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466

ix.

On opening the second, a red horse ;

one of the seals, and noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come, and see.

I heard, as it were the

2 And I saw, and

behold, a white horse;

and he that sat on him

SECT. One of the seven seals of the book, which he had taken out of the right-hand of him that sat Rev. upon the throne; and I heard one of the four livVI.1. ing creatures, which said, as with a voice of thunder, Come, and see the wonders which are now 2 presenting themselves. And I saw, and behold a white horse appeared; and he who sat thereon had a bow in his hand, and a quiver of arrows had a how and a hanging at his back; and to express his royal crown was given unto dignity as the King both of the church and of forth conquering, and the world, there was given to him a crown of to conquer. gold, and he went forth conquering, and to conquer: I understood that he was to gain signal victories, and that the series of them was immediately to begin. (Compare Psal. xlv. 3; Rev. xvii. 14; xix. 11 b.)

him: and he went

3 And when he opened the second seal, I heard 3 And when he had the second living creature, saying, as the former seal, I heard the seopened the second had done when the first was opened, Come cond beast say, Come, And another horse came out, [which] and see.

4 and see.

of interpretation the most satisfactory, and which indeed throws considerable light upon the series of prophecy, I shall present my readers with a short view of his plan, under the several visions; eferring the more curious to the commentary itself. But I would first observe, with regard to this celebrated performance, that there is, in many particulars, a beautiful resemblance between the prophetic representations, and the events supposed to be correspondent to them; and that the historical facts are represented with great learning and judgment; yet the correspondence between the prophecies and the events is not in all respects, so clear and evident, as might have been expected; nor can we always say, why the events in question are represented by one of the emblems used, rather than by another. However, he has finely illustrated many passages, especially by similar phrases from the prophetic books of the Old Testament, in which he is quite unequalled; and hath made out so much, particularly with respect to the first, and beginning of the third period, as evidently proves this book to be a glorious confirmation of Christianity, and worthy our most attentive and diligent examination. This learned and accurate writer, then, divides the prophetic parts of this book into seven periods. The first represented by the seals, shews the state of the church under the heathen Roman Emperors, from A. D. 95, to A. D. 323 II. Period, of the trumpets, in its state from Constantine, A. D. 537,

seemed

4 And there went out

to A. D. 750. III. Period, of the vials, its state in the times of the last head of Roman government, represented by the beast, for 1260 years, from about the year 756, to A. D. 2016 IV. Period, the millennium, from A. D. 2000, to A. D. 3005. V. Period, Satan, loosed for a little season, and then destroyed. VI. Period, the resurrection and final judgment. VII. Period, the heavenly state.

b First seal, &c.] This refers to the triumph of Christianity over Jewish and heathen opposition by the labours of its first preachers.

c The second living creature.] As each of these living creatures is represented as speaking successively, I think it confirms what was advanced in sect. vii. note f, relating to the scheme of Mr. Hutchinson, who supposes the four living creatures, taken together, to be an emblem of the Deity.

d'Another horse came out.] Mr. Low. man thinks, that the leaves of the book were so adjusted, that on opening the first seal, the first leaf unfolded; and on it there was drawn, in a vivid and beautiful picture, a man mounted on a white horse; and that what is described on opening those that follow, is an account of the various pictures which John saw delineated on the several leaves. But as we have an account, not only of the appearance of these things, but of their motion, and their voice; and especially, of a chapge in the state of several of them, particularly of the souls under the altar, (ver. 9,) I

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was given to him that

On opening the third seal, a black horse;

ix.

467

Rev.

out another horse that seemed to betoken some great slaughter and de- SFC1. was red: and power solation to be made by approaching wars; for he sat thereon, to take [was] red; and it was given to him who sat peace from the earth, upon it, to take peace from the earth; and that VI. 4. they should slay each other. And, as a further token of this, there was given to him a great sword or faulchion, in his hand, by which he might make terrible devastation.

and that they should kill one another; and

there was given unto

him a great sword.

5 And when he had opened the third seal,

I heard the third beast say, Come, and see. And I beheld, and lo,

a black horse; and he that sat on him had a

pair of balances in his

hand.

And when he opened the third seal, I heard 5 the third living creature saying, as the two former had done, Come and see. And I saw, and behold, there appeared a black horse, which might betoken an approaching famine, by the emblematical and memorable circumstances which attended his entrance on the scene; for he that sat upon him, had a pair of scales in his hand, to imply that men should eat their bread by weight, and drink their water by measure. And I heard a great voice in the midst of the four 6 living creatures, saying, A measure of wheat, which shall only be daily food for one man, an three measures of shall now be sold for a denarius, or Roman penny barley for a penny; which is the price of his daily labour; and and see thou hurt not three measures of barley only shall be sold for a

6And I heard a voice in the midst of the four

beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny,

the oil and the wine.

