feet like shining brass, and holding seven stars in His hand, would result as satisfactorily as the attempt to picture the mysterious combination of eyes and wheels and wings in Eze- kiel’s vision. If, on the other hand, we frankly admit the impossibility of this, and relegate this symbolism toa higher region, as a delineation (imperfect through the imperfection of human speech and the inevitable power of the sensuous) of deep-lying spiritual facts, priestly and royal dignity, purity, divine insight, divine indignation at sin; if we thus bring the deeper suggestions of outward humanity and nature into rela- tion with their true correspondents in the spiritual realm—we gain something more and deeper than a pictorial appeal to the imagination. We grasp what we cannot formulate; neverthe- less we grasp it. Dropping the outward correspondence, we are the freer to penetrate to the depths of the symbolism, and reach an inner correspondence no less real and no less appre- hensible.
17. | fell, Compare Exod. xxiii. 20; Ezek. i. 28; Dan. Vili. 17 sqq.; x. 7 8qq.; Luke v. 8; Apoe. xix. 10. The condition of the seer, in the Spirit, does not supersede existence in the body. Compare Acts ix. 3-5.
The first and the last. This epithet is three times ascribed to Jehovah by Isaiah (xli. 4; xliv. 6; xlviii. 12); three times in this book (here, ii. 8; xxii. 13). Richard of St. Victor com- ; ments thus: “I am the first and the last. First through crea- tion, last through retribution. First, because before me a God was not formed ; last, because after me there shall not be an- other. First, because all things are from me; last, because all things are tome; from me the beginning, to me the end. First, because I am the cause of origin; last, because I am the judge and the end” (cit. by Trench).
18. lam He that liveth («al o fv). Not a fresh sentence connected with the following words as in A. V., but connected
with the first and the last by xaland. Rev., and the living One. Compare John i. 4; xiv. 6; v. 26.