another and yet beseecheth them to increase therein Phil. 3.13.4 in Pauls person we haue a worthie president which we must follow if wee thinke to come whither he is gone before though hee had gone farre in the loue of God yet he laboured to perfection and therefore considered not that which was past as resting in it but rather how farre hee was too short that so he might vse meanes to increase in loue and in all other good graces till hee come to perfection A christian mans life is a way that leadeth to heauen wherein we once setting foot must â—uer go forward and not stand still or turne backe lest we neuer come there The state of a christian is like vnto a child which still groweth till it come to a perfect strength and so must euerie child of God labour to grow in the graces of God till they bee perfect men in Christ For if they stand still Christ hath something against them The Rhemists in their annotations abuse this place to proue that a man may quite fall away from grace Therefore to cleare this text and to confirme our hearts in the truth of Gods word thiâ— question must be scanned Whether a man may quite fall away from grace Answ. Grace in Scripture is taken two wayes First for that fauour of God whereby hee accepteth of some for his children in Christ. This is the first grace and the fountaine of all other and taking grace in this sense I say that the signes of grace and the sense thereof in the heart may be lost But the fâ—â—our of God it selfe cannot bee lost of them that truly beleeue When an earthly father is displeased with his child for some notorious crime hee will turne the signes of his fauour into signes of displeasure and shew the same partly by words and partly by stripes and yet he still continueth his father and holdeth him for his sonne without any purpose to disinherit him Euen so God dealeth with his children for their sins and corruptions he will turne away his louing countenance from them and change the signes of his fauour into anger and displeasure when as yet the good purpose of their adoption is not altered but remaineth firme for euer and God is still their father though an angrie father through the prouocation of their sinnes Secondly grace in Scripture is taken for the gifts of grace which are bestowed on them that beleeue in Christ. These gifts of grace be of two sorts some more principall of absolute necessitie vnto saluation without which none can bee saued as faith and also hope and loue which proceed from faith There be others also lesse principall which be very profitable and requisit yet not absolutly needfull vnto saluation As the feeling of Gods fauor alacritie in prayer sense of ioy and comfort in the holy Ghost These lesse principal graces may quite be lost The principall graces also may be decayed lessened and couered in regard of operation euen in Gods children but quite extinguished they cannot be for God vpholdeth them by perseuerance where faith hope loue are once truly wrought by Gods spirit they are neuer wholly or finally taken away but onely in part and in sense and feeling for a time This answer is agreeable to this text for the church of Ephesus is here blamed not for quite loosing her loueâ— but because she had left her first loue suffering it to decay and waxelesse than it was at their first conuersion And because this doctrine is oppugned earnestly not onely by the church of Rome but also by some churches and schooles of the Protestants I will first shew the truth hereof out of Gods word and then scan the cheefe reasons that are brought against it That grace cannot bee wholly and finally lost these reasons proue I. Matth. 16.18 The promise is made to Peter and in him to all the faithfull That vpon that faith which he professed Christ would build his temple and the gates of hell should not preuaile against it Which last words must be marked for they intimate that the diuell with his adherents would shew much force and violence against the faith of the elect but yet they should neuer get the victory or ouercome it wholly II. Matth. 24.24 Christ foretelling that false Prophets should come sayth They should seduce if it were possible the very elect Where he taketh this for graunted that the elect albeit they may bee assaulted greeuously yet they can neuer be wholly or finally drawne away from their faith III. Iohn 10.27 28 My sheepe heare my voyce sayth Christ and I know them and they follow me and I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish To this they answer It is true they shall neuer perish so long as they remaine the sheepe of Christ. But that cauill is cut off in the next wordes Neither shall any plucke them out of my hands my father which gaue them me is greater than all and none is able to plucke them out of my fathers hands And therefore neither the deuill nor the world nor the flesh can by any temptation draw the sheep of Christ from their faith and make them to be no sheepe IV. Reason Iohn 3.36 Hee that beleeueth in Christ hath eternall life They say hee hath it in hope and no otherwise I answere if they haue it in hope they shall neuer perish For hope maketh not ashamed V. Reason Rom. 8.30 Whom hee predestinat them also he called and whom hee called them also be iustified and whom hee iustified them also be glorified Those which are elected called and iustified by faith must needs be glorified and therefore cannot fall away finally for such shall neuer be glorified And in the end of the chapter vers 38. hee addeth That neither death nor life Angels principalities nor powers nor any thing els can separate vs viz. the faithfull from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. But if the faithfull might fall away finally then they might be seuered from the loue of God VI. Reason Rom. 11.29 The gifts of Gods calling that is the peculiar gifts that pertaine to saluation are without repentance They say it is true God indeed neuer repenteth him of his gifts but yet a man may perish and fall away because he may refuse and reiect Gods grace giuen vnto him This answere is friuolous maintaining this absurditie that the powerfull will of God should be broght vnder the silly will of the creature if man could repell Gods grace giuen vnto him then should mans will take place and Gods will bee made frustrate and void VII Reason 1. Iohn 3.9 Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not because his seede remaineth in him neither can bee sinne because he is borne of God How is that true for chap. 1.10 Hee that sayth he hath not sinned maketh God a lyar and his word is not in him Answ. The place must bee vnderstood thus He that is borne
may obserue that the doctrine of Gods word is an infallible marke whereby to know the true Prophet of God and also to distinguish hâ—m from all false prophets God foretold his people that false Prophets should come among them for their triall Deut. 13. But how shall they discerne them surely by their doctrine for though they shew wonders yet if their doctrine tend to draw men fâ—om the true God to idolatrie they are false prophets and should die When our Sauior Christ was asked By what authoritie hee did those things Luk. 20.2 3. He approoued his authoritie by the testimonie of Iohn who bare witnesse of him Iohn 1.15 and confirmed the calling of Iohn by the truth of his doctrine which themselues being witnesses was from heauen Luke 20. ver 4 5. Hereby then we see the error of the Papists who teach That the onely note of a true Prophet is to confirme his doctrine by a miracle and that hee which cannot doe so is a false Prophet But this note of difference is not true for false Prophets may confirme their lying vanities by signes and wonders as we may see Deut. 13. And so doth Antichrist 2. Thess. 2.9 The sixt argument by which this Reuelation is described is the order and manâ—r of propounding it to the Church and it stands in foure degrees First God the father giueth it to Christ the mediator and head of the Church Secondly Christ giueth it to an Angell Thirdly the Angell conueyes it to Iohn the Apostle Fourthly Iohn diâ—ected and assisted by the holy Ghost deliuereth it to the Churches Now as this particular booke was so no doubt all other holy Scriptures were conueyed to the Church from whence we may obserue First the constant loue of God to his children by this his special care in propounding and deliuering his will and word to his Church Secondly that this booke and so all other parts of holy Scripture are in their kind most perfect and excellent Thirdly that the Church of Rome blasphemeth in calling the written word of God a dead letter and dumbe Iudge matching generall councels with it for authoritie and teaching that the vniuersall consent of the Church is about Scripture fâ—r â—â—terpretation and giues life and sence thereto which otherwise of it selfe were but an inckie letter and dumbe word Verse 3. Blessed are they which reade and they that heare the words of this prophesie and keepe those things which are written therein for the time is at hand Here is the seuenth and last argumeÌ„t whereby this Reuelation is described to wit the fruit effect and the profit which comes of it euen true happrnesse This prophesie concerneth the present and future state of the Church the reading and hearing whereof ioyned with carefull keeping bringeth with it true blessednesse that is fellowship with God and life euerlasting In this argument we may obserue First the end of this booke and so of all other bookes of Scripture viz. â—o bring men to happinesse to fellowship with God and life euerlasting These things were written saith S. Iohn that yee might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ and so beleeuing might haue eternall life Iohn 20.31 Againe hee declared to them the word of Christ that by it they might haue fellowship with God the father and with his sonne Iesus Christ. 1. Iohn 1.3 In which fellowship is true happinesse Christ himselfe sayth Search the Scriptures for in them you thinke to haue eternall life Iohn 5.39 And in this they differ from all other bookes and writings of men for mens writings bee penned either by the light of nature and so be erronious and misse the end of true happinesse or els they be penned by them which haue direction from the word and so all the truth they haue leading to true happinesse is borrowed hence when as the Scriptures of themselues doe directly guide men thither From the consideration of this blessed end of holy Scripture wee may obserue first That the opinion and practise of the church of Rome is damnable who barre the people of God from reading and hearing the Scriptures in their vulgar tongue For in depriuing them of this meanes as much as in them lieth they barre them of their saluation and they doe directly crosse the purpose of S. Iohn who doth therefore pronouÌ„ce him blessed that shall heare and reade this booke with conscience to keep and obey it that he might allure and draw al men to doe it with delight Secondly we are hereby admonished with all care and diligence to reade and meditate in Gods word That place before named is most excellent Search the Scripture Iohn 5.39 Euen as wee would search for gold or some precious thing which we would fain find So the word imports And he addeth the reason For in them you thinke to haue eternall life The same is wisdomes counsell Prou. 2.4 But some will say I cannot reade I was neuer brought vp in learning and therefore I cannot search S. Iohn cuts off his excuse in the next wordes saying Blessed he is also which beares the wordes of this prophecie As if he should say though hee cannot reade yet if hee heare and keepe it he is blessed Here then iâ— the dutie of those which cannot read the Scriptures they must procuâ—e others to reade vnto them and by hearing and keeping they shall be blessed Thirdly by this scope and end of Scriptures wee must learne to carrie in mind this plaine difference between the bookes of God and writings of men Gods word bringeth a man which keepâ— it to happinesse but mans writings of themselues cannot doe so vnlesse they haue light from the word of God If this distinction were imprinted in our harts we should not bee so delighted as many are to heare or speak the words of God mixed with the wordes of sinfull men specially in the publicke ministerie In former times the Lord forbad his owne people to sowe their field with mingled seede 〈◊〉 to make them garments of diuerse things as of linnen and woollen Leuit. 