SERMON LXXXIV.

The LAMB in the Midft of the THRONE. *

REV. vii. 17.

For the Lamb that is in the midst of the throne fhall feed

them.

WE

E are met this day to celebrate the memorials of the love of Chrill, in his death and crucifixion, upon mount Calvary. And that our faith may look to him in the beft light, and to the beft advantage, we are to remember, not only where he once was, but where he now is; and we will find, we need not be ashamed of a crucified Chrift that was once upon the cross, for now he is upon the throne. The Lamb that was flain, as a facrifice to fatisfy divine justice for us, the once dying Lamb in the midft of the crofs, is now the everliving Lamb in the midst of the throne. And from this throne of God, where he reigns, we expect our food and provifion upon the feaft-day; according to the words of the text, The Lamb which is in the midst of the throne, fhall feed them.

From the 13th verfe of this chapter we have a defcription of the honour and happinefs of these that shall faithfully ferve, and patiently fuffer for the Lord Jefus Chrift. Some interpreters think, that the happiness of

*This fermon was preached immediately before the celebration of the facrament of the Lord's fupper, at Dunfermline, June 10th,

the

the faints militant, even in this world, is here defcribed; fome, that it is only the happinefs of the faint triumphant in heaven; others make this place of fcripture relate to both, and with thefe efpecially I join; becaufe, whatever honour and happiness of fuffering faints is here fet forth, they enjoy the fame partly in this life, and fully in the life to come, as may appear by the particulars here mentioned.

"Thefe

The happy perfons are fpoken of, ver. 14. are they that have come out of great tribulation." Whatever relation fome think this may have to the church of Christ on earth, after they have efcaped the antichriftian bloody perfecution; or as others, to the martyrs in heaven, that have fuffered unto death for the Lord Jefus Chrift; yet it may be faid of all the militant faint, who, thro' much trouble, enter into the kingdom of heaven, and therein are conformed to their fuffering Head, the Lord Jefus Christ, and bear about in their body the dying of the Lord Jefus. "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers them out of them all." It may be faid of all the faints, Thefe are they that have come from trouble to reft, from bondage to liberty, from death to life, and have wafhed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. The perfection of this purity they have in heaven; but even here on earth they are washed in the blood of Chrift, and clothed with the white robe of his imputed and imparted righteoufnefs.

Verse 15. "Therefore are they before the throne of God, and ferve him day and night in his temple: and he that fitteth on the throne, fhall dwell among them." This feems to be a further defcription of the happiness of the faints, both militant and triumphant; as they are happy,

1. In their ftate, being washed, juftified, and fan&ified, in the name of the Lord Jefus, and by the Spirit of their God.

2. They are happy in their flation, being always before the throne of God. The glorified faints in heaven are always in that prefence where there is fulnefs of joy: and the fanctified ones upon earth have this bleffing alfo beftowed upon them, they are faid to fit with him in hea

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venly

venly places; and it is their daily work to come boldly to the throne of grace. Again,

3. They are happy in their fervice; for, "They ferve him day and night in his temple." Tho' these that are in heaven, ferve him without weakness or wearinefs, which we cannot here do; yet it is the property of all the true circumcifion to worthip God in the Spirit, and in truth, and to pray without ceafing; meditating on his law day and night, and going to the altar of God; to God in Chrift, the true fpiritual temple.

4. They are happy in their company; for, He that fits upon the throne fhall dwell among them. This points out friendship, fellowship and familiarity between God and the redeemed; which alfo Chrift allows to the militant faints in part, when, upon opening the door of their heart, he comes in and fups with them, and they with him, Rev. iii. 20. And they are in cafe to fay, " “Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jefus Chrift," John i. 3. Yea God fays, "I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and will be their God, and they fhall be my people."

