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which divine grace had opened a | of life, whilst guarded by Cherdoor of hope to him, when all ubims and a flaming sword hope by virtue of the first coven- which turned every way. ant was utterly cut off.

These observations will be closed with a few brief remarks naturally suggested by them.

4. What great cause we have for gratitude and praise for the provision and clear revelation now made to us, of a way of life and endless happiness, of free

1. Adam's expulsion from the garden and the guard set to ren-grace through the mediation of der his return impracticable, Christ; and how highly it conwere well suited to afford him cerns us to comply with it. useful instruction, and to operate PAREPIDEMOS. as means to bring him off from all dependence on his own righteousness or obedience to entitle him to life and a happy immortality, and to excite him to look for this blessing in the way of mere grace through the promised Seed.

Christ the faithful Witness, considered in some Remarks on Rev. i. 5.

"And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness.”

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2. The divine conduct in this affair, was expressive not only of holy displeasure against sin, T is generally agreed that but also of great wisdom and this book of Revelation was goodness. For the same facts, written by the same person who in God's treatment of our first penned the gospel of John-the parents, which clearly manifest-Same who was called the beloved great displeasure against ed disciple; and who, in the them for their disobedience, exercise of an uncommon intiwere well calculated and admi-macy with Christ, leaned on his ably suited to warn and guard bosom at supper. It was writthem against those attempts to ten at Patmos, a desolate island, establish their own righteous-whither the writer was banished ness, of which they were in great danger, and which would have greatly tended to prevent a cordial compliance with the only possible way of salvation; and on the contrary to excite them to look forward by faith to the promised Seed as their only refuge and hope.

3. How vain, foolish and daring it would be, for us to expect

by the cruel edict of a persecuting emperor. It is generally agreed that this took place about sixty years after the ascension of Christ, and, of course, when John was far advanced in life. He was spared to a great age that he might complete the revelation of God, and close the canon of scripture.

In the verse immediately beand attempt the attainment of a fore the passage under considtitle to life and immortality, ineration, John begins an address the way of the first covenant, or to the seven churches in Asia. by the law of works-as foolish and daring as it would have been for Adam to have attempted to force his way back to the tree

"John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace from him which is, and which was, and

which is to come; and from the | lover of Jesus will act.—But seven spirits which are before Christ is the faithful witness in his throne; and from Jesus a twofold sense. He has made Christ who is the faithful wit-known divine truth, and, as a ness, and the first begotten from sacrifice, sealed the truth with the dead, and the prince of the his blood. The passage brings kings of the earth.” him into view, therefore, both in his prophetical and priestly

The highest character, and the most dignified titles are ap-office. plied to Christ. But his importance to fallen man, in the good procured and bestowed by him, is expressed in nothing more clearly than in his being styled the faithful witness.

Christ is the faithful witness,
I. As having revealed all ne-

To enter largely into these, and show how Christ hath acted as Prophet and Priest, in the various ages of the world, would open a field too extensive for this dissertation. But yet, it A witness, in the common ac- may be observed that Christ ceptation of the word, is one that hath acted in both these capaci testifies to the truth of any fact. ties ever since the fall of man. In courts of justice, where caus- It was in the full belief of those es are disputed, and controver- truths he revealed by his prosies settled, the judges deter-phets, and on the ground of his mine facts according to the tes-personal righteousness, that the timony of witnesses. The word saints under the former dispenwhich in the Greek is put for sation died in peace, and went to a witness signifies one who tes-heaven. tifies to the truth at the expense of life. Hence from the same Greek word is derived Martyr.cessary truth. It follows therefore that the By all necessary truth is detruth is more important than signed all that truth necessarily ease, happiness or life. The Gonnected with the salvation of faithful witness at all hazards, sinners. There are certain truths adheres to truth. The great which are necessary to be known question with him is not how he and embraced, without which shall please men, and secure his we can see no consistent way own personal safety. But the for sinners to be saved. Of these grand question is, "what has the patriarchs, and saints of the God revealed, and what does he first ages of the world were firmrequire should be maintained ly persuaded; concerning whom and supported as true?" When the apostle saith, Heb. xi. 13. this question is once determin- These all died in faith, not having ed he adheres to the truth, and received the promises, but having trusts the event with God.-seen them afar off, and were fierWhen this point is settled, he suaded of them and embraced them, declares the truth, even at the and confessed that they were stran expense of life. On this princi-gers and pilgrims on the earth. ple the apostles acted when life These pious men of old saw by was at stake: On this principle faith the good things contained the primitive teachers of Chris- in the truths revealed by the protianity acted with death in full phets, and embraced the promView and on this principle the ises of God, made to the Fa

