it to the church of God. The great author of this divine revelation is the Eternal Father. Essentially and personally considered, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are one, the same in substance, equal in power and glory. But in the economy of redemption, the person of the Father sustains all the rights and majesty of Deity, as the Great Supreme. With him the plan of mercy originated; by him it was devised. He appointed the surety-the family to be redeemed-the many sons to be brought to glory-the work to be performed, and the reward to be given. And although the Son is possessed of the same divine nature, yet, as invested with the office of Mediator, and as a partaker of human nature, he sustains a subordinate character, and graciously acts as the Father's servant. But this does not imply that he is essentially and personally inferior to the Father, neither does it suppose that the Son of God, as a divine person, is not acquainted with the counsels of Deity. For from eternity he was in the bosom of the Father, and the counsel of peace was between them both. And the whole plan of mercy, in all its parts and wonderful arrangements, was naked and open to his omniscient eye, as the great God and our Saviour. It was only as Mediator, in his assumed character, as the Father's servant, that the Father can be called greater than the Son. It was only in this sense that God gave him this revelation; and that thus he is the minister and the great medium of divine communication. As the living God, he knows all things; but as the son of man,' he is said not to know some things, because he was not commissioned to reveal them, and because his human nature, considered by itself, is not omniscient; as a divine person, he is omniscient, but he does not reveal all his omniscience knows; and as Mediator, the Father's servant, he only reveals what he is commissioned to reveal, performs what he is appointed to perform, and surrenders the kingdom when the work is accomplished, that God may be all in all. The Father hath shown him the great plan of mercy; he hath given him his high commission; he hath appointed his divine work what he should say, and what he should suffer what he should reveal, and what he should conceal-the book to be opened, and the thunders to be sealed the

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mercy to be granted, and the judgment to be inflicted. All is done according to appointment: according as it is given by the Father to the Son. We have here, then, the great Mediator, the Father's servant, receiving his commandments, doing his will, and obtaining his reward.

This revelation was given to his Son in the counsels of eternity, when the covenant arrangements were formed, and the covenant engagements were made, and the covenant promises were given. This was the date of the divine decrees of the great book of the counsels of heaven, which was shut up and sealed till the Lamb prevailed and opened the book. It was given when the first great gospel promise was given. This was the first sweet but feeble ray of the Sun of Righteousness that dawned amid the darkness of a fallen world. And this blessed promise forms the ground of the fourth great vision-the woman's conflict and her final victory. Chap. xii., xiii., xiv. It was given in all the subsequent enlargements of divine revelation, in all the precious promises and divine predictions of the church's final triumphs, when the great mystery of God shall be finished, as he hath declared to his servants (the prophets. It was given to him in his incarnate state, when God prepared a body for him, when he came to do his Father's will-to receive the Father's approbation-to obtain the precious promises of divine support, of blessed deliverance, and a glorious reward. It was given to him in his glorified condition-when he gave him glory that our faith and hope might be in God-when he gave him the Spirit, the eternal inheritance, the sealed book, and the administration of the universe.

The great design of this sacred charge is, 'To shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass.'

Observe the nature of this design :'It is to shew.' This partially explains the word revelation, which is to make known, to make manifest, what was before hidden or concealed. It also explains the word signified,' which is to shew verbally, in plain language, or symbolically by signs or symbols. persons to whom this design is made known. They are servants, the servants of God by a devout and voluntary surrender of themselves. They are not

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only servants, but friends: 'henceforth I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard of the Father, I have made known to you.' They are not only servants, but sovereigns; they are princes, kings, and priests, raised to royal honours. All Christ's servants are kings; so great a king is he, and so happy are his people. They are not only servants, but they are sons; and if sons, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. 'Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.' To these distinguished servants God's holy will is given the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will shew them his covenant. 'Shall I hide from Abraham the things that I do?' He revealed to Noah the approaching deluge. He made known to Abraham the fortunes of his seed to a thousand generations. He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the children of Israel.' The glory of Christ, and the triumphs of the church, were sung and celebrated in the sweet Psalms of David, in the lofty and rapt effusions of Isaiah, in the dark and mystic imagery of Ezekiel, Daniel, and in all the ancient prophets. And in the Apocalypse, the last book of Scripture, the glorious scene stretches forward to the very end of time. Here we may observe that God is the author of divine revelation; he gave it: that Jesus is the medium of divine communication; he received it and gave it to his servants: that the ancient prophets, and the holy apostles, are the honoured instruments who gave it to the church. It was shown to John the inspired penman; to the seven stars in Christ's right-hand; to the seven golden candlesticks; to the angels of the churches, and to the churches them selves; to the pastors and teachers; to the saints and the faithful in the successive history of the church. Chap. xxii. 16.

