Sardis it may prove very significative of the condition of Reformed Christendome within that Intervall beginning from the rising of the Witnesses and ending in the last Viall in part of it I mean After which the Intervall of Phyladelphia comes in and takes up also the second and third Thunder Some special qualities therefore of the Church of Sardis are to be read in this Stone Sarda and some to her praise others to her diminution The virtue of this Stone is that carried about one it makes a man chearfull and couragious and drives away Witchcraft and Enchantment and expells poison rightly administred which adumbrate some peculiar Privileges in this Sardian Church Their chearfull security in justification by faith in Christ's bloud and their being rid of the poisonous idolatrous doctrines and bewitching Enchantments of the Cup of the Whore Here 's nothing of Jezebel in this Church nor any mention of the eating of things offered to Idols nor in the two following Epistles which is no small ratification of the truth of these Successions Both they and she are well and sound touching these points 2. But this Stone Sarda which is also called Carnalina and in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Odem as representing humane flesh and bloud so lively seems also to insinuate something to the Derogation of the Sardian Church as if they were flesh and not spirit which is the special Dispensation of the Church of Philadelphia And whereas Christ's Conquest over Edom is by letting out or squeezing out the corrupt bloud of old Adam this Odem or Carnalina is said to be of that virtue as to stanch bloud and stop it from running out and therefore seems to be significative of whatever Doctrines in the Sardian Church that hinder the due and requisite Mortification of the old man as loth to weaken him too much and let too much of his bloud and life run out 3. The meaning therefore is that though the Sardian Church be well rid of the foul Idolatries and grosse Trumperies of the Papal Church yet her state as yet is but carnal most-what It is not the Dispensation of the spirit of life but the main stir is about external Opinion Ceremony they seem to know Christ onely according to the flesh not according to the power of his Spirit whereby he is able to subdue all things under him Whereas Christ after he had said that his flesh was meat indeed and his bloud was drink indeed clearly explains himself in declaring expresly that the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life yet a great part of this Sardian Church I mean the Lutherans rack their own Wits and disturb the rest of Reformed Christendome to maintain that odd Paradox of Consubstantiation that so men may eat and drink that grosse Flesh and Bloud of Christ that was crucify'd upon the Crosse in the Celebration of their Eucharists What can be more Carnaline-like then this Besides that there are over-many that do as grosly and carnally erre touching the nature of the Resurrection-Body they phansying it as terrestrially modify'd though it be called a celestial or spiritual Body in the Scriptures as that Body is that we put into the Grave or is capable of the imbraces of the Nuptial Bed To say nothing of other such like grosse carnal Conceits that this Sardian Church has not yet expunged out of her mind But as mischievous a mark as any of her Carnality is her Dissension and Schismaticalnesse even to mutuall Persecution as also the unnatural and unchristian Wars of one part of Reformed Christendome against the other These things rankly savour of the Flesh and are infinitely contrary to the due Dispensation of the Spirit which when it shall appear will bring in the Church of Philadelphia the Church of unfeigned Love and Charity wherein according to the prediction of the Prophets there shall not be the noise of this unchristian War any more These Touches may suffice to shew why the Spirit of God has denoted this Succession of his Church by the Title of the Church in Sardis 4. These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God The number Seven signifies Universality sometimes whence the Pythagoreans call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sense therefore is that hath in readinesse to bestow all the spiritual or Divine Graces to make the man of God perfect to every good word and work And the seven Stars That is to say that holds the seven Stars in his right hand so it is in the Description before his speech to the Ephesine Church which is repeated here for encouragement Christ hereby declaring his Power and promising his Assistence to the renewing of Christendome through the Reformation as well as he did to the forming of it at first and rooting out Paganism in the first beginning of the Church which is the Ephesine Intervall I know thy works that thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead I discern plainly thy state and condition Thou hast indeed a semblance of life because thou hast a great deal of Heat and Zeal and dost with an externall fervour doe many performances that may raise a fame of thee of being more then ordinarily religious And many hot disputes there may be for this or that Ceremony for this or that Opinion and against them much and very vehement discourse about Faith and Justification and the like Which Heat and activity bears a semblance of Life in thee But assure thy self unlesse thou hast that Faith that worketh by Love all this stir is but the noise of tinkling Brasse or of sounding Cymbals And being thus alive thou art notwithstanding in my sight little better then dead And although thou dost thus imitate warm flesh and bloud yet thou art but a cold Sardius Stone to my touch and discernment As she that liveth wantonly is dead while she liveth though she thinks she is then most of all alive so it is with him that devoid of Christian Love and Charity is enlivened with an hot bitter ignorant and preposterous Zeal This is not the life of God but of mere Nature and Carnality 5. Be watchfull and strengthen the things that remain that are ready to die Take heed that want of Love and Life hazard not Faith too and Remissnesse in Manners bring not in Atheism and Infidelity over all For I have not found thy works perfect before me Those things that have Life in them goe on to Perfection Wherefore if they stop before and make no progresse it is a sign there is some deadly distemper at the very heart or root and such a Plant must wither and die Thy Works are neither perfect nor dost thou easily admit of such Doctrines as lead most effectually to Perfection Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and repent That is to say You that are my true Apostolick Church remember what ye have
not so well as they should be yet they must needs appear to any but an Humorist exceeding much better then in the Church of Rome And thus much of the Sardian Church CHAP. VIII An Interpretation of the Epistle to the Church in Philadelphia 1. AND to the Angel of the Church in Philadelphia write The meaning of Philadelphia is plain and is no Riddle The word signifies Brotherly love which rightly understood is the fulfilling of the Law So that I understand by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 universal Love for we are all brothers in Adam but especially the love of those of the houshold of Faith that is to say of Christian Believers In the Sardian Church the greatest noise and stir there is about Faith but her Works were not found perfect before God But the Inscription of this Church is Love which is the fulfilling of the Law as I hinted before And his banner over me was Love This is the Ensign of the Church of Philadelphia who elsewhere is said to be beautifull and terrible as an Army with Banners Who is she that looketh forth as the Morning fair as the Moon clear as the Sun and terrible as an Army with Banners Why who can it be but this Church of Philadelphia as famous for feats of Arms as for Love as we shall see in the process For the Intervall of this Church begins in the last Vial and reaches to the fourth Thunder These things saith he that is Holy And speaks to that Church that loves to hear those Instructions Be ye holy for I am holy and Be ye perfect as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect He that is true He that will make good all his Promises and glorious Predictions touching his Church in this state thereof which is figured out by the Church of Philadelphia and writes to those that believe it and have a firm Faith in the Power and Spirit of Christ and of God He that hath the Key of David he that openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth What Eliakim was to Hezekias who was of the stock of David the same is Christ to God the Father whom S. John calls Love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is chief Minister of State under God and carries all as he pleases by the Authority committed to him of which a Key is the Symbol See Grotius upon the place There is nothing so hard and impervious but he can make way through it and open a door to Successe and again shut it against his Enemies 2. I know thy works And that so as to approve of them because they are the fruits of the Divine Love then which there is nothing to me more precious Thou actest not out of bitter zeal and strife or vain ostentation or any secular respect but merely out of love to me and my Righteousnesse and out of love to mankinde whose both present and future Happinesse thou dost sincerely endeavour to promote Behold I have set before thee an open door and no man can shut it Behold I have brought things about so by my Providence and will so effectually second what I have begun by my special assistence that maugre all the machinations of men and Devils thou shalt finde opportunities of most gloriously and successfully carrying on the Interest of my Kingdome This is performed in the last Vial in that great battel of God almighty when also the Beast and the false Prophet are said to be taken See the Divine Dialogues For thou hast a little strength Grotius himself interprets it a little Army and so indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will signifie appositely to the present scope and answerably to the Battel I named before The sense is Because though ye be but a few in comparison of the rest of my Church and Kingdome for the Sardian Church is his Kingdome and Church too out of which the Philadelphian Church is emerging and especially in respect of the Infidel and Antichristian party those under the Dragon and the Beast and the false Prophet yet ye have kept my Word and not denied my Name that