19.19 And no doubt the same God doth mislike that the pure seed of his word should be mingled with the sayings of erroneous and sinfull men when the same is sown vpon the furrowes of mens heaâ—ts Secondly in this seuenth Argument wee may obserue the right manner and way of hearing and reading the Scriptures a point worthie all serious consideration Iâ— stands in two things First we must set downe with ourselues a certaine end why we reade and heare the Scriptures which is that we may attaine to true happinesse standing in fellowship with God and life euerlasting This end must bee the motiue to induce vs to heare and reade the word of God and when this taâ—es place in our hearts it wil be of force to make vs reade and heare with care and conscience which beseemeth Gods word Secondly wee must keepe in mind the things wee reade or heare so fayth the text And keepeth the things which are
cause of his banishment to wit for testifying the hystorie and doctrine of the gospell the summe whereof is this That Iesus Christ the sonne of Marie is the sonne of God and redeemer of all that beleeue in him to the iustification of life This testimonie S. Iohn puts downe to giue vs to vnderstand what part of Gods word that is which is most hated of the world and for the preaching whereof Gods ministers are persecuted and banished to wit the gospell of Iesus Christ especially for the law is in part naturall but the gospell is supernaturall and to mans reason absurd for the preaching whereof men in all ages haue been persecuted The reason hereof is this God in the beginning made a couenant with man promising That the seede of the woman should breake the serpents head Now the gospell is that glad tidings wherein is declared that this promised seede is come who hath indeede bruised the head of the serpent Hereupon the diuell maligneth the gospel aboue all parts of Gods word and accordingly hath laboured by al meanes to suppresse the same partly by persecution as hee did in the first three hundred yeares after Christ and partly by bringing into the church damnable heresies which did destroy the gospell by deprauing the natures and offices of Christ when by outward violence he could not preuaile Now seeing the diuell and his instruments doe thus hate the gospell and labour to extinguish it we on the contrarie must labour to know and to beleeue to loue and embrace the gospell that so we may vphold and maintaine the same Vers. 10. And I was rauished in the spirit on the Lords day and heard behind mee a great voyce as it had beene of a Trumpet In this tenth verse are set downe the third and fourth circumstances of this vision The third is the manner of receiuing and giuing this reuelation to Iohn namely in a traunce The fourth is the time when it was giuen on the Lords day Touching the manner it is noted in these words I was in the spirit That is I was by the mightie and extraordinarie worke of the spirit of God cast into a traunce That this 〈◊〉 bee so expounded appeareth by comparing this phrase with the like in the whole prophesie of Ezechiell who vseth to say I was in the spirit when hee expresseth and signifieth that hee was cast into a traunce and therein receiued some vision by the spirit To vnderstand this the better consider two things first what a traunce is secondly the end of it First a traunce is an extraordinarie worke or action of Gods spirit Wee must not thinke that traunces come from the vertue of the starres nor from the constitution of mans bodie or by the strength of imagination as some haue fondly thought but they are wrought by the holy ghost Secondly it is not euery worke of the holy ghost but an extraordinarie worke aboue the order of nature It is also powerfull and mightie wherein the whole man both in bodie and mind is altered which Saint Iohn here expresseth saying I was in the spirit This extraordinarie worke of the spirit consisteth in two actions one vpon the bodie the other vpon the mind First in procuring a traunce the spirit of God casteth the body of man into a dead sleepe whereby all the sences both inward and outward are benummed so Genes 15.12 when God renewed his couenant with Abraham hee casteth him into an heauâ—e sleepe that is into a traunce wherein all his sences were benummed onely his mind was waking The action of the Holy ghost on the mind is to draw it from fellowship with the body and all the sences to haue a neerer fellowship with God that so the spirit of God may enlighten it with diuine light that it may vnderstand the things which are reuealed to it as wee may see in other extasies and traunces of the Prophets and Apostles As in that of Peâ—er when he saw the vision of beasts cleane and vncleane And thus wee see what a Traunce is namely an extraordinarie powerfull workâ— of the spirit vpon the whole man caâ—ting the bodie into a dead sleepe and making the mind fit to receiue the things which are reuealed vnto it of the Lord. II. point The end of traunces God for two causes reuealeth his will in traunces vnto his seruants as to Iohn in this place First that 〈◊〉 might know that the things reuealed were not inuented of themselues but giuen of God Iohn herein had no vse of his bodily sences hee neither heard saw nor felt but they were asleepe And therefore the vision must needs be from God and the glory therof wholly his Secondly and chiefely that the things reuealed might take the deeper impression in the vnderstanding for the mind being freed from fellowship with the body and not hindered by any phantasies of the sences they being all asleepe and quiet doth then most liuely and sensibly apprehend and retaine the impression of things reuealed Here then we see the great care of God that his seruants might throughly vnderstand certainely