The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 175

the conterliplation <if the.11ource 1it;the Church~!! comfort 1111(1 hoPQ tQ. the.soone of the Church's confli~t, tlie ~artp...<, IL;~in is 'depicted .the afflictions throµgh which the Church shouJci ,P,alls. : Well was it t}iat.~:~man~ ha<l b~n giv~ of fiµal triumph. Always from conditions of sorrow the Church could look back upon the great and com- •(i)riingipromises bf redemption and triumph.: The aecond, thitd, fourth;'imd fiifth,seaJ repfeaent,the .sad truth that, io tlie greaJ; history of redemption, great and grievous gorrows would befall the faithful. ltis a re-echo of the Lord's own words.' "They ehalt daliver )'ou:up'to couoola'; they ehalhoourge you," etc. Often has the little tloc1r: bad to look ''badlrrripmt these words when torn by grievous wol:vea. , Truly the kingdom. of heaven iii at .liimeatentered only through ".much tribulation." , ' , I,1,TB;B BUJfFER[NG OF' THE CHURCH ARISES FROM 'l'HE EXOl'l'El> ENMITY OP TBB ,WoaLl>,· 'l'BB: SPIRIT OP -WHlOB IS OONDEIDIED BY r,TJtB Woo, OJI' Goo i..!<lfJ>, TBB ~ o i f y l ! 'KELD BY TBI!l FAITBJl'UL. · . . · ._ 'r ,. · ,, . ,,U. 'lillnmnm1ING oiP THE CllUB<JH AT 'l'IlfEs REAOHES THE -UTlfOST rlw1rn' · ol' ~ - , '1','fhey 'ifverefllmn."·, Not only the earliest sufferers, but irumy al.s(f"'their ~m1nts.'and their brethren;'• The Chureh in·its conftfot;;with the Wotldlf Jjower l188II ita'<nni weapons oftruth and righteousness; but the 'Weapons in the hands oflhe enemies of the truth are carnal. It ie the long story of •bitter; painful; cruel, un~ly persecution. . III. Tmc l!UFFERlll'G OJI' THE Ciuracrr PROM Tlll!l EXotl'ED ENllITY 01!' THE WORLD KA.XES ITS GREAT APPEAL TO THE LORD. OF THE l'ATIENTLY ENDURING BELIEVERS. " How long, 0 Master ? " , .. , . , . IV,,BUT THE CHUROH's SUFFERING HAS ITS LIMIT DEFINITELY llARKED. Ii is " yet for a little time," It is not for ever; but until their fellow-servants and their bre~~p.~ :finished ~heir course. , , . . .. , . . . .· . V. 1 '~"g ~BIN& OJ' .TllB Ca;UROH :nl FINALLY REWARD~ IN., 'l'RE 8~I,BITUA1t :&J,EY_A.'fM!li ~.,D l'Ull,lll'YJNc;t ,OF TREK TllAT. ENDUBE. "(};'l)ere \\'!IS given ,t!J ~ 91,18 a whll'A! ,-obe. : .· . ,. . . , , · J, . ;, , ,: .· ,V,J.. T.aus no; C;inrac;a m, At;. A,GEI! Ill. EN9f?URAGED PATIENTLY, TO..,tmrD, x,, ~U1',B;,,A¥)> BOPB TH]!:, ORUEL PEi~EOO~ON ,-01" A WIOQI! WORLDLY PQ~__..J,t jl-, ,.. ·y:e.;;. 12~17.:--The ~jud~ o./'.the e:iemiea o/ t1ie <J4urcJ,. Tlle,t~~~~f tl!:e 11~ering comes to an end. Evil cannot for ever triu:rnph. 'J?he Lqro reserv.,. ~~ rewards for .~s faithful ones. Nor can the enemies of truth and i:igqt.8()nsn811f llSCl\pe., Suffering as the Ch,rch· was when St•. John' wrote tl?,,ese wond,rfuhvotds, &JJ. •urance th.at their wrong should not go. u1i3udged and unavenged \'fas nee!t(ul, to Cflr-~ ~-17.] Tfil+ 1,tEVELATION OF ST. JOHN -~HE DIVINE. 199