The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 123

i'IIQl,d fast, and repent." They were to renounce aU 'that waa pernicious.to ■piritual health, 11nd ~ue a right course. " Hold fast." Grasp with all the tenacity of their being the .good that comes up to memory, as the wowning man lays b.old of the roJ?f thrown Ql!t on the surging waves. 4. 'J hey ~• i11. a date of alarmi'll!I danger. ~ If therefore thou aha.lt not watch, I will come on thee aa a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee." Suoh words as these Cbnst .uttered whUe a tenant of this earth (Matt. xxiv. 32). Retril:Jution generally movea stealthily as a thief. " The .feet of the gods are shod with wool," says the old G:reek proverb. · II. TBE EXCEl'TlONAL CHARACTER OF THE FEW. .. 'l'hou hast a few names even ii: Bardis whi~ have not defiled tdid not defile] their garments." "These few nan,ies," •Y• Dr. Tait, "are here to the credit and honour of the Cbur.ch, the few 'things' in oonnection with the Church in l'ergamos were against it and to iw condemnation. He who was the angel of the Churoh does not seem to have known the few names, just as the prophet dj.d not know the aevep. .thousand in Israel who had not pawed their knees to Baal." Here, then, is goodness amid$~ social depravity. 'l'hree remark, are suggested. L That wtH g<J()dness can ea;ist u~der ~temal circumalar.t:111 U,. .,nod corrupt. Sardis was one of the most dissolute cities of ancient times, but here were Christians. Man is not tlie creature of circumstances. , 2. 'l'hat tme g ~ whertvet it IJ(l:ists, engages the ,pecijfo p.ttention. of Obrist. Christ noticed the goodoe■1 in Sardis; and why? (1) Because it is the highnt manifestat.ion of ~od upon 111Lrth. (2) Because it is the result of his mediatorial mission. (.3) &caµse on it depeud■ the progrees of humanity. 3. That true goodness will ultimately be distinguished 1,g a gloriom reward. The woids, "walk with me,".etc., imply three ideas. (1) TriUIDph. (2) Fellowship. (3) Progress. HI. TBK ABSOl,UTE JoooE OP ALL. Who is the l!,bsolute Judge both of the -,nany 11nd the few 1 He is thus .described : "These tl!ings Sl1ith he that hath the, seven Spirits of God, and the aeven stars." The absolute Judge of character is here pre- srnted in three oonneotion■• 1. In cmmection with the Mohest inftu.ence. "He tpat )lath ~e seven Spiriis of God." Elsewhere we read, "He whom God bath sent spraketh• the words ,of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him" (J04n ill. 34). The Divine Spirit is everywhere. The amo,mt of its possession. by any moral being is conditioned by that being's receptive capacity. No man ever llppeared on earth who ha.cl the rrceptive capacity in s11cli me&1Jure as Christ had. n. He. was jilkd with it. He opened his ministry by saying, "'l'he Spjrit of the Lord ia up0n me," etc. The more a man has of this Spirit, the more hi, can communicate of life and power and blessedness. 2. In connection with the highw mini&try. " The seven stars." These were, as we have BeCJ'.1, the angels of the seven Churchea. What is the high88t human ministry? The ministry of the gospel 'l'hoae engaged in this work are here called "stars," and these stars are in the hands of Christ. He moulds them with hie influence, he burnishes them with his holiness. he fixes them in their orbits,,he guides and sustains them in their spheres. He is, in truth, their Centre and Bun. From him they derive their order, their vitality, and their power, 3, J.n con- tiection with the highest Being. "I will confess his name before my Fath~." The Father is the greatest Being in the universe. The relationahip of Son impliea: (1) Rest'fflblance. (2) Reciprocal love. The Son identifies himself with all bis true die,. ciplea. "I will oonfesa bis name before my Father, and before hit angela."-D. T. Vers. '1-13.-The worda of (!1,,,-ist to the Church at Phil,a,del,:,hia. "And to ijie angel of the Church in Philadelphia," etc. On a slope of ?tlount Tmol1111 atoo4 Philadelphia, a city of Lydia, lying between Bardis and Laodicea. AttalUB PlJ.il"'° delphus, after whose name it was called Philadelphia, founded it B.O. 140. It waa a commeroial city of commanding position and considerable importance, and well fortified withal Through ita adjoining valley the celebrated Xerxes led hi■ fol'C8I on his way to Greece. On account of the volcanic nature of its soil ii became celebrated for the cultivation and the excellence of its vines. It had been visited by numerous . ~quakes, and in the reign of Tiberius most. of its population forsook it. and fled to the fielda, apprehending destruction. It survives to the preaent day, and ia called by the Turks, .Allah Shehr, "the city of God." The ruins of a church wall are still visibl9t •d abou, five thousand members of the Greek Church, with a bishop and t,bo"'° MO THE REVELATION OP ST. JOHN' TRE DlVINE. (mr. m. I-!