Revelation 3

Caesar after his victories, in token of honor had a chair of ivory set for him in the Senate, and a throne in the theater; the Saints having obtained their victories over sin and Satan, shall be enthroned with Christ in the Empyrean Heaven. To sit with Christ, denotes safety, to…

A man can no more by the power of nature reach Christ, than an infant can reach the top of the pyramids, or the ostrich fly up to the stars. See your need of Christ's anointing and teaching (Revelation 3:18). 2. Go to Christ to teach you (Psalms 25:5): Lead me in your truth, and…

As here he puts his grace upon the saints, so shortly he will put his glory upon them. This is comfort to the poorest Christian, perhaps you have scarce a house to put your head in, yet you may look up to heaven and say, There is my house, there is my country; and I have already…

2. Comfort to the godly in regard of their salvation (2 Timothy 2:19). The foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, the Lord knows who are his: God's counsel of election is unchangeable: once elected and for ever elected (Revelation 3:5). I will not blot his name out of…

Perhaps once we were mounted into higher orbs, we did [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], set our hearts on things above, and speak the language of Canaan, but now our minds are taken off of Heaven, we dig our comfort out of these lower mines, and with Satan compass the earth: a sign w…

Thus God adopts us into the family of heaven; and God in adopting us does two things: 1. He ennobles us with his name; he who is adopted bears his name who adopts him (Revelation 3:12): I will write on him the name of my God. 2. God consecrates us with his Spirit: Whom he adopts…

3. I grant, true believers, though they do not fall away actually and lose all their grace, yet their grace may fail in the degree, and they may make a great breach upon their sanctification. Grace may be moritura, not mortua — dying but not dead (Revelation 3:2): Strengthen the…

God will make his sword drunk with the blood of apostates. 4. The promises of mercy are annexed only to perseverance (Revelation 3:5). He that overcomes, shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life.

The covenant of grace brings preferment. Our nature is now more ennobled, we are raised to higher glory than in innocency, we are advanced to sit upon Christ's throne (Revelation 3:21), we are by virtue of the covenant of grace nearer to Christ than the angels. They are his frie…

It was good advice Calvin gave to Melancthon, that he should not so affect the name of moderate, as to lose all his zeal. To be cool and silent, when God's blessed truths are undermined or adulterated, is not moderation, but lukewarmness, which is to God a most hateful temper (R…

Resp. They have greater honor than is conferred on the princes of the earth; They are precious in God's esteem; (Isaiah 43:4) Since you were precious in my eyes, you have been honorable; the wicked are dross (Psalm 119:119), and chaff (Psalm 1:4), but God numbers his children am…

These are lamps without oil, whited sepulchers, like the Egyptian temples, which had fair outsides, but within spiders and apes. The Apostle speaks of true holiness (Ephesians 4:24), implying, there is a holiness which is spurious and feigned (Revelation 3:1). You have a name to…

In serving your masters you serve Christ, and he will not let you lose your labor, you shall receive the reward of the inheritance. From serving on earth, you shall be taken up to reign in heaven, and shall sit with Christ upon his throne (Revelation 3:21).

They are conquerors over the world, and being victors they now have palm branches. 3. They sit upon the throne with Christ (Revelation 3:21). When Caesar returned from conquering his enemies, there was set for him a chair of state in the senate, and a throne in the theatre.

As the herb Heliotropium turns about according to the motion of the sun; so a godly man's actions do all move towards the glory of God. 11. If we would obtain the heavenly Kingdom, let us keep up fervency in duty, What is a dead form without the power (Revelation 3:16)? Because…

Hypocrites soon give over doing God's Will; like the chrysolite which is of a golden color, in the morning it is very bright to look on, but towards evening it grows dull, and has lost its splendor: We should continue in doing God's Will, because of that great loss that will bef…

Is there any such joy as to have the golden banner of Christ's love displayed over us? Is there any such honor as to sit upon the throne with Christ (Revelation 3:21)? O then long for the celestial kingdom.

Hence, justification in reference to this, is the denial of any such obligation, or the judge's freeing of the person under trial, from the law, a delivering him out of its hands, a removal of condemnation from him, so (Romans 8:1): There is therefore no more condemnation to tho…

In the celebration of Gospel ordinances, God in Christ proposes himself in an intimate manner to the believing soul, as his God, and reward; and his love in Christ, in an especial manner in some ordinances. So does Christ also exhibit himself thereunto (Revelation 3:20): "Behold…

First, The inward principle of our obedience, our faith and love which are to be preserved from decay (Revelation 2:4, 5). I have somewhat against you, because you have left your first love; remember therefore from where you are fallen, and repent, and do your first works (Revel…

And not only so, but delivers them up to Satan — that being the consequence of it, which therefore, because it implies the former, is put to express the whole proceeding. Which delivery of him to Satan was not a giving him a commission to carry him on to more sin, for the end pr…

It pleased Lombard also to interpret this place: How often would I have gathered your children, and you would not? thus: So many as I have gathered together, I did it by my effectual will, you being unwilling. Object. III. Revelation 3:20. I stand at the door and knock, if any s…

But if they be meek, and gentle, peaceable, and willing to be instructed, inquiring after truth, it being discovered by the true Spouse (whom God has enlightened to direct them,) we contemne not those daughters; but rejoice in their fellowship, tender them as lambs of Christ, th…

When this is generally the frame of the mind, when it has such an unreadiness to holy duties as that it either neglects them, or is cold and formal in the performance of them. This was the temper of Laodicea (Revelation 3:15). She did enough outwardly to satisfy herself; but in…

(Hebrews 6:1) We read of dead works: and indeed all a man's works are such, until he come to a true faith in Christ; his most affectionate prayers, yes, his highest reformations are but dead works; though a person afflict (not his body only, but) his very soul; yet God will take…

