Reflections on the conclusion of the Revelation, 569 IMPROVEMENT. xxviii. How sweetly and delightfully does the canon of scripture con- SECT. clude, leaving as it were, the music of heaven upon the attentive ear. "O thou blessed Root and Offspring of David, O thou Ver. bright and morning Star, impress on all our hearts these thy graci- 16 ous words, which thou hast condescended to speak from the throne of thy glory; thereby as it were, to aid the weakness of our faith, in those which thou didst deliver, while dwelling in mortal flesh." Then did the compassionate Saviour proclaim, from an eminence in the temple, to a crowded assembly on a day of peculiar solemnity, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink: (John vii. 17.) And now behold he makes the same proclamation from the celestial temple; he points, as it were, to the fountain-head of happiness, to the springs of the water of life, near the throne of God, 17 and says, Whoever will, let him come, let him take, let him freely take of this living water; yea, and not content with speaking this language by his Spirit only, he calls on his bride, to lift up her melodious voice, to publish this kind invitation; he calls on every one that hears it, to echo it back, as if the excess of his goodness overcame him, as if it were necessary to his own happiness, that men should accept of their own salvation. With what sacred observance should these books be guarded, which contain a message of such infinite importance! Of what 18 dreadful curses are they worthy, who presume to add to what is already perfect, or to take away from that which is in every part Divine. I trust none of us shall ever presumptuously attempt to do it and may we be preserved from those mistaken interpretati- 19 ons, in consequence of which, we should teach the world, as by his authority, any thing which he has not dictated, or deny any thing which carries along with it the stamp of such an authority. "Have pity, O Lord, upon our weakness; impute not prejudices which thou knowest we do not allow ; and give us a greater penetration of mind, to understand the true sense of thy word; a simplicity of heart to receive it; an integrity, so far as the duty of our places requires, to declare it; and a zeal to inculcate and defend it." And while we are thus employed, or employed in any other services which Providence has assigned us, in our respective stations. and circumstances of life; whatever labours may exercise us, 20 whatever difficulties may surround us, whatever sorrows may depress us, let us with pleasure hear our Lord proclaiming, Behold, I come quickly, I come to put a period to the labour and suffering of my servants; I come, and my reward of grace is with me, to 570 xxviii. Reflections on the conclusion of the Revelation. SECT: to recompence with royal bounty, every work of faith, and labour of love; I come to receive my faithful persevering people to myVer. self, to dwell for ever in that blissful world, where the sacred vo20 lume, which contains the important discoveries of my will, shall be no more necessary; but knowledge, and holiness, and joy, shall be poured in upon their souls in a more immediate, in a nobler and more effectual manner. Amen, even so, come Lord Jesus. Hasten the blessed hour to us, and to all thy churches as far as it may consist with thy wise and holy counsels. And, in the mean time, may thy grace be with us, to keep alive the remembrance of thy love, and the expectation of thy coming, in our hearts, and to animate us to a temper and conduct, which may suit the blessings we have already received, and the nobler felicity after which thou hast taught us to aspire. Amen and amen. THE END OF THE FAMILY EXPOSITOR. AN INDEX OF THE GREEK WORDS AND PHRASES REFERRED TO IN THE NOTES OF THE -Luke axev. Acts 9. 7. i. o axacales. John 5. 25.3. axpo wao. Eph. 2. 20. 1 Pet. 2, n αλαζονεια το βιο. 1 John 2. 16. aλλa, so. Rom. 6. 5. e. αλινα έπι αλληγορώμενα. Gal. 4. 27. adinia. John 7. 18. .-Luke 16. aλopios. 1 Pet. 4. 15. f, 9.. adoxipo. 2 Cor. 13. 5. d. adoxiμos. 1 Cor. 9. 27. ". αμαρτάνειν. John 8. 11. 8. αμαρτία. Rom. 8. 3. *. αμεταμέλητος. Rom. 8. 19. 1. εις αθέλησιν αμαρίίας. Heb. 9. 26, 1. αμήν, αμήν. John 1, 51, 8, αθλησιν. Heb. 10. 32. h. aal. John 1. 13. 1. 11. 19. b. aupio. Mat. 6. 30. *. avabaw. Mark 10. 51. o. 1 Cor. avalvox. 2 Cor. 1. 13. -Eph, τω αίεντι σε διδα. Mat. 5. 42. P. aw los. 1 Cor. 2. 6. .—Gal. 1. 4. d. To ara. John 4. 14. '.-John 10. %. ακαρπος. Εph. 5. 11. κ. 3. 4. c. avayza. Luke 14. 23. 8. avanpala. Luke 21. 5. . αναπαυσον. αναπηρί Philem. 20. e. Luke 14. 13. 1. avalužas. Luke 4. 17. d. εξ αναςάσεως νέκρων. Rom. 1. 4. δ. avg. 1 Cor. 16. 13.a. avenote. Gal. 5. 7. c. E. AVERELY. Mat. 2. 16. f. απερίσπας ως. 1 Cor. 7. 35. 1. απήχεσι τον μισθον αυτων. Mat. 6. 2.4. ει απισωμεν. 2 Tim. 2. 13. 4. as. Mat. 6. 22. b. m ano, after the example of. Rom. añоypa‡n wpwin. Luke 2. 2. a. b. αποδεδειγμενον εις υμας. Acts 2. 22. *. ανάνες τας ζευκληρίας των πηδαλίων. Acts αποκαταςασις. Acts 3. 21. 27.40. f. τις ο 21.1. 27. c. avonlo. Luke 24. 25. f.-Rom. ανομία. 1 John 3. 4. €. ah Ters, answerably to this. απολογείσθαι. Acts 19. 33. 1. 9.61.. a.dixos. Mat. 5. 25. 9.-Luke 12. apns. 2 Pet. 1. 3. c. 58.8. aixμEVOL. I Cor. 16. 9. f. αντιλεγοντες. Acts 13. 45. b. b αντίςηναι τω πονήρω. Mat. 5. 39.1. apsnoale. John 21. 12. §. apisov. Mat. 22. 14. h. apia. John 21. 15. b. εκ αρπάσει τις αυτα. John 10. 28. 4. arwy. Luke 1. 3. f.—John 3. 3. apaopov [noɑlo. Phil. 2. 6. ". Basov. Phil. 3. 14. ". βροχον υμιν Bulos. 2 Cor. 11. 25. d, r. γαλα υμας επολισα, και ο βρώμα. 1 yapola. Mat. 24. 38. 3. yap, for. Mat. 12. 8. i.—Luke 6. 20. 33. . -indeed. Acts 19. 40. — a I say. Gal. 4. 25. 2. nyerea auln. Luke 21. 32. h. BIS WATAS TAS YEEA; TZ QIQVOS TWY QI0- vwv. Eph. 3. 21. c. βαπλίζεσθαι επι ονοματι Χρισs. Acts 2., γεννηματα. Mat. 3. 7. . 38. b. Papas. Acts 20. 29. 1. γενομένης ημέρας. Luke 4. 42. f. 4. 575 |