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ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister"." Now, if God would account himself unjust if he neglected to recompense the good works of his people, how much more would he subject himself to that imputation if he were to cast one believing and obedient soul into hell! Then this is a pledge to the victorious Christian, that he "shall never be hurt of the second death." If a man who had fled to a city of refuge could not, consistently with the rights of justice and equity, be delivered up into the hands of the pursuer of blood; so neither can a believing and obedient soul be ever given up to the wrath of an avenging God.]

2. It would be an injury done to the Lord Jesus Christ himself

[God the Father, when he entered into covenant with his Son, engaged, that "if he would make his soul an offering for sin, he should see a seed who should prolong their days, and the pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hands." In dependence on this word, the Son of God became incarnate, and fulfilled the whole work assigned him, till he could say, "It is finished:" and he expected, of course, that, in the salvation of all who trusted in him, he should "see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied." But if he should behold one of his believing and obedient followers cast out, would he not have reason to complain, that the stipulations of the covenant were not fulfilled? When an offer was made to him, that, in the event of his undertaking to die for man, there should be a people given to him from amongst the tribes of Israel, he replied, "Then I have laboured in vain, and spent my strength for nought and in vain :" and then the promise was enlarged to him, "It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth." How much more, then, might he complain, "I have laboured in vain, and spent my strength for nought," if one of his faithful followers should be cast into hell! If one should be saved by a righteousness not derived from him, he would complain that he had died in vainf: and how much more, if one whom he had washed in his blood, and sanctified by his grace, should perish! Here then is another pledge, that no victorious saint shall ever taste of the second death.]

3. It would be an injury done to the whole universe

e Heb. vi. 10.

• Isai. xlix. 4-6.

d Isai. liii. 10.

f Gal. ii. 21.

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[All are taught to look forward to the day of judgment, "the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of Gods," that is, the day in which his perfect equity will be displayed. All, therefore, will expect that the rule of God's procedure, as declared in his word, shall be adhered to. Of course, they will expect that those who have believed in Christ, and by the grace of Christ have subdued all their spiritual enemies, shall be saved. But what if they should see one of these consigned over to the second death, and left to take his portion with hypocrites and unbelievers? will they not say, This greatly disappoints our expectations: we certainly hoped to see a difference put between the righteous and the wicked, between those who served God and those who served him not."" Methinks, if one such instance were about to occur, one general sentiment would pervade the whole universe; and all the saints would prostrate themselves before Jehovah, as Abraham did in behalf of Sodom: saying, "Lord, wilt thou destroy the righteous with the wicked? That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" But we need not fear: there shall never be occasion for a remonstrance like this: and in this we have a further pledge, that no such injury shall ever be done to one believing and obedient soul.]

But, whilst I maintain this blessed truth,

1. Must I not take up a lamentation over those who are overcome in this warfare?

[I ask not what you have done in times past: I ask only, Have you engaged in warfare with all your spiritual enemies? and are you proceeding daily in a victorious career? If not, nothing awaits you but "the second death." If you have not been so wicked as others, you will not have so heavy a condemnation as they; there will be fewer or heavier stripes appointed, according to the degree of your guilt: but hell will be terrible to those who sustain its slightest torments; and the duration of their torments will be for ever and ever. Look, I pray you, through the whole Scriptures, and see whether you can find one single word that promises an exemption from those torments to any soul that has not fought and overcome? In every one of these epistles, you will find the promises limited to them that overcome. Think then, I pray you, what an awful prospect is before you. Think how soon your day of grace may be closed, and your day of retribution commence.

g Rom. ii. 5.

h Gen. xviii. 23-25.

