throne, to come as a river of water of life; so it is said to be pure
and clear as crystal. Pure is set in opposition to muddy and dirty
waters, and clear is set in opposition to those waters that are black,
by reason of the cold and icyish nature of them; therefore there is
conjoined to this phrase the word crystal, which all know is a clear
and shining stone (Eze 34:19; Job 6:15,16). Indeed the life and spirit
that is in this water, will keep it from looking black and dull; and
the throne from whence it comes will keep it from being muddy, so much
as in the streams thereof. ‘The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich,
and he addeth no sorrow with it’ (Prov 10:22). Indeed, all the sorrow
that is mixed with our Christianity, it proceedeth, as the procuring
cause, from ourselves, not from the throne of grace; for that is the
place where our tears, as was showed you, are wiped away; and also
where we hang up our crutches. The streams thereof are pure and clear,
not muddy nor frozen, but warm and delightful, and that ‘make glad the
city of God’ (Psa 46).
These words also show us, that this water of itself can do without a
mixture of anything of ours. What comes from this throne of grace is
pure grace, and nothing else; clear grace, free grace, grace that is
not mixed, nor need be mixed with works of righteousness which we have
done; it is of itself sufficient to answer all our wants, to heal all
our diseases, and to help us at a time of need. It is grace that
chooses, it is grace that calleth, it is grace that preserveth, and it
is grace that brings to glory: even the grace that like a river of
water of life proceedeth from this throne. And hence it is, that from
first to last, we must cry, ‘Grace, grace unto it!’[11]
Thus you see what a throne the Christian is invited to; it is a throne
of grace whereon doth sit the God of all grace; it is a throne of grace
before which the Lord Jesus ministereth continually for us; it is a
throne of grace sprinkled with the blood, and in the midst of which is
a Lamb as it had been slain; it is a throne with a rainbow round about
it, which is the token of the everlasting covenant, and out of which
proceeds, as here you read, a river, a pure river of water of life,
clear as crystal. Look then for these signs of the throne of grace, all
you that would come to it, and rest not, until by some of them you know
that you are even come to it; they are all to be seen have you but
eyes; and the sight of them is very delectable, and has a natural
tendency in them, when seen, to revive and quicken the soul. But,
Fifth. As the throne of grace is known and distinguished by the things
above named, so it is by the effects which these things have wrought.
There is about that throne ‘four and twenty seats, and upon the seats
four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment, and they have
on their heads crowns of gold’ (Rev 4:4). There is no throne that has
these signs and effects belonging to it but this; wherefore, as by
these signs, so by the effects of them also, one may know which is, and
so when he is indeed come to the throne of grace. And a little as we
commented upon what went before, we will also touch upon this.
1. By seats, I understand places of rest and dignity; places of rest,
for that they that sit on them do rest from their labours; and places
of dignity, for that they are about the throne (Rev 14:13). ‘And the
four and twenty elders which sat before God on their seats, fell upon
their faces and worshipped God’ (Rev 11:16). And forasmuch as the seats
are mentioned, before they are mentioned that sat thereon, it is to
show, that the places were prepared before they were converted.
2. The elders, I take to be the twelve patriarchs and the twelve
apostles, or the first fathers of the churches; for they are the elders
of both the churches, that is, both of the Jewish and Gentile church of
God; they are the ancients, as also they are called in the prophet
Isaiah, which are in some sense the fathers of both these churches (Isa
24:23). These elders are well set forth by that four and twenty that
you read of in the book of Chronicles, who had every one of them for
sons twelve in number. There therefore the four and twenty are (1 Chron
25:8-31).
3. Their sitting denoteth also their abiding in the presence of God.
‘Sit thou at my right hand,’ was the Father’s word to the Son, and also
signifieth the same (Psa 110:1). It is then the throne of grace where
the four and twenty seats are, and before which the four and twenty
elders sit.
