The Face of the Deep (on Revelation); Poems

IF thou canst dive, bring up pearls. If thou canst not dive, collect amber. Though I fail to identify Paradisiacal " bdellium," I still may hope to search out beauties of the " onyx stone."

A dear saint— I speak under correction of the Judgment of the Great Day, yet think not then to have my word corrected —this dear person once pointed out to me Patience as our lesson in the Book of Revelations.

Following the clue thus afforded me, I seek and hope to find Patience in this Book of awful import. Patience, at the least: and along with that grace whatever treasures beside God may vouchsafe me. Bearing meanwhile in mind how I* to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin."

Now if any deign to seek Patience in my company, I pray them to remember that One high above me in the Kingdom of Heaven heads our pilgrim caravan.

From Patience with her silver ray:

For Patience shows a twilight f<

Like a half-lighted moon When daylight dies apace.

But ye who love to-morrow, Beg or borrow

To-day some bitterness of sorrow: For Patience shows a lustrous face In depth of night her noon; Then to her sun gives place.

1. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto

Him, to show unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant John:

2. Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

''Things which must shortly come to pass." — At the end of 1800 years we are still repeating this " shortly," because it is the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ: thus starting in fellowship of patience with that blessed John who owns all Christians as his brethren (see ver. 9).

More marvellous than many marvels subsequently revealed is that initiatory marvel, the dignity of Him Who ministers to His own servants. For God Almighty it is Who gives to Jesus Christ His Co-Equal Son a Revelation for man. It reaches us through Angel and Apostle, but these are the channel, not the fountain-head, as St. Paul writes to his Corinthian converts: " What hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?"

Wherefore are we God's creatures? To the end that He may do us good. Wherefore are we Christ's servants? To the end that He may save us. And how helped He His fallen creatures? By taking their damage upon Himself. And how took He in hand to save His servants? By sacri ficing Himself for them. Did He at all need us as servants? Nay, but we needed Him.

Thee we needed, Thee we need, O Only Almighty, Allmerciful Redeemer. As Thou for us who needed Thee, so

grant that we may spend ourselves for any who need us; nor desire to have servants or dependents or inferiors except so far as we may do them good, requiting to them what Thou hast done to us.

We may not connect so human a virtue as patience with the blessed Angels, because exemption from sin seems to entail incapacity for certain graces. But St. John, of like passions with ourselves, may indeed have needed patience to " prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings " of that " whole world " whereof he himself avers that it lieth in wickedness.

"The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to show unto His servants things which must... come to pass." — Christ reveals to us these things, and by virtue of His Spirit dwelling in us, these and all things reveal to us Christ. For while this Book abounds in the terror of the Lord, through and above tumult of multitudes and their voice as of voluminous waters or of mighty thunderings sounds the dear word, " It is I; be not afraid."

Teach us, O Lord, to fear Thee without terror, and to trust Thee without misgiving: to fear Thee in love, until it please Thee that we shall love Thee without fear.

" To show unto His servants." — The promise is to " His servants " only, in accordance with our Lord's own words: " If any man will do His Will, he shall know of the doctrine...": he, not another. Obedience is the key of knowledge, not knowledge of obedience. Yet this showing is not the same as explaining: truths or events are certified to us, ar.d in conse quence we know them; but it by no means follows that we can account for them or foresee the time or the manner of their coming to pass. Even St. Paul was content to class himself with his hearers when he wrote, "We know in part." And St. Peter attests how the prophets " inquired and searched diligently... searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify... Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto -themselves, but unto us they did minister..."

Seems it a small thing to minister rather than to be ministered unto? Nay: for thus did the Lord Jesus, Who likewise said, " It is more blessed to give than to receive."

" The goodly fellowship of the Prophets praise Thee."

Things there are which "the angels desire to look into."

Somewhat of the manifold Wisdom of God was not known unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places until the Church brought it to light.

" Therefore, with Angels and Archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify Thy Glorious Name, evermore praising Thee."

O Gracious Saviour, Who declaredst unto St. Peter, " What I do, thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter "; give us grace now to answer Thee with his final submission, that hereafter we may adore Thee with his insight.

O Gracious Saviour, Who bestowedst upon St. John a great glory of humility when he bare record how Thou saidst not of him, " He shall not die," grant unto us in mortal life humility, and in life immortal glory.

"Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ." Elsewhere St. John writes: " If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater." All truth is venerable, let who will propound it; now an Apostle, at another time Caiaphas. Our Lord Himself said: " Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man." Clearly then the Truth is to be believed not for his word's sake who records it, but for His Verity's sake Who reveals it.

O Lord Jesus Christ, who art Truth and Wisdom, reveal Thyself unto us, we beseech Thee. Thou art not far from every one of us. Grant us good-will to draw nigh unto Thee, Who deignest to draw nigh unto us.

" Who bare record... of all things that he saw." Blessed he who once and again saw and believed. None the less Christ's promise stands sure to ourselves: " Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."

O Saviour of men, Who sufferest not Thy beloved Disciple to exclude us, even us, from any height or depth of beatitude, give us grace to be of those blessed who not seeing believe.

3. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep tbos^ things which are written therein, for the time is at hand.

" Understandest thou what thou readest? " asked Philip the Deacon of the Ethiopian Eunuch. And he said, " How can I, except some man should guide me? " Whereupon flowed forth to him the stream of light, knowledge, and love. Yet not then did his illumination commence: it already was his in a mea sure to enjoy, respond to, improve, even before his father in God preached Christ unto him. What could he do before that moment? He could study and pray, he could cherish hope, exercise love, feel after Him Whom as yet he could not intelligently find.

So much at least we all can do who read, or who hear, this Book of Revelations: thus claiming, and by God's bounty inheriting, the covenanted blessing of such readers and hearers. Any who pray and love enjoy already no stinted blessing. Even the will to love is love.

A reader and hearers stand in graduated degrees of know ledge or of ignorance, as the case may be. The reader study ing at first hand is in direct contact with God's Word: hearers seek instruction of God through men. The reader requires most gifts: hearers may exercise fully as much grace. Most of us are hearers: having performed conscientiously the duty of hearers, we shall be the less prone to make mistakes if ever providentially promoted to be readers. Our dearest Lord, Who deigned to become the pattern of every grade of aspirant, as a Boy showed hearers how to hear (St. Luke ii. 46, 47); and as a Man showed readers how to read (St. Luke iv. 16 — 27).

Lord, I am feeble and of mean account; Thou Who dost condescend as well as mount,

Lord, if Thou grant me grace to hear and see Thy very Self Who stoopest thus to me,

It suffices not to read or to hear the words of this prophecy, except we also " keep those things which are written therein."' How keep them? One part in one way, another part in another: the commandments by obedience, the mysteries by thoughtful reception; as blessed Mary, herself a marvel, kept mysterious intimations vouchsafed to her, and pondered them in her heart. Yet never had she gone on in pursuit of all mysteries and all knowledge if she had not first answered in simple obedience: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word."

O bountiful Lord, to Whom they who do the will of God are as brother and sister and mother, number us in that blessed company, that here we may obey and suffer as Thy patient exiles, and hereafter rule and rejoice as Thy nearest and dearest.

"Blessed are they... for the time is at hand." Even now, eighteen centuries later, we know not when that cry shall be made, " Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him." Nevertheless the time was then at hand, for so the Bible certifies us, and still must it be at hand. What time? Doubtless the time of fulfilment after fulfilment until all be fulfilled. Likewise also that (so to say) secondary time when each one of us, having done with mortal life and pro bation, shall await judgment. For truly the end of all flesh is at hand, whether or not we possess faith to realize how a thousand years and one day are comparable in the Divine sight.

" A thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night."

Blessed are the wise virgins whose lamps burn on unto the endless end. " Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when He cometh shall find watching." " If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."

"The time is at hand," ever at hand; yet it waits long for us: " Who knoweth if he will return and repent? " But if we will not return or repent, " iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall... whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant."

O Lord God of time and eternity, Who makest us creatures of time to the end that when time is over we may attain to Thy blessed eternity; with time, Thy gift, give us also wisdom to redeem the time, lest our day of grace be lost. For our Lord Jesus' sake. Amen.

Astonished Heaven looked on when man was made, When fallen man reproved seemed half forgiven;

A mighty multitude of quickened dead; Christ's love outnumbering ten times sevenfold seven.

4. John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from Him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before His throne;

5. And from Jesus Christ, Who is the faithful Witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood,

6. And hath made us kings and priests unto God and His

Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

" John to the seven Churches." — Gracious the speaker, because his mouth was filled with a grace not his own. Whoso speaketh for God must take heed to speak like God. If St. Paul made himself all things to all men, that he might by all means save some, how much more Christ! St. John saluteth, but not with his own salutation: " What hast thou that thou hast not received? "

Nothing perhaps ever brought more vividly home to me the condescension, not of the servant, but of the Master, than once when at a Communion which was to me almost a sick Com munion, the Celebrant in administering moved a chair slightly for my greater convenience. " He knoweth whereof we are made; He remembereth that we are but dust."

" Grace be unto you, and peace." — Before we tremble, God reassures us. " Yea, like as a father pitieth his own children, even so is the Lord merciful unto them that fear Him."

O God Almighty, by Whom and before Whom we all are brethren, grant us so truly to love one another, that evidently and beyond all doubt we may love Thee. Through Jesus Christ Thy Son, our Lord and Brother. Amen.

"Grace... and peace." — "Thou shalt keep him in perfect peaca whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee."

" From Him which is, and which was, and which is to come." — Not "was— is — is to come." " Is" abides perpetual, unalterable, dominant. Antecedent to creatures, antecedent to time, is revealed to our finite conception by " was ": out lasting time, by " is to come ": whilst parallel with creatures, with time, with all beginnings and all ends, abides the eternal "is." We creatures of time, who might instinctively have written " was — is — is to come," are thus helped, not indeed to understand, but to adore the inconceivable, eternal,

" And from the Seven Spirits which are before His throne." — These words appear to correspond with those of Isaiah: " The Spirit of the Lord... the Spirit of wisdom and understand ing, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord." Also with the description of the golden candlestick in the Mosaic Tabernacle: "And thou shall make a candlestick of pure gold... And thou shall make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light..."

A mystery confronts us. We read of Seven, yet we dare not think except as of One.

" O God the Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son: have mercy upon us, miserable sinners." "Lighten our darkness, we beseech Thee, O Lord."

Multitude no less than Unity characterizes various types of God the Holy Spirit. Water indefinitely divisible, and every portion equivalent in completeness to the whole. Fire kind ling unlimited flames, each in like manner complete in itself. Dew made up of innumerable drops: so also rain, and if we may make the distinction, showers. A cloud as a cloud is one, while as raindrops it is a multitude. And as in division each portion is a complete whole devoid of parts, so equally in reunion all portions together form one complete whole simi larly devoid of parts: let drops or let flames run together, and there exists no distinction of parts in their uniform volume.

" Before His throne." — As the golden candlestick stood before the Holy of Holies.

"And from Jesus Christ, Who Is the Faithful Witness." — Not John, but Jesus: or rather Jesus through John, and John only because of Jesus. St. John, the Apostle of love, becomes here the mouthpiece of very Love. So that in this Apocalypse not glories only, joys unutterable, perfection, are witnessed to us by Love, but terrors likewise, doom, the Judgment, the opened Books, the lake of fire. Love reveals to us these things, threatens now that it may spare then, shows us de struction lest we destroy ourselves.

Let us not in all our tremblings forget or doubt that it is Faithful Love which speaketh.

My God, Thyself being Love Thy heart is love, And love Thy Will and love Thy Word to us, Whether Thou show us depths calamitous Or heights and flights of rapturous peace above.

That we may tread Thy courts felicitous, Loving Who loves us, for our God is Love. Lo, if our God be Love through heaven's long day,

Love was He through all aeons that are told. We change, but Thou remainest; for Thine age

Is, Was, and Is to come, nor new nor old; We change, but Thou remainest: yea, and yea!

"The Faithful Witness" demands faith: "the First Begotten of the dead " invites hope: " the Prince of the kings of the earth " challenges obedience. Now faith may be dead, hope presumptuous, obedience slavish. But "He that loved us" thereby wins our love: and forthwith by virtue of love faith lives, hope is justified, obedience is enfranchised.

Loveless faith is dead, being alone. Loveless hope leads to shame. Loveless obedience makes fair the outside, but within is rottenness. Balaam seems to exemplify all three.

"Without shedding of blood is no remission," wherefore Christ washed us from our sins in His own blood.

But God Almighty declared of old: " Surely your blood of your lives will I require." Whence it follows that if after such cleansing we give ourselves over to pollution, we become guilty of the Blood of the Lord, and bring upon ourselves destruction. Our sins crucified Him once, and He forgave and cleansed us: if by obstinate sin we crucify the Son of God afresh, who shall again cleanse or forgive us? for there remaineth no more offering for sins.

Lord, by Thy Love of us, that great Love wherewith Thou hast loved us, let not our latter end be worse than our beginning.

" Kings and Priests." — At the least and lowest, each of us king with subject self to rule; priest with leprous self to examine and judge. At one step higher "the King's face gives grace," and we edify our brethren. " Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." Another step upward, and we execute our priestly function of intercession, offering up prayers and thanks for all men: and highest of all, we offer up ourselves to God in will and in deed as His reasonable and lively sacrifice, beseeching Him to sanctify and accept our selfoblation.

O Good Lord God, Who uniting us with Thine everlasting King and Priest Jesus Christ, makest us unworthy in Him to be Thy kings and priests, constitute us what Thou requirest, endow us with what Thou desirest. Give us royal hearts to give back ourselves to Thee Who bestowest all, and priestly hearts to sacrifice ourselves to Thee, and keep back nothing, through the grace of Thine indwelling Holy Spirit, by Whom Christ dwells in His members. We ask this for His sake, for \Vhose sake we cannot ask too much. Amen.

