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and breathless. Saints and angels hu.sh th eir songs to look and w ait for th e re sults. And even th e A lmighty pauses before th e action proceeds. It is not figure—not symbol— no t ex trav ag an t rhetoric— no t mere poetic de lineation of something else. I t is h is tory-—th e literal n arratio n of literal fac t;— for fact it was to John in the vision. It is the n atu ra l expression of the deep sympathy of all-glorified exist ence w ith th e momentousness of the occasion— a voiceless utterance more powerful th a n words, of the yearning awe of heaven a t the arriv al of th e cli macteric of th e ages, and th e fo rth coming events which characterize it. Hence a motionless stillness, more aw ful, and fuller of th rilling import, than th a t overwhelming wave of adoration which went over th e universe of holy beings when the Lamb first took th e book. “As it were h alf an hou r,” th is sol emn stillness lasted. A ' h alf hou r is not long in itself; bu t tim e is longer or sho rter according to what is tran sp ir ing, or w hat the circum stances are. Moments of agonizing suspense stretch out into hours and days, in comparison w ith moments, of ordinary life. Two m inutes of delay, when a man is drown ing, is an awful period to have to wait. When on th e margin of th e realization of g reat expectations, or in terrup ted in the m idst of what has been absorbing th e intensest in terest of th e soul, every in stan t of delay expands into hours, and even ages. And when we consider the .Circumstances of th is case— the world in which th is pause occurs— the so rt of occupations which it in te rru p ts— the kind and number of beings it affects— th e n atu re of the feelings, interests, and expectations which it holds in suspense — and th e awfulness of th e stillness it self— th ere is everything to make this h alf hour a th ing so trem endous th a t we may be sure th ere never was the like before, and never will be again.
makes it appears or takes his station at th e altar. Nay, th ere is a distinct and separate vision intervening between this silence and the offering by the angel. It is also plain th a t th is silence is con nected w ith the breaking of the seal, and is th e direct resu lt of th a t act, whilst th e incense offering connects with th e series of actions by which th e still ness is in terrup ted . It is impossible, th erefo re, for th is silence to be a p art of the ceremony of th e offering by the angel, or th a t it should mean any of th e things to which reference has been made. Nor can we b u t wonder th a t such wild and far-fetched conjectures should ever have found place in men’s minds. The language is all simple and plain, and means exactly what is w rit ten. There Is silence. It is in heaven. It lasts for. about half an hour. I t is a silence of intense in terest and awful expectancy w ith reference to th e results of th e breaking of the seventh seal. "And th is is th e whole of it. We read in Acts of “a g reat silence,” induced by P aul as he waved his hand to his boisterous accusers, from the stairs of th e castle a t Jerusalem , and began to tspeak to them in th e ir sacred tongue. I t was th e silence of surprise, wonder, and in terest to catch w hat was being said. It is w ritten in th e Psalm s: “P raise v%iteth-—is silent— fo r thee, O God, in Zion.” I t was th e silence or adoring expectancy waiting for the m anifestations of the Divine presence. The "Lion-Lamb of God has been en gaged breaking th e seals of th e myste rious roll, which He only was worthy to touch or look upon. Six of those seals had been br'oken, enacting events of the most stupendous moment. But one more remained— th e last in the series— and involving th e final consummation of the g reat mystery of God. ■ And as th a t seal is broken, an in terest and awful expect ancy rises in. the h earts of th e celestial orders, which renders them as silent as the grave. All heaven becomes mute
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