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. 'T is 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 Vers 2. Be thou watchful and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to dy for I have not found thy works perfect before God Esto vigilans as Beza reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and I should rather take it in the active sense Be thou awake or awake thou then be watchful for it it argues the state of life and activity to be watchful watch and pray but to awake it only shows a dormant dead and sleepy state wherein the church of Sardis was for she bore the name that she lived but she was as good as dead therefore Christ tels her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rouse up thy self from thy sleepy state and strengthen the things which remain re-inforce revive and stir up those small remaining sparks of graces that are ready even to give up the very last gaspe within thee and though thou thinkest and maist have a conceit of thy self that thou art something in that thou hast an external profession and name that thou livest yet I must tell thee saith Christ I have not found thy works perfect before God Hence Note Observ A state of sin is a great impairing and consumption unto the life of grace Sardis is brought by it even to death's door her graces that were once eminent are come thereby to some smal remainders and they too almost extinct and neer the grave and though death it self I mean spiritual hath not yet seized her yet she is somwhat neer it she is under the shadow of death for she sleeps and is called to awake and to stir up the remainders of life that is in her least she takes her last sleep by the spiritual death of grace here and eternal death hereafter Sin is to the soul as sickness is to the body 1. It carries with it its distemperatures and disorders of the soul 2. Ugliness and deformity it is compared to the Leprosie under the Law 3. Grief and pain as sickness causes grief to the body so sin causes horror and anguish unto the soul 4. It causes weakness for the more sin the more weakness and disability to spiritual duties We were without strength saith the Apostle Rom. 5.6 weak feeble souls in the things of God whilst we were in sin and the state of nature 5. Every sickness of the body tends to the death of the body so every sin tends to the death both of body and soul eternally The only remedy that we have against this poyson and sting of sin is to hasten to Christ by faith who is the Phisitian of our souls and by whose stripes we are healed Object But is it not said here to Sardis to awake and strengthen the things that remain that are ready to dye Was it not in the power of Sardis to awake her self recover her self and renew her graces without going to Christ by faith I answer Negatively Christ is set up for that very end not only for a propitiation If any man sin we have an Advocate but it is also from his influence and from him as the Fountain of life whereby all our graces are maintained and kept alive For the life I live as the Apostle says is by the life of the Son of God If Christ should withdraw his gracious presence from our souls we should never awake out of sin nor do our first works or renovate our selves by repentance Secondly This duty to awake and renew their graces was set on those of Sardis that had already received the first grace and Christ by faith for it is here said strengthen the things which remain therefore they had a being though a sorry one and those that have received grace from Christ are in a capacity to work from the power of that grace Having received the promises saith the Apostle that is Christ the great end and object of the promises cleanse your selves go on in the work of sanctification in the power of Christ for all our gracious acts are to be done in and through his continued power and influence Thirdly When we are commanded to awake strengthen and renew our selves by repentance c. they must be always taken to be as inseparable parts of a lively faith for we cannot awake from sin unless we first look upon Christ in the promises neither can we possibly renew or restore our falne graces before we first eye God in Christ out of whose fulness we receive grace for grace Therefore in vain to set home spiritual duties on persons that have not first received light and life from Christ Christ is the first work that must be offered and