beleeue and constantly keepe in memorie the things hee deliuered vnto them The like care he shewed in reuealing his will to all his former Prophets he would not haue their minds troubled with the fellowship of the body nor hindered of the sences inward or outward but wholly taken vp for the seruice of his spirit And there is good reason of this for if they must faithfully teach Gods will to others to make them know and vnderstand to beleeue remember the same is it not necessarie that they themselues should throughly vnderstand soundly beleeue and firmely keepe in memorie whatsoeuer God reuealeth This dealing of the Lord for this end with his holy Prophets teacheth vs that the ordinarie ministers of the Gospell at this day ought to imploy themselues with all care and diligence that they may throughly vnderstand the will of God in his word and withall beleeue it soundly and remember it carefully We must not now looke for traunces and visions as they had but we must vse continuall study in the word which is the ordinarie meanes to come vnto this knowledge This dutie concerneth all students in diuinitie and all others which desire a good vnderstanding in the word of God And for their furtherance herein they must haue principall care to search into the text of Scripture throughly thereby shall they best conceiue the proper meaning of the holy ghost and with greater facilitie keepe the same in memorie For one sayth truly That euery good minister should bee a good text man Whereby is descried a common fault of many students who rather imploy themselues in the auncient writings of men than in the word of God nay many spend their best time in the base writings of wicked hereticall monks and friers It cannot be denied but many of the fathers were worthie members of Gods church but if the fountaine be left the
the doctrine of vniuersall grace affirming that the promises of the gospell for life and saluation belong to all and euerie man whatsoeuer vnlesse hee will reiect them is a deuice of mans braine For life eternall is not promised to euerie man as he is a man comming of Adam but to a man as hee is in Christ by faith and a new creature The promises of the gospell bee vniuersall indeed to all that ouercome but that is a propertie which restraines them wholly to true beleeuers Secondly hereby we are taught so to liue that we may say truly in the testimonie of a good conscience we haue ouercome all our spirituall enemies and do continually stand conquerours ouer them This is a matter of endlesse ioy comfort which will cheere the soule in greatest distresse But to liue and lie in sinne is or will bee a hell to the conscience What auaile the treasures honors of this world to any man while his conscience shall tell him he is a vassall to sinne and sathan for while he continueth in that estate he is out of the fauour of God and hath no part nor portion in the kingdome of heauen Therefore it standeth vs vpon to labour to feele in our harts the certaine euidence of this victorie ouer our spirituall enemies by the sure testimonie of the spirit of grace The second point is the thing promised to wit life euerlasting noted by this gift To eate of the tree of life And it is set out vnto vs by two circumstances First by the cause of it Secondly by the place where it is to bee found The cause is Christ Iesus I will giue to him to eat of the tree of life Where he maketh an opposition betweene himselfe and the first Adam The first Adam sinned and thereby cast himselfe with all his posterity out of the earthly paradise and lost the benefit of the tree of life But Christ the second Adam commeth and suffereth for sinne and thereby openeth the way to a better paradise than the first Adam lost and to all that ouercome he giueth libertie to enter in and to eate of the tree of life The tree of life properly was a tree placed in the middest of the earthy paradise and it was so called first because it was a pledge and sacrament vnto Adam that he should liue for euer if hee continued in obedience to God secondly because it had in it as may be proued vertue and power whereby it would haue preserued him from death and old age for euer if hee had stood in his innocencie This earthly tree of life was a figure and signe of Christ our Sauiour and mediator who liueth an eternall spirituall life not onely as hee is God but as hee is mediator and that not for himself alone but for this end that hâ—e may conuey quickning spirituall life to all that beleeue in him and for this cause hee tearmeth himselfe the tree of life Further he saith He will giue hereof to eate To eate sometime signifieth to beleeue Iohn 6.50 but it cannot heare be so taken For faith endeth with this life and hath no vse afterward Therefore to eate in this place signifieth to haue immediat fellowship with Christ in heauen where Christ shall bee vnto him a tree of life to make him liue for euer In this promise note two points I. In what things eternal life consisteth namely in immediat fellowship and communion with Christ in heauen Secondly that life eternall standeth not in outward meanes as meat drinke clothing physicke recreation sleepe and such like but in an immediat partaking with Christ in all his blessings So that when Christ is all in all vnto vs immediatly then do we eat of the tree of life and therby shall liue eternally II. Circumst The place where eternall life is to be had is in the paradise of God This paradise of God is the third heauen a place wherein the Lord doth manifest himself in his glorious maiesty and which he hath prepared for the glory of all his elect Hereof Christ spake to the theâ—fe on the crosse saying This day thou shalt be with me in paradise Luk. 23.43 and hither was Paule wrapped in vision and saw and heard things that cannot bee vttered and he calleth it the third heauen in respect of the heauens vnder it for the place wherein we breath is the first heauen the starrie firmament is the second heauen and this paradise of God is the third which is therefore called paradise because it is a place of endlesse ioy and