THE

Spiritual Magazine;

OR,

SAINTS' TREASURY.

"There are Three that bear record in heaven; the FATHER, the WORD, and the HOLY GHOST: and these Three are One."

"Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints."

1 John v. 7.

Jude 3.

FEBRUARY, 1830.

(For the Spiritual Magazine.)

REMARKS ON REVELATIONS XXII. 2.

"In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations."-Rev. xxii. 2.

IT appears to me that this and the preceding chapter speak of such a state of glory and happiness, of the church of our Lord Jesus Christ, as has never yet taken place on earth; she is represented as holding sweet communion with God, chap. xxi. 3. and such a freedom from all tribulation, sorrow, and pain, as to make us put up that petition, "thy kingdom come." Indeed it appears to speak of a new state of things-a new heaven, a new earth, a new city, with new honours and glory, wherein is nothing but purity, holiness, and praise; for the former things, as sin, curse, Satan, death, temptations, and trouble of all kinds, are for ever done away; and yet it appears that this state of things is to be on the earth, (the new earth) for the church is represented as coming down from God out of heaven, chap. xxi. 210. and if she is not in heaven, then surely it must take place on earth. But yet I think there are several things in this prophecy that may be partly applicable to the present time-state of the church; the passage on which these remarks are made is one of them, Rev. xxii. 2. "In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." From which I shall, First, point out the tree of life -Secondly, its fruitfulness-Thirdly, its situation-Fourthly, its leaves, and their healing virtues.

Vol. VI.-No. 70.

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First. The tree of life no doubt has some allusion to that which Jehovah planted in the garden of Eden, Gen. ii. 9. which differed from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, as is plain, because Adam and Eve ate of one, but not of the other, Gen. iii. 22-24. for after eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, they were driven out of paradise; and the tree of life, in the midst of the garden, was guarded by cherubims and a flaming sword. Now it would seem that the cherubims and sword guarding this tree were to set forth the covenant of works, as broken by man, and the impossibility of his attaining life eternal by any works of his own; let him "put forth his hand" what way he pleaseth, the flaming sword turns every way, to guard the tree of life; so that a new way must be opened into the garden, or presence of God, or no more Eden pleasures. Thanks be to God there is a "new and living way," and this way is very near related to the tree of life, if we consult two places of holy writ; one is Rev. ii. 7. where Jesus, "the new and living way," our gracious High Priest, promises to give to every overcomer to eat of the tree of life; and by consulting John vi. 51-55. we find the food that he gives is himself, his flesh and blood. Now if he feed his people (as is evident he does to all that know him) with himself, and his overcomers with the tree of life, then he himself must be the tree of life. But Proverbs iii. 13-18. speaks decidedly on this subject, where wisdom is said to be a tree of life to all that lay hold on her; and this wisdom is the same that "dwells with prudence"-the same by whom "kings reign and princes decree justice;" and who, speaking as a person, says, "I was set up from everlasting, my delights were with the sons of men." Which could be no other than the glorious Mediator between God and man, the Lord Jesus Christ. Nor is it unusual for him to be set forth in his mediatorial character in the scriptures of truth by a tree; he is the "true vine," John xv. 1.-the " green firtree," Hosea xiv. 8.-" the apple-tree," Sol. Song ii. 3. if not “the cedar," Ezek. xvii. 23. and "the olive," Zech. iv. 11. all which, being figurative language, sets forth the excellence, beauty, preciousness, and value of Jesus, our gracious Lord, though all of them only set him forth in a faint way; for, as one truly observes, to set forth all his glories "nature must mingle colours not her own."

