The Revelation Revealed, Chapter 3 · Verse 8
Verſ. 8. I know thy works, behold I have ſet before thee an open door, and no man can ſhut it; for thou haſt a little ſtrength, and haſt kept my Word, and haſt not denyed my Name.
Chriſt comes to a narration of the gracious works of the church of Philadelphia; and firſt tolls what he hath done for her: Behold I have ſet before thee an open door, and no man can ſhut it: As if Chriſt had ſaid, Behold, I have given thee a fair opportunity and acceſs to the knowledg of my Goſpel, and to preach the ſame to others, and none ſhall be ever able to bereave or hide the ſame from thee any more: for an open door is either put for the power of preaching the Goſpel, Col. 4.13. as the Apoſtle Paul would have the Coloſſians to pray earneſtly to God for him, That God would open a door of ſpeech unto him. Or ſecondly, For a readineſs of the reception of the Goſpel; as Paul in 1. Cor. 16.9. A great and effectual door is opened unto me: and 2 Cor. 2.12. And this door is opened, when mens hearts are opened, as was Lidias, ready to receive the truth revealed by the Spirit of Truth. The church of Philadelphia may be ſaid to have this double door opened, a free power given her by Chriſt to preach the Goſpel, and ready and willing hearts to receive it, which no man ſhould be able to take away from her: for it is the great Key-bearer of David himſelf that hath opened it; and maugre all the malice of devils, and wicked men in their helliſh deſigns, it can never be obſcured and ſhut up more. Hence Note,
Obſerv. That it is Chriſt alone that vouchſafes and gives fair opportunities, and acceſſes to preach the Goſpel, and opens the hearts of the hearers for a kindly entertainment of it alſo.
'Tis not the force of man's wit, conceit or eloquence of words will open this door, either to one ſelf, or others. Chriſt muſt firſt open and give a door of utterance, or elſe the tongue will be as dumb as Zachariah's, before John was born, unto all Goſpel myſteries: Next, the hearers will be as deaf unto the ſound thereof, as dumb unto the utterance of it, before the Spirit comes and works kindly on their hearts, to a fruitful reception thereof. How poſſibly elſe could twelve plain Tradeſmen, Mechanicks, Fiſhermen, &c. go on with that boldneſs in preaching the Goſpel, and have that door of utterance and entertainment almoſt in the whole world, amongſt inveterate and malicious enemies of God and Chriſt; if the great Key-bearer of David had not touched their tongues, and unſhut their mouths, and t… hearts of their hearers both at once; the one with a power of ſpeaking, the other with a power and willingneſs of hearing, receiving, and treaſuring up what they had heard and learned. What a large door hath Chriſt laid open ſince the firſt days of reformation, to this preſent day? This could never be attained unto by the power of man, but by Chriſt, who by weak and deſpicable things and perſons, hath confounded the wiſe and mighty of the antichriſtian world: as Luther was wont to ſay, conſider with what weapons I have overcome their errors, I have never touched them with a finger, but Chriſt hath deſtroyed them all with the Spirit of his mouth, i. e. the word of his Goſpel. What doings, what impriſonings, what finings, what puniſhments, what tortures, what puniſhments, what deaths did the old Popiſh Doctors and clergy, and of late, the prelatical Biſhops raiſe and invent to ſhut up this door that Chriſt had opened to his faithful witneſſes in this land? and yet, what did they prevail and get thereby, but by daſhing themſelves againſt the corner ſtone, and by endeavouring to ſuffocate and ſhut up the true light, became themſelves the children of darkneſs, and broke themſelves to pieces againſt the corner ſtone, and became the ſcorn of the whole world? And if ſuch endeavours are again ſet on foot againſt Chriſt's faithful witneſſes, to ſhut that door which Chriſt hath laid open to them; let the experience of the time paſt towards the Prelatical perſons, and others of the ſame ſtamp, be a curb unto ſuch undertakers, and an encouragement to all his faithful ones, that they need not fear the reproaches or actings of men againſt them; for it is Chriſt that hath opened a door unto them, and no man ſhall ſhut it.
For thou hast a little ſtrength, and haſt kept my word, and haſt not denyed my name. Theſe words are no diminution to the praiſe of the church of Philadelphia, for having a little ſtrength; for the ſenſe runs thus, Becauſe though thy ſtrength be but ſmall, and thy gifts be but low in reſpect of others, yet thou haſt well improved thoſe which thou haſt, and haſt maintained my truth, and haſt not denyed my name. This manner of ſpeaking is uſual among the Hebrews, who put the coupling particle and, for the disjunctive thou…h or yet. This is called little ſtrength, not in oppoſition of much corruption that reigned in Philadelphia; as Sardis that had but a few names alive, becauſe the greateſt part were dead; but this is called little ſtrength, being apparently no great ſtrength comparatively to what others had, and that God had given her for her talent, which ſhe improving, and putting to profitable uſes, according to the parable Matth. 25. and therefore of all the ſeven churches this is moſt commended of God, and in nothing reproved by him. Hence Note.
Obſerv. That a ſmall Talent well improved, is followed both by a benediction and a commendation from God himſelf.
The Parable in Mat…h. 25. confirms this, where he that encreaſes his Talent, is made owner of more, and Governour of many Cities. This church of Philadelphia bears the name from all her Siſters for her proficiency in the Truths of Chriſt. Though her ſtrength was not ſo great, nor her profeſſion and abilities ſeemed ſo high as the reſt, yet ſhe was more fruitful then the reſt; and therefore ſhe ſurpaſſes them all, and hath the greateſt portion and bleſſing given her then to any other; and ſo becoms the only daughter of her mother, the peerleſs Siſter of the ſeven. Have not of late many low deſpicable churches and perſons for well improving their ſmall Talents, became fragrant gardens and eminent workmen in God's Vineyard, whiles others of higher profeſſion, parts, and abilities, for want of husbanding their Talents, both loſt their Talents, and became barren Deſarts; and like unſavoury Salt, fit only to be caſt into the Dunghil? Though my years be but few, and my experience ſmall, yet for want of this improvement, I have known great Doctors to become Wittalls in the things of Chriſt; and on the other hand, children, and babes, by bettering of their Talents, though but of ſmall and of a little ſtrength, and as but a Muſtard-ſeed in the beginning, yet to become ſound Doctors in the church of Chriſt, and at laſt, to grow up as great Trees in the Vineyard of God, whereunto the Birds of the Ayr may fly for ſhelter.