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A09442 Lectures vpon the three first chapters of the Reuelation: preached in Cambridge anno Dom. 1595. by Master William Perkins, and now published for the benefite of this Church, by Robert Hill Bachelor in Diuinitie. To which is added an excellent sermon, penned at the request of that noble and wise councellor, Ambrose, Earle of Warwicke: in which is proued that Rome is Babylon, and that Babylon is fallen Perkins, William, 1558-1602.; Hill, Robert, d. 1623. 1604 (1604) STC 19731; ESTC S114472 318,460 389

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euer in respect of his manhood for after he ascended into heauen there he liueth in glorie with the Father and holy Ghost because in the manhood of Christ dwelleth the power of the Godhead bodily Colos. 2. The second thing is why he liueth for euer namely that he might giue eternall life to his Church and all his true members God giueth vs eternall life by his Sonne 1. Ioh. 5. 11. and this is the ground of all ioy this that Christ liueth to giue vs eternall life is the foundation of the Church and the ground of our happinesse We must then consider of Christ as a roote he liueth not for himselfe as a roote doth not liue for it selfe but to giue life to all the branches and true members of the Church And we must consider of the manhood of Christ as a common treasurie or storehouse of eternall happinesse therefore Iohn 6. Christ saith My flesh is meat indeed and he which eateth his flesh and drinketh his bloud shall liue for euer shewing that his flesh and manhood hath power to giue life and quicken his true members yet not as considered in it selfe but as the same is ioyned with the Godhead and is the manhood of God and the flesh of God for it hath all this power from God The meanes whereby he giueth eternall life is the mysticall coniunction betweene him his members First God the father giueth Christ to the Church and euery true member of the same as he hath promised to giue him Now he giueth him as he is Mediator of the Church euen whole Christ yet the Godhead of Christ is not giuen of the Father but onely by the operation thereof in the manhood whereby the manhood is made able to satisfie Gods iustice but the manhood of Christ that is really giuen his very substance his flesh and bloud is really giuen to euery beleeuer and the benefits of the manhood also are truly giuen vs as righteousnesse and life eternall as really as lands or goods are giuen to men Now to whom Christ is giuen with him God giueth the Spirit of Christ for Christ and his Spirit come together and this Spirit createth in the heart of a man the instrument of faith by which Christ giuen of God is receiued of vs and we by faith apprehend his bodie and bloud and the merits thereof And we receiue not Christ in imagination or in our braine but euen as God the Father giueth him in the word and Sacraments really and truly And as the spirit of Christ createth in vs faith so it knitteth vs also to Christ our head really though mystically now from this mysticall coniunction betweene Christ the head and vs the members proceedeth eternall life thus First he which is ioyned and knit to Christ in this life and receiueth him he beginneth by this coniunction to liue an eternall life in dying to all his sins and to liue to God to liue as Christ liueth a spirituall life And this I may call the first benefit of our spiritual vnion with Christ. Secondly man thus vnited shall rise to glorie in his bodie And so the second fruite of this mysticall coniunction with Christ is the resurrection of the bodie for this coniunction with Christ after it is begunne it is perpetuall it is neuer broken so that though a man lie in his graue many thousand yeares yet he is thē vnited to Christ is in the graue a mēber of Christ by vertue of this mysticall vnion he shall be raised at the last day As we see the sappe of trees in winter time is in the roote and the branches seeme to die but in the spring when the heate of the Sunne cometh then it creepeth out into the branches and they bud and bring foorth fruite so man hath his winter time in the graue but in the last day because he is ioyned to Christ the roote he shall haue his Sommer and be raised by the power of this mysticall vnion Thirdly man so vnited shall liue euer therefore the third benefite is eternall life and happinesse By this mysticall vnion we shall haue eternall felicitie and euerlasting life in heauen there we must possesse it but it cometh from this mysticall vnion with Christ our head In this life it is begun and is neuer broken in regard of the roote and ground therof but lasteth for euer and by it Christ conueyeth eternall life to vs. In these words Behold I liue for euer Amen is the ground of two maine articles of our beleefe namely of the rising of the bodie and of life euerlasting for Christ he liueth for euer to giue life to vs for euer and this is the ground of our ioy as to Iob I know my Redeemer liueth c. Now doth Christ liue to giue vs life in heauen then we must haue our conuersation in heauen for where Christ is there should be our conuersation because he is the foundation and ground of eternall life to vs. Now that our conuersation may be in