occasion to testify against them in so severe a man- ner, our Lord declared himself to be *' the Amen, the faithful and true witness," and " the beginning" (that is, the efficient Cause, or the Ruler and Gover- nor*) " of the creation of God." By this character of himself he guarded against the possibility of their imputing his testimony to mis-representation, since he would testify of nothing which was not true ; or of ignorance, since he could not but know infallibly the work of his own hands, which he continually inspected and upheld.
In his epistle to them we notice,
I. The state of the Laodicean Church —
While there was nothing in them that was com- mendable, they were deserving of the severest reproof on account of,
1 . Their lukewarmness — [They did not openly deride religion as unworthy of their regard, nor did they embrace it with cordiality as the proper object of their affections ; but they contented them- selves with the mere form, while they were destitute of its power. They possessed just such a measure of goodness as the world approves. The world profess to reverence religion ; but they are very fearful lest we should be too much under its influence. They exceedingly dread, what they call, en- thusiam. They recommend us to guard against the fervent exercise of religious affections, as much, or even more, than against the indulgence of vice itself. If our hearts be warmed with the love of God, and inflamed with zeal for his honour ; if we express a delight in holy meditations and heavenly em- ployments ; they are ready to say of us, that " much religion hath made us mad." But how different was our Lord's judg- ment respecting this matter! The world tliink it better for us to be without any religion, than to be fully under its guid- ance: whereas he disregards and despises that religion, which does not call forth into activity all the powers of the soul. In some respects he " would rather that we were even cold" than lukewarm; for, in that state, we are less likely to deceive our- selves, less capable of deceiving others, and less injurious to the honour of his name. Moreover, he declares that such persons are odious and offensive to him in the highest degree ; that he cannot endure them; yea, that he will cast them off* with the utmost abhorrence. O that they who are such
advocates