1 Sam. xii. 22. PART XI. THE EPISTLE TO THE CHURCH IN PHILADELPHIA. THE SIXTH HAVING traced the history of the Christian Church through the preceding periods, as revealed in the respective Epistles, and the contemporaneous forms of prophecy, we have found that her course has been one of continued declension from the mind and Spirit of the LORD. But the purpose of GOD, in CHRIST Jesus our LORD, cannot fail for ever. For though the Church has failed, He faileth not. He will not forsake His inheritance for His great Name's sake. Hence in the Hab. iii. 2. midst of a general and most fearful apostacy, “He remembereth mercy, and revives His work in the midst of the years," which revival is revealed to us in the prophecies belonging to the sixth period of the Christian dispensation. And as outward and visible things derive their form of being from the spiritual, so the revival of the work of the LORD in this period of Christian history is brought under our notice in Rev. iii. 713. THE SIXTH EPISTLE. 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 strength, and hast kept My word, and hast not denied My Name. 9 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 also will 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. If any of our readers are not convinced of the truth of our exposition respecting the names assigned to the several churches to which these Epistles are addressed, or have any doubt of their mystical meaning, we conceive that doubt will be removed by the name inscribed in this Epistle, addressed to the angel of the Church in Philadelphia, which signifies "brotherly love." This inscription, as in all the former instances, serves as a key-note to the Epistle, intimating the subject matter of it, and the period of which it is prophetic. The very name implies a returning to a former condition. Therefore, as the Church of Ephesus was rebuked for having left her first love, so the Church of Philadelphia is commended and approved for having returned to that condition here expressed by brotherly love. For, S. John says, love to our brother is the vide 1 s. outward and ostensible proof of our love to GOD; and S. Paul tells us, that "Charity is the bond of per- Col. iii. 14. fectness." This heavenly This heavenly principle, then, marks a John iv. 20. reaction in the Church-a true fraternity-the uniting of member to member in one holy and indissoluble bond of brotherhood; and as a consequence, leading to the revival of every other gift of GOD in His Church. For having the greatest and best of gifts, namely, that of love, the rest will follow in course; nay, they are included in it, and must in due time appear. So long as Christian men deceive themselves by saying, "We have the most excellent gift, and therefore the other gifts of the Spirit are not necessary," there is no hope; but when they begin to discover that they have not the former, and know nothing comparatively of love Coloss. i. 8. to God and each other "in the Spirit," it becomes "it evident how much they have grieved the HOLY SPIRIT ; the other gifts of GOD having declined only in proportion to our declension in this. But in this period of Christian history, the Church returns to her "first love." The whole Epistle breathes of love, and shows the blessed effects or consequence of the use of this fruit of the Spirit. Although we have only briefly touched upon the subject of the names, we trust sufficient has been said to show that they are given to express the spirit of the Epistles, and as a means of ascertaining their true interpretation. We pass on, therefore, from the most consoling of these names-Philadelphia, or brotherly love-to the Epistle bearing its inscription. "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." As the inscription of the Epistle, so is the designation of the LORD by which He heads it especially and strikingly appropriate to the condition of the Church. It was so in all the foregoing Epistles, and it will be found not less so in this. The Church emerging out of the Sardian state, is seen in much weakness and apparent helplessness, yet with purity of heart, fervency of love, and sincerity of faith and truth. And in this condition, she is encouraged by the LORD, to look off from herself unto Him, as most able and willing to supply all her wants. Isa vi. with 41. iv. 15. She is first directed to look to Him as the ground and source of all holiness-" These things saith He Ps. Ixxi. 22. that is Holy." Under this title He is often spoken of in the Old Testament, "The Holy One of Israel," Isa. lvii. 15. "Whose Name is Holy." In the vision of Isaiah, Compare which describes the glory of CHRIST, we have this $. John xii. threefold inscription, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of Hosts." David also calls Him "The Holy One." Ps. xvi. 10. Now this title could be no source of strength or encouragement to the Church, were He not in the very truth of our nature One with us. This is the root of all holiness in the Church. "He Who is Holy," was Vide Heb. in the truth of our nature, tempted in all points like as we are, and therefore He is able to succour them that are tempted, and to overcome sin in us. Against this truth the devil rages; for there is no truth he fears so much as this-GOD incarnate-GOD in our fleshbecause it despoils him of his power. But it is the joy of the Christian, to know and believe, that "He Vide Heb. ii. Who is Holy," is not "ashamed to call us brethren ;" and that as He is one with us, as well as one with the FATHER, SO He is able to preserve us unblameable in holiness before GOD, by His Spirit which dwelleth in us. Therefore it is written, "Be ye holy, for I am, s. Pet. i. holy." He is indeed the contradiction of all sin, as S. John testifies, "He that sinneth hath not seen Him 1s. John iii. neither known Him." And because the angel of the Y 11. 16. 6. S John i. 17. 20. Church of Philadelphia earnestly desired to be holy, and taught his flock to desire it also, CHRIST presents Himself as the "Holy One," that He might be assured of attaining unto a meetness for His appearing and kingdom. The LORD JESUs also presents Himself as " He that is true," that the angel of the Philadelphian Church may be encouraged to follow after the truth as it is in JESUS; and to maintain the reality of Christianity, in contradistinction to the Church of Sardis, which had a name only to live. The word here translated true, means truthful or real; and is used by Greek authors when they would distinguish the real from the fictitious. In the Scriptures it is used to distinguish the realities of the Gospel from the shadows of the law. "The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth 18. John v. came by JESUS CHRIST." "And we know, (says S. John,) that the SON of GOD is come, and hath given us an understanding that we may know HIM THAT IS TRUE, and we are in HIM that is true, even in His SON JESUS CHRIST." This designation of our LORD is opposed to that condition which has a name only, and must be a comfort to the Philadelphian Church who are thirsting for realities, and desiring to bear witness unto CHRIST, not in word only, but in deed, that He may be seen in His ordinances, and by divers gifts of the HOLY GHOST; by Apostolic rule, by Prophetic light, by Evangelical ministry, and by Pastoral care and teaching. "He that is true," has also respect to the truthfulness of His Word. What He said at the beginning concerning these gifts, that they were given not for a time but for ever, even unto the end of the age, were TRUE words. And so it will be found that they have only been hidden through our unfaithful |