The Revelation Revealed, Chapter 3 · Verse 1
Verſe 1. And unto the Angel of the Church in Sardis, write theſe theſe things, ſaith he, that hath the ſeven Spirits of God, and the ſeven Stars: I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou liveſt, and art dead.
CHriſt proceeds with his charge againſt the church at Sardis, ſuperſcribed unto the Angel, or chief Miniſter of that church, for the reaſons before ſpecified, chap. 2. v. 1. Write theſe things ſaith he that hath the Spirits of God and the ſeven Stars. I cannot joyn unto their Interpretation that makes the ſeven Spirits and the ſeven Stars to be all one, to wit, Chriſt's ſeven Angels of his Churches which he carries in his hand, cap. 1. 20. ſo it would ſeem a tautologie, whilſt a more convenient ſenſe may be found applicable to it, to wit, Theſe things ſaith he which hath the ſeven Spirits of God, that is, the Spirit of God in his ſevenfold graces and perfections; for the number ſeven in all Prophetical writings doth intimate perfection, as cap. 1. 5. and 4. 5. and this ſevenfold ſpirit of perfection being Chriſt's own ſpirit, and being ſent by him and at his diſpoſal; and therefore Chriſt may be truly verified to have the ſeven Spirits of God, or the ſevenfold operating Spirit of God, as well as the ſeven Stars in his hand and diſpoſal. Hence Note,
Obſerv. That the Spirit of grace and a gratious Miniſtry are the ſpecial inſeparable gifts of Chriſt towards his Churches.
They are inſeparable companions, where the one doth go, the other is preſent alſo: If Chriſt comes with ſeven Stars in his right hand, he comes with the ſeven Spirits in his left hand to that people alſo. A true Miniſtry and the Spirit are never ſeparated: Though I ſhould not ty up God to thoſe means only, yet ordinarily it is in vain to expect Chriſt in the Adminiſtration of the Spirit, without the Miniſterial Adminſtration of his Stars and Angels: They are as it were the Charioteers of the Spirit. The Word is the Spirit's Vehiculum or Chariot, but the Miniſters thereof are thoſe that carry and ſupport this Chariot on the ſhoulders; never think that the Spirit, the glory of this Chariot, will come or reſt in our Temples, unleſs it be brought unto us by the feet of thoſe Stars, thoſe beautiful ones that bring the glad tidings of peace, God hath ſo linked together in his all-wiſe decrees and predeterminations the concatenation of ſubordinate cauſes or mediums unto ſalvation, that ordinarily one cannot be effected without the other; and ſo we are ſaved by faith in Chriſt through the ſanctification of the ſpirit and word: One will not doe this work without the concurrence of the other; but when Chriſt comes with them joyntly together, either to a particular Soul, or Church, he makes them, of a wilderneſs and a land of darkneſs, a Goſhen, and a land of light: And happy is that people to whom Chriſt ſo cometh with his ſeven Spirits and his ſeven Stars, with his gracious Spirit, and ſpiritual Miniſtry; and for ſuch whoſe lot is fallen in ſuch a Land, I ſay, their lot is fallen in a goodly Heritage.
But what is the reaſon that Chriſt here appears under this repreſentation of one that hath the ſeven Spirits of God and the ſeven Stars?
I Anſwer, Chriſt is upon diſcovery of the hypocritical defections of the church of Sardis, and thererefore he needs to appear not only under a ſearching, piercing and ſpiritual adminiſtration, as one that can ſearch the reines and hearts, cap. 2. 23. and as one that hath the ſeven ſpirits of God, or the ſevenfold ſearching Spirit of God which knoweth the hidden things of man; but alſo under a lightſom adminiſtration of the ſeven Stars, for a further diſcovery and conviction of their hypocritical practiſes; and therefore the church of Sardis's hidden hypocriſies and inward rottenneſs, being ſearched out by the Spirit of God, and made manifeſt by the true light and Miniſtry of the ſeven Stars, Angels or Miniſters of the word, he falls upon them with his charge againſt them, and tells them, I know thy works that thou haſt a Name that thou liveſt and art dead. Hence by the way Note,
Obſerv. That Chriſt's ſpiritual Miniſtry in the hands of his Miniſters and Embaſsadors, can try the ſecret and hidden things of man.
The ſpiritual man ſaith the Apoſtle, judgeth all things, and is judged of none: And if a private ſpiritual member may judge, Judicio diſcretionis, then ſurely much more the publique Embaſſadors and authoriſed Miniſters of Chriſt; they can try by the Word and Spirit whither our works & profeſſion 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, bodies and ſpirits.
Well then, try your faith and profeſſion whether it be dead or formal, or active or living, by theſe few particulars; it is not a naked aſſent or unactive outward profeſſion will ſerve turn, this is dead and liveleſs, yea twice dead, and to be plucked up by the roots, Jud. 12. dead in your firſt natural condition, and dead in your hypocritical profeſſion; for by this it appeareth never to be otherwiſe with you: But a lively faith is a working faith, by and through the influence of Chriſt and his ſpirit, being zealous of good works, and all for Chriſt's ſake and his glory. Paul's whole life, Phil. 1.21. was as it were conſecrated to Chriſt; for to me to live is Chriſt ſays he, that is, my life is Chriſt's, for his uſes, his purpoſes, and his glory: In ſhort, a true and lively faith works by Chriſt by the continual ſupply and influence of his ſpirit, and for Chriſt, and with aim at his glory.
Obſerv. 2. 'Tis very uſual for dead Formaliſts to carry a higher hand in outward profesſion then the real Chriſtian.
Sardis pretends highly to faith, and to a name that ſhe lived, beyond her ſiſter churches; and the name was only that ſhe aimed at, for in the truth of grace ſhe was no better then dead and rotten. It is not very uſual ſtill among dead and carnal chriſtians to boaſt of their chriſtianity, their baptiſme, their church, their external ordinances and the like? They needs would ſatisfie themſelves in the name of chriſtians, as the carnal Jews, that ſaid they were Jews and were not verſ. 9. So unto theſe carnal Formaliſts, the name of chriſtians is pleaſant to them, yet ſtill are enemies to the true Saints of God and the power of godlineſs; and the reaſon of this is, in that they perceive they want the true working faith which is only acceptable unto God, all being naturally ſelf-lovers, they would needs content themſelves and God too, if they might with a guilded ſophiſticate and dead faith and profeſſion, which is to be had at an eaſier rate then the true one, which ſhould commend them unto God, and denominate them his Saints in the eye of the world; but this faith is too ſhort for ſuch a work, being dead, falſe, and liveleſs, as a carcaſs without a ſoul, but that is the faith that juſtifieth and Chriſt accepteth that worketh by love, 1 Theſ. 1.3.