the bride*, to whom it is granted, that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; and we have seen the Archangel granting the same honour to Joshua, and in him to the church. The fine white linen, we are informed signifies "the righteousness of the saints," consequent on the forgiveness of their sins; and accordingly we find the divine declaration immediately following the introduction of the stone. "I have removed the iniquity of that land in one day."

The iniquity of the whole land, that contains the chosen people of God, the spiritual Israel, was effectually removed in one day; in the day, that "Christ died unto sin oncet," once for all. For "once only did he appear to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself," that we might be sanctified "through the offering, which he made once for all§." And having been thus "offered once || to bear the sins of many," when he shall appear the second time to them, who look for him, it will be unto salvation, but without a sinoffering¶.

10. In that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, ye shall call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig-tree.

* Idem, xix. 7, 8. † Romans, vi. 10.

Hebrews, ix. 26. § Idem, x. 10. || Idem, ix. 28. ¶ Ibid.

The tranquillity and happiness of a people reposing in profound peace, plenty, and security, is sometimes represented in scripture by the image of men enjoying themselves under their own vines and fig-trees; and they are here farther represented in the liberal spirit of ancient times, stationing themselves, like Abraham at the door of his tent, and inviting travellers to take a share of their repose and abundancet. The order of the prediction and of the corresponding events directs us to interpret this beautiful allusion of the earnest desires and strenuous endeavours of the apostles and other primitive christians to convert the heathen world. They were taught by their heavenly master to consider every man in need, as their neighbour; and accordingly they are here figured, while resting in the tranquillity and plenteousness of evangelical peace and blessing, as calling to all the way-faring men, who needed such refreshment in the journey through life, to partake with them in their ease and comfort, in the meat and drink that endure unto everlasting life.

* See Genesis, xviii. 1—5.

+ Harmer's observations, vol. 3, p. 203, which is cited by Dr. Blaney, who, without following, does not dissent from his exposition.

PART V.

CAP. IV. 1 —————14.

THE Almighty having revealed in the fourth part of the vision his purpose of saving his church by the remission of sins through Him who was prophetically made known to it under the image of the stone of Israel, the foundation and chief corner stone, and of administering its affairs and exercising the powers of government over it through the same holy and divine person, in this part condescends further to open his counsel, and to reveal the future constitution of the church in the times of Messiah, under a very significant and splendid figure, as a perfect whole, consisting of two grand divisions, formed into one spiritual community, growing up from small beginnings to a vast and indefinite extent independently of all human power, united, nourished, supported, guided by his divine word and spirit, whose manifold gifts and graces are

communicated and supplied through the ministry of persons duly appointed and ordained to that end. The truth of the above mentioned declarations, as really proceeding from the Almighty, is testified by an appeal to the performance of a promise shortly to take effect. 1. And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me as a man that is wakened out of his sleep; and said unto me, what seest thou?

"

At this period of the vision the interpreting angel, who in the third part had quitted the side of Joshua to attend and witness, perhaps also to superintend, the measuring of Jerusalem, and was dispatched with a message to the measurer, returned and found the prophet deeply musing on the important but deeply mysterious emblems, which had lately been set before his eyes. The angelic minister now, we may suppose, fully instructed in the counsels of God respecting the church, as having witnessed the execution of the orders, with which he was intrusted, is able to unfold, as far as he is permitted to do it, the signification of the images which are next presented to Zechariah's view. He therefore roused the prophet from his reverie, and by his question called his attention to another set of emblems, which are described to us in the words of his reply to the angel.

2. And I said*, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, and a bowl upon the top of it, and its seven lamps upon it; seven and sevent! Pipes are there to the seven 3. lamps, which are upon the top of it; and two olive-trees beside it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on the left side 4. thereof. So I answered and spake unto the an

gel that talked with me, saying, what are these 5. my Lord? And the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, knowest thou not what these be? And I said, no my Lord.

*The printed Hebrew copies read, "And he said:" but the reading adopted here by our English translators, and by all critics is supported by the Keri, by the majority of ancient manuscripts, and by the ancient versions, that is to say, it is beyond all question the true reading.

In thus rendering the Hebrew words raw yaw I have taken the in a distributive sense, making it divide the lamps of the candlestick into a pair of sevens, in conformity with the idiom of the Hebrew language. See the examples cited by Tympius in his annotatious on Noldius de particulis, No. 902. In Genesis, vii. 2, 3, we find the number fourteen distributed in this manner, but without the Vau; "Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee seven, seven, and of fowls seven, seven," which are distributed, seven to each of the sexes, as it is expressed, "the male and his female." In 1 Kings, viii. 65, we have an instance exactly in point; fourteen days are there distributed into a pair of sevens, and that with the Vau: "Aud Solomon held a great feast and all Israel with him, seven days and seven days, even fourteen days." And in order, as it should seem, to fix the attention of the reader on this distribution, it is said in the following verse, that "on the eighth day he sent the people