nerations. And all nations shall serve him. For he shall now take unto himself his great power, and rule and reign throughout the world. So that the saints, seeing the Jews converted, and the fulness of the gentiles together with the Jews brought in as one sheep-fold, under one Shepherd, Jesus the conqueror, will most gladly shout, "Hallelujah! for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth." The everlasting gospel will now be preached throughout all the earth; and the Lord will be king over all the earth: " In that day there shall be one Lord, and his name one." The everlasting gospel being preached, and the Holy Ghost accompanying it with remarkable success, Popery and Mahometanism will be entirely overthrown and destroyed, and the kingdoms of the world will become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ, and the whole earth shall be filled with his glory. All that spiritual peace and harmony, riches and tranquility promised to the church in the latter day, will now be enjoyed. Kings will now be its nursing fathers, and Queens its nursing mothers, and the Lord will be its everlasting and its eternal glory.

Before we enter upon our text, we are, first, to give you a brief view of the letter or epistle, which represents the state of the church, and which is, as were all the former, directed to the angel or minister. And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia, write, These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth and no man openeth." The word Philadelphia, signifies brotherly love, and it serves to point out the mutual love and affection which ought to subsist amongst all the household and family of faith-among the spiritual brotherhood. It may be used here to signify to us, the love and concord which the saints in this interval of time will be partakers of. For as in this period, great grace will rest upon

all the people of God, so this as the effect of it will most clearly appear, an unfeigned, cordial love for Christ's sake unto all the people of the Most High, even unto every one who obtain like precious faith in the righteousness of God, our Saviour, even Jesus Christ. As Christ's person,

righteousness, sufferings, sacrifice, and blood-shedding, together with his most amazing love, will most clearly and plainly be now exhibited unto the saints in the preaching of the gospel, and in the administration of his ordinances, so his believing people being led into more and greater acquaintance with him, will increase in their love to him, and to all his true and living members.

The epistle being directed to the minister, or ministers-the servants of Christ's church-our Lord is pleased here to assume the following titles. "These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth." Each of these titles deserve our most particular attention and regard.

First. Let us notice this, "These things saith he that is holy." This. as it is a part of Christ's address unto ministers, should put them in remembrance of the holiness of Christ as it respects his Godhead, his manhood, his word, works, ordinances, providences, and people. Christ as God is essentially holy-invariably holyimmutably holy-the fountain of holiness. He is celebrated with a thrice holy by the seraphim in the sixth chapter of Isaiah, " Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts." Which vision is applied unto Christ in the twelfth chapter of John's gospel. "These things said Esaias when he saw his glory (Christ's glory) and spake of him." Yea, he is called "the most holy," Dan. ix. 24. As Christ as God is originally and eternally holy, so he is like wise holy as respects his humanity, which out of incomprehensible

grace and love, for the sake and benefit of his church and people, he assumed into personal union with himself, giving the humanity assumed by him, an inexpressible subsistance in himself, whereby God and man are united in one Christ, which is the greatest of all mysteries, God manifes ted in the flesh, and most wondrous of all unions, excepting the union of the three divine, co-equal, and co-eternal Persons in the unity of the one incomprehensible Nature or Essence. Christ as man was perfectly holy, his nature free from all impurity, his heart and life exactly conformable to Jehovah's moral law. He as GodMan Mediator, was "Holiness unto the Lord." He was prefigured as the great High Priest of his people by Aaron, who upon the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, which he wore when he entered into the holy of holies, had this inscription on it, "Holiness unto the Lord," or as some render it, The Holy One of Jehovah." Christ, as our High Priest, is the Holy One of Jehovah, whose humanity is the pavilion of the Sun of Righteousness, and which is brighter than the sun, and holier than the heavens. "For such an High Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens." And he is the fountain of all holiness unto his church and people, and his human nature, as Dr. Owen expresses it, is the conduit pipe, through which all the blessings of grace are conveyed unto us. He is the fountain, spring, and cause of all the holiness which his saints partake of. The holiness of his human nature is their perfect sanctification before the Lord, for the holiness of Christ's human nature as well as the righteousness of his obedience is imputed unto all his people. He presents them perfectly holy as well as perfectly righteous. He is the fountain of sanctification and holiness unto them. Out of his fulness they receive life and light, grace and holi

ness, and he dwells in them by faith, and makes them real partakers of his Holy Spirit. Christ makes his members holy: he gives them his Holy Spirit, makes them partakers of a divine nature, leads them to walk in the paths of holiness, and it is he only who can preserve them unblameable in holiness before God even the Father.

