Classical Theology.—Xxxvi.

"I do sot my bow in the cloud , " saith tho Lord , " and it shall bo for a token of a covenant between mo and tho earth . " And , "Even as I receive of my father , " saith the Eevelation ( ii ., 27 , 28 , and xxii . 16 ) , "I will give him tho morning- star . I , Jesus , have scut mine angel to testifunto these things in the churches . I am

y you the root and offspring of David , and the bright and morning star . " Even the mi g hty masters who professed polytheism , the ancient prophets and poets , ( Jew and Gentile ) , deeply versed in the delitescent and latitant systems and

theories of metaphysics and religion , ascribed to Apollo , the son of Jupiter ( or Baal ) , by which they signified the sun of heaven , the management and government of all things . Thus then as symbolized of all , and as predicted by the holy prophets , ancl as made manifest in the Gospels , we read according to St . John : —

" In the beginning ivas tho "Word , ancl tho Word was with God , and the Word was God . The same was in the beginning wifch God . All things were made by Him ; and without Him was not aiy-fching made that ivas made . In Him was life : and the life was " the light ; of men . And the light shincth in darkness , and the darkness comprehended it not . That was the true Light whicli lightoth every man

that comcth into fche world . He was in the world , and the world was made by him , ancl the world knew him not . He came unto His own , and His own received Him not . But as many as received Him , to them gave Ho power to become the sons of God , even to them that believe on His name : which were born , not of blood , nor by the will of the flesh , nor of tho will of manbut of GodAnd the Word was

, . made fresh , and dwelt among us ( as we beheld His glory , the glory as ofthe only begotten of the rather ) , full of grace and truth . For the law was given by Moses , but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ . " "

Those initiated into the sacred mysteries of hidden knowledge cannot but know how the Word , tlie Voice , or Holy Spirit was made flesh , and had been held in expectation by the initiated and well informed Jews . In further allusion to this , St . John the apostle takes up the words of St . John the Baptist , and says .-

—' * ' This is the record of John , when the Jews sent priests aud Lovites from Jerusalem to ask him , AA ho art thou P And he confessed and denied nofc ; but confessed , I am not the Christ . And they asked him , What then ? Art thou Elias ? And he said . I am not . Art thou that prophet ? Aiiclhe answeredNo . Thou said they unto himWho

^ , , art thou ? that we may give an answer to them that sent us . . . . And they asked him , and said unto him , I Why baptisefch thou then , if thou be nos that Christ , nor Eiias , neither that prophet ? " Furthermore , John bare ; record , saying , seeing Jesus coining unto him , "Behold the ' . Lamb of God , whicli taketh away the sins of the world . " !

In particular we are again told , ( Rev . xxi . 22 , 23 ) | that iu the new world , the baptized Jerusalem , or Temple- ! itself of Christ , there was , — " No need of fche sun , neither ofthe moon , to shine in it : for the glory of God did lihten itand tho Lamb is tlie

^ g , light thereof . " "And John bare record , saying , I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a clove , and it abode upon Kim . And I knew Him not ; but He that sent me to baptise ivith water , the same said unto me , Upon whom tho ;; shalt see fche Spin '!; descending , and remaining on Him , the same is Ho which baptisefch with the Holy Ghost . And I saw and bare record that this is the Son of God . "

Who was called the Lamb of God because he was offered in himself the sacrifice of Gocl ; for the remission

of sins by repentance , and regeneration ; so that Christianit y might prevail , be born incarnate , and possess the world . Of the spiritual light which testified of the Holy Ghost , amongst other evidences , we have this : — - " Jesus saw Nathaniel coining to him , and saith of him ,

Behold an Israelite , indeed , in whom is no guile ! Nathaniel saith unto him , Whence knowesfc thou me ? Jesus answered and said unto him , Before that Philip called tlico , when thou wast under the fig tree , I saw thee . Nathaniel answered and said unto him , Eabbi , thou art the Son of God : thou art the King of Israel Jesus answered and said unto himBecause I said unto theeI

, , saw thee under the fig tree , believes ! thou ? thou shalfc see greater things than these . . . . Hereafter ye shall see heaven open , and the angels of God ascending and descending upon fche Son of man . " Again we read of the Baptist , whose works were to perish

•" He must increase , but I must decrease . He ( that is to say Christ ) that comcth from above , is above all ; he that is of fche earth is earthly , and speakefch of the earth . For he ( that is to say Christ especially ) whom God hath sent speaketh . the words of God : for God giveth not the Spirit ; by measure unto him . The Father lovetb the Son , and hath given all tilings into his hand . "

But tlie words of Christ will at once testify of the Good and Holy and Almighty Spirit of himself . " For as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickenefch them , oven so fche Son quickenefch whom he will . For the Father judgoth no man , but hath committed all judgment unto him .- that all men should honour the Son , even as

they honour the Father . Ho that honourcth not the Son , honourefch not fche Father which hath sent him . Verily , verily , I say unto you , ho that believeth my word , and believcth ou him that sent me , hath everlasting life , and shall nofc come into condemnation , bufc is passed from death into life . Verily , verily , I say unto you . The hour is coming , and now is , when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of

God ; and they that hear shall live . For as the Father hath life in himself , so hath he given to fche Son to have life in himself ; and hath given him authority to execute judgment also , because he is the Son of man . "

This is said with respect to the Word having been made flesh . After the resurrection ( Matt , xxviii . ) there is a similar divinely gracious ancl omnipotent averment . True to his api'ointment , Christ met his eleven disci ples , or Apostles on the Mount in Galilee . "" ' And when they saw him , " we are told "they worshipped him .- but some

doubted . " Perhaps , in order that the Scripture , or some mystery of the resurrection mi ght be perfected , they were not allowed to comprehend him entirely : —

' ' And lie came and spake unto them , saying , All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth . Go ye , therefore , and teach all nations , baptising them in tlie namo of tho Father , and ofthe Son , and of the Holy Ghost ; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded yon ; and , lo , I am ivith yon ahvay , even to fche end of the world . "

Had he appeared in so glorious a form as the angel at the sepulchre , whose " countenance ivas like lightning , and his raiment white as snow , " he would by so doing , have cast off his manhood and have been no longer , as described in the Scri p tures , the Son of God ancl the Son

of Man , the promised Messiah , who was to save the world from the destroying curse of idolatrous darkness and wickedness , and perhaps from the total withdrawal ofthe light of the Sou of Righteousness .