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MAN clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz.

His body also was like beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.

V. I beheld till the thrones of the earth were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool; his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.

A fiery stream issued before him, thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thou sand stood before him.

I saw, and behold one like the SON OF MAN came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

And there were given him dominion and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

ANNOTATIONS AND REFLECTIONS.

From the former part of these extracts we may under. stand, that the Divine Being, called the LORD under the Mosaic dispensation, was the ONE eternal GOD, the Creator of heaven and earth, and the preserver and deliverer of Israel; yet in several parts of the Old Testament we read, that God is invisible, that no man has seen GOD at any time. The term invisible refers to GoD as the FATHER, who, in respect to his infinite ma. jesty and greatness, cannot be seen by any creatures but we learn from many parts of Scripture that the

DEITY

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DEITY made his PRESENCE evident to the senses of men and angels, by a Person or Representative proceeding immediately from Himself, and of the same essence of nature, and that this Person or Representative is distinguished by the titles of the LORD, the LORD GOD, JEHOVAH the GLORY OF THE LORD, the WORD OF THE LORD, the LORD OF HOSTS, &c. and HE was frequently seen by the Patriarchs, and during the Mosaic dispensation, under these characters.

It appears from the Jewish history, that as a punishment for the sins of his chosen people, the LORD, (or. WORD, as St. John styles him) was hidden from them, only making occasional revelations of the DEITY to par-, ticular persons called Prophets; but to them he was revealed in visions, as sitting on a glorious throne in heaven, (as the GLORY of the LORD formerly sat between, the Cherubims on the ark,) representing the majesty of Gop, and worshipped by the heavenly host as GOD. They likewise beheld in the same manner the LORD, Or ANCIENT OF DAYS, He, whose goings forth had been of old from everlasting, receiving to himself the SON OF MAN, or MESSIAH, investing him with everlasting and univer sal dominion over all people, nations, and languages. From the New Testament we learn that at a time appointed by infinite wisdom, the LORD, or DIVINE WORD, took our nature to him, and appeared on earth, as MAN possessing human faculties, but displaying at the same time every property which former revelations, had taught mankind to ascribe to the DEITY. This wonderful Being was called JESUS CHRIST, the only begotten SON OF GOD. By his doctrine and miracles CHRIST proved, that the LORD of the people of Israel manifested his presence on earth in his person. It is therefore, the duty of Christians to acknowledge CHRIST

as

as their LORD, to worship the invisible God, whom he styled the FATHER, in him, and to form their ideas of the attributes of the DEITY from the history of the miracles and doctrine of him in whom the GODHEAD dwelt, and to whom alone, of all the human race, he was fully known.

Our SAVIOUR repeatedly declared, that he was united with the infinite eternal Go whom he styled his FaTHER; and that he should never be separated from him, but continue to all eternity what the sacred writings teach us the LORD or WORD had been from the very beginning, the executor of the divine Will to all creatures, and the visible representative of the invisible

DEITY.

We will now read some parts of the Revelations made to St. John, many years after our SAVIOUR's ascension, which prove that our blessed REDEEMER, according to his divine nature, was the same LORD who was revealed to the Prophets, and that his human nature was admitted to a participation of his divine glory.

SECTION

LIII.

EXTRACTS FROM THE BOOK OF REVELATIONS.

From Chap. i. iv. and v.

I. I JOHN, was in the isle that is called Patmos, I was in the spirit on the LORD's day; and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the

last.

And I turned to see what voice spake with me; and being turned, I saw

One like the son of man, clothed with a garment

down

down to the foot, and girt about the breasts with a golden girdle,

His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were

fire;

as a flame of

And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many

waters.

-And out of his month went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shining in his strength.

And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead: and he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last.

I am he that liveth, and was dead: and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and death.

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II. After this I looked, and behold a door was opened in heaven and the first voice which I heard, was as it were a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither; and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

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And immediately I was in the spirit, and behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper, and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.

And round about the throne were four and twenty seats and on the seats were four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

And out of the throne proceeded lightnings, and thunderings, and voices

And

And before the throne was a sea of chrystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and be hind.

And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.

And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within; and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, LORD GOD Almighty, which was, and is, and is to

come.

And when those beasts give glory, and honour, and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever

and ever,

The four and twenty elders fall down and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns be fore the throne, saying.

Thou art worthy, O LORD, to receive glory, and honour, and power for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are, and were created.

And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne, a book written within, and on the back side, sealed with seven seals.

And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?

And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.

And I wept much because no man was found worthy to open, and to read the book, neither to look. thereon.

And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not be

hold,

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