The Sermons can be had direct from Mr. S. SEARS, Shefford, Beds., on the following terms: 1 copy per month.. 3s. Od. per year. 3 copies per month.. 6s. Od. per year. 2 copies .4s. 6d. 4 Yearly Subscriptions due on receipt of No. 1. .. 8s. Od. Mr. S. only insures Volumes to those Subscribers who order them early and enclose 2s. 6d. with their order. THE FOLLOWING WORKS 66 may be had Post Free, from the Editor of the Little Gleaner," Shefford, Beds., (no other address is necessary,) if Six Pennyworth be ordered at one time. (Sold for the benefit of the Clifton Fields Day School, and to keep up a Fund to print Works of Truth.) Stamps should always accompany each order. If any work is ordered that is out of stock, the amount will be sent in some other works from the list. Fourteen Sermons. By the Editor of the "Gleaner." In a neat volume, 2s. 6d. Deaf and Dumb Disciple. 3d.; 4d.; cloth, 6d. Flavel's Balm for Mourners. 6d. Memoir of Thomas Wilson. 3d., stift covers; 6d., cloth gilt. Memoir of William Devonshire. covers; 6d., cloth gilt. 3d., Hymns of Truth for Home and School, The Gospel of Peace. A Sermon. 2d. S. James and E. Shorter. 1d., or 1s. 3d. per dozen. A Lecture on Justification. lid. CLIFTON TRACTS, Four a Penny, or Twenty-five for Sixpence, or 1s. 6d. 100. 36 different sorts. per SMALL SEEDS, Four a Penny, or Thirty for Six Stamps, or 1s. 6d. per 100. THE "LITTLE GLEANER," an Illustrated Magazine for the Young. THE LAMB IN THE MIDST OF THE THRONE.* BY RALPH ERSKINE. "For the Lamb that is in the midst of the throne shall feed them."-REV. viii. 17. WE are met this day to celebrate the memorials of the love of Christ, in his death and crucifixion, upon mount Calvary. And that our faith may look to him in the best light, and to the best advantage, we are to remember, not only where he once was, but where he now is; and we will find we need not be ashamed of a crucified Christ that was once upon the cross, for now he is upon the throne. The Lamb that was slain, as a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice for us, the once dying Lamb in the midst of the cross, is now the ever-living Lamb in the midst of the throne. And from this throne of God, where he reigns, we expect our food and provision upon the feast day; according to the words of the text, "The Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them." From the 13th verse of this chapter we have a description of the honour and happiness of those that shall faithfully serve and patiently suffer for the Lord Jesus Christ. Some interpreters think that the happiness of the saints militant, even in this world, is here described; some, that it is only the happiness of the saint triumphant in heaven; others make this place of Scripture relate to both, and with these especially I join, because, whatever honour and happiness of suffering saints is here set forth, they enjoy the partly in this life and fully in the life to come, as may appear by the particulars here mentioned. same The happy persons are spoken of, ver. 14: "These are they which came out of great tribulation." Whatever relation some think this may have to the church of Christ on earth, after they have escaped the antichristian bloody persecution, or, as others, to the martyrs in heaven, that have suffered unto death for the Lord Jesus Christ, yet it may be said of all the militant saints who, through much trouble, enter into the kingdom of heaven and therein are conformed to their suffering Head, the Lord Jesus Christ, and bear about in their body the dying of the Lord Jesus, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth This Sermon was preached immediately before the celebration of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper at Dunfermline, June 10th, 1733. No. 6. June.] [Vol. 1. him out of them all." It may be said of all the saints, "These are they that have come from trouble to rest, from bondage to liberty, from death to life, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." The perfection of this purity they have in heaven; but even here on earth they are washed in the blood of Christ, and clothed with the white robe of his imputed and imparted righteousness. Verse 15: "Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he that sitteth on the throne, shall dwell among them." This seems to be a further description of the happiness of the saints, both militant and triumphant, as they are happy, 1. In their state, being washed, justified, and sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of their God, 2. They are happy in their station, being always before the throne of God. The glorified saints in heaven are always in that presence where there is fulness of joy; and the sanctified ones upon earth have this blessing also bestowed upon them; they are said to sit with him in heavenly places, and it is their daily work to come boldly to the throne of grace. Again, 3. They are happy in their service; for, "They serve him day and night in his temple." Though those that are in heaven serve him without weakness or weariness, which we cannot here do, yet it is the property of all the true circumcision to worship God in the Spirit, and in truth, and to pray without ceasing, meditating on his law day and night, and going to the altar of God; to God in Christ, the true spiritual temple. 