3. If so, then you will take great pleasure in beholding the rainbow that is about the throne, and rejoice in it as your security against the deluge of wrath, saying, with David, "This is all my salvation, that he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure:" you will be delighted to think on the freedom of the covenant, the order of the covenant, the sureness of the covenant; and its emerald colour, its perpetual greenness without any variation.

4. When you look to the rainbow of the covenant, it will fill you with expectation of good when you go to the throne in prayer. The natural rainbow, as I said, is the forerunner of a shower to the thirsty earth; people expect it when they see the bow in the clouds: so when you see the bow of the covenant, it will give you good hopes of a shower of the Spirit's influences, and that he will come to you" as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth." And truly, sirs, one great reason why there are so many hopeless prayers among us, is because we do not set the eye of faith on the rainbow of the covenant.

5. If ever you was brought within the rainbow of the covenant, you have been stripped of your own" filthy rags," and clothed with the white raiment of the righteousness of the Son of God; for they that are about the throne here are said to be "clothed in white raiment," ver. 4. So then, I ask, Have you been made to see all your own righteousness to be as filthy rags, as a menstruous cloth, as loss and dung, that you may be found in Christ, not having your own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ?" Is the language of thy heart, "Surely in the Lord have I righteousness: in him will I be justified, and in him alone will I'glory?"

you have been within the rainbow, brought within the bow of the covenant, you have had your heart and eyes enlightened, and warmed with the seven lamps of fire before the throne, which are explained to be the Spirit with his various influences, ver. 5. These are compared to lamps, because of their enlightening efficacy; and lamps of fire, because of their sanctifying, purifying, warming efficacy, on the soul. Now, try yourselves by this; if you be brought within the bow of the covenant that is about the throne, the Spirit has been in you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation, discovering the things of God to you in a divine lustre: and, like fire, they have purified you in some measure from the dross of sin, and made your heart to burn within you, like the disciples going to Emmaus; and, like a lamp, they serve to direct you in the way of truth and holiness; the voice of the Spirit is, "This is the way, walk ye in it."

7. If you be brought within the rainbow of the covenant, you will be frequently bathing your polluted souls in "the sea of glass, that is before the throne," spoken of in the 6th verse. Interpreters think that there is an allusion here to the large vessels in the temple and tabernacle, in which the priests used to wash themselves before they offered sacrifices, called "a sea of glass," because of the transparent purity of him whose blood it was. They that are come to Jesus by faith, the Mediator of the new covenant, they are also come to "the blood of sprinkling," in order to the cleansing of their souls from sin and from uncleanness. You will see a continual need of this blood to purify your persons and actions from every thing that defiles.

8. If brought within the rainbow of the covenant, you will be much taken up in celebrating the praises of God's holiness, and adoring him upon this account; they that are about the throne, ver. 8, cry, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty, which was, and is, and is to come." Now, try yourselves by this. Can you love God, adore, and celebrate his praises, because of his unspotted holiness and purity, which cannot behold iniquity without abhorrence? This I take to be one of the sweetest and surest marks of a true believer and saint which distinguishes him from all hypocrites in the world. A hypocrite may come the length to love and adore the divine Majesty, because of his greatness, because of his goodness, because of his mercy; but I do not think that they can love and praise him, because of his holiness, and hatred of sin. No, this argues a seraphic and angelic spirit, for the angels. cover their faces, crying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts," Is. vi. Now, is this the disposition of thy soul? Canst thou say with David, Psal. xxx. 4, "Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness?" and Is. xii. at the close, "Shout, O daughter of Zion; for great is the holy One of Israel in the midst of thee?"

9. You will equally adore, worship, and admire all the three persons of the ever-blessed Trinity as one God. So do they that are about the throne: they cry, Holy Father, holy Son, and Holy Spirit; and these are but one Lord God almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. Faith takes up God according to the revelation that he has made of himself, considered personally or essentially, and it cannot endure any thing that derogates from the glory of any of the blessed three in one and one in three. You that are not stricken with horror at the blasphemy that is uttered against the Son of God this day in our church, as if he were only a subordinate deity, inferior to the Father, you were never yet within the compass of the rainbow that goes about the throne on which he sits; for they that have been there, they have

seen him to be the same in substance, equal in power, and glory with his eternal Father, to be the Lord God almighty, as well as the Father, "the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person." And the concerns of his glory will go nearer your heart than any private concerns of your own, though your honour were laid in the dust.

10. Lastly, If ever you have been within the rainbow of the covenant that surrounds the throne, then I am sure you will be much concerned to have the crown pulled off the head of self, and set upon the head of him that sits upon the throne of grace: ver. 10, 11, they that are about the throne, "cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power." O sirs, if ever you were brought within the rainbow of the covenant of grace, you will not "sacrifice to your own net, or burn incense to your own drag:" you will not attribute any or the least part of your salvation to yourselves, to your own holiness, goodness, diligence, frame, or any thing else; no, no, you will tread every thing under your feet, that dares to usurp the room of Christ, and be ready to say, “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name be the glory." O he is the Lord my righteousness, he is the glory of my strength, in his righteousness will I be exalted, and I resolve to stand an eternal debtor to grace, grace reigning through imputed righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ my Lord. Worthy, worthy is he to wear the crown, to sit on the throne, and to sway the sceptre for ever. O let King Jesus arise, and let his enemies be scattered, and flee before him..

SERMON XVI.

THE TREE OF LIFE SHAKING HIS FRUITS AND LEAVES AMONG THE

NATIONS.*

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.-REV. XXII. 2.

THE FIRST SERMON ON THIS TEXT.

I HAD occasion to discourse on the verse immediately preceding, at a solemnity in the neighbourhood, about a year ago; at which time I endeavoured to make it evident, that

Three discourses, preached at the celebration of the sacrament of the Lord's supper, at Dunfermline, July 12, 13, 14, 1729.

this vision of the apostle John has an immediate respect to the church militant, whatever farther accomplishment it may have in the church triumphant in glory. By the "pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God, and of the Lamb," we are to understand that great abundance of grace, that issues forth in a gospel dispensation towards perishing sinners, from a God of grace "reconciling the world to himself" in Christ, as is clear to any who shall compare the 1st and 17th verse of this chapter together; they having a close and inseparable connexion. In the 1st verse, the river of water of life issues forth; and in the 17th verse, there is a universal call and invitation given to all perishing sinners to come and drink of it:" Whosoever will, let him come, and drink of the water of life freely." Now, if the invitation, ver. 17, be to the church militant, to come and drink of the water of life, as no doubt it is, then surely that river of water of life, of which they are called to drink, must flow in the church militant also.

This being established, it must needs follow, that the words I have now read in the 2d verse, must have a respect to the church militant also; especially if we consider the last clause of the verse, where the leaves of the tree are said to be for the healing of the nations. Now, in heaven there are not nations in the plural number, but only one heavenly nation of the first-born, and that nation does not need any healing; the inhabitants of that land of glory do not say we are sick, being presented without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; and therefore it must be for the healing of the diseased nations of this lower world that this tree of life is designed.

Now, this premised, I take up the words as a metaphorical description of Christ, the Saviour of lost sinners, under the notion of a tree. Where notice, (1.) The nature of this tree; he is the tree of life. (2.) The commodious situation of the tree for the convenience of the city of God, the visible church, upon earth; this tree of life is in the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river. (3.) The fertility of this tree of life; it bears twelve manner of fruits, and yields fruit every month. (4.) The medicinal quality of the tree; the very leaves of it are for the healing of the nations. The explication of these particulars I defer till I come to the prosecution of the following doctrine, which I observe from them.

DocT. "That the Lord Jesus Christ is the fertile and medicinal tree, planted by his Father in the city of the New Testament church, for the benefit of the starving and diseased nations of the earth." The foundation of the doctrine is obvious, from the general view that I have already given you of the words, In the midst of the street of it, namely, of the new

Jerusalem, that comes down out of heaven, which is the New Testament church, and on each side of the river was there the tree of life, &c.

Now, in prosecuting this doctrine, I shall just observe the order already pointed at in the division of the words; and, through divine assistance, I shall,

I. Speak a little of this tree of life.

II. Speak of the situation of this tree in the city of God; it is said to be in the midst of the street, and on each side of the river. III. Of the fertility of this tree; it bears twelve manner of fruits, and yields fruit every month.

IV. Of the medicinal quality of the tree, and how its leaves are for the healing of the nations.

V. Apply the whole; or, if time do not allow, apply each of the particulars as I go along them.

I. The first thing is, to speak a little of Christ, under the notion of the tree of life. And here I shall, 1. Offer some remarks concerning this blessed tree. 2. Show why it is called the tree of life. 3. What that life is that springs out of this tree. 4. The excellent qualities of that life that comes from this tree to those who by faith eat of his fruit.

First, I would offer some general remarks concerning this blessed tree here spoken of.

1. Then, I remark, that such metaphorical descriptions of Christ are very common and familiar to the Spirit of God in scripture. Sometimes he is called " a plant," and "a plant of renown," by the prophet Ezekiel, chap. xxxiv. 29. Sometimes he is called "a rod, and a branch springing out of the root of Jesse," Is. xi. 1. Sometimes "a root springing out of a dry ground," Is. liii. 2. Sometimes "a tree," Hos. xiv. 8: "I am like a green fir tree; from me is thy fruit found." Sometimes under the notion of an apple tree, Cant. ii. 3: " As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons." So here, in my text, he is held out under the notion of a "tree," and "the tree of life." Our blessed Lord, while here upon earth, was a parabolical kind of preacher, that is to say, he represented heavenly things by familiar similitudes; and he continues the same strain of teaching, even after he is exalted to glory; he is so fond of making himself known to the children of men, that he is content to compare himself to any thing that may convey the knowledge of himself and of his grace to us.

2. I would have you to remark, that Christ is a tree of his Father's planting: John xv. 1: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman." Now, when I speak of Christ's being planted, it is only to be understood of him, as to his office, as Immanuel, God-man or Mediator; for considered as to his