had crowns of gold upon their heads. 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."-" And in front of the throne was a sea of glass like crystal; and before and behind the throne, and on each side of the throne, (for so is the description to be interpreted,) were four animated beings, full of eyes, before and behind."-" The first was like a lion, and the second like a calf, and the third had the face of a man, and the fourth was like a flying eagle."-" And these four living creatures had each of them six wings about him, and they were full of eyes within, and they rest not day and night saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and which is, and which is to come: And when those living creatures give glory, and honour, and thanks to Him that sat on the throne, and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever; the four-and-twenty elders fall down before Him that sat on the throne, and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power, for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are, and were created." This is a sublime description of the habitation of God, with reference to the Jewish encampment

in the wilderness, round the Tabernacle, and afterwards to the courts of the Temple of Solomon, prepared according to the pattern prescribed by the Spirit to David.

God is seen, but indescribable, by reason of His brightness, sitting on His throne, and surrounded by the emblem of mercy. And around Him sat four-and-twenty elders, answering to the courses of the priests or Levites, or perhaps more particularly to the twelve patriarchs or heads of the twelve tribes, and to the twelve apostles of the Lamb. They are clothed in white raiment, as an emblem of purity and sanctity; and are crowned with crowns of gold, being made kings, as well as priests unto God. And lightnings, and thunderings, and voices proceeded from the throne, the awful messengers of God's judgments, and of his commands. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God, or the Holy Spirit in his sevenfold energies, of which the golden candlestick with its seven branches was an emblem. And before the throne was a sea of glass like crystal, of which the types were the brazen laver before the altar in the Tabernacle filled with water, and the brazen sea upon twelve oxen, constructed by Solomon for the use of the Temple. And in front of the throne, and behind the throne, and on each side of the throne, were

four animated beings, full of eyes before and behind. These are the same as the cherubim of glory; one of which was like a lion, the second like a calf, the third like a man, and the fourth like a flying eagle. These were the four standards of the Israelites, each containing three of the twelve tribes under it; the lion Judah and two other tribes, the ox Ephraim, &c., the man Reuben, &c., the eagle Dan, &c. From the beginning of Ezekiel we discover that Reuben was in the south, Judah in the east, and Ephraim and Dan in the north. These four animated beings may be supposed to represent the Churches of Christians towards the four corners of the globe. They had likewise six wings about them, which denote their readiness to fly wherever they are commanded, and they have eyes within to denote watchfulness and reflection. Wings with eyes denote, as Mede observes, zeal combined with knowledge and faith. "And they give glory incessantly to the Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come, and when those beings give glory and honour and power to Him that sitteth on the throne, and that liveth for ever and ever, the four-and-twenty elders fall down before Him that sitteth upon the throne, and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, as unworthy to wear them in His presence, saying-Thou art

worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power; for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are, and were created." Thus, while the heads of Churches are worshipping in heaven, the priests and congregations of the several Churches in different parts of the world, celebrate the wonderful works of creation and providence, in hymns of praise and thanksgiving.

Chapter 5, to the end.

"And in the right hand of Him that sat on the throne," St. John discovers "a book written within, and on the backside, and sealed with seven seals." The ancient books were rolls folded up together, and fastened by seals, where the ends of each roll were folded over another, as in the following delineation:

"And a mighty angel proclaimed with a loud voice-Who is worthy to open the book, and loose the seals thereof? And no one in heaven nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look therein."-St. John

"wept much that no one was found worthy to open or read the book: And one of the elders said unto him,-Weep not; behold the lion of the tribe of Judah', the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof."-" And I looked," saith St. John, "and lo! in the midst of the throne, and the four animated beings, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb, as it had been slain, with seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne." This is the Lamb of God, who was slain for us, and now revived; who prevailed to communicate this revelation to his redeemed on earth. His seven horns, and seven eyes, prove that he too sendeth forth the Holy Spirit, thus exemplified, as well as God the Father, to execute his offices on earth.

"And when" Christ" had taken the book, the four living creatures, and four-and-twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden phials full of odours, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sing a new song," (now heard for the first time,) saying-Worthy art thou to take the book and to open the seals thereof, for thou wast slain,

1 That is, the animated being which represented Judah and his tribes.