O dreadful thought! Perhaps before another day you may be, like the Rich Man in the Gospel," lifting up your eyes in torments, and crying in vain for a drop of water to cool your tongue." Will ye then delay to enlist under the banners of Christ, or refuse to fight manfully under the Captain of your salvation? Will you be deterred from this by the menaces of men? Will you fear them who can only kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do? Will you not rather fear Him who can destroy both body and soul in hell? O! I say to you, "Fear HIM.' If there were a storm of

thunder and lightning, you would be filled with awe and will you not tremble when God says, "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the people that forget God?" and when he tells you, that "on the wicked he will rain snares, fire and brimstone, and a horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cupi?" O! what vivid flashes are here! what peals of thunder are here! Will ye tremble at that which can only separate your soul from your body, and not at that which will separate both body and soul from God for ever?-May God, in his mercy, awaken you ere it be too late! and may all of you make it henceforth the one object of your lives to "flee from the wrath to come, and to lay hold on eternal life!"]

2. But to the victorious saint I must add a word of cordial congratulation—

[What may intervene between this and your final victory, I am not anxious to inquire. If you are fighting manfully under the banners of Christ, of this I am assured, that there shall "no temptation take you but what is common to men; and that your faithful God will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make for you a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." You need not then be anxious about the future. Your enemies are all in God's hands, and can do nothing which he will not overrule for your eternal good. And how blessed will be the termination of your warfare! What shouts of victory will you give, and what plaudits will you receive from the Captain of your salvation! You have nothing to fear from the second death: on the contrary, the very stroke that separates your soul from your body shall transmit your soul to the very bosom of your God; who, in due season, will raise your body also from the grave, to partake with your soul in all the glory and felicity of heaven. Yes; it is no fading and corruptible crown that you fight for, but an incorruptible one, which shall be accorded to you in the presence of the whole assembled universe. "Go

i Ps. ix. 17. and xi. 6.

k 1 Cor. x. 13.

on then, from conquering to conquer," till all enemies be put under your feet: and the recollection of your conflicts shall serve only to enhance your joys to all eternity.]

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Rev. ii. 12, 13. To the angel of the Church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; I know thy works.

IN a former epistle we have noticed, that the particular parts of our Saviour's character, with which the different epistles are introduced, are suited to the subject matter of each. In this address to the Church in Pergamos, our Lord has occasion both for reproof and menace and therefore he describes himself as "holding the sharp sword with two edges." Now, according to the plan we have proposed, of investigating more minutely every distinct description of his person, I will now call your attention to,

I. The character with which our Lord is here invested

The description here given of our blessed Lord frequently occurs in the Holy Scriptures; and, by comparing the different passages, we shall see that it holds him forth,

1. As a Sovereign

[The word of a king, especially in despotic governments, goes forth with great authority: as Solomon has said, "Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thoua?" Now, by comparing our text with the larger description given of our Lord in the preceding chapter, from whence this smaller portion is taken, we shall see that this sword is his word, which proceedeth out of his mouth: "Out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword." And this word is indeed both quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword." It is a law to every child of man: the greatest kings and princes, no less than the poorest of mankind, are bound by it, and must obey it at their

a Eccles. viii. 4.

b Rev. i. 16.

Heb. iv. 12.

peril. In reference to it there must be no demur, no hesitation, no delay. To question its authority, or to doubt its wisdom, is treason. As, in heaven, "the angels do his commandments, hearkening to the voice of his word," so must it be with men on earth. There must be no resistance to him, even in thought: his word must be "mighty, to pull down every strong-hold, and to cast down every high imagination that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."]

2. As a Conqueror

[In this view the holy Psalmist addresses him: "Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most Mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty and in thy majesty ride prosperously, because (or in the cause) of truth and meekness and righteousness: and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; whereby the people fall under thee." Armed with this sword, he goes forth in the chariot of the everlasting Gospel, conquering and to conquer". Hear the description given of him by St. John, towards the close of this prophetic book: "I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse; and he that sat upon it was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war .. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron and he treadeth the wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse; which sword proceedeth out of his mouth "." Yes, verily, with this sword shall "he get himself the victory;" insomuch that "all kings shall fall down before him, and all nations shall serve him," and "all the kingdoms of the earth become his" undivided empire1.]

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3. As a Judge

["The word that he hath spoken, the same shall judge us in the last day m." Amongst the books that shall be opened in that day, doubtless the sacred volume shall be one, and according to what is written therein shall every soul of man be judged." And so the Prophet Isaiah distinctly declares: He shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears; but with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the

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