Long and dark the nights, dim and short the days, Mounting weary heights on our weary ways,

Thee our God we praise. Scaling heavenly heights by unearthly ways, Thee our God we praise all our nights and days,

"The First begotten of the dead." — "The Firstborn of every creature." — '; He is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto Him." — "To this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that He might be Lord both of the dead and living." Thus tenderly does God provide for all estates of men, whether dead or alive. Though His elect be dead, He accounts and keeps them alive in Christ, and blots not their names out of the book of His remembrance, and suffers not earth so to cover their btood that they should be overlooked, and knows whence to recover their dust, and holds their souls in His hand. " The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them... They are in peace."

St. Paul has left us words of mutual comfort: " I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

And years before, as one whom his mother comforteth, saintly Martha had been comforted by Christ Himself: "I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die." Amen, Good Lord.

"The seven Churches in Asia" on whom first alighted so great a benediction ceased centuries ago to flourish locally: nevertheless the Divine salutation has not returned unto God empty. All Christendom being the abode of the Son of peace, peace rests upon it and will rest to the end, although without respect of particular place or particular person. Those Seven Churches are representative of the entire Church Militant, the number seven standing for completeness: as seven tints paint the rainbow, and Wisdom hews out her seven pillars, and after seven weeks of years dawned the new year of the Jewish Jubilee, and a mystical seventh day closes the great week of time.

Yet as to forgiveness, seven sums not up our debt: — "Peter... said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven."

O Christ our God, Who of us requirest so much, suffer us to plead with Thyself for more than that measure which from us Thou requirest. For Thine own love's sake.

"Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his Maker? "

If thou hast sinned, forgive and be forgiven; God waiteth to be gracious and forgive, And open heaven.

.Set not thy face as flint refusing heaven; Thou fool, set not thy heart on hell: forgive And be forgiven.

How can man effectually ascribe to Christ "glory and dominion for ever and ever"? Not merely by uttering Amen, but by living Amen. To use the grace of God's most bounti ful salutation, thereby attaining His peace, constitutes us His faithful servants and patient saints: servants who shall see His face and serve Him in perfection; saints in whom He shall be-

glorified when He cometh to be admired in all them that believe.

" Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief." Lord Jesus, what joy was that, what covetable good, for whose sake Thou didst endure the Cross, despising the shame? Not for glory and dominion for ever and ever simply and for their own sake. Already Thou hadst glory with the Father before the world was, and dominion and fear were with Thee before man transgressed Thy commandment. Nay, rather, it was that as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so mightest Thou rejoice over us. If Thou hadst given no more than all the substance of Thy house for love, it might have been contemned: but Thou hast given Thyself. What shall we give Thee in return? What shall we not give Thee?

7. Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even so, Amen.

Once to Nicodemus our Lord said: " Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen: and ye receive not our witness." So now St. John, on the threshold of his revelation, cries to us: " Behold " — being about to make us see with his eyes and hear with his ears, if only we will understand with hearts akin to his own.

Dare we then aspire to become like St. John? Wherefore not, when we are bidden and invited to become like Christ?

Our likeness to St. John (if by God's grace wre assume any vestige of such glory) must include faith and love, but need not involve more than an elementary degree of knowledge.

Humility and prayer will guard us against culpable misunder standing, but may not for the present confer understanding. I once heard a teacher instruct his class that Joshua when he bade the sun stand still, himself rightly conceived the astro nomical position, whilst he spoke according to the opinion of his hearers. Wherefore suppose this? Faith alone, not knowledge, seems essential to the miracle.

Similarly in our present study faith is required of us, and faith may consist with either ignorance or knowledge. We are bound to believe and obey: we may live, and haply we may die, before being called upon to recognize hidden meanings,

St. John himself, illuminated as he was beyond mortal wont, becomes our pattern of a gracious partial ignorance when he records how the Lord said not of him, "He shall not die; but,

If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thce? " Certain disciples thinking to understand, misinterpreted: he himself abiding by the simple letter of God's word, awaited what the day should bring forth.

"Behold, He cometh with clouds."— " Behold, the Bride groom cometh; go ye out to meet Him." Who shall go out? Nay, who shall tarry within? "The virgins love Thee"; and the wise virgins at length after patient watching and waiting go out. The foolish virgins too go out; but alas! they are not of those who shall go in to the marriage. They that are in the graves go out, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. The sea casts up her dead. North and south, east and west, the winds, the ends of heaven, all give back, all bring back, the dead. A very great army.

"And every eye shall see Him." — All impelled in one direction, all looking in one direction. Even a very small crowd doing the same thing at the same instant has a thrilling, awful power; as once when I saw the chorus of a numerous orchestra turn over their music-sheets at the same moment, it brought before me the Day of Judgment.

"He cometh with clouds." — "Clouds and darkness are round about Him; righteousness and judgment are the habit ation of His throne." But we know not whether at that supreme moment any one will even notice clouds, or angels, or subordinate terrors. Now is our time to notice and avail ourselves of them, if we aim at living by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Each common cloud in this our cloudy climate may serve to remind us of the cloud of the Ascension, and of the clouds of the second Advent. Also of that great cloud of witnesses who already compass us about, who one day will hear our doom pronounced; who perhaps will then for the moment become as nothing to us when we stand face to face with Christ our Judge: " At the brightness of His presence His clouds removed."

" Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun." Good also are clouds when they recall our thoughts to Christ; yea, good is a horror of great darkness, if thereby He vouchsafe us a revelation.

O all-sufficing Lord Jesus, our fear and our hope, nourish in us the fear Thou requirest, and the hope 'J hou acceptest; that by fear we may become bold in obedience, and by hope indomitable in perseverance, lest we fall and perish at Thy presence.

Wroth with us all to slay us all? Nay, Lord, be this thing far from Thee and me:

We all have pierced Him, and wicked Christians far more cruelly than did those who of old knew not what they did. Yet to those men who handled the nails and the spear (to any of them who repented not) seems to appertain one special pang of recognition, their pang and not another's— a pang not awaiting any who even from the left hand can answer, Lord, when saw we Thee?

No retributive agony for offences against our neighbour may equal the sight of Christ Himself recognized too late. Yet may it be but the extreme instance of what we incur daily, hourly, by such offences, whether of commission, omission, malign influence. What will it be to meet ngain those whom we would have the mountains fall upon, and the hills cover? souls whose blood cries out against us? some twofold more child of hell of our own making? What will it be to depart with our victims into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels? O my God, what would it be by some miracle of Thy mercy ourselves to stand safe while we behold one whom we have corrupted depart into everlasting punishment?

