detect us at last before others and then what a shame will this bee as David sayes of Doeg the Lord would discover him Hee would make all the good people round about say of Him Lo this is the Man that tooke not GOD for his strength Psalme 52. 7. So hee will doe with us Lo this is the Man that had such a Name to Live Lo this is the Man now wee see here 's a wretch now wee see how hee deceived his owne soule hee never truely sought GOD in all his life hee was not the Man that wee tooke him for hee built upon the Sand hee did not lay a good foundation and therefore now hee is tumbled downe and what is become of his name Now hee shewes himselfe in his Colours now wee see hee is an Enemy of GOD hee can side with the Times hee can embrace this present VVorld hee hath no eternall life abiding in him Nay the Lord will not onely doe thus with us if wee rest in a Name but also hee will pour his Wrath upon us otherwise too yee may read how that this was the reason why the Lord drowned all the old World not onely the wickednesse of them that were without for if they that professed Religion had beene sound they might have prevented the Deluge and prayed it away But they that professed Religion had only a Name The Sonnes of GOD saw the Daughters of men that they were faire Genesis 6. 2. That is the Sonnes of God they were onely so in Name their workes plainely shewed that they were onely so in Name therefore the Lord swept them all away So the Lord will pour bitter things on us if wee bee Christians onely in Name and the servants of CHRIST onely in Name if wee bee not so indeede nay this is not all but wee shall have a deeper Portion in Hell too then Pagans or Papists or any in our owne Land the more wee have borne of his Name the surer shall our damnation bee if wee doe not really answer the Holy Name wherewith wee are called Wee may see this in the Man in the Gospell Friend how camest thou in hither Binde him hand and soote cast him into utter darkenesse where is weeping c. Matthew 22. 12. 13. Come Friend how came you in hither marke hee had the Name of a friend of Jesus Christ therefore the Text sayes hee was speechlesse hee had nothing to say for himselfe his damnation had nothing to lessen it other people shall have something to say for themselves to lessen their damnation but those that have a Name to live shall not have the least syllable Thirdly then let another use bee to humble our hearts let us goe to God in humiliation of heart as the poore prodigall Sonne did and downe on the knees of our soules and bodies and say Lord I have sinned against Heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to bee called thy Sonne Luke 15. 21. So as many of us as are guilty of this sinne as who almost is not and that in a horrible manner let us say Lord I have beene called a Christian I have beene called a child of thine I have had the Name a good while but O what a Wretch have I beene I am not worthy of this Name I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight I have not answered the Name I have had and therefore it were just with thee to cut mee asunder with Hypocrites and so fling mee downe to Hell REVEL 3. 1. And art Dead THese words are a part of the Epistle that Christ sent to the Ministers and Church of Sardis Ye have heard the inscription to the Angel of the Church in Sardis write Ye have heard too of the subscription These things saith he that hath the seven spirits of God and the seven Starres We are come to the Subject matter and therein first to the reproof in generall I know thy workes and secondly to the partculars of the reproof The first particular was this Thou hast a name that thou livest all these have been delivered already now followes the second particular reproof And art dead Here the question is what Christ meanes by dead By dead he does not mean dead in errors and heresies though these be called deadly poysons and may make a Church dead For the truth is called the word of life Phil. 2. 16. and wholesome Doctrine as the Apostle cals it and ergo errors and heresies these poyson dead any people that drink them in But this cannot be the meaning here for we see no such thing here laid to their charge it should seeme this Church was an orthodox Church neither by dead does he meane prophane wicked manners though they make a people dead too as we see the prodigall Sonne that had been given to prophane and dissolute courses his Father sayes he was dead in those dayes Luke 15. 24. Yet this cannot be the meaning neither for this Church had a name to live and it had this name among the Churches of Jesus Christ which had more wit then to Judge them to be alive if they had been so palpably wicked no it seemes they were an excellent Church to see to a good Ministry to see to but both dead so then this is the meaning For all their seeming to be alive they were indeed dead as the Apostle sayes of himselfe before he was quickned by Christ Jesus He was dead sin revived and I dyed Rom. 7. 9. yet he was as jolly a good man as any other and yet he confesses he was dead so they were dead for the most part and those that were not all out dead yet they were dead-hearted and without life in Gods wayes For as it was with the Moraller Heathen they did the things contained in the Law yet they were dead so a people may doe the things contained in the Gospell too and yet be dead people may beleeve yet as Iames sayes their saith be dead saith Jam. 2. 26. namely when their faith is without works so people may have goodly works for the morall part of them and yet doe them with a dead heart to be sober and temperate and loving and chaste and civilly humble and meek and diligent in their calling and known to frequent all the ordinances of God in publik in private these are outwardly good works and yet may be in the number of those works that the Apostle cals dead works Heb. 6. â— namely when there is no life of God in them Thousands deceive themselves in this when they have a kinde of faith and a kind of particular faith and such works as these flowing from their faith they think this to be a lively faith no no a man may be dead for all that This truth will not sink into mens minds fancies fancies say they these are nothing but the whimses of a company of giddy â—raines what would they have if this be not true religion we wonder what
For the place of his exile was like Pauls third Heaven unto him he was ravisht in the Spirit on the Lords day and had abundance of revelations vouchsafed unto him of the things that should occurre in the Church and out from thence unto the end of the world Before which he hath a charge given him to write to the seven Churches of Asia chap. 1. the Church of Ephesus the Church of Smyrna and of Pergamus and of Thyatira these foure are written unto in the second Chapter the other three are written unto in this the Church of Sardis and the Church of Philadelphia and the Church of Laodicea Now that which I have chosen to handle and if God afford liberty I desire to goe through it is the Epistle unto the Church of Sardis wherein we may consider foure things First The Inscription containing a specification whom the Epistle is specially directed unto And to the Angel of the Church in Sardis write Secondly the Subscription containing a description of the Lord Jesus Christ the King of the Church These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God and the seven Starres I call it a subscription because in our letters we use to subscribe our names or to write our names beneath at the latter end But it may be called rather a suprascription as Kings write their names above for honours sake so does Christ the King of Sion write his Name above Thirdly the substance or matter of the Epistle I know thy works that thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead Be watchfull strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die for I have not found thy works perfect before God c. vers 1 2 3 4. Fourthly the conclusion He that overcommeth the same shall be clothed in white raiment c. v. 5 6. First I say the Inscription And unto the Angel of the Church in Sardis write In which words Saint John is directed whom to inscribe this Epistle unto and that is unto the Church which is in Sardis but especially unto the Angel of it that is the Minister or Ministers of it for that 's the meaning of Angel in this place Secondly for the Subscription or rather suprascription that contains the description of the Lord Jesus Christ from whom the Epistle is sent and he is described by two Royalties the first is in having of the seven Spirits of God These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God that is that hath power to send the holy Ghost unto all the Elect for so the holy Ghost is called the seven Spirits that are before the Throne Rev. 1. 4. He meanes there the holy Ghost not as though there were seven holy Ghosts but he is expressed in the plurall number in regard of the abundance of graces that he infuses into his Churches and the number seven is rather taken then any other number partly because this number is put for a perfect number as implying the perfection of his influence partly because of the present businesse in hand for here he writes to the seven Churches of Asia Now the Lord Jesus Christ hath Spirit enough to send forth into them all This is his first Royalty that he hath the seven spirits of God Another Royalty of his is that he hath the seven Starres that is the seven Pastors of these Churches Christ hath them all in his hand it is he that preserves those Ministers that are faithfull he hath power to raise them up to gift them to protect them to defend them and they are called Stars because they are to shine in the firmament of the Church Thirdly for the substance and matter of the Epistle it containeth three parts First a Reproofe and the reproofe is in these words I know thy works that is I know them all and they are stark naught for the most part what ever they seem they may seem to be very good but I tell you plainly I know them all what they be q. d. generally they are stark naught and then he instances in particular as for example thy deadnesse of heart in Religion Thou hast a name to live but thou art dead that is thou goest for an excellent Minister and and excellent Church ye doe professe Religion very fairly and in a goodly manner that to see to thou art alive and thou art taken so too of all thy Neighbour-churches they all think and hope thou art alive but the truth is thou art dead the grace of life is hardly in thee at all This is the first the Reproof Then secondly here 's a remedy annexed for