these the fourth part of the earth falls. The white horse, as before, is taken from Zech. vi. 3. The slaughter, &c. mentioned seems to be cited from Ezek. xiv. 21-23, which admirably depicts the state of these times, and without doubt predicts it. See also Lev. xxvi. 21-26. Deut. xxxii. 20-25; which last has been cited and applied to these times. Hos. i. 6-10. Rom. x. 19, &c. 9—11. The fifth seal is opened; and now are seen the souls of the Martyrs, who cry, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? James the brother of John had been slain by Herod, Stephen by the Jews, and a martyr named Antipas, as we have already seen. Some of the disciples were to be slain, according to our Lord; and here we find that this has taken place, and that their cause is not yet avenged. At ver. 11, these have white robes given them (they are accepted and justified); and then they are told to rest for a season, until their fellows should be added to their number, and the times of vengeance should have arrived.* This all, therefore, is preparatory to the great catastrophe which the church then expected. 12-17. The sixth seal is now opened; and the begin Deut. xxxii. Zech. xiv. 12-15. Matt. xxiv. 7, &c. Eusebius too affirms, that nothing could exceed the prosperity of the Roman empire before the persecutions commenced; nothing the distraction and difficulties which prevailed in it after. Hist. Eccles. lib. viii. cap. 13, 14. Allusion is also made to these troubles in the edict of Maximinus preserved by Eusebius, lib. ix. cap. 7. And again, ib. cap. 8, he expressly tells us both of the scarcity and pestilences which then prevailed. Arethas likewise applies this to these times. Paulus Orosius, however, is the most particular on this subject; for in his history adversus Paganos, lib. vii. cap. 27, he compares the miseries suffered by the Romans during the persecutions to the ten plagues of Egypt, in which the coincidences are certainly very remarkable. He then concludes: "Hi verò in quos Ægyptiorum forma transfunditur, permissa ad tempus potestate sævientes, gravissimis quidem permissu Dei Christianos cruciatibus persequentur. Veruntamen iidem omnes inimici Christi cum rege suo Antichristo, accepto stagno ignis æterni, quod magna impediente caligine, dum non videtur, intratur, perpetuam perditionem immortalibus arsuri suppliciis sortientur." * Arethas tells us here, that up to the times of our Lord's passion, the judgments which God would execute upon the wicked were not known; but, from that period, not only the Jews but the Greeks suffered innumerable afflictions, through famine and the mutual slaughters which took place; if, says he, we may believe Josephus. ning of sorrows exhibited. The first judgment mentioned is an earthquake; the sun is then turned to blackness, and the moon to blood. This is evidently taken from Joel, ii. 10, 11, 28-32. Matt. xxiv. 6-10; which can apply to none but these times. See Acts, ii. 17-20, 21. It is also cited as consequent upon the first tribulation, but before the final vengeance, by our Lord in his remarkable prophecy, Matt. xxiv. 29.* The stars next fall, the heavens pass away,t and mountains and hills are removed from their places: ver. 15 explains this, as intimating the fall of kings and great powers: ver. 13, 14, are evidently citations from Isaiah, xxxiv. 4, where judgments are denounced against Idumea, ... Among the marks of Divine vengeance mentioned by Orosius as attendant on these times, were: "sub Nerone... ubique morientium sanguis; sub Domitiano... satellitum militumque ejus improbis effrenatisque discursibus jussa principis exequentium; ... sub Trajano plaga Judæos excitavit, &c. absque magnis multarum urbium ruinis, quas crebri terræ motus iisdem temporibus subruerunt; ... sub Marco Antonino plaga, lues plurimis infusa provinciis; ... sub persecutore Severo creberrimis civilibus bellis, &c. ... post Maximini persecutionem ... intumescens crebro ira atque invidia, non per vulgi cædum, sed per vulnera mortesque principum ac potentium, &c.;... sub Gallo et Volusiano plaga extitit, corrupto aëre pestis infusa, quæ per omnia Romani regni ab oriente in occidentem spatia, cum omne propemodum genus hominum et pecudum neci dedit, tum etiam corrupit lacus, infecitque pabula tabo; ... octavam (plagam) in subversionem Romani orbis excitatæ undique intulere gentes, quæ cædibus atque incendiis cunctas provincias deleverunt ; ... cum Aureliano persecutionem decernenti, diris turbinibus terribile ac triste fulmen sub ipsius pedibus ruit; ... novissima pœna est omnium idolorum perditio, quæ primitus facta in primis amabant. ... Ibi (in Ægypto sc.) nunquam populus Dei postea ad servitutem retractus, hic nunquam postea populus Dei ad idololatriam coactus est. Ibi Ægyptiorum vasa pretiosa Hebræis tradita sunt: hic in ecclesias Christianorum præcipua paganorum templa cesserunt." So that, according to Orosius, this deliverance was truly "after the manner of Egypt." So Micah vii. 15–17: According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous things. The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might they shall lay their hand upon their mouth," &c. Gibbon thinks that half the human race must have perished during these times. Decline and Fall, &c. chap. x. It is probable that St. John is much nearer the truth in saying one third. (Chapp. viii. ix.) + Arethas has some good remarks here: Τὸ δὲ μέλαν τοῦ Ηλίου, καὶ τῆς Σελήνης τὸ ἀφεγγὶς καὶ αἱματῶδες, τὸ τοῖς καταλειφθεῖσιν ὑπὸ τῆς θείας ὀργῆς ἀφώτιστον ἐνδείκνυται . τὸ δὲ πεσεῖν τοὺς Αστέρας, καὶ τούς δοκοῦντες εἶναι φωστῆρας ἐν κόσμῳ πίπτειν ὡς τοῖς γινομένοις ἐκλάζοντας· κ. τ. λ. According to Victorinus, we have here the last persecution. Bozrah, and the nations generally; and, from the citations made from it in the New Testament, Matt. xxiv. 29, &c. (see also Ps. xlvi.), it evidently belongs to these times. St. Peter, speaking of the dissolution of the heavens, and of the expectations which the Christians had, in his days, of a new heaven and a new earth, evidently alludes to these predictions (2 Pet. iii. 12—15; and here too, St. Peter speaks of similar declarations, which some had misunderstood, in the writings of St. Paul). By the removal of mountains, great difficulties which had now been overcome, seem to be intended. See Is. xl. 3-5. Jer. iv. 19-31; which allude, in all probability, to these very judgments. In ver. 15, we have Is. ii. 12-21, cited, in which these times are certainly foretold. Compare the first five verses of this chapter with the subsequent context. In ver. 16, Hosea, x. 8, is cited, which is repeated by our Lord himself, Luke, xxiii. 30, and limited to these times. The great day of wrath, mentioned in ver. 17, is the general phraseology of the Old and New Testament, speaking of any heavy judgment of the Almighty, Is. xiii. 6, &c.; and particularly when speaking of this. See Dan. ix. 26, 27. Zech. xi. 4—14. Zeph. i. 15; ii. 11. Luke, xxi. 22, &c. So far, the progress of resistance to the servants of God, and the "beginnings of sorrows" seem to be portrayed: and these, according to the bearings of our context, and the intimations of the former prophets, applied in their most obvious sense, or by unerring authority, manifestly relate to the progress of the persecutions, and the judgments poured out and witnessed, during the first ages of the Church. CHAP. VII. Verse 1. Four angels stand on the four quarters of the world, and these are commissioned to hold the winds, &c. The imagery is apparently taken from Daniel, vii. 2, although the agents seem to be different; unless we take the winds in Daniel in the sense of spirits (nin), which the original will bear. In either case, they are God's ministering spirits, as in other visions. 2-4. Another angel arises having in his hand a seal, and he cries out to these spirits, charging them not to execute their commission of vengeance, until he shall have sealed, or set a mark upon, God's servants. The first notice of this kind occurs in Exodus, where we are told that the destroying angel passed over every house, the lintel and door-posts of which had been sprinkled with the blood of the Lamb (Exod. xii. 7, 13). The passage here had in view by St. John is evidently Ezek. ix. 4-11, which is cited (ver. 6), and limited by St. Peter, 1 Ep. iv. 17: "THE TIME (IS COME)," says he, "that judgment must begin at the house of God," &c. No doubt, therefore, can remain as to the period in which this was to take place. The object of the Apocalypse, as well as that of Ezekiel, seems to have been, to assure the true believers that a