polluted with sinne that once washing was not ynough but sayth hee Wash mee againe and againe rince bathe and swill me in the bloud of Christ till I be purged and cleansed from all my sinnes And this same affection should be in euery one of vs wee should labour that our hearts may bee touched with a liuely sence of our vile estate by reason of our sinnes which make both bodie and soule most vgly and filthie in Gods sight and that the staine hereof is so deepely set in our soules that we can neuer be cleansed but by the washing of Christ his own hand and that in his owne hearts bloud yea that one washing will not serue but wee must be rinced and bathed therein For till such time as this consideration doe in some measure take place in our hearts it is not possible that we should loath sinne as we ought or come to this comfortable assurance of Gods loue that he hath washed away our sinnes in his bloud for this humilitie in our soules by reason of our sins is the beginning of all true grace and comfort Now this worke of Christ in washing vs from our sinnes doth comprehend a double benefit First the remission of our sinnes whereby the guilt and punishment due to them is taken away Secondly the mortification of sinne whereby the corruption of sinne is remooued and abolished And we must obserue that S. Iohn propounds this benefit generally without limitation saying Which washed vs from our sinnes That is from all our sinnes to giue vs to vnderstand that if any beleeue truly in Christ hee hath pardon of all his sinnes without any restraint or limitation either of number or qualitie bee they neuer so many or neuer so great By his bloud How can bloud wash away filthinesse nay it rather defiles a man Answ. This washing stands not in the substance of Christs bloud but in the merit thereof for that substance of bloud which was shed is lost and wee know not what is become of it whatsoeuer the Papists say but the merit therof remaineth still And Christs bloud deserues to purge away sinne rather than any other mans bloud as of Peter Iohn c. because his bloud was the bloud of God not of the godhead but of him who was both God and man For the manhood of Christ was receiued into the vnion of the second person And so it may be called the bloud of God as Paule sayth God redeemed his Church by his bloud that is Christ God incarnate And so it being the bloud of him that is God is more meritorious than the bloud of any creature whatsoeuer Besides Christ was appointed by God to be a publicke person in the worke of redemption and in his death and passion he stood in the roome and stead of all his elect so as when his bloud was shed their bloud was shâ—â— because it was shed for them But the bloud of other priuate men cannot answer for any besides themselues because it is shed onely for themselues Then damâ—â—ble is the doctrine of the Papists who hold the bloud of Martyrs can merit for others being applied vnto them for seeing they be but priuate men and suffered in their owne persons onely they cannot profit any other thereby By bloud we must vnderstand the passion of Christ a part for the whole and with all his fulfilling of the law vpon the crosse for in his suffering hee fulfilled the law and in fulfilling the law he suffered These two cannot be seuered saue onely in thought And so this word containes the whole obedience of Christ whereby he procured the remission and mortification of our sinnes Here then wee see two notable benefites of Christ vnto his church his loue the washing away of sinnes which S. Iohn sets downe to moue the churches with reuerence diligence to reade and delight in this booke All of vs will say wee are sure God loues vs and hath pardoned our sinnes in Christ why then doe wee not shew our loue againe to him by hearing and reading his word set downe in this or any other booke of Scripture and by yeelding answerable obedience thereto Why then do we not offer vp ourselues soules and bodies to serue him as the Apostle requires Rom. 1â— 1 by way of recompence for his mercies and loue shed out vnto vs But alas that is more common which is most shamefull to turne Gods grace into wantonnesse for when men say God loues them and hath washed away their sinnes yet they rebell against him when as these two benefites are here recorded to bee inâ—ucements of continuall loue and obedience to his holy word Verse 6. And made vs kings and 〈◊〉 to God euen his father to him be glory and dominion for 〈◊〉 Amen In these words is set downe the third worke and benefit of Christ bestowed on his church and on euery true member thereof For the better vnderstanding whereof we must consider in them foure points First the dignitie and excellencie of all true beleeuers and memberâ— of Christ They are kings and priests Secondly when they be made kings and priests in this life noted by the phrase of speech hath maâ—â— Wherein 〈◊〉 speaketh of the church on earth and vseth a word that signifieth the time past Thirdly the maner how they become kings and priests they are not so borne but Christ hath made them such Fourthly to whom they be made such to God euen the father For the first The dignitie of all true beleeuers hath two heads first They bee kings secondly Priests They are called kings not in regard of an earthly kingdome for vsually the condition of most beleeuers on earth is base and contemptible but in regard of a spirituall kingdome the kingdome of heauen whereto the Lord giues them right title and interest in and by Iesus Christ. So our Sauiour Christ speaketh to his disciples Feare not little flocke it is your fathers will to giue you the kingdome And againe Behold I giue vnto you a kingdome Now the faithfull are kings in these respects first because by Christ they bee lords and conquerours of all these enemies sinne Sathan the world death hell and their owne flesh Secondly because in and by Christ they are partakers of the glorie of Christs kingdome and saluation for they receiue of Christ grace for grace and so answereably glory for glory and felicitie for felicitie Thirdly because they be made lords of all things in heauen and earth except good Angels and the church All things are yours whether it be Paule or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death whether things present or to come euen all are yours and yee Christs Quest. But if Christ bee king and all his members kings how do they differ Answ. In two points First Christ is the sonne of God by nature and so a king by nature hauing the right of the kingdome of heauen by inheritance but the members of Christ
horrible abuses of this power which ought to bee knowen and considered being a sufficient warrant vnto vs that the Church of Rome is no true church of God for though the Pope cary in his armes the keys yet they are not the keyes of heauen but of hell For he hath made moe places of rest and woe than euer God did as Limbus pâ—tâ—uÌ„ and Purgatorie therefore must needs make moe doores thither and so moe locks keies By this doctrine touching the keyes of Dauid giuen to Christ and the power of the keyes in the church deriued thence we may learne sundry things First that Christ who hath the keyes of Dauid to open and shut doth not open to all but to some onely The reason hereof is this Adam beeing created in integritie was in the fauour of God but by his sinne he lost the fauour of God so barred himselfe both out of the earthly and heauenly paradise and all his posteritie by the same sin and by their owne actuall sins are likewise debarred for sinne is a partition wall betweene vs and God and a cloud between our praiers and God himselfe as Ieremie speaketh so that sinne is the cause of this exclusion and so many sins as a man committeth so many bolts and barres hee maketh to exclude himselfe from the kingdome of heauen The consideration whereof should moue euery one to take a narrow view of his miserable state in himself through AdaÌ„ for by originall sin wherin we were born and by our actual transgressions wherin we liue we barre our selfe from the kingdome of heauen It is lamentable to see how the whole world lyeth in sinne and how the deuill bewitcheth men to conceale or diminish their sins making great sins small and little sinnes none at all when as the least sinne which they commit without repentance is sufficient to barre them for euer out of the kingdome of Heauen Againe seeing euery sinne doth barre vs out of Heauen this must be a motiue to induce euery one of vs to repent of all our sinnes to bewayle the same to pray earnestly for the pardon of them in the death of Christ and continually to labor to turne vnto God from all sinne because if wee liue but in one sinne it will bee a mightie barâ—e sufficient to exclude vs the Kingdome of heauen eternally Thirdly seeing Christ keepâ— the keyes of heauen heereby wee are taught to come vnto Christ to seek by him to enter into the kingdom of heaueÌ„ For Christ by his death hath opened heauen as hee sayd vnto Nathaniell and Philip Verily verily I say vnto you hereafter shall yee see heauen open meaning by the ministrie of the Gospell and seeing it is open we must striue to enter into it as the men in Iohn Baptists time did Mat. 11.12 This we do by endeuoring to become good members of Gods church on earth for that is the dore and suburbs of the Kingdome of heauen which euerie one must enter into that would come to heauen it selfe euen as a man that would goe into a house must needs come to the dore Now in the Church there is the true dore which is Christ himselfe and the key thereof which is his word and the ministerie of the word which doth locke and vnlocke the same Quest. What shall we doe to become true members of the Church Ans. We must doe two things First humble our selues for all our sinnes praying vnto GOD for the pardon of them and beleeuing the same through Christ. Secondly endeauor and purpose by Gods grace euerie day to leaue the same sinnes This doing wee are at the dore of heauen and if wee would haue our soules enter into heauen when wee die this wee must doe while we liue But if we enter not into the dore of grace by the key of knowledge in the ministerie of the word while we liue wee shall neuer come to the gate of glorie after death Vers. 8. I know thy workes behold I haue set before thee an open dore and no man can shut it for thou hast a little strength and hast kept my word and hast not denyed my name In this verse and so forward to the twelft is contayned the matter of this Epistle which may bee reduced to three â—eads a Praise a Promise and a Commaundement The Praise in this eight verse The Promise in the 9. and 10. The Commaundement in the 11. For the first the Praise of this Church is first summarily propounded I know thy works which hath beene expounded and the end thereof with the vses in the former Epistles Then hee addeth the reason of his coÌ„mendation wherin are two things to bee obserued I the signe of Christs approbation in these words I haue set before thee an open dore II. their conuersation or the workes which Christ approoued In the words following Thou hast a litle streÌ„gth and hast kept my word hast not denied my name Both these may be vndetstood either of the Angell and Minister of this Church or of the whole Church also I take it to bee meant of both Being spoken of the Minister of this Church the words beare this sence Behold I haue set before thee an open dore c. That is behold and consider I haue vouchsafed vnto thee oportunitie and libertie to preach the Gospell and thereby to conuert men vnto me So much S. Paul meaneth by the dore of vtterance 1. Cor. 16.9 For thou hast a little strength and hast kept my word and hast not denyed my name That is though thou be indued but with a small measure of gifts pertaining to thy calling yet thou hast maintayned my Gospell and hast not denyed my name These words being thus expounded doe affoord vs these instructions First from the signe of his approbation wee learne that it is a great priuiledge for any Minister to haue libertie to preach the Gospell and thereby to conuert men vnto Christ so much the word of attention behold importeth which may also further appeare by this that the most famous and worthy Prophets of God were not alwayes vouchsafed this fauour as Isay and Ezekiell who were sent sometime to harden thy people And Christ himselfe complaineth of the want of this priuiledg saying I haue spent my streÌ„gth in vaine and in regard of this priuiledge the Ministers of the Gospell are called Sauiors And by reason of this libertie they haue title to the promise of shining as starres in glorie Dan 12.3 This therefore is an vnspeakable mercie and so ought to bee esteemed and all Ministers that haue the same vouchsafed vnto them ought highly to magnifie the name of God for it and to value it more worth than all earthly blessings whatsoeuer Secondly from the workes which Christ approoued in the Angell of this Church we may obserue that Ministers indued with small measure of gifts may bee able to doe great seruice vnto God in his Church This thing
Now that wee may so carry our selues as enemies wee must do these three things First haue care to keepe guard and defend our selues as kings against all our enemies sin Sathan our own flesh and the enticements of the world As kingâ— protect their kingdoms so must we labour to keepe our souls and bodies and euery facultie and part of them our wils affections thoughts and inclinations from the power of sinne Hee which is borne of God keepeth himselfe as with watch and ward that the euill one that iâ— Sathan touch him not by the assaults of sinne 1. Iohn 5.18 Secondly wee must make warre continually against Sathan sinne our owne flesh against all our spirituall enemies and all the enticements of the world we must make no truce with theÌ„ because they will neuer be reconciled to vs so long as wee haue interest vnto the kingdome of heauen and if we yeeld to them wee loose our kingly dignitie and become their vassales and bondslaues Thirdly wee must labour to kill and destroy these our enemies as much as possibly we can by that power we haue from Christ our head and like valiant kings seek to haue the bloud of these enemies and from day to day striue to vanquish Sathan his power might to ouercome the world and to weaken our owne corruption Instruct. II. If in this life we be kings then must wee become lords ouer our selues and keepe in subiection vnto God our wils and affections and the secret thoughts and inclinations of our soules We must not looke for rule ouer earthly kingdomes but herein stands our kingdom in this world That wee can subdue our corrupt affections and keep our bodies and soules in obedience vnto God 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 haue not so much as a foot of ground in this world and yet can rule and master himselfe his thoughts and affections this man is a valiant prince and one whom Christ hath consecrate to be king in heauen Instruct. III. Seeing we be kings wee must doe the duty of Iudges for to him that is a king belongeth soueraine iudgment In the day of iudgement the saints shall iudge the world and Angels also but wee must bee Iudges in this world And yet here we can neither iudge men nor Angels but wee must bee our owne Iudges Wherefore as Iudges summon arrâ—igne condemne c. so must wee examine our selues call our selues to account and as guiltie persons accuse and condemne our selues for our sinnes acknowledging we be worthy to be cast into eternall damnation with the diuel and his angels And withall plead for