nious composition-one splendid Mosaic, from which the various ideas of the Divine mind, and the various events of futurity, might fitly be reflected to the age of

man.

'The whole fashion and texture of the book are Jewish. Its style, its structure, its scenery are Jewish. Its scenes are laid in Palestine, in the holy city and temple. Each prophetic vista is hung with Jewish drapery, and all the light is transmitted through Jewish transparencies from the seven-branched lamp of the holy place. The scene shifts from the outer court of the temple with its worshipping crowds, to the inner court with its priests and incense altar, and from the inner court to the Holy of holies, trodden by the solitary high priest and filled with the shekinah glory. We have the redemption of the inheritance, the trumpets of jubilee and judgments, the sealed tribes, the feast of first-fruits, the palms of the feast of tabernacles. These are not mere names. They are all introduced with consummate art. They are so inserted, as on the one hand to serve as links joining together the different parts of the book in exact order, suggesting time, locality, and connexion; and on the other, as hooks whereon to fasten the events which form the antitypes, and which thus, by the mere mention of the type, are fully embodied in the prophecy.'

Another subject ably touched by Mr. Bonar, in this chapter, is the progressive character of prophecy. Events of a kindred nature are grouped together, one near in point of time being described accurately, but with the introduction of some features that can only belong to a grander and more distant event, perhaps the consummation of all things. By means of this exquisite art and divine wisdom, the prophecy suits all ages;

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every successive generation can say, that it does apply in a certain degree to it, though all can see that its fulness of accomplishment,-the summation of the whole series-is reserved for the last days.'

The extracts we have already given will, we trust, awaken some of our readers to consider what rich mines of thought are hidden in the sacred pages of prophecy. Lest any should be discouraged, and feel it is a subject too great for their feeble powers, we will quote the closing paragraph of the chapter.

'It is the deep digger into scripture that is its best interpreter. It is the man who, in studying God's word, and entering into his mighty thoughts, is becoming more entirely assimilated to God himself; it is he who alone is able fully to expound his word, especially in its prophetic revelations. The nearer we come to think as God thinks, to feel as God feels, to view all things from the points from which he showed them to his prophets, the more shall we understand the prophetic visions, and appreciate the prophetic style. To catch up the exact notes of the prophetic harp, to survey with understanding the prophetic picture, needs no depths of self-revolving thought, no exuberant redundancy of classic lore. It needs but a more entire assimilation of soul to the mind of God. It needs but a nicer spiritual ear, it needs but a truer and spiritual taste, and a finer spiritual eye.'

THE TWO PRESENTATIONS.

"THE fashion of this world passeth away," its glory and pride are only for a short time, and then to pass away for ever. We are taught this in the book of Nature—a breath tarnishes the pencilled wing of the butterfly-a drop of rain mars the bloom of the rosea cold blast cuts off the thread of the little insect's life, who, but a moment before, was dancing in gay unconsciousness. Not only in nature but in art—the destroying fire changes the labour of centuries into a heap of ashes-the hand of war spares not the canvas on which the artist has breathed his very soul, or the marble which the sculptor has clothed with all that was beautiful and grand in the wide fields of his fancy. Thus we might trace out what God has written with broad characters in the book of Revelation, "that here there is no enduring," they shall perish," "they all shall wax old as doth a garment," (Psalm cii. 26.) " and the fashion of this world passeth away." But we are to learn other lessons in this world; its beauty and its glory may be of use to us, by leading us up to that glory, the perfection of all glory and beauty, to which we may, each of us, one day hope to attain. (Rom. i. 20. Psalm xix. 1.) We may discover many sources of instruction respecting that "new heaven and new earth." We may find in this desert land some fertile tracts, here and there, which may shadow forth the fruitful Canaan to which we are hastening; and thus

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as strangers and pilgrims we may linger awhile, and raise our thoughts onward and upward, to mansions of glory and bliss. We may wonder that, with such hopes set before us, we should ever linger on our way; but by nature we are prone to mind the things of the flesh, and we have need frequently to pray for the aid of the Holy Spirit, who, in addition to His other glorious offices, condescends to be our Remembrancer, in those blessed things which " eye hath not seen, nor ear heard," but of which we read enough, to make our hearts glow with love and expectation.

The

I saw in a dream two royal courts. There were two monarchs who were to receive their guests. The difference between these monarchs was, one was on earth, and the other was in heaven-one had a kingdom 'made with hands, of this world,'-the other, a 'kingdom made without hands,'-'not of this world.' head of the one was adorned with a crown of such gold as the fire will melt, of such fashion as may soon be destroyed. The other wore on His head 'many crowns.' -He was to look upon like jasper and a sardine stone. The throne of the former was canopied with scarlet drapery, which the moth might eat ;-a rainbow encircled the seat of the other monarch and it was in sight like an emerald.' I saw also many nobles around that earthly sovereign, with dresses that blazed with jewels and gold ;-round the throne of the heavenly monarch were four and twenty elders, sitting, clothed in white garments, and they had on their heads crowns of gold.' Rev. iv. 4. But I must pass on to enquire who they were who were admitted into the presencechamber of these monarchs-and there are two of whom I will tell, as they appeared to me in my vision. They were both to approach these monarchs for the first time;

they had both heard their fame, and they both desired to be admitted into their presence. Both were arrayed in white garments.-Let me describe them.-In the small room of a cottage, lay that one, who was then preparing to enter into the presence of the King of kings. Yes, there she was being made meet' for that high honour, in pain, weakness, and distress; her outward man was decaying, but her inward man was being renewed day by day. She gained brighter views of that glorious court at which she was to appear; daily were her hopes of it enlarged-daily was she learning more of that Monarch who was to receive her, and her love to him increased each day. Methinks, I see her now as she then appeared to me ; her wan, pale cheek, and whitened lip, her forehead often furrowed with pain, but her clear blue eye reflecting some of the joy that filled her soul, and sparkling with an unnatural brightness. Yes, her whole body decayed, and those who watched her wept to see her suffer, while she still comforted them with describing the mansion to which she was hastening, and speaking of the love of that Monarch, whom she delighted to call her Father and her Friend. How was she to appear? What were her garments?-She had read in the letter of her Monarch; "I counsel thee to buy of me white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed." Rev. iii. 18. She had been to Him, and bought, "without money and without price, and now she stood "clothed with white robes." Rev. vii. 9. She had "washed her robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." v. 14. She was all glorious within, her clothing was of wrought gold. Psalm xlv. 13; Isaiah lxi. 10. He, her Friend and King, had "clothed her with broidered work -girded her with fine linen and covered her with silk."