bee an inducement vnto all those that are indued with gifts fit for this calling to affect the same Lastly euery minister of the gospell must hereby learne to bee faithfull in his calling and holy in his conversation for by vertue of his calling hee is placed in Christs right hand Now shall we thinke that Christ wil long bear in his right haÌ„d any that are vnfaithfull or prophane Nay he will take them out of his right hand and put them vnder his feete of brasse and there grind them to powder For as they are honoured aboue others by their place so shall their confusion be the greater vnlesse they be faithfull This wee may see in Nadab and Abihu Leuit. 10.1 and Hophâ—â—â— and Phineas 1. Sam. 3.13 And in the same respect ought all the people of God to be carefull to their wayes for by their calling of christianitie they be members of Christ. Now if they be not faithfull and answerable to their profession hee will surely deale with them as with vnfaithfull ministers put them vnder his feet of brasse confound them for euer They must therefore make conscience of all sin and become not hearers onely but doers of his will so shall Christ protect them in this life and saue them eternally And out of his mouth went a sharpe two edged sword This sword that came out of his mouth is nothing else but the doctrine of the Law and the Gospell vttered and propounded in the writings and ministerie of the Prophets and Apostles Heb. 4.12 The word of God is liuely mightie in operation and sharper than any two edged sword And it is thereto compared because as a sword with a double edge entreth sharply into the flesh and pierceth deeply into the bones euen to the very marrow So the doctrine of the Law and the Gospell entreth sharply and pierceth deepely into the very marrow of the heart of euery man to the diuiding of the thought and the spirit This two edged sword the word of God hath a twofold operation One vpon the wicked Another in the elect It woundeth the wicked at the very heart with a deadly wound and thereby brings them to eternall death Isay. 11.4 Christ shall slay the wicked with the breath of his lippes that is with his word which is this two edged sword Herewith shall he consume Antichrist 2. Thes. 2.8 visit Leuiathan and slay the dragon that is the greatest enemies of his church Isay. 27. vers 1. Here consider how the word of God should kill an impenitent sinner There be three degrees of spirituall death First in this life where an impenitent sinner receiueth his deadly wound The second at the end of this life when the bodie is laid in the graue but the soule goeth to the torments of the damned The third at the end of the world when bodie and soule together go to hell eternally Now a sinner receiueth in this life his deadly wound after this manner Christ in the giuing thereof hath a threefold worke in his heart by the ministerie of his word which is this two edged sword First hereby he reuealeth vnto him his sinnes as hypocrisie pride and rebellion of heart with all other his horrible and damnable transgressions against the first and second table 1. Cor. 14.24.25 When all Prophesie and there commeth in one vnlearned he is reproued of all the Prophets by the word iudge him and thereby lay open vnto him the secret sinnes of his heart with the sinnes of his life Secondly Christ hereby reueâ—leth vnto him his indignation and wrath which is the curse of the law due vnto him In which regard the law is called a killing letter shewing no mercy but onely thundreth out the fierce wrath of God vpon transgressors Thirdly hereby Christ awaketh his guiltie conscience sharpneth the sting thereof and terrifieth him at the hearing of his word Thus wicked Felix trembled when hee heard Paul preach of temperance righteousnesse and the â—udgement to come So when king Belshazzer saw the palme of the hand writing things against him vpon the â—all his countenance was changed his thoughts troubled him his ioynts were loosed and his knees stood one against another And al these are wrought in the wicked without apprehension of mercy or reformation of life It may please God to recouer one that â—s 〈◊〉 wounded but while he is 〈◊〉 this estate hee hath receiued a deadly wound and without vnfamed repentance is alreadie in thâ— first step towardâ— eternal death for these horrorâ— oâ— conscience seuered from the apprehension of Gods mercie in Christ are no grace but the flashes of hell fire and the beginning of eternall woe And thus we see how Christ by this sword woundeth his enemies Hence we are to learne sundry duties First how to earne our selues towards them that after they haue heard the word preached vnto them will rage and storme against it and the preachers therof because it touched them We must not despise or maligne them but rather be mooued with compassion towards them For this their behauiour is a token they are wounded with the sword of Christ at the verie heart and these their ragings are nothing but struglings before death eternall vnlesse the Lord in mercy recouer them of this deadly wound II. Hereby wee are let to see and know the lamentable state of the greatest number in those congregations where the word hath long bene preached for we shall find by lamentable experience that in those placeâ— few come to true knowledge repentance and obedience but most remaine ignorant and impenitent now this their condition is most fearefull A terrible iudgement of God is vpon them for when men haue long heard Gods word and are not thereby bettered for knowledge in mind and obedience of life they are thereby wounded vnto death This two edged sword hath alwayes his worke it either cureth vnto life by working repentance and other graces of saluation or woundeth vnto death them that receiue it not We must therefore lament the case of such persons as remainâ— ignorant and impenitent vnder the ministerie of the word for they are as yet dead men for ought wee know how soeuer they may make a faire shew by their â—â—ill honestie If any man should come into a field and there behold many thousands slaughtered and 〈◊〉 ouâ— bloâ—d some in the â—ead some in the side c. this sight would make his heart to bleed Wel this 〈…〉 God 's church though it be not seene with bodily eyes the most men are wounded with this sword of Gods word and lye 〈◊〉 wallowing in the bloâ—d of their soules 〈◊〉 they continue in ignorance in seâ—uritie and want of repentaâ—ce III. This mâ—st admonish vs all to labour earnestly to haue further things wrought in vs than a knowledge of our sinnes an apprehension of wrath oâ— horrour of conscience namely 〈◊〉 faith and repentance and sound reformation of life for without this wee haue nothing in vs
First he giueth him the signe of his presence Laying his hand vpon him to assure him of protection froÌ„ al danger of death TheÌ„ he giueth him his wrod bidding him not to feare Hence we may learne that the assurance of Gods presence and protection is a souerigne remedie against all feare when Moses feared the great calling he was sent about to take away that feare the Lord saith I will be with thee Hence Dauid saith He will not feare though he walke through the valley of the shadow of death because God is his stay and comfort Wherefore it concerneth vs to labour to be assured not onely of Gods presence but of his prouidence and speciall protection And so in all dangers both of life and death wee shall haue stay and comfort for our soules The Lord hauing vsed these two meanes to confirme Iohn both a signe his word doth yet further condescend vnto Iohns weaknesse and establisheth his owne word by two reasons The first in these words I am the first and the last Christ is the first Because nothing was or could bee before him The last because nothing is or can bee after him These two titles are giuen vnto Christ to expresse his Godhead and eternitie as before wee haue heard verse 8. Now here they are againe set downe to giue vs to vnderstand that hee hath in his owne power the beginning and end of all things and therefore is able to protect his seruants from all dangers and from death and will make good vnto them all his promises vnto eternall life Verse 18. And Am he that liueth but I was dead and behold I am aliue for euermore Amen And I haue the keyes of hell and of death These words conteine the second reason to confirme Iohn And it may thus be framed by way of a distinction Although I was dead yet I am he that liueth for so the words are and behold I am aliue for euermore Amen Yea I haue power ouer death and hell This distinction containeth three parts First Though I was once dead yet I am he that liueth Secondly Though I was once dead yet I liue for euermore Thirdly Though I was once dead yet I haue the keyes of death and of hell Of these in order I. part And Am he that liueth though I was dead Here life is ascribed to Christ in a speciall manner For Christ liueth in a peculiar sort differeÌ„t froÌ„ the life of other creatures For first hee hath sufficient life in himselfe and from himselfe Secondly he giueth life to others For the first that wee may better conceiue it wee must know that life is twofold vncreated and created Vncreated life is the life of God whereby God liueth This life is eternall and infinit in it selfe from it selfe Now as Christ is God he liueth this vncreated life which is all one with the godhead Againe created is twofold The first is naturall preserued by means of meat and drinke The second is spirituall both begunne and continued by meanes of the immediat operation of Gods spirit whereby wee haue fellowship with God And this spirituall life is more perfect than the naturall Now Christ liueth not the naturall life but as he is God liueth the vncreated life as he is man he liueth the spirituall life his body and soule hauing al their subsisting and sustentation in the second person in Trinitie and therefore he hath in himselfe most absolut and perfect life and so liueth of himselfe Secondly Christ is here said to liue because he giueth life vnto men that two wayes First as he is God and so he giueth life to all good and bad For in him euery thing liueth moueth and hath his beeing Act. 17.28 Secondly as he is mediator God and man and so he giueth spiritual life vnto his church and people Hence he saith to his Disciples Because I liue yee shall liue also Iohn 14.19 For looke as Christ died not for himselfe but for vs that we might not die eternally So hee liueth now in heauen the spirituall life not for himselfe alone but for vs that we might liue that spirituall life in and by him eternally And therefore our life is sayd To be hid with God in Christ. And for this cause in the Sacrament we doe eate the body and drinke the bloud of Christ really by the mouth of faith that wee might know that our life is to be fetched from him For as we receiue grace from his grace so wee receiue life from his life Hereby wee are taught to seeke for this spirituall life at Christ hands that we may say with Paul I liue not now but Christ liâ—eth in me Gal. â— 21 and that Our life 〈◊〉 â—id in Christ as in a head and roote For he liueth in heauen that wee might liue by him our care must not be so much for our temporall life which is but a vapour and like a fleeting shadow as for this spirituall life which is eternall But the practise of this duty is rare to bee found though the omission of it bee a grieuous sinne Mens whole care is for temporall life few thinke on this how to procure to themselues this spirituall life by Christ though he haue said I liue that you may liue in me This appeareth by their common practise They will goe ten twenty yea an hundred miles to prouide means for their bodily preseruation and yet will scarce go one or two miles for the meanes of their saluation for euer The cause thereof is the hardnesse of mens hearts which are not touched for their sinnes nor feele the smart weight thereof This we may see plainly in the woman of Samariah For when Christ sate at the well of Iacob talking with her and telling her that he was the well of life of whose water whosoeuer dranke should neuer thirst She did nothing but cauill with him But when he layd to her heart her principall sinnes then she left off cauelling and in reuerence and some beginning of faith Acknowledged him to be the Messias Euen so let the minister say vnto his people hee can bring them to the water of life they will nothing regard but cauill at the doctrine of the Gospell till their sinnes bee touched and their soules humbled by the sight thereof Wherefore if wee would haue our hearts fit to receiue spirituall life by Christ we must first labor to haue a sense of our sinnes and to feare Gods wrath due vnto vs for the same Hereby we shal be weined from the dangerous loue of earthly things and our soules shall bee rauished with desire of Christ Iesus He is the well of life and if once we could feele a parching heat in our soules by reason of our sinnes then would we thirst neuer be at rest till we had drunke our fill and dined our selues in his sauing merits This naturall life is but vanishing and therefore we must labour for this spirituall
another and yet beseecheth them to increase therein Phil. 3.13.4 in Pauls person we haue a worthie president which we must follow if wee thinke to come whither he is gone before though hee had gone farre in the loue of God yet he laboured to perfection and therefore considered not that which was past as resting in it but rather how farre hee was too short that so he might vse meanes to increase in loue and in all other good graces till hee come to perfection A christian mans life is a way that leadeth to heauen wherein we once setting foot must â—uer go forward and not stand still or turne backe lest we neuer come there The state of a christian is like vnto a child which still groweth till it come to a perfect strength and so must euerie child of God labour to grow in the graces of God till they bee perfect men in Christ For if they stand still Christ hath something against them The Rhemists in their annotations abuse this place to proue that a man may quite fall away from grace Therefore to cleare this text and to confirme our hearts in the truth of Gods word thiâ— question must be scanned Whether a man may quite fall away from grace Answ. Grace in Scripture is taken two wayes First for that fauour of God whereby hee accepteth of some for his children in Christ. This is the first grace and the fountaine of all other and taking grace in this sense I say that the signes of grace and the sense thereof in the heart may be lost But the fâ—â—our of God it selfe cannot bee lost of them that truly beleeue When an earthly father is displeased with his child for some notorious crime hee will turne the signes of his fauour into signes of displeasure and shew the same partly by words and partly by stripes and yet he still continueth his father and holdeth him for his sonne without any purpose to disinherit him Euen so God dealeth with his children for their sins and corruptions he will turne away his louing countenance from them and change the signes of his fauour into anger and displeasure when as yet the good purpose of their adoption is not altered but remaineth firme for euer and God is still their father though an angrie father through the prouocation of their sinnes Secondly grace in Scripture is taken for the gifts of grace which are bestowed on them that beleeue in Christ. These gifts of grace be of two sorts some more principall of absolute necessitie vnto saluation without which none can bee saued as faith and also hope and loue which proceed from faith There be others also lesse principall which be very profitable and requisit yet not absolutly needfull vnto saluation As the feeling of Gods fauor alacritie in prayer sense of ioy and comfort in the holy Ghost These lesse principal graces may quite be lost The principall graces also may be decayed lessened and couered in regard of operation euen in Gods children but quite extinguished they cannot be for God vpholdeth them by perseuerance where faith hope loue are once truly wrought by Gods spirit they are neuer wholly or finally taken away but onely in part and in sense and feeling for a time This answer is agreeable to this text for the church of Ephesus is here blamed not for quite loosing her loueâ— but because she had left her first loue suffering it to decay and waxelesse than it was at their first conuersion And because this doctrine is oppugned earnestly not onely by the church of Rome but also by some churches and schooles of the Protestants I will first shew the truth hereof out of Gods word and then scan the cheefe reasons that are brought against it That grace cannot bee wholly and finally lost these reasons proue I. Matth. 