@/fn ExPosiTION . r~ and chap. 18. Was there a re!l:oring of the Temple, decayed in the Captivity ~ of 'Baby/on? Here is the like, and that at twice, and by degrees, as then. Had they a Hierufolem? The Revelation bath a better, a :J(ew Hierufoiem. Did the Bond-man of Old perfecute the Free? even fo it is now; Gal. 4· 24, 29. Which things are an .Allegory; for theft are the two Covenants; the one from the .5Uount Sinai, which gendretb to Bondage, which is Agar. 'But "' then he that wa< born af ter the Flejh, perfeC11ted him that "'"' born after the Spirit;· even fo it i<r now. We have all the fame things befal us, that befel them, and that, more eminently, as Tau/ faid, .Are they Apo.JIIes ? I much more. Had they Perfecutols ? We much more, and thofe worfe. Had they PJJarifees that finned againfi the Holy Ghofi, and Crucified Chrifi ? So bath the New Tefiament, fuch as fhall after this great Conviction wrought by the ~ofpel,prove likea Generation ofPharifees, fcorched w1th the heat of Efell Fire, (as in the Fourth Vial) and that fhall kill the WitnejJes, ch.1 I. The Allufion is to tbefe Times. The Apofile bath faid it in one word, and given the Reafon of it; 1 Cor. 10. 11. .All theft thil1g1 happmed unto them for T}'pes: So alfo did all their Vilions, being written for our Admonition, upon wbom the EudJ of the World are come, (you may read it, Perfe/Jioll of the World cif come) : We have the Perfection of every thing under the Old Tefiamenr, both good and bad. This may ferve to give a general Light into the Stories and Vifions of this Prophecy. As for the feveral Vilions tbemfelves; The firfi Horfe is a Wlite one, and his Rider Crowned, &c. This Rider i• Chrift himfelf, going fa>·th (in the pre•ching of the Gofpel) c011quering and to conquer; alluding unto Pja/.45· 4, 5, 6. where Chrift having a Kingdom to pof– fcfs, as vCif 6. [Thy Throne, 0 God, 1! fur ever "':1 ever J (fpeaking,of Chrift, as .appears by Heb. I. 8. 'But unto the ,~O'l he full', Th}' Throne, 0 Uod, 1J for ever and ever: a Scepter of Righte,mfoef iJ the Scepter of tl'l !Ci11gdom). He is let out in his going forth to conqutr ir; for he mufl wi:1 and wear it : And he is de[cribed as here, [In thy Maje.Jiy proJPer thou, rrde tbort J (or rrde thou proJPe– roirj/y) that is, go fortb conquering; and that being accoutred with Bow and Arrows, as verf 5· [Thy ArrowJ are }harp in the BeartJ of the Ki1tg"J EnemieJ J that is, his own Enemies, who is King. Now anfwerably this Book alfo tells us, that Chrift was to have a Kingdom; and here you have his firft fetting out to conqi!CI' it. The fir(t Foundation of his Kingdom laid, was the preaching of the Gofpd in the Roman Empire by the Apofi!ejjl which was now begun ; therefore he is faid to go fortb conquering al– ready. And he goes fir(t forth; for all the other Horfe-men do but attend him ; He is the ' General of thefe Horfes. Thus likewife, in Zech. 1. he is defcri– bed with other Horfes with him. And he goes forth firft on a White Horfe; which, as it was a fign of Triumph, that he was to conquer, (for fo in Triumph their Chariots were drawn with White Horfes ) fo efpecially of Meek– nefs and Candour, offering at firft Conditions of Peace in the Gofpel, unto the Empire of Rome, and to all Nations, if they would Cubmit to him as their King. God had given him the N•tiom for his Inheritance, and be goes forth peaceably to challenge it: with Conditions alfo, that the World fhould yet hold their Crowns of him, only turn Chrill:ians they muft, and do Homage to him as their King. This the Colour of White denotes ; for here it is oppofed to the colour of the Red Horfe that followed, which Colour betokened Blood. Thus Ta– nmlane, before be denounced War, firft hung out a White Flag, in token of Peace offered. Therefore in Pfol. 45· 4· Chrill is bidden to ride on, becmife of the Word of Meelznef: And the Progrefs of the Gofpel is compared to th•t of an Horfe and his Rider ; for it had its progrefs over the Earth, from one Country to another, by Commiflion; [Their found went out to all the Etirth J Roni.w.r8. [ Co11Je to Macedonia and help m] Acts r6. 9· His Weapons to conquer, ifMen yield not, are here but Arrows: but, chap. I 9· when his Congueft is to be fi. ni(tJ'd, you have him with a Sword: In Pjal. 45· he is dcfcribed with both. The Threatnings of the Gofpel are ArrawJ, firiking fecretly, and daningly, into Men's Hearts, and wou,nding them mortally; h£ret lethaliJ arundo. He
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