garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

5. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I
will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess
his name before my Father, and before his angels.

6. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the
churches.

Vs. 1-6.--As hitherto in these epistles we do not discover a "presiding
minister" above an elder, so neither do we in this one find any hint of
a "bishop and pastors." All Christ's bishops are elders, and "all are
brethren." (Acts xx. 17, 28.) Prelacy,--that is, preferring one pastor
before another in office, is expressly prohibited by the church's only
Lawgiver. (Matt. xx. 25, 26.) The attempts to annul this law of Christ
has caused more sin and suffering to his disciples than any one external
agency of the devil. The whole history of the church furnishes the
evidence of this.

The church in Sardis is addressed by him who "hath the seven spirits of
God and the seven stars," who has authority by office to give the
quickening influences of the Spirit to the dead, and his reviving
influences to the dormant; for revival presupposes life. Their "works
were not perfect before God," however they might appear to men. The
majority were in a languishing condition, had "given themselves over to
a detestable neutrality" in the Lord's cause. And as the whole body is
justly characterized by the major part; this church is described as
"dead." "Be watchful,--remember,--repent." These duties point out the
prevailing sins, namely, slothfulness, forgetfulness and security. Where
these predominate, "things that remain are ready to die." And there is