4. Their white robes are Christ’s righteousness, their own good works
and glory; not that their works brought them thither, for they were of
themselves polluted, and were washed white in the blood of the Lamb;
but yet God will have all that his people have done in love to him to
be rewarded. Yea, and they shall wear their own labours, being washed
as afore is hinted, as a badge of their honour before the throne of
grace, and this is grace indeed. ‘They have washed their robes, and
made them white in the blood of the Lamb, therefore are they before the
throne of God’ (Rev 7:14,15). They have washed as others did do before
them.
5. ‘And they had on their heads crowns of gold’ (Rev 4:4). This denotes
their victory, and also that they are kings, and as kings shall reign
with him for ever and ever (Rev 5:10).
6. But what! were they silent? did they say, did they do nothing while
they sat before the throne? Yes, they were appointed to be singers
there. This was signified by the four and twenty that we made mention
of before, who with their sons were instructed in the songs of the
Lord, and all that were cunning to do so then, were two hundred
fourscore and eight (1 Chron 25:7). These were the figure of that
hundred forty and four thousand redeemed from the earth. For as the
first four and twenty, and their sons, are said to sing and to play
upon cymbals, psalteries, and harps; and as they are there said to be
instructed and cunning in the songs of the Lord; so these that sit
before the throne are said also to sing with harps in their hands their
song before the throne; and such song it was, and so cunningly did they
sing it, that ‘no man could learn it, but the hundred and forty and
four thousand which were redeemed from the earth’ (Rev 14:3).
Now, as I said, as he at first began with four and twenty in David, and
ended with four and twenty times twelve, so here in John he begins with
the same number, but ends with such a company that no man could number.
For, he saith, ‘After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude which no
man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues
stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes,
and palms in their hands. And cried with a loud voice, saying,
Salvation to our God, which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
And all the angels stood round about the throne, and the elders, and
the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and
worshipped God’ (Rev 7:9-11). This numberless number seems to have got
the song by the end;[12] for they cry aloud, ‘Salvation, salvation to
our God and to the Lamb’; which to be sure is such a song that none can
learn but them that are redeemed from the earth.
But I say, what a brave encouragement is it for one that is come for
grace to the throne of grace, to see so great a number already there,
on their seats, in their robes, with their palms in their hands, and
their crowns upon their heads, singing of salvation to God, and to the
Lamb! And I say again, and speak now to the dejected, methinks it would
be strange, O thou that art so afraid that the greatness of thy sins
will be a bar unto thee, if amongst all this great number of pipers and
harpers that are got to glory, thou canst not espy one that when here
was as vile a sinner as thyself. Look man, they are there for thee to
view them, and for thee to take encouragement to hope, when thou shalt
consider what grace and mercy has done for them. Look again, I say, now
thou art upon thy knees, and see if some that are among them have not
done worse than thou hast done. And yet behold, they are set down; and
yet behold they have their crowns on their heads, their harps in their
hands, and sing aloud of salvation to their God, and to the Lamb.
This then is a fifth note or sign that doth distinguish the throne of
grace from other thrones. There are, before that, to be seen, for our
encouragement, a numberless number of people sitting and singing round
about it. Singing, I say, to God for his grace, and to the Lamb for his
blood, by which they are secured from the wrath to come. ‘And the four
and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them
harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of
saints, and they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the
book, and to open the seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and hast
redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and
people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God, kings and priests,
and we shall reign on the earth’ (Rev 5:8-10). Behold, tempted soul,
dost thou not yet see what a throne of grace here is, and what
multitudes are already arrived thither, to give thanks unto his name
that sits thereon, and to the Lamb for ever and ever? And wilt thou
hang thy harp upon the willows, and go drooping up and down the world,
as if there was no God, no grace, no throne of grace, to apply thyself
unto, for mercy and grace to help in time of need? Hark! dost thou not
hear them what they say, ‘Worthy,’ say they, ‘is the Lamb that was
slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and
honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in
heaven,’ where they are, ‘and on the earth,’ where thou art, ‘and under
the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard
I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power be unto him that
sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever’ (Rev
5:12,13).
All this is written for our learning, that we through patience and
comfort of the scriptures might have hope; and that the drooping ones
might come boldly to the throne of grace, to obtain grace and find
mercy to help in time of need. They bless, they all bless; they thank,
they all thank; and wilt thou hold thy tongue? ‘They have all received
of his fulness, and grace for grace’; and will he shut thee out? Or is
his grace so far gone, and so near spent, that now he has not enough to
pardon, and secure, and save one sinner more? For shame, leave off this
unbelief! Wherefore, dost thou think, art thou told of all this, but to
encourage thee to come to the throne of grace? And wilt thou hang back
or be sullen, because thou art none of the first? since he hath said,
‘The first shall be last, and the last first.’ Behold the legions, the
thousands, the untold and numberless number that stand before the
throne, and be bold to hope in his mercy.
Sixth. [The throne of grace is known by what proceeds from it.] As the
throne of grace is distinguished from other thrones by these, so ‘out
of this throne proceeds lightnings, and thunderings, and voices.’ Also
before this throne are ‘seven lamps of fire burning, which are the
seven spirits of God’ (Rev 4:5). This then is another thing by which
the throne of grace may be known as an effect of what is before. So
again, chapter the eighth, it is said, that from the altar of incense
that stood before the throne, ‘there were voices, and thunderings, and
lightnings, and an earthquake’ (Rev 8:5). All these then come out of
the holiest, where the throne is, and are inflamed by this throne, and
by him that sits thereon.
1. Lightnings here are to be taken for the illuminations of the Spirit
in the gospel (Heb 10:32). As it is said in the book of Psalms, ‘They
looked unto him,’ on the throne, ‘and were lightened’ (Psa 34:5). Or,
as it is said in other places, ‘The voice of thy thunder was in the
heaven, the lightnings lightened the world’ (Psa 77:18). And again,
‘His lightnings enlightened the world, the earth saw and trembled’ (Psa
97:4). This lightning therefore communicates light to them that sit in
darkness. ‘God,’ saith the apostle, ‘who commanded the light to shine
out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ’ (2 Cor 4:6).
It was from this throne that the light came that struck Paul off his
horse, when he went to destroy it and the people that professed it
(Acts 9:3). These are those lightnings by which sinners are made to see
their sad condition, and by which they are made to see the way out of
it. Art thou then made to see thy condition how bad it is, and that the
way out of it is by Jesus Christ? for, as I said, he is the throne of
grace. Why then, come orderly in the light of these convictions to the
throne from whence thy light did come, and cry there, as Samuel did to
Eli, ‘Here am I, for thou has called[13] me’ (1 Sam 3:8). Thus did Saul
by the light that made him see; by it he came to Christ, and cried,
‘Who art thou, Lord?’ and, ‘What wouldst thou have me do?’ (Acts
9:5,6). And is it not an encouragement to thee to come to him, when he
lights thy candle that thou mightest see the way; yea, when he doth it
on purpose that thou mightest come to him? ‘He gives light to them that
sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death,’ what to do? ‘to guide our
feet into the way of peace’ (Luke 1:79). This interpretation of this
place seems to me most to cohere with what went before; for first you
have here a throne, and one sitting on it; then you have the elders,
and in them presented to you the whole church, sitting round about the
throne; then you have in the words last read unto you, a discourse how
they came thither, and that is, by the lightnings, thunderings, and
voices that proceed out of the throne.
2. As you have here lightnings, so thereto is adjoined thunders. There
proceeded out of this throne lightnings and thunders. By thunders, I
understand that powerful discovery of the majesty of God by the word of
truth, which seizeth the heart with a reverential dread and awe of him:
hence it is said, ‘The voice of the Lord is full of majesty; the voice
of the Lord breaketh the cedars’ (Psa 29:45). The voice, that is, his
thundering voice. ‘Canst thou thunder with a voice like him?’ (Job
40:9). And ‘the thunder of his power who can understand?’ (Job 26:14).