pardon and approch to the throne of grace forgiuenesse in Christ and in this wee shew our selues vpright spirituall iudges and by this meanes wee shall bee frâ—e from the iudgement to come Instruct. IIII. If wee bee kings by Christ we must carry our selues as kings couragiously and constantly in the afflictions and miseries which we shall suffer for Christs sake For herein among the rest stands the royaltie of a king that he beares with valour and courage all the troubles which befall him Hence it is that Saint Paule exhorts vs to reioyce in afflictions because wee are partakers of Christs sufferings 1. Pet. 4.13 and so are made conformable vnto him that was consecrate the prince of our saluation through afflictions Heb. 2.10 Instruct. V. Seeing wee bee spirituall kings wee must aboue all things labour and seeke to haue our part in the kingdome of Christ and in his righteousnes A Christian must not haue his heart glued and fast tied vnto the things of this world it is against his calling but hee must so vse this world as though he 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 it fareth with them that professe themselues to be Christians and yet bend their wits and endeuors wholly for these worldly things they doe as it were cast aside their kingly crowne and abase themselues to slauish bondage But we must euer after haue our hearts fixed in heauen striuing to come to our inheritance there Instruct. VI. Seeing all the true members of Christ be kings and princes this should be an inducement to al backward persons to loue and embrace true religion In these carelesse dayes Religion is counted precisenesse and the profession thereof made a matter of reproch But this ought not to bee so seeing that by it wee come to haue right and interest vnto the kingdome of heauen and to bee lords of all creatures And why should we not esteeme the gospell preached as a most precious iewell seeing that wee which are vassales of Sathan and firebrands of hell as all men are by nature become thereby the members of Christ yea kings and princes to God Yea verely the consideration of this should make the ministers of the Gospell to ioy in their callings and to take all paines to preach the word â— seeing by it men become of vassals of Sathan the true members of Christ and heires of the kingdome of heauen In this world it is counted great honour to consecrate and establish one in an earthly kingdome What a blessed and honourable thing then is this to consecrate spirituall kings for the kingdome of heauen And this is done when by the word preached men are conuerted and brought to vnfained repentance for their sinnes to true faith in Christ Iesus Thus much for the duties Now follow the consolations to euery true beleeuer onely It is an heauie crosse which breeds much anguish to the soule to bee in pouertie and contempt among men yet herein may the child of God stay his heart and lessen his griefe by considering that euen in this state of miserie he is a king vnto God though hee seeme base to the world yet it appeareth not what he shall bee for hee is heire to the kingdome of heauen If a man bee in sicknesse he must consider it is but Gods messenger to call him out of this world to the full possession of the ioyes of his kingdome If he be in trouble of mind hauing his owne conscience tormented fearefully by Sathan with his sinnes yet he must not despaire the Lord will giue him an happie issue he must remember he is a king and therefore shall one day haue full conquest ouer sinne Sathan and his own corruption yea ouer all his enemies whatsoeuer If he be in the heat of persecution turmoiled and tossed from post to pillar which flesh and bloud cannot brooke yet then hee must consider his holy calling to bee a spirituall king whose propertie it is in the most violent afflictions euen vnto death it selfe as Paule sayth to be more than conquerour Roman 8.37 Lastly in the very pang of death when nature must needs
hearts As if he should say to Iesabell and her companie you may persuade your selues that because your sinnes are secret therefore my iudgements shall not befall you But know that I will discouer your secret sinnes and practises in such sort as all Churches shall know by experience in your persons that I do see and discerne the most hidden thoughts of mans heart First here obserue to whome Christ will discouer their sinnes not to all the world but to the Church of God All Churches shall know This Christ doth to terrifie Iesabell her companie For as it is an excellent honour to bee well esteemed of with the Churches of God so it is a most shamefull dishonour to bee in disgrace with the Churches of God For whatsoeuer is bound or loosed by the Churches on earth the same is bound or loosed in heauen And therefore by due proportion it followeth that they which are in disgrace with Godâ— Churches on earth are also in disgrace with God himselfe in heauen Hence wee are taught that howsoeuer we must so much as in vs lieth endeuour to approoue our selues to the whole world yet especially wee must labour to bee in good account with the Churches of God and the members thereof And on the contrarie we must continually auoide the doing of all such things as may iustly bring vs into disgrace with the Church of God Rom. 16.16 The Churches of Christ salute you And 1. Cor. 16.19 All the Churches of Asia salute you Where the Apostle meaneth not that they did by word of mouth send greetings vnto them But hereby hee would signifie that all Churches did approue of them which hee saith for their great comfort Paule receiued Timothie into the companie because the Churches gaue him a good report Act. 16.2.3 But what is the thing that all churches should know by experience in the persons of Iezabell and her company namely that Christ is he which doth indeed search the reynes and the hearts where by Reynes and hearts wee must vnderstand the same things namely the thoughts and affections of men for in that sence those words are often vsed in the old Testament Quest. How can reynes signifie the thoughts and affections seeing the thoughts are seated in the braine and the affections in the heart Answ. The reynes are put for the thoughts and affections not because they are seated therein but for that resemblance and analogie that is betweene them for as the reynes are seated in the most secret part of the bodie so the thoughts and affections are seated in the most secret place of the soule and the heart is pâ—rt for the thoughts and affections first because the affections are there seated secondly because the thoughts though they bee seated in the braine yet they haue their operation in the heart for ioyfull thoughts make a merry heart and fearefull thoughts an heauie heart Againe the word Search signifieth a most narrow search and such a one as goeth with finding thereby shewing that nothing is so secret in man but the Lord both can and doth see and discerne the same Hence wee learne first that Christ our Sauiour is not onely man but very God one person standing of two natures That Christ is man heretickes denie not but whether he be God or not there is the question Which yet is here euidently prooued for hee that hath in him the peculiar properties of God must needs be God But Christ hath in him the true properties of God he can search and discerne all the thoughts and all the affections of the hearts of all men which none can doe but God onely Ierem 17.9 10 The heart is deceitfull and wicked aboue all things who can know it I the Lord search the heâ—â—t and trie the reynes And therefore Christ is the true and very God Secondly hereby wee are taught to beware and take heed of hypocrisie in all things but especially in the matters of religion Hypocrisie is when a man seemes outwardly to be that which hee is not inwardly But wee must haue care to bee truly in heart that which we appeare to bee in life and profession wee must come as neere Christ in thought and affection as in our outward action for Christ knowes as well the whole estate of euerie mans reynes and heart as he doth their speeches and their deeds Thirdly hereby wee must learne to suspect our selues of our vnknowne sinnes as of our vnbeleefe and presumption not contenting our selues with an acknowledgement of our known sinnes for wee can neuer discerne the depth of our corrupt heart and yet God knoweth them This was Dauids practise after due examination of himselfe hee yet crieth Lord cleanse mee from my secret sinnes As if he should say I haue O Lord searched my heart but I cannot sufficiently know mine owne corruptions therefore doe thou O Lord helpe to cleanse mee from them If this were practised true religion would flourish for many iustifie themselues when as they know not what is in their hearts little considering what Christ sayth vnto the Pharisees You are they which iustifie your selues before men but Christ knoweth your hearts And I will giue to euery one of you according to your workes Here Christ proceedeth to remooue a second wicked conceit whereby they might seeme to illude Gods iudgements threatened For they might say Let the Lord send iudgments and plagues vpon vs yet wee shall escape them as Isay sayd of the wicked in his time That they made a league with death and hell and sayd the iudgements of God shall passe ouer them Isay. 28. verse 15. But to cut off this vaine conceit Christ threateneth a iust reward to euery one according to his workes As if hee should say You may sooth vp your selues and falsely thinke that you shall escape my iudgements but know it that I will reward euery one of you partly in this life and principally at the day of iudgement according to your workes bee they good or bad For these words must especially â—ee vnderstood of the day of iudgement as they are vsed 〈◊〉 2. â— and Reuel 2â— 12 Hence the Papists gather that men are saued not onely by faith in Christ but also by workes for thus they reason â—y that whereby wee must bee iudged must wee bee iustified and â—aâ—ed but by workes wee must bee iudged and therefore saued Answ The Proposition is false There is great difference betweene iustifying and iudging for iudging is onely the declaration of a man to bee iust but iustification is the making of a man iust And because the declaration of a man to bee iust is by workes therefore is iudgement by workes Againe it is not sayd I will giue to you for your works but according to your workes If he had sayd I will giue to euery one of you for your workes then it might haue seemed they had bin iustified by them But here Christ doth only make works an outward
satisfaction of Christ is properly that key whereby heauen is opened beeing opposite to mans sinne whereby it was shut And Gods Church and Ministers cannot properly open Heauen by any power they haue but onely reueale vnto men what Christ hath done for them and withall apply vnto them the doctrine of Christs satisfaction which is reuealed And in this regard they are said to open and shut the kingdom of heauen not as Lords but as ministers seruants Next I adde that this power is giuen to the Church that is to the companie of of true Beleeuers called to saluation by Christ and to none other and therefore it is sayd of them Whatsoeuer you bind on earth shall be bound in heauen c. Thirdly I adde the end of this power of the keyes To open and to shut heauen How the Church doth this Christ that gaue this power knoweth best and hee hath set it downe Iohn 20.23 Whosoeuers sinnes ye remit they are remitted and whosoeuers sinnes ye retayne they are retayned The Church therefore opens heauen when it pardons mens sinnes and it shuts the same when it lawfully retaines their sinnes and holdeth them vnpardoned besides this there is no opening and shutting of heauen committed to the Church Quest. Can the Church pardon sinne or retaine the same Answ. Yes for these are the wordes of Christ but let vs see how It is one thing to giue sentence of the pardon of sinne and another to pronounce the same sentence giuen To giue the sentence of the pardon of sinne is onely proper to Christ the head of the Church no Saint nor Angell hath that priuiledge but yet the Church pronounceth the sentence of pardon giuen by Christ. If wee should say the the Church should pardon sin we should rob Christ of his honour for that is a priuiledge of his Godhead Thus wee seâ— what the power of the keyes is The right vse of this power is when the Church doth vse the same for the opening and shutting of heauen First in the name of Christ alone as a seruant Secondly according to the rule of Gods word not after mens affections or inuentions Thirdly for this end to bring sinners to repentance to continue them therin that they may be saued and to the Church thus vsing this power Christ hath promised that whatsoeuer they binde in earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer they loose in earth shall bee loosed in heauen Mat. 18.18 Further this power of the keyes hath two parts the ministerie of the word and spirituall iurisdiction The key of the Ministerie of the word is set downe established by Christ Mat. 16.19 I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen c. This ministery of the word is a key because it opens shuts heauen this it doth two wayes First by teaching and explayning the substance of religion the doctrine of saluation whereby men must come to heauen in that regard is called the key of knowledge Lu. 11.52 Secondly by applying the promises of the Gospel and the threatning of the Lawe For when in the ministerie of the word the promises of remission of sins life euerlasting are applyed to beleeuers that repent then the kingdom of heauen is opened when as in the same ministerie of the word the curses of the law are denouÌ„ced against impenitent sinners then is the kingdom of heaueÌ„ shut Yet touching the ministerie of the word this distinction must be remembred that otherwhiles the church is certen of the faith repentance of some men or some congregation and then they may pronounce remission of sins absolutely But otherwhiles they are vncerten of their faith and repentance or of their impenitencie then they must accordingly remit or retaine mens sins that is conditionally pronouncing the remission of sins to all that repent denouncing damnation to all that repent not And thus is the word to be publikely handled in Gods church at this day because our congregations are mixt companies consisting of some that repent beleeue and of others that doe not truely repent nor beleeue The second part of this power of the keyes is spiritual iurisdiction I call it spirituall to distinguish it from that outward iurisdiction whereby the common-wealth is gouerned That this spiritual iurisdiction is a key may appeare Mat. 18.16.17.18 If thy brother offend thee saith Christ admonish him priuately if hee heare thee not yet take with thee two or three if he heare not them tell it to the Church if he refuse to heare the Church let him bee vnto thee as an heathen man and as a publican Then followeth the promise Verely I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye bind on earth shal be bound in heauen and what soeuer ye loose shal be loosed in haauen This spirituall iurisdiction is a power whereby the Church pronounceth sentence vpon obstinate offenders in the Church and puts the same in execution And it hath two parts Excommunication and absolution Excommunication is an action of the Church in Christs name excluding an obstinate offender that is a professor of the Gospel from all the priuildedges of the Church and from the kingdom of heauen So Paul commandeth the incestious man to be committed to Sathan that is not onely put out of the kingdome of Christ but also after a sort made subiect vnto Sathan to bee outwardly afflicted by him And therefore Christ saith If he heare not the Church let him be vnto thee as an heathen man that is as one that hath no title to the kingdome of heauen Heere may some say Can the Church thrust any man out of the kingdome of heauen Answ. It is Christ only that receiueth men in thither and it is he alone that must thrust them out the Church doth not properly either receiue men in or put them out but onely pronounce and declare what Christ doth in this behalfe As if a man that liues in the church bee a common drunkâ—rd the Church finding in Gods word that no drunkard can inherite the kingdome of heauen which is the sentence of Christ may pronounce the same against him and so exclude him from the kingdome of heauen Obiect The true child of God may be excoÌ„municated but he can neuer be excluded from the kingdome of heauen Ans. The true childe of God may for a time and in part be excluded the kingdome of heauen In part as a man that hath freedome in an incorporation may lie in prison for some trespasses and so want the vse of his freedome though he be a freeman so the child of God for committing sinne may want the vse of his libertie and freedome which he hath in Gods kingdome and for a time while hee liueth in sinne without repentance yet wholly and for euer hee cannot but so soone as hee repents hee shall bee receiued certainely againe for no man is to bee barred either from heauen or the Church any longer then hee
