Satan Law nor the second death cannot take hold upon him for it is Christ that died for him for Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect It is Christ that is risen for their justification therefore they are beyond all danger of miscarrying and so may justly tryumph and say O Death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victory But thanks be to God who hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15. Vers 12. And to the Angel of the Church which is at Pergamus write this saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges Christ here followeth the charge against the church at Pergamus It is inscribed to the Angel or Pastor of the church which is at Pergamus and in the 18. vers following To the Angel of the Church which is at Thyatira the Spirit herein clearly denoting unto us that the inscription in the first verse of this chapter To the Angel of the Church of Ephesus or of the Ephesian Church and here To the Angel of the Church at Pergamus or in Pergamus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are of one and the same significants and latitude and therefore such places are very incongruously taken up to prove a Church of the same extent and latitude with the Nation And though we may lawfully use the terms of the church of England of Scotland France c. it must always be understood in a limited sense not that all England Scotland France Ephesus Smyrna or Pergamus were the Church but that it is the church of England or in England of Ephesus or in or at Ephesus of Pergamus or rather as it is here in Pergamus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in or at Thyatira And therefore it is most safe to keep close to the sound of wholsom words in such expressions Write this saith he that hath the sharp sword with two edges Christ sets himself forth unto each church in a diverse mode John saw him in the first chapter in a general and full appearance and discovery of himself in his full luster And now he discovers himself by parts unto the churches according to their several wants and imperfections Where by the way take this Note Observ That Christ's discoveries of himself unto his Churches are always most suitable to their present conditions To afflicted and persecuted faithful churches as Ephesus and Smyrna were he appears as a God of protection and salvation unto them as in the first verse under the description of having the seven Stars in his right hand and walking in the midst of the seven Golden candlesticks and in the eighth verse he saith to the church of Smyrna for a comfortable discovery unto them write these things saith he that is first and last which was dead and is alive But now unto the more unsound and corrupted churches of Pergamus and Thyatira his discovery is in another posture as one having a two edged sword proceeding from his mouth and eyes like a flame of fire and his feet like fine brass v. 18. an appearance of indignation Wrath and Judgment Faithful afflicted Christians need discoveries of grace peace and consolation but unfound and corrupt ones ought to have the doctrine of Judgments and wrath preach'd unto them he that knoweth not rightly to divide the words of truth is no compleat workman in Christ's Vineyard he is a workman that need not be ashamed that knows how to preach Gospel and glad tidings of reconciliation and peace to poor humbled and repentant sinners But Hell and wrath and judgments and fiery indignations to the obstinate and impenitent the doctrine of grace and threats are not contradictories being wisely managed yet in this appearance of Christ of having a sharp two edged sword proceeding out of his mouth there is much mercy in it for understand that by the sword of Christ's mouth is meant his word and doctrine confer with Heb. 4.12 Psal 148.6 and 56.5 Prov. 5.4 for that is two edged and cuts two ways First it cuts off the sin and corruptions of the faithful by its kindly operating through the influence of the Spirit Secondly It cuts confounds and destroys the wicked not through any innate quality in the Word but by accident for by their refusal and contempt thereof so consequently of the divine Majesty the Author and Instituter thereof God goes out with the other edg or side of his sword against them on his black and red horse of wrath and Judgments Hence Note Observ That God's Judgments towards his back-slidden Churches are mingled with much mercie Though Christ's appearance to Pergamus and Thyatira was much in wrath for their defilements and back-slidings yet he added much grace and mercy thereunto both in approbation of their graces and calling them to repentance for their defections Christ gives always line upon line and precept upon precept providence after providence and mercy after mercy to invite us to repentance before he will take his last cause of Judgment with us his heart is still towards our amendment though he is provoked highly by our sins against us and who but an heart of Adamant would not believe him when he swears As I live saith the Lord I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he should turn and live And the very weapons that he uses against sinners are the sword of his mouth with two edges it heals as well as wounds the one edge is anointed with the balm of Grace though the other with the gall of Judgment Vers 13. I know thy works and where thou dwellest even where Satan's seat is and thou heldest fast my Name and hast not denyed my faith even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful Martyr who was slain among you where Satan dwelleth Christ in the first place goes on in the approbation and encouragement of the church of Pergamus and tels her that he knows her works and that her habitation or domestical conversation for so the word signifies is in a place even where Satan's Seat is or Throne is as the Orginal has it We know the Seat or Throne is taken in Scripture for the place or ensign of Dominion Rule or Sway as Psal 1. v. 1. Blessed is he that sitteth not in the seat of the scornful that is in the society of such scorners as go on with a high hand and say their tongues are their own who shall us controul As Christ has his Throne and Seat so Satan has his as Christ goes out as an absolute Monarch in his Kingdom hath his Royal Laws and commands and the observers thereof therein so Satan hath also his Kingdom and his Throne set up therein where his commands are obeyed by the childen of disobedience without controul and therefore this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the Throne of Satan is is rendred in the latter part of this verse in another variation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where Satan dwelleth or does his houshold affairs A mans house
received to and by souls before they can act towards God in the least acceptable services Object But then again some one may say If the small remaines of grace that were in Sardis were almost dead or ready to dy does not this argue a falling away and a possibility of the faithful to perish totally Answ Grace may be very low and yet not dead it was as sparks of fire under much ashes with Sardis and yet we know sparks are as real fire though not as fervent and virtual as a flaming one Indeed it was low with Sardis in her spiritual condition and it is most just with God when we are great sinners against him that he hides much of his gracious presence from us When by sin we quench the operations of the spirit of God God may justly quench its effects towards us but no sooner shall we follow the motions of the spirit and renew by repentance but presently God gives a more enlivening and effectual spirit into our souls and notwithstanding his former withdrawings yet it is but a Fatherly chastisement not an utter dereliction and forsaking Secondly I answer Persons that are Elect and have really tasted of the vertue of Christ's death and intercession can never utterly fall away unless they would make the power wisdome and preordination of God to be weak and fallible and the death and intercession of Christ impotent and insufficient unto that end to which it is ordained yet withal I assert though Elect persons cannot utterly fall away as being given by the Father unto Christ and none such can be cast away being helped by the mighty powâ—â— of God unto salvation yet Election of a state of persons may fail and perish As to instance in the Jewish Nation the Election thereof did obtain Rom. 11.7 to wit those that did pertain to the Election of God in that Nation did obtain mercy and reconcilliation by Christ yet at last for the sin of that Nation the Election of God did fail as respecting that State and Nation and the Ax was laid unto the root and that good Olive cut down and cast into the fire and the wild Olive or Gentile Nations graffed in upon their Stock Obstinacy in sin and unbelief was their cutting off and faith is the Gentiles incision and graffing in as the one is cut off by unbelief so the other is graffed in by faith Rom. 11.20 Those few names in Sardis that do hold fast the faith they are in a safe condition whilst all the rest of that church may perish utterly the first are marked and written in the eternal book of life of God and of the Lambe and therefore cannot perish but after God had finished his work at Sardis Thyatira Rome Corinth c. and called his Elect out of them and secured their eternal happiness he can remove the current of his Election to another people without any changeableness or shaddow of change in him and make those very people in their posterities the very seat and Sinagogue of Satan who were once his beulahs darling and beloved ones Thirdly there are guilded formal hipocritical graces and believers and such may not be only ready to dy but dead twice dead dead at the root and fit for nothing but to be plucked up and cast into the fire and therefore it is very ordinary in Scripture to say that such are fallen away perished and lost from their faith which they seemed to have all their graces are in the outward appearance only So Demas Simon Magus Judas Ananias and Saphira c. may be said to fall away from the faith because they had never the truth of real grace in them all was but seeming formal hypocritical and at best but historical which the divels may have and for all this perish everlastingly Observ 2. It is a great mercy for God to leave some remains of grace in a sinful Church and people If God had not left us a remnant we had been worse then Sodome and Gomorrah Small sparks being blown and cherished may become a flame so little grace though like a Mustard-seed may become a great Tree If God should deprive us of all the seed of grace there must needs follow a spiritual death unto our souls for when the soul of the soul is gone the soul will be soul-less and dead unto every good and spiritual worke As long as there is life in us though it is infirm and weak yet there is some hopes of recovery but being once dead there is no hopes of Redemption from the grave So as long as we have the Spirit of Christ though it works but faintly and weakly by reason of corruption in us and if it comes but to the first step and lowest degree of spiritual life to wit to be sensible of its dead and carnal condition and to complain under it there are good hopes of recovery unto such a soul and unto such I may boldly say unto its comfort Awake and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to dy Observ 3. Though our graces are but weak and low and ready to dy yet it is our duty to cherish strengthen and confirm them until we bring forth the worke of Christ within our selves unto perfection We are not to contemn the day of small things for he that improves but one Talent well shall be made ruler of many Talents The Beasts in the Prophet always went forward Ezek. 1.11 but grubs that are backward are reckoned among unclean creatures Lev. 11.10 God hath promised that he will not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax If we cherish the work of grace in us though in never so small a measure God will add a greater and fuller supply unto us God will add unto faith vertue unto vertue patience c. and according to that word in 2 Pet. 1.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall all come hand in hand in consort as following one the other as in a chorus or dance Doubtless it would not be labor lost for Sardis to strengthen and revive the remainders of grace that were ready to expire within her though Christ would be at hand to assist her by his grace and spirit yet he would not do it without her motion and improvment as it was once said by Austine Though God made us without us yet he would not save us without us Grace works most kindly when it meets with improving hearts that are ready to say with young Samuel Thy servant heareth Lord speak Though God hath ascertained and decreed the salvation of his Elect yet it does not exclude the duty of creatures and the work of second causes Ezek. 36.37 Jer. 29.11 12. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling we are to worke for life as if life were to be got by working and doubtless the crown will be the more glorious where the greater improvments of grace are made the more grace the Vessel is capable of and filled with here
God if we were not of his family he would leave us alone to run on in our own perverse ways until destruction and hell overwhelmed us Be zealous therefore and repent What zeal is see formerly on the fifteenth and sixteenth verses Christ in the former verse prescribed the remedy to the church of Laodicea for her disease and here he adviseth to the application of it Be zealous be fervent be hot cast away thy half mongrel Religion which is neither hot nor cold Purge out O England thy Romish leven that makes thee hang even half way between heaven and hell between Christ and Antichrist Be zealous and repent O Laodicea cast out O England thy pretended riches honours and preferments which works a conceit in thee that thou art rich whiles thou art but beggarly and naked and buy gold tryed of the fire of Christ and true honours from him and that white rayment of his righteousness and of his holy Spouse in her external offices and ordinances which will make thee truly honourable beautiful rich and comly Be zealous I say and fervent hot after those precious jewels and spiritual riches and repent of thy former follies and vain conceits and then thou wilt be wise to purpose and become as a Lilly among the Thorns and the fairest of all thy Sisters Vers 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me Christ adds here another motive to the poor blinde Laodiceans to come unto him for gold for white rayment for eye-salve to supply all their wants which is drawn from his willingness and readiness to come in and converse with all such that are but willing to receive him and to close with him and therefore he tells them Behold I stand at the door and knock Christ comes as one desiring to have entrance he knocks first that they may know to whom it is that they must open Christ coming in his first grace is irresistable and as the strong man dispossesses Satan and takes possession of the house the soul by a spiritual force and over-powering hand But if the soul after faith received by its own sloth remisness or backsliding shall shut the door or entrance thereof against the kindly operations of Christ and his Spirit Christ is not obliged to break up the door of that heart again by violence as at his first coming in unto it but will come and call and knock for entrance that is will wait with mercies with providences with precepts commands with exhortations and reproofs that if possible to melt the straying and erring soul into compunction and to open again unto him that the King of glory may enter in From which posture of Christ Observe Observ That Christ uses all possible means for the reclaiming and regaining erring souls into the ways of life He comes as it were a supplicant at their doors and desires them to give entrance to him He stands and knocks he waits and waits long and calls and calls again by divers and various ways of mercies and grace he puts them in minde of his former loving kindnesses and how ready he is to help them if they will but open to him and follow his direction and hearken to his voice Somtimes he shakes his rod over them to bring them to repentance and tells them as many as he loves he rebukes and chastens somtimes he invites them by mercies and gracious considerations to return unto him then again he takes the terrors of the Law to make them see their danger if they continue obstinate unto his calls and lastly he sends his Ambassadours with precept upon precept and line upon line beseeching in Christ's name the straying souls to return unto him Christ will never be wanting to them unless they be wanting unto themselves Quest But why does not Christ himself use his force and open the door himself by his Spirits power to these poor Laodiceans Is not he the great Key-bearer of David who openeth and no man shutteth and if he would but speak the word he need not stand knocking at their doors they would fly open to him that he might enter in I answer 1. 'T is true At Christ's first entring into the soul our base natures are so resistable and abhorrent to the work of grace that he must come by force by a spiritual force with his Key of David to unlock the doors of our hearts if he will have an entrance thereinto But secondly Having first shed abroad his first grace into our hearts then he commands us to work in the power of that grace to work out our salvation with fear and trembling Having received the promises saith the Apostle clense your selves from all filthiness 2 Cor. 7.1 and Christ puts us then upon doing that we may stir up our graces improve our talents and become active growing and fruitful christians and on this account Christ here knocks at the door of the hearts of the church of Laodicea and bids her to hearken to his voice and ro open to him She had received the first grace of faith from Christ or else she could not be numbred among the seven golden candlesticks though she was a sad disorderly and rusty one yet she was a church of Christ still and therefore might very well be commanded to set her power and grace a working to open unto Christ the operations of whose Spirit she had shut out and quenched by her uneven carriage and luke-warm temper Thirdly and in the last place Know that Laodicea had not quite shut the door to Christ as unto the operation of his graces she was a church of Christ though a luke-warm one but she had shut the door and denied him passage in some of his Ordinances by which Christ usually and ordinarily enters she had shut the door unto a true spiritual Ministery Discipline orderly calls and regular dispensing of his Ordinances and instead thereof entertains a formal lazy indifferent luke-warm Ministery State-discipline Officers and calls and so all Ordinances are brought to the scantling of the will of man not of God or of Christ and so makes up a mongrel Hermaphroditical worship part of God's and part of man's which indeed is purely neither God's nor man's and therefore an abomination both to God and man She had shut this door and way of entrance against Christ as some of our churches has done this day and therefore Christ comes and knocks and how By the Ministery of his Word and faithful Witnesses And as John was sent with an Epistle in his hand to Laodicea and the rest of the delinquent Asian churches so Christ sends his faithful Teachers and Prophets with a burden in their mouths against all such false worship and doctrine to unshut the doors if it may be that the King of glory may enter in Use From the discoursed premisses it plainly appears That this Scripture
and good works as formerly she did as the true effects and issues of that love or else c. Hence Note Observ That the contemplation of grace is the only Gospel motive unto true repentance The commemoration of God's former gracious dealing unto a backslidden soul will operate very strongly if not judicially hardned to recal him unto his God The straying prodigal experienced this truth in himself Luke 15.17 when he came to himself and considered how that many hired servants in his fathers house had bread enough and yet he starving for hunger it made him to reflect upon that full and gracious condition when he was as an obedient son with his father which moved him to set on the resolution to be a Trewant no longer but to arise and go unto his Father and say Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee If any thing will break the course of sin and recall the heart unto its first love the consideration of the former gracious dealings of God with it will effect it It will reason thus with it self was it not better with me when I kept close to God then now it is since I have broken with him Was not my soul more at peace within it self when I was more zealous of God's glory and of keeping his commands then now when I am more remiss and colder in my affections both towards God and christian duties Was not then my food more spiritual and my delights more heavenly then now when I am clogg'd with the vanities of this world and the bewitching lusts thereof Had I not then a freer access to God and of a freer spirit in my approches crying Abba Father then now having strayed from him instead thereof having a spirit of bondage and of fear In short when I kept close with God did not a face of heaven as it were appear in all my performances and relations but now having departed from him all is turned into hell and bitterness against me Surely those considerations of grace formerly received will work more upon an ingenious spirit then any thundring Legal threats whatsoever yet I add if these will not do Christ hath another course and method and can come judicially and remove his candlestick from amongst such obstinate and unrepentant sinners Observ 2. Another Note is That true Gospel repentance consists not only in changing the mind but of practise and conversation also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rescipicite to wax wiser or repent do not only consist to grow wiser in the judgement but in the choice of the practical affections also If the will be not right as to its objects as well as the judgement it will not denominate a true repentant The church of Ephesus was right as to her faith for which she suffered in patience yet her practise and affections were not streight for which she had the check and commanded to do the first works works of love works of charity works of piety which formerly she had been zealous in In true repentance there is a Terminus a quo and Terminus ad quem Turn ye turn ye every one from the abomination of his ways there is the terminus a quo but this is not all a negative righteousness will not serve turn but there must be Terminus ad quem a positive righteousness also There must be a doing of the first works of holiness and godliness towards God and of love and righteousness towards all but more especially towards the houshold of faith These are the adequate ingredients of true and Gospel repentance It is a gross deceit in many that think that they have believed sufficiently and they have repented sufficiently when they have altered their judgment or at least their weather-cock opinion from one external form unto another as when an Episcopal man is become for a Presbyterie O most kind and benigne Sun-shine quoth he but when a Presbyterian turns Independent in judgement he presently cries out that heaven is opened unto him never considering that the kingdom of heaven does consist in godliness and righteousness but in outward forms of worship which if rightly regulated somthing of each might be rightly admitted to make a just composure In the next place some think their repentance very sound when they have changed one errour for another when of an Arminian or Pelagian are become Antinomists rightly so termed denying and opposing the morality of the Law as a rule of duty obliging unto christians when of an Arrian or Antitrinitarian are become Tridheites or worshippers of three Gods c. So corrupt is the heart of man that will make his own opinion an Idol and all that looks not that way nor brings any flowers to that sacrifice and yet otherwise apparently gracious shall neither have the title of a true believer or a repentant soul amongst them Therefore with all such I would leave this Scripture as a Signet upon their finger Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent and do thy first works Observ 3. Another Note from the authority of the person Christ that gives this memento is That Christ's commands in his Word should be very powerful and efficacious to bring us unto repentance Shall Christ be our Anamnestes or Remembrancer and set our faults before us by his Spirit in the Word and shall not our hearts be molten for it Shall he call from heaven to us in his ever-living word of Prophesie and shall we not intend or hearken to that heavenly vision He gave but one glance on Peter reflecting on his unkindness and denial which caused Peter to turn aside and weep bitterly And shall he not only look upon us with his daylie providential acts of goodness and mercy which leadeth unto repentance but give us line upon line and precept upon precept and yet not return by repentance It is the signe of most obdurate hearts and of stiff-necked sinners But some will say We want wills to it and if Christ gave wills as well as commands we should readily follow him I answer first Where Christ lays his commands on his chosen ones he also gives there the first grace of his Spirit to enable to obey that command and we know the Spirit may be opposed and the Spirit may be quenched and is so often by our own defects and by reason of the abundancy of corruptions so that the want of wills to good things proceed from our own base and corrupt wills not for want of power from Christ who commands us to them but take notice though the operations of the Spirit may by the Elect themselves be opposed darkned and quenched partially but not totally and finally but at last will get the victory in bringing forth the work of God unto perfection Secondly It is in vain for persons in an â—nregenerate state to complain for want of wills for before Christ moves thereon by his Spirit of grace they cannot rightly will any good thing or work but the first grace being given
to any and after follows a complaint of want of will to holy performances it is a good signe that there is a good will unto it or else there would not be a complaint which is only for a greater measure not for a total want of will unto it Thirly and lastly Understand that Christ often exhibits his commands of faith and repentance even to the reprobate themselves to manifest unto them their duty the due performance whereof they have in their original first parent lost and forfeited and God is not obliged to restore it seeing the vindication of Gods justice is as dear unto him as his mercy and therefore when Christ in his Ministery bids such persons to believe and repent they never complain of want of wills unto the work but rather add sin unto sin in a more obdurate unbelief But to proceed Or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy Candlestick out of his place except thou repent As if Christ had said unto the church of Ephesus if thou wilt not return unto me and unto thy first love by this gracious warning I have given thee be sure I will come in judgment against thee and that shortly and though my appearance as yet unto thee whiles there is hopes of thy recovery be in the likeness of the Son of man one of thy own nature and compassionate towards thee yet know if thou wilt not repent and do thy first works of love zeal and charity I shall forthwith come in another like resemblance having mine eyes as a flame of fire and a two-edg'd sword proceeding from my mouth and destroy thee and thy church-state and that quickly unless thou speedily amend thy faults Observ Hence Note That a speedy repentance is the only means to avert the judgements of God from falling upon a church or people Ahab's repentance though it was but hypocritical and unsound yet stayed God in executing his judgements on him The repentance of David and Solomon for their Adultery and Idolatry stayed God's hand against them and many others of the Kings of Israel experienced the goodness of God in this particular and by reason of their sincere endeavours of returning unto God by demolishing their abominations and idolatries God promised them he would not bring the evil in their days which he had denounced against his Idolatrous people the Jews but should be gathered in peace unto their fathers The Ninivites upon their repentance in sackcloth and ashes on Jonas preaching had a longer date set to their political state and City and this repentance too ought to be speedy for who knows how long God will suffer though long often he does before he sends forth the unevitable decree of execution As God is merciful slow to anger slow to wrath yet know that God is also just and that one attribute is as dear unto him as another the duty we see is presently required and we know not though God defers the execution whether he will give us hearts again unto the work after we have once slighted his gracious calls and invitations thereunto It was an old Proverb Sero sapiunt Phryges which may be our lot if we defer too long and we know that to be true that sera penitentia raro vera and consider how it was too late for Jerusalem to howl and cry after she had slighted the many gracious invitations of our Saviour unto repentance who would have gathered her as a hen gathers her chickens under her wing When Titus the Roman General had cast a