national degradation, and bring them into his church with the fulness of the Gentiles. Then he will appear a second time without sin unto salvation; to which time he referred when he said, "Then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh." Then "the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever."

There are some pious mén that dissuade from the study of unfulfilled prophecy altogether. Let such remember that the gospel in which they rejoice, and by which they are saved, was unfulfilled prophecy once; in which Abraham saw Christ's day and was glad and "of which salvation the prophets inquired and searched diligently, who prophecied of the grace that should come unto us: searching what, or what manner of time the spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that shall follow.". The sufferings are passed-but shame will cover us if we be unconcerned about "the glory that should follow."

THE SEVEN SEALS.

CHAPTER VI.

When the new song which filled heaven and earth with its harmony was suspended, John says, "I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard the first living creature, with a voice like thunder, say, "Come and see." And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat on him had a bow." Wherever symbolic language is used in the prophecies, the import of the symbols must be understood before we can form any definite idea of the events predicted. The symbolic figures in the first four seals are horses and their riders: and from comparing one part of scripture with another, I have arrived at the following conclusion: that, a horse and his rider symbolize a kingdom or hierarchy, either civil or ecclesiastical, or both united, The insignia of the rider indicates the character of the dominant power. This symbol is applied to the persecuting power of Egypt. "The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea." Exod. xv. 21. Job says of the ostrich, "What time she lifteth up herself on high, she scorneth the horse and his rider." xxxix. 18. It is applied to any belligerent or persecuting power.

"With thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider." Jer li. 21. It refers to the Chaldeans, Medes, and Persians who oppressed Israel. Zech. i. 8. vi. 2—6. The same symbol is used to denote certain earthly powers in the vision of the first four seals. ver. 2, 4, 5, 8, and to characterize the King of kings when he cometh to judge and make war. chap. xix. 11, 19, 21. The objects seen in vision are always real or what they appear to be: that is, a man, is a man; a horse, is a horse; a ram, is a ram, &c. but they may be literal, as in the transfiguration on the mount; or symbolic, such as the Metallic Image seen by Nebuchadnezzar, or the various wild beasts beheld by Daniel and John, and also the horses in the first four seals.

These horses and their riders represent four great powers which shall extend their influence among the nations of the earth.

THE FIRST SEAL.

The first symbol is a white horse, which represents the celestial hierarchy, the kingdom of Christ. White is the emblem of purity, a prominent characteristic of the kingdom of heaven; "and he that sat on him had a bow," this is an instrument of war, but when employed by Christ, it denotes his word, which conveys the arrows of conviction "into the hearts of the king's enemies, whereby the

people fall under him." The prophet Habakkuk gives a similar interpretation of the bow of God, "Thy bow was made quite naked-even thy word," iii. 9. and by the power of his word the Captain of our salvation goeth forth "conquering unto conquer. ver. 2. "And a crown was given to him." This denotes his regal character; he was born to be a king; and "he must reign till he hath put all his enemies under his feet."

THE SECOND SEAL.

The second symbol is a red horse, which I think represents the Popish hierarchy. Red is the emblem of bloody cruelty, Pyrros, the word here used, signifies a fiery red which is also the colour of the dragon, xii. 3. and denotes the infernal tortures practised by the inquisition, and the fires which have consumed the protestants. In a subsequent vision the Apostle saw the mother of harlots sitting upon the scarlet coloured beast, and there the unity of the symbolical representation is preserved." The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, both denoting blood in different states. The rider is the Pope, and power was given to him to take peace from the earth, so that they should kill one another, "and there was given to him a great sword" the emblem of war,

whether civil or ecclesiastical. The history of popery corresponds with the above state

ments.

THE THIRD SEAL.

The third symbol is a black horse, which I think represents the Mahomedan hierarchy. The Turkish Emperor displays a black flag on occasions of great alarm and danger, that all true Musselmen may rally round it. Black is the emblem of mourning and fasting, and also of deep and dark designs, and hidden mysteries; such as were said to be communicated to Mahomet by the Angel Gabriel, in the cave of Hira, near Mecca, also of civil persecution, all of which are prominent characteristics of Mahomedanism; one fundamental doctrine of which is, that it should be propagated by the sword. The rider is Mahomet, or the head of the hierarchy, "and he had a pair of balances in his hand;" this may denote the apparent justice of that system which was speciously exhibited in an order of Abubeker, who succeeded Mahomet "I would have you to know," said he "that fighting for religion is an act of obedience to God.-Avoid injustice and oppression, when you fight the battles of the Lord; acquit yourselves like men, without turning your backs; but let not your victory be stained with blood of women and children.