And herein is the first proclamation of gospel salvation by the LORD GOD, as addressed to the serpent, "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”(a) Then I beheld, "as through a glass darkly," our first parents fall down before the Word of GOD, in agony of distress at their grievous sinfulness, and in fervour of joy and hope in the blessed sounds of mercy extended; while I saw the ministering angels for the heirs of salvation,() silent in all-absorbing wonder; silentwrapped in astonishment at the marvellous revelation of this great attribute of GoD, His Mercy! And then, methought I could hear the burst of the seraph's song, and the whole choir of heaven, giving glory to Him Who sits upon the throne, for His wisdom in devising such measure; for His love in condescending to such a plan; for His mercy in constructing such a highway as that on which a holy GoD may meet sinful man, and bestow "pardon for all his iniquity."(e) Then I saw the infant church expelled from paradise, and earthly enjoyment, and turned into the wilderness; I saw its first members robed in the garments of salvation; CHRIST, the Head, beholding His spiritual seed, the man and the woman; Himself, the seed, as referred to in the promise, to be hereafter born of a woman, of a pure virgin; and I saw they were "begotten unto a lively hope,"() "being born again of incorruptible seed, by the Word of God; through the SPIRIT, redeemed with the precious blood of CHRIST, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot, who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world."(e) And at the gate of paradise were placed by the LORD GOD, Cherubims, bearing a flaming sword, which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.") And was not this same sword of God's justice, after it had slept four thousand and thirty years, at length, in the fulness of time, sheathed in the innocent breast of CHRIST? According to the words of the Father, "Awake, O sword, against my Shepherd, and against the Man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of Hosts; smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered."(9) Jehovah's Fellow, even Him in the form of God, who "thought it not robbery to be equal with (a) Gen. iii. 15. (b) Heb. i. (c) Isa. xl. (d) 1 Pet. i. 3. GOD, who took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men."(a) And so the everlasting gates of Eden's anti-type, the heavenly paradise, were "lift up," and the Conqueror over sin, death, and hell," the King of Glory," then went in, and left the same door wide open for those who "believe" and take hold of eternal "strength" in CHRIST, for their salvation, and make peace with GOD.) And thus He purchased, with His heart's blood, the right of admission, for His seed, to glory. "He sees the travail of His soul, and is satisfied."() I next beheld the seed of CHRIST, as extended in Abel, who offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, because offered in true faith,() and according to the law of GOD; "Blood maketh an atonement for the soul," so he offered blood in the firstling of his flock, a type of JESUS' blood, whereas Cain presented to the LORD the produce of the ground, only; "And the LORD had respect unto Abel, and to his offering, but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect; and Cain being wrath with his brother, slew him "(e) Here I pondered over the first appearance of the effects of the enmity between the seed of the woman (CHRIST) and the seed of the serpent; enmity of the devil against CHRIST in His church for "Cain was of that wicked one, and slew his brother; and wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous."() Then the infant church of CHRIST progressing was enlarged by Seth, a righteous seed "in the place of Abel;") and after him it was preserved through a succession of patriarchs down to Noah, with whom, after the old world was destroyed by a flood, GOD graciously made a covenant of peace, always, by the hand of the Mediator, CHRIST the LORD, grafting this covenant on that grand covenant of grace which the wonderful electing love of the Father, the marvellous redeeming love of the Son, and the mighty sanctifying love of the HOLY GHOST, had contracted for, before the world was; and similar tokens of God's love, in CHRIST, were revealed, in an especial manner, to the growing church by her Head, He who purchased her with His blood, even CHRIST, in manifestation, to Abraham, to Isaac, to Israel, to Moses, to Joshua, to the deliverers of Israel, whom God raised up and blessed; to some of Israel's kings, more particularly to David, of whom JESUS CHRIST is "the root and offspring,"(a) according to the flesh, and the type of CHRIST on earth; and to Solomon, the son of David, the type of CHRIST in his kingdom of heavenly Zion, and glory, and peace. And I beheld and marvelled over the wonders of covenant love. I perceived, in the Word, that CHRIST had "all power given unto Him in heaven and in earth;") "all things were created by Him and for Him, and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist; that He is the Head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the pre-eminence. For it pleased the Father, that in Him should all fulness dwell.") That as He is purchaser of His church, that all the rich promises throughout the Word are made to Him; "for all the promises of GOD in Him are yea, and in Him amen, unto the glory of GoD," by the prophets and preachers of the gospel ; (d) all spiritual blessings, every gift of the Spirit being through Christ. (e) The splendid fulness of this covenant of grace being so vast and boundless, it appeared to me that one question was needful above all others, Am I in this covenant? that is, have I taken hold of CHRIST by faith? If I have, the answer is blessed, then "all things are your's and you are CHRIST'S and CHRIST is GOD's."