Page images
PDF
EPUB

"reign of NERO, depart in any measure from any "of the institutions or doctrines delivered to them "by the Apostles." Why not so early? Why should it be less possible that the seven churches in Asia, mentioned in the Apocalypse, should fall into errors and evil practices, than for those churches which are reproved in the epistles addressed to them for similar departures from the truth, before the death of Nero? "Changes "of this kind, in a whole body of Christians, "must," says Mr. Woodhouse, "be gradual, "and the production of many years."-That is, before the death of Nero a sufficient number of years had not elapsed for such changes;—yet we see like changes in other churches, in the life-time of Paul, who died before Nero! May it not be asked too, why Mr. Woodhouse extends our Lord's censures to the "whole body," marking the words also in Italics, to give them greater force? Our Lord in fact commends them for many things; but the change, to suit Mr. Woodhouse's argument, must be one that would require "many years," and therefore the whole body of the believers in Asia must be calumniated." Many years!" How many would this writer think sufficient for the establishment of Christianity in the world? Few or none of the Apostles, who effected this stupendous work, except John, survived Nero.

66

"Colosse and Hierapolis," says Mr. Woodhouse, "were churches of note in St. Paul's "time; but they are not mentioned in the Apocalypse... .They were probably become of "less importance." Can no other reason be assigned for these Asiatic churches not being mentioned in the Apocalypse? How could they be named in a book written before they had existence? There were but seven churches in Asia at the time when the Revelation was given. The words ταῖς ἑπτὰ ἐκκλησίαις, ταῖς ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ—to the seven churches, to the [churches] in Asia (Rev. i. 4), by the common construction and usage of the Greek, includes every church in the district named. They are enumerated in the 11th verse; and, in the 20th, the seven stars are declared to be ἄγγελοι τῶν ἑπτὰ ἐκκλησιῶν—the Angels of the seven churches. These passages prove that the Apocalypse was written before there was a church at Colosse or at Hierapolis; for Mr. Woodhouse has not ventured to state that these churches had ceased to exist at the date he assigns to the Apocalypse.

As to these churches having "probably be"come of less importance," Mr. Woodhouse must have been inconsiderate at the moment when he suggested this, as a reason for their not being named in the Apocalypse; for he cannot surely believe, that the great shepherd and bishop

of souls, looks on his churches with the same kind of eye with which the bishops of Antichristian churches look at theirs--disregarding any of them because of their insignificance! He acts far otherwise. Wherever there are even so few as two or three congregated in his name, to observe his ordinances, there is HE in the midst of them, of however little importance such a congregation may be held in the estimation of those worldly churches which some people would perhaps describe as in "a settled and flourishing state."

That the Asiatic churches could not, so early as the reign of Nero, exhibit the character ascribed to them in the Apocalypse, is a mere assumption; for we have seen that other churches were equally censurable, at the time at which the different epistles, addressed to them, were written. Let us apply the same mode of enquiry into character, to the Asiatic churches, by examining the only Apostolic Epistle which we have, addressed to one of the Apocalyptic churches: I mean that sent to the saints at Ephesus.

Paul, in his Epistle to the Ephesians (ch. iii. 17, 19), prays that Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith, that, being ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN LOVE, they might know the love of Christ, which excelleth knowlege of any other kind. The

с

Apostle was ever earnest, in his prayers, that all the churches might increase and abound in love yet more and more; but in his subsequent exhortation he more than insinuates a reason for his particular anxiety, on this point, respecting the Ephesians:-" I the prisoner of the Lord be"seech you to walk worthy of your calling, with all "lowliness and meekness, with LONG SUFFER“ING, FORBEARING (or bearing with) ONE

66

[ocr errors]

ANOTHER IN LOVE; earnestly endeavour

ing to PRESERVE THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT "IN THE BOND OF PEACE—one body and "one spirit" (iv. 1-4). Does he not here plainly intimate, that they were now exhibiting a temper and conduct very different from that spirit of love by which Christians ought to be characterised? He goes on, in the fourth chapter, to remind them of the design of all CHRIST's gifts to the church, namely, the edification and perfecting of the body of CHRIST, “that we may no longer be children, tossed like waves, and carried "about by every wind of doctrine,. but speaking the truth IN LOVE may grow up into CHRIST "the head...... This I say therefore and charge

[ocr errors]

66

[ocr errors]

. . . .

[ocr errors]

66 you in the Lord, that ye NO LONGER walk as other gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind..... "Put away lying, and speak every man truth to his "neighbour: for we are members one of another.

"ARE YE ANGRY!

[ocr errors]

66

AND WITHOUT

"SIN?' [impossible]. Let not the sun go down upon your wrath, nor [thus by your anger] give "place to the devil. ..... Let no corrupt communi"cation proceed out of your mouth...... and grieve "not THE HOLY SPIRIT Of God ...... Let all “BITTERNESS, and WRATH, and ANGER, and CLAMOR, and EVIL SPEAK"ING be PUT AWAY FROM YOU, and "all MALICE: and BE YE KIND one to another, TENDER-HEARTED, FORGIV"ING one another, even as GOD for CHRIST'S "sake hath forgiven you. Be ye therefore imita"tors of GOD as dear children, and WALK IN "LOVE as CHRIST hath loved us, and hath given "himself for us" (iv. v).

[ocr errors]

A departure from their "FIRST LOVE," is plainly inferable from the whole of this exhortation; nor can we longer doubt, that such a change in the conduct of some of the members of this church, as Mr. Woodhouse, and those whom he follows, maintain could not possibly take place before the reign of Domitian, had actually occurred before the date of this Epistle (A. D. 61

"Be ye angry and sin not,” is worse than nonsense: Ὀργίζεσθε, καὶ μὴ ἁμαρτάνετε; should be rendered interrogatively. The second person plural of the present imperative and of the present indicative having the same orthography perhaps contributed to this error.

« PreviousContinue »