is have both kept to what is holy and true in your hearts and professed it in your words and works therefore I will be with you in this glorious manner and make you so successfull in the promoting of the Interest of my Kingdome Of this Church therefore of Philadelphia are those Armies seen in Heaven Apoc 19. following Christ upon white Horses clothed in fine linnen white and clean which implies both the justnesse of their cause and the certainty of their successe As also those Boanergesses in the last Vial synchronal to that other Vision that thunder and lighten over the City divided into three parts whereby the Cities of the Nations fell and Babylon and her daughters were utterly overthrown 3. Behold I will make them of the Synagogue of Satan which say they are Jews but do lie Jews as I noted before according to the style of the Apocalypse are Christians and the Jews which professe themselves such and are not but do lie are pseudo-Christians or the Antichristian party but are judged here to be of the Synagogue of Satan because of their abominable lies and bloudy murders For the Devil was a murderer from the beginning and he is also in the same place by our Saviour termed a Liar Besides the Luciferian Pride of that Church like Satans the Prince of the Devils Behold I will make them come and worship before thy feet Even those that before kissed the feet of the Pope that lofty Prelate This answers very patly to that passage in the fore-named Vision where the Beast and false Prophet are taken and put alive into a lake of fire that is to say the Bestian and Pseudoprophetical power as such is burnt and destroyed and abolished and the Philadelphian power then appears above all or rather the Lord alone will be exalted in that day for to this time especially belongs that saying Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts For indeed the struggling of the Sardian Church hitherto against the City that is called Sodom and AEgypt though it has been in its kind laudable yet it has been in a manner Edom against Edom a part something more refined against that which is more impure I mean as to Life and Godlinesse and the weapons of their warfare have not been so spiritual as they ought they have not rid upon white Horses nor have been clothed in fine linnen white and clean they have not endeavoured to be that Church which is without spot wrinkle or any such thing but the Sardian tincture has too much distained them But as it is true in the natural sense that flesh and bloud cannot inherit the Kingdome of God so it is also in the political that those glorious times of the Kingdome of God
Candlesticks till the end of all This is to encourage the beginning of his Church and is methodically put in the first place as being general and running through all the Intervalls thereof till the end of the world But that the Frontispice as I before called it to this Vision of the Seven Churches which was the glorious Character of our blessed Saviour is made use of by piece-meal for an entrance into the parts of this Vision as it is in them all I cannot but take notice how fitly it answers to the Vision of the Seals where the parts of the Frontispice are also made use of to usher in four of the Seals for the four Beasts one after another and that with apposite significancy as here at the opening of the four first Seals are introduced uttering this voice Come and see Wherefore there being the like contrivance in both Visions it is a shrewd intimation that they are Visions of like importance that is very reachingly and comprehensively Propheticall as I endeavoured to evince out of the first Chapter 5. And how accommodate that part of the Character of our blessed Saviour is to this part of the Vision that concerns the Ephesine Church is already declared We shall now confider the fitnesse of the paronomasticall Allusion in the Name For that the Propheticall style does affect such Allusions both Grotius and Mr. Mede and all Interpreters that I know are agreed upon And Grotius does particularly give the reason of the names of all these Churches in his Commentary on the Apocalypse So that there is nothing of Levity or Indiscretion in the attempting of the same In Ephesus therefore for ought I know there may be a double Allusion both to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being one of the three matres Lectionis as they are called contained in it both E and A it does plainly intimate that the sound of E and A are not so extremely different one from another But as for the sense of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is hugely well and peculiarly accommodate to this Church it being the first Intervall of the Seven as it were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the same the Careeres or Lists from whence the Race begins of the Succession of all the Seven Churches which ends in the end of the world And S. Paul compares the calling of Christians to a Race 6. But as for the other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Grotius also expresly takes notice of and pitches upon the Allusion thereto is unexceptionable both as to sound and signification For it denotes that great servour and zealous desire the Church in those first Primitive and Apostolick Times had to the Affairs of Christ and to the