heauen we must often and seriously consider of this eternall life purchased to vs by Christ and for this cause he saith Behold I liue and withall as we must consider of it we must haue our affections set on him our ioy reioycing and affiance because Christ liueth that he might keep eternall life for vs. We vse to haue most care to preserue that part wherein life is preserued so seeing Christ is the foundation of our life and the author of it we should haue most care of him Now followeth the third part of the distinction though I was dead yet I haue the keyes of hell and death In these words we must not imagine hell to be a bodily place kept with locke and key as our houses be Nay it cannot be proued out of the Scriptures that it is a bodily place or the punishment of hell in regard of our soule and conscience is bodily seeing it is the sense feeling of Gods wrath and vengeance in bodie and soule therfore it is rather spirituall But Christ here borroweth a comparison from earthly stewards who when they haue any thing committed to them and haue the keyes put into their hands this sheweth they haue power and authority of al. So Christ hath the keyes of hell and death that is power ouer hell and death and dominion of them both As if he had said Though I once was dead in the graue yet now I haue power and dominion ouer hell and death and haue vanquished them both Seeing Christ alone hath power ouer hell and death no creature else properly hath authoritie to forgiue sinne but onely Christ for he which can forgiue sinne must haue power ouer hell and death but he can take away death the punishment of sin and hell the reward of it ergo he alone can forgiue sin Then we see the Priesthood of the church of Rome is full of blasphemie who hold that man called thereunto can properly forgiue sinne
of death and desperation If a man be assured of Gods presence aide and helpe he needeth not to feare So Moses being affraid to go before the people the Lord to cōfort him Exod. 3. telleth him he will be with him and Dauid considering God protected him saith Psalm 23. He would not feare though he were in the shadow of death Then it is our dutie to labour to haue the assurance of Gods protection and assistance which will stay vs against all immoderate feare of death Now after this he addeth reasons to confirme his owne words to Iohn when his word might haue serued alone The first reason is in the end of the 17. verse I am the first and the last He is the first because nothing was or can be before him and the last because nothing is or can be after Christ. And he addeth these two phrases to shew his Godhead and eternitie and that Christ alone hath in his hands the beginning and end of all things all things haue their beginnings of him he of nothing but he giueth the beginning to all things and he alone putteth the end to all things Now seeing he hath power to giue beginning and end therefore he can preserue his seruants from death he can keepe them from condemnation And he hauing power to begin and end all things can giue and begin his promises can end and accomplish the same at his pleasure And am aliue or he that liueth but was dead In these words is the second reason which Christ alleageth to proue his former words and to make Iohn not to feare death too much The reason consisteth in a distinction thus Although I was dead yet now I am he which liueth I haue power of death of hell c. This distinction hath three parts first though I was dead yet now I liue secondly I liue for euer thirdly I haue power of death and the keyes of hell c. And I am he which liueth Here life is ascribed to Christ in a speciall maner that is he liueth not as all other creatures liue but in a more peculiar maner of liuing Christ vseth this phrase I am he that liueth first to shew he hath life in himselfe secondly that he giueth life to others First he hath sufficient life in of and from himselfe which appeareth thus life is two-fold vncreated or created vncreated as the life of God which is infinite eternall in and of it selfe sufficient Now Christ as he is God he liueth by this vncreated life which is all one with his Godhead Secondly there is a created life which is twofold first naturall preserued by meate and drinke secondly spirituall which is by immediate fellowship with God when we liue by the immediate operation of Gods spirit not by meat and drinke And Christ he liueth this spirituall life so that he liueth first by an vncreated life as he is God secondly he liueth a spirituall life his bodie and soule being sustained in the second person of the Trinitie therefore he hath in himselfe most absolute and perfect life And he giueth life to others two wayes first as he is God and so he giueth life to all men good and bad he is the author life in all things which liue In him we liue moue and haue our being he giueth life and he preserueth the same Secondly he giueth spirituall life to his Church and children as he is redeemer of mankind he liueth that we might liue by him Ioh. 14. 19. and as he died not for himselfe alone so he liueth not for himselfe alone but for vs that we by him might haue spirituall life as appeareth Colos. 