And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. The connection of the holy city with the earth, though not on it, is everywhere seen. The river of God refreshed the city, and the tree of life, whose fruits ever ripe were food for the celestial inhabitants of it, bore in its wings healing for the nations. Only the glorified ever ate the fruit of constant growth; but what was manifested and displayed without, as the leaves of a tree, was blessing to those on earth. We see grace characterising the assembly in glory. The nation and kingdom that will not serve the earthly Jerusalem shall utterly perish it preserves its earthly royal character; the assembly its own: the leaves of the tree it feeds on are for healing. There is no more curse. The throne of God and the Lamb is in it. This is the source of blessing, not of curse; and His servants serve Him; often they cannot as they would here. Note too again here, how God and the Lamb are spoken of as one, as constantly in John's writings. His servants shall have the fullest privilege of His constant presence, shall see His face, and their belonging to Him as His own be evident to all. There is no night there, nor need of light, for the Lord God gives it; and, as to their state, they reign not for the thousand years, as they do over the earth, but for ever and ever.
This closes the description of the heavenly city and the whole prophetic volume. What follows consists of warning, or the final expression of the thoughts of and relationship with, Christ of the assembly.
The angel declares the truth of these things, and that the Lord God of the prophets not as the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, nor as directly teaching the assembly as dwelling in it by the Spirit the Lord God of the prophets has sent His angel to inform His servants of these events. "Behold," says Christ, speaking as of old, in the prophetic spirit, rising up to His own personal testimony, "Behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he who keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book." The assembly is viewed, not as the subject of prophecy, but as " the things that are," time not being counted, specially time to come. Those that keep it are those concerned in the book, who are warned that Christ will soon be there. No doubt we all can profit by it, but we are not in the scenes it speaks of. John, impressed with the dignity of the messenger, fell down and would have worshiped him. But the saints of the assembly even if made prophets of, were not to return into the uncertainty of ancient days. The angel was a simple angel, John's fellow-servant, and fellow-servant of his brethren the prophets: he was to worship God. Nor were the sayings to be sealed, as with Daniel: the time was at hand. When it closed its testimony, men would remain in the same state for judgment or blessing. And Christ would quickly come, and every man receive as his work was. Verse 7 (Revelation 22:7) was a warning, in form of blessing, to those in the circumstances referred to, to keep the sayings of the book, but this Verse 12 (Revelation 22:12) is the record of Christ's coming to the general judgment of the quick.
Finally, Christ announces Himself, having taken up the word in Person in Verse 12 (Revelation 22:12), as Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end God before and after all; and filling duration. I suppose we are to take as the true reading: " Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they may have a right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." The redeemed, cleansed ones, can enter there and feed on the tree of life; for I suppose it is the fruit here. Without are the unclean and violent, and those who love Satanic falsehood and idolatry, sin against purity, against their neighbor, against God, and follow Satan.
This closes the summing up. The Lord Jesus now reveals Himself in His own Person, speaking to John and the saints, and declares who He is, in what character He appears to say it to them. "I am the root and offspring of David" the origin and heir of the temporal promises of Israel; but much more than that He is the bright and morning Star. It is what He is before He appears, in both respects; only the former regards Israel born of the seed of David according to the flesh. But the Lord has taken another character. He has not yet arisen as the Sun of Righteousness on this benighted globe; but, to faith, the dawn is there, and the assembly sees Him in the now far-spent night as the Morning Star, knows Him, while watching according to His own word, in His bright heavenly character a character which does not wake a sleeping world, but is the delight and love of those who watch. When the sun arises, He will not be thus known: the earth will never so know Him, bright as the day may be. When Christ is in this place, the Spirit dwells in the assembly below, and the assembly has its own relationship. It is the bride of Christ, and her desire is toward Him.
Thus " the Spirit and the bride say, Come." It is not a warning from one coming as a judge and a rewarder, but the revelation of Himself which awakens the desire of the bride according to the relationship in which grace has set her. Nor is it a mere sentiment or wish: the Spirit who dwells in the assembly leads and suggests her thought. But the Spirit turns also and the heart of him who enjoys the relationship, to others. "Let him that heareth " let him who hears the voice of the Spirit in the assembly join in the cry, and say, Come. It is one common hope, it should be our common desire; and the sense of what is coming on the earth and the sense of failure in things that are, ought only though it be in truth an inferior motive, to urge the cry in all. But while still here, the saint has another place also. Not only do his desires go after God upwards and the heavenly Bride groom, but he reflects God's known character, by having His nature and Spirit as manifested also in Christ's love and in possession of the living water, though not of the Bridegroom. He turns round and invites others "Let him that is athirst come," and proclaims it forth then to the world, "Whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely." Thus the whole place of the heavenly saint, conscious of the assembly's place, is brought out in this Verse, from his desire of Christ's coming, to his call to whosoever will to come.
The integrity of the book is preserved by a solemn warning of the danger of losing a part in the tree of life [See Note #22] and the holy city. Christ then cheers the saint's heart, by assuring that He would quickly come; and the heart of the true saint responds with unfeigned and earnest desire, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus." And then, with the salutation of grace, the book closes leaving the promise and the desire as the last words of Jesus on the heart.
Let the reader note here that, in the beginning and end of the book, before and after the prophetic statements, we have in a beautiful way the conscious position of the saints. The first, at the opening of the whole book, gives the individual conscious blessing through what Christ has done; the latter, the whole position of the assembly thus distinguishing clearly the saints under the gospel from those whose circumstances are prophetically made known to them in this book. "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and made us kings and priests to God and his Father." As soon as Christ is named (and it is so in both cases), it awakens in the saints the consciousness of Christ's love and their own place in relationship with Him. They are already washed from their sins in His own blood, and made kings and priests to God and His Father have their place and state fixed, before any of the prophetic part is developed, and in the coming kingdom will enjoy that place, not of being blessed under Christ, but of being associated with Him. Here they have their place simply in the kingdom and priesthood; it is individual title resulting from His first coming. They are loved, washed in His, own blood, and associated with Him in the kingdom.
At the end of the book, Christ is revealed as, the Morning Star, a place forming no part of the prophecy, but that in which the assembly, who has waited for Him, is associated with Him for herself, and the kingdom. (Compare the promise to the overcomers in Thyatira.) [See Note #23] This draws out in active love (not as before, simply being loved and what we are made) love first directed towards Christ in the assembly's known relation to Himself, then to the saints who hear, then to the thirsty, then to all the world. The desire of the assembly, as the bride with whom the Spirit is, is directed to Christ's second coming for herself-to the possessing the Morning Star; then the Spirit turns to the saints, calling on them to say to Jesus, Come to join in this desire. But we have the Spirit though not the Bridegroom; hence whoever is athirst is called on to come and drink, and thus the gospel proclaimed abroad, "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." It is love acting in the saint all round from Christ to sinners in the world.
Note #22
The true reading here is "tree," not "book,"; but the book of life is not life, nor our being written there final, though 'prime facie' register, unless indeed written there before the foundation of the world: but, even so, it is not the same thing the possession of life.
Note #23
Compare the place of the bright cloud in Luke 9. There it is the Father's voice.
In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.
And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Rev 22:1-5. And he shewed me a pure river, &c.- The first five verses of this chapter are a continuation of the description of the new Jerusalem. It is farther described with the river of life, and the tree of life, Rev 22:2 as if paradise was restored and improved. A river flowing through the midst of the streets, and trees growing on either side of the river, are wonderfully pleasing and agreeable objects, especially in the hot eastern countries. Of the fruits there is such plenty, that all may freely partake of them at all seasons; and the very leaves are for the healing of the nations; by all which is signified, the blessedness of immortality, without any infirmities. Then, too, there shall be no more curse, as there is in this present world, ever since the fall of man: but the blessed inhabitants shall enjoy the so-much-talked-of beatific vision; shall live in the light of God's countenance, and serve him, and reign for ever, Rev 22:4-5. See Eze 47:1; Eze 47:23. Both the waters of life, and the tree of life, are emblems of immortality: They that eat of the tree of life shall live for ever. Gen 3:22. The trees of life are so planted in this description, that all the inhabitants may come at the fruit of them freely, and without hindrance. They yield their fruits so plentifully, and so constantly, that there can be no want even in so large and populousa city; and even the leaves have a sovereign virtue against all sorts of indisposition. The continual succession of fruits shews the endless duration of the happiness of the saints, which is maintained by the continual effusions of the divine grace and favour. As to the division of the growth of the fruits by months, I think (says Daubuz,) that this arises from the ancient custom of making distributions every month, of meat and drink to servants, or such as depend for their maintenance upon rich men. The kings of Israel settled such distributions to be monthly; and so contrived, that the tributes which were to serve for that purpose, were laid on by monthly accounts. See 1Ki 4:7; 1Ki 4:27. Instead of there shall be no more curse, Rev 22:3. Bishop Sherlock would read, every curse shall cease. This part of the description of the new Jerusalem seems to point out to us how much greater the happiness of this state will be, than was the happiness of the first paradise. In this state, the faithful servants of Christ shall be in no danger of forfeiting their happiness, and losing paradise, as our first parents did: in this paradisaical state, they shall be a kingdom of priests unto God for ever. This evidently describes a state of happiness incomparably above the condition of this world, and only to be enjoyed in the heavenly Jerusalem.
Rev 22:6, &c.- The prophetic part of this book ends in a perfect happiness of the faithful, great above all imagination, certain as the word of prophesy, and lasting without end; a powerful encouragement and persuasive to constancy in the profession and practice of pure Christianity, whatever difficulties or dangers might attend it. What follows, to the end, is the conclusion of the whole book, or a sort of epilogue, which confirms the truth of the prophesies contained in these Revelations; shews the importance and use of them; and is well fitted to leave them with strong impressions on the hearts of readers, to preserve them from a compliance with any corruptions of the Christian faith and worship, and to encourage their constancy in the ways of truth and righteousness.
He said unto me, These sayings, &c.- In the conclusion, the angel ratifies and confirms all the foregoing particulars by a repetition of the same solemn assurance which he had given, ch. Rev 19:9 and Rev 21:5 that these sayings are true and faithful; and he was commissioned by the same God, who had inspired the ancient prophets, to shew the things that must shortly be done; which would very soon begin in part to be fulfilled, and in process of time would all be completed. Behold, I come quickly, says he, Rev 22:7. For we may observe, that the angel speaks sometimes in his own person, and sometimes in the person and character of Christ, whose ambassador and representative he was. Christ is said to come upon any notable and illustrious manifestation of his providence; and all these are but so many steps, to prepare the way for his last coming to judgment. A blessing too is pronounced (as in ch. Rev 1:3.) upon those who keep the sayings of this book; and, as Vitringa devoutly wishes,
"May the Lord bestow his grace and favour upon us, who have employed some time and pains in the study andexplication of this book, that some part of this blessing also may descend to us!"
Rev 22:8-21. John saw these things, and heard, &c.- St. John testifies himself to have been the person who saw and heard these things; and in his extasy falling into the same mistake which he had committed, ch. Rev 19:10 he is gently corrected in the same manner by the angel; who orders him, Rev 22:10 not to seal up this prophesy, as Daniel's was (ch. Rev 12:4-9.); for the time is at hand;-some of the particulars would very soon be accomplished, as indeed all would in their due season: which he farther enforces, Rev 22:11-15 with promises and threatenings, of rewards to the righteous, and of vengeance to the wicked. It was not thought sufficient to represent the angel speaking in the person of Christ, but Christ himself is also introduced, Rev 22:16 speaking in his own person, confirming the divine authority of this book, and attesting it to be properly his revelation concerning the churches: The Spirit and the bride, Rev 22:17. (that is, the spiritual bride,-the true church of Christ,) therefore receives it, and ardently wishes for its completion. The book being of this importance, a solemn adjuration is addedby Christ himself, that no man presume to add any thing to it, or take any thing from it, Rev 22:18-19. He who testifieth these things, saith, Surely I come quickly, Rev 22:20. He not only attests them to be true, but will also come speedily to accomplish them: to which St. John answers, and in him the whole church, Amen. Even so; Come, Lord Jesus! He closes all with the usual apostolical benediction, Rev 22:21 wishing the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to the churches of Asia in particular, and to all Christians in general. The conclusion is truly excellent, as well as all other parts of this book; and nothing could be contrived to leave these things with a stronger impression upon the minds of the readers. In the whole, from first to last, appears the majesty of the divine Revealer,-the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the author and finisher of every good work, and of this more particularly. This is the sure word of prophesy, whereunto Christians, as St. Peter says, do well to take heed and attend. 2Pe 1:19. Attention then to this book is recommended to us, upon the authority of St. Peter, as well as of the writer, St. John: a double blessing, as we have seen in the book itself, is pronounced upon those who shall study and observe it; first in ch. Rev 1:3 and here again, ch. Rev 22:7. Emboldened by which blessings, with Nehemiah we would pray, "Remember us, O my God, concerning this also, and spare us according to the greatness of thy mercy!" Neh 13:22. We would observe with the pious and excellent Dr. Doddridge, our faithful and useful companion through the writings of the New Testament,-How sweetlyand delightfully the canon of scripture concludes, leaving as it were the music of heaven upon the attentive ear! O thou blessed Root and Offspring of David! O thou bright and morning star! impress on all our hearts these thy gracious words which thou halt condescended to speak from the throne of thy glory! thereby as it were to aid the weaknessof our faith in those which thou didst deliver while dwelling in mortal flesh: then did the compassionate Saviour proclaim from an eminence in the temple, to a crowded assembly, on a day of peculiar solemnity, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink; Joh 7:37. And now, behold he makes the same proclamation from his celestial temple; he points as it were to the fountainhead of happiness, to the springs of the water of life near the throne of God; and says, whoever will, let him come, let him take, let him freely take of this living water, Rev 22:17. Yea, and not content with speaking this language by his Spirit only, he calls on his bride, to lift up her melodious voice, to publish this kind invitation. He calls on every one who hears it, to echo it back, as if the excess of his goodness overcame him, as if it were necessary to his happiness that men should accept of their own salvation.
With what sacred observance should these books be guarded, which contain a message of such infinite importance! of what dreadful curses are they worthy, who presume to add to what is already perfect, or to take away from that, which is in every part divine! Rev 22:18. God forbid that any of us should ever presumptuously attempt to do it! And may we be preserved from those mistaken interpretations, in consequence of which we might teach the world, asby His authority, any thing which He has not dictated; or deny any thing which carries with it the stamp of such an authority! Have pity, O Lord, upon our weakness! Impute not prejudices which thou knowest we do not allow; and give us a greater penetration of mind, to understand the true sense of thy word; a simplicity of heart to receive it; an integrity, so far as the duty of our stations requires, to declare, and a zeal to inculcate and defend it.
Whilewearethusemployed,-oremployedin any other services which Providence may assign us;-whatever labours may exercise;whatever difficulties may surround; whatever sorrows may depress; whatever malice, misrepresentation, or calumny may vex us; may it be our pleasure to hear the Lord of our love proclaiming, "Behold, I come quickly:-I come to put a period to the trials and suffering of my servants. I come, and my reward of grace is with me, to recompense with royal bounty every work of faith and labour of love. I come to receive my faithful persevering people to myself, to dwell for ever in that blissful world, where the sacred volume which contains the important discoveries of my will shall be no more necessary; but knowledge, and holiness, and joy, shall be poured in upon their souls, in a more immediate, a more noble, and a more effectual manner;" Amen! even so, come, Lord Jesus! hasten the blessed hour to us, and to all the churches, so far as it may consist with thy wise and holy counsels; and, in the mean time, may thy grace be with us, to keep alive the remembrance of thy love, and the expectation of thy coming, in our hearts; and to animate us to a temper and conduct which may suit the blessings we have already received, and the nobler felicity after which thou hast taught us to aspire! Amen, and Amen.
