wondrous things. And blessed be his glorious name for ever and let the whole earth be filled with his

glory; Amen, and Amen.” (Ps. lxxii. 5—19.)

At the opening of the sealed book, the Lord goeth forth as a "mighty man :"-" conquering and to conquer"-and when the book has been opened, and when the trumpets have been sounded, great voices in heaven are heard saying, "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fall upon their faces, and worship God, saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy greatpower, and hast reigned." (See Rev. xi. 15-17.) The opening of the book may therefore be marked by the Lord's going forth to take unto himself his great power and to reign. It may also be marked by his taking possession of the mount Zion. For the Lord shall reign over his people in mount Zion for ever. (See Micah v. 7.) And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness. (See Isa. xvi. 5.)

And "the children of Israel shall return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days." (Hosea iii. 5.)

may

With "the latter days," the opening of the sealed book may be associated. For the colour of the horse that "went out" at the opening of the second seal may mark a reference to the appearance of the great red dragon before the travailing woman; and the seven heads, and ten horns, and seven crowns of the dragon, may intimate that when the dragon appears before the woman, Babylon's "seventh" King has come; and hence it be inferred, that the opening of the second seal is marked by the reign of Babylon's seventh king. And to this king, "a short space" only is allotted. (See Rev. xvii.) The rider, whose name is "Death," may be the eighth," ""the beast," who will be "alive," when the marriage of the Lamb is come :-therefore, but a short time may have to elapse, between the opening of the fourth seal and the marriage supper of the Lamb. (See Rev. vi. 8, and xix. 20.) See p. 62; and “The Beast."

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When the fifth seal is opened, the martyred saints have to wait but "a little season." And the signs that mark the opening of the sixth seal, may prelude the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. For “the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call." (Joel ii. 31, 32.)

Upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord's. (See Obadiah, 17-21.)

ZION.

"ARISE, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

"Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall

come unto thee. Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought. For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish.

"The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles and shalt suck the breast of kings and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

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Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself; for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.

"A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time."--(See Isa. lx.)

"AND there appeared a great wonder (or sign,') in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars and she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

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And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

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And she brought forth a man-child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

"And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days." (Rev. xii. 1-6.)

In the figurative language of Revelation, a woman