The Revelation Revealed, Chapter 3 · Verse 5 – Verse 6
Verſ. 5. He that overcometh, the ſame ſhall be clothed in white rayment, and I will not blot his name out of the book of life: but I will confeſs his name before my Father, and before his Angels.
To the overcoming Saints in Sardis, that ſhall eſcape the pollutions of the times, there is promiſed a glorious white Veſtment, to repreſent the innocency of their bodies, and the majeſty of the glory they ſhall enjoy, when Chriſt ſhall appear, with whom they ſhall walk in white, as in the former verſe more fully. Hence Note.
Obſerv. The future bleſſed ſtate of the Saints, is not only a ſinleſs innocent one, but a moſt glorious one alſo.
This is manifeſted by their ſolemn inveſtiture into that ſtate, being clothed in white rayment, which doth typifie and repreſent, as the Prieſts veſtures of old, both Innocency and Majeſty: and there is all reaſon for it; for, We are then made both Kings and Prieſts unto our God, Rev. 5.10. and we ſhall reigne on earth.
And I will not blot out his name out of the book of life. This is an other addition, or further degree of bleſſedneſs to the conquering Saints: The Spirit of God hath taken up this expreſſion of the book of life, and writing in this book, and blotting out of it, from the manner of men, metaphorically borrowed from their practiſe, and is very often uſed in the Scriptures, as in that prayer of Moſes, Exod. 32.32. I pray thee raze me out of the book which thou haſt written: and according to that Imprecation of David, Pſalm 69.28. Let them be put out of the book of life: and Rev. 22.…9. If any man ſhall diminiſh of the words of the book of this Propheſie, God ſhall take away his part out of the book of life: add to theſe Pſal. 139.16. Dan. 12.12. Rev. 20.12. Mal. 3.15. Rev. 13.8. & 17.8. All which do ſignifie, that God hath (as it were) a book of remembrance, according to the practiſe of men, wherein he writes and blots out, that the things therein ſignified may be made plain and obvious to our underſtanding. But by the way, we muſt not be ſo groſs, to imagine that God hath a book for the help of his memory, or that he writeth or blotteth out, as men uſually do; God is no ſuch corporeal Being, to uſe ſuch helps: but it is to be underſtood metaphorically, as aboveſaid, and per Anthropopathean, according to his condeſcenſion to the capacities of men; as when eyes, face, hearing, hands, &c. are aſcribed unto God: He needs not books of writings for help of his knowledge or memory, for all things paſt, preſent, and to come, are in his fight. But to underſtand the terms a little more diſtinctly, know, God hath a double book of life, wherein he is ſaid to write and blot out: The one is that of his Decrees of his Election unto life; the other is the book of the execution of thoſe Decrees. In the firſt book, perſons may be ſaid to be written in it two ways, either really, or ſeemingly ſo unto others: for the firſt, they can never be expunged or blotted out of that book, unleſs Divine Omniſcience and Omnipotency ſhould fail, that is engaged for their ſupport and perſeverance; which more fully hereafter ſhall be declared. But the ſecond ſort, that are but ſeemingly written in this book of life in the judgement of others, may be ſaid to be blotted out, and caſt-aways, for in truth they were never really written in it. So alſo in the other book of the execution of Gods decrees, perſons may be ſaid to be written in that alſo two ways. Firſt really and in truth, when God executeth his decree of Election, by bringing and receiving his elect ones into the Goſpel covenant by believing, and ſo enrolls them in the number of his faithful ones, church, and family. Secondly, Others alſo may be ſaid to be written in this book, which are but only ſeeming and ti…ulary chriſtians, in reſpect they have taken up the profeſſion of the faith, and are added to the church viſible as members thereof, and are ſo juſtly reputed by others, becauſe they have ſubmitted to the ordinances of the church, which is ſufficient, nothing appearing to the contrary, to denominate them Saints, called, elect, and written in the book of life.
Now when God is ſaid to blot out names (names being put for perſons) out of the book of life, it only ſignifies, that God will manifeſtly declare and make it known, both to the parties themſelves, and others, that they never were true members of the church, nor in the ſtate of election and ſalvation, nor never written in the book of life.
I will not blot his name out of the book of life. Under this negative promiſe unto the conquering Saint, is contained a ſtrong Affirmation of the continuance of the contrary bleſſing: Chriſt will not only not blot out his name out of the book of life, that is, confirm and continue his undoubted right and title unto eternal life, but he will alſo manifeſtly declare and make known unto others his lawful Title and intereſt, according as he hath ordained him thereunto in his book of life from all eternity: and ſo the ſubſequent words do intimate; I will confeſs his name before my Father, and before his Angels: often in Scripture things are then ſaid to be done, when they are only manifeſted to be done, according to that ſaying, Res tum demum dicuntur fieri cum incipiantur manifeſtari. Reg. Petrum. As to inſtance by Heb. 1.5. Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. The Spirit in that Scripture not intending that the Son was not begotten of the Father before that day when that word was uttered, but that on that day he was more eminently declared and manifeſted to be the only begotten Son of God, then formerly: So that when it is ſaid in Scripture, that God will blot their names out of the book of life, it only imports, That God will diſcover to themſelves and others, that their names were never written in the book of life, nor had any right or intereſt at all in election or ſalvation, farther then in the outward appearance. From the words Note,
Obſerv. That the eternal ſtate of God's choſen ones, is ſealed and ſecured by God from everlaſting.
Their names are written in the eternal book of God's decrees of life, and he will not blot them out; for being once enrolled in the book of God's election, and among the catalogue of his Saints in the church inviſible, they can never be razed out; for the foundation of God continueth ſure, Rom. 9.11. and hath a twofold ſeal, 2 Tim. 2.19. Firſt, God's knowledge, whereby he knoweth them that are his. Secondly, His Spirit of Regeneration, which ſealeth them unto eternal life. Now if any thing would blot out thoſe that are thus enrolled or written in the book of life, it muſt be their ſins and pollutions that would do it: but the ſins of God's choſen ones, cannot move the Lord to raze us out of his book of life; for, then the fore-ſight and knowledge of our ſins in God's eternal counſel, would much more have hindred him from chuſing and enrolling us in the book of his Election; ſeeing every one knoweth, that a leſs cauſe will hinder the choice of any, then move them to reject the perſon once choſen: nay rather, becauſe the Lord hath choſen us, therefore he will give us his holy Spirit, whereby he will preſerve us (though not altogether from falling into ſin, yet) from finally lying dormant and impenitent therein: and as he hath freely choſen us to eternal life, without any reſpect to our own worthineſs; ſo alſo he will freely execute this decree, by giving us all the good means conducing to that end.
Object. But ſome may ſay, Though the conquering Saints are ſecure, and their names ſhall not be blotted out of this book, yet this doth intimate, that others whoſe names are written therein, for their ſinful pollutions and iniquities unrepented of, may be blotted out; according to that of Exod. 32.33. Whoſoever hath ſinned againſt me (ſaith God) him will I blot out of my Book. And as David prayeth, Pſal. 69.28. Let them be put out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.
Anſw. Firſt, This threatning is not againſt the true members of Chriſt, or his church, who are enrolled in the book of life, but thoſe that are the members of the viſible church only, and are only ſeemingly written in the book of life, members in ſhew, and not in truth; branches in the Vine by profeſſion, but not in practiſe and life; of the Lord's family, and in the number of his ſervants, in their own, and others opinion, but not really and in truth according to God's eſtimation.
Secondly, Whereas God ſaith he will blot ſuch out of his book; we are not to underſtand thereby, that he would blot them out of the book of his election unto life, wherein they were never written; or, that he would reject them whom he had choſen: but that he would raze them out of the other book of life, the book of the execution of his decrees, to wit, the book and roll …f his viſible church: and that it might be manifeſtly declared that they who in their own opinion, and in reſpect of their outward profeſſion in the opinion of others, might ſeem to be written in both books, or both parts of the book of life, of that of God's decrees, which only relates to the inviſible members and church of Chriſt; and alſo of that other book or roll of the viſible church, yet were not in truth ever enrolled in either, farther then in outward profeſſion and appearance only.