16.18 The promise is made to Peter and in him to all the faithfull That vpon that faith which he professed Christ would build his temple and the gates of hell should not preuaile against it Which last words must be marked for they intimate that the diuell with his adherents would shew much force and violence against the faith of the elect but yet they should neuer get the victory or ouercome it wholly II. Matth. 24.24 Christ foretelling that false Prophets should come sayth They should seduce if it were possible the very elect Where he taketh this for graunted that the elect albeit they may bee assaulted greeuously yet they can neuer be wholly or finally drawne away from their faith III. Iohn 10.27 28 My sheepe heare my voyce sayth Christ and I know them and they follow me and I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish To this they answer It is true they shall neuer perish so long as they remaine the sheepe of Christ. But that cauill is cut off in the next wordes Neither shall any plucke them out of my hands my father which gaue them me is greater than all and none is able to plucke them out of my fathers hands And therefore neither the deuill nor the world nor the flesh can by any temptation draw the sheep of Christ from their faith and make them to be no sheepe IV. Reason Iohn 3.36 Hee that beleeueth in Christ hath eternall life They say hee hath it in hope and no otherwise I answere if they haue it in hope they shall neuer perish For hope maketh not ashamed V. Reason Rom. 8.30 Whom hee predestinat them also he called and whom hee called them also be iustified and whom hee iustified them also be glorified Those which are elected called and iustified by faith must needs be glorified and therefore cannot fall away finally for such shall neuer be glorified And in the end of the chapter vers 38. hee addeth That neither death nor life Angels principalities nor powers nor any thing els can separate vs viz. the faithfull from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. But if the faithfull might fall away finally then they might be seuered from the loue of God VI. Reason Rom. 11.29 The gifts of Gods calling that is the peculiar gifts that pertaine to saluation are without repentance They say it is true God indeed neuer repenteth him of his gifts but yet a man may perish and fall away because he may refuse and reiect Gods grace giuen vnto him This answere is friuolous maintaining this absurditie that the powerfull will of God should be broght vnder the silly will of the creature if man could repell Gods grace giuen vnto him then should mans will take place and Gods will bee made frustrate and void VII Reason 1. Iohn 3.9 Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not because his seede remaineth in him neither can bee sinne because he is borne of God How is that true for chap. 1.10 Hee that sayth he hath not sinned maketh God a lyar and his word is not in him Answ. The place must bee vnderstood thus He that is borne
it meaneth for meat and drinke is neuer knowne till a man be hungrie Yea to many that liue in the church this Manna is hidden for though men heare the doctrine of Christ yet not one of an hundred feele in themselues any want of Christ let the conscience speake and this will prooue true Ignorant people blesse themselues and say all is well Christ is a sauiour when as indeed to them Christ is hidden Nay which is yet more lamentable to many which teach and preach Christ Christ is hidden Manna for many of them neuer felt in their hearts and conscience that they had need of Christ for the pardon of their sinnes and the saluation of their soules It is not the knowledge in the brain that maketh Christ known to man but knowledge in the cōscience when a man feeles in his heart and soule that hee stands in need of the bloud of Christ and all the benefits of his passion for his redemption saluation And seeing this is the condition of the world wee on the contrarie must labor to feele in our selues our owne pouertie to see in our selues that we stand in need of Christ and of all the benefits of his passiō to free our souls from the gulfe of hell and the wrath of God Away with bare mentall knowledge for till we haue this true sense of our owne wants wee can neuer get into our hearts any sound grace Secondly is Christs hidden bread not reuealed to all Then calling effectuall to saluation so as if hee will euery man may be saued is not vniuersall for then should Christ not be hidden but reuealed to all which is not so Election therefore and effectuall vocation is definite particular And thus much of the first branch of this gift The second gift is a white stone Here Christ borroweth a comparison from the custome and manner of the gentiles to whom these Epistles are directed A white stone was of great vse among thē For first the iudge in giuing sentence vsed white stones and blacke stones the giuing of a white stone was a token of absolution the giuing of a blacke stone a signe of condemnation Here then the giuing of a white stone may signifie Absolution from Christ of all a mans sins and trespasses Againe when the gentiles would know which were luckie dayes as they spake and which were vnluckie they vsed to cast lots with white and blacke stones and that day which light on a white stone was iudged to be a lucky day that which light on a blacke stone was iudged to be vnlucky This practise they vsed as might be shewed by sufficient records And though this practise haue no warrant yet may Christ allude vnto it to signifie vnto them that hee will giue them good successe in all their actions yea happie dayes and a blessed life full of all ioyes and pleasures Others doe expound it of giuing victorie whereof the giuing of a white stone was a signe but this is not so fit neither can it bee shewed by true record that they had such a practise I rather take it Christ alludeth to the first and here promiseth to him that ouercommeth the true remission of all his sinnes and full absolution not in regard of ciuill punishment but in respect of guilt and punishment before God which is eternall damnation Here note one infallible token of the pardon of sinne namely to ouercome that is to renounce our selues and by faith relie wholly on Christ testifying this faith by maintaining good conscience and true religion vnto the end And therefore if anie desire to know whether God haue absolued him of his sinnes let him labour thus to ouercome and then shall this assurance be sealed vp vnto him The third gift is a new name written in the stone What this new name should be S. Iohn expresseth in his first Epistle chapter 3. vers 1. saying Behold what loue the father hath shewed to vs that we should be called the sonnes of God This new name therefore is to bee the sonne and heire of God in Christ. And because it is giuen of God himselfe therefore wee must not thinke it is an idle name or a bare title onely but withall God giueth him a new condition whereof this name is a token and title God changed Abrams name called him Abraham but it was when he had changed his estate and made him the father of the faithfull And there was a change in Iacob when God called him Israell This new name then signifieth the giuing of a new estate to a man or womā which they had not before namely their regeneration whereby they are made to die vnto sinne and to liue vnto God for therewith goeth the blessing of adoption whereby they become the sonnes of God and heires with Christ and so haue heauen and earth for their possession and all miseries and crosses yea sinne it selfe turning to their good they haue also the protection of Gods holy Angels in this life and at the last gaspe death to bee no death but a strait passage to eternall life Further this new name is sayd to bee written in the white stone that is in the pledge of absolution which sheweth the vnion of these two Absolution and Regeneration So that whom the Lord of his mercie absolues from their sinnes them in his bountie hee brings to a new estate and condition He that is in Christ is a new creature 2. Cor. 5.17 A point to be obserued as yeelding speciall aduice to reforme the grosse and common abuse of Christ. Men persuade themselues that Christ is their Sauiour and will pardon their sinnes for he is mercifull and thereupon they take occasion to liue as they list But let no man herewith deceiue himselfe for they that haue absolution haue regeneration also a new condition of life goes with the fruition of Gods mercie in Christ they that go on in sinne haue not the pardon of sinne the corruption of sinne must bee abolished where the guilt of sinne is absolued and their liues are reformed that haue their sinnes remitted Here some man may say Why are not those called by this new name to whom Christ giues it for vsually men are called after their names The answere is made in the end of the verse Because no man knoweth that name saue he that receiueth it that is in that manner and certainetie as hee that receiueth it And therefore the children of God must not be much offended when they are reuiled for their profession because the world knowes not their estate Here we may obserue diuerse points First that hee which is the child of God and hath this new name giuē him knows that hee is Gods child iustified and sanctified Neither is this knowledge by probable coniecture onely and good hope as the Papists would haue it but certaine and infallible for else others should know it as well as hee that receiueth it which is here denied Each one is bound in
A GODLY AND LEARned Exposition or Commentarie vpon the three first Chapters of the Reuelation PREACHED IN CAMBRIDGE BY that reuerend and judicious Diuine maister WILLIAM PERKINS Ann. Dom. 1595. First published for the benefit of Gods Church by ROBERT HILL Bachelor of Diuinitie The second Edition reuised and enlarged after a more perfect copie at the request of M. PERKINS executors by THOMAS PIERSON Preacher of Gods word Hereunto is prefixed an Analysis of the Vision in these three Chapters And a twofold Table added one of places of Scripture the other of speciall points to bee obserued PROV 13.9 and PROV 4.18 The light of the righteous reioyceth by encrease shining more and more vnto the perfect day But the candle of the wicked shall be put out LONDON Printed by Adam Jslip for Cuthbert Burbie and are to be sold at his shop in Paules Churchyard at the signe of the Swan 1606. TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVLL AND VERTVOVS Ladie the Ladie ELIZABETH MONTAGV of Hemington in Northamptonshire Grace and Peace IVST cause there was Right worshipfull as well in respect of the reuerend Author whose rest is now in glory as also of the godly Reader whose good herein claimes speciall stroke that some refining hand should recommend vnto the Church of God a more perfect coppie of this godly Exposition than the first edition hereof did affoord and yet no cause I find why your worthie children who no doubt for the Authors sake did more gratefully accept the former dedication should by me be depriued of their right Nay rather as they in heart I am persuaded did highly honour the Author for his double labor in Christs vineyard so do I reioyce this recompence is returned for their loue That with this worke their memorie with posteritie shall long endure And sith my paines herein yeelds me this right to make choyce of some to whom I also may commend the patronage hereof I presume to present the same vnto your Ladiship If this bee any kindnesse on my behalfe I confesse it is farre short of your desert and of my desire some others I know may challenge me herein as vnmindfull of their loue yet because God may offer me opportunitie hereafter to giue them good content this way I will intreat their patience for this time that I may ioyne the mother with the children in this worke of loue to affoord tuition to these godly labours of the dead It fits you best good Madam in many respects for neither will your children complaine of your admission into the society of their right nor you esteeme the lesser hereof because of their claime hereto by former possession They are your owne and you theirs this comes vnto you all as vnto one accounting your vnited loue for greater safetie and looke what grace it finds by your protection like grace it yeelds by many a good instruction Salomon saith Good vnderstanding maketh acceptable meaning to such as feare God for fooles hate knowledge how welcome then will this be vnto you who haue sayd vnto Wisedom thou art my sister and do esteeme the words of her mouth The ioy and reioycing of your heart sith herein you shall find on euery leafe some pleasant fruit of the tree of life a tast whereof I will here set before you that you may iudge the better of the store When the Disciples harts were full of greefe for Christs departure then at hand Philip sayd vnto him in the name of all Shew vs the father and it sufficeth Loe here behold and you shall see not the father alone but with the father the spirit of grace and with them both the Son of God so liuely described to your view that you may truly say of this knowledge God sanctifying the same vnto your soule It is eternall life When Christ would harten his Disciples for the great worke of their ministerie hee doth it by the promise of his presence saying Be hold I am with you alway The euidence and fruit whereof you shall hereby so well perceiue that hereupon I trust both you and many moe will learne to say with Dauid in temptation I haue set the Lord before me alway for he is at my right hand therefore I shall not slide And with Ieremie in affliction The Lord is with me like a mightie Gyant therefore my persecutors shall be ouerthrowne and shall not preuaile What shall I say more It would be too long to speake of the dignitie of Christs Church and ministerie here handled at large and to instance in particulars through the seuen Epistles to these seuen Churches of Asia onely this in the Preface of each Epistle learne what Christ is in himselfe and to his Church In the Matter behold the state of euery Church and see what Christ approueth and what his soule detesteth In the Conclusion see his bountie towards his children and the dutie of all to him againe The handling of these things will much delight your Christian heart for beside the Plaine euidence of the spirit in opening the text which is best pleasing vnto God and most profitable to his Church wherein this godly Author had a speciall grace the application is so fit and pertinent to our times that I had welnigh sayd He did foresee what we now behold and hath foretold what we for our lukewarmenesse and decay in loue may iustly feare Consider what I say and the Lord giue you vnderstanding in all things Hold fast that which you haue bee faithfull vnto death and the Lord will giue you the crowne of life For God is not vnrighteous that he should forget your workes and labor of loue which you haue shewed towards his name in that you haue ministred vnto the saints and yet do minister Now the God of hope fill you with all ioy and peace in beleeuing and increase your ioy by the constant walking of your children in the truth Yea the same Lord make all grace so to abound towards you all that alwayes hauing all sufficiencie in all things you may abound in euery good worke which is by Iesus Christ vnto the praise and glorie of God vnto whose gracious protection both now and euer I humbly commend your Ladiship with your godly familie London December 10. 1606. Your Ladiships to commaund Thomas Pierson TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPfull Sir Edward Montagu Sir Walter Montagu Sir Henry Montagu and Sir Charles Montagu Knights M. Iames Montagu Doctor of Diuinitie Deane of his Maiesties Chappell and M. Sidney Montagu Esquire the Ladie Susan Sandys and the Ladie Theodosia Capel children of that right worthie and religious Sir Edward Montagu of Bowghton in the Countie of North-hampton Knight and of the Ladie Elizabeth his worthie wife sister to the right Honourable Sir Iohn Harington Baron of Exton and father to the vertuous Ladie the Countesse of Bedford Grace and Peace RIght Worshipfull as the Patriarch Iacob had twelue
