ing with pure oil, is that of its being a source of spiritual light and grace; whence in the first instance it is referable to the Holy Spirit as being the only source of all spiritual illumination in the mind, and of all generous influences on the heart of man; but is again, by a slight variation, used to represent the churches themselves which the Holy Spirit illuminates, as being the appointed intermediate instruments for distributing that light and grace to others; and is again, in a subsequent part of the Apocalypse, used as a symbol for the written word, namely, the two books of the Old and New Testament, which, together with the preached word, are the means appointed by God for conveying in continual supplies these blessings to his Church, and which are therefore called, "the two olive trees and the two candlesticks, standing before the God of the earth,❞—i. e. of the Churches of the earth; as the seven lamps are called the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth”-i. e. into all the churches of the earth.

Analogous to the symbol of a candlestick, with its light; though more applicable to an individual, is that of a star, which when used in a spiritual signification, always means a minister of the gospel; for the stars, like the ministers of the gospel, are the appointed instruments for illuminating the darkness of this world. These are represented here as seven in number; a chosen and complete body, known of him, who, having received the gift of the Holy Spirit, gave some Apostles, some pastors, some teachers, for the building up of his Church, for the edifying of the body of Christ. These Christ holds in his right hand, as the instruments of his power, and as the objects of his peculiar care; given unto him by the Father, the chosen instruments for the establish

ment and maintenance of his kingdom upon earth; whom none shall pluck out of his hand, or in any wise injure, so as to interfere with their work and appointed course, until the same shall have been fulfilled.

We notice, as one evidence of the peculiar consideration with which Christ regards the afflicted amongst his people, that he twice selects this peculiar characteristic, of his walking in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, and having the seven stars in his right hand, from amongst all those under which he manifested himself in the introductory vision: viz, once in verse 20, chap. 1; where he selects it as the most worthy of note amongst the things which St. John had seen, and which he was directed to communicate to the Churches; and again in the verses under consideration, where it is the first characteristic under which they are addressed.

In like manner did Christ try his ancient Church at an early period of their experience, by the severity of a hard bondage, and a persecution which aimed at their destruction. Thus did he manifest himself as afflicted in all their afflictions, and as supporting them under all their trials, under the symbol (according to the usual view) of a bush burning with fire, but not consumed; and thus did he walk with his three faithful servants, to deliver them from death, in the burning fiery furnace; who had yielded up their bodies to the flames rather than apostatize from his worship.

It makes the selection of these characteristics also more remarkable, to observe, that they form an addition to those under which Christ exhibited himself to Daniel in the similar vision which introduces his last prophecy: they were then recently delivered from a captivity the

duration of which had been limited to a period of seventy years; and were no longer liable to suffer martyrdom for the truth. When the Apocalypse was given, the circumstances of the Church were different and more perilous; and a corresponding difference is made in the character under which Christ reveals himself to them.

Verse 2. Christ thus addresses this Church: I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience; And how thou canst not bear them which are evil; and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, ' and are not; and hast found them liars." Christ needeth not that any should testify of man, for he knoweth what is in man. "He that 'planted the ear, shall he not hear? · He that formed the eye, shall he 'not see? He that teacheth man 'knowledge, shall he not know?" And he notices all our ways, that he may testify his disapprobation, or his approval; so that even so little as a cup of cold water, given for love to his name, shall not go unrewarded.

Three things our blessed Lord notices with approbation in the Ephesian Church, their unwearied labor, their invincible patience, and their discriminating zeal. The metaphors by which religion is set forth in Holy writ clearly declare that we cannot advance one step towards eternal life without great labour. To enter in at the strait gate we must not only seek, but strive; seeking will not suffice: we must put forth all our powers, as we should in a race, a wrestling, or a warfare; and then only can we hope to succeed in religion, when we engage in it with all our might. Moreover both men and devils will exert themselves to defeat our efforts; and we shall need all manner of patience to sustain their diversified assaults.

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Now the Church of Ephesus had approved themselves well in these respects, and had borne without fainting all the afflictions which had been laid upon them.

Our Lord further mentions with approbation the care which the Ephesian Church had taken to examine the pretensions of those who assumed to themselves an apostolic authority; and the firmness with which they had withstood every effort that had been made to introduce among them either error in principle, or corruption in practice. In reading this commendation of the Ephesian Church, that they had rejected these false and lying apostles as they are called, (which were but stars wandering from the truth, and are contrasted with those which Christ held in his right hand,) it cannot fail to strike us, that if the mark of an apostle, which St. Paul speaks of, had been any external one; or if regularity of ordination alone could constitute them true ministers of Christ; the Ephesians had not been thus called upon to exercise their judgment, nor justified in thus trying them and rejecting their ministry. But if it be blasphemy to suppose that the power of the Holy Spirit, "the gift of God," can be purchased for money; it can scarcely be less so to suppose that the highest gift of Christ, the sacred office of the ministry, can be obtained by the power or will of man; or in any other way than by himself appointing to it. That it can be conferred in any other way, is not the doctrine of our truly evangelical Church; who requires that her candidates for the holy office should declare their belief that they are moved by the Holy Ghost to take it upon themselves. Our laws too repress the outward act of simony; but it was the doctrine, the thought of the heart, which, according to

the exposition of the apostle Paul, constituted the sin; and the existence, to any extent, of such a doctrine in reference to the ministry, inconsistent as it is with the fundamental truths maintained by our Reformers, would shew, by an evidence that could not be brought against the Church of Ephesus, that we also had left our first love." May we listen to the exhortation subsequently addressed to them, and repent; and in this, and in every other respect in which we may have declined from the truth, "do our first works."

Verse 3. "And hast borne, and hast patience; and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted." We may here observe, that our Lord in mentioning with approbation the things which the Ephesian Church had done for his Name, appears to recur, again and again, to the same point; as if he felt peculiar pleasure and delight in recording anything that was done for him. Hence we learn the marvellous condescension of our blessed Lord, as also the duty incumbent on all his followers not to dwell more than is absolutely necessary on the faults of others, but to prefer to dwell upon things of which they can approve.

Verse 4. This commendation had a powerful tendency to prepare them for reproof, when our Lord adds, "Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee." One would have thought that persons, so eminent in their outward conduct, could not merit any severe reproof; but they had left their first love ;" and this, in whomsoever it is found, is a tremendous evil. Some there are who regard a relaxation of their first love as a matter necessarily to be expected, and as a mark of growth, rather than of decay; but in our text it is adduced as a ground of deep complaint, and as an evil that outweigh

ed all that had been commended.

Verse 5. To this reproof our Lord mercifully vouchsafed to add his counsel," Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen; and repent, and do the first works." All such decay as this must be repented of. In order to see the evil and bitterness of such a state it is well to call to mind the love of our espousals, and to compare it with the formal services we now render to our God: yet will not repentance suffice, if it be not accompanied with a cordial return to all our former habits: if we would approve ourselves to God, we must " do our first works," and bring forth fruits meet for repentance.

Our Lord in reference to the character in which he here manifests himself, as he who walketh amidst the seven golden candlesticks, not only to preserve them when faithful, but to correct and chasten them when their declension from him requires it; thus warns them," or else "I will come unto thee, quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out

of his place except thou repent." Having undervalued and abused the high privileges they enjoyed, these, unless repentance should avert it, should shortly, by a just judgment, be taken away from them; so that they should no longer enjoy the communications of God's grace, or be the honored and happy instruments of communicating it to others. How constantly this case occurs, and how assuredly the declension is followed by the threatened punishment, there are but too many witnesses: and Ephesus stands prominent amongst them. When this chosen people, had so far departed from the truth, that there was not " any green thing," nothing flourishing under the influence of the heavenly dew, or grateful in the sight of God to be seen amongst them,-the commissioned sword of Mahomet laid it waste;

the wild boar out of the wood trampled it under foot; and her candlestick has been so entirely removed, that Ephesus, once the capital of Lydian Asia, and the site of one of the most flourishing Churches, planted by St. Paul, is now a ruined Mahometan village, without a single Christian inhabitant!

Verse 6. Our Lord again returns to commendation, as if judgment were his strange work, and approbation more grateful to him than even necessary rebuke: But this 'thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also ⚫ hate." The tenets of the sect spoken of are not known with any certainty: they are supposed to have been of a licentious tendency, as the plurality of wives; combining perhaps the profligacy of heathen manners with the profession of Christianity; and to this supposition the text gives some countenance, which speaks of the hateful character of their deeds. St. Paul also, in giving directions to Timothy, as to the administration of the affairs of the Ephesian Church, and of the moral character to be required in those whom he should ordain its ministers, says, "that a bishop must be blameless, the husband of one wife." He predicted also in his address to the elders of the Church of Ephesus, when taking leave of them for the last time, all these evils that should arise :-" I know this, that after my departing, shall grievous wolves 'enter in among you, not sparing the flock." This may be referred to the false apostles, the liars, who assaulted them from without; whose attacks they had resisted, and whose ministry they had rejected. And when he adds, Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them ;"-this may be referred to the deeds of the Nicolaitanes. The

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power of evil increasing as the love of Christ waxed cold, some amongst them were found ready to become its open advocates; and were able to lead away many. Thus the Lord knoweth, not only the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly, which shall perish. He called not only on the eleven to rejoice that their names were written in heaven; but knew, and revealed beforehand, the treachery of Judas; of whom he said it had been good for that man if he had never been born; and who, when he manifested his real character as a thief, and one loving the wages of unrighteousness, is spoken of as having gone " to his own place." Awful consideration! yet, when surrounded with dangers, it is not the way of safety to shut our eyes, and to endeavour to become unconscious of them, but to look round if there be any refuge. The more we are conscious of the prevailing power of Satan in this world, the more shall we admire the power of him who hath overcome the world, and the prince of this world; and the more shall we desire to be united to him in a perpetual covenant. Sweet then will those words be to our ears, "This thou hast that thou hatest that which I

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complete, the great work of human salvation. The promise of reward principally held out in the Apocalypse to the church militant on earth, as to be enjoyed in a future state, is that of the full participation of the influences of the Spirit of God; represented under the symbol of "living fountains of water," of which the wells, springing up into eternal life, are opened indeed in this world; but it is in the future life, the New Jerusalem, that it becomes the "pure river of water of life, proceeding out of the throne ' of God and of the Lamb;" and unto which the Lamb that is in the midst of the throne shall lead his people." Therefore all the promises of reward in a future life, made to those of the seven churches who should have served God faithfully in this, are made by the voice of the Spirit. And so we find in chap. xiv. of the Apocalypse; after the labours of the Church in the lat. ter days are described; a similar conclusion to that of these epistles is given in the following words, "I heard a voice from heaven saying ' unto me, Write, blessed are the dead ' which die in the Lord, from henceforth, Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours, ' and their works do follow them." In like manner every epistle addressed to the seven Churches begins with the declaration of Christ, know thy works;" shewing that Christ takes an account of their labours in his cause; and terminates with a promise, addressed to the Churches from the Spirit of God, of the exceeding great recompense of reward that awaits such labours in another world.-Should there be any one therefore, who, not being able to find sufficient rest and composure in the consideration of the goodness, mercy, and justice of God, and in the confidence that the God

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of the whole earth must do right, thinks it necessary to limit in him the attribute of infinite and sovereign power; and who may perhaps have conceived an aversion to the subject of prophecy, because it displays that attribute, as well as all others, in its beauty and fulness, shewing that "known unto him from the beginning are all his works ;" and apprehends perhaps an antinomian tendency in this doctrine; let such a one know, that there is not a more practical book in the whole Scriptures than the Apocalypse. The work and labour of love which Christ expects from his people in return for all that love wherewith he hath loved them, is the subject in part of every epistle; and in one, (that to the Church of Thyatira,) it is the leading subject of the whole in the introduction to which Christ, as the head of the Church, and their great exemplar, manifests himself as He that worketh out the salvation of his people. It is impossible indeed to contemplate the subject of works, as set forth in the Apocalypse, without an awful feeling, that we of the professing Church fail greatly, from the unfruitfulness of our lives, in one of the leading features of the true Church of Christ.

But let us proceeed to consider the peculiar promise made in this epistle to the faithful of all the Churches "To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God." To him that overcometh, having renounced all for Christ's sake, when to confess his name rendered him liable even to death ;—to him who should be supported through all trials by communion with Christ;-who should eschew evil, reject all heretical doctrines, by whomsoever brought or however subtle and plausible in their nature ;-should maintain his first love, and delight to labour to