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It may be observed, that as every tree is composed of several component parts, as root, trunk, or stem, and branches, so is the tree of life, or Jesus in his mediatorial character; his true and proper divinity be compared to the root, hence he is the "root, (Rev. v. 5.xxii. 16.) as well as the offspring of David;"-as man, David's Son; as God, he is David's Lord. And from his root, or Deity, arises all his value, preciousness, and power to save. If it be necessary to prove that he is truly God, the scriptures speak expressly on this subject, see John i. 1. "the Word was God;" see also Rom. ix. 5.-1 John v. 7. -1 Tim. iii. 16. and Isaiah ix. 6. these are quite sufficient to prove his true and proper divinity; but as some persons are ever quibbling at these positive assertions, and going about to deny them, we may

observe, that they may be confirmed by the works ascribed to him, such, for instance, as the great work of creation, Col. i. 16. in which shine his "eternal power and Godhead," Rom. i. 20. and though some think that Col. i. 6. speaks of him as only an agent in the works of creation, yet we are assured that the Lord Jehovah had no agent in this affair, see Isaiah xliv. 24.-it was all done by himself; see also Isa. xliii. 1-3. where the Creator, Redeemer, Caller, Preserver, and Saviour, is all one and the same Lord God. Such a work likewise, as that of forgiving sin; Immanuel had when on earth power to forgive sin, Matt. ix. 2. though none can forgive sin but God only. Likewise raising the dead-judging the world, which works are peculiar to God alone; as also the names and titles he bears, the perfections of which he is possessed, and the diviné honours commanded to be paid him, and actually received by him; all or any of which prove that our Mediator, Jesus Christ, is "the true God and eternal life," 1 John v. 20. But then Jesus is not God only, he is both God and man in one person; hence it is said, there is "one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus ;" and as to his humanity, he is called a rod and a branch. So I think we may say that his humanity is the trunk, or stem, of the tree of life; and as the trunk of a tree receives its being and support from the root, so the humanity of Christ received both its existence and support from Deity; and as the branches of a tree receive their being and support from the root and trunk being in union, so I conceive from the wonderful union of the two natures in the one person of Christ, arises all the official characters of Jesus; which characters and relations I consider to be the branches of the tree of life. One branch, or official character of Jesus, is that of Prophet; and truly he has both foretold things to come, and likewise instructs his people in things needful for life and salvation-none "teacheth like him." Another is that of priest, to make atonement for the sins of his people, to stand in the presence of God as their ever prevalent Intercessor, and to come forth from Jehovah to bless them. Another is that of King, to rule over and in the midst of them, for their good; his nation will never be brought into difficulties which he cannot surmount; if they are in any kind of bondage and distress, he will not need to "wait till the light comes," before he knows what to do for their good, seeing that "darkness and light are both alike to him," for he ruleth in wisdom, righteousness, and discretion; he can give laws and see them enforced, and protect his nation from all their enemies. Just as a healthy tree, a tree with a good root and healthy stem, is capable of and really does support all its branches, so every office, character, and relation of Jesus is well supplied and sustained, whether it be Prophet, Priest, King, Advocate, Counsellor, Father, Husband, Brother, or Surety and law-fulfiller-all things by him are "done well." And he is not only a tree, but a tree of life; he is the Author and Preserver of all life in his people, natural, spiritual, and eternal-the life of grace and glory; for "he is our life.' Now to sum up this part of the subject, the tree of life figuratively sets forth

the all-glorious Mediator in the following manner, namely—the root, his Deity; the trunk or stem, his humanity; the branches, his official characters and relations; and on these grow all the fruit he bears for his people; which brings me to notice,

Secondly, The fruitfulness of the tree of life. It is said to bear twelve manner of fruits, and yielded its fruit every month; probably there may be some allusion to the twelve apostles, or rather to the twelve tribes of Israel, which represents all the true Israel of God in all nations; or rather, it intends the fruitfulness of the tree of life in two particulars-variety and sufficiency; sufficient indeed for all that hunger after it in truth; and as for variety, we may say that there is fruit to suit all the various states of his people. Atonement and reconciliation are among these fruits, to suit the guilty state of his people, who are all of them by nature and practice guilty sinners, and the divine mandate is, that guilt shall not go unpunished; justice demands satisfaction; for though the Lord Jehovah proclaims himself to be "merciful, gracious, long-suffering," and a sin-pardoning God, yet he "will by no means clear the guilty," Exod. xxxiv. 7. that is, without a satisfaction for sin, and this is only effected by him who gave himself a sacrifice for sin, thus making an atonement and reconciliation for iniquity: hence this fruit grows on the tree of life. Jesus himself made reconciliation, 2 Cor. v. 18, 19. Eph. ii. 16. Col. i. 20, 21. Jesus is the propitiation, and him only, Rom. iii. 25. 1 John ii. 2. and it is by him, and the faith which he gives, that we receive the atonement, Rom. v. 11. But then the atonement must exist prior to our reception of it; we cannot receive a thing which is not: for it was not to us, but to God, and on our behalf, that Jesus made atonement and reconciliation for iniquity.