he does not reprove them out of any ill will but for their good and so he prescribes them a remedy and the remedy is twofold The first is To strengthen the things that remain that are ready to die q. d. as many of you as are not quite and clean dead stirre up your selves quicken up your hearts and this is amplified by shewing how they should doe thus O be watchfull sayes he q. d. that is the reason why ye languish in this fashion and yee will languish more and more because yee are not watchfull therefore Be watchfull and also by rendring a motive to presse this remedy For I have not found thy works perfect before God that is thou art hardly sincere a jot thou art full of hypocrisie and rottennesse and formality and thou wilt lose all thy labour if thou dost not look well about thee therefore shake up thy selfe and strengthen the things that remain This is the first remedy The second remedy is to repent and this is amplified by shewing how and that is two wayes First Remember how thou hast received and heard that is consider how thou hast been taught and bewaile thy declinings for thou art horribly departed from what thou hast learned in the Ministery of the word Secondly Hold fast that is so bewail thy warpings wanings and degeneratings that thou mayst get up againe hold thee fast there when thou art up Now lest they should neglect the using of this remedy the Lord Jesus sharpens his speech with a threatning telling them the danger if they will not be awakened If therefore thou shalt not watch I will come on thee as a thiefe and thou shalt not know what houre I will come upon thee This is the second part of the matter of this Epistle the Remedy Thirdly another part of the matter of this Epistle is a commendation of some particular persons in the Church that were not carried away in the deadnesse of the times and these he does praise very much and he gives them an excellent promise the praise is in these words Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments that is there be some among you though they be but a few that have not been sutted and soyled with others bad examples though others be dead yet they are not dead too for company
honesty civill honesty between man and man is a sweet thing the Apostle himself brings it among other things as a testimony of his sincerity Wee trust wee have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly Heb. 13. 18. O it is an excellent beauty to a servant of Jesus Christ when his Moralls are sound and exemplary and there cannot bee any thing that will make the profession of Religion odious in the eies of the world then want of Morality when Christians faile palpably in their Moralls May bee such a one thou wilt think comes farre short of thee in grace in the knowledge of good in the beleife of the Truth in a spirituall in-sight into the mystery of Christ O then count it a shame that hee should goe before thee in the keeping of his Word There cannot be a greater dis-honour unto God than when a naturall man shall bee able to accuse thee of any dis-honesty in any kinde The Spirit of God sets it down as a great shame upon Sarah that Abimelech a Heathen man should be able to reprove her Thus was shee reproved saith the Text Gen. 20. 16. When Jacob perceived that his sonnes had sinned against morall honesty there in the matter of Shechem O saith hee yee have made mee to stink among the Inhabitants of the land Gen. 34. 30. Yee have troubled mee saith hee it was a great griefe of heart to the good man hee knew this would bee a great dis-honour to God as well as a shame unto himselfe and therefore God forbid I should speak against a Ministers speaking for morality Yet Beloved this know that this is not enough a man may professe the name of Christ and thinke verily that hee Beleeves in Iesus Christ and be a very admirable morall man and yet never quickned up to the grace of life Saint Paul shewes this plainly in himself I might have confidence in the flesh if any other man might trust to that I might be circumcised the eighth day of the stocke of Jesse of the Tribe of Benjamin an Hebrew of the Hebrews as touching the Law a Pharisee Phil. 3. 4 5 6 9. if any fine-carriaged man under heaven could hope he is right I could before my conversion I was admitted into the Congregation of Christ by the Sacrament of Circumcision I was borne in the true Church of God I had godly Parents I was of the Common-wealth of Israel Nay I was a Pharisee which was so admirable a strict order that after his conversion he was not ashamed to be still called a Pharisee I am a Pharisee and the sonne of a Pharisee sayes he Act. 23. 6. He cals himself a Pharisee still Nay he was zealous and concerning the righteousnesse of the Law he was a very blamelesse man so that if any faire cariaged man under Heaven were right hee was right But the truth is S. Paul Confesses that when God came to opon his eyes he finde that he was a dead man a vile wretch he shews he had gone sheere to hell for all this if God had not converted him So that morality is a poore thing And yet people makes it their Idoll and trust to it and thinke certainely they are the children of God certainly they shall have mercy certainly they shall to heaven And how many Ministers make this to be true Religion and preach nothing but this This then is another way whereby Ministers doe leave a dead Congregation by morall preaching Thirdly A flat preaching is when there is no keennesse in our Sermons when we do not strive to stagger mens consciences that are to be staggered When a man goes on in a track Preaches true doctrine though it were to be wished that more Ministers would do thus This does not hunt the heart out of its owne starting holes this Ministery leaves people dead It is said of our Saviour Christ that the people were astonisht at his Doctrine Matt. 7. 