Page 199 210 215 222 ib. 245 Proposition First, considered Proposition Sixth Hundred and Sixty Years, concluded calypse Seven Vials of Wrath State of the World, in connection with 273 291 297 355 CON T E N T S. CHAPTER I. THE FIRST FIVE SEALS. 1 The first four seals exhibit four hieroglyphics, which are distinct but homogeneous Most interpreters have lost sight of the homogeneity of these seals .... ib. Bishop Newton has avoided this error, but there is nothing in the , symbols of these seals to justify his interpretation..... 2 Archdeacon Woodhouse is the first writer who has rightly inter preted these seals ; his scheme adopted in this work.......... ib. THE FIRST SEAL. 3 A white horse with a rider crowned, who goes forth conquering and to conquer ... Gospel in the three first centuries himself, this opinion seems inaccurate ib. ib. THE SECOND SEAL. 5 ib. A red or fire coloured horse, with a rider, who takes peace from the earth- A great sword is given to him.... Fire and sword are emblems of discord..... The hieroglyphics of this seal, indicate that after the first age of Christianity, a spirit of discord, dissension, and controversy, a fierce and fiery zeal, should prevail in the church... Proofs of the fulfilment of the prophecy from history Depravity of human nature illustrated by the events of the second seal 6 ib. THE THIRD SEAL. ib. Archdeacon Woodhouse has pointed out the erroneousness of the translation of suyos in our Bibles, which properly signifies a yoke ..... The black colour of the horse in this soal is an emblem of dark ness and ignorance The yoke denotes the imposition of a burthen of rites, cere monies and ordinances . ib. 9 The chænix of wheat, and denarius, or penny, explained ........ famine, a scarcity of the word of God lievers, who even during the famine of this seal, have an abun dant share of these influences ... Recapitulation of the contents of this seal.... It was accomplished in the rise and prevalence of the Papal power Characters of the period called the dark ages, referred to in this seal..... ib. 10 ib. 11 THE FOURTH SEAL. A pale livid green horse-his rider is Death, followed by hell.... 12 Remarks on the colour of the horse, and on its emblematical sig nification, with which corresponds the character of his rider .. ib. Terrific import of the whole assemblage of figures ib. This seal represents the state of the church during the ages of papal persecution.......... 13 Address of Innocent III. to Philip Augustus of France to extirpate heretics.—The Albigenses subdued or extirpated ib. Tribunal of the Inquisition erected--Its consequences ib. The persecutions of Rome were continued until the revocation of the edict of Nantz...... ib. Detail of slaughters perpetrated in these persecutions 14 Thus did the rulers of the visible church assume the character of Death, accompanied by Hades .... 15 THE FIFTH SEAL. ib. 'The language of this seal also is hieroglyphical 16 The souls of the slain martyrs are seen under the altar crying for vengeance This emblem is explanatory of the slaughter of the former seals, particularly the fourth, and confirms the application of that seal and all the prior ones to the history of the church........ ib. It also describes the aspect of the church immediately before the dawn of the Reformation-Brief view of that state ... ..... ib. White robes are given to the slain martyrs, and they are told to rest till their brethren to be killed as they were should be fulfilled 17 This denotes the improved condition of the church, after the reformation ib. The second part of this seal fills the interval between the refor mation and the sixth seal and seventh trumpet 18 CHAPTER II. THE SIXTH SEAL. 23 In the hieroglyphical language the natural universe is used as a symbol of the political world 19 An earthquake denotes a revolution ib. The meaning of the symbolical sun and moon-the stars, the heaven, mountains, and islands ... ib. The remaining language of the passage describes the conster nation of the princes of the world, at the approach of the day of wrath 20 Three passages cited from Joel, St. Matthew, and St. Luke, descriptive of the signs which precede the great day of the Lord 21 Correspondence of the language of the sixth seal with these passages, and inference thence deduced that it relates to the great revolution of the last ages 29 This seal is very incongruously referred by Mede, and others, to the events of the reign of Constantine Its hieroglyphics are of too august a nature, to be applied to these events ..... ib. In other respects these events do not correspond with the description of the earthquake ib. Quotation from Vitringa in support of above reasoning 25 A circumstance mentioned in confirmation of the arguments of Vitringa .... 26 Further arguments to show that the sixth seal relates to the final revolution, which is to convulse the nations of Christendom before the second advent 27 This revolution is predicted by Daniel, and the scene of it is to be sought for in those kingdoms which formed the western Roman empire .. ... 28 It is the same revolution with that mentioned in the seventh trumpet, and seventh vial. ... ib. The principle of this exposition is of very remote antiquityopinion of Victorinus, of Andrew, and Arethas ib. The further consideration of the first part of the sixth seal de ferred, till we arrive at the seventh trumpet, and seven vials.. 29 Reasons for thinking that the sixth seal commenced at the revolution of France.. 30 CHAPTER III. THE SIXTH SEAL CONCLUDED. The whole of the seventh chapter of Revelation relates to the period of the sixth seal 31 The effects of the revolution of the sixth seal briefly recapitulated ib. с What is to become of the church of Christ during these desolations , 31 The visions seen in Rev. vii. contain an answer to this question ib. The vision of four angels holding the four winds, and an angel with the seal of God... ib. Symbolical import of the wind.. 32 The place of this vision in the Apocalyptic chronology ib. It indicates a term of peace before the end, for the purpose of sealing the servants of God...... 33 This vision compared with one in Ezekiel, and the mystical number of 144,000 explained ... ib. The four angels are emblems of the powers which shall restrain the calamities of the earthquake-Import of their hurting the earth..... ib. Remarks on the sealing of the servants of God 34 It is probable that we now witness the fulfilment of this vision in the recent pacification of Europe, by a mighty confederacy which now occupies France with its armies to preserve the peace ib. This interval of tranquillity has been marked by exertions for the circulation of the scriptures, on such a scale as to mark that they belong to a period of the extraordinary operations of the Almighty 37 When the allotted period of peace is past, the commission to hold the winds shall cease, and the calamities of the earthquake shall be renewed. ib. The sealed shall be delivered from these judgments by the immediate hand of God 38 The foregoing interpretation of the vision, supported by a quotation from Vitringa 39 Vision of a countless multitude, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands, who stand before the throne..... ib. This denotes the translation of the church, from the tribulation of the sixth seal into her millennial rest 40 The chronology of this vision is marked by the circumstance, that the palm bearers worship in the temple, or holy of holies ib. This proved to be subsequent in time to the destruction of Antichrist 41 The passage therefore relates to the establishment of the king dom of our Lord, described in the seventh chapter of Daniel.. ib. This manifestation of the kingdom of God, succeeds the de struction of the fourth monarchy—Its other Apocalyptical marks 42 |
