quaketh for feare the word of God came into his mind and made his conscience accuse him and his knees smote together for feare So then by this we see how Christ killeth the wicked by reuealing their sinnes shewing the wrath and anger of God against sinne and sinners which repent not and the curse of the law and also by sharpning the sting of conscience to wound them and strike them at the heart and so they by this haue the first wound of eternall death Though the Lord may in mercie recouer them of this wound yet of themselues they be in the estate of death and vnlesse they repent they are in the first step to eternall death For those horrors and feares which come into a mans heart in regard of Gods wrath and iudgements seuered from grace are no grace but the first wound to eternall death vnlesse the Lord giue grace Seeing Christ carieth the two edged sword of the Spirit in his mouth whereby he woundeth his enemies with a deadly wound at the heart then when we see any which cometh to heare the word and after rebelleth stormeth and rageth against the same being wounded in conscience therewith we must not be displeased with it but pitie his case seeing he is wounded at the heart with a deadly wound and he in this case is in the first steppe to eternall death vnlesse the Lord recouer him of this wound In those Churches and places where the word hath bene long preached and the people remaine in blindnesse and ignorance and vnreformed we must in these take pitie on them seeing this is a heauie iudgement of God on them for these are wounded with a deadly wound by the sword of the spirit because the word hath bene long and often preached to them without profit and the word it neuer returneth emptie but either saueth or destroyeth woundeth or healeth them So that though men may liue ciuilly before men making a faire shew yet if they be vnreformed and liue in ignorance these are but dead men in the sight of God the word hath giuen them the first deadly wound therefore we must pitie their estate If we come into the field see an hundred men lye wounded and gushing out bloud some in the head some in the sides and some in the feet we cannot but be exceedingly moued so in the church of God many are vnreformed in obedience and repentance and though we cannot see their bloudie wounds with bodily eyes yet we may see them lye wallowing in the bloud of ignorance and securitie of impenitencie and wickednesse therefore we must pitie their estate for they be dead men indeed seeing they be not reuiued by the word in reformation of life and obedience for the word either quickeneth or killeth Seeing the word without grace killeth we must not content our selues with it but seeke to feele the worke of the Spirit peace of conscience and reformation of life by the word Let vs then by a liuely faith labour to apply Christ by the word to lay hold on him and his righteousnesse so that we can say we liue not but Christ in vs. But this word hath another action in the elect children of God which though it be manifold yet all tend to further and procure their saluation The first work of it in these is to wound deepely and to kill the corruptioâ— of mans nature in his heart with a deadly wound that it neuer recouer againe Yet though it wound a man it killeth not the person as in the wicked but onely the corruption of his heart and quickeneth the person to Christ killeth him in regard of rebellion and vnbeleefe We are sacrifices to be offered to God therefore we must be killed not in our bodies and soules but in our corruptions affections and rebellions That we may be killed the two edged sword of the Spirit is required which giueth our corruption the deadly wound and cutteth vp the root Since the second action after our conuersion change is this the word of God must cut and pare the remnants of our corruption by lessening and weakening of it daily Ioh. 15. As the husbandman cutteth loppeth and pareth off all branches that beare no fruite so the word of God cutteth and pareth away the remnants of corruptions in our hearts that so our hearts may bring foorth more fruite Thirdly the word of God serueth to keepe his people and children in awe and subiection and therefore Christ holdeth the scepter of the word in his mouth that though the wicked will not be kept in awe yet his elect may tremble and feare at the lifting vp of the same Amongst men if many be fighting let the Magistrate but hold vp the sword of Iustice euery man yeeldeth and putteth his sword into his sheath and shall not we much more cease from sinne and feare when Christ the King of heauen and earth holdeth out the scepter of his word And if any refuse to be subiect and to obey the Magistrate he is counted a rebell if men refuse to obey the scepter of Christ shall they not be so accounted So then by these actions we see the power of the word it killeth corruptions in our hearts pareth it and the remnants of it and it keepeth men in awe and subiection Yet it differeth in the wicked and in the godly in the wicked it maketh them feare and woundeth them to death destroying both soule and bodie in the godly it woundeth them indeed not in their persons but in the corruptions of their hearts It maketh vs fit to encounter with the diuell and to vanquish him in all his temptations if it be vsed with knowledge Seeing the word of God serueth to kill our corruptions we when we heare the word must receiue and beleeue the same not onely when it is deliuered in generall but applyed in particular though it touch vs and wound our hearts we must suffer it and reioyce in it for that is the first steppe to health to haue our corruptions ripped vp and touched When the sword of the spirit entreth to our hearts it will ransacke euery nooke and secret corner then we must reioyce in this blessing of God suffer it gladly seeing it is the onely meanes to come to life If one be sicke of a Fistula he will suffer the Chirurgeon to rippe and launce him to search euery part of the wound and shall not we suffer the Phisition of the word to display to lay open to ransacke and search the corruption of our hearts seeing that is the onely way to recouer health For we cannot liue to God till we die to our selues and to our sinnes we cannot pâ—ssibly die to our sinnes till our corruptions be destroyed and all our sinnes killed and wounded to death In his mouth Other Kings carie their scepter in their hands but he in his mouth to shew that no doctrine must be receiued of vs vnlesse it proceed from his mouth for he receiued his
properly Thirdly they absolue from the fault but not the punishment and this is to enrich themselues and to get whole countries yea all mens lands and liuings into their owne hands Fourthly they will haue them make satisfaction to God which is impossible and withall maketh Christs satisfaction imperfect Now by these foure abuses it appeareth that Christ vnto thē is no true Christ but though the Pope giue the keyes of Peter the crosse keyes in his Armes yet he hath not the true vse of them nay seeing he maketh new doores as beside that of heauen and hel those of Purgatorie and Lymbus Patrum he must make new keyes to open them flat contrarie to the keyes of Christ. In that Christ is said both to open and shut we learne that he openeth not to all men and euery person but shutteth heauen gates against some for Adam falling from Gods fauour by his sinne shut out himselfe and his posteritie both out of the heauenly and earthly Paradise so that our sinnes be now as a partition wall and a cloud to separate God and vs. And for this euen for our sinnes Christ shutteth some out of heauen Then by this we see our miserable case for by our sinnes we be all shut out of heauen and vnder the power of Satan Our sinnes haue bene as so many bars to shut vp heauen gates which is no small matter yet the diuell bewitcheth vs and maketh vs thinke sinne is no sinne great sinnes be small small none whereas the least sinne is sufficient to shut vs out of heauen for euer Againe seeing sinne shutteth vs out of heauen we must repent for euery sinne for we cannot come thither if we liue in any one sinne euery sinne is a barre and locke to shut vs from Gods kingdome and we must labour to haue these bolts taken of which is only by the passion of Christ for that alone can take them away Thirdly we see that Christ opened heauen to some as to Nathanael in the ministery of the word and he hath now opened heauen doores by his death and traced the way by his blood Now the doore being open we must labour to enter in yea thrust and croud to get in That we may come thither we must become members first of his church on earth else we cannot come to heauen That we may do this first we must come to the doore namely the church before we come to the house namely heauen Now the church is the doore and in it is the key to open heauen gates namely the word of God That thou maist come into the church first humble thy selfe for all thy sinnes secondly trust in Christ for the free pardon of all thy sins and purpose in thy heart to liue a new life and constantly in all things to please God to the end and then thou art in the church and hast the key to open heauen gates But if thou come not to open this doore in this life where the key is thou canst neuer enter into the kingdome of heauen in the life to come Verse 8. I know thy workes From this eighth verse to the eleuenth is contained the matter of the Epistle containing three heads first praise secondly promise thirdly commandement The praise is in the eigth verse the promise is two-fold in the ninth and tenth verses the commaundement in the eleuenth 1. The praise is propounded summarily I know thy workes Then the reason why he praiseth her where the former words be expounded I know thy workes This hath bin expounded in euery Epistle I know and approue thy course and conuersation of life These words are repeated in euery Epistle to stir vp euery church and member of the same to the feare of God for Christ by these words would haue vs be perswaded that God is present with vs seeth all we do is an eye-witnesse of all our actions Then we should do all our actions as in his presence as before his Maiestie and where this consideration is not in some measure there is no feare of God nor true religion The reason of this commendatiō is added Behold c. here note two points first a signe of his approbation I haue giuen thee an open doore c. secondly what be the workes he approoued Thou hast a litle strength Behold c. These words may be vnderstood either of the Angell of Philadelpha alone or of the whole church both Pastor and people If of the Angell this is the sense Behold I haue giuen thee that is behold and consider I haue giuen and vouchsafed thee libertie and oportunity to preach my Gospel and by preaching to win and conuert sinners to me So 1. Cor. 16. 9. there Paul vseth the same words signifying by the doore of vtterance libertie and oportunitie to preach the Gospell of Christ. For thou hast a litle strength That is though thou be endued but with a small measure of gifts yet thou hast maintained the doctrine of saluation and not denied my Gospel in persecution Now Christ saying thus to this Minister that he had giuen him libertie to preach shewes it is a great priuiledge to preach the Gospell and to win soules to Christ for so much the word Behold and the words themselues import That it is so it appeareth in that the most worthy Prophets haue not had this graunted as Esay Ezechiel c. they hardened the people and they say they spēt their strength in vain did no good For this ministers are called the instruments of saluation Dan. 12. they shall shine for the winning of soules as stars in heauen Then they which haue this priuiledge should esteeme of it highly aboue any thing in the world for it is a most excellent dignitie aboue all earthly preferments for which we ought especially to magnifie Gods mercie For thou hast a litle strength Though thou hast but small measure of grace and gifts yet thou hast maintained my word Here we see that Ministers though indued with small gifts may do much good to the Church as this Angell of Philadelphia did and we haue seene by experience when as in Queene Maries time in this place learning abounded yet not one of them would stand out for the Gospell yet one not farre off hauing but small gifts in comparison of their schoole-learning stood out and sealed the profession of it with his bloud And so now men of smaller gifts further the Church and Gospell more then they which haue farre greater knowledge in the arts and tongs for such as haue greater gifts be commonly flacke so that they which be behind them in gifts an hundred degrees do more good in the Church then they by a thousand degrees Yet for all this men must be brought vp in learning and labor to know Arts and Toungs though we see it cometh to passe that men which want such schoole-learning they haue zeale and do more good then they which excell in them that so men of greater
seeke to get one foot out of the graue of sinne and securitie And he had Here S. Iohn describeth him by his parts and the properties of euery part In his right hand seuen starres that is seuen Angels seuen Ministers of the seuen churches of Asia The Ministers are compared to starres first because as starres send out light to men on earth so the Ministers ought to giue light to men euen spirituall light by doctrine taught by them and by conuersatiō of life among them Secondly they be compared to stars because as the stars haue their continuall abode in heauen neuer descend downe so the Ministers of the word especially should haue their conuersation in heauen It is the dutie of all but more specially of the Ministers in regard of their callings first by seeking their owne saluation secondly by seeking the saluation of others by which two they must haue their conuersation in heauē though they haue their bodies in earth thirdly because they shall be honoured of God in heauen as the starres for Dan. 12. they which do their dutie they shall shine like starres in the firmament They be in Christs right hand that is all regiment and gouernement in matters of the Church belongs to Christ he alone hath the whole disposition and ordering of the ministery seeing he alone is head of the Church and the Ministers they be in his right hand he rules and raignes in his church he careth for it and looketh to it Seeing these starres be in Christs right hand this shewes that the choosing furnishing of the ministers of the word belongs to Christ Eph. 4. he giueth them their gifts and places then we ought in this last age to pray the Lord to send out laborers into his haruest that so his children might be gathered and an end made of these miserable dayes He holds these seuen starres in his right hand Whereby we see he giueth them defence and protection so long as they be faithful in their callings He carieth them in his right hand though they haue sundry discouragements yet seeing Christ he ordereth their ministery and disposeth of it if they be faithfull nothing should hinder their course nothing should cut them off from their duty neither the want of obediēce in them to whom they preach and labour not seeing that fruit they should nor the iniuries of the enemies of their profession nor any thing else Seeing they be in his right hand this sheweth the excellency of this calling of the ministery Idle men esteeme it most base accept of it as of a meane calling and so discourage many but in the sight of God it is an high and holy calling he carieth them in his right hand defends them and protects them Now what greater glory can there be then that they should be so honored to be borne and caried in the right hand of the King of heauen and earth though wicked men dishonour them esteeme so basely of thē This should stir those who haue good gifts to get this high and holy calling thus to be honoured of Christ. They must be vnblameable for seeing Christ carieth them in his right hand he will hold nothing but that which is holy and pure as he is but if it be defiled sinfull and wicked he will take it out of his right hand put it vnder his brazen foote and grind it to peeces and the more he had honoured them the more will he dishonour them By the same reason the hearers are bound to profit else they must drinke of the same cup for if the ministers be punished for not preaching then they for not hearing And out of his mouth c. In these words he describes him by the two last parts of his body his mouth and his face And in his mouth was a two edged sword c. By this two edged sword is meant the doctrine of the law and the Gospel vttered and propounded by the Prophets and Apostles and this two edged sword is described Heb. 4. 12. It is mightie in operation c. The doctrine of the law and the Gospell is compared to a two edged sword because as a sword with a double edge enters not onely into the flesh but to the bones yea euen to the marrow so the word preached it enters into the heart deepely to the diuiding of the spirits yea it enters to the very bottome of the heart it searcheth euery nooke and corner which is most secret The word hath a double operation one in the wicked another in the godly In the wicked this sharpe two edged sword of the word it wounds them at the heart with a deadly wound and so by the same wound brings them to eternall death Esa. 11. 4. He shall with his breath that is the sword of his word slay the wicked This is that sword that hath and will kill Antichrist Ob. But how cometh it that the word of God should wound or kill any how should it slay a wicked and vnrepentant sinner Answ. We must know there be three degrees of spirituall death The first is the separation of bodie and soule when the bodie is laid in the graue the soule conueyed to the place of torments The second is when a sinner in this life by the word is wounded and smitten and so receiueth in his heart a deadly wound The third degree is at the end of this life at the last iudgement whē soule and bodie shall go into hell fire for euen a sinner receiueth his deadly wound in this life which is the first steppe to hell and eternall death in the life to come In the inflicting and giuing of this wound there be three actions of Christ required which he worketh in the hearts of the wicked by the doctrine of the law and the Gospell The first is to reueale to them their sinnes all their pride rebellion hypocrisie the damnable corruptions of their hearts and all their sinnes against the first and second Table 1. Cor. 14. 24. 25. If in the Church all prophecie there come in one which beleeueth not he is rebuked of all because they iudge him an hypocrite and so the secrets and corruptions of his heart are laid open and discouered by the word preached The second action of Christ is this he after reuealeth to them the wrath and curse of God against sinne his indignation against the breakers of the law and for this cause the law is called the killing law because it sheweth iudgement without mercie for the transgressions of the law Thirdly Christ by the word preached sharpeneth the sting of conscience maketh it awake and terrifieth a man when he heareth or remembreth the word and the curse denounced against sinners So Felix when Paul preached to him of iustice and temperancie he fainted and trembled the word was a two edged sword of the spirit to wound his conscience with terrour and feare So Dan. 5. Beltashar seeing but an hand writing he
sends these iudgements as for other sins so for fornication Sodom was destroyed for this sin And euen in our time we haue plagues famin sword many sicknesses and that for this sin among the rest 1. Cor. 11. many were dead for this sin lest they shold come defiled to the Lords table Now followes the exception Except they repent Here we see all Gods iudgements and threatnings be with exception in the matter of saluation And seeing Christ ads this exception vnlesse they repent we see men of yeares condemned in the Church not so much for sin as liuing in sin without repentance Indeed the least sin makes a man subiect to condemnation but lying in sin that brings actual condemnation the wrath of God vpon vs so that if man commit sinne and lie in it he casts his soule away To commit sinne is not that which killeth vs but to lye in sinne for if a man sinne and after repent he shall haue mercie at Gods hands Secondly it is propounded in the midst of the threates for they go before this exception and come after Where we see God mingleth his mercie with iudgement he sheweth not all iudgement nor all mercie but tempereth them together Now in that the Lord will bring iudgement on them vnlesse they repent we see that repentance preuenteth temporall iudgement We haue had long peace and haue abused it to commit sinne now we must looke for Gods iudgements and we see the Spaniard as a weapon of God now the Lord may iustly bring him on vs. The best way to preuent this and al Gods iudgements is for high and low and all estates to repent and so the Lord will turne him away Of thy workes namely fornication idolatrie So we if we wil repent we must cease from our particular sins as the drunkard from his drunkennesse and to liue soberly c. For to say I am sorie and in generall to repent as many men do is but to make shew of repentance but men must leaue each sinne and do the contrarie vertue In the three and twentieth verse is the third part of this threatening I will kill her child with death that is such as be of her familie and her children in fornication not them which follow her doctrine but properly for they are reproued before I will kill It had bene sufficient to say so but he addeth I will kill with death for the certaintie largenesse and fulnesse of it not sparing them But the mother sinned shall the child be punished for her sake Ans. In temporall and bodily punishments it may be so not in eternall punishments Among men if the father be a traitor the Son is punished and beareth the shame then shall it not be equitie with God to punish the sonne for the fathers sinne in bodily punishment And though there were no reason to vs yet we should thinke it good with God But there is reason sufficient why the Lord should destroy cities and commonwealths and families which be linked together by the bond of societie and be members of the same familie Now if one member sinne the other may be punished as in the bodie if the stomacke be sicke the head feeleth it so when the father sinneth the sonne may be punished when the husband the wife when the Maister the seruant when the subiect the magistrate because of the mutuall relation and nigh bond of societie betweene members of the same familie citie or kingdome Is this so then parents had need to take heed how they sinne for they sinning may bring iudgments and death on their familie or their children Then are they cruell parents which liue in sinne not caring for their children but by their sinnes bring Gods iudgements on them and on their families Let then euery man in the societie where he liueth be carefull he sinne not for then he may bring Gods iudgement on the place especially if he be a speciall member as Ahab on himselfe and his children and Dauid on the whole people Then all such as will not looke to themselues but liue in sinne should be banished out of all societies vnlesse they will repent and be new men seeing they do what they can to bring Gods iudgements on that place where they liue Vers. 24. That all Churches may know that I am he which searcheth the heart and reines Christ hauing propounded his threatning here he goeth about to make it take place in them in Iesabell and her company by remouing of two carnall conceipts whereby they might thinke to illude and auoid Christs threatnings For first they might haue said Our practises and sinnes be secret not knowne to men therefore though God threaten we shall escape the iudgements of God but we are without the reach of them they cannot take hold of vs. But Christ in the first words cutteth off this first conception Thogh you may perswade your selues you shall escape iudgement seeing your sinnes be secret yet I search the heart and I will discouer them to all Churches they shall know that I search the heart that is I see and know the most hidden and secret thoughts and affections of the heart That all Churches Christ will discouer their sins not to all the world but to all Churches and this he speaketh to the end to terrifie Iesabel and her companie For as it is a great honour to be approued and esteemed of all Churches so it is a great disgrace and dishonor to be euill thought of by the Churches of God Mat. 18. That which is bound in earth by the church of God is bound in heauen by God himselfe so by proportion those which be euill thought of in Gods church and in disgrace of it they be in disgrace with God in heauen Seeing Christ speaketh this to terrifie Iesabel and her companie we must labour in all things to be approued and esteemed of the Church though we must approue our selues as much as we can to all yet especially to the Church of God and auoide all things which may bring any disgrace or dishonour to the Church for as it is a great honor to be well esteemed of the Church so it is a great dishonor to be il esteemed Ro. 16. 1. Cor. 1. the last verse Paule saith All the Churches salute you not that all Churches send commendations by word of mouth but to confirme and comfort them he saith all true Churches planted by him did approue of them Act. 16. Paul approued of Timothy and receiued him to him because he was commended and had the approbation of the Churches and brethren at Lyconium and Lystra So must we haue the approbation of Gods Church which is the approbation of God himselfe But what would Christ haue all Churches to know namely that I search the heart c. In which words by heart and reines is meant the same thing namely by reines is meant the thoughts and affections of men and by heart is meant so much as it
c. Here we must remember that Ministers are either certaine or vncertaine of mens repentance being certaine they must remit sinnes certainely and simply but being vncertaine they must do it with condition and so they must simply or with condition remit and retaine sinnes Then in the publike handling of the word men must pronounce with conditiō seeing they be vncertaine who are penitent who not Their auditors are a mixt companie some beleeue and some do not beleeue Lydiaes heart is opened Simon Magus is hardened The second power of the keyes is spirituall iurisdiction it is called spirituall to distinguish it from mens and ciuill iurisdiction of the Magistrate It is set downe and confirmed by Christ Mat. 18. 16 17 18. and after the promise is added vers 19. 20. This spirituall iurisdiction is a power wherby the Church pronounceth sentence vpon an obstinate sinner and putteth the same sentence in execution It hath two parts Excommunication and absolution Excommunication is an action of the church in the name of Christ excluding an obstinate offender frō the outward priuiledges of the church and the kingdome of heauen That so much is in true excommunication we see 1. Cor. 5. the incestuous person must be excluded from the church and be thrust out into the kingdome and regiment of Satan and his body some way afflicted Math. 18. 17. if the offender will not repent being excommunicate he must be as a prophane man euen one which hath no title to the kingdome of heauen But some may say Christ onely can thrust them out of the kingdome of heauen It is true indeed so he doth properly yet the church pronounceth who be receiued and who refused as that an obstinate sinner is shut out of the church and withall shut from the kingdome of heauen she can debarre him of the outward priuiledges of the church 1. Cor. 6. the drunkard which liueth in drunkennesse shall not come to heauen vpon which ground the church shuts him out by her sentence euē out of the kingdom of God Christ. Ob. If this be so thē the true child of God may be shut out seeing he may fall to such sins Ans. He may in part and for a time not wholly and for euer because he may be ouertaken often but yet as a free citizen is known to be a free-man though he be in prison for a time and so hath no vse of his freedome so the child of God though in part for a time he be shut out hauing no vse of the kingdome of heauen yet wholly and for euer he is not but so soone as he begins to repent he shal be receiued againe Excommunication being so weightie a matter it must be vsed with great aduice and due preparation as we would when we cut off a leg or an arme not rashly for then we sin against the third commaundement seeing it is one of Gods speciall ordinances which we abuse whē it is executed for each smal offence This excōmunication hath one especial degree as 1. Cor. 16. 22. he which loueth not Christ let him be anathema that is accursed and wholly shut from the kingdome of heauen And this is onely pronounced vpon one which sinneth against the holy Ghost and then the church vpon sufficient ground may pronounce it But it is very hard to discerne this sin being more in the heart then any where else for it is a set malice against the person of Christ and that vpon knowledge Now contrary to excommunication is absolution when an offender vpon his sufficient repentance is approoued to be a member of the church and of Christ first Christ must receiue him then the church vpon his repentance pronounceth and declareth him to be receiued Further to know the power of the keyes we must know foure abuses crept in the vse of the power of them the first abuse was in former ages in that they gaue them onely to Peters person barred al other Pastors from them wheras they belong to al Pastors in their places as well as Peter Ob. Mat. 16. 19. Christ saith I will giue to thee Peter Ans. But before he spake to all the Disciples and Peter he being more bold and indued with aptnes answered in steed of all not that the rest did not answer but to auoid confusion he spake for them all ergo Christ speakes to him in stead of them al. Secondly Iohn 20. 23. he giues it to them al not to Peter alone And Ministers haue that power conueyed from the Apostles by vertue of Christs promise Mat. 28. he will be with them not onely in their persons but in them which followed to the end of the world to them I say which should preach and baptise as they did The second abuse is that the church of Rome hath turned the power of the keyes into the supremacie of the church for they make it a supremacie ouer al Princes and churches whereby they put vp and pul downe Kings and make lawes to bind all mens consciences For it is a seruice and no supremacy The third abuse is that they will haue onely the Clergie and not the Prince to deale in matters of religion but we reade the contrary in Gods word Iosias 2. Chron. 35. 32. he intends to banish idolatrie and to set vp the true worship of God and therefore causeth the people of Beniamin and Iudah to stand to his couenant his subiects to obey his intent and this is commended in him But they say that Princes haue not the chiefest power to gouerne because Pastors haue the power of the keyes Answ. Spirituall power is giuen to the Pastors to rule the church spiritually yet Princes haue power to rule the church ciuilly to cause their subiects to embrace true religion and to forsake idolatrie but then say some they should be vnder the Pastors Answ. If we consider the Pastors person and goods they be vnder the Princes but as they beare the key of Christ and his word the King must honour them for they stand in the stead of Christ but to make the Pastor aboue the Prince is a ready way to get all into his hand and a great abuse in the church of God The fourth abuse is that the Romish church hath turned the power of the keys into the hands of their Priests in the sacramēt of penance for euery Popish priest sits as iudge and euery man cometh to him kneeleth to him confesseth all his sinnes he can remember against euery commandement he inioyneth him to bewaile them and after some signes of repentance he forgiueth the fault and that properly as God doth yet after pardon he must vndergo some temporall punishment for he forgiueth the fault only not the punishment In which abuse note these errors First there is confession of all sinnes which hath no warrant in the word secondly he giuing absolution properly as God doth robbeth Christ of his honor for euē the Pharises confessed that God alone forgiueth sinnes
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
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
the second sense here where he cals Christ a Prince of the kings of the earth in regard as he is God and man or God incarnate the Mediator Now Christ being a King he must needes haue a kingdome which cannot stand in the might and pollicie of man as earthly kingdomes do but it is spirituall it stands in the heart and consciences of men his lawes they bind the soule and conscience to obedience And this is his priuiledge which can be giuen to no creature man or Angell to rule and raigne spiritually in the heart and conscience This spirituall kingdome of Christ is exercised in the consciences and soules of men by the word of Christ not by dint of sword or force of armes but he is a King which carieth his sword in his mouth euen his word by which he rules and raigns in our hearts he rules with the rod of his mouth Esa. 11. that is by his word by which he speaketh to mens consciences Prince of the Kings of the earth So is Christ in two respects First because he and he alone can and is able to giue lawes to bind the consciences of men yea of the greatest Monarch in the world none so high which is not subiect to his lawes Secondly he is called King of the Princes of the earth because he hath soueraigne power ouer all Kings and Potentates to saue and to destroy for not onely hath he power to make a law to bind their consciences but also if they keepe it to saue them if they breake his law he hath power to destroy them be they what they may be He hath the key of heauen to open and to shut none can controle him Reuel 3. 7. He can if he will leade them to life and saue them or else leaue them to their owne mind and so destroy them Seeing our Sauior Christ is a Prince of the greatest monarks of the world and is farre aboue them we must then with all feare trembling reuerence his high Maiestie We reuerence Kings on earth shewing great dutifulnesse to them then what reuerence ow we to him which is Prince and Lord of all the kings of the earth We cannot conceiue what reuerence we owe vnto him which is placed in the throne of all maiestie we must shew our reuerence to this Prince by hearing his word with trembling and beleeuing hearts reuerently and with conscience we must not dare to take his high name into our mouthes without great reuerence the very Kings must shew reuerence vnto this King of kings But the common practise of men doth shew what litle reuerence we haue of Christ for we haue his name in our mouthes at euery word to prophane the same to talke of it in iesting and without all reuerence we tosse it in our mouthes like a tenice ball Seeing he is King of Kings we must giue him absolute obedience Princes must be obeyed so farre as they obey him but he must be obeyed without exception absolutely and not onely absolutely but willingly must he be obeyed and without compulsion freely yea personally perpetually and in all his commaundements Men they will say they beleeue in Christ as he is their Sauiour but that is not enough we must beleeue in him as he is the King of Princes That we therefore may beleeue in him as he is King of Kings we must do him absolute obedience do his will in all things and vnlesse we beleeue in him so we cannot beleeue in him no not as he is a Sauior for these two go together Now this duty and obedience we owe to him must be done to him as we learne out of his word read and preached in the Church Seeing he is King of kings al princes kings potētates must do him seruice for they be all inferiour and subiect to him Psal. 2. the three last verses Be wise now O ye Kings be learned ye Iudges of the earth Kisse the son c. that is inwardly reuerence and outwardly obey him This their subiection must be shewed to Christ their King in the gouernement of their kingdomes for they must make and frame their lawes after the lawes of Christ Iesus they must make lawes exercise iudgement keepe Courts Assises begin and end and continue warre by his commaundements And seeing all Kings are in subiection to Christ as their subiects be to them they must therefore be guided and directed in all the matters of their kingdomes by the counsell of Christ so Dauid saith Thy lawes O Lord are my counsellers Psal. 119. 