is plaine in the Minister of this Church and might also bee shewed by manifold examples of such men in all ages but to come to our times In the dayes of Queene Marie when Religion was in banishing this our famous Schoole of the Prophets had many learned men in it yet not one of them stood out for the defence of the Gospell when as a poore secular Priest not three miles off who was far behind them in gifts of learning and knowledg yet hauing the truth reuealed vnto him did stand out for the maintenance of the same euen to the sealing of it with his blood And at this day many men of smaller gifts in the ministrie doe more further the Gospell by the encrease of the knowledge of Christ crucified and true obedience than those that are inriched with far greater gifts of knowledge both in tongues and arts so as though they be many hundred degrees short in regard of schoole-learning yet they go as farre before them in benefiting Gods Church If this be so will some say then it is needlesse for men to bee brought vp so much in the schooles of learning Ans. Not so for as much as may be Gods Ministers ought to haue knowledge of Schoole-learning both in Artes and tongues And yet for all this it oft commeth to passe by Gods prouidence that the greatest Clerks for learning are lesse profitable to the church thaÌ„ men of smaller gifts This God doth to humble the learned that they be not proud in themselues And to magnifie the worke of his spirite in the weaker instruments Further these words must also be vnderstood of the whole Church And then they beare this sence I haue set before thee an open dore That is I haue vouchsafed vnto thee a speciall priuiledge euen libertie to enter into the kingdome of heauen From whence we obserue That libertie to life euerlasting is a speciall priuâ—ledge belonging not to all men but onely to the Church of God and the true members of Christ. This point hath sundrie vses I. to confute this erronious opinion That Christ did effectually redeeme all and euerie man Which is â—â—at against Gods word and this text for those that are effectually redeemed haue libertie to enter into the kingdome of heauen but all men haue not that libertie for then it were no priuiledge of Gods Church alone to haue heauen opened vnto them II. Seeing this is a priuiledge which God vouchsafeth vnto his church to haue heauen gate opened vnto them Hereby we are taught to take the benefite of this libertie while the dore is open and in time to striue to enter therein For as Christ telleth Nathaniell the church of the new Testament shall by faith see heauen open We must not therefore neglect this oportunitie But it is our common shame that wee be slacke in seeking the kingdome of God and the righteousnes thereof suffering our selues so to bee clogged with heapes of sins and worldly lusts that we can neither walke in that straight way nor enter into that dore that leadeth vnto life for sinne is â—n heauie burden like a great packe that will not suffer a man to enter into so strait a dore We must therefore cast off all sinne that hee may so enter in and walke in the way of life And no man can shut it Here is the continuance of the former benefite against all aduersarie power whatsoeuer And this againe confuteth another opinion of the same kinde with the former to wit That Christ dyed for euerie man but yet some are not saued because they wil not they shut heauen dore against themselus But this opinion cannot stand for none can shut heauen dore against them to whome Christ hath set it open effectually neither sinne Satan nor the world no not man himselfe nor all their power together For herein is the will of man ruled by the will of God and looke whome God will haue to enter into heauen them doth hee encline to will their owne saluation and also make vnwilling euer to shut this dore against themselus For thou hast a little strength and hast kept my word c. That is Thou art indued with some measure of grace as of faith hope and righteousnesse and according to that measure thou hast maintained my word and not denyed my name Hence we learn that a man indued with a small measure of Gods grace may doe workes pleasing vnto God by the same grace come to life â—uerlasting Christ saith to his Disciples If your faith were as much as a grain of mustard seed by it should you bee able to remooue mountaines Now that which is here sayd of the faith of miracles may in like sort be said of all faith and so of iustifying faith if a man haue neuer so small a measure therof yet thereby hee shall doe workes acceptable to God for as Paul teacheth Gods children receiue not the tenths but the first fruits of the spirit that is a small measure of grace in this life which is onely a pledge of that which they shall fully receiue in the world to come for this cause is Rahab commended for her faith although it was but small and weake as wee shall see if wee read the whole Historie Ioshâ— 2 For God accepteth of man according to that hee hath receiued It is not so much the measure of grace that saueth a man as the truth of grace before God This serueth notably for the comfort of those that haue care to keepe faith and good conscience Such are most dismaied by reason of their wants corruptions but they must know that God approoueth of their grace though it bee but small if so be they haue care to increase in grace and doe striue to please God in all things according to the measure of grace receiued II. Hereby euerie one must be encoraged to embrace and obey true Religion Many bee dismayed herein by reason of the great measure of obedience which they thinke God requireth and therefore they leaue of all obedience But this ought not to bee so for God approoueth of a man in Christ according to that grace which hee hath be it more or lesse and not according to that which by the law he ought to haue And yet none of all this must make vs slacke and negligent in vsing those means which God hath vouchsafed vnto vs for the increase of grace that so wee may also increase in true obedience And hast kept my word and hast not denyed my name Here hee setteth downe two workes for the which he commendeth this church First their faithfull keeping of the word of Christ. Secondly the profession of his name in the time of persecutioÌ„ This behauior of this church must be a paterne and a looking glasse for vs to square our conuersation by For these works Thou hast kept my word and hast not denyed my name though the words be few yet they continue much in
persuaded that as the members of a body being once dismembred they cannot possibly be ioyned againe so if naturall brethren be once vnnaturally disioyned no glue will conioyne them fast againe It were infinit to shew examples of brotherly loue and hatred and otheâ—s haue eased me of this paines Now that good God who hath brought you from one roote placed you in one countrey aduanced you to like credit and giuen you one heart giue you also one inheritance in the kingdome of heauen Thus right worshipfull I am bold to speake vnto you and the world knoweth I speake the truth and the Lord knoweth I desire not to flatter Go on therefore I beseech you continue in loue bee setled in the truth and labour to honour him who thus honoreth you Be not caried away with the shew of this world but thinke religion the best nobilitie and that as Prudentius sayd Generosa Christi secta nobilitat viros Cui quisquis seruit ille verè est nobilis He noble is that comes of Christ his race Who serues this Lord he surely is not base And this made Theodosius more to thanke God that he was a Christian than a king considering that hee must lose the one hee could not lose the other Now as to one of you I am bounden in parcicular and by him being a Minister the despised ministerie is not a little graced â—o for him I pray that hee may be an Abraham to our Abimelech a Nathan to our Dauid a Iehoida to our Ioash an Ebedmelech to Ieremiah an Elisha to the widow of this Prophet deceased a light in the Court a trumpet in the Church and that Ahashuerosh may long hold out his golden Scepter vnto him that by his meanes great men may not want such as will tell them the truth no earthly Alexander accounted a sonne of Iupiter and that no man may be more respected than a good Pastor and that he may euer remember that saying of wise Salomon He that loueth purenesse of heart for the grace of his lips the King shall be his friend His Cyrus will not be spoken to verbis bissinis in silken words to his Alexander he needeth not speake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either sweet words or no words For if one Antiochus might bee surnamed holy and another good Prince called the Good King much more may he whose religious knowledge surpasseth all the Princes that haue beene of this nation and whose humilitie is such that hee will haue his sonne to remember that hee differeth not in stuffe but in vse from the rest of his people and that by Gods ordinance I am the bolder for that one to make choyce of all in the dedication of this booke no man knew loued conuersed with and respected this Author more than he He resorted to him in his health visited him in sicknesse and preached a learned Sermon for him at his death Concerning this author as he sayd of Carthage I had rather bee silent then say little and his worthie labours doe speake enough for him by name that his Posthume dedicated to his excellent Maiestie by an excellent Diuine In a word therefore whatsoeuer this man did he desired to profit others by it he thought as it is written of Bernard in his life that hee was not his owne man but deputed to the seruice of others He was neuer idle but as Hierome reporteth of Ambrose and Bernard of himselfe he did either reade or meditate or pray or conferre or counsel or comfort or write or preach And thus as the Embleme is of a faithfull Teacher he like a waxe candle in giuing light to others in a short time extinguished himselfe Yet in this short time of his what art was he not maister of what vertue was hee not endued with He was a complet Diuine and hath his blessings in the Church that no mans writings are read of all sorts and in all countries with greater grace and profit than his Hee was peaceable in the Church patient of wrongs and free from ambition For as Ierome sayd of Nepotian Aurum calcans schedulâ—s consectabatur hee regarded not his purse but followed his booke and as Bernard sayd he liued in terra auri sine auro in a kingdome of gold without gold An excellent gift he had to define properly diuide exactly dispute subtilly answere directly speake pithily and write iudicially and how hee preached if these Sermons doe giue a testimonie what witnesse had they who often heard him themselues I haue published of his now two Discourses and I onely did it that these his labours might not perish I haue no benefit by them but exceeding great paines And since I vnderstand that his other labours are in the hands of his friends to make benefit for his children I will ease my selfe of the like labour and be a meanes that they may haue the benefit of the future impressions of this booke the which how faithfully I haue published I appeale to the godly and indifferent Reader and I hope no honest minded man will be hired to calumniate it Thus as one desirous to be seruiceable in my calling profitable to the Church not forgetfull of my friend and to testifie the happinesse of your house which was in your fathers time and is now as it is sayd of Aurelian the Emperours Refertapiâ—s Ecclesia Dei replenished with the godly and a Church of God and withall to leaue a monument of my duty to you all I haue as you see published this exposition of seuen Epistles vnder your eight names nothing doubting but it will bee as welcome to you as by your countenance it may bee profitable to the Church The God of heauen giue you all that blessing of blessings which if Ierome say true few men haue that you may transire à deliciis ad dilicias go on from grace to grace and be a long time happie in this life and euer for happie in the life to come London Saint Martins in the fields from my worshipfull friend Maister Oldisworths house by which familie as Paul was by the house of Onesiphorus in the time of this late and I wish I may say the last visitation I haue receiued no small refreshing March 12. 1604. Your Worships to command Robert Hill Fellow of S. Iohns Colledge in Cambridge To the Godly and Christian Reader Grace and Peace I Am not ignorant good Reader how vngratefull a thing it is to deale by way of Censure or reformation in those things wherin others haue gone before and many times for the smart that followeth do men beshrow their owne fingers Yet the warrant of a good calling will breed peace in his conscience that herein shall endeuour the obseruance of these rules of Loue to wit Iudge the best of that which is done and referre his owne paines to the glorie
