-let all be grateful that the treatment of a malady, which has not spared the sceptred monarch, and may be permitted, in the righteous providence of God, to visit any one of us, should be better understood than ever; and let all who are yet blessed with the unspeakable mercy of a sound intellect, be anxious, above all things, to "walk with God," in the constant use of that Divine revelation which he has been pleased to make of himself, and in humble prayer for the influence of his holy Spirit, that they may be enabled to receive its doctrines and obey its precepts; and let "all who call themselves Christians" remember, that in proof of the Almighty having indissolubly connected sin with suffering, and holiness with happiness, an illustrious layman (Mr. Burke) has said, that "whatever disunites man from God, separates man from man." If then all suffering and sorrow be a consequence of the Fall, who can doubt that mental alienation is so; and where then, in addition to human means, may we more properly look for aid than to Him who, in the days of his flesh, especially remembered such outcasts, and now declares of all that "whosoever will, may come ?" The power of using that will, and the success which may attend its exercise, cannot be defined or limited by man, and can only be fully known by Him who knoweth all things.

ZENAS.

AMERICAN PRAYER-BOOK FORM OF THANKSGIVING FOR

HARVEST.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer.

I QUITE agree with J. T., in your Number for last November, in his wish that we possessed, in our excellent National Church, a standing form of thanksgiving for the harvest, to be used year by year, when appropriate. Our brethren in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America are happier in this respect, for they possess in their Book of Prayer a very beautiful and Scriptural form, which is used yearly on the first Thursday in November, or any other day appointed by the civil authority, wherein they return thanks to Almighty God for the fruits of the earth, and all the other blessings of His merciful providence. There is a regular service for that day: it commences with reading suitable sentences from the Scriptures, then the usual morning service. The first Lesson is Deuteronomy, 8th chapter, and nothing can be more appropriate; the second Lesson is part of the 1st Epistle to the Thessalonians, 5th chapter, 12th to 24th verse. Instead of the Collect for the day, the following one is used: "O most merciful Father, who hast blessed the labours of the husbandmen in the returns of the fruits of the earth, we give thee humble and hearty thanks for this thy bounty, beseeching thee to continue thy loving-kindness to us; that our land may still yield her increase to thy glory and our comfort, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen." The Epistle is from St. James, 1st chapter, and 16th and the Gospel from St. Matthew, 5th chapter, and at the 43rd verse. After the General Thanksgiving, the following prayer is said: "Most Gracious God, by whose knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew, we yield thee unfeigned thanks and praise, as for all thy mercies, so especially for the returns of seed time and harvest, and for crowning the year with thy goodness, in the increase of the ground, and the gathering in of the fruits thereof: and we be

verse;

seech thee give us a just sense of this great mercy, such as may appear in our lives by an humble, holy, and obedient walking before thee all our days, through Jesus Christ our Lord; to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all glory and honour, world without end, Amen."

Could we adopt such a service as this, it would be very useful. Indeed the Prayer Book of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States is a very interesting document. W..

**We need scarcely add, that we have in our English Prayer-book very excellent forms of prayer and thanksgiving on various occasions; and, among others, a thanksgiving "for plenty," but the wording of some of them is such as frequently precludes their full literal application. Thus the late excellent harvest could not be strictly said to turn "dearth and scarcity into cheapness and plenty." Our annual vicissitudes, by the blessing of God, under the present system of our agriculture and commerce, are not often thus strongly marked. But these occasional prayers and thanksgivings are sometimes omitted when they are strikingly appropriate. The thanksgiving "for restoring peace at home" could not have been more befitting after the late " seditious tumults" in the manufacturing districts, had it been composed expressly for the occasion; and yet we fear very few clergymen made use of it after our merciful deliverance.

ON THE FOUR LIVING CREATURES IN EZEKIEL, AND THOSE IN THE APOCALYPSE.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer.

THE vision of Ezekiel, in the first chapter, presents to us one magnificent and comprehensive symbol; that of St. John, chapters iv. and v., a system consisting of several distinct symbols. Hence we may justly infer, that if we be enabled, by Divine assistance, rightly to interpret Ezekiel's vision, we shall find that it symbolizes one thing, simple in its nature, but complex in its operation. We may also justly infer, that the correct interpretation of St. John's vision will furnish us with several things capable of being considered distinctly, but associated and combined in their nature and operation.