Inferences.-Let us again contemplate the new Jerusalem with new and growing delight. Let us raise our eyes to the water of life, which issues from the throne of God and the Lamb: to the tree of life, which grows on its banks, and produces such a variety of fruit, both for food and refreshment, and for the healing of the nations; to that more excellent paradise, in which there shall be no curse, where, from the throne of God and of the Lamb, shall be scattered ten thousand blessings on all his servants; who shall there serve him, with everlasting, with increasing delight, being admitted to see his face, and exulting in their having the name of God written upon their foreheads: which they reckon a brighter and nobler ornament, than the most glorious crown, or diadem, without such an inscription, could be. These are the words of truth and faithfulness; and, as such, may our faith embrace them, and our souls ever rest upon them.
O that we may feel our thirst after this water of life, our hunger after this fruit of the tree of life, powerfully and perseveringly excited. We shall then in both respects, be satisfied in the proper season; and, in the mean time, God will send us some refreshments, during our continuance in the wilderness. And O, may divine love, and every genuine regard to God and the Lamb, prevail and govern in our hearts; and may our lives be devoted to that service, in which we hope our eternity will be employed. Have we not already, as it were, received the mark of God in our foreheads? Have we not solemnly enlisted ourselves to fight under the banner of Christ? Have we not, in repeated and most affecting solemnities and ordinances of his own institution, declared our desire of being for ever devoted to him? O let us ever remember the sacred engagement. Let holiness to the Lord be written on our hearts, as well as on our foreheads. Let all our affections, and all our faculties, all our possessions, and all our pursuits, be consecrated to God. To bear this name and inscription, will now, even in this dark and benighted world, shed a glory around us. It will be as a sacred guide to our ways, it will cheer and animate our hearts, it will bring down to us many a delightful foretaste of that world, where (if faithful,) in his light we shall see light, and where we shall reign with him for ever and ever.
Again, Let us be very thankful, that the words of this prophesy are not sealed from us; but that truths, in which we have so important a concern, are so plainly published and proclaimed. The time is near, when a seal will be set on the characters of men: blessed be God, he who is now unrighteous and polluted, may be purified and reformed, justified and saved. Adored be that grace, that waits so long upon sinners! But the divine long-suffering towards them will have its period: yet a little while, and Jesus comes, to render to every man according to his works. May we then be fixed in a world of immutable holiness and happiness!
The Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, has discovered to us many evangelical truths in this mysterious book. He has directed our eyes to himself, even to the Lamb that was slain to redeem us to God by his blood; and has shewed us the saints in glory, laying down their crowns in his presence, and ascribing the praise of all their salvation to him; but he has shewn us nothing that is inconsistent with the necessity of real and universal holiness. Yea, he himself proclaims those alone to be entitled to enter the gates of the new Jerusalem, and to eat of the fruit of the tree of life, who do God's commandments. Let us not, therefore, deceive ourselves with vain words, nor attend to any who would sophisticate the word of God, and, fixing their view only on some detached passages of it, enervate, by their unguarded interpretations, its general scope and meaning. Let us, in reviewing scripture, observe what God commands and requires, and compare it with what he forbids, that we may thereby impartially judge and try ourselves. And how free soever we may be from any of the grosser crimes here enumerated, such as fornication, murder, and idolatry, let us not allow ourselves in the love and practice of any thing inconsistent with the immutable rule of righteousness and truth; as well knowing every allowed and continued indulgence of that kind, to be utterly irreconcilable with a well-grounded hope of inheriting eternal life. May it please thee, O Lord, to inscribe all these laws upon our hearts; that our joy, in the hope and prospect of the promised blessedness, may rise in proportion to our acquaintance with thy unerring word, and to the impartiality and diligence with which we trace the actions of our lives and the affections of our hearts by a comparison with it, and reduce them to a holy conformity to its precepts.
REFLECTIONS.-1st, The angelic guide further leads the apostle to view some other emblematical glories of this celestial city.
1. He shews him a river of water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God, and of the Lamb, the figure of those eternal consolations, and that vital influence, immediately derived from communion with the Fountain of eternal bliss.
2. The tree of life, the emblem of Jesus the Lord of life and glory, here spread its branches on both sides the river; or several in a row were planted on the river's bank, yielding perpetual fruit, new every month; and the very leaves are for the healing of the nations; intimating the rich provision of unceasing delights which is here made for the faithful, and their perfect preservation in soul and body from all decay or infirmity.