sent condition of the churches of Christ at the time of the vision. They are future things, the things that are to come; this is the principal object here intended, and this embraces the whole prophetic history of the church and the world, till Christ's second coming. They are many things, not a few; great things, not of mean importance, but of mighty interest. The great commands of heaven, the great mysteries of the sealed book, the great things of God's holy law, the great events of Providence, the great trials and triumphs of the church, the defeat and final destruction of her enemies, are all here fully unfolded to the servants of God.

Notice, here, the time of fulfilment,— things that must shortly come to pass.' the Apocalypse contains an allusion to the past, present, and future; but the things that are to come form the principal subject of the book. This expresses the immutable certainty of divine prediction. They must come to pass; they are fixed in God's eternal counsels. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but not one word of the Lord shall fail. This accords with the usual style of Scripture. The time is at hand; behold I come quickly; I come as a thief. This may be viewed personally, as referring to ourselves as individuals. The time of our departure is at hand. The Lord does not delay his coming. He comes to us at death; and how soon he may thus come, none can tell. Lord teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.' Or it may be viewed generally, the time is at hand with regard to the church, and the end of the world, and the day of judgment. It may be viewed comparatively, the time is short when we view it in connection with eternity. time is at hand, when we compare it with the eternity of God. The time is short, when we compare it with his estimate of time. For a thousand years are in his sight but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.' It may be viewed progressively, with respect to the nature and order and arrangement of divine operation,― the time is at hand. God often works by created instruments; but he sometimes performs his great works alone, without created instruments; he sometimes performs his works in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, but he generally

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performs his works progressively. This is God's usual way of working. This appears in creation. He could have created the world in an instant, but he chose six days to accomplish the work. It appears in nature, where we have day and night, summer and winter, seedtime and harvest, all in wonderful order, and successive beauty and variety; all is softened or shaded, darkened or illumined, by the varied minglings of the elements of nature. It appears in redemption, where thousands of years revolved before the great promise of mercy was fulfilled.

It appears in providence, where God's great works take place progressively, step by step, link by link, a vast and marvellous concatenation. The end of the scene is in Christ's second coming; but the commencement of the scene was at hand. The first link of the wonderful chain was just beginning to appear. The first movement of the mighty wheel of Providence had already taken place, and all its future movements were open ed to his view; and although the wheels, and the rings, were all dark and dreadful; and although the end of all was distant; and although the vista between was covered with a cloud; yet the eyes of the prophet swept over the scene in all its mystic windings to the very end of time. Some of the events predicted were near, but others were distant. There was, nevertheless, a remarkable connection or link among them all. Prophecy forms one connected whole. The fulfilment of one, leads to the fulfilment of another, and is a pledge or security of the final accomplishment of all that God hath spoken. Predictions are connected with the events of Providence, by which they are fulfilled. The beginning and the end, and all between, are linked together in wonderful connection, glorious harmony, progressive glory, and absolute certainty.

As the message was important, so the messsenger was honourable,-' He sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John."

Notice here the message, and how it was delivered. He signified and testi. fied, or showed it; he made it manifest by plain words, Christ's testimony, and by signs or symbols.-Hosea xii. 10. The signs seem to be taken chiefly from

the ancient sanctuary and the material universe. The signs of the former refer to the church, and those of the latter refer to the world. The signs and symbols employed by the prophets, are a light shining in a dark place till the day dawn, and the day-star arise in our hearts. Observe also the person that sent: He sent '-God the Father sent his angel to his servant John, even as he sent his angel from heaven to strengthen Jesus in his agony. The Lord Jesus sent his angel: 'I Jesus, sent my angel to testify to you these things in the churches.' The messenger sent was

His angel.' All the holy angels are his, by creation, providence, electing love, confirming grace, and sacred office. But some he selects for distinguished services. They are all ministering spirits to the heirs of salvation. They waited upon Christ in his birth and in his life; in his sufferings and death; in his resurrection and glorious ascension.

