SECTION IX.

AFTER fo much hath been written, so ex- 363.

cellently, in explanation of the Divine Prophecy of the Book of Revelatious, from the time that the learned and enlightened Mr. Mede first gave the right clue to the interpretation of it; there may appear to be a great degree of prefumption in attempting to add any further folution of the meaning of the emblematical de cription of the fucceffion of ages, which is given us under the threefold distinction of Seals, Trumpets, and Vials.

Nothing can seem more clear, than that the firft of thefe, the Seals, were defigned to mark feveral diftinct periods of time, and changes of circumstances, that should fucceed each other in the world, whilft the fame fyftem of government continued as prevailed at the time when the prophecy was delivered.

And that the second of thefe, the Trumpets, were intended to mark the changes that should take

364. take place after the great civilized part of the world had departed from that ftate and form of things, and had affumed the badge of Christianity.

And that the third, the Vials, defcribe changes that should enfue, more particularly in the Weft, even during the prevalence of some of those other events described as coming to pass in the East, and therefore fuch as would be even contemporary with them; and were, on that account, to be described by themselves in a fort of Appendix.

Each then of the emblems in question must defcribe a state of things quite peculiar to the refpective period intended to be marked out, and which would fuit no other fo compleatly.

It is very strange, therefore, that one of the greatest mistakes that has ever been made, in the interpretation of this wonderful Book, fhould have been made with regard to the emblems described on opening the two very firft feals; which appear to have been confounded together, and very much misapplied, merely in confequence of a mistranslation : whereas, in fact, nothing can be more diftinct, or more exactly descriptive of two very different periods, totally unlike each other as

to

to the nature of the events contained in them, and totally unlike any of the fucceeding periods, than the emblems of thefe two feals are.

And this we might reasonably expect; for herein, we shall find, does moft truly confift the admirable excellence and clearness of this whole prophecy; that the emblems, defcriptive of each period, cannot, without the utmost perversion of their most obvious and plain meaning, be applied to any other age, or period, than that one to which they peculiarly belong.

This could not fo well be noticed in paft times, because they could not be explained at all rightly till the events fignified had actually happened. But we, who live in the latter days, fo near the completion of the whole, cannot (if we use any degree of reflection) 365. avoid perceiving the wondrous fact.

The miftranflation is in the defcription of what appeared on opening the Second Seal. The words in the original are

Revelations, ch. vi. ver. 3, 4.

3. Καὶ ὅτε ἤνοιξε τὴν δευ]έραν σφραγῖδα, ήκεσα τε δευτέρες ζώς λέγοντος· Ερχε [καὶ βλέπε.]

4. Καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἄλλος ἵππος πυῤῥός· κ τῷ καθημένῳ ἐπ ̓ αὐτὸν ἐδόθη αὐτῷ λαβῶν τὴν εἰρήνην ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἵνα ἀλλήλες σφάξωσι· καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ μάχαιρα μεγάλη.

And they are thus tranflated in our ver fion:

3. And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the fecond beaft fay, Come and fee.

4. And there went out another horse [that was] red; and [power] was given to him that fat thereon TO TAKE PEACE FROM THE EARTH, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great fword.

And the explanation of this, by Bp. New ton, is, that--

"The second seal, or period, is noted for war and flaughter; and was proclaimed by "the second living creature, who was like an ox, and had his ftation in the Weft. This "second period commenceth with Trajan, "who came from the Weft, being a Spaniard

by birth, and was the first foreigner who "was elevated to the imperial throne. In his "reign,

"reign, and that of his fucceffor Adrian, there

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were horrid wars and flaughters, and espe- 366.

cially between the rebellious Jews and Ro"mans."-And then, after endeavouring to illuftrate this mode of explanation by the history of the times, the Bishop adds-" The great fword, and the red horfe, are expreffive em"blems of this flaughtering and bloody pe"riod; and the proclamation for flaughter is

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fitly made by a creature like an ox destined " for flaughter *.”

The explanation given by Lowman is †—

"That this prophecy will fitly refer to the "mutual flaughters of the Jews and Heathen, "the common enemies of the Christian faith, "and perfecutors of the Chriftian religion; “thus taking peace from the earth, and kill"ing one another.

"In the latter end of the reign of Trajan, "the Jews rebelled in Egypt and Cyprus, and are reported to have put to death, with

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great marks of cruelty, four hundred and "fixty thousand men; yet the Jews were

* Differtations on the Prophecies, vol. III. p. 52, 53, 55. +Paraphrafe and Notes on the Revelations, p. 42.

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every