verfe, was, that they were generally dead, tho' they had a name to live; but, as if he had faid, Tho' the generality of this church be dead, yet even there I have a few lively and tender Chriftians. But then 3. Notice the ground on which the commendation runs, they have kept their garments clean, or have not defiled their garments. Perhaps there may be an allufion in this expreffion unto the Jews, who were not to come near any thing that was unclean, by the law of Mofes, or to touch them with their garments, left they should be defiled; or it may allude unto the practice of the eastern countries, who used to gird up their long garments, to keep them from being defiled, or fpotted: The meaning is, that this little remnant in Sardis had maintained their integrity, like Job, they were perfect and upright men, men that feared God and efchewed evil; they had not complied with the abounding errors and corruptions of their day, but exercifed themselves to keep confciences void of offence towards God and man: When others were fleeping, they were awake about their work; when others in that church were dead and fecure, they were lively. So much for the commendation given by Chrift unto this remnant. Secondly, In the words we have a reward, or rather we may call it a confolatory promife, made unto this little remnant, they fhall walk with me in white. Perhaps the expreffion may allude unto the practice of the Romans, who clothed their nobility at any folemnity in white; or to their conquerors, who triumphed upon any victory obtained in white garments; or to the priests under the law, that miniftred in the temple in white garments; they shall walk with me in white, that is, they fhall be admitted to the imB 2 mediate

reafon and ground of this, for they are worthy. First, I fay, we have the commendation itself, where we may notice the commender, the commended, and the ground on which the commendation runs. 1. The commender, who he is may be gathered from the connection: It is he that hath the feven fpirits of God, and the seven stars, v. 1. It is Chrift himself; and his commendation may be depended upon; for he trieth the heart and reins, and needs not that any fhould teftify of man unto him, because he knows what is in man. 2. The party commended; who are described, (1.) From their defignation, they are called names, God had given them a new name, a name better than of fons and daughters, even a name among the living in Jerufalem; they were marked among the rolls of his chofen, redeemed and fanctified ones; by their zeal, uprightnefs, integrity, and their honeft appearance for God, in that degenerate day and place, they had distinguished themselves from others, and fo purchased a name to themselves, and they were known to men as well as unto God: The Lord knoweth the righteous, and he knows them by name, they are marked out from among others. (2.) They are defcribed by their paucity, they are a few names; they were comparatively few, when laid in the balance with the multitude and bulk of carnal fecure profeffors in this church; there was but a fmall part of them, that had kept themselves free of the corruptions and defections of that church, and that had not bowed the knee unto Baal. (3.) They are described from the place of their refidence, Sardis, one of the feven churches of the Leffer Afia. The expreffion here is obfervable, a few names even in Sardis. Chrift's character of this church, in the clofe of the first

verfe, was, that they were generally dead, tho' they had a name to live; but, as if he had faid, Tho' the generality of this church be dead, yet even there I have a few lively and tender Chriftians. But then 3. Notice the ground on which the commendation runs, they have kept their garments clean, or have not defiled their garments. Perhaps there may be an allufion in this expreffion unto the Jews, who were not to come near any thing that was unclean, by the law of Mofes, or to touch them with their garments, left they should be defiled; or it may allude unto the practice of the eastern countries, who used to gird up their long garments, to keep them from being defiled, or fpotted: The meaning is, that this little remnant in Sardis had maintained their integrity, like Job, they were perfect and upright men, men that feared God and efchewed evil; they had not complied with the abounding errors and corruptions of their day, but exercifed themfelves to keep confciences void of offence towards God and man: When others were fleeping, they were awake about their work; when others in that church were dead and fecure, they were lively. So much for the commendation given by Chrift unto this remnant. Secondly, In the words we have a reward, or rather we may call it a confolatory promife, made unto this little remnant, they fhall walk with me in white. Perhaps the expreffion may allude unto the practice of the Romans, who clothed their nobility at any folemnity in white; or to their conquerors, who triumphed upon any victory obtained in white garments; or to the priests under the law, that miniftred in the temple in white garments; they fhall walk with me in white, that is, they fhall be admitted to the imB 2 mediate

mediate enjoyment of fellowship and communion with me, and be partakers of my glory in heaven through eternity. But the import of the expreffion may be more fully fpoken to afterward. Thirdly, In the words, we have the reafon and ground, why the Lord puts fuch a difference between his remnant and others, for they are worthy; that is, valuable and excellent perfons, as Solomon fpeaks, the righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: Not as if they had any worthiness or excellency in themselves beyond others by nature: No, no; they are children of wrath and condemnation even as others; but they are made worthy by juftifying and fanctifying grace, by imputed righteoufnefs and inherent holinefs. Some render the word, for they are meet; fo the word is render'd Matt. iii. 8. Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: So here the Lord promises, that they who keep their garments clean, should walk with him in white; why? because it is meet or fuitable it should be fo, that they who are holy here, fhould be happy hereafter.

DOCT. That, altho' there be but few in a vifible church, that keep their garments clean in a declining time, yet thefe few are highly valued by Chrift, and fhall be admitted to partake of his glory in heaven.

This doctrine I take to be the Scope of the verfe, thou hast a few names, &c. In difcourfing this point, I fhall endeavour, through divine affiftance, to do thefe fix things, (1.) Offer a few propofitions concerning this little remnant. (2.) Shew that Chrift has a high value for this remnant, they are worthy in his esteem. (3.) What is imported in their keeping their garments clean. (4.) What it is to walk with Chrift in white. (5.) Enquire into the connection between the duty and privilege. (6.) Apply the whole. The

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The first thing is to offer a few propofitions concerning this remnant, who are faid to keep their garments clean. And, first, That God the Father gave a remnant unto Chrift of the posterity of Adam, in the covenant of redemption, to be ransomed and redeemed by him from that woe and wrath, into which Adam by his apoftacy had involved himfelf and all his pofterity. That fuch a remnant was gifted unto Chrift by the Father, is plain from John xvii. where Chrift in his Prayer frequently fpeaks of thofe that the Father gave him, particularly verfe 6. Thine they were, and thou gavest them me, and they have kept thy word. He promised to him, for his encouragement in that great undertaking, that he fhould have a feed to ferve him, and fee of the travail of his foul. Second, The Lord Jefus, the eternal Son of God, in the fulness of time, took on the nature of man, and in our nature obeyed the law, and died in the room and stead of this remnant which the Father gave him; He did not obey the law, and fatisfy juftice for the whole world, or for all men, as Arminians talk; no, but he died for a felect number: Hence he is faid to lay down his life for his sheep, and not for the goats. And, as his death, fo his interceffion is confined unto this remnant, as it is plain from John xvii. 9. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou haft given me, for they are thine. Third, This redeemed remnant are, in God's own time, fooner or later, under the miniftry of gofpelordinances, determined by the power and efficacy of divine grace, to clofe with Chrift upon the call of the gospel, and to go in to the bleffed contrivance of falvation and redemption through him: He tranflates them, in a day of his power, out of darknes B 3

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