Thirdly the diuels tend to maintaine idolatrie errors and wickednesse Deut. 13. these to maintaine true Apostolicall doctrine and the true worship of God Thirdly it is called Christs reuelation to shew that Christ now ascending into heauen and entred into his kingly office doth still rule order and gouerne his Church and for that cause it is not called the reuelation of God the Father or of the holy Ghost but of Iesus Christ because he guides and gouernes the Church Seeing Christ Iesus now ascended into heauen entred into his kingly office doth giue his Church reuelations we see his constant care of his church in this last age of the world For as in the first age he gaue doctrine necessarie for saluation and that time and after he gaue his Church Prophecies so in the new Testamēt he published the doctrine of the Prophets plainly and also the doctrine of faith repentance by the Apostles and now after all these being ascended vp into heauen he hath no lesse care of his Church for he hath giuen it now in this last age a notable Prophecy and reuelation by Iohn Which God gaue vnto him These words be added to shew how he came by this reuelation and whence he had it he had it giuen him of the Father and these words explane the former to shew that Christ was the author of it God gaue him that is God the father not the whole Trinitie For where this name God is opposed to Christ there it signifies the first person namely God the Father and the first person is often called by this name alone God because he is first in order and the fountaine of the Deitie For Christ receiues his diuine nature and Godhead from the Father by communication the holy Ghost from them both the Father receiues it from none God gaue to him How can it be giuen to Christ seeing he was God and had all things Ans. We conceiue of Christs 2. wayes first as he is God secondly as he is Mediator and head of the Church and so he is both God and man As he is God the Father giues him nothing seeing he is by nature the same with the Father in all things saue in proprietie of persons Secondly he is conceiued as the Mediator not God simply but God-man or God made man and so he is said to receiue of the Father in respect of his manhood as he is God-man or God incarnate So he saith All power is giuen me of the Father Mat. 28. that is as he is Mediator and God incarnate and head of his Church Phil. 2. God gaue him a name c. not as he was simply God but as he was Mediator and in his manhood so here the reuelation was giuen him not as he was God simply but as he was head of the Church Mediator and God incarnate Neither can any say hence Christ shall be inferiour to the Father in regard of his Godhead for he receiues it from the Father as he is God-man not simply God and as he is man and Mediator he is inferiour to the Father and confesseth that in that respect God the Father is greater then all And Paule saith God the Father is the head of Christ. 1. Cor. 3. 11. 6. 3. as Christ is the head of the Church God-man Nay as Christ sits at his Fathers right hand he is inferiour to him not as God but as Mediatour and looke as he receiues all power of the Father so must he restore it againe as he is head of the Church Now followeth the meanes how he gaue Christ this reuelalation He gaue it to Christ and made him Lord of it so that he made this his royaltie and priuiledge for Christ being king of his Church and this booke of reuelation being part of his lawe to the Church he is king also of this booke as part of his law and royaltie Againe they were reuealed to Christ before they were reuealed to any creature man or Angel and that as he was man for his manhood being vnited to his Godhead he could not but know them ere any man or Angell knew them as he was man First we obserue that this booke of Canonicall Scripture is Christs he is Lord of it and the right of it belongs to him alone For as the lawes of a land belong to a Prince and to none else so these lawes the bookes of this Scripture they be Christs as his royaltie priuiledge for God gaue them to him and to none but him only and he sent his Angels to reueale it to the Church Now that which is said of this booke may be said of all the bookes of Scripture that as the royaltie and interest of this belongs onely to Christ being giuen to him alone so the same followes of all other Then hence I gather no man in the world hath authoritie aboue these lawes aboue this booke for this is Christs priuiledge nor of any other by proportiō For these be Christs lawes al must be subiect to them none must be aboue them for then it should follow that they were giuen to men as well as to Christ Iesus Hence it followeth that if all be subiect to these lawes then no man hath authoritie to dispense with the Scriptures or the Gospell of Christ for that is to make men to haue royaltie interest and title into these Scriptures Monarches and Princes haue great authoritie in their iurisdictions but they must all be in subiection to these lawes of Christ for they be indeed great haue authoritie ouer their subiects yea more ouer all causes yet only those which be the causes of men they haue no authoritie in causes of God as the Scriptures and the Sacraments Seeing these bookes be Christs royaltie and he alone hath soueraigne interest in the Church authoritie we note that he alone can expound Scripture without helpe of Scripture he alone can giue the true sense of Scripture Indeed men can giue the sense of Scripture by Scripture for they haue a ministerie here and by Scripture they expound Scripture but Christ alone without Scripture can giue the true sense of Scripture This condemnes the popish doctrine which giues the Church absolute power and authoritie to expound and determine of Scripture without helpe of the Scripture for that is to take Christ his royaltie and priuiledge and to giue it to men but Christ alone hath absolute authoritie to determine of his owne lawes men indeed in the Church haue a ministeriall iudgment by helpe of the Scriptures We see the excellencie of all the Scriptures which is the same with this booke Now this booke it is the gift of God to Christ Iesus his sonne yea a most excellent gift now this is not affirmed by any writings of men though neuer so excellent This should teach vs to reuerence the Scriptures more then any mens writings whatsoeuer Then this sheweth the blindnes of this age which delight onely in the hearing
in vision Now S. Iohn saw the holy Ghost in forme of seuen lights in a vision Reu. 4. 5. Which are before the throne This he speakes by comparison taken from earthly kings which fitting in their thrones do there shew their might and maiestie most So S. Iohn he saw God the Father sitting in a throne by vision and Christ at his right hand and before the throne the holy Ghost Hence it followes not that he is inferiour to the Father and to the Sonne but by this comparison and kind of speech S. Iohn sets out the office of the holy Ghost which is to be sent by the Father and Sonne to the Church to enlighten the members thereof and to sanctifie them Seeing that he ascribes grace and peace from God the father and also from the seuen spirits that is the holy Ghost hence we note the holy Ghost is very God for from whom grace and peace proceeds he is perfect and very God We learne that we may direct our prayers to the holy Ghost for to whom grace and peace is ascribed to him we may direct our prayers seeing he can giue grace c. but they be ascribed to him and he can giue them ergo we may pray to him for them There be some which doubt whether we may pray to the holy Ghost but they may aswell doubt whether he be God or not but they say we haue no example Ans. It is false for here we haue an example for though this grace and peace c. be a blessing yet in substance it is a prayer as though he had said O Father Sonne and holy Ghost let thy grace and peace be vpon the Church Which are before the throne of the Father Hence we note the holy Ghost is a substance and a person subsisting not a quality as some Heretikes hold confessing the Godhead of the Father of the Sonne and denying the Godhead of the holy Ghost But here we see for the holy Ghost he is a substance and person subsisting standing before the throne of the Father not a gift or grace proceeding from God but a person distinguished from the Father and the Sonne the Father he sits on the throne the Sonne is on his right hand the holy Ghost distinguished from them both stands before the throne And from Iesus Christ. That is grace and peace from Iesus Christ. Where Christ Iesus is ioyned to the Father and the holy Ghost in bestowing grace and peace on his Church Ob. Why is Christ the second person of the Trinitie placed after the holy Ghost the third Person Answ. For two causes First Christ is considered two wayes first as he is the Sonne of the Father secondly as he is the Mediator of the Church Now as he is the Sonne of the Father he is the second Person in Trinitie and so before the holy Ghost in order Secondly as he is Mediator and so he is after them both the Father and the holy Ghost Esa. 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord is vpon me hath sent me to preach Where Christ is sent by the holy Ghost to preach as he is Mediator and so as he is sent in that respect he is after the holy Ghost Secondly he is placed after the holy Ghost because the maner of them which pen the Scriptures is to set them in the last place of whom they meane to speake last So Mat. 1. he setting downe the genealogie of Christ from Abraham though in all those there was none more excellent then Christ yet he is in the last place because of order the Euangelist meaning to speak and treat of him he sets him in the last place purposing still to continue his historie of the life and death of Christ. So here S. Iohn he placed Christ in the last place because he purposed to continue his historie in speaking of the death and passion of Christ and other things which concerne him Now what saith he of Christ From this fift till the ninth verse he describes Christ first by his offices secondly by the execution of his offices His offices are three first he is set out by his propheticall office in these words which is that faithfull witnesse secondly by his priestly office the first begotten of the dead thirdly by his kingly office and that Prince of the kings of the earth First his propheticall office First he is a witnesse Secondly a faithfull witnesse Thirdly that faithfull witnesse First he is a witnesse Esa. 55. 4. I gaue him to be a witnesse to the nations In that he is called a witnesse there are signified many duties of his propheticall office as first to reueale the will of his Father secondly to certifie the Church of the certaintie of the same and in these two stand his whole office propheticall First to reueale his Fathers will to the Church is his office for there is none which knowes his Fathers will but he which came from the bosome of the Father and he hath declared it Ioh. 1. 18. And he hath not onely declared his Fathers will since he came in the flesh but from the beginning he reuealed the will and word of God When the Lord rained fire on Sodome Gen. 19. 24. there Iehouah the Father rained downe by Iehouah the Sonne So when the couenant was made to our first parents it was made in Christ the promised seed It was renewed to Abraham and the Patriarkes from the Father by the Sonne as appeared in the bush where Iehouah appeared but 1. Cor. 10. there he is called Christ. The Prophets and the Apostles wrote as they were inspired by Christ they were but his instruments to speake and write that he put into them by the holy Ghost The matter and the stile and phrase of the Scripture all came from Christ. Nay when any particular man comes to vnderstand the Scriptures this is by the working of Christ he opens their eyes He gaue the disciples vnderstanding as they went to Emaus to vnderstand the Scriptures The second duty of Christ is to certifie men of his Fathers will and that in conscience of the certainty of his Fathers will This certification is generall or particular When he certifieth men that the word written or spoken by man out of the word is the word of God neither nature nor learning can do this but it is proper to Christs Propheticall office and for this he saith to his disciples he will send them the comforter which shall leade them into all truth Here we must know first by what meanes he assureth vs secondly the principall cause of this assurance The meanes is the word it selfe The principall cause is the operation of the holy Ghost By this three points are resolued First the Papists aske how a man can come to know that the Scriptures read and taught be the word of God Answ. We must here haue recourse to the word and to the faithfull witnesse and desire
euer in respect of his manhood for after he ascended into heauen there he liueth in glorie with the Father and holy Ghost because in the manhood of Christ dwelleth the power of the Godhead bodily Colos. 2. The second thing is why he liueth for euer namely that he might giue eternall life to his Church and all his true members God giueth vs eternall life by his Sonne 1. Ioh. 5. 