Four living creatures constitute, as it were, the nucleus of Ezekiel's vision: four living creatures form a leading feature in St. John's vision. Ezekiel's four living creatures have each of them four faces; St. John's have but one; the same four being distributed amongst them. Their resemblance leads us to conjecture that they symbolize the same thing: their difference, that the same thing is symbolized under different circumstances. I shall pass from the one vision to the other, in such manner as seems to me best calculated to lead to a correct interpretation of both.

We read in the 8th verse of the 5th chapter of Revelations, “And when he had taken the book, the four living creatures, and four and twenty elders, fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof, for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and

priests and we shall reign on the earth." Here we learn that these living creatures and elders adore the Lamb, and are redeemed by his blood, from every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; therefore they either symbolize the whole body of Christ's faithful servants, of every name and nation, or the authorities which instruct and direct that body. They have every one of them golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints; therefore we conclude that they are intercessors for the whole body of Christ's faithful people. They are made kings and priests unto God: but in the fourth chapter and fourth verse, the four-and-twenty elders are sitting on thrones, clothed in white raiment, with crowns of gold on their heads; and their posture and attire seem plainly to indicate that they are kings. Hence it seems to follow, that the four living creatures are priests; and this is confirmed by the 9th verse of the same chapter, where we find that they are leaders of Divine worship: "And when those living creatures give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever; the four-and-twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever:" and this conclusion is further strengthened by the place which they occupy in the vision, for they are nearest the throne. We further learn that they are in a state of bondage and oppression; from which they confidently anticipate not only a triumphant deliverance, but the dominion of the earth. These four living creatures, then, and four-and-twenty elders, seem to be the faithful ministers and rulers of Christ's faithful people; who intercede for the congregations committed to their charge; who are oppressed by worldly authorities and powers; despisers of vital godliness; and who confidently expect to be exalted over their oppressors. This vision, then, of St. John, seems to terminate when that exaltation shall take place: and these four living creatures symbolize the faithful and devoted ministers of Christ till that event shall be accomplished; or, in other words, they symbolize the ministration of the Spirit by truly spiritual pastors, till the saints shall possess the kingdom; which event is foretold Rev. xx. 4; Daniel ii. 44; Daniel vii. 27.

Having arrived at the conclusion that the living creatures in this vision of St. John probably symbolize the ministration of the Spirit under the Christian dispensation, by faithful Christian pastors, to Christ's faithful flock; we are now prepared to conjecture that the four living creatures in Ezekiel's vision may symbolize the ministration of the Spirit under the Mosaic dispensation, by the holy prophets. Let us now turn to the vision of Ezekiel, and endeavour to ascertain, by a careful examination of the leading features of the complex symbol therein presented, whether this conjecture be sustained and rendered probable. In the Scriptures the prophets are represented as if they actually executed the judgments they denounce, and actually bestowed the blessings which they promise. It is said to Jeremiah (i. 10,) "See! I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, and to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant:" and there is a multitude of passages of like import, which it is needless to quote, save one which shews that the prophets uniformly sustain this character: "I have hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth." (Hosea vi. 5.) This character Ezekiel sustained, and he seems to be intimately connected with the vision which he beheld, as appears from the 3rd chapter and 12th verse. "Then the Spirit took me up, and I heard behind me a voice of a great rushing CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 62.

M

saying, Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place. I heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels over against them, and a noise of a great rushing. So the Spirit lifted me up, and took me away; and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit: but the hand of the Lord was strong upon me." His connexion with and dependance upon the thing symbolized by the vision he describes, is also discoverable in the 8th chapter, 2nd to 4th verse. Now if this vision symbolizes the ministration of the Spirit by the prophets, the prophet's connection with it is evident; and the probability is strengthened that the conjecture is correct: and this mode of interpretation is further strengthened, by the consideration that it establishes a similar connection between St. John and the vision which he saw. It is also further corroborated, by enabling us to account for the different position which the four living creatures occupy in the two visions. In Ezekiel's vision, large wheels are attached to the living creatures, studded with eyes round about; these wheels seem to be indicative of motion, because the ministration by the prophets was a progressive revelation. But in the vision of St. John, the four living creatures are stationary; and the reason seems to be, that they are so because the revelation is complete. The eyes round about the rings are significant of intelligent motion, and the straight-forward movement a steady and undeviating aim at the object to be accomplished; namely, the full development of that revelation which was then in progress. The spirit also of the living creatures was in the wheels; which seems to imply that their intelligence consisted in their onward movement towards the destined goal. But the living creatures in St. John's vision, are full of eyes within; for it was their wisdom steadily and devoutly to contemplate a revelation fulfilled; and it would be folly and presumption in their case, to attempt to go beyond the bounds of that revelation: "When the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up;" which reminds us that the ministration of the prophets was sometimes suspended; being sometimes with the Jewish church, and sometimes withheld: an instance of which occurs in 1 Samuel, iii. 1: "The word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision;" and in the long period which occurred between Malachi and the coming of Christ. But God has never left himself without witness under the Christian dispensation; even in the darkest times there have always been some faithful pastors who might justly be called "ministers not of the letter which killeth, but of the Spirit which giveth life."

The vision of Ezekiel is invested with circumstances of awful majesty, which seem to have overwhelmed the spirit of the prophet. "And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creatures, was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above." As the appearance of the "bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face." But the vision of St. John was mild, pacific, and attractive; which he seems to have steadily contemplated without fear. When we reflect that the most prominent feature in the ministration of the Spirit by the prophets, was the repeated denunciation of Divine judgments against his idolatrous people and the surrounding nations; that the ministration of the Spirit by truly Christian pastors consists chiefly in preaching the gospel of peace, and in ear

nestly soliciting perverse sinners, whether Jews or Gentiles, to cast down the weapons of their rebellion, and to be reconciled to God; it seems natural that the minds of the prophet and the apostle should have been very differently affected by visions symbolizing a ministration so awful in the one case and so consoling in the other. "As for the likeness of

the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning." This appearance of the living creatures is calculated to inspire terror; and the lightnings which flash from them are, as it were, flashes of Divine judgment, inflicted by them on the objects of his indignation. And this agrees with the character of the prophets, who are represented to be, as we have already seen, the executioners of God's vengeance on the wicked. "As for their rings" (that is, the rings of the wheels) "they were so high that they were dreadful." Now if we be right in supposing that these rings represent the progress of the ministration of the Spirit by the prophets, whether in the way of mercy, or of judgment—as the course of God's providential dispensations was, at that period, of a very awful character, and the time was arrived for the utter destruction of the temple and of the city of Jerusalem--we cannot be surprised that the wheels, which represent the course of such dispensations, so awfully mysterious, should have appeared high and dreadful to the prophet. The lightnings which the prophet beheld, proceeded from the bodies of the living creatures; but St. John tells us, that in the vision which he saw, "out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices." In accordance with these symbols, the Divine judgments in one case are represented as inflicted by the prophets; in the other as proceeding from the throne of God to avenge the neglect or abuse of his blessed Gospel. I have said that a prominent part of the prophet's ministration, was the denunciation of Divine judgments; and that the ministration of mercy is most prominent in the labours of truly Christian pastors, and that this accounts for the difference observable in the living creatures as seen by the prophet and apostle. Nevertheless, the prophets are frequently employed in proclaiming the mercies of God, and in progressively unfolding that revelation of mercy which is finished by the apostles; and the ministers of the Gospel are sometimes constrained and bound to denounce the judgments of God, and apparently to assist in the execution of them. We find in the 15th chapter of Revelations, that "One of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever :" and we find also the prophet Ezekiel, in the midst of judgment, proclaiming mercy to Israel in the 36th and 37th chapters. In a word, the ministration of the prophets is a revelation of mercies and judgments, in which judgment is the most prominent feature; but the ministration of truly Christian pastors is the exposition of a revelation in which mercy rejoices over judgment.

The position also of the living creatures in the visions seen by the prophet and apostle, very significantly expresses an important difference in the character of their ministrations. In Ezekiel's vision, an emblem of the Almighty, encircled with a bow, is enthroned above the heads of the living creatures: which seems to intimate that they are safely directed in the path of truth, by the unerring hand of Omnipotence and Omniscience; but presents no sign of their being well acquainted with the nature of the work in which they are employed; and this exactly agrees with St. Peter, 1st Epistle, 1st chapter, vers. 8-12, who addresses the congregations to