Christ's word is holy, his works are all holy, his ordinances are means whereby holiness is increased and promoted. His providences are holy: "For the Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works." And his people are holy: "For he died to redeem his people from all iniquity, and to purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."

He adds, "He that is true." He is truly and properly God: he is true and very man: he is true and faithful in the discharge of his several offices: he is truth itself. He with the utmost fidelity and clearness declares to men the whole truth of God, necessary to be known, and nothing else. He is the truth of all the types, they have all received their perfect accomplishment in him. He is the true God, and the true, the sole Mediator between God and man: the true and only way to the Father. He is the substance of all the promises: in him they are yea, and in him amen. And Christ being truth itself, his word may be relied upon, his promises may be trusted to; for heaven and earth shall pass away, but his word endureth for

authority and government in his church; he fixes ordinances, bestows gifts, and dispenses blessings as he pleaseth. Our Lord here seems to refer to a passage in the 22nd of Isaiah, where a threatening is denounced against one Shebna, who was lord high treasurer in king Hezekiah's reign. This Shebna was a wicked man, and the Lord declares that he would pull him down from his exalted station. And it shall come to pass in that day (saith the Lord) that I will call my servant Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah: and I will clothe him with thy robe, (he should have the robe of state belonging to this office,) and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit the government into his hand, and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder: so he shall open, and none shall shut, and he shall shut, and none shall open. And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be a glorious throne to his father's house. Now as Eliakim, being put into the office of lord high treasurer, had all the keys of the king's treasures lodged in his hands; so Jesus Christ, who was typified by Eliakim, has all the treasures of his Father's grace and glory committed unto him, as the blessed Mediator and Trustee of his people. And he having the key of all his Father's treasures of grace and glory, he can open the treasury and give his people a view of it. He opens and gives the saints a discovery of his Father's everlasting love towards them

of the unsearchable riches of grace and glory they are entitled unto, and are heirs of; and hereby he gives and fills their hearts with all joy and peace in believing in, and embracing God, Father, Son, and Spirit, as their everlasting portion and their exceeding great reward. And Christ openeth a door for the preaching of his gospel, and he openeth the hearts of his peo

ple to receive it; for it is he only that can open the door of faith, and cause his word to run and be glorified. "He openeth, and no man shutteth," for he works in a sovereign way and manner; and he shutteth, by leaving some to their own natural blindness and hardness of heart. And he will open the kingdom of glory to receive and admit all his redeemed, and he will shut out and exclude from thence all the workers of iniquity.

Our Lord is pleased to signify his approbation of the members of this church. "I know thy works." And which appears to be good and acceptable in his sight, for there is no charge brought against them, nor any reproof given, which was against all the former churches, excepting the church of Smyrna; and she being in a suffering state, Christ uses her tenderly. I know," says Christ, "thy works," thy zealous attachment to my gospel and ordinances, and that it proceeds from an unfeigned faith in me, and love towards me. For thy encouragement, "Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it," which, according to the prophetical meaning, signifies an uncommon opportunity of preaching the gospel. For now will be fulfilled that passage in the fourteenth chapter of this book, verse 8, "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation and kindred, and tongue, and people." By which is meant a set of gospel ministers in the spiritual reign, and it points out the public and the clear ministration of it. It is called the everlasting gospel, because it shall never more be beclouded and obscured by the foolish inventions of men. The everlasting love of the Eternal Three, and the everlasting covenant of grace; everlasting righteousness of Jesus, and his everlasting salvation, shining in its glory and majesty in the ministration of the word; shall enlighten

the

the world; according to what is said in the 18th chapter of this prophecy, "And I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power, and the earth was enlightened with his glory." By which, says Dr. Gill, is meant the glorious gospel of Christ, the light of which at this time will be very great." The breath of the Lord, or the Lord the Spirit, shall breathe upon his people; the presence of God shall be remarkably experienced in the ordinances. The glory of the Lord shall be upon his church; his holiness to purify her, aud his power to protect her. Per secutions without, and divisions within, shall now cease. The Lord himself will now exalt his church, and make it a praise throughout the whole earth. And what crowns the whole is, that the Highest himself will establish her. It is a mercy which can never be enough valued, when in any state or period of the church, the Lord is pleased to set before ministers an open door to preach his truths, to blow the silver trumpet, and to proclaim salvation from the Lord to

wretched dying men. And it is a great blessing when Christ gives his ministers a door of utterance, as well as a door of opportunity. And when he is pleased to open the door of faith in the hearts of the hearers, this increases the church in number, for hereby souls are added unto the Lord. Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it." For the Lord will work, and who shall let ?

"For thou hast a little strength." Which is spoken by way of encouragement unto the church, and as a motive for her to persevere in the faith and purity of the gospel. And which by Dr. Gill is understood of some great men and princes of the earth, which will come in to the churches of Christ; even kings will come to the brightness of her rising; for now will all those prophecies have their accomplishment, which respects December, 1840.]

the secular grandeur of the church, with regard to its numbers, power, and riches. (see Isaiah xlix. 18—23; lx. 8-17. The church of Christ will always have strength, yea, everlasting strength, in her great Head Christ; and therefore she is exhorted to trust in him: "Trust ye in the Lord for ever; for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength." And this the church confesses: "In the Lord have I strength."

"And (says Christ) thou hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name." The gospel, called Christ's word, and the ordinances of it, had and were kept fast and pure by the ministers and members of this church, and that even in the beginning of this church state. And the open and faithful profession of Christ was held fast, and held forth, which was truly well pleasing to Christ Jesus.

Our Lord proceeds to give forth this promise: Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews [that is, professing themselves christians] but are not, but do lie: behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee." The Lord here declares that confound the enemies of his

he will church. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie: behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet." Which passage respects the conversion of the Jews, which will be in the latter day. And they being converted, shall "return, and seek the Lord their God, and David (that is, Messiah) their king, and shall fear the Lord, and his goodness in the latter day," Hosea iii. They shall then join themselves unto the Lord, and to his church. They shall come to the place of worship, and from the blessed effects which the gospel has upon their hearts, will know, and openly confess, that God has loved the elect of the Gentiles, and the

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church among them. They will now clearly see that God did and has visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And that hereby he has fulfilled that promise, "that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God," Hos. i. 10.

Christ adds, by way of further encouragement to his church, "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, [that is, the gospel, which gives an account of the paticnce of Jesus Christ, and upon account of which the church has suffered, and sometimes still does suffer great per. secutions, afflictions, and reproaches; and while the saints are here below, they are and must expect to be more or less exercised with temptations and desertions; and under all which, the glorious gospel serves to bear their spirits up] I also (says Christ) will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." By the hour of temptation some sore visitation is designed, and which is to be universal, and it will try them that dwell upon the earth. By which is generally understood, some sore affliction, which will be caused by Antichrist, and which will try and prove who are the Lord's and who are not. And Christ will in this hour of temptation, preserve his churches and members, and be as a hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the storm. For the church-believers-are Christ's jew els, they are God's hidden ones, and Christ will remember and make good his promise unto them, "They shall be mine in that day, saith the Lord, when I make up my jewels."

in this state of the church will be most highly prized and valued, both by ministers and people, and it will be more desirable unto them than

gold, yea than fine gold; and it will be to their spiritual taste sweeter also than honey or the honeycomb." "Hold fast that which thon hast, that no man take thy crown." The crown of everlasting life is the free gift of God's love, and the Lord's people cannot have it taken from them. The church is also a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of her God. By the church's crown in this place, I should understand the everlasting gospel, which being in her possession, she is here exhorted to hold fast, to maintain, and defend it, in spite of every artifice made use of by earth or hell to beguile and rob her of it. And as Christ forewarns her of a trying hour of temptation, which should come on all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth: so here he puts his people upon the exercise of their graces, and bids them hold that fast which they had in their possession, his word of truth; lest by giving up the truths of it, they should lose the honour and renown which they had concerning their faith and faithfulness, their integrity, sincerity, and purity.

Now follows the words of our text.. 'Him that overcometh I will make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is New, Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." I shall now wholly omit all further explanation of this epistle, and confiue myself wholly to the text before us. May the Holy Spirit be graciously pleased to assist us in our endeavouring to open and explain it. And there are