3. Our life is hid with God in Christ. And for this cause thogh Christ be in heauen yet we eate his bodie and drinke his bloud really in a spirituall maner and they be the spirituall nourishment of our soules We liue by the spirituall life of Christ and that for these two causes first because he hath sufficient life in himselfe and secondly because he giueth life to others therefore he saith I am he which liueth Seeing Christ giueth this spirituall life we must seeke it at him and labour that we may say that we liue not but Christ in vs and that our life is hid in Christ for Christ he liueth spiritually that he might bring spirituall life to vs then we must labour to haue this We can be content to seeke farre and neare to take exceeding paines to get gaine to maintaine this our momentanie earthly life which is but as grasse yea as a fleeting shadow and as a span and shall we not be much more carefull to get spirituall life which lasteth for euer But the practise of men is cleane contrarie not one of a thousand laboureth for spirituall life but all are bewitched with the ouer greedie desire of things of this life c. The reason of this is because mens hearts are not touched with the burthen of sinne and the curse of God on vs for sinne and therefore it is that no man seeketh to be deliuered from sinne to haue this spirituall life with Christ our head This we may see in that woman Iohn 4. Christ telleth her he is the bread of life she beginneth to cauill with him but when he toucheth her speciall sinne then she hearkeneth to him so if the Ministers tel the people of matters of saluation vnlesse they first cast them downe make them see their sins they will but quarrell and cauill at it and the doctrine of the Gospell Christ is the water nay the well of life now we must be thirstie and parched with thirst and then we will seeke for water and we must not onely lightly tast but seeke to be dipped and diued in this fountaine to haue our soules sowsed and soaked in this water and if we could know that Christ liued in vs and we in him by spirituall life it would be a present remedy against all persecutions And behold I liue for euer Amen Here followeth the second part of the distinction namely Though I was dead yet now I liue for euer which second part of the distinction is propounded with two notes the first of certaintie Amen to assure vs that that which Christ auoucheth before of himselfe is vnfalliblie true the second note is of attention Behold This serueth to stir vp attention in Iohn and in vs to a serious and due consideration of that part of the distinction I liue for euer therfore Christ saith Behold Behold I liue Here note two things first in regard of what nature Christ liueth for euer 2. to what end He liueth for euer as he is the Mediator of the church ergo in regard of both natures as he is God man In regard of his Godhead he liueth for euer by the vncreated or essentiall life of God which is all one with his Godhead which is for euer of it selfe not by any other Secondly he liueth for
creature no not for the Angels which fell as well as man The third degree which is most principall is that whereby he loues his elect and chosen children which is that loue whereby he accepts of them to life euerlasting This third degree hath two parts for it is taken first for the purpose of his decree to loue secondly for the action or declaration of his loue For the first as I haue loued Iacob and hated Esau that is I haue purposed to loue the one and hate the other Secondly for the declaration of his purpose to loue Thirdly for the action and for the declaration of his loue and speciall fauor in speciall benefits 1. Ioh. 3. 1. Behold what singular loue God hath shewed on vs nothing the declaration of his purpose to loue vs in giuing his son for vs. So in this verse is meant Gods special loue or the declaration of his purpose to loue vs in speciall benefits Now whereas S. Iohn placeth this in the first place of all the benefites of Christ That he loued vs he would teach vs that this loue is the very ground of mans redemption the very cause of Gods liking and fauor to man Then there is no foreseene faith away with foreseene workes for he loued vs first and that alone is the cause and ground of our election and saluation But it may be obiected The loue of God as also of man respects the goodnesse of things loued so we loue a thing because it is good and when it is euill we hate it There is great difference betweene the loue of the creature and the Creator The creature loues the thing because he seeth it is good but God the Creator he first loues the creature and hence it comes that it is good because he loues it 2. Whereas S. Iohn and all the Churches of Asia as other true Churches do beleeue and are assured that Christ loues them for that S. Iohn taketh for graunted this should moue all men to haue this care to labour aboue all things to be rooted and grounded in loue seeing he places that in the first place This we do when we are assured in heart and conscience by the working of Gods spirit that he loues vs in Christ so that he which takes away the assurance of Gods loue to vs in Christ takes away the very ground of our saluation Now that we may haue this loue of God we must in all our duties to God and man draw neare to God keeping a good