A plain explanation of the whole Revelation of Saint John Very necessary and comfortable…A plaine explanation of the vvhole Revelation of Saint John Very necessary and comfortable…

OF the things that were already done, there remaineth only that which is contained in this Chapter. Where; first, he writeth to the fifth Church, to wit, the Church of Sardis, where he getteth authority by using the same title which he did to the Church of Ephesus, & addeth another, to wit, that it is he which hath also the seven Spirits: whereby he noteth the fullness, and exceeding measure of his spirit, & the abundance of his power and grace, by the which he doth also uphold and govern the Stars, that is, the Ministers of his Church. This Church he commendeth not at all, as he did before commend the other Churches; but rather beginneth with reprehension, saying, that they had a name that they were alive, but indeed they were dead, Verse 1. that is, they seemed to have that, which in truth they had not.

OF the things that were already done, there remaineth onely that which is contained in this Chapter. Where; first, he writeth to the fift Church, to wit, the Church of Sardis, where he getteth authoritie by vsing the same title which he did to the Church of Ephesus, & addeth another, to wit, that it is hee which hath also the seauen Spirits: wherby he noteth the fulnesse, and exceeding measure of his spirit, & the abundance of his power and grace, by the which hee doth also vphold and gouerne the Starres, that is, the Ministers of his Church. This Church hee commendeth not at all, as he did before commend the other Churches; but rather beginneth with reprehension, saying, that they had a name that they were aliue, but indeed they were dead, Verse 1. that is, they seemed to haue that, which in truth they had not.

And first he exhorteth the Angel of Sardis to look unto himself, in that he bids him awake, and be not secure and careless; and then to look unto others committed to his charge: And therefore it is that Paul exhorteth Timothy to take heed unto himself; that so he being reformed himself, may be more fit to look to those who are committed to him. For those that were committed to his charge, he biddeth the Angel to strengthen those things that were ready to dye, ⟨p. 17⟩that is, to recover that which was almost lost, and that betime, lest it dye altogether; a note, that as yet they were not clean dead, whereby he mollifieth the speech which went before: For he had said before to the Angel of Sardis, that he was stark dead, meaning, in regard of that they would be, if they reformed not themselves betime: After, he willeth him to remember, that is, consider diligently what gifts he had received, and that he should use them well: namely, thereby he should instruct the Church, and that he repeat, for otherwise, he will come against them suddenly, as a thief in the night, at unawares, when he should be unprepared; and so his destruction should be most fearful: Yet (saith he) I have a few names (as