from the panorama as an actual agent there any more than another?  And if this is not his real appearance, upon what principle of interpretation can we ever establish the fact of his second coming?  It is evident to all that, if we can turn this agent into a mere providential one, we can do the same with another, and thus set aside his second coming altogether.  Then, what shall we say in the next chapter when some one steals our weapons and declares that the great white throne before which all the dead, small and great, stand is nothing but that providential government of God under which all sinners pass condemnation upon themselves and their sins find them out?  If we can deal thus with symbols, we can do anything with them and can make out any meaning we please.

The laws of symbolic language require us to take the appearance of Christ in this vision just as we do the appearance of any other agent, as a real event.  We can not consistently give it any other meaning.  His symbolic appearance must represent his real appearance; otherwise, it can never be represented by anything.  Jesus appears in his own name and person because there is no other that can represent his infinite dignity and majesty.  And the symbols connected with him denote the object of his mission and the work which he performs.  His white horse shows him now a glorious conqueror; his crowns denote his supreme dominion; the sword of his mouth and his vesture dipped in blood denote the dread work of vengeance upon his enemies; while the army following him doubtless denotes the “ten thousands of his saints” that accompany him when he comes.  Jude 14.  The bride has already prepared herself for his coming, and now the eternal union takes place.  “Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.”

17.  And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;

18.  That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses; and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.

    19.  And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their
    armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on
    the horse, and against his army.

20.  And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image.  These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

    21.  And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat
    upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth:  and all
    the fowls were filled with their flesh.