Page images
PDF
EPUB

invisible, the only wise God," worthy of all "honour and glory for ever. Amen." All authority and all power beside being put down. This will then be acknowledged, and then we shall speak of the glory of this kingdom, and talk of the power. His mighty acts shall be made known, when we are made perfect in knowledge, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom, Psalm cxlv. 11, 12, shall be displayed in the eternal blessedness of his subjects.

my

I come now to the words of text. "And when he had taken the book [sealed with seven seals], the four beasts, and four and twenty elders, fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints." I will offer my thoughts under the following heads :

1. What this sealed book is, which is here received by the Lamb.

2. What these four beasts are who appear in company with the elders.

3. Who these four and twenty elders are, that fall down with the beasts.

4. The object of their adoration, the Lamb, and why so called.

5. The music or melody of their harps, and the cause of it.

6. What their golden vials are, and why so called.

7. And lastly, describe their odours, said to be the prayers of all saints, and what a saint is.

First, What book is this which God the Father held forth, and which none but the prevailing Lion of the tribe of Judah could receive and open. I answer, it is not the book of the law, that the Mediator received, with all its commands, conditions, contents, and curses, before he entered upon his public ministry. "Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burntoffering and sin-offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me: I delight to do thy will, O my God; yea, thy law is within my heart. I have preached righteousness in the great congregation lo, I have not refrained my lips; O Lord, thou knowest." This ancient prophesy had been fulfilled before this sealed book was delivered to him, which was not done till the Saviour had finished the work of redemption. He is the Lamb slain that receives this book; which shews that he had been crucified under the curse of the law, and entered the Holy of Holies with his own blood, before the delivery of this sealed book. In short, the Saviour had magnified the law, and made it honourable, by a life of perfect conformity thereto; he had preached it in all its spiritual meaning, as no other ever did, or ever will do; and by his making his soul an offering for sin, he had endured the curse of it, and thus delivered his own elect from the command of it, to do for life, and redeemed them from the curse of it, which condemns to hell; and as a law magnified, and disarmed of

its killing power, he keeps it in his own hand, that we may find access to God by a new and living way, through the vail of his flesh, without being arrested, captured, or cursed, by that fiery dispensation.

The law being thus magnified, and the righteousness of it preached in the great congregation, the law in its spiritual meaning had been published by the Saviour, and made known in the world to thousands. Therefore this sealed book cannot be that; for this had not been revealed to the sons of men when John saw it delivered, as appears plain by the seals being closed, which were afterwards opened in their order.

Nor is this book the book of God's remembrance, which he keeps in behalf of them that fear the Lord, and speak often one to another, to whom God hearkens, and whose conversation the Lord hears; and a book of remembrance is written before him, for them that fear him, and 'think on his name, Mal. iii. 16.

Nor is the black catalogue of sinners' ungodly deeds intended by this book, which is a book of remembrance also, which God swears he will never forget; "The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob [that is, by himself,] surely I will never forget any of their works." Sin makes an awful impression on this book, as well as on the book of conscience. "The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond; it is graven upon the table of their heart." The point

of this diamond will cut deep, when the dreadful eye of justice makes the sinner's heart transparent, and the awakening flames of wrath make conscience susceptible of feeling. But all these books will be opened at the great decisive day, to the astonishment and eternal triumph of the just, and to the endless shame, confusion, and contempt of the wicked.

Nor is the book of life meant by this book, in which the names and number of all the elect are enrolled, who are said to have their names written in the book of life, Phil. iv. 3; and written among the living in Jerusalem, who are to be called holy, Isaiah iv. 3; and all whose name was not found written in this book were cast into the lake of fire, Rev. xx. 15. But this book of life had been made known more or less by the antient prophets in a mysterious way; and afterwards was spoken by the Lord, and confirmed to others by them that heard him, Heb. ii. 3. The book of life was published before the reception of this book in my text; and many had received the blessings of it, and cried out under the quickening influence, as Peter did, "To whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life." The Saviour owned himself that he had delivered this book: "I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them." Yea, he had sent the Spirit to make it known, and apply the benefits of it; and he had commanded them to preach all the words of this life; and life and immortality had

been brought to light in the minds and hearts of thousands through the gospel; yea, all that believed had passed from death unto life, and had everlasting life in them, which is the blessed contents of the book of life, and the reason why it is so called; many that were dead in trespasses and sins had been quickened together with Christ, God having forgiven them all trespasses; and John himself had been long a preacher of the word of life, and was at this time banished to the Isle of Patmos for it.

Seeing this book is not the book of the law, nor the book of life, nor the book of God's remembrance, although there may be some of all these things in it; yet the above books of law and gospel cannot be said to be sealed, as this book is; for, as was before observed, they had been made known to thousands, both Jews and Gentiles. To be short, Christ had preached the law, and obeyed both precept and penalty as a priest. He had preached the gospel of eternal life as a prophet, and was now going to ascend his throne as a king; and it is the book of his kingdom that he here receives, in which lays the whole of his government both of church and world; and hence he is represented as king and conqueror, governing his subjects, and subduing his enemies throughout this book, until his kingdom be settled in heaven, and his vanquished enemies imprisoned in hell.

This book has an allusion to what Samuel did when Saul was anointed: "And Samuel said to all

« PreviousContinue »