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thers, pertaining to a Saviour to the appointed time he entered come. The glorious Redeemer, on the work of teaching and exthe second person in the adora-plaining the truths which, for ble Trinity, having been appoint- many ages, he had taught by ed from everlasting, and given his prophets. Having completfor a witness to the people, hath ed the work he had to do on performed, completely, the work earth, and finished his personal and business assigned him. He ministry among men, he left a hath made such a revelation as number of chosen and commisthe state and circumstances of sioned servants to close the cadepraved man required. 1. He hath revealed all thated, established and confirmed non of scripture. These explainwas necessary pertaining to doc- what had been taught by Christ trine. Christ, by his prophets, made that Christ, as the faithful witness, and his prophets before him. So a revelation of all the essential hath revealed and made known doctrines of religion. The gos-all things pertaining to doctrine pel and its essential truths were which is necessary for sinners to known long before Christ ap-know, that they may be saved. peared in the flesh. There was a revelation of the doctine of sal- Christ hath revealed every thing 2. In the same character vation by the Son of God many pertaining to precept which is ages before his birth. The pro-needful for men to know. mise in the garden, that the seed of the woman should bruise the able creature. His actions are Man is a dependent, accountserpent's head, made, probably, connected with a future state, by Christ himself; pointed out and his character in this life is his incarnation and future suf- formed for eternity. Hence it is ferings, and brought his atoning exceedingly important for him sacrifice, clearly, to view. Moses to know the mind and will of his prophesied of the same person Sovereign. Unhappy, indeed, with a great degree of clearness; would be the state of man had and after him all the prophets, he no intimation of the divine until prophecy ceased about four pleasure more than what is nathundred years before he made urally impressed on his mind, or his appearance in the world. can be known by the light of naBut no one of the prophets hath ture. given so clear views of the gos- revelation, we must be exeedAside from supernatural pel as Isaiah; for which reasoningly in the dark as to our duty he is called, by some, "the evan-to God and our fellow men.gelical prophet." He appears to have spoken strikingly of Christ, as to his birth, life, sufferings and death. All the essential doctrines pertaining to salvation are found in the prophets.

After the world for ages had been instructed by the prophets, Christ himself appeared among men, in the body of flesh that was prepared for him. And at VOL. V. No. 10.

Without the revelation Christ hath made, we never could be fully satisfied, whether God is pleased or not-whether our conduct will meet the divine approof our God. But men are not bation, or incur the displeasure so left in the dark as to a knowledge of duty. It is made as plain as the noon-day sun. faithful witness gave the ten com Y y

The

mands from mount Sinai, which | grace of the Lord by which they

are made partakers of his body and blood, to their comfort here, and glory hereafter.

Thus Christ the faithful witness hath revealed all necessary truth.

teach men their duty to God and ene another, and are to remain an unaltered rule of life, to the end of time. He went before his people in their long march to the land of promise, from time to time gave them such laws, H. The next idea suggested and so opened and explained by the passage is that Christ their duty, as in the fullest man-hath acted in the character, and ner, to let them know his di- performed the office of a priest. vine pleasure. When his gos- Jesus the Saviour not only pel kingdom was set up he gave acted as a faithful witness in relaws for the government and re-vealing all necessary truth, but gulation of his church, which are to continue in force as long as he has a church on earth.

