1ou think of th~ man who, infect~d wit~ a_ pestilen~ial. disease1 ran mali~antly. fro~ house to house 1n order to spread 1t? Sm 1s a pestilence. Thmk of the Judgments 1t has brought upon the world; think of the crucifixion of Christ, and talk no more about ihe imignifa:ancy of sin. This, then, will not enable you to ~tand in the judgment• . IV. A FELT CAPABit'JTY OF PROVING THAT THE CRIME WAS COMll.UTTED AOOIDENT- .LLY; NOT BY PURPOSE. If you were well assured that on the day of trial you could prove that you did not intend to commit the act, you might look forward without any agitation or misgivings. But have you this in relation to the day of judgment? No. You know that your sin has not been accidental, but intentional-not an e:ixeption in tour history, but the law; not an occasional act, but the kabit ofyour existence. ' V. F'AITB IN THE SYMPATHY OF THE WHOLE COURT IN YOUR FAVOUR. If you felt assured that on the day of trial the whole jury would be composed of none but wann and attached friends, and that the judge himself would have the kindest and strongest sympathies in your favour, you would have strong hope in being able to stand. You know how love blinds the soul to faults, and turns even opposing evidence ~o its, own aooount. In such a case mercy is almost sure to triumph over judgment. But have yon any hope of anythin~ like this, that will serve you at the day of judgment? None. True, be who will be the Judge on that day is love, and is full of the tenderest mercy now. But whilst no change will have taken place in his nature, he wilrthen, notwithstanding, appear and act as the inexorable Just One. VI. AN ABILITY TO PROVE THAT YOU HAVE RENDERED SIGNAL SERVfCE TO THE STATE. Suppose that you had, by some heroic campaign, hul'led back from yorrr country's shores the advancing tide of a terrible invasion; or by some scientific discovery given a·new impulse to the industry of the population, and introduced a new and bright era into commerce ;-in such a case you might have hope of being. a.l>le to stand in trial. 'fhough found guilty, your past servict:s would be felt to be such a set- off as would obtain for you an acquittal, or at any rate reduce your punishment to a mere nominal thing. But have you anything like this to serye you on the day of jndgment? Have you any hope of being able to show that you have been of service to the universe? No, no. You will feel then that the universe would have been better off had you never existed. Had you never thought, never acted, never been, tb:~ would ha."! existed .less crime and less misery in the creation.-D. T. '
EXPOSITION. w)lile separating eh. ·di. from eh. vi, as ''t~ OHAPTER VIL episodes.'' remarks, " The great day of ilia Ver. 1.c-And after these t.hings. MeTc\ Lord's judgment is not dflllOJ'ibed; it is all 1'oii-ro, or, as some cursives read, ,...,." but brought before us under the sixth .seal, 1'AVTa, is genrrally reg.irded o.s denoting the and is a.ctually going on iu the first of these close of the tiixth seal and the commence- episodes." I aaw four angels, Of the nat1Ue ment of a new subject, interjooted by way of these angels we are told nothing. They of episode between the sixth and seventh are evidently ministers of God's will, and seals. But, even if not looked upon BS o.n the mention of them following immediately integral part of the revelations made under upon the preceding description seems ~ the sixth seal, the connection is so close connect the whole a.ooount more cloaely with that the two must be rege.rded practically Matt. xxiv. 29, 30, where the angels gather as one. The incidents of the seventh the elect from the four wind11. It does not chapter are evidently the complement of 110em probable that "evil angels" are meant, those narrated in the closing vers~s of the as understood by some writers, since what. Bixth. They take up the question with they do is apparently done at the command which that chapter closes, " Who is able to of God. Standing on the four oorn8l'I of stand?" and afford comfort and help t.o the earth. That is, standing in the four those sutrering Christians who were so opposite directions, and thus controlling all IOtely in need of a renewed assurance of the earth (cf. Isa. xi. 12; eh. :u:. 8). The the certainty of their final reward, It seems number four is the symbol of universality better, therefore, on the whole, to oonsider and of creation (see on eh. v. 9). Holding the the sixth seal to extend to ·the end of eh. four winds of the earth (of. Jer. xlix,' 88: vii. Vitringe. takes tllis view, which appears Dan. vii 2: ¥:att. mv. 31). The angel, 1o be supported a.lliO by Woi:dsworth. Alford, w.l!,Y have been,the "angelll of the w ~10 200 THE REVELATION OF ST, JOHN THE DIVINE. [en. v~.1-17: