shew mercie exercise iudgement keepe courts assises begin end and continue warre according to his commaundements And so in euery thing the direction of Christ should be their guide as it was to Dauid Thy lawes O Lord haue beene my counsellours Psal. 119.24 Fourthly if Christ bee soueraigne king then all earthly princes are bound to plant and establish in their kingdomes the religion of Christ else how can they shew themselues his loyall subiects Many imagine That earthly princes may admit vnto their subiects any religion for the peace of the ciuile state but this is against the equitie of Gods word in this place for wherein can earthly princes doe homage vnto Christ if they maintaine not his religion And their dutie in this behalfe is signified plainely in the parable of the mariage For when they that were bidden did not come the king sent forth his seruants which may be vnderstood of Christian magistrats to compell men to come to the mariage for that is the magistrates dutie in respect of the outward profession of true religion Fiftly seeing Christ alone is prince of the kings of the earth hence we learne that kings on earth in their dominions are soueraigne gouernours ouer all persons and in all causes next vnder Christ he is king of kings absolutely and they are vnder him alone and haue no other head but him Whereby wee see the presumption and arrogancie of the Pope and Sea of Rome in claiming supremacie aboue all kings and princes in the whole church vpoÌ„ earth This is a deuice of the diuell and high treason against Christ for hereby hee is robbed of this royall prerogatiue to be the only prince of the kings of the earth Lastly seeing Christ is king of all kings we must not be discouraged when we be called to suffer any affliction for his truth let the tyrants of the earth rage and bend their force to hurt vs yet wee haue a king aboue them al for whom we suffer he is their king hee can stay and bridle them and if hee please confound and bruise them in peeces They cannot do any thing but that which he permits for hee rules in the middest of all his enemies Psal. 110.2 he can breake them in pieces like a potters vessell Thus much of the offices of Christ. The second part of Christs description is by the execution of his offices which consists in foure works The first contained in these words Vnto him which loued vs the second in these Which washed vs in his bloud the other two in the two verses which follow viz. 6 and 7. For the first which loued vs that is Iohn and the churches of Asia by proportion all other churches being parts of the true church The loue of Christ hath three degrees the first is a generall loue wherby he loues all his creatures approuing the same to be good as they be his by creation The second is the loue of mankind in that he was content to become a redeemer for mankind after their fall and not â—or any other creature no not for the Angels which fell as well as man who therefore remaine without all hope of saluation The third and principall is that wherby he loues his elect and chosen children which is that speciall sauour whereby he accepts of them to life euerlasting This third degree hath two parts First it is taken for his purpose to loue as when he saith I haue loued Iacob and hated Esau Rom. 9.13 Secondly for the act of louing which is the declaration of his purpose by spirituall benefits 1. Iohn 3.1 Behold what singular loue God hath shewed vnto vs that wee should be called the sonnes of God noting the declaration of his loue in the gift of adoption So in this verse by the loue of Christ vnto his church is meant the actuall declaration of his speciall fauour in accepting them for his children and bestowing many singular blessings vpon them Whereas S. Iohn placeth this in the first place of all the benefites of Christ That he loued vs hee would teach vs That this speciall loue is the very ground of mans redemption which excludeth all foreseene faith and workes from being motiues of mans election in Gods eternall councell and so proportionally all foreseene sinnes from being motiues in God of mans reprobation It may be obiected The loue of God as also of man respects a thing as it is good First the thing must be good and then it is loued and so in mans redemption God first foresees their goodnesse and therefore chuseth them Ans. There is great difference betweene the loue of the creature and of the creator The loue of the creature followes the goodnesse of a thing because he seeth it is good therefore he loues it But God the creator first loues the creature before it bee good and hence it comes that it is good because he loues it Secondly whereas Saint Iohn and all the churches of Asia as other true churches do beleeue and are assured that Christ loues them for that Saint Iohn taketh for granted this should moue all men to haue this care to labour aboue all things to be rooted and grounded in the loue of God seeing hee placeth that in the first place This is the principall thing wherein the Apostle would haue the Ephesians rooted and grounded and therefore prayeth That with all Saints they may be able to comprehend what is the breadth and length deapth and height thâ—â—of Ephes. 2. vers 17 18 19. This we doe when we are assured in heart and conscience by the working of Gods spirit that he loues vs in Christ. So that he which denies vnto vs the assurance of Gods loue in Christ takes away the very ground of our saluation Now that we may haue this assurance of Gods loue wee must in all good duties to God and man draw neere to God with our hearts keeping a good conscience in all things and then will God draw neere to vs. If any man loue me saith Christ he will keepe my word and then my father will loue him and we will come in vnto him and dwell with him Iohn 14.23 meaning by the holy ghost which shall shed this loue into our hearts Rom. 5. vers 5. causing vs to increase in the feeling thereof as wee grow in faith and obedience towards him And hath washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud Here is the second benefit and action of Christ to his church Where first of all the very phrase hath washed vs doth import that the sinnes of men are as filthie spots in their soules and that himselfe and this church of God were touched with a serious consideration of their vilenesse by reason of their sinnes for washing presupposeth former filthinesse and pollution Thus did Dauid most sensibly feele his owne filthinesse and see his miserable estate when he desired the Lord to wash him throughly confessing thereby that his soule and body were so foulely stained and
ver 22.23 IV. Euery priuat man must professe and defend the true religion of Christ against all the enemies thereof 1. Pet. 3.15 Be readie alwayes to giue an answer to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you And this confession must be not onely in word but in deed For by a blamelesse and holy conuersation euerie christian holdeth foorth the word of life Phil. 2 15 16. Seeing the maintenance of true religion is so excellent a worke wee must be admonished euery one in our place to take paines in all the duties that belong vnto vs that by vs Christâ— religion may be furthered For Gods church is not called the piller of truth onely because the minister thereof maintaineth Gods truth but also because euery member of the church is as a piller in his place to maintaine and professe the true doctrine of Christ for his glory Besides this is a duty of the first table and therefore we must haue more speciall care for the performance thereof And thus wee see the two meanes whereby the church of Ephesus opposed her selfe against false teachers And hast not fainted Here Christ setteth downe in what manner this church laboured to maintaine his true religion and thereby his honor and glory namely by constancie and perseuerance in labour This is an excellent vertue and a notable example for vs to follow for we through Gods goodnesse haue the true religion of Christ among vs and for many yeares sundrie among vs haue maintained the same against all enemies though not without some trouble and danger Now this which hath beene done is nothing vnlesse we hold on our good course constantly and labour vnto death in the maintenance thereof This exhortation is the more necessary because we know not how long we shal enioy the gospel with peace for vsually after long peace God trieth his by persecution neither know we by what meanes of triall God will exercise vs. Therefore as we now professe the Gospell so let vs continue constant therein and not turne with time or state for then wee loose our coÌ„mendation at Christs hands And thus much of the commendation of this church for her vertues Verse 4. Neuerthelesse I haue somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first loue These words containe the second part of the proposition of this Epistle to wit a sharpe and seuere reproofe of this church for decay in grace as will appeare in the opening of the words Neuerthelesse I haue somewhat against thee Here Christ speaketh as a Iudge vnto this church and to the minister thereof and layeth this action vnto their charge that they had left their first loue that is that loue which they bare to God and his religion and to their brethren at that time wheÌ„ they were first called vnto the profession of the gospell This loue they are sayd to haue left not as though they had quite lost it but onely because they suffered it to decay and to waxe cold in good workes But some will say they are before commended for their zeale and labour for Gods glory and for their seueritie against false teachers how then had they left their first loue Answ. At this time when Christ doth thus reproue them their loue was commendable but yet it was nothing in regard of that which they had at their first conuersion If Christ haue something against this church for leauing her first loue then no doubt he hath something against the church of England and against vs at this day howsoeuer wee may persuade our selues that we be high in his fauour yet we are in the like or a worse estate than this church now was for a great part of the body of our church hath left off their first loue and the greatest part hath no loue at all That many haue left their first loue is too too euident For such as in Queene Maries time were content to suffer much for the Gospell as the histories of our church do shew after they inioyed a little quietnesse became meere worldlings as their liues haue testified afterward And in such congregations where the word hath long bin preached this is too apparant that men who for the space of twentie of ten or seuen yeares haue shewed feruent loue to Christ and his Gospell and to their brethren do now fall away and shew none at all He that hath but halfe an eye may see many for a yeare or two very forward and zealous in religion who soone after suffer pleasures profits or preferments to drawe them quite away some I confesse through the mercie of God are free from this decay But there is yet a more grieuous fault among vs for the greatest part of our people haue no loue at all These are the dayes whereof Christ sayd loue should waxe cold And whereof Paul sayd Men should be louers of themselues for take the most congregations where the Gospell hath bene long preached yet you shall find that the hearers are neither bettered for knowledge nor for obedience but remaine still as ignorant and profane as euer they were This argueth that they haue no loue of God in their hearts though they haue a formall profession of his name in their mouth For where the loue of God is there most needs bee increase in knowledge in grace and in obedience Againe see how men generally walke in their callings and therin behold a meere defect of loue All the paines they take is for their priuat gaine and pleasure no regard is had of Gods glory of the maintenance of true religioÌ„ and of the good of their brethren herein their owne consciences shall be the witnesses So that generally this may be said We haue no loue at all What an action then shall we thinke hath Christ against vs It must needs bee grieuous and so our case fearefull and dangerous If an earthly prince and potentat had an action against vs and his case were good it would make vs looke about vs yea to tremble and quake and to be at our wits end Behold not a worldly prince but the king of heauen and earth hath a matter against vs iust and grieuoâ—â—â— oh how should this moue vs to search our selues to trie our estate and to humble our selues vpon the knees of our heart before his maiestie We may not imagine that this charge of Christ doth not concerne vs the conclusion of this Epistle shewes it belongs to all that haue eares to heare And therefore we should labour to preuent Gods iudgement by iudging our selues for our decay and want of loue Againe this rebuke of Christ for decay of loue should teach vs to labour for increase in loue to God and to our brethren adding grace to grace in our harts as we adde day vnto day in our liues that so our loue may obound read 1. Thes. 4.1.9 10 where Paule vrgeth this dutie at large he confesseth they did loue one
Here see the proper â—nd of all reprofes and corrections namely the reformation and amendement of mens faults misdemeanors whatsoeuer that so they may bee more carefull of their wayes and more zealous in good duties then euer they were Whensoeuer therefore wee are reprooued by the word of God or when the Lord shall visite vs in body minde or goods by any kind of crosse wee must remember to take occasion thereby to repent and amend knowing that by all these as by so many Sermons the Lorde calles vs to amendement Nowe come to the remedie of their Luke-warmnesse Be zealous That wee may vnderstand this Commandement we are to handle some points touching Zeale First what is zeale Zeale is a burning affection in regard of Christian Religion and the true worship of God This Zeale is compounded of two affections of loue and anger or indignation so that in this Commandement are two duties enioyned vnto this Church First that they should loue Christ and his Religion aboue all things Secondly that they should be greiued especially for this that Christ was dishonoured his worship prophaned and his doctrine not embraced but insteed thereof false worship and false doctrine entertayned when both these concurre then zeale is in the heart A most notable Example hereof wee haue in Christ Psalm 69.9 where the Prophet Dauid in his person saith The zeale of Gods house had eaten him vp Whereby thus much is signified that the heat of his loue for the maintaining of his Fathers glorie had euen consumed him and that his indignation was so great because his Fathers Name was dishonoured and his worship prophaned that it did euen care him vp This wee shall see to bee true in Christ if wee read the Hystorie of his life Iohn 2.17 Yea hee professeth of himselfe that it was meate and drinke vnto him to doe his Fathers will Ioh. 4.34 That thing he preferred before his owne life or safetie nay for the accomplishment thereof hee was content to suffer the pangs of hell The like zeale was in Elias when all Israel was fallen to Idolatrie his heart was zealous for the Lord of Hosts 1. King 19.14 II. point The kinds of zeale Zeale is either good or bad In good zeale are these things required I. True faith as the roote thereof 1. Tim. 1. vers 5. The end of the commandement is loue 〈◊〉 of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith vnfained Now one apart of zeale is loue and therefore 〈…〉 proceedâ— from true faith so must true zeale 〈◊〉 and that which is not grounded on faith is rather rashnesse and fiercenesse of nature than true zeale II. Repentance 2. Cor. 7.11 There are seuen 〈◊〉 of repentance recyted whereof zeale is one that is good zeale Euen a burning loue of true Religion and a godly indignation when false religion is embraced There may bee zeale in a man that hath no repentance as was in Iehu 2. King 10.16 Come with mee sayth hee and see the zeale that I haue for the Lord. Yet he wanted repentance for Vers. 29.31 It is said Iehu regarded not to walke in the Law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart for hee departed not from the sinnes of Ieroboam which made Israel to sinne and therefore he had not in him the true zeale that is heere commanded III. Zeale must come from knowledge for without knowledge it is but rashnesse and bold-hardinesse such as the Iewes had Rom. 10.2 whose Zeale was without knowledge And such as Paul had before his conuersion Phil. 3. vers 6. In Zeale hee persecuted Gods Church Knowledge therefore in Gods word must bee the guide and conductor of our zeale III. point The fruites of zeale must be considered for the better discerning of true zeale First true zeale constraineth a man in euery thing to seeke to please God Whether we be out of 〈◊〉 wits we are it vnto God or whether we bee in our right mind we are it vnto you For the loue of Christ constrayneth vs. So wheresoeuer this true zeale is in any measure it offereth violence to the heart so as a man cannot but endeuour to doe his dutie for the loue he beareth vnto Christ. Elihu sayd The grace of God was in his heart as new wine in a vessell which must needs vent out Iob. 32.18.19 Secondly true zeale makes a man indeuour to serue and please God with all his heart power and strength So good king Iosiah hearing the words of the Law read hee turned not slackely or negligently but with all his heart and all his soule and with all his might according to all the Law of Moses so as like him was no King before neither after him arose there any like him Psal. 51 Dauid humbling himselfe for his sinnes prayes for the pardon of them with such maruellous zeale as no tongue can vtter desiring God to remember him according to the multitude of his mercies often repeating the same thing in diuers tearmes that in some sort hee might expresse the earnest desire of his heart And in giuing God thankes for his benefits he putteth all the strength of his heart thereto crying out My soule prayse thou the Lord and all that is within mee Psa. 103.1 And thus we see what a thing it is to be zealous whence true zeale ariseth and what it worketh in mans heart Seeing wee as hath beene shewed are tainted with this sinne of Lukewarmnesse and coldnesse in religion let vs here learne how to redresse this vice Wee must become zealous hauing in our heart a feruent loue of true religion and a vehement indignation when the same is disgraced and false worship takes place Let Religion therefore take place in our hearts and let vs bee feruent and shew that same in our liues by zealous obedience Away with all slacknesse and lukewarmnesse it were better to bee Iewes and Turkes and to hold no Religion then to be luke-warme in the true profession And thus much for zeale The second part of this remedie is to Repent or amend This they are also enioyned because zeale without repentaÌ„ce is nothing but rashnes Iehues zeale was no true zeale because hee wanted repentance euen then when hee was zealous But wherefore was this Church inioyned to repent Namely for Lukewarmnes not for that she had committed any horrible sinne but because she was slacke in good duties Here then we haue a good Lesson for the ignorant sort that challenge Gods mercie vnto themselues because they are no notorious malefactors as murtherers adulterers they hate no man but do good vnto all but heere they are taught to reforme this their blindnesse and ignorance For repentance must be for want of good duties yea for slacknesse therein therefore let no man sooth himselfe in his ignorance with a false perswasion that all is wel if he liue not in grosse sinnes This is the enchantment of the deuill whereby he rocks many asleepe in
