Apocalypsis Apocalypseos, or, The revelation of St. John the Divine unveiled containing a brief but perspicuous and continued exposition from chapter to chapter, and from verse to verse, of the whole book of the Apocalypse / by Henry More ...

CHAPTER III.

1. ANd unto the Angel of the Church in Sar∣dis write: To the Bishops and Pastors espe∣cially, (and those committed to their charge) of the Sardinian succession (which begins where the Thya∣tirian succession ends; that is, when Protestantisme had become the Religion of Nations and Kingdoms, and reaches to the last Vial, Apoc. 16. * whose con∣dition is notified in their name) write thus: These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God and the seven Stars; that has in his power and disposal all the Divine Graces, and heavenly hosts or companies of Angels for the assistance of his Church, and all the Bishops and Pastors thereof, which are here typified by the seven Stars; as by having them in his hand, that they are under his power and pro∣tection; a description of Christ, like that in the Epi∣stle to the Ephesine Church. Which description is here repeated for the encouragement of Renewing his Church again, and the Reforming it into the Anci∣ent Apostolick Faith and Practice. As if it were the very beginning and emerging again of the truly A∣postolick Church that had lien hid in the wilderness of Paganochristian Romanism. Which through these helps, though it began hopefully and commendably, yet was never at any great pitch of perfection, and has also degenerated from what she at first appeared.

Of which Christ complains, saying, I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead. I observe how mean and wretched thou art in comparison of what thou oughtest to be, and that thou hast a name that thou livest, as being so full of zeal for or against this Ceremony, and that O∣pinion, with hot and nice disputes about Faith and Justification; but I will assure thee, be thou as full of life and activity as thou wilt about such things, if thou hast not that Faith which worketh by Love, thou art nothing in my esteem. Whosoever is devoid of a due degree of charity, and unself-interessed love, let him be reputed to live as much as he will, he is accounted dead in my sight.

2. Be watchfull: Keep a guard over thine own heart, and breath after unfeigned charity, which is the bond of perfection, and will prevent all Schisms and Factions, and tye the Members of Reformed Christendom in one heart and one mind to their Go∣vernours Temporal and Spiritual, and to one another. And strengthen the things which remain that are ready to dye. Revive and corroborate in you the things that remain, (viz.) Faith in God, and in the Lord Jesus Christ, and of a blessed Immortality after this life; these you yet profess, though Infidelity and Atheism, with Sensuality and Libertinism have grown much upon you, so that the belief even of these ne∣cessary things are ready to dye also. For I have not found thy works perfect before God. For you do not go on towards perfection, nor are ye in a grow∣ing state, though ye have not yet reached your due stature approvable before God, which is a sign you are in a state of languishment and vergency towards death.

3. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast and repent: Since you profess your selves reformed into a true Apostolick Church, remember what you have heard out of the Apostles writings. How that I so loved my Church that I gave my self for it, that I might sanctifie it, that I might make it a glorious Church, having neither spot nor wrinkle, nor any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. And let not the vain glosses of any faint-hearted hypocrites deceive or discourage you. Remember also what ye heard of Antichrist, That man of sin, that exalts himself above all that is called God and worshipped, and for ever abandon that wicked and Idolatrous Communion. And take heed of that nauseous and detestable ingratitude of not setting a due value of my redeeming you from that worse than Aegyptian or Babylonian Captivity into the Gospel-liberty: And be not imposed upon by the fine words and subtil sophistry of either known enemies, or perfidious brethren. These and such like things as these taught by my Apostles, and repeated again by the first Reformers, be sure to hold fast, and repent of your slipperiness and remisness, of your easiness and inclinableness again to the flesh-pots of Aegypt, the carnal entertainments under that mystical Pharaoh at Rome. If therefore thou shalt not watch I will come on thée as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. These things therefore I strictly command thee and charge thee to do, which if thou wilt not carefully and di∣ligently observe, and have a due watch over thy wayes, I will come on thee of a sudden, and sur∣prize thee with some terrible judgement for thy gross ingratitude, and thou shalt not know what hour I

come upon thee before the storm certainly overtake thee. God make the Reformed Churches sensible of this sad commination, which is foretold them for no other purpose, than that by their timely repentance, and carefull watchfulness they may avoid it.

4. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy. There be some few excellent persons, and of a true Christian Spirit scattered up and down in the Re∣formed Churches, (though the generality be so bad and imperfect) who have not defiled their Garments, the inward nor outward cloathing of their Soul, nor spotted the decency of their conversation by any scan∣dal of the flesh. With these innocent and spotless souls not soiled or stained with the filth of the usual tinctures of the flesh, will I converse by my spirit, whereby they shall be able to walk with me with all innocency and integrity of heart for ever: For they are persons meet and fit for such converse.

5. He that overcometh, the same shall be cloath∣ed in white raiment: They that overcome all dif∣ficulties inward and outward, and persist in purity and true holiness, they shall be cloathed in white ray∣ment, that is, they shall be successfull and prosperous in the affairs of my Kingdom, which they endeavour to propagate. And I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life: that is, this sort of men shall continue to the Philadelphian succession, and on∣wards to the end of the world. And this Book of Life to them shall be as the Crown of Life to the Smyr∣nean succession, shall be their security from persecu∣tion and death. That Church which they introduce into the world, which is the Philadelphian, shall ne∣ver

be brought again under the Subjection, Tyranny and Persecution of any Power whatsoever. But I will confess his Name before my Father, and be∣fore his Angels. I will in a special manner recom∣mend them to the good Providence of God, and the watchful Ministry of his holy Angels.

6. He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches. The Reformed Churches, especially let them take particular notice what the Holy Ghost has here delivered. That Christ who holds the seven Stars in his right hand, and ap∣pears thus to the Reformed Churches, as he did to the Ephesine or first Apostolick Church, is as ready and serious in the renewing, and the reforming of his Church as he was then in setting it on foot first in the world. And he appears, as then walking in the midst of the Golden Candlesticks; (which signifies his helpfull presence to his Church) so here with the succour of his Divine Graces, and Ministry, and assi∣stance of his holy Angels: So that nothing is wanting to rouse us effectually out of this carnal drousiness toward the attainment of the dispensation of the Spi∣rit and Power, except our own sincerity and diligent attention to, and firm belief of the Oracles of God: So that the main success of things hitherto, as to the effect of Religion in the Reformed Churches, lies at our own doors: God give us grace to consider it.

7. And to the Angel of the Church in Philadel∣phia write: To the Bishops and Pastors especially (but together with their Charge) of the Philadel∣phian succession, (which begins where the Sardian ends and reaches to the fourth Thunder, * and dis∣covers its nature and condition in its name) write thus: These things saith he that is holy, and

speaks to a Church that willingly listens to such mo∣nitions as these: Be ye holy for I am holy, and, Be ye perfect as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. He that is true: And will verifie all his glorious pro∣mises in the Philadelphian succession, or blessed Mil∣lennium to all those that trust in his Word. He that has the key of David: He that is the Chief Minister of State to the Eternal God, * whom the Apostle Iohn calls LOVE. He that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth: He that when he will can open the door of success to his own, and shut it again when he will against his Ene∣mies, and so administer all things prosperously.

8. I know thy works and designs, and highly ap∣prove of them; I know thou doest nothing out of bitter zeal, faction, or self-seeking, nothing out of vain-glory, or any other worldly end, but simply out of love of Me, and of my Righteousness, and out of love to all Mankind, for the promoting of whose both present and future happiness thou dost all thy endea∣vours; and therefore, Behold I have set before thée an open door and no man can shut it, against thee: For thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my Word, and hast not denyed my Name: Though thou hadst but a little Force or Army in comparison of the rest of the world, yet thou hast been valiant, and stood for my Word stoutly and couragiously a∣gainst all gainsayers, and hast never behaved thy self otherwise than becomes a sound and faithfull Chri∣stian, and such as is resolved never to dishonour that Profession or Name.

