And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open, and to read the book, neither to look thereon.' While the Revelator was thus weeping, 'one of the elders saith unto him, Weep not! Behold the Lion of the tribe of Juda!' And while John was thus looking and expecting to behold a lion, 'lo! in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a LAMB as it had been slain. * * * And when he had taken the book, the four beasts, and four and twenty elders, fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints. *** And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts, and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever.'

There has been much conjecture and fancy respecting the 'book written within and on the back side,

sealed with seven seals.'* We are not certain that a definite view can be obtained. Calmet says the prophecies of John are intended. And he says the same book is alluded to in the prophecy of Isaiah, xxix. 11. Cruden says, 'This was the book of God's decrees and purposes relating to his church, as to what remarkable things should happen to it to the end of the world; its being sealed denotes that the matter contained in it was locked up from and unknown to the creatures.' So we might go on and fill our work with the conjectures of various commentators. We think that we are perfectly safe in speaking here of Christ as a prophet. He prevailed and broke the seal of prophecy. In one sense, 'no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book.' When the Lion of the tribe of Judah appeared, then all was made plain. View him in one of the most interesting incidents connected with his eventful life. Two of the disciples were on their way to a village called Emmaus, and they talked together of all those things which had happened.' A stranger approached. 'He said unto them, What manner of communications are these as ye walk and are sad?' Then did they relate 'how the chief priests and rulers delivered Jesus to be condemned to death, and crucified him.' Then, 'beginning at Moses

* Reference is here made to the ancient manner of writing. There were no books then, in the common acceptation of that term, for the art of printing was not discovered till A. D. 1440. In writing, materials were selected from the vegetable, animal and mineral kingdoms. A very common mode was to write on parchment or some flexible material, and then put the whole in the form of a roll, and sometimes it was sealed. CRUDEN'S Concordance and CALMET'S Dictionary may be advantageously consulted by the curious on this subject.

and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.' It was then the Lion of the tribe of Judah 'opened the book and loosed the seals thereof.' Then did he prevail and unfold to their astonished view the glories of prophecy. He showed that all centred in him, like the light of ten thousand suns brought into one focus! So charmed were the disciples with their Teacher, that when he made as though he would have gone further, they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is towards evening, and the day is far spent.' 'And it came to pass as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them; and their eyes were opened, and they knew him.' It was their Friend, the Lamb who had been slain, and the Lion of the tribe of Judah! No wonder they said, 'Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures?' The Lion had prevailed over all his enemies; he had burst the tomb, and now stood before the world as 'the first-born from the dead,' as the author of life and immortality to a dying world! In his greatest weakness, he was strong, and when he suffered most from his enemies, he brought on them the greatest confusion! An apostle afterwards learned this: When I am weak then am I strong." When Jesus was led as a lamb to the slaughter, then was he the Lion. His very weakness was his strength. His humiliation was his exaltation. He was then achieving a mightier victory than was ever accomplished by all the kings and conquerors of earth! He was conquering himself! Here

*

* 2 Cor. xii. 10.

then met the Lion and the Lamb! They did indeed lie down together in the Son of God! Never before did they meet in one individual. What a beautiful. sentiment is connected with this subject. We see in the moral world the Lamb and the Lion meeting, and these two form a perfect character! Would we then become like the Son of God? We must put on the meekness and patience of the Lamb, and then in moral strength we shall be as the Lion. The christian. character, like that of the great Founder, is formed of contrarieties and diverse excellencies, and yet all are blended in perfect harmony! There all meet like the various colors in the rainbow; or like the inherent beauties in the cold marble when warmed into life by the hand of the sculptor! We wish we could pursue the rich theme that opens before us; for we want to show how the Lion of the tribe of Judah has prevailed from the very hour when he was led as a lamb to the slaughter;' and how he will prevail till he 'gives up the kingdom to God even the Father;' but we must bring our present number to a close, by making an application of the whole subject. And we cannot do this better than in the words of the divine to whose sermon we have alluded in another part of this number:-'If you do come to Christ he will appear as a Lion, in his glorious power and dominion to defend you. All those excellencies of his, in which he appears as a Lion, shall be yours, and shall be employed for you in your defence, for your safety, and to promote your glory. He will be as a Lion to fight against your enemies. Unless your enemies can conquer this Lion, they shall not be able to destroy or hurt you; unless they are stronger than he, they shall not be able to hinder your happiness.'

LI. LORD.

The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: he is Lord of all.' Acts x. 36.

JESUS is called by this name in seventy-two instances; Lord Jesus Christ, twenty-eight; Lord Jesus, twenty-two; Lord of glory, once; Lord of Lords and King of Kings, twice. The word is usually applied to God, especially in the Old Testament. The translators have only used the word Jehovah, the incommunicable name of God, in four instances. In all other cases, they have used the term Lord, and for the sake of distinction, when this word corresponds to Jehovah, it is printed in capitals. It is said that to this day the Jewish doctors always read adon or adoni, Lord, or my Lord, where they find Jehovah. The word zúgios, translated Lord in the New Testament, is sometimes rendered sir, sometimes master, and once, owner. 'When this title is in the vocative, without either the possessive pronoun my prefixed or any name or title annexed, the application is invariably, according to the best use at present, to God or Christ.' To say, Lord, or, O Lord, help me! is nowhere proper but in an address to God, whereas, Help me, my lord, is proper only when spoken to a man. This distinction is

sacredly observed in the common version of the Old Testament. Two exceptions, however, occur: Exod. iv. 10, 13. Psa. xxxv. 23. The following paragraph