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6:16 Hos 10; Lk 23:50

Four seals of the seven being opened, there follows divers effects against the earth,  9. whom the fifth seal was opened, the souls of martyrs desire that the judgement may be hastened: 12. and as the opening of the sixth, there are signs shown of the judgement to come. 1 AND I saw that the Lamb had opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four beasts, saying, as it were the voice of thunder, Come, and see. 2 And I saw: And behold a white horse, and he that sat upon him had a bow, and there was a crown given him, and he went forth conquering that he might conquer. 3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast, saying, Come, and see. 4 And there went forth another horse, red: and he that sat thereon, to him it was given that he should take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another, and a great sword was given to him. 5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast, saying, Come, and see. And behold a black horse, and he that sat upon him, had a balance in his hand. 6 And I heard as it were a voice in the midst of the four beasts saying: Two pounds of wheat for a penny, and thrice two pounds of barley for a penny, and wine, and oil you hurt not. 7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard a voice of the fourth beast, saying, Come, and see. 8 And behold a pale horse: and he that sat upon him, his name was death, and hell followed him. And power was given to him over the four parts of the earth, to kill with sword, with famine, and with death, and with beasts of the earth. 9 And when he had opened the fifth seal: I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they had. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long Lord, holy and true, you judge not and revenge not our blood of them that dwell on the earth? 11 And white stoles were given, to everyone of them one: and it was said to them, that they should rest yet a little time, till their fellow-servants be complete, and their brethren, that are to be slain even as they. 12 And I saw, when he had opened the sixth seal, and behold there was made a great earthquake, and the sun became black as it were sack cloth of hair: and the whole moon became as blood: 13 and the stars from heaven fell upon the earth, as the fig tree casts her green figs when it is shaken of a great wind: 14 and heaven departed as a book folded together: and every hill, and islands were moved out of their places. 15 And the kings of the earth, and princes, and tribunes, and the rich, and the strong, and every bondman, and free-man hid themselves in the dens and the rocks of mountains. 16 And they say to the mountains and the rocks: *Fall upon us, and hide us from the face of him that sits upon the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17 because the great day of their wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?

6:11 stoles were given... one: This one stole signifies the glory or bliss of the soul only, but at the day of judgement they shall have it doubled by adding the glory of their body also. 6:12 behold there was a great earthquake...: The tribulation that shall fall in the time of Antichrist.

COMMENTARY 9. Under the alter. Christ as man (no doubt) is this altar, under which the souls of all martyrs live in heaven, expecting their bodies, as Christ their head has his body there already.  And for correspondence to their place or state in heaven, the Church lies commonly their bodies also or relics near or under the altars, where our Savior's body is offered in holy Mass, and has a special provision that no altars be erected or consecrated without some part of a Saints body or relics. (Cont. African. can.50 Carthag.5.can14. See St. Jerome con.vigilant 3. St. Augustine de ciuit.li.8.17. St. Gregory li.5.ep.50.li.1.ep.52.li.2.ep.58)  Where unto the Prophet seems here to allude, making their souls also to have their being in heaven, as it were under the altar.  But for this purpose note well the words of St. Augustine (or what other ancient writer soever was the author thereof) Ser. de Sanctu. "Under the altar (says he) of God I saw the souls of the slain.  What is more reverent or honorable, them to rest under that altar on which sacrifice is done to God, and in which our Lord is the Priest: as it is written, You are a Priest according to the order of Mechisedec.  Rightly do the souls of the just there call for revenge of their blood, where also the blood of Christ is shed for sinners."  And many other good words to that purpose. This place also the wicked Heretic Vigilantius (as St. Jerome writing against him witnesses, ch. 2.) abused, to prove that the souls of Martyrs- and other Saints were included in some certain place, that they could not be present at their bodies and monuments (where Christian people used, in the primitive Church, to pray unto them, as Catholic men do yet) nor be where they list, or where men pray unto them. To which the holy Doctor answers at large, that they are wheresoever Christ is according to his humanity: for under that altar they are. Part of his words are these, that you may see how this blessed Father refuted in that heretic the Calvinists so long before they were in being. " Do you (says he) prescribe laws to God? Do you fetter the Apostles, that they may be kept in prison till the day of judgment, and be kept from their Lord, of whom it is written, They follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes. If the Lamb be in every place, then they, that are with the Lamb, must be every where. And if the devil and wicked spirits, gadding abroad in the world with exceeding swiftness, are present every where: shall holy Martyrs, after the shedding of their blood, be kept close under an altar, that they cannot stir out from there?" So answers this learned doctor. Which displeases our Calvinists so much, that they charge him with great error, in that he says, Christ, according to his humanity, is everywhere, as if he were an omnipresent Protestant. Where, if they had any judgment, they might perceive that he means not, that Christ or his Saints should be personally present, at once, in everyplace alike, as God is: but that their motion, speed, and agility to be where they list, is incomparable, and that their power and operation is accordingly. Which they may learn to be the holy Doctor's meaning, by the words that follow of the Devil and his ministers: whom he affirms to be every where no otherwise than by their exceeding swiftness of being and working mischief now in one place, now in another, and that in a moment. For though they be spirits, yet are they not , everywhere at once according to their essence. And for our new Divines it were a hard thing to determine, how long Satan (that told our Lord he had circuited the earth) was in his journey, and in the particular consideration and temptation of Job: and how many men he assaulted in that his one circuit. No, no, such curious companions know nothing, nor believe nothing, but what they see with corporal eyes, and teach nothing but the way to infidelity. 10. And they cried. St. Jerome also against the said Vigilantius reports, that he used an argument against the prayers of Saints out of this place, for that these Martyrs cried for revenge and could not obtain. But we will report his words, that you may see, how like one heretic is to another, these of our days to those of old. "You say in your book (says St. Jerome, c S.) that while we are alive, one of us may pray for another, but after we are dead, no man's prayers shall be heard for another: especially seeing the Martyrs asking revenge of their blood, could not obtain." So said the heretic. Against which the holy Doctor makes a long refutation, proving that they pray much more after they are in heaven, than they did here on earth: and that they shall be much sooner heard by God, than when they were in the world. But for the heretics argument framed out of these words of the Apocalypse thus, These Martyrs did not obtain, therefore Saints do not pray for us: it was so frivolous, and the preceeding so manifestly raise, that he vouchsafed not- to stand about it. For it is plain that the Martyrs here were heard, and that their petition should be fulfilled in time appointed by God (unto which they did, and do always, conform themselves) for it was said unto them, "That they should rest yet a little time, till, etc." And that Martyrs prayers are heard in this case, our Savior testifies, Luke, 18. saying, "And will not God revenge his elect that cry to him day and night? I say to you, he will quickly revenge them." And if God do not hear the Saints sometimes, nor grant their requests, is it therefore consequent that they do not or may not pray? Then Christ himself should not have prayed his Father to remove the bitter cup of death from him, because that petition was not granted. 10. And revenge. They do not desire revenge upon their enemies for hatred, but out of charity and zeal for God's honor, praying that his enemies and the persecutors of his Church and Saints, that will not repent, may be confounded, and that our Lord would accelerate his general judgment, that so they might attain the perfect crown of glory promised unto them, both in body and soul: which is to desire the resurrection of their bodies, which then shall triumph perfectly and fully over the persecutors that so cruelly handled the bodies of the elect, which shall then appear glorious to the enemies confusion. 11. Till their fellow-servants. There is a certain number that God has ordained to die for the testimony of truth and the Catholic faith, for conformity of the members to the Head CHRIST our chief Martyr. And till that number be accomplished, the general condemnation of the wicked persecutors shall not come, nor the general reward of the elect.