and the Netherlands; where thousands of congregations have since been established in unison with the different Protestant societies, which form the Church of Philadelphia.

Thou hast a little strength. The Protestants are but a small number, in comparison with the many Roman Catholic countries and kingdoms; but yet they have a power and they will retain it till the Lord comes.

Thou hast kept my word. This was the great theme of the Protestant Reformers against Popery and its corruptions. No traditions, no pretended infallibility of the, Pope, or the fathers; the word of Jesus was their only authority and rule of faith, of worship and practice. The Reformation of the Church rests on this foundation, this is her distinguishing character from Popery. The original is not xgarɛw, to keep, to hold, but τveiv, to guard, to preserve, and refers to the Protestant endeavours to defend the authority and dignity of the Word of God, against traditions and the inventions of men.

Hast not denied my name. The name of Christ signifies in this place, his person and religion. Never, before these last fifty years, was the Protestant Church in danger of denying the Lord Jesus, or his religion. The Romish Church, although corrupted, is still a Christian Church, in which souls may be trained up to eternal felicity. The Protestants had nothing to fear from Popery in that respect. But since Voltaire, Rosseau, and with them a host of French infidels began to write against religion—since the Kantian philosophy has become the fashion of to day since even eminent divines have begun to trace out a new system of what they call the higher exegesis, for the explanation of the Scriptures; since then a flood of infidelity has overflown all Europe. Even Germany, which by the blessed reformation had become the fountain of light and truth to other countries, and was since that time so eminently adorned with great and good men for near

three centuries, has lost much of her glory by those numerous Illuminati and other infidel societies established among all ranks of her inhabitants. These vain pretenders to philosophy have not yet discovered their delusion→→→ many of her respectable divines have still neither taste nor relish for divine truths-and the higher ranks consider it a condescension to read any thing serious, unless it comes recommended by all the charms of wit and elegance. However, there still are many thousand respectable and faithful divines in the Protestant Church, and in all her distinct fraternities, of which she consists; and among the middle classes of society, this temptation to infidelity will never produce any great effect. Whatever our anticipation may be from present appearances of apostacy in Europe or America; the Lord may thoroughly purge his floor; but the Protestant Church will remain firm and faithful in the confession of Jesus Christ, and his doctrines, till he comes.

Verse 9. I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, come and worship before thy feet. These words are not yet fulfilled. If they are to be understood in their natural meaning, as in the charge to the angel at Smyrna, pro perly of Jews; then the Protestant Church during the future persecution by the adherents of Popery, will have to expect a renewed scene of Jewish animosities, as of old; and at last a harvest with some of them. This sense is very probable. But if we are to take these words as being of figurative import, they may imply that some of the great champions of infidelity will lay down their weapons of unrighteousness against the Church, and make public confession of their false accusations and guilt. It has often been the case during the first century after the Reformation, that those who falsely called themselves members of the Church of Christ, and were only the sycophants of the Romish Jezebel, after many fallacious and perfidious accusations, made public acknowledgment of their guilty con

duct towards the Protestants, and became converts to their faith. And we may now expect the same thing of the champions of modern philosophy. Truth may be suppressed for a time, but her own internal lustre will always again discover her genuine beauty; and her enemies must at last feel the necessity of her company, and own her excellence.

Verse 10. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation. Toμový ought to be rendered, expectancy, or patient expectation, in a passive sense here, [See 2 Thess. iii. 5. 1 Thess. i. 3.] so as to refer to the advent of Christ, of which the Lord also speaks in the following verse. The meaning is: Because thou hast constantly professed the doctrine [róv óyov] concerning my coming again among you, to unite all my Churches, and to establish my kingdom of everlasting dominion, in which all powers on earth shall serve and obey me, Dan. vii. Some expositors however have taken the original as rendered by our common version, and understood the doctrine of his sufferings for the sins of the world, in which he has taught us, how to exercise patience in taking up our cross to follow him, Math. xvi. 24. To both these points of doctrine the Protestant Church has borne a constant testimony, though more explicitly and unanimously to the last-and we here see, her conduct in that respect meets the entire approbation of the Lord; for both these doctrines greatly tend to the glory of Christ, and the prosperity of his kingdom. Patience and constancy until the mystery of God be finished, is now more necessary to the followers of Christ, than ever.

In consideration of this proof of faithfulness, the Lord promises them a great reward. I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world. When are we to expect this great temptation, and in what will it consist? In my opinion this momentous trial

has already commenced, and will cortsist in the following particulars.

I. That general propensity and natural aptness in the present disposition of the Christian world towards infidelity, and the illustration of natural truths, without all reference to God or his word. This indeed is the spirit of our times, in which unbelief in Christ has increased to an alarming degree, and like the dragon in the Revelation, has drawn the third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth. The effects already produced are portentous. The public apostacy of a great and polished nation, glorying in the abominations of her own hands; the public avowal of Deism and even Atheism, by many in every Christian country, who dare to treat Christianity as a mere kind of fanaticism in open conversation, without a blush or check of conscience; the multiplicity of books, written in open or concealed defiance of the religion of Christ, and in language and style, adapted to all classes and ranks of society; these are the dire effects of the above mentioned propensity, and the sad prognostics of an hour of temptation, never yet experienced by the Church of Christ.

II. The present torrent of revolutionary politics, per vading all ranks of civil society, has greatly deranged the affairs of the political world; as infidelity, its fountain head, is certainly the first cause of all moral degeneracy and confusion. It has brought about a general neglect of family worship, and of vital religion, by which a due sense of our obligations towards God and the civil authority, is chiefly nourished; and introduced such an indifference to all religion, as even to sap the foundation of civil society, and make man attempt his rights and liberties in a state of nature. This is the true fountain of that greedy and insatiable desire after liberty and the rights of man, which even now divides America, scourges Europe, and is about to produce a fermentation in Asia and Africa, as far as çivilization extends. This is the true spirit of temptaș

tion to civil discontent, luxury, pride, envy and avarice--it is Satan transformed into an angel of light.

III. A new revival of Popery by the power of the second beast from the earth, Rev. xiii. 11-17. which will instigate a most sanguinary persecution against the Protestants, and against all those who refuse to worship the first beast, or his image. The chief points of this prophecy are not yet fulfilled, but their accomplishment is near at hand. Our eyes may behold those abominations, and our hearts will bleed for our brethren in Europe. Many will fall a sacrifice to Papal vengeance; and more will prove unfaithful to their Lord, and worship the beast.

IV. This hour of temptation will be completed by the ascension of the beast from the bottomless pit, and that train of unparalleled calamities and tyranny, which then ensues. Though the element already exists, in which this beast shall live, move, and have its being; the beast itself has not yet assumed the reins of government, and probably will not come into full view yet for a time.

Upon all the world. ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκουμένης sometimes sig nifies only the Roman empire. See Luke ii. 1. Acts xi. 28. But it appears to me, this temptation will be of far greater extent, because its circumference is immediately after repeated by the expression, "upon the earth,"

To try them that dwell upon the earth. This manner of expression generally denotes worldly minded and carnal men, who live as if this world was their only home. This temptation therefore will not only concern the children of God, it will befall the children of the world also, whether they be Jews, Turks, Pagans or Christians.

also will keep thee. During this intense and general trial of the civilized world, the Lord promises to preserve his gospel ministry in the Protestant Church. He as the true Eliakim, hath taken the key to the strong hold of David (2 Sam. v. 7.) on Mount Zion, from the Roman Sebna, Jer. xxii. 19-22. where he will afford them pro