11. and this is the ground of all ioy this that Christ liueth to giue vs eternall life is the foundation of the Church and the ground of our happinesse We must then consider of Christ as a roote he liueth not for himselfe as a roote doth not liue for it selfe but to giue life to all the branches and true members of the Church And we must consider of the manhood of Christ as a common treasurie or storehouse of eternall happinesse therefore Iohn 6. Christ saith My flesh is meat indeed and he which eateth his flesh and drinketh his bloud shall liue for euer shewing that his flesh and manhood hath power to giue life and quicken his true members yet not as considered in it selfe but as the same is ioyned with the Godhead and is the manhood of God and the flesh of God for it hath all this power from God The meanes whereby he giueth eternall life is the mysticall coniunction betweene him his members First God the father giueth Christ to the Church and euery true member of the same as he hath promised to giue him Now he giueth him as he is Mediator of the Church euen whole Christ yet the Godhead of Christ is not giuen of the Father but onely by the operation thereof in the manhood whereby the manhood is made able to satisfie Gods iustice but the manhood of Christ that is really giuen his very substance his flesh and bloud is really giuen to euery beleeuer and the benefits of the manhood also are truly giuen vs as righteousnesse and life eternall as really as lands or goods are giuen to men Now to whom Christ is giuen with him God giueth the Spirit of Christ for Christ and his Spirit come together and this Spirit createth in the heart of a man the instrument of faith by which Christ giuen of God is receiued of vs and we by faith apprehend his bodie and bloud and the merits thereof And we receiue not Christ in imagination or in our braine but euen as God the Father giueth him in the word and Sacraments really and truly And as the spirit of Christ createth in vs faith so it knitteth vs also to Christ our head really though mystically now from this mysticall coniunction betweene Christ the head and vs the members proceedeth eternall life thus First he which is ioyned and knit to Christ in this life and receiueth him he beginneth by this coniunction to liue an eternall life in dying to all his sins and to liue to God to liue as Christ liueth a spirituall life And this I may call the first benefit of our spiritual vnion with Christ. Secondly man thus vnited shall rise to glorie in his bodie And so the second fruite of this mysticall coniunction with Christ is the resurrection of the bodie for this coniunction with Christ after it is begunne it is perpetuall it is neuer broken so that though a man lie in his graue many thousand yeares yet he is thē vnited to Christ is in the graue a mēber of Christ by vertue of this mysticall vnion he shall be raised at the last day As we see the sappe of trees in winter time is in the roote and the branches seeme to die but in the spring when the heate of the Sunne cometh then it creepeth out into the branches and they bud and bring foorth fruite so man hath his winter time in the graue but in the last day because he is ioyned to Christ the roote he shall haue his Sommer and be raised by the power of this mysticall vnion Thirdly man so vnited shall liue euer therefore the third benefite is eternall life and happinesse By this mysticall vnion we shall haue eternall felicitie and euerlasting life in heauen there we must possesse it but it cometh from this mysticall vnion with Christ our head In this life it is begun and is neuer broken in regard of the roote and ground therof but lasteth for euer and by it Christ conueyeth eternall life to vs. In these words Behold I liue for euer Amen is the ground of two maine articles of our beleefe namely of the rising of the bodie and of life euerlasting for Christ he liueth for euer to giue life to vs for euer and this is the ground of our ioy as to Iob I know my Redeemer liueth c. Now doth Christ liue to giue vs life in heauen then we must haue our conuersation in heauen for where Christ is there should be our conuersation because he is the foundation and ground of eternall life to vs. Now that our conuersation may be in heauen we must often and seriously consider of this eternall life purchased to vs by Christ and for this cause he saith Behold I liue and withall as we must consider of it we must haue our affections set on him our ioy reioycing and affiance because Christ liueth that he might keep eternall life for vs. We vse to haue most care to preserue that part wherein life is preserued so seeing Christ is the foundation of our life and the author of it we should haue most care of him Now followeth the third part of the distinction though I was dead yet I haue the keyes of hell and death In these words we must not imagine hell to be a bodily place kept with locke and key as our houses be Nay it cannot be proued out of the Scriptures that it is a bodily place or the punishment of hell in regard of our soule and conscience is bodily seeing it is the sense feeling of Gods wrath and vengeance in bodie and soule therfore it is rather spirituall But Christ here borroweth a comparison from earthly stewards who when they haue any thing committed to them and haue the keyes put into their hands this sheweth they haue power and authority of al. So Christ hath the keyes of hell and death that is power ouer hell and death and dominion of them both As if he had said Though I once was dead in the graue yet now I haue power and dominion ouer hell and death and haue vanquished them both Seeing Christ alone hath power ouer hell and death no creature else properly hath authoritie to forgiue sinne but onely Christ for he which can forgiue sinne must haue power ouer hell and death but he can take away death the punishment of sin and hell the reward of it ergo he alone can forgiue sin Then we see the Priesthood of the church of Rome is full of blasphemie who hold that man called thereunto can properly forgiue sinne
he which receiues it for no man can know or discerne it then men must not thinke strange though be be not called by this new name The world knoweth vs not 1. Iohn 3. 1. Now in that he which hath this new name knowes it and seeth that he is the child of God and fellow-heire with Christ that he is called iustified sanctified and that none knowes it but he which hath receiued it This cōfutes the Papists who say they know it but not certainly but in hope and by coniecture and probabilitie But we see he knowes it certainly infallibly without doubt for he knowes it better then any other other men know it by coniecture but he knoweth it certainly No man knowes this new name so certainly infallibly and frō within as he which receiues the same for no man can determine of the faith adoption or calling of any but himself for that is proper to God to search the heart This must stay our censure and iudgement to iudge men to be hypocrites to condemne either the better or bad sort of men for we know not a mans heart his faith is but knowne to God and himselfe Obiect How farre may we iudge of anothers state of saluation Answ. We iudge of another mans estate either certainly or not certainly as when one iudgeth and sets downe certainly and resolutely that such men are elected to saluation without all doubt but this is proper to God no man can know the spirit of man but God and the man himself and so farre as it pleaseth him to reueale the same to some of his children as to Dauid he reuealed the damnation and reiection of some for which cause he prayeth for their destruction Now besides this there is the iudgement of charitie when we iudge of another as charitie moueth vs now charitie maketh a man iudge the best This charitie hath two parts first it is not to despaire secondly it is to iudge of a mans saluation vndoubtedly to be perswaded of it certainly We must not despaire though we see men liue in sin And we must iudge certainly of mens saluation and without doubt that they be called effectually in that they testifie their faith by their obedience not that we can set down certainly but we must in charitie iudge so of them And this is charitie in the highest degree when we iudge that such a one is the child of God by the fruites of his faith Here again they of the Church of Rome are deceiued making the Church to haue this note and property to be visible but not visibilitie but election adoption and faith are the principall markes of the Church Now these cannot be seene onely the fruites of them may And to the Angell Here beginneth the fourth particular Epistle The end scope of these words is to certifie the church of Thyatyra that Iohn had a speciall commandement and calling from God first to write this Epistle secondly to certifie all Churches to the end of the world that he had a commandement and calling from God to write not onely this Epistle but this whole booke and for that cause this is seuen times repeated To the Angell c. The Epistle beginneth here These things write c. and continueth almost to the end of this Chapter in it note three parts first a Preface secondly a Proposition thirdly a Conclusion The preface or entrance in the eighteenth verse all which were in the former Chapter verses 5. 14. 15. These things saith In the preface note first in whose name it is written namely in the name of Christ. The cause why his name is in the Preface is set downe before Christ is described by three arguments first he is the Son of God secondly his eyes are like a flame of fire thirdly his feet like fine brasse Christ is here said to be the Son of God In the former Chapter he was called the sonne of man here the Sonne of God By God he meaneth not the Godhead as it is absolutely or common to all the three persons but by it is meant the Father who when he is conferred with any person in the Trinitie is called God not that he is more God then the Sonne and holy Ghost or that they be not equall but for order in that he is the first person frō him the Godhead is cōmunicated to the Sonne and holy Ghost How Christ is called the Sonne of God we may know by these two rules first Christ is the Sonne of the Father not in respect of his Godhead or as he is God but in respect of his person and in respect of his person he is begotten of the Father before all worlds For the Godhead of Christ the Sonne is not begotten or begetteth not nor proceedeth but he hath one and the same Godhead with the Father therefore it no more begetteth or is begotten or proceeding then his The second rule Christ is the Sonne of the Father not by creation as the Angels and Adam nor by grace as true beleeuers in Christ but by nature in that he is begotten of the substance of the Father before all worlds Because the Father cōmunicated to him from himself his whole Godhead and nature and by this communication of the Godhead to his Son wholly he is said to beget the Sonne and he is said to be begotten of the Father The end why Christ is called the Sonne of God is namely to stirre vp in this Church of Thyatira care and diligence reuerence and attention in marking and obeying the things of this Epistle seeing that he which teacheth them is the Sonne of God teaching vs in their example when we heare the word read or preached we must haue attention diligent care and feare seeing it is the Sonne of God which speaketh to vs. When Pilate was condemning Christ and heard he was the Sonne of God he was affraid Shall an heathen man which knew not God feare to heare of Christ the Son of God and shall not we tremble to heare him speake to vs himselfe At the voice of Christ the mountaines melted and the rockes claue asunder and shall not our stonie and rockie hearts tremble to heare him speake to vs out of his word His eyes were like a flame of fire We must not take these words literally but as in the former Chapter for Christ is set out as he appeared in vision to Iohn By his fierie eye is meant first that in him is infinite wisedome he seeth all things he knoweth by his fierie and piercing eye all things present past and to come Secondly it signifieth his vigilancie and watchfulnesse ouer his Church and euery particular member of the same for these two ends first to preserue and protect his own children secondly to take reuenge and punishment on his enemies Thirdly by his fierie eye is signified his anger against sinnes and sinners Christ is said to haue fierie eyes to teach vs that he can discerne secret and hidden
by your countenance it may be profitable to the Church The God of heauen giue you all that blessing of blessings which if Ierome say true few men haue that you may transire à deliciis ad delicias go on from grace to grace and be a long time happie in this life and for euer happie in the life to come London Saint Martins in the fields from my worshipful friend Master Oldisworths house by which familie as Paul was by the house of Onesiphorus in the time of this late and I wish I may say the last visitation I haue receiued no small refreshing March 12. 1604. Your VVorships to command Robert Hill Fellow of S. Iohns Colledge in Cambridge LECTVRES VPON THE THREE FIRST CHAPters of the Reuelation REVEL 1. 1. The reuelation of Iesus Christ which God gaue vnto him MY purpose in choosing this text is to speake of the three first Chapters of this booke namely the seuen seuerall Epistles written to the Churches in Asia which containe sundrie vses instructions fit for our time and age Before we come to the matter we must consider of one question which is whether this present booke of the Reuelation be canonicall or not for some haue heretofore some now do call the authoritie of it in question But we hold that it is canonicall of equall authoritie with other canonicall Scriptures Our arguments and reasons be these The first is because the doctrine contained in this booke is Apostolicall as anie which diligently reades the booke may perceiue Secondly because the style and maner of opening and expounding the prophecie contained in it is Apostolicall that is plaine simple and easie if we consider that it is a prophecie Thirdly because this booke hath bene approued generally of all Churches refused of no one Church in any age since Iohn wrote it it was neuer called into questiō but of some particular man neuer of any whole Church Fourthly the things foretold in this booke came to passe as they were foretold As among the rest in one for all may appeare by that signe Iohn saw in the thirteenth Chapter two beasts came one out of the sea the second out of the earth the first signifying the Romaine Empire the second the Romaine apostaticall Church which both are come to passe in this last age Now follow the reasons which some alleage to proue it not canonicall but they be all of no force First S. Iohn he names him selfe in this booke where he neuer named himselfe once in all his Gospell no not then when he had iust occasion to name him selfe but sought to auoid it therefore they conclude that it is not his booke but written by some other and published in his name The reason is not good For there is great difference betweene an historie and a prophecie S. Iohn in his historie doth not name himselfe for there is no necessarie reason why one in an historie of another man should name himself But in a prophecie as this booke is it is more requisite he should mention his owne name And so did other Prophets as Ieremiah mentioneth his name in his booke at least an hundred times so Esay and Daniel in euerie Chapter mention their names Then seeing they do it so often it is no maruell if S. Iohn in his booke repeate his name yet he doth it but fiue times in the whole booke They obiect that his style in this booke is not the same with that he vsed in the penning of the Gospell Ans. The difference of the stile riseth from the difference of the matter seeing there he writes an historie here he pens a Prophecie Againe here he writes not his own words but those which he receiued from Christ by particular reuelation They say his booke hath bene reiected in diuerse ages as not canonicall Ans. It cannot be proued that it was euer refused of any generall Church but of some priuate man Now the disallowing of any priuate man cannot make a whole booke to be reiected for then the Epistle to the Hebrewes and Iames his Epistle should not be canonicall which be receiued of all Churches Now come to the words which containe two parts First a Preface Secondly a Vision The Preface first containes an entrance to his matter from the first to the ninth verse the vision from the ninth to the end of the chapter The Preface hath two parts First the title of the booke Secondly the inscription The title in the three first verses the inscription from the fourth to the ninth verse The title in these words The reuelation of Iesus Christ c. A reuelation is nothing else but a manifestation or discouerie of things secret in respect of men for the common good of the Church and so this word is taken here Reuelations from God in the Scriptures were of three kinds first by dreames secondly by vision thirdly by created voice of God face to face as we may see Num 12. 6. 8. 4. partly by vision partly by voice Now this was not by dreame for he receiued these things not by dreame vision or voyce alone but by vision from Christ and by voice from God so then it is mixt partly receiued by vision partly by voice vttered from God In these three first verses the Reuelation is described by seuen arguments first by the author Iesus Christ secondly the end thirdly the persons to whom it was directed fourthly the matter fiftly the instrument sixtly the manner of deliuering it seuenthly the fruit of the reuelation The first argument by which it pleaseth the holy Ghost to describe this reuelation is the author vz. Iesus Christ he is the author of it it comes from him It is called his reuelation in these respects first not to exclude the Father and the holy Ghost but to shew the speciall office of Christ for the peculiar office belonging to the second person is to reueale and to publish and to manifest the will of God the Father to the Church and for that cause he is called the Angell of the couenant the doctor of the Church the wisedome of the Father because his office is to reueale the will of his Father to man Secondly it is called the reuelation of Iesus Christ to teach vs to put difference betweene this reuelation and all satanicall reuelations for as God hath his true reuelations so Satan his ape hath his counterfeit reuelations and deliuers them in shew like to Gods but they differ much First the diuels reuelations be for the most part ambiguous and doubtfull that a man cannot tell how to take the speech and phrase he giues them in but the reuelations of God and that in this booke are certaine and in plaine tearmes deliuered Secondly the diuels reuelations be betweene him and his instruments wicked and bad men these in this and other bookes be to the godly to his children and seruants as here to Iohn and the Church
practise this because we bring from our cradles naturall presumption which perswades vs that we be in the fauour of God that we haue his loue to vs. But we must cast off this naturall presumption and take a new course and the first step to come to grace is to see that we want grace we must see that we be lost sheepe prodigall children in our selues the very fire-brands of hell and this to see our owne want of grace is the first step to grace The second step is to desire it when we see that we want it to hunger and long for it Thirdly to lay hold on it to apprehend this fauour and grace by true and liuely faith to apply the promises of saluation by faith in Christ Iesus and this is the last steppe to get this grace Secondly in that he sets downe first grace secondly peace here is the true order of seeking for things and blessings in this life First for grace and Gods fauour secondly for peace and welfare not first peace and welfare but first for grace So Christ bids vs first to seeke the kingdome of God and the rigteousnes thereof and then when we are in Gods kingdome of grace all things needfull shall be ministred to vs. This discouers the bad practise of most men who begin at a wrong end first with peace in their callings to get honour riches pleasure or preferment neuer seeking first for grace and Gods fauour but if we would haue peace we must first haue grace But men if God blesse them in riches health and wealth they say Oh God loues me but alas we deceiue our selues for we may haue peace yet want grace we may haue this welfare health wealth libertie and yet want grace nay the peace of the wicked is no blessing but a curse And though the Lord giue a man health wealth libertie which be but common blessings he may be out of his grace and fauour seeing the Lord bestowes these common blessings on those which be his enemies Psal. 73. 12. But though the wicked haue all these common blessings they be accursed And though a man had grace the fauour and true loue of God and had no other health wealth nor libertie yet he were most happy and blessed Frō him which is was c. Here he sets down the cause efficient and the author of these two Grace and Peace the Author is God distinguished into three persons the Father Sonne and holy Ghost the Father in these words which is was and is to come the holy Ghost is noted in these words And from the seuen spirits which are before his throne thirdly the Sonne in the fift verse S. Iohn in the first place describes the Father by his true nature in these words Which is was and is to come in which he alludes to that Exo. 3. 14. 15. where Moses demaunds of God if the people should aske who sent him what he should answer the Lord tels him say I am Ehjeh Iehouah hath sent me where are two names to one end namely to expresse the nature of God Now S. Iohn he expounds them here where he saith He which is which was and is to come Further these two names Ehjeh Iehouah be two such names as cannot be translated fully in our English tongue but are more significant in their originall Hebrue tongue for they import thus much Grace and peace be from him which is in himselfe and from himselfe a most perfect and absolute substance which was and which is to come a most absolute perfect simple substance and essence so that he is a nature most simple pure and subsisting in and by himselfe 1. Cor. 8. 4. An idoll is not so it is nothing in and of it selfe but onely in mans braine it hath no subsisting and being of it selfe by nature but by mans art and thus the Lord differs from all false gods seeing he hath his being in and from himselfe not of or by any other thing None other hath this propertie but God By this we see the nature of all creatures which is that though they haue their subsisting and being as mans body and soule yet it is not from themselues but from God not taken out of his essence for then they should be God And the Lord hath no parts as we haue but he makes all things out of himselfe of nothing Seeing then we haue all we haue of God our bodies soules and all we inioy we must in lieu of recompence in thankfulnesse and obedience giue our selues soules and bodies to his seruice to do his will and pleasure The Lord is most absolute and eternall euery way without beginning or ending Angels and the soules of men they be eternall but not as absolutely though they be eternall in that they shall neuer die yet had they a beginning Secondly they are eternall not absolutely but by participation for God made them eternall but the Lord is most absolutely euery way eternall From him which is to come That is to iudgement to iudge all his creatures especially men and Angels That God which is was which hath his being of in and from himself he shall come to iudgement This must we remember and thinke of that he which is God of himselfe and by himselfe which giues vs life and being he shall iudge vs and this will be a meanes to make vs do our dutie in conscience But many men flatter themselues saying God will not come in my time to iudgement but though the Lord come not to generall iudgement in this life yet he will come in particular iudgement by death in this life Thirdly if we would alwayes remember this it would bridle out liues and make vs keepe a good conscience before God and all men Act. 16. 24. And from the seuen spirits which are before his throne These words commonly are expounded of the Angels of God which stand and minister vnto him but it cannot be meant of them for two causes First those which are here called seuen spirits from these grace and peace come but it cannot come from the holy Angels which attend to minister before the Lord. Secondly in this verse which is a benediction or a salutation of Iohn to the Church the seuen spirits are set before Iesus Christ the second person of the Trinitie which cannot be true of the Angels who in no respect can be placed before Christ therfore it cannot be vnderstood of the holy Angels But for my part I vnderstand it thus And from the seuen spirits c. that is from the holy Ghost This exposition is most agreeable to all the circumstances of the text and the holy Ghost is called the seuen spirits first because though he be one in substance yet he is seuen that is many in gifts and operations and for this cause the spirit of God cals himselfe the seuen spirits Secondly he cals him so because he sets downe the Father Sonne and holy Ghost as he saw them
17. This is a common sinne in this age for we teach the word but in an humane manner Men speake and preach the word but onely to shew their owne wit learning reading and gifts but he which deliuereth not the word in that maner he ought and wherein he receiues it he is a false witnesse Christ he is a faithfull witnesse and that faithfull witnesse then we see the damnable practise of most men now adayes for they heare the word continually preached and reade the same yet the Prophet cryes out Who hath beleeued our sayings None feare the threatnings of the law none beleeue the promises of the Gospell What an heauie and horrible thing is this that we should not beleeue the promises of saluation nor feare the threats of the law for our sins seeing it is the doctrine preached and confirmed by the testimonie of Christ Iesus the true and faithfull witnesse of the Fathers will to man This is to make Christ a lyer to make him a false Prophet and giue him the lye By the consideration of this that Christ Iesus is the faithful witnesse that the doctrine deliuered out of his word is confirmed by his testimonie must we take heed that we feare and trēble at the threates of the law that we beleeue assuredly the promises of the Gospell for they which will not beleeue haue their portion in the lake of fire and brimstone Reuel 21. 8. Againe seeing Christ Jesus is that faithfull witnesse which giueth testimonie to mens cōsciences in particular of their saluation this teacheth vs to beleeue the promises of the Gospell that they belong to each of vs in particular as to Iohn Peter c. and euery true member of Christ for he is the true and faithfull witnesse he alone giueth testimonie to mens consciences Now though it be against all sense yet we must beleeue him seeing he is true and if we do not we make him a false witnes giuing him the lye Then it is no presumption as the Papists say to beleeue our election and saluation in particular nay it is an horrible sinne not to beleeue it seeing Christ a most faithfull witnesse testifies the same to our consciences by his holy Spirit Nay for this end to perswade euery man in particular he appointed his Sacraments bread and wine in the Supper and water in Baptisme that euery one might particularly receiue thē particularly be assured of the same For in that he offers them he doth as if he should say I offer you in them life euerlasting Then to doubt of this that we may assuredly perswade our selues in particular of our owne saluation is to call into question whether Christ be a true witnesse a true and faithfull Prophet or not And the first begotten of the dead Here in these words is contained the second office of Christ namely his Priestly office The first begotten of the dead He alludeth in these words to the estate of the families among the Iewes for as among them he which was first borne and eldest of the familie had many priuiledges and preheminences as of the Lordshippe of the Priesthood of double portion c. so Christ which is compared to the eldest and first borne he hath his priuiledges yea euen Christ crucified he hath his prerogatiues among the dead aboue all that are dead So Paule calleth him the first and beginning of the dead and after expounds it that he might in all things haue the preheminence Colos. 1. 18. The second priuiledge is that Christ being dead was the first which rose from death to life for none rose from death to life before him Ob. Lazarus Moses Elias in the mount they had their bodies restored thē againe yea Lazarus rose to life againe before Christ. Answ. Moses and Elias receiued their bodies againe Lazarus also liued againe but these returned againe to their former miserie as Lazarus he rose from death to die againe so Moses and Elias tooke to them their bodies againe not to enter into eternall happinesse but to their former miserie but Christ he rose from death to eternall happinesse and rose not to die any more but his resurrection is the first steppe to eternal life and felicitie The second priuiledge which he hath aboue all the dead is that he by his owne power and by the vertue of his Godhead raised his manhood But all that rise to life saue Christ they are raised by vertue of his resurrection not by their owne power None can raise themselues but by the vertue of that mysticall vnion betweene Christ the head and vs the members For as the first fruites being offered to the Lord they sanctified all the rest so Christ Iesus the first fruites of the dead did by his resurrection sanctifie and make acceptable all our resurrections In this is a notable comfort for all Gods children against the immoderate feare of death for if Iohn had said Christ is the first borne among the liuing it had bene a great comfort for then had he shewed that we be his familie on earth that the companie of his children on earth is his familie and he is the head of them he our elder brother But in that he saith the first begotten of the dead here is an excellent comfort for the Lord sheweth thereby that he hath speciall regard euen of the dead of his familie for the companie of his members which be dead they be his familie and in this familie Christ is numbred as the elder brother And in that respect he hath a double right first of a King secondly of a Priest Of a King in making the dead to obey his voyce and to rise from the dead at his cōmaundement Secondly of a Priest to offer himselfe an acceptable sacrifice to his father and also by his death to sanctifie and perfume the death of the godly so that their death is to them no death For as the first fruites sanctified the rest of the corne so Christ the first fruits of the dead he sanctifieth the death of al his children so that death sanctified by his death is no curse to the godly the graue is not a prison but a pleasant chamber of rest And Prince of the kings of the earth Here is the third namely the kingly office of our Sauiour Christ. He is called a Prince of the kings of the earth in two respects first as he is God the Sonne of God and so King together with the Father and the holy Ghost gouerning all things by his diuine power being equall to them Secondly as he is Mediator as he is God and man in two natures he is called a Prince of kings So Mat. 28. All power is giuen me of the Father not as he is God but as he is God and man the Mediator or Godincarnate So the Lord gaue him a name at which euery knee shold bow euen as he is Mediator And of these two I take it he meaneth