24. If Christ be soueraigne King and aboue all other Kings then all other must plant and set vp in their kingdomes the religion of Christ else how can they shew they be Christs subiects then it followes that they may not be of what religion they list And this is shewed in the parable of the mariage for when the supper was ready he sent his seruants to compell them to his supper which may be vnderstood of the magistrate whose duty is to compell men to the true Religion and profession of the Gospell of Christ. Seeing Christ is King of Kings and no man hath this priuiledge but he hence we learne that Kings on earth they in their dominions are soueraigne kings ouer all persons causes because as he is King of Kings absolutely so they are vnder him kings and haue supremacy in their kingdomes Then we see the presumption and arrogancy of the Pope and sea of Rome who would be supreame head of the whole earth and King of all Kings to put Christ out of his office and sit in his roome ouer al at his pleasure Seeing Christ is King of all Kings we must not be discouraged when we be called to suffer any affliction or crosse seeing that though the tyrants and Kings of the earth rage and bend their force to hurt vs yet we haue a King aboue them all who can stay and bridle them and if he please confound and bruise them in peeces they cannot do any thing but that which he permits them to do for he rules and raignes in the midst of all these where they are the thickest and would do most malice and can do to them as pleaseth him Now followes the second part of Christs description by his execution of his offices which consist in foure workes the first contained in these words Vnto him which loued vs the second in these Which washed vs in his bloud the other two in the two last verses which follow Which loued vs. That is the Churches of Asia and by proportion all other Churches being parts of the true Church The loue of Christ hath three degrees the first is called a generall loue whereby he loues all his creatures as they be his creatures and this loue is common to all his creatures The second degree is the loue of mankind in that he was content to become a redeemer for mankind not for any other
this booke to make them reade and take delight in it Now all of vs will say God loues me and hath pardoned my sins in Christ then we should shew our loue againe to him in taking delight in hearing and reading the word of God set downe in this or any other booke of Scripture And if we perswade our selues God hath loued vs we must then offer vp to him in signe of loue againe our selues soules and bodies to serue him to do him obedience Rom. 12. in regard of recompence to his mercies and loue shed out and shewed vnto vs. And made vs Kings and Priests to God and his Father euen his Father In these words is set downe the third action worke and benefite of Christ bestowed on his Church he hath made euery true member of it a King and a Priest Better to vnderstand these words we must consider in them foure points first the dignitie and excellency of all true beleeuers and members of Christ Kings and Priests Secondly when they be made namely hath made speaking in the time past noting that true beleeuers are Kings and Priests Thirdly the maner how we are not created such neither borne to be such but he hath made vs such Fourthly to whom to God euen the father First our dignitie and the excellencie of all true beleeuers and members of Christ hath two heads first Kings secondly Priests They are called kings not in regard of an earthly kingdome for the condition of most beleeuers on earth is base but in regard of a spirituall kingdome and in respect of the kingdome of heauen for the Lord he giues them this title and interest to be Kings to haue right to the kingdome of heauen in Christ. So our Sauiour Christ speakes to his Disciples Feare not litle flock it is your Fathers pleasure to giue you the kingdome The members of Christ are said to haue interest and title to the kingdome of heauen in these respects first because by Christ they be Lords and conquerors of all these enemies sin Satan the world death hell and our owne flesh Secondly because in and by Christ they are partakers of the kingdome of heauen they haue interest into it and right to the kingdome of happinesse for they receiue of Christ grace for grace glory for glory felicitie and happinesse for glory happinesse and felicitie Thirdly because they be made Lords of all creatures except good Angels and the Church 1. Cor. 3. 21. God is all in all to them all things are theirs they Gods and we haue interest to all his creatures in heauen and earth by Christ. Ob. But if Christ be King and al his mēbers how do they differ Answ. In two points first Christ he is the sonne of God by nature therefore a King by nature and so his inheritance belongs to him by nature but the members of Christ are the sonnes of God by adoption in his Son so that our right to that kingdome is not by nature but by adoption Secondly Christ he is King ouer all creatures whatsoeuer ouer the Angels and the Church and he is absolute King ouer all and hath his regiment in the hearts and consciences of men and can by his word bind them but his members they be not vniuersall kings for they haue not superioritie aboue good Angels and the Church neither are they absolute kings as he is neither by themselues but by Christ Iesus and as they participate with Christ in his kingdome The second part of our dignitie stands in this that we be Priests in that we be consecrated and set apart by Christ to the worship and seruice of God here in this life to serue him in spirit and truth and in the life to come eternally to serue and praise him Christ he is Priest so are we but yet there is difference First Christ he is an externall and reall Priest of the new Testament which offers vp a true reall and externall sacrifice to God the Father for vs we are not reall and externall Priests but spirituall offering vp spirituall sacrifice And Christ hath this priuiledge to offer vp a reall corporall and substantial sacrifice in the new testament we do not so When any member of Christ giues an almes he offers a sacrifice to God not a corporall sacrifice but spirituall euery way Againe note this that our Sauiour Christ he is a perfect Priest and offers vp a perfect sacrifice but we being imperfect do offer vp an imperfect sacrifice tainted and blemished with sinne but accepted as perfect for the worthinesse of Christs sacrifice Secondly we be Kings and Prists in this life for as in the entrance into an earthly kingdome there be degrees as first to giue one title to it secondly to giue him possession of it which is more then to giue one title onely so Gods children they haue the right giuen them of the kingdome of heauen in this life and as in the giuing of possession of a kingdome there be two degrees first the beginning of the possession secondly the full enioying and perfect possessiō so we haue the beginning of the possession of the kingdome of heauen in this life which stands in righteousnesse ioy and peace and they which haue these haue the kingdome of God begun in them The second part and degree is after this life which is the full fruition and possession of the kingdome of heauen but in all the true members of Christ it is begunne here and accomplished there And as we be kings in this world so we must be Priestes too in offering spirituall sacrifice to God and dedicating and consecrating our selues to his seruice Hath made vs. True beleeuers be Kings and Priests not by nature neither borne such nor by creation or birth or bloud are they such or by any other priuiledge they haue frō mā How then As earthly Kings and Priests were made in the old Testament so are spirituall Kings and Priests in the new the King was elected and ordained by a solemne calling so the Priest by a solemne election so are the Kings and Priests which be spirituall by a diuine calling In which calling note two things First Christ giueth his members right to his owne kingdome to be Kings and Priests yet not so that they can execute the regiment sustained by Christ and do the office of a King and Priest as it is done by Christ but because they belong to them in part and they haue the benefite of them both redounding to them wholly And this right they haue is brought to passe in the couenant of grace For the Lord in it promiseth that he for his part will giue to the true beleeuers in Christ Iesus his Sonne with all his benefits as he giues them this to be kings and priests For euery thing which belōgs to Christ as he is head of the Church belongs to his seruants as members and he imparts it to them in some sort Secondly in the appointing of kings
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
should moue vs to embrace it to loue and like it seeing it brings vs such an excellent benefit and not to misname it as we do by reprochfull termes Yea verily the consideration of this should make the Ministers of the word to take all paines to preach the word seeing by it they make men to become of vassalles of Satan the true members of Christ and heires of the kingdome of heauen In this world for a man to consecrate and establish one in a kingdome it is a thing of great honour is it not of greater honour to consecrate one to become king of heauen and earth to be heire of the kingdome of heauen Now that this is done in the ministery of the Gospel when by the word preached we are conuerted made to beleeue in Christ and to repent of our sinnes this I say should stirre and pricke forward the Ministers of the word to labour to win men to Christ and to make them kings and priests to God his father There also is matter of comfort to the godly for seeing they be Kings and Priestes in the kingdome of Christ if a man be in the crosse and affliction which is a great griefe yet let him know to his comfort that though he be so handled it appeareth not what he shal be yet he is a king and that he shall be and is heire to the kingdome of heauen If a man be in sicknesse he must consider it is but Gods messenger to call him out of this world to the possession of a kingdome If a man be in the trouble and vexation of mind and of his owne conscience if he be tormented fearefully with his sins yet he must be content the Lord wil giue him a happy issue he must know he is a king and therefore shall one day haue conquest ouer sin Satan and his owne corruption yea ouer all his enemies whatsoeuer If a man be in the heat of persecution so that he is turmoiled and tossed from post to pillar then flesh and blood cannot brooke it yet he is a king though he in persecution be killed and put to death euen then let him consider he is a most valiant conquerour Rom. 8. 37. In the pang of death when nature must needs be dissolued and soule and body separated then we must remember that we be kings in Christ and so we shall not feare death but know it is but a way and easie passage to the ful possession of our kingdom Thus much in that we are kings In that all the members of Christ be priests not earthly but spiritual and offer to God spirituall sacrifices first we are hence bound by this our calling to teach and instruct one another for the office of the Priest in the old Testament was to instruct the people The Priests lips must keepe knowledge Mal. 2. 7. So must we be teachers of others Col. 3. 18. We all ought to be able to teach the will of God that so the Gospell of Christ may be spread abroad And as this belongs to al men so especially to gouernors they must especially shew themselues priests to their charges Abraham did it Gen. 18. Dauid did it Pro. 4. and Bathshebath did it Prouer. 31. and all must do it that desire an holy generation to succeed after them We teach other things why not Religion 2 Seeing we be priests we must pray for others not onely for our selues but for all men especially the members of Christ The Priest in the old Testament must pray and make request not onely for himselfe alone but for the people also Moses is commended for prayer especially when he prayed for the Israelites and stood before the Lord in the gap Exod. 32. Eliah is called the horseman and chariots of Israel and Hezechiah beseecheth the Lord to be good to his people And so when any man in the word is cōmended for prayer it is for that he prayed for the people So did Dauid in the Psalmes So did Christ make this his speciall duty Iohn 17. We must offer spirituall sacrifice to God that is dedicate our selues our soules and bodies and all that is in vs our wit learning knowledge or any gift of body or mind we must consecrate it to Gods seruice That we may do all this to his glory we must look that all we take in hand be begun in faith do proceed from a good heart and be directed to a good end to Gods glory principally and if we do it in faith and obedience then it will please him We must be ful of blessings we may haue nothing to do with cursed speaking As the Priests in the old Testament their duty was to blesse the people so we must speake nothing but blessed and gracious speeches take heed of all cursed speaking of swearing and forswearing we must be blessed and gracious speakers to all men friend fo or any We must haue God our portion for the Leuites had no portion in the land of Canaan but dwelt in tents and the Lord was their portion So we being Priests to God we must be content with any estate in this world for God is our portion we must not seeke too much to haue any inheritance on earth for Gods fauour in Christ that is our portion and this wil suffice To him be glory In these words is a praising and thanksgiuing to God for the three former benefits of Christ bestowed on the Church In that S. Iohn before he come to the end of his description of Christ should interrtupt himselfe to giue God thankes for his benefits we see that the consideration of Gods benefits bestowed on vs should be a meanes to stirre vs vp to praise the Lord we should be caried away with this affection of thanksgiuing as S. Iohn was And in these words of this holy man we do see what is the true forme of giuing thankes to God namely to giue him and ascribe to him all glory power and absolute dominion for euermore But alas it is too too manifest that mans corrupt nature will not do this but denieth it and taking this from God bestoweth it on creatures yea on our own selues And it is a matter of grace to know this and to confesse that all glory and dominion belongs to God and to giue him his due So Christ he teacheth vs to ascribe all power glory might and dominion to God when we say in the Lords prayer For thine is the kingdome power and glory that is it is due to thee O Lord not to any creature whatsoeuer Amen So be it let it be so that thou mayst haue all glory and dominion he addes this to shew his feruent desire of Gods glorie and therefore he doubles and repeates it for he had said that before but not content with it he sheweth his feruencie and repeates the same againe so should we not freeze or be cold in our desire of Gods
knowledge wisdome constancie zeale pietie and religion So in the old Testament he deliuered thē to his Prophets not to all but his seruants men of singular gifts and graces and of exceeding holinesse and pietie Indeed the Lord reuealed some particular things to wicked men as to Balaam but they neuer knew them comfortably It is a propertie belonging to the seruants of God to haue a vision reuealed and to know the same Now both these befell S. Iohn he was a man of exceeding holinesse of life for Christ loued him and of singular and rare gifts Now the diuell maketh no such choice but his visions befall men which are heretikes wicked notorious sinners and they haue no rare and speciall gifts as the other so that by this a man may distinguish them by the persons to whom they befall Then we must esteeme of it as a singular gift of God giuen to his owne Apostle S. Iohn After the description of Christ Iohn describes himselfe by many modest tearmes first Your brother that is of them being members all of the mysticall bodie Christ Iesus for the church of God is a familie God the Father is head and housholder Iesus Christ is the elder brother we all are fellow brethren in and by Christ being by him the adopted sonnes of God and brethren to each other By this title first he setteth out his humilitie and great modestie for he was a man at that time aboue all men which liued in regard of his gifts and holinesse of life he was the last Apostle and had apostolicall authoritie being a most true professor yet he calleth himselfe a brother to all true beleeuers maketh himselfe but equall with them though they were farre inferiour to him And so should we esteeme better of all our brethren then of our selues and make our selues inferior to them Secondly by this title we see he had his hart full of brotherly loue to all the members of the church of Christ so we are bound to loue all men as they be of the same flesh with vs but those which be of the same faith religion to these especially should we shew our loue and affection It is good reason that they which haue the same head Christ the same God the same faith hope religion and redemption by Iesus Christ should be so affected to one another and being linked by all these should haue a more neare loue then is between man man But in this world as Esay saith men hate their brethren euen for the profession of the same religion whereby they thinke to be saued If they liue with more conscience then others then they reuile speake ill of and hate them for the name of Christ. The second title Companion or fellow partner compartner in tribulations in the kingdome and in patience He was partner with them in tribulations for two causes first because at that time when he wrote this vision the whole Church was in persecutiō and tribulation vnder that cruell tyrant Domitian about fourescore or an hundred yeares after Christ and so he fled to Pathmos at that time and being mindfull of the afflictions of the Church whereof he was a member he cals himselfe a partner with them in affliction By which he shewes our estate that it is to be vnder the crosse to liue in affliction not to be companions of peace and ease but partakers of affliction and tribulation and therfore those which will be Christs Disciples and follow him they must deny themselues and take vp their crosse dayly and because of this estate the Church in this world is called the militant Church Now seeing the state of the Church is in tribulation we in this land and Church which haue had peace and quietnes so long without persecution we must know that it is giuen vs that now in the time of peace we might prepare our selues against the day of triall and persecution for seeing the estate of the Church is to be vnder affliction and persecution we are bound to looke for it and know that the Lord will come and try his Church for it must increase and grow by triall The Lord hath sent labourers into his haruest a long time which haue gathered much wheate into the Lords barne Now there must come a day when the Lord will take his fan and siue into his hands and will with the fan and siue of persecution try the wheat and winnow the corne from the chaffe that it may appeare who are his true children Then stands it vs in hand to take heed we be found good corne and not chaffe that we may abide the siue that we proue not light corne blowne about with the wind and fit to be cast into the fire to be burnt He cals himselfe their fellow partner in affliction because his pitifull hart was moued with compassion to all his fellow members and partners in affliction when he remembred their persecution and affliction they suffered vnder the cruell tyrant Dominitian Now looke what was in him the same affection should be in vs our hearts should be pitifull full of compassion for the poore afflicted members of Christ seeing they be our fellow members we should haue a fellow feeling with them and shew our compassion in pittying them If the foote be pricked the head stoopes the eye beholds and lookes on it the finger puls it out the hand applies the plaister the other foot is ready to run for help the tongue to aske for counsell and all the members are ready to affoord their mutuall helpe in pittie and fellow feeling so when any members of the Church suffer affliction be pricked with persecution for Christs cause then should we as fellow members of one body be ready to do all the helpe we can to them especially in shewing our fellow-feeling with them In the kingdome of Christ. That is the kingdome of heauen In that he sets first afliction then addes a kingdome he shewes that the afflictions crosse for Christs sake is the ready way to the kingdom of heauen it is the way which is beaten and troden by the Prophets Apostles and the Saints of God as the Apostle saith Through manifold tribulations we must enter into heauen And this momentany affliction causeth to vs an infinite weight of glory not that it deserues or effects it but that it is the path-way to heauen Then we must not thinke it strange when it befalleth vs for it is the meanes to bring wandring sheepe out of the way into the ready and beaten way to heauen nay it is rather to be thought strange when we haue no affliction for then we be gone out of the way seeing the Lord afflicts euery child which is his In patience A vertue whereby we are made able to perseuere in affliction to go on suffering till we come to heauen Afflictions are the beaten way heauen is our ioyfull end patience is the meanes to make vs
keepe that day for a Sabbath wherein he rose and the eight day after appeared to instruct his Disciples Now the Sabbath of the Iewes was changed for two causes first to maintaine the liberty of the Church of the new Testament whereof this was a great part that they were freed from the ceremonies of the Iewes for here when this day was changed the Church was no more tied to the Iewes Sabbath day neither had any such regard after of dayes and times Secondly that there might be a more fit time for the remembrance of the worke of redemption for as God in the old Testament appointed the seuenth day to be a day of rest to remember the first creation so there should be a day to celebrate this worke which is a wonderfull creation in which we are made new men so that there is now a new heauen and new earth as Isay speaketh chap. 66. Nay this is a more glorious work then that seeing in that creation Adam was the head in this Christ Iesus he is the head In that Adam was the chiefe in this Christ. In that Heuah was giuen to Adam in this we to Christ his Church to him In that Adam had an earthly paradise in this redemption we haue a spirituall kingdome In that Gods mercy onely in this both his mercy and iustice in punishing of Chirst and giuing vs forgiuenes appeared In that God shewed his wisdome goodnes but in part but herein this he shewed it fully In that he made man of nothing but now he made him of worse then nothing better then euer he was Therfore seeing this day of our redemption is farre passing that and the Lord appointed a day for the remembrance thereof much more should there be one for the remembrance of this now there is no day fitter then that day wherein Christ Iesus rose from death to life to remember his resurrection But may the Church now in the new Testament change the Sabbath to any other day as to tuesday wednesday c. Answ. It cannot I thinke because times and seasons belong to God he alone can dispose of thē Act. 1. 6. the church hath not knowledge of times and seasons much lesse of the ordering and disposing of them for that which the Father keepeth in his owne bosome the Church cannot know but the Father alone so keepeth times and seasons therfore the church cannot know them And as the church of the Iewes had not power to change their Sabbath no more hath the Church in the new Testament to change their Sabbaths Ob. But the Iewes had authoritie to appoint feasts therfore they could appoint Sabbath dayes Hest. 9. 17. they for their deliuerance appoint a day of rest of reioycing So 1. Maccab. 4. 8. They appointed indeed solemne dayes for reioycing and solemne feasts for speciall deliuerance but they appointed not any day for a sabath rest for the whole seruice of God Some hold that the Church hath power to alter it nay to make any day the Sabbath or if it could be conueniently two dayes in a weeke but they haue no warrant out of the word If this day the Lords day be a day to remember the death resurrection and merits of Christ we see three sorts of men here reproued first them which make this day a day of pleasure pastime and delight For most young men and seruants imploy this day wholy on their own delights and pleasures making it a day of carnall reioycing spending it in eating drinking carding dicing riot and excesse so that they turne this Lords day set apart to his worship into a day to offer sacrifice to the diuel The second sort is of them which liue more ciuilly then the former yet they thinke they may do their owne businesse and take iorneys on this day and that vpon this false ground that a man may aswell and with as honest and good an heart serue God in his owne businesse at home as they which go to Church But by this they make the Lords day appointed to his seruice their owne day to do their owne worke and not his The third sort is of those which keepe the Sabbath onely at morning and euening Prayer but as for the rest of the day they may spend it how they will on their owne pleasures and pastimes or their owne businesse and of this sort are many in the world who come to the Church but onely so far as the law of the Land inioynes them and these men part stakes with God they giue him one part and that the lesser and bestow the other on their owne businesse or pleasure whereas it is the Lords day not in part but in whole and so they breake the fourth commaundement Then on the contrary our dutie is to keep this day a Sabbath to the Lord as we are commaunded in the fourth commandement 1. we must rest from all our sinnes secondly from all the workes of our callings and imploy it wholly on the seruice of God sanctifying this day of rest to the worship of God from the morning to the euening Now there is a double sanctifying of the Sabbath first publicke in the congregation when we come to the Church to pray and giue thankes and there to heare the word and receiue the sacraments secondly priuate when men in their owne priuate houses at home sanctifie it in meditating reading and thinking of the word in praying priuatly and giuing thankes for benefits we must not imploy that day in our owne businesse If the Officer should take our seruant from our works set him about the common good we would be grieued And if we take the day appointed to Gods seruice and bestow it on our owne affaires shall not the Lord be offended And the cause why we heare the word publikely and neuer profit is because we sanctifie the sabbath onely publikely and not priuatly so that vnlesse we meditate reade the word pray and sanctifie the sabbath at home we may heare and reade the word publikely but without all increase of grace faith knowledge and repentance but if we performe neither it is not possible to get any grace seeing this day is set apart for that end Now to proceed The reason why the Lord he gaue Iohn these visions rather on this day then another is because though Iohn was absent in body from the Church yet he was present in spirit in praying for it at this time for being absent he would shew his presence in such duties as he could performe in that solitary place as fasting prayer c. Now when he was thus occupied the Lord reuealeth his will to him concerning the estate of the Church to the end of the world Seeing Iohn being in the Isle of Pathmos a desert place yet he kept the Sabboth in all such duties as he could performe hence we see that they which are absent from the Church as in prison sicke of some great disease or
turning to him we may haue fellowship with God For vnlesse S. Iohn had turned to see the vision and him which spake he had not seene it so vnlesse we turne to God speaking in the ministery of his word and that in time whilst he speaketh to vs we can haue no fellowship with him though we heare the word neuer so much Now followeth the second part of the vision which is the representation of Christ his maiesty and magnificence as he is a Prophet King and Priest of his Church and it is set out by a large description of Christ from this twelfth verse to the end of the third chapter In which description S. Iohn sheweth what he receiued touching Christ partly by hearing partly by seeing And herein he describeth Christ first by his place In the midst of the seuen candlestickes secondly by his forme and figure Like to the sonne of man First he describeth Christ by the place I saw seuen golden candlestickes and in the middest one like c. These seuen candlesticks here seene of Iohn in a vision are the seuen Churches in Asia Now as the Church of God is compared to a candlesticke as Christ expoundeth it in the twentith verse so the particular Churches are here called candlestickes for their resemblance which they haue with candlestickes for as their property is to beare and hold forth the candle and lamp euen so the Churches of God beare vp and hold forth and publish the light of the Gospell to the whole world partly by preaching and maintaining it partly by professing the faith ◠Seeing euery Church is a candlesticke and not a candle to beare vp and hold forth the lamp and light of the word because they haue no light of themselues but onely can beare vp and hold foorth the light and are but the instruments of the light the true light being Christ himselfe then they cannot giue light to mens consciences and hearts but all that they can do is to beare the candle and hold out the light by instructing and preaching the word and by their profession of religion In that they are compared to candlestickes we learne that all the true members of Christ are candles burning and shining lights placed in the shafts of this candlesticke For though the Ministers must especially be blazing lampes to the people as Iohn Baptist was Ioh. 5. 35. yet also are all true members of Christ these blazing candles to hold foorth this light and shew foorth the doctrine of light to the world Phil. 2. 15. 16. Euery man in his calling must be a shining candle and a burning lamp Now that he may be such a one he must first haue knowledge of the will and word of God himselfe then as a blazing candle send foorth the same to others by teaching and instructing by godly life and conuersation We all professe we be members of Christ and members of the true Church then we must carie and hold foorth these burning lights hauing light in our selues to send it out to others by teaching them in our calling and liuing godly and giuing good example and so shine to the world To induce vs to this to carie our selues as burning lampes first it is the commandement of God Phil. 2. 15. Euery man in his calling must be a blazing light in the middle of a peruerse nation we must carie our selues free from all sinne send out our light to all men For a second reason marke the fruite and the effect which followeth this carying of our selues as shining lights When a man is indued with knowledge of Gods will and word and sends out this light by instructing others and in a godly example he winneth many men to the kingdome of heauen A man if he haue one to hold him out a candle in winter that he may see his way to go whither he would he taketh this as a great benefit how much more is this to light the way to a blind man euen to the kingdome of heauen But on the cōtrarie when men be dimme and darke candles and liue not in the Church as blazing lights but in sinne ignorance and loosenesse of life hence great hurt and daunger cometh to men with whom they liue For when a man knoweth the will of God and yet liueth in sin he giueth a false direction and so many follow him euen to the pit of hell and by his bad example he draweth men as much as in him lyeth to eternall destruction In hauen townes if a man remoue the night marke and the candle set to direct the ships he doth as much as in him lyeth to sinke all the ships for they hauing wrong direction runne on rockes and sands because they go to the light which is not in the right place and so they misse the channell and light on rockes and perish So men in this world they saile as on the sea to heauen now if we by our wicked life remoue the marke and giue wrong direction they must needes misse the right way and so come to a false hauen not heauen but hell And so then seeing either by our godly life we draw men to heauen or by our bad life we carie them to hell it is our dutie to labour by life and doctrine to giue good direction The third reason to moue vs to be burning lights is the iudgement of God for he which liueth in the Church and yet shineth not in teaching others by his good example he incurreth the iudgement of God In the temple the lights and candles belonged to the Priest who dressed and trimmed them for that purpose he had snuffers and such instruments now in the Church euery man is a candle standing in the church as in a sticke Christ Iesus he is the trimmer and dresser of them he standeth in the midst of them he hath his snuffers in his hands he trimmeth them and dresseth these candles Now if after three or foure times dressing and snuffing of this candle still it burneth dim and will not shine out he will either remoue it out of the sticke or else he will take and tread it vnder his feet So those which in the Church do not send out a shining light the Lord he dresseth and snuffeth them but if they still burne dimmely cast not a cleare light in instructing others and leauing good example the Lord will cast them out of their places put them vnder his foot and cleane extinguish them In regard of this daunger euery man in his shaft and place the Minister in his the vnlettered man in his must teach others giue good example else the issue will be this the Lord will come in iudgement and stampe it out and extinguish that light Nay very reason requireth this at our hands seeing we be all lights of this candlesticke of the Church that we should send out light In winter time we hang out lights that by them men might be directed to helpe them in
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
