events which it foretells, in fo far at leaft as, by that knowledge, to ftrengthen and fupport their faith and patience. Though this revelation was from God, yet, like every other bleffing of the gofpel, it was communicated through the mediation of Jesus Christ. Jefus did not himself reveal the whole of it to John; but he employed an angel to fhew a great part of it to him. Why Jefus employed an angel to fhew unto John, what he could eafily have done himself? whether there is one particular angel, who is dif tinguished from all the other angels by the appellation of Chrift's angel? or what particular angel this one was, who was employed to fhew unto John the things which should fhortly come to pafs? are queftions more calculated to gratify a vain, and perhaps a criminal curiofity, even a defire of " being wife "above what is written," than to promote knowledge and virtue. But the plain and unequivocal meaning of the words now under our view is, that an angel was employed by Chrift to fhew to the author of this book the things which must come to pass. That in fact an angel was employed for this purpose, iş evident from chap. xix. ver. 10, and chap, xxii, ver. 8, 9.

The author of this book ftiles himself John. That he was the Apostle John appears evident in the expli cation of fome of the following verfes of this chapter, John tells us in what manner he executed the commiffion with which he was vefted. "He bare record;" or,

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as iuagrupno, the word in the original, fignifies, he gave teftimony as a witnefs does. He delivered no conjectures nor opinions of his own. He candidly and impartially narrated matters of fact, just as he had heard and feen them; particularly, he wrote thofe things which God revealed unto him," the word "of God;" thofe things which Jefus teftified unto him," the teftimony of Jefus ;" and the vifions which appeared to his mind," and the things "which he faw." Like a faithful witnefs, he not only teftified nothing but what he heard and faw, but he teftified alfo all that he heard and faw, relative to the things which muft fhortly come to pass.

VER. 3. Bleffed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep these things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

On reading thefe words, one is ready to conclude that the apostle had forefeen, with what neglect and contempt this gofpel prophecy fhould be treated, in almost every age and country, by too many even of those who are called Chriftians, and who dare not call in queftion its authenticity as a part of infpired feripture; and therefore he not only cautions them against that neglect and contempt, but produces the moft direct and strong anfwers to the very objections which they make to the ftudy of this

book.

book, Though they acknowledge it to be a part of divine revelation, they fay it is folly and prefumption to read, hear, or ftudy it; for it is unintelligible, and therefore can never profit them. But John fays, "Bleffed is he that readeth, and they that

hear the words of this prophecy, and keep "thofe things which are written therein; for the "time is at hand." John calls this book a prophecy, that is, a predicton of future events through the infpiration of God. Every one, acquainted with the Old Teftament difpenfation, knows that there are many prophecies in the fcriptures of the Old Tellament; that they were expreffed in dark and hieroglyphical language; that thofe of them, which predicted events which were to happen before this day, have been minutely fulfilled in the courfe of divine providence; and that, whenever the event took place, the minute and exact correfpondence between the prediction and the event, was evident to every perfon who examined them with knowledge, candour, and diligence,

In the New Teftament there are many fhort and detached predictions: Thofe of them, which referred to events which were to take place before the age in which we live, have been fully verified in the events; and thole of them, which refpect events yet to come, fhall be accomplished in due time. But, as in the Old Teftament, there was a chain of prophecy, by which the days of Ifaiah, of Daniel,

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I might go back to the earliest times, and fay, the days of Mofes, of Jacob, of Abraham, and even of Adam, were connected with the coming of Chrift in human nature, and with the great events close-ly connected with that most important æra: So, in the New Teflament, this book contains a closely connected thain of prophecy, relative to the various events which should happen to the church of Christ, or kingdom of heaven," from the day in which John wrote it, until the diffolution of this earth.

The following qualities feem infeparable from prophecy; at leaft they are found in every prophecy which I have confidered; and appear to me to be closely connected with the very nature of prophecy.

ft, That the prophecies are expreffed in dark, but never in contradictory language.

2d, That, before their accomplishment, the great outlines of the events may be discovered with certainty; but not all the minute circumftances.

3d, That, the nearer the time of their accomplishment approaches, more of the predictions may be known; and that, after the events have happened, the most exact correspondence may be traced between every circumftance of the events and the predictions. And,

4th, That, neither before the event fhall the general meaning of the prophecy, nor after the event fhall the full meaning of it, appear to the genera

lity of mankind; but they fhall appear to those perfons only, who ftudy it with competent knowledge, uprightness, and diligence. If prophecy were not poffeffed of thefe qualities, it would defeat its own end. By being clearly foreseen by those perfons who fhould be the inftruments of bringing them about, the events would be prevented. For instance, is it ever to be fuppofed that, if the individual Jews who crucified Jefus had clearly feen, from the antient prophecies, that he was the Meffiah, and that his kingdom was not of this world, and yet that with wicked hands they were to crucify and flay him, that they would have done fo? Without these qualities, prophecy could not be a proper trial of candour, diligence, faith, and patience. these it bears a close analogy to the nature of moral and religious evidence, which enlightens and perfuades the upright and the diligent, whilft it does not forcibly controul the prejudifed, the partial, and the indolent. By thefe it proves the foreknowledge and determination of God, in confiftency with the liberty of moral agents.

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From these observations, the force of the motives to read and hear this book, ftated in this verse, may appear. We ought to read and study it with candour and diligence. And, as it must be publicly read and explained in Chriftian congregations, as a part of that fcripture "which is given by inspira"tion of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for re

"proof,