denarius, or Roman penny . And yet, that
there may not be a total scarcity, see that thou
who appearest as the executioner of this judg-
ment, injure not the oil, nor the wine, let the
olive-

conclude, that the scene did not lie in the leaf of the book, but arose in vision as the rest; and that the events described,scemed successively to pass before the eyes of John. And indeed, I think it apparent that the state of the vision he at first saw, was something altered, upon the opening of some of the seals, especially the seventh. The ingenious author above mentioned, interprets this seal, of the judgments of God upon the Jewish persecutors, under Trajan and Hadrian, A. D. 100, to A. D. 138, when the Jews had 1000 cities and fortresses taken and destroyed, and 580,000 men slain.

e A measure of wheat for a penny.] This may seem, to an English reader, a description of great plenty ; but, it certain ly intends the contrary, as I have intimated in the paraphrase. The penny was about seven pence halfpenny of our money; and it appears from Tacitus, as well as from Mat. xx. 2, (See Fum. Expos. in loc.) to have been the daily wages of a labourer.

VOL. X.

It also appears from other ancient writers,
particularly Herodotus, (see Raphelius in
loc.) and from Hippocrates, Diogenes,
Laertius, and Athenæus, (see Grotius in
loc.) that this measure, or chenix, was no
more than was allowed to a slave for his
daily food. What would become of fami-
lies, when a man could gain by his labour
no more, and that only of bread, than
might suffice for his own subsistence ?—
Mr. Lowman interprets this third seal of
the scarcity, in the time of the Antonines,
from A. D. 18, to A. D. 193, and pro-
duces passages from Tertullian, and the
Roman historians, concerning the calami-
ty the empire endured by scarcity in this
period.

f See that thou injure not, &c.] The
introduction of so many allegorical persons,
as famine, and death, and the state of se-
parate spirits in this vision, confirms what
was said above, in note d, as to the nature
of the things that appeared.

3 N

g Fourth

468

On opening the fourth seal, a pale horse, &c.

SECT. olive-trees, and the vines, remain unblasted, to shew, that God in judgment remembers mer

ix.

-

Rev. VI. 7.

Cy.

7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, the fourth heast, say, Come, and see.

I heard the voice of

8 And I looked, and and his name that sat behold, a pale horse, on him was Death, and hell followed with him. And power was given unto them, over

And when he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying to me, Come, and see a further discovery of the Divine will. And I saw and behold a pale horse appeared; and as for him that sat on him, his name was called Death. He appeared like a person entirely emaciated, and hell followed him he seemed to be attended with a person, who was a proper emblematical representation of the state of separate spirits; and there was given un- the fourth part of the to him power to slay a great number, as it were, ear the fourth part of the earth, with the sword, ger, and with death, and with famine, and with pestilence, that most and with the beasts of dreadful kind of death; and with the wild beasts the earth.

of the field.

earth, to kill with sword, and with hun

9 And when he had

opened the fifth seal, the souls of them that were slain for the word of God,and for the tes timony which they

I saw under the altar,

heid.

ing, How long, O

9 And when he opened the fifth seal, a very me-
morable scene represented itself to me; for then
I saw under the altar, which made a part of the
view before me, a visible representation of the
souls of those who were slaughtered on account of
the word of God, and the testimony to the truth
of the gospel which they courageously retained,
10 in the midst of all opposition. And they cried, 10 And they cried,
with a loud voice, as making an appeal to the with a loud voice, sav-
injured justice of the Divine Being; and said,
How long, O thou supreme and sovereign Lord
of the universe, who art ever armed with al-
mighty power and terror against all thine im-
placable enemies: how long, O thou holy and
true God, shall it be, ere thou dost judge and
avenge our blood upon those who dwell upon the
earth; who have, without remorse, poured it
out as water. And, upon this, they appeared 11 And white robes
to be called up from the place where they were given unto every
lay as so many bleeding victims; and there were was said unto them,
given unto each of them white robes, in token of

11

g Fourth seal] Mr. Lowman interprets this of the seal of the pestilence, and other calamities, in the reigns of Maximin and Valerian, from A. D. 193, to A. D. 270. This he supports by proper authorities from several Christian and heathen writers in that period, who particularly mention one pestilence, that lasted fifteen years. h Ere thou dost avenge our blood] We are not to understand this as the language of personal revenge, but of zeal for the honour of God, which was so intimately con

the

Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on earth?

them that dwell on the

one of them; and it

that

cerned in the punishment to be inflicted upon those blood-thirsty persecutors.

i While robes ] Mr. Fleming understands this, as an intimation of their preferment to some new post of honour and service. But, I suppose, this was only a represen tation, that though their blood did cry for vengeance in the ears of God, yet that vengeance should be delayed; nevertheless, that, in the mean time, they should be exalted to a glorious state. The argument he draws from this passage, in proof of

On opening the sixth seal, a great earthquake, &c.

yet for a little season, vants also, and their brethren that should be killed as they were,

until their fellow-ser

should be fulfilled.

ix.

469

Rev.

that they should rest the triumph they had gained over death, and all SECT. its terrors; and it was said to them, that they should rest yet a little while, though their blood remained unavenged, till the number of their fel-VI. 11. low servants, and brethren, who should be killed, as they [had been] for the testimony of a good conscience, and the defence of the gospel, should be fulfilled, according to the intention of Divine Providence, in letting their persecutors go on a while, till they had filled up the measure of their iniquity 1.

12 And I beheld

when he had opened the sixth seal, and lo, earthquake; and the sun became black as

there was a great

And I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and12 behold there was immediately a great earthquake: and not earth alone, but heaven, was affected with great consternation; for the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became red as blood: And it seemed as if the stars fell from heaven upon the earth: numbers of 13 And the stars of them at once, as fast as when a fig-tree drop- 13 earth, even as a fig- peth its untimely figs, being shaken by the force of tree casteth her un- a mighty wind. And the heavens passed away, timely figs when she the clouds rolling one upon another, like a vois shaken of a mighty lume of a book when it is rolled up; and every

sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;

heaven fell unto the

wind:

ther; and every moun

places:

15 And the kings of

14

14 And the heaven mountain on earth, and every island in the sea, departed as a scroll were moved out of their places; so great and gewhen it is rolled toge- neral was the shock, to represent the calamities tain and island were approaching in those terrible wars, which were moved out of their to precede the revolutions to which this seal referred m m And all the inhabitants of the 15 the earth, and the great world were thrown into an universal terror; so men, and the rich men that the kings of the earth, and the grandees and the chief captains, about their courts, and the rich men and the and every bond-man, chief officers of armies, who commanded their and every free-man, thousands, and the powerful men, who bore the dens, and in the rocks greatest sway in the public counsels, or were armed with the most warlike prowess; and every slave, and every free-man, fled as in surprise, and hid themselves as fast as they could, even in

and the mighty men,

bid themselves in the

of the mountains;

a first resurrection, seems too precarious to be repeated. Flem. First. Res. p. 46, 47. k The number of their brethren who should be killed, &c.] Nothing could tend more to encourage Christians to endure their sufferings with steady patience, than this that it was appointed of God, that a certain number of martyrs should be put to death, and that the season of their triumph was to succeed.

the

304; which was the most extensive and
furious of all; and so many Christians
suffered death, that the heathens boasted,
in an ancient inscription that they had ef-
faced the name and superstition of the
Christians.

m Earthquake, -sun becoming black,-
stars falling, &c.] Awful judgments and
calamities are often described by such
commotions and alterations in the natu-
ral world. Compare Isa. xii. 10; xxxiv. 4.
Ezek. xxxii, 7; Joel ii. 10; and the like.

1 Fifth seal.] Mr. Lowman interprets this seal, of the severe persecution under Dioclesian, from A. D. 270, to A. D.

n Day

470

ix.

Reflections on the opening of the seals.

SECT. the most gloomy caves, and among the rocks of the mountains, horrid as this retreat appeared. Rev. And not thinking themselves sufficiently secure VI. 16. there, they said, in wild astonishment and affright, to the mountains and to the rocks, Fall upon us, and hide us from the face of him who sitteth upon the throne, the almighty and terri17 ble God, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and mild and gentle as he once appeared, we find it insupportably dreadful; and who can be able to stand against it? Thus it appeared that they would have thought the crush of a mountain less terrible, than the vengeance they expected; and had more hope of moving inanimate nature by their outcries, than of prevailing upon their righteous and inexorable Judge n.

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IMPROVEMENT.

To whatever event these seals may refer, it is certain, that the representations here made, are very awful, and very instructive, Let us consider ourselves as invited to come up and see, and let Ver. us observe the memorable spectacle with attention. Let the I view of the white horse, and his rider who went forth conquering 2 and to conquer, lead us to reflect on the peaceful purposes of our blessed Saviour's appearance, and the rapidity of his conquests; and engage us frequently to pray for the further prosperity of his kingdom, that kingdom of righteousness, love and happiness. 3, 4, 5 When we think of the terrible effects of war, of famine, and of pestilence, represented by the three following horses, and their riders here mentioned, let it excite our thankfulness, that not one of this dreadful triumvirate is sent forth against us, though our national crimes have indeed deserved, that they should invade us with

n Day of his wrath is come.] As it appears, by comparing one part of this book with another, that the last seal made way for, and introduced the trumpets; and the last trumpet, the vials: it is justly argued, that there is a reference to a series of events, successively following each other; and consequently, this passage cannot refer, to the final judgment, but to some great and spreading calamity, in which the hand of Christ should appear. And this interpretation is illustrated and confirmed, by the manner in which the destruction of Jerusalem is foretold. Mat. XXIV. Compare Isa. ii. 19; xiii. 6. Hos.

x. 8; Zeph, i. 14; Luke xxiii. 30.-Mr. Lowman interprets the 6th seal, of the great commotions in the empire, from Maximinian to Constantine the Great, who put an end to the persecution of beathen Rome; from A. D. 504, to A. D. 323, during which time, there were many bloody battles between the contending emperors, till Constantine abolished paga nism, and established the christian religion. This interpretation he confirms by appo site passages from Lactantius, and the heathen historians; and it appears the most probable.

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