The Whole Revelation of John in Two Treatises, Treatise 2 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
THE ARGUMENT.
The former four Churches of Epheſus, Smyrna. Pergamus, & Thyatira, being in the former chapter admoniſhed to perſeuere in their wel doings, and amend their euill doings, our Sauiour in this chapter, proceeds with the like admonition to the laſt three Churches of Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.
The Text.
AND write vntounto the Angell of the Churche, which is at Sardi, theſe things ſaith hee, that hath the ſeuen Spirits of God, and the ſeuen ſtars: I know thy works for thou haſt a name that thou liueſt, but thou art dead.
2 Be awake, & ſtrēgthen the things which remaine, that are readie to die: for I hauehave not found thy workes perfect before God.
3 Remember therefore, how thou haſt receiued and heard, and hold faſt, and repent: If therefore thou wilt not watch, I will come on thee as a theefe, & thou ſhalt not knowe what houre I wil come vponupon thee.
4 Notvvithſtanding, thou haſt a few names yet in Sardi, whiche hauehave not defiled their garmentes: and they ſhall walk with me in white: for they ar worthie.
5 He that ouercommeth, ſhall be clothed in white aray, & I will not put his name out of the book of life, but I will confes his name before my Father, and before his Angels.
6 Let him that hath an eare, hear what the Spirite ſaith vntounto the Churches.
7 And write vntounto the Angell of the Church which is of Philadelphia, theſe things ſaith he that is holie & true, which hath the key of Dauid, which openeth and no man ſhutteth, and ſhutteth and no man openeth,
8 I know thy works: behold, I hauehave ſet before thee an opē dore and no man can ſhut it: for thou haſte a litle ſtrength, & haſt kept my word, and haſt not denied my name.
9 Behold, I wil mak thē of the Synagogue of Satan, which call themſelues Iewes and are not, but do lie: behold, I ſay, I will make them, that they ſhall come and worſhip before thy feet, and ſhall know that I hauehave loued thee.
10 Becaus thou haſt kept the worde of my patience, therefore, I will deliuer thee from the hour of tentation, which wil come vponupon all the worlde, to trie them that dwell vponupon the earth.
11 Beholde, I come ſhortlie: holde that which thou haſt, that no man tak thy crown
12 Him that ouercō meth wil I make a pillare in the Temple of my God, & he ſhall go no more out: and I wil write vpō him the name of my God, and the name of the citie of my God, vvhichwhich is, the newe Ieruſalem, which cōmeth downe out of heauen from by God, and I vvill vvrite vppon him my new name.
13 Let him that hath an eare, heare what the Spirite ſaith vntounto the Churches.
14 And vntounto the Angell of the Church of the Laodiceans write, Theſe thinges ſaith Amen, the faithfull and true witneſſe, the beginning of the creatures of God.
I Know thy works that thou art neither colde nor hote: I wold thou wereſt colde or hote.
16 Therfore, becaus thou art luke warme, and neither colde nor hote, it will come to paſſe, that I ſhall ſpew thee out of my mouth.
17 For thou ſayeſt, I am rich and increaſed with goods, and hauehave need of nothing, and knoweſt not how thou art wretched and miſerable, and poore, and blinde, and naked.
18 I counſel thee to buy of me golde tryed by the fire, that thou mayeſt be made rich, & white raiment, that thou maiſt be clothed and that thy filthy nakednes do not appear: & annoint thine eies with eie-ſalue, that thou maiſt ſee.
19 As manie as I louelove, I rebuke & chaſten: be zealous therfore and amend.
20 Behold, I ſtande at the doore, & knock. If any man heare my voice, and open the dore, I wil com in vntounto him, & will ſup with him, and he with me.
21 To him that ouercommeth, will I grant to ſit with me in my throne, euen as I ouercame, and ſitte with my Father in his throne.
22 Let him that hath an eare, heare what the Spirite ſaith to the Churches.
The paraphraſtical Expoſition.
ANd vntounto the Paſtour of the Church of Sardis write: Theſe things ſaith the Lord Ieſus, who hath the ſeuenfolde graces of his holie Spirite vnited in Godheade with him, and therby holdeth the Paſtors of your ſeuē Churches vnderunder his protection. I knowe thy workes, ô Sardis, thou beareſt the aname, that thou liueſt in mee by liuelie faith: but contrarilie, thou and thy faith are but dead.
