Verse 19
19. Thy works Works are here generic, and include the four qualities that follow, namely, charity, service, faith, patience. They are both works internal and works external. Charity is here love both to God and man.
Faith By the true reading this occurs next after charity. It implies the true believing faith by which a man is justified, a perseverance in which is fidelity.
Service The quality by which the faithful Christian serves the well-being of his fellow beings.
Patience The persistence and consistency with which he perseveres in those works.
And The semicolon should precede this and, and the clause should read, “and thy last works are more than the first.” The blessed reverse of the declension of Ephesus, Revelation 2:4. The Church was abounding and advancing in graces of heart and activity of life.
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