Christ on earth, considered in her collective capacity)" for to devour her child as soon as it was born; and she brought forth a man child," (viz. the members of the same Church, considered in their individual capacity,) who was from another world, to rule all nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. • And I heard a loud voice saying in 'heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before God day and night; and they overcame him by ⚫ the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they 'loved not their lives unto the death."

The new name written upon the white stone refers to the custom of giving new names when new connexions are formed, or new situations in life are entered into; as when a slave was made free, and adopted into the family of his master; or as the names of Abraham and Jacob were changed when God brought them into covenant with himself; and as Nebuchadnezzar changed the names of Daniel and his three companions in captivity when he received them into his service; or as, with us, a woman upon that principal change in her situation, her marriage, assumes the name of her husband. A still more appropriate prophetic illustration may be found in the change which took place, by divine command, in the commencement of the year from about the time of the autumnal to that of the vernal equinox; (see Exod. XII. 2;) when the ancient church, delivered from the bondage of Egypt, and saved from death by the blood of the paschal Lamb, entered into the new legal dispensation of types and ceremonies, preparatory to

the introduction of the brighter light of the Gospel dispensation; and also by the change which was subsequently made in the commencement of the week, and in the sabbath day, on a corresponding occasion and crisis of time, when the Church by the sacrifice of the true Paschal Lamb experienced a greater deliverance, and entered into the new Gentile dispensation, the former Jewish dispensation passing away; and when a change was also at the same time made in the form of the rite intended to represent alike under each dispensation the sacrifice and death of Christ: which latter dispensation to the Church,—of limited extent, with inward light, and external humiliation,-is itself but preparatory to the future dispensation of her universal extent, exaltation and power.

I have already observed that the fulfilment of the promises made by the Spirit to the faithful of the several Churches, who should overcome in their arduous contest, is deferred to a period which follows the announcement of Rev. xI. 15—18, "that the kingdoms of this world

are become the kingdoms of our 'Lord and of his Christ," and that "the time is come that he should 'give reward to his servants the

prophets and to the saints." And at the battle at Armageddon, which occurs shortly after this announcement,-Christ having taken to himself his great power, and the kingdoms of the world having become his-we find that he reveals himself in the same character as he does to the Church in Pergamos, as the divine and eternal" Word of God," combined, as in this epistle, with his then newly assumed regal character; for it is said, that on his "head were many crowns," and it is then further added, that he hath a name written that no man knew but he himself;

new

and in verse 16 it is again repeated, ** he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS." The " name" therefore "written" of Rev. II. 17, which no man knows saving he that receiveth it" and which is to be bestowed on the glorified saints of the Church of Pergamos when the time shall arrive appointed for them to receive their reward, is obviously the new regal name of Christ which it is said no man knew but he himself. This is assumed by him, when, the dispensation of humiliation being terminated, a new one commences, of the privileges and glories of which those who have suffered with him and in his cause shall partake, when he shall come the second time in his divine power as the Word of God, shall put on zeal as a cloak, and array himself with his regal character as with a vesture, and shall write this"new name" upon his thigh, as being the principal seat of strength;* and the armies of the saints which are in heaven shall follow him partaking of his conquests, triumphs, and regal glories, which is in effect partaking of his new name. This

view of the new name written, as being Christ's regal name, is confirmed by the fact, that when Christ subsequently manifests himself to the Church in Philadelphia, as he that "hath the key of David," or as having the regal administration committed unto him, the appropriate promise made by the Spirit at the conclusion of the epistle to the saints of that Church who shall overcome is, that Christ shall write upon them his new name."

The complete promise therefore made to the saints of the Church of Pergamos, that they shall receive a white stone and in the stone a new name written, which no man know

eth save he that receiveth it, is,that being, by the meritorious righteousness of Christ imputed to them, absolved from all condemnation, when he shall come in that glory of the Father which is essential to his character as the divine Word, and which he had with the Father before the world was, they also shall appear with him arrayed in his righteousness, and made partakers of his regal character. (See Rev. xix.) By the regal name being thus represented as written," we may consider to be meant, that it is so assumed by Christ and his saints, as never again to be obliterated, annulled or relinquished. So the Apostle proclaims in reference to the exaltation of Christ by his resurrection from the dead; "Christ being raised from the dead, dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over him." Dan. 11. 44, speaking of the setting up the kingdom of the saints, in the last days of the Roman Empire, agrees with the testimony thus given by St. John; for it calls it "a kingdom that shall never be destroyed;" -so likewise Dan. vII. 13, 14.

