Moreover, Round about this Throne (as the following words declare) there were four and twenty Seats, and upon the Seats I faw four and twenty Elders fitting, clothed in white Rayment, and they had on their Heads Crowns of Gold. Where by the Seats are meant, fo many Chairs plac'd about the Throne, and by the Elders fitting on them, are meant the Saints who at Chrift's coming to Judgment, fhall fit as Affeffors with him. So he himself told his Difciples; When the Son of Man fhall fit on the Throne of his Glory, ye alfo fhall fit upon twelve Thrones, judging the twelve Tribes of Ifrael, Mat. 19. 28. which made St. Paul speak of it as a thing certain and well known, Do ye not know (faith he to the Corinthians) that the Saints fhall judg the World? 1 Cor. 6. 23. meaning, that 'tis certain, that at the great final Judgment of all the World, the Saints fhall bear Chrift company in judging the Wicked, and fhall fit with him in pronouncing Sentence against the evil Spirits. Which Elders or Saints are faid to be clothed in white Rayment; that is, in Garments reprefenting Purity and Innocence, as white Linen doth: by which it appears, that white Garments are not fuch bad Attire, as fome would make it, when the Saints are here reprefented as array'd in them. And thefe are faid to have on their Heads Crowns of Gold; meaning, that they have receiv'd that Crown of Glory, which God the righteous Judg fhall give them in that Day.

To which 'tis added, that out of the Throne proceeded Lightnings, and Thundrings, and Voices: fignifying, that as there were Lightnings, and Thundrings, and terrible Voices heard, at the giving of the Law, to awe Men to the obferving, and terrify them from the breaking of it; fo will the like terrible Signs and Tokens appear, at the giving In Evidence, and pronouncing Sentence against the wilful Violators of it.

And there were Seven Lamps of Fire burning before the Throne, which are the feven Spirits of God. Thefe Lamps are here interpreted to be the Holy Angels, which attend the Throne of God, and are as miniftring Spirits, fent forth to minifter to them, who fhall be Heirs of Salvation. But the Lamps and the Spirits here being both reckon'd to the number Seven, hath made fome think them to be meant of the feven Angels of the feven Churches of Afia though the confining them to thefe, may perhaps be only a Conjecture, founded more in a Fancy about Numbers, than on any good ground of true Reafoning. Furthermore it is faid,

That

That before the Throne, there was a Sea of Glafs like unto Cryftal: Where by the Sea, is meant the Multitude of Perfons or People, that fhall then ftand before the Tribunal of God, exprefs'd here by a Sea, or Multitude of Waters, which in this Book often fignifies a Multitude or Croud of People coming like Waves one upon another; as we read, Rev. 17. 15. By the Sea of Glafs like unto Cryftal, may be meant a Multitude of People then appearing, whofe Confciences like a Cryftal-Glafs fhall reflect and lay open all their Thoughts and Actions, and make them vifible before the Judg: tho fome would have this Sea of Glafs to be a Figure of Heaven, reprefented as a Sea for its Largenefs and Extent; and of Glafs, for its Purity and Splendor. But I leave this to the Wisdom of the Learned.

To go on, 'tis here farther faid, that in the midst of the Throne, and round about the Throne, were four Beafts full of Eyes before and behind. Who thefe four Beafts or living Creatures in this Reprefentation were, is varioufly conjectur'd by the Writers on this obfcure Book: fome underftand by them the four Apoftles, James Bishop of Jerufalem our Lord's Brother, Peter, John, and Andrew. By their being full of Eyes before and behind, they understand their having the Gift of interpreting Scriptures; by which they could look backward, and declare what was paft, and having the Gift of Prophecy, they could look forward, and foretel what was to come. But these being only ConJectures, let us go forward, and confider the Defcription here given of them.

The first Beaft was like a Lion, the fecond like a Calf, the third had the Face of a Man, and the fourth was like a flying Eagle. Thefe likewife are by fundry Authors variously interpreted: The Jewish Writers take thefe four Likeneffes for the four Enfigns or Standards of Ifrael, viz. The Likenefs of a Lion in the Camp of Judah, of a Man in the Camp of Reuben, of an Ox in the Camp of Ephraim, of an Eagle in the Camp of Dan; of which Likeneffes we read alfo in the Prophecy of Ezekiel, Chap. 1. 10.

Others again take thefe four Likeneffes for Reprefenta tions of the four Evangelifts, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John which they take from the Beginnings of their feveral Gofpels

St. Mark, for beginning his Gofpel with the Voice of one crying in the Wilderness, Prepare ye the Way of the Lord, is wont to be reprefented by a Lion.

St.

St. Matthew, for beginning his Gospel with the Birth and Genealogy of our Saviour, is reprefented by the Face of a Man,

St. Luke, for beginning his Gofpel with the Prophet Zachary, who was us'd to offer Sacrifices, is represented by an Ox.

St. John, for beginning his Gospel with the Divinity of Chrift, is reprefented by a flying Eagle, which foars high, and carries our Contemplations up to Heaven. Thefe Conjectures have occafion'd the picturing the four Evangelifts with these Resemblances.

Now thefe being but uncertain Gueffes about doubtful Matters, we may lay no great Stress upon them, being content to be ignorant at prefent of fome things, which we may hereafter better understand. And fo much for the firft Part of this Vifion of St. John, which teaches us to acknowledg the Glory of the eternal Trinity: for here we find God the Father appointing, God the Son judging, and God the Holy Ghoft approving and executing the Sentences pronounc'd at the last and great Day.

