und
to open the seals of the book of God's decrees concerning his church,--none
worthy in heaven or earth but the Lamb, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, he
prevailed to open it, and loose the seals thereof, Rev. v. 3-5. So there
could none be found in heaven or earth, neither under the earth, worthy to
undertake or accomplish this work, or able to open the seals of the book
of God's curses, or to blot out the hand-writing of ordinances that was
against us, or to open the prison of death in which man was shut up; none,
I say, hath been found worthy or prevailed, but the Lamb of God and Lion
of the tribe of Judah; and therefore the four and twenty elders that sit
round about the throne, and the four beasts, with the innumerable company
of angels, and spirits of just men made perfect, fell down before the
Lamb, every one of them with harps, and they sung a new song, "Worthy is
the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and
strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing; for thou hast redeemed us
to God by thy blood." And every creature says Amen to this, and consents
to this, to do him homage; to him who alone was worthy, and as willing to
do it as worthy for it. I think the 16th verse of this chapter gives us a
sensible representation of this. The preceding discourse from the
beginning, holding out the sinful and deplorable condition of that people,
and in them, as a type of the desperate wickedness of all mankind, and
withal their desperate misery, for Paul, (Rom. iii.) maketh the
application for us; and from this, concludeth all under sin, and so all
under wrath, all guilty, that every mouth may be stopped; men waiting for
light, and behold obscurity; for brightness, but walking in darkness;
groping for the wall, like the blind, stumbling at noon-day as in the
night, and in desolate places as dead men; all roaring like beasts, and
mourning like doves, whenever the apprehension of the terror of God
entereth. Now it is subjoined, verse 16, "And he saw that there was no
man," &c.; as if he had waited and looked through all the world, if any
would appear, either to speak or do for man, if any would offer
themselves, and interpose themselves for his salvation. "Therefore his own
arm brought salvation, and his righteousness, it sustained him." Therefore
the Son of God steps in and offers himself, as if God had first essayed
all others, and when heaven is full of wonder and silence, he breaks out
in this, "