sonne of God which is the friend of friends who shall giue them not onely life and motion but eternall life with his owne maiestie This was Iobs comfort that though he died yet he beleeued he should see his redeemer with his eyes And this should be our comfort against the feare of death and last iudgement Secondly this is a terror to the wicked and to all impenitent sinners that they shall will they nill they be brought to the barre of Christs iudgement seate there looke on him who is their iudge whom they have in their life contemned and despised And this consideration may serue to moue them to repentance which haue noâ— begunne to repent and to labour to become the members of Christ aâ— also to increase and further repentance in them who haue by Gods grace begun the same It may be some do thinke when they die all is done and there is no further account to follow but though we lie rotten in our graues a thousand or two thousand yeares yet we shall rise and looke vpon our iudge with our owne eyes And if we haue not in our life time repented we shall heare him with our owne eares giuing the dreadfull sentence against vs Go ye cursed into euerlasting fire And therefore it is best for vs in this day of grace to preuent this danger and now repent and beleeue in Christ that then we may rise with ioy and stand with holâ—nesse before Christ Iesus No doubt if we were persuaded that we should thus appeare it would moue vs to repent Thirdly Euerie eye shall see him that is all men with their owne eyes shall looke on him Hence it may bee gathered that those who wanted their fight in this life shall haue it then restored It is granted of all Diuines that the elect shall haue all their senses and other defects restored wherein they were wanting in this life And it may also bee added that the wicked shall then haue some of their senses restored if they wanted the same in this life as hearing and seeing at the least for the deafe shall heare the blind shall see this Iudge And this can be no glorie to them seeing it is to increase their miserie for the more senses they haue the more punishment they shall feele because by sense we apprehend miserie Euen thâ—se which peirced him Here is added a further euidence of Christs manifestation of his comming and that for three causes First to shewe that no power or wisedome in the world can free any one from his appearance For if any could escape in all likelihod it would be those Iewes and Gentiles who preuailed most against Christ and put him to death But none of those can escape his iudgement for euen they which peirced him they shall see this Iudge and bee summoned before his maiestie For though they had power to kill him yet none of them shall haue power to absent themselues from before his bar of iudgement at the last day Secondly to shew the case of all wicked men namely that such woe and miserie shall befall them as they neuer once thought of The Iewes and Gentiles which crucified Christ neuer dreamed of this that he whom they then put to a temporall death should one day be their Iudge and condemne them to eternall death vnlesse they had repented Thirdly to shew the rufull and wofull estate of all impenitent sinners they shall rise to iudgement and haue the greatest enemie their Iudge who will shew rigor vpon them and iustice without all mercie for this peircing of Christ is meant not onely of the Iew which put him to death but of all vngodly personâ— because all such do by their sinnes as with swords and speares wound him at the heart as the souldiers did Impenitent sinners be as the Iewes which crucified Christ as Iudas which betrayed him and as the soldiers which goarâ—â— his side and vnlesse they now repent they shall one day be iudged as his enemies Euen they which peirced him Out of these words some gather that the body of Christ hath still the wounds and scarres which were giuen him at his death the print of the nailes in his hands and his feete and that these shall be seene in him at the last day adding withall that it is no blemish to Christ to haue these but rather an increase of his glorie But this cannot be gathered hence for though it be sayd They shall see him whom they peirced yet it followeth not that they shall see him as he was peirced what though they see the person whom they wounded shal they therefore see his wounds Manie shall see kings and queenes whom they crowned in this world but it followeth not that therefore they shall weare their crownes So we shall see our fathers and mothers but not as fathers and mothers IV. point The fruite and effect of his comming especially in the wicked in these words And all tribes of the earth shall waile before him Where S. Iohn speakes of the whole world according to the condition of the land of Canaan for only that part of the world was diuided into tribes As in like case our Sauiour Christ setteth out the iudgement of the whole world according to the state and manner of iudging the visible Church Math. 25. So that his meaning is that they which repented not of what nation soeuer of what state or condition soeuer they haue bene shall wayle and mourne at that day And hee addes a reason of this their mourning in these words for him before him or ouer him That is they shall wayle and lament with exceeding lamentation because they beleeued not his word but contemned him and his doctrine and therefore now they want all help to free them from the punishmeÌ„t of their vnbeleefe and contempt of the gospell for this life is the only time of grace and mercie afterward there is no worke nor inuention that can alter mans estate Hence then we are admonished first that in this world we labour aboue all things to be reconciled to God in Christ to get our sinnes pardoned to beleeue and imbrace his holy word and vnlesse we attaine hereunto in this life we shall wayle eternallie for when the last day is coâ—e there is no hope of help no way to escape no time of grace to repeâ—â— Remember the foolish virgins that sought for oyle when it was too late and knocked when the doores were shut Math. 25. But if by Gods mercie we can in this life get his loue and fauour in Christ then shall we enioy the same eternally yea at this dreadfull day to all the wicked we shall lift vp our heads and our harts when wee shall see Christ comming to our full redemption all teares shall bee wiped from our eyes when the wicked shall crie and houle woe and alas for euermore The diuell knowing the worth of this admonition will labour by all meanes to keepe it from our hearts
life by Christ which is eternall This will comfort vs in all distresse and take from vs the feare of death of hell and all danger The second part of the distinction Though I was dead yet behold I liue for euermore Amen This part is vttered and propounded by two notes to bee obserued First by a note of certaintie Amen Secondly by a note of attention Behold The note of certaintie Amen serueth to assure vs that this is an infallible truth which Christ affirmeth of himselfe saying I liue for euermore The note of attention which is prefixed Behold serueth to stirre vp Iohns mind and the mind of euery one of vs to a serious consideration of this which Christ saith I liue for euermore And because it pleaseth Christ to propound this point in this manner let vs a little stand thereon and herein consider two points First in respect of what nature Christ is sayd to liue for euer Secondly for what end he liueth for euer For the first No doubt as Christ as the mediator of the church He liueth for euer and therefore this must bee vnderstood of Christ in regard of both his natures godhead and manhood In respect of his godhead he is coeternall with the father and with the holy Ghost liuing of himselfe that vncreated and essentiall life which is all one with the godhead being eternall without beginning or ending Secondly hee liueth for euer as hee is man for after his death hee ascended vp to heauen where in full glorie he inioyeth immediat fellowshippe with the godhead for in him dwelleth the fulnes of the godhead bodily his manhood being wholly and immediatly susteined by his godhead II. Point The end for which Christ liueth for euer is to giue eternall life to his church and to euerie true member thereof So Saint Iohn saith This is the testimonie of God euen the father that hee hath giuen vs life euerlasting and this life is in that his sonne And here Christ must bee considered of vs as the head of his church as the roote and ground of our saluation and the fountaine of all our happinesse For as the roote of a tree liueth not for it selfe but for the body and for all the branches euen so Christ Iesus he hath eternal life in him not for himselfe alone but that he may conuey the same to al his members Yea wee must consider Christ as the common treasurie storehouse of all true felicitie wherein life eternall is laid vp for al the members of his church For which cause hee saith His flesh is meate indeed and whosoeuer eateth his flesh and drinketh his bloud shall liue for euer To giue vs to vnderstand that his manhood hath quickning vertue in it Yet not of it selfe or by it self but as it is the māhood of the sonne of God For from the godhead it receiueth this quickning power to giue eternall life vnto the church And here the meanes must be considered by which Christ giueth life vnto his church namely by vertue of that misticall vnion which is betweene him and euery member of his church Which vnion is thus caused God the father giueth Christ vnto his church and to euery one that is to be saued by Christ and that really and truly according to the terror of the couenant in which he hath promised to giue Christ with all his benefits to euery one that beleeueth The manner and order of this gift is this Whole Christ God man is giuen to euery beleeuer euen as he is mediator And yet the godhead of Christ is not giuen with the manhood but only the vertue operation of the godhead in the manhood by which the manhod is made able to merit for the beleeuer But the manhood of Christ is giuen both for substance and in regard of all benefits that are conueyed to man by it as iustification and redemption as truly as lands and goods are giuen of man to man And when God giueth Christ to any he doth withall giue vnto the same partie the spirit of Christ for hee that hath part in Christ hath part in his spirit and this spirit createth in his heart the instrument of faith by which Christ giuen of the father is receiued and apprehended both his body and bloud and the efficacie and the benefites thereof Christ is not receiued in imagination as men receiue things by conceit in the braine but as hee is giuen of the father namely in the word and sacraments really and truly though spiritually And the same spirit that worketh this faith doth knit the beleeuer vnto Christ really though mystically making him one with Christ so as Christ is the head and the beleeuer a member And thus is this mysticall coniunction wrought from whence proceedeth this eternall life The benefites that come from this mysticall coniunction are these I. Hereby a beleeuer begins in this world to liue eternall life for by the worke of his spirit Christ maketh that man that is thus vnited vnto him to begin to die vnto all sinne and to liue vnto him spiritually as himselfe liueth II. Hence commeth the resurrection of the body for this coniunction being once begun remaineth eternall and is neuer wholly broken off no not from the body while it is consumed to dust and ashes Looke as in the Winter season the sap returneth to the root of the tree and then all the branches seeme as they were dead but when Spring time commeth by vertue of the sunne the sap ascendeth and maketh them fresh and greene againe euen so the bodies of Gods children haue their Winter season while they lie dead and rotten but yet by vertue of their vnion and coniunction with Christ at the last day shall life bee conveyed from Christ Iesus vnto them whereby they shall be raised to life III. Hence commeth eternall life to euery beleeuer that is glory and blisse in body and soule in heauen for euer and euer for being once begun as it is in this world it is neuer dissolued And thus we see how Christ conueyeth eternall life vnto his members The words bearing this sence do containe in them the foundation of two maine articles of our beleefe namely the resurrection of the body and life euerlasting for both these are effected to vs by vertue of our vnion with Christ for he liueth for euer to giue life to vs. And this is the ground of all true ioy as wee may see in Iob who in the middest of his miserie stayed himselfe on this That hee knew his Redeemer liued and that hee should rise againe and behold him with those same eyes wherewith he saw other creatures Iob. 19.25 26. 2. Againe if Christ liue in heauen to giue vnto vs eternall life then must wee learne to haue our conuersation in heauen with Christ for where our life is there should our conuersation bee Now that our conuersation may be with him wee must often seriously consider with our selues of this
