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mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel. Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself; that frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish: that confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof: that saith to the deep, Be dry; and I will dry up thy rivers: that saith to Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure; even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid." (Isa. xliv. 2128.) "Wherefore, come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." (2 Cor. vi. 17, 18.)

Ver. 24-29. "But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, (the mystery of iniquity,) as they speak, I will put upon you none other burden: but that which ye have already hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken; even as I received of my Father. And I will give him the morning star."

This passage of the epistle has no doubt a general application to all churches, and to all believers of whatever denomination, who have not known, that is, have not wilfully practised this pernicious principle of exercising spiritual authority in God's house, over God's heritage, knowing it to be contrary to God's will, or doing it for selfish purposes. To those who knew not, but have done wrong, there is no condemnation if they are in Christ. Let them now repent, and no longer do what is offensive to their Redeemer and injurious to His church. But it has a very special reference to that section of the church, out of which the Lord's servant is to arise. It is that section nearest to perfection; but envy them not, ye brethren in the Lord; what at first sight ye might esteem their honour, is the very reverse: God is a wise, and a good, and a benevolent being; He knows our nature full well, for it is eternally united with His own; He who gave Paul a thorn in his flesh, lest he should be exalted above measure with the abundance of the revelations given unto him, has taken care that His servant in these days shall learn humility and obedience, by the things he suffers, for he shall be made perfect through suffering. He must have been humbled and deeply abased, and sorely afflicted, and above all measure tried, before the earthen vessel could be made meet to contain so rich a treasure-" his visage was so marred, more than any man." (Isa. lii. 14.) One of the peculiar trials to which he was to be subjected, was the being cast out by his brethren. "Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed." (Isa. lxvi. 5.) God be

thanked it is past; it is finished! No doubt, at the time there was little love manifested by these brethren, or they could not have treated him or any other in that manner. No doubt, when they know who it was they thus dealt hardly by, acting upon that pernicious principle of making a man an offender for a word in which they, after all, could find no just ground of offence, they will-it is matter of deep and sincere regret for their sakes-they cannot but be ashamed. Still they are brethren, and brethren in that Lord who is love, and kindness, and gentleness; and if it be asked, Why was this permitted? Need it be answered, Not for the purpose of showing the wickedness of the brethren, for they did it probably from a pure motive at the outset, and they are men of unquestionable piety and godliness. Not merely for the purpose of humbling, and trying, and chastening the Lord's servant-that might have been done, were it alone the design, in a much less public, and less painful, though not less effective manner, in other ways. Not merely to prevent boasting on the part of those who, by his appearing among them, points them out as the section of the church nearest perfection. But chiefly and primarily, that the fact that christian brethren, undoubted saints, members of a communion the most like the mind of Christ upon earth, acting upon that unscriptural principle, which teaches rulers in God's house to exercise any kind of lordship over God's heritage, even in the matter of church discipline, that such parties, so situated, should have had put into their power (God taking care to make sure of the innocence of His servant) the Lord's servant, raised up in these last days, of whom it is said, "He will receive the morning star," and should have cast him

out, excluded him from the privileges of being a member of his Master's body-does not this fact speak with a trumpet tongue, and declare to all the churches the unscriptural nature of a principle, of which, members of a church of whom Christ testifies they are near his mind and the Lord's servant, have been made the victims? It is an unanswerable argument. It is the testimony of heaven, revealed against all spiritual authority, or mere power of whatsoever kind; and, certainly, they will be uncommon men who will, from henceforth, seek to maintain within the church of Christ the very appearance of a power, so utterly destructive of them who exercise it, and those against whom its exercise is wielded. One is your Master, even Christ, ye are all brethren. Live and love as brethren. Let not those who were instruments in this matter be grieved; it is all past! it has done much good, and it is destined to be the occasion of doing much more good. It would be ungenerous and unkind to talk to you of being forgiven. Your Father loveth you as He loveth him. Ye also love your Father, because He first loved you. Rather, let all rejoice and give praise and thanks to God because of His manifold wisdom and tender mercies. It was no doubt an evil, but God meant it for good, as is now to be manifested unto all men; and if there be any difference in the mind of him, who was the sufferer, towards you, as compared with other brethren, it will most assuredly be that of stronger regard; for your love, being then lost for a season, and again restored, is of itself matter of unspeakable joy. Do not be at all grieved because of what is past; the Lord was with you and him, and He has frustrated the design of the great enemy; what he meant to be mischievous and destructive, God has overruled for great and unending

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good. Let brotherly love continue, and let all the churches know that the Lord is among them, and that He searches the reins and the hearts, and will give unto every one of you, according to your works. "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."

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