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received gifts for men, and he now lives to make intercession for us. He was dead, and by dying purchased redemption for a world of sinners. He is alive, and by his life applies this redemption to them that believe.

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"If when we were enemies," says the Apostle Paul, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life." These two great particulars in the Christian dispensation it is our privilege and our happiness ever to commemorate; for we celebrate by appropriate and touching ceremonies his death, at every period when we gather round his table to partake of the memorials of his dying love, agreeably to the direction which he hath left us,"this do in remembrance of me.'

His life we celebrate on every return of this hallowed day, which is consecrated to the service of the Lord in the sacred duties of public devotion; for this very day on which we have been permitted to assemble in the house of God, is called, by way of emphasis, the day of the Lord, because on this first day of the week he arose from the dead. Both these circumstances, my friends, are this day commemorated we have rejoiced in the occurrence of the day of God, and have sung

Welcome sweet day of rest,

That saw the Lord arise.

And many of us have recently sought to draw near to God in that sacred feast which tells us of his dying pains, and his dying love. Well then may we remark that it is "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever," who speaks in this epistle of

himself, and says "These things saith the first and the last, which was dead and is alive."

It is a remark very commonly made, that the description given of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, in these several epistles to the Churches of Asia, has a special reference to the address which follows.

What I mean by this is, that there is a most remarkable fitness between the introductory description of the speaker and the situation and circumstances of the Church to which he addresses himself. The introductory description of Christ which is given in the epistle to Ephesus, would not have suited the condition of the Church at Smyrna; because the Church at Smyrna was in a persecuted yet pure condition, while that of Ephesus was in outward prosperity, yet inwardly declining. The one needed every thing which was alarming, the other every thing which was encouraging; and thus while to the Church at Ephesus Christ speaks of himself as "holding the seven stars in his right hand, and walking in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks," ready to notice every departure and every symptom of decline; to the Church at Smyrna he says, "I am the first and the last, which was dead and is alive again."

Thus, as no fault is charged upon the Church of Smyrna, the description of our Saviour as introductory is evidently intended to cheer and support the members under the trials and difficulties they were called upon to encounter; and what could possibly be more encouraging than a recurrence to those grand fundamental principles of our faith, the divinity, the death and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour.

It is here that the afflicted servant of the Lord may hold and not be afraid in the severest afflictions which by the providence of God may fall upon him; under the most tremendous persecutions which may seek to crush him to the earth, he may be supported and comforted, and in the midst of every thing distressing or appalling, he may rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, that the Master whom he serves is omnipotent and divine, is the "first and the last, who was dead and is alive," and ever lives to make the righteousness of his servants as clear as the light, and his just dealing as the noon day.

After this consoling introduction, we have in the text,

II. The difficulties with which the Church of Smyrna was called upon to contend. "I know thy works and thy tribulation and poverty, and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but the synagogue of Satan."

"I know thy works.' As this Church is commended in an unqualified manner, the works spoken of must of course have been those good works which are the fruits of faith, originating from the love of God shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost, producing a holy conformity to God. No works are good, no works are declared pleasing and acceptable to God through Christ, but those which originate from the pure and holy motive of love to God, and a desire to fulfil his word.

I am glad, my friends, that the commendation of the Spirit of the Church of Smyrna, gives me the opportunity of rectifying some errors which are unfortunately most prevalent; and of stating some

truths which are embodied in the articles of the Church to which we belong. There is many an individual who, though he has never felt himself a sinner, and never fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before him in the Gospel, yet builds a fanciful edifice of hope on the moral conduct which he may pursue; and thus looks for justification before God, on the score of his own imperfect deservings. Christ knows his works, but they are not the works which will render him acceptable in the sight of God; and the brightest moral conduct which can possibly be presumed, is not that which bears in the estimation of that God who searcheth the heartthe character of good. Christ is the only Saviour of sinful men; and his righteousness is that on which alone any child of man can stand accepted before God. The true way of salvation is this-go to Christ as a sinner, and seek salvation altogether through his atoning sacrifice, and his obedience unto death. This constitutes that faith, without which there is not in the whole compass of the revealed will of God one solitary promise of salvation. And all the good works which an individual may perform while he is a practical unbeliever in the Lord Jesus Christ, are only good in his own eyes, for they do not spring from that motive which is placed before us in the Scriptures. I declare to you nothing but a Gospel truth, and I declare to you nothing but what the articles of the Church distinctly avow, when I tell you, that even what are called the good deeds of an unbelieving and an unconverted man, are in the sight of God sinful in their character, and unacceptable by him; for Scripture saith, that even the ploughing of the wicked is sin, and the

article says, "Works done before the grace of Christ and the inspiration of his Spirit, are not pleasant to God, forasmuch as they spring not of faith in Jesus Christ, neither do they make men meet to receive grace, or (as the School-Authors say) deserve grace of congruity: yea, rather, for that they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done, we doubt not but they have the nature of sin."*

Seek then, as sinners, the pardon of your sins, through the blood of the atonement. Faith is the hand by which you are to lay hold on Christ; and no good works, in the estimation of God, will you ever perform, till faith rules in your souls, for it is faith, which, while it purifies the heart and overcomes the world, also works by love. And even then, your works can bear no better commendation than that they are the evidences of a true and living faith. When once, like those of the Church of Smyrna, you can know that you are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, then will you be careful to maintain good works; then will Christ be honoured: your faith will honour him as your Saviour; your works will honour him as your Master. But these two must be kept in their proper place, or you will rob Christ of his glory, and yourselves of your salvation. In building an edifice, it would be unparalleled folly to think to build the superstructure first, and then lay the foundation. Christ must be laid as the foundation, and then may you raise the goodly superstructure.

The Church of Smyrna, it would appear, had

* Article 13.

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