CHAP. XV.-On the Prophetical Period of Twelve Hundred and Sixty Years, concluded 245 CHAP. XVI.-On the Fourteenth Chapter of the Apo calypse 273 CHAP. XVII.-The Vision of Seven Angels with the Seven Vials of Wrath 291 CHAP. XVIII.-The Effusion of the Vials 297 CHAP. XIX.-Practical Observations on the present State of the World, in connection with 355 CONTENTS. ....... The first four seals exhibit four hieroglyphics, which are distinct .... ib. Bishop Newton has avoided this error, but there is nothing in the symbols of these seals to justify his interpretation...... Archdeacon Woodhouse is the first writer who has rightly inter- preted these seals; his scheme adopted in this work......... This hieroglyphic, describes the triumphant progress of the ib. The rider on the white horse is by some supposed to be our Lord ib. Reasons to show that the rider is an hieroglyphical character.... 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 Archdeacon Woodhouse has pointed out the erroneousness of the ib. The black colour of the horse in this seal is an emblem of dark- ib. The yoke denotes the imposition of a burthen of rites, cere- ...... The chanix of wheat, and denarius, or penny, explained........... Recapitulation of the contents of this seal..... It was accomplished in the rise and prevalence of the Papal 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 signification, with which corresponds the character of his rider .. ib. Terrific import of the whole assemblage of figures 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 15 THE FIFTH SEAL. The language of this seal also is hieroglyphical 16 The souls of the slain martyrs are seen under the altar crying for vengeance ib. 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............... 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 ib. 17 This denotes the improved condition of the church, after the reformation ib. ....... The second part of this seal fills the interval between the reformation and the sixth seal and seventh trumpet 18 CHAPTER II. THE SIXTH SEAL. In the hieroglyphical language the natural universe is used as a symbol of the political world ..... ........ ...... The meaning of the symbolical sun and moon-the stars, the Three passages cited from Joel, St. Matthew, and St. Luke, de- This seal is very incongruously referred by Mede, and others, to the events of the reign of Constantine ....... 20 21 22 23 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. 25 ..... Quotation from Vitringa in support of above reasoning ....... 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. 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 It is the same revolution with that mentioned in the seventh trumpet, and seventh vial ...... The principle of this exposition is of very remote antiquityopinion of Victorinus, of Andrew, and Arethas The further consideration of the first part of the sixth seal deferred, till we arrive at the seventh trumpet, and seven vials.. Reasons for thinking that the sixth seal commenced at the revolution of France...... ib. 29 80 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. What is to become of the church of Christ during these desolations... The visions seen in Rev. vii. contain an answer to this question The vision of four angels holding the four winds, and an angel with the seal of God.......... Symbolical import of the wind.. The place of this vision in the Apocalyptic chronology 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...... Remarks on the sealing of the servants of God ........ ...... It is probable that we now witness the fulfilment of this vision in When the allotted period of peace is past, the commission to hold .... The sealed shall be delivered from these judgments by the immediate hand of God ..... The foregoing interpretation of the vision, supported by a quotation from Vitringa 39 Vision of a countless multitude, clothed with white robes, and ...... ...... ib. 40 .... ib. The chronology of this vision is marked by the circumstance, that 41 ib. 42 |