of bitterness," and, by shewing us how much we have been forgiven, inclines us to exercise forgiveness. It teaches us to "turn the left cheek to him who has smitten us on the right:" and "in no wise to render evil for evil." It enjoins us rather to love our enemies; and, instead of retaliating their injuries, to relieve their wants.f Without this disposition we are but ill prepared to surmount the obstacles which our subtle adversary will place in our way. The scorn and contempt that we shall meet with, will dismay us. Our feelings will be wounded every step we take: and we shall soon be weary of welldoing. In order to judge of the consequences that will ensue, if we be destitute of this part of Christian armour, let us only look at the most eminent saints, when, through haste and inadvertence, they had neglected to fasten on their greaves aright: Moses, the meekest of mankind, was inflamed with wrath; and, by his angry, unadvised words, provoked God to exclude him from the earthly Canaan. Peter, when he beheld his Lord apprehended in the garden, began to fight after the manner of ungodly men; and brought on himself that just rebuke; "Put up thy sword; for all who take the sword shall perish with the sword." St. Paul himself too, on one occasion, was so irritated with the injustice of his judge, that he broke forth into passionate revilings against his ruler and governor, and was constrained to apologize for his conduct in the presence of his enemies. If then these holiest of men were thus sorely wounded through their occasional impatience, what advantage will not Satan gain over those, whose spirit is altogether lofty and unsubdued? Doubtless he will harrass them in their march, till they turn back, and recede from the field of battle. But let the gospel have its due effect; let it render us meek, patient, forbearing, and forgiving; let it transform us into the image of the meek and lowly Jesus, who when he was reviled, reviled not again; and when he d Matt. v. 39-41. f Ib. ver. 19, 20. & e Rom. xii. 17. suffered, threatened not, but committed himself to him who judgeth righteously, and the stumbling-blocks that offended us before, will appear unworthy of any serious regard. When our enemies persecute, us, we shali be ready to weep over them for the evil which they bring upon themselves, rather than be incensed against them for the evil they do to us." We shall use no other weapons against them than "faith and patience:" "being defamed, we shall intreat; being persecuted, we shall suffer it." Instead of being overcome of evil, we shall endeavour to overcome evil with good:" and by "letting patience have its perfect work, we shall be perfect and entire, lacking nothing." It may be objected perhaps, that, while we conduct ourselves in this way, we shall be trampled under foot of all, and be vanquished by all. But to this we answer, that, though we should be trampled under foot, we should not be vanquished: on the contrary, though "we be killed all the day long, and are as sheep appointed for the slaughter, yet in all these things shall we be more than conquerors." We may, like Stephen, be stoned to death: yet, if like him we can pray for our murderers, we have the noblest of all victories, that of overcoming a vindictive spirit: and, though we fall in the conflict, we maintain the field against all our enemies. Who, do we suppose, was victor, the Jews, who, at Satan's instigation, put our Lord to death; or Jesus, who expired a victim on the cross? We cannot doubt; for we are told in the scriptures, that, "through death, Jesus overcame death, and him that had the power of death, that is, the devil: yes; "on his very cross he spoiled principalities and powers, and made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it." Nor can we more effectually manifest our superiority to all the powers of darkness, than by "resisting unto blood in our strife against sin." Were we to become our own avengers, we should "give place to the devil;" but by suffering with our 11 Pet. ii. 21-23. 。 1 Cor. iv. 12, 13. Rom. viii. 36, 37. u Col. ii. 14, 15. m Luke xix. 41, 42. n Heb. vi. 12. q James i. 4. t Heb. ii. 14. y Eph. iv. 27. Lord, we become partners of his victory, and partakers of his glory." What remains now but earnestly to exhort you to get your feet shod with" this blessed gospel? Consider how many devices Satan has to wound your feet, and to cast you down. We have already noticed persecution, as a very principal engine used by him to obstruct your progress. But there are other means whereby he frequently effects his deadly purpose: many whom he could not stop by persecution, he has turned out of the way by error. Look into the epistles of St. Paul, and see how many he has "corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." He has his ministers, as well as Christ; and in outward appearance they are "ministers of righteousness;" nor are they themselves conscious that they are his agents. They propagate what they themselves believe, and oftentimes with a zeal worthy of a better cause. But they themselves are blinded by him; and then are used as his instruments to overthrow the faith of others. Which of the churches, planted in the apostolic age, was free from their influence? In which were