Rev. viii. 9," The third part of the creatures which were in the seas, and had life, died."

See Ezek. xxix. 3, &c.

Rev. x. 2, "He set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the earth."

As earth and sea make up this terraqueous globe, so the inhabitants of the earth and sea seem in this prophecy to mean the inhabitants of this world at large. See ch. xii. 12, 13. But Sir Isaac Newton thinks the expression represents the angel standing with one foot on Asia, and the other on Europe, to signify that the prophecies he was about to reveal, would relate to both the empires of the east and west.

Rev. xiii. 1," I saw a beast rise up out of the sea;" i. e. a new dominion or government, which should owe its origin to the commotions of the people.

Rev. xv. 2, "I saw a sea of glass, mingled with fire." Of this, it is difficult to give a satisfactory in

terpretation.

Rev. xxi. 1," And there was no more sea;" i. e. there were no turbulent spirits to disturb the peace. of that happy state-for the new heavens and new earth merely denote a new order of things, in which former sorrows and troubles shall no more be remembered.

Vitringa says, "The sea in general, in a mystical sense, is taken for the world as opposed to the church, or for that part of the earth where there is no worship of the true God, for as the globe is divided into two parts, earth and sea, so the world is divided into two parts, that within and that without the church, which last comes under the name of sea, as being in continual commotion, as incapable of cultivation, as

the seat of storms and tempests, and dangerous to navigate. Hence the wicked are compared to it in Isaiah Ivii. 20.

The same author observes, on Rev. xxi. 1, 2, that there was no sea in the New Jerusalem. "John saw there no Pagans or Idolaters," because in that latter period the whole world will receive the true worship of God; therefore, the sea, in the mystical sense, will be abolished, and the whole new world will be changed into earth or land.

Ewaldus supposes, that by the earth or land in Rev. x. 2, is meant Judea, and by the sea Gentilism. And that his posture, with one foot on each, denotes dominion, lordship, or conquest, since to place the foot on any one implies this. See Ps. cx. 1; Deut. xi. 24; Josh. i. 3; 1 Cor. xv. 27, &c.

Among the ancients, the sea was the symbol of various matters, 1. Of the world and its vanities, according to the Persian proverb, "He who covets this world's goods, is like one who drinks sea-water; the more he drinks, the more he increases thirst, nor does he cease to drink until he dies." 2. Of calamities and persecutions. Thus, Ps. lxix. 1, 2, 14, 15; Ps. cxxiv. 4, 5. 3. Of inconstancy.

SEALING.

Sealing has several acceptations. 1. It denotes preservation and security. Thus, in Cant. iv. 12," A fountain sealed,” is a fountain carefully preserved from the injuries of weather and beasts, that its water may be preserved good and clean.

In Job xiv. 17, "Sins sealed up in a bag," signify that no sin shall be forgot. And thus, for the greater

security, the stone at the mouth of our Saviour's sepulchre was sealed with a seal.

2. It denotes also propriety, from the custom of sealing goods and servants when they were bought, that it might be known to whom they belonged.

3. Sealing denotes secrecy and privacy; men sealing up those things which they intend to keep secret.

Thus, a book sealed, Rev. v. 1, is a book whose contents are secret, and have for a very long time been so, and are not to be published till the seal be removed. Horace has used the like symbol, 1. 1, Ep. 20, v. 3.

And in Isa. xxix. 11, “A vision like to a book sealed," is a vision not understood.

4. Sealing sometimes signifies completion and perfection; because the putting of the seal to any instrument or writing completes the matter about which it is, and finishes the whole transaction.

Thus, concerning the king of Tyre, the prophet Ezekiel says, ch. xxviii. 12, " Thou sealest up the sum (or measure) full of wisdom and glory;" that is, thou lookest upon thyself as having arrived at the highest pitch of wisdom and glory.

Thus the Arabians call the Koran "the seal of God's promises," as being, according to them, the completion or perfection of God's promises; and Mahomet," the seal of the prophets," as being according to them the greatest of the prophets, after whom no more are to follow.

5. Sealing signifies assent, confirmation, and authority, from the use of a seal's being put to decrees, diplomas, covenants, and wills.

Thus, in Nehem. ix. 39, the princes, the priests,

and Levites, to shew their assent to it, sealed the covenant. And sealing has the same signification in John iii. 33.

In Esther viii. 8, a writing sealed with the king's seal, denotes the will and pleasure of the king, and that it is unalterable, not to be reversed.

And hence a person sealed, signifies a person authorised and commissioned, as in relation to our Saviour, concerning his giving that meat which endureth to everlasting life, says John vi. 27, "him hath God the Father sealed."

Hence the bearing of a ring or seal is the token of a high office. See Gen. xli. 41.

And therefore, in Aristophanes, the giving of a ring to a person is making him chief magistrate or high steward; and the taking away of the ring is the discharging him of his office.

And to the same purpose speak the Persian and Indian interpreters in ch. 260, concerning a ring or seal.

5. Sealing signifies hindrance and restraint, to put a cessation to, or stop the effect of any design. Thus, in Job xxxvii. 7, God is said to seal up the hand of every man; i. e. to hinder their work by storms and wet weather, or to restrain their power.

And so in Job ix. 9, he is said to seal up the stars ; i. e. to restrain their influences.

And thus in Eschylus, Eumer. v. 830. &c., thunder sealed up, is thunder restrained, not used, or laid aside.

In Eph. i. 13, "Ye were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit," there is thought to be an allusion to the magic rings and seals common amongst the Ephesian

idolaters, used as amulets or charms, and for other similar purposes, as mentioned by Clemens, Alexandrinus, Stromata, lib. 1, and by Lucian Phileps, t. 2, also by Aristophanes in Phit. The εφεσια γραμματα, or Ephesian letters, were thought to have the same virtue. To such as these vain securities, the Apostle opposes the sacred seal of the Holy Spirit, as an earnest of their heavenly inheritance.

SEE. To see is, in several places, a prophetical expression, shewing the proper work of the Prophets. For, in 1 Sam. ix. 9, he that was in those days called a Prophet, was before time called a Seer, and, therefore, their inspiration, when it was given them by symbols, comes under the name of seeing, or vision, as in Num. xxiv. 4, 16.

And this is the very style of the pears from Euripides and Virgil. 86, 87.)

Æn. 1. 6, v.

heathens, as ap(Helen v. 755;

Verbs that belong to the human senses are often put for one another in the best authors. Thus, to see a voice, is an expression used by the sacred writers, and by Æschylus. (Exod. xx. 18; Rev. i. 12; Prometh, v. 21).

Aristophanes uses yevrai ons Jugas, taste the door, instead of feel the door. (Ranæ.)

And Petronius, a nice author as to matters of style, says, "Necdum libaveram cellulæ limen." See also Lucretius, b. 1, v. 645.

The eyes often sympathize with the affections of the soul, and therefore, to see, in Scripture, frequently signifies to rejoice or to be grieved, according to the circumstances of the person affected.

Thus old Simeon, when he saw our Saviour, said,