ame quarter would
appear to him as occupying a space forming a smaller segment of a circle
between the elders and the throne. Thus we have the relative positions,
(_a_) the throne, (_b_) the "four animals" next to the throne, and
lastly, (_c_) the "four and twenty elders." The places occupied by these
several parties are pregnant with scriptural instruction, as may appear
when we come to the latter part of ch. 6.

In the mean time, what do these "four animals" represent? Not the
adorable Trinity, as some learned men have imagined; nor holy angels, as
more learned men have supposed and laboured to prove. These "animals"
are worshippers; (v. 8,) therefore they are not the Object of worship.
They are culpably blind who mistake the creature for the Creator. (Rom.
i. 25.) Other expositors have attempted, with greater plausibility, but
no better success, to prove these animals to be symbolical of angels.
For this purpose, reference has been made to Isaiah's vision of the
_seraphims_, (ch. vi. 2,) and also to the "four living creatures" which
appeared in vision to Ezekiel, (i. 5-10.) The identity of John's
"animals" and Ezekiel's "living creatures" is argued especially from
their number, "four," and their "faces" being the same. To the
thoughtful and unbiased reader it is sufficient to reply,--that John's
"animals" acknowledge themselves to have been _redeemed_ by the blood of
the Lamb, (ch. v. 8, 9,) an expression which is inapplicable to angels.
As the "four and twenty elders" and the "four animals" comprise the
whole company of the _redeemed_, as distinguished from the higher and
lower orders of God's worshippers, (ch. v. 8-14,) and as the "elders"
represent the whole church, it would seem to be reasonable to suppose,
that these "animals" are the symbols of the gospel ministry. And to this
agree their functions as exercised in the farther developments of this
book, as we shall see.

One plausible objection to this interpretation is grounded on the fact
that their "faces" are the same as those of Ezekiel's angels,--"of an
ox, or young calf, of a lion, of a man, and of an eagle." But each of
the "cherubims" had "four faces" whereas these "animals" have but _one_
face each. Nor ought it to be thought incongruous that faithful
ministers are represented as possessing some of the properties of holy
angels, when we find them called by the same name: (ch. i. 20;) and
also, when we find the Master directing them to imitate and emul