"come, and his wife hath made herself ready. "And he saith unto me, write, blessed are "they which are called to the marriage supper "of the Lamb." *

In discoursing on this subject, we shall consider,

1st. The Lamb here spoken of; and,

2d. Inquire who those are, that shall be called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.

And while we are contemplating this important question, let us pray that the Spirit of truth may bear witness to the truth, while we endeavour to shew, that they only shall be called to the marriage of the Lamb, who depend for salvation on the blood of the Lamb.

I. And first, of the Lamb here spoken of. The Lamb here spoken of is" the Lamb slain "from the foundation of the world; which was slain in the COUNSELS of God, from the foundation of the world, for the sins of men; even the eternal son of the Father, who, in the fulness of time, took our nature upon him, and came into the world, and was pointed out by the herald, who was " to prepare his way," as being "the Lamb of God which taketh a"way the sins of the world;"t who had been prefigured for ages and generations at the Pas

chal Feast of the chosen people, by a lamb slain; and who, when the last great feast was come, was actually slain on Calvary," the very

Paschal Lamb," and made there (by his one oblation of himself once offered) a full, perfect and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world; and having thus "tasted of death for every man, * he rose again from the dead, and ascended into heaven, where he yet appears in the character of a mediator and intercessor; for St. John saw again in his vision, " and behold, in the "midst of the throne, and in the midst of the "elders, stood a Lamb, as it had been slain ;"† And they sung a new song, saying,-" Thou σει WAST slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, t and people, and nation." And I beheld, and I heard the "voice of many angels, round a"bout the throne, and the beasts and the elders;

and the number of them was ten thousand "times ten thousand, and thousands of thou

sands, saying, with a loud voice, worthy is the
Lamb that was slain to receive power, and
riches, and wisdom, and strength, and hon-
our, and glory, and blessing.
And every
creature, heard I saying, blessing, and hon-
our, and glory, and power, be unto him that

* sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb,

for ever and ever.

Behold then, my brethren, the nature of your employment in heaven, and one subject at least of its felicity and glory. It is the worship of God and the Lamb. And this worship must commence upon earth. The incense of our sacrifice must first ascend from below; for this earth was the altar of the great sacrifice; and the Lamb was slain, not for angels, but for the sons of men. What shall we think then of those, who have passed through a great part of life, and have not meditated one hour, perhaps, on the Lamb that was slain? And how shall we account of those who say there is no atonement by the blood of the Lamb? when the whole worship of heaven is one continued acknow ledgement of that atonement? Even the words of our future worship are given; "Thou wast slain and hast redeemed to God by thy "blood."

It will be proper next to explain what is to be understood by the emblem of the marriage supper of the Lamb. "For, it is said, let us be

glad, and

Lani rejoice, for the marriage of the

Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself

ready." By this emblem is intended the

*Rev. v. 14.

blessedness of the redeemed beholding the glory of Christ, and enjoying his presence for evermore. In holy scripture, the Church is called the spouse or bride of Christ; a figure intended to intimate the love he bears to those whom he hath redeemed from death eternal by his precious blood. And agreeably to this figure, these spiritual espousals commence upon earth. The Apostle illustrates this emblem in one sentence. «Christ," saith he, "loved the Church and GAVE HIMSELF for it,

that he might sanctify and cleanse it, with "the washing of water by the word; that he might present it to himself a glorious Church, "not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing." The felicity of heaven begins, when Christ presenteth to himself this GLORIOUS CHURCH. For, then, in the highest sense" the "marriage of the Lamb is come; and his wife

hath made herself ready." And, of this his wife, it is said, "And to her was granted "that she should be arrayed in fine linen, "clean and white; for the fine linen is the

righteousness of saints." The wife then, that hath made herself ready is the Church; that is, those individuals composing the true Church of Christ, "whom he hath redeemed out of "every kindred, and tongue, and people, and "nation." And then it is added, "Blessed are

* Eph. v. 27.

"they which are called unto the marriage sup

per of the Lamb.". By a change of figure, not unusual in scripture, the redeemed, are here represented as the guests at the marriage Feast; though we have just seen that the Church collectively is set forth under the emblem of the bride.

II. We proceed now to inquire who those are that shall be admitted to the marriage supper of the Lamb; or, in other words, that shall be admitted into heaven to behold the glory of Christ, and to enjoy his presence for

evermore.

In this important question, let us seek first the testimony of our Saviour; for," the Lamb "that was slain," hath himself described the character of those who shall be called to the marriage supper. And, it is remarkable, that in setting forth the blessings of his spiritual kingdom, and the qualifications of those who should be admitted to partake of them, he uses the emblem of a marriage feast, and of the wedding garment, which those who were bidden,

must wear..

T

"The kingdom of heaven" (by which he means the blessings of the Gospel which have. their commencement on earth, and their com pletion in heaven) "is like unto a certain

king, which made a marriage for his son; "and he sent forth his servants to call them