thus far
we have seen that whenever any symbolic agent is brought upon the
panorama, whether horseman, or beasts, or locusts, or harlot, or
whatever else, it always denotes some corresponding agents appearing on
earth and beginning their appropriate work. The symbolic agent is real.
But here is a symbolic appearance of Christ. By what law could such a
symbolic appearance represent merely a providential superintendence? And
if his appearance was necessary in this case, why was it not necessary
in every event, to show that it was done under his direction? Again, if
this symbolic appearance of Christ is not his real appearance, how can
we tell that there is any reality in the appearance of the horsemen of
the first four seals, the ten-horned beast, or the harlot woman? What
right have we to remove one agent 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 brid