4. They are happy in their company; for, "He that sitteth upon the throne shall dwell among them." This points out friendship, fellowship and familiarity between God and the redeemed; which also Christ allows to the militant saints in part, when, upon opening the door of their heart, he comes in and sups with them, and they with him. (Rev. iii. 20.) And they are in case to say, "Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." (1 John i. 3.) Yea God says, "I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." 5. They are happy in their freedom; they shall be freed from all want, and all uneasiness. From all want; for, "They shall hunger no more, neither shall they thirst any more;" for this freedom will be perfected in heaven as it, is commenced on earth, as the prophet says, speaking of Christ's spiritual kingdom, "They shall not hunger nor thirst," &c. (Isa. xlix. 10.) Hence says Christ, "He that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." (John vi. 35.) Pointing out the spiritual pleasure and satisfaction they shall have, and never be altogether deprived of. From all uneasiness also shall they be freed: "Neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat;" or, as it is in the forecited Isa. xlix. 10, "Neither shall the heat nor sun smite them." The redeemed above are perfectly freed from all uneasiness; and even the redeemed on earth, according to the measure of faith, such will be their measure of ease, even amidst all things that tend to make them uneasy. Christ says to them, "Fear not, only believe. Fear not, I am with you. Fear not him that can at most but kill the body." The very hairs of our head are all numbered; you may be perfectly easy, Nothing is more uneasy than the sun in the meridian regions; so are afflictions and persecutions to the saints, and the temptations they are attacked with from earth and hell. But "God is faithful," says the apostle, "who will not sufyou to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." (1 Cor. x. 12.) fer 6. They are happy in their provision, because "The Lamb that is in the midst of the throne shall feed them;" hence he is said to feed his flock like a shepherd. The feeding here spoken of imports also rule and government, such as a shepherd hath over his flock. It is in the believing view of the provident, loving Shepherd, the psalmist says, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want." (Ps. xxiii. 1.) 7. They are happy in their direction and conduct, in their Director, Guide and Conductor: "He shall lead them unto living fountains of waters." Now, of these living waters the Lord Jesus speaks, as they respect even his people in this world: "The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life;" and "Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters." (John iv. 14; vii. 38.) By these they have matter of comfort amidst all their crosses. Hence, 8. They are here said to be happy in their joys; for, "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;" that is, all their griefs and sorrows shall be swallowed up in the fulness of joy and consolation that shall be abundantly allowed them. The commencement of this joy is even here, amidst all the troubles and trials of the militant saints: "For behold, says God, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing and her people a joy, and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard." (Isa. lxv. 18.) And hence they are sometimes filled with joy and peace in believing; yea, with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Where It is the first part of this last verse that I have especially my eye upon, particularly that description of our Lord Jesus Christ which the commentators I have consulted pass over more slightly than I expected, namely, "The Lamb which is in the midst of the throne." we have our Lord Jesus described, 1. From his meekness and humility; therefore he is called the Lamb. 2. From his majesty and authority; he is the Lamb in the midst of the throne. What benefit accrues to his church from his meek and majestic government follows in the rest of the verse which, if I have time, I may a little insist upon. But what I especially propose to speak to, as the Lord may assist, is from the sweet account given us here of our Lord Jesus. And this we shall essay in the following doctrinal proposition. OBSERV. That our Lord Jesus Christ is the Lamb in the midst of the throne. And, as the Psalmist says, "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help ;" (Ps. cxxi. 1;) so let us lift up our eyes to the throne, from whence comes our food to-day, and we may the more readily and joyfully do so, that the Lamb is in the midst of the throne, to be the Feeder. That I may open and apply this doctrine for our benefit, I propose the following method: I. Speak a little of the Lamb. II. Of the throne. III. How the Lamb comes to be upon the throne. IV. What is imported in the Lamb's being in the midst of the throne. V. Consider the benefit of feeding, that issues from the Lamb's being in the midst of the throne. VI. Deduce some inferences for application. I. We are to offer a word concerning the LAMB. This is a name frequently given to our Lord Jesus in Scripture; and he is so called, both because of his immaculate whiteness and innocency, and because of his incomparable |