Interest of his Kingdome that they did sincerely and earnestly under the conduct of that Heros on the white Horse with his bow and arrow in his right hand aim at and press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus they were inflamed with the desire of enlarging the Kingdome of Christ here and of obtaining that immarcescible Crown hereafter and of eating the fruit of eternall life in the celestiall Paradise of God This was the first love of this Church this was their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their vehement and sincere desire and onely scope of their Actions that they might serve Christ here and enjoy him afterwards in his heavenly Kingdome And therefore out of this fervent love to Christ and sense of their own happinesse they did at first easily devour all Difficulties 7. As it is noted in the two following verses I know thy works and thy labour and thy patience and how thou canst not bear with such as are evil For those that are sincerely and fervently good it cannot but make them have an Antipathy against what is evil and discern them that bear themselves never so Apostolically and yet are not right at the bottome to be but Hypocrites and Liers And thou hast tried them which say they are Apostles and are not That there were false Apostles deceitfull workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ in the Apostles time within which the Period of this Church is the Apostle Paul takes notice 2 Cor. 11. 13. which therefore is very agreeable to the Intervall of this first Church For when should any pretend to be Apostles sent from God but in that Age there were Apostles sent into the world by him And hast born and hast patience and for my Name 's sake hast laboured and hast not fainted What is here is much-what the same sense and words as were in the foregoing verse but it is not repeated in vain For these words I suppose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have a special correspondence to the reward promised in the 7. verse He that will not labour shall not eat but he that labours very much and breaks not off by reason of any lazy fainting or culpable lassitude is worthy to be fed with the bread of life But besides this labour and patience in the highest circumstances is here repeated the better to set off the present remissness of some in this Ephesine Church as it is in the next Verse 8. Neverthelesse I have something against thee because thou hast left thy first love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grotius and Dr. Hammond expound it because thou hast remitted of thy first love and so allow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie relaxation and remission in a contrary sense to intension of degrees whence there may be another ground of Allusion in Ephesus to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in counter distinction to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that this Ephesine Church may have its name from its first intense Love and its after Remission thereof by this double Allusion But as the Allusion to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is more perfect then that to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so questionless this first Intervall of the Church was more famous for their sincere and real Love to Christ then for their Remissnesse therein Which serves something for the countenancing of the term of this Intervall Because thou hast left thy first love that is to say because thou hast ceased to be so fervent in spirit as at the first Which first Love being according to the measure of Christ's own Prescript was certainly such as made the Ephesine Church love Christ more then Father or Mother or Wife or Children or any worldly Interest whatsoever accordingly as he requires But towards the end of the Intervall of this first Succession of the Church this Love and Courage it seems began to abate and too many began to Gnosticize as it is called in that point and think it a small thing to deny the Faith in the time of Persecution even those that yet professed themselves of the Church and were Believers That this was
purify'd Gold And white rayment that thou mayst be cloathed and that the shame of thy nakednesse do not appear Groan then earnestly in this O thou spiritlesse Laodicea desiring to be cloathed upon with that spiritual house which is from Heaven that being so cloathed thou mayst not be found naked For while thou art in this earthly Tabernacle thou oughtest to account it a burthen and not to set up thy staff in the enjoyments of this life because all things are peacefull and prosperous with thee Not that I would advise thee to shorten thy days here but that being thus cloathed by this spiritual Vestment Mortality might be swallowed up of life And it is the Spirit of life and the Divine Love that worketh in thee this one great thing that thou so greatly wantest and yet art insensible thereof And anoint thine eyes with eye-salve that thou mayst see That is Cleanse thy self with such a due measure of Mortification and Purification of the inward man from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit that thou mayst attain to the Divinely-moral Prudence which will enable thee to have a right judgement and discerning in all things This therefore is the