to destroy. Satan would have cast, not some of that Church, but all; not into prison only, but into hell; not for ten days only, but for ever; not that they might be tried, but that they might perish. But, as in the case of Job, whom he could not touch, either in his person or his property, till he had obtained leave from God; so in their case he was under the controul of an almighty power; and, in fact, "could have no power at all against the Church, except it were given him from above." Now this was most encouraging: for, whether we suppose the "ten days" to be of a longer or shorter duration, it was most consolatory to know, that the objects, the measure, the duration, and effect of Satan's malice were all limited by the Saviour himself, who would "not suffer one of his little ones to perish," or the weakest of his people to be ever " plucked out of his hands." Being assured that they should "have no temptation without a way to escape'," and that "all which they might suffer should work together for their goods," they had no occasion for fear, but might confidently "commit themselves to the hands of an all-powerful and faithful God."] 2. That their sufferings should be rewarded [All he required of them was, " to be faithful unto death." They must be "ready to meet either imprisonment or death"," as the occasion might require; desirous only "that the Lord Jesus should be magnified in them, whether by life or death." Nor should they think much of this sacrifice; since he pledged himself to them that " he would give them a crown of life," a reward far beyond their services; for their bliss should infinitely exceed all that they could suffer, and their honour infinitely surpass all the dishonour which they could by any means be called to endure. Could they survey such a prize as this, and not contend for it? Would they ever repent of their labours, when they should possess this recompence? Would they not even lothe themselves, that they should ever have contemplated, for a moment, the pains of martyrdom with any other thought than that of gratitude to God, who counts them worthy of so high an honour as that of laying down their lives for him? Such, then, was the encouragement given to the Church at that time: and such may every believing soul now take to himself; assured that, " if he suffer with Christ, he shall, to all eternity, reign with him"."] To bring this whole subject home to your own bosoms, I ENTREAT you, brethren • Job i. 12. and ii. 6. r 1 Cor. x. 13. P Matt. xviii. 14. u Acts xx. 24. and xxi. 13. y Phil. i. 29. z 2 Tim. ii. 12. q John x. 28. t 1 Pet. iv. 19. x Phil. i. 20. 1. To form a correct estimate of earthly things [A carnal man, who should have seen the condition of the Rich Man in all his splendour, and of Lazarus in all his penury, would have formed a very different estimate of their respective states from that which our Lord has taught us to form in a view of the Church at Smyrna. But I must say, that Lazarus was the rich man, whilst the man rolling in his wealth was poor. But suppose, from being as wealthy as Dives, you are reduced, by persecutors, to the state of Lazarus; shall I then call you "rich?" Yes, in all your poverty, I will say, "Thou art rich." Let me state a case that shall illustrate this. Suppose that all you possessed in the world was a bag of copper coin; and that an enemy should come and rob you of it by handfuls; but that for every handful of copper that your enemy should take from you, a friend should put into your pocket a handful of gold: would you, when not a single piece of copper money was left you, account yourself much impoverished? or would you wonder at your friend, if he should say, 'I know thy poverty; but thou art rich?' Know then, that if, in proportion as you are injured by man, the blessings both of grace and glory are multiplied to you by God, you are not impoverished, but enriched. And therefore I say with confidence, "Fear nothing that can come unto you." Let Satan do his worst: he is under restraint, as Laban and Esau were, when they meditated the destruction of Jacob. You well know how a miller acts, when a flood menaces the destruction of his mill. He suffers to come upon his mill only so much of the water as shall subserve his purposes, and he turns off the rest by another sluice. So will God act towards you: "The wrath of man shall praise him; and the remainder of wrath shall he restrain."] 2. To have your minds altogether set on things above [To be "rich towards God," "rich in faith"," and "rich in good works," and to be daily "laying up treasure in heaven," this is the proper object of a Christian. In this way you will obtain durable riches, and "a sure reward"." In this pursuit no human being shall ever fail. Mark, I pray you, the change of person in the promise which our Lord makes to the Church of Smyrna. In announcing their impending trials, he says to them, "YE shall have tribulation ten days:" but in the promise he makes, he speaks individually to a Gen. xxxi. 24, 29. and xxxii. 11, 12. and xxxiii. 1, 4. every soul among them: "Be THOU faithful unto death; and I will give THEE a crown of life.' Every one may take to himself this encouraging declaration; and assure himself, that "no weapon formed against him shall ever prosper'." Only let a man continue sowing to the Spirit, and he shall assuredly, in due season," reap everlasting life."] Rev. ii. 11. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. THIS passage, as an appendix to the epistle to the Church of Smyrna, appears at first sight to be an extraordinary anti-climax: for, in the very words preceding the text, it is said, "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." Now, by "a crown of life" is meant all the glory and blessedness of heaven: it is a small thing, therefore, to a person who has obtained this promise, to tell him that he shall never be cast into hell. But the Scriptures often speak in a way of meiosis, as it is called; that is, under terms which, whilst they express little, convey the most stupendous truths. A remarkable instance of this kind I will mention. Jehovah, speaking to his ancient people, says, " Turn ye now every one from his evil way, and I will do you no hurt." What! is this all the encouragement that God gives to his people to turn unto him? May we not, at least, hope that he will do us some good? But far more was implied in this promise than met either the eye or the ear and so it is in the promise which our Lord and Saviour gives in the words before us. In truth, if considered in their connexion with the foregoing context, and according to the true import of the words themselves, they will be found to be replete with the richest instruction, and with the most consoling encouragement. a Jer. xxv. 5, 6. Let us, then, consider, I. The promise here given to the victorious saintIn order to see the promise in its true light, we must view it, 1. In connexion with the trials that awaited them [They had been told, that "Satan would cast some of them into prison; and that they should have tribulation ten days," some of them suffering even unto death. Now these were painful tidings to flesh and blood: yet, when it was considered that they would be exempt from "the second death," to which they might have been justly doomed, the prospect was greatly cheered: for the sufferings from which they were freed were penal, intolerable, everlasting; whereas those to which they were to be subjected were light and momentary, and as beneficial to themselves as they were honourable to God. To a soul contemplating its just desert, these thoughts must have been inconceivably precious. The very contrast between what man would inflict on earth, and what, but for his sovereign love and mercy, God would have inflicted on them in hell, must have made the deliverance appear so much the more wonderful, and the mercy vouchsafed to them so much the more endearing.] 2. In connexion with the sufferings that await the whole world besides [It is to the victor only that this promise is made. Who he is, we have before described: and all other persons, of what age or character soever they may be, must be condemned in the day of judgment, and "take their portion in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone." Not only notorious sinners, who have rushed into all manner of iniquity, but the more decent moralists also, who have glided down the stream of this corrupt world, must perish. It is he only who stems the torrent of corruption which carries the whole world before it, and who urges with incessant labour his course heavenward; it is he alone, I say, that shall escape the wrath to come. Now, then, consider the great mass of mankind, with comparatively few exceptions," cast into hell, where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched;" consider them, I say, left to "weep and wail, and gnash their teeth," in that place of torment, and "the smoke of their torment ascending up for ever and ever;" and then say, whether an exemption from this lot be a small matter. What would a soul that had been only a few hundred years in that place of torment think of such a deliverance, if it were possible for him now to be rescued from his misery? Methinks his transports would be such as a mere mortal nature would be unable to sustain. Doubtless, then, the assurance here given to the Christian who overcomes his spiritual enemies must be an occasion of unutterable joy. And, inasmuch as this promise is given by the Holy Spirit to every soldier of Christ, and "all who have ears to hear are especially invited to attend to it," we cannot but commend it to the most attentive consideration of all who are here present.] Let me now set before you II. The pledge given us for the performance of it— : There is somewhat very remarkable in the term which is translated "hurt." It does not import what we commonly mean by the word "hurt," which we should use in reference to any accidental injury we had sustained it expresses an injury inflicted by a voluntary agent, who might well have forborne to inflict it. The sense of the passage then is, that the victorious saint shall not be " injured" by the second death; since the subjecting of him to it would be an injustice done to him. In fact, 1. It would be an injury done to the person suffering [Every saint of God has fled to Christ for refuge, in a full dependence on that promise, "There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." And in the strength of Christ he has "fought the good fight, and finished his course, and kept the faith, in an assured expectation that there is laid up for him, according to God's blessed word, a crown of righteousness, that fadeth not away." Now, suppose one such person subjected to the second death; would he not say, 'I am injured? Doubtless if I am to be dealt with according to my deserts, my mouth must be shut, whatever I may suffer: but I laid hold on the Gospel, and, according to the grace given to me, complied with the terms there prescribed: I relied solely on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation; and yet endeavoured, according to my ability, to fulfil his will: and I certainly do think that I have a claim to mercy; not indeed as deserving it at God's hands, but as washed in the blood of Christ, and clothed in his righteousness, and interested in all that he has done and suffered for me.' Yes, brethren, God himself authorizes this very idea. In the Scriptures it is said, "God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love which |