9. Behold I will make them of the Synagogue of Satan (which say they are Iews and are not, but do lye:) Behold I will make them that are the

Synagogue of the Devil, for their pride, falsities, and murderous cruelties, and yet call themselves Iews, that is, Christians [nay, Holy Church] (the Type as above being used for the Antitype) but are so far from being so, that really they are but Pseudochri∣stians, or rather the Synagogue of Antichrist, who under pretence of professing Christ do most wicked∣ly oppose him, by nulling his Laws, and barbarously murthering his true and faithfull Subjects for not com∣mitting Idolatry, and other abominations they would force upon them: whereby it is manifest, though they call themselves Holy Church and Christians, they are counterfeits and lyars. Behold I will make them to come and worship before thy féet, and to know that I have loved thée. Behold I will make them to come, instead of kissing the Popes Slipper, to worship before thy feet, to be subjected unto thee, and to do thee homage: And to acknowledge how much I have loved thee, and set thee above all the o∣ther Princes of the Earth.

10. Because thou hast kept the word of my pati∣ence, I also will kéep thée from the hour of tempta∣tion, which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the Earth: Because thou hast showen all along such invincible meekness and pa∣tience in maintaining my cause, and undaunted faith∣fulness; in that great confusion, commotion and tem∣ptation under the last Vial, which shall come upon all the world to try the Inhabitants of the Earth, I will keep thee and protect thee, and thou shalt be safe and victorious in all.

11. Behold I come quickly: Even in this last Vial, into which thou art already entred. Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy Crown.

Thou art a Church after my own hearts desire, O Philadelphia, nor do I accuse thee of any thing, thou carriest thy self with that integrity and sincerity, on∣ly hold fast to that perfection thou hast attained, that thou mayst not be deprived of the Crown I intend for thee: For in thee shall be accomplished all the glorious Promises concerning my Kingdome upon Earth.

12. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God, and he shall go no more out. To you that overcome, to you it shall be given to be Pillars in the Temple of my God, you shall be an holy, fixt and stable People, the true, holy Catholick Church that shall never fail, but shall en∣dure till I come in the clouds to judgement at the last day. All other forms and denominations shall perish, but this shall obtain the Dominion unto the end. And I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the City of my God, which is New Ierusalem, which cometh down out of Heaven from my God, and I will write upon him my new Name. And on these lasting Pillars shall the Name of my God be written, and the new Na∣ture in you shall be visible and legible, as it were, to all, how heavenly it is and Divine, and how you are really that Church represented by the City in Eze∣chiel, which is called Iehovah Shammah, God is there. For your conversation will be such, that every man will be ready to say, God is amongst you of a truth, and that you are really, as well as called the New Ie∣rusalem, which cometh down out of Heaven from my God. And lastly, I will write upon you my New Name, not the Morning Star, but the Bright Morn∣ing Star, or that newly purchased Title in the Battle,

where the Beast and False Prophet are taken and cast into a lake burning with brimstone, and the rest slain with the sword of him that sate on the White Horse, which sword cometh out of his mouth, (viz.) the Title of King of Kings, and Lord of Lords: For it is then that you shall be the greatest Empire upon Earth.

13. He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches.

14. And unto the Angel of the Church in Lao∣dicea write: Unto the Bishops and Pastors especi∣ally, and the charge under them in the Laodicean suc∣cession (which reaches from the fourth Thunder till Christ visibly appear in the clouds of Heaven, * and whose name denotes the nature thereof) write thus: These things saith the Amen, the faithfull and true witness; in whom all the Promises are Yea and Amen. Whose faithfulness is seen in bringing to pass the Philadelphian Estate, that marvellous purity and external prosperity of that succession of the Church, and therefore we are to believe his Promises of the Eternal Felicity he reminds us of in this: A Blessed Immortality after this Life, and his visible coming to judge the quick and the dead, and his putting an end to this Terrestrial Scene, though in this declining Age of the Church in the Laodicean suc∣cession some may be too slow to believe it: And therefore these Titles of assuredness and veracity are here used. And he is called a Faithful Witness also, because he so impartially witnesses of the State of the Laodiceans, and does not flatter them. The begin∣ning of the Creation of God. It may be well un∣derstood of the New Creation, or Constitution of things under the Gospel; which he having carried

on all along hitherto according to Prophecy and Pre∣diction, he is the more certainly and readily to be believed in this last Catastrophe of things: Or taking the beginning of the Creation of God, with an higher reference to that Title of his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which respects his Divinity, or the Eternal Logos, without whom no∣thing was made or created; Then the importance of of it is this, That as sure as he made this Earth, this habitable round world, so we may be as sure that he both can by the same power, and also will destroy it again in this Laodicean succession by a final Confla∣gration, taking vengeance of the wicked, and reset∣ling all true Believers in an Eternal State of Glory.

15. I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: But that you are careless, formal, luke∣warm Christians. Thou retainest indeed still the ex∣ternal form of the Philadelphian Church, as to Do∣ctrine and Worship; but thou art destitute of that Spirit of Life in the New Birth, which was the pro∣per character of thy deceased Sister Philadelphia. I would thou wert cold or hot. For though it be not better in it self to be quite cold, yet it were for thee, that thou mightest the more easily be convinced of thine own wants, and by repentance and mortifica∣tion enter into the state of Regeneration, and be made partaker of my Spirit.

16. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thée out of my mouth. I will shew how nauseous and loathsome thou art to me in a torrent of Reproof, as a sign of my disgust against thee; and upon thy impenitence at length being weary of thee (as concerning God it is said before his bringing the deluge of water on the Earth, that it repented him that he had made man)

I will spew thee out from my self, who fill all things, and exterminate thee out of Being by a deluge of Fire that shall put an end to this Terrestrial Scene of things, and the Laodicean Church shall be no more.

17. But in the mean time, that I may faithfully admonish thee, Because thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods and have néed of nothing, whilst thou considerest, that Peace and Plenty, that Power and Rule, and security from Enemies which thou enjoyest, and the purity of Doctrine and Wor∣ship free from Superstition and Idolatry, and the a∣bundance of both Natural and Divine Knowledge, and clear understanding of Prophecies, by reason of their completion now, and skilfull Interpretations of thy Predecessors, and Universal Freedom from all persecution; I tell thee, notwithstanding all these thou art mistaken in thy condition. And knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked, in that thou art destitute of the Glories and Treasures of the Inward Man, and art ignorant of the mysteries of Regeneration, and of the Spirit of Life in the New Birth, and art content with a covering, but not of my Spirit, whereby thou dost but add sin to sin.

18. I counsel thée therefore, to buy of me Gold tryed in the fire, that thou mayest be rich. Gold refined in the fire, and so pure, that it is transparent like glass. New Jerusalem Gold, which is the New Nature or Creature, mine own Image: And the price is, thy sincere endeavouring and breathing after that state, that thou mayest possess those durable Riches which shall not be melted, when the Elements shall melt with fervent heat, and the Earth and the works

therein shall be burnt up, namely, at the Conflagra∣tion. And white rayment, that thou mayest be cloathed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear. And buy of me white rayment, that is, groan in thy self, O spiritless Laodicea, and desire to be cloathed with thy Spiritual Tabernacle from Hea∣ven, that being so cloathed thou mayest not be found naked, and that the shame of thy nakedness may not appear at the last day. And anoint thine eyes with eye-salve that thou mayest see. Clear thy judge∣ment and understanding by a diligent purification of thy Soul from all corruptions of flesh and spirit, and perfect holiness in my fear, that thou mayest see, and have a right discerning in all things.

19. As many as I love I rebuke and chasten, be zealous therefore and repent. As many as I love I chasten, and I have a love to thee even for thy out∣ward resemblance of thy deceased Sister Philadelphia, and therefore I chastise thee with sharp reproofs to bring thee to an inward sense of things, and shall fur∣ther afflict thee by outward straits and distress to a∣waken thee. For thine Enemies Gog and Magog by reason of thy remisness in Religion, security and neg∣lect of the Interest of my Kingdom will grow upon thee, and at last encompass the Beloved City. Be zea∣lous therefore, and repent thee of thy dead formali∣ty and remisness in the affairs of my Kingdome, that so thou mayest recover the Philadelphian love and fervency.

20. And do not complain of difficulties; Behold I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him, and he with me. I offer my aid unto you, and solicit you ever and anon by

good monitions and suggestions, and if you obey sin∣cerely my dictates and succours of Light and Grace I offer you, and by this your sincerity open me the door, I will sup with you, I will communicate my Nature and Spirit unto you. You shall feed on my flesh which is meat indeed, and drink of my blood which is drink indeed, and that saying shall be full∣filled in you; I in my Father and you in me, and I in you. If any man love me and keep my Word, my Fa∣ther will love him, and will come to him, and abide with him.

21. And that I may the more effectually rouse thee up out of this dead formality and tepidity, out of this dulness and lethargy, I add further, To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. You shall not only enjoy Me and my Father in this life, but if you will stand to the conflict, and so attain to the state of the Spirit of Life and real Regeneration into the Living Image of my self, I will exalt you to the same happi∣ness with my self, your bodies being transformed in∣to the Image of my glorious Body, and so fitted to ascend into the Throne that he has given me, whose Throne is Heaven, as Earth his footstool. Nay, you shall sit with me in my Throne, and judge the Apo∣state Angels at the last day. This is a great and stu∣pendious promise, but you ought to consider, that he has promised it, who is the Amen, the true and faithfull Witness, and the Beginning of the Creation of God, and therefore both will and can bring all his counsels, pur∣poses and promises to pass: Even so. Amen.

22. He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches.

NOTES. CHAPTER III. Vers. I.

Whose condition is notified in their name, &c. Namely, by way of allusion to the Lapis Sardius, whose vertue is to exhilarate the mind of him that wears it, and make him couragious, and is an Amulet against witchcraft and poyson: Which may intimate the com∣fortable doctrine of Iustification by Faith, and the de∣feating the poyson of that cup of Fornication in the hand of the Whore of Babylon, that the Sardian Church is not infected with that poyson of Idolatry, as being out of the reach of that inchanted Cup of the Whore. Sardis also signifies Canticum Laetitiae, which sutes well with the Ioy of the Reformed Churches at the rising of the Witnesses, signified by those Harpers with the Harps of God in their hand, ch. 15. But being the Sardius Stone is in Hebrew called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Odem, which sounds near to Edom, and by the Latines termed Carnalina, this insinuates the defectuousness of the Sardian Church, and her Carnality in several points of Doctrine and Practice. Concerning which see my Exposition of the seven Churches, Chap. 7.

Vers. 7. And discovers its nature and condition in its name, &c. For 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is the Love of the Bre∣thren, and indeed consequently the Love of God and all Men, these Vertues are so nearly linked together when they are sincere, and in a due degree. See my Exposition of the Seven Churches, Chap. 8.

The Apostle Iohn calls Love: And so 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies Amor, as also dilectus, amatus, which will answer to the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of the Platonists; which is the highest 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of all.

Vers. 14. And whose name denotes the nature thereof, &c. For Laodicea signifies either the Righte∣ousness of the People, that is, an external popular mode of Righteousness, the inward Life and Spirit decaying; which is too much the state of Laodicea: Or it signifies the judging of the People, because in this Interval of the Church, namely at the end thereof, Christ will come visibly to Judge and Sentence all People to their final doom.

Notes

• John 14.20, 23.