WHITE ROBES The Righteousness of the Saints, which is derived from Christ*. The ISRAELITISH NATION, which alone was chosen from all other nations to the knowledge of God during the times of the three first great Empires, is made to represent that favoured Protestant nation, which has alone in these latter days been so selected and chosen to the knowledge of his name from amongst the ten nations of the divided Roman empire †. THE GENTILES, as contrasted with the Jews, -The Nine Papal Nations, who though they do not avow it, yet like the Gentiles of old bow down before stocks and stones, and worship dumb idols+. THE TWO WITNESSES Who prophesy, clothed in sackcloth, for a period of 1260 years-who have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the days of their prophecy-who smite the earth with plagues-and destroy their enemies with fire proceeding out of their mouths-and who are called the two olive trees and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the whole earth-The Old and New Testament, which have borne witness to God for many ageswhich contain predictions of the period of the 1260 years' spiritual drought and barrenness * Rev. iii. 4, 5. iv. 4. vii. 9, 13. xix. 8, 14. + Rev. vii. 4-8. xiv. 1, 3. xv. 2—4. Dan. xii. 28, 30, 32. ‡ Rev. xi. 2. which contain denunciations of successive judgments to be inflicted upon the kingdoms of the world-which predict the destruction of their Papal enemies-and which are the appointed sources of grace and spiritual light*. RAIN from Heaven-The vivifying and fertilizing influence of the Holy Spirit†. "GRASS and every green thing,"-True Believers, or those who live under the influence of the Spirit of God‡. A RIVER OF PURE WATER-The Pure Doctrines of the Gospel, the support of our spiritual life§. RIVERS and FOUNTAINS of WATER-The Sources of Religious Instruction. These, if pure, convey life and health; but if made bitter by the infusion of false doctrines, they cause those who drink of them to die. A FALLING (or SHOOTING) STAR-A Minister of Religion, who apostatizes from the truth, and brings in false doctrines ¶. A COMET, or "HORRIBLE STAR,"-A great Warrior and Destroyer; one of portentous aspect, who plagues the nations**. A FLOOD, or Mass of Waters in motion, car Rev. xi. 3-12. + Rev. xi. 6. Heb. vi. 4-8. + Rev. viii. 7. ix. 4. § Rev. xxii. 1, 17. xlvii. 1-9. Zech. xiv. 8. xxi. 6. Rev, viii. 10. ix. 1. Isai. xli. 18. lv. 1. Ezek. Rev. vii. 17. viii. 10. xvi. 4. ** II. Esdras, xv. 40. rying away and destroying every thing opposed to it-A large Body of Men, or an Army in motion, laying every thing waste before it*. A STORM OF HAIL, beating down and destroying all the fruits of the earth-An Invasion from the Northern Regions, where hail may be supposed to be generated†. A FLIGHT of LOCUSTS, which settling, devour and lay waste the fruits of the earth-An Invasion and Settlement of a people from a Southern Country, where Locusts are bred‡. SHIPS The Establishments of those who make a gain of godliness§. SHIP MASTERS, or Merchants-Venal Ecclesiastics. A SEAL or Mark being set upon any one is an act of appropriation, by which the thing or person marked, is considered as the property of him who affixes the mark¶. THE SEAL Of GoD being set upon any one, with the idea of appropriation, includes that of security and protection**. THE WINGS of an EAGLE, are the emblems of Power and Wide Extended Empire, including also the idea of protection††. * Rev. xii. 15, 16. Dan. ix. 26. xi. 22. + Rev. viii. 7. xi. 19. xvi. 21. § Rev. viii. 9. xviii. 17, 19. Rev. xiii. 16, 17. xiv. 9, 11. Rev. ix. 3. Rev. xviii. 11, 15, 17, 23. xv. 2. xvi. 2. xix. 20. xx. 4. xiv. 1. xxii. 4. †† Rev. xii. 14. **Rev. iii. 12. vii. 2. ix. 4. Exod. xix. 4. Deut. xxxii. THE WINGS of any other Fowl of the air are emblems of Swiftness only*. A HORSE is an emblem of Power and Authority. A person seated on a horse represents an Emperor or King. A person seated on a white horse, represents one who is victorious and successfult. THE TAIL of a SCORPION (the seat of poison) -The Seat of False and Deadly Doctrines . THE TAIL of any animal-The Seat of erroneous Doctrines, which are base and degrading§. A PROPHETIC DAY-A Natural Year; where the diurnal revolution of the sun is used as a symbol of its annual revolution||.—A PROPHETIC MONTH is 30 years ¶.-A PROPHETIC TIME, or YEAR, is 360 years **.-A DIVIDING of TIME is 180 years tt. A PROPHETIC HOUR-A Month, or twelfth part of a year. When not introduced into the calculation of a precise period, it means indefinitely a short period ‡‡. The Harvest has a twofold signification, 11. Ruth ii. 12. Psal. xvii. 8. xxxvi. 7. Isai. xviii. 1. Ezek. xvii. 3, 7. Dan. vii. 4. * Jer. xlviii. 9. Dan. vii. 6. Prov. xxiii. 5. † Rev. vi. 2-8. xix. 11, 14, 19, 21. Psal. xlv. 4. + Rev. ix. 10. § Rev. ix. 19. xii. 4. Isai. ix. 15. Rev. ix. 15. xi. 3, 9, 11. xii. 6. Numb. xiv. 34. Ezek. iv. 6. ¶ Rev. ix. 5, 15. xi. 2. xiii. 5. ** Rev. xii. 14. Dan. vii. 25. xii. 7. †† Dan. vii. 25. xii. 7. Rev. ix. 15. xi. 13. xiv. 7. xvii. 12. xviii. 10, 17, 19. either that of an Act of Judgment; in reference to the cutting down and treading out the corn by the feet of cattle-or of Mercy, in reference to the gathering the wheat into the garner*. 1 THE VINTAGE, or THE TREADING of the WINEPRESS, (succeeding to the Harvest)-A Great Judgment upon the enemies of Christ and of his Church; when he "will tread them in his anger, and trample them in his furyt." FIRE-Destruction inflicted upon an enemy. LIGHTNING, or fire from heaven-A manifest vengeance of God upon his enemies §. THE VOICE of THUNDER, or the VOICE of a TRUMPET-The voice of the Church in Heaven-A declaration of the judgments of God, inflicted upon the enemies of the Church. These are the chief of the emblems used in the prophetic writings, and are mostly found in the Revelation of St. John. In order to guard against mistakes in their interpretation, we must observe, that all objects introduced into a symbolical description, are not necessarily to be Isa. xxi. 10. xli. 15. Mic. iv. 13. * 2 Kings xiii. 7. Dan. ii. 35. Jer. ix. 22. li. 33, 47, 49. Mat. xiii. 39. Mark iv. 29. † Isa. lxiii. 1-6. Joel iii. 13. Rev. viii. 5, 7, 8. xi. 5. xiii. Jer. viii. 20. Rev. xiv. 15. Rev. xiv. 18-20. xix. 15. 13. xiv. 18. xv. 2. xvi. 8. Psal. xcvii. 3. § Rev cxliv. 6. Zech. ix. 14. xviii. 8. xx. 9. 10, 14, 15. xxi. 8. Rev. viii. 5. x. 3, 4. xi. 19. xvi. 18. 1 |