we are to beginne any businesse in word or deed we must begin it with inuocation on the name of Christ for Christ he giues the beginning and proceeding to all things Then we which haue our beginnings of him must not dare to begin anything without inuocation on his name Secondly the same Christ he is the end of all things for two causes first because he is the last of all things and after him is nothing in subsisting and being nay if all creatures were left to themselues they would all come to nothing and yet though all should come to nothing Christ would remaine the same he was for euer namely the eternall Sonne and word of the Father In that some creatures are become eternall this is not of themselues but by Christ he giues them eternall being and durance and if they were left to themselues they would come to nothing as well as others This then shold make vs with full purpose of heart to cleaue to Christ if we would enioy eternall happinesse for without him and vnlesse we haue it from him we cannot but come to an end Secondly he is the end because all things were made to serue him Coloss. 1. 16. For him were all things created Which is was and is to come These words were expounded in the fourth verse where the very same are affirmed of the Father The sense is that Christ is a substance and essence or being subsisting in by and from himselfe and such a substance shall be for euer Hence we learne two things first that the second person in the Trinitie is consubstantiall with the Father of one and the same substance and nature with him And the reason is because there can be but one onely substance essence and being which can be in and by it selfe and from it selfe alone there cannot be two or moe but onely one As there cannot be two eternals or two infinits two omnipotents and absolute Lords which haue nothing one of another Now in the fourth verse it is said of the Father that he is a substance of in by and from himselfe alone and here of the Sonne is rehearsed the same Then they seeing there can be but one such essence must needs be all one and the Sonne must needes be the same substance nature and essence with the Father not like him or diuerse from him but the selfe same in substance and nature that is their Godhead is consubstantiall c. They be indeed two distinct persons yet but one substance and diuine essence in the Godhead which S. Iohn intimates affirming the same words of both Hence we learne that Christ is God of himselfe for in the same respect the Father is God he is God and as the Father is was and is to come so in the same regard is Christ c. But the Father is God of himselfe ergo also Christ is God of himselfe Indeed as he is the Sonne so he is of the Father hath this beginning from him but as he is God he is consubstantiall with the Father and coequall with him hath his essence of and in himselfe And the same is to be affirmed of the holy Ghost as he is the third person he proceedes from the Father and the Sonne but as he is God he is of from and in himselfe 3 That Christ is coeternall with the Father and as euerlasting as he is euery way coequall to the Father hauing the same attributes equally with him as he is God The Almightie As there is in God so is there in Christ a double power first a potentiall secondly an actuall power Potentiall is that whereby he can do many things moe then he wil do as he could raise children to Abraham of the stones but he would not he could haue deliuered Christ from death but he would not It is not taken for this power here principally but rather for the second namely his actuall power whereby he bringeth to passe without let and impediment whatsoeuer he decreeth willeth or promiseth So he is called Almightie here because he bringeth to passe actually whatsoeuer he promiseth to his in his word without let and stop Seeing he is thus Almightie hence come two comforts to his children first that whatsoeuer he hath promised his church in Christ shall be brought to passe effectually without stop and let as assuredly as he promised it Now since he promiseth in the Gospell to all penitent sinners remission of sinnes mortification iustification and life euerlasting euery one of them in their time shall be done Euery true beleeuer shall haue pardon of his sinnes mortification sanctification and eternall life because he which promised is almightie able and willing to do all he promised This is a comfort to all true beleeuers for all men and Angels cannot giue one of these but Christ he is omnipotent he can and will giue them all 2 He will and can giue his Church sufficient securitie and ease from all her enemies he can defend and guard her against all their furie and malice he is aboue them and can bridle their might when and how he pleaseth This then affoords vs two duties First in the crosse and tribulation to humble our selues vnder the hand of God For it is the Lord which correcteth vs he is able to do what he list and more then he will Secondly this should make vs to performe heartie obedience in our generall and particular callings to walke vprightly before him seeing he is almightie and seeth whether we walke sincerely or not if we do not he is able to punish vs. Gen. 17. it is the argument of God to perswade Abraham to walke vprightly because he is almightie able to correct and destroy those which refuse to obey him Thus farre of the two first parts of this Chapter the Inscription and the Titles of this booke I Iohn c. Here followeth the third part of this Chapter which containeth a vision from this ninth verse to the end of the third Chapter In this vision two things are to be noted first the circumstances secondly the parts The circumstances in the ninth and tenth verses the parts from thence to the end of the third Chapter The circumstances of this vision are 4. the first touching the person to whom this vision befell Iohn the second the place where in Pathmos the third the maner how it is propounded it was deliuered to him being rauished in the spirit the fourth the time when on the Lords day The first circumstance is the person to whom this vision befell Iohn He doth this to shew that it was giuen him of the Lord for as the Lord hath his visions and reuelations so the Diuell hath his but they be distinguished by the persons to whom they be giuen God giueth his visions not to all men but to those which are most fit for them such as be most holy men for life indued with exceeding gifts of God as
forme and shape Like the son of man Hence some gather that it is not Christ but some Angell which is described but they are deceiued for he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first and the last and he that was first dead then aliue which belongs to Christ alone Like the sonne of man but more significant it is in the originall Like a sonne of man if it be translated The sonne of man then Christ must be vnderstood but in the originall it is A sonne of man according to the phrase of the old Testament where when they would signifie one that was a man they called him A sonne of man that is man like a man in forme and shape Christ is said to be like a sonne of man not that he appeared to Iohn in his manhood for that was in heauen but in a likenesse appearance and resemblance of his manhood and as he doth not appeare here so in no place after his ascension he appeareth in his true manhood Stephen saw the sonne of man stand at the right hand of God Act. 7. but that was in heauen and Paul heard him speake Act. 9. and being rauished 1. Cor. 13. but then also he was in heauen And this Christ doth to a speciall end to shew that whereas men much regard and esteeme his bodily presence as his Apostles and friends did who had too great a desire of it we must not seeke to haue earthly familiaritie with him but we must lift vp our hearts by faith and so haue spirituall familiaritie and acquaintance with him And so he biddeth Mary touch me not being not yet glorified to checke her too much desire of his bodily presence but he would haue her and vs to lift vp our hearts by faith and haue spirituall familiaritie and acquaintance with him in heauen Then hence the defence of consubstantiation and reall presence of the body of Chirst is in the sacrament is but needlesse seeing it is sufficient Christ is present in spirit not bodily any more but we must lift vp our harts to heauen and there for euer liue and rest in him The Papists gather of this in that Christ appeared after his ascension in the appearance and forme of a man that they may make the image of Christ who being God appeared in the forme of a man Secondly the Father who is figured by an old man Dan. 9. and the holy Ghost in the forme of a Doue they hold they may picture thē not in any forme but in that they appeared Answer It is not vnlawfull for vs to haue the pictures of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost as they appeared in forme as Christ in a man the Father in an old man the holy Ghost in a Doue to illustrate and set out the history but we deny and hold it vnlawfull to haue any of them or the picture of Christ if it were to be had to religious vses to put vs in remembrance of Christ to worship God in or at or by it for thus to worship God is flat against the second commaundement Clothed with a garment downe to the feete In these words following is described the garment and attire wherein Christ appeared to Iohn The first part of his attire is a long robe or garment down to the feet He appeared in this kind of garmēt first to shew he was the high Priest of the new testament after his ascension to do the the office of the high Priest because this was one of the garments which the high Priest vsed when he offered sacrifice So Christ hauing offered himselfe on the crosse he is still high Priest for vs to make intercession for vs to his father Secondly he appeared in this kind of attire to shew he is the Prince and King of peace because this long robe and garment is in all nations where it is vsed a signe of peace so Christ hauing this garment is not a King of war but of peace Esay 9. Thirdly to shew he excelled in wisedome and counsell for this garment in all nations which vse it was giuen to them which excell in wisedome and counsell so Christ here is clothed with this long stole and robe to shew that he excelleth in the spirit of wisdome and counsell because the spirit of wisedome is in him without measure Esay 9. 6. Col. 2. Hence for the attire of our body we learne that it must be sutable and answerable to those good things which be or ought to be in our hearts as this garment of Christ to shew he was high Priest secondly that he was King of peace lastly that he excelled in wisedome and counsell So our attire should be such which may signifie the vertues which be in vs as our knowledge obedience sobrietie temperancy humilitie and all the good gifts and graces of God we must not onely shew out the graces of our hearts by word but euen our attire must set out what they be And as we must be candles in teaching and instructing in life and conuersation so we must shine and shew forth the vertues of our heart by our attire But alas our practise is contrary for our apparell is now sutable to all our corruption and vices of our hearts to set out our pride to preach to the world our lightnesse and loosenesse of life the vanity and folly of our heart so that if a man see one go though he neuer be acquainted with him neuer spake to him yet he may know his fondnesse folly loosenesse of life pride and corruption of his heart by his apparell The second part of his attire is that he was girded about with a golden girdle about the breasts which is to shew that Christ was ready prepared to do all the offices of a Mediator for vs for the girding vp of the body the binding of mens apparell to them is a signe of diligence and care to do ones dutie as the not girding of the clothes but to leaue thē loose is a signe of negligēce and carelesnesse Then seeing Christ is girded vp it sheweth he is ready prepared to do the office of a Mediator to all men and so Christ whilest he was on the earth he shewed this he saued all the poore sinners which came to him and since his resurrection he is not negligent but ready prepared girded to do the office of a Mediator to all true penitent sinners This must be a singular comfort to all which haue any sparke of grace that Christ he is ready to attend on them to do the office of a Mediator for them When we be in affliction crosse he is ready prepared at our elbowes to deliuer vs and comfort vs when we be ready to die he is not farre off but stands by vs ready to cary our soules to heauen in all things he is ready to all the workes of a Mediator to helpe vs in all the workes of our saluation Christ he is not like
all three and that the Father doth the Sonne doth and what the Sonne doth the holy Ghost and the Father do in outward actions Secondly Christ after his ascension teacheth not bodily but by his spirit for Christ being at his Fathers right hand sendeth his comforter to leade vs into all truth Now seeing the holy Ghost speaks in the Scripture he teacheth vs we see how the church of Rome sinneth in that they will haue a iudge which must speake for Christ he being in heauen and the Scriptures being not able to speake but are as a dumme iudge therefore the Church that is men in the Church they must be iudge of Scriptures But we see that the holy Ghost speaketh in the Scriptures and Christ he is iudge alone of them The Church is an instrument onely and cannot giue sentence of them but they be of themselues sufficient to take away any doubt whatsoeuer 2 Faith is no part of repentance but a cause of it for they be 2 distinct parts of Christianity the first a sermon beleeue and repent where repentance followeth faith as a fruite of it Thirdly obedience is no part of repentance but a cause thereof ergo repentance stands not in these three properties neither is all one with regeneratiō for this goeth before them for godly sorrow is the cause of repentance but regeneration is before godly sorow ergo before repentance too The second point is how we must practise repentance this stands in two things first true humiliation secondly true reformation of life Humiliation stands in confessing our sins miseries and wants and in condemning our selues for them and in harty praier to God for pardō Reformation is the changing of our bad actions to good and if need require to make satisfaction to men Dauid Psal. 32. first humbled himselfe secondly he prayed for pardon and withall promiseth reformation of life Manasses fel from God but he prayed to God humbled himselfe 2. Cron. 33. 12. So the prodigal son And Dauid in all these Psalmes of repentance humbles himself Psal. 32. 38. 51. 130. 143. 77. And so must we do if we truly repent Then we see the dānable doctrine of the Papists which make repentance stand in contrition and confession of sins to a Priest satisfaction for a man may do all these and yet be a reprobate So did Iudas he had contrition confessed his sinne made satisfaction and yet his repentance was not true repentance Another abuse is that they make contrition a part of repentance which is indeed no grace but may be a cause of grace Besides to confesse all sinnes to a priest is a gibbet to a mans conscience and more then God himselfe requireth Last of all to teach that a man must satisfie Gods iustice is to ouerthrow the satisfaction of Christ. The third point is Who commaunds this It is Christ. Now some out of these words gather that God giueth sufficient grace to euery man to repent if they will for say they if he command repentance and yet some cannot then he but mockes them and it is as if we should bid one bound hand and foot to rise and walke Ans. The Lord giueth not that commaundement to euery particular man but to the Church or to some people which shal become a Church and then he doth it to gather the elect Now in the Church there be elect and reprobate now this commandement to repent is giuen to the elect directly but to the reprobate by consequence as they be among the elect in the church And this commaundement is giuen to both for diuers ends first to the elect to shew them what they ought to do not their ability what they can do secondly that it may be an outward means to bring them to repētance for when he giueth them this commandement he is present by his spirit Phil. 2. 