There is a wonderful correspondence of natural things with things spiritual. It is this correspondence which makes a good life give evidence of a good heart within, and intelligent conduct prove that it is the offspring of an enlightened mind. If there were no correspondence between internal and external things--between the tree and its fruit--what would we know about anything? It is from this law that all our Lord's parables and miracles derive their significance. When he spoke of external, natural things, he wanted his disciples to learn internal, spiritual things. In the text he speaks of a hearing ear. "He that hath an ear." Do not nearly all men have ears? In several other places the Lord says: "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." It is plain that the natural ear is not meant; but the ear of the soul (by which is meant an understanding mind) is the ear meant in the text. But to hear means more than just to understand what is said. People may understand what they hear or read, and still be none the better off for it. To hear, in a divine sense, is to hearken; and to hearken means to obey, or a willingness to obey. The text then means about this: "He that understands what the Spirit saith to the churches, let him obey." This brings up the question whether or not people of ordinary intelligence are able to understand what the Spirit says to the churches. Let us turn to what the Spirit says to the church at Ephesus. After reviewing the good qualities and characteristics of this church, much to their praise and credit, he does not flatter their vanity, by intimations or otherwise, to think themselves all right and in need of nothing; but "I have this AGAINST thee, that thou didst leave thy first love. Remember therefore, from whence thou art fallen, and repent." It is truthfully said "our best friends are those who warn us of danger." This is God's friendship for his churches. He shows his people by his Word where they may go wrong, and, if they have ears to hear and eyes to see, where they _are_ wrong. _Leaving their first love_ is the charge brought against this church of Ephesus. And it is the only charge. To what extent or degree they had departed is not definitely said; but they had gone so far that repentance and reformation, or the doing of their first works, was necessary that they might be restored to the state they had once enjoyed.