Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A54655
|
A commentary, or, An exposition with notes on the five first chapters of the Revelation of Jesvs Christ by Charles Phelpes.
|
Phelpes, Charles.
|
1678
(1678)
|
Wing P1976; ESTC R20562
|
778,103
|
824
|
conversation in heaven Phil. 3. 17-20 And this sea here spoken of is said to be of glass clear as crystal 1. To denote unto us that in and through the precious blood of Christ as opened in the preaching of the cross to us we may see all things aright as in a glass clear as crystal And so the knowledg of the Lord is compared to the sea covered with waters Isa 11. 9. and this sea may be said to be like glass with allusion to the Laver or Sea in the tabernacle in former times as it is said Moses made the Laver of brass and the foot of it of brass of the looking-glasses of the women assembling which assembled at the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation Exod. 38. 8. only that sea was of brazen glasses this of glass clear as crystal more clear than our types Rev. 21. 11. For the Apostles now in preaching Christ crucified have used great plainness of speech and not as Moses who put a vail over his face c. to signifie the darkness and obscurity of his Ministration and now we all with open face as in a glass may behold the glory of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 12 13-18 In this red-sea of Christs blood we may perceive and behold the kindness and pity of God to manward which love of his is also compared to a Laver and called the Laver of regeneration Tit. 3. 4 5. God is love In this was manifested the love of God because that God sent his only begotten son into the world that we might live through him Herein is love to be always seen and perceived not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his son the propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 4. 8 9 10. In this glass we may also see the vileness and odiousness of our sins unto God in that he hath so severely condemned them in the flesh of his own Son Rom. 8. 3. and there taken such vengeance on our inventions Isa 61. 2. and here we may see our selves as in a glass and what manner of persons we are Jam. 1. 23 24. and see what miserable ones we are by nature as the Apostle saith If one died for all we judg then were all dead dead at Law condemned to dye 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. yea and herein we may see the world the weakness and unprofitableness thereof by the cross of Christ the world is crucified unto him that glories in it and he unto the world Gal. 6. 14. Hereby the Holy Spirit doth convince the world of sin of righteousness and of judgment and doth teach the believer all things and guide them into all truth John 16. 8 11 14. Hence the Apostle determined to know nothing else among the believing-Corinthians in and unto all things save Jesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2 2. and chap. 1. 18 23 24. And this Sea is before the throne and so in the view of the four living creatures that they may therein behold God John 12. 45. and his and his Sons wonderful loving-kindness to the children of men and that they may see themselves in it And it is in the view of the Elders also that his personal abasement and sufferings may also be remembred and he admired praised and blessed by them Rev. 5. 8 9. And in the view of the Angels also into which blood and excellent sufferings they desire to look and pry as in a crystal glass Compare 1 Pet. 1. 11 12. with Jam. 1. 23 25. Rev. 5. 11 12. 2. This sea is of glass like unto crystal to denote its clearness and purity so it is said He shewed me a pure river clear as crystal c. Rev. 22. 1. and so the blood of Christ is said to be precious and incorruptible it being the blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. and so as referring to the sea or laver in former times this sea like unto crystal is the fountain opened to wash in to wash away our filth and uncleanness Zech. 13. 1. So the typical Laver or Sea was for the Priests to wash in as it is said by God to Moses Thou shalt make a laver of brass and thou shalt put water therein for Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet therein when they go into the tabernacle of the congregation they shall wash with water that they dye not Exod. 30. 18 21. and chap. 40. 30 32. 2 Chron. 4. 6. whereâ—o it seems David alludes when he saith I will wash mine hands in innocency so will I compass thine altar O Lord Psal 26. 8. So this sea John saw in vision is for the four living creatures who are priests unto God to wash in Rev. 5. 8 10. And thus always they should enter into the holiest and draw nigh unto the altar with a true heart having their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and their bodies washed with pure water Heb. 10. 19 22. Jam. 4. 8. Heb. 9. 13 15. with chap. 12. 24. and unless we be washed herein we can have no part with Christ John 13. 8. 1 John 1. 7. In this blessed sea those that had palms in their hands washed they washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb Rev. 7. 9 14 15. and in this sea we may be baptized and washed as our fathers were baptized in the sea c. 1 Cor. 10. 4. And being washed herein all our sins shall be cast into the depths of the sea Mic. 7. 19 20. 2. The Apostle John gives us an account of what there was in the midst of and round about the throne And in the midst of the throne and round about the throne were four living creatures full of eyes before and behind Where we may enquire and consider for our usefulness 1. What are these four living creatures here spoken of 2. Why they are said to be four 3. What is meant by in the midst of the throne and round about the throne 4. What is imported to us in this that they are said to be full of eyes before and behind 1. What are these four living creatures or living wights We read them indeed in our Translation Beasts but the word is not well translated so nor is it very proper to say one beast had the face of a man and another like an Eagle which is a fowl But we shall here and afterwards read the word living creatures with allusion to the four living creatures spoken of in Ezekiels visions chap. 1. and chap. 10 c. which in former Translations were rendered also beasts but in our last living creatures 1. Now by these living creatures are meant in general 1. Men and not spirits by nature some of Mankind of that kind of species of creatures as doth evidently appear in chap. 5. 8 9 10 c. 1. In that they with praise and thankfulness confess and acknowledg unto the Lamb that he had
