tions of this seal. Bengelius has here seen the victories of the Romans under the emperor Trajan, and Dr. Yung the rapid propagation of the gospel during the first centuries. Thus, truth sometimes lies before our feet unobserved, and we search for it with great labour at a distance. Horses are instruments of war, and a white horse is an emblem of victory, conquest, and succeeding prosperity. This hieroglyphic represents the Lord Jesus Christ in a double point of view, to the unspeakable comfort of his afflicted Church. First, as conqueror of Judaism, and the Jewish nation, for having rejected him as their Messiah and King. When the Persian kings after a signal victory, offered sacrifices to the sun, they rode on white horses. On account of this victory it is said in the text, idón, a crown has, or had been given him, as a thing which had been done sometime before this vision of St. John. Secondly, as directing all the conquests of the Romans, from this time to the accomplishment of his heavenly designs concerning his Church. The Roman generals used to ride white horses at the head of their armies, and their triumphal chariots were drawn by white horses. It is worthy of particular remark, that Daniel's prophecy concerning the limits of the Roman empire, Dan. vii. 7. 23. was not fully accomplished, till in the days of Trajan. He conquered from Anno. 108, in a few years, Armenia, Assyria, Mesopotamia, and even the countries beyond the Tigris; and extended the Roman dominion far beyond what Pompey had done towards the East, and to the full extent of the Macedonian empire. The Christians were alarmed by the immense power of the Romans, as they were always ready to support idolatry with all its abominations; but the Lord here informs his people, that he superintends the power of these conquerors of the world, and directs all their victories to the benefit of his Church. And-accordingly, Gibbon asserts that by this overgrown power, the Romans weakened the centre of their empire, and thus ac

celerated its dissolution. The Lord directed the Roman victories and conquests to the promotion of his Church and drove his arrows into the hearts of his enemies. Ps. xlv. All victories from henceforth, had a ruinous effect on the empire, and the Roman power began to sink from that time. Paganism lost its mighty hold, and fell into disrepute, until the whole empire became a province of the Lord Jesus.

Those expositors, who explain this seal only of the Lords spiritual conquests through his Church and religion, have, I presume, not sufficiently considered this subject. They represent this rider, as having a wholly separate and distinct object and employment, from the following riders: whereas the horse and rider under the first seal, must surely be explained in connexion with those under the second, third, and fourth seals, as having the execution of only a part of an enterprize, of the same nature with the rest. This explanation also perfectly accords with chap. xix. 11. Where this same rider again returns, after having gained many crowns, i. e. kingdoms and empires; for he went forth conquering and to conquer.

II. SEAL ACCOMPLISHED FROM A. D. 122—To 172.

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Verse 3. And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.

4. And there went out another horse that was red; and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.

By the first seal the Christians were comforted concerning the extension of the Roman power in the East, es

pecially those, who inhabited the conquered countries along the Euphrates and Tigris, not to imagine that Providence was smiling on a government, by which they were cruelly persecuted, and his Church disregarded. By the opening of this second seal the Lord discovered another cause, which would effect the downfall of this colossean power, the foreknowledge of which might prove to them of great benefit during its accomplishment, to strengthen their faith and to make them more cautious in times of danger. At the opening of the first seal, St. John was called on by the Lion, the image of heroic faith and actions, as expressive of the general character of the Church in those days; but now by the second, the image of industry and sufferings for the common good of man.

This horse denotes war, and his red colour blood and slaughter, which was to take place on earth, h. e. particularly on the continent of the Roman empire. By the opening of this seal therefore, the Christians received solemn warning in those countries, where God in righteous judgment had withdrawn the spirit of peace and reconciliation, and given men over to insurrection, sedition and rebellion, until at last the great sword severed all.

All this has actually taken place in the Roman empire during this period. Immediately on the death of Trajan, the provinces Armenia, Assyria, and Mesopotamia, revolted from the Romans; and the ensuing fermentations, wars and calamities, made those countries a very insecure place of residence for the Church. But this prophecy seems to refer more particularly to the intestine wars under Adrian against the Jews, and to their bloody insurrections, which began A. D. 133.

Since the destruction of Jerusalem the Jews had lost their own government, their laws of worship, and even their country, where they were forced to abandon the sepulchres of their fathers, and all those monuments of Divine love and favour, to the insolence of Pagans. As their return

was not prohibited by law, they soon collected again in their beloved country in great numbers, and raised their tents even among the ruins of Jerusalem. But their love of liberty, and burning revenge against the Romans, made them every where restless citizens. They often raised insurrections against the Greeks and Romans, and committed most horrible cruelties. In the neighbourhood of Cyrene they destroyed no less than 220,000 men; in Egypt and Cyprus 240,000; so that Adrian sent new colonies in order to re-populate the desolate places. But when Adrian began to rebuild Jerusalem, he filled it with Heathens, and even erected a Pagan temple for idolatrous worship within her walls, in consequence of which the Jews suddenly rose in rebellion throughout the whole Roman empire. An infamous impostor by the name of Barochebas inflamed their passions to the highest pitch of enthusiasm, by calling himself the Star of Jacob, under which title the Messiah had been promised, as the deliverer of Israel, Num. xxiv. 17. Akibas, the most famous among the Jewish doctors, and the principal families of that diluded people, received him as their Messiah without any further proof, than believing that to be the time of his appearance. They chose him their leader, took many fortresses, and spread desolation, blood and slaughter, whereever they went, especially among the Christians in Judea, whom they persecuted with unaccountable fury. Rufus, the governor, could not stop their progress, though the emperor had sent him large supplies of troops; he therefore sent Julius Severus, the greatest general of his time, who subdued them with such immense blood and slaughter, as to deter them for ever from rising again. He destroyed fifty of their cities, and nine hundred eighty-five towns, and made Palestine almost a desert and solitary wilderThe Jews lost more than 600,000 of their nation. So great was the slaughter, especially in Bither, of men, women, and children, that the Jews say their blood ran

ness.

down into the main sea, that a horse might wade up to his nose in blood. From this time, their yoke became heavier than ever under the Roman empire, they were banished Judea, and forbidden ever to approach the holy city.

This overthrow of the Jewish nation was total, like that of their city and temple, and left them no hopes of recovery. They have drawn this judgment upon themselves, by their malignant opposition to the Church of Christ. They not only rejected, and put to death their Messiah, but also persecuted his disciples and followers with unaccountable malice, and destroyed their peace and happiness in every country, by presenting false accusations against them before the Roman tribunals. Thus they have added the blood of many thousand Christians to that of their prophets, and hastened their total ruin. And this is the effect of the great sword, given to the rider under this seal.

During this period also the third and fourth persecution raged in Asia with double fury, in which Polycarp and Justin honoured God by their deaths as martyrs. But this prophecy does not seem to refer to that legislative madness, which is all reserved for the fifth seal. These words only refer to those, who are capable of killing one another, which is not the disposition of Christians, and much less of the Christians of those days.

III. SEAL ACCOMPLISHED FROM A. D. 172-T0 222,

Verse 5. And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, come and see. And I beheld, and lo, a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.

6. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, a measure of wheat for a penny, and