David when he beheld his own misdeed visited upon his people " spake unto the Lord... and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? let Thine hand, I pray Thee, be against me... " — David, a man after God's own heart, saintly in his penitence. Long before him Moses, by the grace of God, had freely identi fied himself for love's sake with his self-destroyed people: " Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if Thou wilt, forgive their sin; and if not, blot me, I pray Thee, out of Thy book which Thou hast written." And once again, centuries afterwards, St. Paul, rapt out of himself by love, deliberately put on record: " I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren." For the spiritual world also has had its giants, mighty men that were of old, men of renown.

Now we have \x-n\ < i< ated small, and not threat, and further, ue may have stunted and dwarfed ourselves by sin; and if so (at lea t for the present) it may both seem and be simply hopeless for us to aim at heights or at depths. Still, however r.'iiommious our level, the person we have wronged has a present, nig-nt, instant claim upon us, and if we can do nothing else by way of reparation, we can pray for him. "Yes, verily, and by (iod's help so I will."

Thee. I piay Thee, save these sinners, save all sinners, and among 4 all:, mners save me the sinner. For Jesus' sake, the

"All kindieds of the earth shall wail because of Him " — or, as in the Revised Version: " All the tribes of the earth shall mourn OVCT Him." The two translations suggest different trains of thought.

The fust seems to set before us those whose resurrection bodies being still of the earth earthy, their resurrection cannot but be the resurrection of damnation. "Kindieds of the earth," and by their own free will wedded to earth, the union abides indissoluble even while earth and all that is therein an- being burnt up because the Day of the Lord is come. "There shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." They whose whole lives have clamoured to (iod to depart from them must abide by the awful sentence, " Depart from Me."

But the second reading has a different sound, rather as if all souls alike should go forth and weep bitterly,— alike, yet how unlike. Saints mourning because they have never mourned enough over the sins which slew their Ileloved, because they havenever loved enough the Heloved of their souls. "They shall look upon Me Whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for II -I" aa one inoiinirih for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for I Mm, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn."

5fel not to picture saints as mourning when the days of mourning are ended, I set aside my own thought, and dwell upon it only so far as to realize vividly the tinworthiness of even the most worthy, and (if such grace be granted me) to nurse tendeiness and contrition in my own hard heart.

l/nd, now give, us tears, yea, always tears so long as they shall be to Thy glory; tears acceptable to Thee, stored in Thy bottle; tears which Thou Thyself wilt wipe away.

" Even so, Amen." — " Amen " alone closed the doxology (ver. 6), but here where judgment is the theme, St. John doubles his assent. A lesson of adhesion to the revealed Will of God, be that Will what it may: a foreshowing of the perfected will and mind of all saints at the separating right and left of the final division: an example of the conformity we must now pray and strive after: even so, Amen.

8. I am Alpha and Omega, the "beginning and the ending1, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

" I am Alpha and Omega." — Thus well-nigh at the opening of these mysterious Revelations, we find in this title an instance of symbolical language accommodated to human apprehension; for any literal acceptation of the phrase seems obviously and utterly inadmissible. God condescends to teach us somewhat we can learn, and in a way by which we are capable of learning it. So, doubtless, either literally or figuratively, throughout the entire Book.

Such a consideration encourages us, I think, to pursue our study of the Apocalypse, ignorant as we may be. Bring we patience and prayer to our quest, and assuredly we shall not be sent empty away. The lather of lights may still withhold from us knowledge, but He will not deny us wisdom.

" Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law."

If a letter of the alphabet may be defined as a unit of language, then under this title "Alpha and Omega" we may adore God as the sole original Existence, the Unit of Existence whence are derived all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues; yea, all other existences whatsoever.

This title derived from human language seems to call espe cially upon " men confabulant " for grateful homage. As said of old the wise son of Sirach: " The Lord hath given me a tongue for my reward, and I will praise Him therewith." Or as the sweet Psalmist of Israel declared: " I will sing and give praise with the best member that I have."

Alas! that men often pervert their choicest gifts to their soul's dire destruction. For St. James bears witness against the tongue: " The tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell... The tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison."

O Lord Jesus Christ, Wisdom and Word of God, dwell in our hearts, I beseech Thee, by Thy most Holy Spirit, that out of the abundance of our hearts our mouths may speak Thy praise.

" The beginning and the ending." — "The beginning " abso lutely and in every sense, antecedent to all, cause of all, origin of all.

Not so " the ending "; for by God's merciful Will whilst all creatures have a commencement, many abide exempt from any end, being constituted to share His own eternity. Yet in a different sense God is " the Ending " of all creation, inasmuch as all permanent good creatures converge to His Beatific Presence, find their true unalterable level at His right hand, rejoice in His joy, and rest in His rest for ever and ever. In Him all, out of Him none, attain to fulness of life immortal. " He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty."

Contrariwise, obstinate sinners who finally and of set purpose approach not unto Him by attraction of love, dash themselves against Him in endless rebellion of hatred; as miry waves upheaved over and over again from the troubled deep might shatter themselves over and over again against the Rock of Ages.

"Fear ye not me? saith the Lord: will ye not tremble at My presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it? "

" If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there." " The Almighty."—

With us whom Thou hast formed deal fatherly; Be found of us whom Thou hast deigned to seek,

Be found that we the more may seek for Thee; Lord, speak and grant us ears to hear Thee speak;

Lord, come to us and grant us eyes to see; Lord, make us meek, for Thou Thyself art meek;

Lord, Thou art Love, fill us with charity. O Thou the Life of living and of dead,

Who givest more the more Thyself hast given, Suffice us as Thy saints Thou hast sufficed;

That beautified, replenished, comforted, Still gazing off from earth and up at heaven,

Christ said: " I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear. Fear Him, which after He hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear Him " — words to awaken fear: may it be a godly fear.

Meanwhile in these words of dread lies a great encourage ment. The power to destroy us is limited to the Almighty, and He is the All-merciful.

" O God, Who declarest Thy almighty power most chiefly in showing mercy and pity; mercifully grant unto us such a measure of Thy grace, that we, running the way of Thy commandments, may obtain Thy gracious promises, and be made partakers of Thy heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

"The Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before Me, and be thou perfect."— "When the Almighty scattered kings for their sake: then were they as white as snow in Salmon."

Because our God is Almighty, therefore can He demand of us purity and perfection, for by aid of His preventing grace we can respond to His demand. Thanks be to Him, through Jesus Christ our Righteousness.

How light a heart befits one whose burden the Almighty deigns to carry with him. " Why art thou so heavy, O my soul: and why art thou so disquieted within me? Oh, put thy trust in God."

9. I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the island that is called Patmos, for the word of (rod, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

" Your brother, and companion... in the kingdom... of Jesus Christ." — Thus far St. John addresses all baptized Christians; but not necessarily all, as concerns " tribulation " and " patience." The first and obvious privileges are ours by Royal gift; the second and less obvious are likewise ours potentially and in the germ, yet neidier effectually nor in maturity unless our own free will co-operale with God's pre disposing grace.

