commandments, whether moral or ceremonial, “shall no flesh be justified in the sight of God,” or merit a “right to the tree of life,” or to “enter in through the gates into the city.”  This right, power, or privilege, is confined to those, and to those only, who “receive and believe on the name of Christ.” (John i. 12.) They who serve the Lord Christ, are entitled to the reward of the inheritance, (Col. iii. 24;) and in keeping of his commandments, there is great reward. (Ps. xix. 11.) This reward is of grace, not of debt to any of the children of Adam:  “not of works, lest any man should boast.”  (Rom. xi. 6; Eph. ii. 9.) And when the last elected sinner, pertaining to the whole company of the redeemed, shall have been called, justified and sanctified, then “with gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought:  they shall enter into the King’s palace.” (Ps. xlv. 15.)

15.  For without are dogs and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

V. 15.—­“Without are dogs.”—­These characters have been excluded by the righteous and unalterable sentence of the judge of quick and dead, having their part in the “lake of fire:”  for there is no intimation here or elsewhere, of any purgatory or intermediate place, with the delusive hope of which, those who “love and make lies,” flatter themselves and their blind votaries.  Oh, that such “sinners in Zion,” and out of Zion, “might be afraid!”—­that timely “fearfulness might surprise these hypocrites!” that they might ponder those awful questions!—­“Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?” (Isa. xxxiii. 14.)

16.  I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches.  I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

V. 16.—­This is the “angel” whose ministry the Lord Christ was pleased to employ in making known to the church through his servant John, most of the discoveries of this book, (ch. i. 1, 11.) Many other angels have indeed been employed by the Mediator as the ministers of his providence; but this one seems to have been the principal all along.  None of these heavenly messengers, however, was found competent to reveal the purposes of God, (ch. v. 3.) To this work the eternal Son of God alone was found adequate by nature and office,—­the “Lamb that had been slain.”  Christ has a personal property in the angels, as he is their Creator and Lord; and as they are his creatures and willing servants,—­“mine angel.”—­This is perfectly reasonable; for he is the “Root of David” in his divine nature; and the “Offspring of David,” in his human nature, (Rom. i. 3.)—­God-Man, Mediator.  And here let it be remarked, that in speaking or writing of our Redeemer there appears to be no scriptural warrant for the popular phrases,—­“the union of the two natures,”—­“Christ as man;” or, “as God.”  These