(f) CHAPTER VIII, Magdalena passes down to the third chamber-Catches some glimpses of the Queen-Her Majesty's proportions are fair but changeable-Her diminutiveness at one glance; her swelling form at another; her contracted size at another; her capacious figure as she ripens in years; her glorious, unchangeable, and eternal beauty-The King's faithful and deathless love to His Bride. HAVING Contemplated the glorious mysteries of GOD in CHRIST in His Covenant purchase of a Church, we proceeded to the (a) Rev. xxii. 16. (b) Matt. xxviii. 18. (c) Col. i. 16. (f) 1 Cor. iii. 23. (d) 1 Cor. i. 20. third and lowes story of the Palace-the third chapter in this holy volume of grace and mercy, and traced the church's course and growth as she sped onwards, ever pointing towards the incarnation and perfect work of her Head on earth, and to the revelation of His majesty and glory in His second coming, even in the great day of the LORD from heaven. I beheld her sometimes straitened; sometimes enlarged; sometimes in full blossom, like a rose; sometimes shut up, like a bud. Holy Elijah complained that she was minished and brought low, that he only of her members was left; for he said, "I have been very jealous for the LORD GOD of Hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Thy covenant, thrown down Thine altars, and slain Thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I, only am left, and they seek my life to take it away." But what was the answer of the LORD? "I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him."(«) So she was here shut up like a bud. But in Solomon's day she was like a full blown rose, for her king spread forth his hands before a congregation of "all Israel,"(") and offered prayer over "sacrifices of sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor numbered for multitude."(e) And thus, I saw the church sometime covered with outward prosperity, as in Solomon's time; and sometimes sitting in ashes, as in the day of her prophet Jeremiah. (a) Sometimes, she was a mourning and a proscribed captive, as in Mordecai's day of humiliation; and sometimes, the captive Daughter of Zion being set free, was seen to smile through her tears; sitting down as a wanderer returned to her own fireside, as when Ezra recorded her liberation. But I observed her state as she waxed small. Yet, "who shall despise the day of small things?"(e) "A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation."(ƒ) The darkest hour is before the dawn : "when men are cast down", then they are near to "lifting up.") "Those that mourn" are expressly those that "shall be comforted."(1) When the LORD hath brought "down to the grave;" He "bringeth up :" when "the poor is come down to dust," he is "raised to honor;" when (a) 1 Kings xix. 10, 18. (b) 1 Kings viii. 62. (h) Matt. v. (c) 1 Kings viii. 5. (d) Lam. i. (g) Job. xxii. 29. the beggar has sat on "the dunghill," he is elevated to a seat among princes." "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone, but if it die it bringeth forth much fruit." (a) 66 And so the church was "brought down, even to the ground," and her speech was "low as a whisper out of the dust.") Then I, as it were, heard the call, "Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; shake thyself from the dust, arise and sit down; loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.”(c) Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee."() "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout O daughter of Jerusalem; behold thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass."(e) "Behold, thy salvation cometh; His reward is with Him and His work before Him;" and His people shall be called, "the holy people, the redeemed of the LORD."() And then arose the bright day star, ten centuries four times told, after that star was promised to the church, in paradise, by her Prophet, Priest and King; and nearly a thousand and five centuries since the Gentile and unrighteous seer, Balaam, had been made, by the LORD, to foretell, for the comfort of the church, delivered from the iron yoke of heathen Egypt, that a "star" should "come out of Jacob, and a sceptre" should "rise out of Israel;" that "out of Jacob" should " come He" that should 66 have dominion.") Then I saw, as with the eye of mine understanding, and, as through a glass darkly, GOD manifested to mortal eye, having wrapped up His bright beams, as in a veil, and covered His Divinity with flesh; so GOD was hidden, yet there He stood; the Sun of Righteousness was held in a cloud, yet His concentrated beams, as impotent, to be quite shorn of grandeur, tinged the edges of their veil with a gold and purple glory; GOD was hidden in CHRIST, yet" could He not be hid." (h) Men fell backwards to the ground on His simple replies to a question; infants burst forth in acclamations when they witnessed His entry as their King. Aged men, long used to des (a) John xii. 24. (b) Isa. xxix. 4. (c) Isa. lii. 12 (i) John xviii. 6. (d) Isa. lx. 1. (g) Num. xxiv. 17, 19. |