Let me close with one important reflection. To whom is the promise made of being confessed before the Father and before His angels? It is to "him that overcometh." Yes, brethren, we must bear the cross, if we are to share the crown; we must fight in the battle, if we are to take part in the victory; we must confess Him here before men, if He is to confess us there before God.

Dear friends, may it be for you and me to realize the blessedness of this promise as our own. May it be ours to enter upon the riches of this priceless possession even now, so that hereafter we may be "meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." Let us therefore "be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain," and "forgetting those things that are behind, and reaching forth unto those things that are before, let us "press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus;" let us "be stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as we know that our labour is not in vain in the Lord."

XII.

The Holdfasts.

Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown."-REV. iii. 11.

HE message which is sent to the Church of Philadelphia is a message of comfort and encouragement. After the unfaithful toleration of iniquitous practices, which was so strongly condemned in the Churches of Pergamos and Thyatira, and the decay which had taken hold of the Church of Sardis, it is refreshing to turn to a Church against which, as in the case of Smyrna (and unfortunately these are the only two of which this may be said), the Spirit has no word of blame or condemnation. And although it is beneficial for us to consider the shortcomings and the sins, which are brought before us in these inspired accounts of the seven Churches, in order that we may examine ourselves, and see whether we may not be convicted of the same, yet it is even more bene

ficial still for us to lay firm hold of the exhortations and encouragements which are also set before us. The Church of Philadelphia, as it is here described by the Spirit, was evidently fulfilling, to the best of her powers, her high calling in the service of her great Lord and Master; and that, under somewhat difficult circumstances. We learn from verse 8 that her strength was but small, which probably means that the number of Christians was but few. And she had also to contend with a body of Jewish foes, who are called “the synagogue of Satan"-resembling in this point again the Church of Smyrna. And yet in spite of these two great difficulties the Spirit says that she had "kept the word of Christ, and had not denied His name." But there is still greater tribulation looming in the future, such as will try all them that dwell upon the earth; and God promises that He will help and deliver her at that time: "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation.” We have here a beautiful instance of God's way of dealing with His servants : "He rewardeth every man according to his work." He treats us as we treat Him. "Them that honour me," He says, "I will honour." "Because thou hast kept my word, I also will keep thee." And then follow these words of encouragement in the text: "Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown."

In the former part of the message God had said what He would do for them: "I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it." "I will make thine enemies come and worship before thy feet, and

to know that I have loved thee." "I will keep thee from the hour of temptation." Now He tells them what is their part and duty towards Him: “Hold that fast which thou hast." And so is it always. God only helps those who will help themselves. Man has a duty to perform as well as God, and it depends upon man's accomplishment of his part, whether God's purposes are fulfilled or not. Even the atonement of Christ upon the cross is of no avail unless a man makes himself a partaker of it by faith; even the unutterable love of Christ is lost upon a man unless he accepts the gift. Not all the armies of heaven can save a man who persists in remaining impenitent, and therefore unpardoned, and therefore unsaved. And so God will undoubtedly "keep us from the evil;" but we must assuredly "hold fast that which is good." God will do His part if-and only if we do ours. And the more faithful and true we are in the performance of our duty to God, the greater help, and strength, and encouragement will He give us.

Such then was the condition of the Philadelphian Church, not very strong, but very stedfast and faithful; a mere handful of converts among many and bitter foes, but still unshaken and unmoved in their allegiance to the faith. And such is the message of encouragement in the words which her Saviour addresses to her. May we not take this Church as representing some churches and some individual Christians of to-day, and may we not consider this message in my text as one capable of a present application?

The message, you will observe, contains a declaration-"Behold, I come quickly," and a command, "Hold that fast which thou hast ;" and the command is based upon the declaration, therefore we will consider the command first. The Church is bidden to "hold fast that which she had." And what was it that she had? A little strength, great faithfulness, and a crown, of which she is to take care that no man rob her. Is not this a combination that we may often see both in churches and individuals? Does not history tell us of many churches which have been weak in more ways than one-sometimes, it may be, in numbers, sometimes in resources, very often through oppression and persecution, and yet which have displayed a remarkable stedfastness to the faith of Jesus Christ? Nay, I think if we were to search the annals of the Christian Church we should find it almost always the rule that the most faithful and stedfast bodies of believers have been those with only, to all appearances, “a little strength;" while those who have enjoyed outward prosperity, and have seemed "strong" in numbers, and in wealth, and in favour, have in very many cases departed from the true faith, and proved inconstant towards Christ. It is very often true in human matters that nothing spoils people so much as success, and I am sure the same is very often true in spiritual things. The best times of the Christian Church have been those when she was going through the furnace of tribulation. The dross was cast away, and the pure metal was left. History certainly teaches us this, that the times when the Church has had to pass through great tribulation and