a Either the Light of Glory, the Blefſed Viſion of God ; Or 4 cer- tain Hope of Eternal Life, or the Holy Spirit, called ſo, 2 Pet.1.19. or rather of my ſelf, Chriſt himſelf is not only called the Sun of Righ- teouſneſs, Mal. 4. 2. but the Momning-Star, Chap. 22. 16. becauſe he excelleth all other Stars in Glory, and ſcattereth the darkneſs of Ignorance and Error, by the Light of his Goſpel; I will make him partaker of my ſelf,
_ 29 He that hath an ear, ler him hear what the Spi- rit 1aith unto the churches b. _ | LC”
b Here the ſame concluſion of this Epiſtle, as of all the reſt, ver. 7- 11,17, See the Notes on ver. 7. Thoſe who make this Epiſtle Typical and Prophetical, make it a Type of all the Churches of Chit, from about 1260, or the end of the Perſecution of the Walderſes, un- til the Proteſtant Religion ſo far obtained, that whole Nations own- ed it, which was about 1560, by which time England and Scotland had made it the Religion of thoſe Nations ; it had before this pre- vailed in Germany, Helvetia, France, and many other places, where it was the Religion of whole Cities, and particular Juriſdictions, gc.
3 AT. MM | The fifth Letter to him of Sardis, who hath a name to Live, but is Dead, 1. Watchfulneſs exhorted unto, 2. A promiſe ty the few that keep themſelves pure, 4_ 6. The fixth to him of Phila- delphia, 7. His Faithfulneſs commended, 8. A threatning againſt Hypocrites, 9. Promiſes,to them that overcome, 1to——= 12. The ſeventh to him of Laddicea, 14. His Luhewarmneſs Reproved, 15. And threatned, 16. His Tgnorance and i%retchedneſs diſcover- ed, 17. Chriſt's Counſel to get true Happineſs, 18, An Exhorta- tion to Repentance, 19. Chriſt's Invitation and Promiſes to the Obedient, 20 22,
| A ND unto the angel of the church « in Sardis, write þ6, Theſe things ſaith he * that hath the * Elap. r-
ſeven Spirits of God c, and the ſeven ſtars d; I know + **: thy works e, that thou haſt a name that thou liveſt f, and art dead g. .
4 See the Notes on Chap. 2.12. b See the Notes on Chap. r. IT. c See the Notes on Chap. 1.3. d And upon Chap. tr. 20, e This Phraſe here (as appears from what follows) can fignifie no- thing but Chriſt's comprehenſion of the works of this Church in his Underſtanding, not his approbation of them. f The Miniſtry of this Church had a Name, that is, were reported as famous for their Faith, Diligence and Holineſs ; but their Faith without ſuitable works was dead, and they were no better than Hypocrites. g Spi- ritually dead.
2 Be watchful þ, and ſtrengthen the things which
temain, that are ready to die : z for I have not found
thy works petfect before God F.
Apainſt Sin, and unto thy _ to perform it in a better manner than formerly. j Improve thoſe Gifts and good Habits which are left thee as yet, but are faint and ready to die, if thou doſt not look after the improvement, and ſtrengthening of them. k For I haye not found thy works before God (whether thy works in thy Miniſtry, or in thy Converſation) ſuch as they ought ro be ; thou mighteſt have done me more ſervice, and thou mighteſt have done what thou haſt done with more uprightneſs and fin- cerity. . | |
3 Remember therefore how thou haſt received and
heard /, and hold faſt mz, and repent 7. * If therefore * ver. 19. thou ſhalt not watch, I will come upon thee as a thief f Mat. 24-
2, and thou ſhalt not know what + hour I will come {7743 |
upon thee p. : 39, 40.
| To wit, from the Apoſtles of the Lord: Jeſus Chriſt. All true 7 T1,.1;5.2. reformation either of Dottrine or Manners, lies inthe reduGion of : per, 2.10, it to the Doctrine delivered, and the Rules of Life given by them. Cþ,16. 15. m Wherein our judgment or pradtice 1s conform to theirs, it is to be held faſt, wherein it hath varied, it is to be repented of. n If thou ſhalt not keep thy ſelf free from grofs Sins or Errors, and give diligence to do it, I will come to thee o, not as a Friend to comfort and refreſh thee, but as a Thief to rob and deſtroy thee, and p that ſuddenly. So as I will ſurprize thee with my Judgments, and thou ſhalt not know when my Judgments ſhall overtake thee. 2s
Thou haſt a few names p, even in Sardis, which
have not defiled their garments 9 ; and they ſhall walk _ with me * in white 7 : for they are worthy / | * Ch. 4. 4+
p A few Perſons q even in that potluted place, who have kept & 6. 11. their Integrity ahd Innocency. There is a Garment of Chriſt's & 79,13» Righteouſneſs, which once put on, is never loſt, nor can be defiled, but there are Garments of Holineſs alſo : hence the Apoſtle calls to Chriſtians to be cloathed with Humility. As Sin 1s exprefied under the notion of nabedneſs ; ſo Holineſs is exprefled under the notion
of a Garment, Ezeh.16;10#1 Pet. 5: 5. Thoſe who have not defiled [6L2}] their
Chan TI]
their Garments, are thoſe that have kept a pure Conſcience, Romans uſed to cloath their Nobles, and tuch as were competitors for Honours, in white Garments; the Priefs and Levites alſo a- monztt the Jews, when they Miniſtred, were cloathed in White, 2 Chron. 5.12. God and his Holy Angels are in Scripture ſet out fo vs as cGoathed 1n White, Dan. 7. 6, Matth, 17. 2. Theſe thas triumphed upon Victories obtained, were cloathed 1n Vine amonztt the Romans. To theſe uſages, or ſome of them, the lution is, and the meaning is, they ſhall be to me as Kings and Friciis, and Nobles, they ſhall be made partakers of my Glory : For { tho” they have not merited it, yet I have judged them worthy ; they ere worthy, though not with reſpe@ to their merit, yet with retpet to my Promiſe, and my Sons Righteouſneſs. As Believers arc righteous in Chriſt, ſo they are worthy in Chrift.
5 He that overcometh, the ſame ſhall be clothed in white raiment zZ, and I will not blot out his name
2 * out of the book of lite c, but I will confeſs his name
*Chap.2.7.
+ Ver. 14. Chi.12.
* Ver. I.
*Chap.2.9.
betore my Father, and before his Angels d.
# He that overcometh in the Spiritual Fight, ſhall be honoured as a Triumpher, c that is, I will give him everlaſting Life : The Phraſe is an alluſion to Men who uſe to keep Books, and in them the Names of Perſons to whom they will ſhew kindneſs. The Book
of Lye, applied to God, fignifieth his Eternal Predeſtination, or.