guous responses of the Pythian oracle, originated in the frenzies of a troubled brain, or the fraudulent inventions of a deceitful heart, to make gain of the folly of mankind. Nor can credulity, whether it be rational or wild, trace them to a higher source than the agency of demons. But they are no more to be compared to the oracles of the living God, than the top of Olympus to the throne of the Eternal. The prophets of Israel spake as the Spirit gave them utterance; and true as their word hath proved is the fact, that they were inspired by the God of truth. Yet high as their office was, beyond any that had ever before been delegated to mortals, it was only to bear testimony to Jesus and to prepare the way of his gospel. Fully to show forth the final triumph of the cross, and to impart to men " the Revelation of Jesus Christ," was the more glorious privilege of the Son of Zebedee; and in a manner unparalleled in holy writ, after hearing the voice of Jesus, and recording what the Spirit said unto the churches, John thus continues the narration.

"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 shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the Spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. 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. 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. 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

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Spirits of God. And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes before and behind. And the first living creature was like a lion, and the second living creature like a calf, and the third living creature had a face as a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. And the 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 is, and is to come. when those living creatures give glory, and honour, and thanks, to him that sat on the throne, who 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,”—Rev. iv. "And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof ?"Rev. v. 1, 2. Not man nor angel can scrutinize the purposes Jehovah. Infinite wisdom is not to be measured, any more than Almighty power can be withstood; the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and goodness of God is not to be fathomed; and all futurity lies open to none but the Omniscient. The Book was closed with seven seals; and no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was found to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. Angels and archangels who dwell in light, and not in darkness, though swift, as if with six wings, to

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execute the will of God, and to fulfil the office of his messengers, and though quicksighted in spiritual discernment, and gifted with bright vision, as if full of eyes, to see the works of the Lord, and the wonders he hath done, in a manner compared to which our sight is now as blindness, were yet unequal to the task and no man in heaven was able to open, to read, to touch, or even to look upon the Book, in which was written the things that shall be hereafter, and which he who sat on the throne of heaven held

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in his own right hand. "And I wept much," says John, "because no man was found worthy to open and to read the Book, neither to look thereon. one of the elders saith unto me, 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."-Chap. v. 4, 5.

It pleased the Father that in Christ should all fulness dwell. All things were created by him and for him. All things that the Father hath are his. In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and know

ledge. All the angels of God worship him. To him the Father hath given power over all flesh. And he who is the author of nature, the light of the world, the Lord of angels, and the Redeemer of his people, prevailed to open the book, for he was worthy."And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having 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. And when he had taken the Book, the four living beings and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new

song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the Book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and 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. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the living creatures, and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying, with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever. And the four living creatures said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever."-Rev. v. 6-14.

Such-involving a power not possessed by any created being, and a wisdom that passes the ken of angels, and enough, of itself, to call forth the loud hosannahs of the host of heaven,-is the opening of that book, which some, called interpreters, have made the plaything of their fancy, which many, called Christians, have profaned into a licence for jesting, and which all sceptics have held as the butt of their scorn.-But the word of God standeth sure, like the sun in the heavens, untouched by the clouds that float in our atmosphere, and untainted by the putrid exhalations that rise from the earth.

The brightness of the sun is not extinguished or diminished, though it be hid from our view; but the revolution of the night brings round the day, and

the light shines where before there was darkness. And however dark and inexplicable by the human understanding the Book of Revelation may have been, it is no less full of significancy, because we cannot comprehend its meaning, till the revolution of ages shall finally bring to pass all those things of which John saw the image and the end.

The retrospect of past history now shows us a long series of momentous events, since the time of the heavenly vision. Many of the things that were to be, have already been. But as the sun is often obscured with clouds after it has arisen, the darkness comprehends not the light; and from causes inherent in the mind, like mist rising from the earth, our perceptions of God's holy word are often dim and indistinct. There is a veil, a cloud, upon the heart. And the eye of the mind is as tender an organ, and its perception as easily disturbed, as that of the body. And difficult to be comprehended, and darkly to be seen, as are the ways of God, by man, who had lost the knowledge of him who dwelleth in the light, it is not to be wondered at, that men should have missed the meaning of the Revelation of the things that were to be thereafter, till the very things should be accomplished, and the predicted time be come that the judgments of God should be manifest. Observation is the only guide; ingenuity would only deceive. All that the human lips can tell, is to repeat what the Lord hath spoken; and all that the hand of man can do, is to point to the things that have been done upon the earth. And if ever genuine humility be a virtue, or proud arrogancy a crime,-if ever there be an occasion and a time, as there can never fail to be, for abjuring all vain boasting and rendering unto God the glory, it is with a humble heart, and with a trembling and uplifted hand, that it behoves any erring mortal to enter on the grave, but not hopeless,