Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/6_700.lzh/6_705.TXT

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these fixed and immutable decrees, the said mon-
archies ,in succession have took place in the world; un-
less rather it should be thought, that by these moun-
tains of brass are designed the power and providence
of God, by which the several people that first founded
those empires were restrained for a while from going
forth to make war upon others, and subdue their king-.
doms; until the t'ime was come, it was the will of God
they should. The allusion may be to race-horSes in
chariots, formerly used for such exercises, which were
held within the circus or bars, till the sign was given
when they should start: in' like manner these nations
were kept within bounds for a while, just as the four
angels were bound by the providence of God at the
river Euphrates, until they were loosed; which signify
the $aracens, and .their numerous army of horsemen
under their four leaders, who were restrained from
overrunning the eastern empire of the Romans, until it
was .the pleasure of God to loose them, and give them
liberty, Rev. ix. 14, 15, 16. Grotius understands this
literally of the straits of Cilicia, and the fastnesses of
the mountains there, through which the Babyloninns
and Persians, Alexander and his generals, used to
pass into Syria, Judea, and Egypt; but rather these vi-
sionary chariots seemed to steer their course through a
valley, which lay between two mountains, whereby
they escaped the difficulties that lay in their way by the
mountains; and may denote the low estate of these
monarchies in their original, and the difficulties they
grappled with, and got over, before they rose to the
grandeur they did. Some interpret the two mountains
of brass of the kingdom of Israel, after the Babylonish
captivity, and the kingdom of the Messiah; and the
four chariots, of the four kingdoms, in this order; the
Persian, the Grecian, that of the Lagidae and Seleucidae,
and the Roman, which is in course last; but was seen
first by the prophet, because utter destruction was
brought upon Israel by it {}: according to this inter-
pretation, the red horses are the Romans; and the
other, the above mentioned. So Cocceius is of opinion
that the two mountains are two powerful and unshaken
kingdoms, set up by God; or rather two manifesta-
tions of the same kingdom; the one the kingdom of
the house of David; the other the kingdom of Christ,
which is spiritual, but as to the effect earthly, in the
subjection of all nations to it, Dan. vii. 22, 27. the
kingdom of the house of David, as to the external
form, is abolished, but notwithstanding remains in the
root, until it appears in another mountain; and be-
tween these two, or in the middle space of time, four
kingdoms with their armies would possess the promised
land; and he observes, that in Dan. ii. 35,45, mention
is made of two mountains, and, that these chariots in
part agree with the several parts of the image there.
Vet. 2. In the first chariot were red horses, &c.] If
thee are to be' understood of the apostles of Christ,
and misters of the Gospel, they may be compared to
horses, for bearing the name of Christ, and drawing
the chariot of the Gospel; for their strength to labour
in the word and doctrine; for their courage in the
cause of Christ; and for their swiftness in doing his
work ;' and to red ones. for their flaming zeal for. the
honour of the Redeemer, and their bloody. sufferings
for his sake: and if of angels, they may be compared to
horses, because strong and swift to dothe will of God;
and to red ones, because they are the executioners of
his wrath and vengeance on wicked men: but if by
the chariots are meant the monarchies, then by thesa
red horses must be designed the Babyloninns and Chal-
deans, so called because their soldiers were clothed in
red, and their chariots were like flaming torches; and
they were sanguinary, cruel, and bloody in their tem-
perS, and in their actions to the Jews; and were signi-
fied by Nebuchadnezzar's head of gold in his image;
see Nab. ii. 3, 4. Hab. i. 6, 7 8: and in the second
chariot black horses; which. applied to the apostles
and ministers of the Gospel, may denote their mean
and abject appearance outward/y, and their knowledge
in the mysteries of grace, which are dark and obscure to
others; and, if understood of angels, is applicable to
them. when messengers of ill tidings, or executioners
of judgment: but if the monarchies are meant, which
seems best, the Medes and Persians are intended; and
their black colour is expressive of the sorrowful estate
of the Jews under them, especially in the time of
Haman, as Jarchi and Kimchi observe: black horses
were reckoned strong, well made, and fit for labour;
and the Ethiopians and Moors chose to have their
horses they used in war all ofthis colour, to strike the
greater horror and terror into their enemies; and to
see black horses in a dream was accounted a bad
omen {}. The Medes and Persians were a strong and
warlike people, and were very terrible to their enemies,
under Cyrus; and very troublesome and distress!ng td
the Jews, under Cambyses and Ahasuerus.
Ver. 3. And in the third chariot white horses, &c.]
Which, as referring to Gospel preachers, may denote
the purity of their lives and doctrines, and their con-
quests and victories over the souls of men by the mi-
nistry of the. word; and, as applicable to angels, may
express the purity of their nature and actions, the
joyful messages they bring to the heirs of salvation, aunt
their victories over the evil angels; but, as respecting
the monarchies,'point at the Grecians, and the con.
quests of Alexander, and, his mildness'and gentleness
to the Jews: white hoi'ses were used in triumphs, in
token of victory {t}; see Rev. vi. 2. and xix. 14. and
they have been reckoned the swiftest in running; and
by the oneirocritics,' to see them in a dream or vi-
sion is a good omen "; and so it was accounted with
the Jews {w}; all which suits very well with Alexander,
who was famous for his victories over many, nations :
and who, with great velocity, overran them, and aS soon
conquered them, and was kind and beneficent to the
Jewish nation: and in the fourth chariot grilled and
bay horses: signifying either the diversity of gifts in
the ministers of the Gospel; or the different employ-
ment and services of angels; or rather the Romans a.re
meant, who were collected out of various nations, and
consisted of different people, and had divers forms of

{r} Vid. Gurtler. Voc. Typ. Prophet. Explic. p. 58, 177.
{s} Vid. Bochart. Hierozoic. par. 1. l. 2. c. 7. col. 106, 107.
{t} Aurel. Victor de Viris Ilustrib. c. 26. in Furio Camillo, & Plu-
tarchus in Camillo.
{u} Bochart, ut supra, col. 105, 106.
{w} T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 93. 1.