Oh what a verse of blessedness, what a promise full of Jesus and his glory, is here! O for grace to behold, and to enjoy Jesus in it! The Jewish nation could not be destroyed, because Christ, after the flesh, was to spring out of the stock of Abraham: and on his account the nation should be saved. It is, saith the Lord, but as a tenth, but as a remnant; nevertheless, in that tenth, in that remnant, there is the holy seed. Jesus is the substance contained in all, as the teil tree, or the oak, in the acorn of which, from the first creation, all the subsequent oaks are folded up. Precious thought! In Jesus, from everlasting to everlasting, all his seed, his people, his children were deposited, and will be brought forth from age to age, until the last is completed. Reader, was there ever a more blessed close to a most blessed chapter? O for grace to bless the eternal Spirit for such a revelation! Now, Lord we see why it is, that sinners are preserved amidst all their undeservings. There is one that standeth by and looketh on, and while to our eye there is nothing to be seen, but, like the withered blighted branch of the vine, everything is unpromising, and dead, and lifeless; yet there is in it a tenth; yea, Jesus is in it; Destroy it not, he saith, for a blessing is in it. So, saith Jehovah, in his rich mercy and free grace, so will I do for my servants sakes, that I may not destroy them all, Isaiah 45:8
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MY soul, close not the book: for the same Lord, the same Adonai, yea thy Jesus is still upon his throne, as he was in the days of the prophet, and thou by grace, through faith, as he by open vision, mayest draw nigh and behold him; for he calls upon thee, and upon all poor, needy, perishing sinners, like thyself, to come hither and behold the glory which he had with his Father before all worlds. And do not forget that thy Redeemer's throne is a throne of grace as well as glory, on which Jesus sits to receive his poor, and to give out of his fulness. And, for thy great encouragement, do not forget also, that while thou art benefited by his grace, Jesus will be glorified in giving out to thy necessities; yea, God thy Father will be glorified in Jesus, whenever a poor sinner is made blessed and happy in Jesus. Come then, my soul, to his throne, and let God be glorified in his Son, and Jesus be glorified in thy salvation; in thy finding grace to help in every time of need.
And behold, my soul, the glorious seraphim above the throne, and round about the throne, and let their appearance comfort and encourage thee! Yea, let thy hymn go forth in the language of heaven: for surely never would the heavenly song have been handed down to earth, if it had not been meant that the redeemed upon earth, from among men, might learn and sing it. Cry aloud my soul, with holy joy, and say, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.
But while thou art singing with a new-strung heart of redemption, the song of heaven, and the spirits of just men made perfect; forget not, O my soul, that thou art still a man of unclean lips, and that thou dwellest in the midst of a people of unclean lips. Yes, precious Jesus, I would not only remember this, but through all eternity, never, never lose sight of it. Heaven itself will be more heaven to my soul in the view, that from the brink of hell it was Jesus brought me. Thy love, thy grace, thy pity, thy compassion, blessed Lord, is now the sole cause of my song of grace, and will be my everlasting song of glory to all eternity. Oh for the continual cleansing from off thine altar, Lord Jesus! let the live coal be daily, hourly administered to purge mine iniquity, and to make me clean in thy blood.
And O, my gracious God, grant me, grant thy Church, thy people favor, that it may not be said, to the ministry of thy holy word Hear ye indeed, but understand not, and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Oh Lord! give to him that writes, and to him that reads, the hearing, the seeing, the understanding, the believing heart; that we may both enter into the full enjoyment of this blessed vision, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge! Lord! let it he found in our souls experience, and to our souls joy, that there is in us, as in the teil tree and the oak, that glorious substance, the holy seed, even Jesus, in all his merits, blood, and righteousness, for the salvation of our souls! May this be found our portion, in the love and mercy of God our Father; the grace, blood, and righteousness of Jesus Christ; and the fellowship and communion of the Holy Ghost! Amen.