or which have juft now been dictated to him; and to write alfo the things which must be done hereafter, that is, the history, that will presently be given him, of the events which will happen in the Chriftian Church.

v. 20. "The mystery of the feven ftars," continues our Saviour, "which thou faweft in my right hand, and the feven golden candlesticks. The feven ftars are the angels of the feven churches; and the feven candlesticks are the feven churches."

Here Chrift himself explains to St. John the myftery or meaning of two particulars: The feven ftars, which thou faweft in my right hand, are or denote, the angels of the feven churches in Asia, that is, the Bishops of thofe churches: And the feven candleficks are, or reprefent thofe feven Churches. Let us alfo obferve, that these feven candlesticks, or feven churches, may very well reprefent all the churches of the chriftian world; and in that cafe, our Saviour, who is placed in the midst of them, is naturally exhibited as adminiftering and governing the whole.

CHAPTER II.

The Hiftory of the first Age of the Christian Church.

CHRIST proceeds, in the fecond and third chapters of the Apocalypfe, to dictate to St. John particular inftructions for each of the feven abovementioned Churches; which, as they do not belong to the general hiftory of Chriftianity, we fhall pafs over, and fhall now proceed to the fourth and fifth chapters, which open a general magnificent fcene, that prepares us for the particular tranfactions.

Prelude to the Opening of the feven Scals.

Aroc. Chap. IV. v. 1, "After thefe things I looked," fays St. John, "and behold a door was opened in heaven, and the firft voice which I heard,

as it were of a trumpet fpeaking with me, faid: Come up hither, and I will fhew thee the things which must be done hereafter.

v. 2. “And immediately I was in the spirit: and behold there was a throne fet in heaven, and upon the throne one fitting.

v. 3. "And he that fat was to the fight like the Jasper and the Sardine ftone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in fight like unto an Emerald."

No fooner had St. John received, in the preceding vision, the documents he was to tranfmit to the feven Afiatic Churches; when behold! a new scene displays itself. Heaven opens. St. John is invited up thither by the voice which had spoken to him before, that is, by St. John Baptift, and is told he shall fee what is to happen in future ages. On a fudden' appears a throne, and the Almighty himself seated upon it, fhining in the brightest luftre of Jasper green and Sardine red: the green colour, as beft proportioned to the human eye, fpeaks his mercy, and the red his juftice; these two attributes bearing a particular relation to mankind. The throne is furrounded with a rainbow, in which shines remarkably a moft beautiful green, like that of Emeralds. This rainbow, with its bright green colour, denotes the covenant of reconciliation and peace, which God made with man after the deluge.

v. 4. And round about the throne were fourand-twenty feats: and upon the feats, four-andtwenty ancients fitting, clothed in white garments, and on their heads crowns of gold."

Round the throne of God appear fitting four-andtwenty-ancients, representing the faints that preceded the age of Chriftianity, and for that reafon called ancients. They are clothed in white, to express the immortal glory they poffefs in heaven; and their crowns of gold fhew their royal dignity, God admitting them to fit as judges with him. In the fame

r which have juft now been dictated to him; and to write alfo the things which must be done hereafter, hat is, the hiftory, that will presently be given him, f the events which will happen in the Chriftian

Church.

v. 20. "The mystery of the feven ftars," contiues our Saviour," which thou faweft in my right and, and the seven golden candlesticks. The feven ars are the angels of the feven churches; and the even candlesticks are the feven churches."

Here Chrift himself explains to St. John the myfery or meaning of two particulars: The feven ftars, hich thou faweft in my right hand, are or denote, he angels of the seven churches in Afia, that is, the ifhops of thofe churches: And the feven candleicks are, or represent those seven Churches. Let s alfo obferve, that these seven candlesticks, or feen churches, may very well reprefent all the hurches of the chriftian world; and in that cafe, ur Saviour, who is placed in the midst of them, is aturally exhibited as adminiftering and governing he whole.

CHAPTER II.

The Hiftory of the first Age of the Christian Church,

CHRIST proceeds, in the fecond and third chapers of the Apocalypfe, to dictate to St. John parcular inftructions for each of the feven aboveentioned Churches; which, as they do not beong to the general hiftory of Chriftianity, we shall afs over, and fhall now proceed to the fourth and fth chapters, which open a general magnificent zene, that prepares us for the particular tranfactions.

as

Prelude to the Opening of the feven Seals. APOC. Chap. IV. v. 1, "After thefe things I oked," fays St. John, "and behold a door was pened in heaven, and the firft voice which I heard,

as it were of a trumpet fpeaking with me, faid: Come up hither, and I will fhew thee the things which must be done hereafter.

v. 2. "And immediately I was in the fpirit: and behold there was a throne fet in heaven, and upon the throne one fitting.

v. 3. "And he that fat was to the fight like the Jasper and the Sardine ftone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in fight like unto an Emerald."

No fooner had St. John received, in the preceding vision, the documents he was to tranfmit to the feven Afiatic Churches; when behold! a new scene displays itself. Heaven opens. St. John is invited up thither by the voice which had spoken to him before, that is, by St. John Baptift, and is told he shall see what is to happen in future ages. On a fudden appears a throne, and the Almighty himself feated upon it, fhining in the brighteft luftre of Jafper green and Sardine red: the green colour, as beft proportioned to the human eye, fpeaks his mercy, and the red his justice; these two attributes bearing a particular relation to mankind. The throne is furrounded with a rainbow, in which shines remarkably a moft beautiful green, like that of Emeralds. This rainbow, with its bright green colour, denotes the covenant of reconciliation and peace, which God made with man after the deluge.

V. 4.

"And round about the throne were fourand-twenty feats: and upon the feats, four-andtwenty ancients fitting, clothed in white garments, and on their heads crowns of gold."

Round the throne of God appear fitting four-andtwenty-ancients, reprefenting the faints that preceded the age of Chriftianity, and for that reafon called ancients. They are clothed in white, to exprefs the immortal glory they poffefs in heaven; and their crowns of gold fhew their royal dignity, God admitting them to fit as judges with him. In the fame

manner it was faid, that Chrift makes his faints kings, Apoc. i. 6.-See p. 5.

v. 5. "And from the throne proceeded lightnings, and voices, and thunders: and there were seven lamps burning before the throne, which are the feven Spirits of God."

The lightnings, loud voices, and thunders, which come from the throne of God, announce alarms and fevere hardships, fuch as perfecutions, diffenfions, calamities, &c. by which he tries the fidelity of his fervants on earth. And the feven fpirits of God, who appear under the form of burning lamps, are feven angels, as before-mentioned, Apoc. i. 4. ftanding ready to execute the divine commands.

v. 6. "And in the fight of the throne was as it were a fea of glass like to Crystal: and in the midft of the throne and round about the throne were four living creatures full of eyes before and behind...

v.7. "And the firft living creature was like a lion and the fecond living creature, like a calf: and the third living creature, having the face, as it were, of a man: and the fourth living creature was like an eagle flying.

v. 8." And the four living creatures had each of them fix wings: and round about*, and within, they are full of eyes."

The extenfive fea of glass here described, tranfparent as cryftal, reprefents what may be called, the floor of heaven. Before the throne of God and round it stand four living creatures of an extraordinary shape, which denote the four great prophets, Ifaiah, Jeremy, Ezechiel, and Daniel. Their bodies are defcribed full of eyes both before and behind, an emblem of their prophetic fight, that penetrates into all ages, paft, prefent, and to come. And they being alfo full of eyes within, indicates that their extenfive knowledge arifes from an interior divine Inspiration. They have each fix wings, in the fame

manner

In the Greek," fix wings about him; and within," &c.