I. In the 1st clause there is some difficulty, because it seems at first sight to disparage the holy tie of matrimony—that sacred union which is a Scriptural type of the mystical oneness which is between Christ and His Church. But I am persuaded this is not the meaning of it. The whole of the Book of Revelation is full of symbol; and alliance with sin, worldliness, and popery is described in it, as in other Scriptures, under the figure of spiritual fornication. Thus the Church, the Bride of the Lord, is to be kept free from all such alliances and presented at last as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I will not dwell on this point any further than to remark how wonderfully it was illustrated in the case of our friend. There was no such thing as unhallowed alliance in his conduct; no pandering to the world; no dallying with popery; no attempt to win his objects by unfaithful compromises; no mixing up with that which he disapproved. He held on his way as one that was set apart unto God, as one betrothed wholly to the Lord. There was a wonderful consistency about his whole character, and he uniformly acted on the Apostolic maxim, “Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.” He delighted in his fellowship with God, and he could have no alliance with anything contrary to God’s will. II. But, whatever we may think of the first description, there can be no doubt about the second. “These are they that follow the Lamb, whithersoever he goeth.” There is no symbolical language here, but a plain, clear, unmistakeable, description of Christian character. Our Lord describes his own sheep by this invariable test, “They follow me.” “I know them (He says) and _they follow me_.” He knows them. He knows each one by name, by disposition, by circumstance; knows who we are, where we are, what we are; knows all our wants, our cares, our joys, our sorrows, our temptations; and if we be His, _we follow Him_, seeking to know His will, watching for His beckoning hand, listening for His directing voice, and tracing His sacred footsteps.