himselfe and by the vertue of his godhead quickened his manhood The most godly man that is or euer was cannot doe so but all the saints of God are raised from death by vertue of Christs resurrection through that mysticall vnion which is between Christ the head and all his members by meane whereof the power of Christ his godhead which raised vp his manhood is conueyed to all his members in their resurrection froÌ„ death to life And therefore is Christ called The first fruits of them that sleepe because as the first fruits of corne which was offered vnto God did sanctifie the whole crop so Christ his resurrection did make acceptable vnto God the resurrection of all his members In this title is comprised a notable comfort for all Gods children against the immoderate feare of death If Iohn had said Christ is the first borne among the liuing it had beene a great comfort for then had he shewed that the liuing saintâ— on earth were children in Gods familie hauing Christ for their eldest brother but calling him the first begotten of the dead here is a further comfort the Lord sheweth hereby what speciall regard he hath to the faithfull that be dead for euen then when they be dead they continue members of his familie and haue Christ Iesus dead and buried reckoned among them for their eldest brother In regard whereof Christ hath a double right among the dead first of a King secondly of a Priest The right of a king hee hath to commaund his members to rise againe and to enter into glorie after him The right of a priest whereby hee offered vp himselfe in death a sacrifice acceptable to God for the sanctifying of the death of all his members for by his death he tooke away the sting of death and hath made it vnto them a sweet sleep in the graue as in a bed of downe out of which they shall one day rise to eternall life and glorie And Prince of the kings of the earth Here is the third title giuen to Christ wherein his kingly office is expressed He is called a Prince of the kings of the earth in two respects First as he is God the sonne of God equall with the father and so is king together with the father and the holy ghost gouerning all things with them by the same diuine power in heauen in earth and in hell Secondly as hee is Mediatour and Redeemer God and Man in two natures In this respect hee sayth of himselfe All power is giuen to me in heauen and in earth Matth. 28.18 And Paule sayth God gaue him a name aboue euery name at which euery knee should bow euen as he is Mediatour And in this second respect he is called A Prince of the kings of the earth in this place Now Christ being a king must needes haue a kingdome which is not of this world standing in the might and policie of man as earthly kingdomes doe but it is spirituall directly concerning the hearts and consciences of men where he ruleth by his lawes And this is his priuiledge which cannot be giuen to any creature man or Angell to rule and raigne spiritually in the heart and conscience This spirituall kingdome of Christ is exercised not by dint of sword or force of armes but by his holy word through the worke of the spirit for hee is as a king which carrieth his scepter in his mouth euen his word Isay. 11.4 That is the râ—d of his power by which hee rules the heart and conscience euen in the middest of his enemies Psal. 110. vers 2. Now Christ is here entituled Prince of the kings of the earth in two respects First because he and he alone as Mediator can giue lawes to bind the consciences of men yea of the greatest Monarch in the world Secondly because he hath soueraigne power ouer all kings and potentates as well as ouer others to saue and to destroy for not onely hath hee power to make a law to bind their consciences but also if they keepe it to saue them if they breake his law hee hath power to destroy them bee they what they may bee Hee hath the keyes of heauen and of hell to open and to shut at his pleasure Reuel 3.7 He can if he will lead them to life and saue them or els leaue them to their owne mind and so destroy them Hence arise sundry instructions First seeing our Sauiour Christ is a prince of the greatest Monarchs of the world and is farre aboue them we must then with all feare and trembling reuerence his high maiestie Great is that reuerence which men yeeld to earthly princes Oh then what reuerence should we performe to him which is prince and Lord of all the kings of the earth We cannot conceiue what honour wee owe vnto him which is aduaunced in the throne of all maiestie And this our reuerence wee must shew by hearing his word with trembling and beleeuing hearts as Isay sayth cap. 66.2 We must not dare to thinke or speake of Christ without great reuerence At his name euery knee must bow that is at the consideration of the great maiestie whereto hee is now exalted euery heart euen of the greatest Monarchs should be touched with submission awe and reuerence If this tooke place in mens hearts the name of Christ would not bee so prophaned and blasphemed as it is in â—easting sports in cursing and swearing whereby men tosse it like a ball without all reuerence to so great a prince as is the king of kings Secondly seeing he is king of kings wee must giue him absolute obedience Princes on earth must be obeyed so far as they commaund in Christ but he must be obeyed without exception not onely absolutly and perpetually in all his commaundements but most willingly and freely as it is said his people come freely in the day of assembling Psal. 110.3 Men will say they beleeue in Christ as he is their Sauior but that is not ynough they must obey him also as he is the king of princes Many persuade themselues they haue a good faith in Christ their sauiour which little regard obedience to him as their King and Lord. But they deceiue themselues for none can haue Christ for their Sauiour which haue him not for their Lord master neither doth that man beleeue in Christ which will not striue to doe his will And this our obedience must bee shewed in performing those duties which we heare and learne out of his holy word Thirdly seeing Christ is king of kings all princes must doe him seruice for they be all inferiour and subiect to him Psal. 72.11 This is the counsell of the holy ghost Be wise now O yee kings be learned yee Iudges of the earth kisse the Sonne c. that is inwardly reuerence and outwardly obey him This their homage must bee shewed in all the affaires of their kingdomes They must frame their lawes after the lawes of Christ Iesus they must
waile Fiftly the conclusion of this narration with two notes of asseueration Euen so Amen to confirme the second comming of Christ vnto all people I. point Behold First Saint Iohn beginneth this narration with a note of attention The spirit of God is accustomed when any thing is of special weight and worth our carefull marking to prefixe before it this note of attention Behold or such like Hence then wee are taught this speciall dutie namely often and euery day earnestly and seriously to bethinke our selues of the second comming of Christ to iudgement This consideration is a matter of great vse for it is a notable meanes to begin and continue the conuersion of a sinner vnto God When the Scribes and Pharises obstinat enemies came to the baptisme of S. Iohn hee vsed this as a meanes to make them to turne and beleeue in Christ saying Ob generation of vipers who hath forewarned you that you should flie from the vengeance to come Matth. 3.7 So Peter vseth this same Argument to bring the Iewes to repentance exhorting them to turne that their sinnes might be put away when the day of refreshing that is the day of iudgement should come Acts 3.19 Paule persuades the Athenians to repentance Because there is a day appointed in which the Lord will iudge the world by Iesus Christ Act. 17.30 31. Secondly this note of attention serues to strike our hearts with a feare and reuerence of Christ Iesus for it giues vs warning that hee shall come to bee our Iudge We are touched with awe and reuerence toward earthly magistrats when we consider that they haue authority to attach apprehend to bring vs to their courts and assizes How much more should this worke in vs a reuerend awe towards Christ when wee consider That one day wee must all bee brought before his Tribunall seat and there bee iudged of him II. point The comming of Christ himselfe Hee comes that is Christ locally descendeth from the highest heauen in his manhood to that part of the world where the clouds be there to giue iudgement vpon all mankind quick and dead Here marke in what manner Iohn propounds his comming hee sayth nor he shall come but in the present time hee commeth Whereby hee would teach vs First that this second comming of Christ is as certaine as if it were now present Secondly that it is not long to or far off but will be quickly Thirdly that our dutie is to consider of the comming of Christ as of a thing present This Saint Iohn learned and so should wee by his example for it is a matter of great vse For hence weâ— are taught to desire and doe that euery day which we would desire and doe in the day of iudgement and blessed is hee that attaineth hereunto Now that we may come to the practise of this dutie wee must dayly consider of the comming of Christ not as a thing to be delayed or farre off but as a thing present Wee must euery day call our selues to a reckoning and account and persuade our selues this may be the last day and so shall we carry our selues euery day as wee would in the last day Now we would wish at the day of iudgment that wee did repent and beleeue in Christ and therefore euery day of our life before the last iudgement come we ought to repent and beleeue in Christ. If this dutie were practised we should find lesse corruption and more grace in our hearts and lesse sinne â—â—d more obedience in our liues euery day than other but grace is wanting and sinne abounds because this meditation takes no place in our hearts Againe in that hee sayth Hee commeth meaning in respect of his manhood hence wee gather hee is absent from vs in regard of bodily presence and the heauens must containe him vntill the day of iudgement But if Christ were alwayes bodily present in the Sacrament hee could not bee said to come but onely to manifest himselfe being before present And therefore the opinion of those which hold the body of Christ to be really the bread to bee in or about the bread of the Sacrament is most false and friuolous flat against that article of our Faith whereby wee hold That he comes from heauen onely at the last day in regard of his manhood III. point The manner of Christs Christs comming in two things First that he comes with clouds Secondly that his comming is open and visible to euerie eye First with clouds here S. Iohn speaketh after the manner of the prophets who to set out God in his maiestie and glory say he comes with clouds rides on the wings of the wind as though he had sayd he comes in exceeding maiestie and glorie These words are added to make a distinction betweene the first and second comming of Christ. His first comming was in humilitie borne of a poore virgin entertained in a stable of an Inne but his second comming is with glorie maiestie and dominion in the clouds And the reason is because he came first to be a redeemer and a sauiour by his suffering and therefore came in the state of a seruant But his second comming is to bee a Iudge of all men yea of his enemies and therfore he commeth with all might maiestie and glory to shew himselfe king and lord of all The vses of this his second comming are set downe in the 97 Psalme to make the verie mountaines to tremble to confound the wicked and vngodly and to comfort the godly in that day Secondly for his open appearance Euerie eye shall see him he shall come in maiestie and glorie not secretly but in visible shew to all the world All men shall see him with their owne eyes All I say which were since the world began to his comming In these words hee toucheth three points First he taketh it here for granted that euerie man shall rise from death to life though their death were neuer so strange or neuer so long before Secondly that all men being raised againe shall haue life and motion and their senses restored to them as before they died Thirdly that all men none excepted shall come and stand before the tribunall seate of Christ and there bee iudged of him in the clouds The consideration whereof is First an exceeding comfort to Gods children in that they being dead and rotten in their graues shall rise and receiue their life and motion and see Christ their sauiour and iudge of all men If a man when hee layeth him downe to sleepe should bee told that when hee rose hee should see his dead father and mother or his dearest friends whom he saw not of long before this would bee a notable comfort to him that now he should inioy them againe 〈◊〉 how farre greater comfort shall this yeeld to all the godly who haue beene dead and rotten in the graue That they shall be raised vp and not onely to meete with godly friends but enioy Christ Iesus the
be in euerie one of vs towards the poore afflicted seruants of Christ seeing they bee our fellow members wee should haue a fellow-feeling with them weeping with them that weepe 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 foote is readie to runne for helpe the tongue to aske for counsell all the members are readie to affoord their mutuall helpe in piâ—tie and fellow-feeling so when any members of the church suffer affliction be pricked with persecution for Christs cause then should we as members of the same body be readie to do all the helpe wee can to them especially in shewing our fellow-feeling with them The second thing wherein he is this copartner is in the kingdome of Christ that is the kingdome of heauen Where obserue that he placeth fellowship in affliction before companion in the kingdome to giue vs to vnderstand that through afflictions crosses for Christs sake is the readie way to the kingdome It is that way which is beaten and troden by the Prophets Apostles and the Saints of God as the Apostle saith thâ—ough manifold tribulations we must enter into heauen And this momentarie affliction causeth to vs an infâ—â—it weight of glorie not by deseruing it but by shewing the plain way thither Wherby we are taught not to thinke it hard when trials do befal vs but rather to count it a good thing yea exceeding great gladnesse when any affliction doth befall vs for Christs sake for herby we are brought like wandring sheep into that beateÌ„ path which leadeth to heauen Nay we must rather maruell when we professe the Gospell and haue no affliction then we may feare wee be out of the way seeing the Lord afflicts euerie child which is his Thirdly hee is Copartner in patience which he addeth because it is a most worthie vertue whereby wee are made able to perseuer in affliction till we come to heauen Afflictions are the beaten way heauen is our ioyfull end patience is the meanes to make vs go on till wee come thither Whatsoeuer things are written are written for our learning that we through patience comfort in the Scriptures might haue hope Rom. 15.4 Where true hope to come to heauen is obtained by patience which maketh a beleeuer to go on in suffering till he come to life eternall There is much fruit in the good ground but not broght forth without patieÌ„ce the true beleeuer is saued by hope in this world yet caÌ„not come to heaueÌ„ without patieÌ„ce Ia. 5. for therby he must possesse his sâ—ule Now because men will say patience is an hard matter and so are discouraged from seeking for it therefore to set an edge on ther desire he addes It is the patience of Christ and it is so called either because he commands it or because it is his gift and commeth from the spirit of Christ or chiefly because hee himselfe suffereth in his members and as their miserie and suffering is his so is their patience The consideration whereof is a singular motiue to enduce euery child of God to patience in bearing the crosse for Christ his sake for they haue Christ their fellow sufferer he takes part with them and puts vnder his shoulder Who would not then be content to suffer with patience And thus much of the branches of his fellowship seuerally Now consider them ioyntly and they containe a notable description of the communion of saints which is a speciall article of our faith standing in three things In tribulation In the kingdome of heauen And in patience And marke well that this communion begins in tribulation therein we must be partners and that with patience before wee come to haue fellowship in the kingdome of heauen That man therefore that hath afflictions layd on him must beare them patiently and when the members of Christ are vnder the crosse hee must in tender compassion be touched with their miseries and when he doth truly feele in his heart this Christian patience and compassion then may he assure himselfe he is entred into this communion and shall vndoubtedly with all saints be partaker of the ioyes of heauen But if patience and compassion bee wanting wee persuade our selues in vaine of this communion and therefore let vs striue against impatience and against the deadnesse and hardnesse of our hearts that we may neither murmur against God in our owne afflictions nor yeâ— want compassion towards our brethren that any where suffer affliction for the name of Christ. Thus much for the circumstance of the person Was in the Isle called Patmos In these words is the second circumstance namely the place where this vision 〈◊〉 giuen to Iohn This Patmos is one of those Islands which the Geographerâ— call Sporades lying in the West part of 〈◊〉 the lesse neere to the churches to whom Iohn writ and by the sea commonly called the Egâ—â—n sea This Island was a small base and poore Island little or neuer a whit inhabited Saint Iohn had his vision not at Ierusalem at Antioch or Rome but in Patmos a base poore and little inhabited Island By this we see that in the new Testament there is no respect of one place aboue another in regard of Gods presence and our fellowship with him hee doth as well manifest himselfe to Iohn by this vision in Patmos as to other his Prophets and Apostles in Ierusalem the holy citie In the old Testament there was difference of places in regard of Gods solemne worship and presence as the Lord shewed his presence and tied his worship especially to his Tabernacle and Temple at Ierusalem This Daniell sheweth by his gesture in prayer for being in captiuity when he prayed in his chamber He opened the window which was towards the Temple at Ierusalem and turned his face thitherward But now in the new Testament that difference of place is abolished in respect of Gods worship And therefore Paule willeth That men pray euery where lifting vp pure hands vnto God and so for all the duties of religion wee must thinke the like I. Then away with Popish pilgrimage to churches and chappels of Saints or to their reliques This is meere superstition for God is present euery where and a man that will worship God in spirit and truth may haue fellowship with him in one place as well as another II. Also this may serue to correct a false conceit which many haue of our churches and chappels for when they come to a dwelling house they thinke it not their dutie there to humble themselues to kneele downe and call vpon God but if they come into a church or chappell neuer so often vpon ordinarie affaires they fall downe to prayer The reason is because they thinke these places bee more holy and God more present there and they shall sooner be heard in them than in
golden candlestickes That is so soone as I heard this sudden and mightie voice I turned my selfe to see who it was that vttered the same In this behauiour of Iohn we are to learne our dutie so to dispose our hearts towards God in the receiuing of his word as Iohn disposeth himselfe towards Christ in the receiuing of this vision So soone as the voice spake Iohn hearkened and because the sound thereof came behind him he turned himselfe to looke on him that vttered it Euen so must we doe we are by nature strangers with God slow to heare when hee speaketh and readie to turne our hearts from God when we heare Therefore when God speaketh vnto vs in the ministerie of his word we must hearken And though we bee going another way yet wee must turne our selues from our euill wayes and encline our hearts to his voice that we may haue fellowship with him Saint Iohn had not seene this maruellous vision vnlesse hee had turned himselfe to behold him that spoke No more shall wee at any time feele true fellowship with the Lord vnlesse we turne our hearts vnto his word and that betimes while he speaketh vnto vs in the ministerie thereof Thus much for the first part of the vision viz. the entrance thereunto The second part it the matter and substance of the vision containing a most worthie representation of Christ in his maiestie as he is the Prophet King and Priest of his church set downe at large by a description of Christ continuing from this twelfth verse vnto the end of the third chapter wherein Iohn sheweth what hee receiued of Christ partly by hearing and partly by seeing And first he beginneth his description of Christ as hee saw him represented in vision and so describeth him by two arguments First by the place where he saw him Secondly by his forme and figure wherein he appeared I. For the place Iohn saw him in the middest of the seuen golden candlesticks These seuen candlestickes here seene are the seuen Churches of Asia the particular churches of God being compared to candlesticks as Christ expoundeth himselfe vers 20. Now the particular congregations of Gods church bee called candlestickes for that resemblance which is between them For as the candlesticks serue to bear vp and hold forth the light that is set therein so the particular churches of God on earth they beare vp and shew forth the light of the gospell vnto the whole world partly in the ministerie of the world and partly in the profession of the faith of Christ. From hence sundry things are to bee learned first obserue that the churches are rather called candlestickes than candles To giue vs to vnderstand that they haue no light of themselues or from themselues but onely are Gods instruments to beare vp and hold forth the light in the ministerie of the word and profession of the faith for Christ Iesus is the onely true lampe and candle that giueth light to the heart and conscience by his holy spirit in the word Secondly hence euery one that professeth himselfe to be a true member of Gods church must learne his duty which is earnestly to labour to become a shining and burning candle Indeed this principally concernes the ministers of the church and therefore Iohn Baptist is called a burning and shining light Iohn 5. vers 35. but yet it must also bee verefied of euery member thereof as Saint Paule commaundeth Shine sayth hee as lights in the world in the middest of a naughtie and câ—â—oked nation holding forth the doctrine of life that is the gospell Quest. How shall euery member of the church become a burning light Answ. First hee must haue his mind enlightened in the knowledge of Gods will and word and then as a candlesticke hold out and send forth the beaâ—es thereof to others partly by teaching within the compasse of his calling and partly by example of an honest and blamelesse life and conuersation Thus we should doe if wee would be answerable to our profession And to induce vs hereunto let vs obserue the reasons following First it is Gods commandement Shine as lights sayth S. Paule in the world Philip 2.15 And walke as children of the light Ephes. 5.8 Secondly consider the fruit hereof which is wonderfull great For by godly instruction in our places and by answerable obedience in our liues we win many to the Lord shewing forth such lights whereby others may walke in this darke world to the kingdome of heauen which is a most blessed light In the Winter season men thinke they doe others great pleasure if in the night they hang forth a light to guide passengers a little way in an earthly walke What a blessed thing then is this that a man should alwayes hold forth that light which shall guide a sinfull wicked wretch to leaue the wayes of death and to walke in the pathes of righteousnesse to eternall life But on the contrarie when men liue in Gods church like candles put out by reason of the blindnesse of their minds and the badnesse of their liues hence commeth great hurt and danger to others with whom they liue for they lead others that depend vpon them to the pit of destruction especially they who know the will of God and yet make not conscience to shew forth the same by good example of a godly life For as in an hauen towne if any man in the night time doe remooue the sea-marke which guideth the ships in the right channell he doth as much as in him lieth cast away all the ships that are comming neere the shore by causing them to run on rockes and sands euen so they that should giue light in the church if they giue either no light or false light to such as depend vpon them who are sayling in the sea of this sinfull world hereby they lead and direct them to a wrong hauen and instead of heauen bring their soules to eternall perdition which must terrifie vs from ignorance and euill workes and make vs labour to shine as lights in this world by good instruction and godly conuersation Third reason Consider the fearefull iudgments of God against such as liue in his church as members thereof and yet giue no light they doe incurre the fearefull wrath of Christ. In the Temple the keeping of the lampes and lights belonged to the priest and therefore he had his snuffers and other instruments to trim the same which notably figured the dutie of Christ in the Church of the new Testament for hee is our high priest who looketh to euery light in the Sanctuarie that is to euery member of his church who ought to shine as a lampe and when they burne but dimly and darke he hath his snuffers to trim them and make them giue a better light both by godly life and good instruction But when hee hath snuffed them againe and againe if still they burne darke and dim and giue either no light or else a false light
generally whereby a farre off though hee neuer had acquaintance with the partie a man may see the vanitie and lightnes of his mind the pride and folly of his heart that weareth it The second part of Christs attire is this Girded about the pappes with a golden girdle It hanged not loose about him but was girded close to his body whereby is signified that he is a mediatour euery way readie prepared to doe the office of a mediator for his Church for in all ages the girding of the attire to the body hath beene a signe of care and diligence in the businesse they haue in hand and the contrary not girding a signe of carelesnesse and negligence therein When Christ was here on earth hee was most pitifull to all penitent sinners he reiected none such that came vnto him but regarded them far more than the Scribes and Pharisees that were the learned men among the Iewes And since his assention hee hath not left off his care and diligence but is alwayes ready doing aâ— such duties which may pertaine to their saluation The consideration whereof is a matter of excellent comfort vnto all such as haue any sparke of grace First hereby wee learne that when wee truly humble our selues Christ is ready to receiue ouâ— prayers and in all our troubles temptations ready to relieue to comfort and deliuer vs and in our death ready to receiue our soules yea at all times prepared to doe whatsoeuer may further our saluation Hee is not like vnto Pharoahs butler who promised to remember Ioseph while hee was in prison with him but forgate him quite when he was aduaunced to honour againe But he is alwayes mindfull of vs and euer readie to doe all the workes of a mediatour for vs. Whence wee are taught answereably to haue our loynes girded as Christ commaundeth Luke 12. verse 35. being euer ready to doe all duties that concerne Christianitie as to call on Gods name and to praise God to practise faith repentance and obedience fit to die and fit to liue neuer suffering our selues to bee vnfit for any thing that concernes our saluation but at all times so stand vpon our watch that whensoeuer God shall call we may bee readie to enter into the kingdome of heauen But alas the case with most men goeth farre otherwise they fit themselues for the world at all times but few seeke to prepare themselues for the kingdom of heauen till death do come This ought not to be It is a treacherous part in any subiect to bee vnprepared for the seruice of his prince and yet euer readie to receiue a common enemy And it is no lesse treason against God to forslow our preparation for the Lord by fitting our selues for the world Further he is sayd to be girded not about the loynes but about the pappes and breast Whereby some say and not vnfitly is signified that there is no defect or aberration in any motion or affection of our Sauiour Christ but euerie thought and inclination of his hart is kept in order by the fulnesse of the spirit which dwelleth in him bodily Verse 14. His head and haires were white as white wooll and as snow and his eyes were as a flame of fire In the third place Iohn here describeth Christ by the parts of his body The whitenesse of his head haires signifieth the eternitie of Christ. For howsoeuer as hee is man he had a beginning yet in regard of his godhead he is eternall and therefore is called The antient of dayes Dan. 9. and is sayd to haue beene in the beginning Iohn â— 1 that is to haue had a beeing before all other things had their beginning In this resemblance of his eternitie by head and haires as white as wooll and snow hee giueth vs to vnderstand an honour and prerogatiue in the aged man whereby he excelleth the yonger sort to wit the horenesse and whitenesse of his haire for which cause in the word of God it is set forth by most worthie comparisons as by the white Almond tree Eccles. 12.5 And by a glorious siluer crowne not made by man but by the hand of God set vpon his head And herein doth this excellencie of the aged consist that they beare the image of Gods eternity before all that are of yonger yeares From whence all yonger men are taught to reuerence the aged by rising vp before them acknowledging thereby the preheminence of the hoare head Againe hereby the aged are taught to carrie themselues answerable to their estate and condition they ought to excell all their yongers in knowledge wisdome and experience of good things 1. Iohn 2.13 I write vnto you fathers that is aged men who by reason of yeares are fathers because you haue knowne him who is euerlasting Also they must be holy as hee that is eternall is holy whose eternitie they shew forth And therefore Salomon saith The white head is a crowne of glorie when it is found in the way of righteousnesse that is in one that walketh in the way of righteousnesse Prover 16.31 for his white haire signifieth that hee hath spent much time and care about good duties But it is no ornament vnlesse it be ioyned with holinesse of heart and life Which I say because many yonger men excell the aged in the knowledge of God other vertues which is a shame to the gray headed for as they go before others in yeares so they ought to excell in pietie knowledge and all vertues Ignorance and loosenesse of life is a foule vice in any but in him that bares the siluer crowne it is intollerable For how can they looke for reuerence from the yonger when as they bee farre inferior to them in gifts of grace It is no excuse for old men to say Their wits are not so ripe as young mens are and their memorie failes them Their aged ignorance argueth that they spent the time of their youth loosly and prophanely For they that be planted in the house of the Lord shall bring forth fruit in their age Psal. 92.13 14. A plant is young and therefore he that would weare the crowne of glory in his age must receiue the sap of grace in the house of God while hee is young And his eyes were as a flame of fire here Iohn proceedeth in describing the parts of Christs bodie In the handling whereof it is hard for any to set downe certainely what the holy Ghost intendeth in euery particular It shall be sufficient for vs to follow that interpretation which is most probable and best agreeing with the tenor of Gods word In this description of Christs eyes are signified to vs two things first that Christ the mediator and redeemer of his church is of most quicke sharpe and piercing sight so as hee beholdeth all things that are done vpon the earth yea he seeth into the very secret thoughts of mens hearts thither can the eyes of his godhead more easily pierce than fire can