conscience before God all men and so if we loue God he wil come to vs stay and dwell in vs. And if we would haue his loue to be plentifully shed in our hearts then we must draw neare to him by loue and he will draw neare to vs for he louing vs first if we increase in that loue to him then will he double his loue to vs. And washed vs from our sinnes in his blood Here is the second benefit and action of Christ to his Church which is first the remission of sinnes secondly the mortification of sinnes Washed Here he sheweth that the sinnes of men are as filthy spots in their soules and after he confesseth the vile estate of the Church and euery member thereof in that he saith they were so washed For washing presupposeth filthinesse before and a corrupted estate and so should we by their example learne to consider our owne estate how that our soules and bodies be spotted and defiled with sins originall and actuall So did Dauid Psal. 51. most sensibly and excellently feele his owne wants and see his miserable estate when he desired the Lord to wash him thorowly confessing thereby his soule and body was foule stained and polluted with sinne and addes thoroughly not once and so inough bnt wash me againe and againe thoroughly till I be cleane and cleanse me rince bathe swill me in the blood of Christ to be purged and cleansed from all my sinnes In which words he sheweth his exceeding feeling of his own miseries how fouly he was defiled so should we labour to see how the spots of sinne are deeply stucke in our soules they be fast set so that one washing will not serue but we must be rinced bathed and cleansed by the blood of Christ for it is not the hand of any man or Angell which can wash away these spots nor any thing they can giue vs but onely Christ Iesus whose finger alone dipped in his owne blood can wash away our spots of sinne The consideration whereof should make vs consider our wretched estate and often to repent vs of our sins to take heed of sin which staines vs so We must labour to haue our hearts purged and cleansed by the blood of Christ and till we haue them so purged neither our faith obedience loue or any thing we do is acceptable to God The first part of this benefit of Christ containes the remission of our sinnes the taking away of the punishment and the guilt due to them the second part is the mortification of sin Which hath washed vs from all c. He addeth these words to shew that if any beleeue truly he hath pardon of all his sinnes without any restraint or limitation of these or those sinnes By his blood How can blood wash away filthinesse nay it rather defiles a man Answ. This washing stands not in the substance of the blood but in the merit thereof for the blood of Christ shed is lost and God knowes what is become of it whatsoeuer the Papists say but the merite of it washeth away sinnes Obiect But why doth Christs blood rather then any other mans blood as Peter Iohn c Answ. Because that blood was the blood of God not of the Godhead but of him who was both God and man for these two natures being vnited together make but one person and so it may be called the blood of God as Paul saith God redeemed vs by his blood that is Christ God and man God-man or God incarnate and so it being the blood of God is more meritorious then the blood of any creature whatsoeuer Besides I answer Christ was appointed by God to be a publike person to be suretie for all mankind but no man can be so to be in the roome of the whole company of mākind Then damnable is the doctrine of the Papists who hold the blood of Martyrs can merit for other for seeing they be but priuate men they cannot profit any other By blood we must vnderstand the passion of Christ being a part for the whole and withall we must remember his fulfilling of the law for in his suffering he fulfilled the whole law and in fulfilling the law he suffered and these two cannot be seuered so that this containes the whole obedience of Christ partly in suffering partly in fulfilling the law S. Iohn addeth these words and sets downe these two blessings to draw men to loue and like
sinnes for in this Chapter we find that certaine men in this Church were giuen to fornication and idolatrie close and hidden sinnes Now here he is said to haue fierie eyes to shew them he seeth these secret sinnes he knoweth their hearts much more their sinfull workes and will punish them Then by this we haue a good remedie against all secret sins The nature of man is for shame and feare of punishment to abstaine from outward crimes but being out of the companie of men he will breake the commandement of the first and second Table without any care or conscience and this euery mans conscience can best testifie that though he can abstaine from outward sinnes for shame and punishment yet he will cōmit secret sinnes But these men should remember that though they be out of the presence of men yet they stand in the presence of Christ he seeth them his fierie eye pierceth to their inward thoughts and affections and though they may bleare the eyes of men yet they cannot bleare this fierie eye of Christ. If euery man would remember this the fornicator blasphemer or any sinner it would be a good meanes to bridle and stay thē from committing sinnes both