character, as having the Holy Ghost in all his gifts and graces, he is fufficient, and may be firmly trufted for all.

He has moreover the feven ftars, the ministers of the feven churches, and of all others he has them to give them light, direct their motion, furnish them with influence; to hold them forth to fhine, and when he fees good, to remove them out of fight. All this is included in Chrift's being faid to have the stars. He hath an intereft in them, a concern about them, a dominion over them, fo as none can be faid to have befides him.

And have ministers, as stars, all their light from Chrift? It is hence plain, they are to fhine for him, and direct fouls to him. If any of the stars are excellent and useful, it is all owing to the Sun of righteousness, and the glory is entirely to be given to him. One ftar may differ from another in glory; but it is all of it derived from this fun; and minifters are to divert their eyes from themselves, and give the glory of it to him. How excellently is he qualified to be the head of the church, who hath both the Stars, and alfo the Spirit of God, to furnish and fit them for their office and work, by making them burning and fhining lights?

Now as he hath both the ftars and Spirit, let it be the prayer of us all to him, that the former may never be left without the latter. Minifters without the Spirit, tho' called ftars, cannot enlighten a dark mind, or melt a ftony heart, and the Spirit will ordinarily work by means. Pray therefore the Lord and head of the church, that you may not have ministers alone, but the Spirit of God with them, both in his gifts and graces. And where

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fuch are vouchfafed, remember, they are the gift of Chrift, the perfon who here speaks.

2. We have what is faid by him, fomething very awful and affecting, I know thy works, that thou haft a name that thou liveft, and art dead. He here gives us,

1. A folemn declaration of his own knowledge, with reference to the works of the church of Sardis; and he hath not only a knowledge of hers, but of those of every other church and perfon: I know thy works.

2. An inference from thence by way of charge against her, viz. That he had a name that he lived, and yet he was dead.

Accordingly we may observe,

I. That Chrift hath a perfect knowledge of

every one's works.

II. That whofoever he be that has a name to live, and yet is dead, is known to Chrift, as what he really is.

I. Chrift hath a perfect knowledge of every one's works. Every one of us is to hear Christ now fpeaking this, as if it were to himself, I know thy works.

Here we are to confider,

I. In what extent we are to understand the works, which Chrift is faid to know; and,

2. In what manner he knows them.

I. In what extent we are to understand the works, which Chrift is faid to know. Works here, are not to be taken as diftinguished from words and thoughts, but in the largest fenfe, as including both, even all that we think, speak and do; the motions of the heart within, that may

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go

go no farther, as well as what, in purfuit of these, is reduced to act. Works good and bad, in this extent are known to Chrift, Prov. v. 21. For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings. Prov. xv. 3. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. All things are naked, and opened to the eyes of him with whom we have to do, Heb. iv. 13. His knowledge takes in whatever relates to our hearts, or courfe, the inward, or the outward man. The Pfalmift mentions not only deeds and words, as open to God, but thoughts; yea, the moft fecret motions and imaginations of the heart. Pfalm cxxxix. 1---4. O Lord, thou haft fearched me, and known me. Thou knowest my down-fitting and mine up-rifing: thou underflandeft my thoughts afar off, i. e. before they are known by ourfelves, or long after we have forgotten them. Thou compaffeft my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but lo, O Lord, thou knoweft it altogether. We may fee the like from other places as Job xxxi. 4. Doth he not fee my ways, and count all my steps? And that others may not think themselves paffed over, it is faid Job xxxiv. 21, 22. For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he feeth all his goings. There is no darkness, nor fhadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themfelves.

Men are apt to imagine, their thoughts are free, and that what is confined to their own breafts, must be undiscovered: but the Lord fearcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts, 1 Chron, xxviii. 9. Ee 3

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Mens

Mens works and words are many, but their thoughts are more. How many thousands of thefe fpring up in the foul in a day? But none of these escape God's notice, Ifaiah lxvi. 28. For I know their works and their thoughts. Thoughts are as words to God, and words as actions; and the one as well known to him, as the other.

And this is exprefly afferted of Chrift, John ii. 23--25. He being at Jerufalem at the paffover, mny, it is faid, believed in his name, i. e. profef fed to do fo, when they faw the miracles which be did. But Jefus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man; for he knew what was in man. He knows mens natures and difpofitions, their qualities and affections, their purposes and designs, their motives, aims and ends, and fo the state and condition of their fouls; whether converted or carnal, fincere or unfound, fuch as belong to him, obey and love him in reality, or but in pre

tence.

He told Judas of his fecret purpose to betray him, the woman of Samaria of her fecret adultery, Nathaniel of his integrity, faying, Behold an Ifraelite indeed, in whom is no guile; and here, the church of Sardis of her hypocrify: I know thy works, i. e. and know them to be otherwise than they appear to be to the world.

of

This brings us to confider,

2. In what manner Christ knows mens works. (1.) The knowledge Chrift has of the works men, is moft clear. He does not take up with appearances, but fees through every disguise, and takes things as they really are. Men may by art

and

and colour hide themselves from the eyes of men, and be taken for others than they are; but there is no screen from the eye of Chrift. He is reprefented as having eyes as a flame of fire, Rev. i. 14. to pierce thro' every veil, as the beams of the fun through the most transparent glass. He judges not according to appearance, but righteous judgment, or judgment according to truth. Hence, he often charges the pharifees with hypocrify, notwithstanding the reputation they had of more than ordinary holiness, and compareth them to whited fepulchres, which had a fair outfide, but within were full of dead mens bones and all uncleannefs.

(2.) The knowledge Chrift hath of the works of men, is immediate, not by report from others, but from his own all-penetrating light and inspection. If we fee things moft exactly, it is by the light of the fun; but the Son of righteousness, as God, feeth every thing by his own light, and borrows light from no other, for his information. When on earth in his humble state, he knew all men, and needed not a teftimony from any other, in order to it; for he knew what was in man: and you are not to have lower thoughts of him in his exalted state. He directly knows every man's works.

(3.) The knowledge Chrift hath of the works of men, is perfect and full. Perfect as to their number; none of them escape his notice or regard: perfect as to their nature and circumftances, and as to the fprings and aims of those that do them. There are two things in men that are fecret to one another, viz. the principles from which they act, and the ends at which they aim. These are like

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