he present state of the professing Church:
"Thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of
nothing, but knowest not that thou art poor, and blind, and naked, and
wretched, and miserable." Yes, in the light of God, in the eyes of the
Lord, in the judgment of the sanctuary, we live in a day of _poverty_.
It is this which characterizes the day in which our lot is cast,--a
lack of all true riches, whilst the air is filled with boastings of
wealth and attainment.

Further, I can but believe that we whose eyes scan these lines are
peculiarly in danger here. Thyatira goes on to the very end. Sardis
is an offshoot from her. Sardis goes on to the end. Philadelphia is
an offshoot from her. Philadelphia goes on to the end, and is thus the
stock from whence the proud self-sufficiency of Laodicea springs. If
we (you and I) have shared in any way in the blessings of Philadelphia,
we share in the dangers of Laodicea. Yea, he who thinks he represents
or has the characteristics of Philadelphia, is most open to the boast
of Laodicea. Let us have to do--have holy commerce--with Him who
speaks. Buy of Him the "gold purified by the fire." But how are we to
buy? What can we give for that gold, when He says we are already poor?
A poor man is a bad buyer. Yes, under the sun, where toil and
self-dependency are the road to wealth; but above the sun quietness and
confidence prevail, and the poor man is the best--the only--buyer.
Look at that man in Mark's Gospel, chapter x., with every mark of
Laodicea upon him. _Blind_, by nature; _poor_, for he sat and _begged;
naked_, for he has thrown away his garment, and thus surely _pitiable,
miserable_, now watch him buy of the Lord.

"What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?"

"Lord, that I might receive my sight."

"Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole."

And the transaction is complete; the contract is settled; the buying is
over. "Immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the
way." Yes; there is just one thing that that poor, naked, blind man
has, that is of highest value even in the eyes of the Lord, and that is
the quiet confidence of his poor heart. All Scripture shows that that
is what God ever seeks,--the heart of man to return and rest in Him.
It is all that we can give in the purchase, but it buys all He has.
"All things are possible to him that believeth." In having to do with
the Lord Jesus we deal with the rich One whose very jo