The ruin of Rome, or, An exposition upon the whole Revelation wherein is plainly…The ruine of Rome, or, An exposition upon the whole Revelation wherein is plainly…

For although his gifts were not so great as some others, yet was he very painful and faithful in a little; of whom it is said, Thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name: that is, thou art very constant in the profession and practice of Christian Religion; and thereupon Christ promised to bless his labours: For saith he, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan which call themselves Jews, and are not, but do lie: Behold I say, I will make them that they shall come and worship before thy feet, and shall know that I have loved thee. Here we do plainly see how Christ promiseth ⟨p. 43⟩to bless this mans Ministry, for his painfulness and diligence, although he was not of the greatest gifts: For men of greatest gifts are not always most blessed in their labours: For God doth commonly work the greatest things by weak means, that all glory might redound unto him, and no flesh might boast in his sight. For otherwise if men of greatest gifts should always be most blessed in their labours, and win most souls unto God, then we would be ready to ascribe that to men, and their gifts, which is proper to God, and so his praise and glory should be somewhat eclipsed. Thus we see what excellent men the Ministers of Smyrna and Philadelphia were, and what excellent people they had in their charges. But on the contrary, the Pastor and the people of Sardis and Laodicea, are discommended for all things, and commended for nothing. Indeed the Minister of Sardis had a great name for learning, and other good gifts, but he was grown very idle and negligent, and did little good with his gifts: Of whom it is said, Thou hast a name that thou livest, but thou art dead: That is, there was no spirit in him, no life of grace, his gifts waxed rusty for want of use, he was fallen asleep; ⟨p. 44⟩he was fallen away from the grace of God, he was nothing the man which he had been. Therefore he is admonished to awake and strengthen the things which remain, which were ready to dye.

For although his gifts were not so great as some others, yet was he very painfull and faithfull in a little; of whom it is said, Thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denyed my name: that is, thou art very constant in the profession and practice of Christian Religion; and thereupon Christ promised to blesse his labours: For saith hee, I will make them of the synagogue of Sathan which call themselves Jewes, and are not, but doe lie: Behold I say, I will make them that they shall come and worship before thy feete, and shall know that I have loved thee. Here we doe plainly see how Christ promiseth