12. he bids them work out their saluation but addeth God giueth the will the deed shewing that God giuing that commandement is present by his spirit to worke in them abilitie to performe it Now the wicked being in the Church haue the same commaundement not directly neither to those ends but first to keepe them in outward ciuill order secondly to make them without excuse But whereas they reason thus If Christ command all to repent then all haue sufficiēt grace to repēt but the first is true ergo Ans. The first part is false vnles it be restrained thus if he command to this very end that they should repent and practise it for he giueth cōmandement to some not that they may do it but as to Pharaoh to harden their harts For the second part that he giueth commandement to all the meaning is he giueth it onely to the elect directly because he giueth them his spirit to obey it but to the wicked by consequence as they be mingled in the Church with his owne children The fourth point is who must repent namely the Angel and whole Church of Ephesus Ob. But they had repented before how then doth he bid thē repent againe Ans. There are two degrees of repentāce one is the beginning the other is the renewing of it In the practise of which two stands the whole life of a Christian first to begin to repent when he is truly called and secondly in continuing and renuing it dayly as he often falleth If we haue begun by Gods grace we must not stay there but go on and be renued euery day There is no man but he shall see in him selfe daily new sins slips and wants for which he must haue renewed repentance Then seeing we daily increase our sins we must take heed we lie not or continue in sin without this repentance for we are not so much condēned for sin as for lying in sin this if a man repent brings not condemation but lying in sin doth then aboue all things take heed of this let vs daily labor to know our sins to be acquainted with our wants to humble our selues pray for pardon 2. Cor. 5. 20. I beseech you saith Paul be reconciled to God they were reconciled before for they were iustified and sanctified but he would haue them to labour to be more assured of their iustification and to haue a more full and sensible feeling of it and that because their apprehension by reason of their weaknes is but sin all The like must be had of vs. The fift point is why or for what cause namely for their decay in loue especially and other wants Christ prescribeth to thē repentance not that they had none at all And so Christ preacheth to vs by his Ministers to repent of this decay in loue if we haue had loue and feele it now decayed we must repent if we haue not then we must labour to haue it And Christ we see giueth a large commaundement not for drunkennesse whooredome theft or such grosse sins but euen for their decay in loue want of knowledge faith feare
kept my name Though thou dwellest in a place where the diuel hath erected his throne yet thou maintainest my name and holdest it fast so that neither fraud nor force of enemies can take it from thee My name that is my doctrine of the Gospell Rom. 9. Thou doest constantly hold and maintaine it and my religion thou beleeuest the doctrine of saluation which my seruants haue deliuered to thee So that in these words Christ commends the church of Pergamus for constancie in maintaining the doctrine of saluation We see it is not enough for vs to hold beleeue and maintaine religion but we must do it constantly so the word signifiâ—s we must hold the same fast against all aduersaries not easily turned with any blast of mens doctrine but so to hold religion that no enemy by force or fraud draw it from vs. When Math. 13. the man found the pearle he sold all to buy the field And if a man amongst vs should find in our field by his cunning and skil a golden mine he would not tel it to any but go and sel all he had buy the grouÌ„d that so he might inrich himself So we if we know the doctrine of saluation we must labor to make it ours to haue it made sure to vs to sell all we haue to loose life it selfe rather then to forgo that precious pearle 1. Tim. 3. 9. Faith is compared to a precious iewell which must be laid vp in the treasury of a good conscience which cannot be broken into but must be strong in which store-house and treasury we must haue true religion and faith locked that nothing get it from vs but loose all we haue euen our life before we part with it for if that be sure all is well but if faith and religion be lost all is gone saluation is lost thy soule is perished Now for her further commendation Christ sets out her constancie by two arguments first that she held religion without deniall secondly that she held it in the time of bloudy persecution 1. The Church of Pergamus neuer denied Religion or reuolted from faith in Christ she did not as many men who hold beleeue and maintaine religion yet in time of triall they will reuolt In this we must imitate her else we know not whether the Lord will giue vs grace to repent if he should not we perish Esaw sold his birth-right for a small thing a few red pottage but after he sought it with repentance and teares could not get it We must then hold religion and not in time of affliction and persecution reuolt and deny it lest the Lord giue vs no grace to repent which we know not whether he will or not And hast not denied my faith that is mine owne doctrine of the Gospell and true Religion Religion is called Christs first because Christ with the Father and holy Ghost is author of it all Religion which is good being from aboue secondly because he reuealed it from the bosome of his Father thirdly because Christ is the matter of al religion Christ is the whole subiect of religion in the old and new Testament the end of the law and the scope of the Gospell The second argument whereby Christ sets out her constancie is that she held religion in the time of bloudy persecution when she was thus persecuted she was constant When Antiphas was put to death Who this Antiphas was it is not certainly knowne by any history yet it is thought he was Pastor and Minister of the Church of Pergamus who opposed himself and oppugned the doctrine and idolatry of the heathen in that citie In these words are two points first he commends this martyr Antiphas when he saith That my seruant my faithfull seruant Antiphas he extols him to the Church of Pergamus By this we see that it is lawfull to honour and commend Martyrs which dy for Christs cause and that in two things first in giuing them their due deserued honour and commendation as Christ did to Antiphas secondly by careful imitation of their constancie and vertues and conuersation of life for this cause Christ commends this good Martyr that the people of Pergamus might imitate him in his constancie not to honour him as the Papists do with diuine honour and inuocation Againe he saith That my faithfull Martyr not commending him for his death that he died but for the cause for not the death but the cause makes a Martyr for a man may die for heresie and erronious opinion and yet he is no Martyr But Antiphas he was a true Martyr ergo Christ saith that my seruant nay that my faithfull seruant Antiphas In the end of this verse he setteth downe the authors of this death of Antiphas Some among you some of Pergamus were the cause of his Martyrdome they were such in whom the diuell ruled and raigned and this he repeates to shew that they which haue contemned Christs religion though they pretend good things yet they be the slaues of the diuell he rules and raignes in them they be his holds and castels Obiect But why did the diuell dwell in the citie of Pergamus more then in any other Answ. Because many in this citie were Gentiles they hated and conteÌ„ned the Gospel so became the holds of the diuel we must then take heed we neuer conteÌ„ne the fame For in a family where they liue in ignorance in iniustice fraud and wickednes there the diuell ruleth he hath his throne that is a stable for him to dwell in Then masters of families and parents which gouern families must see they loue and embrace religion and teach it to their family else their houses be but the stables of Satan his place to dwell in Ob. But whether might not Antiphas being Minister and Pastor of that Church haue fled Answ. Persecution is double either directed against the person of the Minister principally or to the whole Church equally if it be against his person he may flie safely if he get oportunitie to preserue his life and haue libertie of the Church to flie but if it respect the whole Church then vnlesse he haue libertie graunted by them he must stay and take part with them in their persecution Now of this sort was Antiphas persecution seeing he was so called of God to suffer But I haue a few things against thee He commended her before but here he rebukes her and this reproofe is first generally propounded then in more particular in generall he tels them that they wanted zeale Thou bearest with them which c. But I haue These words he spake to the church of Ephesus before and here repeates them againe teaching the true members of the Church to enter into their owne hearts to search what is in them that Christ may haue against them to cal themselues to a strait reckoning to consider all the things they haue done from their beginning to their end and al their life narrowly to examine themselues
with him in his glory in heauen Ephes. 2. 7. 2. Cor. 6. the Saints shall iudge the world that is shall be witnesses and approuers of Christs sentence not that they shall haue power to giue iudgement but they shall be caught vp first and he giuing sentence they sitting by him shall approue it Secondly he giueth vs this power because he by this inables his in their owne person to ouercome sin the world and their owne corruption By this we see our dignitie euery seruant of God hath power ouer nations ouer the world to rule and breake them in peeces to iudge and condemne them Is this our priuiledge then we had need to take heed of all sinne for we cannot condemne other men of sin and be guiltie of sin our selues For it is a great disgrace for a Iudge to condemne a malefactor of murther or theft and be guiltie himselfe So Christ if we be full of sinne and make no cōscience of it he wil neuer let vs sit to iudge the world with himselfe Then seeing we are Kings Iudges and haue such priuiledges we must looke to our selues Againe this is our comfort in persecution if thou be the child of God thou art a King a Iudge though thou be now poore abused and persecuted yet the time cometh when thou shalt iudge and condemne thy persecutors and be auenged of them And rule the nations as a shepheard ruleth his sheepe that is to gouerne and feed them Iohn 21. Feed my lambes that is feed and rule Hence the Papists gather Peter was the generall Bishop to guide and feed Christs sheepe that is the world but then euery Christian should be a Pope for euery one hath power to rule the nations ouer the whole world but none will say euery one should haue so large authoritie then it is not meant of supremacie Further from this place the Papists gather that Saints be patrons of countries and kingdomes secondly that we may pray to Saints in heauen for say they they haue rule of nations ergo they know them and what they do But they abuse the text for it is not said any Christian shall rule ouer one nation but ouer all indefinitely neither do they rule as Christ but as hauing benefit of his power Again both their collectiōs are bad for by nations here is not meant any country or kingdome but the wicked onely they haue rule ouer not all nations simply but wicked men and vnbeleeuers And I will giue him the morning starre Here is the second benefit promised by Christ to him which ouercometh namely the morning starre with all the benefits which come thereby The morning starre is that starre which riseth before the Sunne some time of the yeare and by heathen men is called Venus which in deed is Christ himselfe Reu. 22. 16. Now Christ is called a star first because he illuminates mens wils and vnderstandings in things belonging to saluation secondly to shew that the prophesie of Balaam Num. 24. is now in the new Testament fulfilled for now Christ hath by his Apostles reuealed himselfe plentifully to all nations Againe he is called the morning starre for speciall resemblance for that starre riseth not at midnight or in the beginning of the night but in the morning in the beginning of the day and then shineth brighter then all the rest So Christ the true morning starre came not in the beginning of the world or in the middest of it but in the latter age he came in the new testament and fulnesse of time and now he reuealeth his will more fully then euer in the old testament 2. Pet. 1. 9. Christ then is called this morning starre for in the old testament they had darknesse and candle light but now Christ shineth out brightly I will giue him Here is a promise of two benefits first perfect illumination and lightning whereby all ignorance shall be dispelled after this life and men shall then so farre know God as mans nature can comprehend The second benefit is the light of glory not onely of knowledge but perfect glory for by fellowship of this glory of Christ we shal be made like Saints and Angels shining starres in the kingdome of heauen Seeing Christ is a starre we see how they be deceiued which liue in sin and ignorance without good conscience in pleasure and securitie and yet they thinke they belong to Christ they haue the true light but such as liue in blindnesse neuer seeking to know Gods will obey him these are in darknesse haue no light in Christ for what fellowship is there betwixt light and darknesse We must follow Peters rule first labour to haue this starre to shine in our hearts which is when we vse meanes to haue the beames of this Sun to shine on vs to get knowledge in the mystery of our saluation by Christ to haue this Sun of righteousnes to lighten our minds and withall to warme and refresh our dead soules as the sun in the spring reuiues all things which seemed dead We must set open the doores of our hearts and entertaine this comfortable light Seeing Christ is the morning starre not that shines in the night but in the morning in the day time we must labor to leade our liues in godlinesse and sobrietie as children of the light Rom. 13. 12. and if we will not walk in this light it shall be taken from vs and we shall be cast into eternall darknesse Let him which hath an eare Here is the second part of the conclusion but of this often before CHAP. III. VERSE 1. And to the Angell of the Church of Sardis c. THIS is the fift particular commandement to Iohn that he should write an Epistle to that great and famous citie of Sardis The Epistle hath three parts first a Preface secondly body or substance thirdly a conclusion First the Preface sheweth in whose name the Epistle was written to giue it the more authoritie It containeth a liuely description of Christ in his kingly office as he is the soueraigne head of his Church and that in two royalties and priuiledges first in that he hath the seuen spirits secondly the seuen starres For the first I shewed what it meaneth chap. 1. vers 4. namely the holy Ghost who is the author of all grace so that to haue the seuen spirits is as much as to say he had the holy Ghost Ob. All Gods seruants haue the holy Ghost therefore that is no peculiar priuiledge of Christ. Ans. True but not in the same maner for Christ had it two wayes first in regard of his Deitie secondly of his humanitie First as he is God he hath in him the beginning of the holy Ghost for the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne Therefore Christ is said to send the holy Ghost and to worke by him and whatsoeuer he doth in the Church he doth it by him and for that cause Christ is said to haue the seuen spirits