remnant should be saved; which had indeed been promised again and again; and which, as we learn from the New Testament (Rom. xi. 5, 6, &c.), actually took place. According to St. James (chap. i. 1, &c.), as we have seen, there were some out of every tribe: and here again, ver. 4-8, the same thing is taught: and what is remarkable, every tribe is separately named; in order, as it should seen, to assure us, both that the catastrophe predicted could not take place until this should be done, and that a remnant of all should certainly be saved. The number twelve thousand, is, I suppose, only intended to imply, that a considerable number of each tribe was to be added to the Church.* 9. We have, in the next place, an indefinitely large number out of all nations brought into the Church, bearing about them the insignia of pardon and reconciliation, the employment of whom is to ascribe salvation to God and to the Lamb. This satisfies the terms of many an ancient prophecy. Ten men out of ALL nations and languages were, that day, to take hold of the skirt of him who was a Jew, and to say, "We will go with you; for we have heard that God is with you." (Zech. viii. 23.) So Isaiah (xi. 12): " He shall at * The first fifteen bishops of the church of Jerusalem were, according to Eusebius (Eccles. Hist. lib. iv. cap. 5, and lib. v. cap. 12), all of Jewish extraction. He adds : ... Συνεστάναι γὰρ αὐτοῖς τότε τὴν πᾶσαν ἐκκλησίαν ἐξ Εβραίων TITY. Lib. iv. cap. 5. See also his admirable application of Rom. xi. to the times of the Apostles, in the remnant foretold to be saved. Demonst. Evang. lib. ii. cap. 3, near the end; and ib. cap. iv. † Theodoret says on this place: Οὕτως τοὺς ἱεροὺς ̓Αποστόλους, ἐξ Ιουδαίων τὸ γένος κατάγοντας, ἐπόθουν οἱ ἐξ ἐθνῶν τῆς κλήσεως ἀξιωθέντες, πιστεύοντες δ ̓ ἀυτῶν ἀπολαύσεσθαι τῆς σωτηρίας· οὕτω Φιλιππήσισιοι τὸν θεσπέσιον Παῦλον ἐπόθουν. κ. τ. λ. in conformity with the declaration of our Lord: "And other sheep I have, set up an ensign for THE NATIONS, and assemble the OUTCASTS OF ISRAEL, and gather TOGETHER THE DISPERSED OF JUDAH; Jer. xxiii. 1-8, i. e. a remnant of every tribe; a circumstance which, after those times, nothing but a miracle can accomplish; and this we have no warrant to expect. Our Lord's words, however, with regard to the calling of the nations, ought not to be omitted in this place: "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." In order that all nations may see, whatever the Jews may choose to do, that the purposes of God are accomplishing. Matt. xxiv. 14. Luke, xxiv. 47. Again, ver. 31, which this passage of the revelation seems particularly to have in view, it is said: "And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet; and they shall gather together HIS ELECT from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other," i. e. in its most extended sense, those who had not been a people to be his people, together with a remnant of the house of Israel.† 10-12. Praise and honour ascribed to God by all his redeemed church.‡ 13—17. An explanation given, as to what they were who were thus clothed in white robes. They had come out of great tribulation; they had been justified through the merits of Christ; they were the members of the new Church, represented as enjoying their rest and their privileges. || See which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." John, x. 16. See also Micah, v. 4-8, with the parallel passages.-Primasius writes to the same effect. Οὐ γὰρ μόνην τὴν ἤπειρον δι θεῖοι ἀπόστολοι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν θάλατταν περαιούμενοι, καὶ τὰς νήσους, προσέφερον τοῦ νοεροῦ φωτὸς τὴν ἀκτῖνα.-Theodoret in loco. + That this took place in the first days of the Church, is attested by most of the fathers, and by the apostolic fathers in particular: not indeed that none remained unconverted; this prophecy has no where promised. See Justin Martyr, Apolog. pp. 28, 65, 89, 97, &c. Ignatius, edit. 1710. p. 65. Shepherd of Hermas, p. 295. Arnobius adversus Gentes, lib. i. p. 42, 3, &c. (edit. 1634.) "Universam .... discrevit ecclesiam."-Primasius. The prophecy particularly had in view here seems to be, Dan. xii. 9, 10; on which Ephræm Syrus says: "Designat futuram Apostolorum electionem et credentium ad eosdem audiendos concursum, quos prædicit |