into Hell, where the fire of a tormenting conscience at least is never quenched, but that the Wicked, however troubled themselves, will then cease from troubling, and leave the weary but confiding Christians to their Everlasting Rest. And to that Period, as the Consummation of all things, the Apostle Prophetically points, when contemplating the Sovereignty and Universal Supremacy of The SON of GOD, Coming in All The Majesty and Power of HEAVEN, to Judge both Quick and Dead; and when the Destiny of every Human Soul will be finally Fixed, and the Faithful will be Called to the Joy of their LORD; but the Reprobate and Unbelieving will be Sentenced to an endless separation from the Hallowing Presence of CHRIST, in the Fulness of His DIVINE Glory; and the Door of Salvation will for ever be Closed against them. How unspeakable, how utterly inconceivable by the heart of even the most Spiritualized, is that State of Heavenly Holiness and Happiness, which will then Await the Redeemed in CHRIST JEŠUS! And on the other hand, how equally surpassing every effort of the Human imagination, is that Consignment to interminable woe, which will be experienced by the Unreclaimed and the Rejected from the Bosom of DIVINE Love and the Bowels of DIVINE Mercy!- -Oh may we believe from the heart, in this our Day of Visitation by DIVINE Love and Mercy, that we may be Glorified by our SAVIOUR's Classing us with His Saints in the Great Day of His Final Judgment upon us! That the view of His Power, amidst His Surpassing Glory, may rejoice our Spiritualized eyes in all Eternity!In the Revelation made to St. John, on the Prophetic view afforded him of The LAMB's Opening the Fifth Seal, the Apostle's narrative is, that he saw under the Altar the Souls of them, that were slain for the Word of GOD, and for the testimony which they held: and they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O LORD, Holy and True, dost Thou not Judge and Avenge our blood on them, that dwell on the Earth? And white robes were given unto every One of them; and it was Said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their Fellow-Servants also and their Brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled-Rev. vi. 9 to 11. In The LORD's Own Time will the career of Wickedness be Stayed, and the triumph of His Saints, through the Valour and Wisdom of The Great CAPTAIN of Salvation, be complete; for then Blessed will be the Dead, yea unspeakably Blessed, who die in The LORD, having lived in His Service, and proved faithful unto the end-Rev. xiv. 13; 1st Thess. iv. 14. But how awfully different will be the Lot of those Outcasts from The DIVINE Favour, who have done despite to The SPIRIT of Grace and spurned the admonitions of conscience, and lent themselves to work evil continually, and to make even a mock of sin; as will be fatally and irretrievably experienced by them, when The LORD Cometh with ten Thousands of His Saints to Execute Judgment upon All, and to Convince All, that are ungodly, of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodlily committed-Jude 14, 15. Let us therefore use the utmost caution over ourselves; and to that end cherish and exercise a prayerful Spirit, lest, having received the knowledge of the Truth, as It is in JESUS, we afterwards wilfully sin; and there then remaineth no more Efficacy of CHRIST's Sacrifice on our behalf, but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and Fiery Indignation, which will devour every persevering Adversary of His CauseHeb. x. 26, 27. On that Awful Day of Retributive Justice, as St. Peter saith, The Heavens and the Earth, which are now, by the Word of The ALMIGHTY are Kept in Store, Reserved unto Fire, against the Day of Judgment and Perdition of ungodly Men, and Women too-2 Pet. iii. 7. In the Grandeur of Oracular Utterance Moses represents JEHOVAH Thus to Speak forth His Impending Chastisement over the impenitently Guilty-If I Whet My Glittering Sword and Mine Hand Take Hold on Judgment, I will Render Vengeance to Mine Ene

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DIVINE Clemency to bring us nearer to GOD, and to a fitness for an Inheritance amidst the Saints of Light and Unfading Glory, and Unfailing Happiness in The Kingdom of Heaven. And why does not perseverance in doing the Will of GOD, and in bearing His Dispensations with thankfulness, be they what they may, enter heartily into our principles and rules of conduct, when we are Assured that by faith, so working by love, we may be Counted worthy of The Kingdom of Everlasting Righteousness and Purity and Holiness?The Apostle exultingly, as well as gratefully, dwells upon every manifestation of Zeal in the Cause of his Adored Master, and the exercises of Christian Charity; for to the Corinthians he writes, As touching the ministering to the Saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you; for I know the forwardness of your mind; for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago, and your zeal hath provoked very many-2 Cor. ix. 1, 2; thus shewing how the vital influence of the Religion of JESUS beautifully and sympathetically expands itself See also 1 Thess. ii. 19, 20.On the subject of patient endurance of suffering and affliction, the Apostle James refers to the example of the Prophets, saying, Take, my Brethren, the Prophets,who have spoken in the Name of The LORD, for an example of suffering affliction and of patience; adding, what seems to have been a favourite view with him of the Church Militant on Earth, Behold, we count them happy, which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the End of The LORD, that The LORD is very Pitiful, and of Tender Mercy-James v. 10, 11.-That trials of faith are Proofs of DIVINE Regard, since GOD Suffereth us not to be tempted above that we are able but with the temptation, always Provideth a means of escape, St. Paul elsewhere insists, as in his Letter to the Philippians he says, Stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of The Gospel in nothing terrified by your Adversaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition; but to you of Salvation, and that of GOD: for unto you it is Given, in the behalf of CHRIST, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His Sake-Phil. i. 27 to 29; 1 Thess. ii. 14. The Hebrew Converts had to endure a great fight of afflictions, partly, whilst they were made a gazing-stock, both by reproaches and afflictions, and partly, whilst they became Companions of those, that were so used-Heb. x. 32, 33. For to witness the sufferings of Others endeared to us as Brethren, and embarked with us in the same holy Cause, is scarcely a less trial to our own feelings, than if Ourselves were the objects of such Persecution.

VERSES 6 to 10.-Seeing it is a Righteous Thing with GOD to Recompense tribulation to them, that trouble you; and to you, who are troubled, rest, with us; when The LORD JESUS shall be Revealed from Heaven with His mighty Angels, in Flaming Fire, Taking Vengeance on them, that know not GOD, and that obey not The Gospel of our LORD JESUS CHRIST; who shall be Punished with everlasting destruction from the Presence of The LORD, and from the Glory of His Power, when He shall Come to be Glorified in His Saints; and to be Admired in all them, that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. The LORD, Who is A GOD of Knowledge and The JUDGE of all the World, is A Righteous JUDGE, and will by no means Spare the Guilty; Such therefore as give themselves to the heinous evil of persecuting the Children of GOD, and take delight to seek to overturn their faith by the severity or subtilty of trials or temptations inflicted upon them, or studiously placed within their way, and exult in every downfall or desertion from the Ranks of the Church Militant upon Earth, will in their turn be assuredly Overtaken by the Just Chastisement of A GOD of Justice, Whose Arm is Omnipotent to Punish, as It is Almighty to Save and Munificent to Reward. To the truly Faithful in CHRIST JESUS, the Encouragement thus Held out is, not that the Wicked will be turned

