bitterness, and at the same time, with the most consummate dexterity.

Verse 14. But I have a few things against thee. You suffer those without public reproof, which act the part of Balaam and Balak over again. He taught the Moabites an artifice, to unite Paganism with the worship of the true God, to please Balak against his better knowledge. And these endeavour from politic views to confound Heathenism with the Christian worship, in order to make Christianity palatable to the great ones of this world. They introduce Pagan rites and ceremonies under a Christian explanation, from motives of self-interest and a desire of power and dignity. The sons of Israel polluted themselves in the sight of God, by being caught in such stratagems, and what else can you expect now? It would however appear from comparing this text with the historical fact alluded to, Numbers xxxi. 16. that this attempt had been projected by some few lifeless Christian doctors, and prosecuted by the great ones among the Pagans, when the gospel ministry, as the proper guardians of the church, gave way and too much connived at the corruptions, till it was too late. But here is something, wherein they are still more culpable.

Verse 15. So hast thou also in your ministerial body them, that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes. This sect was founded in the second century by one Nicolaus, upon the principles of the Gnostics. They seem not to be the same with those mentioned in the charge to the Angel at Ephesus, or they were at least since that time reformed on a new principle. We know little of their doctrine or practice now; but they must have been licentious, since our blessed Lord mentions them with abhorrence.

Verse 16. Repent. Change your mind, reform your heart and practice, for you have hitherto been guilty of two great faults. You have been indifferent to preserve the Christian doctrine and worship in its pristine purity, as it

was delivered unto you by your predecessors, in regard to those who follow the artful scheme of Balaam; and you have not ex-communicated all such from the ministry and body of the Church, who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes. Rouse therefore, amend your ways, and attend to your duty with more diligence and faithfulness; or I will come quickly and purify you, by bringing judgment on those who make my religion an engine of state, and corrupt my doctrine for purposes of self-aggrandizement and worldly interest.

Verse 17. To him that overcometh will I give. Our blessed Lord considers the gospel ministry in these charges as a separate body, particularly consecrated to himself and appropriated to his use and purposes. They are therefore to be estimated in a double point of view. As Christians and members of the Church of Christ, they have a common interest in all the promises of God to his people; and as ministers of the gospel, they are to make peculiar sacrifices, for which they are promised a special reward, of which but little had been said in other parts of the New Testament as yet: the great Shepherd of souls, having allotted this place in his Apocalypse, more immediately to treat of their peculiar duties at the different periods of his Church, as also of the special recompence, which faithful and valiant combatants are to receive from his hands. The enemies with whom they were to enter the conflict at this period, were the followers of the artful schemes and stratagems of Balaam and Balak, and the adherents to the doctrine and vain philosophy of the Nicolaitanes. This temptation was a general one to the whole body of the gospel ministry-they had all to engage in this conflict. For only times of general temptation and peril, are here taken notice of. And now behold the goodness of their great Captain, in the promised reward to him that overcometh. Though they fell, if they only rose again; though they received many a wound, if only they overcame at last

their recompense is an invaluable treasure, consisting in

the following particulars.

Hidden manna.

This denotes spiritual manna, not such as the children of Israel eat in the wilderness, which they could see; this is hid from the sight of man, and preserved for particular persons, who deny all worldly preferments and sensual pleasure, from a pure love to Christ and for his sake. It is the doctrine and spirit of Christ, which nourishes the soul unto eternal life; but this promise here refers to a more exalted state of happiness in the enjoyment of Christ, yet future and hidden in the world to come. Hebrew ix. 3. xiii. 9, 10.

A white stone. It was customary with the ancients to vote by white or coloured stones in criminal prosecutions, in the Olympic games, and in elections to offices of high honour and profit. The white stone always expressed the affirmative, in favour of the criminal, the victor, or candidate on these occasions. He who gained the victory in the Olympic games received an inscription on his white stone, by which he was entitled to certain privileges of honour, office or emolument, in preference to others of his fellow citizens. The promise of the Lord under this figure, therefore denotes a full absolution on the day of judgment, and a legal right to peculiar privileges in heaven. But this is not all yet.

A new name. This cannot mean the common title of "children of God,"; which all receive in the new birth, who truly experience that great change of heart and mind. Neither does it refer to any of those privileges, which believers enjoy in this world; for the word dwsw, I will give, in the original is the future tense, and the whole promise refers to the future world. "Ovoμa, name, here signifies office, station, and dignity, to which they shall be entitled in the kingdom of Christ. This sense of the word xavov, is not new. In the opinion of the Orientals every spirit, angel, soul or demon has a name in the invisible

world, expressive of his office or employment. Hence they speak of many names in heaven and the inferior regions, as so many offices held by the inhabitants there; where all engaged in the same object, are of the same name. The word zaov', new, denotes excellence, and expresses the eminence of their station. And of great distinction it will be indeed: for the Lord even saith, that no man knoweth that state of glory, saving he that receiveth it. The meaning of these words may be, that their state of glory, and office in the future world is inconceivable now; or the sense may be, that it is of such a nature and distinction, as not to be known to others even in the regions of bliss.

In this charge the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls seems to have his eye fixed on that change of the Christian doctrine and mode of worship, brought about by the preposterous endeavours of a lifeless clergy, since the beginning of the fourth century. It began by pious frauds under the auspicious protection of Constantine, the first Christian emperor, when numbers of impostors began to practise the impositions of the Heathen priest, upon the ignorant and credulous multitude, by spreading rumours of prodigies, selling fictitious relics, and deceiving the eyes of the populace with ludicrous combats with evil spirits or genii, in order to allure the Pagans. Yea they soon went so far, as to adopt Pagan rites and ceremonies into the Christian worship, to facilitate the conversion of the Heathen, and gain the esteem of the great, rich, and powerful, who still held their offices, and followed the worship of Idols, in every part of the empire. hTis ostentatious worship laid the foundation to the following reign of superstition and spiritual tyranny in Christendom, which is still kept up and defended, both in the Roman Catholic and Greek churches to this day. By this deplorable change, the Christian religion was wounded in its very essence, and the worship of God eclipsed in all its lustre. All this, those desirous of convincing themselves may easily see, by comparing the present mode of worship in those churches,

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with the one instituted in the New Testament. See Mosheim's Eccl. Hist. C. W. F. Walch. Gibbon.

The Lord also soon began to fight against these churches, by the invasions of the German and other nations into the western part of the Roman empire: the Vandals in Africa, and the Mahometan and Turkish wars against the Greek and Latin churches for many centuries. And by these calamities the candlestick of the Greek church, was soon almost totally removed out of its place; and the final doom of the Roman Jezebel is yet to come.