that thence we may offer vp acceptable sacrifices of praise and thanksgiuing vnto the Lord. Secondly we must stir vp the gifts of grace that are in vs as Paule sayth to Timothie 2. Tim. 1.6 vsing a comparison from the fire which burneth more bright and cleare when it is stirred vp Lastly wee must exercise our selues in the duties of pietie as faith repentance loue and such like so shall they not decay And thus much for the sinne of this church Verse 5. Remember therefore whence thou art fallen and repent and doe thy first workes or els I will come against thee shortly and will remooue thy candlesticke out of his place except thou amend Our Sauiour Christ the faithfull physition of our soules hauing sharpely rebuked this church doth here prescribe vnto them a soueraigne remedie against their sinne of decay in loue FroÌ„ whence we may learne that the law whereby sin is reproued is to be taught but yet with this qualification that withall the doctrine of the Gospell be ioyned thereunto that the sinnes which are ripped vp by the law may be cured by the Gospel This is Christs manner of preaching in this place whose practise is a most worthie platforme for all his ministers for we haue no warrant at this day to preach the law barely which onely maketh the wound without the Gospell which alone sheweth the remedie This remedie here prescribed is of speciall vse and worthie our consideration generally by it we haue direction to answer to two necessarie questions of practise which often fall out in the life of man First a man is effectually called to professe the gospell and yet after his conuersion either through the corruption of his nature or by the temptation of the diuell and the world falleth into sinne againe what must this man do for his recouerie Ans. He must remember whence he is fallen and repent of those his sinnes and do his first workes The second question is this A man that hath all his life long liued in ignorance and sin is now touched in conscience for his loose life how shall this man escape the wrath of God become reconciled vnto him Ans. He must first remember whence hee is fallen by Adams sinne and by his owne transgressions Secondly hee must repent of his sinnes Thirdly endeuor to do the first workes whereto he is bound by the law of creation so shal he escape the wrath of God and be receiued into his loue and fauour In particular this remedie hath three parts The first Remember whence thou art fallen The second And repent The third And do thy first workes The words following Or else I will come against thee c. Are a reason of this remedie to persuade them to do the duties prescribed For the first Remember whence thou art fallen The words beare this sence Examine thy selfe throughly see in thy selfe the decay of thy former loue and then ponder the same in thy heart seriously and throughly Here Christ inioyneth to this church two duties I. Examination whereby shee must descend into her owne heart and search out her owne wants especially the want of her loue to God to his word and to her brethren II. Consideration whereby she must often thinke of these her wants and lay the same to her heart vnfainedly This course which Christ taketh with this church teacheth vs first that it is a dangerous thing for any person in Gods church not to bee acquainted throughly with his owne estate that so hee may search out his owne wants and deeply consider of the same For this very thing Ieremie blamed the people in his time that no man sayd with himselfe what haue I done And Christ layeth this sinne to the charge of the people of the old world that they were ignorant of their estate They knew nothing till the floud came and â—â—oke them all away And this is the common sin of this age no man almost doth examine himselfe consider in his hart his owne estate by reason of his sinnes and wants Nay men are growne to this that they count it a meanes to breed melancholie and therefore do â—lie the practise of this dutie and so nuzzell themselues in their fearefull securitie Secondly here wee learne that it is a speciall dutie for them that liue in Gods church to be throughly acquainted with their owne estate to examine and search out their owne sinnes and often to consider seriously of their particular wants Zephanie preaching the doctrine of repentance vnto the people beginneth thus Search ye search your selues oh nation not worthie to be beloued Where the word translated search signifieth such a search as a man would make for some small thing in a great heape of chaffe This is the Lords counsell Hag. 1.7 Consider your owne wayes in your hearts and it must be our practise if we would be saued This duty is the beginning and ground of true repentance and therefore Christ here giueth it the first place for no man can truly repent before hee bee acquainted with his owne infirmities and with his owne fearefull and damnable estate by reason of his sinnes And therefore Dauid saith I first considered my wayes and then I turned my feete into thy testimonies The cause why so few in the world doe truly repent is want of consideration from whence they are fallen and what bee their sinnes and the dreadful iudgements thereby deserued For till the mind doe truly conceiue her owne miserie the hart can neuer rightly hunger after mercie Sinne must bee our greatest woe before Christ become our chiefest ioy The second part of this remedie is Repentance iâ— selfe for after a man is well acquainted with his wants and hath throughly considered of his owne misery then he commeth to repent In the handling hereof fiue points are to be obserued I. What repentanceis II. How it is to be practised III. Who commandeth it IV. To whom it is commaunded V. For what they must repent For the first Repentance properly is in the mind as the word in this place doth import for it signifieth thus much After some follie or ouerslip to be better aduised Repentance then in the mind is a change from euil to good or a turning from sinne vnto God Act. 26.20 Repent and turne to God Which latter words expound the former plainly shew what repentance is And this change in the mind standeth in this resolution whereby a man by Gods grace purposeth to leaue all his former sinnes and to cleaue vnto God in holy obedience vnto all his commandements And when this resolution is in the mind therwithall followeth a turning of the whole man in will in affections and in all the actions of his life This appeareth by that description of the practise of repentance which Paul reduceth to seuen heads viz. Care clearing of themselues indignation feare great desire zeale and reuenge 2. Cor. 7.11 wherof some are renewed affections
are vnfaithfull vnto God in regard of their vow in baptisme For as they account gaine godlinesse so gold is their god and they say to the wedge of gold Thou art my confidence Seeing then all these be vnfaithfull vnto God we must hereby be admonished to remember what wee haue promised in our baptisme And withall haue care to performe the same as wee tender the saluation of our soules For if we be vnfaithfull as Paule said of the yonger widdows damnation belongs vnto vs. The fourth vertue for which this church is commended is patience Of this I haue spoken before verse 2. Here onely note that it is ioyned with loue to men with fidelitie to God and with seruice both to God and men in the duties of loue Whereby Christ would signifie that no good thing can be done by any man without patience Loue is no loue without patience neither is faith any faith without patieÌ„ce for when a man loueth another for his loue hee shall sometime receiue hatred Now vnlesse hee haue patience to beare that hatred his loue will surcease And so if a man haue care to bee faithfull vnto God in the world he shall be sure to haue much contempt so that vnlesse he haue patience to beare the same his faithfulnesse will faile Patience bringeth forth experience and experience hope Rom. 5.4 Rom. 15.4 No comfort of the Scriptures nor hope without patience And therefore in the parable of the sower The good ground bringeth forth fruit with patience though a man haue neuer so good gifts yet without patience he cannot put them in practise This therefore we must ioyne with all the good graces wee haue as Peter counselleth vs 2. Peter 1.6 When a man is in temptation and apprehendeth the wrath of God which is the sorest thing that can be without patience he will dispaire Without patience a man will bee wearie of well-doing both in duties to God and man and to his owne soule Hence the Apostle saith yee haue need of patience Heb. 10.36 And thy workes Here Christ repeateth his generall coÌ„mendation of this church which we must not thinke to be done in vaine but herby he would let vs see how exceeding well hee did approue of their workes The cause why he liked them so well was their increase in well-doing whereof we shall intreat afterward Christ repeateth his approbation of their workes after foure worthy vertues to shew vnto vs what things are required in the doing of any worke that shall bee acceptable to God Namely these foure things faith loue seruice and patience Faith is necessarie because in well doing a man must testifie his fidelity to God which hee shall best doe if first hee learne out of the word whether God haue commanded that worke to be done or not that so hee may bee sure to do or not do that which God will haue him for it is not sufficient to haue a good intent in the doing of our workes as is coÌ„monly thought though falsly but our workes must be done in faith that is in a sure persuasioÌ„ out of Gods word that the things we do are approued of God for whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Secondly loue is necessarie in euery good worke we go about For faith worketh by loue Gal. 5.6 Hence the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 13.3 If a man should giue his body to bee burned and bestow all his goods in almes vpon