Trench against her walls and bolted up her gates by the siege of a potent Army Christ tells the church of Ephesus and the rest of those Sister Asian churches if they do not repent he will come quickly in judgements against them as indeed he did in few ages after by the incursions of barbarous Nations and quite removed their churches from amongst them Quere But is not this a Legal teaching to denounce wrath and judgements on non-amendment or for want of repentance I answer Such as object thus are much mistaken for repentance is not strictly a Legal duty but a duty Evangelical and of grace for the Law admits of no repentance for it saith The soul that sinneth shall die It is the Gospel of grace alone that saith Repent and live that is Return from thy wicked ways and accept of Christ as thy Lord Saviour and Teacher and thou shalt be saved The Law is inexorable and exacts the whole satisfaction as the penalty of the breach thereof which was fully laid on Christ and satisfied by him It is grace alone that accepts the will for the deed and admits of repentance in the sinner whiles the Surety hath compleatly satisfied the justice and rigour of the offended Law Secondly What God hath sanctified no man should call unholy for hath not Christ commanded this duty of repentance very abundantly in the Gospel and very often to be interpreted for faith it self and shall we count it Legal Repent and be baptized for the remission of sins Acts 2.38 Repent or ye shall all likewise perish c. But I confess there is no little difference between Repentance under the Gospel administration and the old Testament administration under the one the doctrine thereof is more clearly taught upon more evident terms of grace In the other more darker and on more sensitive and carnal grounds As Christ under the Law was vailed under clouds and typical ordinances but under the Gospel more clearly preached unto all so his doctrines of grace faith and repentance were not by far so radiant before the days of his manifestation in the flesh as after so the difference lies in the degrees of clearness not of the verity and truth of the doctrine Quere 2. But again some may query Is not this to joyn Repentance unto Christ in some causality unto salvation and to set them both as it were in a joynt commission though somwhat subordinately unto that great end Indeed this is a question worthy the clearing which many unskilful ignorantly handle not knowing how to divide the Word of God aright do miserably stumble in it Understand for clearing of this in the order of causes God's free love is the first moving and predeterminating cause unto life and salvation Christ next is the alone procuring and meritorious cause and as Christ hath purchased the Elect unto himself by his death and merit so as a King or a Soveraigne Legislator he sets up a Royal Law for his Redeemed people to walk by to wit that of Repentance towards God and Faith unto Jesus Christ Now he sets not Faith nor Repentance in any causality with himself in this great work of life and salvation this is only but a principal part of his revealed Will and Law that he will have his redeemed ones to walk in he doth not require those graces in them as co-operating or efficient causes unto life or justification nor as conditions properly
cleansed us and sanctified us How shall we defile our selves again by sin lest our state become seven fold worse then the first This is the temper of a gracious repentant Spirit Observ God is so gracious that he always premonisheth before he strikes in judgment his rebellious and sinful people He calls them to repentance before he will go forth to fight with the sword of his mouth against them He will not come in wrath upon them unwarned If God hath decreed a general destruction or desolation to any churches he will make it known unto his Prophets they shall declare it to his people And therefore so often here in these two chapters Christ says Let him that hath an eare hear what the spirit saith unto the Churches Let him that is wise among you consider well of those Judgments which are to come upon you and are made known unto you by your Prophet John And to what end doth God this First that the Lords Elect and precious ones among them may be awakened out of their sins and brought to repentance Secondly That they may be secured from eternal ruine if not from temporal Thirdly That the wicked and impenitent may acknowledge their own evil ways and give glory to God and justifie God's righteous proceedings against them Yea often God will premonish a long time and bear long with the sins of his people before he will execute the punishment due unto them Isa 42.12 Jer. 3.5 God could in a moment crush them all with his breath yet waits long for their repentance 390. years 1 Pet. 3.20 a-about 100 years in the days of Noah whilst the Ark was a preparing God's long-suffering waited for the repentance of the old world by the Preaching of Noah unto them How long did God premonish us since the first time of the first reformation by his faithful Prophets and Ministers to purge and cast out the leaven of Antichristianism from among us before he would go out in Judgment against us was not his long-suffering exercised towards us from Henry 8. and Edward 6. days unto these present times a hundred years and upward still looking and expecting that we would pull down the High places and Groves that Jeroboam built and the Priests of Baal in the confines of our holy Land and this was the Lord's long-suffering to us-wards sending us Prophet after Prophet and Precept upon Precept to preadmonish us not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance yet for all this and the many days of peace and plenty God did give unto us inviting us as by gracious opportunities to ammendment we grew worse and worse and added more abominations in the services of God then was at first until at last the Lord came to fight against us with the Sword of his mouth of War Pestilence and Famine as we have lately had sad experience of Observ 3. That though God in mercy to his people gives them often a long time of preadmonishments unto repentance yet if they continue impenitent he will come quickly against them That time that we look upon as long and far distant as 100 500 or 1000 years is but as a day with God yea but a little space and at present with him for he is Eternity it self without measure or number Though it was in some ages after that Christ came in judgment against those Asian churches for their sins yet he came quickly against them in a time nearer then they thought of It is a quick and short time unto sinners when Judgments reach them unexpectedly Though it is many hundred years ago that that proud City and Scarlet Whore began her raign as Queen and the time of her raign being for 1260 days yet it is said Rev. 18.2 Babylon is fallen Babylon is fallen and is become the habitation of devils that is God sees it as already done for the certainty of it and all things future are as present with him And though it is above 1600 years since Christ ascended yet he says Rev. 21.20 Surely I come quickly Amen The people of the old world and of Sodom and Gomorrah thought the day of God's vengeance afar off till they were all swept away with the desolating judgements of God Who would have thought in K. Charls his time when Revelling Quaffing Dauncing and all vanities were in their Throne that God should come and write a sentence of desolation and misery on himself and Kingdom as on Belshazzar Dan. 5.4.5 25 MENE MENE TEKEL UPHARSIN The day is thy Kingdom taken from thee and given to Darius the Median ver 30 31. Therefore if we be found in the same transgressions with our predecessors let us not be secure but fear and tremble left the same judgments overtake us also Happy is the man that feareth always saith the Wise-man Prov. 28.14 Let God's judgments come sooner or later they will come quick enough upon secure unrepentant sinners It is too late to prevent the fire when the house is in flames O let that Proverb in Ezek. 12.22 be no longer used in Israel saying The days are prolonged and every vision faileth Observ 4. That God's people and Churches fare the worse for the entertainment of the wicked among them All of the church of Pergamus were not Balaamites or Nicolaitans but that they had them among them that held their abominable doctrines yet however for free toleration of them Christ will come against them all not only against the wicked to fight against them with the sword of his mouth but also I will come against thee quickly thou whole church of Pergamus for suffering these abominations in the midst of thee The church of Thyatira had the same check for suffering the woman Jezabel among them and at last together with the church of Pergamus were both wrap'd up in the same desolating judgment and misery for the entertainment of these abominations among them Liberty to sin is no part of that liberty with which Christ hath made us free Faithful ones may plead for liberty for different things and judgments in themselvs not simply morally evil or against the positive Laws of God but for for spiritual or carnal adulteries such must needs be either the advocates of Antichrist or the devils that plead for their sufferance and toleration As there are various diseases in bodies so they have their various medicines If the distemperature grows high and inflames it may endanger the death of the body So it is in Christ's mystical body his church if the distempered gangrene grows high and spreading and ulcerate it may endanger the whole vitals of that church As there are in natural Physick blood-lettings evacuatings healing corroding and cauterizing medicines so in our spiritual Physick there are variety of Medicines sutable to all the distemperatures of the body the church and they that use Lenitives or healing Medicines when the disease calls for corroding or cauterizing Plaisters are but merciless Physitians and will kill and
her she alone shall not suffer for her adulteries and idolatries but all those whom she hath enticed and deluded to be sharers and complices with her in these her abominations Hence Note Observ 1. God is very long suffering and merciful towards the worst of sinners God gives this woman Jezabel most corrupt in doctrine and manners a space a long space or tract of time to repent God forbore the old sinful world a long time under the preaching of Noah before he brought the Flood upon them to sweep them away for their transgressions God suffered long also Sodom and Gomorrah most vile cities in abominations before he sent forth fire from heaven to consume them How long did God suffer the provocations of his own people Israel in idolatries murmurings oppressions injustices adulteries c. from one age to another before he would remove the habitation of his glory from Israel yea after they had put the Son of God to death through their wicked malice and enmity towards him yet how willing was God to call them to repentance by sending his Apostles and Ministers among them to bring them to the faith if possible and so be saved and waited long upon this work for fifty sixty years and upward until the days of Vespasian when Titus overthrew the city of Jerusalem when the Jews were sold for a groat a head and not one stone left upon another in the Temple as Christ had foretold for their obstinate impenitency and wickedness How long did God forbear us in this Land for the abominations among us sins of Jezabel of a bloody nature against the Saints and Prophets of God besides the many superstitious Will-worships idolatries and fornications permitted and countenanced as it were by authority for some series of years before the Lord did break out against us in wrath and judgment All this connotes unto us the gracious nature of our God that he is a God merciful gracious long-suffering full of bowels of compassion ready to forgive and remit the very worst of sinners as persecutors idolaters adulterers Jezabels Balaamites Nicholaitans and what not upon their repentance and turning from their sinful ways unto God and holiness Therefore O sinner never complain against God for want of grace or long-suffering towards thee if thou perish the fault is thine own through thine own perverseness and unbelief and not God's for want of grace mercy or giving time enough of repentance to thee From the remarkable word Behold Note Observ 2. That Gods judgments upon sinners are to be remarked and taken notice of by all wise and godly persons Behold saith Christ what I am bringing upon Jezebel and her wicked associates for their abominations consider of it it is for an example to you that if you be found in the same transgressions with her you shall be partakers with her in her judgments God always forewarns of evils before they are coming that his own precious ones may be secured and saved in the day of wrath in Rev. 18.2 the Angel cries out with an Ecce Babylon is fallen Babylon is fallen many hundreds of years before the real accomplishment thereof and to what end That the godly may consider and take notice of her abominations and of the wrath and judgments denounced against her that so they may comâ— out of her and not be partakers with her sins lest they be partakers with her plagues also How many voices of the Lord's Messengers and Trumpets are gone forth with a Behold in their mouths that the Lord is coming in fiery indignation against all workers of iniquity and yet who lays it to heart Observ 3. It is most just with God when he makes the occasions and instruments whereby we have sinned against God to be the instruments of our punishments and chastisements If we turn our Tables into surfetting and drunkenness it is just with God to make them a snare unto us If we make wine or our lusts our god God can make wine and our lusts to be our executioners in shortning our days by intemperancy If we make gold riches or honour our Dalilah God may justly lay a wedge of gold in our way as he did to Achan or honour as unto Absolom unto our utter ruine and destruction If Jezabel affects her bed and close covertures for her whoredoms and idolatries God can justly make that bed of folly a bed of great tribulation to her If we please our selves in the society of evil companions those very consorts of ours God will make them rods of affliction to us for how sad will it be unto the wicked in the last day when those that were companions in sin and wickedness shall curse one another for their wicked examples and encouragements to evil given to one another in their life time Thus God punishes sin by sin If Pharaoh will have a hard heart against the Israel of God God will give Pharaoh a hardned heart in judgment God hath his hand so far in sin as in justice he can turn it to a punishment for sin and this is according to the equity of that of the Poet Nâ—n Lex est justior ulla Quam necis Artifices arte perire sua Observ 4. Great and grievous tribulations and judgments attend not only false Teachers themselves but their followers also The Bed in the days of health peace and quiet is the place of solace rest and comfort but in the day of affliction sickness or tribulation it is the receptacle of our griefs sorrow and anguish All the night long saith David I water my Couch with my tears and therefore most aptly taken up by the Spirit to represent unto us a state of sorrow anguish and tribulation into which Jezebel and her adherents or followers of her doctrine shall be cast for so her adulterers are to be understood for I cannot think it reasonable though this Nicholaitish Prophetess did hold corporal fornication lawful yet that all of her Sect and followers of her doctrine did commit corporal fornication with her but thâ—â—â—ll such as were her disciples and followers may be truly saiâ— to commit Adultery with her in a spiritual sense and understanding And so in cap 17. vers 2. The Kings of the earth are said to commit Fornication with the great Whore and the Inhabitants of the earth to be made drunken with the wine of her fornication that is with the intoxicating and abominable Doctrines and Idolatries of Babylon So here all that do adulterize with Jezebel that is follow and joyn to her abominable doctrines and practises shall be cast into the same bed of anguish and tribulation wiâ—h her self They that will partake of Babylons sins must not think it hard to partake of Babylons plagues the Merchants that joyned to her Idolatrous Merchandizings trade shall cry Alas alas for that great City and the Kings of the earth that committed Fornication with her shall bewaile her and lament because of the anguish come upon her
cap. 18. The Beast and false Prophet joynt companions in evil the one upholding and confirming the other the one by an unrighteous and tyrannical Sword the other by false doctrines and miracles till at last both are caught by Christ and his Armies and cast into the lake of fire and brimstone Rev. 19.20 And if common tribulations were not enough for false teachers and their folowers Christ will cast them into a bed wherein they shall roul themselves in grief cover themselvs in grief and with great tribulation and if all this will not do to bring them to repentance for their wicked deeds and practises Christ hath another bed to cast them into a bed of death and destruction in the next verse And I will kill her children with death except they repent of their deeds Repentance is the only remedy against divine judgments turning from sin and turning to God will turn God's wrath from us and his love towards us See more hereon about repentance ver 5. and 16 of this cap. Vers 23. And I will kill her children with death and all the Churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reines and hearts and I will give unto every one of you according to your works As the true church of Christ hath her children begotten and fostered up by the immortal seed of the word so false Teachers and Heretiques have their children also begotten by the spirit of deceit and falshood and nourished by errors and wickedness So this false Nicolaitish Prophetess had her children followers of her Fornication and Idolatry In the former verse we read of her Adulteries that doth commit fornication with her and promote her doctrines of Idolatries equally with her self and that Christ would cast them together into great tribulation except they repent and here we find their Issue children of the same cursed stock which Christ will aso shew no mercy to but kill her children with death that is will sweep them away in judgment not only with a violent and precipitant deatnh â—ut will also slay them with a death eternal Hence Note Observ 1. That children that tread in the steps of their wicked parents are envolved under the same judgments with themselves If we be partakers of our Father's sins it is just that we should be partakers of their punishments If we follow the steps of our faithful parents we shall have the same reward with them of our faithfulness in the latter day God giveth to every one according to his works the child shall not dye for the sin of his parent nor shall the child be saved for the faith or obedience of his parent For the Soul that sinneth shall dye And he that believeth shall be saved But as for the little ones that are uncapable of actual sin or faith their salvation or damnation is according to his will that sheweth mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardens Rom. 9. Quest. But if it be demanded How will it stand with the justice of God to cut off little children which are innocent nor ever yet done good or evil together in judgment with their parents Answ Little children that had never committed actual sin even babes new born or in the womb doubtless perished in the floud and many in Sodome and yet without impeachment of or derogation to divine Justice First God can do it out of Soveraignty and absolute dominion which he hath over his creatures He is the Potter he that made the Vessel can break it he that gave life to babes can take it away and who can say why dost thou this Secondly all Infants are defiled with original sin and as the wages of sin is death so God can justly inflict death on them both temporal and eternal as the due wages thereof together with their parents Thirdly Little children are part of their parents substance and family and God may justly punish the living parent in his child by death as well as any others of his stock and substance as by a temporal punishment Fourthly Though God may often sweep away in his temporal judgments many little innocent children as by the Sword Famine c. and yet they not perish eternally for violent or sudden death is no Argument of God's hatred to them for many precious souls expire by a more terrible and violent death then that of the Sword Pestilence or Famine Fifthly and lastly For the comfort and the better support of the hopes of faithful parents for the well being of their little innocent dying infants whether they are taken off by God either by an ordinary death or in a common judgment let them understand for their comfort that God hath made an everlasting covenant of grace and salvation with Christ for all his Elect ones Gal. 3.16 Isa 53.11 12. and though the Infants of believers die before they can receive the promise of the Spirit by faith yet the chosen ones in Christ are secure by virtue of God's eternal love towards them in Christ being chosen in him from all eternity Ephes 1.14 and let me with reverence speak it Christ may as soon perish as one of them he being the head they the members making up one mystical church Had God ever cloathed himself with flesh in the person of the Son had it not been to lay down a sufficient price and ransom to divine Justice for all his ever beloved chosen ones And where there is such a predeterminating love as God's is towards his Elect and such an inestimable and compleat price paid for them as Christ's death is how can any such possibly perish without violation and impeachment both of divine Love and divine Justice This is a surer ground of the salvation of some dying Infants of believing parents then that that some Arminianising persons of these days do make to wit the parents faith the condition of the Infant 's salvation Dying Infants with those of that perswasion I leave these few following considerations First They should do well in the first place to produce that grant which they pretend to be in the Gospel covenant that the parents faith is the condition of their Infants salvation dying so but this will be done ad Graecas Calendas it savors too much of works of Supererrogation and Popery to be true Secondly If some dying Infants of believing parents are saved on the condition of their parents faith then all are so saved that dyes so before they have forfeited their condition by their own actual transgressions and if all of them are saved dying so then happier would faithful parents be to see all their children dy whilst Infants and innocent for then they should be sure of their salvation then to see them live for some of them must become reprobate and wicked for few godly parents have ever had all godly children Abraham had Ishmael as well as Isaac Isaac had an Esau as well as a Jacob Jacob had a Reuben Simeon and Levi. brethren