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he sealed that truth with his own blood. He had discharged the office of a prophet, and been con

3. Christ, in the same char-sidered by the Father, and relied acter, hath revealed and made on by the saints, as the atoning known to his church the ordi-priest, long before his incarnanances to be observed, until his second coming.

tion, even from the time of the divine promise that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head. The legal priests were all, in a greater or less degree, typical of Christ the great antitype. But the high priest was more eminently so. When he went into the holiest of all, and, with the blood of the sacrifice, sprinkled the mercy seat, it

The faithful witness hath taught his church that God is to be worshipped in a public, and in a private manner. He hath taught the various duties they are to perform relating to God and their fellow men. But there are two special divine ordinances which are of peculiar significancy, and of perpetual binding force. Bap-pointed out, and prefigured tism and the holy supper are the two special, standing ordinances which every Christian is bound to observe. These are to continue to the end of the world. One is designed to signify the washing of regeneration, and sprinkling with the blood of Christ, whereby the sinner, being renewed and cleansed from the pollution of sin, is brought into the covenant of grace, and entitled to the promises of the gospel. The other is designed to represent and show forth the Lord's death, and bring to the view of believers, in every age of time, the love of Christ whereby they are redeemed; and the

Christ as entering into heaven, by his own blood, and making intercession for his people. This showed how an atonement would, in due time, be made by Christ, and a complete sacrifice offered for sin. When the appointed time arrived, he showed that this was no unmeaning service. To complete the purpose and design of God Christ must die, and make an ample atonement. The way was prepared for his death by the truths he taught. The truth must be preached; and preaching the truth must bring him to the cross.

There was a glorious consistency in the divine plan. Hence

Jesus taught those truths which up the vision and prophecy, and were galling to the corrupt, un- to anoint the most Holy. Know, sanctified heart. None more so therefore, and understand, that than his real divinity. This doc-from the going forth of the comtrine had been taught by the pro-mandment to restore and to build phets ages before Christ appear Jerusalem, unto the Messiah the ed among men, especially by Prince, shall be seven weeks, and Isaiah, when he declared, Unto threescore and two weeks: the us a child is born, unto us a son is street shall be built again, and the given, and the government shall wall, even in troublous times. And be upon his shoulders; and his after threescore and two weeks name shall be called Wonderful, shall Messiah be cut off, but not for Counsellor, The mighty God, The | himself.|| everlasting Father, The Prince of When Messiah was cut off, Peace. This doctrine which the but not for himself, then was reprophets taught with a degree of conciliation made for iniquity, obscurity, was declared by Christ and the vision and the prophecy with great clearness. He ex-sealed up. To this pointed all pressly declared his eternity, Be- the sacrifices and legal oblations. fore Abraham was I am. He To this all the predictions of the asserted his oneness with the Fa-prophets had respect; and in ther, I and my Father are one.‡ this they had their accomplishThis important, fundamental ment. Herein was the plan of doctrine of Christianity, Christ God relating to redemption comtaught as much more clearly pleted. As a faithful witness than the prophets, as the meri-Christ revealed divine truth, and dian sun outshines the pale died to confirm and establish it. moon, or twinkling stars. And And herein he made reconciliafor this doctrine, more than any tion for iniquity, and brought in other, the Jews brought him to everlasting righteousness. the cross. By his death, he faithfully witnessed the truth; and by his death he completed the atonement. He came into the world not only to give witness to the truth by his death; but, also, by his death to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness. How clearly is this expressed by Dan-cy for hundreds, yea for thouiel in his prophecy relating to the seventy weeks. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people, and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal

Isaiah ix. 6. John viii. 58.
John x. 30.

It may not be improper to hint a few thoughts naturally suggested by the foregoing remarks.

1. We are led to conclude that Christ is the promised Saviour. If Christ was pointed out as the Saviour, and in that character was the subject of prophe

sands of years; if the legal priests were all typical of him, and in him the prophecies and types all meet, and are fulfilled; if these things are true, then he is to be viewed as the Saviour. He is doubtless the person promised in the garden, and who was, for a long time, looked for

Daniel ix. 24, 25, 36.

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