Patience is a great grace; but is it at all a privilege? Yes, surely. The patient soul, lord of itself, sits imperturbable amid the jars of life and serene under its frets. " Let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." Hence we infer that where patience is perfect, nought else will remain imperfect.

Tribulation cannot but be a privilege, inasmuch as it makes us so far like Christ.

O Tender Lord Jesus, Who layest not upon us more than we can bear, give us patience in tribulation; a courageous, sweet patience; a patient, indomitable hope.

"I John... was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ." — All for edification, nothing for self-glorification: so much and no more does St. John tell us of his confession and exile.

Christians should resemble fire-Hies, not glow-worms; their brightness drawing eyes upward, not downward.

10. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind

me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

11. Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

" I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day." — Rome and St. John had come to an issue. Rome ha.d power of life and death, chains and sentence of banishment on its side: St. John on his side had the defence of the Most High and the shadow of the Almighty. " Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty," neither was the Word of God bound. Immovable as Patmos the rock amid buffeting winds and waves, St. John stood fast in the liberty wherewith Christ had made him free.

Earth cannot bar ilame from ascending, Hell cannot bind light from descending, Death cannot finish life never ending.

Eagle and sun gaze at each other, Eagle at sun, brother at Brother, Loving in peace and joy one another.

O St. John, with chains for thy wages, Strong thy rock where the storm-blast rages, Rock of refuge, the Rock of Ages.

Rome hath passed with her awful voice, Earth is passing with all her joys, Heaven shall pass away with a noise.

Jesus, in love looking down hither, Jesus, by love draw us up thither, That we in Thee may abide together.

"A great voice, as of a trumpet, saying..." — Now if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? But this trumpet voice uttereth no uncertain sound, but a great alarum, sounding an alarm in God's holy mountain, and bidding every soul make ready against the sounding of that other trumpet-blast which will compel a response from living and dead, one and all.

If we entertain any uncertainty as to this voice, the un certainty lurks in ourselves, not elsewhere. So when long ago sundry men appeared " as trees, walking," any peculiarity observed resided in the vision of him who gazed, not in the appearance of them who walked.

Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth. Grant us ears to hear, eyes to see, wills to obey, hearts to love: then declare what Thou wilt, reveal what Thou wilt, command what Thou wilt, demand what Thou wilt. Amen.

The clause, " I am Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last," is here omitted by the Revised Version. Very nearly the same words have already occurred (ver. 8) and will recur (xxi. 6; xxii. 13).

" What thou seest, write in a bock, and send it..." — "Write," and forthwith St. John wrote. "Send it," and when the moment came, means of transmission would be forthcoming. Could St. John forecast those means? Very probably not; but like another blessed saint before him, he did what he could.

Not so we. We make sure that the first step which depends on ourselves can be taken, but we indulge misgivings as to the second step which depends upon God alone. Whereupon we omit that first step divinely put within our own power. God condescends to trust us, and we will not trust Him.

"To the seven Churches which are in Asia." — What St. John saw and wrote concerns Christendom of to-day, no less directly and urgently than it concerned the seven Churches of the Apostolic day. The great voice as of a trumpet adjures every soul within hearing.

As a matter of history, those seven Churches were in the main swept away long ago, misbelief ravaging and occupying their territory. Their charge has been transferred to us, their burden laid upon us: it is we who are called upon to overcome. Amen!

12. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me.

And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;

13. And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

14. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and His eyes were as a flame of fire;

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

16. And He had in His right hand seven stars: and out of

His mouth went a sharp two edged sword: and His countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

" When Thou saidst, Seek ye My face; my heart said unto Thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek."

At the call of Jesus the saints turn as doves to their windows. Are then their faces ever set from and not towards their Lord? Yes, by a figure, and so far as to confirm what St. John himself elsewhere avers: "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves." Mortal saints at the best are such as St. Paul describes himself as being: "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus."

Christ is our fountain-head and our abyss; we begin from Him, we end in Him. What He maketh us we are; what He bestoweth upon us we possess. We, as it were, pour and empty ourselves and our treasures into Him, yet we enrich Him not: what have we that we have not received? The gifts He giveth us are and remain His: we only ourselves, unless we abide in Him, retain neither life nor portion.

" All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again " — this is true of earth's sea and of all which it typifies: full it is, yet not filled, and it moans as with a craving unappeasable.

Let us not refuse fulness to choose emptiness. " Behold your God!... Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket... And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering."

*' I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my Beloved." As sleep with a wakeful heart soon to be fully awakened, as the needle's trembling to and fro to find its rest, so is the saint's turning from and turning back to Christ. The sanctified heart was neither slumbering nor estranged, but the face had as it were perforce been turned away while the feet sped on some Divine errand. " Turn again then unto thy rest, O my soul." " I turned myself to behold Wisdom."

"And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; and in the midst of the sc:ven candlesticks One like unto the Son of man." — St. John first saw, or at least he first mentions having seen, not the One like unto the Son of man, but the seven surrounding candlesticks. Even in that overwhelming Presence, and at that moment of visible reunion, those likewise he beheld: thus vividly bringing home to us the precept i " That he who loveth God love his brother also."

O Gracious Lord Omniscient, Who hast forewarned us that if we love not the brother we see neither can we love Thyself unseen; replenish us with such grace that we may love our brethren much for Thy sake, and Thee much more for Thine own sake. And if any love us, grant us our heart's desire that from love of us they may ascend to the supreme love of Thee. Amen, merciful Lord Jesus, Amen.

Not (so far as we read) St. James his brother and fellowheir, not St. Peter with whom he had walked in the House of God as a friend, not one by one any of those elect persons whom he loved in the truth, and to one of whom he wrote: "And now I beseech thee... that we love one another." He beheld, and merely in a figure, congregations of Christians, the majority of whom he may never have seen face to face in the flesh.

Now St. John wrote by inspiration of the Holy Ghost. "Saith He it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written."

If St. John, a man so greatly beloved and so greatly corre sponding to the Divine Love, recovered not in that moment of ecstasy the visible presence of saints personally dear to him, much more may we believe that from our frail selves the prospect of such reunions is kept veiled purposely and in mercy. As it is and thus relegated to the background of celestial prevision, the hope of reunion eclipses all earthly hopes: placed in the foreground, it might block out even our hope of the Beatific Vision.

O Gracious Lord God, Who deignest to make of man Thy mirror, that we in one another may behold Thine Image and love Thyself; unto every one of us grant, I beseech Thee, thus to love and thus to be beloved. For our Lord Jesus Christ's sake, Son of God and Son of man. Amen.

" Seven golden candlesticks." — "The King's Daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold." "Is not... the body [more] than raiment?" So likewise the light of the candlestick is more than the gold thereof.

Exterior gifts and privileges adorn and dignify Christ's Bride, interior grace makes and keeps her His. True alike of church, of congregation, of two or three gathered together, of each solitary soul.

The golden candlestick is the vessel appointed to honour: the light freely received must freely be given forth. The gold is personal, yet by sympathy becomes common to all: if (^cne: member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it." The light too is personal, but by emission is shared by all: set on its candlestick it gives light to all that are in the house.

" Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said. It is more blessed to give than to receive."

And seeing love, and loving worship Thee Through all our days, our long and lengthening days. O Lord, accessible to prayer and praise,

Good Lord, be gracious to all men and me, Lighten our darkness and amend our ways. Call up our hearts to Thee, that where Thou art

Then let the pallid moon pursue her sun, So long as it shall please Thee, far apart, —

Yet art Thou with us, Thou to Whom we run, We hand in hand with Thee and heart in heart.

" Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God."

The unutterable, unapproachable Majesty of- " One like unto the Son of man " bids us fall prostrate. " Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few."

Daniel the prophet "beheld... and the Ancient of Days did sit, Whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool.... A fiery stream issued, and came forth from before Him.... And, behold, One like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days." So now St. John beheld " One like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and His •eyes were as a flame of fire; and His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace."

Daniel beheld a garment white as snow, but saith not that it was girded. St. John beheld a girded garment, but nameth not its colour. God, as God, is not girded: "The Father In comprehensible, the Son Incomprehensible, and the Holy Ghost Incomprehensible. And yet they are not three Incomprehensibles, but One Incomprehensible." God, as Christ, is girded: " He took on Him the seed of Abraham." Once even He deigned to say: " How am I straitened...! " God in habited eternity: Christ was sent forth in the fulness of time, and before His Passion spake saying.: " My time is at hand."

The white garment recalls that light which no man can approach unto, wherein God dwelleth. But Isaiah in vision beheld Christ red in His apparel when, wearing the girded garment, He proclaimed Himself Mighty to save.

Our Lord's own gracious words express to us the mystery of His eternal glory with the Father, and of His somewhile self-restriction to the limitations and poverty of time: " I have glorified Thee on the earth: 1 have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own Self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was."

" Clothed with a garment down to the foot." — Behold our great High Priest!

Now under the Mosaic dispensation, how was Aaron the first high priest clothed, and wherewith were his sacred vest ments overclothed? King David partially informs us: — " Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; as the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the moun tains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore."

That unction symbolic of God the Holy Spirit overflowed not Aaron's person only, but his robe also: in like manner Christ's Divine graces overflowing from Himself the Head, pour down upon His members, until the least little one whose life is hid with Christ may sing merrily: " I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." For if brotherly unity be like that precious ointment, then is that precious ointment under some one of its many aspects like brotherly unity: which unity with one another, yea, with Christ Himself, it lies within our own option to clench and perpetuate according to His benign announcement: " Whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is My brother, and My sister, and mother."

God's commandment is exceeding broad, not by us limitable. Amongst its incalculable treasures we here find our own com manded blessing, even life for evermore, — Christ, Who is our life. "The King... asked life of Thee, and Thou gavest it Him, even length of days for ever and ever."

"And girt about the paps with a golden girdle."— This girdle lying next the Sacred Heart, as it were binds and constrains it. Now gold Christ hath in common with the saints who all together make up the Church's golden candle stick. The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, flesh of His flesh and bone of His bone, may seem memorialized in this golden girdle which, not for malediction but for bene diction, Christ weareth for a girdle wherewith He is girded continually.

O Lord, Who so hast loved us, Who so lovest us, grant us grace so to love Thee that we may never fall away from Thy love.

"His eyes were as a flame of fire." — "Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly... Thine eyes shall see the King in His beauty."

God is Light: Christ is Light of Light, Very God of Very God. His eyes are light, all-seeing: " Yea, the darkness is no darkness with Thee, but the night is as clear as the day: the darkness and light to Thee are both alike."

O Lord, Who beholding Adam and Eve in their mis:ry didst find comfort for them, Who beholding David in his pollution spakest the word that he should not die; Thou, Lord, Who hast beheld all sinners from the first sinner, and wilt behold us all even unto the last; turn Thy face from our sins, but turn it not from us.

These are the very Eyes which I myself at the last day may look upon, and which will look upon me.

"In the Day of Judgment, good Lord, deliver us."

O Jesu, gone so far apart

Only my heart can follow Thee, That look which pierced St. Peter's heart Turn now on me.

And mark the crooked ways I went, Look on me, Lord, and make me too Thy penitent.

« His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace." — " I will make the place of My feet glorious."

These dazzling Feet before which the sun running his course as a giant and the moon walking in brightness are ashamed, whence came they? Out of great tribulation. These are they which went about doing good, and grew weary along the paths of Palestine, and climbed Calvary, and were nailed to a cross. These are they which a penitent sinner and an accepted saint washed with tears, kissed, anointed with precious ointment, dried with tresses of hair. These are they which in infancy a Virgin Mother swaddled, and which after the Resurrection holy women were permitted to touch.

No cross, no crown: no humiliation, no glory. Such is the rule for fallen man. And Christ, Who took upon Himself our nature and calls us brethren, exempted not Himself from the common lot.

He willed thus to become like us. We by following Him shall in our turn put on a measure of His likeness. To-day He denies not to His beloved crosses and humiliations: to morrow what will He deny to them whom He invests with crowns and glory? " What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? "

I have read of a holy person who said: " O my feet, ye shall tread upon the stars." Feet that would climb up into heaven must wend their way thither by treading in Christ's footsteps. " Feet was I to the lame," said righteous Job, whose end was better than his beginning.

Now to walk in Christ's incomparable footsteps is both easy and difficult The easiness lies in our surroundings, the diffi culty in ourselves. Flesh is weak, and spirit too often unwilling; otherwise London or any other neighbourhood might become to us holy as Palestine. There waits in every direction abundant good to be done, if only we have the will patiently to do it, fust counting the cost. For though no literal mountain obstruct our path, mountainous opposition may confront us; and if it please not God to remove it, then in His strength, weary and heartsore as we may be, we must surmount it, "looking unto Jesus." " But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well-nigh slipped."

" No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him."

" D.-aw me, we will run after Thee."

" Feet have they, but they walk not," writes the Psalmist, in his description of idols: and he appends thereto, "They that make them are like unto them." Thus we behold the idolater furnished with useless feet; and so far like him appears the sluggard, standing here all the day idle on feet useless because unused.

" O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the Spirit of the Lord straitened? are these His doings? do not My words do good to him that walketh uprightly?... Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest."

" I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto Thy testimonies."

How beautiful upon the celestial mountains will be those feet which, ever following in the steps of Jesus, at length ascend into the hill of the Lord, and stand in His holy place! Surely it is no mean privilege here to wash feet which shall be dazzling there. It is good to wash them, it is better to follow them. Worthily to wash the saints' feet we need ourselves to be saints. It is a blessed communion of mutual service which our tender Lord enjoins upon us when He says: " Ye also ought to wash one another's feet " — having first by His loveliest example commended to us His lovely precept.

" What shall I say? He hath both spoken unto me, and Himself hath done it."

What will it be, O my soul, what will it be To touch the long-raced-for goal, to handle and see, To rest in the joy of joys, in the joy of the blest, To rest and revive and rejoice, to rejoice and to rest!

" His voice as the sound of many waters." — Blessed be God Who hath vouchsafed us the revelation: "Many waters cannot qiuuich love, neither can the floods drown it." Our loving Lord hath declared: " My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me" — " Every one that is of the truth heareth My voice."

Who faltering walk in darkness toward our close Of mortal life, by terrors curbed and spurred: We are of those.

We journey to that land which no man knows, Who any more can make his voice be heard Above the clamour of our wants and woes.

Not such as we Thy lily and Thy rose: — Yet, Hope of those who hope with hope deferred, We are of those.

Centuries before St. John, the Prophet Ezekiel beheld and heard the Divine Glory and Voice: " Behold, the Glory of the God of Israel came from the way cf the east: and His Voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with His Glory."

It is the same Voice and the same Glory. 4'I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed."

Still waters are silent; flowing waters find a voice. This " voice as the sound of many waters " seems to address man not from the eternal calm of Christ's Godhead; but rather from that veritable and accessible Humanity which He assumed, which can be touched with a feeling of our infirmities, which was symbolized by the smitten rock whence water gushed out, and which on the cross yielded water as well as blood from a pierced side.

Therefore, though it be a Voice to shake not earth only, but also heaven, to us who are bone of His bor.e and flesh of His flesh, it conveys not awe alone, but therewith courage and comfort. It hath " a sound of abundance of rain " when it certifies the outpouring of God the Holy Ghost in the waters of Baptism; and a tone of tender reassurance in the protest that the waters of Noah shall no more go over the earth; and a promise to saints that the one cup of cold water shall by no means remain unrequited; and a hope for penitents that God keepeth a bottle for our tears. It crieth: '• Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters ": and lo! these are waters of comfort beside which the Lord Himself will lead us.

The Prayer-book version of that lovely twenty-third Psalm gives "waters of comfort," whilst its Bible equivalent is "still waters." If we may figuratively connect one phrase with our Lord's Godhead, the other with His Manhood, then indeed are we reminded of God's promise to make His elect "partakers of the Divine Nature."

God the Son clothed Himself with our nature to the intent that He might clothe us with His own.

"There was no more spirit in her. And she said to the King... The half was not told me... Because the Lord loved Israel for ever, therefore made He thee King, to do judgment and justice."

Lord, Thou art fulness, I am emptiness: Yet hear my heart speak in its speechlessness Extolling Thine unuttered loveliness.

"And He had in His right hand seven stars." — In His mortal day our Lord had said: " My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are one."

" His right hand doth embrace me," saith peacefully the Bride of the Canticles.

" Out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword." — Thus in the Epistle to the Hebrews: "The word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

Four points I note: life, keenness, in the weapon; depth, subtilty, in the wound. That which probes and sunders me will never of its own proper nature slay me; for life it is, not death, that thus cleaves its way into my heart of hearts. It will do its work exquisitely, for it is sharp; and thoroughly by reason of the might and skill of Him Who wields it. It may not spare for my crying; nevertheless not a hair of my head need perish, and dear is my blocd in His sight Who smites me.

No mere surface work can possibly be this saving work of which the text speaks: a religion without depth is not Christ's religion. The necessity of depth is set forth in the Parable of the Sower: the seed enters not at all into the first refuse soil, and barely penetrates into the second; in the third it perishes from a different cause; in the fourth and good ground alone does it take root downward and bear fruit upward.

Are we afraid of a dividing asunder of our very selves? Nay, and if we be, let fear nerve us to endure it; for more dreadful will be the cutting asunder of the reprobate servant.

This whole passage (vers. 13 — 16) sets our adorable Lord before us under an aspect which recalls St. Paul's prophecy con cerning Him as the destroyer of antichrist: " Then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming," — and more remotely that Divine announcement con cerning Leviathan: " He that made him can make His sword to approach unto him." Further on (xiii. 10) we shall read: " He that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword," or according to the Revised Version: " If any man shall kill with the sword, with the sword must he be killed ": whence by analogy it appears that he who must be slain by the sword of Christ's mouth, cannot but be one whose own tongue has been a deadly sharp sword. So Daniel saith of the " little horn," that it had "a mouth speaking great things," and again: " a mouth that spake very great things."

Now without aiming at matters too wonderful for me which I know not, and amongst them must obviously be included those times and seasons which the Father hath put in His own power; and therefore without hazarding conjectures touching the coming of the last antichrist, I turn to St. John's first Epistle and read: " Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time... Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son... Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world."

Alas then for much which at this day is said and written amongst us upon whom the ends of the world are come. " And if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof."

Evil knowledge acquired in one wilful moment of curiosity may harass and haunt us to the end of our time. And how after the end of our time?

" Who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the Lord's servant?5' They especially are bound to such reserve who have been in familiar contact with any living example of holy intellectual self-restraint: and amongst these am I, who for years enjoyed intercourse with one thus truly wise, and before me in many gifts and graces.

"And His countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength," — u The sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof." "That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world ": or as in the Revised Text: " There was the true light, even the light which lighteth every man, coming into the world."

What, every man? Yea, for the truth certifies it. Never theless, " that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from Thee: shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? " This Same is He Who having long made His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, will at length judge every man according to his works.

Job bears witness against sinners: " They are of those that rebel ag linst the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof." Here it is not the light that with draws from them, but they that withdraw from the light. Whilst in the Answer from the Whirlwind we read: " Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place; that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?... And from the wicked their light is withholden." Here the light seems to reveal and overwhelm, yet penally to be kept back.

And our Lord instructing Nicodemus declared: "This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God," — setting forth in harmony Divine free grace and human free will. And else where He proclaims: " I am the Light of the world; he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

Does light reveal the colours of coloured objects, or does it impart colour to objects in themselves all alike colourless? Colour appears to be simply an analysis of light; if so, the withdrawal of light involves no mere disappearance of colour, but its absolute absence. Thus objects shut up in darkness would needs become part and parcel of that darkness, not because of any infliction from without, but because of what they themselves intrinsically are.

By an awful parallel this suggests how " he that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." How " he that hath not" must be deprived even of that which he seemeth to have. How amongst the lost there may not be found any mixed characters, any redeeming points such as used to endear many a wilful sinner even to penitents and saints. For " every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights." Cut off from the dayspring of colour, there can be no colour; from the Source of goodness, no goodness; from the Fountain of grace, no grace; from the root of life, no life. " O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself: but in Me is thine help." "To day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts."

Lord Jesus, Who lightest every man that cometh into the world, suffer us not for any snares of life or pains of death to fall from Thee.

But not only are we warned that he "that hath not" forfeits what seems his, elsewhere we see the one talent transferred from the slothful to the diligent servant. What does this indicate? Can it be that so we are taught how heaven can be made heaven even to those who may enter it bereft of some they loved on earth?

