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twenty-four members, like the priests of the courses, two for each tribe, (1 Chron. xxiv.) but an unequal number was preferred, in order that upon a division on any vote or sentence, there might be a decisive majority. Either of these courts, the greater when reduced to twenty-three, or the less when full, resembles the session of these twenty-four elders in heaven; who, being now "made perfect," and placed beyond the reach of error in judgment, are represented as complete in their number, because unanimous in their decisions. In Isaiah xxiv. 23, the Supreme Lord is described as reigning before his Elders (geobulegwv) gloriously." Thus does he also appear in this passage of the Apocalypse. More observations on this body, will occur in the note below, ver. 6.

46

Ib. White raiment.] Such is the array of those, who, through faith, and the power of the Redeemer, are described as having overcome the enemies of their salvation, washing their garments white in the blood of the Lamb. This confirms us in the notion that these Elders are of "the redeemed from the earth."

Ib. Crowns of Gold.] See note, chap. ii. 10. Such are promised to the faithful throughout the Gospel. They shall reign with Christt; they shall receive "a "crown of righteousness, of life, of glory t." This is another confirmation that the Elders are of the redeemed from earth.

Ib. Lightnings, and thunderings, and voices.] With such terrific pomp the majesty of God appeared at Mount Sinai, and is thus represented frequently in the Book of Psalms.

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Ib. Seven lamps of fire.] These are not Auga, as in chap. i. 12, but λaurades: not the receptacles of the lights, but the lights themselves. We have the same imagery in Zech. iv. 1, 7, 10; on which the Angel observes, by way of explanation; "Not by might, nor 'by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts." Therefore, under this symbol was represented the Holy Spirit of God. This agrees perfectly with the representation before us, which will receive additional confirmation by recurring to chap. i. 4, and the note thereon; where the seven Spirits before the throne, appear evidently to represent the Third Person in the Holy Trinity.

Ib. A Sea, glassy.] The clearness and purity of water is expressed by the same image in the classical writers:

O fons Blandusiæ splendidior citro!

HOR.

And,

Vitreo daturus nomina Ponto,

IBID.

One of the sacred vessels in the ancient Temple was called the Sea. It was a large receptacle of water, thirty cubits in circumference, supported by twelve images of oxen*; and it was used for the purification of the priests. The Sea before the throne in heaven may be supposed to have a similar use and efficacy under the new covenant. Upon our Lord's coming, (as foretold by the Prophet Malachi †) he was "to purify the sons "of Levi;" to prepare, for them and for his "peculiar "people," the means of a more perfect purification, But what does this appear to be, by the whole tenour of

* 1 Kings vii. 2 Chron. iv. Joseph. Antiq. viii. iii, 6, 8.

+ Ch. iii. 3.

Tit. ii. 14.

Scripture,

Scripture, but his own precious blood, which alone cleanseth from sin*? Its purity and cleansing efficacy, are here expressed by the term van, glassy; which is in like manner applied to the heavenly Jerusalem in ch. xxi. 18, 21. And the martyrs, who are introduced as triumphant on this glassy Seat, obtain their conquest "by the blood of the Lamb;" in which they are represented to have "washed and made white their "robes." To those who attend to this connection of imagery, there can be little doubt, but that this purifying laver, clear as crystal, represents the blood of the Redeemer, which alone cleanses man from sin. Water, in baptism, represents this sacred blood; and therefore all the ancient commentators, down to Primasius, understood the glassy Sea to represent the laver of regeneration in Christian baptism §. But it seems to represent not only the water used in baptism, but that also which the water represents, the blood of the Redeemer.

Ib. Four.] This number is used frequently in Scripture to denote universality or completion |. It has this force naturally, from the figure and formation of the human body; which is so fashioned, as to occasion a four-fold division of the objects which sur, round it so that under the number four they are all comprehended. For instance, a man faces one quarter of the horizon, the south; he has the north behind him; his hands extended, point to the east and to the west. Hence is derived in Scripture the determination of these four cardinal points, and their corre

* 1 Pet. i. 19. 1 John i. 7.

+ Ch. xv, 2.

Ch. xii. 11. vii. 14. See also ch. i. 5.

§ See Andreas Cæsariensis, Arethas, Victorinus, and Primasius, in loc.

|| Prov, xxx, 18, &c.

Job xxiii. 8, 9.

sponding

sponding winds, "the four winds of heaven. And thus "the four corners of the land," are used to signify all the land t; whence Philo says, wavla ev Ty Telgadi ‡. So Pythagoras: Tetras omnium perfectissimus, radix omnium §. When, therefore, in the prophetic language, the number four is used, it implies universality or completion. In the present instance it seems to import that the whole throne, every side or corner of it, is surrounded by the living creatures; which are here described to be the body-guards and nearest attendants upon Him that sitteth thereon,

Ib. Living creatures.] The Greek is Za, very improperly translated beasts. A beast is inferior, these living creatures are far superior in intelligence, to man . I have adopted the term used by the Right Reverend Translator of Ezekiel and I mean to prove by a comparison of particulars, that the livingcreaturés, of Saint John, are the same celestial intelligences with those described by Ezekiel, and by Isaiah. The comparison will cast useful light on each of these prophetic descriptions. As the medium, or common measure, by which they may be brought together, we will use the Greek of the Septuagint, which will admit of the nearest comparison, and

Dan. vii. 2. xi. 4. Rev. vii. 1.

Isaiah xi. 12. Ezek. vii. 2.

All things are comprehended in the number FOUR, which completes the square. Пgs Mwσews, lib. iii. p. 152.

- Brucker de Pythag. i. p. 1053, 1054.

Plato has been observed to apply the term Zaos to God. (Dialog. Timæus.)-To which we may add, that Aristotle has done the same: Φαμεν δε τον Θεόν είναι ΖΩΟΝ αίδιον, αξιον. (Metaphysic. lib. xiv. cap. viii.) -Zwey is any thing which has life, and in its highest signification may be applied to Him who alone" has life in Himself;" John v. 26.

is probably the text which was used by the writer of

the Apocalypse*.

REV. iv. 6, 7, 8.

1. Τεσσαρα Ζώα

2. Εν μεσῷ τῷ Θρονο και κυκλῳ το Θρονα.
3. Γεμονία οφθαλμῶν ἔμπροσθεν και οπίσω
θερ-κυκλοθεν και εσωθεν.

4. Το πρωτον ομοιον λεοντιο
5. Το δεύτερον ομοιον μοσχῷ.
6. Το τρίτον εχον
θρωπος.

ΤΟ προσωπου ώς αγ

7. Το τέταρτον ομοιον αετῳ πετωμεν.

8. Τέσσαρα Ζῶα ἑν καθ ̓ ἑν αυτῶν ἔχον

ανα τλέρυγας έξι

9 Και αναπαυσιν εκ έχεσιν ἡμέρας και
νυκτος, λέγοντες, Αγιος, άγιος,
άγιος Κύριος ὁ Θεός ὁ παντοκρατωρ,
&
ην, και ὁ ὤν, καὶ ὁ ερχομενος.

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From this comparison, (in which all the expressions of the writer of the Apocalypse, describing the "living creatures," are contrasted with like expressions taken from the visions of Ezekiel and of Isaiah,) it must appear, that all these descriptions are derived from the same original, and that, whatsoever may seem to be the difference between the Seraphim of Isaiah, and the Cherubim of Ezekiel, it is here reconciled by their being brought into comparison with a third common measure, namely, the "living creatures" of Saint John's vision. I shall present to the reader some additional observations on the several passages, referring to them as numbered in the foregoing scheme.

3

• See Lightfoot, Hor. Heb. on Matt. i.

1. The

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