this is the manner of all wicked men to blesse themselues in their wickednesse and whatsoeuer they doe yet still to say and thinke God will blesse them Take an heretickâ— who ouerthrowes the truth of God by his errors and he will say he teacheth that which in conscience hee is persuaded is the truth for which hee will shed his bloud and whereto he would haue all men yeeld So take a professed witch man or woman they will say all that they doe is by the power of the good Angels and by some speciall gifts giuen vnto them aboue others but they will not bee brought to acknowledge that they doe any thing by vertue of their league with the deuil from whence indeed commeth all they can doe And so the carnall protestants of our time they looke for Gods blessings in this life and for eternall life by Christ after death and yet walke in the broad way to destruction in sinne profanesse Thus they blesse themselues in their euill wayes and make Christ a pack-horse for their iniquities But in the example of these Iewes we must learn to lay downe all presumptuous thoughts of our owne goodnesse and vaine persuasions of gods fauor without his true grace and rather looke vnto our sinnes and bee humbled for them that God may lift vs vp II. point Christs iudgement of them is this They are not Iewes but a Synagogue of Sathan that is a companie of men that seemed to serue God after the Iewish maner but did indeed worship the deuill Herein are many things to be considered I. How this could be true of any companie of the Iewes who were the chosen people of God Answ. Election is twofold speciall and generall Gods speciâ—ll election is when in his eternall counsâ—ll he chuseth a man to life eternall and â—his befell not all the Iewes but some onely Gods generall election is â—heÌ„ he â—ouchsafeth any people to become his visible church to haue and 〈◊〉 the outward signeâ— and 〈…〉 his coâ—eâ—antâ— thus was the 〈◊〉 of the Iews elected and therefore were circumcised and receiued the passeouer From this generall election a church and people may fall as the Iewes did and so became the Synagogue of Sathan being indeed neuer within the particular calling from which a man cannot fall away for Gods election remaineth sâ—â—e 2. Tim. 2.19 his calling is without repentance Rom. 11. â—9 II. point At what time did the Iewes begin to be a synagogue of Sathan Answ. Not at the crucifying of the Lord of life though that were a most heinous sinne for though some therin sinned of malice yet many did it of ignorance This Peter confessâ—th Acts. 3.17 And therfore in his first Sermon after Christs ascension telleth them That the 〈◊〉 belonged to them and to 〈…〉 that were a farre off Act â— â—â— But when the Apostles had a long time preached Christ vnto them conuinced their consciences out of the old testament that he was the true Messias and yet they remained obstinate reiecting and persecuting both them and their doctrine then they ceased to bee a church of God and became the synagogue of Sathan for this cause Paule and Barnabas shooke off the dust of their feet against them and turned to the Gâ—â—â—ils Whereby we see when a church of God becommeth no church namely not so soone as they hold an heresie for the church of the Galatians held iustification by workes yet thereupon ceased not to be a church but when they embrace an heresie against the foundation of religion and be conuicted of it not by priuate men but by Apostolicall authority or by publick iudiciall sentence of the church from the authoritie of Gods word Hence we may learne first what we are to thinke and iudge of the church of the papists of the Libertines and Anabaptists familie of Loue and such like namely that they are no churches of God for they hold heresies against the foundation which the Church long agone condemned by Apostolicall and Iudiciall authoritie Againe here we learne what to iudge of this our church of England many there be that say wee haue no church among vs because some priuat men haue reprooued the same for some things that are amisse and yet they are not reformed But this is a fond and foolish reason For first the errour must be against the foundation and yet that maketh not a church to bee no church vnlesse it be obstinatly maintained after sufficient reproofe and iudiciall conuiction by the word of God But no such thing can be affirmed of vs and therfore we remaine the true church of God III. point How became the Iewes a Sinagogue of Sathan Answ. Through their vnbeleefe as is plainely prooued Roman 11.20 Obiect But they held the word of God and defended the bookes of the old Testament for which we are beholding vnto them Answ. Indeed they held the letter but if we regard the true meaning of the Prophets and the subiect of the old Testament which is Iesus Christ that they raced out and denied And so though they held the letter yet worshipping God out of Christ they worshipped an idoll and not that God which would giue vnto them eternal life For out of Christ there is no saluation And so wee may say of the church of Rome though they hold the bookes of the Old and New testament with the Creed of the Apostles whereupon some say wee ought not to depart from them yet the truth is that indeed they hold them not The Christ of the Papists is but a fained Christ for they take from him both his nature especially his humanitie and his offices and therefore wee haue iust cause to separat from them This example of the Iewes that were once a most famous people but are now become the Sinagogue of Sathan must be set before our eyes continually For wheÌ„ al the world were reiected they stood high in Gods fauour but now for their vnbeleefe they are cast off from God and are become the Sinagogue of the diuell Which must admonish vs Not to be high minded but to feare Ro. 11.20 For if God spared not the naturall branches them that were his first chosen people he will not spare vs that are but wild oliues graffed into the true vine We must therefore take heed of vnbeleefe and labour for true faith which we must testifie by obedience in our liues coÌ„uersations Verse 10. Feare none of thâ—se things which thou shalt suffer Behold it shall come to passe that the 〈◊〉 shall cast 〈◊〉 of you into prison that yee may be trieâ— and yee shall haue tribulation ten dayes Be thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee the crowne of life Here followeth the second part of thâ— proposition of this Epistle to wit that heauenly and spirituall counsell which Christ giueth to this church of Smyrna which I call counsell because in the next chapter our Sauiour Christ calleth such kind of instruction
III. Those that for a time shew forth many good things as care to get knowledge and to keepe faith and a good conscience but after suffer themselues to be intangled and drawne away with the profites and pleasures of the world or els to bee driuen backe by trials and persecutions And of these three sorts be most men generally whose case is fearefull and dangerous for they shall neuer haue the crowne of life if they continue thus vnfaithfull To induce men to fidelitie Christ addeth a most forcible reason promising thereunto The crowne of eternall life Hence the Papists conclude that Martyrs by suffering martyrdome doe merite the kingdome of heauen because it is called a crowne therefore say they it is a reward Whereto I answere two wayes I. The kingdome of heauen is called a crowne onely in resemblance because as with men after the race is run they receiue the garland euen so after men haue fought the good fight of faith and kept good conscience in this life then in the life to come they receiue the crowne of glorie For the keeping of faith good conscience is not the cause but the antecedent of eternall life Secondly the reward is promised not to the martyrdome but to the martyr and yet not for his sufferings but because hee is a member of Christ and by suffring death hath shewed his faith in Christ for whose merit alone hee is so rewarded And so must this and all other promises of like sort be vnderstood for the Papists do foulely erre when they apply the promises vnto the workes which are made vnto the workers By this promise wee all that haue made our vow to God in baptisme must learne to become faithfull in keeping the same vnto the end It is a shame for a man to be vnfaithfull vnto men much more with God And the more fearefull is this sinne because onely the faithfull shall inherite eternall life Secondly all such as haue made a shew of good things heretofore and now doe suffer the same to decay must call to mind from whence they are fallen and become faithfull keepers of the graces of God holding fast true religion and good conscience and walke constantly in obedience and then shall they haue the crowne of life though not for their deserts but only for the merits of Christ. Verse 11. Let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirit sayth vnto the Churches he that ouercommeth shall not bee hurt of the second death These words containe the last part of this Epistle namely the Conclusion Wherein obserue generally as also in the two next verses that Christ repeateth the same things which he spake before in this and the former chapters yea in the very same words This must bee considered because it is done by Christ who is the doctor of his church whose example both for matter and manner of teaching must bee our rule and precept The like did the Apostles It grieued not Paule to write the same things Phil. 3.1 And Peter sayth vnto the dispersed Church That he will often put them in mind of the same things before his departing wherein they had knowledge and were established Hereby all the Ministers of the gospell in their Ministerie haue warrant often to teach and repeat the same points of doctrine euen in the same words Yea Gods faithfull Minister may preach the same Sermon oftentimes if hee doe it not for ease to himselfe but for the benefit of the people And therefore if any hearer of Gods word shall at any time marke the Minister to deliuer the same things often he is not curiously to find fault with his Ministerie for by that reason they may find fault with Christ who seuen times repeateth the same things vnto these churches This Conclusion hath two parts a Commaundement and a Promise The words of this commaundement haue beene expounded in the seuenth verse with the doctrines and vses thereof yet here is to bee obserued what the spirit commendeth thus seriously to our hearing The things are three which were handled in the former verses First touching Gods prouidence that hee seeth and regardeth the tribulations of his church The second touching triall that Gods church and people ought before-hand to consider of the day of visitation and thereby arme themselues with courage against all afflictions that they suffer not themselues to bee ouermuch daunted with any feare The third touching faithfulnesse Gods people must consider what promises they haue made to God in baptisme namely to keepe faith true religion and good conscience vnto the end and these they must performe vnto death These things being so carefully commended vnto vs by Christ wee must labour to haue them engrauen in our hearts that we may practise them in our liues And to incite vs hereunto wee must marke the two reasons contained in the words First because the Spirit of Christ speaketh to vs. Secondly because they concerne all Churches though principally they were spoken to the church of Smyrna and therefore none may seeke excuse to exempt himselfe from learning and obeying these things The Promise Hee that ouercommeth shall not be hurt of the second death Of the meanes of ouercomming we haue spoken in the seuenth verse By second death is meant the condemnation of the soule and bodie for euer and euer For there be two kinds of death mentioned in Scripture The first is the separation of bodie and soule asunder at the end of this life The second is when soule and bodie both are sâ—â—ered for euer from Gods comfortable presence Reu. 21.8 This second death is expounded to bee an abode in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone The meaning therefore of the promise is this that they which ouercome thogh they may suffer the first death yet they shall neuer suffer damnation their soule and bodie may be seuered one from the other for a time but neither soule nor bodie shall euer be seuered from God to goe into that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Which is a most gracious and happy promise Here first marke to whome this promise is made namely To them that ouercome Where learne that it is not sufficient for a man to professe and approoue or to teach the doctrine of the gospell but withall he must ioyne a fight against himselfe against sinne the world the deuill and against all the enemies of his saluation and not suffer them to raigne ouer him but so fight as by Gods grace hee may ouercome and then shall the second death neuer hurt him It is nothing to professe if we still liue in sinne and therefore wee must not content our selues with knowledge but labour to feele in our hearts such power of grace as will make vs truly to say we are conquerours ouer our spirituall enemies This is that blessed state of all those vnto whom life euerlasting belongeth who shall neuer taste of the second death Secondly here is answered a great question which
euerie word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God This is thought to bee the same white Manna which is vsed in shops at this day but I will not dispute thereof seeing it is doubtfull That Manna did represent a more excellent food and therefore Paul calleth it A spirituall meat because it represented vnto them the spirituall food of the soule Christ Iesus the true Manna The liuing bread that came downe from heauen as wee may see at large Iohn 6. And so in this place by Manna wee must not vnderstand the Manna of the people of Israel But Christ himselfe the true food of life eternall How Christ doth become vnto vs our spirituall Manna and the true food of life I will shew by these conclusions I. He is this food not in regard of his doctrine or of his miracles nor yet onely in regard of the blessings of his death and passion But Christ himselfe God and man is true food of life as is shewed at large Iohn 6. And in Christ himselfe are his death and passion the benefits thereof food vnto the soule II. Conclus Christ is this food not as he lay in the manger or as he now sitteth in heauen at the right hand of his father but as he suffered the wrath of God and pangs of hell vpon the crosse and as he died was buried for our life commeth out of Christs death III. Concl. He is this food not in regard of his godhead for that no creature can receiue or apply to his iustificatiō or sanctification but in regard of his manhood subsisting in the person of the sonne of God Christs flesh profiteth nothing seuered from the godhead but yet his body and bloud haue this vertue to be true spirituall food because they are the flesh and bloud of that person which is God IV. Concl. Christ is not a bodily food to be receiued with the hād eaten with the mouth digested in the stomacke but he is a spirituall food to be receiued applied digested by faith◠And being so receiued he doth preserue the soule vnto eternall life This faith is that wherby a man is enabled to beleeue that Christ crucified is his Christ. And thus doth he become our spirituall Mannah when by true faith wee assure our selues that he suffered for our sinnes and rose againe for our righteousnesse Is Christ crucified the true bread of life and our spirituall Manna then should we long after him with a true spirituall hunger in our very hearts as truly as any man longeth after meat drinke When a man is famished for the staying of his hunger he will pull his owne flesh from his bones and eat it Euen so for the satisfying of our hungrie soules with Christ Iesus this food of life we must forsake the deerest thing in all the world though it bee our owne flesh For that which we will do for our bodies we must do much more for our soules Que. How shall we attaine to this true spirituall hunger Answer It is with the hunger of the soule as it is with the hunger of the body In bodily hunger bee two things A great paine in the stomacke for want of nourishment And a strong and earnest appetite which