all this involves. How then is this state of things to be met? The triumphant answer is, It has been met! It was anticipated from the first. Our Lord left not His sorrowing ones with only a legacy of tears and a prospect of fierce persecution. He left them the boon of His own peace, and the promise of His abiding Spirit. That promise was fulfilled at the appointed time, the glorious evidence that the Son had taken His place at the Father's right hand, the accepted High Priest of the temple not made with hands, and the accomplishment of His purpose to consecrate a living temple on earth. Shortly afterwards, consequently, men in whom that Spirit dwelt, guiding them into all truth, could write to their fellow saints. in this fashion: "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you ?" (1 Cor. iii. 16). "Ye are the temple of the living God" (2 Cor. vi. 16). "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord; in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit" (Eph. ii. 19-22).

Thus the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, consecrates the saints, and a second time prepares "a body" for Christ. His blessed services to that body are manifold. He cleanses, enlightens, cheers, strengthens, leads, checks, rebukes, humbles, as the ever varying circumstances of the case may require. By Him they are enabled to bear up under trials, to appropriate Divine promises, to grow in grace, and to live in the world so as in some measure to glorify God. Led of the Spirit, they mind the things of the Spirit." For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Rom. viii. 14). He is the Spirit of adoption by which they call God Father, the witnessing Spirit by whom they know that they are the children of God, and the gracious helper of our infirmities; "for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Rom. viii. 26). He is the distributor of the various gifts which the Church needs for mutual edification, and the services to which her Head calls her. And He is the sealing Spirit, and the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of the glory of God.

All these facts again point to the complete efficacy of our blessed Saviour's meditation, in consequence of which the Holy Spirit comes down from heaven to dwell and operate in the hearts of men whom He first unites to Christ. What a thought-the Son of man, at the right hand of God in heaven, and the Spirit of God in the hearts of men upon the earth! What shall we say to these things? O the boundless wisdom of our God, and O the stupendous achievements of this blessed Second Adam, Emmanuel, God with us!

Surely the story of the Church when it shall form the subject of lofty thought and eloquent speech, by unclouded intelligences in the ages to come, will bring out more and more the manifold wisdom of God and the exceeding riches of His grace.

The Church has a glorious future. In relation to this the Holy Spirit is also working. He is making the saints meet for their inheritance in light. He is anointing the kings and priests of the next dispensation. Surely we may conclude that the justification, adoption, separation, cleansing, and spiritual training of a man point to a future, not of honour and dignity which shall merely terminate upon himself, but of high services of some kind which shall benefit others and glorify the Lord under whose authority and by whose appointment such service shall be rendered. It is hardly conceivable that all this expenditure of Divine thought, and application of Divine agency and Fatherly watchfulness over His children whilst they are subjected to the chastening which He sees necessary, mean nothing more than the perfecting of the saints, the reaching forward to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. If we can glorify God here in our nonage, amidst all our follies, and notwithstanding our feebleness, by work and labour of love, by kindness, forbearance, charity, by doing good to all men as we have opportunity, especially unto them who are of the household of faith, is it possible that when we shall have acquired our full intellectual and moral powers, shall have left behind for ever the burden and the darkness of mortality, and stand in all the vigour of perfect men in resurrection, there will be no employment for us, no honourable service to our great King,-then in possession of His royal rights,and no practical outlet for our wondrously strengthened and perfected faculties? Who can believe this? The thought is impossible to men who find in holy activity one of the joys of existence, and whose deep consciousness of obligation to Christ often prompts the question, "What shall we render to the Lord for all His benefits to us ?"

The fervour of apostolic prayers for the development of grace and the increase of knowledge in the saints, suggests that the harvest fruits in resurrection-life of this seed-time of being will be something greater far than the lustre of a passive glory. That glory will also be seen in active service. Under the present dispensation, angels are ministering spirits for those who shall be heirs of salvation; but unto the angels God hath not put in subjection the world to come; for it will be ruled, under the Prince of Peace, by those who are seen in apocalyptic vision, 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" (Rev. v. 9, 10).

In the parable of the Pounds the future sovereignty of the saints is clearly exhibited. Because the people thought that the kingdom

of God should immediately appear, our Lord describes a certain nobleman going into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. He delivers money to his servants, with the charge, "Occupy till I come." On his return, having received the kingdom, he investigates the conduct of the servants during his absence, rewarding the diligent and punishing the indolent. The man whose pound had gained ten pounds receives authority over ten cities, and he whose pound had gained five, is appointed ruler over five cities. Here is the principle which, I doubt not, will be adopted by our Lord in the distribution of power and authority in His coming kingdom. The Holy Spirit is now dividing gifts and graces to every man severally as He will, for the upbuilding and completion of the body of Christ, and when the body shall be complete the Lord will select from it those who are to be the princes of His vast dominion "under the whole heaven."

It is honourable to take rank amongst the princes of the earth in this mortal state; but what will it be to stand among the crowned kings invested with authority by the King of kings in resurrectionlife? Some of those who are utterly unknown to the potentates of the world, and who pass their lives in difficulty and trouble, striving hard to do what is right and honest and true, are nevertheless destined to a royal dignity immeasurably superior to any that was ever reached by the greatest sovereigns of history. To be "the brethren" of the "Lord of all," is a privilege, and to bear rule with Him is a prospect well fitted to make His saints submit to any mode of discipline He pleases, for they may rest assured that the nature of their training has reference to the position they will be called to occupy in His kingdom.

