236 TIIE AT6NEMENT OF CHRIST DIANIFESTED. S. This vision may be esteemed also as a monumental em. 11em, that the followers of Christ, who shall fill heaven with in- habitants, are sinners redeemed from the earth : They are brought into heaven as ransomed by the blood of the Lamb, and as cleansed' in this laver ; 'they are not originally pure and holy in themselves, as the angels were, but they are guilty creatures, once shamefully defiled and corrupted, but rescued from hell and sin, and recovered from all their defilements and dangers by a blessed Redeemer. Such were some of you, all ye pardoned and sanctified souls ; such were all of you, as related to the first Adam, sinful and miserable ; but ye are redeemed and saved by the second. This thought should ever keep us humble and self- abased, that such worthless creatures aswe are are not banished for ever from the presence of God. This should ever put us in mind of our low estate, that we were once fallen creatures, and are raised by the sovereign and condescending grace of God in Christ Jesus ; and it is in Christ alone that we stand. This should he a perpetual warning to each of us, not to indulge or endure the least defilement of sin ; for sin is of so malignant a nature, that it will soon spread all over the soul, and taint it with guilt and shame, when once indulged. This is a lesson for redeemed creatures ever to remember, especially while we are vithin the reach of temptation, and shouldkeepus ever watchful. 9. This vision may give the believers in Christ an everlast- ing assurance that they shall never be separated from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord : For he stands in the midst of the throne, and will keep his place there for ever and ever ; Rom. viii. 34, 35. He stands there, if 1 may so speak, in his priestlygarments, with the remembrance of his bloody sacri- fice, before the throne of God, and is never out of his sight. Faith may triumphwith holy confidence in this view. Who shall condemn us now, since Christ has died, and lives for ever, to maintain and testify this atonement, which he has made for our sins by his death, and his rising again ? Ile that was dead is alive and livesfor evermore. Amen ; Rev. h 18. Who shall pretend thereforeto separate us from the love of God, that is so secured to us in and by Jesus Christ ? YouSee plainly, in the last verse of thischapter, faith defies all creatures whatsoever to make any division between God and the justified andholy soul, while Jesus appears there in the eternal remembranceof his atoning sacrifice, thepoor creature here qn earth may sometimes be overtaken with Sin, through the power of corruption, and blush, and fear to think of appearingbefore a God of perfect holiness; but this vision of our Redeemer encourages his faith, restores his spirit, and sup- ports his hope. And we observe it is placed in thelast of the prophetic visions, even in the Revelations of St. John, that it may abide upon the soul and live in the memory of saints in this frail and imperfect state, where they are so often in danger of sinning against God.
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