If we analyze love, what is it we love in our beloved? Something that is lovable, not any hateful residuum; something that kindles admiration, attracts fondness, wins confidence, nourishes hope, engrosses affection. If love arises from a mere misreading of appearances, then deeper insight may suffice to annul it. But if it arises from a genuine, though alas! transitory cause, then a transference of the endearing grace to another might seem the remedy. On earth the hollow semblance or the temporary endowment is believed in and preferred; in heaven the perpetual reality. Crown and love together are transferred from Vashti to Esther; the satisfied heart accepts Jacob as " very " Esau.

Not that flesh and blood may be able to endure the foresight. But as man's day so shall his strength be, and flesh and blood are not called to inherit the kingdom of God.

Lord Jesus, save us from any such experience, Thou Who loving Thine own lovest them unto the end. Amen.

Light colourless doth colour all things else: Where light dwells pleasure dwells And peace excels.

Turns blackness white. Light waits for thee Where all have eyes to see: Oh well is thee and happy shalt thou be!

17. 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:

alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

"And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead." — "The righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them. All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean.... There is one event unto all." In this world and on the surface so it is: God's elect seem to die, and their departure is taken for misery and their end to be utter destruction; yet are they in peace. Even St. John the beloved Apostle when he beheld the glory of his ascended Lord fell at His feet as dead: " cast down, but not destroyed."

Another there is, " that wicked," whom the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of His coming. God putteth a boundless difference between clean and unclean even here, where yet there is one event unto all. «

The very holy are of all saints those most ready to fall at Christ's feet as dead. Who else can realize so vividly His Purity and their own defilement, His Glory and their own shame? With David they weep for love till they exceed; with Esther they faint in approaching their King: their eye seeth Him, and they abhor themselves and repent in dust and ashes; they are jealous for His sake with a godly jealousy, and jealousy is cruel as the grave. But He bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up. And though the spirit fail from before Him and the souls which He hath made, yet truly these are they who hearing His Voice have turned to see Him that speaketh with them, who know His Voice, and being raised more and more continually to newness of life follow Him.

They come to Christ and He giveth them eternal life, as His own words of rebuke promise by implication: " Ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life."

Let us encourage ourselves though He slay us yet to trust in Him, by help of some of those parables of nature familiar to us all which speak of life reborn from lifelessness, or from death or from decay. A leafless tree, a chrysalis, a buried seed, an egg.

The twig teacheth, The moth preacheth, The plant vaunteth, The bird chanteth, God's mercy overflowing Merciful past man's knowing. Please God to keep us growing Till the awful day of mowing.

St. John "heard" and endured to hear: not till he "saw" fell he as dead. Hearing prepares for sight. To-day is our day for hearing, faith, preparation. Lord Almighty, so make it full of grace to each of us, for Jesu's sake.

Lord Jesus, how dare we at all times offer our petitions in Thy Name and for Thy sake? What, lovest Thou us so inexhaustibly that not one praying sinner of us all risks lighting upon the moment when it would not pleasure Thee for the Father to show us mercy, for the Holy Spirit to succour us? This, Lord, I believe. I believe that when I ask salvation in Thy Name, Thou Thyself askest it for me: yea, I believe that many times Thou intercedest for us when we ask not at all or ask amiss. " For Thy sake " investeth us with Thine own claims: what is done for us Thou accountest as done for Thee. "Thy sake" moveth God to pity us; let Thy blessed sake move us likewise to pity each other. Give us grace to comfort ourselves and one another by memorials • of Thy love; much more comfort Thou us by assurance of Thy love.

" As dying, and behold we live! "

So live the Saints while time is flying; Make all they make, give all they give, As dying;

They grieve as tho' they did not grieve, Uplifting praise with prayer and sighing.

Aloof from strife, at peace from crying, The morrow to its day they leave, As dying.

"And He laid His right hand upon me, saying, Fear not." — That same Right Hand which holdeth the seven stars and hath the. care of all the Churches is laid on one saint to comfort and reassure him.

Christ spake from the troubled sea: " Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid." He saith in Heaven: " Fear not." " Jesus Christ the Same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever."

There is no grief of ours which Christ cannot and will not console. St. John falls as dead; and his tender Master and Friend forthwith brings to remembrance how He Himself had verily been dead Who now was alive for evermore. In all our afflictions He was afflicted. We have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities.

In the Revised Version we read: "I am the First and the Last, and the Living One; and I was dead..." This punctuation by removing " the Living One " from the second to the first clause, seems to remove it from the Manhood to the Godhead, setting forth with exceeding vividness Christ's Unity of Person.

"Behold," He saith. Who shall behold? Shall St. John and shall not I? I also; because for me no less than for St. John He lived and was dead and is alive for evermore.

"Therefore with Angels and Archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify Thy glorious Name; evermore praising Thee."

"And have the keys of hell and of death."— Here hell is "Hades," the land of the shadow of death, the abode of disembodied souls; it is not Gehenna^ the place of punishment

Our Lord Jesus hath the keys of death and of Hades. He it is Who unlocked the gate for those we love and whose memory is blessed. He it is Who will once again unlock that gate for them in the day of the restitution of all things: He, not another. Surely they were not so greatly afraid or in any wise damaged what time He fixed the bounds of their habitation aixi brought them to their quiet lodging and settled them therein. " The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage."

But I, Lord, am sore afraid. I am afraid of Thee, of death, of myself: yea, rather, I am afraid of Thee and of that because I fear mine own self. The sting of death is sin. God be merciful to me a sinner.

In that veiled land saints abide. Some saints who loved us on earth are there, saints whom we loved and love. If we call they do not answer. Surely one reason why they neither appear nor audibly respond to our desolate cry, may be that if it is hard for us now to love supremely God Whom we see not, it would be yet harder then were those who even in His eyes are lovely and desirable to woo us heavenward with unforgotten familiar human tenderness. Any of us who have lost our nearest and dearest may realize how keen would be the temptation to love — alas! it may be to go on loving the creature more than the Creator.

Disembodied saints are there. And no sinners? On the contrary, who beside sinners? For these are the fruits of Christ's Passion, and He came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. " Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom."

" The keys of hell and of death." — No key need be preserved to the end were the door not at last to be re-opened. Many times opened to admit, once for all it will be re-opened to release. " There is hope in thine end."

19. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;

20. The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in

My right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches; and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

" Write " — not any ecstasy of thy love even in this moment of reunion. "Write" — little for the indulgence of thine own heart, unless it be meat and drink to thee to do the Will of Him that sendeth thee, and to finish His work. " Write " that which shall glorify God, edify the Church, bear witness against the world. John the beloved and the true lover could endure this word: if it seems cold and disappointing to us, it seems so because we have not yet the mind of St. John; much less the mind of Christ.

These who met after separation were not only God and man, Creator and creature, Lord and servant: they were like wise Friend and friend; each to the other (if reverently we may say it) as his own soul. Yet still the standard is: If thou love Me keep My commandments; and still the silence of the responsive soul makes answer: " Let my Lord speak; for Thou hast strengthened me."