continueth till the stomacke be filled Euen so we should feele a paine in our hearts rising from a sense of the wrath of God for our sinnes And then wee must labour to haue a greedie appetite and earnest desire to bee filled with Christ crucified neuer be at rest til we be satiat with the merit of his passion which only can free vs from Gods wrath and fill vs with true ioy But wofull bee these times for there is in most mens hearts a deadnesse of spirit whereby they are made insensible of inward wants and miseries They are like vnto full men that feele no paine for want of food There is indeed an hunger nay a greedie worme in many after the profits pleasures and honors of this world but few or none do hunger after Christ. But if wee would haue part in the feast of the Lambe we must labour to haue this longing appetite after Christ If we be full stomacked wee shall haue no refreshing from his merits Mary saith truly in her song God filleth the hungrie with good things but the rich and full goe away emptie Which is a most fearfull curse when the soule is debarred from this food of life But blessed are we if we hunger after Christ and his righteousnesse for then we shall bee satisfied Christ will giue vnto vs our fill of the water of life freely Reuel 21.6 Secondly here we may take a view of the profane madnesse of the world For though this bread of life Christ Iesus be the most excellent food of all farre surpassing the Israelits Manna the food of Angels yet it is nothing or little desired Men are like to the foolish Israelits that had more regard to leekes and onions and to the flesh pots of Egypt than to Angels food which God gaue them frō heauen They spend their wits and their strength by day and by night that they may satiate themselues with the fraile riches and vaine pleasures of the world And yet these men haue the name to be the onely men whereas indeed they are profane Esau◠wicked Israelits As therefore this practise is damnable so must we learne to detest it And on the contrarie seeing Christ Iesus is the true Manna our principall care and desire must bee to bee fed therewith Wee must thinke it is a great disgrace to Christ Iesus which hee cannot endure without reuenge that wee should haue lesse regard to him the true bread of life than to earthly foode which perisheth Thirdly here wee may see that which is vsuall in the Scripture intreating of the Sacraments to wit the name of the signe giuen to the thing signified for Christ here promiseth them Manna meaning thereby not the Israelits food but himselfe whereof their Manna was a signe a seale a pledge as appeareth plaine because Paul calleth it spiritual meat 1. Cor. 10·2 Further Christ is not only called Manna but hidden Manna to put a difference betweene himselfe and the Manna of the Israelits which was visible that euery man might see And Christ is called hidden Manna for two causes first because no man by nature knoweth this food or desireth it secondly because God doth not reueale this food to al men effectually as may appeare Mat. 11.25 I giue thee thankes oh father that thou hast hidden these things that is the doctrine of the gospell and the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen from the great and wise men of the world and hast opened them vnto babes Is Christ hidden Mannah then first here learne to take knowledge of the state of men in the world They know not Christ neither do they feele in themselues any want of this food and therefore they know not what
foorth the power of obedience or else God will take it from vs. And we know not how neere this iudgement is seeing other particular iudgements haue not brought vs to repent And what else meane the rumors of warres are they not Gods warnings bidding vs holde fast his Gospel or else it will bee taken from vs Although therefore wee loose all other things as honour riches lands or life it selfe yet let vs holde fast our crowne When the Arke of God is gone no glorie is left 1. Sam. 4.21 Vers. 12. Him that ouercommeth will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God he shall goe no more out and I will write vpon him the Name of my God and the Name of the Citie of my God which is the new Ierusalem which commeth downe out of heauen from my God and I will write vpon him my new Name Vers. 13. Let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirit saith vnto the Churches These wordes are the conclusion of this Epistle which containeth two parts First a promise in the twelfth vers Secondly a commandement in the 13. for the promise In it wee are to obserue two points The partie to whom it is made and the thing promised The partie is he that ouercommeth of whom we haue spoken before for this promise hath beene propounded sixe times for substance the same though in other tearmes Yet here the very word Ouercommeth doth giue vs to vnderstand that he that would haue his seruice pleasing to God must dispose himselfe to a battell or combate for ouercomming presupposeth a fight The enemies which he is to fight against are spirituall to wit his owne corrupt nature the wicked world and the deuill and in this spirituall combate a man must be a good souldier before hee can bee a good Christian for all these enemies will seeke to draw him backe and hinder him so soone as he shall any way endeuour to please God Indeed God could haue freed his seruants from all temptations but hee will not it is Gods pleasure by temptations to haue his seruants tryed Whereby it is manifest that they are deceiued that imagine the state of a Christian to be a freedome from all miseries and temptations or a state of ease wherein is no strife or trouble to disquiet the mind nay it is a souldiers condition in which he that would ouercome must wage a-perpetuall battell against all his enemies both within him and without him and that vnto death The thing promised will I make a pillar in the house of my God and hee shall goe no more out Heere Christ doth most notably expresse the state and condition of eternall life In the description whereof he doth allude to the custome practise of men who minding to perserue the memorie of their names after their death vsed to errect durable Pillars of wood or stone in some towne valley or mountain with their name engrauen or written thereon This practise is common in humane hystories and Absolon wanting issue set vp a Pillar with his owne name vpon it in the Kings dale thereby to continue his remembrance with posteritie The meaning then is as if Christ had said Others for the continuing of their memorie after their death doe in some speciall place errect some durable pillar of wood or stone with their owne names written or engrauen thereon But to him that ouercommeth I will not set vp such a pillar but euen make him a pillar durable and euerlasting whose memorie shall alwayes continue He addeth further he shall bee a pillar in the Temple of my God as if hee should say others set vp their pillars in valleyes and mountaines or such places where some notable exployt hath bin wrought but the place which I will choose saith Christ is the temple of my God that is the Church tryumphant which was figured by the Temple in Ierusalem and by the Tabernacle as we may see Heb. 9.9 and Reuel 21.3 for those were two places where Gods people worshipped him where God testified his presence in a speciall manner vnto his people And so in the true Temple the kingdome of heauen Gods saints and angels doe worship him immediately where God is present with them in most glorious comfortable maner This then is Christs meaning he shall not onely be a part of that Temple but an excellent part euen a pillar in the triumphant Church in heauen And to shew what is meant by this temple Christ calleth it the temple of his God therby noting the highest heauen Where obserue that God is called Christes God which argueth inferioritie and therefore it must be vnderstood of Christ as hee is man and as he is mediator in which respect he receiueth from his Father all his offices and power to execute the same But as Christ is God he is equall with his Father and receiueth nothing from him And to instruct is yet further heerein Christ saith Hee shall goe no more out When men erected pillars for their memoriall in processe of time they would weare away and therefore they caused them to be renewed or els their remembrance thereby would not continue but he that is once made a mēber of the tryumphant Church shall there remaine for euer and euer and no time shall euer come wherein he shall cease to bee a pillar in the same Further in the pillars erected by men their names were written or engrauen And to this practise Christ alludeth saying that hee that is made a pillar in the triumphant Church shall haue names written on him these names are three I. The Name of my God that is I will make it manifest that this man is indeed the sonne of God and that God is all in all vnto him The second Name is The Name of the Cittie of my God By Cittie he meaneth not the tryumphant Church but the place where the tryumphant Church shall be to wit the highest heauen as it is taken Reuel 21.10 So that hereby Christ would teach vs thus much that hee which ouercommeth shall bee knowne to be a Cittizen of heauen and that the priuiledges of that kingdom belong vnto him And lest any should doubt what is meant by the Cittie of God Christ here described it first by the resemblance thereof calling it Ierusalem because that Cittie in regard of the Temple especially was a figure of the kingdome of heauen Secondly he calleth it the new Ierusalem that is the place of the tryumphant Church euen the highest heauen Which is not called new in respect of being for it was from the beginning but in respect of the manner of reuealing and manifesting it for in the old Testament the New Ierusalem was reuealed to the Iewes onely and that obscurely but vnder the kingdome of Christ it is more fully reuealed not only to the Iewes but to all the world Thirdly he addeth that it doth now descend out of heauen from his God Therein answering to an obiection for it might
bee said this temple of God in heauen is so farre off that wee cannot ascend or attaine vnto it how then shall we come thither Christ answereth that this new Ierusalem commeth downe from God out of heauen Quest. How will some say can heauen come out of heauen Answ. As Paul saith of Christ that hee was crucified among the Galatians before their eyes because his crucifying was so liuely represented vnto them in the Ministerie of the Gospel So here heauen may be said to come downe from God out of heauen in regard of the preaching of the Gospel which doth most visibly represent and set open heauen vnto vs that Gods people may enter therein by the faithfull embracing whereof we become cittizens with the Saints and of the household of God Ephe. 2.19 The third name which shall bee written on him is Christs new name whereby is not meant any title of Christ as Iesus Mediatour c but the dignitie power and glorie of Christ. Quest. How can that bee called new seeing hee had power and glorie from all Eternitie Answ. It is called newe because it is receiued of Christ as hee is Mediator God incarnate beeing that which was giuen to him after his death and passion standing in his rising againe in his ascension and sitting at the right hand of his Father Hereof Paul saith Phil. 2.9 God gaue him a Name aboue euery name that is dignitie power and glorie as it is expounded Heb. 2.7 And this glorie power and dignitie will Christ giue to them that ouercome And thus we haue eternall life set out vnto vs by the authour of life himselfe The summe whereof is this That hee which ouercommeth shall bee made a true member of the tryumphant Church and there continue for euer and shall haue three Names written on him The Name of God hauing this made euident that hee is the childe of God The Name of Gods Cittie being made partaker of the priuiledges of Gods kingdome of heauen The newe Name of Christ communicating with Christ in his glorie and maiestie And Christ doth thus describe life eternall vnto vs for speciall causes which may bee these I. To comfort them which haue care to keepe faith and a good conscience and to encourage them against all hindrances and miseries of this life for what can more harten a man in good duties than to set before him his recompence and reward Wherby we learne that in all miseries and trobles that may befall vs for the maintenance of true religion and good conscience we must comfort our selues and not faint And to encourage vs herein wee are carefully to propound and set before vs the due consideration of life eternal for this it was that caused Moses to despise worldly honour and to choose affliction with the people of God Wee must also looke vnto Christ who for the ioy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised shame Souldiers that are vncerten of any reward are yet content vnder their Generall to aduenture their liues at his command how much more then ought Christian souldiers to fight manfully and stand fast in all troubles for Christs sake who hath set before them such a great reward Secondly it is thus described to bring Gods people to a view and taste of life eternall that thereby they may the more affect it Many cast off all care of Religion and good conscience for the present delights of earthly things they can see no goodnesse nor pleasure in spirituall things The sweetnesse of earthly pleasures puts mens mouthes out of taste in regard of any rellish of life eternall but this must not be so with vs wee must bee of Moses minde who desired to see the Land of Canaan when he was not permitted to enter into it and therevpon God tooke him vp into Mount Nebo and shewed it vnto him So considering Christ hath thus largely described this kingdome vnto vs wee must labour to comprehend in our vnderstandings and in our hearts to possesse by faith something of life eternall though we cannot as yet fully inherite the ioyes and pleasures thereof Thirdly it is thus described to teach vs to practise Pauls rule 1. Tim. 6.12 Namely to passe through all the miseries and troubles of this world and to take holde of eternall life This is a most necessarie dutie but yet little practised men with both hands lay hold vpon the things of this world vpon riches and pleasures but who considereâ—h what is prepared by Christ in heauen for them that ouercome and who laboureth to lay holde thereof and to keepe that sure though he loose all things else Lastly this description of eternall life here serueth to make the people of God to feare no death thogh it were most cruell and terrible for death is but a straite doore whereby the childe of God must passe to all glorie and happinesse when he shal be made a pillar in Gods temple Thus much generally of the thing promised Nowe followe in particular the parts thereof First whereas Christ promiseth to make them that ouercomme pillars and chiefe members in the Church tryumphant Hereby we are taught to labour to become true members of Gods Church in this life For life eternall must begin here and they that would be pillars in his Church tryumphant must now become members of his Church militant for not onely Ministers teachers are pillars in Gods Church though they be chiefe pillars therein but euery one yong and old man and woman that is a true beleeuer And thus shalt thou become a pillar in Gods Church on earth by maintaining vpholding the Gospel of Christ which thou must doe partly by teaching it to those whom thou art bound to teach within the compasse of they calling and partly by good example of life and conuersation and chiefly by a true and bold profession thereof not onely in time of peace but euen in the greatest tryals and afflictions Secondly hee addeth Hee will make him a pillar in the Temple of God that is in the church tryumphant for in the new Testament wee haue no other Temples but Gods Church tryumphant and militant Hereby then we must learne to renounce that ignorant opinion of the world who iudge euery materiall church to be the temple of God and as holy as the Church in Ierusalem was But the distinction of place and place in regard of holinesse which was vnder the Law is taken away by Christ. The house is now as holy as the Church Churches indeed must be regarded and maintained not for holinesse but for order sake now men may euery where offer the calues of their lips and lift vp pure hands from a pure heart vnto God Thirdly I will writ vpon him the name of my God that is whereas God the Father is my God first I will also communicate vnto him the same name of God and he shall haue God euen my God to be his God also By this it is plaine