be only in name and outward or whither inward and sincere they are the Masters of the Assemblies and the experienced Elders of the church and therefore are and ought to precede and excel all others in every spiritual work and service whatsoever Observ Another Note hence is That the Spirits's Method is first to convince of sin before it manifests its remedy against sin The whole saith Christ need not the Physitian but the sensible sick and wounded Christ first convinces Sardis that she had only a Name that she lived but was dead before he lays down her remedy in the third ver in bringing her to repentance so he deales with Pergamus Thyatira and other delinquent churches also It is an Anti-scriptural Method of some that preach up faith and repentance unto a sinful and backslidden people before they have first fully convinced them by the Spirit in the Word that they are under bondage sin and misery This is no legal Method as the Antinomists do conjecture but of a spiritual and Gospel spirit for unless we be first sensibly convinced of our loss and misery by sin how should we looke for a Saviour or salvation by faith in Christ All the primitive converts that we read of were first pricked unto their hearts for sin before they asked What shall we do to be saved Acts 2. But to return to Christ's charge against Sardis I know thy works for thou hast a Name that thou livest but thou art dead as if he had said Thou hast a name a reputation that thou livest that is that thou art a faithful professing church and livest in me by faith but thou art dead that is not altogether dead for then it was in vain to put her afterwards to strengthen the remainder of grace but as good as dead low weak and infirm and that faith and profession which thou pretendest to be in thee is but as a dead profession and liveless faith Hence Note Observ That though Churches may carry a fair outward profession and a common reputation of faithful ones yet they may be very hipocritical and no better then dead liveless and rotten at the root This church at Sardis had a name that she lived but she was dead her graces were even at deaths dore yet still would keep up the Name of a christian church Who higher in profession and name then the church of Rome Doth she not take unto her self and go under the name of Catholique as if she had been the only church that holds the general faith delivered unto the Saints And yet what church more dead and rotten then she Notwithstanding our nominal faith and common-reputed christianity among us yet we may be dead to all motions and operations of all true spiritual life in the church of Smyrna cap. 2. 9. they were those which said they were Jews but they were not and Christ tels them I know the blasphemy of them that say they are Jews are not but are of the Sinagogue of Satan It is a kind of blasphemy and dishonour done unto God when under the cover of profession we endeavour to excuse our errors and profaness Open opposition is less dishonorable unto God then impure and dead lives under the vizor of profession Mat. 21.28 29. That froward Son in the Parable was less guilty that said he would not do the will of his Father then he that said I will and did it not James resolves the Question in that Interrogation of his cap. 2. 14 What doth it profit if a man saith he hath faith and hath not works can faith save him meaning a dead nominal faith without fruits and works So would I put the question here what will the pretended faith and christianity of our nominal and national christians profit or advantage them The Divel hath such a faith that is only in the tongue and the lip and yet fare nough from salvation or the grace of God these formal outward graces are so far from bringing in any real comfort or hope of glory in the future to the souls that only have them that they bring in real disadvantage and loss unto them for they argue a conviction of the truth yet a refusal thereof in the love and power thereof And secondly it hath been always a harder work of the Ministry to bring pretended and formal professors unto the power of godliness then open Harlots Publicans and Sinners witness the Pharisees of old in Christ's days and the National Formal Jews who would boast of their carnal priviledges and of having Abraham to their Father and the Oracles and Temple of God among them somwhat like the late Levitical Prelatical Tribe among us and yet who more blind and dead then they unto true spiritual knowledg And who more eager persecutors and enemies to Christ his ways and Saints then those Formal National Jews who say they are Jews and are not but are of the Sinagogue of Satan But to give you a test and taste to try whither your profession and faith be a living profession and faith or not First True and lively faith uniteth us to Christ and draweth life and vertue from him I live by faith in the Son of God Gal. 2.20 You know there is life in a body by the notions and beating of the pulses A living faith will be active and discover it self in some gracious effects and operations If Christ be in you he will live in you he will not be dead and idle but be moving in you to gracious duties and operations for there is none liveth in Christ but he bringeth forth much fruits Io. 15.5 It is true faith may not always be alike lively and active but where it is true and real it will be always living and though you be not sensible of its activity yet you will be sensible of deadness and complain under it which is a signe of a living faith though not a lively one Secondly Where this true faith is there will be its constant concomitant that forcible principle love See cap. 2. 19. Affection followeth perswasion and where love is there will be service and worke for faith worketh by love for when we apprehend by faith God's love in Christ to us it begets in us a return of love and acts of services and thankfulness to God True faith will not be idle but will be a working faith and will produce that labour of love mentioned Heb. 6.10 1 Thess 1.3 Thirdly A living faith must needs be active being wrought by the quickning spirit of Christ help engageth to action and where the spirit of Christ shall worke who shall resist his power Fourthly Where true faith is there will be high aimes to glorifie God for it will not be so dis-ingenious to take and receive mercies from God but it will study how to give and render unto God due praises and glory for it for we are not redeemed by Christ to live unto our selves but to glorifie God in our souls