[11TH SUNDAY. "To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God."REV. II. 7. THESE words contain a promise of eternal life. When our Saviour was on earth He said to His disciples,-"I give unto my sheep eternal life, and they shall never perish,"-"Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die,"—" He that believeth on Him that sent me hath everlasting life." And now that He who was dead is alive for evermore, He repeats the same gracious promise:-"To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." If our first parents had not sinned they would have eaten of the tree of life and lived for ever; and we may justly infer that this promise, that our Saviour will give His people to eat of the tree of life in heaven, signifies that He will maintain their life for ever and ever. When once we enter the presence for ever. of our Saviour we shall go no more out Jesus Himself will give us to cat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. How much comfort do Christians lose by neglecting to read the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ! Many who constantly treasure up the words He spake when on earth, almost overlook these His say. ings after His death and resurrection. In these messages to His Churches we may find doctrine, reproof, correction, instruction, warnings and promises, but more especially the latter. How few, if asked the question, Where does your Saviour promise you eternal life? would point to these precious words :-"To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life." Yet it would seem as if the Church militant ought especially to remember the last words which were sent down from their glorified Head. It is beautiful also to see how all His words agree; both those which were spoken when He was in this vale of tears, bearing about our human nature with all its infirmities, and those which He spoke from His kingdom of glory above. "He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death," said the glorified Jesus. "If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death," i.e., eternal death, said the Son of man. "If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee." (Rev. iii. 3.) "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." (Matt. xxiv. 42.) "He that overcometh . . . . I will confess his name before my Father, and before His angels." (Rev. iii. 5.) "Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven." (Matt. x. 32.) "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience," &c. (Rev. iii. 10.) "I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not." (Luke xxii. 32.) "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten." (Rev. iii. 19.) 23; "Every branch in me that beareth fruit, He purgeth it." (John xv. 2.) See also Rev. iii. 20, and John xiv. Rev. iii. 21, and Matt. xix. 28. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever, is our Saviour, our all in all, our hope in this world and in the world to come; whom, having not seen, we love; in whom, though now we see Him not, yet believing, we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. "For ever with the Lord!' Life from the dead is in that word- "Here in the body pent, Absent from Him I roam, Yet nightly pitch my moving tent "My Father's house on high! Home of my soul! how near, At times, to faith's far-seeing eye, Thy golden gates appear! "Ah! then my spirit faints "Yet clouds will intervene, "Anon the clouds depart, The wind and waters cease, While sweetly o'er my gladdened heart Expands the bow of peace." |