yet the throne of God's spiritual kingdom; for neither of these, I need not say, ever was or could have been occupied by David, or could be inherited by Christ as "Son of David." The throne intended, then, must be the throne of "the kingdom of Israel," and that it is so the words of the angel testify; for, having said "The "Lord God shall give to him the throne of his father "David," he adds, " and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever." This throne, then, he inherits as Offspring of David:" but as "the Root of David" he occupies a much higher station. As "the offspring of David" he is David's Son, but as the "root of David" he is David's Lord: and, if the one title confers on him the kingdom of Israel, and exhibits him as the antitype of Solomon, the other confers on him the sovereignty of the whole world, as the antitype of all executive power.

"the

And now what is the connexion with this of "the bright and morning star?" The star is the badge of royalty, and not only of royalty but of conquest. It is so with us to this day. It is worn by kings and conquerors; and that this custom is derived from Scripture, or at least that the Scriptures so interpret the emblem independent of the custom, is evident from one passage alone, Numbers, xxiv. 17, where Balaam, prophesying of Christ, says, "I shall see him, but not now; I shall "behold him, but not nigh: there shall come A STAR "out of Jacob❞—and in what capacity does this emblem apply to him? In that of a king and conqueror; for, mark what follows, "there shall come A STAR out of 'Jacob, and a SCEPTRE shall rise out of Israel, and shall

:

"smite the corners of Moab, and destroy the children of "Sheth and Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall "be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do "valiantly; out of Jacob shall come He that shall have "dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the "city." When, then, we read the promise, "I will give him the morning star," we only read an amplification of the promise, "I will give him power over the nations." By both promises a participation in the Second Advent kingdom of the Saviour is intended, that kingdom which he inherits both as the "Root" and "Offspring" of David. O then, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches!" Hear it ye that "suffer with Christ" now, for it assures you that "ye shall reign with him" hereafter; and hear it ye who, "lest ye should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ," barter your faith to purchase present

ease.

"To him that OVERCOMETH" is the promise ;"That ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of "Christ, for which also ye suffer:"-having "drank of "the cup the Saviour drank of; being baptized with "the baptism he was baptized with!" O Lord, so make and count us worthy. Amen.

F

LECTURE SEVENTH.

EPISTLE TO SARDIS.

REVELATION, Chap. iii. 1–6. “And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. 2. Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. 3. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard; and hold fast, and repent. 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. 4. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. 5. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. 6. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."

THE characteristic of the church of Sardis, the circumstance which peculiarly distinguished it, was nominal Christianity; and for this reason I consider this the most useful as well as the most applicable of all the epistles to us-the orthodox part of the professing

Christian church in this day. For, though when we survey the great mass of those who may be said to belong to the church of Christ, we see different parts of the body answering to the description of those churches which were before addressed-in some cases, for instance, we see, as in Ephesus, love declining-in other places, as at Pergamos, Satan appears to have his seat in a peculiar and marked sense-in others, as at Thyatira, spiritual fornication is committed and abounds,-I fear the principal and most general characteristic of the orthodox in creed is "a name to live whilst we are dead."

I. Accordingly the Lord Jesus Christ in addressing the church of Sardis adopts a title applicable to such a state. Nominal religion was the character of the church, and he reveals himself to them as having "the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars :"-the "seven Spirits," or fulness of the Spirit, in opposition to formality; and "the seven stars," the light of truth as opposed to false profession, of both which characteristics of a church-spiritual life and light-He reminds them that He is the source.

II. The usual opening words of his address-" I know thy works," have also here a very different application from what we have seen in the three preceding epistles for the consequence here is that the Head of the church, from this his knowledge, is enabled to add-" that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead." Times and circumstances had greatly changed with respect to Christianity in this place, when a church

could be found desirous of the name of Christianity whilst strangers to its power. For the truth, we know, was at its first promulgation disreputable and despised. The Saviour who first revealed it was, when on earth, "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief”-He was "despised and rejected of men ;"-He was vilified as a "friend of publicans and sinners;" and finally, condemned and crucified as a malefactor; and His followers were prepared by him to receive the same treatment at the hands of the world. "If" (said He) "they "have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how "much more will they call them of his household :". and again, "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you:" and so it afterwards proved to be. They were, in their turn, "despised and rejected of men," as was their Lord before them; and of the sect denominated Christians, it was said—" We know that it is everywhere spoken against." But after a while circumstances changed. The power of the truth and Spirit of God converted many to the Christian faith; the number of the disciples increased; and even where the truth was not received into the heart, and there was no real apprehension of its value, its evidence was such as to silence the cavils of infidels and unbelievers. The external evidence of Christianity (to speak of nothing more) at length prevailed to shut the mouths of accusers and objectors, and to produce a conviction of its truth -the conviction at least of the understanding in the greater part of those to whom its announcement reached. And the consequence was that, having thus made many