giueth entrance to grace accesse to God in prayer made the Elders well reported of and each Christian to stand to the profession of Christ. It is that hand by which wee must apprehend Christ that shield by which wee resist all the fierie darts of the diuell and that meanes by which we do good to others By faith we receiue the spirit are members of Christ we are risen with him he dwelleth in our hearts we feed on him continually resist Sathan are the children of God and the word which we heare becommeth profitable And what shall I say faith is of such a qualitie that it vniteth vs to Christ maketh vs certaine of our saluation bold in our profession ministreth true ioy giueth temporall blessings sanctifieth our gifts and maketh vs refuse the pleasures of this present world In a word no sinne can condemne him who hath this true faith and no vertue can saue him who wanteth it To come to the second which is Christ the obiect of faith The most comely garment that euer we can weare it is to be couered with the robes of Christs righteousnesse Iacob was blessed by Esaus garments and we are blessed by Christs garments What wee see through a greene glasse seemeth all to be greene and what God seeth through Christ it is all amiable We must put on this apparell not as the Church in the Canticles I haue put off my clothes how shall I put them on againe or as a gowne that wee cast off when we come to our home but we must so put him on that we neuer put him off againe Wee must put him on by imputation imitation infusion and profession by imputation of his righteousnesse imitation of his vertues infusion of his spirit and profession of his name Thus we must labour to get Christ for what though a man could command the earth with Alexander the sea with Moses the fire with Eliah and the Sunne with Iosuah What though he were as rich as Salomon as wise as Achitophel as strong as Sampson as swift as Ahimaaz as beautifull as Absolon as fortunate as Metellus and descended as Paul was of the bloud royall of Princes yet hauing not Christ hee hath nothing Yea say a man had the abstinence of Aristydes the innocencie of Phocion the holinesse of Socrates the almes deedes of Cimon the moderation of Camillus the honestie iustice and faithfulnesse of both Catoes all these out of Christ were but splendida peccata and to be esteemed as dung in regard of Christ. For haue him and haue all things want him and want all things he is in at and after death aduantage I come to the last it is profitable to repent for if we turne to the Lord he will turne to vs and that wee may turne consider his mercies in forgiuing his benefits in giuing his patience in forbearing and his iudgements in punishing The word preached sinnes committed and that few shall be saued the shortnesse of life the vncertaintie of life and the certaintie of death the ioyes of heauen the torments of hell the comfort of the elect and that else wee can haue no comfort in death pray wee cannot vnlesse wee repent and perish wee shall vnlesse we repent but blessed shall we be if we do repent But manum de tabula Magister adest this discourse following will teach vs these things and it am I bold to present to your worships Iohn sent his Reuelation to manie Churches and I present his Epistles to manie worthie personages and to whom may I better present them then to you Iohn was a Disciple full of loue and you are brethren full of loue The Preacher of these Lectures was well knowne to manie but to none better than to many of you especially to those who were in my time worthie members of that most worthie Colledge with him And the rather I do it that times to come may reioyce in the Lord that from one honourable roote haue issued so manie profitable branches to the Church You are six brethren as pillars of your house there were three sisters as fruitfull vines of the same one is not but is with the Lord and her I knew a Ladie of admirable vertues the other two are and long may they be so You are all brethren by nature of one venter nation of one country grace of one spirit affection of one heart fortune in great fauor and of one hope by your holy behauiour And concerning brotherly loue I need not to write vnto you for you are taught of God to loue one another Your Scilurus at his death need not to teach you concord by giuing to each of you a sheafe of arrowes which cannot well bee broken whilst they are conioyned for you by your amitie make your selues inuincible If Chilo the Lacedemonian died for ioy to see one sonne crowned at Olympus and Diagoras Rhodius did the like when his three children got the garland at a wrestling and Iacob so reioyced to heare of his sonne Ioseph to bee aduanced greatly in the kingdome of Aegypt how might that happie father of yours reioyce to see at one time one son sitting as high Sheriffe of the shire another preaching before the Iudges of Assize and the third pleading as Councellor at the barre and all the rest of great expectation in the kingdome Thus wise sons are a ioy to their parents and all may behold how good and comely a thing it is for brethren to dwel together in vnitie Aristotle could say that parents were not blessed vnlesse they were after their death blessed in their children And surely it is no small part of a fathers blessednesse to see his children like to flourish when he is gone Nay of all monuments that parents can leaue behind them there is none as one saith like to a vertuous son But all parents are not to be blessed Adams two sonnes could not agree in one field Abrahams in one house Isaaks in one wombe Dauids in one pallace nor two brethren in the diuision of an inheritance And though concord amongst brethren especially such as deuide the inheritance be very rare yet do you euen in this most comfortably agree You are not as Simeon Leui Romulus and Remus Eteocles and Polynices Atreus Thyestes Aeta and Perseus but as Castor and Pollux Dauid and Ionathan Ioseph and Beniamin and as a true friend is described to be one soule in two bodies It seemeth that as Agrippa the brother of Augustus was beholding to Salust for that one sentence Small things increase by concord but perish through discord so you haue all learned the same lesson as being
polluted with sinne that once washing was not ynough but sayth hee Wash mee againe and againe rince bathe and swill me in the bloud of Christ till I be purged and cleansed from all my sinnes And this same affection should be in euery one of vs wee should labour that our hearts may bee touched with a liuely sence of our vile estate by reason of our sinnes which make both bodie and soule most vgly and filthie in Gods sight and that the staine hereof is so deepely set in our soules that we can neuer be cleansed but by the washing of Christ his own hand and that in his owne hearts bloud yea that one washing will not serue but wee must be rinced and bathed therein For till such time as this consideration doe in some measure take place in our hearts it is not possible that we should loath sinne as we ought or come to this comfortable assurance of Gods loue that he hath washed away our sinnes in his bloud for this humilitie in our soules by reason of our sins is the beginning of all true grace and comfort Now this worke of Christ in washing vs from our sinnes doth comprehend a double benefit First the remission of our sinnes whereby the guilt and punishment due to them is taken away Secondly the mortification of sinne whereby the corruption of sinne is remooued and abolished And we must obserue that S. Iohn propounds this benefit generally without limitation saying Which washed vs from our sinnes That is from all our sinnes to giue vs to vnderstand that if any beleeue truly in Christ hee hath pardon of all his sinnes without any restraint or limitation either of number or qualitie bee they neuer so many or neuer so great By his bloud How can bloud wash away filthinesse nay it rather defiles a man Answ. This washing stands not in the substance of Christs bloud but in the merit thereof for that substance of bloud which was shed is lost and wee know not what is become of it whatsoeuer the Papists say but the merit therof remaineth still And Christs bloud deserues to purge away sinne rather than any other mans bloud as of Peter Iohn c. because his bloud was the bloud of God not of the godhead but of him who was both God and man For the manhood of Christ was receiued into the vnion of the second person And so it may be called the bloud of God as Paule sayth God redeemed his Church by his bloud that is Christ God incarnate And so it being the bloud of him that is God is more meritorious than the bloud of any creature whatsoeuer Besides Christ was appointed by God to be a publicke person in the worke of redemption and in his death and passion he stood in the roome and stead of all his elect so as when his bloud was shed their bloud was shâ—â— because it was shed for them But the bloud of other priuate men cannot answer for any besides themselues because it is shed onely for themselues Then damâ—â—ble is the doctrine of the Papists who hold the bloud of Martyrs can merit for others being applied vnto them for seeing they be but priuate men and suffered in their owne persons onely they cannot profit any other thereby By bloud we must vnderstand the passion of Christ a part for the whole and with all his fulfilling of the law vpon the crosse for in his suffering hee fulfilled the law and in fulfilling the law he suffered These two cannot be seuered saue onely in thought And so this word containes the whole obedience of Christ whereby he procured the remission and mortification of our sinnes Here then wee see two notable benefites of Christ vnto his church his loue the washing away of sinnes which S. Iohn sets downe to moue the churches with reuerence diligence to reade and delight in this booke All of vs will say wee are sure God loues vs and hath pardoned our sinnes in Christ why then doe wee not shew our loue againe to him by hearing and reading his word set downe in this or any other booke of Scripture and by yeelding answerable obedience thereto Why then do we not offer vp ourselues soules and bodies to serue him as the Apostle requires Rom. 1â— 1 by way of recompence for his mercies and loue shed out vnto vs But alas that is more common which is most shamefull to turne Gods grace into wantonnesse for when men say God loues them and hath washed away their sinnes yet they rebell against him when as these two benefites are here recorded to bee inâ—ucements of continuall loue and obedience to his holy word Verse 6. And made vs kings and 〈◊〉 to God euen his father to him be glory and dominion for 〈◊〉 Amen In these words is set downe the third worke and benefit of Christ bestowed on his church and on euery true member thereof For the better vnderstanding whereof we must consider in them foure points First the dignitie and excellencie of all true beleeuers and memberâ— of Christ They are kings and priests Secondly when they be made kings and priests in this life noted by the phrase of speech hath maâ—â— Wherein 〈◊〉 speaketh of the church on earth and vseth a word that signifieth the time past Thirdly the maner how they become kings and priests they are not so borne but Christ hath made them such Fourthly to whom they be made such to God euen the father For the first The dignitie of all true beleeuers hath two heads first They bee kings secondly Priests They are called kings not in regard of an earthly kingdome for vsually the condition of most beleeuers on earth is base and contemptible but in regard of a spirituall kingdome the kingdome of heauen whereto the Lord giues them right title and interest in and by Iesus Christ. So our Sauiour Christ speaketh to his disciples Feare not little flocke it is your fathers will to giue you the kingdome And againe Behold I giue vnto you a kingdome Now the faithfull are kings in these respects first because by Christ they bee lords and conquerours of all these enemies sinne Sathan the world death hell and their owne flesh Secondly because in and by Christ they are partakers of the glorie of Christs kingdome and saluation for they receiue of Christ grace for grace and so answereably glory for glory and felicitie for felicitie Thirdly because they be made lords of all things in heauen and earth except good Angels and the church All things are yours whether it be Paule or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death whether things present or to come euen all are yours and yee Christs Quest. But if Christ bee king and all his members kings how do they differ Answ. In two points First Christ is the sonne of God by nature and so a king by nature hauing the right of the kingdome of heauen by inheritance but the members of Christ
