τις ακέσῃ τῆς φω τῆς με, καὶ ἀνοίξη τὴν θύραν, εἰσελεύ σομαι ωρὶς αὐτὸν, καὶ δειπνήσω μεθ' αὐ

τα, καὶ αὐτὸς μεθ ̓ ἐμε. 21 Ο νικῶν, δώσω αυτ τῷ καθίσαι με μὲ ἐν τῷ θρόνῳ με, ὡς καγὼ ἐνίκησα, καὶ ἐκάθισα μετὰ τῆ παλμός με ἐν τῷ θρόνῳ αὐτῷ. Ο ιχων ἧς, ἀκεσάτω, τί τὸ πνεῦμα λέγει ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις.

appear; and to anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest 19 see. As many as I love, I prove and chasten; be zealous, there20 fore, and repent, Be

hold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any one shall hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in unto him, and will sup with him, and be with 21 me. He who overcometh, to him will I give to sit with me on my Throne; as I also have overcome, and am seated with my Father on his Throne. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches.

pear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I

rebuke and chasten : be zealous, therefore, 20 and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and 21 he with me. To bim

that overcometh, will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his Throne. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches.

Ver. 14. Laodicea.] Upon the river Lycus (for there were other cities of the same name) stood this city, flourishing in wealth, in the times immediately. preceding the date of this vision. Near to it was situated the city of Colossæ; and in the times of Saint Paul, these appear to have been sister Churches of the same character, neither of which had been personally visited by this great Apostle to the Gentiles †. To each of them he wrote epistles, which he ordered to be read interchangeably by both. And that which now bears

Pliny, Nat. Hist. v. c. xix.

+ Col. ii. 1.

the

the inscription to the Ephesians, is supposed by some able writers to have been the Epistle to Laodicea But at the time of Saint John's banishment to Patmos, the Church of Colossæ seems to have been absorbed in that of Laodicea; or at least the latter appears to have been at that time the superior and predominant Church. But its ruin and present state of desolation are described by modern travellers as more complete and lamentable than that of the other six.

Ver. 14. The Amen.] This word imports truth and certainty; "I am he, all whose promises will be most strictly fulfilled." See 2 Cor. i. 20.

Ib. Faithful and true Witness.] See note, ch. i. 4. Ib. The Beginning of the Creation of God.] See note, ch. ii. 17. For this seems to refer to the new creation, new building, where in Christ all things are made new t. There is a new commandment, a new worship, a new temple, a new city, 8 TRUTHS TYS XTIσEWS, of which Christ is the corner stone and foundation . And he is not only the agx, but the aragxn from the grave, the first fruits, insuring the resurrection of his followers.

Ver. 15. Neither cold nor hot.] Many are the professed Christians, in all countries, as well as in Laodicea, who, contented to be named after their Redeemer, are indifferent to their actions and their consequences. Supposing themselves rich in his merits, and "wanting nothing," they fall into a lifeless sort of Christianity, which must needs be disgusting to that zealous Master who suffered so much for them, laying so fair a foundation for their active exertions. Here he calls upon such persons to examine their situation;

*

See note, ii. 1.

1 Pet. ii. 6. Eph. ii. 20.

† 2 Cor. v. 17.

they

they are poor instead of rich*; naked instead of clothed ; and blind, that is, ignorant, and wilfully so. For our Lord told the Pharisees, "If ye were blind,

(that is, necessarily ignorant,) ye would have no sin; "but now ye say we see, (now ye presume upon your fancied knowledge, and refuse divine instruction,) "therefore your sin remaineth."

Ver. 18. Buy.] That is, attain in preference to worldly riches. See Is. lv. 1, 4. Prov. xxiii. 13. Matt. xiii. 44-47.

Ib. Gold purified.] Пɛτvęwμεvиv, such virtue as will stand the fiery trial, or such as men possess after severe trials, assisted by the Divine Grace; for, see the following verse.

Ver. 19. As many as I love, &c.] See Heb. xii, 5-12, which is exactly to the same purpose.

Ver. 20. Sup.] The kingdom of Christ is described as a feast for all people. He is the bread of life; none who come to him shall hunger or thirst §. But it may be said, if Christ prepares the supper, why is he represented as standing at the door, and knocking for entrance? But this action is agreeable to the office he bears in the allegory or parable. He is the Bridegroom ||, and his servants sit in his house to a late hour, waiting his arrival; when returning from the wedding, according to eastern custom, "he cometh and knocketh," and they open to him, and he maketh them to sit down to meat. Luke xii. 36-38. See also John xiv. 23, which tends likewise to illustrate this passage. Ver. 21. On my throne.] This is the last reward promised to those who overcome; and it is the richest

* See note, ch. ii. 9.
Isaiah xxv. 6. Matt. viii. 11.
John vi. 35. Rev. vii. 16.

† See note, ch. iii. 4.

Luke xiv. 16. xxii. 19, 30. Matt. xxv. 1, 14. John iii. 29. and

and most glorious. Yet it is in perfect concordance with similar promises in Scripture. Our Lord's seat is upon the throne of God, at the right hand of the Father; and he has prepared a place for his true followers, "that where he is, there may they be also t." They are "heirs of God, joint-heirs with Christ; and with him they are to reignt." These splendid rewards are to be obtained only through Christ, by those who follow him faithfully in his career of spiritual warfare, and of victory, "as he also hath overcome.'

Heb. viii. 1. xii. 2. Matt. xxvi. 64. xxii. 4. Mark xvi. 19. + John xiv. 2.

Heb.į. Rom. viii. 17, Eph. ii. 6. Coloss. iii. 1-4. 2 Tim, iì. 12.

THE