·EXPOSITION. CHAPTER II. elements B:n! ~ en Chruf, command to the , Ver. 1-cb; iii 22..:.:..ne epistles to tM seer to write: -(2) hi, titk, which in D208t - <JhurcMI. Once more we have to cases is taken from the descriptions in oh. i.; consider rival interpretations., _Of theae we (3) the praise, or blame, or_ both, addressed may safely set aaide. all those which< make · to the angel, based in all~es on intimate the seven letters to be pictures of 8UCCli8ltfoe personal knowledge-" I kiiow thy works; " [liirioda in' the history of the Church. On (4) the MaTfltl or .warning, genei:ally il), COll• too other; hand, we may safely deny that · ne~on with Ohrisi'• ooming; (5Hhe promue the letters are purel11 typical, and relate to to tha fliof.tw; (6), the oaU, to eam individual tiothing tleflnite in history'. Rather they to give elU'. · $ffi,,both Ti,#torical and typiool.. They r-efer Ep-.~~l;....7.-The ~ ~ IM<Jh_urel ~ p~ily to the act.ltiu .condition of the . . !18!~. Ph~'38 in ;$t. John's 0'"1. day, . 'Ver. 1.----:'Unto the ail.gel _(see on oh; i: 20). "The an~l" sooms 'to · be the spirit of tn'1 ~n &1'.8 _jptended t'or th& instruction, the Ohureh personified as its• responsible IJ!ei>uragement, and,wamiug of the Ohuroh guardian. The Church of EpheBUB. .. I11 od the Ohnrohe1J'th10ughout all time. The Ephesus,. is. certainly the r½Jbt .reading; Catholic Ohuroh, -0r.any one of its branelies, in .all· 1reven. CN8B it iii. the aogel of the <
will·at a~y period< find' itselheflected in one Ohuroh,if.* the pl&Qe ,that hi &lldreased. In or other of the sefen ·Ob·nr<eh;..; Fo• •wo St Paul's Epistles we h11,ve ~•in.Rome;' "ia - • • Oorint.b." "in Ool~'' "'" Epbeaus," " of Oliurcbes. S111ynlili and Phillllle1pliia., there Galalia," "o/ tbe ThesaaloJUal1'~" Aniong & bothing but I)taise': 'ror two, Bardis' and all the cities of the Roman pro~oe of Asia, J.il.<l!licea, nQtbh•g l!ut blame.; for.the. Illll,.· _Epi._susrankeda.s":llrstofaijapdgrea~l" jQtlty, au,d &ilong them the chief Church It ha called "the metropoha. of Asia." qf -11, Ephesus, w)1:b, ;Pergamum and-Thy~ R<alans v,idting A.l!ia cbmmonly landed fi6t at Ephesus. Its J!OSition as· a oe_ntm <
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~ praise and Waiil11;in diifere:µj; degr- ~ commerce waa ma.giiiftcenl. <Three rivers, atenningled. , ., , the M-.nder; the Oayster, ami ·the. llennea, . 1:!b& atudeut will.find it imtrocfure to-, 1dram Westem A1ia Minor, and Ewesua pl806 ··the epi1itl011,; aide , by side in , seven'. l!tood .on _high <grou~d .:11ear M?,e }~outh. of tJae paJ:i'llel colunllll, and .note'· the. ~eme~t.a·,1-· h::~v;fili~~~l::t::,:ri:i~ ~ o n to ~a.eh.,. <~1td_}~e order m.. :wb~~ ~f3fll!-l?v, '.w.;iti,ng' ofEphes~s l!-~u•·.r~eJime ~ ele~en,ta lq;_pear., These ~inmon, wlu,n St. Johll Wa& bor:n, ~YS.."°'!hig to ,, I See an· exposition on th~ fir&t th~ee ~apterij of this ~ l!y 4ml@Ji. T~t LL.D" F.B.S.E., '?48llillp to tlle ~eveu C4urchtljl.' - er,. n. l-29.] THE -REVELATION OF ST: J0-1:i'N , THE. DIVINE. 67