uncontrolled authority. He opens or shuts the doors of heaven and of hell. He opens also " a door of utterance " for his Gospel, and a door of entrance into the hearts of men, according to his own will**. And he it was that " had set before those at Philadelphia an open door, so that none, whether men or devils, could shut it." It was tlirough him that they had embraced the truth, and held it fast : and, though great eflbrts had been used to wrest it from them, they were enabled by him still to maintain an open and con- sistent profession of his Gospel.
To him also we, both in our individual and collective capa- city, are indebted for the ordinances we enjoy, and for the use we are enabled to make of them. We have not wanted many who have striven to deprive us of our privileges, and to draw us back unto perdition : but we may " set up our Ebenezer this day, and say. Hitherto hath the Lord helped us."]
The promises moreover that were made to those of little strength, shew,
II. That, though it be small, yet, through him, it shall finally prevail —
Various are the enemies with whom the Church has to contend —
[Some are within the Church itself, " pretending that they are Christians," but manifesting, both by their sentiments and conduct, that " they are of the synagogue of Satan." It has been said, quaintly indeed, but with great truth, that wherever God has a church, the Devil has a chapel ^ : for wherever the truth is preached, there come in persons, who never would have troubled the ungodly about religion, but will use great diligence and ingenuity to turn the godly from the simplicity that ia^ Christ : and so specious are they fre- quently in their ap^arance and conduct, that they beguile many unwary souls, jind turn many unstable persons from the faith.
Other enemies of the Church are open persecutors, who strain every nerve, by ridicule and threats, perhaps too by cruel oppression, to overcome the zeal and stedfastness of God's people. The persecutions that were in the first ages, and especially that under Trajan, which seems to be here re- ferred to, were exceeding bloody. We indeed are, through
the
'* 1 Cor. xvi. 9. & Col. iv. 3. with Acts xvi. 14.
'' If the Reader bear in mind, that, in the text, Satan is said to have " a Synagogue," he will not judge the observation 50 light as it at first sight appears.