5. They are happy in their freedom; they fhall be freed from all want, and all uncafinefs. From all want; for, They fhall bunger no more, neither fall they thirft any more: for this freedom will be perfected in heaven, as it is commenced on earth; as the prophet fays, fpeaking of Chrift's fpiritual kingdom, Ifa. xlix. 10. " They fhall not hunger nor thirst," &c. Hence fays Christ, John vi. 35. "He that comes to me fhall never hunger, and he that believeth in me fhall never thirft;" pointing out the fpiritual pleasure and fatisfaction they fhall have, and never be altogether deprived of. From all uneafinefs alfo fhall they be freed; Neither fall the fun light on them, nor any beat; or, as it is in the forcited Ifa. xlix. 10. Neither fhall the heat nor fun fmite them. The redeemed above are perfectly freed from all uneafine is: and even the redeemed on earth, according to the measure of faith, fuch will be their measure of ease, even amidst all things that tend to make them uneafy. Chrift fays to them, "Fear not, only believe: Fear not, I am with you: Fear not him that can at most but kill the body:" the very hairs of our head are all numbered; you may be perfectly eafy.

No.

Nothing is more uneafy than the fun in the meridian regions; fo are afflictions and perfecutions to the faints, and the temptations they are attacked with from earth and hell? But, "God is faithful, fays the apoftle, who will not fuffer you to be tempted above what ye are able, but will with the temptation alfo make a way to efcape, that you may be able to bear it," 1 Cor. x. 12.

6. They are happy in their provifion; becaufe, The Lamb that is in the midst of the throne, fhall feed them, hence he is faid to feed his flock like a fhepherd. The feeding here fpoken of, imports alfo rule and government, fuch as a fhepherd hath over his flock. It is in the believing view of the provident, loving Shepherd, the pfalmift fays, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I fhall not want," Plal. xxiii. 1.

7. They are happy in their direction and conduct; in their director, guide and conductor: "He fhall lead them. unto living fountains of waters." Now, of thefe living waters the Lord Jefus fpeaks, as they respect even his people in this world, John iv. 14. and vii. 38. "The water that I give, fhall be in him a well of water fpringing up to everlasting life: and, Out of his belly fhall flow rivers of living waters." By thefe they have matter of comfort amidst all their croffes. Hence,

8. They are here faid to be happy in their joys; for, "God fhall wipe away all tears from their eyes;" that is, all their griefs and forrows fhall be fwallowed up in the fulness of joy and confolation that fhall be abundantly allowed them. The commencement of this joy is even here, amidst all the troubles and trials of the militant faints: "For behold, fays God, I create Jerufalem a rejoicing and her people a joy, and the voice of weeping thall be no more heard," Ifa. lxv. 18. And hence they are fometimes filled with joy and peace in believing; yea, with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

It is the first part of this laft verfe, that I have especially my eye upon; particularly, that defcription of our Lord Jefus Chrift, which the commentators, I have confulted, pafs over more flighty than I expected, namely, The Lamb which is in the midst of the throne. Where we have our Lord Jefus defcribed, 1. From his meeknefs and

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humi.

humility; therefore he is called the Lamb.

2. From his

najesty and authority; he is the Lamb in the midft of the throne. What benefit accrues to his church, from his neck and majestic government, follows in the rest of the verfe, which, if I have time, I may a little infist upBut what I efpecially propofe to speak to, as the Lord may affift, is, from the fweet account given us here of our Lord Jefus. And this we fhall effay in the following doctrinal propofition.

on.

OBSERV. That our Lord Jefus Chrift is the Lamb in the midft of the throne.

And, as the pfalmift fays, Pfal. cxxi. 1. I will lift up mine eyes unto the bills, from whence comes my help; fo let us lift up our eyes to the throne from whence comes our food to day: and we may the more readily and joyfully do fo, that the Lamb is in the midst of the throne, to be the feeder. That I may open and apply this doctrine for our benefit, I propofe the following method,

I. Speak a little of the Lamb.

II. Of the throne.

III. How the Lamb comes to be upon the throne. IV. What is imported in the Lamb's being in the midft of the throne.

V. Confider the benefit of feeding, that iffues from the Lamb's being in the midst of the throne. VI. Deduce fome inferences for application.

J. We are to offer a word concerning the LAMB. This is a name frequently given to our Lord Jefus in fcripture; and he is fo cailed, both becaufe of his immaculate whitenefs and innocency, and because of his incomparable meeknefs and patience: he is a Lamb without blemish, and without spot, 1 Pet. i. 19. and his meeknefs was matchlefs, of which more afterward: he is the Lamb of God, the worthy Lamb, the Lamb that was flain.

I fhall only here mention four periods, wherein he is reprefented as a Lamb.

1. In his defignation from the beginning, yea, from all eternity, to be a facrifice to fatisfy divine justice :

hence,