The Second Part of it will teach us, in the Power of the Divine Majefty to worship the Unity. For the four Beats, or living Creatures, whatever they are, are faid to have each fix Wings about them, to make them quick and nimble in God's Service; and to be full of Eyes within, to give them a full fight of their Duty: And thefe reft not day and night, faying, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come! Where the thrice Holy denotes the three Perfons of the Trinity, and the once Lord in the fingular Number, betokens the Unity of the Godhead in all three; and their not refting day and night, invocating and praifing of him, denotes their continual worshipping of this Trin-Une Deity, whofe Eternity, is defcrib'd by thefe words, Who was, and is, and is to come; that is, who was before all Time, is at prefent, and ever will be. And when thofe Beafts, or living Creatures, give Glory, and Honour, and Thanks to him that fat in the Throne, who liveth for ever and ever; the four and twenty Elders, or Affeffors, at the fame time fall down before the One God, that fitteth on the Throne, and worship him alone that liveth for ever and ever; all of them cafting their Crowns before the Throne, and faying, in the fingular number, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive Glory, and Honour, and Power; for thou Vol. IV. Part 2. G

baft

haft created all things, nnd for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Thus we fee, in this Vifion of St. John, a Trinity of Perfons in the Unity of the Godhead, with a Direction to acknowledg the one, and to adore the other. To which end, our Church teaches us,

In the Third place, to pray for Grace to keep us ftedfaft in this Faith, and evermore defend us from all Adversities and Oppofition we may meet with in it. And this we fhould the rather do, because this great Article of the Trinity hath met with no fmall Oppofition from the Atheists, Hereticks, and Scepticks of all Ages. The Arians of old were great Enemies and Oppofers of this Doctrine, and fo were the Sabellians, Eunomians, and many others and 'tis ftill ftruck at and fought to be undermin'd by the Deifts, Socinians, and Senfualifts of our days, who fet up their fhallow Reafon above Divine Revelation, and deride all thofe Truths which they cannot comprehend. And because the Contagion of these evil Principles feems to fpread too far, let us pray that our Faith fail not, but that we may be kept ftedfaft in the Belief of the Holy Trinity, who have each had their fhare in the Work of our Redemption; let us take heed that we forget not God that made us, nor deny the Lord that bought us, nor refift the Holy Spirit, that can alone fanctify and fave us. Let not the feeming Difficulties that attend this great Truth, any way stagger or fhake our Faith, in a matter of fo great Concern and Comfort to us. Our Reason is puzzled about the daily Objects of our Senfes, and can fcarce know the Nature of any thing that is before us; how then can we dive into the Effence of God, or comprehend that which is incomprehenfible? This Myftery of the bleffed Trinity being reveal'd. to us by all the Perfons of it, we know enough of it for our prefent State : and tho Reafon alone cannot teach, and fo may not prefume to judg of it, yet we have all the reafon in the world to believe it; being made known to us by him who is Truth it felf, and cannot deceive any. Our Knowledg here is but in part, and we cannot fee to the bottom of any thing; and much lefs may we hope to fathom this unfearchable Depth. And yet God hath imparted to us Knowledg enough to make us magnify him, and leffen our felves: We know enough to learn Humility, and to difcover to us our own Ignorance; and if we are modeft

and

and contented, we shall e'er long know much more. In the mean time,

Our Faith in this Article of the Trinity will be more noble and great, when it makes our Reafon to ftoop to it, and overcomes all its Doubts, and we fhall better celebrate the Holy Trinity by a profound Silence and Adoration, than by difputing about it, or prying too curioufly into the Manner of it. And therefore inftead of faying with Nicodemus, How can these things be? let us pray with hini in the Gol pel, Lord I believe, help my Unbelief.

Wherefore, in the laft place, from what hath been faid, let us all learn firmly to adhere to this great Truth against all Oppofition, holding faft the Profeffion of this Faith without wavering, and not be warp'd or drawn from it by the Smiles or Frowns of any. To this end, let us confider,

1. That this is what we have all promis'd in our Bap tifm, viz. to believe all the Articles of the Chriftian Faith, whereof this of the Holy Trinity is the prime fundamental one, upon which all the reft are founded. To keep to that, is a good means of being ftedfaft and immovable in all the reft; but if we waver and fall from that, we endanger the whole Fabrick of our Faith, and run into Infi delity. So that the Socinians and Scepticks of our Age, that call in question this or any other Article of the Chrif tian Faith, are guilty of a manifeft Breach of their Baptifmal Vow they are Deferters and Renegadoes from the Faith, in forfaking that, which they engag'd to ftick to to their Lives end. And fach Fugitives and Revolters from the Faith fhall e'er long receive the heavy Punishment of their Apoftacy which fhould teach us to beware of an evil Heart of Unbelief, in departing from the living God.

2. Know that this Doctrine of the Trinity hath not only Divine Revelation to fupport it, which is the chiefeft of all Props; but likewife the concurrent Teftimony and Confent of the Catholick Church in all Ages to confirm it, which is an additional Strength or Motive to our Belief of it: for he must be highly conceited of his own Wisdom, that will fet it up above the Wisdom of God, and the Faith of the whole Catholick Church. And having this Evidence, let us continue ftedfast in this Faith without any Wavering or Doubtfulness. Moreover,

3. Our Church minds us, in the Service of this Day, to pray for Grace fo to do, that we may ever acknowledg the

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Glory