CHAPTER II.

The fourth and fifth chapters are introductory to the seven seals which refer to the same divisions mapped out by the seven churches. These seals, as they are opened by the Lamb, describe in symbols more minutely the particular events in each successive period, and discover clearly to the church the nature of her trials, tribulations, and warfare.

In vision, John saw a door opened into heaven, and a trumpet voice calling him thither, to which he immediately signified obedience, and was, in the Spirit, prepared to receive the knowledge to be given him of the things that were to come to pass.

A throne was set in heaven: This was to represent the seat of the divine government in the moral world, or church. The person who sat upon this throne of dominion and power was God the Father, and John saw Him as He emblematically appears arrayed in all the awful majesty of his sovereign authority.

The four and twenty seats, with their elders, represent the Jewish Church, who were the peculiar subjects of Him that sat upon this throne, and cooperated with Him in all the objects of bis moral government. The worship and

elders of the Jewish church, were divided into twenty-four courses, or elderships, and their being clothed in white, denotes their garment of moral purity and righteousness, and their crowns of gold, symbols of their doctrine and faith.

The lightnings that proceed from the throne, and thunderings, denote the going forth of God's word and law to his people; and the seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, denote, as we have noticed, the seven churches, which are the light of the world, and the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth-as these persons composing the church of God possess the Spirit and truth of God, and are to go forth and proclaim it to the world, and become bright and shining lights.

The transparent sea, or sea of glass, is the great fountain of the water of life, and the broad platform of moral truth, upon which the church of God is founded and will stand in its triumphant and glorified state. The four beasts symbolize the church of God in her tribulation and warfare with the wicked powers of earth. Her first appearance, which is that of the Apostolic church, is symbolized by a lion-bold, strong, and conquering. Her second appearance, which is that of her persecution under the Roman emperors, is fitly symbolized by a calf, easily led to the slaughter.

Her third appearance is symbolized by the face of a man, which was to denote, that in this stage of her existence, she would be governed by a man, who would assume to be her spiritual and temporal head. This was fulfilled in the days of Constantine, and his successors. The fourth appearance of the Christian church is symbolized by a flying eagle, which denotes the time of her flight into the wilderness, when pursued and persecuted by the papal authority. This carries the church through all her trials of persecution and death; and hence, when she is liberated

from the papal bondage, she has no symbol of a beast, as she is not subjected in any manner to a beastly government.

The wings which each of them had, denote their activity and flight to fulfill their commission, and go into all the world, or fly through the midst of heaven, with the Gospel to preach to every creature. They had six wings, which denoted the number of periods they would have to labor, and through which they must fly with their message to the world. They are constantly at work and worship; they rest not day nor night, ascribing holiness to God, which was, in past ages with the church; and is, now still present to bless and prosper the devoted laborers; and is to come, to judge and reward his servants according as their work shall be.

The elders cr Jewish church, also are joined with the Christian church, in this worship and song of praise and glory to Him that sits upon the throne, and who is worthy to receive it. The book that is in the right hand of Him that sits upon the throne, and that is sealed with seven seals, contains the revelation of Jesus Christ, which is now represented as in the Father's hand.

The seven seals refer to the seven distinct periods of time and events, through which the church is to pass, before she will obtain her reward, and gain her final resting place. No created being in heaven or earth, except the Lion of the tribe of Judea, the root of David, who is the Lamb that was slain in the midst of his churchJewish and Christian-was found worthy or able to take this sealed book, and break the seals, and reveal the contents of each seal. But He was both worthy and able.

The revelation which God gave to Him, to show unto his servants things that would certainly come to pass. When He had taken the book, the four and twenty elders, and four beasts, or the two branches of his church, are

represented as prostrating themselves before Him, and singing a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book and open the seals thereof, for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, people, tongue, and nation, and hast made us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth.

We cannot, then, be mistaken in applying the elders and four beasts to the true church of God, as they here acknowledge their redemption from all the nations of the earth. We learn, also, by the proclamation of this strong angel, that it is not in the prerogative, as we have before noticed, of any created being, no, not the Son even, to reveal future events, independently of God. As God governs and controls all events, so he alone can reveal the future.

Chapter 6-The Lamb now proceeds to open the seals. The first seal symbolizes the triumphant establishment of the gospel under the personal direction of Christ and his apostles, in opposition to Jews and Pagans. The lion, or first beast, says, Come and see-behold and record the history of our times. The white horse and his rider symbolizes Christ, propelled by the pure spirit and righteousness of his cause, going forth, conquering and to conquer. The bow is an emblem of strength, denoting his power to overcome and conquer his enemies, and the crown denotes that He will become the victor, and be crowned the King of kings, and Lord of lords. Christ and his twelve apostles commenced, without wealth or reputation, and in the midst of the fires of persecution from Jew and Gentile authority, planted his religion, organized his church, and gained a successful triumph over the world. The apostolic age, embracing this seal, was the strong lion age of the church.

When He opened the second seal, a voice from the church under the symbol of the second beast, says, Come

and see. Behold and write down the history of our times. This beast was like a calf fattened for the slaughter. Consequently, a red horse goes forth, and his rider has power to take away peace from the church, and from the earth, and under his reign bloody wars and persecutions ensue. This red horse and his rider symbolize the Roman government, and her bloody Emperors, from the commencement of the second to the fourth centuries.

The third seal symbolizes the church, from Constantine to the establishment of the papal supremacy. The third beast had a face as a man. A man now usurps the authority of Christ, and takes his place at the head of the church-church and state are united-consequently a black horse is seen as the symbol of this power, denoting the blackening or darkening errors that will, through this agent, be brought into the church. He that rides the black horse has a pair of balances in his hands, which is to signify that he claims the right to weigh and decide all matters of law and gospel.

Constantine struck out a middle path between Christianity and Paganism, and blended the two together; and while thus weighing and mixing up matters-of church and state-Paganism and Christianity-a voice cries out from the true disciples of Christ, protesting against it, and cautioning him against hurting the oil and wine, or the pure principles and doctrine of the gospel, upon which they depended for their spiritual refreshment, vigor, and life.

In the religious enthusiasm and pious zeal of Constan tine and his successors, the bishops and clergy were clothed with power and large salaries, and the condition of the church was changed from poverty and want to honor and opulence; and from meeting in the woods and caves, to splendid halls and temples. In this period, the falling away spoken of by the apostle took place, and the foundation of that dreadful system of iniquity-the man of sin-was