shewing, not only the near relation of the two parts, but that the same spiritual agents are employed in both. Accordingly, in the commentary on the seventh part, a reference has been made to this place for the interpretation of the anticipated emblem.

It is there said of the two winged women, that "a wind was in their wings." To interpret this image, generally of a power to sustain a lofty, long, and rapid flight, would be little else than to repeat what had been before sufficiently expressed by the wings of the stork, a bird remarkable for such flights; and the pregnant brevity with which the scenery of the whole vision, and especially of the latter parts, is constructed, will not admit of unmeaning and superfluous decorations. But it would be mere labour in vain, after what has been already said, to be at the trouble of shewing, that the figure is to be explained only by supposing a designed reference to this part. At the same time, it is observable, that here the four winds are brought forward, whereas one only is there mentioned. This dif ference, however, has no other effect, than to impose on us the necessity of choosing out of those four, that, which alone can be esteemed suitable to the character of the women, representing, as they do, the true church of Christ, considered

as originally composed of the Jewish and Gentile branches, and actually subsisting in its pure and reformed members, who bear testimony to the truth with the powerful and sufficient effect of two credible witnesses*. Now it cannot be imagined, that either of the winds, which govern the first two chariots, if the interpretation above given of them make any approach towards correctness, can be that, which fills the wings of the stork, whose name is indicative of pure and hallowed affections, of charity, of sanctity and divine favour. Neither can it, for similaf reasons, be the wind of the fourth chariot, as will appear, when its interpretation has been given. Nothing therefore remains but, that it be referred to the wind, the regent of the third chariot, the interpretation of which exactly accords with whatever can be supposed to be the character of the spirit which inflated the wings of the women. And here it may modestly, not triumphantly, be asked; is there not good reason to believe, that an interpretation, which thus demonstrates the identity of the subjects represented by the same figures in different parts of the vision, and which, maintaining coherency, avoids confusion, must nearly have attained to the true meaning of the spirit of prophecy?

* By the law of Moses two witnesses were required, and were deemed sufficient, to substantiate any important fact.

If it should be objected, that the reformation has not even yet made its progress through the whole northern empire, it may be answered; 1. That the prophet's words neither assert nor intimate, that the course of the black horses is to be terminated, as soon as that of the white ones shall have commenced; so that they give the reader reason to expect, rather a gradual and successive, than a sudden and immediate, restoration of true christianity in the north. 2. That the extent, to which the reformation has actually spread over Great Britain, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Prussia, and many states of Germany, is fully sufficient to warrant very large expressions as to its diffusion, and even to excuse any, which may fall short of universality. 3. That although the Romish church still occupies the larger portion of the northern territory, and remains still corrupt, superstitious, idolatrous, and tyrannical, yet that much light, much knowledge and sound doctrine have been by the reformation infused into the members of it; that it is in many places curtailed of much of its power; that it is now ashamed to avow some of its tenets and afraid to assert many of its pretensions. 4. That the course of the third chariot is yet far from being ended; and that we yet look for it to take a

far wider circuit, when Babylon shall have fallen; and before the final account of its operations shall be given in to the Lord of the whole earth. IV. The fourth chariot.

And the grisled ones went forth to the land 7. of the south: And the dark brown ones went forth and sought to go, to go to and fro through the earth. And he said unto them, "Go, go to and fro through the earth." So they went to and fro through the earth.

Of the general signification of the word, rendered "grisled," or speckled, there cannot be any doubt: "sprinkled," says Kimchi, " with white, like hail*." By the same, the spotted cattle in Jacob's flock are twice describedt. But to help us in fixing the qualities denoted by the colour of these horses, we cannot have recourse to scriptural authority; for a grisled, or speckled colour is no where else used in scripture as typical of qualities moral, political, or religious. We are therefore left to the exercise of our own judgement, in determining the signification of this part of the symbol. Now it is evident, at the first thought on the subject, that a speckled, or grisled colour, exhibited as a type, must denote somewhat of a motley nature, a mixture of incongruous qualities in the antitype; * Cited by Bochart in Hierozoicon, vol. 1, col 109. ↑ Genesis, xxxi. 10, 12.

such as would be the character of a religion composed of true and false doctrines, right and wrong precepts, holy and unholy rites; and all these perhaps borrowed from various other systems and forms of worship, absurdly shuffled together, or forcibly bound up with new inventions. It is not difficult to imagine many combinations of these and of other attributes; but the nature of the subject requires, that religious doctrines and moral precepts should at least enter largely into them. Our imaginations, however, are not permitted to wander too far in conjecture, or to lose themselves in compounding and diversifying qualities at will. For although the horses are described to be grisled or particoloured, and although the colours, that enter into the mixture, are not expressed, yet we are furnished by the context with sufficient means of supplying the omission.

The colours of the three preceding sets of horses are red, black, and white, and since these in the fourth chariot are said to be marked with a mixture of colours, without specifying what, the mind in inquiring after them naturally turns back to the preceding. This action of the mind is so obvious and so entirely to be expected, that the certainty of its taking place would almost supersede the necessity of direct information