into Hell, where the fire of a tormenting conscience at least is never quenched, but that the Wicked, however troubled themselves, will then cease from troubling, and leave the weary but confiding Christians to their Everlasting Rest. And to that Period, as the Consummation of all things, the Apostle Prophetically points, when contemplating the Sovereignty and Universal Supremacy of The SON of GOD, Coming in All The Majesty and Power of HEAVEN, to Judge both Quick and Dead; and when the Destiny of every Human Soul will be finally Fixed, and the Faithful will be Called to the Joy of their LORD; but the Reprobate and Unbelieving will be Sentenced to an endless separation from the Hallowing Presence of CHRIST, in the Fulness of His DIVINE Glory; and the Door of Salvation will for ever be Closed against them. How unspeakable, how utterly inconceivable by the heart of even the most Spiritualized, is that State of Heavenly Holiness and Happiness, which will then Await the Redeemed in CHRIST JEŠUS! And on the other hand, how equally surpassing every effort of the Human imagination, is that Consignment to interminable woe, which will be experienced by the Unreclaimed and the Rejected from the Bosom of DIVINE Love and the Bowels of DIVINE Mercy!- -Oh may we believe from the heart, in this our Day of Visitation by DIVINE Love and Mercy, that we may be Glorified by our SAVIOUR's Classing us with His Saints in the Great Day of His Final Judgment upon us! That the view of His Power, amidst His Surpassing Glory, may rejoice our Spiritualized eyes in all Eternity!In the Revelation made to St. John, on the Prophetic view afforded him of The LAMB's Opening the Fifth Seal, the Apostle's narrative is, that he saw under the Altar the Souls of them, that were slain for the Word of GOD, and for the testimony which they held: and they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O LORD, Holy and True, dost Thou not Judge and Avenge our blood on them, that dwell on the Earth? And white robes were given unto every One of them; and it was Said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their Fellow-Servants also and their Brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled-Rev. vi. 9 to 11. In The LORD's Own Time will the career of Wickedness be Stayed, and the triumph of His Saints, through the Valour and Wisdom of The Great CAPTAIN of Salvation, be complete; for then Blessed will be the Dead, yea unspeakably Blessed, who die in The LORD, having lived in His Service, and proved faithful unto the end-Rev. xiv. 13; 1st Thess. iv. 14. But how awfully different will be the Lot of those Outcasts from The DIVINE Favour, who have done despite to The SPIRIT of Grace and spurned the admonitions of conscience, and lent themselves to work evil continually, and to make even a mock of sin; as will be fatally and irretrievably experienced by them, when The LORD Cometh with ten Thousands of His Saints to Execute Judgment upon All, and to Convince All, that are ungodly, of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodlily committed-Jude 14, 15. Let us therefore use the utmost caution over ourselves; and to that end cherish and exercise a prayerful Spirit, lest, having received the knowledge of the Truth, as It is in JESUS, we afterwards wilfully sin; and there then remaineth no more Efficacy of CHRIST's Sacrifice on our behalf, but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and Fiery Indignation, which will devour every persevering Adversary of His CauseHeb. x. 26, 27. On that Awful Day of Retributive Justice, as St. Peter saith, The Heavens and the Earth, which are now, by the Word of The ALMIGHTY are Kept in Store, Reserved unto Fire, against the Day of Judgment and Perdition of ungodly Men, and Women too-2 Pet. iii. 7. In the Grandeur of Oracular Utterance Moses represents JEHOVAH Thus to Speak forth His Impending Chastisement over the impenitently Guilty-If I Whet My Glittering Sword and Mine Hand Take Hold on Judgment, I will Render Vengeance to Mine Ene

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mies, and will Reward them, that hate Me: I will Make Mine Arrows drunk with blood, and My Sword shall Devour Flesh--Deut. xxxii. 41, 42; see also Rom. ii. 6 to 11. That The SON of GOD, Who is now both Willing and Able to Save All, that come unto Him in penitence and faith, will then be The Inexorable JUDGE of All, who have denied Him, and would not have either Him or His Precepts to Rule over and Guide them, is a vital Point of Christian Doctrine; for He Himself hath Declared, that When The SON of Man shall Come in His Glory, and All the Holy Angels with Him, then shall He Sit upon the Throne of His Glory; and before Him shall be gathered all Nations, and He shall Separate them One from Another, as a Shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats; and He shall Set the Sheep on His Right-Hand, but the Goats on the Left: then shall The KING Say unto them on His Right-Hand, Come, ye Blessed of My FATHER, inherit the Kingdom Prepared for you from the foundation of the World! Then shall He Say also unto them on the Left-Hand, Depart from Me ye Cursed, into Everlasting Fire, Prepared for the Devil and his Angels! And These shall go away into Everlasting Punishment: but the Righteous into Life Eternal-Matt. xxv. 31 to 34, 41, 46.

VERSES 11, 12.-Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our GOD would Count you worthy of This Calling, and Fulfil all the Good Pleasure of His Goodness, and the work of faith with power; that the Name of our LORD JESUS CHRIST may be glorified in you, and ye in Him, according to the Grace of our GOD and The LORD JESUS CHRIST.