the poore yet if he did not these in loue it would not please God Thirdly seruice to man is required in our good workes This must be carefully marked for the end of mans life is in his calling to serue man and by that to serue God Col. 3.24 Seruants must obey their maisters and in their persons doe seruice vnto Christ. And that which is there spoken of seruants must bee referred to the works of euery man in his calling they must be done for the good of men so as God may bee serued in them This ouerthrowes the foolish conceit of the Papistes which thinke that the most excellent workes of all are fasting pilgramage wearing of rough attire and whipping of their bodies For good workes must bee done in faith and loue to benefit men either in soule or bodie but these works of theirs are not done in faith neither do they profit the doers nor any others Fasting hath it place yet it is no good worke but a thing indifferent in it selfe Lastly patience is necessarie in euery good worke that men faint not in doing that which is good for they that do any good thing shall be sure of many crosses partly from men and partly from Sathan as also by Gods prouideÌ„ce Now when these befal a man in well doing without patieÌ„ce they wil stay his proceeding And therfore it is truly said That be good ground bringeth forth fruit with patieÌ„ce These being the vertues that make a worke acceptable to God we must labour in euery action of our lawfull calling whatsoeuer it bee to practise the same in faith loue seruice and patience We must not tie good workes to church matters onely as hearing the word and giuing almes but the practise of any worke of a mans lawfull calling be it neuer so base with these vertues is a good worke and approued of God in it kind as well as the best worke that is not for the worke it selfe but because therein doth appeare faith loue seruice and patience and because this church so performed their workes therefore doth God double his approbation The last vertue for which this church is commended is increase in godlinesse in these words And that they are moe at the last than at the first The church of Ephesus was before reprooued for decay and losse of the graces of God but this church did grow and increase in graces and therfore are her works more approued than the works of any other church It were to be wished that our congregations might bee commended for their increase in godlinesse in faith obedience and other good workes but that cannot iustly bee done for the number of our people is increased but their growth in grace doth not appeare Many liue in ignorance and though they heare much yet they profit little so as it may be sayd of them as the Author to the Hebrews saith Whereas concerning the time ye ought to be teachers you haue need againe that we teach you the first principles of the word of God And as Paul saith of certaine women They are alwayes learning and neuer come to the knowledge of the truth Others also though they know something yet they practise lesse than they which know nothing And which is worst of all many that heretofore haue â—ad good beginning in them by their bad conuersation and the greedie cares of this world haue lost the same againe and go backward in knowledge in obedience in faith and loue Rare it is to find those that are like to
written which word imports that by diligent obseruation wee should lay them vp in our hearts This is a weightie dutie and seriously commended vnto vs of God Bind vp the testimonie seale vp the law among my disciples Isay. 8.16 And Marie is therefore commended because she kept in her heart the words of Iesus Luke 2.19 â—1 It was Dauids practise I haue â—id thy saying in my heart Psal. 119. â—â— And hereto â—endeth Christs encouragement pronouncing them rather blessed which heare the word and keepe it than those which bare Christ and gaue him sucke Luk. 1â— 27.28 And Iames calleth it the ingraffed word Iames 1.21 because it should abide in our hearts like a syence in a stock and neuer be remooued but there grow and fructifie vnto life eternall Now because this is a point of great difficultie and the want hereof the cause of so little profiting after much hearing and reading I will therefore shew how by Gods grace in hearing and reading the word of God a man may keepe the same in memorie First a man must learne the grounds or elements of religion commonly called the Catechisme for they are the fouÌ„dation of all knowledge without which a man shall neuer vnderstand the Scripture to his comfort nor keepe the same in memorie The Apostle sayth the Hebrewes were dull of hearing the deepe things of God in Christ because they had not well learned the first principles of the word Hebr. 5.11.12 This all ignorant persons should well obserue specially the aged that they may find in themselues the cause of their ignorance and dulnesse euen want of knowledge in the Catechisme They thinke it a disgrace to bee brought vnto it now they are old but if they would not be euer learning and neuer come to the knowledge of the truth they must lay in themselues this good beginning and learne the principles of religion Secondly wee must not rush vpon Gods holy ordinance but before we either come to heare or reade with reuerence prepare our selues thereto Most men at this day vse to prepare theÌ„selues before they come to the Lords table and so they ought to doe before they come to heare the word for God ordained both for this end to bee meanes to bring men to true happinesse they differ onely in this that the Sacraments are the visible and the Scriptures the audible word of God At the giuing of the law The people that must â—eare it were sanctified three dayes before Exod. 19. And when they did offer sacrifice or eat the Passeouer both priests and people must bee sanctified and the same thing for substance must we perform before we come to heare the word of God This preparation stands in two thingâ— First wee must put out of our hearts al by thoghts all delights and cares of wordly affairs and set our hearts as Ezra did to seeke the law of the Lord Ezra 7.10 Secondly we must make our earnest prayers to God that he would open our eyes that wee may see his will soften our hearts and make our eares attentiue as Lâ—diaes were and also giue vs grace to embrace his word and keepe it for Christ is the onely doctor of the heart by his spirit without whose inward teaching wee can neuer learne vnto saluation Thirdly when we are about the holy exercise of Gods word the frame of our heart should be thus disposed I. It must bee an humble heart for the Lord resists the proud and giues grace to the humble Iam. 4.6 Them that be meeke will he guide in iudgement and teach the humble his way Psal. 25.9 A proud heart is so stuffed with selfe loue that there is no room for the word of God to lodge in But the heart that is lowly in it selfe through the conscience of sinne that is the heart in which the Lord by his graces will take vp his abode Isay 57.15 II. It must be an honest heart such as hath no manner of purpose to liue in any one sinne whatsoeuer but though it feele corruption in it selfe is resolued to please God in all the wayes of his commandements and that continually such an heart haue the good hearers resembled by the good ground Luke 8.15 As on the contrarie that is a wicked heart which resolueth to cherish though it be but any one sinne whatsoeuer III. It must bee a beleeuing heart The old Iewes heard the word but it profited them not because they mingled it not with faith 〈◊〉 their hearts Hebrew 4.2 where he compares the heart to a vessell in which there must bee both the word and faith these two must be mingled together and then it will be a word of power of life and saluation Therefore when we heare the threatenings of the law or the promises of the Gospell we must labour to resolue our hearts of the truth thereof But incredulitie wherby men except against the word as not pertaining vnto them is the mother of forgeâ—fulnesse The old world knew nothing of the flood because they did not beleeue Matth. 24.39 IV. It must bee an hearing heart such as is pliable to the word Sacrifice and burnt offerings sayth Dauid thou wouldest not but mine eares hast thou prepared Psal. 40.6 As if hee should say beside those bodily cares which thou hast giuen me by creation thou hast bored new cares in my heart so as I can by thy grace attend and listen to thy word And when God saith Seeke ye my face this hearing heart will answere I seeke thy face O Lord Psal. 27. vers 8.9 Fourthly after we haue heard or read the word we must become doers of the same euen in the duties of our vocation We see euery man more skilfull in the works of his owne trade by reason of his dayly exercise therein euen so the constant practise of Gods word will make vs expert in it and cause vs to keepe it in perfect memorie And these are the right meanes to become good hearers and readers of the word of God Thirdly this benediction pronouÌ„ced vpon them that heare read keepe the prophecies of this booke serues to induce euery child of God as much as in him lieth to keep in memory the whole word of God but specially these prophecies of things to come that concerne the state of the Church for therefore did God reueale them that they might bee remembred When the Angell had told Daniel the state of the church from his time to the comming of Christ hee bids him Shut vp the wordes and seale the booke till the end of the time Dan. 12.4 meaning that he for his own comfort should hide them in his heart And Christ sayth to his disciples When ye see the abhomination of desolation spoken of by Daniell the Prophet let him that readeth consider it Matth. 24.15 Behold I haue told you before meaning things to come verse 25. shewing That hee would haue his children to marke and remember those weightie things that are foretold concerning the state