God wee must acknowledge them pure and iust In sundry points of religion there is a learned ignorance whereof this is not the least to hold our selues content and to reuerence the workes of Christ though wee see no reason thereof nay though to vs they seeme against all reason for all the wayes of God are vncorrupt Though the blind eye of men cannot discerne the light of the Sunne yet the Sunne is full of light so though our blind eyes cannot â—e â—old the puritie of Gods workes yet they are all done in iustice and equitie yea they are iustice it selfe for his will is the rule of iustice And we must not thinke that God doth a thing because it is good and right but therefore is the thing good and right because God willeth and worketh it Examples hereof wee haue in Gods word God commaunded Abimeleâ— to deliuer Sarah to Abraham or els hee will destroy him and all his houshold In mans reason this might seeme vniust for why should Abimelechs seruants be punished for their maisters fault So Achan sinneth and all the hoast of Israell is punished Dauid committed adulterie and the child which he begat â—â—eth Dauid numbreth the people but the people are smitten with the plague 2. Sa. 24. All this to mans reason may seeme vnequall yet being the workes of God we are withal reuerence to iudge them most iust and holy Againe the Scripture sheweth plainely that God in his eternall counsell hath decreed to saue some and to reiect others and his reason mouing him thereto is not any thing foreseene in them but his will and pleasure alone This in mans reason seemeth to be crueltie towards some and therefore sundry men disclaime this doctrine as charging God with iniustice and tyrannie But herein they greatly offend for it is the manifest truth of God in his word therfore ought with reuerence to be acknowledged though we can see no reason thereof For who art thou oh man that pleadest against God Rom. 9.20 And his voyce as the sound of many waters The voyce of Christ is resembled to the sound of many waters for two causes First to signifie the loudnesse and greatnesse of it the sound whereof hath bene heard through all the world in the ministerie of the Gospell Secondly to shew the power and efficacie thereof in the eares of his creatures for such power it is of that when the creatures were not He but spake the word they were made He. 11.3 This powerfull voice of Christ brought Lazarus out of the graue after he had bene dead foure dayes bound hand and foâ—â—e And by this voyce of Christ shall they that haue bene dead six thousand yeares before be raised vp to life The houre shall come in the which all that are in the graues shall heare his voyce and shall come forth to iudgement Iohn 5.28 29. Hereby then we may see the great securitie and the deadnesse of mens hearts in this age For though the powerfull word of Christ be daily sounded into the eares of many yet it entereth not into their hearts They liue securely in their sinnes though they be daily exhorted to repentance But shall dead Lazarus start out of his graue when Christ saith Lazarus come forth Nay shall they that were consumed to dust many thousand yeares before at the hearing of Christs voyce rise out of their graues And shall we which liue in body bee no whit affected with it in our soules Oh fearefull death in sinne And yet this is the state of all those that will not bee mooued to leaue their sinnes by the ministery of the word It may bee the outward eare receiueth the sound but the dead heart receiueth no instruction We must therefore apply our hearts to this powerfull voyce of Christ and leaue the sinnes wherein we haue lien dead that so the quickning power hereof vnto saluation may appeare in vs. Verse 16. And he had in his right hand seuen starres and out of his mouth went a sharpe two edged sword And his face shone as the sunne shineth in his strength Here Iohn proceedeth further to set out the parts of Christs body and the properties thereof By seuen starres wee are to vnderstand seuen Angels that is as Christ expoundeth them verse 20. the seuen ministers of the seuen churches of Asia And they are called starres for these causes First starres giue light to men on earth And so the ministers ought to giue spirituall light to them that liue in the church both by doctrine and by an vnblameable conuersation Secondly starres haue their continuall abode in heauen and descend not vnto the earth So ministers aboue all others ought to haue their conuersation in heauen This indeed is the duty of euery christian but especially of the minister in regard of his calling And this heauenly conuersation he must expresse first by seeking the conuersion of his owne soule and then the conuersion of others that they may haue an eternall mansion in heauen Thirdly they are called stars because if they be faithfull they shal be honored of God and made to shine aâ— the starres for euer and euer Dan. 12.3 It is added that they are in Christs right hand Whereby is signified that to him belongeth the regiment and gouernement and the whole disposition of the ministerie for matters that concerne the church From whence arise sundry instructions I. That it is Christ who giueth to his church ministers which preach the Gosspell For he ascendeth vp on high and gaue gifts vnto men some to be Apostles some Prophets and Evangelists some Pastors and teachers for the gathering together of the saints and for the worke of the ministerie and for the edification of the body of Christ. And for this cause we ought to pray daily vnto Christ that he would thrust forth laborers into his haruest that the remnant of Gods elect may bee gathered and so we see an end of these miserable dayes wherein we liue Secondly in that Christ holdeth them in his right hand wee may gather that Christ giueth protection and defence vnto his ministers when they are faithful and walke in their calling according to his will which is a matter to bee considered of al that are called into this office For they haue sundrie occasions of discouragement as the negligence and backwardnesse of their people the slanders and mockings of the enemies But this protection of Christ must comfort them against them all seeing they are in Christs right hand they must go on with all godly boldnesse Thirdly this sheweth the dignitie of this calling Indeed it is despised and reputed base in the world and hereby many are driuen from it But let the wicked iudge what they will Behold Christ honoureth it for his faithfull ministers are not onely present before him which were no small thing but hee holdeth them in his right hand then which what greater glorie can be done vnto them This must
life by Christ which is eternall This will comfort vs in all distresse and take from vs the feare of death of hell and all danger The second part of the distinction Though I was dead yet behold I liue for euermore Amen This part is vttered and propounded by two notes to bee obserued First by a note of certaintie Amen Secondly by a note of attention Behold The note of certaintie Amen serueth to assure vs that this is an infallible truth which Christ affirmeth of himselfe saying I liue for euermore The note of attention which is prefixed Behold serueth to stirre vp Iohns mind and the mind of euery one of vs to a serious consideration of this which Christ saith I liue for euermore And because it pleaseth Christ to propound this point in this manner let vs a little stand thereon and herein consider two points First in respect of what nature Christ is sayd to liue for euer Secondly for what end he liueth for euer For the first No doubt as Christ as the mediator of the church He liueth for euer and therefore this must bee vnderstood of Christ in regard of both his natures godhead and manhood In respect of his godhead he is coeternall with the father and with the holy Ghost liuing of himselfe that vncreated and essentiall life which is all one with the godhead being eternall without beginning or ending Secondly hee liueth for euer as hee is man for after his death hee ascended vp to heauen where in full glorie he inioyeth immediat fellowshippe with the godhead for in him dwelleth the fulnes of the godhead bodily his manhood being wholly and immediatly susteined by his godhead II. Point The end for which Christ liueth for euer is to giue eternall life to his church and to euerie true member thereof So Saint Iohn saith This is the testimonie of God euen the father that hee hath giuen vs life euerlasting and this life is in that his sonne And here Christ must bee considered of vs as the head of his church as the roote and ground of our saluation and the fountaine of all our happinesse For as the roote of a tree liueth not for it selfe but for the body and for all the branches euen so Christ Iesus he hath eternal life in him not for himselfe alone but that he may conuey the same to al his members Yea wee must consider Christ as the common treasurie storehouse of all true felicitie wherein life eternall is laid vp for al the members of his church For which cause hee saith His flesh is meate indeed and whosoeuer eateth his flesh and drinketh his bloud shall liue for euer To giue vs to vnderstand that his manhood hath quickning vertue in it Yet not of it selfe or by it self but as it is the māhood of the sonne of God For from the godhead it receiueth this quickning power to giue eternall life vnto the church And here the meanes must be considered by which Christ giueth life vnto his church namely by vertue of that misticall vnion which is betweene him and euery member of his church Which vnion is thus caused God the father giueth Christ vnto his church and to euery one that is to be saued by Christ and that really and truly according to the terror of the couenant in which he hath promised to giue Christ with all his benefits to euery one that beleeueth The manner and order of this gift is this Whole Christ God man is giuen to euery beleeuer euen as he is mediator And yet the godhead of Christ is not giuen with the manhood but only the vertue operation of the godhead in the manhood by which the manhod is made able to merit for the beleeuer But the manhood of Christ is giuen both for substance and in regard of all benefits that are conueyed to man by it as iustification and redemption as truly as lands and goods are giuen of man to man And when God giueth Christ to any he doth withall giue vnto the same partie the spirit of Christ for hee that hath part in Christ hath part in his spirit and this spirit createth in his heart the instrument of faith by which Christ giuen of the father is receiued and apprehended both his body and bloud and the efficacie and the benefites thereof Christ is not receiued in imagination as men receiue things by conceit in the braine but as hee is giuen of the father namely in the word and sacraments really and truly though spiritually And the same spirit that worketh this faith doth knit the beleeuer vnto Christ really though mystically making him one with Christ so as Christ is the head and the beleeuer a member And thus is this mysticall coniunction wrought from whence proceedeth this eternall life The benefites that come from this mysticall coniunction are these I. Hereby a beleeuer begins in this world to liue eternall life for by the worke of his spirit Christ maketh that man that is thus vnited vnto him to begin to die vnto all sinne and to liue vnto him spiritually as himselfe liueth II. Hence commeth the resurrection of the body for this coniunction being once begun remaineth eternall and is neuer wholly broken off no not from the body while it is consumed to dust and ashes Looke as in the Winter season the sap returneth to the root of the tree and then all the branches seeme as they were dead but when Spring time commeth by vertue of the sunne the sap ascendeth and maketh them fresh and greene againe euen so the bodies of Gods children haue their Winter season while they lie dead and rotten but yet by vertue of their vnion and coniunction with Christ at the last day shall life bee conveyed from Christ Iesus vnto them whereby they shall be raised to life III. Hence commeth eternall life to euery beleeuer that is glory and blisse in body and soule in heauen for euer and euer for being once begun as it is in this world it is neuer dissolued And thus we see how Christ conueyeth eternall life vnto his members The words bearing this sence do containe in them the foundation of two maine articles of our beleefe namely the resurrection of the body and life euerlasting for both these are effected to vs by vertue of our vnion with Christ for he liueth for euer to giue life to vs. And this is the ground of all true ioy as wee may see in Iob who in the middest of his miserie stayed himselfe on this That hee knew his Redeemer liued and that hee should rise againe and behold him with those same eyes wherewith he saw other creatures Iob. 19.25 26. 2. Againe if Christ liue in heauen to giue vnto vs eternall life then must wee learne to haue our conuersation in heauen with Christ for where our life is there should our conuersation bee Now that our conuersation may be with him wee must often seriously consider with our selues of this
