Some have supposed (Lord, _in loco_) that the address here was not to John, but to the horse and his rider, and that the command to them was not to “come and see,” but to _come forth_, and appear on the stage, and that the act of the Redeemer in breaking the seal, and unrolling the scroll, was nothing more than an emblem signifying that it was by his act that the divine purposes were to be unfolded. But, in order to this interpretation, it would be necessary to omit from the received text the words καὶ βλέπε――“_and see_.” This is done, indeed, by Hahn and Tittmann, and this reading is followed by Professor Stuart, though he says that the received text has “probability” in its favour, and is followed by some of the critical editions. The most natural interpretation, however, is that the words were addressed to John. John saw the Lamb open the seal; he heard the loud voice; he looked and beheld a white horse――that is, evidently, he looked on the unfolding volume, and saw the representation of a horse and his rider. That the voice was addressed to John is the common interpretation, is the most natural, and is liable to no real objection. 2 And I saw, and behold [215]a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth [216]conquering, and to conquer. 2. _And I saw, and behold._ A question has arisen as to the mode of representation here: whether what John saw in these visions was a series of _pictures_, drawn on successive portions of the volume as one seal was broken after another; or whether the description of the horses and of the events was _written_ on the volume, so that John read it himself, or heard it read by another; or whether the opening of the seal was merely the _occasion_ of a scenic representation, in which a succession of horses was introduced, with a written statement of the events which are referred to. Nothing is indeed said by which this can be determined with certainty; but the most probable supposition would seem to be that there was some pictorial representation in form and appearance, such as he describes in the opening of the six seals. In favour of this it may be observed, (1) that, according to the interpretation of ver. 1, it was something _in_ or _on_ the volume――since he was invited to draw nearer, in order that he might contemplate it. (2) Each one of the things under the first five seals, where John uses the word “saw,” is capable of being represented by a picture or painting. (3) The language used is not such as would have been employed if he had merely _read_ the description, or had _heard_ it read. (4) The supposition that the pictorial representation was not _in_ the volume, but that the opening of the seal was the occasion merely of causing a scenic representation to pass before his mind, is unnatural and forced. What would be the use of a sealed _volume_ in that case? What the use of the _writing_ within and without? On this