The Well-Spring of Life opened in Chrift: Or, an REV. xxii. 17. And the Spirit and the bride fay, Come. And let And let him that him that heareth fay, Come. is athirst come. And whofoever will, let him take the water of life freely. T HIS book, called the revelation of St. John, or the revelation of Chrift, which was fhewn to John in the Ifle of Patmos, appears to many of God's people to be dark and obfcure in many parts of it; and it requires more wifdom than we can acquire by any art or fkill of our own, to understand its meaning. "The lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, he only hath prevailed to open the book, and to loofe the feals thereof," chap. v. 5. So that when a learned man, that is deftitute of the grace of God, hath this book or any other part of facred writ put into his hands, that he might read the fame; the scriptures inform us he faith, "I cannot, for it is fealed." Ifa. xxix. 11. It is the fame Spirit of God B that N ་ that indited the word, that only can open and explain the fpiritual meaning thereof to his people. It is very remarkable that this beloved difciple fhould have fuch a glorious revelation of fuch things, as fhould fhortly come to pass, even when he was in the greateft obfcurity. He was banished (as we are informed) into the isle of Patmos, for the word of God, and for the teftimony of Jefus Chrift; deprived of the privileges of worshipping God amongst his faints, of preaching his word and attending upon his ordinances, yet he was not forgetful of the Lord's-day; and a bleffed fabbath it was no doubt to his foul; for we are informed that he was in the Spirit on the Lord's-day, chap. i. 10. And I think we have reason to believe he had this book of the Revelation revealed to him upon that day. It is not my defign to take any particular notice of those deep myfteries contained in this book, but as they stand related to our text. We have, chap. xxi. a defcription given us of the New-Jerufalem churchftate, or perfonal reign of our Lord Jefus Chrift of the new heaven and the new earth: for the first heaven and the firft earth were paffed away; and there was no more fea. And John tells us that he' faw the holy city, New-Jerufalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband," verse 1, 2.. We have in this chapter a full defcription given us of this city; of its walls, its gates, its foundations, the precious and beautiful ftones by which it is faid to be garnished and adorned with; with the exact dimensions of it, its being of pure gold like unto clear glass; its brightnefs, fo that it need not the light of the fun or the moon to fhine in it, Christ the Lamb being the light thereof; with its inhabitants, the nations of them that are faved are to walk in the light of it. And lastly, we are informed who who are to be excluded this city: any that defileth or worketh abomination, or maketh a lie, and that none are to enter into it, but fuch whofe names are written in the Lamb's book of life. The chapter, out of which I have taken my text, proceeds to give an account of this city. First, of that pure river of water of life clear as cryftal, which proceeds out of the throne of God and the Lamb, verfe 1. Secondly, of the tree of life, which is the Lord Jefus Chrift, as it is from him all our fruit is found. His fituation (under this metaphor) in the midst of the ftreet; and on either fide the river of life. The continued variety of fruit from him as fuch: Twelve manner of fruits yielded every month. The healing virtue of this tree, the leaves of which are for the healing of the nations, verse 2. There can be no curfe to the glorious inhabitants of this city, because the throne of God and the Lamb fhall be in it. And they shall ferve him with unfpeakable delight and pleasure, verse 3. Yea they fhall have a full view of Chrift, they fhall fee his face, not through a glafs darkly as they do now, but face to face, know as they are known, 1 Cor. xiii. 12. And his name fhall be in their foreheads, plain to be feen; neither will they be ashamed of their Lord and Master in this glorious ftate, verfe 4. Thirdly, we have a defcription given us, verfe 5. of the light of this city. There fhall be no night there, and they need no candle, neither the light of the fun, for the Lord giveth them light: Chrift himself is the light of this city, chap. xxi. 23. in comparison of which the fun itself in its meredian is but darkness. Yea, there fhall be fuch a glory on the bodies of the faints, in the morning of the refurrection; (for this glorious church-ftate will follow upon the firft refurrection, as it is called, chap. xx. 5) as that they fhall fhine forth as the fun in the kingdom of their Father, Matt. xiii. 43. Their bodies will be like Chrift's glorious body, that is, there will be no fort of darkness or any other infirmity in them, to hinder their blifs and glory, and they fhall reign with Chrift for ever and ever. Bleffed ftate indeed! The angel then proceeds to inform John of the truth of these things, and that they should foon be accomplished; that the coming of Chrift was near, even at that time of day, "Behold I come quickly;" and fhews the bleffednefs of fuch who obferve these things, that keep the fayings of the prophecy of this book, verfe 6, 7. And the apoftle John informs us, that he faw these things and heard them; and fo great was his reverence and efteem for the angel that shewed him these things, that he was about to pay him worship and divine adoration; but the angel forbid him, by informing him he was but a creature, a fellow-fervant of God with himself, and informs him whom he should worship, namely God; "worship God," verfe 8, 9. and orders him not to feal the fayings of the prophecies of this book, on account of its speedy accomplishment, "for the time is at hand," verle 10. "He that is unjuft, let him be unjust ftill; and he which is filthy let him be filthy ftill.” Awful words! Let the wicked remain in their carnal unregenerate ftate to perifh for ever; let them ever continue filthy, let there be no change in them; the time is at hand, let no more gofpel-fermons be preached to them; let them remain under the indignation of the Almighty for ever. So let him that is righteous in the righteoufnels of Chrift ever remain fo. And he that is holy in all manner of converfation, 1 Pet. i. 15. let him remain fo, verfe 11. "Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work fhall be," verie 12. I am come with a reward of grace, to reward reward all thofe who have made it manifeft that they love me, by keeping my commandments; their good works have declared them to be no hypocrites, but the real children of God. "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the firft and the laft," ver. 13. There is none befides me; fo that my word is to be taken for every thing which I have promifed as to the falvation of my people, and the deftruction of my enemies. "Bleffed therefore are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life; and may enter in through the gates into the city," ver. 14. None have a right to live in this city, but fuch who are holy in all manner of converiation. For though our right and title to this city comes to us through the righteoufnefs of Chrift, yet if there is not a meetness wrought in our heart by the grace and Spirit of God, we make it appear we have no right to the tree of life, or to enter in at the gates of this city. For without are dogs," men in a ftate of nature, however they may fpeak of this city, yet they are but dogs who bite and tear the fheep of Chrift. But now they will not be fuffered to come into the city; they fhall be without with their own company, fuch as forcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whofoever loveth and maketh a lie, verfe 15. Now these things are to be declared and teftified in the churches of Chrift amongft his affemblies. Chrift has fent his angel to this intent and purpose, to teftify these things to John, that they might be made known to his churches. So his minifters, who are compared to angels, chap. i. 20. are to teftify that Chrift will come quickly, to accomplish all that he has promised in this book. And if we would know more of this glorious perfonage the Lord Jefus Chrift, who is to accomplish all things that |
