earth: As the fun, moon, and stars, the filhes in the fea, and the beafts in the earth, do all in their kind fing the fame fong, acknowledge all honour and glory, praise and power, to belong unto him that fitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for evermore.' Rev. v. 13. For although the creature is as yet subject to the bondage of corruption, and therefore groaneth and travelleth in pain, waiting when the fons of God shall be revealed, yet it standeth in affured expectation of reftitution to liberty and incorruption; and therefore here all the creatures do praise the Lamb for that restoration which they had fo lovingly and wifely looked for. And the four beafts

faid, Amen.' That is, they do subscribe to those praises which the creature yieldeth to their Creator. And not only the angels do fubfcribe and confent unto it, but the

four and twenty elders also, that fall • down and worship him that liveth for " evermore.' So that the Lamb is praised and worshipped of all hands, both of men and angels; and all other creatures as God everlasting, and bleffed for evermore.

13

IN

CHAP. VI.

N the fourth chapter we have heard the defcription of God the Father, which holdeth the fealed book in his right hand. In the fifth chapter we have alfo had the defcription of Jefus Christ, the opener, and interpreter of this seven sealed book. Now in this fixth chapter we are to understand of the matter and contents of this book, and of the strange accidents and events which followed upon the opening of every feal.

For in this chapter fix of the feals are opened by the Son of God, and the myfteries thereof disclosed unto John, that he might declare them to the church, for the comfort and inftruction thereof.

This chapter containeth fix principle things, arifing from the feveral openings of the fix feals, and they are these, viz. The fpreading of the gospel.

Great perfecutions following thereupon.
Famine.

Peftilence.

Complaints of the martyrs.

Fearful revenge upon the world, for sheding the blood of God's faints.

6 After, 1 beheld when the Lamb had opened one of the feals, and I heard one

of the four beafts fay, as it were the noise of thunder, come and fee,' Rev. vi. i.

Now after all thefe former matters, John did very attentively fix his eyes upon the Lamb, being now about to open the firft feal of the book; and all on a fudden he was admonished and stirred up by one of the cherubims, that he fhould draw near and come up, and take knowledge of thefe great and important matters, which were now to be revealed unto him. And to the end that he might be thoroughly awakened and stirred up to attention in fuch weighty matters, it is faid, that the voice of the angel which fpake unto him, was like the voice of thunder, fo that thereby John was thoroughly roufed, fitted and prepared, to receive thefe heavenly visions.

'Therefore I beheld, and lo, there was 'a white horfe, and he that fat on him had 'a bow, and a crown was given unto him, and he went forth conquering, that he might overcome,' Rev. vi. 2.

John keeping his eye fteady upon the Lamb, having now opened the first seal, doth in a vifion fee a white horse, &c.,

By this white horse, is meant the miniftry of the word of God, and the first preaching of the gofpel by Chrift and his apoftles, and the fucceffors in the primitive church. The white horse' is taken

in this fenfe in the nineteenth chapter of this prophecy, where our Lord Jefus being upon this white horse, beateth down all his enemies before him; for who is able to refift his word, and the miniftry of it.

In the first chapter of the prophecy of Zechariah, our Lord Jefus purpofing to build up his church, being in a very ruinous state after the captivity, is brought in by the prophet on horfe-back, both for the re-edifying of his church, and alfo for the punishment of the Babylonians, the enemies of his people. In the 45th Pfalm the church, the fpoufe, thus faith to her beloved hufband Chrift, Gird thy fword upon thy thigh, O thou mighty one, the fword of thy glory and comely beauty, and with comely beauty ride on profperouily for the business of truth and of meek righteoufnefs,' Pfal. xlv. 3, 4.

Now in all thefe places of the fcripture, we do plainly fee, that when Chrift goeth about either to preach his gospel, or build up his church, or to be revenged on the enemies thereof, he is brought in on horfe back.

And this doth ftrongly confirm and warrant this expofition, feeing it is not any imagined fenfe, or new device of man's brain, but such a fenfe as other places of fcripture will very fully bear out.

Moreover, if we do feriously confider, and deeply weigh the purpose and intention of the Holy Ghost in all this, it will not a little help and farther this expofition. For the chief scope and intention of all is, to defcribe the ftate of the church from the apoftles time to the end of the world. For this prophecy ferveth to fhew unto John the things that muft fhortly come to pafs.'

Now, we all know by bleffed experience, that the firft ftate of the church did confift in the preaching of the gospel by Christ and his apoftles; and therefore this must be understood of that time and state of the church. For Jefus Chrift is he that fitteth upon this white horfe, that is, by the miniftry of his gofpel he conquereth and fubdueth the nations under him.

There may be three reafons alledged why this horfe is faid to be of a white colour. First, Because the doctrine of the gospel which was preached by Christ and his apoftles, was pure and fincere, being without all fpots and blots of error and herefy. For the white colour in the fcripture doth fignify purity, fincerity, innocency, joy, glory, and beauty.

Secondly, Because the doctrine of Chrift and his apoftles, was full of joy and comfort, as it is faid of Samaria, after Philip