alone on the house toppe Act. 10.11 And so doubtlesse finding Iohn thus imployed this Lords day he reuealed his will vnto him touching the state of the church to the end of the world Hence we learne sundry instructions First whereas Iohn being in a sollitarie Island kept the Saboath wee may obserue that all persons who are seuered from the assemblies of the church as the prisoners and those which are sicke of a dead paluesie or other great diseases As mariners though they bee in the middest of the sea should keepe holie the Lords Saboath by performing such duties as God requireth as prayer confession of sins and thanksgiuing whereby God may be glorified though they cannot come to the publicke ministerie of the word Secondly in that Iohn receiued his vision on the Lords day when hee gaue himselfe to prayer and holie duties Hence ariseth a consolation to Gods church that God draweth neere vnto them that draw neere to him as Iames 4.8 And so let vs humble our selues and draw neere to the Lord by prayer and thanksgiuing and the Lord in mercie will shew himselfe sundry wayes and draw neere vnto vs. The cause why men haue so little tast of Gods mercie and loue towards them is because they do not draw neere vnto him by doing those duties which he requireth at their hands For when men draw backe from God is it not good reason hee should draw backe from them This therfore must stirre vp our harts and moue vs to come often to God by prayer and thanksgiuing for by vse in these duties shall wee get acquaintance with the Lord. Thus much of the circumstances of this vision And I heard behind me a great voyce as it had bene a trumpet First here followeth the parts of this vision which are two The beginning or entrance into it in this verse and part of the twelft Secondly the matter and substance thereof from the twelft verse to the end of the third chapter The entrance into the vision is a preparation whereby the Lord maketh Iohn more fit to apprehend and receiue the things reuealed In which preparation we must obserue first the meanes secondly the parts thereof The meanes whereby God prepareth him is a voyce And I heard a voyce The like manner of preparation hath God vsed in former times when hee intended to make with Adam the couenant of reconciliation in the seed of the woman First he prepared him by a voyce speaking vnto him before he appeared and by this voyce caused him to slie for feare Then hauing rebuked him for his sinnes he made with him this couenant of grace Genes 3. And in mount Synai before the Lord gaue the law hee first came downe in thundering and lightning and with the sound of a trumpet to terrifie the people and then hee vttered his law to Moyses and to his people So when the Lord would instruct Samuel touching the house of Elie he awoke him by a voyce again and againe and then spake plainely vnto him And in all visions vsually and generally the Lord vseth to prepare his seruants by voyces by signes and words that they might bee more fit to receiue such things as hee reuealed This dealing of God with Iohn in preparing him to the worthy receiuing of this vision teacheth vs that wee much more should bee prepared to heare and receiue the will of God for wee come farre short of those excellent gifts of God which were in Iohn who yet must be prepared Our comming to heare Gods word is to learne the same for the increase of knowledge faith and obedience Now the word of God is hard and we dull to learne wee must therefore by all good meanes prepare our selues that our minds and harts may be fit to receiue the same with profit The cause of so little profit after long hearing is want of preparation but hereof we haue entreated alreadie vpon the third verse This voyce is here set out vnto vs three wayes First by the place whence it came Secondly by the qualitie of it Thirdly by the matter and substance which it contained For the place it was vttered from behind him which the Lord obserued to stirre vp â—â—re attention in Iohn for vsually men doe more carefully marke those things which come on a sudden behind them than those which are spoken or done directly before their face Secondly for the qualitie of it this voyce was great as is expressed further by a similitude Like the sound of a trumpet that is full of power and maiestie Which also God added vnto it to further attention in Iohn For if it had beene an ordinarie voyce or small hee would not so much haue regarded it but being so sudden so great and full of maiestie it could not but make him verie attentiue Now seeing Christ is so carefull to prepare Iohns mind with attention and diligence to receiue the things which should bee told him This teacheth vs that when we come to heare Gods word we must vse all meanes of attention for if it were needfull to Iohn then is it farre more necessarie for vs who are farre inferiour to him in all gifts of vnderstanding and memorie And here also is another cause of small profit and little liking of Gods word namely want of attention in the heart Wee must therefore like godly Lydia Act. 16. stirre vp our dull and heauie spirits and with all diligence marke the things wee heare And here we must take heed of two enemies to attention the first are by-thoughts as when the body indeed is present but the mind wandereth from the word and is wholly possessed with thoughts of pleasure or other worldly affaires For these bee thornes in the ground of our hearts which choke the good seede of the word Many will complaine they cannot marke and remember that which is taught now the cause is in themselues their wandering thoughts which hinder both vnderstanding and memorie for the mind conceiuing other matters cannot obserue how one point dependeth on another much lesse remember them afterward The second enemie to attention is dulnesse and heauinesse in body soule a common fault in many hearers which sheweth it selfe by drowsinesse and sleepinesse in the time of preaching when they ought to stirre vp their bodies and hearts to all attention If a man should bee dull and heauie when his prince is speaking vnto him of some weightie matter that is for his good it would bee taken for a part of contempt and disloyaltie towards his maiestie What disloyaltie then is this vnto the king of kings that we should bee dull and heauy when himselfe vouchsafeth to speake vnto vs out of his word the mysteries of our saluation And surely among other things this drowsinesse is one cause of small profit by the ministerie of the word And therefore if wee would encrease in knowledge and in the gifts of grace vnto saluation we must prepare our selues before we come and in hearing
golden candlestickes That is so soone as I heard this sudden and mightie voice I turned my selfe to see who it was that vttered the same In this behauiour of Iohn we are to learne our dutie so to dispose our hearts towards God in the receiuing of his word as Iohn disposeth himselfe towards Christ in the receiuing of this vision So soone as the voice spake Iohn hearkened and because the sound thereof came behind him he turned himselfe to looke on him that vttered it Euen so must we doe we are by nature strangers with God slow to heare when hee speaketh and readie to turne our hearts from God when we heare Therefore when God speaketh vnto vs in the ministerie of his word we must hearken And though we bee going another way yet wee must turne our selues from our euill wayes and encline our hearts to his voice that we may haue fellowship with him Saint Iohn had not seene this maruellous vision vnlesse hee had turned himselfe to behold him that spoke No more shall wee at any time feele true fellowship with the Lord vnlesse we turne our hearts vnto his word and that betimes while he speaketh vnto vs in the ministerie thereof Thus much for the first part of the vision viz. the entrance thereunto The second part it the matter and substance of the vision containing a most worthie representation of Christ in his maiestie as he is the Prophet King and Priest of his church set downe at large by a description of Christ continuing from this twelfth verse vnto the end of the third chapter wherein Iohn sheweth what hee receiued of Christ partly by hearing and partly by seeing And first he beginneth his description of Christ as hee saw him represented in vision and so describeth him by two arguments First by the place where he saw him Secondly by his forme and figure wherein he appeared I. For the place Iohn saw him in the middest of the seuen golden candlesticks These seuen candlestickes here seene are the seuen Churches of Asia the particular churches of God being compared to candlesticks as Christ expoundeth himselfe vers 20. Now the particular congregations of Gods church bee called candlestickes for that resemblance which is between them For as the candlesticks serue to bear vp and hold forth the light that is set therein so the particular churches of God on earth they beare vp and shew forth the light of the gospell vnto the whole world partly in the ministerie of the world and partly in the profession of the faith of Christ. From hence sundry things are to bee learned first obserue that the churches are rather called candlestickes than candles To giue vs to vnderstand that they haue no light of themselues or from themselues but onely are Gods instruments to beare vp and hold forth the light in the ministerie of the word and profession of the faith for Christ Iesus is the onely true lampe and candle that giueth light to the heart and conscience by his holy spirit in the word Secondly hence euery one that professeth himselfe to be a true member of Gods church must learne his duty which is earnestly to labour to become a shining and burning candle Indeed this principally concernes the ministers of the church and therefore Iohn Baptist is called a burning and shining light Iohn 5. vers 35. but yet it must also bee verefied of euery member thereof as Saint Paule commaundeth Shine sayth hee as lights in the world in the middest of a naughtie and câ—â—oked nation holding forth the doctrine of life that is the gospell Quest. How shall euery member of the church become a burning light Answ. First hee must haue his mind enlightened in the knowledge of Gods will and word and then as a candlesticke hold out and send forth the beaâ—es thereof to others partly by teaching within the compasse of his calling and partly by example of an honest and blamelesse life and conuersation Thus we should doe if wee would be answerable to our profession And to induce vs hereunto let vs obserue the reasons following First it is Gods commandement Shine as lights sayth S. Paule in the world Philip 2.15 And walke as children of the light Ephes. 