28. he stun'd their consciences he set them at a stand so if a Minister would quicken hee should labour to set the wicked at a stun Yee know every wicked one gets somewhat or other to hang on to hope they shall not be damned for all they are no better Now when a Minister sets himselfe to put his hearers to a stun still to startle truth in an astonishing manner that may flash the bare truth into the soule and to make them see their bad estates this is quickning preaching But when a mans Ministery is cold there is nothing to stun the heart their heart may have its starting holes for all it his Ministery does not labour to meet with them this leaves people dead a Minister that still goes on in a track can never looke to quicken First Because a good Minister must make Conscience to bring out new things as our Saviour Christ speakes The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto an Housholder that bringeth out of his treasure things new and old Mat. 13. 52. that is though he bring none but the old things that were brought before Yet still he brings them forth as new He labours to keepe the Word stil new unto the heart the reason is this when people have once been convinced of the truth presently it growes stale to them and so they are subject not to be quickned by it at all O this we knew before and so the heart makes little or nothing of it I knew this before Now when the Ministery of the Word darts it in a-new and makes it looke still with a fresh looke upon the Conscience this is a quickning Ministery Like a man that keeps his Barrell still fresh when a man gives the drinker still fresh from the Barrell so when a Minister preaches still fresh from the Word But when a Minister does not do thus he is like a man that gives one liquor that hath stood a great while in the Cup it growes dead Secondly Because a good Minister must goe further and further or else he cannot quicken My meaning is this the more people are convinced by the Word the more subtleties still the heart does devise the more word is in the Conscience the more wiles the heart mints the Devill also prompting thereunto so that if a Minister doe not follow mens hearts still further and further this will leave the people dead The reason is this Because when the heart hath once invented a wile to maintaine its owne hopes for all the same truth we may preach the truth all the dayes of our life it will never quicken that mans heart because still when he heares that truth he hath a wile lying by him that still defends himself from it so that there is a necessity for a Minister to go further and further The Word of God is a deepe mine there is no Bottome a man may still dig deeper and deeper Thy judgements are a great deepe Psal 36. 6. When the Minister besieges the heart he is to dig round
know all thy workes i I know them to be all starke naught Some thinke this is an allusion to the Minister of Sardis his name who they say was called Zosing that is Living Thou hast a name that thou livest but the truth is thou art dead whether that be so or no I know not but this is the meaning of the words that both the Minister and the Church seemed to be alive towards God hee to be a very good and godly Minister and they very good and godly hearers they were all professors they were all very devout and forward in all their duties of Religion to see to Thou hast a name that thou livest By name is meant a meere name as wee see by the clause following and art dead for when a man is dead the name to live must needs be a meere Name First a Name in regard of themselves they tooke themselves to be alive as Paul had a name to live before his conversion while yet hee was a Pharisee hee had then a name to live I was alive without the Law once Rom. 7. 9. That is I had a name to live then I taking my selfe to be alive I thought verily in those dayes that I had true Grace true Faith and true Hope and true Love and the true feare of God before my eyes So this Church had a name to live they thought themselves to be alive Secondly a name in regard of other godly Churches others in the judgement of Charity conceived they were alive as the Scribes the Pharisees our Saviour Christ told them they had a name to live Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for yee are like unto whited Sepulchers which indeed appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones Matthew 23. 