"I would guess that the church at Laodicea was once in a very fervent and healthy condition. However, in the process of time it degenerated, and cooling down from its former passion it became careless, lax, and indifferent.

Perhaps its best men were dead, perhaps its wealth seduced it into worldliness, possibly its freedom from persecution produced carnal ease, or neglect of prayer made it gradually backslide; but in any case it declined till it was neither cold nor hot.