One of these distinguished ministers is, by way of eminence, called his angel,

chap. xxii. 6, 16. Who this angel was we are not informed. Perhaps it was Gabriel, who foretold to Daniel the coming of Christ, and the triumphs of his kingdom; who appeared to Zacharias, and foretold the birth of John; who appeared to Mary, and foretold the birth of Jesus. Perhaps it was Gabriel, who appeared to the shepherds and announced the nativity of our blessed Lord, and celebrated the event in a sweet seraphic song. Perhaps it was he that waited upon Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, and strengthened the sinking Saviour in his agony. And, perhaps, it was he that was now sent to John with this divine revelation.

Observe the person to whom the message was delivered. He is here described by his name, John-by his holy character as the servant of God-by his sacred record of the word of God, and the testimony of Jesus-and by his holy office as an inspired apostle, prophet, and evangelist;-the last of all the sacred penmen, who was honoured by God to give the finishing touch to the oracles of God. John had described himself by his name, and here he does so by his office and his book-by what he had written and spoken and seen

To the Editor of the G. B. Repository. SIR,-In the Repository for November C. L. inquires, Is it scriptural to present the joys of heaven, or the terrors of hell, as motives to a religious life? and how far is it compatible to introduce them as persuasives to religion, while we regard supreme and purely disinterested love to God as its first and most essential element ?' If the following thoughts, suggested by the above query, or rather queries, should appear suitable they are at your service to publish, if not, to suppress.

Self-preservation is the first law of our nature. I am bound by it to seek the security of my own person, the promotion of my own comfort, prosperity and wellbeing, both temporal and eternal; not indeed to the injury of others; but where it can be done without trenching on the welfare of others, I am bound, first of all, to seek to promote my own well-being. The care of my own personal interests is devolved upon me by Him who made me, and the standard by which I am to measure my love to my neighbour is the love which I cherish for myself. Hence the command, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.' But if I have no love for myself, I have no standard by which to love my neighbour. The sacred writings evidently recognize no such superhuman religion as some theorists have spun out of their own fertile imagination, and by which men are taught to disregard their own personal interests, or at least entirely to merge them in the interests of society at large. The Bible reveals a religion to man which is suited to the nature and circumstances of man; a religion which makes its most frequent and its most powerful appeals to that principle in our nature which causes us to shrink from danger and seek security; to shun pain and sorrow but to welcome peace and joy and happiness. Hence, because sin exposes us to neverending woe, we are exhorted to flee from the wrath to come, and are assured that except we repent we shall perish. We are urged to submit to any privation rather than risk our eternal well-being. Neither a right eye, nor a right hand, or a right foot, is to be spared if it imperils our salvation; but we are to remember it is better for us to enter into life halt or maimed rather than having two hands, or two feet, or two eyes to be cast into hell fire, where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not

quenched. To quote all the passages of Scripture to this effect would be to quote a large portion of the sacred volume. So far then as escaping from evil is concerned, the sacred writers constantly appeal to the principle of self-preservation, and urge us, on that principle, to flee from the wrath to come. Nor is it otherwise when they would urge us to seek the glories of a blessed immortality. Do they ever attempt to excite us by a fine spun theory on the beauty and loveliness of disinterested affection, whence all thoughts of our own interest and happiness are excluded? If so, how are such passages as the following to be understood? first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you,''Sell that ye have and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not.' 'Come, take up the cross and follow me, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven.'

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Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth,' &c., but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,' &c.; 'for where your treasure is there will your heart be also.' Is the christian persecuted? Are all manner of evil things said against him falsely?' how is he addressed? Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven.' Is he afflicted? he is assured that these light afflictions, which are but for a moment, are working for him a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.' Is he called to the discharge of arduous duties? he is taught to have respect to the recompence of reward.' He is to think of the crown of life, the 'inheritance which is incorruptible, undefiled, and which fadeth not away, of the rest which remains for the people of God,' the eternal blessedness and glory which God has prepared for them that love him.' 'Therefore, brethren, be ye steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.' There is no man that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake,' says Jesus, but he shall receive a hundred-fold now in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.' 'God,' says the apostle, 'is not unrighteous to forget your work of faith and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name.' And when the solemn hour of death arrives, what sustains the mind and heart of the christian