"hid their faces from him;" and they "covered "his face," as also they put upon him a "scar"let robe," which they did in mockery, meaning thereby that he was an impostor, and a pretender; but God meant it to give solemnity to his truth. According to which process, we observe, that in establishing the witness in Revelation, the sun and the moon, together with the day and the night, were darkened. The same thing is alluded to in Isaiah, in the description given of the seraphim, that in the act of proclaiming the truth of an exalted Christ, with twain they covered their faces. It will be recollected, moreover, that man, together with all the populations of n earth, were made twain.

2. The sanctuary establishment was, originally, made by the ordinance of the sabbath, which was the seventh day. Hence, all the articles of the sanctuary are denoted by sevens. The lamb had 66 seven horns," which mean the " seven "churches, and "seven eyes, which are the se"ven spirits of God;" and which the apostle Paul illustrates to be attendants upon the gifts which constitute the true government of the church. The angels of the churches, who are sanctuary men, are named the "seven stars;" the candlestick, which belongs to the furniture of the sanctuary, had "seven lamps;" the holy book had "seven seals;" the seven angels which had the "seven trumpets, stood before God;" which imports that they were ministers of the sanctuary; and the seven angels which had the

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seven vials," came out of the temple, which also signifies that they were attendants of the inner court. Thunder is the voice of God; and this is one reason why the voices of the seven thunders were not disclosed, they are sanctuary instructions; the multitude hear their rumbling and cracking, and they see and feel their amazing

effects, the cedars of Lebanon breaking, and the earth trembling; but like the parables of Jesus, to know the interpretations thereof, is the peculiar privilege of his chosen.

3. The six days given to man to be used and occupied in his own affairs, offer another count. Hence, the kingdoms of this world, with all the human wisdom and glory attached to them, are denoted by sires. But as a particular illustrati on of the number of a man is intended, I shall here pass this subject. It may be observed, however, in this place, that the Saracen and Turkish kingdoms, being aside from the general series of the kingdoms of the world, have distinct counts. The first of which is denoted by a single five, and the second by four ones; by which the simple constitutions of these kingdoms, which are perfectly despotic; as also the duration of their power, seem to be intended.

4. The geographical order established in the creation is marked by the extension of four rivers, which parted out from Eden, which point is regarded, on the scale of prophecy, as the meridian of the world; hence, the things which relate to the four quarters of the world, as to that central point, are signified by fours. Thus, John "saw four angels standing on the four corners of "the earth, holding the four winds of the earth." Rev. vii. 1. And under the sixth trumpet he "heard a voice from the four horns of the golden "altar, which is before God, saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates;" which angels are the four winds represented as being holden, in the passage quoted above. Again, the world is divided geographically into Jew and Gentile, each of which being distinct communities, are represented according to the first, or covenant establishment, as being

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train. Thus, in the Jewish state, there were Moses and Auron, or Moses and the prophets. In that state there existed a twain of orders, and a twain of administrators. And it is plain from the New Testament, that the Gentile church was set up in conformity to the same pattern. And as, in the gospel, the Jew and Gentile are united, we have in this view, also, the number four. Hence, the "four beasts," or "living wights;" and the "four horns" of the altar; which altar, in the gospel, becomes a common interest to both Jew and Gentile.

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5. In the formation of the world there arose a secular division by months; hence, it is said of the tree of life in the Paradise of God, alluding to the tree of life in the garden of Eden, that it "bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded "her fruit every month." And hence, every thing respecting the political, or city establishment, is denoted by twelves. The "HOLY CITY, NEW JERUSALEM, "had TWELVE GATES, and at "the gates TWELVE ANGELS, and names written "thereon, which are the names of the TWELVE <c TRIBES of the children of Israel." And the wall "of the city had TWELVE FOUNDATIONS, and in "them the names of the TWELVE APOSTLES of the "Lamb." The measures of the city also accord with the same number. And in the view of Jew and Gentile, Patriarchs and Apostles, being united in the gospel kingdom, we have the number of twenty-four; hence "the twenty-four elders." 6. There is given also in Revelation the number of three and a half, which is applied to days, signifying half a week, and to years, signifying half a week of years. Forty and two months is the same. This refers to the prophesy of Daniel concerning Messiah, that he should "confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacri

"fice and oblation to cease." The witnesses have two seasons of prophesying; one before they are slain, and one after they are risen. This is denoted by the seventh trumpet being kept in reserve for the time of the vials; also by the promise of the angel of truth, who appeared under the sixth trumpet, and spake, saying, "Thou must pro"phesy again;" which shews that one period of prophesying was then accomplished. Moses fleeing from Egypt, and returning again with a new commission; Elijah's absconding, and re-appearing with greater power; and many other Scripture passages, point out this double period of the prophesying of the witnesses.... It is manifest that the witnesses, whilst prophesying in their humbled state of sackcloth, do not fulfil all their commission; for they were empowered" to smite "the earth with all plagues." In their first period, their work, like that of John Baptist, is directed to the hearts and consciences of men; but, in the second, they exert miraculous physical powers. What Herod feared, one day will be realized; “John the Baptist" will rise "from the “dead; and therefore mighty works" will "shew "forth themselves in him." John Baptist did not smile the earth, although he laid "the axe," the curse, "unto the root of the tree." But when the second Elijah shall come, he will give the blow; and the tree will then be "hewn down, and cast "into the fire."

The triune and triplicate views, given in Revelation, have been sufficiently illustrated. The above contain, radically, all the prophetic numbers. Various combinations of them, however, do frequently occur, as when an union, or consolidation of the twelve tribes is intended, the square root is applied, giving the result of " an "hundred and forty and four;" and of the twelve thousand sealed in each tribe, the result of "an M m

"hundred and forty and four thousand." But when things of the same character are intended, not as an union, or consolidation, but as distinct, and existing in succession, as the number six of the beast, the combination is made by applying simply the decimal, giving the result of" six hun. "dred sixty and six." These observations may be sufficient to shew the theory of prophetic numbers.

It is observed that sevens of various names, are closely associated with the witnesses. Sevens accompanied the pairs going into the ark. Before Joshua was laid a stone, and upon "one stone se"ven eyes;" which are interpreted to be "the "eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through "the whole earth." The reason of this connection has already been hinted. The truth establishment, as it relates both to the heaven and to the earth, has a double basis. The ark of the testimony, as in the pattern, belongs to the inner sanctuary, or holy of holies. Hence, in the Revelation, it is seen in heaven, in the place of the throne of God; the things of which world, as has been shewn, are denoted by sevens. This base of truth is far out of the reach of its enemies.....the seven witnesses can never fall. From this source the two witnesses derive all their strength; it is called the ark of God's strength. But the altar of witness, which forms the establishment as it relates to this world, was placed, as in the pattern, at the entrance of the first sanctuary, and was within reach of the outward court; which situation shews, that in case of the court being possessed by the enemy, the ministers of the altar would be exposed, as on the forlorn hope. Zecharias, the son of Barachias, fell on this ground. The standing offerings of the altar were made evening and morning; shewing that the stability of the mediatorial covenant was as that with day and night;