4. So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book, nor to look into it. 5. Then one of the ancients said to me, Weep not; behold, the Lion who is of Juda's tribe, the Root (xxii. 16.) of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and its seven seals.

6. So I beheld in the middle space between the throne, and the four living creatures, even in the midst of the ancients, stood a Lamb, as if it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, (the perfection of power and wisdom), sent into all the earth. 7. So he came and took the book out of his right hand who sat on the throne.

8. And having taken it, the four living creatures, and twenty-four ancients fell down before the Lamb, having each of them harps, and golden vials, (or censers), full of perfumes, which are the prayers of saints. 9. Then they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book (of decrees) and to open its seals: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every tribe, and language, and people, and nation; 10. And hast made us kings and priests to our God; and we (or our cause) shall reign on earth (in all ages.)

11. Then as I looked, I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, and the living creatures, and the ancients, and their number was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,

12. Saying aloud, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive all power and riches, and wisdom, and might, and honour, and glory, and blessing. 13. And every creature, (Psal. cxlviii. 5) in hea ven, and on earth, and under the earth, and in the sea, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and dominion, be to him that sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, for ever and ever. 14. And the four living creatures, said, Amen. And the twen

four ancients fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

CHAP. VI.

THE OPENING OF THE SEALS.

THEN I saw the Lamb opening one of the seals; I heard also one of the four living creatures say with a (terrible) voice as of thunder, Come, and see (the gospel's victory and increase). 2. So looking Ì beheld a white horse, (Rev. xix. 11.) and he who sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given him; so he went forth conquering (idolatry) even to conquer (sin and Satan).

3. And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, Come, and see. 4. And there went out a red horse; and power was given to him who sat thereon to take peace from the earth, (to punish the persecuting Jews), and that they (and the Romans) should kill one another, (from 67 to 138) so there was given to him a great sword.

5. And when he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, Come, and see; then I looked, and lo, a black horse, and he who sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand, (denoting famine between 138 and 193.) 6. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny, but hurt not the oil and wine, (destroy not, but spare them for need).

7. And when he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, Come, and see, (the plague and other evils, between 193 and 270.) 8. Then I looked, and lo, a pale horse; and his name who sat on him was Death, and hell followed him; and power was given to them over the (Roman empire, or) fourth part of the earth,

to kill with the sword, and with famine, and with the plague, and with the wild beasts of the earth.

9. And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God and the testimony (to truth), which they held (from 270 to 304.) 10. And they cried aloud, saying, How long, O sovereign Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth? 11. And white robes were given to each of them; and they were required to rest yet a season, till the number of their fellow servants and brethren, who would be killed as they were, should be com. pleted.

12. And I beheld, when he opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake (or revolution civil and religious;) and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood, (all the pomp and power of pagans with idolatry were darkened and demolished from 304 to 323). 13. And the stars seemed to fall from heaven to the earth, even as a fig-tree droppeth its untimely figs, when it is shaken of a mighty wind: 14. And the heaven (or pomp of pagans) departed as a scroll rolled together; and every mountain and island (potentate and dominion) removed from their places; 15. And the kings of the earth, with the great men, and the rich, and the powerful men, and the chief captains, and every bond, and every free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; 16. Saying to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from his face who sits on the throne, and from the Lamb's wrath: 17. For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

CHAP. VII.

THE SERVANTS OF GOD SEALED.

AND after these things, (or this revolution of the

Roman empire from paganism to Christianity, by Constantine, who removed the royal seat from Rome to the territory of the third or Greek empire, hence the third part is mentioned, as the fourth was before), I saw four angels standing on the earth's four corners, (east, west, north, south), holding the four (cardinal) winds, that the wind should not blow on the earth's inhabitants, nor on the sea, nor on any tree, (or edifice, in the peaceful calm from persecuting war, by Constantine), Jer. xlix. 36, 37.

2. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, (as with the gospel going west), having the seal of the living God; and he cried aloud to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea (by storms of wrath), 3. Saying, Hurt not the earth, nor the sea, nor the fruit trees, till we have sealed our God's servants in their foreheads, (to secure them from hurt). 4. Then I heard the number that were sealed; even an hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of (God's) Israel (or true Christians).

5-8. Twelve thousand of each tribe; even of Judah, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Naphthali, Manasseh, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, (Dan is omitted as ruined, 1 Chron. ii.)

9. After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which none could number, of all nations, tribes, people and languages, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, (of righteousness), and palms of victory in their bands. 10. And cried aloud, saying, (the glory of) Salvation be to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb. 11. All the angels also, stood around the throne, and the ancients, and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne, worshipping God, 12. Saying, Amen; Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be to our God for evermore. Amen, (so let it be).

15.

13. Then one of the ancients said to me, Who are these arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14. And I replied, O my lord, thou knowest. Then he said to me, These came out of great tribulation, and washed their robes (of righteousness) and made them white in the Lamb's blood. Therefore are they before God's throne, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne shall dwell among them. 16. They shall neither hunger nor thirst any more; neither shall the sun's scorching heat strike them. 17. For the Lamb, who is on the midst of the throne, shall feed them, and lead them to fountains of living waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

CHAP. VIII.

SEVEN ANGELS WITH TRUMPETS.

AND when he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour, (a pause for reflection, or during the incense, or peace from persecution in the church.)

2. Then I saw the seven angels who stood before God; to whom were given seven trumpets.

3. And another angel, (personating Christ,) came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; to him was given much incense, to offer it with the prayers of all saints on the golden altar before the throne. 4. And the smoke of perfume, with the saints' prayers, ascended up before God out of his hand.

5. He then filled the censer with the fire of the brazen altar, and cast it into the earth; and there were voices, even thunderings (of wars,) and lightnings, and an earthquake, (or revolutions of states.) 6. Then the seven angels, having the seven trumpets, prepared themselves to sound alarms.

7. So the first angel sounded, and there came hail and fire (horrible wars) mingled with blood,