The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 76

and so win the vtctory and overcome. The temptations to whfoh they were exposed were for ever clamouring th&t they should seize upon the sensual pleasures of this short life, and fill it up with them, such as they were. But the Lord's promise holds out to them the prfae of a pure and perfect and perpetual life in the-presence of God, and amid the pleasures for evermore which are in the Paradise of God. And that prize is held out to us as to them, and if it work in us our Lord's will and purpose, it will. lead to tha.t diligent culture of the soul, by constant and fervent prayer, and by the cherishing of all spiritual affections, and by yielding to all the Christward drawings of which once and again we are conscious; and so the soul's first love left aud Iott shall be found again; though it was as dead, yet shall it be alive once more.-S. O. Ver. 1.-21ul stars, the lamps, and the Lord. "He that holdeth ••• golden candle- sticks." We may well pause on the threshold of the first of these letters to the Churches to consider, as we have not done before, the truths that underlie the sublime symbols of the stars and the lamps of gold and the holding of the stars in the Lord's right hand, and his walking in the midst of the lamps of gold. Here, as well as through- out these letters, "He that bath an ear, let him hear." L THE STABS. The Lord himself has told us·whom these represent-the angels of the Churches; and in a previous homily we have given reasons for understanding these aniels as the chief pastors of the several Churches. "If each Church had its angel, who had a letter addressed to him, who is spoken to in words of rebuke and exhortation, who could sin and repent, who could be persecuted and die, who could fall into heresies 1md be perfected by suffering, it seems to me a violent and unnecessary hypothesis that a superhuman being is in question." Furthermore, the name "angel," when applied to these august beings who dwell in the immediate presence of God, does by no means set forth their nature, but only their office and function of" messenger," which is what the word means. .And is it not a most appropriate name for a Christian pastor? Not alone does he represent the Church over which he presides, and is largely responsible for its character and condition; but also he is, or should be, strictly spe11king, their messenger, their angel. For is tt not his bounden duty to go from them to God, and from God to them ? Woe betide him if he fail herein ! ·" God forbid,n said the venerable Samuel, "that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you" (1 Sam. :iii. 23). .And God forbid that any pastor now should sin against the Lord and his own soul and the souls committed to his charge by ceasing to pray for them. The path to the throne of grace should be a beaten track by him, and he should carry to their Lord their sins and sorrows, their cares and wants, aiJ.d plead ihem as his people's messengers and representative before the Lord. .And he should come from God to them. It is ill when he goes into his pulpit or pastoral work if he has not first been with God, and come from him to his people and his work. Yes, pastors are, or should be, " angels," in that their office is to go to and fro between their peonle and God as his messengers and theirs. But wherefore are they called "st11rs"? We are not distinctly told; we can only conjecture and suggest. Stars : 1. .Are symhols of honour, dignity, oothority, rule. " A star," it is said, " shall come out of Jacob ; " and this is explained by the added parallel sentence," and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel" (Numb. xxiv. 17), And wherever stara are symbolically spoken of, this idea of dignity and authority ia Aeldom wanting. The Lord lovingly appoints this symbol that he might let all men know, however much his faithful pastors might be despised by the world for their poverty and manifold meanness, as the world cou:nts meanness, nevertheless in his esteem they rank high, they are as stars. Now, if any pastor, on the strength of this angust symbol, should demand all manner of deference and submission, and find that instead thereof he gets only contempt and disregard, let him not blame anybody but himself. If he demand deference, he will not get it; but if he deserve it, he will be likely to get too much of it. The honour and authority of the ministry must be such as is spontaneously given; it can be had in no other way. But this symbol tells also: 2. Of the pastor'• duty. (1) He is to lighten the darkness of men, as the' stars were to give light by night; the darkness of ignorance, of sorrow, of sin, (2) He is to reflect the light of the Sun of Righteousness. Not by his own light, but by light reflected, is he t-' enli!iliten others. (3) He is to keep his appointed course, in obedient, reverent service rendered unto God. " Wandering stars " are outcast from God. Men should ever GB, n. 1-29.) THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE. 81