Churches. Christ is not in them, and will not be, till they repent. It is' no uncommon thing to name the name of Christ with the tonguo, even when the Spirit of Christ js not in the heart. It is clear enough, then, what Obrist means by lukewarmness. There W88 care enough and interest enough to hold together an external fellowship, and to maintain all outward Church proprieties ; but the soul was lacking-the living Christ waa not there. Let us now inquire: 2. What entire coldne&a would haw bem. A few words will suffice here. If the La.odiceans had either never heard the gospel at all, or if, having heard it, it had never convinced their understanding, or if, although mentally persuaded of its work and of its Divine origin, they had never had sufficient glow of soul to unite in a Christian fellowship, and had never made any avowal whatever of any attachment to the Lord Jcsus,-in 11uch a case there surely would have been coldness. Let us now ask : 8. Wny lulawarmness is more ojfmsive to Christ than ooldn-. Why is a man who has just warmth enough to lead him to take some interest in religioua services, and to keep his place in a Christian congregation, and no more, more dis- pleasing to Christ than one without any warmth at all? For many reasons. (1) There .is a·wider discrepancy between profession and practice, For the Church-member may fairly be supposed to have convictions clear enough to make a fervid man of him, if he would but let them have scope and play. But,-ns it is, there is an inward schism in the man. (2) The lukewarm professor is more difficult to reacb. Of all men whose con• aciences are hard to touch, those are the most so who have" made a profession," and then settle down in it in a state of self-complacency. (8) Hence their position iB peculiarly perilous; for, owing to their satisfaction with themselves, there is far less chance of the arrow of conviction piercing their souls, Hence the peril of their self-deceit being undisturbed until too late. (4) Such a one is more guilty than others, for he has n:iade a vow which he does not pay. He confesses his responsibilities, and yet takes no pains to discharge them. (5) He effects more mischief than others, Many an ardent convert gets his first chill from lukewarm members of the Church. In fact, this lukewarmness threatens tc pull down a Church; yea, it will do it if a check be not put upon it. (6) Our Saviour will reject it, consequently, with special displeasure. Nothing is so offensive to him as a corpse in religion's cloak. When great pretensions are nothing more than pretension, then the greater the pretence the greater the offence. 'l'he more true any one's nature is, the more !)dio11B is untruth to bim. What, then, must it be to the Lord Jesus Christ? · III: THE OOUN8ELII OF THIS J'AITHFUL AND TRUE WITNESS. Although the heavenly Witnes11 is severely faithful, there is in his words a ground-tone of the deepest. tender• ·ness. In them, and indeed in each one of them, there is enough for a separate homily; but space can only be found for a few words. Note: (1) There is an assurance that his Jove is not withdrawn. He is grieved, be is dishonoured, still he loves. (2) His love finds a twofold expression: (ii) he convicts; (b) he chastens. Hence his gracious counsels. 1. They are called on to be zealous. There are ways and means of reviving a flagging zeal. " He that would be warm mus~ keep near the fire;" and he that would become spirltu11lly warmer must get near the cross, and keep there. 2. Repent. A lukewarm Christilln has need to repent as much as though he had never repented at all; for he has "lost his roll," and cannot then indeed tell whether he ever had one. 8. They are 'Urged to get all their need supplied. Laodicea was a thriving commercial town. Christ speaks to the people there in their own famili!lr dialect. "Buy "-where? what? (1) Of Christ; without money and without price. (2) Gold. Raiment. Eyesalve. 4-, They are reminded that the door must be opened to Christ. It is terrible beyond all power,of expression when Church-doors are closed against Christ, and when he is kept outside the very community whose only muon d'etre is that it may entertain and honour its Lord. 5. They are entreated to open the door and to admit the living Lord. ·What can this mean? Surely nothing le&S than to let hls Spirit rather than the world• epirit have the supreme control. In a word, the Church ia exhort.ed to become troe to its profession, and to let him, whose sacred Name it avows, be once again its sovereign Lord. Bat we must not forget the nex, point. 6. The Church la to ppen its doors to Ohriat, by individual members o~ning their own hearts to him, ,. If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come In to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.'' Finally, if, listening t.o the counsels of Infinite Wisdom and Love, they, receiving a living Ohri.et again, become once more a living Chureb, and overcome this downward oa. m. 1-22.] THE REVELATION 01!' BT. JOIIN THE DIVINE. 125
tendency, tli.en Christ wi1l cause them to shiu-e with hlm his own honour at fast. The :Master oonquered, and he expects the disciple to do the same. The Lord overcame for us; we may overcome in him and by him. Note: Victory is possible only WMn Christ ii within ua. If we keep hlm 011tside, not all the BBnctuary teaching, nor the senices, nor songs, nor ordinances, nor forms of godliness, nor parental virtue, can ever preveni. us from falling miserably back to perdition. If we keep Ohrist out of our hearts, he will spue ua out of his mouth.