And laſtly, Whereas David prays, that the obſtinate enemies of God and himſelf, might be put out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous, is no more, but as if David had ſaid, Do not (O Lord) write them down, or reckon them in the number of thy faithful ones; or, if they come to be numbred among thy church and people, and to be accounted written in the book of the living, in reſpect of their outward profeſſion, and external walking with the people of God, yet diſcover ſuch, and diſplay them, that it may manifeſtly appear that they were never truly written in the book of the living, nor are to be accounted among the righteous, that ſo they may be put out of the company of thy church and children, that all may know that they were but hypocrites. For in regard that God's decree of election is unſearchable to man, thoſe are ſaid to be elected and written in the book of life, who are outwardly called, and added to the viſible church, profeſſing themſelves members thereof, which are the outward, but not the infallible ſigns of God's election, becauſe they are common both to hypocrites and ſound believers: and ſo likewiſe God is ſaid to blot perſons out of this book, whoſe ſins and hypocriſies are diſcovered, and ſo thruſt out of the company of the faithful; and therefore David, becauſe he would have God's vengeance againſt theſe wicked ones plainly manifeſted, deſireth the Lord to diſcover them, that they have no portion, right, or part in the book of the living, nor worthy to be written or numbred among the righteous, but that all might ſenſibly diſcern them to be but reprobates. And thus far David's prayer is imitable, as unto us.
Queſt. But by the way I ſhall put a queſtion, Whether it is lawful or conſonant to the will of God, for any of the Saints of God, to pray to God, as Moſes did, Exod. 32.32. I pray thee raze me out of the book which thou haſt written: and as Paul wiſhed, To be ſeparated from Christ for his brethren according to the fleſh, Rom. 9.3. Or ſecondly, To pray that other mens names, though wicked, may be blotted out of the book of the living, as David in Pſal. 69.28. prayed againſt the enemies of God and himſelf?
Anſw. 1. It is not lawful to pray for any thing contrary to the known will of God, for there are no commands or promiſes annexed to ſuch a prayer, but abundantly to the contrary, therefore ſurely ſuch prayer muſt be moſt vain and ſinful; for neither Moſes nor Paul were bound to prefer the good of their brethren, before the fruition of God, and their own ſalvation.
Moſes nor Paul did pray ſo abſolute, but conditionally, like to that of Chriſt, Father, if it be poſſible, let this cup paſs from me: ſo they, if it would ſtand with God's will, and be approved by him, could deſire and wiſh to be razed out, and anathematized from the roll of God's church, and from life itſelf, ſo that they could deliver their loſt brethren of Iſrael from the curſe and damnation that hung over them for their infidelity and impenitency: this they did deſire under the loſs of their own ſalvation, had it been poſſible. But whether Moſes or Paul had ſo an eye and reſpect in theſe particular prayers to the will of God, is uncertain: for I think it is no ſin to ſay, that either Moſes or Paul might be carried aſide by an over miſ-led zeal to their brethren the Jews: for, In many things we ſin all, ſaith the Apoſtle James, cap. 3. 2.
3. Laſtly, if David did pray unto God abſolutely, that the names of the ungodly might be put out of the book of the living, I think it not warrantable nor Imitable in us. David being a Prophet, and having the ſpirit of propheſie, he well knew againſt whom he prayed, propheſied, and imprecated, and ſo his prayers and imprecations to this effect, were but as ſo many prophetical denunciations, and predictions of God's judgements againſt his impenitent enemies; which are no patterns or examples to us: for we are commanded to pray for all men, even for the converſion of the moſt vileſt perſons in the world, as long as there is hope of their returning. But ſecondly, Though we may not pray abſolutely, yet we may conditionally, with ſubmiſſion to God's will, againſt all his, and our antichriſtian enemies, that God would either convert them, or bring them to ſhame and ruine, that his glory, and the Saints peace and comforts may be more enlarged and multiplyed thereby. But to proceed.
I will confeſs his name before my Father, and before his Angels.
Chriſt having aſſured the overcoming Saints of Sardis, that they ſhould participate of his glory, and be clothed with majeſty in the other world, and having undoubtedly aſſured them the confirmation and continuance of their bleſſed eſtate, and their right thereunto, in not blotting out their names out of his bleſſed roll and regiſter of the book of life; and having promiſed not only to do all this good for them, but will alſo acknowledg them, confeſs them to be his by name, before God and his holy Angels; that is, as if Chriſt had ſaid, Thoſe whom I preſent before thee, O Father, and thy holy miniſtring Spirits, clothed in white rayment, in innocency and majeſty, and which are from eternity regiſtred in thy book, I avouch and acknowledge them to be of my own name, members of my own body, anointed with the ſame unction and Spirit that I am of, truly chriſtians, faithful followers of me and my doctrine thorow their whole courſe of regeneration, and new life which they have led unto this preſent day. Hence Note,
Obſerv. That Chriſt will not be aſhamed, but will publiquely own and acknowledge his faithful ones at the laſt day, before God his Father, and all his holy Angels.
This he promiſes Mat. 10.32. to confeſs and own them before his Father in heaven, who ſhall faithfully confeſs and own him here on earth. Chriſt calls ſuch here his ſheep, his friends, his brethren, his members, yea himſelf, by his own name, Chriſt; 1 Cor. 12.12. and therefore Chriſt tells them John 20.17. I aſcend to your Father, and my Father, to my God, and your God. And ſeeing God and Chriſt are not aſhamed to be called their God, and their Chriſt in this life, ſurely in the life to come they will not be aſhamed of them, but will acknowledge them to be the the godly, or God-like chriſtians, that faithfully owned God and Chriſt in their ſeveral generations.
This is a great motive and encouragement unto us, boldly, and with conſtancy, in the worſt of times, and under the greateſt defections, to confeſs and own ſo worthy a Lord and Maſter as Chriſt and his ways, ſeeing we ſhall be no loſers by it, but rather great gainers; for before God and his Angels he will not ſpare by name to confeſs us, and to honour us as his own before ſo glorious a preſence, although of our ſelves we be moſt unworthy creatures. Who ever truly honoured God and Chriſt in an open ſincere profeſſion, and following of their ways of truth, and was not honoured both by God and Chriſt? Them that honour me, I will honour (ſaith God) and they that deſpiſe me, ſhall be lightly esteemed? 1 Sam. 2.30. If we only loſe our honour among men for our profeſſion, and among the baſeſt and vileſt ſort (for all ſcornful ungodly ones are ſo to be accounted, be they never otherwiſe in the eye of the world ſo great, rich, mighty or honourable, and win honour with God; if we be vilified on earth, and among earthly minded men, and be accepted in heaven, we have no cauſe to be diſcouraged, or murmure at our loſs. When Chriſt owned Stephen from heaven in the midſt of his enemies, it was more then a ſufficient recompence for his ſtoning, Acts 7. What loſs did the three children ſuſtain when they kept their conſciences undefiled, by not obeying Nebuchadnezzar's command, in worſhipping his golden Image, but openly profeſſing, and praying with their windows open to the God of Iſrael? Dan. 3. Did not the Lord for this their faithful honouring of him, honour them with his preſence, with ſafety and deliverance, and made them ever-living examples to all that truly fear God, to truſt in him for help in all extremities that fall on them for his names ſake …o all generations for ever?
But if it be asked, How we ſhall honour God faithfully this way?
It is anſwered, we muſt (as thoſe few undefiled names, or Saints of Sardis) overcome the corruptions and pollutions of the times, by witneſſing againſt them, and openly ſtand for, and profeſs the contrary truths and ways of God, and follow the advice of Paul to Timothy, 2 Tim. 2.21. If a man purge himſelf from theſe, he ſhall be a veſsel unto honour, ſanctified, and meet for the Masters uſe. And therefore let the underſtanding chriſtian mark and conſider this, as it is in the advice of the Spirit in the immediate ſubſequent verſe.
Verſe 6. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit ſaith unto the Churches.
This verſe formerly opened, therefore needs no farther explanation.