638 TO THE EE/\DER.
him and us, really and royally solcmniscJ, in the presence of God and his holy angels, and shall have the fruition of him and all his happiness, and enjoy such heavenly fellowship, familiarity, and acquaintance with him, transcendently above all the sweetest relations here below, I say, with him who is ' the Prince of peace,' ' the King of glory,' yea, the very glory of heaven and earth, ' the express image of his Father's person,' in whom ' those things which are invisible are seen,' ' the brightness of everlasting light,' the undcfilcd mirror of the majesty of God, and ' the desire of all nations.' Blessed are they which are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb, Rev. xix. 9. Whereunto, that you may be admitted as a welcome guest, you must both know and practise what in this treatise is contained. To conclude, I am bold therefore, in the cause of God's honour and your salvation, to entreat you, as ever you would have interest in Christ's blood and blessedness, sufferings and satisfactions, as you mean to have any fellowship or communion in heaven with the blessed saints and angels, as you intend to have any part in that kingdom which the Lord Jesus hath purchased with his own blood, that you would up and be doing that which the wife of the Lamb is said to have done — Rev. xix. 7, ' Make your- selves ready;' which if you do, his speedy access shall bring to you speed- ing success ; which that you may do, you shall not want his constant and instant prayers, who is
Your Christian and cordial well-wisher,
G. H.*
These initials probably represent the Rev. George Hughes, B.D., of Plymouth, one of the ' Ejected' of IGG'J, and father-in-law of the illustrious John Howe. — G.
THE BRIDEGROOM'S PROMISES,
AND
THE BRIDE'S PRAYER.
He uhich testijieth these things saith. Surely I come quickly : Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. — Rev. XXII. 20.
As the church of God, being the weakest and the most shiftless* part of man- kind, is never without trouble in this world, so God would never have it to be without comfort. And therefore God reveals unto Christ in this book, and Christ unto the angel, and the angel unto John, ' things to come,* from the ascension of Christ unto his ' second coming ;' that so, in all conditions of the church, the church might have recourse unto this book, to see what the issue of all would be. This is their comfort, that howso- ever things maybe carried in this world in a seeming confusion, in a cloud, and in a mystery, yet in conclusion all shall end well on the church's side. Their trouble shall end in peace, their abasement in glory, and their conflict in a crown. This we may see here verified. This revelation doth end in the description of the glorious condition of the church. In the two last chapters, as I take it, the evangelist Saint John sets down the glorious estate of the church of God, even in this world, yet so as it shall end and be consummate in perfect glory in the world to come. For the soul of a Christian, like Noah's dove, cannot rest in any glory here, till it return to the ark, till it come to the enjoyment of perfect glory, and have blissful communion with Christ for ever and ever in heaven. And therefore Christ doth terminate and end the sweetness, of his promises in heaven, and at his last coming ; and the church likewise stretcheth and raiseth up her desires to that. Howsoever, there shall be glorious times and things here, yet these are but as the first fruits to the whole harvest, and as a drop unto the ocean. Therefore, when you read of a glorious estate of the church to be here upon earth, your minds must have recourse to the upshot and consummation of all in heaven. Jerusalem which is from above must lead us to Jerusalem which is above.
Now, because that man's unbelieving heart is too prone to think that these things are too good to be true, and too great to be performed, seeing such an immeasurable disproportion between his own unworthiness and * That is, ' without expedients.' — G.
540
THE BRIDE S LONGING.
the excellency of the things promised, liereupon the mercy of our blessed Saviour is such, that he confirms this his second glorious coming by all kind of witnesses that may be. Here is the angel, verse 6 ; Christ him- self, verse 7 ; the spouse, and the Spirit in the spouse, verse 17 ; and Christ himself again in the words before the text, ' Behold, I come quickly.' Then you have the spouse's answer, ' Amen. Even so, come. Lord Jesus.' Beloved, faith is a supernatural thing. It hath no friend within us. It hath no help, no cause in the world, except God himself. There- fore, it hath need of all confirmation. God knows us and our needs better than we do ourselves, and you see he useth confirmation to help our un- belief. And besides the witnesses, the thing itself is repeated ' again and again, three or four times in this chapter : verses 7, 12, 20, ' Behold, I come quickly,' and * Behold, I come quickly,' and, ' Surely I come quickly.' By ewery repetition, Christ seeks to gain upon our misgiving souls. ' Be- hold, I come.' Now because our spirit is exceeding short, and we are ready to cry out, as it is in the sixth of this book, ' How long. Lord, holy and true ?' Piev. vi. 10. How long ? Why, he answers, ' Behold, I come quickly.' You shall also find in the prophecies of the Old Testament, the same promises delivered and repeated again and again, because of our unbelief; which ariseth from an inward guilt, that cleaves to our con- sciences, because we are subject to failings, and are not so strict as we should be. But such are the yearning bowels of our blessed Saviour, that it grieves him to see his tender church afflicted and troubled in mind. Therefore he helps all that he can.