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THE FOURTH GREAT GIVING FORTH OF THE WORD.

that many would run to and fro, and knowledge should he increased: and this increase of knowledge the Spirit of God can render available both for the increase of light as to the word of revelation, and for the dissemination thereof in the world around: unto which the Spirit shall be sent, when, in the abundant latter rain, it shall be poured out upon all flesh—sent forth into all the earth, in the fulness of spiritual gifts, which shall be given in connection with the opening of the prophetic word.

"No

The right hand of Jesus is that which can meet the Father's right hand. In the hand of the Father is the seven-sealed Book, the most wise and powerful attestation to the truth of his everlasting covenant: and, answerable thereto, there are in the right hand of the Son the seven stars, the key of David, that which opens to the Beloved; the perfection of power and of wisdom, to interpret all revelation of the Father's will to man. man knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son shall reveal him." It is Jesus, who, by the manifestation of his fulness of love, opens the hearts of his people to be filled with the manifold wisdom of God. He giveth them the key of the Beloved to unlock the treasures of the everlasting covenant of the Father. Thus have those who have been peculiarly favoured with the revelation of the wisdom of God had the name of David, Beloved. Thus was called David; thus Solomon was called also Jedidiah, Beloved of the Lord. Thus was Daniel called, "O man greatly beloved;" and thus was John himself called the Beloved Disciple." It is love which unlocks the heart both of God and man. We shut up our counsels from those we suspect; but we unfold freely our intentions to our beloved friends, and invite them to a full participation of all the good we enjoy.

It may be observed that, as the first presentation of the Book, as written within and on the backside, was through the instrumentality of Moses, when the Creator sо marvellously attested

the book, as being from him, by his mighty power—by his right hand working, both in judgment upon the oppressor and for mercy to the oppressed—leading these as by the right hand through the waters of the Red Sea, and through the burning and barren desert, commanding all the powers of nature to witness to the truth of his word: which word had both the writing inside, as to the free promises made to the fathers before the law; and also the outside writing as to the ceremonial law, according to which the present temporal possession of the land was given, until the promised seed should come, unto whom were made the promises contained in the inside writing of the Book.—

And, as the preaching or proclaiming of the strong angel, referred to the next great bestowment of revelation, was by David, and especially by Solomon, who seemed, indeed, to have all the riches of the temporal possession given to him, yet withal most loudly expressed, as we have seen in Ecclesiastes, the inability of any creature to open the book of the Creator's purposes as to the promised good.—

And as the comfort to thos who searched diligently with eyes bedimmed with tears, to know the mind of God in his word, took place when was given the third great addition to the word of Revelation by the three greater prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, as well as by the other twelve, and Daniel the man greatly belovedSo was it in the fourth great giving of the word in the New Testament; there was especially seen that to which we are now come; the union of the divine with the human nature in the person of Christ. As being man, he was the Lamb as it had been slain, typified by the outside writing of the Book; but as God he had the fulness of divine power, represented by the seven horns; and the perfection of the omniscient Jehovah, expressed by the seven eyes, the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. He was, in truth, the Son of David according to the flesh, but declared to be the

THE GREAT APPROACHING MINISTRATION OF THE SPIRIT.

Son of God with power (the seven horns), according to the Spirit of holiness (the seven eyes): declared thus to he the Son of God by the resurrection from the dead. Upon his resurrection, the Holy Spirit was given to qualify for their office those that were sent to be witnesses of his resurrection, in Judea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost ends of the earth. They preached that which, to the Jew, did not appear power, hut a stumblingblock; and to the Greek not wisdom, but foolishness: but which is yet, to every one that believeth, the power of God, and the wisdom of God. It is

the evidence that the right hand of Christ hath met the right hand of the Father, and received the token of sovereignty; and is, indeed, made Lord and Christ: and hath now only to ask, and the nations shall he given him for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession: to witness of whose right and coming to reign the heralds were sent forth to work miracles, in attestation of the truth received from Him who sitteth upon the throne; and to open up the mysteries of the kingdom given forth by Him who liveth for ever and ever. The outside writing of the Book was then read in the deciphering the shadows of the ceremonial law; but the apostles themselves speak of the opening of the book as still future. It was then ready to be revealed in the last time, when that which was perfect would be come, and that which is in part, would be done away.

