Vs. 1, 2.--The apostle "saw when the Lamb" proceeded to disclose the
contents of the book by breaking the seals in regular succession. It is
not requisite to suppose that each of the seals covers an exactly equal
part of the roll. These parts may be quite different in quantity or
length. It is obvious, however, that upon the breaking of any one seal,
that part of the roll which the seal was intended to cover, would be
disclosed to a spectator's view,--the whole of such part and no more. We
shall find as we advance that the several parts of this book are in fact
very different in extent. When the seventh and last seal is opened, the
whole contents of the book must of course be disclosed: and it will
appear that the last of the seals contained a much greater part of the
roll than any of the others. To a superficial reader this may be
apparent from the circumstance that within the compass of this short
chapter, six of the seals exhibit their contents.

By the most learned and sober divines the first six seals are considered
as disclosing the events which transpired from the time of the apostle
John till the overthrow of pagan idolatry in the Roman empire and the
accession of Constantine.

Let us consider the contents of these seals in order: Upon the opening
"of one of the seals," the first of course, "one of the four animals"
with a voice like "thunder, said, Come and see." This was the animal
like a "lion," emblematical of those bold and dauntless servants of
Christ who took their life in their hand and "went every where preaching
the word," (Acts viii. 4.) Many expositors, of secular notions and
affinities, imagine that some one of the Roman emperors is to be
understood as represented by him who rides on the white
horse,--Vespasian, Titus, or Trajan. To name such figments is enough to