Meanwhile the promises to the conquerors suggest what vast variety of reward and what special honour the Lord intends for His faithful ones. There is the tree of life in the midst of the paradise of God to Him that overcometh in the Church of Ephesus; he that overcometh in Smyrna shall not be hurt of the second death; the hidden manna, the white stone, and the new name are to him that overcometh in Pergamos; he that overcometh in Thyatira, and keepeth the Saviour's works unto the end, shall have power over the nations; he that overcometh in Sardis shall be clothed in white raiment, and Christ will confess his name before His Father and before His angels; to the conqueror in Philadelphia the Lord speaks thus, "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and I will write upon him my new name;" and to him that overcometh in Laodicea, the Lord says, "I will grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne."

EDITOR.

528

CHRISTMAS CAROL.

"God my Maker, who giveth songs in the night."—JOB Xxxv. 10.

HGlad songs of morning light,

E "giveth songs," and then we sing,

Then music fills the sunny day,
And all the scene is bright;
But oh! how dewy-sweet the songs
He giveth in the night!

'Twas starry-night o'er Bethlehem,*
When that rich strain was pour'd,
The carol of the heav'nly host,

The harmony adored

"Goodwill on earth, and Peace to men,
With Glory to the Lord!"

To hearts that wake, to ears that hear,
Those Angel voices ring,

"Good tidings of great joy for you,
Behold, we come to bring

A night-born song for endless day,
A Saviour, Christ, the King!

Hastings, 1881.

MRS. JOSEPH FEARN,

Author of "Plain Ryhmes on the Pentateuch," &c.

THE VISION OF THE THRONE.

"THE revelation of Jesus Christ" relates to the past, the present, and

the future. Historico-prophetic in character, it consists of elemental principles and parts adopted by the will of God from the previous books of Holy Scripture, and combined and arranged by the wisdom of God. From the First Book of Moses to the Epistle of Jude inclusive, the historic, the symbolic, the prophetic, and the didactic have been rendered contributory to its composition, and subservient to its paramount design.

The prophetic parts of the book have been variously, and diversely, constructed and applied. But this circumstance does not touch the intent for which the following expositions are written. The end proposed is to afford assistance to the children and saints of God, in their meditations on the glories of Him who loved them and gave himself for them.

Before commencing the expositions, certain first principles of the book must be noticed, so that they may be considered and borne in remembrance.

1. The book is "the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to

*Luke ii. 8-14.

Him" after He had returned into the glory which He had with the Father before the world was.

2. The book is not in any respect a revelation of God the Father. Neither is it a revelation of the Person* of the Son, but is a revelation of His Divine perfections and official prerogatives and powers—" over all, God blessed for ever. Amen."

3. The book is not in any particular an "unveiling of the invisible world." The seer" was in the Spirit" when he beheld the visions of God. He was in a trance. His natural capabilities were in a state of quiescence, and the Spirit of God was to him instead of his faculties of seeing and hearing. Mentally, he was placed on an exceeding high observatory, whence he beheld the scenes which he has described,—both the seemingly celestial and the seemingly terrestrial.

4. Seeing that the book consists of elemental principles and parts adopted from the previous books of Holy Scripture, an acquaintance with the truth as previously revealed is essential to a true perception of the significance of the visions recorded (Read ch. iv).

This part of the vision must first be contemplated as a whole, and then in its several particulars.

As before remarked, the seer was mentally on an exceeding high observatory. On a spacious area in the heavens, he saw a throne, and twelve thrones on either side thereof, arranged in circular order; on which thrones twenty-four elders were seated, clothed in white robes,— their brows being adorned with golden garlands. Above and around "the throne" was an architectural ornament in form of a rainbow, and of the brilliant colour of the emerald. Right before the throne were seven glowing lamps. At a little distance in front of the throne stood a crystaline laver; and amid the circle of thrones were four preternatural creatures.

Now, as this marvellous assemblage existed only in the ideality of the seer, therefore, without a corresponding conception of the scene and its various objects, it is not possible to understand the vision.

1. Abstractedly considered, "the throne" is the symbol of the eternal and absolute Sovereignty of God-AS GOD, in the absoluteness and invisibility of Godhead. But in the design of the vision, that throne is the symbol of the universal Supremacy of Jesus Christ in glorified manhood, the Lord of all.

The vision is in part a response to the words, "Father, glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee." It is a revelation of the good pleasure of the Father to glorify the Son in accordance with those words of truth: "Thou hast put all things in subjection under His feet."

The throned Monarch was concealed from view by a brilliant curtain, consisting of the associated resemblances of the jasper and sardine, two of the precious stones in the breastplate of the high priest of Israel. The truth signified is, that universal dominion is vested in Him of whom it had been said by the Spirit of prophecy," He shall be a priest upon His

*It is of the first importance that true Christians should bear in mind that the Apocalypse does not include any personal representation of the Son of God; and that any imagined or pretended portraiture of Him is either idolatrous or profane, If it be regarded with religious veneration, it is idolatrous; and if it be used for artistic ornamentation, such use is a profanation of His holy name.