IL Tmi OPElONG OJ' BRT,A'BGED BPIIBRBII. OP USBFULntll!. • I have set before ibee an open door." ~ur. :Useful employment in the Lord's 8clllVice is t'l,.e highest ioken of approbation of past service foond in the call to greater works, ''.the llL TBB &11B,Jl)'GATI011t OJ' THE hElUEB OP THB CaUBC&, " I will make them to eome and worship at thy feet." 'l'be true reward to .tbe Church ii not fowid in her elevation, but in the conversion of the enemies of the trnth. _ IV, Tml TEIJTD[OJIY Bll:FOBE 'l'HE ENEJ4IES OP TBB D.lTID LOVB WOB '.mB 0amw& Weary may be the days of the Church's..endurance, bnt all will be forgottel;l in the Lord's gracious recognition" in the last day," when he sha.ll "conf8$8" them before his Father and ,before the holy. angels-confess them u hia; own and acknowledge them, , V. DBl"ENCB ur m:s BOOB o:r BPECUL TRIAL. They who according to- their strength 1erve the Lord will, in the hour of their weakness, find him to .be their strong Rock of clvfence. • I also will keep thee from the hour of trial.'' .. , VI. BEYOND Lli!:8 'l'BB BVEB-ABIDING. Jl'ULlUCBB OP BLBBBJNG 'l'O m:;K WBO DI' J'Al'l'H• J'tlUTEBS OONQUEBB. Here specified. 1, The permanent abode in the etemal temple of the Lord-the everlasting fellowships of heaven. 2. Recognition as the Imd'a; hia Name written upon him. 'l'hia distinction the highest. 3. Special personal recog-:- nition aa holding the closellt relation to the Redeemer. "Mine own new Name."-,,. B.G. Vers. U--22.-{7) TM Epistle to lbs Church iA Laodkea. The "Amen, the faithful and true Witness," speaks to the untrue and unfaithful Church, whose outward appearance contrasts so with her internal state. Deceptive pretentiowmeaa receives its retinke. The- lukewarm-neither hot and fervent in devotion nor lowlily acknow- ledging itself to be cold; neither fervid in holy affection nor consciously lacking holy fervour and confessing it-lacking tke true warm fervour of love, and either no& kulwing the lack, or, knowing it, yet. acknowledging it not, but pretending to have it,- this deceitful at.ate receives the severest rebuke from the Loro, the ever " true " One. who despises all untruth and all deceptiveness. L Tu CJWBOiI's sun DEBOBIBED, "Thou sayest, I am rich ; • • • thou knoweat uot thou art poor and blind and naked, thou miserable one." 1. Actually spiritually poc>i:; beggared. 2. Ignorant. 8. PresumptUO,Ua self-deception. . IL To LoBD•s ClOtrKBBL '1'0 ms DECEIVED CBUBCJL 1. Seek ye the true riches ; buy of me gold; buy wiLhout money .and .without price the true Buy of me "white garments"-the true spiritual virtues; the· · :£:;a1 things. 2. thou lackest. Thy debeiled and faulty form, thy ahame, ii uncovered. Ouly of me canst thou buy the l'Obea of righteowmess. 3. Duy aleo "eyeaalve," the true a~tual illummatiQn. "that thou mayeat see "-the Holy Spirit, Teacher, Illuminator, Light, who ia eyes to $he blind; life to the dead. IlL TBB .Al'Hlll>ED TBBIL\'1', W1TB rrs EXBOJl'fATIOll .A1ffl GBACIOUII. D'l'IIBA.TY, L The Lord's threateninga are r,wua promiaea in disguise. " I reprove and chaat«in • many as I love." The Lord a love lingers long after hUlll8J:l goodness has waned. 'l'he blind, the naked, the poor, .the miserable, are still loved,. and therefore reproved by word of. mouth and by judgment .and chuteninJ· comiction \&lld discipline. 2. Because I love, because I reprove, therefore "repent '-ecknowledge, deplore, .Jepa.rt from thy aina. • •• Be zealous ; " seek to rekindle the dying fi_re of holy loYa. 8. 'l'he Lord's entreaty thrown into a pictorial representation of (1) patient, long-su:lfering love : "I atand at. the door;•• (2) of repeated appeal: " and bock ; " (3) of readj' reapome to the :first yieldings of the hearkening and opening heart : " If any man," etc.; (4) even happy and unbroken fellowship is promised: "I will oome in and sup," etQ. IV. The whole ia supplemented by A PINAL DCOUBAGJNG PRO]l(lSS. "He thal overoometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne." So the Lord who condescendingly site at the board of the house, the door of which ii opened to him, aaUa the humble dweller therein to sit with him in high glory on hia throlMI. Happy they who, having ears. hear; and who hearing, obey.-B. G. ·
Ven.1--6.-Tlui 100rde oj Okrwl lo OM otmgrtgaUon al Bardu. "Sardia," •,- Dr. ·Wie, "was a city of ancient Lyd'ia. It.a modern D&me is Berl Kalm, and il 1- about t,Jiirty milea aouth-east of Thydtira, and two miles aouth of the river Berm• 138 THE REVELATION OF ST. JORN THE DfVfNE. £am: 1-22.