'ear,' fhall be declared on the house top't yet it is not always and at all times fo to be for it can never be with the divinely girded, limited, and directed fervants of God, as with the letter-learned scribes and pharifees, whofe time is always ready.'‡

At the opening of the fecond feal, the call come and fee, as at the opening of the first, is heard; for the waiting frame, the fingle eye, is ftill neceffary: and now a great fword' is given to him that fat on the red horfe; and alfo power was given him to 'take peace from the earth,' ver. 4. Some may fuppofe the meaning of this opening by the red horfe confined fo entirely to outward blood and bloody perfecution, as to have no relation to the state of their minds who experience the opening of the feals; but it is obvious to the enlightened mind, that many paffages in fcripture have both an outward or literal, and an inward and myftical meaning; and there really is a sword known, and peace taken from the earthly man in the rending of the vail and opening of the feals a fore trial indeed to such as have not get fully fubmitted to have their carnal peace in the earthly natural state broken and deftroyed. But there is this comfort, that however peace is taken from this ftate, yet at the opening of the third feal, a charge is given, ver. 6. not to hurt the oil nor the wine.' The precious things are fafe through every tumult and trial, to all who rightly endure them. But though a little hope and confolation is received now and then by fuch manifeftations of divine care and protection; yet new tribulations foon plunge the baptized foul into fresh, and oft times greater confternation.

Thus at the opening of the next feal, his name, who rides the pale horse, is death; and hell followed with him,' ver. 8. Oh! this death, this

dying to the firft nature and will; to the life of felf, and all corrupt and selfish defires and gratifications; it must be known and endured, that fo the life, which is hid with Chrift in God, may be enjoyed, which never was nor can ever be without dying with him; and here the very pains and power of hell is felt, and takes hold of the foul.

:

Thus, under the operation of this neceffary death,hell follows with it; fo that the diftreffed creature, like Jonah, cries out of the belly of hell. And though I cannot believe or conceive it probable, or even confiftent with the truth of God, or of the very mystery of divine things, that Christ, after his crucifixion, decended into hell; yet I have no doubt that, in the course of his fufferings and agony, he really did feel, endure, and alfo conquer the force, and power, and pains of hell; and fo muft every foul, in which the fufferings of Chrift that. remain behind are thoroughly filled up and until this is witneffed, there is never a thorough rifing with him in the newness of life: but through death and burial with him, his refurrection is known, and in the opening of this feal there is known, and painfully endured a killing, by various means, as the fword, hunger, death, and even the beafts of 'the earth.'

Oh what is it that does not rife up to torment the poor foul! but all works together for the good of the faithful; no matter by what the neceffary death is effected, nor by how many kinds of distress; the Lord is gracious through it all, and wounds to heal, yea, kills to make alive. Under the operations of these various modes, or meffengers of death, the language often is, Oh! wretched man that I 'am, who fhall deliver me from the body of this 'death.' It is painful enduring the fword to wound

+ Rom. vii 24.

and

and flay; with pinching hunger, and famishing want, and fore afflictions from the beftial part, which rages the more it is disturbed by that which comes to take away its life, until the strength of its wild nature is weakened and broken.

After these fore trials are in a good degree endured, the fifth feal opens, and brings to view the perfevering follower of the Lamb, the holy altar, and under it the fouls of those that were flain for the 'word of God, and the teftimony which they held,' ver. 9. Here the state of fufferings and perfecutions, endured by the righteous, is feen, and also the state of rejoicing and triumph which follows after: for here they are heard, availingly calling on the Almighty God, holy and true, for judgment, and feen clothed in white robes,' even every one of them.'

What an encouraging profpect is this when opened in the true light, by the alone opener of the feals, the lion of Judah's princely tribe? How does it re-animate the mind to perfevere through all tribulations, dangers, and death, until the crown immortal is enjoyed?

Oh! the mystery of godlinefs; it is great indeed, and never rightly understood by the carnal mind. To these the book is ever sealed, and none but he who has the key can open the feals. Carnal minded men may read of holy fouls under the altar, and of their white robes, &c. but to understand it the inward eye must be opened, and the book unfealedthen the right understanding is received, and therein divine encouragement is felt, to ftand firm in the teftimony of Jefus, even though they should be joined to the number of those fellow-fervants and brethren that should be killed,' ver. 11. Therefore the poor Pilgrim journeys on, ftrengthened and revived; and is thus enabled to endure the remaining tribulations

tribulations which are neceffary for a full refinement, and in order to the removal of all that can be fhaken, that that alone which cannot be shaken may remain In order whereunto, he who knows how to carry on the work, difpenfing the feveral parts and portions of probationary exercife in infinite wisdom, and as they can be borne, foon brings on the fiery ordeal or purifying trial, to complete the emancipation of his tribulated feed, and bring out the Prifoner with fhouts of joy For now the fixth feal is opened, which leads through renewed works of wonder and amazement, terror and abafement, even to the ftripping off of almost all that ever was attained: for now the earth is made to quake, the fun itself is darkened, the moon becomes as blood, the Stars fall from heaven, yea, the heaven departs as a fcroll, and every mountain and ifland is removed-there feems nothing to depend upon, not fo much as an ifland in the midft of the boisterous ocean, to fet the fole of the foot The drooping foul, notwithstanding its late animating profpects, now almoft finks into defpair; nor fun, nor moon, nor stars, shine in their ufual luftre.

upon.

This ftate is like that of the bridegroom of fouls, when he cried out, My God, my God, why haft 'thou forfaken me?'* and the very fame in degree that he then endured, when total darkness covered all the land from the fixth hour unto the ninth, must all the feed endure.-The eternal light of heaven, the emanations of the divinity, are now obfcured by fogs and clouds that intervene, and blackness or darkness overwhelms the mind. The fainter light of reason, the moon, affords no aid, nor fcarcely fhines, or fhines dimly, as we see the outward moon through fogs and vapours, red almoft as blood: for the weighed down mind is fo diftreffed, toffed up and down, that distraction, or a ceffation

* Matt. xxvii. 46.

of

1

of intellectual arrangement seems almoft ready to overspread the whole man. And moreover the example of the faints, the ftars of paft and prefent times, which in ferener moments, greatly stayed the mind, and spread reviving light around, (for fays Chrift, ye are the light or lights of the world) yet now this is all hid, that there is scarce any thing that looks like light from any quarter-This is truly in a sense, the great day of God's wrath upon all in man that is not to dwell with him for ever.

Now the very kings, the great, the rich, the mighty, the bond, and the free, are ready to hide in dens, or wifh to be covered by the mountains, from the face of the all-fearching God. A time of trial, a feason of anxiety indeed, well known in the experience of the Lord's fanctified fervants.

The more extenfive and general fignification and meaning of these mysterious metaphors, I am not at present to enter upon here; nor indeed is it very much our business as individuals to inquire. Suffice it to know, pride hid from us, the haughtiness of man laid low, and every exalted imagination brought thoroughly down. Ó! bleffed, though for the prefent painful reduction! Rejoice, O! christian traveller, when thou art fo happy as to know the ftronger bind the ftrong and mighty in thee; yea, rejoice in the very pangs and probations through which all his goods and riches in thee are fpoiled,and be cast out, with all his pomp, magnificence, and merchandize for ever.-For nothing fhall be able to ftand or abide his coming, but what cannot be fhaken. The pure gold endures the fire,. and is not hurt or leffened in its brightness, worth, or weight. The redeemed foul that has endured the faving, cleansing baptifm of Jefus, is by him made free; and these, and only thefe, are free indeed; and having endured the great day of wrath and

judgment