euerie word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God This is thought to bee the same white Manna which is vsed in shops at this day but I will not dispute thereof seeing it is doubtfull That Manna did represent a more excellent food and therefore Paul calleth it A spirituall meat because it represented vnto them the spirituall food of the soule Christ Iesus the true Manna The liuing bread that came downe from heauen as wee may see at large Iohn 6. And so in this place by Manna wee must not vnderstand the Manna of the people of Israel But Christ himselfe the true food of life eternall How Christ doth become vnto vs our spirituall Manna and the true food of life I will shew by these conclusions I. He is this food not in regard of his doctrine or of his miracles nor yet onely in regard of the blessings of his death and passion But Christ himselfe God and man is true food of life as is shewed at large Iohn 6. And in Christ himselfe are his death and passion the benefits thereof food vnto the soule II. Conclus Christ is this food not as he lay in the manger or as he now sitteth in heauen at the right hand of his father but as he suffered the wrath of God and pangs of hell vpon the crosse and as he died was buried for our life commeth out of Christs death III. Concl. He is this food not in regard of his godhead for that no creature can receiue or apply to his iustificatiō or sanctification but in regard of his manhood subsisting in the person of the sonne of God Christs flesh profiteth nothing seuered from the godhead but yet his body and bloud haue this vertue to be true spirituall food because they are the flesh and bloud of that person which is God IV. Concl. Christ is not a bodily food to be receiued with the hād eaten with the mouth digested in the stomacke but he is a spirituall food to be receiued applied digested by faith◠And being so receiued he doth preserue the soule vnto eternall life This faith is that wherby a man is enabled to beleeue that Christ crucified is his Christ. And thus doth he become our spirituall Mannah when by true faith wee assure our selues that he suffered for our sinnes and rose againe for our righteousnesse Is Christ crucified the true bread of life and our spirituall Manna then should we long after him with a true spirituall hunger in our very hearts as truly as any man longeth after meat drinke When a man is famished for the staying of his hunger he will pull his owne flesh from his bones and eat it Euen so for the satisfying of our hungrie soules with Christ Iesus this food of life we must forsake the deerest thing in all the world though it bee our owne flesh For that which we will do for our bodies we must do much more for our soules Que. How shall we attaine to this true spirituall hunger Answer It is with the hunger of the soule as it is with the hunger of the body In bodily hunger bee two things A great paine in the stomacke for want of nourishment And a strong and earnest appetite which continueth till the stomacke be filled Euen so we should feele a paine in our hearts rising from a sense of the wrath of God for our sinnes And then wee must labour to haue a greedie appetite and earnest desire to bee filled with Christ crucified neuer be at rest til we be satiat with the merit of his passion which only can free vs from Gods wrath and fill vs with true ioy But wofull bee these times for there is in most mens hearts a deadnesse of spirit whereby they are made insensible of inward wants and miseries They are like vnto full men that feele no paine for want of food There is indeed an hunger nay a greedie worme in many after the profits pleasures and honors of this world but few or none do hunger after Christ. But if wee would haue part in the feast of the Lambe we must labour to haue this longing appetite after Christ If we be full stomacked wee shall haue no refreshing from his merits Mary saith truly in her song God filleth the hungrie with good things but the rich and full goe away emptie Which is a most fearfull curse when the soule is debarred from this food of life But blessed are we if we hunger after Christ and his righteousnesse for then we shall bee satisfied Christ will giue vnto vs our fill of the water of life freely Reuel 21.6 Secondly here we may take a view of the profane madnesse of the world For though this bread of life Christ Iesus be the most excellent food of all farre surpassing the Israelits Manna the food of Angels yet it is nothing or little desired Men are like to the foolish Israelits that had more regard to leekes and onions and to the flesh pots of Egypt than to Angels food which God gaue them frō heauen They spend their wits and their strength by day and by night that they may satiate themselues with the fraile riches and vaine pleasures of the world And yet these men haue the name to be the onely men whereas indeed they are profane Esau◠wicked Israelits As therefore this practise is damnable so must we learne to detest it And on the contrarie seeing Christ Iesus is the true Manna our principall care and desire must bee to bee fed therewith Wee must thinke it is a great disgrace to Christ Iesus which hee cannot endure without reuenge that wee should haue lesse regard to him the true bread of life than to earthly foode which perisheth Thirdly here wee may see that which is vsuall in the Scripture intreating of the Sacraments to wit the name of the signe giuen to the thing signified for Christ here promiseth them Manna meaning thereby not the Israelits food but himselfe whereof their Manna was a signe a seale a pledge as appeareth plaine because Paul calleth it spiritual meat 1. Cor. 10·2 Further Christ is not only called Manna but hidden Manna to put a difference betweene himselfe and the Manna of the Israelits which was visible that euery man might see And Christ is called hidden Manna for two causes first because no man by nature knoweth this food or desireth it secondly because God doth not reueale this food to al men effectually as may appeare Mat. 11.25 I giue thee thankes oh father that thou hast hidden these things that is the doctrine of the gospell and the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen from the great and wise men of the world and hast opened them vnto babes Is Christ hidden Mannah then first here learne to take knowledge of the state of men in the world They know not Christ neither do they feele in themselues any want of this food and therefore they know not what
vnderstanding of this place two questions must bee handled First how farre foorth doth Christ giue this his power vnto men Answ. Christs Soueraigne and generall power ouer the whole world is not indeed giuen to any creature nay it is incommunicable and cannot bee conueyed from the person of Christ to the person of any creature man or Angell this truth wee must hold of all Christs offices they are onely in the person of Christ and cannot passe from him to any other II. Quest. How then doth Christ say truly that hee will giue him that ouercommeth power ouer nations Answ. Not that his Soueraigne power is actually giuen to the creature but because the creature being in Christ hath the fruit benefit of this power in his saluation And this power is in them two wayes First hereby Christ makes all his seruants being his meÌ„bers partakers of his glorie in heauen whereas the whole world besides is condemned in hell and therefore we are sayd to be raised vp together and made to sit together in the heauenly places in Christ Iesus And againe he saith The saints shall iudge the world not iâ— giuing sentence vpon them but as witnesses and approuers of Christ his sentence For the elect shall first receiue the sentence of absolution and then beeing taken vp into the clouds shall sit with Christ and there approue of the iust condemnation of all the wicked Secondly by this power he enableth those that bee his in their owne person to ouercome all the enemies of their saluation His meaning then is this as if he had sayd Howsoeuer my Soueraigne power ouer all creatures in my selfe cannot bee deriued to any other yet by vertue of this my power I will exalt them that ouercome to partake of my glorie and will giue them power in themselues ouer their sinnes ouer death hell the world and all the enemies of their saluation Here then behold vnto what exceeding dignitie euerie true seruant of God is aduanced not in himself but in Christ He hath rule ouer nations and victorie ouer all the enemies of his saluation yea he is made partaker of Christs glory Hence we are taught to make conscience of euerie sinne whatsoeuer for the priuiledge of euerie christian is to haue power to iudge the wicked world Now as it is a shame for a iudge that sitteth and condemneth a murtherer or a theefe to be a theefe or a murtherer himselfe so it is for any christian to liue in any one sin seeing hee himselfe must condemne the world of those sinnes Neither can we thinke that Christ will euer aduance him that liues in sinne to condemne the same in others vnlesse hee first reforme it in himselfe Secondly the consideration of this priuiledge of a christian must bee hid in our minds against the time of aduersitie and affliction and of the pangs of death For hee that hath kept faith and good conscience all his life is a prince in Iesus Christ and shall rule ouer all his enemies And therefore though now he bee afflicted and wronged by them yet in Christ he is their iudge and shall one day condemne them that do him wrong And as for death it is subdued in Christ and shall bee no death vnto him 1. Corin. 15. vers 54. Againe the words in the originall are thus He shall feede and rule the nations as a shepheard ruleth and feedeth his lambes with his booke The Papists vpon the words of Christ to Peter Iohn 21.16 Feed my sheepe that is feede and rule my sheepe would gather Peters supremacie ouer the church in all the world But their grosse abuse of that place will appeare by comparing it with this promâ—se of Christ to euery one that ouercommeth for if their collection be good then hence will follow that euery Christian man should haue the like supremacie and be a Pope which how absurd it is euery man may iudge Therfore that place in Iohn must not be vnderstood of any supremacie for there Christ teacheth Peter the faithfull discharge of his office and dutie From this first gift of Christ the Papists gather two things I. That the seuerall saints in heauen are patrons of countries kingdomes as Saint George for England Saint Deâ—is for Fraunce Saint Patricke for Ireland c. Secondly that wee may pray vnto Saints for the Saints rule the nations and therefore know all nations and if they know them then they must bee prayed vnto But they swarâ—e from the meaning of this text for first it is not sayd that the Saints shall haue power one ouer one countrey and another ouer another but euery Saint hath power ouer al nations secondly they haue power ouer all nations not because they rule them actually but because they haue the fruit and benefit of Christs power wherby they are ruled And for their second collection wee must by nations vnderstand not all churches but vnbeleeuers for the wicked are they that must be broken like poâ—ters vessels Now the faithfull haue not power ouer the churches but ouer infidels therfore both their collections are absurd I will giue him the morâ—â—ng starre Here is the second benefit promised by Christ to him that ouercommeth The morning starre properly signifieth that bright star which riseth a little before the Sun some time of the yeare which the heathen call Venus And hereby is ment Christ himselfe as Reu. 22.16 I am the bright morning starre Christ is called a star First because he illuminateth all men with the light of vnderstanding and his church with the knowledge of the will of his father and that sufficiently in all matters that concerne saluation Secondly to shewe that the prophesie vttered by Balaam touching Christ whom he calleth the star of Iaacob is now fulfilled when as Christ by his Apostles hath plentifully reuealed himselfe to all nations Further he is called a morning starre for that special resemblance which is betweene him and it for the morning star riseth not in the beginning or middle of the night but in the end of the night towards the beginning of the day when the sunne is about to rise and then it shineth brighter than all other starres Euen so Christ he came not in the beginning or middle of the darke time vnder the law but in the last age of the world wherin after his incarnation he did shine most fully to all nations so as there was no such light of knowledge before his comming as hath bene since This Peter verifieth when he saith We haue a most sure word of the Prophets to which ye do well that ye take heed as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place vntill the day dâ—wne and the day starre arise in your hearts Where the time of the law and prophets is called a time of darknesse and their preaching then as a candlelight but the preaching of Christ vnder the Gospell is as the day starre which shineth most brightly he
scripture speaketh of God vsually Before the old world was destroyed it is sayd The Lord saw that the wickednesse of man was great vppon the earth as if he had looked from heauen vpon the earth and beheld that it was corrupt speaking after the manner of men to signifie that search which he maketh into mens actions And so he is sayd to come down from heauen at the building of Babell Gen. 11. and before he destroyed Sodome and Gomorrha He came downe to see whether they had done according to that crie which was come vp to him and so before the Lord punished the wickednes of the Israelits He made a search into their waiâ—â— and the second Commaundement is this God will visite the sinnes of the father vpon the children that is he will make a search whether the sinnes of the fathers be among the children and if they be he will punish them Seing Christ makes this search into all mens actions we are taught in all things to haue care to conforme our selus to the will of Christ and to set our selues to the doing of all good duties according to his word If we knew a Magistrate would come to make search in our house wee would bee sure to set all thinges in order against he came shall we be thus circumspect to prepare for the comming of an earthly man shall we not much more prepare our selues against the search of our Sauiour Christ the euerliuing God from whom nothing can be hid I haue not found thy works perfect Works are perfect two waies by the law or by the Gospell By the law wheÌ„ in our works wee doe all that the law requireth and thus are no mans workes perfect in this life By the Gospel our works are perfect when they proceed from a belieuing hart that hath a care to please God in all things these works are perfect not in theÌ„selus but in the acceptation of Christ. Here by perfect works Christ meaneth not the perfection of the law but of the Gospell as if he had sayd I haue searched into your waies you doe many workes in shew but they proceed not from sincere faith nor from a heart that hath care to please God in all his commandements and a full purpose not to sinne against him you haue a shew of godlynesse but you want the power thereof Here obserue that Christ condemneth this church not because their works were not outwardlye conformable to the will of God but because they proceeded not from a beleeuing hart that had a full purpose to forsake all sinne and to please God in all things Wee therefore must take heede of all hypocrisie by the Example of this Church and labour to bee of Dauids minde and praye with him That our harts may be vpright in the Statutes of the Lord that wee may say with Hezekias Behold Lord how I haue walked before thee with an vpright minde for this is a notable token of grace and an infallible badge of him that is the child of God Before God Some may say Christ here distinguisheth himselfe from God and therefore hee is not God Answere By God in this place we must vnderstand not God simply but God the father For Christ here speaketh of himselfe not as he is God but as he is mediator God man in which respect euen as he is now glorified he is inferiour vnto his Father Where note that Christ being now glorified in heauen carrieth himselfe as mediator whence we gather that we may lawfully and without presumption pray vnto Christ without the meanes or intercession of Saints or Angels The church of Rome denie this and say because Christ is now in full glorie in heauen therefore wee must vse vnto him the mediation of Saints but Christ being now in heauen marks our workes in particular and therefore we may without presumption come vnto him by prayer Vers. 3. Remember therfore how thou hast receiued and heard and hold fast and repent If therefore thou wilt not watch I will come on thee as a thiefe and thou shalt not know what houre I will come vpon thee When Christ hath reprooued them for their sinne of hypocrisie and prescribed them a remedie with a reason thereof he doth as a good Phisitian pastor shew them the way how they may practise that remedie For they might say we are commanded to watch and to renew our decayed graces but how shall we doe this Christ answereth by doing three things I. by remeÌ„bring that which thou hast receiued by hearing II. by holding fast III. by repenting of thy sinnes For the first Remember therefore that is call to mind the doctrine of saluation which thou hast been taught by mine Apostles This remembrance is a most excellent means to mooue a man to subiection to Gods will to repent and to practise all good graces When Dauid saw the prosperitie of the wicked his fect had almosâ— steps but his remedie against that temptation was his goâ—â—g to Gods sanctuariâ— and there calling to mind the end of those men Againe I haue remembred thy name oh Lord in the night and haue kept thy law Peter denied his Master when he forgot his words but when hee was put in mind thereof by the looke of Christ and the crowing of a Cocke he then repented and wept bitterly Luk. 22.61.62 Sinnes committed by men of ignorance are many and grieuous and therfore all sins are called ignorances Heb. 9 7. but if men wold by faith keepe in mind the word of God it would bee a notable meanes to keepe them from sinning Here then we haue a soueraigne remedie against sinne namely wheresoeuer we are or whatsoeuer we doe we must call to minde the word of God and the promises of God and those will bee a lanterne vnto our steps and a light vnto our paths The Diuell laboureth aboue all things to bring vs to forget the word for then he knowes he can easily draw vs into any sin Quest. How shall we keepe in minde the word and promises of God Answ. That is a grace of God and for the attayning vnto it we must first labour to haue our hearts affected with the loue of Gods word and promises for a man can neuer keepe in mind that whereof he hath no liking Secondly we must labour to belieue the word of God For faith giues it rooting in our hearts Colos. 2.7 The cause why there is so little remembring of that which is taught is for that it is not mixed with faith in those that heare it Againe the thing to be remembred is How thou hast receiued and heard that is looke what Doctrine thou hast receiued by hearing and that remember Where we see Christ ioineth receiuing and hearing together Whence wee may gather that â—â—aching and receiuing of the word of God by hearing is the prescribed generall meanes whereby God reuealeth his will counsell and purpose touching the saluation
Yea hee is holy in regard of men in a further respect namely as the roote of all mans holinesse as he is Mediator For looke as from Adam is actually conueyed originall sinne to euery one of his posteritie that commeth by naturall generation so from Christ is righteousnesse and holinesse conueyed to all that beleeue in him and for this cause hee is called our righteousnesse and sanctification and in this sence especially is Christ said to be holy in this place Whereas Christ is said to bee holy not only in himselfe but for vs here we must marke what is the principall thing in Christian Religion namely to haue care to bee ingraffed into Christ that from him wee may receiue grace to become new creatures and feele in vs his power to kill our corruptions and dayly to renew his owne Image in vs in righteousnesse and true holinesse and that as truely as wee feele in vs Adams corruption It is not sufficient for vs to plead that Christ will bee our Sauiour and will free vs from all sinnes but wee must labour to haue Christ conuay holinesse into vs and that as sensibly as wee see the roote conuay sappe into the branches and this holinesse wee must make to appeare in our liues as the branches by their fruit and leaues doe shew they receiue sappe from the roote Secondly here note Christ propounds himselfe vnto vs and to all Churches as a notable patterne to be followed giuing vs to vnderstand that all that beleeue in him and looke to be saued by him must bee holy as hee is holy making conscience of euery euill way for Christ is holy to make vs holy Let vs therefore behold Christ and see wherein hee expresseth himselfe to be holy and therein let vs follow him So Iohn saith Hee that hath this hope purifyeth himselfe as hee is holy that is vseth all good meanes to conforme himselfe to Christs holinesse Thirdly hereby wee learne that the common title giuen to the Pope whereby hee is called Holinesse is a blasphemous title for to be holy is here made a propertie of Christ. And yet more is giuen to the Pope than to Christ in this place for he is called Holinesse which is a title of God alone The second propertie whereby Christ is described is Truth Christ is sayd to bee true in three regards First because hee is without all error or ignorance knowing euery thing as it is Truth is in Christ properly and in the creatures onely by meanes of him Secondly because whatsoeuer hee willeth and decreeth he doth it seriously without fraude deceit change or contradiction as the whole tenure of Scriptures doe shewe wherein euery part is sutable and agreeable to another because hee maketh good euery promise made in his word for in him all the promises of God are yea and Amen 2. Cor. 1.20 Whereas Christ is sayd to bee true yea Truth it selfe First Wee learne a full difference betweene him and all false wicked spirites for they are spirites of error and falshood for the diuell is the father of lyes and the author thereof Againe whereas Christ is true in all his wayes we ought without all doubting to beleeue his word and all the promises made therein that concerne our saluation If Christ could erre or lye and men bee deceiued by him then they might iustly doubt of the truth of his word but seeing hee is true in all his promises wee must beleeue in him and in all our distresses either of bodie or mind depend vpon him for he hath made a promise to helpe and he will neuer faile them that rest on him Thirdly in this Propertie hee propounds himselfe an example to be followed of his Church and of vs that as Christ is serious in his decrees and constant in his promises so must wee purpose euery good thing seriously and also make good whatsoeuer good thing wee promise For Lyers must bee destroyed Psalm 5. Vers. 6. They that loue or make Lyes must neuer come into Heauen but â—e shut out thence and cast into the burning Lake of fire and brimstone Reuel 22.15 But it is a note of a man that is a good member of Gods Church in this world and that shall bee inheritour of Christs Kingdome in Heauen to speake the trueth from his heart Psal. 15. Verse 22. And Lying is a note of the childe of the diuell Ioh. 8.44 Secondly Christ is described by his kingly office Which hath the key of Dauid which openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth VVhere first let vs see the meaning of the words For which purpose wee must haue recourse to Esay 22. vers 22 whence these wordes are borrowed being there sayd of Eliachim The circumstances of that Text will easily shew the meaning of the wordes in this place Shebna who had been an ancient Steward to many of the Kings of Israel was Treasurer also vnto King Hezekias And because hee was an hinderer of Reformation intended by Hezekias the Lord threatned to cast him out of his office and further the Lord signifieth that Eliachim shall come in his roome and haue the same office now to expresse this thing the Lord sayth The Key of the house of Dauid shall bee layd vpon his shoulders That is Eliachim shall bee made a Steward of the house of Dauid euen of the Kingdome of Dauid whereof Hezekias was Gouernour for so the House of Iuda and the House of Israel are often put for the whole Kingdome of Iuda and Israel And the giuing of a Key was an ancient token of placing and inuesting men in chiefe rule and authoritie so that the meaning of this place is this that God hath giuen vnto Christ soueraigne power and authoritie of gouerning his Church Quest. But why is Christ sayd to haue the Key of Dauid for Dauids kingdom was a temporall kingdome but Christs Kingdome is not of this world Iohn 18.36 And yet it is said The Lord God shall giue vnto him the Throne of his father Dauid and hee shall raigne ouer the house of Iacob Luk. 1.32.33 Answ. Christ may bee sayd to haue the Keyes of Dauid two wayes First Properly for when hee was borne of the blessed Virgin Marie he was borne King of the Iewes by right descent from his father Dauid as his Genealogie plainely sheweth Luk. 3. And also the question of the wise men at Ierusalem saying Where is the king of the Iewes that is borne Mat. 2.2 And therefore when the Publicans asked tribute of him he pleaded the priuiledge of a Kings sonne albeit to auoyd offence he was content to yeeld of his right to pay tribute Thereby shâ—wing that he had right to the Kingdome of Israel though he would not take it vpon him therfore came in such a time when the Kingdome was taken of the Romane Emperour Secondly he may bee sayd to haue the key of Dauids kingdome Tipically for Dauids kingdome was a figure of Christs kingdome and
Dauid himselfe a type of Christ as it is most excellently dysciphered in the Prophets Ier. 23.5.6 Hosea 3.5 where Christ is plainly called Dauid by the name of him that was his type signe figure Quest. Why were not as well the Kingdomes of Nebuchadnezzar and Pharaoh types of Christs kingdome as Dauids Answ. Because Dauids kingdome was a kingdom of light and pietie but theirs were kingdomes of sinne and iniquitie And he is said to haue the key of Dauids kingdom because his kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof was figured by the pietie in Dauids kingdome And this kinde of speaking is iustifiable by Gods word So Mat. 2.23 Christ is called a Nazarite which place hath relation to that which is said properly of Sāpson who was a most excellent figure of Christ and did most notably represent him in his death wherein hee killed more than in his life Now Christ is called an Nazarite not because he obserued their rites and orders for that he did not he dranke wine so did not the Nazarites but because he was the truth and substance of that order for in him was fully accomplished that holinesse which was figured by that order for he was perfectly seuered from all sinne and pollution And so here he is said to haue the key of Dauid because hee had the soueraigntie which was figured by Dauids Kingdome Which shutteth and no man openeth and openeth and no man shutteth Here Christs kingdome is compared to a house which can bee opened and shut by none but Christ whereby is signified that none hath power aboue Christ in his Kingdome and that his power therein is soueraigne and absolute So that hereby is meant that Christ Iesus sitting in heauen hath soueraigne power and authoritie ouer the whole Church of God to gouerne the same That we may the better vnderstand this soueraigne power of Christ we must know it hath three parts I. To prescribe II. To iudge III. To saue or destroy In Prescribing Christ hath absolute power and that in sundry things as first in prescribing doctrines of Faith and Religion vnto his Church to bee beleeued and obeyed and that on paine of damnation This power he puts in execution when in the bookes of the old and new Testament hee prescribeth the doctrine of the Law the Gospel to be obeyed and beleeued And none but he can make an Article of Faith or a law to binde the conscience and therefore Paul saith Whosoeuer shal teach any other Doctrine then that which ye haue receiued of vs let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 Secondly for regiment he hath absolute power to prescribe how he will haue his Church gouerned and by whom and therefore Moses when he was to make the Tabernacle did all things according to the patterne that the Lord gaue vnto him So Dauid gaue to Salomon patternes of all things that were in him by the spirit touching the building of the house of God 1. Chron. 28.12 Thirdly hee hath absolute power to appoint the time of keeping his Sabbath for as the ordaining of a Sabbath belongs to Christ so doeth the changing thereof hee that prescribeth worship must prescribe the ordinary set time thereunto which is to continue to the end And therfore it is but an opinion of men to hold that the church may make two or moe Sabbath dayes in a week if they wil. Fourthly In prescribing the Sacramēts and therefore Paul saith What I haue receiued of the Lord that deliuer I vnto you speaking of the Lords Supper For hee that giues grace must also appoint the signes and seales of grace The second part of Christs soueraigne power is power of Iudgement which is a soueraigne power to determine on his owne wil without the consent of others or submission to men or Angels And in determining Christ hath two priuiledges First to expound scripture the absolute power of expounding the Law belongeth to the Law-giuer and his exposition is Authenticall Secondly to determine of all Questions and Controuersies in Scripture And therefore it is a wicked opinion of the church of Rome which hold that the principall Iudge of interpreting Scripture and decyding controuersies is the Church The third part of Christs soueraigne power is to saue and destroy This is expressed in these words Hee openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth and for this cause he is sayd to haue the keyes of hell and of death Whereby is signified first that hee hath power to forgiue sins for that hee procureth at his Fathers hands Secondly that hee hath power to condemne for when men beleeue not his word hee hath power to hold them in their sins for which he can cast them into hell The ground of this three-fold power of Christ i◠this because hee is soueraigne Lorde ouer his Church and the members thereof The Church of Rome saith that this key of Dauid hath more in it then soueraigntie ouer his church to wit a power to make and depose Kings that bee in his Church This they teach that they might proue the Pope to haue title in ordayning and deposing of kings by vertue of the keyes But they erre grosly for though Christ as he is Mediatour bee aboue all kings yet in that regard hee neither maketh nor deposeth any kings and therefore he saith plainly My kingdō is not of this world This caused him to refuse to take vpon him the office of an earthly Iudge or prince to deuide an inheritance betweene two brethren Hence it was that he refused to giue sentence of the adulterous woman And yet as Christ is God hee maketh or deposeth earthly kings so the wise mail speaketh of him in the person of wisdō by me kings raign For the further cleering of this we must handle another point which is deriued hence concerning the power of the keyes which is a power whereby the power of the keyes of Dauid is put in execution This power of the Keyes is mentioned Mat. 16.19 when Christ saith vnto Peter I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt bind vpon earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen This power of the keyes is a ministery granted to Gods church to open and shut the kingdome of heauen First I call it a Ministerie that is a seruice because whatsoeuer the church doth in Christs name is nothing but the duetie of seruantes vnto their Lord from whence it is that the most worthy members and officers that euer were in the Church as the Prophets and Apostles were but the Ministers of Christ. That this is a seruice I shew more plainely thus When Adam fell in his sinne all mankinde fell with him and thereby were all barred from the kingdome of heauen Now since that fall Christ became man and in his manhood satisfied the iustice of God for mans sinnes And this