right hand on Iohn First upon his consternation he gives him the spirit of Prophesie elevates and excites John's spirit to see Divine mysteries And secondly gives him his Spirit of strength power and consolation which might subdue all his carnal conceits and fears and so remove all impediments whatsoever that hindered him in that work which God would have him to undertake and therefore comes in with consolation and bids John fear not for I am the first and the last From this Note That those that are strucken low and humbled by God are fittest to be risen by God for the reception of his choicest divine truths and mysteries John was strucken as dead with his glory and then heard a voice Fear not but write the things that thou shalt see to the seven Churches When the Prophets Ezekiel and Daniel were fallen down on their faces then they were lifted by the Spirit and received glorious visions We must let all our own go our false confidences and carnal props as of our own parts our graces our eminency in gifts and the like if we will be fit auditors for Christ we must fall down at the feet of his Throne if we expect an answer from his Throne Moses a meek man yea the meekest of all men he received the choicest favours from God's hand for he spake to him mouth to mouth and face to face Deut. 34.10 He laid his right hand upon me saying unto me fear not Hence secondly Note That the hand of Christ or his Spirit is not only a most powerful but also a comforting and consolating Spirit This is the Comforter that takes off all fears from Iohn It is the Spirit of God that does convince it is the Spirit of God that converts it is the Spirit that doth inspire godly men it is the Spirit that sanctifies it is the Spirit that comforts the Spirit is the great Agent and hand of God by which God doth all his works Christ here in the likeness of the Son of man was but as a terrible apparition unto Iohn it served only to strike him dead before he laid his right hand upon him to comfort and support him so the sight or knowledge of Christ in the Gospel without the co-operation of his holy Spirit is but as a terrible sight and knowledge that makes for the greater condemnation Christ unto some may be a rock of offence and a stumbling stone whiles unto others that have his Spirit he is the rock of salvation and the corner stone which is sure and precious O lay thy right hand O Lord upon thy servant give him thy Spirit that he may know thy Will and minde in thy Word and serve thee without fear Observ 3. That Christ is full of bowels of grace and compassion towards all such as he smites and humbles The sight of Divine glory being the most effectual thing unto poor frail worthless creatures God follows it with the greatest comfort and sweetest consolations No sooner does Christ appear unto Iohn in his glory that makes him fall at his feet as dead but presently Christ lays his right hand upon him and he hears his comforting word saying Fear not Christ would not leave Iohn in that spiritless and liveless condition that the glory of the Vision had affected him with but quickly raises him and comforts him again with the most effectual and sweetest consolations Christ is our merciful high Priest and that good compassionate Samaritane who is so affected and touched with our wounds and infirmities Luk. 10.33 Heb 4.15 and that more especially with such hurts and wounds that proceeds from his own hand that he is most ready at hand with the oyl and wine the Grace of his Gospel and Blood of his Covenant to pour into our wounded souls for peace healing and consolation Job after he was stricken and humbled by the hand of God and came to a true sight of the hand that did it His captivity is turned into joy and comforts are multiplyed Job 42.5 6 c. Daniel after he was afflicted and humbled for his own sins and the sins of his forefathers cap. 4. Then the Lord sent Gabriel to comfort him and to tell him that he was a man greatly beloved ver 22. God does not throw down afflict wound or humble any of his servants to leave them so but forthwith or within a short time reaches out his right hand and lays it upon them to raise them up and to comfort them Observ 4. Another Note from this comforting word of Christ saying Fear not is That the Word of Christ being conjunct with the Hand of Christ his Spirit is the most effectual comfort to a wounded spirit The Word without the Spirit is inefficacious in its operations John had lain still as a sensless and dead person notwithstanding the word and voice of Christ if he had not lain his hand upon him also The word is of little power if the efficacy of the Spirit be not in it without this it is but a dead letter That word of Christ which is powerful and efficacious carries the Spirit with it the same word goes forth unto all and works from common gifts in some so many are called But that that makes it a distinguishing powerful word is the concomitancy of the Spirit of grace and so few are chosen When therefore we find in Scriptures such expressions as that the Word is the incorruptible seed the power of God to salvation the word of life sharper then a two-edged sword and the like These and the like phrases we must understand not as if the Word were such in it self without the Spirit but conjunctively when the Word is made the chariot of the Spirit and the Spirit is made the life and power of the Word The Word without the Spirit is only a voice void of vertue and operation and the Spirit without the medium of the Word works not ordinarily but both conjunct together makes up that true dispensation of the Gospel which is called the ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 and the Grace of God that brings salvation Tit. 2.11 God is light it self and the Father of lights yet the Sun is not useless but by it he enlightens us so the Spirit of God is the Comforter and the Sanctifier but does both comfort sanctifie and perform all other his offices and works in by and through the Word O Lord sanctifie and comfort us by thy Word and Spirit for thy Word is Truth and the power of our God unto salvation Observ 5. The last Note that I shall raise from these words And he laid his right hand upon me c. shall be That Christ doth fully furnish in some good measure with the gifts and graces of his Spirit all such as he calls and employs in the great offices of his church First he lays his right hand upon John intimating his designation enstalment and confirmation in his Prophetical office for as Imposition of hands was
