my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
THOUGH the commendations bestowed on this Church are not so copious and energetic as tliose in ■which some others arc addressed, yet the members of it are distinguished above all the others, except the Church in Smyrna, in that nothing peculiarly reprehensible was found in them. Nor is suc'o a mediocrity of character at all uncommon. There are many, whose piety, though not the most exalted, is without that unhappy alloy, which, in a variety of ways, debases and degrades the profession of some eminent Christians.
The epistle sent to them suggests to us three important observations :
T. That the strength which the Lord's people have, is derived from him —
The Church at Philadelphia, though possessed of little strength, had grace to be faithful —
[They had but " litde strength" in comparison of what some Christians attain, and in comparison of what might have been expected to spring from the advantages they had enjoyed. But, such as it was, it enabled them to " keep Christ's word," and boldly to confess " his name," though in the midst of great temptation to " deny" it.
But such is the operation of true grace wherever it is found : it will make those in whom it is, to " keep the word of Christ" as the only rule of their faith and practice ; and resolutely to confess him before men, whatever means be used to intimidate or dismay them. And if any think that they have the grace of God, while they are not thus influenced by it, " they deceive themselves and the truth is not in them."]
But this strength they altogether received from Christ—
[Christ, in the introduction to his letter, describes himself by his personal and official character. He is not only true and holy in all his words and works, but he is exchisively ** the true and holy One;" which is a character that belongs to God alone. To him also, in his official capacity as INIe- diator between God and man, is delivered " the key of David," or the dominion over all the tribes of Israel". He, like Eliakim, his type, disposes of every event with sovereign and
uncon^
' Isai, xxii. 20 — 22. with Rev. i. 18.