2 Awake from thy ſlothfulneſſe, and by godlie exerciſes ſtrengthen and quicken vp againe, the ſmall ſpark of faith, which as yet is in thee, but is in danger vtterlie to bee extinguiſhed: for I hauehave no waies founde thy workes to be perfect before God.
3 Remember therefore, the doctrine that you receiued, and heard, and cleaue faſt therunto, and repent thy ſweruing therfrom: for if thou wilt not repent and be wakened from ſin, I ſhall come as a b theefe vnawares vponupon thee, and ſhall ſpoile thee of all my benefites, and thou ſhall not know the houre nor time when I come.
4 Neuertheleſſe, I know ye hauehave a certain in Sardis with you, knowne to me by name, which yet hauehave not defiled their bodies, and theſe ſhall walke with me in the puritie and regeneration of the bodie, for I hauehave accepted them as worthie thereof.
5 He that ouercommeth his temptations, ſhal be clothed with a pure and glorified bodie, and I will not blot out his name from among the liuing, but I will aduouch him by name, as mine own before c God and his holie Angels.
6 Let him that hath judgment vnderſtand what Chriſt, ſpiritually appearing, ſpeaketh vntounto his Churches.
7 And vntounto the Paſtour of the Church of Philadelphia write: Theſe thinges ſaieth the Lord Ieſus, who is holie and true in all his ſayinges, and hath the key of the ſpirituall d houſe of Dauid, euen his holie Temple and Church, to open vp the true doctrine thereof, which none thereafter ſhal be able to obſcure: and to cloſe vp the myſteries thereof, which none, but by him, ſhall be able againe to open vp.
8 I knowe, ô Church of Philadelphia, thy good workes: Beholde, I hauehave made to thee an open acceſſe to the knoweledge of mine Euangell, and none ſhall be able to cloſe vp or hide the ſame from thee: for thou art ſtrong e in a parte, and haſte firmelie kept mine holie word, and haſt neuer denied my name.
9 Beholde, I will make theſe pretended Iewes, who are indeede the f Synagogue of Sathan, and are no true Iſraelites, but doe teach lies: Beholde, (I ſay) I ſhal make theſe, that now wold ſeduce & troble thee, to com and fall downe penitent g at thy feete, yeelding reuerence vntounto thee and worſhip vntounto me, when as they ſhall know that I hauehave loued thee.
10 And becauſe thou haſte kept my precepts and holy word, with patience and conſtancie, therefore, I will deliuer thee in the time h of triall and perſecution, which ſhall come ſhortlie vponupon the Chriſtians throughout all the world, whereby their conſtancie ſhal be tried, in all the quarters of the earth.
11 Behold, it ſhall not be long to my laſt comming, hold therefore, and ſticke faſt, to thati doctrine that thou haſt receiued, leaſt thy glorious reward and triumphant crown be giuen to another.
12 Him that here ouercōmeth his temptations, will I promote hereafter to bear ſpeciall rule in that heauenlie Temple and kingdome of God, and hee ſhall no more ſwerue from mee, nor wander aſtray, for I wil intitle him by the name kof a godlie man, and by the name and ſtile of the citizens of Gods heauenlie kingdome and newe Ieruſalem, euen of that glorious eſtate, that God from the higheſt heauen, ſhal vouchſafe to poure downe on his elect: and finallie, I wil ſtile and name him by mine owne newe name, a true Chriſtian.
13 Let him that hath judgement vnderſtand, what Chriſte, ſpirituallie appearing, ſpeaketh to his Churches.
14 And vntounto the Paſtour of the Church of the Laodiceans write thou, Theſe thinges ſaith l Veritie it ſelfe, euen the Lord Ieſus the moſt faithfull and true witneſſe, the m originall by whome all the creatures of God were created.
15 I know thy workes ô Church of Laodicea, that thou art neither ſimplie ignorant, nor zealous and feruent according to thy knowledge, I would thou wereſt either colde by n ignorance, or feruent by knowledge:
16 But becauſe thou art betwixt them luke warme, and neither a ſimple ignorant nor a feruent Chriſtian: it muſte therefore come to paſſe, that I caſt thee out from theſe whom I profeſſe with my mouth to be mine.
17 For thou vaunteſt that thou art riche, and increaſed with worldlie goods, and ſuppoſeſt that thou haſt need of no other thing, but thou knoweſt not, howe in trueth thou haſt but a wretched and miſerable ſoule, an art poore and indigent of al heauenlie treaſure, and art blinded with worldlie affections, and ſeeſt not the filthie nakedneſſe of thy ſinnes.