27. that is yee seeme to be alive yee have a name to live but indeed yee are dead They had such a great name to live that our Saviour Christ had much a doe to keepe his owne Disciples from over-weening of them beware of them sayes hee q. d. what ever yee may thinke they have a meere Name to live Thirdly a name among poore ignorant and simple people yee know there be abundant of poore simple people that are led away with shewes that know not what true Religion is nay may be hate it but yet they are led away with the shew of it now they that seeme to be religious they are the onely Men and Women with such they are held for the only good people in a Country they are admired poore silly people take them for their Ghostly Fathers if they can have but their Prayers they thinke their Prayers can do much when they are sick they love a life to have such by their bedsides they give them a great deale of comfort like Absulom that comforted the people that came to him O your matters are good so the Apostle shewes that they that had a sorme of godlinesse had a name to live among a company of poore silly people 2 Tim. 3. 5. 6. Fourthly a name among the persecutors of Religion and so they are persecuted too among them that live indeed for mockers take them to be of the same number So Alexander the Coppersmith had a name a great while and the enemies of goodnesse persecuted him even as Paul so Demas for a time had a name and was persecuted as well as the Apostle till afterwards hee was weary and forsooke him This is one of your Precisians this is one of you purer people this is one of them that call themselves the people of God These are the people of the Lord Ezek. 36. 20. as a Bat hath a name to be a Mouse and so the Birds persecute it and cannot abide it Now the point of Doctrine is this that it is a horrible thing to rest in a meere name of being Religious it is the argument that Christ uses to prove that Sardis workes were all starke naught because they had a meere name to live so when the Lord would declare how the Jewes were growne to be starke naught hee layes this to their charge that they had onely a name to bee his people They call themselves of the holy City and stay themselves upon the God of Israel the Lord of Hosts is his name Isaiah 48. 2. that is they got themselves a name to bee his people and there was all they had not the thing it selfe but they tooke the name thus hee proved them to bee starke naught The reasons are first because this is to be farthest off from Religion religion is a reall thing and therefore he that rests in having the name of it is farthest off from it as Christ sayes of Nathaniel Behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile Ioh. 1. 47. so when a man is religious indeed humble indeed feares God indeed this is religion when a man is freed indeed from his sinnes and from the power of them this is religion if the Sonne shall make you free ye shall be free indeed Joh. 8. 36. Now when a man hath only the name he is farthest off from this Religion is a reall solid and a substantiall thing as Iohn sayes my little children let us not love in word neither in tongue but in deed and in truth 1 Joh. 3. 18. what though a man have the name to love God and goodnesse how farre is this off from doing of it indeed a man may goe for one that is converted but he is converted that is converted indeed so he is godly that is godly indeed the name is nothing where the thing is wanting all religion is in deed to believe indeed to deny a mans selfe every day indeed to be sensible of God indeed in all ones waies not to say ones prayers but to pray indeed to give God thankes indeed to worship him indeed as Paul sayes when a man can say God is in us indeede 1 Corinthians 14. 25. when a man hath onely the name this is a meere fancy and conceit Secondly it is a very blasphemy to get the name for good people when wee are not good people indeed the reason is this Religion hath an inward dependance upon God it unites a man to God it hath an internall relation unto God it puts a man in a propriety with God that God is his God that hee is borne of God it puts the very Name of God upon a man now if a man take the name with out the thing it must neede bee a very blasphemy as hee sayes I know the blasphemy of them that say they are Iewes and are not but are the Synagogue of Satan Revelations 2. 9. as if a man should say hee were of the blood royall yee know the blood royall hath such a dependance on the Crowne that that man that should say hee were of the blood royall and is not hee must needes blaspheme the King So beloved Religion hath a neere dependance on God
Sarahs wombe is said to be dead he considered not the deadnesse of Sarahs womb Rom. 4. 19. that is her womb had no activity to conceive now when a wombe is active this way then we say it is quick so a coale that hath sire in it is said to be a live coale There flew one of the Seraphins having a live coale in his hand Isa 6. 6. we call it alive coale because it is active it is able to burne whereas if that fire were out then it were not able to burne and therefore then we call it a dead coale so when a man is active towards God Take him in prayer there he can act now take him in selfe deniall in reconciling of himselfe in humbling of the heart in mourning for sinne in hungering after righteousnesse even as a man does after his appointed food take him in any of the things of God though he were like a dead coale afore yet here he can act now now he can move this way when one is like a block in good duties that man is dead we call moving things living things Every moving thing that liveth Gen. 9. 