The character under which our Lord addresses this church is taken from Chap. i. 13-15. with this variation: there he is described as "one like unto the Son of God;" as denoting his divine personality. With this agrees what is said of him, that "his eyes were like unto a flame of fire," discerning the secrets of the heart; " and his feet like fine brass" denoting the stability and glory of his proceedings. It is like saying, "All things are naked and open to the eyes of him with whom you have to do. Seeing then that ye have a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, hold fast your profession!"

It is a high commendation that is given of this church, for its "works, and charity, and service, and patience, and works." Nor is this last word repeated without cause; it denotes their persevering and even abounding in good works; "the last were more

than the first." There are few churches, I fear, of which this can be said. Christ may know our works-and our works: but in most cases the first are more than the last!

Yet with all this excellence, Christ has a few things against them. With all this positive good, there was a mixture of relative evil. "The woman Jezebel," seems to relate to a corrupt part of the church, who though united to God's people, as Jezebel was by marrying an Israelitish prince, yet were in heart attached to idolatry, and laboured to seduce others into it. As a corrupt part of the Christian church is described as a harlot, so a corrupt part of a particular church, may be thus designated; and as Jezebel pretended to divine authority, and had her prophets to draw the servants of God into literal and spiritual fornication, so these had a kind of religion which would comport with eating and drinking at idolatrous temples, and so with occasional conformity to idolatry. They had had space to repent; the Lord had long borne with them but his forbearance operated, as it often does, to harden them in their sin. This forbearance, however, will not continue always: Jezebel, with her adulterous paramours, will, except they repent, be cast together into a bed of devouring fire ; and this for a warning to the churches.

It seems that, like some among the Corinthians, they boasted of their knowledge, as being able to distinguish between eating at an

idol's temple and worshipping it (1 Cor. viii. 1.); they spake of their depths in knowledge; but Christ calls them "the depths of Satan," and virtually disowns their abettors, distinguishing the faithful from them-" Unto you, I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and who have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. But that, which ye have hold fast till I come."

The promise to them that overcome the temptations of the present life is a final triumph. They shall judge the world of the ungodly and those who have persecuted them, and set themselves against them, and then fall before them. As a potter's vessel is broken to shivers, so shall they be destroyed; and all this according to the commission which Christ received of his Father.

Nor is this all: Christ will give unto them that overcome "the morning star." As this is one of the names assumed by himself, (Chap. xxii. 16.) it may denote that he himself will be their por

tion.

The exhortation "He that hath an ear, let him hear," &c. may in this case direct our attention to the following important particulars-That we may be members of a true church, and yet not true ▾ members of the church; that the mixture of evil characters and evil things which at present are found in Christ's visible kingdom greatly tarnishes its glory, but in the end he will gather them out, and then shall the righteous shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father; that we may have space given us for repentance, and yet never repent, which will greatly aggravate our doom; that there is a species of knowledge with which it is our honour and happiness to be unacquainted; finally, that the hope of victory is sufficient to stimulate us under all our conflicts.

1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, und the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I

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will come upon thee. 4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. 5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiments; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. 6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

This church lies under the heavy charge of having " a name to live while it was dead." The address to it is taken from Chap. i. 4. 20. and may be designed to direct them and their pastor where to look for reviving grace. Nothing is said in a way of commendation, except to individuals amongst them. This indicates a bad state indeed. There are not many churches but individuals might be found in them who love the Lord. The "works" which Christ knew appear to be the same as those which he had "not found perfect before God." Though therefore he knew them, he did not approve of them. It is bad for the world to be dead; but for a church to be so is worse: this is salt without savour; which is neither fit for the land nor the dunghill. It is bad for individuals to be dead; but for the body of a church to be so is deplorable. It is implied, that they were not only destitute of spirituality, but had defiled their garments by worldly conformity.

There had been some good amongst them, or they would not have been called to "remember how they had received and heard;" and some remains of it might continue. As no complaint is made of false doctrine, it is likely they continued orthodox, and kept up the forms of godliness. There seem to have been something of truth, love, and zeal; but they were like dying embers, ready to expire.

Christ admonishes them to awake from their stupidness, to take the alarm, and to strengthen the things which remained that were ready to die. This is done by each one beginning with himself, and ending with one another.

The means of recovery from such a state are, "Remembering how we received and heard" the gospel at first. Call to remembrance the former days, not to get comfort under our declensions, but to recover those views and sensations which we had at the

beginning of our Christian course. There were many also, who at first had received the gospel with much heart, and had heard it with delight, but who in the course of forty years would be removed by death. Let them call to remembrance the love and zeal of their fathers, and be ashamed of their own declensions. If these admonitions did not awaken them, they are given to understand that Christ will come upon them in an unexpected hour, even as a thief cometh in the night.

The "few names which had not defiled their garments" are highly commended. To walk with God at any time is acceptable to him; and to do this while others around us are corrupt, is more so. This is being faithful among the faithless. They shall walk with Christ in glory, honour, and purity. With this agrees the promise to them that overcome: "They shall be clothed in white raiment ; and Christ will not blot out their names from the book of life." The blessed God is represented as keeping a register of his servants, not as elect, or as redeemed, or as called, but as his professed followers. When any turn back, their names are blotted out. Hence at the last judgment it is made the rule of condemnation. "Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Chap. xx. 15. Some were never there, having never professed to be the followers of Jesus, while others who had been there were blotted out in either case their names would not be found there. Hence also it is the rule of admission into the New Jerusalem. Chap. xxi. 27. "He that hath an ear to hear let him hear." of judging ourselves by what others think of us. name to live amongst our brethren, and yet be dead. Our names may be written among the professed followers of Christ, and yet be blotted out when he comes to judgment. But let faithful individuals know, that whatever may be the end of others, Jesus will confess them before his Father, and before his angels.

Let us be aware

We may have a

7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy: he that is true; he that hath the key of David; he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth: 8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little

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strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, (which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie ;) behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 12 Him that overcometh, will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of Heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. 13 He that hath an ear,

let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

There is a great difference between this church and the last : there was there nothing to commend; here nothing is censured. The character under which they are addressed is taken from Chap. i. 18. and accords with the address itself. "He that was holy, and true" approved of them; and he that had the keys of David, who opened and no man shut, had "set an open door before them."

The Lord knew and approved of their works, and would make hem more and more successful. They were not distinguished

opulence; nor perhaps by any of those things that render a people respectable in the eyes of the world; but of their "little strength," they had made good use; had held fast the truth, and stood firm under persecution, which is of more account in the esteem of Christ than all other things.

This, and most of the primitive churches met with great opposition from the Jewish synagogue, which is here again called “the synagogue of Satan ; whose members having rejected the MesIsiah, were no longer worthy of the name of Jews. They that say they are what they are not, whether it be Jews or Christians, are commonly the bitterest of persecutors. Their "coming" to them in a way of cringing submission, may refer to a state of things in which, a door being opened in a way of success, the Christians should be increased in number and in power; while the Jews,