But this shall bee our wisedome betime to sue for grace and so shall wee defeat Sathan and preuent eternall wailing Secondly here see what an euill conscience is It lieth asleep here while a man liues and neuer troubleth him and so it may do in death also but in the last day when he shall see his Iudge with his eies then it will stirre it will torment him it will attach accuse and condemne him it will lay to his charge all his sinnes his contempt of Christ and his word his vnbeleefe in the time of grace and then it will breake his heart being as good as a thousand witnesses to condemne him This should cause all men to labour to get a good conscience washed and purged in the bloud of Christ which will not suffer vs to lie in any one sinne and vpon our repentance will assure vs we be in the fauour of God Which if it do in this life then will it neuer make vs to waile at the last day but it will excuse vs and make vs looke vp to our redeemer and to reioyce in him But take heed when thy conscience lieth asleepe and accuseth not for thy sinnes no not at death that is an euill conscience which will awake at the day of iudgement to torment and condemne thee V. point The meanes whereby hee confirmeth the certaintie of the second comming of Christ that is by a double note of asseueration Euen so Amen One of these is taken from the Greeks Euen so the second from the Hebrews Amen being both as much as Amen Amen or verily verily In which phrase Saint Iohn teacheth vs how to confirme the things we auouch There bee three wayes wherby a thing may be auouched First by a simple and bare affirmation or negation Secondly by an earnest asseueration Thirdly by an oath Now S. Iohn vseth these two notes of assuring in this weightie matter of Christs second comming saying He commeth euen so Amen that is certainly and without all doubt it is so Hereby teaching vs first that an asseueration must not be vsed but only when the matter in hand is of great weight and moment Here then we see that wretched is their practise who vse to bind euerie word with an oath which is a degree aboue this asseueration Yea they also are here iustly reprooued who in their ordinarie communication haue euer in their mouth some weightie asseueration Our sauiour often vseth these words of asseueration yet onely in matters of weight and moment and when the hearers were to be moued to greater attention and their hearts were to bee more fully setled in some truth of great importance Secondly by these asseuerations Iohn would teach vs to hold against the practise of Atheists that the comming of Christ is most certaine and vndoubted Which thing we should more seriously obserue because in our corrupt nature there is bred this false persuasion That either wee shall not bee summoned to iudgement or else that Christs comming is farre off like to the euill seruant who saith My maister deferres his comming which euill seruant by nature is euerie one of vs. Thirdly hereby Iohn giues vs to vnderstand one speciall note and marke of the child of God namely to desire and long after vnfainedly the second comming of Christ to iudgement for as these words be an asseueration so withall they containe a most earnest desire Euen so Amen as if he should say by way of answer to the proclaiming of his comming Lord grant it be so yea Lord let it be so Hence it is that Saint Paule describes all those who must receiue the crowne of righteousnesse by this propertie that they loue his appearing 2. Tim. 4.8 As for the vngodly it is not so with them they being not iustified nor sanctified and so not reconciled to God in Christ cannot loue this appearing Nay they could wish with all their heart there were no hell nor last iudgement And by this one note we may well iudge of our estates for if from our hearts we desire and long for this second comming to iudgement and wish he would come quickly then it is a certaine token and signe we bee reconciled to God in Christ and shall receiue the crowne of righteousnesse But if as yet wee feele not this longing and hungering desire in vs then we must suspect our selues and labour euery day to feele it for it is the desire of the saints to say How long Lord. And with Iohn Euen so Amen Verse 8. I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end sayth the Lord which iâ— which was and which is to come euen the Almightie After Saint Iohn had described Christ at large in the former verses he bringeth him in speaking of himselfe by a figure as may appeare by this clause saith the Lord. The end and scope of these words in this verse is to confirme that which was before spoken of Christ being a proofe and reason thereof after this manner to be conceiued He which is the beginning and the end of all c. he is sufficient to be a king priest and prophet to the Church and is both able and willing to bestow on them all blessings which serue for their good The first part of this argument is omitted the second part is contained in this eight verse But I am the beginning and the end and therefore I am sufficient c. In this eight verse are three points concerning Christ. First he is the beginning and the end Secondly he is was and is to come Thirdly he is Almightie For the first that Christ is the beginning and the end Saint Iohn expresseth by a comparison taken from the Greeke alphabet and it standeth thus As in the A B C of the Grecians Alpha is the first letter and therefore the beginning of all the letters and Omega is the last and therefore the end of all the letters So saith Christ am I the beginning of all things that are and the end of all things The first part of this similitude is in these words I am Alpha and Omega that is I am as Alpha and Omega The second part in these words The beginning and the end From this and such like manner of speaking the Papists gather that it is lawfull to worshippe God in a strange language And that the Scriptures are to be read and deliuered to the people in an vnknowne tongue But their collection is friuolous For though the vnlearned English man know not what Alpha and Omega is yet the Churches to whome this booke was written being Grecians knew generally what was meant hereby Againe though the spirit of God vseth here and there a strange word or phrase yet we may not follow that practise in the whole seruice and worship of God whereby neither the word nor prayer should be vnderstood of the people as the Papists do I am the beginning Christ is sayd to bee the beginning for two causes First because he
generally whereby a farre off though hee neuer had acquaintance with the partie a man may see the vanitie and lightnes of his mind the pride and folly of his heart that weareth it The second part of Christs attire is this Girded about the pappes with a golden girdle It hanged not loose about him but was girded close to his body whereby is signified that he is a mediatour euery way readie prepared to doe the office of a mediator for his Church for in all ages the girding of the attire to the body hath beene a signe of care and diligence in the businesse they haue in hand and the contrary not girding a signe of carelesnesse and negligence therein When Christ was here on earth hee was most pitifull to all penitent sinners he reiected none such that came vnto him but regarded them far more than the Scribes and Pharisees that were the learned men among the Iewes And since his assention hee hath not left off his care and diligence but is alwayes ready doing aâ— such duties which may pertaine to their saluation The consideration whereof is a matter of excellent comfort vnto all such as haue any sparke of grace First hereby wee learne that when wee truly humble our selues Christ is ready to receiue ouâ— prayers and in all our troubles temptations ready to relieue to comfort and deliuer vs and in our death ready to receiue our soules yea at all times prepared to doe whatsoeuer may further our saluation Hee is not like vnto Pharoahs butler who promised to remember Ioseph while hee was in prison with him but forgate him quite when he was aduaunced to honour againe But he is alwayes mindfull of vs and euer readie to doe all the workes of a mediatour for vs. Whence wee are taught answereably to haue our loynes girded as Christ commaundeth Luke 12. verse 35. being euer ready to doe all duties that concerne Christianitie as to call on Gods name and to praise God to practise faith repentance and obedience fit to die and fit to liue neuer suffering our selues to bee vnfit for any thing that concernes our saluation but at all times so stand vpon our watch that whensoeuer God shall call we may bee readie to enter into the kingdome of heauen But alas the case with most men goeth farre otherwise they fit themselues for the world at all times but few seeke to prepare themselues for the kingdom of heauen till death do come This ought not to be It is a treacherous part in any subiect to bee vnprepared for the seruice of his prince and yet euer readie to receiue a common enemy And it is no lesse treason against God to forslow our preparation for the Lord by fitting our selues for the world Further he is sayd to be girded not about the loynes but about the pappes and breast Whereby some say and not vnfitly is signified that there is no defect or aberration in any motion or affection of our Sauiour Christ but euerie thought and inclination of his hart is kept in order by the fulnesse of the spirit which dwelleth in him bodily Verse 14. His head and haires were white as white wooll and as snow and his eyes were as a flame of fire In the third place Iohn here describeth Christ by the parts of his body The whitenesse of his head haires signifieth the eternitie of Christ. For howsoeuer as hee is man he had a beginning yet in regard of his godhead he is eternall and therefore is called The antient of dayes Dan. 9. and is sayd to haue beene in the beginning Iohn â— 1 that is to haue had a beeing before all other things had their beginning In this resemblance of his eternitie by head and haires as white as wooll and snow hee giueth vs to vnderstand an honour and prerogatiue in the aged man whereby he excelleth the yonger sort to wit the horenesse and whitenesse of his haire for which cause in the word of God it is set forth by most worthie comparisons as by the white Almond tree Eccles. 12.5 And by a glorious siluer crowne not made by man but by the hand of God set vpon his head And herein doth this excellencie of the aged consist that they beare the image of Gods eternity before all that are of yonger yeares From whence all yonger men are taught to reuerence the aged by rising vp before them acknowledging thereby the preheminence of the hoare head Againe hereby the aged are taught to carrie themselues answerable to their estate and condition they ought to excell all their yongers in knowledge wisdome and experience of good things 1. Iohn 2.13 I write vnto you fathers that is aged men who by reason of yeares are fathers because you haue knowne him who is euerlasting Also they must be holy as hee that is eternall is holy whose eternitie they shew forth And therefore Salomon saith The white head is a crowne of glorie when it is found in the way of righteousnesse that is in one that walketh in the way of righteousnesse Prover 16.31 for his white haire signifieth that hee hath spent much time and care about good duties But it is no ornament vnlesse it be ioyned with holinesse of heart and life Which I say because many yonger men excell the aged in the knowledge of God other vertues which is a shame to the gray headed for as they go before others in yeares so they ought to excell in pietie knowledge and all vertues Ignorance and loosenesse of life is a foule vice in any but in him that bares the siluer crowne it is intollerable For how can they looke for reuerence from the yonger when as they bee farre inferior to them in gifts of grace It is no excuse for old men to say Their wits are not so ripe as young mens are and their memorie failes them Their aged ignorance argueth that they spent the time of their youth loosly and prophanely For they that be planted in the house of the Lord shall bring forth fruit in their age Psal. 92.13 14. A plant is young and therefore he that would weare the crowne of glory in his age must receiue the sap of grace in the house of God while hee is young And his eyes were as a flame of fire here Iohn proceedeth in describing the parts of Christs bodie In the handling whereof it is hard for any to set downe certainely what the holy Ghost intendeth in euery particular It shall be sufficient for vs to follow that interpretation which is most probable and best agreeing with the tenor of Gods word In this description of Christs eyes are signified to vs two things first that Christ the mediator and redeemer of his church is of most quicke sharpe and piercing sight so as hee beholdeth all things that are done vpon the earth yea he seeth into the very secret thoughts of mens hearts thither can the eyes of his godhead more easily pierce than fire can
reuerence as from the Lord. Lastly in this exceeding feare of Iohn who was an Apostle and a very godly and righteous man wee learne that the most holy man that is will be astonied euen to death with the presence of Gods glorious maiestie And if no man be he neuer so holy can stand before Gods presence much lesse can the most righteous workes of any man endure the triall of his iudgement if his person cannot abide his presence his workes will neuer beare his iudgement For the person must first bee approoued before the workes be accepted Therefore damnable is the doctrine of the church of Rome which teach that such as in themselues are sinfull men must stand before Gods iudgement seate bringing with them works of grace as meanes of their iustification and part of satisfaction to Gods iustice It is a doctrine of desperation for how can our works be perfectly holie seeing our persons are but sanctified here in part And who can thinke that the infinit iustice of God can bee satisfied by the imperfect righteousnesse of man II. point The effect of this feare in his body He fell downe as dead at his feete This was no small feare but exceding great astonishing his senses and laying him downe as dead Physitions say and that truly the mind followeth the temperature of the body But hence we may as truly say That the body followeth the disposition of the mind for the affections of the soule wil worke vpon the body like vnto strong diseases Iohns feare casteth his body into a sound And so horrour of conscience when the heart is cold will make the body hot and the intrals to roule in the body The same may be sayd of anger 1. Reg. 21.4 When Ahab could not obtaine Nabals vineyard he layd him downe on his bed in displeasure and was almost dead Euen so will other affections worke vpon the body Hence wee learne that the bodies of men being diseased must not alwayes be cured by bare physike but somtimes by curing of the mind and ordering of the affections for when the distemper of the body ariseth from the disorder of the mind then till the mind be well composed and setled physicke will little auaile III. point The kind of this feare is insinuated in these words he fell at his feet Wherby the holy Ghost giueth vs to vnderstand that this was a religious reuerent feare which hee bare to Christ For this kind of prostrating the body betokeneth humilitie and argueth a reuerent estimation of the thing feared Hence we are taught when we come into the presence of Christ we must prostrat our selues as Iohn did and looke that we be striken with a religious feare of his maiestie If any shall thinke that Christ is now ascended into heauen and therefore we cannot now fall down at his feet as Iohn did I answer though Christ be now in heauen yet hath he his feet vpon earth at which we must fall downe In the old testament the mercy-seat was the pledge of Gods presence and therefore it is called Gods footestoole Psal. 99.5 before which the Iewes were to fall downe Well though the mercy-seat be now taken away yet some thing is instead thereof For wheresoeuer Gods people assemble themselues in the name of God there is his footstoole and therfore in the assemblies of Gods saints we must cast downe our selues before Christ Iesus and do all duties vnto him with all feare awe and reuerence of his maiestie This feare of Iohn though it was holy yet is it tainted with some sinne and corruption for it was an immoderat feare of death which made him thus astonished and affright Whence wee learne that the most holy affections of righteous men are not perâ—ectly holy but mixed with imperfection according to the measure of their sanctification which is alwayes in part in this life Whereby it appeares that no man hath in him a filiall feare of God alone but some seruile feare whereby wee feare God for his iudgements is mixed therewith And thus much for Iohns feare which is the occasion of his confirmation Now followeth the meanes of his confirmation in these words Then he layd his right hand vpon me saying feare not I am the first and the last and I am aliue but I was dead and behold I am aliue for euermore Amen and I haue the keyes of hell and death Here note two things first the time when Christ vsed these meanes for Iohns confirmation secondly the means themselues The time is noted