It was upon this account that Peter, and James, and John, were called
‘the sons of thunder,’ because, in the word which they were to preach,
there was to be not only lightnings, but thunders; not only
illuminations, but a great seizing of the heart, with the dread and
majesty of God, to the effectual turning of the sinner to him (Mark
3:16,17).
Lightnings without thunder are in this case dangerous, because they
that receive the one without the other are subject to miscarry. They
were ‘once enlightened,’ but you read of no thunder they had; and they
were subject to fall into an irrecoverable state (Heb 6:4-6). Saul had
thunder with his lightnings to the shaking of his soul; so had the
three thousand; so had the jailor (Acts 2, 9, 16). They that receive
light without thunder are subject to turn the grace of God into
wantonness; but they that know the terror of God will persuade men (Rom
3:8; Jude 4; 2 Cor 5:11). So then, when he decrees to give the rain of
his grace to a man, he makes ‘a way for the lighting of the thunder,’
not the one without the other, but the one following the other (Job
28:26). Lightning and thunder is made a cause of rain, but lightning
alone is not: ‘Who hath divided a water-course for the overflowing of
waters? or a way for the lightning of thunder to cause it to rain on
the earth, where no man is: on the wilderness wherein there is no man?’
(Job 38:25,26).
Thus therefore you may see how in the darkest sayings of the Holy Ghost
there is as great an harmony with truth as in the most plain and easy;
there must be thunder with light, if thy heart be well poised and
balanced with the fear of God: we have had great lightnings in this
land of late years, but little thunders; and that is one reason why so
little grace is found where light is, and why so many professors run on
their heads in such a day as this is, notwithstanding all they have
seen. Well then, this also should be a help to a soul to come to the
throne of grace; the God of glory has thundered, has thundered to
awaken thee, as well as sent lightnings to give thee light; to awaken
thee to a coming to him, as well as to the enabling of thee to see his
things; this then has come from the throne of grace to make thee come
hither; wherefore observe, where it is by these signs made mention of
before, and by these effects; and go, and come to the throne of grace.
3. As there proceeds from this throne lightnings and thunders, so from
hence it is said voices proceed also: now these voices may be taken for
such as are sent with this lightning and thunder to instruct, or for
such [instruction] as this lightning and thunder begets in our hearts.
(1.) It may be taken in the first sense for light and dread, when it
falleth from God into the soul, is attended with a voice or voices of
instruction to the soul, to know what to do (Acts 2:3-7). This it was
in Paul’s case. He had light and dread, and voices for his instruction;
he had lightnings, and thunderings, and voices: ‘Good and upright is
the Lord; therefore will he teach sinners in the way. The meek will he
guide in judgment; and the meek will he teach his way’ (Psa 25:8,9).
(2.) Or by voices you may understand, such as the lightning and thunder
begets in our hearts: for though man is as mute as a fish to Godward,
before this thunder and lightning comes to him, yet after that he is
full of voices (2 Cor 4:13, 7:14). And how much more numerous are the
voices that in the whole church on earth are begot by these lightnings
and thunders that proceed from the throne of grace; their faith has a
voice, their repentance has a voice, their subjection to God’s word has
a voice in it; yea, there is a voice in their prayers, a voice in their
cry, a voice in their tears, a voice in their groans, in their
roarings, in their bemoaning of themselves, and in their triumphs! (1
Thess 1:2-8; Psa 5:3, 7:17, 20:2-5, 22:1, 138:5; Jer 31:18).
This then is an effect of the throne of grace; hence it is said that
they proceed from it, even the lightning, and the thunder, and the
voices; that is, effectual conversion to God. It follows then, that if
all these are with thy soul, the operations of the throne of grace have
been upon thee to bring thee to the throne of grace; first in thy
prayers, and then in thy person. And this leads me to the next thing
propounded to be spoken to, which is to show who are the persons
invited here to come to the throne of grace. ‘Let us therefore come.’
[THE PERSONS INTENDED BY THIS EXHORTATION.]
THIRD. Now the persons here called upon to come to the throne of grace,
are not all or every sort of men, but the men that may properly be
comprehended under this word Us and We; ‘let Us therefore come boldly,
that We may obtain.’ And they that are here put under these particular
terms, are expressed both before and after, by those that have
explication in them.
