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<p>The prophet is forward to receive this vision, and, as if he expected it, he <i>turned and lifted up his eyes and looked</i>. Though this was the seventh vision he had had, yet he did not think he had had enough; for the more we know of God and his will, if we know it aright, the more desirous we shall be to get a further acquaintance with God. Now observe here the sight that the prophet had of<i>four chariots</i> drawn by horses of divers colours, together with the explication of the sight, <a class="bibleref" title="Zech.6.1-Zech.6.5" href="/passage/?search=Zech.6.1-Zech.6.5">Zech. 6:1-5</a>. He did not look long before he discovered that which was worth seeing, and which would serve very much for the encouraging of himself and his friends in this dark day. We are very much in the dark concerning the meaning of this vision. Some by the <i>four chariots</i> understand the four monarchies; and then they read (<a class="bibleref" title="Zech.6.5" href="/passage/?search=Zech.6.5">Zech. 6:5</a>), <i>These are the four winds of the heavens</i>, and suppose that therein reference is had to <a class="bibleref" title="Dan.7.2" href="/passage/?search=Dan.7.2">Dan. 7:2</a>; where Daniel saw, in vision, the <i>four winds of the heavens striving upon the great sea</i>, representing the four monarchies. The Babylonian monarchy, they think, is here represented by the <i>red horses</i>, which are not afterwards mentioned, because that monarchy was now extinct. The second chariot with the <i>black horses</i> is the Persian monarchy, which went forth northward against the Babylonians, and <i>quieted God’s Spirit in the north country</i>, by executing his judgments on Babylon and freeing the Jews from their captivity. The <i>white</i>, the Grecians, go <i>forth after them</i> in the north, for they overthrow the Persians. The <i>grizzled</i>, the Romans, who conquered the Grecian empire, are said to <i>go forth towards the south country</i>, because Egypt, which lay southward, was the last branch of the Grecian empire that was subdued by the Romans. The <i>bay horses</i> had been with the <i>grizzled</i>, but afterwards went forth by themselves; and by these they understand the Goths and Vandals, who with their victorious arms walked to and fro through the earth, or the Seleucidae and Lagidae, the two branches of the Grecian empire. Thus Grotius and others.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">But I incline rather to understand this vision more generally, as designing to represent the administration of the kingdom of Providence in the government of this lower world. The <i>angels</i> are often called the <i>chariots of God</i>, as <a class="bibleref" title="Ps.68.17,Ps.18.10" href="/passage/?search=Ps.68.17,Ps.18.10"><span class="bibleref" title="Ps.68.17">Ps. 68:17</span>; <span class="bibleref" title="Ps.18.10">Ps. 18:10</span></a>. The various providences of God concerning nations and churches are represented by the different colours of horses, <a class="bibleref" title="Rev.6.2,Rev.6.4,Rev.6.5,Rev.6.8" href="/passage/?search=Rev.6.2,Rev.6.4,Rev.6.5,Rev.6.8"><span class="bibleref" title="Rev.6.2">Rev. 6:2</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="Rev.6.4">4</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="Rev.6.5">5</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="Rev.6.8">8</span></a>. And so we may observe here, 1. That the counsels and decrees of God are the spring and original of all events, and they are immovable, as <i>mountains of brass</i>. The <i>chariots</i> came <i>from between the two mountains</i>; for God <i>performs the thing that is appointed for us</i>: his appointments are the originals, and his performances are but copies from them; he does all <i>according to the counsel of his will</i>. We could as soon grasp the mountains in our arms as comprehend the divine counsels in our finite understandings, and as soon remove <i>mountains of brass</i> as alter any of God’s purposes; for <i>he is in one mind, and who can turn him</i>? Whatever the providences of God are concerning us, as to public or private affairs, we should see them all coming from <i>between the mountains of brass</i>, and therefore see it as much our folly to quarrel with them as it is our duty to acquiesce in them. Who may say to God, <i>What doest thou, or why doest thou so</i>? <a class="bibleref" title="Acts.2.23,Acts.4.28" href="/passage/?search=Acts.2.23,Acts.4.28"><span class="bibleref" title="Acts.2.23">Acts 2:23</span>; <span class="bibleref" title="Acts.4.28">4:28</span></a>. 2. That God executes his decrees in the works of Providence, which are as chariots, in which he rides as a prince in an open chariot, to show his glory to the world, in which, as in chariots of war, he rides forth <i>conquering and to conquer</i>, and triumphing over all the enemies of his glory and government. God is great and terrible in his doings (<a class="bibleref" title="Ps.66.3" href="/passage/?search=Ps.66.3">Ps. 66:3</a>), and in them we <i>see the goings of our God, our King</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Ps.68.24" href="/passage/?search=Ps.68.24">Ps. 68:24</a>. His providences move swiftly and strongly as chariots, but all directed and governed by his infinite wisdom and sovereign will, as chariots by their drivers. 3. That the holy angels are the ministers of God’s providence, and are employed by him, as <i>the armies of heaven</i>, for the executing of his counsels among <i>the inhabitants of the earth</i>; they are the <i>chariots</i>, or, which comes all to one, they are the horses that draw the chariots, great in power and might, and who, like the horse that God himself describes (<a class="bibleref" title="Job.39.19" href="/passage/?search=Job.39.19">Job 39:19</a>), are clothed with thunder, are terrible, but cannot be <i>terrified</i> nor <i>made afraid</i>; they are <i>chariots of fire, and horses of fire</i>, to carry one prophet to heaven and guard another on earth. They are as observant of and obsequious to the will of God as well-managed horses are to their rider or driver. Not that God needs them or their services, but he is pleased to make use of them, that he may put honour upon them, and encourage our trust in his providence. 4. That the events of Providence have different aspects and the face of the times often changes. The <i>horses</i> in the <i>first chariot</i> were <i>red</i>, signifying war and bloodshed, <i>blood to the horse-bridles</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Rev.14.20" href="/passage/?search=Rev.14.20">Re
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