this book, which he hath opened, and especially by the great one of the coming of his kingdom, to which all the previous events lead. Then it shall appear, not only to the church of Chrift, not only to the holy angels, but to the world at large, that Chrift is poffeffed of fupreme authority, the King of kings and Lord of Lords, that he beftows the true riches, and that even temporal bleffings as well as spiritual are at his difpofal, that his wif dom is unerring, his ftrength almighty, that every revolution in the world and in the Christian church illuftrates his honour and glory, and that all bleffing and true happiness are derived from him.

By angels joining in this fong, it is intimated, that angels fhall be active inftruments in the hand of God in bringing about thefe events, especially, that illuftrious one, the coming of the kingdom of God.

Verfes 13th, 14th.-And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and fuch as are in the fea, and all that are in them, heard I faying, Bleffing, and honour, and glory, and power be unto Him that fitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four

beafts faid, Amen. And the four and twen

ty elders fell down and worshipped Him that liveth for ever and ever.

All the creatures of God rational and irrational, animate and inanimate, celeftial or terreftrial, unite in finging a fong to Him that fitteth upon the throne and to Chrift, in which they can all join. It is not meant that the inanimate and irrational creatures of God can praife him with intention fo as to worship him; but only that as inftruments in his hands, without knowing what they are doing, or why they are doing it, they fhall all unite in bringing about the events predicted in this book, and efpecially that diftinguished one by which Chriftians fhall be brought to reign with Chrift on earth; in fuch a way as fhall reflect the highest praise on

God the Father, and the Son.

It is thus, Pfalm

xix. 1,—4. that."The heavens declare the glory "of God: and the firmament fheweth his handy "work. That day unto day uttereth fpeech, and "night unto night teacheth knowledge. That "there is no fpeech nor language where their "voice is not heard. That their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end' "of the world."

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As fhall be fhewn in its proper place, it is highly probable, that during the millenium ftate, the different climates fhall be much more mild, and there fhall be fewer florms, tempefts, and earth

quakes;

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quakes; that the brute creatures fhall be much more gentle and harmless to one another and to man, moft probably because man will be much more gentle and harmless to them, than all these are in the present ftate of things. Isaiah xi. 6,—9. "The wolf alfo fhall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard fhall lie down with the kid: and the calf "and the young lion, and the fatling together, "and a little child fhall lead them. And the "cow and the bear fhall feed, their young ones "fhall lie down together: and the lion fhall eat "ftraw like the ox. And the fucking child fhall "play on the hole of the afp, and the weaned "child fhall put his hand on the cockatrice den.

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They fhall not hurt or deftroy in all my holy "mountain: for the earth fhall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the fea." It is, moft probably, in reference to the great change for the better, which fhall take place at that period, in the state of the air, and the fituation and tempers of the brute creation, at a period which may well be denominated the manifestation of the fons of God; that the Apostle Paul gives the following account of the ardent defires of the brute and even inanimate creation for that period, Rom. viii. 19,-22. "For the earnest expectation of the crea"ture waiteth for the manifeftation of the fons of "God. For the creature was made fubject to vanity, not willingly, but by reafon of him, who "hath

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"hath fubjected the fame in hope: because the "creature itfelf alfo fhall be delivered from the bon

dage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of "the children of God. For we know that the "whole creation groaneth, and travelleth in pain together until now."

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One can scarce conceive a greater difplay of "bleffing, and honour, and glory, and power" in the Divine Governor of the world, than that which fuch a wonderful and happy change in the animate and inanimate creatures, would exhibit.

To all thefe fongs of praise the minifters of the gofpel give their Amen; in teftimony of their ardent defires, that fuch a happy ftate of the church of Chrift and of the world may come; and of their firm hope that it fhall come, in the manner, and at the time predicted in this book; for the opening up of which, they, Chriftians,, angels, and the creatures of God at large are reprefented thus praifing Chrift. All true Christians join in the Amen; and they worship the Lamb, which was flain, as him who is now alive and liveth for ever; and

who therefore can forfee all events, and act at all times.

CHAP.

CHAP. VI.

THE OPENING OF SIX OF THE SEALS.

Verfes 1st, 2d. AND I faw when the Lamb

opened one of the feals,

and I heard as it were the noife of thunder, one of the four beasts, faying, Come and fee. And I faw, and behold, a white horfe; and he that fat on him had a bow, and a crown was given unto him, and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

In vifion John faw Chrift opening the first seal of the book; and at the fame time he heard a voice, loud as thunder, calling unto him, Come and fee, which was the voice of one of the living creatures. By the call which one of the living creatures gives to John to come and fee, is fignified that the minifters of the gospel, in every period of the church, direct the attention of men to this book; and give them fuch views of it as tend to ftrengthen their faith and patience, that, when they direct the attention of men to this book,

it