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atonement for those sins which would otherwise preclude their entrance. 2dly, By granting to them spiritual assistance. 3dly, By supplying them with rules and directions, which he has illustrated by his own perfect example. Hence he has called himself the Way, the Door, no one entereth but through him. And against those who faithfully and diligently attempt an entrance through him, the powers of Hell shall not prevail. In Acts xiv. 27, it is called, the "door of 'farth," and is described as open to the Gentiles, through the mercies of God.

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Ver. 9. Jews.] See note, ch. ii. 9. A complete triumph over these pretended saints is promised to this humble Church; and probably it took place in those early times, of which so little history remains. But as this meek and faithful Church is a type and resemblance of the pure Church of Christ; so, to that universal Church, when it shall appear in its purity, after this type, the conversion of the whole body of the Jews seems promised; which has been vainly, though often attempted by violence and persecution.

Ver. 10. I will keep thee from the hour of trial.] This promise, in favour of the Church of Philadelphia, was probably fulfilled in some subsequent persecution, of which we have no special account.

Ver. 11. I am coming soon.] See notes, ch. i. 3, iii. 16.

Ib. Crown.] See note, ch. ii. 15.

Ver. 12. Column.] The ancient nations were accustomed to erect columns in honourable memorial of heroes. Such, in idea at least, were the columns of Hercules. Absalom, "having no son to keep his "name in remembrance," built a column to be called

by

by his name. The Christian conqueror is here promised such an honourable memorial in God's temple, in his everlasting temple in heaven. Agreeably to this figurative language, the Apostles James and Peter are accounted columnns of the Church (TUλo, Gal. ii. 9.) And the Alexandrian martyrs of the third century are called TUO T8 Oe8, and also Attalus of Pergamos, in the account of the martyrs at Lyons and Vienne in the second century †.

Ib. New Jerusalem.] The numerous prophecies, foretelling great and everlasting glory to Jerusalem, have not been fulfilled in the literal Jerusalem; nor can be so fulfilled, without contradicting other predictions, especially those of our Lord, which have denounced its ruin. They remain therefore to be fulfilled in a spiritual sense; in that sense which Saint Paul points out to us, when, in opposition to "Jeru"salem that now is, and is in bondage with her chil"dren," he presents to our view "Jerusalem which is "above, which is free, which is the mother of us all." This is the city which "Abraham looked to; a building "not made with hands, whose builder and maker is "God;" even the heavenly Jerusalem, whose splendour will be displayed in the concluding chapters of this book.

* 2 Sam. xviii. 18.

+ Euseb. Hist. Eccl. lib. vi. c. 41. & lib. v. 1.

† Gal, iv. 24—27. Heb. xi. 10-16. xii. 22—24. xiii. 14.

PART

PART I.

SECTION X.

The Address to the Church in Laodicea.

14 Kai To ayi

τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐν Λαοδικεία γράψον Τάδε λέγει ὁ ̓Αμὴν, ὁ μάρτυς ὁ τιςὺς καὶ ἀληθινὸς, ἡ ἀρχὴ τῆς κτίσεως το Θεό. 15 Οίδα σε τὰ ἔρα, ὅτι ἔτε ψυχρὸς εἶ, ἔτε ζεσὸς ὄφελον Luxçòs js, ĥ Cesòs'

CHAP. iii. VER. 14-21.

14 And to the Angel of

the Church in Laodicea, write: Thus saith the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the 15 Creation of God. I

know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot; I would that

thou wert cold or hot:

16"Outws, Ti X-16 So then, because thou

αξὸς εἶ, καὶ ἔτε ψυ

χρός, ἔτε ζεσός, μέλλω σε ἐμέσαι ἐκ το σόματός με 17 Ὅτι λέγεις. Ὅτι πλέσιος είμι, καὶ πεπλέτηκα, καὶ ἐδε νὸς χρείαν ἔχων καὶ ἐκ οἶδας, ὅτι σὺ εἶ ὁ ταλαίπωρG, καὶ ὁ ἐλεεινὸς, καὶ ποίους χὸς, καὶ τυφλὸς, καὶ 18 γυμνός· Συμβελεύω

σοι, ἀγοράσαι παρ' ἐμὲ χρυσίον πεπυρωμένον ἐκ πυρὸς, ἵνα πλετήσῃς καὶ ἱμάτια λευκά, ἵνα περιβάλῃ, καὶ μὴ Φανερωθῇ ἡ αἰσχύνη τῆς γυμνότητός σε

art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to nauseate thee out of my mouth; 17 Because thou sayest that I am rich, and am grown wealthy, and have need of nothing,

and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold purified in the fire, that thou may'st be rich; and white raiment, that thou may'st be clothed; and that the shame of

thy nakedness may not

14 And unto the Angel of the Church of the Laodiceans, write, These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the Creation 15 of God; I know thy

works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold 16.or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth: 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich h; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not ap

Ch. iii. 14-21.]

καὶ κολλύριον ἐγχρί σαι τὲς ὀφθαλμός σε, ἵνα βλέπης. 19 Ἐγώ ὅσες ἐὰν φι δῶ, ἐλέγχω καὶ παιδεύω ζήλωσον ἦν, 20 μslavónσov. 'Ide, καὶ μελανόησον,

ἔφηκα ἐπὶ τὴν θύξαν, καὶ κρύων ἐὰν

τις ακέσῃ τῆς φωτ τῆς με, καὶ ἀνοίξη τὴν θύραν, εἰσελεύ σομαι πρὶς αὐτὸν, καὶ δειπνήσω μεθ' αυτ

τῆ, καὶ αὐτὸς μὲν ἐμε. 21 Ο νικών, δώσω αυτ τῷ καθίσαι μετ' ἐ μὲ ἐν τῷ θρόνῳ με, ὡς καγὼ ἐνίκησα, καὶ ἐκάθισα μετὰ τῶ πατρός με ἐν τῷ θρόνῳ αὐτῷ. Ο χων ᾖς, ἀκεσάτω, τί τὸ πνεῦμα λέγει ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις.

APOCALYPSE.

appear; and to anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest 19 see. As many as I love, I prove and chas

ten; be zealous, there20 fore, and repent. Be20 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 he 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.

gr..

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 him

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 cach 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.

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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 newt. There is a new commandment, a new worship, a new temple, a new city, 8 TRUTHS TYS иTICENS, of which Christ is the corner stone and foundation. And he is not only the agx, but the axagxn 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; † 2 Cor. v. 17.

* See note, ii. 1.

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

they

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