5.8 Secondly consider the fruit hereof which is wonderfull great For by godly instruction in our places and by answerable obedience in our liues we win many to the Lord shewing forth such lights whereby others may walke in this darke world to the kingdome of heauen which is a most blessed light In the Winter season men thinke they doe others great pleasure if in the night they hang forth a light to guide passengers a little way in an earthly walke What a blessed thing then is this that a man should alwayes hold forth that light which shall guide a sinfull wicked wretch to leaue the wayes of death and to walke in the pathes of righteousnesse to eternall life But on the contrarie when men liue in Gods church like candles put out by reason of the blindnesse of their minds and the badnesse of their liues hence commeth great hurt and danger to others with whom they liue for they lead others that depend vpon them to the pit of destruction especially they who know the will of God and yet make not conscience to shew forth the same by good example of a godly life For as in an hauen towne if any man in the night time doe remooue the sea-marke which guideth the ships in the right channell he doth as much as in him lieth cast away all the ships that are comming neere the shore by causing them to run on rockes and sands euen so they that should giue light in the church if they giue either no light or false light to such as depend vpon them who are sayling in the sea of this sinfull world hereby they lead and direct them to a wrong hauen and instead of heauen bring their soules to eternall perdition which must terrifie vs from ignorance and euill workes and make vs labour to shine as lights in this world by good instruction and godly conuersation Third reason Consider the fearefull iudgments of God against such as liue in his church as members thereof and yet giue no light they doe incurre the fearefull wrath of Christ. In the Temple the keeping of the lampes and lights belonged to the priest and therefore he had his snuffers and other instruments to trim the same which notably figured the dutie of Christ in the Church of the new Testament for hee is our high priest who looketh to euery light in the Sanctuarie that is to euery member of his church who ought to shine as a lampe and when they burne but dimly and darke he hath his snuffers to trim them and make them giue a better light both by godly life and good instruction But when hee hath snuffed them againe and againe if still they burne darke and dim and giue either no light or else a false light
of hart and profanenesse of life that they were at their first hearing of the word these must know that Gods iudgement is on them and if they would bee saued they must labour to come out of this estate endeuour so to heare with their hearts that they may be turned vnto God both in mind heart and life II. point The dutie commaunded namely to heare Hearing in Scripture is not onely to listen with the bodily eare but to be atteÌ„tiue to that which is taught and with attention to bring faith conuersion and obedience euery way Eph. 4.21 22 the hearing of Christ is notably described It is not so much to conceiue the doctrine of Christ in our mindâ— and to be able to vtter it as to die vnto sinne and to the lusts of the flesh and to ris◠〈◊〉 newâ—â—sse of life And indeed a man doth heare and learne no more of Gods word than hee doth beleeue and practise From whence we are again to be admonished that we so heare with attention that by hearing we suffer our selues to be changed and that with our change we ioyne â—are to beleeue and conscience to obey This iâ— that sauing hearing which bringeth eternall life all other hearing doth increase our sinnes to our further condemnation Whereby also appeareth the fearefull state of many who lend onely the outward bodily eare to hâ—â—re the word but then hearts bee not mooued nor their liues changed thereby III. point What is to be heard namely That which the spirit saith â—nto 〈◊〉 Churches Which words must bee referred to that which went beâ—ore not to that which followeth for thiâ— commaundement belongs to the matter of the Epistle which went before The promise following rather concerne the persons themselues than the matter The things then that are to bee heard are these Christ his sharpe reproofe for sin his threatnings of punishment a remedie prescribed motiues to practise the same especially repentance for of all these Christ spake before From this that Christ bids them heare these things which coÌ„cerned their estate in sinnes amendment by repentance we learne two things First that it is a most necessarie thing for euerie church of God and euerie member thereof to know and consider their own wants and sinnes and also the iudgements of God that hang ouer them for the same Secondly that after any man or any church hath considered of theri sinnes and of Gods iudgements it is a most necessary thing to turne vnto God by true repentance if they haue not repented and if they haue repented to renew the same daily do it more that so Gods iudgements both priuat and common may be auoided We therefore must hereby be moued to search into our own wayes to find out our owne sinnes and to consider of Gods iudgements thereby deserued that by true repentance wee may turne vnto God and so escape his fearefull iudgementâ— Further these words What the spirit saith vnto the Churches containe 〈◊〉 reasons to moue euerie man to heare I. Because they are spoken 〈◊〉 the spirit that is the holy ghost II because they 〈◊〉 spoken to one man oâ— one church alone but to all churcheâ— For the firstâ— It may 〈◊〉 demanded seeinâ— Christ spâ—ke thâ—se wordâ— How 〈…〉 be sayd that the spirit speaketh theâ— Ans. Both may stand first because all the outward 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 person in 〈◊〉 are common to the 〈…〉 to â—each the church is an outward action of Christ and therefore it agreeth to the father and to the holy ghost As when the father created thingâ— in the beginning the sonne also created and the holy ghost created them So herâ— when the sonne â—eacheth the father teacheth and the holy ghost teacheth For as the three persons are one in nature so must they be ioyned in all outward actions Secondly Christ saith the spirit speaketh because he now sitting at the right hand of the father doth not teach his church in bodily presence but hy his spirit which after his ascention hee sent to be their comforter and instructor Here then obserue that the holy ghost speaketh to the church in Scripture The church of Rome appoints a Iudge to speake vnto men in al matters of controuersie which is the church because say they A iudge must speake and Christ is absent from his church and the word is a dumbe letter and cannot speake Therefore the church must needes bee iudge But they erre grosly The church cannot be iudge It is but Christs minister to put in execution that which hee commandeth Christ therefore must bee iudge vnto his church by Scripture which is not a dumbe iudge for therein his spirit speaketh plainely and sufficiently for the resoluing of any point in controuersie that is needfull in Gods church The second reason to attention is because these things are spoken to all Churches Where we see that things spoken to one church agree to all From whence we must learne this speciall dutie in reading and hearing Gods holy word namely to read and heare with applicacation We must not rest in a flourishing knowledge of the storie but apply euery precept and example vnto our selues If it be an example of vertue wee must apply it to our selues for imitation if it be an example of vice we must apply it to our selues to moue vs to eschew and auoid the like For God would haue all to learne that which hee speaketh vnto one And thus much of the commandement To him that ouercommeth will I giue to eate of the tree of life which is in the middest of the paradise of God These words containe the second part of this conclusion to wit a most excellent promise wherein consider two points First to whom it is made Secondly what is promised For the first The promise is made to him that ouercommeth That is to him that in fighting preuaileth against all the spirituall enemies of his saluation sinne sathan hell and condemnation There bee three things requisit to make a man able to ouercome these enemies First he must be borne anew in Christ of water and of the spirit 1. Ioh. 5.4 He that is borne of God ouercommeth the world so by regeneratioÌ„ he is freed from the bondage of hell death sinne and Sathan Secondly hee must haue true faith by vertue whereof hee must denie and renounce himselfe and bee whatsoeuer he is in the death passion obedieÌ„ce of Christ. Therfore S. Iohn saith in the same place This is the â—ictorie which ouercommeth the world euen your faith For when a man is in Christ by faith hee is made partaker of Christ his victorie vpon the crosse and by it receiueth power to subdue his owne corruptions the world and the diuell Thirdly hee that would ouercome must keepe faith that is true religion and a good conscience standing out in life and death against all aduersarie power whatsoeuer In this that life euerlasting is promised to them that ouercome First we obserue that