3. No curse can there enter; the eternal felicity and impeccability of the saints are secured; and before the throne of God and of the Lamb they shall pay their unceasing adorations, enjoy the beatific vision of the God of glory, and bear his bright image on them, as visibly as if his name was engraven on their foreheads.
4. No night is there; nor need they the sun or a candle, where the Lord God is their everlasting Light: and they shall reign with him for ever and ever. O blest abode! my soul, aspire after it, and eager press for an entrance into this everlasting kingdom of thy God and Saviour.
Secondly, We have,
1. A solemn ratification, given by the angel, of the certainty of these events. These sayings are faithful and true: he was sent expressly from the Lord Jesus to reveal to St. John the things which would begin shortly to be accomplished, and continue fulfilling until the end of time.
2. The Lord Jesus himself speaks, or the angel speaks as his representative: Behold, I come quickly; prepare to meet me; the whole period of time is comparatively short and momentary: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophesy of this book, faithfully adheres to the gospel word, and confidently expects the fulfilment of the promises.
3. Overcome with what he heard and saw, and scarcely himself through rapture, St. John fell before the angel; but again is reproved and prevented: angels are but our fellow-servants.
4. The Lord, or his representative angel, again addresses him, and bids him not seal up the prophesies of this book, but deliver them to the church, the time for their fulfilment now approaching: and when they are accomplished, men's everlasting state will be fixed unchangeably. He who in the great day is found filthy and unjust, must remain so for ever under the wrath of God; and he that is found righteous in the Lord, and made holy by his Spirit, shall be eternally blessed.
5. The adorable Jesus repeats his assurance for the comfort of his faithful people. Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his works shall be, whether good or bad. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last; the great Origin of all things, and the ultimate End for which all things were created; and what I say may be depended upon as the words of invariable fidelity: hear them therefore with attention and regard. And, since my nature and perfections are immutable, see that the necessary change be made in yourselves in order to your obtaining that happiness of which your sins may now render you incapable. And it will shortly appear how blessed are they that do his commandments, and approve their fidelity to God, that they may have right, through the promise, to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city, partaking of all the inconceivable blessedness prepared for the faithful: while those who shall be found disobedient, unholy, or profane, shall be eternally excluded from these bright mansions. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie; whoever lives and dies under the guilt of any of these things, perishes irrecoverably.
6. The Lord Jesus confirms to him what the angel had told him. I Jesus, your Lord and Master, have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in, or concerning, the churches; and their future state and condition. I am the root and the offspring of David; as God, his root; as man, his offspring; and the bright and morning star, leading my faithful people in paths of everlasting peace.
7. The Spirit and the bride say, Come, welcome the Saviour, and wait the fulfilment of his promise. And let him that heareth, even every faithful soul, take up the word and say, Come. And let him that is athirst for spiritual blessings, come: and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely; and out of these wells of salvation, the scriptures, let him draw the living streams of grace and consolation. For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophesy of this book, if any man shall add unto these things, now the canon of revelation is complete, by new pretended visions, or wilful perversion of their meaning, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophesy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book,-an awful sanction, which guards the sacred records, and binds the heaviest vengeance upon those who dare, by base adulterations, add thereto, or diminish therefrom.
Thirdly, The Lord Jesus closes his Revelation,
1. With a solemn confirmation of the whole. He which testifieth these things, saith, Surely, I come quickly, certainly and speedily, for the comfort and salvation of my faithful people.
2. The apostle, in the name of all the saints, professes his confidence in the promise. Amen! Lord, I believe; fulfil it in due season. Even so be it; come, Lord Jesus, and bring to us complete and final salvation!
3. He concludes with his benediction. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all! May you experience the riches of his free and unmerited favour and love; be strengthened by his Spirit mightily in the inner man, to stand faithfully in the evil day, comfortably and confidently persevering in the truth; may you, when all your conflicts end, enter into that eternal state of rest and blessedness which is here revealed. Amen! Such are my prayers for thee, Reader; may we now, without ceasing, be found uniting our supplications before a throne of grace; and together may we meet around a throne of glory, and spend a happy eternity in the praises of our adored Jesus! Amen!
