Minor, and walking in the midst of only those seven churches, would be to reduce the sublime representations and declarations of this and following chapters into comparative insignificance. The providential care and presence of the Lord are with, not a specified number of churches only, but with all his people; not in the days of John merely, but through all time. "Lo! I am with you alway," said he to his disciples, "even unto the end of the world." See remarks on verse 4.

Chapter II.

THE SEVEN CHURCHES.

VERSE 1. Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus, write: These things saith He that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 2. I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil; and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3. and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast labored, and hast not fainted. 4. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5. Remember, therefore, from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 6. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate. 7. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

The Church of Ephesus. Some reasons why the seven churches, or more properly the messages to them, should be regarded as prophetic, having their application to the seven periods of the Christian age, have been given in the remarks on chap. 1:4. It may here be added that this view is neither new nor local. Benson quotes Bishop Newton as saying:

Many contend, and among them such learned men as More and Vitringa, that the seven epistles are prophetical of so many successive periods and states of the church, from the beginning to the conclusion of all."

Scott says, "Many expositors have imagined that these epistles to the seven churches were mystical prophecies of seven distinct periods, into which the whole term, from the apostles' days to the end of the world, would be divided."

Although neither Newton nor Scott themselves hold this view, their testimony is good as showing that such has been the view of many expositors. Matthew Henry says:

"An opinion has been held by some commentators of note, which may be given in the words of Vitringa:

That under this emblematical representation of the seven churches of Asia, the Holy Spirit has delineated seven different states of the Christian church, which would appear in succession, extending to the coming of our Lord, and the consummation of all things. That this is given in descriptions taken from the names, states, and conditions of these churches, so that they might behold themselves, and learn both their good qualities and their defects, and what admonitions and exhortations were suitable for them.' Vitringa has given a summary of the arguments which may be alleged in favor of this interpretation. Some of them are ingenious, but they are not now considered sufficient to support such a theory. Gill is one of the principal of the English commentators who adopt this

view, that they are prophetical of the churches of Christ, in the several periods of time, until he appears again.""

It appears from the authors above cited, that what has led commentators of more modern times to discard the view of the prophetical nature of the messages to the seven churches, is the comparatively recent, and unscriptural doctrine of the temporal millennium. The last state of the church as described in chap. 3: 15-17, was deemed to be incompatible with the glorious state of things which would exist here on this earth for a thousand years, with all the world converted to God. Hence, in this case, as in many others, the more scriptural view is made to yield to the more pleasing. The hearts of men, as in ancient times, still love smooth things; and their ears are ever favorably open to those who will prophesy peace.

The definition of the word Ephesus is, desirable, which may well be taken as a good descriptive term of the character and condition of the church in its first state. Those early Christians had received the doctrine of Christ in its purity. They enjoyed the benefits and blessings of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. They were noted for works, labor, and patience. In faithfulness to the pure principles taught by Christ, they could not bear those that were evil, and they tried false apostles, searched out their true characters, and found them liars. That this work was done by the literal and particular church at Ephesus, we have no evidence;

there is nothing said about it by Paul in the epistle he wrote to that church; but it was done by the Christian church as a whole, in that age, and was a most appropriate work at that time. See Acts 15; 2 Cor. 11:13.

The Angel of the Church. The angel of a church must denote the messenger or minister of that church; and as these churches each cover a period of time, the angel of each church must denote the ministry, or all the true ministers of Christ during the period covered by that church. The different messages, though addressed to the ministers, cannot be understood to be applicable to them alone; but they are doubtless addressed to the church through them.

The Cause of Complaint. "I have somewhat against thee," says Christ, "because thou hast left thy first love." "Not less worthy of warning than departure from fundamental doctrine, or from scriptural morality, is the leaving of first love. The charge here is not that of falling from grace, nor that love is extinguished, but diminished. No zeal, no suffering, can atone for the want of first love."Thompson. The time never should come in a Christian's experience, when, if he was asked to mention the period of his greatest love to Christ, he would not say, The present moment. But if such a time does come, then should he remember from whence he is fallen, meditate upon it, take time for it, and carefully call up the state of his former acceptance with God, then haste to repent, and retrace his