Vers. 18-29.-(4) The epistle to the (Jhurch in Thyatira: the growing Ohurch expo_w to corruption qf doctrine. With the highest title, " the Son of God," the Lord of the Church speaks-the Lord who searches as with eyes of flame and with burning, consuming fire, and treads down his enemies beneath his feet. The vision is unusually impressive, as the state of the Church is unusually momentous. The letter is extended, and describes the commendable condition of the Church, the subtle danger that threatens its life, the terrible judgments pronounced upon the corrupters of the Church's purity, the one word of demand, the watchword of the epistle-" Holdf<uit" -"Hold fast that which ye have till I come;" with the abundant promise to him who, doing so, triumphantly "overcometh." Leaving ampler exposition, our eye rests upon the one word," Bold/art." I. This call to fidelity is BASED ON THE COMMENDABLE STATE OF THE CHuRCH. Ha.ppr they to whom the Lord can say, "Hold fast." keep that thou hast, persevere. Of this Church the Lord knows-and knows to commend-its " works, and love, and faith, and ministry, and patience," and growing usefulness. II. IT IS SIGNIFICANT OF THE LORD'S APPROBATION OF THE CHURCH'S STATE, Here is no word of exhortation to repent. The keen, searching glance of the flaming eyee 96. THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE. [ea. u. 1-Z9,
in his hand, but he 1/Wves amongst them. "He walketh in the midst of the seven golden oandl.estioks,' "Christ," says Dr. Vaughan, "wa.lke himself among his oand.le- stiokS; aiid each separate lamp, of all the thousands which make up the branches of one candlestick, is as much trimmed and tended and fostered by Christ himself as if there were no other but that one, and as if there were no human agency a.t all constituted for its oversight." 2, To his knowledge of the Church. " I know thy works." He knows huma.n works as no one else knows them. He knows not merely the overt acts, but inner motives; not merely the deeds done by the body, but in the body. His eye peers into those deep and vast regions of soul into which no other eye can pierce. "I know thy works." He knows what is in man. In the works which he knows are compre- hended the trials endured. "Thy labour, and thy patience." The painful discovery of falsehood in those who called themselves apostles or ministers of Christ, and also all declension in what is good. "I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love." The fact that Christ so thoroughly knows us should make us real, solemn, circumspect, earnest. II. THOSE WHICH CONCERN THE CONGREGATION. 1. He credits them with the good they poueSB. "Thou hast patience, and for my ~ ame's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted." There are four things which he sees in them to commend. (1) Their repugnance to wrong. "Thou canst not bear them which a.re evil (or, 'evil men']." To loathe the wrong for its own sake is one of the finest features of character. It is oommon, perhaps, to hate evil men when they are in poverty, suffering, and disgrace ; but in such hatred there ill no virtue. To hate evil in men of great p/'JS81lSsions and high offices, millionnaires, premiers, princes, kings, is in truth somewhat uncommon ; albeit evil in such is more heinous, more loathsome and damnable, than evil anywhere else. Jt is sublimely grand to see men loathing the wrong as seen in the principalities and powers of this world. (2) Their patience in toil. Work is the duty of all, and the work of a genuine Christian in this life is most self-sacrificing, laborious, and trying. Henee patience is required-required on account of the opposition it has to encounter and the tardiness of the resuJt.q. "Wherefore, beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmov- able," etc. (3) Their insight into character. "Thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars.'' It is a rare thing for men to discern the real character of their fellow-men, especially of that of their religious teachers--those who have set themselves up as " apostles." Hence the popularity of pulpit charlatans. All honour to the men at Ephesus; their eye was keen enough and heart brave enough to try the character of their teachers, which on scrutiny they found to be "liars." (4) Their hostility to error. "But this thou hast.. that thou ha.test the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate." "We may suppose," says one of our most learned modern expositors, "that the Nicolaitanes were the antinomia.ns of the Asiatic Ch1irch-persons who taught that the conduct is immaterial if the faith be right; that a. man may say he hath faith, and, if so, may be indifferent altogether to his works; or who at least, if they did not tea-0h this, yet encouraged the deceitful heart in drawing this inference, by failing to set strongly and even sharply before men the u_tter ruin of an inconsistent and unholy life, and then not least, but most of all, when that sinful life is combined with the loud profession of a saving faith." Error is an evil in whatever character it appears and region it operates. Error in chemistry, surgery, medicine, mechanics, navigation, etc., is often fraught with terrible results. To oppose error, therefore, is a virtue. 2. He reproves them for the declenswn they manifest. "Nevertheless, ... thou hast left thy first love." Christly love is the life and sun of the soul ; it is the beginning and end of ;i:enuine religion. Without charity- love-we are nothing. There is a danger of this waning. Some of the angels have lost it. Many good men have experienced its decay. This is a great evil ; it ill the sap leaving the tree, and the foliage withers, and death descends from branch to root. Christ implies that men are responsible for this loss. Where this love exists it can not only be maintained but increased-the spark may be fannerl into a flame. 3. He urges them to reform. In order to increase this waning love, he exhorts them to do four things. (1) 2b remember. "Remember ••• whence thou art fallen." Review the past, and call to mind the sweet, delicate, blooming affection of thy first love, with all the fresh joys and hopes it a.wakened. This memory will help resuscitation. (2) 'J.'o "repent." Repent- ance does not mean crying, confessing, and throwing yourself into ecstasies, but a. OH. n. 1:--29.] THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DmNE. 97