CHA P. III.

Verfe ift. AND unto the Angel of the

church in Sardis write, Thefe

things faith he that hath the feven spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou liveft, and art dead.

Sardis was the metropolis of Lydia in Afia Minor. It was antiently a magnificent city, and the feat of the Lydian kings; it is now a fmall poor village, inhabited by fhepherds only, and a few ignorant Christians without a church or a paftor. See Plin. Nat. Hift. 1. v. c. 29. Dr Smith's Not. fept. Afia Eccl. p. 133.)

Chrift defigns himself "Him who hath the feven fpirits of God, and the seven stars." It is he who hath promised and who fends to his church the other comforter the Holy Spirit; he who takes a charge of his church and of the minifters of religion in it, for he hath the ftars in his right hand. These parts of his character were peculiarly fuited to the fituation of this church. The church of Sardis had a good character outwardly, but in reality was deftitute of the power and life of true reli

gion. "He who hath the seven spirits of God," looks into the heart, defires truth only in the inward parts, and expreffes his care of this church by directing her to cultivate the power, rather than to fatisfy herself with the mere form of religion, and to defire the praise of God more than the praise of man. He tells her that he knows her works; in particular, that she is spiritually dead though she hath the reputation in the world of being fpiritually alive that her religion is merely external, fuch as attracts the obfervation of the world, whilst she is deftitute of that faith, and thofe graces and virtues which conftitute pure and undefiled religion before God.

Verse 2d. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

They are called upon to watch over themselves, to watch against temptation, efpecially against that fnare into which too many fall, of being more defirous of being thought good than of actually being good. They are required to ftrengthen the good difpofitions which remain in them, and which are in fo feeble a ftate, that if not foon ftrengthened they must entirely die away. Though they had a high reputation among men, yet their works were N 2

not

not acceptable in the fight of that God who looks into the heart, and judgeth righteous judgement.

Verse 3d.-Remember therefore how thou haft received and heard, and hold faft and repent. If therefore thou fhalt not watch, I will come unto thee as a thief, and thou fhalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

They are exhorted to recollect the truths and precepts which they had received from the facred fcriptures, and had heard from the apoftles and ministers of religion, to hold these faft and to repent of all their deviations from them. When any church becomes lukewarm, and more attentive to human forms and to the fashion of the times than to those things in religion which are effential and immutable, the best way to correct their errors is to bring them back to that facred fcripture which is the ftandard of Chriftianity. Chrift affures this church, that if they do not watch, they fhall as certainly be furprifed at an unexpected time by his judgements, as that family are into whose house a thief breaks when they are fast asleep.

Verse 4th.-Thou haft a few names even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy.

Though

Though fuch was the general state of this church, he who perfectly knows the true character of every individual, declares that there are a few persons even in Sardis who are fincere and upright before God. They are called a few names, to intimate that Chrift knows them perfectly, and, if neceffary or proper, could have called every one of them by their name. These have not defiled their garments. As garments are intended to preferve the body from that debility and those diseases which excess of cold or heat occafions, and also to adorn it; the virtues of the Christian life are ftiled the garments of the foul, they are its beft ornaments, and they preferve it from that debility and depravity which are the diseases of the foul, and the confequence of indolence and vice. Hence, in fcripture, we are exhorted to be "clothed with hu

66

mility." Job fays, that he "put on righteous

nefs, and it clothed him." And mention is made of the "ornaments of a meek and quiet fpi"rit." These few regulated their hearts and their lives by the laws of the gofpel, even in that church which regarded the good opinion of men more than the approbation of God; thefe few fhall walk with Chrift in white, because they are worthy. White garments fignify the righteousness of faints, or true holiness, thus chap. xix. 8. it is faid of the church of Chrift in its pureft ftate on earth, a period yet at a confiderable distance, "And to her was

"that

66

granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen clean and white; for the fine linen is the righ"teousness of faints." Thefe few fhall be admitted into the heavenly ftate, whither Chrift hath gone before to prepare manfions for them in his Father's "house. They fhall ever be with the Lord," and their righteoufnefs fhall be without spot. They fhall be brought to the perfection of their natures, and confequently, when placed in fuch a fituation and in fuch fociety, to the perfection of happiness. All this is expreffed by walking with Chrift in white.

White raiment is ufed to fignify in a peculiar manner the righteoufnefs of martyrs. Martyrs are those witneffes for the truth as it is in Jefus, who will fuffer the lofs of all things in this world, and even of life itself, rather than they will abandon the truth. Those of this character, moft certainly will be most attentive to the purity and holiness of their hearts and lives. Chap. vi. 11. it is faid of the martyrs under the altar, "white robes were given "to every one of them."

Thefe few perfons in Sardis are faid to be worthy of the white garments, that is, though they were not put to death, they were in fact martyrs for the truth. Nothing but the true fpirit of martyrs can make a few perfons adhere to the truth, the purity and the fimplicity of the gospel of Jefus, in a degenerate church more anxious to please the tafte of the times, be that what it will, than to ap