Collyrion which I would advise thee to anoint thine eye-sight with even the purgation of thy self from all the Animal Corruptions that thou mayst perfect the inward Righteousnesse in my fear For the outward alone carries none to Heaven The Ointment I prescribe will indeed smart but without it thou wilt still continue blind and never finde the way to everlasting Salvation 9. As many as I love I rebuke I deal plainly truly and faithfully with thee and not out of any ill will is it that I thus rebuke thee But it is ex amore benevolentiae though not ex amore complacentiae For as thou art thou art but a nauseous and irksome spectacle to me And therefore I thus rebuke thee and instruct thee that thou mayst amend And chasten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which signifies to chastise and scourge as well as to instruct Which therefore may seem to be the commination of some external Calamity and Affliction that Christ would bring upon the Laodiceans if they did not repent them of their remissness and in such a way as themselves may haply be the causes of through their Remissnesse and Luke-warmnesse For that former Philadelphian Zeal and Activity ceasing which that Church exercised in the behalf of the Interest of the Kingdome of God their enemies may more then ordinarily encrease upon them especially the Devil being let loose and being very active to deceive the Nations whom they should counter-plot by being as active to convert them to the Truth And this may be the time wherein the Prediction of Gog and Magog is to be fulfilled who are said to be gathered together to battel and to encompasse the Camp of the Saints and the beloved City which in this state is termed the Church of Laodicea but in that Vision the Camp of the Saints because there were not onely many Saints amongst them of the old Philadelphian strain but that they were still in their externall frame an holy people and an holy City not prophaned by the Gentiles that is to say not polluted by Heathenish Superstition and Idolatry and Imposture and Cruelty nor brought under their power and dominion that were Which yet was once the condition of the Holy City for a time and times and half a time or forty two months Apoc 11. 2. 10. And it is still called the beloved City also for the same reason but not the new Jerusalem descended from Heaven because so generally that new and Heavenly nature was lost amongst them But this Church of Laodicea is still beloved of Christ partly for her own sake and partly for her deceased Sister's sake the lovely Philadelphia whom she so much resembles in all her externall features that dearest Spouse of Christ. And therefore the Title of the beloved City agrees very well with this passage in the present Text Whom I love I rebuke yea and scourge too For these streights that the Laodiceans are to be cast into by the Siege of Gog and Magog seems the most probable way to rowze them out of their Lukewarmnesse and lazy Formality But that things may not run the hazard of growing worse and worse nor there be an infinite repetition of the vicissitude of Scenes on the Stage of this Earth Providence will knock off at such a time as that the wicked and prophane Rabble of the world shall not again get the dominion over his true Church but he will put a period to the Contest by a deluge of Fire from Heaven as it is intimated in that Vision But this is more then falls to the share of this present verse Be zealous therefore and repent That is Amend thy dead Formality and Lukewarmnesse by attaining to the Spirit of life through Mortification and Regeneration that so thou mayst recover the old Philadelphian Zeal and Love For this is the onely thing thou wantest 11. Behold I stand at the door and knock Do not pretend Difficulties I am ready not onely to assist thee but do also importune thee I suggest good Motions to thee do thou but pursue them and improve them If any man hear my voioe and open the door that is If any man obey those dictates of Conscience and overtures of Light and Grace that Christ ever and anon offers him and so becomes sincere in all things and not willingly offends him in any thing great or small which will not fail to be done where the desire is sincere and this sincere desire is the Door that lets in Christ for he passes into us through an unfeigned hunger and thirst after Righteousness then says he I will come in to him and sup with him and he with me That is I will communicate my Nature and Spirit unto him and he shall eat my flesh which is meat indeed and drink my bloud which is drink indeed that is to say He shall partake of my body bloud not in Symbols onely which ye doe well to keep up till I come but in a true and living way whereby that shall be accomplished I in my Father and ye in me and I in you If any man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our aboad with him Wherefore being thus replenished with the God of life and the Father of lights thou canst not fail of being full of the Spirit and of all alacrity and readinesse to every good work Thy Luke-warmnesse and Dulnesse will goe away 12. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne And that thou mayst be the more effectually rowzed up out of this Tepidity and Lethargicalnesse thou shalt not onely enjoy me and my Father on this Earthly