it to do thee good Psal. 113. This knowledge is ioyned with his prouidence ouer his This I say is spoken to comfort vs if we be in tribulation we must then consider whence it cometh namely from God he knoweth and seeth and careth for it this will ease vs of much griefe and make vs patient So we hauing had long peace must looke for tribulation which when it cometh the onely way to arme vs with patience is to consider that God both seeth it and knoweth it and is will be a stay and prop to vphold vs that we faint not in misery After he setteth out two sorts or parts of tribulation first pouertie secondly reproch The first is pouertie namely want of temporall blessings necessary to maintaine this present life Now seeing that famous Church was so afflicted with pouertie we learne that true Religion will not free a man from affliction and from pouertie then let no man think because he beleeueth in Christ he shal be rich Obiect But God promiseth the fauours and blessings of this and the other life to his seruants Ans. He promiseth indeed but the blessings cōcerning the kingdome of heauen without exception temporall blessings with condition if they be for our good and his glory else he will send want and pouertie euen to his dearest seruants I know thy pouertie This is added to comfort her for that her estate in earthly things was weake yet Christ knoweth it he cares and prouides for her and will if it be for her good free her or else giue her patience Obiect But how can her workes and pouertie stand together seeing she could not giue to the poore that wanted Answ. All good works stand not in giuing large almes to the poore but the works of our calling done in faith and good conscience they be good workes though the other haue their place if they be done as they shold for though works in our calling be most meane yet it is a good work to God It is not the matter of the work but the maner of doing it makes a good work namely if it proceed from an honest heart and be done to Gods glory Yet thou art rich Here Christ intends to comfort her that though she wanted was in pouerty yet she was rich in Christ she had riches in God Luke 12. 21. And this in two respects first when we are recōciled to God in Christ haue assurance of the pardon of our sinnes in him 2. Cor. 8. 9. Secondly when we haue grace from God to do good workes 1. Tim. 6. 18. That we may be rich in good workes we must lay vp a good foundation in heauen for Gods graces they be true riches The poore man to whom God denieth riches in this world he seeing his estate must labour to haue riches in heauen which are true riches indeed This is to be reconciled to God in Christ to haue Gods graces whereby he can do the workes of his calling in faith and a good conscience Againe the men of this world if they would be truly rich they must labour to be reconciled to God in Christ but they content themselues with their owne riches and neuer seeke for true riches indeed but are choaked with the desire of temporall riches But all men labour to get earthly riches honour and temporal blessings and esteeme not to be rich in God which is meere madnes The second part of her tribulation is her reproch And thy blasphemie that is the slaunder reuilings and repoches of the Church of Smyrna This was not onely in respect of God but of their profession and religion for they did reuile and slander them for their profession Where we see that they which serue God they must looke for slanders reuiling reprochings He which desires to liue well to worship and serue God he must look for these nay if he haue them not he must suspect himselfe for Christ calleth them cursed whom all men speake well of which though it be a great griefe yet Christ comforts them he knoweth it seeth it and will in due time remedie it he seeth euery slander defamation and reproach which should make vs patient to endure these blasphemies The persons which blasphemed her They which say they be Iewes but be not but are the synagogue of Satan That is as in other cities of Asia Europe there were assemblies of Iewes that had their abode and synagogues so in Smyrna had they assemblies a synagogue perswading themselues they had a true church but that the other had not and therfore slandered them for their religion and their Christ whom these professed they denied They were Iewes by birth coming of the tribe of Iudah yet not true Iewes in profession and worship of God but a synagogue of Satan And so they which reproch religion which reuile the worshippers of God they be Iewes by birth but they are not Iewes indeed but enemies to God to religion and to thē which professe it Now concerning these let vs examine first what they were in their own opiniō secondly in Christs opiniō Which say they be Iewes They coming of the tribe of Iudah they thought they were true worshippers of God as Abraham Isac and Iacob were but Christ he saith they be the synagogue of Satan And as the Iewes enemies to God and religion seeme to themselues to be true professors so all the wicked blesse them selues in their sinnes thinke all is well they do as we may see Psal. 10. they ouerthrow the truth of God by damnable heresies yet perswade themselues they hold the truth for which they wil die yea witches men and women wil say they abhorre the diuell they will not haue any thing to do with him but that by good Angels and some speciall gift of God they excell other men are able to work wonders And so the carnal Protestant he sinneth and saith God is mercifull and so makes Christ his packe-horse But we must learne by their example to suspect our selues to cast downe our pride and conceit of our selues and not thinke too highly of our owne goodnesse but to suspect our selues for many sinnes We may not say we are Iewes when we are not The second point is Christs iudgement of them he saith they seemed to be Iewes but were not but indeed the synagogue of Satan that is a company and assembly of men which seemed to serue God but worshipped the diuell Obiect But they were Gods chosen people whom he chose out of all nations to serue him how then could they be the synagogue of Satan Answ. There is a double election first speciall and particular whereby God in his eternall counsell chooseth one to saluation the second is more general whereby he admits men into the outward Church to be partakers of the outward signes and priuiledges of the couenant as the sacraments c. The Iewes they had the generall calling but not the particular
when a man keepeth this promise made in baptisme and performeth this condition to God and stipulation then he is faithfull to God when he breaketh it then he is vnfaithfull 1. Pet. 3. 21. Secondly the Lord he giueth his seruants many graces as faith hope loue repentance c. these he committeth to man to see how he will vse or abuse them 1. Tim. 6. 20. we must labour to keepe them to vse them well and this if we do to Gods glorie and to our owne good then we be faithfull to God else not as if a man commit a thing to be kept by another if he loose it or keepe it not well he is not faithfull to him Be faithfull As if he had said Thou hast made a promise in baptisme to keepe faith and a good conscience and thou hast had many graces promising to vse them well to keepe them in life and death be faithfull in persecutions afflictions keepe faith and a good conscience and then thou artfaithfull Against this dutie three sorts of men offend first they which though they haue made a couenant in baptisme to serue the Lord to keep faith and a good conscience yet liue in ignorance and securitie neuer seeking to know the Lord to vnderstand his will or to obey him yet these will brag of their good meanings though they haue no care at all to please God no care to keepe their couenant made with God and their stipulation in baptisme to him Secondly they which for a good while haue had faith and a good conscience and haue come to serue the Lord yet after long time fall away being entangled with the world with the profits and sinnes thereof and so leaue all and come to breake faith and a good conscience both these are vnfaithfull seruants and their reward if the Lord dealt in iustice with them is destruction and yet all men in a maner be of these two sorts they either liue in ignorance or fall away after a long time The third sort are they which professe a long time liue in faith and good conscience and be earnest professors yet in time of triall and persecution they will leaue all profession of religion to saue themselues Then seeing all these offend we must labour to know God to obey him to keepe his graces bestowed on vs to the end to liue and die in his seruice and to lose our life rather then any one grace which God bestoweth vpon vs. And I wil giue thee the crown of life Here is a reasoÌ„ to moue theÌ„ to go on in persecutioÌ„ to be faithful to the end HeÌ„ce the Papists gather that a man may merit heauen seeing there is promised a crowne of life Ans. It is called a crowne of life by resemblance for as men in a race first run and after they obtaine the crowne at the end of their race so men must first in this world liue godly run and finish their course after that they haue their crowne in heauen I answer againe this reward is not of the worke but the promise is made to the workers not to the martyredome but to the martyr which hath by suffering death shewed his faith in Christ it is not made to the passion or suffering but to the person suffering not for his suffering but to him as he is in Christ declared to be so by his suffering death So then that promise is not made to the work but to the worker and not for his work but for the worthinesse of Christ in whom he is a true member of the Church The vse then is that if we keepe this promise in Baptisme made before God his Angels and the Church we shall haue the reward of all which is the crowne of life in the kingdome of heauen promised to such as be faithfull to the end Let him which hath an eare heare In these words are the coÌ„clusion or last part of the Epistle Now in these three verses for the most part is a rehearsall of those things which Christ deliuered before in this and in the former Chapter Now seeing Christ the head and Doctor of his Church is most perfect in his doctrines both for matter and maner of deliuering the same seeing he repeateth againe and againe the same things and seeing Peter put them often in mind of their common saluation hence we note that Ministers may often repeate the same doctrine not onely the same matter but in the same maner and words So did Christ the head Doctor of the Church so may we or any preacher preach the same sermon againe in maner and matter not for to ease our selues but for the good and benefite of the Church as Christ seuen times repeateth the same doctrine to the good of the Church and common benefite of all The hearers then if they find the Preacher shall deliuer the same doctrine againe or often they must not find fault for then they might as well find fault with Christ himselfe who not once or twise but often repeated the same words In this eleuenth verse is a conclusion of the Epâ—stle to the Church of Smyrna and it hath two parts first a commaundement secondly a promise In the commandement first what is coÌ„manded secondly to whoÌ„ The duty commanded is to heare There are two kinds of hearing good and bad Here he requireth good hearing with faith and obedience not naked and bare outward hearing Then we see the true knowledge of the Gospell standeth in hearing with faith and obedience for we know no more then we beleeue and obey if we beleeue and obey nothing we heare and know nothing with sound hearing to saluation The second thing is to whom the commaundement is giuen to them which haue eares to heare for some are deafe some be liuely and hearing hearers They are deafe which heare onely with outward and bodily eares not affected in hart nor chaunged in life by the word they are good hearing hearers which are touched and affected by the word changed and renued in life by the same hauing not onely outward eares of the head but inward bored by Gods spirit in the heart Hence we learne two things first that election is not generall and vniuersall of euery particular man for there is was and shall be euer some deafe hearers Secondly we learne our duty that we must not onely heare the word and lend our outward eares but withall ioyne faith obedience and conuersion in life so heare that we be changed in life and turned to God else our hearing is fruitlesse nay to damnation The third thing is what they must heare What the Spirit saith namely that which is before in the former words deliuered by Christ. The principall things be these first that the Lord seeth and regardeth the tribulations and afflictions of his Church secondly that Gods Church and people being to suffer the crosse and afflictions must forethinke of it and consider of it before
chose Babylon a citie of confusion and abhomination So he hath chosen Rome which is become of a famous Church the throne of Satan So Ierusalem the citie of God the temple of God first began to be a denne of theeues and then the citie fell to wickednesse so the diuell getteth Gods temple and the holy citie to be his throne And in our time he getteth the great cities shire townes for his throne for in thē is greater ignorance and the Gospell more contemned then in small villages in which after litle preaching it is willingly embraced Now the cause of this is because the diuell laboureth especially to haue his throne where he may do the most harme and conuey his doctrine to moe places and liue without controlment If this or any other shire towne or any great citie liue in sin in ignorance and contemne the Gospell take heed for they shall become in time a denne of theeues and a synagogue of Satan he will haue his throne there Now then it is our dutie to labor against him to haue his throne plucked downe to haue him defaced and cast out haue our bodies and soules subiect to Christ renounce our selues relye wholly on Christ forsake our owne waies neuer lend our eares to Satan let him haue no footing in vs neuer suffer him to come to haue his throne begunne but still labour to haue it razed and turned vpside downe and withall suffer Christ to rule suffer him alone to possesse our hearts that so the kingdome of Satan being ouerthrowne the kingdome of Iesus Christ may be increased daily in vs. Wheras the Church of God is gathered out of that place where the diuell hath his kingdome erected we note that the Church of God is a companie of men deriued and taken out of the Synagogue of Satan the kingdome of the diuell though it be a chosen people yet it is picked out of the kingdome of the diuell where he ruleth Col. 1. 12. 13. for all men are by nature the vassals of Satan and subiects in his kingdome Then no man must stand of his gentilitie and of his nobility and bloud but all our true ioy must be in this that we are the members of the true Church of God for what will it auaile a man to haue a golden chaine on his necke and haue his will and affections vnder the slauerie of the diuell or to be the sonne of a Prince and yet to be out of the true Church and to be in the companie of the wicked a slaue and vassall of the diuell But our ioy must be in this that we are members of the Church of God and haue right to the kingdome of heauen Sundrie men thinke a man may be saued by any religion and most of the common people thinke that good meaning will saue them but a man may professe any religion and haue good meaning and yet not know one step to the kingdome of heauen but remaine the vassall and slaue of Satan For a man may haue outward ciuill iustice and ciuill pollicie and meane well yet be the seruant of the diuell We see the children of God gaine a priuiledge aboue all other for in affliction and persecution though they be cast into dangers yet they may assure themselues seeing they be members of Gods church they be freed from the kingdome of the diuell and so from that place of darknesse Seeing the preaching of the word gained a Church in the middle of the kingdome of the diuell we see the word hath a diuine power for there is no creature which hath greater power in earth then the diuell except good Angels yet the preaching of the word draweth one out of the kingdom of the diuel and gathereth a Church in the midst of his kingdome Seeing in Pergamus where the throne of the diuell was Gods children were we see that God will haue his seruants to dwell in the middle of the wicked and mingled with the vassals of the diuell yet so as he doth this for good causes first that their faith obedience and repentance might be exercised secondly that so they might be kept frō many grieuous sins into which else they would fall So when the Lord brought the Israelites into the land of Canaan he would not cast all their enemies out at once but they must be mingled and dwell with the Canaanites for if they should destroy them at once the wild beasts might haue destroyed the land so the Church must be mingled with euill men that the godly may be exercised and that they might be kept from more grieuous sinnes Secondly he will haue his children to dwell with wicked vngodly men that their godly life might shine as lights among them Philip. 2. 17. and so to winne them to the Gospell for a godly life is most effectuall to win men to Christ. Thirdly that the Lord might shew speciall tokens of his loue and fauour to them that when he bringeth his iudgements on the wicked yet he defendeth them Ezech. 9. 4. He marked them which mourned that they might escape the iudgement which was brought on Ierusalem Then if any man dwell among such as contemne and hate religion and the doctrine of the Gospell let them be cōtented seeing it is Gods will they should dwell with the wicked and the Lord will haue his Church on earth proued and exercised by them We see it is lawfull for men to dwell with and by such wicked men but they must not communicate with them in their sinnes but abstaine from their wickednesse as Lot in Sodome and Noah dwelt with the wicked men of the old world and the church of Pergamus in the place where the diuels kingdom was erected For 1. Cor. 7. there is a question whether a seruant hauing a maister which is an infidell may forsake him or not the answer is made he must dwell with him but so that therby he deny not the principall grounds of religion but keepe a good conscience towards God in all things And hence we may see how to answer that old obiection of the Papists Where was our Church fourscore yeares agone before Luther preached when the doctrine of Antichrist was in all Europe By the like I aske Where was the Church of Pergamus when the kingdome of the diuell was there The holy Ghost telleth vs that in the same time when the diuell had erected his throne mightily in that place yet there was the church of God So when the man of sinne had spread his doctrine of wickednesse in all Europe yet there was a Church amongst vs in this and other lands as appeares in that euer there was some which both openly and priuately oppugned his doctrine by word and writing in all ages which shews that though sin ruled in this church many hundred yeares yet the Lord had professors though not so visible as now it is when men may professe openly in euery place without feare And
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
is plaine in the old new Testament But how can these signifie thoughts and affections seeing thoughts be in the braine affections in the heart neither of them in the reines Ans. By resemblance for as the reines be in the most secret and inward parts of the bodie so thoughts be in the most hidden part of man namely his soule So thoughts are said to be in the heart because they haue operation in the heart though they be placed in the brain Search that is with such circumspection and diligence as bringeth the finding out of that we seek By this is signified that Christ seeth not onely the outward actions but the inward affections and motions nothing the most secret is hidden from him We see by this Christ is not onely man but very God for he which hath the true propertie of God is very God Christ hath ergo He which is God alone can search the heart the thoughts motions and inclinations of the heart but Christ can therefore he is true God one person consisting of two natures the Godhead and manhood Againe seeing Christ discerneth the heart we must in all things take heed of hypocrisie especially in matters of religion when we seeme to be that outwardly which indeed we are not inwardly but we must looke that we be that in truth and in heart which we would seeme to the world to be draw nigh to God with our souls as we do with our bodies lips words and actions For Christ is very God seeth and searcheth our hearts thoughts and affections he looketh not so much to the outward as the inward seruing of him we must worship him in spirit seeing he is a Spirit Besides we must suspect our selues for vnknowne sins for such is the depth of our corruption that we cannot sound the bottome of it neither can we thorougly see the pronenesse of our nature to sinne and corruption Therefore we must suspect our selues euen of all sinnes which we know not and not excuse any sinnes So did Dauid Psalm 19. after earnest search as though he had said Lord I haue searched my heart but I cannot sufficiently know mine owne corruptions therefore O Lord forgiue me all mine vnknowne sinnes And if we could thus suspect our selues we would better practise repentance and liue with greater care but ignorant persons not able to search their corrupt hearts they blesse themselues and excuse themselues nay say they can keepe the whole law Now Christ hauing cut off the first corrupt cōceipt preuenteth the second wherby they might hinder and auoid his iudgement for they might say though the Lord send iudgments yet we shall be safe they shall not come nigh vs. Thus they and euery sinfull man doth say Esa. 28. They in common iudgement make a league with hell saying Gods iudgements shall not come nigh them This is a naturall corruption of our hearts that in common iudgement we shall escape and euery man liketh this Now Christ to cut off this corrupt conceipt saith And will giue as if he had said you may flatter your selues thinke when I send iudgement you shall escape but I will giue to euery one none excepted according to his workes therefore flatter your selues no more I will giue That is I will reward partly in this life and partly at the day of iudgement for it is meant especially of the last iudgement Rom. 2. Reu. 20. Hence the Papists gather that men must be saued not onely by faith but workes seeing God will reward good workes Ans. 1. Their reason standeth thus by that we are iudged by the very same thing we are saued but we are iudged by workes therfore saued by works The flat maior is false for we must distinguish betweene iudgement and iustification To iudge is to declare one iust by his signes as his workes to iustifie is to make a man iust in which we consider nothing but Christ and our faith applying him to vs. So then we are iudged by workes but not iustified neither saued by workes Answ. 2. Christ saith not I will giue for their workes but I will giue them according to their works as their workes be not for them where he maketh workes an outward signe and rule according to which he wil frame his iudgement to declare men iust Seeing euery man must be iudged that is saued or condemned by his workes then good workes are necessarie to saluation for we must be iudged by our workes and saued according to our workes therefore they be necessarie not as causes either efficient or helping any waies but as fruites effects and signes of our faith and markes in the way to heauen which must direct vs to eternall life Seeing we shall be iudged in this life but especially in the last day by our workes we must labour to abound in good workes not to winne heauen by them but to assure our selues we belong to Christ and shall be truly vnited to him Now all good works are either the works or duties of the morall law of God or else they be those workes of our calling both generall as we be Christians or particular in that calling God placeth vs done in faith and loue to Gods glorie the good of others and in obedience to God These be good works to God though the calling be neuer so base for which we shall be rewarded and according to which we shall be iudged and saued Now contrarily euil works they be euident signes of condēnation look how many euil works we do they be so many brands and markes of our soules to shew we be the children of Satan Here we see there are degrees of glorie in heauen and of punishment in hell for he will reward euery one according to his works Then they which haue abounded in good workes they shall haue greater measure of glorie the fewer works the lesser glorie so they which haue committed greatest sinnes they shall haue greatest measure of punishment they which lesse lesse punishment in hell fire And vnto you I say In this foure and twentieth verse he cometh to the second part of his counsell to the Church and Angell of Thyatira that is the better sort of the Church But before the counsell he setteth a preface in which preface note first who speaketh secondly to whom For the first who speaketh namely I. Where Christ as doctor of the church challengeth to himselfe all supremacie and sufficient authoritie ouer the Church for all his Ministers come in his name not in their owne The Lord saith or Christ saith But Christ he comes in his owne name I say Noting he is the head Doctor and teacher of the Church the fountaine and head of all doctrine deliuered to it This Christ saith to smite a reuerence in their harts seeing this counsell is not deliuered to them by any man or Angell but by Christ himselfe who deliuered it to Iohn For the second to whom he giueth counsell namely you that
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
things and to true obedience Psal. 119. Dauid saith I haue inclined my heart euen my dead heart and put life into it and so we must put life into our benummed soules and often call on them which are halfe dead But we commonly stand still seeke not to grow but stand at a stay Christ by these words would signifie that some be dead other graces be readie to die whence we haue answer to that question whether grace may be vtterly lost We say some graces may othersome cannot be lost but sore decayed and diminished For Gods graces are of two sorts some necessarie to saluation as faith and regeneration some are lesse necessarie which go not with sauing faith as sensible and full feeling of Gods fauour ioy in the holy Ghost earnest inuocation on Gods name Now these may be separated from faith and be wholy lost in the seruants of God for a time the other cannot though they may be sore diminished nay faith and regeneration considered in thēselues may be lost wholy for nothing is vnchangeable in it owne nature but God The grace by which the elect Angels stand is in it selfe chaungeable and these would perish and come to nothing vnlesse they were continually preserued kept and confirmed in vs and them If this be so why then do not the elect fall away Ans. Not because they haue faith and regeneration or that they be in themselues vnchangeable but because of Gods promises as Mat. 16. Christ saith that the gates of hell though they shew their violence shall not preuaile against Peters faith so that these graces are eternall not of thēselues but by Gods promise which will preserue them to the end Now seeing grace may be lost we must not be too confident if we haue any grace in vs but worke out our saluation with feare and trembling for they may come to that ebbe that they may be at the point of death Now followeth the reason of the remedie For I haue not found c. therefore watch and seeke to restore thy decayed graces I haue not found Here Christ signifieth that he made a search in this Church and that to reward them either with life or death And so this was the practise of Christ when he came to Sodom he went downe to search it So Gen. 11. the Lord came downe to see Babel the like is Ierem. 9. And the Lord he visiteth that is he enquireth of the sinnes of the fathers in the children and if he find them he punisheth them in the children And alwaies Christ first maketh inquirie and after search made he rewardeth accordingly The like will Christ do with vs therefore we must labour to be such as he may approue of If a Magistrate were to search our houses we would see that nothing should be amisse how much more when Christ the heauenly Prince which searcheth the heart and cannot be deceiued cometh to search vs that he may approue of vs and reward vs But found thee not perfect There is a twofold perfection one of the law another of the Gospell Of the law when we satisfie the whole law of the Gospell when our workes done proceed from a beleeuing heart which is carefull to please God in all things Now though no worke of man be perfect yet those workes coming from a heart full of faith are perfect in Christ God accepting the will and indeuour for the deed through Christ. Christ he searched and found in this church many goodly works in shew only for they were full of hypocrisie made shew of godlinesse but wanted the power thereof neither did they come from an heart full of faith or that indeuoured to please God not to sinne in any thing therefore they were not perfect and pleasing to God In that this church is reproued not for want of workes and those faire in shew but because they proceeded not from a beleeuing and honest heart learne to pray as Dauid Psal. 119. 80. Lord let my heart be vpright let me giue all diligence to please thee in al things This is a great comfort when one can say in his conscience My heart is vpright but hypocrisie is the killing of the soule Before God Christ seemeth to distinguish himselfe from God But he speaketh not of God simply but of the Father and of himselfe as he is the Mediator and so is inferiour to the Father though he be now in glorie Now seeing he is in heauen and in glorie there yet carieth himselfe as Mediator we may pray to him without helpe of Angell or Saint and it is no presumption seeing he is still by his owne confession Mediator and so carieth himselfe toward vs. Remember Here after the remedie Christ as a good Pastour of the soule sheweth how to vse the same namely first remember secondly hold fast thirdly repent In practising of which three standeth the remedie of hypocrisie Remember that is call to mind the doctrine of saluation taught by my Apostles This remembrance is a most excellent dutie and bringeth with it many graces as subiection to Gods will repentance c. Psal. 73. Dauid seeing the prosperitie of the wicked had almost slipt and was sore tempted he could not be rid of his temptation till he went into the sanctuarie of God that is till he knew the word of God Psal. 119. 55. He kept the commaundement of God because he remembred his name in the night season Peter remembred Christs words and so repented at the crowing of a cocke Luk. 23. And indeed the cause of all sinne is forgetfulnesse of the word of God Therefore Heb. 6. euery sinne is called ignorance because we commit sinne not remembring and knowing Gods word and if we could keep in liuely memorie the word of God it were not possible that we should sin as we do Then it is a most excellent meanes to cut off sinne to haue the word of God running in our minds forbidding sinne in vs. And the Diuell he laboureth aboue all things to make vs forget the word for then he can draw vs easily to sinne Now that we may haue the word continually in memorie we must labour to haue our hearts affected with the same for we cannot remember more then we like and affect Then we must beleeue it else we cannot remember for that we beleeue not slippeth soone out of our memorie And the cause why so few remember the word is because they be not affected and delighted with it nor beleeue it That thou hast heard and receiued That is that doctrine which by hearing and receiuing thou hast learned Seeing he puts hearing and receiuing together we gather that this is the ordinary meanes of saluation to heare and receiue the word preached Then God calleth not all men in all times seeing men in all ages haue not heard the word neither receiued it and if they haue not heard the doctrine of saluation by Christ in all ages they could not be called for first they
must heare and then be called In this last age only the word is sent to al natiōs it was not so in former ages Againe false it is that God giueth grace generally to all men so that euery particular man hath grace offered to saluation if he wil receiue it but God gaue not the word to all for all haue not heard therefore they could not haue grace The second dutie is to hold fast this signifieth two things first to maintaine the doctrine taught by the Apostles and receiued of them secondly to practise the same in their life but of these before The third dutie is to repent that is though she repented before yet she must restore and renew her repentancce Hence we learne that we must not only begin but often renew our repentance and not onely for great sins but for litle slips and defects in grace as dulnesse of heart want of zeale coldnes in practise of religion c. Now because this Church was ready to die Christ addeth a reason to put life into her if she haue any grace If thou wilt not I will come on thee as a theefe A most terrible threatning if thou wilt not renew thy repentance restore that grace decayed in thee I will come as a theefe sodainly and with speedy destruction that thou shalt haue no time or way to escape it Note here that this threatning is not absolute but with condition and it is the most terrible commination in the whole word of God where Christ threatneth to powre out his whole wrath on a Church so as they shall haue no time or meanes to escape it Then we hauing the same sin that she had being dead in security by reason of our long prosperity we had need of this admonition to moue vs to watchfulnesse to restore Gods graces decayed in vs yet it seemes we make light account of all these things If a man had any sparke of grace this would stirre him vp but if this most fearefull commination will not moue vs then the end of all must needs follow euen the heauy wrath and iudgement of God must lay hold on vs and cast vs into eternall destruction where is no hope of helpe for then a man might haue some comfort if after a long time she should get out but he must liue there for euer without al end of pain when he hath bin there a thousand yeare his paine is still as great and as much nay no end he can haue Then we must awake from our sins repent for our sins our securitie dulnesse and coldnes in religion stirre vp the graces of God in vs shake off our ignorance and that because against these sins Christ giueth out this most terrible and fearefull commination Vers. 4. Notwithstanding thou hast a few names Before Christ had reproued this church of hypocrisie now he commends her for a few which professe his name among them But Christ had said before that the church was dead how then can this be a true church Ans. Though the body of the Church were dead in sin yet a few some of them were true beleeuers and testified their faith in obedience Out of this coherence we haue two instructions to learne first that a particular church and congregation is called a church in regard of the better sort and part and those which beleeue in Christ and haue the priuiledges also in regard of the better part which beleeue for the Catholicke Church is a number of men on earth beleeuing in Christ. Now the particular church is a member of the Catholicke Church so farre as they beleeue in Christ. Those which beleeue not are no part of the true church but as bad humors in the body are no true parts of the body so these are no true parts of the Church Secondly we see a distinction betweene man and man in this church though all be called yet some called be dead some aliue in Christ and continue so Now the cause of this distinction is not from the will of man but from the good pleasure of God Rom. 11. 4. The whole body of the Israelites fell to idolatry yet the Lord had seuen thousand which bowed not the knee to Baal What is the cause of this not the will of man but I haue reserued seuen thousand which haue not bowed to Baal saith the Lord. So then his will and good pleasure is the cause why some stand and some fall So the cause why some in this church of Sardis liued some were dead is because the Lord in his good pleasure left some to themselues and to othersome he gaue his spirit This as before confutes vniuersall grace which derogates much from the grace of God For this why some stand some fall comes from and higher cause euen from the power and will of God which leaueth some to themselues and inableth some to stand by his spirit Thou hast a few names Here is the commendation of the better part of the church there be yet a few persons knowne to me by their names which haue not defiled their garments Here he alludeth to the ceremoniall law for the Lord in the ceremoniall law made a distinction betweene things cleane and vncleane not in themselues but by his appointment Now among the Iewes if a man with his hand or garment touched a thing vncleane he was defiled which ceremony signified to them that they should abstaine not onely from sin but all appearance of euill in that they might not touch any vncleane thing no not with their garments Then here Christ would shew there were sundry in Sardis which did abstain both from sin and all occasions shews and appearances of sin though the body of the church were dead yet many in Sardis made such conscience of sin that they auoided the very occasions of sinne Hence we see that the seruants of God be few in number the bodie of the church is dead in sin but a few be so far frō sin that they defile not their garments that is auoid all occasions of sin Christ prepareth the kingdome of heauen for a litle flocke Esay saith only the best part of the Iewes must be saued the rest hardened and the way to hell is broade and easie and many runne that way the way to heauen is contrary Mark 7. 7. Then seeing the seruants of God be few we must not follow the multitude but this sin carieth many a man to hell and to sin when men desire to do as the most do to liue as the most liue we must rather follow the litle flocke of Christ and not runne after the multitude A few names That is persons knowne to Christ by their particular names they be called names because Christ writeth their names in a bill Then we see Christ knoweth his seruants particularly by their names Luke 10. he knoweth all our haires much more our names Iohn 10. Christ calleth his sheep by their names This is a speciall comfort for
propoundeth doctrine to mens consciences to be beleeued vpon paine of eternall death Christ sheweth in the bookes of the old and new Testament that no man can make one article of our beleefe nay he which teacheth any other doctrine then that is accursed Gal. 1. Secondly Christ hath absolute power to prescribe regiment to his Church how and in what maner and also the persons by whom it shall be gouerned So Moses made the tabernacle according to the patterne Christ shewed him Salomon built the Temple according to the forme he saw by reuelation 1. Chron. 28. 12. Thirdly Christ hath authority to prescribe times for his worship to appoint Sabbaths c. And Gen. 1. as he created the Sabbath so hath he power alone to alter it no creature can prescribe a time to Gods seruice to the end of the world but Christ alone Then it is not true that the Church hath power to appoint two Sabbaths in one weeke or one in many weekes for it is Christs honour to prescribe his worship and the time of the same The second part of Christs soueraigne power is to iudge to haue power to determine of his owne will without helpe of any man or Angell And in this regard it belongeth to him to giue sense of the Scriptures he alone gaue them he is the lawgiuer and must expound his owne law Secondly Christ alone must decide questions and controuersies concerning faith Then the Church hath not any such power but from Christ by helpe of the written word by which Christ expoundeth them to vs. The third part of this soueraigntie is that Christ can saue and destroy open and shut he alone hath the keys of heauen and hell he can open that is pardon sinne properly And he alone promiseth this pardon and can performe it being God and as he giueth the pardon for sinne so he giueth also eternall life sauing mens soules Secondly he hath power to shut to cast some into hell and to destroy when men liue in sinnes and dye in thē without repentance he hath power to hold men in sins after to cast them into hell and shut them vp for euer Seeing Christ prescribeth this doctrine to the soule and consciēce to the most secret part of mans soule such doctrine as can saue and destroy we see Christ he is Lord of the Church he is Lord of the most secret wils and affections of the chiefest part of the mind The Papists say that by vertue of this key of Dauid Christ can set vp and depose kings and princes at his pleasure but this they hold craftily to bring in the damned power of the Pope But it will do them no good for Christ as he is Mediator of the Church and gouernour thereof he deposeth none he maketh no king but as he is God so he maketh and pulleth downe at his pleasure being farre aboue all men And hence kings are called Gods because they represent Christ as he is God Christ as he is Mediatour maketh men spirituall kings but he maketh not temporall kings but onely as he is God For if he had such power why did he refuse to deuide the inheritance saying Who made me a Iudge and to punish the adulterous woman confessing he was not a Magistrate From this power is another deriued frō Christ namely the power of the keyes which proceedeth from the power of Christ and by which power the key of Dauid is put in execution Mat. 16. 19. I will giue thee the keyes of heauen Now this power of the keyes is a ministerie granted to the Church of God to open and shut the kingdome of heauen First it is a ministerie that is a seruice and dutie for that which the Ministers do is but a seruice done to the Church and they be but seruants and stewards of Christ in the Church of God in gouerning it So then it is no authoritie but a seruice When Adam fell we all fell in him and he thrust himselfe and all mankind out of Gods kingdome by his sinne closed vp heauen gates against vs. Now since that fall Christ became man and in his manhood dyed for our sinnes and made satisfaction to God for them and this satisfaction of Christ is the thing which properly openeth the kingdome of heauen and nothing else properly Christ alone can open and shut the Church can only reueale and pronounce the will of God then no otherwise she openeth or shutteth but by declaring the same to be open or shut To the Church of God That is to the companie of true beleeuers called to saluation by Christ to them onely is this key giuen Mat. 18. 18. the promise is made onely to the Church and Gods people not to all societies of men The end of it is to open and shut How Christ he knew best Ioh. 20. 23. where he sheweth what is the key and what to open and shut namely to pardon and remit sinnes and no way else can men open and shut Now we must distinguish betweene giuing sentēce pronouncing that sentence The first belongs to Christ alone the second to man who forgiueth sinne not by giuing sentence but pronouncing sentence giuen alreadie by Christ in heauen And to make the church to forgiue sinnes properly is to robbe Christ of a speciall honor due to his Godhead Then the right vse of the power of the keyes is when the church of God vseth them onely in the name of Christ to open and shut first as his seruants and stewards secondly according to his will and word not mans traditions and affections Thirdly to bring sinners to saluation to beget and continue them in repentance They being so vsed haue a promise namely What you bind on earth is bound in heauen c. and it is the means by which Christs power is put in execution Now this power of the keyes giuen to the Church hath two parts first the ministerie of the word secondly spirituall iurisdiction The first Mat. 16. 19. namely the ministerie of the word is set downe and authorised by Christ I will giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen that is the word of God and whose sinnes thou shalt bind by that word they shall be bound by the cords of their sinnes in heauen c. This ministerie of the word is a key to open and shut two wayes first by teaching expounding the word of God and doctrine of saluation and this is a key Luk. 11. 52. You haue taken away the key of knowledge The key of knowledge is the doctrine of the word of God Secondly the ministerie of the word is a key in men lawfully called in that they apply in the ministerie thereof the curses of the law to them which liue in sinnes and the promises of the Gospell to the repentant heart So it openeth and shutteth the kingdome of heauen for that which the Minister pronounceth by Gods word to be bound on earth is fast bound in heauen
gifts might be humbled in the consideration of this point Naamans seruant perswadeth him when Elisha the Prophet cannot 2. King 5. 12. Behold These words may also be vnderstood of the whole Church I haue giuen thee a doore that is a speciall priuiledge to enter into the kingdome of heauen and title to it I approue thy workes and this is a signe of it that I haue giuen thee entrance into the same Now this is a priuiledge not belonging to all men but onely to the Church of God Which confuteth vniuersall redemption If this then be a priuiledge of the Church to enter into the kingdome of heauen and to haue such liberty we must labour to vse it striuing to enter into that place We haue this priuiledge to see heauen open by faith we must not then be so slacke to enter into it but alas we make no account of it we are wholy possessed with the profits and pleasures of this life and our sinnes are such a loade to vs that we cannot enter in Oh let vs cast off such burthens that so we may more easily enter Which no mā shall shut That is no power after I haue opened heauen shall be able to shut it Here after the libertie he sheweth the continuance of it namely for euer How then is it true that Christ died for all men effectually if all men are not saued because they will not So Christ should for his part open heauen and they should shut it by their wils But Christ saith no power either of the diuell or man can shut it he hauing once opened the same For thou hast a litle strength Thou art indued with a litle and small measure of grace of faith hope regeneration yet according to that measure thou hast defended my word and not denied me in persecution By this we see that a man indued with a small measure of Gods spirit may do works acceptable to God and by the same come to life euerlasting if his grace be true grace Math. 17. if their faith be but as a graine of mustard seed it shall be able to remoue mountaines Now that which is true of miraculous faith that is true of iustifying faith if it be true though neuer so litle yet it shall be able to do workes pleasing to God and by the same we may come to saluation for God regardeth not so much the measure of grace as the maner that it be true not fained In this is a speciall comfort for those which labour to keepe faith and a good conscience Such are often troubled with the consideration of their owne weaknesse and wants but they must know that if they haue true faith though it be but in small measure the Lord accepteth of them if they labour to please God in all things for the Lord accepteth a man not for that he should haue but for that he bestoweth on him be it much or litle This may incourage those which be not so forward in religion which haue not made such proceeding as they should for many seeing the Lord to require so much they cast all off and neuer labour to come to know religion and to keepe faith and a good conscience But these shold remember that the Lord accepteth of small gifts if they be true he accepteth a man according to the measure of grace he bestoweth on him be it more or lesse Then we must not be discouraged for our wants imperfections and ignorances for if we labour to haue true faith the Lord regardeth not the measure of grace but that it be true grace Yet we must take heed we abuse not this mercie of God and take occasion to sinne and to become negligent and carelesse in the duties of religion but still labour to come to such measure as the Lord will most approue of Because c. Here Christ sheweth for what workes he commendeth this Church first she kept his word secondly she denyed not his name but maintained it in persecution against all his enemies And these two containe euen all the duties of a true Christian and the whole practise of all religion And these must be an example for vs we must labour to keepe his word and in all things to do his will Secondly we must in time of persecution defend his name and maintaine his word against all his enemies To keepe his word A few wordes but a great dutie for it signifieth that she in all things in euery commaundement of the law and Gospell had care to obey his word and will And happie were we indeed if Christ could say so of vs that we obeyed his word all the commandements of the law by obeying and the Gospel by faith and repentance c. But it cannot for though in shew we professe we do yet in life we shew we faile in most points of both Vers. 9. 10. In these verses are two promises concerning the conuersion of certaine Iewes Behold c. Here is the first promise concerning the the confirmation of the Church of Philadelphia Now it is likely in this citie there was a synagogue of the Iewes which bare men in hand that they were the true worshippers of God yet denied Christ the Sauiour and so persecuted this Church Now Christ here promiseth he will make this synagogue repent and become true members of Christ to professe Christ and worship him In this promise note three points first who is the author of their conuersion namely God for so it is said I will make them or I will bring them to that estate to worship me Secondly who be conuerted namely the synagogue of the Iewes Thirdly the fruites of their repentance they shall worship before thy feet First the author of their conuersion is Christ himselfe for so he saith I will make them to repent These are significant words which giue all to God in their conuersion of some and of all sinners God is the sole author man hath no stroke in his owne conuersion man indeed willeth it and is conuerted willingly yet not by nature doth he will it but by grace This confutes the Papists who hold that nature and grace may concurre in the conuersion of a sinner for a man say they being stirred vp by grace can will and do that which is good As a man being sicke he hath the facultie of walking yet being faint he cannot vnlesse he leane on anothers shoulder so a man hath a power to will that which is good but it must be stirred vp first by grace But Ephes. 2. man by nature is not onely sicke but starke dead in sin and cannot moue one foote no more then a dead man Obiect But say they then man should be but a blocke if he doth nothing in his conuersion Answ. Though he do nothing in the matter of conuersion yet he hath sense and vnderstanding which he can vse in naturall and ciuill causes though he cannot vse them in spirituall actions and so he is not
outwardly in bodie but in the seruice of God ioyne heart and hand be indeed as good professors as we beare the world in hand we are the Lord will remoue our crowne and giue it to a nation which will bring foorth better increase and seeke to maintaine it better Vers. 12. Him that ouercometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God Here is set downe the promise which containeth two things first to whom the promise is made to him that ouercometh secondly the thing promised in the words following For the first he giueth to vnderstand that whosoeuer will haue his seruice pleasing vnto God must dispose himselfe to fight a good fight and to wage battell against all his enemies A man cannot be a good Christian except he be a good souldier when he beginneth to turne to God then he hath innumerable enemies both within himselfe and without to make him take another course and turne from God now if he be not a good souldier these enemies will ouercome him For the second the thing promised is eternall life in these words I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God Christ here alludeth to men in this world who haue bene wont to build pillars vpon hils and mountaines that the posteritie to come might remember them when they were dead and rotten 1. Sa. 18. 18. Absolom in his life had reared him vp a pillar which is in the kings dale for he said I haue no sonne to keepe my name in remembrance This then is the sense It is the custome of men to set vp pillars for the remembrance of their bodies but I will make the man himselfe that ouercometh a pillar In the temple That is in the Church triumphant figured by the temple at Ierusalem as if he should say Others set vp pillars in fields and mountaines but I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God I will make him a pillar That is I will not onely make him a part but a worthie part in the temple My God This is set downe to shew that God is Christs God as he is Mediator otherwise as he is God the second person he is equall to the Father And he shall go no more out First he shall abide a pillar for euer he shall not need renewing as the pillars of men do This pillar shall haue three names first the name of God whereby he doth signifie that he is the seruant of God Secondly the name of the citie of my God By citie is not meant the triumphant Church but the place thereof namely the high heauens The meaning of it is I will make it manifest that he is a citizē of the place of glorie This citie is described in the words following by a resemblance it is called new Ierusalem because that was a citie that resembled Paradise where Adam was New Ierusalem But how can it be called new Ierusalem seeing it was before the earthly Ierusalem Answ. It is called new not in regard of the being but in regard of reuelation for it was before the beginning of the world Which came downe out of heauen from my God It is not said it shall come downe but it is come downe This clause is added to answer to an obiection which he that ouercometh might make thus Heauen is farre off how can heauen come downe from heauen Ans. It cometh downe to vs by the preaching of the Gospell for by it we begin to be citizens thereof Eph. 2. The third name is my new name By the name of Christ we are to vnderstand glorie and power Ob. But Christ had glorie and power from all eternitie Ans. True he had so but this is to be meant as he is God incarnate Now the ends and reasons which made him describe the estate of life euerlasting are these first to comfort them which keep faith and a good conscience he doth describe the reward thereof being an excellent meanes to incourage men to go forward in the faith Learne we then in all our afflictions to keepe this faith and good conscience to the end by beholding the estate of life euerlasting and the reward thereof Moses desired to suffer afflictions because he had respect to the recompence of the reward The second reason of this description is to bring men to view the excellencie of life euerlasting Many men are drawne from religion because they take such pleasure in earthly matters which they would not if they thought eternall life so great a matter The third reason is to teach men to practise Paules rule in the 1. to Tim. 6. 12. to lay hold on eternall life Men with both hands lay hold on the world both of honour and riches none layeth sure hold of life euerlasting though it be neuer so sweet pleasant blessed and glorious The fourth reason is to make the people of God not to feare the cruellest death that can be seeing bodily death is a doore to glory Thus much generally of the twelfth verse now it followeth that I speake particularly I will make him a pillar That which the seruants of God shall be in the Church triumphant that they must beginne to be in the Church militant If therefore thou wouldest be a pillar in heauen thou must begin to be one on earth by vpholding and maintaining the Gospell Againe in that he saith I will make him a pillar in Ierusalem that is the Church triumphant they must learne to amend their erronious opinion who thinke euery Church as holy as Ierusalem and is to haue the same reuerence And I will write vpon him That is he shall haue God for his God Here he giueth vs to vnderstand that we can haue no fellowship with God but by Christ God will neuer saue nor blesse vs out of Christ his Sonne If therefore thou wilt giue thankes to God thou must do it through Christ if thou wilt receiue any temporall blessing of God it must be in and by not out of Christ. I will make him a citizen of the kingdome of heauen Here we must learne to carrie our selues in this world as citizens of heauen and not of this world otherwise we can neuer looke for heauen Phil. 3. 20. I will make heauen come downe Here we may see the mercie of God to man heauen was shut vp by our sinnes but God hath opened it by the bloud of Christ that we might enter therein Therefore if we will haue the new name we must become new creatures for neither circumcision nor vncircumcision auaileth any thing but a new creature if we content our selues with the old man we shall neuer come to heauen Vers. 13. Let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit saith to the Churches This is the last part of the Epistle written to the Church of Philadelphia Now whereas Christ againe and againe repeateth the same words the Ministers of the Gospell haue a warrant if they preach the same Sermon to the people
owne kind as if he should say You are a people exercised in buying and selling and are delighted with nothing more therefore come I haue wares for you of sundrie sorts gold garments and eye-salue buy of me Then the word buy must not be vnderstood properly for so we can buy nothing of Christ but all is giuen vs. This is said onely by way of resemblance and I will shew wherin it standeth The principal things in bargaining are these first a man that is to buy seeth his want desireth to haue it supplied secondly he cometh to the place where it may be had calleth for it looketh on it and liketh it thirdly he maketh the price and value of it he cheapeneth it fourthly he giueth money for it or moneys worth and so buyeth it fiftly if it be a great summe he giueth earnest in hand So by a certaine proportion and resemblance there is a kind of bargaining between vs and Christ. For a man must feele himselfe to stand in need of Christ and of his merits and so see his owne want and miserie For because men see want of bread meate drinke and cloth in their houses therefore they go to buy of the baker brewer butcher and draper c. Well then looke how sensibly a man feeleth the want of these things so euidently should we feele our want of Christ and his merits And as the feeling of our want is the beginning and occasion of our going to buy so it should be in this our merchandise Againe we should hunger and long after Christ. As a buyer taketh liking of and longing for that he wanteth and is thereby stirred vp to buy so besides the sense of our want we should hunger and thirst after Christ. Besides we must prize Christ at so high a rate that we count all things else as drosse and doung as Paule counted most excellent things no better we must value him aboue ten thousand worlds Lastly we must make an exchange How seeing we can giue him nothing but his owne therefore he saith Come buy without money Simon Magus would haue bought him for money and was deceiued Yet there must be an exchange we must giue him all our sinnes and receiue his righteousnesse See here a most blessed exchange for our shame and confusion we haue Christs righteousnesse and his merits How Thus when we begin to humble our selues and pray for remission and reconciliation then this change is made Though we can giue him no earnest yet he giueth vs earnest What is that It is some portion of Gods spirit some small measure of his grace that is our earnest that we shall haue the kingdome of heauen And thus heauen is bought and sold betweene Christ and vs. When the heart mourneth for sin and praieth for pardon and purposeth to sin no more this is the worke of Gods spirit in vs and the earnest of our eternall saluation in heauen Be our graces neuer so few or small it is a sufficient earnest as a penie is for a bargaine of a hundred pound Seeing all these things concurre to the receiuing of Christ therefore he calleth it bargaining So this point is plaine how this spirituall bargaine is made and why it pleaseth Christ to terme it so Now we see that we are commaunded this dutie but how stands the case with vs Surely though many come to Church few make that bargaine which is mentioned we are like passengers by sea which see many goodly buildings fruitfull lands soiles and sumptuous cities but they make no purchase of them so we come and heare the word but where is the partie that makes this bargaine with Christ Come to particulars I appeale to all your consciences who almost feeleth or seeth his owne want and miserie Men can soone see the want of necessaries in their houses but this they cannot see And as for the desire of Christ and longing for him there is none When you are drie or hungrie you can say you are drie and hungrie but who saith I thirst for Christ If we looke to our estimation of Christ we are plaine Gadarens and of Esawes mind we set more by a messe of red pottage and esteeme the basest things aboue Christ and his merits nay we are loth to part with our sins and to take his righteousnesse we will rather keep them stil then change for the better Who taketh Christs righteousnesse and declareth it by fruites We can be content to loade Christ with our sins but we wil not be loden with his righteousnes Is this a good change No it is not Euery man can say he must rise betimes which shall go beyond him in base and earthly bargaines but who hath regard of this excellent and heauenly bargaine Then to conclude I pray you al make this bargaine with Christ and do it presently let it be your first worke You are carefull to put your children to good trades and you do wel but be as carefull that they may make this bargaine and you shall do much better This is the cheapest and the best bargaine that euer was made it will make you and yours rich for euer as for other bargaines many cannot get them and many loose them when they haue gotten them this onely is durable Verse 19. As many as I loue c. We haue heard a sharp reproofe and as sharp a threatning by which because they might take occasion to doubt and despaire of Gods mercie and fauour in Christ Iesus therefore now he takes away all occasion in the 19. and 20. verses First thus If I vse to rebuke and chasten all that I loue then you need not doubt of my mercie albeit I rebuke and threaten you so This I take it is the proper occasion of these words Now see the meaning I loue Christ loueth the creatures two wayes first as a Creator secondly as a redeemer As he is a Creator he loueth them with a generall and common loue whether the creatures be reasonable or vnreasonable As Redeemer he loueth them with a speciall and peculiar loue not cōmon to all but to that part of mankind onely which is elected and chosen to saluation And of this last loue he speaketh here as if he should say As many as I loue communicating with them my righteousnes and life eternall I rebuke The word hath a larger extent and signification first to conuince one of a fault and then to checke or reproue the person and it cannot well be rendred in one English word And chastice that is with such a kind of correction which a father vseth to his child which is called nurture to breake a child of his fault and to teach him obedience and so it is vsed Prouer. 3. 12. whence this text is borrowed The meaning then briefly is this All those persons whom I loue I conuince of their particular faults and rebuke them and like a louing father I chastise them and nurture them to breake them of their vices
of Christ and by the other be moued to the hatred of that false Church of Antichrist Now this text of Scripture She is fallen she is fallen euen Babylon that great citie for of the wine of the fury of her fornication she hath giuen all nations to drinke offereth me three speciall things to be considered first what Babylon is secondly what is become of her and thirdly what is the cause of her heauie decay In the first part by the assistance of God I shall plainely shew and proue that Babylon is Rome In the second that Babylon or Rome by the iust iudgement of God is fallen yea she is fallen In the last the reason of this so sharpe sentence of God against her because she hath deceiued all the world with drunkennesse and whoredome Within the compasse of these three propositions I will keep my selfe in all my discourse sauing that by your fauour forasmuch as this is the middle voice of three Angels that speake in this Chapter for a Preface I will vse the voice of the first Angell of whose preaching this my text is a cōsequent and in the stead of a conclusion I will touch the voyce of the third Angel which is a consequent of this the middle Angels voice Concerning the preface it shall be this in few words After that S. Iohn had described the preseruation and vnitie of the Church of God in Christ their head euen in the midst of the furie of Antichrist vnder the figure of the Lambe standing on mount Sion with 144000. of his chast worshippers next he declareth that God would bring the same againe into the sight of the world by preaching of the Gospell and the ouerthrow of the kingdome of Antichrist Wherefore he sendeth an Angell flying in the midst of heauen or betweene heauen and earth bringing with him an euerlasting Gospell and preaching that all men should feare God and giue glorie to his name for the time of his iudgement was at hand and that they should worship him that made heauen and earth and all things that are in them A very Angelicall sermon indeed an euerlasting Gospell is that howsoeuer the enemies charge it with noueltie that teacheth to feare God to giue glorie to his name and to worship him onely that is the Creator of heauen and earth And a consequent of that Gospell is this Sermon of the Angell She is fallen she is fallen euen Babylon that great Citie For wheresoeuer men are taught to feare God aright to giue all glorie to him alone and to worship none other but him that made heauen and earth and all things in them contained there must needes follow a great fal and ouerthrow of Babylon and Babylonicall religion which teacheth the contrarie Wherefore if we loue the peace of Ierusalem to the ouerthrow of this her great aduersarie let vs imbrace this euerlasting Gospell that we feare God glorifie God and worship God alone Againe if we hate Babylon with a perfect hatred as we ought to do and therefore would seeke her vtter ruine and decay let vs procure that this Gospell may be preached that men may learn to feare honour and serue God onely and then vndoubtedly Babylon shall fall she shall fall I say she can stand no longer Let this suffice therefore for a Preface Now haue we to cōsider what Babylon is I haue vndertaken to proue that Babylon here spoken of is Rome But first I must admonish you how I vnderstand Rome And that is not onely for a certaine place in Italy compassed about with walles and furnished with buildings as other cities are but for that authoritie gouernment and preheminence which is challenged by meanes of that citie or for the Romaine Empire which is claimed by prerogatiue of the same citie and so is Babylon taken in the Scripture and namely in this Prophecie For in the eleuenth Chapter of this Reuelation the same great citie is called also Sodoma and Aegyptus where our Lord was crucified Sodoma for the great abhomination and filthinesse therein maintained and Aegyptus because it keepeth the people of God in miserable bondage and slauerie as Aegypt vnder Pharao did of old Whereby it is manifest that the great citie is to be taken for that tyrannie gouernment and preheminence as I said which is challenged in the right of that great Citie and so is the regiment and gouernance of the Romaine Antichrist depending vpon the prerogatiue of his See which is Rome Now if any will contend that Babylon must be taken in the proper sense for a citie in Chaldea onely as though we should looke for the See of Antichrist out of the East as the Papists for thirty or fortie yeares ago deuised a fable that was renewed also in Queene Maries dayes of a monstrous child which should be borne at Babylon which they would haue men suppose to be Antichrist he may be flatly conuicted of great ignorance whē the Angell in the seuenteenth Chapter of this Prophecie testifieth that her name is Babylon in a mysterie as in the eleuenth Chapter that she is spiritually called Sodoma and Aegyptus not in respect of situation of the place but in similitude and likenesse of conditions Wherefore it remaineth that according to my promise I proue Babylon here mentioned to be Rome The greatest controuersie that this day troubleth the world is where the true Church of God should be the Papists making great bragges that it is on their side we affirming that it is on our side This controuersie will soone be cut off and brought to an end if it may be shewed that Babylon is Rome for then cannot Rome be the Church of Christ but the Church of Antichrist And therefore it standeth me vpon to bring very good and substantiall proofes to maintaine this my assertion that Babylon is Rome But what proofes may be counted sufficient Is not the authoritie of holy Scriptures and the testimonie of auncient Doctors of the Church good and substantiall proofes Therfore if authoritie of Scriptures be a good and substantiall proofe ye shall haue Scriptures if consent of auncient Writers in the same sentence be of any value you shall haue plentie And first beginning with Scriptures I will not alledge such places as be hard and darke to vnderstand but such as be plaine euident and manifest and can receiue no other interpretation to satisfie the iudgement of any reasonable man I omit therefore so many figures as in this Reuelation do not very obscurely signifie but euen directly point at and paint out that Antichristian Church For although they do so aptly and fitly agree therto as a man might easily iudge they were made euen for the same purpose yet because they might be wrested to some other meaning if manifest places did not withstand I will leaue all aduantage that I might take of them and hold me onely at this time to those plaine and euident demonstrations which with no equitie nor conscience can admit any