pleasure And the adding of the name of God doth not onely put a difference betweene it and Adams earthly paradise but also sheweth it to be a great and most excellent place So Rabel saith I haue wrestled with my sister the wrestlings of God that is strong wrestlings And in the Psalmes the mountaines of God do signifie high and mightie mountaines And that this paradise is such an excellent place appeareth at large Reuel 22. For therein must come none vncleane thing but the Saints and Angels do there enioy the presence of God and behold his glorie so much as the creature is able to comprehend There God communicateth himselfe to all the elect and becommeth all things vnto theâ— immediatly so that this must needs beâ—â— place of all ioy and comfort The consideration whereof must admonish vs to seeke the thingâ— that bee aboue that wee may haue a place in this heauenly paradise For why should we set our heartâ— vpon the vaine glorie of this world which passeth away as a shadow and commeth to nothing and in the end is but labour and sorrow when wee haue all that the world can affoord But the ioyes and glorie of this paradise of God bee endlesse and vnspeakeable Let vs therefore denie our selues depend vpon Christ and in all things keepe faith and a good conscience vnto the end And thus much for the first Epistle Verse 8. And vnto the Angell of the Church of the Smirnians write these things sayth he that is the first and the last which was dead and is aliue In this verse and the rest that follow to the twelfth iâ— layd downe the second letter or Epistle of Christ to another church of Asia called Smyrna Before the Epistle Christ giues a second particular commaundement vnto Iohn touching the writing hereof vnto this church in these words And vnto the Angell of the Church of the Smirnians write Which is prefixed to this Epistle that this church and all other churches of God might bee assured that 〈◊〉 had sufficient warrant and calling for the writing hereof Which thing is necessarie to euerie pen-man of the holie Ghost that the church need not to doubt of the authoritie of Scripture but receiue the same as the pure word of God Hence we may gather that all ordinarie Ministers of the gospell must haue warrant and calling for euery doctrine which they teach in Gods church for the
integritie Abrahams in meekenesse Moses in knowledge Arons in paines Paules and in praying Samuels and remember that as Augustine sayd Manus pauperum sunt gazophylacium Christi The hands of the poore are the treasurie of Christ. I need not speake much of the dutie of a Minister for euery one will teach him his dutie that will not bee ranged within any dutie himselfe These Churches were then like Dauids Worthies excellent aboue all the Churches of the world but because they lost their first loue were not faithfull to the death maintained the doctrine of Balaam suffered women to teach bare a name onely to liue had but a little strength were neither hote nor cold and repented not as they should haue done of all their sinnes they are reprehended by Iohn threatened by Christ and the Candlesticke of the Gospell is now taken away from them Iam seges est vbi Troia fuit Now Mahomet rageth where Messiah did raigne Are they reprehended let vs hearken are they threatened let vs feare are they fallen let vs labour to continue From Iohns reprehension we see that as one said hereof our Elders haue complained hereof doe we complaine and hereof they which liue after vs will complaine that men waxe worse and liue not according to the doctrine of Gods word From Christs threatning we see that God is mercifull who first offereth peace before he fight against vs that we being forewarned might be fore-armed And by the wofull downefall of these seuen Churches let vs that stand take heed that we fall not for if God spared not the old world who despised Noah the Sodomites who vexed Lot Ierusalem which abused the Prophets Colossa Hierapolis and Laodicea who reiected Paule and these Asian Churches who did not grow in righteousnesse as they did in riches how shall wee escape if we neglect so great saluation and for this cause these Sermons are most worthie to be considered of in this present age O then let vs now consider this season redeeme the oportunitie not harden our hearts but regard the time of our present visitation As the day openeth and shutteth with the Sunne so saluation openeth and shutteth with the Gospell Whilest it is called to day let vs heare his voice He that laboureth in Summer is the sonne of wisedome but he that sleepeth in haruest is the sonne of confusion All things in the world doe take their time the bird to build her neast the husbandman to sow his seed the mariner to goe to sea the gardener to set his trees the sicke patient to take physicke the cooke to season meats and the dresser of the vineyard to gather his fruit It will bee too late to build in Summer to sow in haruest to go to sea when the ship is launched to transplant trees when they are old to take physicke when we are dying to season meates when they are vnsauorie and when winter is come to gather fruit The fiue foolish virgines came too late Diues in hell repenteth too late the time present is onely ours Is the figge-tree fruitlesse it shall heare that sentence Neuer fruit grow on thee any more Get thee then righteousnesse before thou come to iudgement vse Physicke before thou be sicke and whilest thou maiest yet sinne shew thy conuersion as the wise man exhorteth euery man But alas whereunto shall I liken this generation We are like the Ephesians wee haue lost our first loue or the Laodiceans we are neither hote nor cold or the twilight neither day nor night or the Autumne neither faire nor foule or one sicke of an ague one day well another ill or a man in a Lethargie neither aliue nor dead or Hermaphroditus neither male nor female or to those creatures called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which liue in water or on land or the Lionesse which the oftener shee breedeth the fewer cubs she beareth or the Mariner who is onely good