in this word then that is after his presence had stroken a feare in my heart which made me as dead then the Lord vsed meanes to comfort me The meanes of comfort and confirmation are then vsed when the party is humbled And thus the Lord dealeth with all his seruants in the matter of their saluation First he bruiseth their stonie hearts and woundeth their sinfull soules before hee powreth in the oyle of grace First a man must bee a lost sheepe and then Christ findeth him and layeth him on his shoulders and bringeth him home And indeed they that would feele sound comfort by Christ must first be humbled in themselues And the reason why men reape so little comfort either by the word or sacraments is the want of true humiliation before they come whereby the soule is fitted for grace and consolation II. point The meanes vsed by Christ to confirme Iohn and they are two First a sensible signe He layd his right hand vpon me Secondly comfortable words Feare not Here first obserue in generall Christs gratious dealing with Iohn he vseth not one meanes apart but in great mercie that he may throughly confirme Iohn he giueth him both a signe and words And so hee hath alwayes dealt with his seruants When he called Moses to bee a deliuerer of his people First hee gaue him his word saying I will be with thee and then a signe saying Vpon this mountaine shal ye serue God Exâ—d 3.12 So when he would confirme the heart of Ahaz against his enemies he first giues him a promise of deliuerance verse 7. then biddeth him aske a signe vers 11. And for this cause Christ in the publishing of his Gospell added signes and miracles vnto his word that the truth thereof might be fully confirmed And so in the worke of our saluation besides his mercifull promises which were sufficient in respect of his fidelitie he giueth vs further signes and seales to support our weaknesse and to confirme our faith in the assurance thereof euen the vse of the holy Sacraments This teacheth vs that Christ hath a speciall care ouer his church and people in that he doth so condescend and abase himselfe vnto their weaknesse adding vnto his word which of it selfe were sufficient signes and tokens that by both he might more euidently giue that assurance which by one alone our weaknes would not so well conceiue Againe in this meanes of confirmation note the order which Christ vseth
vnto a field wherein are good corne and tares and like vnto a barne floore wherein is wheat and chaffe mingled together and yet all are reputed beleeuers because they professe the Gospell outwardly Now by reason of this mixture it may come to passe that a particular visible Church may fall away and become no Church either when the godly are taken away and hypocrites and dissemblers made manifest or els when true beleeuers waxing few are not able to maintaine the publicke profession of the truth against the might and multitude of the enemies which may dayly encrease But the case is not so with a particular member of Christ he cannot finally fall away as hath beene shewed at large vers 4. And thus much for the second part of this reason The third part of this reason is the condition of both the former threatenings in these words Except thâ—â— amend that is I will come in iudgement vnto thee and take my gospell from thee vnlesse thou preuent my comming by true repentance Here note that all the threatenings of the old and new Testament are conditionall 〈◊〉 commeth to Niniue and crieth yet fortie dayes and Niniue shall bee destroyed He sayd no more but yet that threatening must bee vnderstood with this exception vnlesse they repent Why wil some say are the threatenings in Gods word propounded conditionally Answ. Gods whole will and pleasure is one alone in itselfe and yet it may bee thus distinguished to bee partly secret and partly reuealed Gods secret will is touching those things which hee hath not made manifest vnto men His reuealed will is touching those things which are manifested in Scripture or doe fall out euery day Now Gods secret will is without condition for as euery thing commeth to passe so God willed it when good things come to passe them he willeth simply when euill things fall out them he permitteth to be done And to make Gods secret will conditionall is to bring Gods will vnder the power of man and to subiect the Creator vnto the creature But Gods reuealed will is conditionall because it containeth the matter of mans saluation and this manner of propounding it is a most effectuall way to bring the same to passe for it keepeth men more in awfull obedience than if it were absolute In this condition note this thing that Christ repeateth it twice both in the beginning of this reason If not and in the end Except thou amend Hereby hee would giue vs to vnderstand That when men commit sinne and lye therein or when they decay in any grace then haue they most necessarie cause to repent if they would escape Gods fearefull iudgements And seeing our estate is like to the state of this Church or els worser by much for wee lye in sinne and thereby cause God to come to vs in iudgement as we tender our owne good both in this life and after death let vs turne from our sinnes and repent euery man apart euery familie apart and the whole church publickely for repentance is most needfull els would not the Lord haue doubled this condition Verse 6. But this thou haâ—â— that thou 〈◊〉 the workes of the Nicolaitans which I also hate These words are a second reason to prooue that which was set downe in the second verse namely That this Church could not abide them that were euill In the second verse this was made manifest by their discouery of the false Apostles and here he prooueth it by their affection of hatred towards the workes of the Nicolaitans These Nicolaitans were certaine heretickes in the primitiue Church that held these two opinions First that adulterie and fornication were no sins Secondly that men might communicate with the sacrifices of idolaters in their Idoll temples and according to their opinions were their practises These heretickes as it is thought came of one Nicholas one of the seuen deacons mentioned Acts 6. who though for a while hee did faithfully discharge his dutie outwardly yet after fell away and became the head of this hereticall sect But this thou hast This Particle But hath reference to the former verse As if hee should say Though this be thy fault that thou failest in thy first loue yet for this I commend thee that thou hatest the workes of the Nicolaitans This practise of Christ discouereth the common sinne of this age which is to set out in their colours mens faults and infirmities to their greatest disgrace and yet by silence and obliuion to burie all their vertues which are prayse worthie This ought not to bee so wee must follow Christs example who with iust reproofe adioyneth due deserued praise If our friend or our foe haue a fault when we are called thereunto wee may speake of it and wee must reprooue them but yet withall we must commend the good things that be in them Secondly Christ here teacheth vs That it is not sufficient to anymans good estate before God that hee haue good things in him for that a man may haue and yet bee in danger to bee cut off from Christ. Saule had good things in him at the first entrance into his kingdome but what was hee afterward Iohn was verie zealous for Gods glorie in killing all the idolatrous priests but he would not depart from the sinnes of Ieroboam And Iudas no doubt had many good gifts while he was with Christ but his end was most fearefull And this church had many good things in her yet iâ— she in danger of being cut off from Christ And so many among vs haue excellâ—â—t gifts some for knowledge some for 〈◊〉 and conceiuing of prayer yet for all these they may be cut off from Christ. Therefore wee must not content our selues with these but labour for the principall which is true hearty and vnfained repentance which wee must dayly renew for our continuall fals And this will keepe vs in Gods fauour and from his iudgements More particularly Christ here commendeth this Church for hating the errours of the Nicolaitans Whereby hee would teach vs our dutie if wee bee Christians namely to take knowledge of the sinnes and errours of our times and to hate the same vnfainedly Yet note he commendeth them for hating their workes not their persons giuing vs direction how to temper our hatred in the world We must set it against the sinne not against the person of any man Some will say the Prophets prayed against the persons of the wicked And Dauid professed hatred of the men Psalm 139.21 Doe not I hate them that hate thee Answ. Dauid was an extraordinarie Prophet and no doubt had this reuealed vnto him that those his enemies were obstinate and would not repent Againe imprecations of the prophets in Scripture must bee vnderstood as prophecies of Gods iudgement to come vpon those against whome they prayed But wee which want that extraordinarie spirit must keepe our selues to our ordinarie rule Hate the sinnes and loue the persons Further obserue the workes here
is not called the morning star because hee shineth to al the world in al time as the morning star doth but because he shineth vnto men in the last age of the world It is further sayd I will giue him it Where is promised fellowship and participation with Christ aâ— hee is this day-starre And herein are two benefits comprised First perfect illumination wherby ignorance shall be wholly taken away after this life when as men shall know God fully so farre foorth as a creature can know the creator Secondly the light of perfect glory for by fellowship with Christ wee shall bee made to shine as the starres as Daniel speaketh yea wee shall become Saints in light â—s the Apostle sayth Whereas Christ compares himselfe to the morning starre First wee see the grosse errour of many among vs who liue in blindnesse of mind and ignorance walking in their wicked lusts and pleasures without care of keeping faith or good conscience and yet persuade themselues that they haue part in Christ and shall bee partakers of his light and glorie But they are deceiued for all such as liue in blind ignorance and in sinne are meere darkenesse and so can haue no fellowship with Christ who is that bright morning starre for what fellowship can bee betweene light and darkenesse This bright morning starre serueth onely for them that receiue the light thereof and walke by it but those that walke in the darkenes of their sinnes haue no benefit by it Secondly seeing Christ is this morning starre wee must haue care to learne Peters instructionâ— namely Labour that this bright starre may rise and shine in our hearts This wee shall feele when we vse those meanes wherby the beames of this starre may shine vpon vs not onely for the enlightening of our minds but also for the heating and reuiuing of our frozen and dead hearts For as the Sunne in the Spring time quickeneth by it warme beames some things that lye dead all Winter so Christ Iesus this morning starre by the beames of his grace doth enlighten our minds and reuiue our dead and frozen hearts And till such time as wee feele these things wrought in vs we cannot say that this morning starre is risen vnto vs or hath shone into our hearts Thirdly whereas Christ appeareth in the morning when darkenesse is past wee are hereby taught to lead our liues in godlinesse righteousnesse sobrietie and in all manner of vpright and godly conuersation For the night is past and the day is come wherein wee may see to walke vprightly And therefore wee must cast off the vnprofitable workes of darkenesse as the Apostle exhorteth vs Rom. 13.12 And know this That those who in this light doe not walke accordingly but delight in sinnes the workes of darkenesse shall one day haue their fill Hee that loueth the darke for the hiding of his talent must bee cast for his reward into vtter darkenesse Let him that hath an eare to heare heare what the spirit sayth vnto the Churches Here is Christs commaundement the second part of this conclusion But hereof we haue spoken before Motiues to proceed Prou. 15.32 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his owne soule Luk. 9.62 No man that putteth his hand to the plough and looketh backe is apt to the kingdome of God Gal. 6.9 Let vs not be wearie of well doing for in due time wee shall reape if wee faint not 1. Cor. 12.31 Desire you the best gifts and I will shew you a more excellent way THE THIRD CHAPTER Verse 1. And write vnto the Angel of the Church that is at Sardis These things saith hee that hath the seuen Spirites of God and the seuen Starres I know thy workes for thou hast a name that thou liuest but thou art dead THese words containe the fift particular Commandement of our Sauiour Christ vnto Iohn wherein he is inioyned to write send a speciall Epistle to the Church of God in Sardis of this commandement we haue spoken before The Epistle it self is contained in the sixe first Verses it hath three parts A Preface the matter of the Epistle the ConclusioÌ„ The Preface in these words These things saith he which hath the seuen Spirits of God and the seuen Starres In this Preface first is set downe in whose name this Epistle is written to procure authoritie vnto it it is in Christs name whose soueraigntie is described by two royalties that is by two prerogatiues or priuiledges belonging to him as he is a soveraigne king of his Church the first is The hauing of the seuen spirits of God The second his hauing of the seuen Starres For the first royaltie In the first Chap. vers 4. I shewed that by seuen spirits were meant the holy Ghost from whom proceed all the gifts and graces that any men enioy and therefore whereas Christ is said to haue the seuen spirits of God the meaning is that he hath the holy ghost And this is a royaltie of Christ as he is the King and head of his Church If it be said that other seruants of God as Dauid Peter and Paul had the holy Ghost Answ. It is true but not in the same manner with Christ for he hath the holy Ghost two wayes in regard of his diuine nature of his manhood as Christ is God hee is the beginning of the holy Ghost for the holy Ghost is a person in the Trinitie proceeding from the sonne as well as from the Father in regard of which proceeding Christ is sayd to send the holy Ghost and to doe whatsoeuer hee doth by the holy Ghost as to ouercome death by the eternall spirite and to rise from death to life Secondly as Christ is man he hath the holy Ghost because the holy Ghost powred into him the perfection of all graces and giftes whatsoeuer And for this cause he is said to be anoynted with the oyle of gladnesse aboue his fellowes and to be inriched with the perfection of all graces and that two wayes both for number and degrees For number with men some haue some graces and some men others but Christ hee hath the graces of all men and all Angels nay moe graces in number then all men and all Angels haue And as they are in number perfect so they are perfect in degree for in measure they exceed the graces of all creatures men or Angels and therefore the Father is said to haue giuen the spirit vnto his son without measure thus much is meant by this first royaltie of Christ. Now the end why Christ is said to haue the holy Ghost is to shewe that hee is a most liuely head of his Church who is filled with plentie of all store of graces whereby he is able to inrich his Church and to reuiue the members thereof who are dead in their sinnes and such indeed was the speciall state of this Church First hence we learne no man can haue true fellowship with the