This dutie especially concernes the preachers of the Gospell they should teach the truth and confute errours and beat downe false doctrines which poyson the truth of God If in the night season a man set vp a false light in the hauen all the ships that are comming to land are in danger of shipwrack So in Gods Church if the bright light of pure religion bee not set vp and aduaunced the soules of men are cast into the gulfe of hell The want of care in performing this dutie is the cause why God sends heresies and Apostacies into his Church Thus came in the Apostacie of Antichrist 2. Thess. 2.10 11 Because men loued not the truth And I no doubt will the Lord deale with vs if we haue not care to maintaine the puritie of Apostolicall doctrine Verse 26. For hee that ouercommeth and keepeth my workes vnto the end to him will I giue power ouer nations 27. And he shall rule them with a rod of yron and as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken 28. Euen as I receiued of my father so will I giue him the morning starre 29. Let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit sayth to the Churches Here is the conclusion of this Epistle which containeth two parts First a promise vers 26 27 28. Secondly a commaundement vers 29. In the promise note two things the parties to whom it is made and the benefit promised The parties to whom are euery one that ouercommeth whom Christ describeth by a propertie of syncere obedience To keepe his workes vnto the end Here then we haue a description of true obedience First the forme thereof consisteth in obseruing the workes of Christ which we must not vnderstand of doing them according to the rigor of the law but of a purpose and indeuour to keepe them For this is a priuiledge belonging to all that are in Christ that God accepteth their wils and indeuours of obedience for perfect obedience it selfe This we must know and hold for truth for many haue but little knowledge and thereupon are driuen to despaire yet they must know for their comfort that if they haue care to get more knowledge and make conscience to obey that which they know then they are keepers of the workes of Christ and shall haue the reward promised Secondly obedience is here described by the obiect or matter thereof to wit the workes of Christ that is all such workes as Christ hath ordained in his word and those whereof he is the author by his spirit in his members Hereby we learne first that he that will obey God in Christ Iesus must not thinke his owne thoughts speake his owne words nor do his owne deeds but he must thinke speake do that which Christ would haue him Secondly that no worke is or can bee acceptable to Christ but that which is ordained by him Isay complaineth of them that would teach the feare of God by mens commandements so that there is no true feare of God but that which is taught by Gods commaundements and the like may bee sayd of all other our obedience This rule ouerthroweth all other religions besides the true religion as of the Iewes Turkes and Papists For almost all their workes are of mens inuenting and were neuer ordained by Christ such are most points in poperie as saying of masse going on pilgrimage fastings vowing and praying to saints c. Thirdly whereas he â—aith my workes meaning not one or two but all his workes we learne that true obedience consisteth in doing all the workes of Christ For Christ and the diuel will neuer part stakes God must either haue all our workes or none And therefore Dauid saith I shall not be confounded because I haue respect vnto all thy commandements And good king Iosiaâ— is commâ—nded For that he turned to the Lord according to all the law of Moses This point must be learned of al For many thinke if they doe many good things with Herod all is well and for this cause many a man abhors couetousnesse and pride and yet is a contemner of the Gospell But true obedience must bee in all things Vnto the end Here is the fourth branch of true obedience it is constant That obedience which Christ will reward must not be for a day or a yeare but from time to time through the whole course of our life to the end of our dayes And thus wee must iudge of obedience not by some particular actions but by the whole tenour of a mans life Put case a man hath made conscience of all his wayes through the whole course of his life and yet in sicknesse by reason of the extremitie thereof is distracted and raueth blaspheming God and so dieth What must wee iudge of this man Surely we must not censure him by his behauiour in his sicknesse but consider what hath beene thâ—â—enour of his life if that haue beene vpright then his obedience was good and shall bee rewarded II. Point The benefits promised and they are two The first is power to rule verse 27. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron And as the vessels of a potter shall they bee broken euen as I receiued of my father The second is the morning starre verse 28. where note by the way that these words Euen as I haue receiued of my father are referred amisse in our English translation to the giuing of the morning starre when as they properly belong to the former words in this sence As I haue receiued power ouer nation of my father so will I giue to him that ouercommeth power to rule with the rod of Iron c. Now come to the benefits First here is promised by Christ A power to rule ouer nations Christâ— power as he is mediator is very great and here it is set foorth by three arguments borrowed from the second Psalme verse 8.9 First by the largenesse of it iâ— reacheth not to one countrie alone but to all countries and to all men in all nations Secondly by the Soueraigntie of it Christs power is absolute in ruling and ouerruling And this his Soueraigntie consisteth in two things First in making lawes vnto the consciences of men so as if they be not kept hee may iustly condemne them and in ouerruling the wils of all men conforming them to his will will they nill they which is signified by this He shall rule rule them with a rod of iron Secondly in that hee hath this absolute power in himselfe to saue and to destroy and therefore is sayd to haue The keyes of heauen and hell Which is signified in the next words And as the vessell of a potter shall they be broken Thirdly by the fountaine of it Christ receiueth this power from his father Indeed as Christ is God he is equall with his father and hath this power of himselfe But as he is mediator his power is giuen him of his father Mat. 28.18 For the better
first a man must euery day bethinke him selfe of his ende and of the comming of Christ either in generall to all the world or particularly vnto him by death and in this consideration he must esteem and iudge of euery day as of the day of his death or the day of iudgement Secondly he must prepare himselfe against death against the day of iudgement euery day euē this present day as though hee should now die or meete Christ in iudgement and the next day do the like and so goe on continually to the day of his death And for our furtherance in this Christian watch we must be mindefull of temperance and sobrietie that we keepe mediocritie in the vse of the creatures of God and of the things of this life For when men plunge themselus either in the cares of this world or in earthly delights they quite forget both sinne and death and the day of Iudgement and thus wee see what Christ meaneth by watchfulnesse As Christ prescribeth this dutie vnto this Church so are we in the name of Christ to bee enioyned the same Christian watchfulnesse both against sinne and death and the day of Iudgement And to mooue vs hereto consider these reasons First wee are watchfull for the preseruation of the things of this life as if a towne be in danger of sacking or burning there is watch and ward kept continually and if a mans house bee in danger of robbing hee will sit vp night and day to saue his goods yea euery man is verie painfull and watchfull to heape vp to himselfe the things of this world Now what a shame is it that men should bee watchfull for temporall things and yet haue no care of their soule that must liue for euer Againe want of watchfulnesse is the forerunner of death and eternall destruction I. Thess. 5. vers 3. When men say peace and safetie then shall come vpon them sudden destruction When the rich man had enlarged his barnes vpon the encrease of his substance he promised to himselfe case and securitie saying Soule soule take thy rest c. but it was sayd vnto him Oh foole this night shal thy soule be taken from thee And the old world knew nothing till the flood came and destroyed them all Now if the want of watchfulnesse bee the forerunner of destruction how great a cause haue wee to watch The second dutie inioyned is to confirme the graces of God decaied in them Strengthen the thinges which remaine that are readie to die as if hee should say sundry be the graces which I haue bestowed on you but many are lost and gone and those which remain are about to perish vnlesse you confirme them therefore see nowe that you strengthen and repaire the same In this dutie Christ teacheth this church and vs an excellent lesson that whosoeuer hath receiued any gift of God must haue care to preserue it and to make the same gift strong in him by continuall increase If a man haue receiued knowledge faith and repentance or any other gift of grace he must not suffer the same to lye dead in him but stirre vp increase and confirme it dayly that hee may bee a perfect man in Christ. For the gifts which men haue are not their owne but Gods also who looketh to receiue his owne with aduantage And therefore men like good Stewards must so vse the gifts receiued that they may returne them to God with increase Thus Paul perswadeth Timothy stirre vp the gift of God that is in