Secondly in regard of his manhood because the holy Ghost hath powred foorth into his manhood the perfection of all graces and gifts whatsoeuer as he is annointed with the oyle of gladnesse aboue his fellowes And this perfection standeth in two things first in number secondly in degree or measure First in number thus Among Gods seruants some haue these graces some those none haue all but Christ hath all the graces which all men and Angels haue more too Secondly in degree for the graces of Christ are more in measure then all the graces of all the Saints and seruants of God whatsoeuer he hath the fountaine of all grace and therefore he is said to haue the Spirit without measure And for that cause also Christ is said to haue the seuen spirits This is spoken by occasion of the Church and people of Sardis which was a dead people and therefore Christ was able to quicken them and to put life and spirit into them That no man can haue fellowship with the Father or the holy Ghost but by Christ it is manifest by other places No man can come to the Father but by me so there must be a participation with Christ before there can be any with the holy Ghost This serueth for our instruction because among the Papists there be many great learned men which haue excellent gifts of nature wit memorie and vnderstanding and though they haue withall a reformed and ciuill life yet they want faith and regeneration How cometh this to passe that such worthy men hauing the common gifts of the spirit want the speciall The cause is this their Christ is a false Christ yea an idol Christ they professe the want of sauing faith and all is because they want Christ. Therefore no maruell though you see the greatest learned there mocke and scoffe at this speciall grace of the assurance of our election Againe many among vs looke to be saued by Christ and yet you shall see no grace neither of knowledge nor faith feare nor care to keepe Gods commandements or a good conscience no sparke of grace and yet looke to be saued by Christ. How can these stand together Though they say they haue Christ they deceiue themselues for they haue not the graces of the Spirit and they haue no grace because they are not in Christ and by that they may know they are not in Christ because they haue no grace To conclude then we must all be admonished to labour that we may be vnited to Christ our head truly to haue fellowship with him that in him we may haue fellowship with the Father and the holy Ghost No grace of God to life eternall will be bestowed vpon vs till we haue Christ himselfe Therefore first labour to be in Christ and to be truly ioyned and vnited to him by the bond of faith that by this meanes we may haue all graces distilling and flowing into our hearts by Christ. Now the second royaltieis he hath seuē starres that is the Ministers and Pastors of the seuen Churches Christ is said here to haue them because he is the soueraigne Lord ouer them he is an absolute Lord ouer all For he setteth them apart and giueth them whatsoeuer gifts they haue he appointeth them their offices duties and callings so as he hath rule ouer them he appointeth ordaineth maketh and preserueth them As he hath in him the fulnesse of spirit so is he a Lord ouer his Ministers he hath power to saue if they obey or to destroy if they rebell Ob. The Church maketh Ministers Ans. The right of making Ministers and ordaining them is Christs royaltie and belongeth to him the Church doth but testifie and declare who they be that Christ maketh Ministers and approueth them therefore he saith here the seuen starres be his Now the end of these words is to strike the heart of the Minister which is secure and negligent to make him know himselfe and his place that he may begin to haue sound conscience of his dutie And this point is an excellent motiue to make them looke to their dutie their gifts are not their owne nay they themselues are not their owne but Christs and he is their Lord. This very consideration cannot but be effectuall to stirre vp all pastors to regard their duties for seeing they are Christs they must not do their owne will We must renounce our selues in all things and therefore bethinke our selues our soules and our bodies are not our owne but Christs Let this consideration draw vs on to do thinke and speake nothing but that which Christ would if he will haue you liue be content because he is the Lord of your life if to dye be content because you are his and not your owne So much for the Preface Now followeth the second part of the Epistle containing two parts first a reproofe secondly a promise The reproofe in the first verse I know thy works in which is contained a reproof and withall a remedie in the next words I know Here note the vice and withall the reproofe the vice is hypocrisie for she pretended religion in outward shew but wanted it indeed Thou hast a name that is the Churches about thee iudge thee to liue that is to be borne anew beleeue in Christ to haue his spirit to guide thee but thou art dead in sinnes and wantest newnesse of life and regeneration The like we may say of many great Churches by name the Romish Church which though it seeme to liue yet in regard of spirituall life it is dead It pretendeth to be the true Church of Christ but in truth it is dead in sinne Yet some say it is not dead but diseased full of sores and sicknesses and though the throat be cut yet it breatheth and panteth but the truth is it is starke dead and cold it hath no spirituall life at all But some alleage the contrarie saying it hath the Sacraments in it and where there is a Sacrament there is a Church but they haue Baptisme therefore a Church Ans. Baptisme is not alwaies a note of a true Church for the Samaritanes had circumcision which was before Baptisme yet they were no people nor church of God Os. 1. 9. That there may be baptisme yet no church it appeareth because there may be baptisme without the preaching of the word As the Papists haue baptisme without the true preaching of the word so they haue the outward Baptisme but deny the inward Baptisme which is iustification by Christ and sanctification by his Spirit Againe I answer it is a Sacrament not to that church of the Papists but to the hiddē church in popery for the Lord euer hath his church among them he keepeth among them euen 7. thousand which neuer worshipped their idols Now then that Sacrament is reserued in that church not for the Papists but for Gods children among them By this we see Gods owne prouidence to call them by those meanes and for their sakes
seruants in the generall calling of a Christian but in our particular callings For S. Iohn was his seruant not onely in beleeuing in him and obeying him generally but in beleeuing and obeying him in the particular calling of an Apostle So Paule he was the seruant of Christ not only generally but in the speciall calling of the Gospell in preaching the same This example of his and the Apostles must be our direction we must not content our selues with the generall calling of Christians but serue Christ in our particular callings It is not inough to professe Christ in publike assemblies to heare the word receiue the Sacraments but in our particular callings we must serue him at home as the magistrate not onely in his generall calling of Christianitie but in his particular calling as he is a magistrate the Minister as he is a Minister the maister of a familie as he is a maister and so all men in their particular callings must obey Christ. And if the maister of a familie come to the assembly heare the word receiue the Sacraments yet in his familie faile and performe not the duties of a maister he is but an hypocrite he is no true Christian though men accept so of him because he must be obedient to Christ both in generall and particular calling Now followeth the second argument by which Iohn is described namely the effect that he bare record of the word of God Which Iohn bare this record partly by preaching partly by penning the Gospell of Christ. And because the word of God hath two parts the Law and the Gospell he shewes in the next words that he meanes especially the Gospell of Christ adding Of things done and sayd by Christ. And lest any man should call his testimonie into question he saith he testifies that whereof he was an eye witnesse he saw it and therefore could not be deceiued and therefore his testimonie was true The end why he alleageth these words is to shew that he is a faithfull pen-man of this booke that so it might haue more reuerence for he which was faithfull in penning the Gospell of Christ the same also is faithfull in penning this Prophecie of the Church By these words we may gather that to testifie the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles to be the truth of God is a true note of a true Prophet And by these we may distinguish betweene a true Prophet and a false if they bring the doctrine of the Apostles and the Prophets it is true Deut. 13. If they worke wonders and their doctrine be to draw men from the true God they are false Prophets and must be put to death And our Sauiour Christ being asked of his authoritie he alledges Luk. 10. 1. Iohns testimonie and confirmeth Iohns testimonie to be true asking them this question The baptisme of Iohn was it from heauen or of men shewing that Iohn was a true Prophet seeing his Baptisme that is his doctrine was from heauen Hereby we see the difference of a true Prophet and false alledged by the Papists is no true difference for they say If one can worke miracles he is a true Prophet whereas Deut. 13. false Prophets may do that But the true marke of a true Prophet is the doctrine deliuered by the Prophets and Apostles and he which brings this though he can not worke a miracle is a true Prophet Now followeth the sixth argument by which this reuelation is described which is in the manner of propounding and deliuering of it to the Church And this maner and forme of deliuerie of it stands in foure degrees First God the Father giueth it to Christ the Mediator Secondly Christ the Mediatour and head of the Church giueth it to an Angell Thirdly the Angell conueyes it to Iohn the Apostle Fourthly Iohn directed and assisted by the holie Ghost deliuereth it to the Churches Now as this particular booke was so no doubt all the whole Scriptures were conueyed to the Church Now in that the Lord hath so conueyed his Scriptures to man we see his perpetuall care and loue of man and of the members of his Church Also we see the great excellencie and dignitie as also the perfection of these bookes seeing they were deliuered to man by God and by him he deliuers his will to his Church This shewes the blasphemie and sin of the Church of Rome who call the written word of God a dead letter a dumbe iudge they hold that generall Councels be equall to the word that the vniuersall consent of the Church is aboue the Scriptures it giues life and sense to them which otherwise they say of themselues be but an inkie and dumbe word But we see they be farre aboue all these for they be most absolute and perfect and also most excellent seeing they being giuen of God the Father to Christ the mediator and head of the Church and by him conueyed to an Angell who deliuers them to Iohn and he published them to the Church these degrees of the deliuerie of thē shew they be most excellent and perfect Blessed are they which heare c. Here is the seuenth and last argument of this description of the Reuelation which is by the fruite effect and the profite which comes of it being heard or read and ioyned with marking and attention it brings happinesse Blessed That is blessednesse which stands in the fellowship of God and life euerlasting belongs to them which heare and reade this booke and marke it keepe it in memorie remember the things contained in it being a prophecie of the estate of the Church partly present partly to come Blessed is he which reades Here the holy Ghost setteth downe the proper end of the Scriptures of this booke particularly For the ende of this booke and so of all other bookes of the Scriptures is to bring men to happinesse and felicitie and life euerlasting Ioh. 20. last the Scriptures be to make vs beleeue in Christ that so beleeuing we might haue eternall life 1. Ioh. 1. ◠He declared to them the word of Christ that by it they might haue fellowship with God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost which fellowship is true happinesse it selfe Ioh. 5. 39. Search the scriptures for in them you thinke to haue eternall life And in this they differ from all other books and writings of men For mens writings being penned either by the light of nature and so be thence erronious and misse of the end of happinesse and euerlasting life or else they be penned by them which haue light by by the word and so as they agree with the word they be grounded on the word and haue all their truth from it Seeing the end of this booke as of the other bookes of scripture is to bring men to happinesse we see the opinion and practise of the Church of Rome is damnable who barre the people of God from reading and hearing the Scriptures in their vulgar tongue for in barring them of
