4 And round about the throne were four and twen- ty {eats : and upon the ſeats I ſaw four and twenty el- ders fitting m7, clothed in white raiment z ; and they had on their heads crowns of Gold 0.
m Some think (and not improbably) that here is an Allufion to the twenty tour Courſes of the Priefl and Levites, eſtabliſhed by God for his Service in the Sanuary and Temple of old, 1 Chron, 24. 18. chap.25.31. and that theſe twenty four Elders either typifi- ed the whole Church under the New Teſtament, the Number of the Tribes of Iſrael, (which made up the Church under the Old Tefta- ment) being doubled, to ſhew the Increaſe of the Churches Terr1- forics under the Goſpel, or the Heads of the Ghurch, either under t:e Old Teſtament, or New (there being twelve Patriarchs, and tivelve Apoſtles.) They are repreſented ſitting, to denote their {tate of Reſt and Eaſe. n And clotiied in white Raiment, to denote their Purity and Holineſs; or being clothed with Chriſt's Righteouſ- neſs. o And having Crowns of Gold on their Heads, to denote that {tate or dignity of Glory to which God had advanced them.
5 And out of the throne - proceeded * lightnings, and thunderings, and voices p. And zhere were ſeven lamps of fire burning before the throne 9, which are the ſeven Spirits of God 7.
þ Theſe words denote a very glorious, and terrible Appearance
of God, ſignifying his Majeſty, and Power over his Enemies. There is, poſſibly, an Allufion to God's Appeararce at the giving of the
Law, Exod. 19.16. only we read there but of one Voice, and that of |
a Trumpet inarticulate. q The Lamps of Fire before the Throne, have a correſpondence with the ſeven Lamps of the Tabernacle,which gave Light to the whole Houſe of God, Exod. 27. 20. and are here cx- pounded to de, r the ſeven Spirits of God, that is,the Holy Spirit in his ſeven fold (that is, manifold ) Diſpenſations of Grace, 1 Cor. r2.4,5. by which he enlighteneth, quickneth, healeth, and comforteth the ſeve- ral Souls that are the true Members @f his Church. See the Notes on
chap. 1. 4. *Ch.15-22 56 And before the throne / zhere was * a ſea of glaſs
like unto chryſtal z, and in the midſt of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beaſts full of
eyes, befote and behind z. | { The Throne mentioned before, vey. 2, 3. upen which one fate, &c. t Another Alluſion to the Tabernacle or Temple, in which was a Sea, that is, a large Veſlel full of VVater; it was for Aaron and his Sons to waſh their Hands, and Feet, and Sacrifices in, Exod. 30. 19. 1 Kings 7. 23. it was 1o Cubits broad, $5 Cubits high, and 30 Cubits about. Here it is ſaid to have been of Glaſs, this, probably, fignified the Blood of Chriſt, in which all thoſe Souls and Services muſt be waſhed, which are accepted of, and acceptable unto God. Its being fepreſented here, as of Glaſs, may _ the Purity, and Spotleſneſs of him, whoſe Blood it was. Other gueſſes there are many at the ſignificancy of this Sea of Glaſs,but this ſeems to be moſt probable, becauſe the uſe of the Sea in the Temple is made good in Chriſt. « Fohn in this Viſion alſo ſaw four Beaſts, which Beaſts are ſaid, 1. To be in the midſt of, and round about the Throne. 2. To be full of Eyes, before and behinds 3. They are, ver. 7. faid to have reſembled a Lion, a Calf, a Mann the PA wer. 8. each of them had fix Wings, arid they were full of Eyes with- in, and inceflantly glorified God. Que. VVhom did theſe Beaſts ſignifie? Sol. There are various Notions about them. Some judge them the tour Evangelifts ; (but John himſelf was one of theſe, and yet alive); ſome will have them four Apoſtles that were moſtly at Hieruſa/em ;, {but I ſee no ground for that) ; ſome will have them Angels ;, others glorified Saints, (but we ſhall afterwards find them diſtinguiſhed from both theſe) : others will have them the whole Church. But the-moſt probable Senſe is, that they repreſented the Miniſters of the Church, who are living Creatures, whoſe place is be- twixt God and his Church, as thoſe Beaſts are placed betwixt the Throne and the Elders; and who are but four to the twenty four Elders, being but tew in compariſon with the multitude of Believers, and yet have Eyes on all fides, being enough to ſee to the Afffairs of the whole Church of Chriſt on the Earth. In this Senſe I reſt, only here remains a Queſtion : Naeſf. How theſe are ſaid to be in the midſt of the Throne, and yet round about the Throne 2 To which va- rious Anſwers are given ; that which pleaſeth me beft, is & win, in the middle, is not to be ſtrained to ſipnifie a place at equal diſtance from two Extreams, but more largely and proverbially for near the Throne, or near him who ſate upon the Throne. See the ſeveral No- tions about this Phraſe in Mr. Pool's Latin Synopſes.
7 And the firſt beaſt was like a lion, and the ſecond beaſt like a calf, and the third beaſt had a face as a
man, and the fourth beaſt was like a flying eagle wv. w It is obſerved concerning theſe four living Creatures, (tor ſo they were not Beaſts in a ſtri& Senſe, as it 1s oppoſed to flying things ; for the fourth was a Fowl) that - they were the ſame men- tioned in EzekiePs Viſion, Ezek. 1. 10. only each one there is ſaid to have had the four Faces of theſe Creatures; here each one had a
_ fngle Face proper to it. 2. That theſe were the four Creatures/
whoſe Pourtraitures were in the four Enſigns of the Taelites as they were marſhalled into four Companies, allotting the Men of three Tribes to each Company. 7udah's Standard had a Lion in its Co- lours, according to Facob's Prophecy of that Tribe, Gen. 49. 9. E- phraim had an Ox, Reuben-had a Man, Dan an Eagle. This the
ce, and a Flying Eagle, |.
ATTON,
Learned Mede proves from the Rabbins, who (though Fabulous enough) yet in ſuch a thing may be credited. It is alſo thought rkey anſwered the four Cherub;ims in the Temple. Queſt. But what is ſignified by theſe four living Creatures thus deſcribed ? Sol, Some ſay the four Evangeliſts ; others, four Apoſtles, &c." But certainly they judge beſt who ſay, That by them is fignificd the various Gitts with which God blefſeth his Miniſters, giving ſome more Courage and Fortitude, that they are like Lins; to others more Mildnefs and Meekneſs, that they are like Oxen or Calves; others have more Wiſdom and Prudence, which moſt adorn a Man ; others a more piercing infight into the Myſteries of God's Kingdom, rendring them like Eagles, s