſe of the ſoules departed, being ſlaine for the truth, to wit, they cry for vengeance and iudgement, not that they doe it for deſire of reuenge for their owne deaths, nor hauing any regard to themſelues, and the iniuries they hauehave receiued, as our corrupt nature, being vnregenerate, vſeth: But as their owne words declare, it is for the glory of God; which appeareth in that they call him Lord, which is, as if they ſhould ſay, as thou art Lord ouer all, ſo ſhew thy ſelfe to be, and be not Lorded by them, but manifeſt thy ſelfe to hauehave power ouer all, and ſhew thy ſelfe one that will repay their rebellion againſt thee. In that they ſay, holy and true: they deſire that herein he will expreſſe himſelfe to be holy and true in doing that which is right concerning reuenge againſt the wicked, as hauing promiſed reuenge.
In that they ſay how long! This they doe in regard of the care, not onelyonly of themſelues, but that they hauehave of the oppreſſed children of God on earth. Not that there is any ſuch care that hindreth their felicity, but onelyonly a deſire of the helpe and deliuerance of thoſe on earth, as alſo of the conſummation of their felicity. This doth not confirme that opinion of the Papiſts, that the Saints in heauen▪ doe know the particular eſtate of men on the earth; but this onelyonly they hauehave remaining of that generall knowledge of the will of God which they had euen before their diſſolution, which they looſe not thereby, yet they ſee no further into mens actions; then by that knowledge they did before.
Now theſe are bidden to ſtay till their fellow ſeruants ſhould be accompliſhed, that is, till the number of the Elect be fulfilled and accompliſhed, and then ſhould their glory be perfected.
Laſtly, it is ſpoken of the ſixt Seale: therein are contained terrible things of Earth-quakes, the rowling of the heauens, the falling of the Starres like Figs from the Fig-trees when they are full ripe, the Sunne darkened, &c.
This ſheweth the execution of the vengeance of God on the wicked at the prayers of the Saints departed. So that wee ſee that the children of God did not take it as a full execution of iudgement, vntill the laſt day, when the Sunne ſhould thus be changed, &c. And then by reaſon of the wrath of the Lambe, the wicked ſhould be glad to hide themſelues from the ſight of God and the Lambe, and deſire the mountaines to fall vponupon them: where the Lord teacheth vsus, that at the cry of the Children of God, all this ſhould be executed on the wicked.