18 I counſell thee therefore, by thy prayers and daylie ſupplications, to buy and purchaſe at my hand, the fine and o golden treaſures of ſpirituall graces, that you may bee made rich in heauen, & that you purchaſe to be clad with the p merit, & innocency of my paſsiō, that being clothed therwith, the qfilth of thy ſinnes be neuer diſcouered: adjoin alſo to thy dul ſenſes my r cleare doctrine, that you may ſee the way of life.
19 As many as I louelove, I doe rebuke and chaſten them, be yee therefore feruent and zealous, and amend your former life.
20 Behold, I ſtand euer readie knocking at the doore of your conſcience: whoſo yeeldeth vntounto mine admonitions, and opens his heart and mind, by penitence and remorſe, I will certainlie dwell in him, and wil communicate al things with him, and he with me.
21 To him that ouercommeth his temptations, wil I grant power to ſ ſit with me in my kingdom, partaker of my glorie, euen as I ouercame ſin and death, and do ſit with my father in his kingdome and glorie.
22 Let him that hath judgmēt vnderſtand what Chriſt, ſpiritually appearing, ſpeaketh vntounto his Churches.
Notes, Reaſons, and Amplifications.
a Hereby is to be noted, in what eſtate & danger of death ſtand all hypocrites, and theſe that in name onlie are called Chriſtians, whereas God contrarilie, craueth of vsus, that ſo far as we may, wee euer aſpire to perfection in effect, and not in name.
b Of this metaphore and compariſon of Chriſt his ſuddaine comming, and the comming of a theefe, read his own words Mat. 24.43. Luk. 12.39. & 1 Theſ. 5.2. & 2 Pet. 3.10. and Apoc. 16.15. thereby exhorting vsus to continuall watching and attentiuenes.
c This is a comfortable ſpur to mooue vsus publiklie, boldlie & with conſtancie to the death, to profeſſe and confeſſe the name of ſo worthie a Lorde: ſeeing hee before God and his Angels doth not ſpare by name to confeſſe vsus, although we be moſt vnworthie creatures. Where, note the vnſeparable communion betwixte Chriſt and vsus, he doth here confeſſe our name: and verſ. 12. hee writes on vsus his name: read k following.
d Hereby plainlie doeth it appeare, that the Prophecie of Eſay 22.20. of Eliakim, hath both a literall and ſpirituall meaning: A literall, whereby it is prophecied, that Eliakim the ſonne of Hilkia, ſhould beare the charge ouer the houſe of Dauid, as was performed 4. Reg. 18.18. A ſpirituall meaning, prophecied and meaned of Chriſte the true Eliakim, that is to ſay, the God of the reſurrection, or God that roſe againe (ex Hierom. de interpretatione nominum) who deſcended of Eliakim, Luk. 3.31. Whoſe father Hilkia is here in Luke, called Melcha. Els were there two ſeverall Eliakims deſcended of Dauid. In this ſenſe, Chriſt the true Eliakim is ſpirituallie prophecied of in Eſay, & here expounded in this text, to bear the keies of the houſe of Dauid, &c. meaning, that hee beares the ſpirituall gouernement and cenſure of his Church, to open and cloſe, &c. as is before ſaid in the paraphraſe.
e This litle ſtrength or ſtrongneſſe in a part, being appearinglie no great ſtrength, that God had giuen them for their talent: is neuertheles greatly commended of God, becauſe they hauehave gained therewith, and neither hauehave loſt it, nor the profite and gaine therof, but hauehave put it to profitable vſes, according to the parable, Matth. 25. And therefore, moſt of all the ſeuen Churches, this Church is alwaies commended of God, and in nothing reproved.
f Theſe appearinglie were ſome counterfeit Chriſtians, and alledged Iewes, mentioned before, cap. 2.2.9. who purpoſed with their hereſies to hauehave ſeduced theſe Churches from the trueth.
g This is a reuerence to be done by them to the Church of Philadelphia, and an adoration and worſhipping made at their feet of Philadelphia, not to them by way of idolatrie, but to God: & therfore, is it ſubjoyned in the text, and they ſhal knowe that I hauehave loued thee: meaning, that they vnderſtanding that I louelove thee, ſhal therefore reuerence thee, and worſhip me at your feete, that I may alſo louelove them: Otherwiſe it were idolatrie, and not onlie would not be cauſed by God, but alſo would be forbidden by him, and by his Angels, as is done Reuel. 19.10. and Reuel. 22.8.9.
h This was (appearingly) that great and vniuerſall perſecution, during the laſt ten yeares of Traianus raigne, mentioned before, Apo. 2.10. and note h thereof.
