on earth. Neither can this gathering refer to the heavenly glory, because there the dispensation of the Lamb is at end, the kingdom being now delivered up to the Father, that God may be all in all.

In the Apocalypse, we see the wings of the Lamb stretched over those souls which had come out of great tribulation, and were now before the throne, clad in white robes. "He that sitteth on the throne shall overshadow them." Rev. vii. 15.* They now possess, in all its grace and truth, what was given to Israel of old in a figure-the endearing protection of the cloud. No hunger nor thirst befals them: neither do the burning sunbeams of noon fall upon them, nor any heat. Their situation is an accomplishment of what is expressed in the language of the 121st psalm; and we learn that in this light the psalm was viewed by some of the fathers of the primitive church. "The not giving the foot to be moved." The Lord, or as the Chaldee has it, the Word of the Lord being a shade on the right hand, and keeping the soul: the not suffering the sun to smite them by day, nor the moon by night, are circumstances, which, whether understood literally of the sun and moon, or figuratively, of the various inconve

This
is

is almost a version of the words of the Psalmist retasech Ale-mu. Chaldee, Obumbrabis eos. Psal. v. 11.

(

6.9

niences and calamities of life, quite repel the idea of any thing of earth being intended. For who ever exists that expects, while here, to be fully exempted either from the one or from the other?

Under this head also we may class the following terms, as expressive of the situation of souls after death. The altar, the pavilion of God, the bundle of life.

In the book of Revelation, the place of souls is marked as being under the altar. There the apostle John beheld them. While the world remains, Christ acts as the altar, 'sanctifying the gift. Hence, in the Old Testament, Jehovah Js.60-7 says," they shall come up with acceptance upon mine altar." Being under the altar, denotes that they were yet in their sacrificed state, and under the custody and protection of him, whom the altar represented. "Their reward was with Jehovah, and the care of them with the Most High." It is he alone who can truly appreciate their sufferings, for "precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." Being under the altar, they are still sacrifices, and in a state, which, compared with that to which they are afterwards to be exalted, is lacerated, their souls and bodies being kept asunder by death. But as all true believers die in the faith of Jesus; that is, that they will one day experience the truth of the covenant in its highest and most perfect degree; this very act is

a trust

a trust of the nature of a sacrifice, or a submitting to the righteousness of God. The altar then receives their departed spirits, under its wings, as being the very foundation of their trust, and in virtue of which altar their souls and bodies will meet again in everlasting union. The altar also, as expressing propitiation and atonement; and souls being under it, denote that its work, as an altar, is not yet completed. They who eat of the sacrifice, are partakers of the altar; but in order to be full participants, the atonement must extend its effects, not only to the departed spirit, but also to the mouldered body, conquering the enemy, which detains it, bringing it out from the dust, and exalting it to everlasting happiness.

From the request of the souls which were lying under the altar, we learn that they are still in a state of expectancy, in contradistinction to that fulness of possession upon which they are to enter, after the last judgment. The answer given to them may be considered as explanatory of the design of the intermediate state. "That they should rest yet a little while, until their brethren should be killed as they were." It follows then, that the duration of this state is commensurate with the reign of mortality, beginning with its rise, and terminating with its fall. Rev. 6.9-11

The pavilion and secret place of the Almighty, are synonymous, and denote the same thing; and

although

pro

although applicable in a lower sense, to that tection that is given upon earth, yet here there are, given circumstances which evince that this pavilion, or secret place, will not meet any situation under the sun. For let us consider in what clime of earth has the Almighty fixed his pavilion, the secret of his tabernacle? Add too, what exemption from troubles do the children of God enjoy more than others? In an earthly acceptaPs.27.4 tion, David did not obtain what he sought after, for what with external wars, what with family misfortunes, he appears to have been held in trouble, through almost the whole of his life. Were this one thing dwelling in the house, and beholding the beauty of Jehovah belonging to earth, why should he say that this was yet the object of his pursuit, when he had it in his power to repair to the tabernacle every day? This then must be an object that is distant, and evidently appears to be the spiritual temple within the veil, because the services which David delineates, evidently belong to the upper house, and not to the lower on earth. He looks beyond the material sacrifices of the law, the shadows of his own times, to that body which is of Christ: for he speaks of sacrifices of joy, which undoubtedly is a part of the service of the heavenly temple. He speaks likewise of the day of evil, which, with the Hebrew nation, is a term for the whole of time, and which from

first to last, is to the righteous a day of evil. In another psalm he terms this retirement of the soul the secret of his presence. The term presence, or face, denotes Messiah, with whom their future "life is said to be hid." The one thing of the Psalmist, and that of Mary the sister of Lazarus, Lk.10.42. appears to have been the same. The former desires to see the beauty of Jehovah, aud to inquire in his temple, the latter to hear from the mouth of Messiah, delineations of the same beauty, and discourses of things concerning the kingdom of God,

The third term is the bundle of life. This, in the opinion of the fathers of old, both Jews and Christians, has ever been considered as a term expressive of the intermediate state. The words of the Chaldee paraphrase, fully express the sense in which the people of those times understood the passage; which, from its being read perpetually in the synagogue, must have formed an article of the popular belief. "And the soul of my Lord shall be treasured up in the treasury of life, of the future age, before the Lord thy God." 1 Sam.

XXV. 29.

Bundle signifies collected or gathered, and is expressive of the opinion of that age, as to the destination of the souls of all the faithful, which had now left the world. They were in one collection or assembly. Nor let it be thought that this

was