This is certainly one part of a Christian's work, and his warfare is within his own heart, with the pride, hardness, unbrokenness, and other distempers thereof. Some professors indeed find no hard work with their own hearts, they think they have all things, and have need of noth…

Comfort without Christ, is but like a shadow without substance, or worse. Many there be that catch at, and take hold of Promises, that do miss of Christ, and hence have nothing, when they think they have all things (Revelation 3:17). Among the rest that might be named, I shall m…

Ans. It is one thing what a man may do, and yet be an unregenerate person really and in the sight of God, who knoweth the heart; and another thing to be visibly so in the view of men, and in their rationall judgement. For it is granted, that a man may be and do outwardly and vis…

And this teaches us to lay aside all self-love and pride of heart, and to practice the duties of humility, as the apostle exhorts the Philippians in the same place: and that shall we do when we begin to cast off that high opinion which every man by nature conceives of himself, a…

True piety sheds an excellency upon a person, as the sun imparts a luster to the stars. The righteous man has God's name written upon him (Revelation 3:12) and partakes of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). Which is not by a transubstantiation into the Divine Essence, but by a tra…

I say [truly righteous] to exclude the hypocrite, who has a form, and slight tincture of piety, but knows not the grace of God in truth (Colossians 1:6). He has nothing of religion but the name (Revelation 3:1), and religion often suffers by him: But he who is really righteous,…

He made it after his image, he redeemed it with Christ's blood, &c. Well then, God that made such a body, such a soul, deserveth love; He that made the Soul, has most right to dwell in it; 'tis a curious house of his own framing: But he will not enter by force and violence, but…

Objection 5. Christ says (Revelation 3:4) that the faithful in the Church of Sardis shall walk with him in white: for they are worthy: therefore believers merit. Answer: Every believer is worthy to walk with Christ: yet not worthy in himself, but in Christ, to whom he is united,…

For all this may be, and probably is, the fruit of his love and care for your soul. Revelation 3:19: Whom I love, I rebuke and chasten. How much better is it to have an idolized enjoyment taken from you in mercy, than if God should say concerning you, as he said of Ephraim in Ho…

There are two sorts of men to whom this trial does belong. The first are those, who have a name they live and yet are dead, like the Church of Sardis (Revelation 3:1). The second to whom this belongs, are those who are dead indeed.

That which is attributed to this Church, is, that it was once a most pure, excellent, flourishing, and mother-Church; all, it seems, in the superlative degree. I will not contend about the purity, excellency, or flourishing of that Church; the boasting of the superlativeness of…

This passage certain people adduce in vain to prove that the Jews were accustomed to make use of the rite of baptism, when the philosopher is most plainly speaking of Christians. Even in (Revelation 3:9), by "Jews" the Holy Spirit Himself understands none other than Christians.…

Here is forbidden the contrary, as no feeling (Ephesians 4:17; Zephaniah 1:12). In zeal forbidden, want of true zeal (Revelation 3:15). Zeal for evil (Matthew 10:21).

Thus the gospel calls not to an empty house that wants meat, but to a banqueting house where Christ is made ready as the cheer, and there wants no more but feasting on Him: so it's set out under the similitude of eating and drinking (John 6:57), He that eats me, even he shall li…

An eighth expression is that of opening to Christ, (Song of Solomon 5:2) Open to me my dove, etc. (Revelation 3:20) Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man open the door to me, etc. (Acts 16) it's said, the Lord opened the heart of Lydia: when the Word comes, sinners' h…

For we have not only the Mediator, and His satisfaction to look upon in this soul-travel, but also the contrivance of the Covenant, called in the former words, the pleasure of the Lord; who, while we were enemies gave His Son, and was content to want Him for a time (to speak so)…

3. It implies the Mediator's fitness for this service, that He is furnished, fitted, and qualified for, as well as taken up with, the justifying of sinners, and setting them free before the throne of God. He has a full purse (to speak so) to pay their debt; therefore He bids sin…

And though the godly do steadfastly believe their salvation is in a castle, above losing; yet in reason, sin bringing broken bones, (Psalm 51:10), a sad cloud, the damming up of a spring of Christ's love spread abroad in the heart, a temporary hell in the soul, it must be sorrow…

2. And those who will not be invited, he must draw them, rather than want them: he draws with compassion, as being overcome with love; for his bowels are moved for Ephraim (Jeremiah 31), he draws while his arms bleed. 3. And does not only knock, but he stands and knocks (Revelat…

Verse 3: Incline your ear to me, and hear, and your soul shall live, and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Then a soul dies a soul's death — he is lean, he eats dirt, he has no bread — while he comes to Christ (Revelation 3:18): I coun…

5. How long he seeks; how long a night-rain wet his locks and hair! How long a night is it, he stands at the church door knocking? (Song of Songs 5:1; Revelation 3:20). There be many hours in this night; since he was preached in Paradise, and yet he stands to this day, how gladl…

Christ with a great condescension took upon him the office of his Father's Ambassador to the Church, to promote the Covenant of Reconciliation between God and man, and make offers of it in preaching the Gospel, and he it is that does by his Spirit persuade the elect, and does ma…

(Psalm 32:6) Hence says David, verse 7. You are my hiding place, you shall preserve me from trouble: Some way or other God will attest and testify the integrity of his praying servants before the world: Thus he dealt in the case of Job: God's children may be long concealed from…

For it is a manifest beguiling when a man persuades himself that he is somewhat, when in deed he is nothing. Such men are well described in the third chapter of Revelation in these words: You say: I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, and do not know how…

Christ was even consumed with the zeal of God's house (John 2). The angel of the Church of Laodicea is blamed, because he is neither hot, nor cold (Revelation 3). He is accursed of God, that does the work of God negligently (Jeremiah 48).