church of Christ in Ephesus yet I presume on good grounds that most or the greatest part of Ephesus cryed up Great was Diana of the Ephesians and though there were churches of Christ in Rome Corinth Smyrna Pergamus and other places mentioned in Scripture yet we know by good history that the National Worship and Religion was Ethnick unto Jupiter Mars Sol Venus c. yet indeed I confess a Church may be called the National church as that of Ephesus of England of France of Scotland c. in respect of the church constituted and made up of members or persons of that Nation but herein we have no difference the controversie is not about words but things really differing among themselves as when they affirm every individual and singular parochial church of England to be particular churches of Christ as parts of the whole and the whole to be the National church of England constituted of its singular parts If all England Scotland France be the church what room is left for the world and the profane therein The church may be denominated of England Scotland France c. but not all England Scotland France to be the church there is great difference in those expressions but of this I shall say no farther at present Having done with the Inscription or direction To the Angel of the Church of Ephesus the next thing is write for the better observation of the things that follow These things saith he that holdeth the seven Stars in his right hand who walketh in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks That the church of Ephesus and the rest may know from whom this subsequent message comes tell them that it is from him that holdeth and keepeth in his fatherly hand of protection his faithful Ministers and Pastors which are as stars in the Firmament of his churches for glory Peruse the sixteenth verse of the first chapter more fully to this purpose And who walketh that is is in active posture ready to observe all the doings whether good or evil of all his churches and therefore he is said to walk in the midst of his seven golden candlesticks consult more at large with v. 13. 20. of c. 1. From Christ's posture of walking in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks or the seven Asian churches note That Christ is very intent with an eye of providential observation and that for their good over all his faithful churches This is not the time of his sitting on the Throne of judging the world but of walking in the midst of his golden candlesticks viewing the order of his churches and to see whether they are proficients under the means of grace according to that of the Canticles cap 6. 11. I went down into the garden of Nuts to see the fruits of the Valley and to see whether the Vine flourished and the Pomgranâ—tes budded Christ is now viewing his churches graces taking delight therein and to encourage them to perseverance that the crown may be unto them that overcome and also takes a special notice of their backslidings and lays them before their eyes in the deceitfulness thereof that they may loath them and return unto their God by a holy repentance And this is but a confirmation of his promise at his departure left as his last comforting Legacy with his afflicted church Matth. 28.20 That though he was ascended into the highest heavens yet in his providential eye over them and by his Spirit teaching directing counselling supporting and comforting them he would be ever with them unto the end of the world Verse 2. I know thy works and labour and thy patience and how thou canst not forbear them which are evil and hast examined them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them Lyars Verse 3. And hast born and hast patience and for my names sake hast laboured and hast not fainted In the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have seen thy works for the better and more perfect taking knowledge of them Our knowledge is mixt and joyned with much imperfections and at best is but a mixt act of our understanding and affections and so to know a thing by a human capacity is to understand it and the nature thereof in the highest notion that its capable of comprehension and often by reason of the darkness in the understanding the affections or will are misplaced and so become erroneous and sinful for a mind not well informed or an ignorant soul can very hardly be a good or a godly one for without this light the judgement and affections will be often led astray to that which is only good in appearance and to contemn that which in it self is really good and perfect but here is no fear of imperfection of knowledge in this person Christ who is one with the Father God from everlasting and therefore all our works are patent and open before him his judgement or affections cannot be misled to approve of things and works that should not or disapprove of works that are worthy to be approved He is God and cannot be deceived on any false pretences he sees our works as they are in themselves and in the very nature of them with all their circumstances We see and know things by mediums mixtly weakly and imperfectly He sees and knows things simply absolutely and most perfectly the eye it self cannot want sight nor the Sun want light neither can the Creator of all things in this present temporal world or his church this spiritual world be ignorant of any of his or their handy works Christ sees and knows the works of the church of Ephesus fully what are approvable and what are disapprovable in them Hence Note That Christ is a most just and equal censurer of his churches works He forbids to call darkness light or light darkness he tells the church of Ephesus that he knows their works of travel patience and sufferance for his Name sake and so places his favourable aspect and complacency thereon and yet what is evil in them he cannot bear without a reproof as 't is defection or failure in its first love and ardent affections which the church of Ephesus bore to Christ and his Truths at their first conversion or entertainment of the Gospel amongst them vers 4. Christ also tels the church of Sardis and Laodicea that he knows their works but in another tone not of approbation but of reproof and censure he said to Sardis cap. 3. 1. I know thy works for thou hast a name that thou livest but thou art dead and in verse 15. he falls upon Laodicea and tells them I know thy works that thou art neither cold nor hot I would thou wert cold or hot Christ will not palliate or lay cushions under great ones elbows and prophesie smooth things unto them nor to the churches that bears them whilst they are most rotten in the root and heart Had not God a controversie of old with his Israel for this
properly The first Paradice may serve to typifie or represent the second Paradice or new Church-state or heaven which Christ will restore unto his faithful ones before the ultimate day and end of all See more on the 21 and 22 chapters Verse 8. And unto the Angel of the Church in Smyrna Write these things saith the first and the last which was dead and is alive Verse 9. I know thy works and tribulation and poverty but thou art rich and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not but are the Synagogue of Satan Christ having finished his charge to the church of Ephesus goes on on the same account with the church of Smyrna and commands the Angel or chief Pastor or Minister of the said church who as Ireneus testifies was Policarpus scholar unto S. John to write those things for them to take notice of which he was about to discover to them The person that gave out these discoveries and charges to the churches is here plainly manifested to be Christ who was dead and is alive as in v. 18. of the precedent chapter more fully The matter of the discovery is wholly of encouragement and approbation I know thy works and tribulation and poverty but thou art rich that is I know thy works thou church of Smyrna and the trouble affliction and tribulation that thou endurest by reason of the opprobrious scandalous and reviling speeches which those cast out against thee which call themselves Jews and are not And I know thy poverty and scantiness in worldly riches but I add withal thou art rich in spiritual graces and though thou art accounted poor in this world yet thou hast treasures abiding for thee in heaven And withal I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not but are the Synagogue of Satan As if he had said I also know and take notice of the reviling speeches that those which call themselves Jews and so perhaps were so by blood and yet are not true Jews true spiritual Israelites but rather by reason of their unbelief and malicious practises and persecution of the truth and the professors thereof are the very divel 's disciples and of the Synagogue of Satan Here is a two-fold knowledge or several acts of one and the same knowledge and far different the one from the other The one is a knowledge of approbation love and complacency the other of hatred and abhorrency Christ knows the works of the church of Smyrna of her tribulation persecution and poverty and loves her and honours her for it Christ also knows the works of her adversaries of blasphemies reproaches and enticements to evil against the true Professors of godliness and not only hates them for it but sets a character of ignominy upon their head for ever for what may be more reproachful or stigmatizing then for those that think themselves somwhat in the church of God that call themselves Jews the keepers of the Oracles and mysteries of God yet indeed to be justly numbred among the disciples of the Synagogue of Satan that is of the divel 's church for the word Synagogue in the Greek signifies so much as Convention Meeting or Church which is commonly used now in the worser sense which was appropriated first chiefly to the Jewish Pharisaical and Priestly meetings and called the Jewish Synagogue but Christians having renounced the name and thing have appropriated to their meetings or conventions a more significant name to wit the Church Ecclesia and leaves the Synagogue to unbelieving Jews Antichrist and the Divel to nourish their Disciples in From Christ taking knowledge with approbation of the works and tribulations of the church of Smyrna see the Notes on v. 2. of this chapter to which I refer But from this verse explained one Note shall be Observ That a poor afflicted and persecuted church of Christ is more dear precious and rich in his eye then all other the potent rich and mighty Societies in the world Christ looks upon the latter but with an eye of common providence as the Sun shineth and shower falleth on the field of the righteous and unrighteous alike herein there is no distinction of love or mercy God equally dispenseth those common gifts equally alike unto all neither is any one to be accounted godly or ungodly elect or reprobate from the abounding or want thereof for some godly have abounded and others have wanted herein But the church of Christ they have distinguishing mercies their afflictions and tears are treasured up in a bottle of remembrance for a reward and crown unto them they are as the apple of his eye his jewels members of his mystical body and therefore must needs be dear unto him for no man ever hated his own flesh for them the world was made and is preserved and continued to this day for their sakes and I dare be bold to affirm if there were none of his elect members on earth the world would soon see its night and period and forthwith relapse to its primitive and everlasting chaos or at least pass away and perish that its place be no more found Christ is still walking amongst those golden Candlesticks viewing their order and takes his delight in those Gardens and Beds of Spices and so gets up early into these Vinyards to see if the Vine flourish whether the tender Grape appear and the Pomgranates bud forth Cant. 7.12 his delight was ever to be with the children of men and takes much pleasure not only in seeing and smelling the savoury exercises and spiritual sacrifices of the more grown christians but also takes much complacency in viewing the growth production and fruitfulness of younger christians and leads them gently by the hand by his doctrine and discipline until at last they are brought unto the Wine-cellars of his love where he bids them to take their fill of love but by the way comforts them with apples and stays them with flaggons till at last he bring them home unto himself purified and cleansed by the purgatory of afflictions and tribulations as gold seven times tryed by the fire of the Chymister The genuine use of this is to demonstrate the danger of persecution of Christ's members or churches to all persons in the world They are his members and in as much as it is done to one of them it is done unto himself and better a milstone were hanged about the neck of such offenders and cast into the Sea then to offend one of his little ones The reasons that Christ's churches though afflicted scorned or persecuted are so dear and precious to him are First Because they are his Members and it is most natural to love ones self for he that loves not himself cannot love another and we are bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh Secondly Because of their graces and unction we having received all of his fulness grace for grace and of the same anointing with himself though in an
received to and by souls before they can act towards God in the least acceptable services Object But then again some one may say If the small remaines of grace that were in Sardis were almost dead or ready to dy does not this argue a falling away and a possibility of the faithful to perish totally Answ Grace may be very low and yet not dead it was as sparks of fire under much ashes with Sardis and yet we know sparks are as real fire though not as fervent and virtual as a flaming one Indeed it was low with Sardis in her spiritual condition and it is most just with God when we are great sinners against him that he hides much of his gracious presence from us When by sin we quench the operations of the spirit of God God may justly quench its effects towards us but no sooner shall we follow the motions of the spirit and renew by repentance but presently God gives a more enlivening and effectual spirit into our souls and notwithstanding his former withdrawings yet it is but a Fatherly chastisement not an utter dereliction and forsaking Secondly I answer Persons that are Elect and have really tasted of the vertue of Christ's death and intercession can never utterly fall away unless they would make the power wisdome and preordination of God to be weak and fallible and the death and intercession of Christ impotent and insufficient unto that end to which it is ordained yet