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Sanhedrim they regarded him as unlearned and ignorant-yet this man, of no importance in the estimation of the world, is accounted worthy to be the channel of this divine revelation. This is the sarne who "bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he ṣaw.”

"Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein."

Here is encouragement to all to read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest the sacred contents of this book; a blessing from God is promised to the reader, and to such as hear it read, and preserve in memory the things which are written therein.

For the time is at hand."

This is a reiteration of the former statement that the things must shortly come to pass, and also a reason why we should become acquainted with those things, that, when they are being fulfilled, we may know that the Judge is at the door. If the time was at hand when this revelation was given, how much nearer must it now be! If the night was then far spent, how much farther spent now! The great work to be done between the first and second coming was the calling of the Gentiles. "God hath visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for his name." When "the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled then shall the end come." Now the times of the Gentiles have been of equal length with those of the Israelitish nation, from the date of their exodus from Egypt; and, being so, it may reasonably be inferred that the time is really at hand.

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"John, to the Seven Churches which are in Asia." The Seven Churches are those over which John presided after his release from exile; they were placed under his special jurisdiction. And Ephesus became his abode after the martyrdom of Timothy. The Epistles were for all churches, through all time, and until his coming again. The number seven is used as a symbol for completeness, and represents the One Universal Church.

"Grace be unto you and peace.'

Grace is communicated from God; in ourselves we are graceless-for in us, that is in our flesh, there dwelleth no good thing—and so the apostle testified, saying, "By the grace of God I am what I am," but to every one that asketh it shall be given." "If any of you lack wisdom (saith St. James) let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him." Grace is to the soul what the sun and the rain are to the soil, and as the sun and rain come on all soils, so the grace of God cometh on all men, for the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many, even to as many as have become dead through the offence of one man. The grace of God to all appears in bringing salvation to all. The kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man, appears, in that he died for all-and he died for all, because all were dead-but this grace may be received in vain, it may come as the rain comes upon the ground, which bringeth forth thorns and briers, and which is rejected and is nigh unto cursing; grace may descend on hard and stony hearts, which are utterly insensible to its genial influence, it may be rejected, and so be withdrawn ; but

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to them who perceive the grace of God in his kindness toward us by Christ Jesus, it will be continued. Such receive grace upon grace. They receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness, and shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ. They are as the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, and receiveth blessing from God. Many resist the grace of God, and so continue without God because they love darkness. The Churches of Asia had received the grace of God. The apostle therefore desired for them that grace might continue and increase, and so their peace would abound.

"From him who is, and who was, and who is to come."

This is a declaration of the eternity of God's existence. "From everlasting to everlasting thou art God." Whatsoever is created had a commencement, but the uncreated God had none. There is a date to the first atom of the universe, and before that date there was an eternal past in which Jehovah alone existed, possessing then, as now, all those infinite perfections with which he is endowed. Such as he was, such he is, and such he ever will be, " without variableness or shadow of turning," in all the undiminished splendours of his own infinite greatness.

'And from the seven spirits who are before his throne."

The number seven is used as a symbol of completeness or perfection of unity--this is the one only Spirit of the Father and of the Son, who proceedeth from both. The seven days forming the week signify the completeness of the works of creation, for " God saw every

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thing that he had made, and behold it was very good." The seven horns, which appear upon the Lamb as it had been slain, denote all fulness of power, as it is written, "All power is given unto Me in heaven and on earth." Angels are spirits "great in power and might," but have limits both as to power and knowledge, but the Spirit of God, here designated as the "Seven spirits of God," is infinite and limitless, for, "Whither shall we go from Thy presence, whither shall we flee from Thy Spirit." He proceedeth from the Father and the Son, and yet in personality is distinct from both, "for there are three that bare record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one." The distinctness of the personality of the Holy Ghost appears from the words of Christ to his disciples, when about to leave them. It is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away the comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart I will send him unto you and in these epistles all are invited to hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. To have the Spirit of God dwelling within us is to have also the Father and the Son, for "If a man love me he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him." Thus the Father and the Son are present in the person of the Holy Ghost, whose divinity is attested by the declaration of the apostle, "For the Spirit searcheth all things, even the deep things of God," and the deep things of God can only be penetrated by one who is equal with God. Thus the Holy Ghost, even as the Son, counts it no robbery to be equal with God, although humbling himself to take a subordinate place for the glory of the triune God. To him is assigned the unceasing employment of being the great operator and doer in all, and through

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all, as it is written, "I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh," and again, "I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them."

And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth."

"The faithful witness."

To witness is to bear testimony of another, and this then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all," he testified to the world that "God is love," and that "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life," he was in his own person the living image or likeness of God; they who saw him saw the Father, he was the declarer of God, and the faithful witness for God. He came a light into the world, that whosoever believed in him might not abide in darkness but might have the light of life. To be ignorant of God's character is to be in darkness, and in spiritual death; believing his testimony concerning God, we emerge into light, and this light is life. And "thus God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, shineth in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of his glory in the face of Jesus Christ. Christ is the reflex of God, and therefore the "faithful witness.”

"And the first begotten from the dead."

"He is the first that should rise from the dead and should shew light unto the people and to the Gentiles." He is the first-born among many brethren,