They are called [in the epistle to the Hebrews], 1. Such as give the
most earnest heed to the word which they have heard (Heb 2:1). 2. They
are such as see Jesus crowned with glory and honour (Heb 2:9). 3. They
are called the children (Heb 2:14). 4. They are called the seed of
Abraham (Heb 2:16). 5. They are called Christ’s brethren (Heb 2:17).
So, chapter the third, they are called holy brethren, and said to be
partakers of the heavenly calling, and the people of whom it is said
that Christ Jesus is the apostle and high priest of their profession
(Heb 3:1-6). They are called Christ’s own house, and are said to be
partakers of Christ (Heb 3:14). They are said to be the believers,
those that do enter in into rest, those that have Christ for a high
priest, and with the feeling of whose infirmities he is touched and
sympathiseth (Heb 4:3,14,15).
So, in chapter the sixth, they are called beloved, and the heirs of
promise; they that have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set
before them; they are called those that have hope as an anchor, and
those for whom Christ as a forerunner hath entered and taken possession
of heaven (Heb 6:9,17-20). So, chapter the seventh, they are said to be
such as draw nigh unto God (Heb 7:19). And, chapter the eighth, they
are said to be such with whom the new covenant is made in Christ.
Chapter the ninth, they are such for whom Christ has obtained eternal
redemption, and such for whom he has entered the holy place (Heb
9:12,22). Chapter the tenth, they are such as are said to be sanctified
by the will of God, such as have boldness to enter into the holiest by
the blood of Jesus; such as draw near with a true heart, in full
assurance of faith, or that have liberty to do so, having their hearts
sprinkled from an evil conscience, and their bodies washed with pure
water; they were those that had suffered much for Christ in the world,
and that became companions of them that so were used (Heb
10:10,19,22-25). Yea, he tells them, in the eleventh chapter, that they
and the patriarchs must be made perfect together (Heb 11:40). He also
tells them, in the twelfth chapter, that already they are come to Mount
Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an
innumerable company of angels; to the general assembly and church of
the first born which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of
all; and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the
mediator of the New Testament, and to the blood of sprinkling, that
speaketh better things than that of Abel (Heb 12:22-24).
Thus you see what terms, characters, titles, and privileges, they are
invested with that are here exhorted to come to the throne of grace.
From whence we may conclude that every one is not capable of coming
thither, no not every one that is under convictions, and that hath a
sense of the need of and a desire after the mercy of God in Christ.
[The orderly coming to the throne of grace.]
Wherefore we will come, in the next place, to show the orderly coming
of a soul to the throne of grace for mercy: and for this we must first
apply ourselves to the Old Testament, where we have the shadow of what
we now are about to enter upon the discourse of, and then we will come
to the antitype, where yet the thing is far more explained.
First. Then, the mercy-seat was for the church, not for the world; for
a Gentile could not go immediately from his natural state to the
mercy-seat, by the high priest, but must first orderly join himself, or
be joined, to the church, which then consisted of the body of the Jews
(Exo 12:43-49). The stranger then must first be circumcised, and
consequently profess faith in the Messiah to come, which was signified
by his going from his circumcision directly to the passover, and so
orderly to other privileges, specially to this of the mercy-seat which
the high priest was to go but once a year into (Eze 44:6-9).
Second. The church is again set forth unto us by Aaron and his sons.
Aaron as the head, his sons as the members; but the sons of Aaron were
not to meddle with any of the things of the Holiest, until they had
washed in a laver: ‘And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Thou shalt
also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash in; and
thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the
altar, and thou shalt put water therein. For Aaron and his sons shall
wash their hands and their feet thereat. When they go into the
tabernacle of the congregation they shall wash with water, that they
die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn
offerings made by fire unto the Lord. So they shall wash their hands
and their feet that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever
unto them, even to him, and to his seed throughout their generations.’
See the margin (Exo 30:17-21, 40:30-32).[14]