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2 dly, The Bow is not the Arms which the Holy Spirit ufually gives to Jefus Chrift; but a Sword, and a Sword coming out of his Mouth. A Bow doth but little execution in comparison of a Sword: and this fignifies the few Wars which this firft Horfman fhould make.

3. Laftly; Seeing what comes after by the confent of Interpreters, whom I follow, we endeavour to find out Roman Emperors, why, fhould we put Jefus Chrift in the head of them? Why fhould we make him the firft of the four Emperors meant by these four Horfmen? "Tis therefore much more reafonable in this place, to find a Roman Emperor: One might here eafily find Auguftus the moft happy of all men, that brought Peace, and fhut the Temple of Janus: But not to rife fo high, I think that we muft feek Vefpafian and his Son Titus in the firft Horfman: He fits on a White Horfe. The one and the other, Vefpafian and Titus, were good Princes, under whom the Empire was pretty peaceable and quiet: They had not great Wars; therefore the Holy Spirit giveth them but a Bow. They come from the Eaftern quarter, because Vefpafian was made and proclaimed Emperor when he was in the Eaft. They come forth to conquer: 'tis with respect to the Nation of the Jews, and feru falem, that was taken and burnt; and the Temple, that was razed; and the People, that were led into Captivity by Titas under Vefpafian. The Temple and the Mofaical Wor fhip, while they fubfifted, were a great Ob

ftacle

ftacle to the Establishment of the new Covenant. Therfore this deftruction of the fewish Temple & Worship is a Victory in the behalf of J. Chrift, which defervd to be marked.

And when he had open'd the third feal, &c.

And there went out another horse that was

Red; £5 power was given to him that fate theron to take peace from the Earth, & that they should kill one another; & there was given to him a great fword.

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Trajan &

'Tis clear that this fignifies a great Slaugh- The id ter, & a great effufion of Blood. 'Tis the nifies the Horse figEmpire of Trajan & his fucceffor Adrian, Empire of Never was there a greater effufion of blood; Adrian. the fews revolted almoft in all places whither they were difperfed, in Libya, in Cyrene, in Egypt, in Cyprus, in Mefopotamia, in Palestine it felf, & in all the Eaft, under the conduct of their falfe Meffiah Barchocheva.

Juchafin

In the beginning they made fucha horrible flaughter of the Greeks & Romans, that they are made to amount to above fix hundred thoufaud perfons. Dion reports, that their oforius. fury proceeded fo far as to eat the flesh of Dion: men. They did tear in pieces their entrails with their teeth. They flead them, & made Garments of their skins. They anointed themfelves with their blood. But they were fully requited. History reports that Adrian put to death 12 hundred thoufand in the whole extent of the Empire. The fews themselves confefs that this civil war coit the fews above twice the number of perfons that went out of Egypt. So that under the reign of these two,

Tra

The 3d.

the Em

pire of

V.5.

A

Trajan & Adrian, there were more than two millions of fouls that died a violent death. Never was the like flaughter feen before, nor fince,till the Crufado's. This could not be better reprefented than by a Red Horse; 'tis the colour of Blood or than by a Great Sword; the greater it is the better it fignifies that the flaughter fhall be great; or than by Mens killing one another, that fignifies civil wars. Now 'tis in civil wars that there is the greatest effufion of blood. This fecond horfe comes out of the Western quarter. Trajan was a Native of Spain, which was the Western part of the Roman Empire.

At the opening the third feal, there comes forth out of the South at the voice of the third living creature.

A Black Horfe, & he that fate on him v.6. had a pair of Balances in his hand.

Severus &

And I beard a voice in the mid of the four beasts Say, A measure of wheat for a penny, three measures of barly for a penny; & fee thon hurt not the Oylnor the Wine.

This certainly fignifies an Empire that hath horfe is fomething of feverity & fadness, by reafon of the Black Horfe. But this doth not fignify Septimius flaughter, as the Red horfe of the fecond living Alexander Creature. This fignifies alfo a reign of justice, the fon of where every thing is done in weight & measure, & according to the Balance. Lastly, this fignifies a reign of plenty, wherin by the care of the Prince, Wheat, Barley, Oyl& Wine do abound. This the Character of the reign of Septimius Severus & of Alexander the fon of

Mammaa,

Mam

Aurelius.

Mammaa. Septimius Severus was an African of the Province of Tripoli. Wherfore the living Creature of the fouthern quarter calls him. Both of them were fevere protectors of justice. Both of them, & efpecially Alexander, were fworn enemies to all Thieves, publick private, known, or fecret, & to all people that behaved themselves ill, & were unfaithfull in their offices. They made exact & ftrict fearches after them, & feverely punisht them. Alexander made even his fouldiers live in fo Spartia. great difcipline, that they dared not take away nus, Lama Hen or an Apple from a Peafant; or ifthat Septimius did happen, he oftentimes punish'd them to the greatest extremity. Lastly, both of them, both Septimius Severus & Alexander the fon of Mammaa, gave admirable Orders for the diftributing Corn, & Wine, & Oyl, to the end all the World might have them there might be no want. This is what Hifto rians do exprefly observe.

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And when he had open'd the fourth feal, &c. And I looked & behold a Pale Horfe his name that fate on him was Death, & hell followed him, & power was given to them over the fourth part of the Earth to kill with Sword,

with Hunger, & with Death, & with the Beafts of the Earth.

pridius.

apud Lam-'

pridium

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is the Em

Behold vifibly a reign fad, black, loaden The fourth with all forts of Calamities, Maffacrees, Horfeman Effufions of Blood, Plague, War & Famin, pire of Tyranny & Violence. "Tis the Character of Maximin the reign of Maximin & his fucceffors to Au- fucceffors, relian. The fourth living Creature calls this E Tyrant

& his

Julius Capitolinus. Trebel

lius Pollio

de 35

& in vitâ

Conftan

Tyrant from the North. Thence twas that Maximin came, who was a native of Thrace in the North of the Roman Empire. This Maximin deferved to bear the name of Death; for he was the most cruell of all Tyrants; they gave him the names of Cyclops, Bufiris, Scyron, Phalaris, Typhon & Gyges. He made men be flead & crucified alive buried living men in the bodies of beafts, massacred beat perfons to death, without diftinction of fex, age or condition. He deftroyed many thousands of men by all forts of punishments.

,

Gallienus, that is included in the Period here meant, made himself remarkable alfo by his cruelty. Oftentimes he made the throats of Tyrannis. 3 or 40co. be cut in a day. In this time reign'd Gallieni. a plague of fifteen years, that began in Zofimas. Ethiopia, & ran throughout the Empire. Lipfius Lipfius de acknowledgeth hiftory fpeaks not of any tia. 2.23. that comes near it. There was also a very Hift. 1. 7. great & a very univerfall famin. The Barbarians in the Eaft made havok of the Empire, & horrible defolations therin. At laft there rofe up near thirty tyrants in the whole extent of the Empire. One may judg what defolation that caufed. Here end the four living Creatures & the four horfemen, about the end of the third Age.

Eufeb.

C. 17.

v. 9.

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And when he had open'd the fifth feal, I faw under the Altar the fouls of them that were flain for the word of God, for the teftimony which they held.

And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, Holy & true, doff thou

not

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