rone. He, who hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to
the congregations."--Rev. 3:14-22.

By his titles of truth and verity, the Saviour prepares the Laodiceans for
the humiliating threatenings, which are uttered against them. By that of
"the beginning of the creation of God," is indicated Christ's kingship as
head and governor of all; and hence the authority on which his
declarations are founded.

The Laodiceans seemed to have been very well satisfied with their own
condition, without possessing any very marked characteristics. They were
neither good, nor very wicked; but supposed that they abounded in all
spiritual wealth, when they were destitute of all the Christian graces.
They could not appreciate their own condition; and not realizing their
need, were unlikely to heed the counsel given them, and therefore they
have long since ceased to have a name and a place on the earth. Says
Gibbon: "The circus and three stately temples of Laodicea, are now peopled
with wolves and foxes."

The great majority of them seemed to have become unworthy even of the
chastisement which God bestows on those he loves. "Behold, happy is the
man whom God correcteth; therefore despise not the chastening of the
Almighty," Job 5:17. "My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord:
neither be weary of his correction: For whom the Lord loveth he
correcteth, even as a father the son in whom he delighteth," Prov. 3:11,
12. "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he
shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that
love him," Jas. 1:12.

The Saviour shows his readiness to receive those who will open unto him.
He is saying, "Open to me ... for my head is filled with dew, and my locks
with the drops of the night," Cant. 5:2. "Blessed are those servants, whom
the Lord, when he cometh, shall find watching: verily I say unto you, That
he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come
forth and serve them," Luke 12:37. Said Jesus, "If any man love me, he
will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto
him, and make our abode with him," John 14:23.

To him that overcometh, as in another place he is promised a crown, so now
there is the promise of a seat with the Saviour in his throne. Said the
Saviour, "Ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of
man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve