An exposition of the seven epistles to the seven churches together with a brief discourse of idolatry, with application to the Church of Rome / by Henry More ...

CHAP. VIII.

An Interpretation of the Epistle to the Church in Philadelphia.

1. AND to the Angel of the Church in Philadelphia write. The * 1.1 meaning of Philadelphia is plain, and is no Riddle. The word signifies Bro∣therly love: which rightly under∣stood is the fulfilling of the Law. So that I understand by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the same that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, universal Love, (for we are all brothers in Adam;) but especially the love of those of the houshold of Faith; that is to say,

of Christian Believers. In the Sar∣dian Church, the greatest noise and stir there is about Faith, but her Works were not found perfect before God. But the Inscription of this Church is Love, which is the fulfilling of the Law, as I hinted before. And * 1.2 his banner over me was Love. This is the Ensign of the Church of Phila∣delphia, who elsewhere is said to be beautifull and terrible as an Army with Banners; Who is she that looketh * 1.3 forth as the Morning, fair as the Moon, clear as the Sun, and terrible as an Ar∣my with Banners? Why? who can it be but this Church of Philadelphia, as famous for feats of Arms as for Love, as we shall see in the process? For the Intervall of this Church be∣gins in the last Vial, and reaches to the fourth Thunder.

These things saith he that is Holy. And speaks to that Church that loves to hear those Instructions: Be ye ho∣ly, for I am holy; and, Be ye per∣fect, as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect.

He that is true. He that will make good all his Promises and glorious Predictions touching his Church in this state thereof which is figured out by the Church of Philadelphia, and writes to those that believe it, and have a firm Faith in the Power and Spirit of Christ and of God.

He that hath the Key of David, he that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth. What Eliakim was to Hezekias, who was of the stock of David, the same is Christ to God the Father, whom S. John calls Love, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. He is chief Minister of State under God, and car∣ries all as he pleases by the Authority committed to him; of which a Key is the Symbol. (See Grotius upon the place.) There is nothing so hard and impervious but he can make way through it, and open a door to Suc∣cesse, and again shut it against his Enemies.

2. I know thy works. And that so * 1.4 as to approve of them, because they are the fruits of the Divine Love, then

which there is nothing to me more precious. Thou actest not out of bit∣ter zeal and strife, or vain ostentati∣on, or any secular respect, but merely out of love to me and my Righteous∣nesse, and out of love to mankinde, whose both present and future Hap∣pinesse thou dost sincerely endea∣vour to promote.

Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it. Behold; I have brought things about so by my Providence, and will so effectually second what I have begun by my special assistence, that, maugre all the machinations of men and Devils, thou shalt finde opportunities of most glo∣riously and successfully carrying on the Interest of my Kingdome. This is performed in the last Vial, in that great battel of God almighty, when * 1.5 also the Beast and the false Prophet are said to be taken. See the Divine Dialogues.

For thou hast a little strength. Gro∣tius himself interprets it, a little Ar∣my: and so indeed 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 will signi∣fie,

& appositely to the present scope, and answerably to the Battel I na∣med before. The sense is; Because, though ye be but a few in compari∣son of the rest of my Church and Kingdome, (for the Sardian Church is his Kingdome and Church too, out of which the Philadelphian Church is emerging) and especially in respect of the Infidel and Antichristian par∣ty, those under the Dragon and the Beast and the false Prophet, yet ye * 1.6 have kept my Word, and not denied my Name, that is, have both kept to what is holy and true in your hearts, and professed it in your words and works: therefore I will be with you in this glorious manner, and make you so successfull in the promoting of the Interest of my Kingdome. Of this Church therefore of Philadelphia are those Armies seen in Heaven, A∣poc. 19. following Christ upon white Horses clothed in fine linnen, white and clean; which implies both the justnesse of their cause, and the cer∣tainty of their successe. As also

those Boanergesses in the last Vial, (synchronal to that other Vision) * 1.7 that thunder and lighten over the City divided into three parts, where∣by the Cities of the Nations fell, and Babylon and her daughters were ut∣terly overthrown.

3. Behold, I will make them of the * 1.8 Synagogue of Satan (which say they are Jews, but do lie.) Jews, as I noted before, according to the style of the Apocalypse, are Christians; and the Jews which professe themselves such, and are not, but do lie, are pseudo-Christians, or the Antichristian party; but are judged here to be of the Synagogue of Satan, because of their abominable lies and bloudy murders. For the Devil was a murderer from * 1.9 the beginning; and he is also in the same place by our Saviour termed a Liar. Besides the Luciferian Pride of that Church, like Satans, the Prince of the Devils.

Behold, I will make them come and worship before thy feet. Even those that before kissed the feet of the

Pope, that lofty Prelate. This an∣swers very patly to that passage in the fore-named Vision; where the Beast and false Prophet are taken, and put alive into a lake of fire: that * 1.10 is to say, the Bestian and Pseudopro∣phetical power, as such, is burnt and destroyed and abolished, and the Philadelphian power then appears a∣bove all, or rather the Lord alone will be exalted in that day; for to this time especially belongs that say∣ing, Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts.

For, indeed, the struggling of the Sardian Church hitherto against the City that is called Sodom and AEgypt, though it has been in its kind lau∣dable, yet it has been in a manner E∣dom against Edom, a part something more refined against that which is more impure, I mean as to Life and Godlinesse; and the weapons of their warfare have not been so spiritual as they ought, they have not rid upon white Horses, nor have been clothed in fine linnen, white and clean; they

have not endeavoured to be that Church which is without spot & wrin∣kle, or any such thing, but the Sardian tincture has too much distained them.

But as it is true in the natural sense, that flesh and bloud cannot inherit the Kingdome of God; so it is also in the political, that those glorious times of the Kingdome of God can∣not appear till the Church emerge out of the Sardian or Carnaline state into the Philadelphian. Against which Church Christ exhibits no complaint at all, but loves her, and likes her en∣tirely, even as he is cordially loved of her. And without question the state of that Church is so lovely, that she will charm even her enemies to a liking of her, and unto a submission to her, all things being so irrepre∣hensible in her. But commonly wick∣ed men are very domineering and fe∣rocient against good men that have any blot or infirmity on them, unless they be of their own faction.

And therefore this Philadelphian Church, if any, must be the Church

that can mollifie the hearts of the Pa∣pists, and bring over as many as God pleaseth to the belief of the Truth. But for the Cities of the Nations, their Conquests will be unspeakable amongst them. For these are those powerfull Thunderers, by whose thundering and lightening the Cities of the Nations are to fall, as I in∣timated before.

And to know that I have loved thee. The Papists themselves shall discern, by the stupendious successe of the Philadelphian Church, what a value Christ puts upon her, and how far he prefers her Integrity, Simplicity, Brotherly-kindnesse, Humility, Meek∣nesse and Purity of Worship, before the Roman Frauds and Impostures, their barbarous Persecutions and Cruelties, their Luciferian Pride, and superstitious and Idolatrous practi∣ces.

4. Because thou hast kept the word * 1.11 of my patience; that is, Because thou art both meek-hearted, and hast been faithful and not flitting in the time

of trial, but endurest all things for my names sake;

I will keep thee from the hour of temp∣tation that shall come upon all the world. Namely, at what time all the world will be in an hurly-burly, and cast in∣to manifold streights and calamities. Which is in the last Vial, when the three unclean spirits goe forth unto the Kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battel of that great Day of God Al∣mighty; and when there shall be so great an Earthquake as has not been since men were upon earth, so migh∣ty an Earthquake and so great. In this mighty tempest and hurry of things will I preserve thee from danger, and thou shalt carry it safe through all. Thou shalt escape better then any party of men, by reason of thy con∣spicuous Innocency, sincerity, and exemplarity of life, and unexcep∣tionable Apostolicalnesse of doctrine, and singular love to me and all man∣kind. Because thou art milde and courteous and benign and beneficent

to all; because thou art a lover of unity, un-self-interessed, a foe to no body, and onely an enemy to the vices and miseries of men: This, with my singular favour to thee, shall protect thee in that great confusion and high fermentation of mens spi∣rits under the last Vial. Who is he that * 1.12 will harm you, if you be followers of that which is good?

5. Behold, I come quickly. Thou * 1.13 art already in that Period of time wherein this great Judgement will come upon the earth, namely, under the first Thunder. Or rather, because the Philadelphian Church is not sup∣posed to be in distinct being or ap∣pearance till the last Vial, the last Vial must be this Period. And then this coming in respect of that time will be quickly indeed.

Hold thou fast what thou hast, that no man take thy Crown. Thou art a Church after my own heart, O Phila∣delphia, and I blame thee for no∣thing, thou walkest uprightly with me and art perfect: Wherefore hold

that ground which thou hast got in truth and integrity, that thou mayst not be deprived of that Crown I in∣tend thee; for in thee will I accom∣plish all the glorious Promises touch∣ing my Kingdome upon earth.

6. Him that overcometh will I make * 1.14 a pillar in the Temple of my God, and he shall goe no more out. 'O 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, He that overcomes, that is, in the Apocalyptick style, All, or the whole Company that overcomes, which is here meant of the Philadelphians. They shall be as a pillar in the Temple of God; that is, they shall be a steddy and standing Holy people, a true holy Catholick Church that shall never fail, but shall last till I come in the clouds to Judg∣ment in the last Day. All other forms and denominations shall fail, but this shall keep the sovereignty to the last.

And I will write upon him the name of my God. This is in pursuance of the former Metaphor of a Pillar, with a farther Allusion to the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of the Ancients. These Philadelphians

shall have the name of God written upon them; that is, their Conversa∣tion and manners will be so holy and divine, that it will be as conspicuous to all, as if it were writ upon their foreheads that they are the holy Church and chosen people of God. Or more briefly and in a more Politi∣cal sense; The name of my God may allude to Jehovah Shammah, intima∣ting, that these Philadelphians shall be that Church which is represented by the City Jerusalem described by Eze∣kiel, which is called Jehovah Sham∣mah. Of which the following words seem to be a more expresse significa∣tion.

And the name of the City of my God, which is, New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of Heaven from my God. The name of the City, the new Jerusalem, as well as Jehovah Shammah, will be written upon them, The City where God dwelleth and ruleth by his Spi∣rit; that is to say, they will be that City of Jerusalem formally and actu∣ally under the second Thunder. For

to be called, and to be, are all one in the Hebrew Idiom.

And his name is called the Word of God, Apo. 19. 3. is as much as, He is the Word of God. Wherefore this Phila∣delphia under the second Thunder passes into the same with the new Je∣rusalem; but the Title of Philadel∣phia begins sooner, and reaches far∣ther to the fourth Thunder.

This Inscription of the Philadel∣phians, that they are called the new Jerusalem, &c. in the very words in which it is described afterwards Apoc. 21. is a notable Indication that by the Church of Philadelphia is meant that Succession of the Church that is un∣der the second and third Thunder, but was emerging in the last Vial. For it is the new Jerusalem which cometh out of Heaven from God. Which therefore having this manifest Poli∣tical sense, would be very hardly at∣tributed to that City of Philadelphia in Asia literally understood, but with an eye to this successive Intervall of the Church which we here speak of.

And the Promise was not performed to the Literal Church of Philadelphia, which has perished; that was no such lasting Pillar. And therefore there is a necessity of a farther sense, Mysti∣call or Propheticall.

7. And I will write upon him my new name. It is expresly said, Apoc. 10. 16. that Christ has a name written upon his Vesture and upon his Thigh, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. This name Grotius would have understood here. And there is no small reason for it, that name being so particu∣larly and pompously set out for a special name of his. And though he has ever had a right unto it; yet because the getting into possession of this right will be new and fresh in this Philadelphian Intervall after the battel of the Heros on the white Horse, it is rightly termed a new Name, and very fittingly writ upon these Philadelphians, because they are so instrumental in his Atchievements. These are the Boanergesses, (thunder∣ing over the great City divided into

three parts) and also those Horsemen on white Horses, as I intimated be∣fore. Christ therefore through these becomes King of Kings and Lord of Lords; or rather, he has made them the greatest Kingdome upon earth. The mountain of the Lord's house is exalted upon the top of the mountains, and all Nations flow unto it; as it is to come to passe under the third Thun∣der. Through which third and se∣cond Thunder, and seventh Vial, is drawn the Intervall of the Successi∣on of the Church of Philadelphia, as I have hinted above.

He that hath an ear to hear, let him * 1.15 hear, &c. We need not here urge the intimation of this Political sense of things from the putting of the Epiphonema last, the very nature of the expressions calling for it, though we had no such guide. But we may rather argue, that the things them∣selves being of so manifest Political sense, not moral or spiritual, that it confirms our Rule touching the po∣sition of this Epiphonema. But this

by the bye. We proceed to the Church of Laodicea.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Apoc 3. ver. 7.
• * 1.2

  Cant. 2. 4.
• * 1.3

  Cant. 6. 10.
• * 1.4

  Verse 8.
• * 1.5

  Apoc. 16. and 19.
• * 1.6

  Apoc. 16.
• * 1.7

  Apoc. 16. 18, 19.
• * 1.8

  Verse 9.
• * 1.9

  Joh. 8. 44.
• * 1.10

  Apoc. 19. 20.
• * 1.11

  Verse 10.
• * 1.12

  1 Pet. 3. v. 13.
• * 1.13

  Verse 11.
• * 1.14

  Verse 12.
• * 1.15

  Verse 13.