2 what had been discovered to me, And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candle. stick all [of] gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, 3 which [are] upon the top thereof: And two olive trees by it, one upon the right [side] of the bowl, and the other upon the 4 left [side] thereof:* So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What [are] these, my lord? 5 Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my 6 lord. Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This [is] the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the LORD of hosts; as the lamps are supplied with oil in a secret, invisible manner, so the temple shall be finished and the nation established, not by human power and force, but by the secret operation of God's Spirit upon the hearts of the kings of Persia, and of the 7 Jewish people. Who [art] thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel [thou shalt become] a plain; all obstacles shall be removed out of his way: and he shall bring forth the head stone thereof with shoutings, shall finish the building of the temple; that is, there shall be great rejoicing at it, as there was when the foundation was first laid, (Ezra iii. 11.) [crying,] Grace, grace unto it; both acknowledging and imploring the 8 divine favour. Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, I was commissioned to go and speak these things, saying, 9 The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you to foretell this. 10 For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel; or rather, whosoever hath despised the small beginnings, shall rejoice when they see Zerubbabel vigorously setting about the work and carrying it on successfully; [with] those seven; they [are,] or rather, for those seven lamps represent, the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth; he shall be prospered by the operations of that wise and powerful Provi dence, to which the ministry of angels is subservient.

Then answered I, and said unto him, What [are] these two olive trees upon the right [side] of the candlestick and upon 12 the left [side] thereof. And I answered again, I asked the second time, and said unto him, What [be these] two particu lar olive branches, which through the two golden pipes empty

This refers to the temple service, and the whole Jewish polity, which depended upon it: he saw a candlestick with seven lamps; and provision made for supplying them with oil in an extraordinary manner, viz. by two olive trees, which gently distilled fine oif which, being received into two golden pipes, was conveyed into a large boy I on the top of the candlestick, from whence it was conducted by seven small pipes to each of the seven lamps.

the golden [oil] out of themselves, or, empty out of themselves 13 oil into the gold? And he answered me and said, Knowest thou 14 not what these [be?] And I said, No, my lord. Then said he, These [are] the two anointed ones, Joshua the high priest, and Zerubbabel the governor ; for both the princes and priests were anointed; and this intimates, that some extraordinary communication of the Spirit should be given to both; that stand by the LORD of the whole earth; are continually attending upon God, to receive direction and assistance from him in their work : the whole is designed to assure them that they should finish the temple and support the interests of religion.

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should be led from hence to adore the good provi dence of God for the care which he takes of his church. He hath established a church in the world, and the golden candlesticks and lamps represent its excellency, and the dignity of its ministers. Both are designed to enlighten a dark world, by diffusing the knowledge of divine things. God hath instituted religious ordinances with this view, and made provision for the supply of the lamps, by raising up a succession of faithful ministers. All their authority and gifts are from him. Great are our privileges in this respect; and it becomes us to praise God for them, and carefully to improve them.

2. Let us hence learn to hope for a more flourishing state of religion. Let us be careful not to yield to discouragements; for God can make the mountain become a plain. Human means will not do of themselves. To procure oil in the ordinary way, the olives must be beaten and strongly pressed; but here it gently distils of itself: and it is thus that the work of God is still carried on, silently, and without human force and power. Let us therefore not despise the day of small things, nor be alarmed when there is much opposition, and only weak instruments of defence and slender helps: God may produce wonderful and glorious effects thereby. Many censures are thrown upon God's work and workmen for want of considering this. Let us therefore do what we can, without being discouraged by difficulties. Let us be thankful for every increase of piety, every hopeful appearance; rejoice that God will still secure and establish his church: and long for that happy day, when the head stone shall be brought forth with shouting, crying, Grace, grace unto it.

3. Let us earnestly pray that our magistrates and ministers may be like those described by the prophet. These olive trees represent the great offices and ordinances of the magistracy and ministry; and it is happy when both are anointed with divine grace, and concur to support the cause of God in the world. Oh

that all our magistrates and ministers were thus anointed! Then would our country flourish, and the happy effects would be seen through every part of it. Let us daily pray that God would, by his Spirit, furnish both with such gifts and dispositions of heart, that they may maintain the honour of his name, and in every re. spect act, as those who stand before the Lord of the whole earth.

CHAP. V.

Notwithstanding the promises to the Jews in the former chapters, they are here reproved for their wickedness, and reminded that, if they forsook God and religion, some more dreadful calamity would come upon them than they had yet felt.