The statement that no one knows this new name but he that receiveth it; and that no man knew the name which Christ had written but he himself; while at the same time the apostle saw it "written" on his vesture and on his thigh; must be understood as meaning, that no one can know so as sufficiently to estimate, or can appreciate except by experience, the greatness of the regal glories of Christ as the divine Word, in which the saints shall participate; or in the words of St. Paul, "that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him;" which can only be

The first characteristic under which Christ makes himself known to this Church viz., as having "his eyes like unto a flame of fire," refers to the similar description chap. 1. 14. Christ is here revealed as having "all judgment committed unto him, because he is the son of man." This also is an attribute derived only from his divine nature, according to the declaration made by the mouth of the prophet Jeremiah, “I the 'Lord search the hearts, I try the ' reins, even to give to every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." So also St. Paul, speaking of the divine Word, says, "For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper ⚫ than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of 'soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of 'the thoughts and intents of the heart;" and when on earth "He 'needed not that any should testify ' of man, for he knew what was in 'man."

'sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot, and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.' This symbol, borrowed as in so many other instances from the animal creation, alludes to the fact that the feet of animals are their chief instruments of labour, as their horns are their great instruments of power. A similar reference to the feet of animals, as instruments of labour, occurs in the prophecy of Isaiah, where a blessing is pronounced upon the missionary labours of the church on earth in these terms; "Blessed are ye that sow beside all 'waters, that send forth thither the 'feet of the ox and the ass." And the same figure, of referring to the feet of animals, is used by the apostle Paul, when, in speaking of the ministerial labours of the church on earth, he explains the hidden meaning of the precept of the ceremonial law, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn." The power with which the Jews should subdue and bring their enemies under their feet, is also predicted by the prophet Micah, using the same figure of thrashing by the feet of oxen, whose hoofs were strengthened by shoes of brass; Arise, and

thrash, O daughter of Zion; for I ' will make thine horn iron, and I ' will make thy hoofs brass.' And as part of the blessing wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the tribe of Asher before his death it is said, "thy shoes shall be iron and

tions; and this is also the meaning of the same characteristic as found in the symbol of the Cherubim, or church in heaven, as appears from their feet of brass being the feet of oxen. When therefore our Lord here reveals himself as having his feet like unto fine brass,-or as, in the vision seen by Daniel, chap. x. 6, when he appeared having both his arms and his feet like in colour to 'polished brass," (the arms being the principal instruments of labour with man, as the feet are with the working animal creation,)-it would appear that he reveals himself on each occasion, in reference to his human nature and mediatorial character, as working out the salvation of his people, and as their great exemplar; and how this was manifested in the life of Jesus Christ, whose "meat and drink," it was "to do the will of him that sent him, and ⚫ to finish his work," is the general subject of the gospels. Hence he was enabled, in the immediate prospect of his departure out of this world, and in his last prayer addressed to his heavenly Father to testify of himself: " I have glorified thee on earth, I have finished the work that thou gavest me to do;" and at length to close the scene of his life and sufferings with that all impor. tant declaration." It is finished."

By the consideration of this revelation of Christ's character we are taught to imitate him, who has left us an example that we should follow his steps. For it is most interesting to remark, that in this symbol we have another instance in which the church on earth, the church in heaven, and Christ the head of both, are described by the same symbols, as possessing the same character. Thus St. Paul, whose first question after his conversion was, "Lord what wilt thou have me to do ?" and who, following the example of him who

called him, "laboured more abundantly" than any of his brethren, exhorted Timothy, his son in the faith, to be a follower of himself as he was of the Lord. "" 'Preach the word, be instant in season, and out of season rebuke, exhort,do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry;" and was enabled also thus to testify concerning himself, I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand; I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 'henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness." (2 Tim. Iv. 2-7.)

Verse 19. Agreeably to the general character and object of this epistle, as thus set forth in its commencement, we find that our Lord, in his address to this church, dwells particularly upon the abounding of their works of love and laborious services in his cause; for it is not only, like the other six epistles, introduced by the words, "I know thy works;" but there are added the following synonymous expressions, "thy charity, and service, and faith, and patience, and" (it is again said) thy works;" and they are commended, that they were so far from having fainted or failed in them, or become weary in well doing, that they had advanced in zeal, and going on from strength to strength, their last works had been found to be even more abundant than their first; their labours thus partaking of that enduring character intimated by the feet of brass.

Verse 20. Notwithstanding this strong commendation, Christ declares that he had a few things against them; and they are reproved for tolerating, like the Church of Pergamos, the idolatrous and licentious practices derived from the surrounding Gentiles; the chief instigator to which