in a storme or the Marigold that shutteth and openeth with the Sunne or the Mermaids which are halfe flesh halfe fish I would to God wee were either hote or cold that as the hotest regions bring foorth sweetest spices so most zealous people might be most fruitfull in good workes that as the Sunne in the heauen is swiftest at her setting so the sonnes of God might bee best at their ending But is it so no the more wee are taught the more ignorant are many and the older we are the colder in religion We haue indeed many of vs as it was said of Aristogiton Martem or rather religionem in lingua religion in tongue but when triall is made of vs euery Phocâ—on can espie our halting and then with Archilochus we thinke it better clypeum abiicere quà m interire euen to cast off all religion than to vndergoe the least disgrace for religion The Moone desiring to be apparelled as the rest of the Planets answer was made her That her diuerse chaunges could admit no kind of habite and we desiring to be attired with the robes of Christians it is to bee feared that since we tread not the Moon vnder our feet we shal neuer be clothed as the Church was with the Sunne Who is wise and he shall vnderstand these things and prudent and he shall know them Let vs therefore labor to grow in grace to abound in knowledge to be full of good works and to ouercome all the vnderminers of our future saluation Then shall we eat of the tree of life not be hurt of the second death tast of the hidden Manna haue power ouer nations bee clothed in white made pillars in Gods temple and sit with Christ Iesus in the throne of his father And though the sonne of Ishai cannot make vs Captaines of thousands yet that Sonne of Dauid will make vs the sonnes of God That we may doe so we must beleeue the Gospell put on Christ Iesus and bee renewed by repentance The first is necessarie the second comely the third profitable To come to the first it is necessarie we should beleeue for hee that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie he is condemned in the counsell of God in the ministery of the word and in his owne conscience he shall be condemned in the day of iudgement for the wrath of God abideth vpon him The more I consider the fruits of faith the more I see the necessitie of faith Through it we are saued by it we are iustified in it we liue We are saued from Sathan iustified before God liue in the Church In the Church nay by it we liue in heauen for hee that beleeueth in the Sonne of God hath euerlasting life Faith is that which purifieth the heart maketh the whole man to run the wayes of Gods commaundements
Churches for the pure word of God Now come to the words The Reuelation of Iesus Christ which God gaue vnto him c. These three first Chapters consist of two parts A Preface and a Vision The Preface is an entrance to the Vision contained in the beginning of the first Chapter from the first verse to the ninth The Vision it selfe is set downe in the rest of these three Chapters The Preface hath two parts First the title of the booke Secondly the inscription thereof The title in the three first verses The inscription from the fourth to the ninth verse The title in these words The Reuelation of Iesus Christ c. A Reuelation is nothing else but a manifestation or discouerie of things secret in respect of men for the common good of the Church and so this word is taken in this place Reuelations from God in Scripture were shewed three wayes First by dreames Secondly by vision Thirdly by created voyce of God face to face as we may see Num. 12.6 8. Now this was not by dreame nor by vision or voice alone but it is a mixt Reuelation receiued partly by vision and partly by voyce vttered in the vision from the Lord. In the three first verses this Reuelation is described by seuen arguments First by the author Secondly the end Thirdly the persons to whom it was directed Fourthly the matter Fiftly the instruments Sixtly the maner of deliuering it Seuenthly the fruit of the Reuelation First the Author is Iesus Christ It comes from him and it is called his Reuelation in these respects First not to exclude the father and the holy Ghost but to shew the speciall office of Christ the second person in Trinitie which is to reueale to publish and to manifest the will of God the father to his Church and for this cause he is called the Angell of the Couenant the doctor of the Churh the wisedom of the father the word of God Secondly it is called the Reuelation of Iesus Christ to teach vs to put difference betweene this and all Satanicall Reuelations for as God hath his true Reuelations so Sathan who herein may be called Gods ape hath his counterfeit visions and deliuers them in shew like to gods but they differ much First the Diuels Reuelations be for the most part ambiguous doubtfull and vncertaine in speech and phrase so as a man cannot tell which way to take them But the Reuelations which come from Christ the author of truth who knoweth all things and the reasons of them are certaine and in plaine termes deliuered Secondly the Diuell sheweth his visions to none but to the wicked and bad men that be his instruments But the Lord chuseth the godly which feare his name and to them he reuealeth his secrets as to Iohn in this place Thirdly the Diuels Reuelations euermore tend to set vp and vphold heresie wickednesse Apostacie and idolatrie Deut. 13.1 2. but these that come from God serue to erect and maintaine truth according to godlinesse euen pure Apostolicall doctrin and the sincere worship of God Thirdly it is called the Reuelation of Christ to shew vnto vs his speciall kingly office in heauen for being ascended and exalted to the throne of Maiestie he sitteth at the right hand of his father far aboue all principalitie and power might and domination and there doth direct rule and gouerne his Church vpon earth according to the good pleasure of his will for all these visions serue to direct his Church in their obedience to his command Whereas Christ Iesus is author of this Reuelation and after his ascention and exaltation giues the same