following the Lord's division of the subject of his Revelation to John.

By Acts xix we learn that Paul established these seven churches; most of which fell into ruin before the great apostacy of the sixth or seventh century. As the first church of Jerusalem under James; those also of Antioch and Alexandria, founded by Mark; of Rome, probably founded by Paul; of Corinth, Galatia, &c. are omitted; the addresses appear not to be of a general character, even as to that period, much less in reference to periods then future. The locality of those named indicates their having nothing to do historically or prophetically with subsequent churches; which might have seemed more probable, had the mother churches of Jerusalem and Rome been singled But the real division of the professing Church, into the true and the apostate, includes all the churches of the christian dispensation under collective symbols, as the chaste woman and the harlot.

out.

These epistles contain admonitions against the apostacy, and therefore relate to times during which it began to work, though apparently previous to its prevalence. They also refer to the earliest appearances of heresy.-Mr. Frere says they relate to a period prior to christianity becoming the religion of the empire. This seems agreeable to the text; whether his limitation be correct or not when he adds,— a period whose principal action is formed by the ten persecutions, closed by that of Diocletian, A.D. 313."

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I acknowledge however, that there is force in the argument, that every address to these seven churches concludes with an exhortation, applicable to those of all ages, who, in the Spirit, apprehend the promises of millennial felicity, given them by

Christ, and applied by the Holy Ghost.-Those verses do seem to render each address inclusive of the succession of Gentile churches throughout the whole christian dispensation; but the internal evidence of all the other verses leads me to conclude, that these epistles refer only to the period of pagan persecution, when millennial doctrines were the great support of the harassed believers, and when they encouraged each, as single combatants, to fight the good fight of faith in view of the promised recompence of reward. That these doctrines were the comfort of the Church of God in the early ages, is proved by the apostolic writings; and by the primitive fathers, as Justin Martyr, Papias Melito, &c. The latter, being bishop of Sardis, could not be ignorant of the traditions of that and the rest of the seven churches in regard to the Apocalypse, on which he wrote a comment; nor to its doctrines.

We must therefore restrict the primary meaning of the concluding verse of every epistle to the individuals of each church, who, overcoming the persecutions and trials of faith from the false doctrines of their age, should at the end of the dispensation attain the first resurrection unto life; which was the crown every christian warrior contended for, and which all the New Testament writers place before the believer.

In the 20th verse of the 1st chapter, our Lord authorizes the explanation of symbolic language by his own declaration, that the angels of the seven churches are denoted by the seven stars: stars therefore are the uniform symbol for ministers. The seven churches themselves have the seven lamp-candlestick for their emblem; a candlestick therefore is the emblem of collective churches.

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Chapter ii, 1, declares His almighty power and incessant agency in repect to these churches, and his continual presence with all of them: Lo! I am with you always to the end of the age. Verse 2 declares his omniscience; -verse 3, his observance of motives of action; verse 4, his independent judgement upon their failure in the true principle of action;-verse 5, his sovereign power to remove that lamp of the candlestick whose light no longer shines to his glory; -verse 6, his cognizance of the deeds of his enemies and of his people's mind relative to them.

In verse 7 we have also his exhortation to individuals of every age and church, whose ears are unstopped to hear the Spirit's voice to all churches, thus in his office taking of the things and words of Christ and manifesting them to the conscience. The promise which the Spirit here applies is, that the second Adam will restore what the first Adam forfeited.b The tree of life was in the earthly paradise; here Christ proposes to give to him who overcometh to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God: and chapter xxii, 2, presents to view a street and river, in millennial days, planted with this tree of life; therefore it is on earth, and to be bestowed on the children the resurrection.-The emblem it

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self we hope to consider, if spared, when we arrive at that chapter.

Verse 8. The Lord Jesus proclaims his original self-existence in the divine nature; and his victory over death by his resurrection in the human nature, as the first fruits from the dead.

Verse 9 exhibits his omniscience respecting the deeds, sufferings, and temptations of his people in Smyrna. Be it remembered, the Church is the garden of the Lord, enclosed out of the waste wilderness of this world; into which the beloved goes down to feed in the gardens and to gather lilies; or, wherein he delights himself in his ransomed ones, waters them every moment with the dew of his blessing, sustains, protects and comforts them.

Verse 10 shews his prescience of the particulars of those sufferings, and his independent power to bestow the crown of life upon those found faithful unto death.-In 2 Tim. iv, 8, Paul anticipates receiving that crown of righteousness from the Lord, at that day; referring to verse 1 where he says, the Lord Jesus shall judge the quick and dead at his appearing and kingdom.-Nor to him only will it be adjudged, but likewise to all them that love his appearing. See Heb. ix, 28 and Rev. xix, 11–21 in explanation of the judgement

meant.

Verse 11 compared with chapter xx, 6-14 and xxi, 7, 8, shew that millennial blessedness is intended, and exemption from the condemnation of those who live not again till the 1000 years are finished.

Verse 12 presents Christ to the church at Pergamos as the Avenger, bearing the two-edged sword of

son always partakes of the nature of his father, though in office he may be subordinate. As when he appeared to John as Son of Man;c so now as Son of God, "his eyes his eyes are like a flame of fire, and his feet like fine brass." The 23rd verse again shows, according to the symbolic description, that he possesses the prerogative of Jehovah.d

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All

the churches shall know that I am 'He which searcheth the reins and hearts; for the purpose (as it follows) of giving to every one according to his works."-Oh! how ought this gracious intimation to quicken our exertions in the christian race, and strengthen us for selfdenial ! Observe in regard to the declaration, all the churches shall know him as the Searcher of hearts," that this is the design of all his revelations : see Ezek. xxxvi, 23; xxxix, 22; Zech. ii, 9, 11.

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Verses 19-23 show, that his eye is in every place discerning between the righteous and the wicked, abhorring literal and spiritual harlotry; which latter signifies idolatry, manifested by various doctrinal heresies, as well as by turning from the living God to created objects. The "bed" bed" of infirmity and death, bodily and spiritual, is the result.

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Verse 24. The individuals are excepted who have not this doctrine" of devils, (i. e. idolatry,) taught in the collective churches, symbolized by the woman Jezebel; who assumes to be a prophetess, and teaches and seduces to idolatry, and to eat of the pretended sacrifice of the mass, thus rendered, nay worshiped, as an idol.*

Her children are to be

with death;" an expression equivalent to that in Genesis, "dying thou shalt die," and signifying, in regard to the soul, its endless separation from God. Oh ! what a bounden duty it is to call to them while there is time, “Come out of her, that ye 'be not partakers of her sins, and 'that ye receive not of her plagues."

But to return to those who have "not known these depths of Satan ;" the Lord promises to put on these

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no other burden; (i. e. no other injunction, command, or doctrine ;) but to hold fast such as they had already received, till he comes. That this is the sense of the word

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burden," see Mat. xi, 30. Christ's holy requirements are a burden to the old Adam, or unrenewed part of his own people; though still "light" in comparison with the yoke of iniquity: but when "he comes," sin being done away, and our vile body fashioned like unto his glorious body, his law will be so written in our hearts, that we shall perform it without finding any opposing law in our members. But "to him that overcometh," this opposition of "the flesh lusting against the Spirit," and that perseveres in obedience of faith "to the end," or, bears in believing remembrance the works of Jesus which testified to him as God the Saviour,e-to him will he ever be mindful of his covenant.” While the praises of God are in his mouth, a two edged sword will be in his hand to execute the Lord's vengeance on the heathen and punishments on the people, to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron, to execute upon them the judgements written.-This honor

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