they must be annointed so must we be annointed Psal. 45. Christ was annointed aboue his fellowes but yet his members they are also annointed he in greater measure his members in lesse measure yet by the same oyle with him which is the vnction of the holy Ghost We haue receiued the annointing of Christ. 1. Iohn 2. 7. And the Lord he bids the wicked not to touch his annointed meaning not onely his seruants Abraham Isaac and the Patriarkes but his true members We haue the same spirit Christ had in his manhood though not in the same measure And the Lord he giues vs these gifts of the spirit signified by this oyle to this end that we may be fit kings priests So that first he giues vs right to a kingdome and then he giues vs gifts to discharge our dutie 4. To whom hath he made vs kings and priests to God and the Father euen his Father Now men might haue said If all his members be kings then all may liue as they list But he addeth they be kings but to God shewing that the interest they haue giuen to them to the kingdome of heauen it is giuen thē that they may be kings and priests to Gods glorie to his worship and seruice and to shew that all the interest belongs to God absolutely to vs by him in Christ. Lastly he addeth God and his Father which expounds the former word God for it is not taken for his nature absolutely but for the first Person God euen his Father Which sheweth that they must not liue as they list for they be made kings to the honour and seruice of God the Father who is here named alone not because he is aboue the Sonne and holy Ghost for they be equall but because he is the first person in order and the fountaine of the Deitie from it it is deriued to the Son and holy Ghost Now after the meaning of the words followe the vses First whereas all the true members of Christ be kings and priests in this life we are taught how we must carie our selues namely as enemies to them which be of the kingdome of Satan sinne the world and the flesh we must be deadly and sworne enemies to them we must haue no concord nor amitie with them For if we be kings of the kingdome of grace then we must be enemies to them which belong to the kingdome of darknesse there must be no fellowship between light and darknesse Now that we may so carie our selues as enemies we must first haue care to keepe guard to defend our selues as kings against all our enemies sinne Satan our owne flesh and the inticements of the world As Kings protect their kingdomes so must we stand on our guard defend our soules and bodies and euery facultie and part of them our wils affections thoughts and inclinations 1. Ioh. 5. 18. He which is borne of God keepeth himselfe as with watch and ward that sinne or Satan touch him not 2 We must make war and enter combat against Satan sinne our owne flesh all our spirituall enemies the corruptions of our nature and all the inticements of the world We must make no truce with them because they will neuer be reconciled so long as we haue interest into the kingdome of heauen 3 We must labour to kill and destroy these our enemies as much as possibly we can by that power we haue from Christ our head we must kill and crucifie the corruption of our owne hearts that is our owne sinnes We must like a valiant king seeke to haue the bloud of these enemies and seeke to conquer and vanquish Satan his power and might the world and our owne corruption 4 If we be kings in this life we must become Lords and rule ouer our selues our soules and bodies must be brought into subiection and order for in this that we be kings of our selues we shew especially that we be kings in this life We must not haue rule of the whole world but be ruling and maistering our owne corruptions and affections bringing them into subiection and order herein stands our kingdome in this world If a man were Prince ouer the whole earth and yet could not rule himselfe he were but a poore Prince nay he were no Prince indeed but though a man had not so much as a foote of ground in this world and could rule and maister himselfe his thoughts and affections this man were a valiant king Seeing we be kings we must do the duty of Iudges for kings they be as absolute Iudges and they must execute iudgement In the day of iudgement we shall be iudges but we must be iudges in this world and we must not iudge other men but we must be our owne iudges Wherefore as iudges summon arraigne condemne c. so must we summon and arraigne yea iudge and examine our selues call our selues to account and as guilty persons condemne our selues acknowledging we be worthy to be cast into eternal damnation with the Diuell and his Angels and withall pleade for pardon approch to the throne of grace and forgiuenesse and in these we shew our selues vpright iudges and and by this meanes we shall be freed from the iudgement to come If we be kings by Christ we must cary our selues as kings couragiously constantly in the afflictions and miseries which we shall suffer for Christs sake for herein stands the royalty of a king that he beares couragiously and constantly all the troubles which befall him so must we in the afflictions and troubles of this life which we suffer for Christ shew our selues in suffering them to be kings and conquerors Seeing we be spirituall kings we must aboue all things labor and seek to haue that our right and heritance to be possessors of our kingdome Must we so then we must not haue our hearts glued and fast tied to the things of this world but we must so vse this world as though we vsed it not If a King should lay downe his crowne and go and become a shepheard or of some manuall trade all men would maruell at it so when we fasten our selues to these worldly things we do as it were cast aside our kingly crowne and abase our selues But we must euer haue one foote fixed in heauen striuing to come to our inheritance there Seeing all the true members of Christ be kings and priests this should be an inducement to all backward persons to moue them and stirre them forward to christian religion and not to account of it as precisenesse seeing that by it we come to haue right and interest to the kingdome of heauen to be Lords of all creatures For why should we not esteeme of the Gospell as a most precious iewell seeing that we which are vassalles of Satan and fire-brands of hell as all men are by nature become the members of Christ yea Kings and Priests to God And seeing this is effected by the ministery of the Gospel this
Pharaohs Butler who promised Ioseph to remember him being promoted to honour out of prison but after being exalted in Pharaohs house forgot him Gen. 40. But Christ he is still now as readie as euer he was in earth to helpe vs and to do all the workes of a Mediator for vs. Then we must imitate Christ and haue our loines girded vp Luk. 12. we must be prepared and made readie to do all our duties to call vpon the name of God to giue him thankes to renew our faith and repentance daily yea euery day make our selues readie to die or to liue and to be alwaies readie to do all the workes concerning our saluation and at all times to carie our selues so as we be readie to enter into heauen at any time But we neuer thinke of this we are readie to no good thing we neuer thinke of death till it knocke at the doore Oh let vs labor to become good followers of Christ hauing our loynes girded vp readie prepared to all good workes About the paps not the belly but breast Some thinke and not vnfitly to shew that his thoughts and affections which came from the heart they be most perfect ranged in not subiect to any sinne but guided by the spirit which with full measure dwelleth in him bodily And his head as white as wooll Now S. Iohn describeth Christ by the parts of his bodie first his head is as white as wooll or snow which is to shew the eternitie of Christ for though as he was man he had a beginning yet as he is God he is eternall he is the auncient of dayes Dan. 9. and when all things began he was before Seeing our Sauiour Christ vseth this hoarinesse and whitenes of the old gray head to set out his eternitie and euer-being he would shew the excellencie and honor of aged men of the old gray headed man which other younger want and for this he compareth the old gray head to almond trees which are alwaies white Eccles. 12. 5. and Prou. 16. 31. it is compared to a siluer crowne not made by man but made and placed by the hand of God on the aged mans head This excellencie of the hoarie head is in this that he beareth in his person the image of Gods eternitie before all younger men he standeth in the roome of God to shew Gods eternitie to men namely in this old and white head of his Now seeing the aged man hath this excellencie aboue young men he must be reuerenced young men must rise to him Leuit. 19. and we must in their hoarie head learne the image of Gods eternitie They which be such which in regard of their age haue this excellencie aboue others they must excell others in knowledge and experience in wisdome and holinesse 1. Ioh. 2. 13. I write to you fathers which know the father which hath bene from the beginning shewing he taketh it for granted that aged men which be fathers should haue knowledge in the will of God Secondly they must exceed others in holinesse of life God is holy they beare his image therefore they must seeing they beare his image aboue others go before yong men in holinesse And therefore Salomon Prou. 16. 31. compareth old age to a siluer crowne ioyned with righteousnesse which when they be ioyned together old age indeed is a glorious ornament Then men must take heed that old age be no disgrace vnto them nor dishonour but an ornament and commendation But alas miserable is our dayes when young men excell old in knowledge and wisdome in godlinesse of life and conuersatiō and other gifts of the Spirit but it should not be so but as the aged must go before them in preferment and excellencie so they should go before them in wisdome knowledge experience and godlinesse And if in these which weare the siluer crowne on their heads there be found sinnes abounding and loosenesse of life it is much more dishonor in them then the younger though in neither commendable And it is not enough for old men to say their memorie conceipt and knowledge faile them for this sheweth they haue liued a bad and loose life and mis-spent their younger age but they must labour that with their siluer crowne on their head they may haue a siluer life in heart and hand And his eyes were as a flame of fire S. Iohn goeth on to describe Christ in vision by the parts of his bodie now in handling these parts though no man can set downe certainly what the holy Ghost intendeth in euery point yet we must consider what is most probable in the word of God And his eyes c. He addeth these to signifie two things first to shew that our Mediator is of a most piercing sharpe and quicke sight so that he beholdeth all things in earth euen the secrets of our hearts for he hath fierie and piercing eyes and as fire entreth and pierceth all mettals so Christ by his fierie eye pierceth into the substance and secrets of the hearts Now it is necessarie that the head of the Church should be so sharpe of sight that he might behold the whole Church see all the enterprises of the diuell and the estate of all his children Seeing Christ is of so piercing and fierie a sight that he seeth the very secrets and thoughts of our hearts we must haue care not onely of our words and actions but of ordering our thoughts and affections for Christ pierceth into our hearts and seeth them therefore we must looke they be in order that he may approue them It is true thoughts and inward affections with men beare no action because men know not the heart and affections but it is not so with God he seeth the least inclination and purpose of our hearts and he keepeth court of iudgement not onely for words and actions but for thoughts and affections Therefore men must take heed they be well ordered and so of Christ approued that for thē they be not condemned Christ he seeth our hearts and our very inclinations then we must in matters of religion be indeed that we seeme to be for though we can bleare mens eyes with outward profession and they can go no further yet the Lord he hath fierie and piercing eyes and seeth our hearts and how we be but hypocrites if we be not indeed that we seeme outwardly to be Yet men must stay and suspend their rash iudgement and not for the professing of religion iudge men to be hypocrites for God alone searcheth their hearts Secondly he is thus described to shew he is full of anger and iudgement and readie to take vengeance of his enemies that is of them which will not giue themselues and turne to him by repentance in obeying his will and word For though Christ be a Redeemer and Sauiour yet he is also a iudge in indignation will execute his iudgement on his enemies euen vpon all that refuse to haue him to rule ouer
not only pronounce sinne to be forgiuen as the reformed churches hold and which they denie but properly to forgiue sinne Seeing Christ hath power ouer hell and death we must reuerence him do him all honour and obedience we can if we haue not done this already yet now to begin if we haue then to do it more Seeing he hath the key of death he can shut open saue and destroy But if we dishonour and disobey him then he will not shut but open the doore to death and hell to plague vs. We thinke all is well Christ he is a Sauiour and all shall be well he is mercifull and so make him our packehorse of our sinnes but we must know he is not onely a Sauiour but a Iudge he can destroy and saue open and shut he hath the key of heauen and hel and of death This is a comfort to the godly which cleaue to Christ that he can keep them frō hell death so as they cannot hurt them and this consideration might comfort vs in time of persecution in the time of sicknesse or any calamitie Write these things In these words he describeth Christ by a second action for after he had comforted S. Iohn now he giueth him a commandement which commandement was giuen in the eleuenth verse before and here repeated to Iohn againe First because Christ intended by this to shew Iohn his especiall care of his Church that he is now still a prouident and carefull head of his Church and therefore sayth not once Write these things but the second time that the Church of God might vnderstand in al ages to come that it is necessary mē should know the estate of the Church for else he would not haue repeated it againe if it had not bene very necessary It is necessary for men to know that the estate of the church is to be in troubles that they might the better prepare thēselues to beare thē Thirdly he doth it that S. Iohn might be more assured certainly of his calling to write and pen this booke Fourthly that the Church in all ages might be fully assured without doubt that this booke is a booke of God and part of holy Scripture not inuented by man but reuealed by God to Iohn for the good of the Church Obiect But though Christ reuealed his wil aright Iohn might mistake it and erre in penning Answ. S. Iohn penned this booke both for matter and maner as Christ gaue it to him for this we must know that there is a difference betweene Apostles and Prophets in the old and new Testament and Ministers of the Gospell for they were called immediatly by God and Christ and had speciall assistance of the spirit of God which appeareth by those promises they haue made to thē by God as Christ saith He which receiueth you receiueth me c. Luke 10. 