3. when a thing cannot stirre that we call dead when a man is not stirring in heavenly things he is stirring enough in earthly but he cannot stir in heavenly things that man is a dead Christian though he professe never so much yet if he be not stirring towards God from day to day he is dead I thinke it meet to stirre you up sayes Saint Peter 2 Pet. 1. 13. that is I think it meet to quicken you up Now beloved this being so if ye would know what it is to be alive towards God let us but finde out a little what is the life of a man First what is the life of a mans understanding people thinke that bare knowledge is and approving of Gods wayes and thinking of them now and then they thinke this is the life of their understandings But you shall see these are not it therefore we will search out what is the life of the understanding Secondly what is the life of the will or of the heart people are apt to thinke that wishings and wouldings and velleities if they have some volitions towards God and all holy courses they thinke their wills are alive no these are not it therefore we will search too wherein the life of the will does consist Thirdly what is the life of the conscience people generally doe conceive that if their consciences doe check them for their sinnes and smite them for evill and excuse them in other things that are good then their conscience is alive now we desire to enquire what is the life of the conscience indeed Fourthly what is the life of the affections I gave you a touch of these when I shewed you what it is to be dead now let me speake of them more fully to shew you what it is to be alive For the first what is the life of the understanding ye know there be many things in the understanding knowing approving studying determining now the world thinks that when the understanding is so far wrought upon as to know Christian religion to approve it to study it to determine aright upon things evill things to be evill good things to be good duties to be duties sins to be sins now they suppose their understandings are alive But the truth is none of all these are the life of your understandings The understanding hath another life besides these The understanding may have all these and be dead As first for knowledge I need not stand to prove that the dead Heathens the Apostle sayes they knew God when they knew God they glorified him not as God Rom 1. 21. knowledge is not enough as cur Saviour Christ speakes is ye knew these things blessed are ye if ye doe them Joh. 13. 17. nay literall knowledge does not so much as give them understanding true light much lesse life a great learned divine that is wicked his understanding is still in darknesse nay it may leave him more dead then those that are groslely Ignorant as the Prophet sayes of them that had knowledge I will get me to the great men for they have knowne the way of the Lord but these have altogether broken the Yoke Jer. 5. 5. they were more dead their hearts were more averse from all goodnesse Bare knowledge is a poore thing and yet people are apt to glory in it the Apostle makes a pish at it we know we have all knowledge 1 Cor. 8. 1. q. d. is that such a peece of matter never tell me of your knowledge I know ye all have knowledge but that 's a poore thing nay the greater is thy woe if thou hast not a quickened mind as Solomon sayes he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow Eccl. 1. 18. thou increasest thine owne selfe condemning the more thou hast the greater knowledge in thy Bosome thou knowest the more thou feest to condemne thee thy knowledge is like a sword in thy bowels that daily galls thee and wounds thee and therefore little reason to thinke that knowledge is the life of the minde it is not so much as the light of the minde take heed sayes our Saviour that the light that is in thee be not darknesse Luk. 11. 35. that is thou mayst have a great deale of light and yet be in darkenesse nay in worse darknesse then Ignorant blinde people that have no light at all if the light that is in thee be darknesse how great is that darknesse Matth. 6. 23. such people are more senselesse at the word harder to be wrought on they have the more distinctions to deceive their owne soules they thinke to well of themselves they are too wise to be fooles that they may be wise they are farther of from confession if they had lesse knowledge it may be there might be more hope to doe them good But having so much knowledge in a carnall minde it is made a strong hold against grace it is with such people as it was with Babylon thy wisedome and thy knowledge hath perverted thee Isa 47. 10. true knowledge is a good thing but when a man is fleshed with it that he takes himselfe to be some body this marres all but I will speake no more of this Secondly for approving of the truth that cannot be the life of the minde neither when a man approves goodnesse and good people this indeed is an excellent mercy of God to make a man approve goodnesse and good men O how are such bound to be thankfull few goe so farre But alas if thou goest no farther thy minde is not yet quickened up to God as the Apostle shewes that a man dead in his sinnes still may yet approve the best things Thou knowest his will and approvest the things that are most excellent Rom. 2. 18. Herod approved Iohn the Baptist and his preaching Achish King of Gath approved David and all