thee for else the receiuer is an vnfaithfull seruant and so shall be rewarded And for the better perfourmance of this dutie we must often read the word of God and meditate therein we must heare it often preached and with due reuerence and preparation receiue the sacrament And pray continually striuing earnestly against the corruptions that bee in vs and dayly stirring vp our heart to all good duties Thus did Dauid checke the corruption and deadnesse of his heart Why art thou so cast downe oh my soule and also stirre vp the same vnto all good duties saying I haue applyed my heart to fulfill thy statutes alway euen to the end Ps. 119.112 Hereby are reprooued the common sort of professors hearers of the word who stand at a stay and goe not forward in grace This is a great fault for as we haue receiued grace so we ought to stirre vp the same that we may confirme and increase it dayly Further Christ addeth Which are about to die where he answereth to a question that is mooued by sundry at this day namely whether graces that concerne saluation may be vtterly lost or not Christ answeareth by a distinction that some graces that pertaine to saluation may be lost quite and others may be decayed so as they are about to die For the graces of God that pertaine to saluation be of two sorts some be absolutely necessarie so as without them a man of yeares cannot be saued and such are faith and regeneration Others bee lesse necessary which sometime goe with faith but not alwaies such are A plentifull feeling of the fauour of God ioy in the holy Ghost and boldnesse in prayer these may be lost wholy for a time in the seruants of God Yea faith and regeneration themselues may decay greeuously and be readie to di◠as this text saith Secondly consider fayth and regeneration in themselus and they may be wholly lost for nothing in it selfe is vnchangeable but God The state of the elect Angels by nature is changeable for they stand by the power of God Thirdly these graces may perish and decay finally vnlesse thy bee confirmed Question Why then doe not the elect finally fall away after their calling Ans. Their standing cometh not from the constancie of grace or faith but from the promise of God made vnto them to their faith so Christ saith to Peter Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke that is vpon thy faith which thou hast professed will I build my temple and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it that is though they may assault it and greeuously weaken it yet they shall neuer bee able finally to ouercome it Seing sundry graces of God may be lost and the most necessary graces greatly decay yea of themselues quite die wee that haue receiued from God any grace either of faith or repentance are hereby taught not to bee presumptuous or ouer confident in our selus but with feare and trembling worke out our saluation Phillip 2.13 The reason to enforce the former remedie is this For I haue not found thy workes perfect before God and therefore watch and confirme the decayed graces of God that be in thee In this reason Christ giueth thē vs to vnderstand that he maketh a search in his church of al the works that men doe in the same that he may accordingly reward them for not finding doth presuppose a search And so the
of mankind neither is there any other meanes appointed hereunto in the word of God This sheweth that their opinion is false who teach that God calleth all â—he world effectually vnto saluation for how can thâ—y bee called that neuer heard of the 〈◊〉 of God but all in all ages neuer 〈◊〉 of the word of God Albeit 〈◊〉 the comming of Christ their sound hath gone foorth into all nations Secondly this sheweth the fondnesse of their opinion who defend the Doctrine of vniuersall grace that God should giue grace pertaining to saluation vnto euerie man in the world so as he may be saued if he will for the meanes to receiue grace is the hearing of the word which all men in all ages neuer had vouchsafed vnto them The second dutie prescribed is the holding fast of this doctrine To hold fast here signifieth two things first to maintaine the doctrine of the Gospell receiued and taught by the Apostles Secondly to put the same in practise in a godly life of these wee haue spoken before cap. 2.25 The third dutie is to repent where by repentance is not meant the beginning of repentance but the renewing and restoring of the same for their hardnesse and deadnesse of heart whereby they did slackly and coldly practise the good duties which they did professe Hereby we are taught not to content our selues with the begining of repentance but we must renue the same continually that not for grosse sins only but euen for the wants that bee in vs as for our dulnesse and deadnesse of heart and for our hypocrisie and decay in Gods graces And because this Church was verie dead and dull of heart therefore Christ addeth a reason to mooue them to the practise of this dutie which is a most terrible threatning in these words If thou wilt not watch I will come on thee 〈◊〉 a theefe and thou shalt not know what houre I will come vpon thee Here marke Christs order and dealing hauing prescribed a remedie for their fault hee giueth them a direction to practise the same and after addeth a most terrible threatning to driue them therevnto as if he should say if thou wilt not watch against sinne and against death and for that end remember my word hold fast the same and repent then look as a theefe comes vpon a man on a suddaine and spoyles his goods and cuts the throate of his children so will I come on thee on a suddaine and power vpon thee my wrath whereby I will 〈◊〉 cut the throat of thy soule and thou shalt haue no means to escape my punishment Here Christ threatneth suddaine and speedie destruction but yet with condition and limitation of repentance Now because we be like this Church as hath been shewed by reason of the long peace which we inioy we may also vse the same reason and threatning at this day to stirre vp our dead harts We must watch against all sinne and against death and for this end must haue in memorie the word of God and hold fast the faith vnto the end and repent continually of all wants but if we doe not this then are the vengeances and eternall punishments of God to be powred vpon vs without measure and that sodenly when wee cannot preuent them If a man haue but a sparke of grace the consideration hereof will mooue him to repentance and to watchfulnes but if this will not awake a man out of his sinnes then nothing remaineth but a fearfull expectation of the wrath of God which shall be vnauoidable and endure for euer Indeed if a man had some thousand yeares allotted for the punishment of his sins there were some cause why hee might continue in them but seeing this punishment is eternall and when many thousand yeares are expired they are as farre from the end of their woe as euer they were therefore it must stirre vp all dead and drowzie harts vnto repentance and cause them to shake off securitie ignorance and coldnesse in Religion and to breake off the course of euerie sinne Vers. 4. Notwithstanding thou hast a few names yet in Sardie which haue not defiled their garments and thâ—y shall walke with me in white for they are worthy Heere beginneth the second part of the matter of this Epistle namely the praise and commendation of some part of this Church The words doe thus depend vppon those which went before wheras Christ had sayd that this Church was dead in sinne and had onely a name to liue some man might aâ—ke how it could bee a true Church To this Christ answereth in the beginning of this verse that though the greatest part in this Church were dead in their sinnes yet some few there were among them that were aliue in Christ and did testifie the the same by true and sincere obedience In this coherence we may obserue two instructions I. that a particular congregation on earth is made a Church of God and so called in regard of Gods elect therein who doe truely belieue For the priuiledges of a Church belong vnto particular congregations onely by reason of the faith of the elect among them The Catholick church is the whole Company of the elect truly beleuing in Christ particular congregations are members of it so farre forth as they doe truely beleeue the rest that doe not truely belieue are not members of the Church before God but 〈◊〉 in the iudgement of men like vnto superfluous humors which are in the bodie but no parts thereof This confuteth the Doctrine of the Church of Rome who teach that wicked men that are reiected in Gods decree may yet bee true members of the Church of God Secondly in this coherence Christ intimateth vnto vs a distinction betweene man and man in this Church for all that were in this Church were men called professing Christ and his Gospell and yet of them some were dead in their sinnes and others were aliue in Christ. Touching this distinction of men wee must search the cause thereof It must not be ascribed to any power or will in man but to the good pleasure of God as the scripture teacheth for when the bodie of the Israelites had giuen themselues to Idolatrie there were yet seuen thousand that neuer bowed the knee to Baall what was the cause why they did not liue like to the other Israelites Surely nothing in the will of man though the Idolatrie of the other was to bee ascribed to themselues but the text is cleare it was the good pleasure of God who had preserued and kept them By this wee see how erronious and false the Diuinitie of some Protestants is which ascribe the cause of this distinction betweene man and man to the libertie of mans will being renewed by grace saying That GOD giues to euerye man sauing grace by vertue whereof hee maye repent and beleeue if hee will but yet because the will of man doth still remaine sinfull hence it commeth that hee hath libertie to obey
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