vnto his Church We may obserue his constant care ouer his Church in this last age of the world Before his Incarnation euen from the beginning he gaue vnto his people such doctrine of faith and manners as was needfull for their saluation and still som time to time reuealed such prophesies of things to come as were meete for them to know And now behold the continuance or rather the increase of this his care in the new Testament for beside the perfection of the former prophesies and the full manifestation of his blessed will by his Euangelists and Apostles for all things needful to be beleeued and done vnto eternall life Loe here is added the Reuelation of this worthie Prophesie concerning things to come for the great good and comfort of his children to the end of the world Which God gaue vnto him These words be added to shew how this became the Reuelation of Christ namely by the gift of God that is of God the father the first person in Trinitie for this is a rule to be obserued That where the title God in any sentence of Scripture is opposed to Christ there it importeth the first person the father though this bee also true That sundry times in Scripture the father alone is tearmed God without any addition of the other persons because he is the first in regard of order and the fountaine of the deitie for the sonne receiueth the Godhead by communication from the father and the holy ghost receiueth it from them both but the father hath his godhead of himselfe and receiueth it not by communication from any other Here some will say this seemes strange that any thing should be giuen to Christ seeing he is God and hath all things of himselfe Answ. We must conceiue of Christ two wayes first as God secondly as Mediator and head of the Church As Christ is God the father giueth him nothing for so he is of himselfe the same with the father and hath all things belonging vnto him that the father hath excepting personall properties and is no way inferior to the father neither receiueth any thing from him but giueth all things as well as the father doth But yet as Christ is Mediator hee is not God simply but God incarnate or God made man and so is said to receiue of his father in respect of his manhood as himselfe confesseth All power is giuen to me Matth. 28.18 And Paule sayth God gaue him a name aboue all names Philip. 2.9 hee receiued of his father the promise of the holy Ghost sayth Peter Act. 2.33 And God made him both Lord and Christ ver 36. and so God gaue him this Reuelation in this place If it be said this makes Christ inferiour to his father for the receiuer is vsually inferiour to the giuer Answer As Christ is God he is equall with the father but as he is Mediatour God incarnate and made man he is inferiour and receiueth of him So much himselfe confesseth My father which gaue them mee is greater than all Iohn 10.29 And in the same respect Paule calleth God the father The head of Christ. 1. Cor. 11.6 And as Christ now sitteth at the right hand of his father being Mediator and ruler of his Church he is inferiour to his father and receiueth his kingdome from his father which he
of God So Christ bids vs first to seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse for when we are in Gods kingdome of grace reconciled to him in Christ then all things needfull shall bee ministred to vs Matth. 6.33 This discouers the bad practise of most men euery where who in seeking the blessings of God begin at the wrong end They will toyle themselues in their callings to get wealth honour pleasures and preferments but the fauour of God in Christ is not regarded which notwithstanding is the true and right foundation of all outward welfare Here some will say if God giue mee wealth honour and reputation then hee loues me for these be signes thereof I answere These be no sure tokens of his fauour in Christ for those that bee his enemies may enioy them all as Iob. 21.7 to the 14. This Dauid perceiued how the wicked might flourish in their outward prosperitie hauing more than heart could wish Psalm 73.3.7 And yet they stood but in slipperie places And therefore let no man herewith deceiue himselfe hee that wanteth Gods fauour in Christ is but a cursed wretch and a firebrand of hell though he had all the world for outward things at his commaund For all earthly things seuered from Gods speciall grace are but an heape of miseries The wicked mans peace is no peace sayth the Lord Isay 48.22 And the man that hath Gods grace in Christ though hee want all wordly benefits yet hee hath more than all the world without it for hereby alone hee is truly blessed and happie From him which is and which was and which is to come and from the seuen spirits which are before his throne Here is set down the first cause and author of these two Grace and Peace to wit God himselfe distinguished into three persons the father son and holy ghost The Father is noted in these words Which is and which was and which is to come The holy ghost in these And from the seuen spirits which are before his throne The Sonne in the fift verse And from Iesus Christ which is a faithfull witnesse and first begotten of the dead and Lord ouer the kings of the earth vnto him that loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his owne bloud c. S. Iohn in the first place describes the father by a distribution which expresseth the true nature of God in these words Which is was and is to come In which he alludes to that Exod. 3.14 15. where Moyses demaunds of God If the people should aske who sent him what he should answere The Lord bids him say Ehich Iehouah hath sent me which two names serue to one end namely to expresse the nature of God They are translated I am and the Lord but these English words doe not fully expresse their signification Yet S. Iohn expounds theÌ„ here making Ehich to signifie him which is which was and is to come Which words of Iohn also in the originall be more full in sence than our English tongue can well expresse And yet they may be thus explaned Grace and Peace be from him which is in himselfe and of himselfe a most