~ouJA notJ.µ,-r1:r;v. u,s. Bu,t that sublime and tra.µscendent greatnees which would ~eh wfil.wi~~ded ~y power alo~e, becomes, in. the sway of his tender love, a refuge .and paviliqn m w.h:1ch we .081?, h1d111 What can we not, entr,ust to such a Redeemer? We can.r.un no,nsk wh~n we are Jn his keeping•. We know whom we have beli,ev!!(l; ~d WE! are pemiiaded that ~e is able to keep~\ .whiah we have ooinnutted to.hi.m . ~ t that day.' V!lf. 18.7''.n.11 ~len,t- of·~. Sa,,nQUrs media.lo/ial dominion.• .Aa vye puN.iJ~ our. studi!ls of ~he mv~e m~es w t48 seven Churches,. we sha]J, ·qn<\ . $at. qur .4>rd ~re~ himsel~ in some ,one d,i~tinctive &llpect of ~ ~~t.E!r and ~ork to, • Chur~h, 1,11, aC(l(;'~ce with. the main b~en -0f 1he letter whiph 1s to follow., But ere t~e letters.toJhe separa~ Churches begm, our Lord.makes a.n,announcement respeetilig bui.tnediatorial glory, whiqp i,s of equal application to llll .the Churches. wherever, they ID!\Y be; and w}iatever Dl&Y be their 11piritlaj i;ondition. It .ia this, "I M,'116 tM ~• ef H~ and of d,p.th.". We will ipquire- . . .· .· . , . 1. WBAUIITBB PBEUOGiTIVE wijWB, o~ Lon» HEBB »BOUUS TO BB ms? . Itii, e:v,id,int that, there .ill some office of ~u,tliority lndie&ted by:the }VO~ "~y's."; Keya 'are th!;t_symbol of autl\ority, thil t,oken Qt office (of. eh. iij. 7). Tae authority of ..Q,ur Sa"1our is, here sa.i4 .to be over ':' Ha,des ; 11 not ovez ~ hell," the regwD. of. the had ; b\lt over Hsd~' the re~m of the departed, 800(1 or'bad. Doth. The word," llades,. ~ with it no moral sigJlificance at all, except &!I the connection in wpich it,is wed gir!lS. it 11i..moral aa~t (Luke xvi. 23). Th11 11-~thority o( OUJ:' Saviour i11 over ". death " iileo. This is, .. it were, the.gate opening to the invisible realm. The meaning of the ·wordl ill. that our Saviour has entii:e control over bµman destiny. Death.is tA!l last step. tpe on~ out of this.life., llades is the realm fo. which the ~wted are. All lUIJ,Ilkind.,at ~th, pass into" the s,paoious world Wlll88n.'' '!'hey go over ~' to tho 1I1ajority.'', To this 1119,lm dea,th is the entra~. O\'.er the.realm .itselt e.nd .the ·entrance to it, c»»ist )2as ~e supreme colltI()l..,;.IJia f, krys" hang at. bis gh:4[e. Lot ~ ~ t e few a of ;ihe details of ~ha doctri~e.. 1•. T~. ti~ of ~ depJrt~ of eVt\l'Y.,µuU.,iqual fr9JD.,
*~- . tJil/f, worl4 ia ,under, Christ's control. Christ gives us., our mou,>.~n~ _..»,fl withdraws . .And w,~~ O\U tim11, ha.I$ oo:iµ,e, ready .or nqt _f8fl~Y:~ th:rpJ!Sh}he, s~~n~ &VljD.118 if 4~th we• mus~ go. . 2. Thac entra~ qf a apiot •mµ>j,~~b~ ~W- ¥! lUl,!ier, ~t'lil contro~ In this unknown I region there a.~e two,~t mo~ din111~ ev~ .a.a here. There}s no confusion of souls. The believer departs to be "with Christ" (t'hfl. • JI : ' ' • • •. 1• • • •, '. • '"" ~. " ~ , ' 0