John Trapp on Revelation 6:4

Verſe 4. That was red] Portending troubles and tragedies, bloudy wars and terrible perſecutions. Thoſe ten firſt were ſo cruell, that S. Hierom writes in one of his Epiſtles, that for every day in the year were murdered 5000, except the firſt day of January.

To him that ſat thereon] Chriſt, Mat. 10.34. Zach. 1.8. He ſtands over his Church as the Agonothetes. So he did at S. Stephens martyrdom, Act. 7. he moderates and over-rules the enemies cruelty.

And that they ſhould kill one another] viz. The perſecutours ſhould riſe up and deſtroy one another, as the Romans did the Jews,Tacit. and the Jews the Romans in divers provinces: And as the Emperours who got nothing (moſt of them) by their adoption or deſignation to the Empire, Niſi ut citius interficerentur, but to be cut off the ſooner. All or moſt of the perſecuting Caeſars died unnaturall deaths.

A great ſword] That of the Goſpel, Epheſ. 6.17. which takes away peace, by accident, Mat. 24.6. Chriſt threatneth the contempt of the Goſpel with wars and rumours of wars. Our late Edgehill-battle was fought in the vale of Red-horſe; as if God had meant to ſay, I have now ſent you the red horſe, to avenge the quarrel of the white.