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CHRIST EXALTED
AND
THE
SPIRIT
GI1ÉÑ.
ESERM.
tv;
mitted to'his
care,
but
the book
of
the decrees
of God
is
put
into
his
hands,
that
he
may
govern these kingdoms
according
to
the
Father's
will. So
that
text
is
generally.
explained;
Rev.
v.
1-9.
"
The
Lamb
in the midst
of
the throne
came and took the book
Out
of
his
Father's
hand." He
must
know
what God
hath ordained,
that
he
may
execute
all
his
Father's
counsels. with,
regard
to
the
church and the world, and
that
he may send his
pro-.
phets
to reveal
to
his
church,
so
much
as
is
needful for
them to
know.
The
whole
book
of
the Revelation,
is
an
instance
of
this
knowledge communicated
to him by
the
Father.
Rev.
i,
1
"
The Revelation
of Jesus
Christ
which
God
gave
unto
hinì, to shew
unto
his
servants
things
which
must shortly
come to
pass; and
he
sent
and
signified
it
by his
angel to
his
servant John."
The
day and
hour of
the
last judgment,
which were
unknown
to
the
Son
in the days
of
his
flesh;
Mark
xiii. 32.
and
were reserved in the
Father's
haríd,
are
now
laid
open
before
him in this
book
of
divine counsels. Both as
a
Priest
and a
King
he
must
know the
hearts
of
men.
He
must
see
their secret
thoughts,
that
he may
govern
and
judge
them
aright;
1
Cor.
iv.
5.
And he
must
know
all
the.
groans and breathings
of
holy
souls,
that
he may
present
them
in
ale
sympathy
of
his
affection
before the
Father,
and
may have
a
fellow- feeling
of their
infirmi-
ties
and sorrows;
lieb.
ii.
18.
and
iv,
l5.
Again,
he
must
be
acquainted
with
the hidden
iniqui-
ties
of
men
and
devils,
that
he may
countermine
their
pernicious
plots,
that
he
may sometimes
prevent
the mis-
chiefs which
they
design,
and sometimes
permit them
to
accomplish
their
wicked
purposes for the
trial
of
his
peo-
ple.
All
the
dark perplexities
of
providence,
and
the
whole
maze and
labyrinth
of
human
events lies open be-
fore
him,
and
the
secret
things in
the heart
of
man
;
for
"
he
must bring
to
light
the
hidden things
of
darkness,
he must
manifest the counsels
of
the heart,. and reward
every
one according
to
their
works
;"
1
Cor. iv.
5.
Rev.
xxii.
12.
But
besides all
this, we
must remember,
in
the next
place,
that
he
is
possessed
or
active power
equal
to this
extensive
knowledge.
What
could the
name
of
such
a
sublime
authority
do
toward
the
government
of
all
things,
even
if
he
had
sufficient
knowledge,
without a
corres
.