the weakening of faith; sulphur, the moral depravity which follows.
The fire, smoke and sulphur issue from the mouth of the horses. From the mouth should proceed words of wisdom; instead there come forth heresies, and incitements to revolt and revolution. It should be noted that Luther openly preached revolt and revolution to the peasants of Germany, but when they put his words into practice, he turned to the princes and urged them to stamp out the revolt with fire and sword.
19. The horses of this vision inflict injuries with their tails which resemble serpents. Amongst all peoples the serpent is a symbol of lying and hypocrisy. These vices have ever characterized the enemies of the Church.
There is no question here of real artillery as some have imagined. St. John is giving only the broad out lines of the Church's history. He is not concerned with the material means employed by men to wage war against her.
The vision of locusts and the vision of cavalry horses are not two representations of one and the same event. They foreshadow two distinct events that follow one another in the order of time. The one is the great revolt against the Church brought about by the fallen star. The other consists of wars and disturbances which follow in the wake of that revolt.
20, 21. After these plagues have passed there still