withal I assert though Elect persons cannot utterly fall away as being given by the Father unto Christ and none such can be cast away being helped by the mighty powâ—â— of God unto salvation yet Election of a state of persons may fail and perish As to instance in the Jewish Nation the Election thereof did obtain Rom. 11.7 to wit those that did pertain to the Election of God in that Nation did obtain mercy and reconcilliation by Christ yet at last for the sin of that Nation the Election of God did fail as respecting that State and Nation and the Ax was laid unto the root and that good Olive cut down and cast into the fire and the wild Olive or Gentile Nations graffed in upon their Stock Obstinacy in sin and unbelief was their cutting off and faith is the Gentiles incision and graffing in as the one is cut off by unbelief so the other is graffed in by faith Rom. 11.20 Those few names in Sardis that do hold fast the faith they are in a safe condition whilst all the rest of that church may perish utterly the first are marked and written in the eternal book of life of God and of the Lambe and therefore cannot perish but after God had finished his work at Sardis Thyatira Rome Corinth c. and called his Elect out of them and secured their eternal happiness he can remove the current of his Election to another people without any changeableness or shaddow of change in him and make those very people in their posterities the very seat and Sinagogue of Satan who were once his beulahs darling and beloved ones Thirdly there are guilded formal hipocritical graces and believers and such may not be only ready to dy but dead twice dead dead at the root and fit for nothing but to be plucked up and cast into the fire and therefore it is very ordinary in Scripture to say that such are fallen away perished and lost from their faith which they seemed to have all their graces are in the outward appearance only So Demas Simon Magus Judas Ananias and Saphira c. may be said to fall away from the faith because they had never the truth of real grace in them all was but seeming formal hypocritical and at best but historical which the divels may have and for all this perish everlastingly Observ 2. It is a great mercy for God to leave some remains of grace in a sinful Church and people If God had not left us a remnant we had been worse then Sodome and Gomorrah Small sparks being blown and cherished may become a flame so little grace though like a Mustard-seed may become a great Tree If God should deprive us of all the seed of grace there must needs follow a spiritual death unto our souls for when the soul of the soul is gone the soul will be soul-less and dead unto every good and spiritual worke As long as there is life in us though it is infirm and weak yet there is some hopes of recovery but being once dead there is no hopes of Redemption from the grave So as long as we have the Spirit of Christ though it works but faintly and weakly by reason of corruption in us and if it comes but to the first step and lowest degree of spiritual life to wit to be sensible of its dead and carnal condition and to complain under it there are good hopes of recovery unto such a soul and unto such I may boldly say unto its comfort Awake and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to dy Observ 3. Though our graces are but weak and low and ready to dy yet it is our duty to cherish strengthen and confirm them until we bring forth the worke of Christ within our selves unto perfection We are not to contemn the day of small things for he that improves but one Talent well shall be made ruler of many Talents The Beasts in the Prophet always went forward Ezek. 1.11 but grubs that are backward are reckoned among unclean creatures Lev. 11.10 God hath promised that he will not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax If we cherish the work of grace in us though in never so small a measure God will add a greater and fuller supply unto us God will add unto faith vertue unto vertue patience c. and according to that word in 2 Pet. 1.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall all come hand in hand in consort as following one the other as in a chorus or dance Doubtless it would not be labor lost for Sardis to strengthen and revive the remainders of grace that were ready to expire within her though Christ would be at hand to assist her by his grace and spirit yet he would not do it without her motion and improvment as it was once said by Austine Though God made us without us yet he would not save us without us Grace works most kindly when it meets with improving hearts that are ready to say with young Samuel Thy servant heareth Lord speak Though God hath ascertained and decreed the salvation of his Elect yet it does not exclude the duty of creatures and the work of second causes Ezek. 36.37 Jer. 29.11 12. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling we are to worke for life as if life were to be got by working and doubtless the crown will be the more glorious where the greater improvments of grace are made the more grace the Vessel is capable of and filled with here