i No rites, ceremonies, traditions of men, nor other burthen, but my ſimple word and ſweet yoke, as before (cap. 2.24.25 and note u thereof) is ſaid at length.
k This is an vnremooueable mark, a perpetual title, and conſtāt profeſsion, whereby euen to the death we are marked, named, and ſtiled by the name of God, godlie men, & by the name of his true Church, true profeſſors: yea, & finallie, by that name that our Sauiour (who was before al aeternitie) had but newlie receiued, when he was called Ieſus, or Sauior, & the onlie Chriſt: we are therefore (after his name) called Chriſtians, and made participant of that ſalvation ſignified by that new name, Ieſus, in the newe Teſtament of his blood.
l Amen moſt commōlie is taken for confirmation of a true and certain thing, but likewiſe it ſignifieth trueth & veritie it ſelfe, and in that ſenſe it is here takē, & is put as an epithet & ſtile of Chriſt, who is the fountaine of all trueth, and trueth it ſelfe, as he teſtifieth, Ioh. 14.6. I am the vvay, the trutth, and the life: and this ſtile of Amen, or truth, is ſet before, being purpoſed in the following text to ſhew immediatly of his faithful and true teſtimony and witneſſing.
m Hereof read Coloſſ. 1.15.16.17. where ye ſhal find, that God by Chriſt created al things viſible & inviſible, and that Chriſt was before all things, euen before all aeternitie, and therefore, is here called the beginning and originall of all the creatures of God.
n Of men colde in true religion, or yet, exceeding hot and fervent in a wrong religion before their calling, there are infinite exāples, that God hath made thē after their calling notable inſtrumentes in his Church, & zealous profeſſors: But how dangerous the eſtate of theſe luke warm people is, who, after their calling, ar neither hot nor colde, but knowing the truth, do notwithſtanding liue in a careles mediocrity & ydle ſecuritie, Chriſt teſtifieth, Luk. 12.37. Matth. 11.20. Alſo of the terrible daunger of theſe, read Heb. 10.26.
o Gods word, wiſdome and doctrin, is compared and preferred to gold or ſiluer, fined in the fornace: read Prou. 8.10.11. & Pſal. 12.7. So, by this gold ſo fined, is meant the ſpirituall riches and treaſure of theſe and all other godlie benefites.
p Theſe white garments, are not onlie our mortified fleſh, and regenerate bodies, but euen vnderunder the termes of garmentes Synecdochicè expreſſed, is meaned that vniuerſal puritie, both of bodie and ſoule, that we obtaine, being waſhed by the innocent blood of Chriſt Ieſus, as is proued by theſe, who (Apoc. 7) had long white robes, who (ibid. verſ. 13. and 14.) are ſaide to hauehave waſhed their robes, and made the ſame white in the blood of the Lambe Chriſt Ieſus: and we knowe by the Chriſtian trueth, that not particularly our robes, yea, not our fleſh onelie, but vniuerſallie, both in bodie and ſoule, we are waſhed in that blood, and obtaine ful remiſsion of al our ſinnes
q Nakednes of it ſelf is no villany, as before the fal, Adam had no ſhame, but a ſinful nakednes is indeed vile and ſhameful, which as God corporallie hid to Adam with garmēts of skins after his fal: (Gen. 3.21) So Chriſt ſpirituallie hid the ſame, by his white garments of innocencie in his death & paſsion, whereby our offences are remitted, hid, and waſhed cleane away.
r This ſight and eie-ſalue is ſpiritually taken (as in Chriſts parable, Mat. 7.34.5. and many other places) for the judgment & foreſight of the mind, and helps thereof, ſuch as ſtudie, diligence, and exerciſe, which leads vsus the right way of ſaluation: and can therfore, no waies be literallie imputed to the corporall ſight.
ſ Here is a compariſon, whereof we, vile creatures, are not worthie; to him bee glorie, that glorifieth the vnworthie. Then as I (ſaith Chriſt) hauehave obtained victory ouer al temptations, & therefore, raigne with my Father: ſo ſhal ye alſo (if ye obtein victorie ouer your temptations) raigne with me aeternallie. The cauſe hereof, is becauſe wee are vnited in him, & hee in vsus, as the Father is in him, and he in the Father: read chap. 2.26. and note x thereof.
And here endeth the firſt part of this booke, concerning the particular admonitions to the ſeuen Churches: Now followeth the general Diſcourſe to the Worldes end.