caught up to a view of heaven and paradise, the words which he heard were unspeakable in human language, and unlawful for man to utter. 2 Cor. xii. 4.

III. Yet all our knowledge of God and a future world, which we have acquired in this way, from the works of nature, of Providence, and from Revelation, is no less true and real, though it is relative and analogical. 1. Because man was created in the image of God, and hence we are certain, that there is a real resemblance and a true correspondency between the faculties, perfections and operations of the human soul, and the infinite perfections of the divine nature of God. Though his attributes are incomparably greater, than all similar faculties in man; yet they must be of the same nature. For otherwise, how could we be exhorted to imitate them? or how could our conceptions of them be true? 2. Because we are formed to the absolute necessity of this kind of knowledge concerning God and the invisible world; and we are certainly made, to know and serve our Maker. 3. Because God has revealed himself in this way to man in his word, in which he expresses his infinite attributes, his nature, and actions, by terms indicative of the actions and faculties of the human soul; and the immaterial objects of the intellectual world, by the names of things in this world-and He certainly cannot deceive us. For this purpose he exalted the minds of his servants to those uncommonly majestic, and sublime hieroglyphics, formed of such refined and precious substances, which of all others in nature, bear the nearest resemblance and relation to things divine and supernatural. And these lofty images also indicate the nearest approach of the hu-1 man mind to objects of the invisible world, and the utter most extent of reason, in that kind of knowledge. Though the faculties of our souls are capable of great cultivation and improvement, and even possessed in very different degrees by many persons; yet they are every where bounded by the same limits, as to objects of an immaterial and di

vine nature. The doctrine of a central faculty, or of a secret principle of truth, by which our views could be extended beyond the rational powers of our minds, into a direct and immediate prospect of the immaterial world, is certainly the production of a disturbed brain. It would even be absurd to contend, that the minds of prophets had been exalted by the Almighty, so as to be capable of a direct and immediate view of God, or an adequate knowledge of the spiritual world; for that would have made them equal to infinite perception. After these remarks I will now attempt to explain this vision.

In my opinion, this and the following chapter should be considered after the manner of the mystical allegory, or double prophecy of the Old Testament: 1. As an emblematical representation of the Church of God in all ages, and of the gradually increasing alliance, and relation between Him and his people, especially under the Christian dispensation. 2. As a prophetic delineation of the form of Christ's kingdom during the Millennium. In common prophecy the primitive meaning of the words is dropped, and the figurative only is retained: but in this, the figurative sense requires an increasing completion, until all the features of the whole image are identified, and placed before the eyes of the Church at one entire view.

Verse 1.

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After this I looked, and, behold! a door was opened in heaven and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will thee things which must be hereafter.

2. And immediately I was in the Spirit and behold a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

3. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.

Thus opens the great theatre of heavenly visions, to which the holy seer St. John was raised by a second ecstacy. The Lord Jesus raised the curtains, and the Churches beheld the most exalted and interesting scenesthe tabernacle of God with men. How marvellous is his loving kindness, in discovering such divine things to mortal man! Let earth and heaven raise one chorus, to magnify his name.

Verse 2. I was in the spirit. St. John had returned from his first vision, where he beheld Christ in the midst of the golden candlesticks, with seven stars in his right hand, in order to write the seven charges. His mind was now again withdrawn from all visible objects, and fixed by the command of a clear, loud, and sonorous voice, as of a trumpet; so that it appeared to him, as if his soul was transported into heaven, where he beheld the profound mysteries of eternity.

A throne was set in heaven. There certainly is no throne in heaven, upon which God should sit. A throne is an emblem of power, authority and government. This throne denotes the supreme dominion, which God exercises over the world in his Church. It is not the eternal throne of his Godhead, from which he gives laws to the Universe; but that, which was set at the creation, in establishing his Church on this earth. This is the archetype to the throne of God in the temple at Jerusalem, Isa. vi. 1. Jer. xvii. 12. and in the tabernacle, where he dwelled between the cherubims, Ps. xcix. 1. 1 Sam. iv. 4. Job i. 6. 1 Kings xxii. 19. revealed himself to Moses, and in succeeding times, answered the questions of the high priest concerning church and state. Exod. xxv. 17. The original word xeito, from xμa, signifies to lay down, to place along, by which the size of this throne is intimated, as being very large and broad; and accordingly he who sat on it, though in human form, far exceeded the size of a man. The Lord is in his holy temple in Zion; let all the earth

keep silence before Him, Habak. ii. 20. He dwelleth under the praises of Israel: declare among the people his doings. Ps. xxii. 3. ix. 11.

Verse 3. And he that sat was like a jasper and a sardine stone. He that sat on this throne is God the Father, the Ancient of days, in distinction from the Lamb, which was in the midst of the throne, and from the Holy Ghost, who is represented by seven lamps of fire. The apostle describes his external appearance and colour, as like unto the precious stones Jasper and Sardius, which no doubt, are here intended to express the various perfections of his divine nature, as perspicuous in his government, particularly during the first ages of the world. The Sardine is red, and at least half transparent, the Jasper is white, cerulean, and has small red veins; both would make up the appearance of a Being, of nearly flesh-colour, but of a more refined substance, partly bright, clarified, and exceedingly glorious. White, denotes purity, holiness and justice; red, signifies judgment, and fiery indignation against the wicked; and the durability of these gems, that He is eternal, immutable in his nature, and all his promises and threatenings most sure. Thus far the God of nature was known from his works and by tradition, to the antedeluvian world, as represented by these emblems.

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A rainbow round about the throne, like unto an emerald. The throne of the supreme Governor of the world, was with respect to its height, or more properly its breadth, encompassed by a rainbow, in order to keep those about the throne at a proper distance. This bow is the archetype of that in the clouds, which the Lord promised Noah, as an eternal memorial of his covenant with him and his posterity, that he would no more destroy the world by a flood. Gen. ix. 12-16; and that seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night, shall not cease while the earth remaineth. Gen. viii. 22. The apostle compares the colour of this bow to

an emerald, which is an exceedingly fine green, and the stone itself very bright and transparent. This may denote, that the grace of God under this covenant towards the world shall always be in an improving state, and of everlasting duration.

Verse 4. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

V. 9. 10.

5. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings, and thunderings, and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. ·

6. And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto a crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.

Verse 4. Upon the seats four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment. What are these elders? And whence came they? This they tell us themselves, chapter "Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation ; and hast made us unto our God, kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth." Though these elders are from every tongue and nation on earth, yet when their whole character is considered, as described, they are not the representatives of all mankind, nor of the visible Church of Christ on earth, nor of the general number of the elect. If we compare their own confession with Rev. xx. 4. they represent those chosen spirits, and witnesses of Jesus throughout the world, who, as an equivalent for having lost their lives for Christ's sake, shall rise in the first resurrection, and reign with Christ during the Millennium. And with regard to this their future appointment, and proper theatre of action, they are spoken of twice in the future tense: