eyes to eternal realities, fan the dying sparks into a flame. (2) They were to be curative. "Strengthen the things which remain." How strengthen? Appropriate the true remedial element, fruit from the tree of life, use wholesome food, the sincere milk of the word, take proper exercise, inaction leads to disease, "exercise thyself unto godliness," inbreathe the pure atmosphere of holiness. (3) They were to be recollective. "Remember therefore how thou hast received." Call up all the good of the past. (4) They were to be repentant. "Hold fast and repent." They were to renounce all that was pernicious to spiritual health and pursue a right course. "Hold fast." Grasp with all the tenacity of their being the good that comes up to memory, as the drowning man lays hold of the rope thrown out on the surging waves.

Fourthly: They were in a state of alarming danger. "If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee." Such words as these Christ uttered while a tenant of this

earth (Matt. xxiv. 32). Retribution generally moves stealthily as a thief, "the feet of the gods are shod with wool," says the old Greek proverb. Notice

II. The EXCEPTIONAL CHARACTER OF THE FEW.

"Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled (did not defile) their garments." "These few names," says Dr. Tait, " are here to the credit and honour of the Church, the few 'things' in connection with the Church in Pergamos were against it and to its condemnation. He who was the Angel of the Church does not seem to have known the few names, just as the prophet did not know the seven thousand in Israel who had not bowed their knees to Baal." Here then is goodness amidst social depravity. Three remarks are suggested—

First: That true goodness can exist under external circumstances the most corrupt. Sardis was one of the most dissolute cities of ancient times, but here were Christians. Man is not the creature of circumstances. Observe

Secondly: That true goodness, wherever it exists, en

gages the specific attention of Christ. Christ noticed the goodness in Sardis; and why? (1) Because it is the highest manifestation of God upon earth. (2) Because it is the result of His mediatorial mission. (3) Because on it depends the progress of humanity. Observe—

Thirdly: That true goodness will ultimately be distinguished by a glorious reward. The words, "walk with Me," &c., imply three ideas. (1) Triumph. (2) Fellowship. (3) Progress. Notice

III. THE ABSOLUTE JUDGE OF ALL.

Who is the absolute

Judge both of the many and the few? He is thus described: "These things saith He that hath the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars." The absolute Judge of character is here presented in three connections.

First: In connection with the highest influence. "He that hath the seven Spirits of God." Elsewhere we read: "He whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him" (John iii. 34). The Divine Spirit is everywhere. The amount

of its possession by any moral being is conditioned by that being's receptive capacity. No man ever appeared on earth who had the receptive capacity in such measure as Christ had it. He was filled with it. He opened His ministry by saying, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me," &c. The more a man has of this Spirit the more he can communicate of life and power and blessedness. He is here presented

Secondly: In connection. with the highest ministry. "The seven stars." These were, as we have seen, the Angels of the seven Churches. What is the highest human ministry? The ministry of the Gospel. Those engaged in this work are here called

the cultivation, and the exIcellence of its vines. It had been visited by numerous earthquakes, and in the reign of Tiberius most of its population forsook it and fled to the fields, apprehending destruction. It survives to the present day, and is called by the Turks, "Allah-Shekr," the city of God. The ruins of a church wall are still visible, and about 5000 members of the Greek Church, with a bishop and about fifteen clergymen, reside in its midst. Nowhere else is it mentioned in sacred Scripture.

This wonderful letter brings under our notice, a character to be adored, an energy to be coveted, and a destiny to be sought.

I.-A CHARACTER ΤΟ BE ADORED. This character is here exhibited as

First Holy. "He that is holy." No man ever appeared on this earth so entirely and unquestionably pure as Christ

blood." He was, indeed, the holy, the harmless, the undefiled Son of God. His spotless and undoubted holiness is a most uncontrovertible argument for the divinity of His Gospel. His character is here exhibited as

Secondly: True. "He that is true." He is true in the highest sense. (1) True in sentiment. All His sympathies were in accord with eternal reality. (2) True in speech. All His language was in exact agreement with His sentiments. (3) True in character. No shifting from eternal right. "To this end was I born, to this end came I into the world, to bear witness to the truth." He stands in the world's history, amidst the world's shams, like the sun amidst the ever shifting clouds. His character is here exhibited

as

Thirdly: Supreme. "He that hath the key of David." What this means I know not. It cannot mean, however, that Christ in any moral sense resembled the moral character of David, who was undoubtedly one of the worst men whose name is enrolled on the world's black scroll of human criminals.

One thing however is clear, that David obtained terrible authority over all the resources of Israel. He had a "key" to the resources of the kingdom, and Christ has a key to the moral empire of heaven. He has supremacy of the highest kind. "He that openeth, and no man shall shut; He that shutteth, and no man shall

open." "He dispenses and He withholds God's treasures; He gives or He denies this or that talent, this or that blessing. In a yet more solemn meaning of the words, it is His to admit into and His to exclude from the eternal kingdom of glory. In spiritual and eternal things, wherever there is a door Christ has the key of it." Dr. Vaughan. All the doors to human usefulness, dignity, and happiness are at the disposal of Christ. Here we

have

II. AN ENERGY TO BE COVETED. "Thou hast a little strength" (power). This Church had a little power. What was it? Not physical force, not intellectual capacity, not regal rule, but moral. Force to resist the wrong and pursue the right, force to serve the Almighty and to bless man

kind. In relation to this moral strength notice

First: It is the energy of true usefulness. Behold, I have set before thee an open door (a door opened), and no man can (which none can) shut it: for thou hast a little strength." It is implied that a little moral strength fits a man for usefulness to some extent. Hence the door of opportunity is thrown open to him. Every man has a mission in life, but he only is qualified to enter on it who has moral strength. Alas, the millions are morally impotent, and they live and die without entering on the prosecution of their great duty in life.

Secondly: It is the energy of loyal obedience. “And hast kept (didst keep) My word." This moral strength enables a man to hold on to duty, to hold on to the right with all the tenacity of life, to feel with Job, "though He slay me yet will I trust in Him"; like Paul to say, "I count not my life dear unto me," &c.

Thirdly: It is the energy of true courage. "And hast not denied (didst not deny) My name." "The tenses used, says Bishop Carpenter, “point