'T

HEN I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll; a long roll of parchment, which is represented as flying, to denote the suddenness of God's judg2 ments. And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying roll; the length thereof [is] twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits; that is, about ten yards long and five broad; represented thus large, to show what 3 a number of curses should come upon the wicked. Then said he unto me, This [is] the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth, or land: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off [as] on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth, shall be cut off [as] on that side according to 4 it. I will bring it forth, saith the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name : and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it, with the timber thereof, and the stones thereof; by a secret curse I will blast those who thrive by injustice, and reduce them to desolation and ruin.

5

Then the angel that talked with me went forth, or rather, went on, proceeded in his discourse, and he said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see what [is] this that goeth forth. And I said, What [is] it? And he said, this [is] an ephah that goeth forth; a large tub in the shape of an epihah, or bushel. He said moreover, This [is] their resemblance through all the earth; intimating, that the measure of their iniquity was 7 filling. And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead; a large leaden weight, which was a cover to the ephah: and this [is] a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah; and who

Stealing may particularly refer to their defrauding the priests of their dues : Malachi charges then with this. When suspected of theft they were to clear themselves by a solemn oath; so that they were frequently tempted to forswear themselves.

8 represents the Jewish people. And he said, This [is] wickedness. And he cast it into the midst of the ephah; and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof; that is, the cover was let fall, and fixed down, to intimate the insupportable weight of God's judgments, and that there is no escaping them. 9 Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came out two women, and the wind [was] in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork; and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven; they had two large wings stretched out, and a strong wind bore them along. 10 Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do 11 these bear the ephah? And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar; supposed to signify Babylon: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base; the general meaning is, that God would remove this wicked people (represented by the woman) into a distant land (it may signify any place of captivity, as Egypt is used for slavery in general) if they went on in their wickedness after having been só graciously restored; that he would send instruments of his vengeance, who should take them from their own land and carry them cap. tive, and that their punishment should be of long continuance ; and this is accomplished in the present dispersed and afflicted state of the Jews, in which they have continued already more than one thousand seven hundred years.

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TE have reason to lament the prevalency of stealing and swearing, the sins here mentioned, among us. There are innumerable methods of fraud and deceit, daily practised, which are hardly reckoned criminal, because they are customary. But we here see in what light God considers these vices: though they are not discovered, or not punished by men, yet he will visit for these things; perhaps he will destroy the houses which have been built by such means;, at least he will certainly destroy the souls of thieves and profane swearers, if they do not repent: They shall not inherit the kingdom of God. If we desire that our houses should be established, let us put away iniquity far from them; for the curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked, but he will establish the habitation of the just.

2. See how God is especially displeased with the sins of a highly favoured nation. They are filling up the measure of their guilt; and when it is full, the righteousness of God, as the gov ernor of the world, requires that he should punish them. By righteousness alone is a nation established; and public virtue will be the best security of public happiness. An important thought, which we Britons ought to reflect upon. Though we are delivered from many evils, as the Jews were from captivity,

and are settled in a state of peace; yet, if we continue in sin as a people, God's judgments will come upon us, swiftly, and irresistibly. May we never forget this truth, which God's prophets and dispensations join to inculcate, that righteousness exalteth a nation, but that sin is a reproach to, and tends to the ruin of any person.

CHAP. VI,

In which is related the vision of the four chariots; and by the crowns of Joshua, is showed the temple and kingdom of Christ the Branch.*

ND I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, mountains; and the mountains [were] mountains of brass ; referring perhaps to the immutability of the divine councils, which are firm as mountains of brass; or rather, as mountains are often the boundaries of empires, their successive progress is represented by these chariots coming out from between the moun2 tains. In the first chariot [were] red horses; to represent the Babylonians, who were cruel to the Jews, and their bloody wars against the neighbouring nations; and in the second chariot black horses; to represent the Persian empire, and that the Jews were in an afflicted state under them, discouraged and trib3 utary; And in the third chariot white horses; to represent the Grecian empire, and the favour which Alexander showed to the Jews; (conquerors in their triumphal processions, often rode on white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses; to represent the Roman empire, the different forms of government in it, and the remarkable successions and events 4 through which it passed. Then I answered and said unto the 5 angel that talked with me, What [are] these, my lord? And the angel answered and said unto me, These [are] the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the LORD of all the earth; that is, the four angels which preside over these monarchies and receive commission and direc6 tion from God. The black horses which [are] therein, go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country; the Persians shall invade and conquer the Babylonians; the Grecians shall conquer and succeed the Persians; and the Romans shall conquer Carthage and Egypt, and so establish their

Commentators are divided about the first vision. Many suppose it to be a general representation of the ministry of angels: others, of the four great empires of the world; perhaps the latter is the true sense, and angels are represented as presiding over these em pires.