'four years of her life, her longing desires of deli'verance from the imperfections of mortality, to ' enjoy the presence of her Redeemer, in a state of perfect holiness, and uninterrupted blessedness. 'Her conversation, her thoughts, her affections, were in heaven; and I think she possessed as 'much of the spirit and temper of heaven as I ever 'witnessed in any Christian.—If it were not de'scending to something less important and inte"resting, I would add that, in her intercourse with 'all her friends, religious or otherwise, she was cheerful, full of vivacity, tender and affectionate, 'free from levity, careful never to wound the feelings of those who were present, or the reputation ' of those who were absent. Her unaffected politeness, connected with true benignity of heart, added a grace and a charm to all she said and 'did, which tended to render her the delight of all ' her friends.' And here I must close my very imperfect delineation of this excellent character, in which I do not think that those who knew her best will charge me with being her panegyrist; which I am fully conscious that I do not mean to be: and I doubt not that the day of judgment will exhibit her in far brighter colours. II. I shall now proceed to consider the words of the text, without any other method than the order in which they lie. Omitting all expository remarks on the context, I shall take it for granted that the latter part of the chapter gives a prophetical view of the felicity to which the martyrs, confessors, and Christians of the first three centuries, after the ten pagan persecutions, had, been admitted. This I fully believe is the meaning of it as a prophecy; and that it was intended to encourage those sufferers under their tribulations, and all other Christians to the end of time. The apostle in vision "beheld, and lo a great "multitude which no man could number, of all "nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, "stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, "clothed with white robes, and palms in their 66 hands; and cried with a loud voice, Salvation to our God, which sitteth upon the throne, and "unto the Lamb.-And all the angels stood round "about the throne, and about the elders and the "four living creatures, and fell before the throne 66 their faces, and worshipped God, saying, "Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, "be unto our God for ever and ever: Amen. And "one of the elders answered, saying unto me, "What are these which are arrayed in white robes? "and whence came they? And I said unto him, "Sir, thou knowest.-And he said to me, These are they which have come out of great tribulation." 66 66 Here we begin. They had been in “great tri"bulation;" but they "were come out of it." Many are the " afflictions of the righteous, but "the Lord delivereth him out of them all."1-As David, when near death, said, "The Lord who "hath redeemed my soul from all distress:" and Jacob, "The Angel who redeemed me from all "evil."2" Lead us not into temptation-but, "deliver us from evil. Amen." Our blessed Sa 'Psal. xxxiv. 19. 2 Gen xlviii. 14. 1 Kings i. 29. viour, when about to be taken from his disciples said to them," In the world ye shall have tribula"tion." And the apostle said, "We must through "much tribulation enter into the kingdom of "God;" and to the Thessalonians, "We told you, "that we must suffer tribulation." These declarations, indeed, seem to relate to the persecutions which the true disciples of Christ are generally called to endure, in one form or other, and by which vast numbers have terminated their honourable course: but they who have been the most exempted from these tribulations have yet had others; and those, not seldom, even more poignant and overwhelming. In one way or other," We "must through much tribulation enter into the "kingdom of God." When the Christian begins his course all these sufferings are future: but one trial and another is endured, and becomes past. In prospect they are alarming; and grievous to his feelings at the time they are endured: but he reviews them as past, with self-congratulation and thankfulness. Yet still others are future; and one trial must be expected after another, as long as he continues in this world but what will be his sensations, his exulting joy, and rapture of admiring love and gratitude, when the last trial is past! When come "out of great tribulation ;" when suffering is done with for ever! When it is said to him, "Thou hast "had thy evil things, but now thou art comfort"ed!"-" Your 'sorrow shall be turned into joy, " and your joy no man taketh from you.” 'John xvi. 33. Acts xiv. 23. 1 Thess. iii. 4. I shall not at present enlarge on the tribulations of life. Experience and observation, in ordinary cases, bring men sufficiently acquainted with them: but the sufferings attending death will require somewhat more notice, as bearing directly on our present subject. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death "of his saints." It is, in his view, an event of great importance; in which his glory, and the benefit of many, and the highest advantage of the saints themselves, are very greatly concerned. Jesus" the King of saints," their Saviour and their Lord," has the keys of death, and of the "unseen world."3 The time, the manner, and the circumstances of every kind are appointed in unerring wisdom, unfailing faithfulness, and unchanging love. "We know, that all things work together for good to them that love God, whom "he hath called according to his purpose;" and that "neither life nor death shall separate them "from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus "our Lord." Yet, with these general truths in full view, we cannot but be struck by considering how wonderfully varied, and often varied in divers kinds of the most exquisite sufferings, has been the closing scene of the most eminent believers, in every age. We need not enlarge on the sufferings of martyrs. After a life of tribulation, such as the apostle describes-" Even to this present hour "we both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and "are buffetted, and have no certain dwelling place; and labour working with our own hands: 66 1 Psal. cxvi. 15. 2 Rev. xv. 3. 3 Rev. i. 18. 66 66 I being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we "suffer it; being defamed, we intreat; we are "made as the filth of the earth, and are the off"scouring of all things to this day:" after a life of this kind, they have been "tortured not accepting deliverance: and others had trials of cruel "mockings and scourgings, yea moreover of bonds " and imprisonment; they were stoned, they were “sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the "sword; they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented: (of whom the world was not worthy :) they wan"dered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth."2 A short time after, the apostle might have added to his account those whom, according to Roman historians, Nero, having covered with bitumen, or some inflammable substance, lighted up as torches in the streets of Rome; those who, like their Lord and Saviour, expired on crosses; and, in short, those who, after a life of trials and sufferings borne in meekness and love, have died on the rack, or in the flames, or by some of the many refinements of torture, which the cruel ingenuity of men, prompted by the devil, has devised. These are the very company, especially, whom the apostle saw as having "come out of great tribulation." But have not others, numbers of others, ended their course with pain and anguish by no means inferior to those of martyrs? Have none of us known cases of disease, so wearying and painful, from cancers, from gout, from stone, that the life 1 2 Heb. xi. 35-38. |