b It was laid betore, that one reaſon why the condition of a Formaliſt is worſe than that of 'an Atheiſt, or more openly pro- tane Perſon, 1s, becauſe the former is ordinarily proud, and felt- conceired, and hath ſomething to ſtop the Mouth of his natural Conſcience witi, which the other wanteth. This is made good in tie inſtance of this /uke-warm Angel ; he faid he was rich in a [pt- ritual ſenſe, in his ſtate as .a Chriſtian, in ſpiritual Gifts and In- dowments. c And every day increafing and growing richer, d And needed nothing to make him happy and bleſſed. e In the mean time he was as miſerable as one could be. Theſe words uſed, are ſeve- ral words fignitying Perſons under various bodily affliftions, and ap- plied to fignitie this Angel's forlorn ſpiritualState, which in the ge- neral, was wretched and miſerable, and ſuch as had need of Mercy, wanting the true Rightcouſneſs, wherein any {could appear betore God not naked, and wanting all true Riches ; and to compleat his Miſery, he was ſpiritually blind, and knew not the ſad circumſtan- ces he was under.
18 I connſel thee to buy of me f gold tried in the — fire, that thou mayeſt be rich, and * white raiment, : > Ln thar thou mayelſt be clothed.and 7har the ſhame of thy 15.&19, 8, Nakedneſs do not appear, and anoint thine eyes with
eye-ſalve, that thou mayelt {ce g.
F Buying being the uſual way amongſt Men to procure what they want, it is not to be wondred at, that the procuring of that ſpiritual Bleſſing here mentioned, is expreſſed under this Notion ; though our buying of God ſpiritual good things, be (as the Prophet exprel- ſeth it, Iſa. 55-1.) without Money, and without Price. It 15 not to be doubted, but- that which is here propounded to be bought, (that is, obtained, and procured by ſuch ways and means as God hath di- re&ed) is Chriſt himſelf, with all his Benefits, in whom there is a ſufficient ſpiritual Supply for all our ſpiritual Wants, that which to the Soul will anſwer whatever Gold ſerveth the Body for ; and which to the Soul anſwereth what clothing is to the Body, viz, Righteouſneſs, wherein a Soul may ſtand before God ; and that which will anſwer what Slaves are to the Body for the cure of its Wounds, viz. Conſolation, and healing of all ſpiritual Wounds and Infirmities. In ſhort, whatever thou haſt need of, conſidered ei-
| ther as poor, wretched, and miſcrable, or as blind, and aaked. * Prov. 3, 19 * AS many as I love, I rebuke and chaſten þ :
11,12. he zealous therefore and repent 7z, | Jam.1.12. þ rxiyyo % rude, the words may be tranſlated, I convince and inſtru&, or deal with them as Children ; but it alſo ſignifies to cha- ſeen, and iis ſo tranſlated, 1 Cor. 11. 32. Heb. 12. 7. we tranſlate it learn, 1 Tim. 1. 20. By theſe words Chriſt lets this Arge! know, that a!though he had in this Epiſtle dealt ſmartly with him, yet he had done it froma Principle of Loye, asa Father to a Child, Zeb.12, 7. i Headviſeth him therefore to quit himſelf of his Juke-warmneſs, and to recover a warmth, and zeal for God, repenting of his former coldneſs, and negligence in his Duty.
20 Behold.I land at the door h,and knock z: if any * Cant.$.2. man hear my voice,and open the door &,* I will come
Joh. 14-23: jn to him 7, and will ſup with him,and he with me 7. h There is a double Interpretation of this Text, each of them claiming under very valuable Interpreters; ſome making it a Decla- ration of Chriſt's readineſs to come into Souls, and to give them a ſpiritual Fellowſhip and Communion with himſelf. Others interpret- ing it of Chriſt's readineſs to come to the laſt Judgment, and to take his Saints into an eternal joyful Fellowſhip and Communion with himſelf: Hence there is a different Interpretation of every Sentence in the Text, I ſtand at the Door ; either in my Goſpel- diſpenſations, I ſtand at the Door of Sinners Hearts, or, I am ready to come to Judze the World, 7 And knock by- the inward Mont- tions and Imprefſions of my Spirit, or my Miniſters more externally: Or, I am about to knock, that is, I am ready to have the laſt Trump ſounded. & That is, If any Man will hearken to the Coun- ſels, and Exhortations of my Miniſters, and to the Momitions of my Spirit, and not reſiſt my Holy Spirit: Or, If any Man hath heard my Voice, and opened his Heart to me, / 1 will come 1n by my Spt- rit, and all the ſaving-influences of my Grace: Or, I will come to him as a Judge to acquithim. m And I will have Communion with him in this Life, he ſhall eat my Fleſh and drink my Blood : Or, I will have an eternal Fellowſhip and Communion with him 1n my Glory. The Phraſe ſeems rather to favour the firſt ſenſe, the ſo fre- quent mention before of Chriſt's coming to Judgment, and the Re-
Y;Cor.4.8.
REVELATION
Chap. IV.
; ward of another Life, as Arguments to perſade the Anzel!s of the
Churches to their Duty, favours the latter Senle.
a 21 To him that overcometh * will 1 grant to * Luke 22, it with me in my throne z, even as I ai{o overcame, 3*: