"is darkened. But, viewed in this light we be"hold in it a harmony which delights, a grandeur "which aftonishes; and from the refult of the "whole arifes fuch evidence as carries conviction "to the understanding."

Verfes 11th-13th.-And I faw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that fat upon him was called faithful, and true, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written that no man knew but he himself: and he was clothed with a vefture dipt in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

At that period, heaven, the church of Chrift, fhall be opened up. It fhall be enlarged and exalted, far beyond the condition in which it appeared in the preceding period of 1243 years.

A horfe and his rider is the hieroglyphic for a difpenfation of divine providence. The particular nature of the difpenfation is marked by the colour of the horse and the character of the rider, as was fhewn in the commentary on chap. vi. This white horse and the fame rider appeared on the opening of the first seal, chap. vi. 2. N n

VOL. II.

“And I

"faw,

"faw, and behold a white horse, and he that fat "on him had a bow, and a crown was given un"to him, and he went forth conquering and to "conquer." It was fhewn, in the commentary on that verse, that the white horse was a difpenfation of purity and profperity to the church of Chrift; that Chrift was the rider; that, though not perfonally present, he then conducted his church, according to the rules of that fcripture which was dictated by himself; that as king of his church he had one crown; that as entering on a long state of warfare, from which he should come off conqueror, he had a bow; that this hieroglyphic fignified the apoftolic age of the church of Chrift, diftinguished for purity, fimplicity, and profperity, when all things in it were regulated by the revealed will of Chrift; before the termination of which the church fhould enter upon a long ftate of war. Since that time, the white horse and his rider have never appeared in this book until now. Now they appear again, the horse in every respect the fame he was at his former appearance; and the rider the fame perfon, but arrayed in greater grandeur. His drefs at each time, exactly correfponded to the time and occafion of his appearance. At first he was entering upon a state of war, and was therefore armed with a bow; and as he is fubject to and dependent on none, being a king, he wore a crown. Now. having finished the

war,

war, conquered all his enemies, and returning in triumph, he hath laid afide his bow, and he hath many crowns on his head as the trophies of his victory and triumph over all his enemies. The fymbolical language being as determinate and fixed as the alphabetical, the white horse here muft fignify the fame purity, fimplicity, and prosperity which he did under the first seal. It is evident from the whole context, that the beginning of the millennium is the period of time to which this fecond appearance of the white horse and his rider refers. Then the church of Chrift fhall again appear in this world in its primitive apoftolic purity. Then the inspired scriptures shall be the infallible standard of faith, worship, obedience, and difcipline to Chriftians. Equal in purity to the apostolic church, in profperity and glory the Chriftian church of this period fhall far excel it. This is fignified by the description which is given of the rider. The various epithets given to him in these verfes, fully prove that the rider is Chrift. He will no more appear perfonally on earth at that time, than he did in the apoftolic church after his afcenfion unto heaven, though he was reprefented riding upon the white horse under the first seal; but, he will then be regarded as the fole head of his church, though invifible. All the office-bearers in it will then act only ministerially under him, teaching his doctrines only, and enforcing his laws only;

and

and all the people will regard their obedience as paid to him.

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Let us now confider the epithets, which are given to him. “He is called faithful and true.” This appellation is given to Chrift, Rev. i. 5. "And from Jefus Chrift, who is the faithful witnefs."-iii. 7." These things faith he that is holy, he that is true;"-and verse 14. "These things faith the Amen, the faithful and true "witnefs." At that period it shall illuftriously appear that he is faithful and true. All the pro

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mifes which he had made to his church by the mouth of all his prophets, and particularly the great one, that they fhould reign as kings and priests on the earth, fhall then be performed. It fhall then appear, that all the judgements which he denounced upon their enemies, and all the calamities and trials to his church, which he foretold, have exactly taken place.

And in righteousness he doth judge and make "war." Then it fhall appear, that all the judgements which he had inflicted upon Papal Rome, and all the wars by which fhe was overthrown, were ftrictly righteous. So many of thefe wars, as are already paft, have not been carried on by Christians, in order to propagate truth and righteousness by the fword; nor fhall these which are yet to come be carried on by fuch perfons for fuch purposes. Such wars could not be right

.

cous; because it never can be right, in any fitua tion, to perfecute for confcience fake, nor to teach men religion by fire and .fword. The wars by which Papal Rome hath been fhaken, and those by which she shall be overthrown at last, are wars carried on between different kingdoms as civil governments. No kingdom can fight against Rome, without fuffering fome of the calamities of war itself. But no kingdom hath fought or fhall fight against Rome which is not highly criminal; and therefore thefe calamities are righteous, because not difproportioned to their crimes. Certainly the Turks fhall fuffer great calamities in the war by which they shall totally overthrow Papal Rome: But will any man fay, that the Turks are fo righteous a people, or that the votaries of Mahomet are fuch pure worshippers of God, that it would be unrighteous for them to feel the calamities of war.

"His eyes were as a flame of fire." Jefus Chrift is thus defcribed, Rev. i. 14. " And his

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eyes were as a flame of fire." He is there reprefented as the Son of man, as is evident from the preceding verfe: and, in chap. ii. 18. where he is ftiled the Son of God, he is pointed out by the fame description : "These things faith the Son "of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of "fire." The events, which fhall take place at that period, fhall fully prove that, with the most

bright