That the testifying of the Spirit was to be given, beside the witnessing of the apostles, see John xv. 26, 27. See further as to the testifying of the Spirit, xvi, 7—15; and as to the great, and yet future effect, to be produced by the word, as seen in truth, by those who should afterwards believe, see our Lord's intercessory prayer, ch. xvii. 17—23. That the glory of the Spirit's ministration was still an object of hope to the Apostle Paul, see II. Cor. iii. 8—18. To the promised fulness of light, the "Twelve Tribes

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We now come down to the time when the praise for redeeming love was to be heard; when prayers for the fulness of redemption were to ascend from the saints, like sweetest odours, most richly presented before the throne of the Eternal and whilst Christ, as our atoning sacrifice, is still within the most holy place, and hath not yet come forth from thence to claim the purchased possession. The harps

which are sounded to Emmanuel's praise, sing of Him in his three offices, as accomplishing our redemption: and of the threefold blessedness we come to enjoy in God through his blood. He is our prophet, who is worthy to take the book and interpret its contents.

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SONG OF THE REDEEMED PEOPLE.

The mysteries of the kingdom are in his baud as the Interpreter; and they can only be safe in our hands by our being in his;—simply depending upon his enlightening, as upon his enlivening, power. We must neither depend upon our own understanding, nor slavishly look to the creature for guidance; but have ever our minds open towards Him for instruction in all the revealed will of God. The Father hath given the Book to Him to shew unto his servants the things that must shortly come to pass. He, not only as the Fountain of all knowledge, knows how to instruct, but even by experience he knows the necessities of our nature, that require to be supplied out of his own fulness: and he has also, by experience, the knowledge of how to communicate the instruction necessary; whether it be at the marriage feast, or the funeral; by the sea-side, or on the mountain top; in the lowly village, or the crowded city; to the common people by day, or to the ruler of the people by night. He knows how to make all matters and all circumstances at all times subservient to useful instruction, so as that every power of the mind, and every feeling of the heart, may be filled with divine light and love. He knows the mind of God and the mind of man, and can bring them into unity. He, our great Teacher, is indeed worthy to take the Book. He shall send the Spirit, in the fulness promised, to lead into all truth, that his bride may be fully arrayed for his glorious appearing.

The

He is also worthy to open the seals thereof,—to exercise power in his office as King,—opening the title-deeds to the purchased possession, and claiming, as rightful Heir and Lord, all that appertains to the Inheritance. opening of the seals, as we shall afterwards find, are successive acts of authority, in reaching forward to the obtainment of that, which, as King, he shall reign over: and these acts of authority are in the exercise of regal power, both for judgment and for mercy. Christ knows best how to ex

ercise both: for not only has he infinite wisdom to direct his almighty power, but as man he knows by experience both what it is to obey willingly that which is just and right, and what it is to suffer wrongfully. He knows how laws affect the happiness of the subject; whether those laws are according to justice and mercy, or the reverse. He knows the temptations and the trials of the poor and needy He carefully sympathises with them in all the circumstances of life, even unto the death; and may, therefore, be expected to exercise his power, both for the honour of the lawgiver, and the blessing of the nations.

Thus did he qualify himself for the prophetic and kingly offices, and that by becoming our priest: "For thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood." This is our kinsman Redeemer—for which he required to be God, to have of his own wherewith to pay the redemption price: for no mere man can redeem his brother from death; yet he, our Brother, has so redeemed us: he being more than our brother, even God with us. But, as God, he had not a body of the nature which had sinned, in which the punishment for sin might be endured: and so, taking to him a human body, and a reasonable soul, he said, "Lo I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, to do thy will, O God." And as he was man to suffer, so is he man to plead, in a full sympathy with our nature, and knowledge of our wants at the same time that he is of the same nature with the Father, to give value to his intercession in Heaven. He hath omniscience to discern between the prayer of the sincere in heart, and the mockery of God by the hypocrite. He knows what requests may best be answered, and which refused: how to present man before God, and how to get the fulness of God conveyed into the soul of

man.

The blessings the saints enjoy through these three offices of Christ are also three, and are immediately after adverted to in an inverse order.

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Thus, through his priesthood we are justified, and adopted into the family of God. We are redeemed to God by his blood, through the blood of his atoning sacrifice we are justified, and brought near unto God as our Father. We no longer feel ourselves in the distinction of kindred, or tongue, or people, or nation, so as to live in alienation from each other as heretofore. We feel that the bond which connects us is stronger than anything that would separate. This through the relation into which we are brought by our redeeming Brother, to our Father in Heaven. This is the blessing of faith through his blood.

So have we towards Him as our King, submission to his royal law of love, and holy devotedness to his blessed service; and so it is here said, "And hast made us unto our God kings and priests." This is through the sanctification of the Spirit,whereby we are made to devote ourselves to the doing the will of God, as our God:—a God whom we love and delight to serve; and, in this devotedness, there is an acting according to the law of the kingdom, so that we exercise power as kings, and mercy as priests, together with him, in harmony one with another, one divine will regulating all. And so also do the saints, in their high appointment by God, feel elevated above the degrading service of the world, and the slavery of Satan, to a most holy dignity; for power to act in which, they are now called to evince their obedience, by a patient waiting in continuous well doing.

