ken of this covenant," for perpetual generations.? The rainbow, therefore, round about the throne of God, at the very time when Jesus first appeared, indicates in the strongest manner, eternal mercy and safety to all of God's creatures.

Note. This chapter refers to the time when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and until he commenced his ministry.

CHAPTER VI

This chapter, and the first verse of chap. 8, is of the Lamb opening the seven seals, according to Matth. Xiii, 35, "I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world."

Verse 1, "And I saw when the Lamb had opened one of the seals, &c. one of the four beasts saying, Come and see." As the several beasts, each in their turn, at the opening of the four first seals, say, "Come and see." It signifies that when God re-. veals things to creatures, they always consider the revelations of God so good as that they invite other creatures to 66 come and see" them.

Verse 2, "And I saw, and behold a white horse? and he that sat upon him had a bow, and a crown was. given unto him, and he went forth conquering and to conquer." "White horse" signifies, as a horse is a quick and powerful beast, and as "white," represents purity, the quick, powerful, and pure word of God, or testimony of Jesus Christ on which he is repeatedly represented, in this vision, as riding forth; "And he had a bow," signified that power which Jesus Christ has of sending words of truth, so as to take effect in the hearts of men, the same as a bow throws arrows, as it is written, Ps. XLV, 5, "Thine arrows sharp in the heart of the King's enemies, whereby the people fall under thee." "And he went forth conquering and to conquer.

Signified that Jesus went in his first advent, conquering error, infirmity, and sin by his testimony and miracles, and to conquer death and hell by his death and resurrection.

Verses 3, 4, "And when he had opened the second seal, &c. And there went out another horse, red, and was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, &c. And there was given unto him a great sword." Signified that soon after the ascention of Christ the nations would be filled with a spirit of bloodthirstiness; signified by "a red horse," him that sat on him; having "a great sword." signified that war, who sits on the bloodthirsty spirit would at that time kill with the sword abundantly.

Verse 5," And when he had opened the third seat &c. And I beheld, and lo, a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand." The word "horse" is used as a figure of the abili ties, or faculties of men; as "white horse" always represents the testimony of Jesus, which is always pure, so when any color is associated with horse, it signifies the nature of man's performances which . are always impure; and as "red beast, or red horse," signifies a spirit of bloodthirstiness in men, so "black horse," signifies a spirit black with crimes to that degree as to produce a famine of hearing the word of God, Amos VIII, 11; and that, of course, produces such ill economy as to produce a famine of bread and water. Had a pair of balances in his hand." Signified that in that distressing time, privileges would be scarce, as though men had a certain allowance weighed to them.

Verse 6," And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts." Signified the cry of the condition of the world. "Say, a measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny." Signified, although it was a time of the greatest calamity that ever was, yet God afforded men, even then, spiritual privileges that were equal to a measure of wheat for a penny, &c. "And thou hurt not

the oil, and the vine." "Oil and vine" represents that joy and gladness which the blessed spirit of God gives to Saints, and therefore, it was commanded not to prevent such consolation in the, time of such calamity.

Verse 7, "And when he had opened the fourth seal, &c.

Verse 8, "And I looked, and behold a pale horse : and his name that sat on him was death, and hell fol lowed with him.", Death riding forth, signified spiritual death, riding on the faculties of men which were so full of iniquity as to carry the color of death, which is "pale." "And hell followed with, him." As the word hell, means the state of the dead, therefore it signified that a state of spiritual death, followed with spiritual death. "And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth." By which, we see, that hell does not mean a state of misery in the future world; because, "power was given unto them, (that is, to death and hell,) over the fourth part of the earth." "To kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and with the beasts of the earth." Signifying that spiritual death and hell would go forth on the abilities of men so as to cause, first, destroying wars.

Secondly, a distressing famine.

Thirdly, both of these, together with pestilence, would cause death.

Fourthly, "And with the beasts of the earth." The word beast is used in other Scriptures to represent wicked political government, as also the abilities of men, or men who seek to devour, are called days, &c. all of which show that wicked men would make use of their power to complete the calamity.

Verse 9, "And when he had opened the fifth seal, .1 saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God." "Souls" here signified lives; "under the altar," signified that their lives were at the place where they offered their lives for the

truth's sake, which was the altar, as altar always signifies the place for offerings.

Verse 10, It is said that they cried to God for vengeance, &c. which signified that their lives, or blood, cried for vengeance on their murderers, as the blood of Abel did, Gen. It, 10.

Verse 11," And white robes were given unto them." Signified that those who died for the truth's sake, wicked people in ages afterwards, who are just such people as their murderers were, will praise them; and righteous people always praise them, which is like giving their lives, or souls "white robes.

Verse 12, "And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and lo, there was a great earthquake." Earth, in this vision, signified the ground of men's minds, as St. Paul calls it, "The pillar and ground of the truth," 1. Tim. III, 15. Therefore an earthquake, signified a shaking of the ground of the minds of men. "And the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became blood."

Verse 13," And the stars of Heaven fell unto the earth, even as a figtree casteth her untimely figs when she is shaken of a mighty wind."

Verse 14, "And the Heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together." As the sun, moon, and stars represent the political and religious establishments of the nations, and particularly of the Jews. And as the heaven, in many Scriptures, represents the inventions of men on which they depend for happiness, therefore this destruction, or removing of the sun, moon, stars, and heaven, signified the overthrow of political, and religious establishments, and false dependences of men, which should immediately succeed the beforenamed calamities, as Jesus himself prophesied, Matth. Xxiv, 29, "Immediately after the tribulation of those days, shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the.

heavens shall be shaken. "And every mountain, and Island were moved out of their places." As the earth signified the ground of the minds of men, so the sea signified the multitudes of people, or the multitudes of the thoughts of the people, therefore mountains and Island signified such objects in the minds and thoughts of the people, as were considered things of firm standing, as we consider mountains and Islands.

Verse 15, "And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men." (Which signified the ruling, and leading powers, and motives in the minds of men,) and every bond man, and every free man, (which signified all the working powers in the minds of men,) hid themselves in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains, that is, in such refuges in their minds, as were considered firm like mountains.

Verse 16, "And said to the mountains and rocks, fall on us, and hide us." Signified that in that time when God shook "the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land, and shook all nations," Haggai Ii, 6, 7. All the ruling and working powers of men, were in such an extremity, as we should expect the inhabitants of the literal world would be in, if there should be a great literal earthquake, the sun literally become black, the moon turn to literal blood, the visible stars fall to the ground, and the blue canopy of the starry heaven over our heads should roll off like a scroll rolling together. For this is a prophecy of those "days of vengeance and wrath upon the people, which was predicted by the ancient Prophets, and which our Lord said should be fulfilled in that generation, Matth. Xxiv, 34, and xvi, 28. Luke Xxi, 22, on to 33.

Verse 17, "For the great day of his wrath (or ardor) is come, and who shall be able to stand? That is, the time is come, when God will judge

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