thus prove, indeed, a "blessing" to him. But of this more hereafter; it should be enough to remind the Christian that the Book of the Revelation is part of the word of God, and that we are told "ALL Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for instruction," &c. (2 Tim. iii. 16), to convince him that there is danger as well as loss in deliberately neglecting it; and when to this is added the peculiar commendation here pronounced by God, we may well ask, Who is there amongst us not only that "fears God and trembles at His word," but who regards or values His blessing, that can persevere in the neglect of a portion of it so commended?

II. Taking it, then, for granted that attention to this book of Scripture must be allowed to be a solemn duty, as sanctioned at once by the design of God in revealing it, and His special blessing on the "reading and hearing of the words" and "keeping of the things written therein," I proceed to the Address or Inscription of the book, which is "To the Seven Churches of Asia," ver. 4.

A question arises here which has been much discussed -Whether these messages to the seven churches were designed to apply to them exclusively, or to the whole church in that and every future age? And in support of the latter opinion has been urged the frequent use of the number "seven" to denote totality in Scripture, and particularly in this book; as for instance, by "the seven Spirits of God" is intended the full power and influence of the Spirit; by "the seven horns of the

Lamb," the fulness of his power: again, the book having "seven seals" denotes that it was perfectly sealed; and "the seven trumpets," and the " seven vials," denote the fulness and completion of the judgments which they symbolize. But, though this must be allowed to make it more than probable, I do not think that we need this proof that these addresses are of universal application; for all the other epistles of Scripture were addressed either to particular churches or individuals, and it is never inferred from this circumstance that they are of limited application: and, generally, it must be acknowledged as a fixed rule, that whatever God has revealed, whether in the way of encouragement, warning, or instruction, to any person or church, is capable of application to all who are in like circumstances. On this ground then alone, I would assume that everything addressed to the seven churches of Asia is of universal concern and general interest to the church of Christ in all ages; but if more positive proof be required, I think we have it in more than one passage of these epistles. See for example, Chap. ii. 23, where God, in threatening a particular church (Thyatira) with his judgments, adds, "and ALL the churches shall know that I am he which "searcheth the reins and heart." And again, at the end of each address, we find the following call-"He that "hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to 66 THE CHURCHES."

This as to the Address of the book, the persons to whom it would appear the whole of the Revelation, but particularly the portion contained in the first three chap

ters, is addressed-" the seven churches of Asia:" accompanying which, we have next a Salutation as is usual in the apostolic epistles-"Grace be unto you and peace, "from Him which is, and which was, and which is to

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come and from the seven Spirits which are before his "throne."

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"Grace be unto you and peace : (So Rom. i. 7; 1 Cor. i. 3; Eph. i. 2, &c.) Few though be these words, there is much conveyed in them. First they show what the apostles of the Lord considered the best wish for those whom they address. They wished them not, as is customary with men writing to each other, health, or happiness, or earthly prosperity. They wished them ' grace and peace.” Grace," the favour of God; and "peace" which flows from it: that is, in a word, "the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ." "grace" is the source of all blessing from God. It is grace which" bringeth salvation," even the grace of God which hath appeared" in Jesus Christ; and it is "grace" which promises "glory,"-which "teaches to "look for that blessed hope, the appearing of the glory "of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (Tim. ii. 11-13); which glory is itself called grace-“ the

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For,

grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus "Christ." (1 Pet. i. 13.) And "peace" is its fruitcomes from being justified by faith in him, as the foundation of the sinner's hope already revealed (Rom. v. 1); and, again, is his special bequest to his disciples in reference to their position of trial in the world while waiting his return. (John, xiv. 27.) A suitable wish,

then, and salutation this, to preface these epistles, which those to whom they were addressed would know how to appreciate!

But let us observe from whom the Apostle here invokes this "grace and peace:" "From Him which is, and 66 was, and is to come, and from the seven Spirits which

are before his throne; and from Jesus Christ who is the "faithful witness, and the first-begotten of the dead, "and the Prince of the kings of the earth." That is, he wishes grace and peace from God in the several persons of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost:-the expression "which is, and which was, and which is to come,' (ὁ ὢν, καὶ ὁ ἦν, καὶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος) denoting past, present, and future existence, and so being equivalent to the title "JEHOVAH;"- -"the seven Spirits which are before His throne," denoting the Holy Spirit in the fulness of his operations;-while the Son is expressly named, "and from Jesus Christ." It would lead me too far from my immediate undertaking to speak fully here of the doctrine of the Trinity. I would only remark, that as the Apostle here wishes " grace and peace," the distinguishing blessings of the Gospel, from God in Trinity, so it is only in the Gospel that we have God so revealed. It is in the relation of God to Christ that he is "the Father,"-" His Father, and therefore our Father" while in and through Christ also it is that the Spirit is revealed and dispensed, being "given to him without measure" that he may dwell in us "by measure." Accordingly as here, so everywhere in Scripture, these distinct names of God are mentioned, and

this doctrine of the Divine nature stated, in connexion with corresponding blessings bestowed in redemption, and in that connexion only: a circumstance which makes a great and important difference between the Scripture statements of the Trinity and those so often found in human writers; who rather treat it as an inscrutable mystery and abstract dogma of Theology, than, as here, a doctrine which involves all that is most dear to us in the Revelation of mercy, and conveys to us in its true apprehension "grace and peace," and every other spiritual blessing. (See, also, 2 Cor. xiii. 14; Eph. ii. 18, &c.)

In this Trinity, accordingly, the Apostle peculiarly distinguishes and dwells on the name of "Jesus Christ," and for what reason the titles which follow sufficiently declare, viz. :—

First, "Who is the faithful witness :"-He by whom that testimony is borne to "the Truth" as it respects the Divine character, which at first by the lie of Satan in Eden, and since by the ignorance and pride of the natural heart then entailed, is falsified and obscured: and this, in reference specially to his death as "the martyr" (μápTvs) to the truth, on account of his having "witnessed a good confession before Pontius Pilate ;" (Compare 1 Tim. vi. 13; John, iii. 11, 32; ix. 14-18; xviii. 37); by which he became the author of "grace and peace" to us in justification, and also in our renewal in the knowledge of God-both owing to the belief of "the TRUTH as it is in Jesus."

"And the first-begotten from the dead."-As in the