honor, and glory and blessing,-and the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever." These last words are part of the character Christ took to himself in the first of the Revelations: and therefore we may conclude, it is he who is meant, when they are so often repeated in that book, and always with the highest worship, adoration, and praise, ascribed to him, both by angels and men.

At the close of these revelations, Jesus, the divine author of them, certifies John concerning the accomplishment of the events." He* who testifieth these things, things, saith, surely I come quickly." To which John replies in a most solemn address, which every one who is longing for the coming of their LORD will join with him in, Amen. Even so, "come LORD JESUS."

Were it not that this section is too long already, the utility and advantages of this truth might be shewed to the right knowledge of revelation, and the practice of religion. It renders many texts plain and agreeable to the general scope of scripture, which have been tortured with unnatural expositions, and been reckoned unintelligible, without the assistance of figures and metaphors, as prolepses (speaking of things before they were done) or catachreses, (calling GoD a man, angel, messenger, captain, &c. without actual union to human nature) which not one of a hundred that read the bible knows any thing about. It makes an agreeable connection betwixt the old and new testament, and brings the scope of both into an easy point of view; and consequently recommends the duty of searching the scriptures to the unlearned

*Rev. xxii, 20, 21.

part of mankind. The multiplicity of interpretations by commentators, and their contrariety, have not only incumbered the sense of many passages, but given adversaries occasion to insult, as if the bible was a volume of absurd and inconsistent things, which must discourage many sincere inquirers after truth.

Whereas the scheme of revealed truth, particularly what relates to Christ, is harmoniously connected; and the further light we get into any part of his character, never fails to shed divine brightness over all the other parts taken in connection: the terms which express the character of Christ, become familiar and plain, which have appeared dark, if not unintelligible. When we read of the light, fire, bright cloud, &c. in which GoD spake, of his being light,-of his face, presence, glory, the power of God, the wisdom of God, and many others, we know what idea should be prefixed to them, as various parts of his character, who has managed all the dispensations of providence, grace, and mercy, to the children of men.

It tends greatly to exalt the character of Christ in our conceptions, as it spreads a lustre over all the parts of his glorious administration, in the various transactions recorded in revelation. The more we are acquainted with his government, the more just honor will we put upon him: and be more completely furnished with answers to the adversaries of his proper Deity,-support this part of our christian profession,-vindicate the honors of our blessed Lord,-invite such as have opposed it through the prejudice of education, and others who are ignorant through inattention to embrace the truth.

T

It must also raise our views of his wisdom and power to admiration. There have been many mighty monarchies upon earth, but none in a proper sense could ever be called universal, but that of Jesus Christ, who has without interruption been supreme ruler over all. He alone continued to reign in spite of death itself, which puts a period to the rule of other monarchs. In infinite wisdom, and uncontrolable power he has managed all nations, in all their various vicissitudes that have been upon earth, without neglecting the interests of every individual in the universal system. And though the reasonable part of his subjects have always acted as free agents, yet, by the providence of this supreme ruler, every thing has been so directed, as to answer the great ends of his government, which extends to the most minute actions. Nor hath the change of times or circumstances, opposition greater or lesser, ever made the least defect in the unalterable principles on which he carries on his government, as well over the intellectual powers of the mind, as the external actions of the body.

His paternal love and care over his church, appear in most lively colors, through all the periods of his administration: counterplotting Satan, the declared enemy of his people, by means every way suited to their salvation and safety,-raising up one prophet after another, and frequently honoring them with appearances and manifestations of himself for their direction and comfort. Thus actually rejoicing in the habitable parts of the earth, and delighting to converse with the sons of men: and in the fulness of time, condescended so low, as to divest himself of the form of God, the glorious Shekinah, in which he appeared, spoke, and acted in the character of God; and take upon him the

form of a servant,-make himself of no reputation, and submit to the ignominious death of the cross. Here the Devil, and the powers of this world, his combined enemies, were permitted to wreck all the premeditated vengeance which their hellish cunning could invent, or their tyranny could execute. Notwithstanding, he shewed their wisdom to be folly, and their power impotence; he triumphed over death, the Devil, and all his agents: rose from the dead, established upon the foundation of his own blood, the unerring plan of his future government, and perpetual reign over a kingdom of kings and priests, who shall for ever triumph in him as their king, who hath taken unto him his great power, and doth and shall for ever reign.

PART II.

SECTION I.

IN this second part, I shall endeavor to shew - that the names, or relative characters, FATHER, SON, and WORD, HOLY GHOST, or SPIRIT, are descriptive of the distinct parts they sustain in the DIVINE ECONOMY,* revealed in the sacred word.

The word ECONOMY, so frequently used in this work, especially in the two last parts, is compounded of two Greek words, OIKOS, which signifies a house, and NOMOS, which signifies a rule or law. In its sense, it is a scriptural phrase, used by God himself, Ezek. xliii. 10, 11, 12. “Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Israel,-shew them the laws thereof,-and all the ordinances thereof. Behold, this is the LAW OF THE HOUSE," ECONOMY, or what God hath revealed concerning his house, the church. The ideas commonly prefixed to it in English are, 1. The management or government of a family or house. 2. Good husbandry, or frugality in expence. 3. The method used in governing or ruling. 4. The disposition or arrangement of the parts of a work. 5. The taking measures rightly for giving a fabric a convenient form. When I speak of the divine economy, I include the most of these ideas, as far as they have any relation to what God hath revealed concerning the order and government of his works in general, and the church in particular, which in scripture is called his house; or the whole of God's revealed dispensation concerning angels and men: and by ECONOMICAL, I understand, what belongs to the regulation or management of that dispensation. Hence this term, in its signification, points out the terms Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, as relative names, gruciously assumed in sovereign condescension in carrying on the great plan revealed by God in his word: and is opposed to the common notion of these names, being natural or necessary, and essential in Deity, which at once destroys the freedom and sovereignty of God in all his dispensations, which have any relation to these names.