16. And It is not you which speake but the spirit of my Father therfore feare not And Iohn 14. The holy Ghost shall leade you into all truth which though some apply it to all Ministers yet if we mark the place it can agree to none but the Apostles And they meeting at Ierusalem concluded as it seemed good to the holy Ghost to them so that we see they could not erre though they were but men But it is not so with the Ministers of the word they may and do erre often Now S. Iohn being a faithfull Apostle he receiued this of Christ without errour and so penned it In this commaundement of Christ is a plaine diuision of this whole booke Write the things thou hast seene that is this vision I haue offered to thee the things thou sawest In the secōd place he sets downe the present estate of the church Thirdly the things to come that is the future estate of the church to the end of the world So that this booke containeth two things in it first the estate of the church in time present secondly in time to come to the end of the world the words of Christ make this diuision plainly If it be lawfull to vse diuisions then it is lawfull to set downe rules for direction of diuiding aright but the first is lawfull ergo the second Therefore the art of reasoning and diuiding as also Rhetoricke is not vnlawfull as some would haue it The mystery of the seuen starres Here is the third action of Christ which is the interpretation of the vision which he had shewed to Iohn and he onely interprets the principall parts of it Now Christ expounds this visiō to Iohn namely because he was to shew himselfe to be an holy man of God namely a Prophet Now the principall thing in a Prophet is to be able to expound visions either his owne or any others as we see in Daniel Now that he might shew himselfe to be an absolute Prophet in this booke Christ doth not onely shew him the vision but the intertation of it he expounds it that Iohn might be incouraged in penning and receiuing the things in this booke Now Christ expounds not the whole vision but the two principall parts what is meant by the seuen starres and seuen candlestickes namely by the seuen starres seuen Angels of the seuen churches by the candlestickes we shewed before In this verse note why Christ expounds the two principall parts leaues the rest vnexpounded The reason is first because Christ hath giuen his church power to expound visions and scripture Now if he had expounded euery part and circumstance then there had bene no matter left to the church to exercise her power Secondly to stir vp to diligence study of the scripture both Ministers all mēbers of the church for if all were plaine then men wold be idle neuer take paines to interpret the word therefore Christ expounds the chiefe and leaues the circumstances and appurtenances for the church to interpret Thirdly that men might dayly grow in knowledge of the Scripture for if all were knowne at first they would not study to increase in knowledge fourthly to stir vp inuocatiō for grace to vnderstand Scripture Now these Ministers are called Angels which be the Pastors and Ministers of the church Mat. 11. 10. Iohn Baptist is called Christs Angel or messenger or Ambassadour By this we haue direction to expound another place of Scripture where it is said Women must be couered because of the Angels that is because of the Ministers for the couering of the head in the church of Corinth was a signe of subiection and inferioritie contrary to our vse Now the women when they come into the congregation before the Ministers they must be couered to shew their subiection and submission to the Gospell and doctrine deliuered to them Seeing Ministers be called Angels that is messengers and Ambassadors they must behaue themselues as Ambassadors they must haue speciall care first of the matter of the ambassage secondly of the maner that they deliuer nothing but their Lords
and place and not before fit persons So Paul saith that if to eate should offend he would neuer eate 1. Cor. 9. So here Balaam giueth offence they of Pergamus take it to commit sinne and to be stirred vp to fall from God The meanes by which Balaam cast these offences before the Israelites namely by prouoking them to eate of the meate offered to idols and commit fornication Numb 25. When Balaam had vsed many waies to curse them and could not preuaile he vsed new meanes which was to send out most wicked and beautifull women to inuite them to their idole banquets and to fornication and they condescended to them Hence we gather this is the peculiar note of a false Prophet to draw men to offence to cast stumbling blockes before them in the way to saluation for Balaam a false Prophet is noted by this and as Paul saith godlinesse and true religion is a great mysterie to saluation so false teaching is a mysterie tending to the destruction of mens soules So that by this note we may iudge of all religions both of the Iew and the Turke but especially of the Papists which most trouble vs in this Church for all religions whose doctrine tendeth to stop or hinder men in the way to saluation they be the doctrines of diuels The Papists religion which our ancient folke call the old religion is a doctrine tending to destroy men to ouerturne the whole morall law of God especially to maintaine adulterie and idolatrie The first commandement is thou shalt haue the true God onely for thy God But the Papists make moe then one they make the creatures Gods they inuocate Saints which what is it but to make them Gods to giue them his honour seeing he alone is present euery where seeth the hart and seeing they say they can merit which none can do formans sin but onely God no not Christ himself if he were not God Nay they make the wooden crosse not Christ on the crosse to be God in that they call it their hope and so the virgin Mary calling her our Ladie putting hope in her and saying she can commaund her Sonne in heauen in the matter of saluation The second Commaundement they in practise breake in making images of God the Father like an old man the Sonne as he was on earth and the holy Ghost in forme of a doue with religious worship adore and worship Saints They erre against the third commaundement teaching that a man may sweare by Saints and the fourth in that they make festiual dayes of men and saints to be equal with the Sabbath of the Lord and take away mens libertie of labouring six dayes to worship their saints As for the fift commandement in this they make subiects free from their lawful loyalty to their lawful Princes In the sixt they make and appoint places to which murderers may flie and be safe and in keeping the word from lay men as they call them and so murder their soules In the seuenth they maintaine stewes and houses of professed adultery and hold that the vncle may marry his neece or his great neece For the eight commandement they ouerthrow it in that they make all things saleable heauen hell purgatory and all which is manifest robbery They wrong the ninth commaundement in that they falsly make mens writings the canon of Gods word nay they maintaine lying seeing that they hold a man being asked of a thing he knowes as when one hath confessed his sinnes another askes him he may though he know the same say he knoweth not that is they know not them to tell them to you but that is a slender excuse For the tenth commaundement they make concupiscence and lust to be no sin and put out that commaundement So that we see this whole religion which is called of old people the old religon is cleane new from the true religion nay it is a doctrine of diuels seeing it tends to leade men to destruction and ouerturning of the whole law of God To come to our owne church true it is men slaunder our doctrine saying it is scandalous three wayes first that we teach God creates men to cast the greatest number of them into hel destroy them First we answer we hold that though the scripture speakes not of any certaine number yet the elect are said to be a small number Secondly the end why God created men was not to destroy them but to manifest his own glory in their due iust deserued damnation destructiō not that he created men to this end to cast them to hell Secondly they charge the doctrine of our church to be a blasphemous doctrine seeing we hold that God decreed mans fall and so do make him the author of sinne Answ. We say indeed that God decreed mans fall permitted him to sin yet teach we not that he is the author of sin for his wil is double generall and particular in his generall wil he decreed to permit man to sin and fall yet so as in respect of God it was good though in respect of man euill for as he can draw out of darknesse light so out of euill he can worke good to himselfe Secondly there is his speciall wil by which he wils and delights onely in that which is good and by this he hated mans fall And euen as the Magistrate hates would not the death of the malefactor yet he wils it in that he executes the same so the Lord he in his general wil willed the permitting of mans fall not as it was euil but as it turned to his glory and honour and the good of the elect Lastly they charge our doctrine to be a doctrine of securitie and carnall carelesnesse in that we teach men may be certaine of their saluation and to perseuere to the end but seeing we withal teach a man must vse the meanes daily pray heare the word receiue the sacraments and performe all the duties of faith and religion to the end we teach no doctrine of carnall securitie but a doctrine of paine and trouble which maketh men not carelesse but careful to come to heare to be certaine and to perseuere therefore they charge vs wrongfully in all these Seeing it is so great a sinne to giue offence we must take especiall heed we giue no offence in our life conuersation word or deed but so to cary our selues that we liue vnspottedly for if we giue offence we are Balaams scholers and tread in his path Let vs then in our callings so cary our selues vprightly that we giue no offence for wo to them by whom offences come nay it were better they had a mil-stone tied to them and they cast into the sea for that is to plunge our brothers soule as much as in vs lieth to the gulfe of hel But we must rather labour to help him to take from him al blocks of offence which if men would do then our Church should flourish
secret counsell The second question is Whether one can be put out of this booke Ans. A man is written in this booke two wayes first in the iudgement of God truly secondly in the iudgement of men Now if a man be truly written in the counsell of God then he cannot be put out but if he be onely in the iudgement of men he may be blotted out For the first they cannot because Gods counsell is vnchangeable and Rom. 8. whom he predestinates he calleth iustifieth and sanctifieth This golden chaine cannot be broken but whom he predestinateth he glorifieth ergo they cannot fall finally As for the other being onely in the iudgement of men as all be liuing in the church professing Christ these may be put out Psal. 69. Let them be blotted out of the booke of life he prayeth that they might be manifested that they were neuer indeed in the booke of life Hence first we see the number of the elect is certaine for their names are in Gods bill they cannot be put out but remaine for euer This then is no vniuersall election for what neede God a bill or booke to write in some if all were elected Seeing some men being in this booke onely in the iudgement of men may be blotted out and manifested to men to be but hypocrites then we must take heed of all sin and make conscience of euery sinne for so often as we sin we reach vp a pen to heauen to crosse our names to blot them out as much as in vs lieth Let vs then looke to haue our consciences assured that we be in that booke which we may if we find our consciences free from all sin and from all appearance of sin But some godlesse person will hence gather I will liue as I list for if I be in the booke of life I shall be saued if not damned liue how I can But these deceiue themselues for if their names be in it they cannot liue in sin but in faith and obedience in newnesse of life and repentance for he which is predestinated is iustified and must liue in repentance and faith and as surely as he shall be saued he shall liue in faith and repentance 3. I will confesse him in the kingdom of heauen That is at the last day I wil take him for mine he which thus ouercometh and liueth in faith a good conscience I wil confesse him to belong to me to be my mēber I wil separate him from al the world and take him to my selfe and pronounce to him the sentence of absolution Come thou blessed of my Father Math. 25. The end why Christ propounds this third blessing is to moue euery person in the church of Sardis to confesse Christ in this world for he reasons thus If thou shalt confesse me before men I wil confesse thee before my Father if not I will deny thee euen before my Father And so to vs if we will haue Christ confesse vs before God we must confesse him before men and let no creature make vs deny him but stand out against all his enemies euen against the gates of hel and the diuel which is indeed a hard matter for flesh blood yet Christ perswades vs to do it to take paines to professe him before all men for he will confesse vs before God If a King should come in company and choose out one and come to salute him familiarly call him by his name and take him by the hand that would be a great credit but what a happinesse is it to haue Christ Iesus King of all kings to come and call vs by our names take vs by the hands confesse vs to be his friends and pronounce the sentence of absolution before God his Angels the diuel and all men euen our enemies Vers. 7. And write vnto the Church of Philadelpha Here beginneth the sixth particular Epistle reaching to the fourteenth verse And as before euery particular Epistle was set downe a particular commandement to write so here Christ giueth Iohn a particular commandement to write the end of which commādement is to warrant Iohns calling as before often I haue shewed The Epistle hath three parts first the Preface secondly the matter thirdly the conclusion The Preface is in the seuenth verse and it sheweth in whose name this Epistle was written to wit in the name of Christ. And as in other Epistles Christ was described to get credit to the Epistle so is he here by two properties first of holinesse secondly of truth besides he is desscribed by his kingly office which hath the keyes of Dauid The 1 propertie of Christ is he is holy But how can Christ be holy seeing he cometh of Adam as he is man To this many answer that Christ tooke his substance indeed from Adam yet so sanctified as that it is free from all sinne This though it be true yet is not sufficient for as we take from Adam the corruption of nature so we haue from him the guilt of sin Now though sanctification taketh away corruption of nature yet it taketh not away the guilt of sinne Then the true answer is this All which come of Adam by naturall generation and that commaundement which God gaue in the creation Increase and multiply they take from Adam both corruption of nature aud guilt of sin for both be equally conueyed to vs from Adam But God to preuent this ordained that Christ should be borne not by naturall generation but by a miraculous conception and so though he take of man mans nature yet he taketh not mans sinne which he should as well haue had if he had come by ordinarie and naturall generation Now in that it is said Christ is holy note that he is so first in regard of himselfe secondly of vs his church In regard of himselfe first as he is God his Godhead is holy nay his diuine nature is holinesse it selfe there is no difference betweene Christ as he is God and his holinesse Secondly in regard of his humane nature it was not onely free from all sin but filled with all holinesse aboue all men and Angels he had the holy Ghost without measure Thirdly in his actions he was holy as in his actuall obedience and fulfilling the law Secondly Christ is holy in regard of his Church euen of vs his members because he is the author of all holinesse in vs we haue all our holinesse from him nay he is the very roote of holinesse not as the Father or the holy Ghost but in a more speciall maner because from Christ as the roote springeth holinesse in all his members And as from Adam being the root in whom all mankind stood was conueyed sin and corruption to all which came of him so from Christ being the roote is conueyed holinesse to all his members in him he is our sanctification because we fetch our righteousnesse from him as a branch doth sappe from the root for the humane nature of Christ is the very