open and hidden And his feet like fine brasse He is said to haue brazen feet to shew his strength and power by which he ouercame and bruised the head of the serpent on the crosse and fully vanquished hell death and sinne by his death and also doth subdue sinne and Satan and put them vnder not onely his brazen foot but vnder the feet of his seruants and members The end why he is said to haue feet of brasse here in this Epistle is to terrifie certaine wicked persons in this Church as fornicators and idolaters nay the whole Church of Thyatira which by these wicked men were in daunger to be drawne that way This then may be a remedie for all loose liuers namely to consider of Christs brazen feet to thinke that Christ our Sauiour is in the midst of the Church walketh there and that he hath a foote of brasse to trample and tread all his enemies to powder and to destroy them The want of this is the cause why men lie in sinne and heape sinne vpon sinne without care or conscience or any feare The second part of the Epistle is the Proposition wherein is propounded the substance and matter of the Epistle It hath two parts first a praise secondly a dispraise or rebuke The commendation in the 19. verse the dispraise in the 20. verse First she is commended generally I know thy workes secondly particularly for many duties and vertues I know thy workes that is I see and allow thy workes and wayes The end why he alleadgeth and repeateth these words is to stirre vp the hearts of his seruants to consider of his presence For Christ before hath fierie eyes and here he saith I know thy workes to make this consideration to sinke more deepely and imprint it more throughly In the second part he commendeth her for many duties and vertues first loue secondly seruice thirdly patience fourthly faith and increase of godlinesse First she is commended for loue that is loue to man not to God for for that she is cōmended after in the duties to God But by loue and seruice is meant duties to man performed by man to man To know this loue better note three points first what it is secondly the property of true loue to man thirdly how it must be practised toward men Loue to man is a gift of Gods spirit whereby a man is well affected to his neighbour for Gods sake First loue is the gift of the Spirit Gal. 5. 25. Secondly it is a gift whereby a man is well affected to his neighbour that is to reioyce at his good to defend to seeke and wish his good yea to be grieued with his hurt and miserie and withall to haue bowels of compassion to helpe him in his hurt and miserie Thirdly it must be to our neighbour not by dwelling or habitation but to them which be our brethren in nature haue the same flesh with vs beare the same image of God Then all men as they be men are our neighbours though they dwell at the worlds end whether beleeuer or infidell friend or foe to these we must be wel affected Fourthly it must be for Gods sake for God must first absolutely and principally be loued and man for him so that our loue to man is a fruit of our loue to God springing and descending from it As for the propertie of our loue to man it must be feruent and that in two things first if need require euery man is bound in the compasse of his calling to lay downe his life for his brother and for his neighbour 1. Ioh. 3. 16. Secondly it must be feruent towards our enemies in the world there is much hatred malice and iniuries Now we must loue those persons from whō these come and loue must be feruent that these like water do not quench it And for the practise of our loue to man the rule is that we loue him as our selues as we loue and wish well to our selues heartily so must we loue and wish well to him This is the law of nature to do to another as we would haue him to do to vs yea this is the law of God do to all men as you would haue them do to you Is a man to sell the diuell offereth him gaine if he wil lie Now consider by thine owne law wouldest thou haue another to deceiue thee by lying no surely then deceiue not thy neighor by false weights wares or otherwise By these three things we see for what this Church was commended This loue were to be wished in vs but alas it waxeth cold euery man is a louer of himselfe seeketh his owne good no man his brothers euery man spends his labor wit and his calling to help himself no man to do good to others to help the common good or the good of the Church but to the hurt or hindering of others for men think they may make the best of their owne sell as deare as they can but we should employ all our callings if we had true loue not onely to our owne good but the good of others euen the common good of the towne country or church When men come to the Church to heare the word to pray to receiue the sacrament then they seeme to shew great loue of God but look into their callings there is no loue of their brethren which sheweth they haue no true but an outward loue of God seeing they loue not their neighbour liue by iniustice seeking to fley him and draw out his very bloud by cruell dealing by griping pilling and polling now there cannot be true loue of God where this loue of our neighbour is wanting 1. Iohn 3. 21. The second vertue for which this church is cōmended is seruice In this place