earth and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked: and righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins." Then those who have resisted his authority as King, and withstood his power as a Conqueror, shall be constrained to submit themselves to him as their Judge: for "he will then appear in flames of fire, to take vengeance on them," and "will consume them with the spirit of his mouth, and destroy them with the brightness of his coming."] Having marked the character of our Lord, I will endeavour to shew, II. The deep interest we have in it— It is obvious, that to the Church in Pergamos it was a consideration of vast importance; for the Lord himself said to them, "Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth." And is it of less importance to us? Methinks every Church under heaven, and every individual in the Church, should take occasion to inquire, 1. What effect has the ministry of the Gospel produced upon us? [The Gospel, by whomsoever ministered, is "the word of Christ," which should dwell in us richly in all wisdom. And by all who hear it, it should be regarded, not as "the word of man, but really and truly as the word of God." Our Lord said to his Disciples, "He that receiveth you, receiveth me; and he that receiveth me, receiveth Him that sent me "." On the contrary," he who despiseth, despiseth not man, but God." Let me then ask, What reception has the Gospel found amongst you? If it have produced its proper effect amongst you, it has pierced your inmost souls: as it is written, "The word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword; piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow; and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." O brethren, inquire, I pray you, whether it have thus penetrated the inmost recesses of your souls, so as to discover to you the hidden abominations of your hearts, and to make you cry mightily to God for the pardon of them! See the three thousand on the • Isai. xi. 4, 5. r ver. 16. u Matt. x. 40. P 2 Thess. i. 7—9. 9 2 Thess. ii. 8. day of Pentecost, when smitten with this two-edged sword: what cries there were for mercy y! "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Believe me, brethren, this is the very first effect which it will produce on you; and it must have already produced it, if you have not "received the grace of God in vain." "This is the fruit which it brings forth in all the world, wherever the grace of God is known in truth." But is there not, in too many instances, reason for God to complain, “I have hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth;" I have spoken to them the great things of my law; but they have counted them as a strange thing":" yea," though I called them unto the Most High, none at all would exalt Him?" And shall this be accounted a light matter? It was not deemed so in the case of Zedekiah, of whom God complains, " He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet, speaking from the mouth of the Lord." Beloved brethren, though no prophet, I also have "spoken to you from the mouth of the Lord;" and ye must answer unto God for every word that has been delivered to you in his name. Now, our blessed Lord says to you," I know thy works." And he does know them, and record them in the book of his remembrance; and will bring them forth into judgment at the last day. Let not any of you imagine, that it is sufficient to yield an outward conformity, whether in sentiment or action, to the word of God. No, indeed; if you would really profit by it as you ought, you must be as sacrifices offered up to God upon his altar. The sacrifices, you know, were slain, and were so cut down as to expose to view their inward parts; and then were consumed on the altar, together with the meat-offerings and the drinkofferings that were presented on them. So must you, to whom I minister the Gospel of God, be offered up as an acceptable sacrifice to God; being sanctified by the Holy God." Judge, I pray you, whether this has ever been truly wrought in you: for if the word be not thus " a savour of life to your souls, it will be unto you a savour of death," unto your heavier and more aggravated condemnation'.] 66 2. What do we expect from it in the time to come? [The word, my brethren, is "the sword of the Spirit ";" and is raised, not to slay you, but to defeat and destroy your enemies. And it is a two-edged sword: every truth in it has a double aspect; speaking consolation to the obedient, as well as terror to the disobedient. By means of it, the Lord Jesus Christ carries on his work of grace in the souls of men; subduing all their enemies before them, and making them triumphant over all the powers of darkness. It was by the word that Christ himself repelled all the assaults of Satan in the wilderness; and by it he will "sanctify us throughout, in body, soul, and spirit." We must therefore make use of it for this end; as it is said, " Having these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." Regard not then our blessed Lord as an object of terror; but as " the Captain of the Lord's host," armed for your deliverance'. In the epistle before us, you will find a promise, as well as a threatening; and he will shew himself as mighty to fulfil the one, as to execute the other. Whilst, therefore, you fear him as an avenger, learn to confide in him as " able to save to the uttermost all who come unto God by him."] h Matt. iv. 4, 7, 10. i John xvii. 17. 1 Josh. v. 14. k 2 Cor. vii. 1. MMCCCCLXXXVIII. EPISTLE TO PERGAMOS. Rev. ii. 13-16. I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. IN this epistle we have a mixture of commendation and reproof; and, corresponding with each, a mixture of menace and encouragement. The promise, as before, we shall leave for a distinct and separate discourse. At present, the two points for our consideration are, I. The fidelity commended This was doubtless eminent and praiseworthy [Great were the snares with which the godly were encompassed in that city: on the one hand were licentious professors, who indulged in and vindicated the vilest excesses; and on the other hand were cruel persecutors, who were ready to drag to prison and to death all who should approve themselves faithful to their God. In truth, to such a degree did both these characters prevail, that Satan might well be said to have placed his throne there. Yet, in the midst of all these temptations, they would not either deny or dishonour their Divine Master. They had even seen Antipas, probably their pastor, sacrificed before their eyes; and knew not but that the same fate awaited them: yet would they not renounce their holy profession, or in any respect prove themselves dissemblers with God. This was a conduct highly pleasing to God; and the Lord Jesus Christ, who knew not their works only, but all the circumstances under which those works were performed, notes them in this epistle with special approbation.] The same fidelity God expects from us— [We, through mercy, live in less trying times, and are in no danger of suffering martyrdom for our adherence to Christ. But we have temptations enough to prove us, whether we will serve our God in sincerity and truth. If Satan's "throne" be not here, his habitation is: for, in truth, where is the place in which "he dwells" not? And to those who are exempt from greater evils, the smaller evils are great. If we be not in danger of imprisonment and death for the faith of Christ, there are lighter kinds of martyrdom to which we are exposed: hatred, and contempt, and persecution in a variety of ways, are the sure portion of those who will live godly in Christ Jesus: and these are not easy for flesh and blood to bear. But we must be willing to bear whatever cross may be laid upon us. We must even learn to " glory in tribulation," for the Lord's sake; and, like St. Paul, to account the most cruel death a matter of congratulation rather than condolence, if endured for righteousness' sake. Our "faithfulness must extend even unto death, if ever we would enjoy a crown of life."] But our admiration of this Church is sadly lowered by, II. The unfaithfulness reproved- However they might palliate their conduct, they deserved reproof— [There were amongst them those who held the doctrine of the Balaamites, and of the Nicolaitanes; both of whom a Rom. v. 3. Phil. ii. 17, 18. considered it lawful to conform to idolatrous practices, and to indulge themselves in licentious habits. The Balaamites, it should seem, were libertines; (for Balaam knew that his practices were evil, and would bring the wrath of God on those who followed them:) and the Nicolaitanes probably were Antinomians, who persuaded themselves that idolatrous concessions, and lewd indulgences, would consist with an adherence to the Gospel. But such persons should not have been tolerated: they should have been checked in their career: and, if they had persisted in their sentiments and habits, they should have been excommunicated. If such "leaven were not purged out," what could be expected, but that the whole Church would in time be penetrated with its malignant influence? They should have felt a zeal for the honour of their God: they should have exercised more holy love towards the different members of their Church, and have laboured to screen them from the temptations to which they were thus exposed. And of this supineness it became them to "repent." They well knew how Eli had been punished for not expelling his own sons from the priesthood; and they should have exercised the authority that was vested in them by Christ himself and, if they did not repent of this their wickedness, the Lord declared" he would come quickly, and fight against them with the sword of his mouth;" denouncing against them the judgments inflicted on the Israelites whom Balac had ensnared, of whom no less than twenty-four thousand fell in one day d.] Nor will it suffice for us to avoid sin ourselves, if we labour not also to prevent it in others [Persons will extol charity: but what has charity to do with the allowance of known and open sin? It is not charity to "call evil good, or good evil," or to account sin to be no sin. Men will commend toleration also: but what has toleration to do with sin? Persons are to be tolerated; but not sins; and especially such sins, and more especially in the Church of God. St. Paul, in reference to heresies, as well as to open lusts, gives us the most explicit direction: "An heretic, after the first and second admonition, reject; knowing that he that is such, is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself." Doubtless we must be careful not to brand for heresy that which is not manifestly declared to be so in the word of God: and we must "receive in the spirit of meekness a brother that has been overtaken with a fault," even as the incestuous b Numb. xxv. 1-3. and xxxi. 16. d Numb. xxv. 9. e Tit. iii. 10, 11. and 2 John, ver. 10. See also Rom. xvi. 17. c Matt. xviii. 17. 2 Thess. iii. 6, 14. f Gal. vi. 1. |