Pardon of sin is another fruit of the tree of life. Now as none can forgive sins but God only, so he both can, will, and does; a God forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin," is he indeed! O yes, poor, sensible, sin-stung sinner, "there is forgiveness with him, that he may be feared," Psalm cxxx. 4. not like that feigned forgiveness too often found among men, when they forgive faults; his forgiveness is full, free, and for ever; and it is with him, to be dispensed to all, who, like the publican, come to him under a sense of their sins, and the evil of them, and cry from the heart, "God be merciful to me !" Comfortable truth indeed, to those to whom sin itself is a burden, that sins of the most aggravated nature, sins of the deepest dye are forgiven! His own language to such is, "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." But then we must bear in mind that this Godlike pardon is in and through Jesus, the tree of life, Eph. i. 7.-iv. 32. Col. i. 14. 1 John ii. 12. See also Acts v. 31. Dear reader, let me beseech you to turn to these sweet scriptures; read and ponder them well in your mind, and may God cause his light to shine upon your heart by them, that you may see "light in his light," and be enabled to rejoice in him

who is a sin-forgiving God, as well as a sin-avenging God, remembering that

"Vengeance on our Surety fell,

Which would have sunk a world to hell."

On which account it is Jehovah can in justice and faithfulness forgive sins, and cleanse from all unrighteousness.

Justification in the sight of God is another fruit of the tree of life. Job put the most important question to his three friends, that could well be suggested, Job ix. 2. "But how should man be just with God?" Now the scriptures speak of justification in a three or fourfold sense. There is the sentence of justification, that Jesus will pronounce upon his people before an assembled world at the last day. There is also a justification in the conscience, or a being justified by faith, which is a reception of the righteousness of Christ, as the matter of our justification in the sight of God, or a believing persuasion that we are interested in the work of Christ, through the imputation of which God justifies the ungodly. There is also a justification in the sight of men, and this is by such works as true faith in Christ produceth. "Shew me (saith the apostle) thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works." Such works as clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, &c. and in fact by obedience to those precepts which God hath given, and which may be compressed into a few words, but not a few works, viz. love to God, and love to men; love that worketh no ill, but love that worketh good according to a man's station, and abilities, which when attended to prove the genuineness of a man's faith, and justify him in the sight of men; but neither a man's love, nor faith, nor works, nor all of them put together, can in the least help to justify him in the sight of God. If God will" contend with man, he cannot answer him one of a thousand." Justification in the sight of God, or in God's account, should always be considered apart from either of the former, (or in other words) as the foundation of them, or by confounding one thing with another, we shall never be established in the truth as it is in Jesus. Justification in God's account then, is a fruit of the tree of life alone. "By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous;" that one who "magnified the law," and "brought in everlasting righteousness:" hence he bears that glorious name," the Lord our righteousness ;" and he it is in whom all the seed of Israel shall be justified."

Adoption is another fruit of the tree of life. Are any of the fallen race of Adam the children of God by special grace? It is in Christ Jesus. And indeed to be short, the tree of life contains or bears all the blessings that any of the children of God ever did or ever will enjoy. Are we in possession by faith of our election and redemption? These are fruits of the tree of life; chosen in and redeemed by Christ Jesus, Eph. i. 4, 7. Or are we satisfied in our own minds by the word and Spirit's teaching, of our regeneration, effectual calling, conversion, and sanctification; or are anti