to drovfie SA iNTS. 3 two Royalties,the firlf is,in having of the feven Spirits of God, Thefe things faith he that bath the feven Spirits of God, that is, that bath power to fend the Holy Ghoft un- to all the Eled : for fo the Holy Ghoft is called the feven Spirits that are before the Throne, Rev. a.4 He meanes there the Holy Ghoft, not as though there were feven Holy Ghohs, but he is exprefled in the plurall number in regard of the abundance of graces that he infufes into his Churches;and the number leven is rather taken then any other number,pattly becaufe this number is put for a per - fed number, as implying the perfection of his influence, and partly becaufe of the, prefent bufïnelre in hand, for here he writes to the feven Churches of 21fsa. Now the Lord Jefus Quilt bath Spirit enough to fend forth into them all. 1 his is his firff Royalty, that he hath the feven Spirits of God. Another Royalty of his is,that he bath the feven Starres, that is, the !even Paftors of thefe Chur- ches; Chriff hath them all in his hand, it is he that pre - ferves thofeMinihers that are faithfull;be hash power to raife them up, to gift them, to protect them, to defend them;and they are called Starres,becaufe they are to Thine in the firmament of the Church. Thirdly, for the fubiance and matter of the Epiftle, it containeth three parts. irft, a Reproofe, and the reproofe is in thefe words, I know thy works;that is,I know them all,and they are hark naught for the moft part,what ever they feem ; they may fecal to be very good,but I tell you plainly, I know them all what they be,g.d.generally they are hark naught; and then he inftances in particular, as for example, thy dead neffe of heart in Religion, Thou haft a name to live, but thou art dead;that is,thou goeft for an excellent Miniffer, and an excellent Church, ye doe profefle Religion very fairly,and in a goodlymanner,that to fee to thou art alive, and thou art taken to too of all thy Neighbour-Churches, they allt-hiuke and hope thou art alive ; but the truth is, thou art dead,the grace of life is hardly in thee at a11.This is the fir(t,the Reproof. B 2 Then
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=