So have we, towards Christ as a prophet, hope of the good to be enjoyed in the coming kingdom, according to the good purpose of the Father revealed by Him; with regard to which, the song of the saints concludes, "And we shall reign on the earth." They had known that they were to be kings and priests unto God; but now their expectations take a definite shape; and the scene of their occupation of these offices lies before them. It is "on the earth;" Yet not of this world is the kingdom, but in the world

to come.—Not in this life, for flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither can corruption inherit incorruption, the incorruptible City, that cometh down out of heaven from God, and which shall be the peculiar abode of the glorified saints, whose kingdom shall be over the whole earth, under the whole heaven. They shall have dominion over the nations; and shall, as priests, have the supreme felicity of ministring blessing to all the inhabitants of the earth, when the Prince of the kings of the earth shall sit as a Priest upon his throne for so hath the great Prophet revealed.

VI.

SONG OF THE ANGELS.

Rev. v. 11, 12.

"And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain,—

1. To receive power,

2. And riches,

3 And wisdom,
4. And strength,
5. And honour,
6. And glory,
7. And blessing."

The seven Spirits had been sent forth into all the earth; and the sons of God, thereafter, and thereby, had been gathered out of all nations, to present their united prayers before the Lamb: acknowledging that the right of redemption is his, and rejoicing in the prospect of entering with him into the possession of the Inheritance, the Book of which he hath received out of the Father's right hand. The possession of the earth, and full dominion over all that it contains, had been given to Adam, and lost through his fall; but

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SONG AT CHRIST'S TAKING POSSESSION.

now the redemption price hath been paid, both for the people and their lost possession; and now He, our kinsman Redeemer, hath been called upon to claim his own. This is the time to which we are now approaching, when the prayers of the people of the Lord shall ascend up, like the incense from golden vials, for the Redeemer to take possession. And he shall come when thus called for. "For this will he be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them." When the whole church shall in earnest cry," Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly," the Bridegroom shall appear: and then shall that other scene be revealed, referred to in the text. When the Lord cometh, he comes with his mighty angels— with all his holy angels—an innumerable company of angels, who take their stand around the throne of God, the Son of God, and the many sons he has led into glory,—still represented as the four living creatures, and twenty-four elders: for the church hath, in the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, been from the beginning viewed as one and complete. Now, however, they are indeed complete, when the scene occurs which is here described. They are not only brought back into their Father's presence through grace, but led up before his seat in glory. The angels have been sent with the great sound of a trumpet to gather the redeemed from the four winds of heaven, and now they are gathered. The number of the elect is accomplished, and these have taken their places in their house which is from heaven, and the heavenly attendants are around them, rejoicing in their felicity, and in the glory, which, through suffering obedience, they have brought unto Him who is exalted far above all principalities and powers in heavenly glory; and who yet had condescended to take the place of the kinsman Redeemer for them. Upon man's creation the morning stars sang together; but now they sing a nobler song,—a song in which the glory of even the creation is, as it were, lost sight of, in the glory

of redeeming love. The saints had been singing, as it were, a new song in the prospect of further service upon earth; but now, when raised into that glory, which eye hath not seen, nor heart of man conceived,and when themselves are served by the angels in glory, their song is hushed into mute astonishment, whilst they listen to that which ear hath not heard, in the united burst of praise unto the Lamb, from the innumerable company of angels around them.

The angels, in number ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, gladly respond to the song of the saints, in praising redeeming love, which, although their unfallen condition has not required for themselves, they can yet rejoice in for the bride, the Lamb's wife, unto whom they are all ministering spirits. And contemplating how He left the glory of his Father for the form of a servant, that he might redeem his people from death, and give them to sit with him on his throne;—and how,although He was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that through his poverty we might be made rich; and how He who was wisdom was willing to be accounted as a fool, yea, and mad for us, that we might be made wise unto salvation; and how He, who beareth up the pillars of creation, allowed himself, as without strength, to be stretched upon the cross, that he might be unto us a strong, yea, a sure foundation;— how He, the fount of all honour, was rejected and despised of men, and this that the saints, from the debasement of earth, might be lifted up to the honour of being kings and priests in the kingdom of their Father; and how he, the Lord of glory, allowed himself to be covered with shame and spitting, that we might be brought into that exceeding weight of glory, amid the angels in heaven, to abide there for ever as the sons and daughters of God Almighty—Finally, seeing how He, the Blessed One, became a curse for man; and how blessing now descends upon the whole redeemed creation, delivered from the bondage of corrup

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