And reflecting on the probability of such trials of patience and perseverance from persecution, the Apostle, in the confidence that The ALMIGHTY can Overrule all for the best and the Eternal Interest of those exposed to them for the love of CHRIST, assures his beloved Correspondents, that he is unceasing in supplications for them at the Throne of Grace, in the warm-hearted and truly charitable hope, that The DIVINE Estimate of their sincerity would Influence GOD to Account them becoming Instruments of His Goodness; and Enable them to exemplify the effectual operation of that faith, which they professed in CHRIST JESUS, and which, when rightly Planted and cherished in the heart, cannot but shew forth its adoration of Him Who Gave Himself for us, and seek every opportunity of acting up to The DIVINE Will, and following both the Precepts and Example of That Pattern of all Excellence, The Incarnate SON of The MOST HIGH. Here is an evidence that St. Paul never meant to separate faith and works; and true faith cannot but put forth the manifestation of its power over the heart, by doing and delighting to do, what it may be Employed or Permitted to do, in the Service and for the Honour of JEHOVAH; thus proving its gratitude by the fruits which a lively faith produceth. And Oh! that the Glory of GOD may be advanced by an increasing Spirit of devotedness to The DIVINE Will both within and around us; for so may the Comforting Assurance be possessed, that The LORD, Who Knoweth them, that are His, may have Deemed us worthy of being amongst Such, as having been Called on Earth to His Goodly Work, shall be Called to the Glory of His Rest in The Kingdom of His SON having by the Imputed Righteousness of That SON, and by the Imparted Grace of The HOLY SPIRIT, been Made meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light-Coloss. i. 12; and who may be Deemed worthy to walk with The SAVIOUR in the pure garments of white-Rev. iii. 4. And may we pray, and pray with earnestness, that both we, and All that are bound to us in the bond of Christian fellowship, may be Kept by the Power of GOD through faith unto Salvation, that the trial of our faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though that trial be even by fire, may be Found unto praise and honour and glory at the Appearing of JESUS CHRIST1 Pet. i. 5, 7.

CHAPTER II.

VERSES 1 to 5.-Now we beseech you, Brethren, by the Coming of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, and by our gathering together unto Him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by Spirit, nor by word, nor by letter, as from us, as that the Day of CHRIST is at hand; let no Man deceive you by any means: for that Day shall not come except there come a falling away first; and that Man of sin be revealed, the Son of Perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called GOD, or that is worshipped; so that he, as GOD, sitteth in the Temple of GOD, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that when I was yet with you, I told you these Things?

The Apostle had doubtless heard from his Correspondents of their apprehension of an early Second Advent of CHRIST, and that It had awakened fear in these yet recent Converts to the faith, whose principles were hardly sufficiently fixed to be proof against the restless spirit of innovation and arrogance, which but too generally manifests itself amongst some self-sufficient and supercilious Members of every Community. He hastens therefore to suppress the first risings of such degeneracy from the true faith, and its weakening effects; and with the Spirit of the Prophet of The MOST HIGH he declares to them, that Events of a very peculiar character shall be manifested before that Awful Day of Final Visitation of the Earth by The SON of GOD; namely, that not only shall there be a signal falling off amongst the professed Disciples and Followers of CHRIST by an abandonment and even resistance of the faith, which once they were forward to acknowledge; but a prevalence of such extended infidelity and iniquity, as could only arise from the temporary influence and controul over the hearts of Mankind by the Arch-Enemy of Souls, the Infernal Spirit, who is ever plotting against the Establishment of CHRIST's Kingdom upon Earth. The gathering together unto JESUS reminds the Scriptural Reader of that beautiful and pathetic Remonstrance of JESUS, accompanied as it was by a depth of Sensitiveness, when Contemplating the Foreboded Doom of His Patriot Metropolis, even to the Shedding of Tears-O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the Prophets, and stonest them that are Sent unto you, how often would I have Gathered you, as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not !!-Matt. xxiii. 37. The Same Merciful Devotedness and Gracious Offerings still Made to All, who will, in spirit and in truth, by penitence and prayer, become Members of His Communion, by gathering themselves in heart-prompted dependance on the Efficacy of The Great REDEEMER's Sacrifice unto that Fellowship, with which He Makes His People Free from the power of Satan, and the fear of the second death. It is by this entire confidence in the Revelation of DIVINE Mercy and Love, through the Preciousness of The SON of GOD's Purchase of them for the Penitent and Believing, that fortifies the mind against every Satanic effort to shake its constancy, and elevates the Soul above the subduing grasp of trouble or temptation; emboldening the whole Man to look forward with rejoicing, rather than with apprehension, at the Assured Arrival of a Season, when the Fulness of DIVINE Power will be Manifested, and the Eternal Destiny of every Immortal Soul will be Decreed by That JUDGE, Who cannot err, and Whose Sentence will be without Rehearing or appeal. And though in this prophetic mirror of the Apostle we see but dimly both the Nature and Period of Such A Ministration of DIVINE Justice, yet to each of us the day of death will open all its awfulness and all its consciousness of responsibility. As St. Paul, in the forwardness of his zeal laid open this Prophetic view to his Correspondents, so are we Blest with the same forewarning communication, through the same Heavenly-Appointed Instrumentality.Our SAVIOUR had Himself Forewarned His Disciples of His Eventual Second Advent, at the same time Guarding them against the intrusion of Imposters, and