blood but as is here said By thy blood not by the blood of any of the offerings or sacrifices which were commanded in and offered by the Law It is true indeed under the Law the blood of their Sacrifices did make a typical atonement for them for all their sins Lev. 6. 30. and Chap. 16. 15-34 But truly and really it was not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats could take away sin either from before the presence of God or out of their consciences Wherefore when he cometh into the world he saith Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not but a body hast thou prepared me In burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure then said I Lo I come in the volume of thy Book it is written of me to do thy will O God Heb. 10. 1-4-9 and Chap. 9. 9 13. No it 's by the blood of him whom they worship of him who is the true God and eternal life by which peace was made and redemption wrought for them Col. 1. 20. and hereby also they were bought unto God and washed from their sins and pollutions in their minds and consciences For if the blood of bulls and of goats and the ashes of en beifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ who thorow the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9. 13 14-22 and Chap. 10. 22. with Chap. 12. 24. Now here for our further usefulness we may enquire and consider 1. What is meant by and contained in this blood of Christ here spoken of by which they were redeemed unto God 2. How were these holy ones redeemed by it 1. To the first we may say that by the Blood of Christ we are to understand 1. The whole of his abasement and sufferings in that Body which the Father prepared for him and most directly his death or pouring out his soul unto death as here it is said Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us unto God by thy blood He even this glorious one took part with us of flesh and blood that he might die and thorow death destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil Heb. 2. 14. Blood and death are words of a like signification in Scripture compare Psal 72. 14. with Psal 116. 15. Sometimes indeed his blood is distinguished from his flesh as in Joh. 6. 53-56 and in the Supper 1 Cor. 11. 2â— 25. But here and elsewhere when it is mentioned alone it includes and contains all his Humiliation sufferings and death 1 Joh. 5. 6. and his blood is sometimes called the blood of his Cross because thereon he died and gave up the Ghost Col. 1. 20. and sometimes all his sufferings are supposed and contained in the word Cross because He humbled himself and became obedient unto death the death of the Cross Ephes 2. 13. with vers 15. Gal. 6. 14. 1 Cor. 1. 23. and Chop 2. 2. Phil. 2. 6 7 8. 2. And by his blood may also be meant the vertue and procurement thereof or what he hath thereby done and obtained into himself for us and is become So many times in Scripture that which is gotten procured or obtained by any thing is called by the name of that thing by which it was so gotten procured or obtained So a mans servant is called his money because he is obtained hired or bought with his money Exod. 21. 21. so that which is earned or gotten by work or labour is called by the name of labour or work Psal 127. 2. Isa 40. 10. and 49. 4. Jer. 4. 18. So the water which Davids three mighty men drew out of the Well of Bethlehem and brought unto David is called Blood because they gat it with blood as it were putting their lives into their hands for it as David saith Is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives 2 Sam. 23. 15-17 1 Chron. 11. 17-19 So that field is called the field of blood which was bought with blood or with the price of blood Mat. 27. 6-8 Act. 1. 19. see the fuller discovery pag. 112-114 And in this sense the Cross of Christ answers to the Gospel 1 Cor. 1. 17. with ver 18. For by the blood of his Cross he hath made peace Col. 1. 20. Obtained the forgiveness of our personal sins Ephes 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. received the spirit and all spiritual blessings Rev. 5. 6 12. Joh. 3. 35. with Chap. 10. 17 18. Confirmed a new Testament and everlasting Covenant of exceeding great and precious promises c. Mâ—t. 26. 28. Heb. 10. 29. and 9. 12. and Chap. 13. 20. Phil. 2. 8 9. Eph. 4. 8-10 with Psal 68. 10 18. 2. How were these holy ones redeemed by his Blood To that we may say 1. As to Christs redeeming men in himself so he carried his blood in the vertue of it into Heaven and presented it unto the Father as a price of redemption Not by the blood of goats and calves but by or with his own blood be entred in 〈◊〉 having obtained eternal redâ—â—ption Heb. 9. 12. with vers 7. And he thorow the eternal spirit offered himself in the vertue of his blood without spot or fault to God Heb. 9. 14. Every High-Priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices wherefore it is of necessity that this man our great High-Priest have somewhat to offer And he hath given himself his own body which was delivered for our offenceâ— and raised again for us an offering and a sacrifice to God as we have before said Heb. 8. 1-3 4. with Chap. 10. 10. Eph. 5. 2. 1 Tim. 2. 6. And so acceptable and well-pleasing was his gift and offering unto God that thereby he hath redeemed mankind from the curse of the Law drawn all men unto himself and God hath given him power over all flâ—sh and committed all judgment and government unto him that all men should honour the son c. Gal. 3. 13. Joh. 12 31 32. and Chap. 17. 2. Psal 2. 6-8-9-12 Joh. 5. 22 23. 2. As to the redeeming men in their own persons unto God he is tendring his blood unto them as a price to out-bid all other things and buy them off from their vanities Idols and vain conversation and so his blood answers to money though yet it infinitely exceeds it 1 Pet. 1. 18. 19. He puts his blood in and by his Gospel and himself as a price into the hands of men to redeem them from their evil and sinful thoughts ways and companions that they might count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledg of Jesus and go on to count them but dung that they might win him and be found in him Phil. 3. 7-9 Prov. 17. 16. He by his spirit so glorifies himself and renders his blood so precious in his Gospel that men might look unto him and be