the 'earthly' in all things. The model of earth, and all that is good on earth,
speaks lovingly, and holds up the reward before her eyes, to incite her to rouse herself and return to her early love. He woos her still, that He may win back her wavering love. One redeeming feature in her character is her 'hatred of the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which, the Lord add, 'I also hate' (verse 6). Hatred of evil,— hatred of false doctrine (verse 15),—these are things which the Lord looks for in His Churches. Indifference to error, tolerance of evil, smoothing down the ridge between true and false teaching, whether by the press or the pulpit,—these are things very common in our day, as proofs of liberality and large-mindedness; but the Lord says, 'which thing I hate.' To be 'broad' and 'wide' is the universal boast; to be 'narrow' and 'strait' the worst of reproaches;—as if 'broad' and 'wide' were not the words of the Mater's condemnation; as if it had not been said, 'Enter in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to death; and strait is the gate, and narrow the way, leadeth to life.' Awake, thou that sleepest! Oh, Ephesian backslider, arise and shine, for thy light is come! Thou are not yet a castaway. See from whence thou hast fallen, what is thy present low estate; see especially the bright recompense which may yet be thine, and let these things quicken thee. Up, shake thyself from the dust; gird on thy sword; take to thee the whole armor of God; fight the good fight: it is not too late, even yet thou mayest overcome! The tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God, may still be thine! For such a blessedness and brightness, who would not fight and suffer, and deny self, and toil to the end? 1. Entrance into the paradise of God.—The 'heavenly' is the pattern of the 'earthly' in all things. The model of earth, and all that is good on earth, is to be found in heaven. Adam's paradise below was but the image and shadow of the paradise above, as the tabernacle in the wilderness was but the 'example' or image of the better tabernacle above, showed to Moses on the mount. From the lower paradise (or garden) man was cast out, and it is into the upper paradise that he is brought. He gets the earthly back again, or the new earth: but he gets far more; he gets the heavenly as well as the