And, oh! how full is this brief prophecy,-from Shem sprang Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, David and the Messiah, to whom Nathaniel said, "Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel." Thus, after the lapse of 4000 years, when the fulness of time was come, was this blessed word fulfilled, "To us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulders, and he shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." Compare Isa. ix. 6 with Luke i. 32, 33.

All heaven gazed on that wondrous birth. But not only were they spectators of the mighty scene, but in a measure were made partakers of the joy of God and man. One of them, doubtless, high among the ranks of those principalities and powers that the Lord had created, was sent with the glorious tidings. And this was his message,-"Fear not, behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people; for unto you is born this day, in the City of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And, suddenly, there was with the Angel, a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest; and, on earth, peace and good-will towards men."

The Gospels relate the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of this blessed Saviour; and the Acts opens with the promise, that in like manner as he ascended, so shall he descend. And this has been his people's hope ever since his absence,-looking for, and hastening unto the coming of the day of God.

And thus, my dear children, are we brought up to the history of man at the present moment. The Lord Jesus is now at the right hand of Power; and his people are looking for him; and, in all simplicity of faith, resting alone in his precious blood and righteousness, are seeking to adorn the doctrine of God, their Saviour, in all things; and with their talents, to occupy until he comes. The sorrows of 6000 years are well nigh over; and a blessed sabbath is at hand. "Sweet is the harp of prophecy" that celebrates this time. beautiful lines of Cowper :

You remember those most

"The groans of nature in this nether world,
Which heaven has heard for ages, have an end:
Foretold by prophets, and by poets sung—
The time of rest, the promised sabbath comes.
Six thousand years of sorrow have well nigh
Fulfilled their tardy and disastrous course
Over a sinful world; and what remains
Of this tempestuous state of human things,
Is merely as the working of a sea

Before a calm, that rocks itself to rest.

For He whose car the winds are, and the clouds
That wait upon his sultry march,

When sin has moved him, and his wrath is hot,
Shall visit earth in mercy; shall descend
Propitious in his chariot paved with love;
And what his storms have blasted and defaced
For man's revolt, shall with a smile repair."

That you, my beloved children, may, when that day appeareth, be enabled to look up with confidence, and say, "It is my God, and I have waited for him; it is the Lord, I will rejoice in his salvation," is the sincere prayer of

Your affectionate Father.

LETTER XII.

"WORTHY IS THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN TO RECEIVE POWER, AND RICHES, AND WISDOM, AND STRENGTH, AND HONOUR, AND GLORY, AND BLESSING. AND EVERY CREATURE WHICH IS IN HEAVEN, AND ON THE EARTH, AND UNDER THE EARTH, AND SUCH AS ARE IN THE SEA, AND ALL THAT ARE IN THEM, HEARD I SAYING, BLESSING, AND HONOUR, AND GLORY, AND POWER, BE UNTO HIM THAT SITTETH UPON THE THRONE, AND UNTO THE LAMB FOR EVER and ever."-Rev. v. 12, 13.

My Dear Children,

Do you remember, when living in Ireland, the circumstance of a dear little boy at D., who, having received a present of Noah's Ark, was observed by his father very busy arranging the ferocious beasts of prey with the gentler ones; and when the question was put to him, as to what he was engaged in, he innocently replied, "Papa, I am placing the animals as they will be in the happy time, when the Leopard shall lie down with the Lamb, and the Lion shall eat straw like the Ox." Isa. xi. 6-9.

It interested us all at the time; it was a little child taking the word in simplicity, which, indeed, is the only true way to profit by it. Yes, dear children, that day is rapidly hastening; every thing around us indicates its near approach; and then, in truth, shall "the groaning creation be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God." Rom. viii. 19-23. But, as in that beautiful quotation from Cowper, in the end of my last letter; though the chariot of the Lord shall be paved with love to his children, not so to his enemiesto the open blasphemer-the careless, or the self-righteous, (Matt. xxii. 7-19.) He comes in flaming fire, taking vengeance even on them that know not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, when he comes " to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe." 2 Thess. i. 8-10.

The emblems of this day are very numerous; some of which are continually before us-as the domestic animals. Of others we know but little.

The Lion is the king of the forest; and the Wise Man says in the Book of Proverbs, that it is the strongest among beasts (Prov. xxviii. 1), and its whole appearance gives it at once pre-eminence; and thus, through the Scriptures, it is continually alluded to.

In Ezek. i. 10, you will find the heads of the Cherubim to be the Man, the Lion, the Ox, and the Eagle,-the emblems of intelligence, power, stability, and swiftness.