Zion. He is a King to rule and govern his church. He must reign over the houfe of Judah forever. He must reign over all his enemies, and in the midst of his enemies, even till he have trod them all under his feet. And this benefit we have by it, that we are made kings in him, in this life to reign over our corrupt affections, and after this life to reign as crowned kings forever with him, in infinite glory and endlefs felicity. Secondly, Touching his Prieft-hood, he is faid to love us, and wash us from our fins in his blood, Rev. i. 5. For he is our only High-Priest, which by his own blood hath once entered into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us,' Heb. ix. 12. He only it is, which through the eternal Spirit, offered himfelf without fpot to God, to purge our confciences from dead works, to ferve the living God: So, then by virtue of his Priesthood and facrifice, we are reconciled unto God, have free accefs unto the throne of grace, and are made priefts in him to offer up fpiritual facrifices acceptable to God through him: For he hath made us 'kings and priefts unto God.even his Fa'ther,' Rev. i. 6.

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Thirdly, Concerning his Prophetical office, he is called that faithful Witnefs; Rev. i. 5.

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For he faid to Pilate: For this caufe was I born, and for this caufe came I into the world, that I might bear witnefs unto the truth,' John xviii. 31. And the apofle faith, he witneffed under Pontius Pilate a good confeffion,' 1 Tim. vi. 13. So then Jefus Chrift is one of those three great witneffes which bear record in heaven.' Jefus Chrift is the Prince of Prophets, even that great Prophet that should come into the world, through whom all the councils of God are revealed unto us: He is that only begotten Son, which is come down from the bofom of his Father, and hath made known unto us whatfofoever he hath received of his Father.'

He both by his doctrine, life, and miracles hath borne witnefs unto the truth, and by the virtue of his prophetical office, the whole will of God is made known unto us." For God hath fent him as the great Prophet to inftruct the world in righteousness, and hath revealed himself to us in him; and therefore he is called the image of God, the brightnefs of his glory, and the ex• prefs image of his perfon, Col. i. 15.-—Heb. i. 3. And therefore he faid to Philip, He that hath feen me, hath seen my ⚫ther alfo. And if you had known me, you fhould have known my Father alfo.' John xiv. 7.

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Fa

And again, no man knoweth the Fa

*ther but the Son, and he to whom the • Son will reveal him,' Matth. xi. 27. Thus we see that Jefus Chrift is that faithful witnefs, and Prince of Prophets, in whom the will of God, and all the councils of the Father are revealed unto us.

The manner of John's calling to receive this prophecy, is fet down in these words; • I John, even your brother, and companion ' in tribulation and in the kingdom and patience of Jefus Chrift, was in the ifle of Patmos for the word of God, and for "the witnefling of Jefus Chrift: And I was ravished in the Spirit on the Lord's day, ⚫ and heard behind me a great voice, as it • had been of a trumpet, faying: I am

Alpha and Omega, the First and the Laft; ⚫ and that which thou feeft, write in a book, and fend it unto the feven churches which are in Afia,' &c. Rev. i. 9, 10, 11. Now out of thefe three verfes five things are to be observed:.

First, That John is commanded by the voice of Chrift, which he heard behind him as loud as a trumpet, to write and record the vitions which he faw, and being fo written and recorded, to commend them to all the churches, for the common bene-. fit and use thereof. So that herein John doth nothing of himself, nothing of his own brain, but all things by fpecial war

rant and authority from Jefus Chrift, and that Alpha and Omega, which doth cali him, and authorize him to this great bufinefs which now he is fet about.

Secondly, John's ravishment in fpirit, to the end he might be made more capable of all thefe heavenly vifions which were fhewed unto him.

Thirdly, His great humiliation, whereby alfo he was fitted to receive and understand thefe great myfteries. For God will guide the meek in judgment, and teach the humble his ways; yea, his fecrets are with them that fear him,' Pfal. xxv. 7. Therefore although John was a great apostle, and hath feen wonderful vifions, yet he is not thereby puffed up with pride and conceit of himself, but in the greatest hu miliation of his foul calleth himself a brother and companion of all the faithful, but efpecially of fuch as patiently fuffer for Jefus Chrift and his kingdom,' Rev. i. 9.

Fourthly, The time when John was called, which was the Lord's day.

Fifthly and laftly, The place where he was called, which was the ifle of Patmos, as formerly hath been fhewed.

The defcription of Chrift, the perfon that called John to this new office, is fet down in the next five verfes following,"

wherein the excellent glory of Christ's perfon is defcribed: First, From the place where Chrift did appear unto him. Secondly, From the several parts and members of his royal perfon, Rev. i. 13, 14, 15, 16.

Thirdly, From his provident care over his true minifters, and all his faithful people.

Touching the place where Chrift in a vifion did appear to John, he faith, it was in the midst of the feven golden candlefticks.' For faith he, I turned back to fee the voice that fpake with me, and when I was turned, I faw feven golden candlesticks, and in the midst of the feven candlesticks one like the Son of man," &c. The feven golden candlesticks are interpreted by Christ himself in the last verse of the chapter, to be the feven churches. The churches are faid to be of gold, becaufe Chrift delighteth in them as we do in gold; he valueth every true member thereof as we do gold; for every believer is all glorious within; every true Chriftian is very fair and beautiful; every regenerate man is as gold, even as moft pure gold.

It is faid afterward, that Chrift walketh in the midst of the feven golden candlefticks, Rev. i. 11-13: that is, he is always prefent with his church, to feed it, govern it, defend it, and comfort it. The