The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 44

sparkling with waves. So if to Thyatira and such places the gospel had spread, much more might we be assured that in more populous places it would also be found. 2. Their .fundamental principle. That the Church should consist of true believers in Christ, whose faith worked by love and produced holiness of life. For when and wher• ever praise is given,-and large and blessed promises are held out-it is ever to those who are faithful followers of the Lord. On the,other hand, censure and threatening, warning and expostulation, are addressed only to those who are found unfaithful, or are in peril of becoming so. It is, therefore, evident that the place of any in the Church was due to their being regarded as sincere and true believers. If it was not expected of them to be this, wherefore such terrible blame and threats pronounced against them for not being so? It is plain that purity and holiness are regarded as their proper character; that as holy they were called into and continued in the Church, and that on no other ground had they a right there. No nationality and no religious rite could make men living members of the Church; only they were so who so believed in Christ that they became renewed in heart and life. And it ia so still; God help us to rememher it [ 3. Their form. From the mention of these several Churches it is surdy evident that at the first there was no idea that the Church of Christ was to be -0ne visible organized body coextensive with the whole world. We believe in" one holy <Jathulic-Ohurch," but we dispute the right of any one organization to claim so august a title. Christ's prayer, "That they all may be one," is beard, and its answer is seen in the fact of the identity in love, faith, and -0haracter of all who are really his. And it is these in their totality, visible and known only to him, foufl.d in all sections of the <Jhurch, but confined to none, who make up the "holy Catholic Church." But, so far as visible form is concerned, we read not of "the Church," but of "Churches." Nor wern t,.ese Churches national or provincial-one Church for a nation or province. All these seven Churches were in one province. Nor was their form presbytt-ria.n, for they were not welJed tugether into one, but remained distinct and apart, Nor were they congregational-:the Church consisting only of those worshipping in one building. For so there might have been, as there were not, many such Churches in any one of tlw~e seven cities. But their form set,ms to have beeu mnuicipal rather than aught beside. The belie:vers in one town or city might meet in several congregations, and probably in large cities did so; but we read of only one Church at such places; as the Church at Philippi, Corinth, Antioch, Rome, etc.; not "the Churches," but "the Church." But for the several congregations there were bishops and deacons, as :iµany ns might be needed. Hence we read of "the Church, with its bishops and deacons" (Phil. i. 1). Each congregation seems to have hail its presiding officer and assistants, a but such congregation, with these, did not form separate Church; the Church consisted of all the believers in the city or town to which they belonged. And, surely, it was an "excellent way." But what matter the form in which the Church or Churches may be organized? It is the life within, the Divine life, bcgotteu of the Spirit of God, that is the all-important thing. Without that the best formJs no better than the worst; and with that the worst form serves almost as well as the best. 4. ThBir ministry. (1) 'l'he Churches were presided over by pastors. For by "the angel of the Church" we seem obliged to understaud its chief pastor. No doubt it looks more simple and reasonable to regard the word " angel" as meaning an angel in the ordiuar_y sense of the word. And those who say we should so understand it refer us to the foul'th chapter of this book, where we read of "the angel of the waters; " and also to the words of our Lord, who speaks of the " angels" of little children (" Their angels do always behold," etc.); and it is urged that, as we must understand these passages as telling of angels who presided over, had charge of," the waters" (as in eh. iv.) and of" children" (as in the Gospels), so here we must understand, by " the angel of the Church," the angel who had the charge of the Church, and was, therefore, its representative before God. And it is also urged that Michael is in Daniel represented as the gu.ardian of Israel. And the Jews believed in such angels. "It is his angel "--so said those gathered at Mary's house when Peter, whom they thought to be in _prison, knocked at the door. But in reply to all this there is one conclusive answer-How could John write a letter to an angel and send it to him? He could write and send to the Churches and their pastors; but to an angel I Hence we regard the chief pastor as meant by the angel. In Haggai and Malachi, prophets are called "measengers," or an•elo • a.i.d such, we believe, are mead ~ THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN TIIE DIVIN~. [cH. 1.1-20.