there not "some who perverted the gospel of Christ," and some who, by their means, were "turned aside after Satan?" At Rome there were those who made it their business to "cause divisions; and by good words and fair speeches to deceive the hearts of the simple." At Corinth, the church was so distracted by them, that Christian love was almost banished; and nothing but "debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults," obtained amongst them, insomuch that the apostle threatened to exert his apostolic authority, and to inflict on them some signal judgments, if they did not reform their conduct before he visited them again. As for the Galatian church, such an ascendency had the false teachers gained over them, that there was scarcely one who retained his integrity: almost all of them had embraced, z Rev. xii. 10, 11. b 2 Cor. xi. 3. a 2 Tim. ii. 12. and Rom. viii. 17. e Ib. ver. 13-15. with Rev. iii. 9. such ministers with their hearers are "the synagogue of Satan, who is their teacher, their instigator, and their God. d Gal. i. 7. e 1 Tim. v. 15. f Rom. xvi. 17, 18. 1 Cor. i. 10. 11. & iii. 3, 4. and 2 Cor. xii. 20, 21. & xiii. 2, 10. what St. Paul calls, "another gospel;" and, so entirely had they transferred their regards from him to their new teachers, that notwithstanding "they would, not long before, have plucked out their own eyes, and have given them unto him," they now considered him in no other light than "an enemy." At Ephesus also there were some who, like "children, were tost to and fro with every wind of doctrine, while others, by slight and cunning craftiness, were lying in wait to deceive them." At Philippi too, there were "dogs and evil workers, of whom it was needful for them to beware." But time would fail us to enumerate the heresies that were propagated, and the apostasies that were occasioned by them, even in the purest ages of the church. The Epistles to Timothy and Titus are full of complaints respecting these deceivers, and of cautions to avoid all intercourse, either with them, or with their followers.' Now let any one say whether, after so many sad examples, he himself needs not to be well established in the true gospel, lest he be "led aside by the error of the wicked, and fall from his own stedfastness?'' But it will be asked; How shall I know the true gospel from those counterfeits which are proposed for my acceptance? To this we answer, The true gospel is a "gospel of peace." It is a gospel which sets forth Jesus as our hope, "our peace," and our all." It is a gospel which leads us to "shew all meekness," and, "as much as lieth in us, to live peaceably with all men." Particularly also will it prompt us to seek the welfare of the church, and to "follow the things which make for peace, h Gal. i. 6. and iv. 9-11, 15-17. and v. 7, 8. 11 Tim. i. 3, 4, 6, 7, 19, 20. and iv. 1, 6. and v. 12, 15. and vi. 3, 4, 5, (“ from such withdraw thyself,") 20, 21. and 2 Tim. i. 13, 14, 15. and ii. 16-18, 23. and iii. 5, (" from such turn away,”) 6, 7, 8, 9, 13. and iv. 3, 4, 14, 15. Tit. i. 9, 10, 11, 13, 14. and iii. 9, 10, 11. See also Rom. xvi. 17, 18. before cited; "avoid them," and 2 Pet. ii. 1, 2. and 1 John. ii. 19. and iv. 1. and 2 John 7, 10, 11. "Receive him not into your house, neither bid-him God speed," &c. and 3 John 10. and Jude 4. and Rev. ii. 14, 15, 20, 24. m Heb. xiii. 9. 2 Pet. iii. 17. 1 Tim. i. 1. Eph. ii. 14-17. Col. iii. 11. • Tit. iii. 2. and things wherewith one may edify another." Whoever therefore would turn us from Christ as the foundation of our hope; or would "cause divisions and offences in the church," in order to "scatter the flock of Christ, and to draw them" from their proper fold; we have reason to think him no other than a "wolf in sheep's clothing;" a minister of Satan in the garb of a "minister of righteousness:" and we should beware lest, by listening to such an one, our "unstable souls be beguiled," and we "fall so as never to be renewed unto repentance.' We must not only take heed how we hear, but what we hear: for if "whole houses were subverted" in the days of the apostles, and "all the Christians in Asia were turned away from" the ministry of St. Paul,' there is no minister whom we may not be induced to forsake, nor is there any one so established in the truth but he has need to pray that he may be kept from error. Surely we need no stronger arguments to enforce the exhortation of the text. Let us get the knowledge of the gospel: let us receive it, not as a theory merely, but as a practical and living principle, that shall influence our hearts and lives. And when we have received it, let us be tenacious of it; let us "hold fast the form of sound doctrine that we have received." Let us make use of it to keep us firm in the midst of difficulties, and stedfast in the midst of errors. Let us "be ever on our guard, lest any root of bitterness springing up, trouble us, and thereby many be defiled. Finally, let us "stand fast in the Lord: so we shall, like our Lord himself, "endure the cross, and despise the shame, and sit down as victors on the right hand of the throne of God." a Rom. xiv. 19. t 2 Pet ii. 14. y Titus i. 11. Acts xx. 29, 30. u Heb. vi. 6. 2 Tim. i. 15. Matt. vii. 15. * Luke viii. 18. with b Heb. xii. 15. VOL. V A |