the calf, and the young lion, and the fatling together." Gospel ministers are compared to oxen in scripture; and a lively emblem they are, when they have got the Saviour's yoke on their neck, feed themselves on the green pastures of God's word, abide by their Master's crib, and tread out the corn for others. "Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes no doubt this is written," says Paul. The third beast had a face as a man. This shews what they really are by nature, namely men, fallen men, but now redeemed from among men; and they were men in a militant state, or representatives of them, and not the spirits of just men made perfect; for if they were, they must look more like angels than men, nor could they be said to reign on the earth. And the fourth beast was like a flying eagle; which may represent their heavenly mindedness, the eagle being a very towering flyer, to which saints are often compared. They shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." This bird may denote their spiritual knowledge and penetration, the eagle being famous for strong and quick sight. Her eyes are said to behold afar off. She is said to be very sagacious, and can scent her prey at a distance; "Her eyes behold afar off; from thence she seeketh her prey; and where the slain are, there is she," Job xxxix. 29, 30; which may pre

figure ministers, whose souls feed on Christ's flesh and blood, in a spiritual sense, by faith, and find it the only food that can entertain the troubled mind, or satisfy a wounded conscience. "My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed; and except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you."

These beasts are further described, by having six wings; perhaps in allusion to the seraphims in Isaiah, each having six wings; "with twain he covered his face, with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly," Isaiah vi. 2. The covering their faces may shew their bashfulness and modesty in the presence of God, as virgin souls. Their covering their feet betokens their unworthiness and unprofitableness to God; "When you shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say ye, We are unprofitable servants." Their flying denotes their delight and alacrity in the work of the Lord, in spreading his gospel, as an angel is represented as flying through the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach upon earth, Rev. xiv. 6; which angel is a minister of the gospel; a man by nature, only an angel by office. Angels are not proper creatures to preach the gospel to us. They have not our infirmities about them; nor could we sit under them with any comfort. Their celestial language would be as much above the language of Canaan, as ours is above the language of Egypt. We must have our treasure out of earthen vessels, or else

we should be ready to cry out, under angelic teaching, as Daniel did, "My comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength."

These beasts are said to be full of eyes within, Rev. iv. 8; which may denote the divine light that shines within them. "God, who caused the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts," says Paul. This makes a man appear full of eyes, and a world of corruptions are discovered, both in himself and others. It is in God's light we see light; and whatsoever maketh manifest is light. They had need be full of eyes within and without; for they have enemies on every side, besides taking an oversight of the flock, and watching for their souls as them that must give an acThere must be also a watching the hand of Providence, and the hand of God in the fulfilment of the prophecies, which are daily unfolding more or less; and as watchmen they must give warning of approaching dangers, and observe the rising and declining of the gospel sun, which seems daily going down over many prophets; besides their watchfulness as shepherds, to observe and detect foxes and ravenous wolves, who will not spare the flock; nor even the chief shepherd himself, if they had but power equal to their will, and could get at him,

count.

"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 before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne," Rev. iv. 9, 10. Another proof, and I think a sufficient one, that these beasts are ministers of the gospel; because here they are represented as beginning the worship of God, and leading it on. Under the old dispensation the ministering servant blessed the sacrifice, and then those eat that were bidden, 1 Sam. ix, 13. Under the gospel, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, are to be made, 1 Tim. ii. 1. Thus preachers lead the worship, and the people follow after; as is represented here: the four beasts begin, and the elders fell down and worshipped.

John is shewn in this vision how ministers look in God's eyes, however they may appear in their own, called beasts; for such the most humble and most enlightened have often called themselves; and such the children of this world have often thought them, or Paul would never have complained, "We are as sheep accounted for the slaughter." By their having the face of a lion, and the face of a calf, it shews there is something of the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and something of Christ the fatted calf about them; and by the face of the eagle and the man, it insinuates that there is something of the voracious nature of the former belonging to the latter. This daring face of the man shews how self will at times make a discovery that

the best of men have like passions with the worst, James v. 17; or else one of the best of men would never have complained of a body of death, nor commanded the putting off the old man with his deeds; which leads me to my third head; which was to shew, who these four and twenty elders are that fall down and worship with the beasts.

In the days of Moses the tribe of Levi was chosen out of all the rest of the tribes of Israel, to minister before the Lord, wait at the altar, and do the service of the sanctuary. This election was of God, and made manifest by a miracle; namely, by Aaron's rod budding and bearing almonds, while the other eleven rods had nothing about them but a name. This ministerial tribe, being chosen of God, called to the office, and confirmed in it by a miracle, most beautifully prefigured the elected church of God in gospel times, when every believer should know his election, and see his calling clear; officiate in a better tabernacle, for the Lord is his sanctuary; offer more acceptable sacrifices, in the Spirit, and wait at a better altar: "We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat, which serve the tabernacle." Hence God promised to take some from the Gentile nations, and indulge them with the glorious privileges of this tribe: "And they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles. And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the Lord."

Thus we see the election, calling, and miraculous confirmation of this tribe, is now to be found