perfect and absolute substance which was a most perfect substance and which is to come a most absolute perfect simple substance and essence In these words are touched sundry weightie points First touching the nature of God namely That God is a most absolute perfect substance and essence which hath his being in himselfe of himselfe and from none other Paule sayth An idoll is nothing 1. Cor. 8.4 that is nothing subsisting in nature but a meere fond deuice of mans braine But the true God is an essence subsisting and that of himselfe alone perfectly and herein differeth from all Idols and false Gods Secondly hereby we see a difference betweene God and all his creatures Euery creature is a substance as Angels and Men likewise mans bodie and soule are substances yet none of these haue being of themselues but from God and of God And yet wee must not conceiue that the creatures are parts of God though they haue their substances and being of him for then each creature should be God for the communication of the diuine substance cannot be without the diuine nature But Gods substance is indiuisible and incommunicable to the creature My meaning then is that God made the creatures out of himselfe of that matter which he created by his word and preserueth them beeing made Which by the way should teach vs to returne our bodies and soules by obedience vnto God in lieu of thankfulnesse endeuouring his glory all the daies of our life Thirdly hence wee learne that the Lord is Eternall euery way without beginning or ending for it is hee which is which was and which is to come Angels and the soules of men they bee eternall but not euery way though they be eternall in that they shall neuer die yet had they a beginning Secondly they are eternall not absolutely but by participation for God made them eternall but the Lord is most absolutely of himselfe eternall Fourthly note he sayth not from him which shall bee but from him which is to come that is to iudgement to giue vs to vnderstand That this eternall God is also a iudge of all his creatures especially men and Angels A point of speciall vse to moue vs to well before God with all good conscience If any shall flatter himselfe thinking hee shall bee dead before that day come I answere iâ— may be so What then thinkest thâ—u thereby to escape his iudgement No verily for this God commeth to iudge thee particularly by death and thereby to reserue thee to the iudgement of the great day Oâ— that wee could seriously thinke on this it would be a meanes to mooue vs to repentance by breaking of the course of sinne and endeuouring â—o keepe a good conscience in all things Acts 24.16 And so shall we be readie to meete him at his comming whether by death or iudgement And from the seuen spirits which 〈◊〉 before his throne These words commonly are expounded of seuen Angels of God which stand before the thronâ— and minister vnto him But it cannot be meant of them for two cause a first because 〈◊〉 and Peace is here said to proceed from these seuen spirits but it cannot come from the holy Angels which attend to minister before the Lord. Secondly in this verse which is a benediction or a salutation of 〈◊〉 to the Church the seuen spirits are set before Iesus Christ the second person of the Trinitie but there is no reason nor respect for which the Angels should bee placed before Christ. The words are rather thus to be expouÌ„ded And from the seuen spirits c. that is from the holy ghost This exposition is most agreeable to all the circumstances of the text and the holy ghost may be called by the name of the seuen spirits for two causes First because though he be onely one in substance
Gospell when he preacheth Gods word is in the roome of Christ and speaketh that vnto the church which Christ wold speake That they may be faithfull witnesses sundry things are required at their hands First they must deliuer the testimonie of Christ aboue all other things and before all testimonies of man in the office of their ministerie This was meat and drinke to Christ to teach his fathers will Eleazar Abrahams eldest seruant shewed his fidelitie in that he would not eate or drinke till hee had done his masters message Gen. 24.33 Much more ought the ministers of Christ haue speciall care of that weightie message committed vnto them Secondly they must testifie all the will of God concerning matters of salvation as faith obedience and a godly life among men wee count him a faithfull witnesse which testifies all the truth and no more but the truth so shold it be with all ministers that be Gods witnesses to his church Herein Paule cleared himselfe That he was free from al mens bloud seeing he deliuered the whole will of God in matters necessarie for saluation and kept nothing backe Thirdly he must neither add vnto or take away much lesse in any case depraue the word of God And this is the true marke of a faithfull witnesse For false prophets teach some truth but withall they adde something of their owne or detract from Gods truth something that they ought not In the church of Rome a man may hear things concerning morall vertues handled soundly but come to Iustification and thereto they adde the merit of mens works so they deale with Faith and Repentance matters of saluation they take away one part and adde another to the scriptures they hold the Creed in word yet in deed they denie the same as by their doctrine may appeare so shew themselues false witnesses Fourthly a faithfull witnesse must deliuer the testimonie of Christ in that spirituall manner which best beseemeth the maiestie of God and which he best approoueth that is in a plaine easie and familiar kind of speech that the conscience of the sinner may be touched the vnderstanding of the simple may be edified When the word is otherwise deliuered as in the entising words of mans wisdom or for ostētation of wit or much reading though nothing be said but the truth yet he that so dispenseth it is an vnfaithfull witnesse because he corrupteth the word by his vaine deliuerie And this is the sinne of this age in many ministers who teach the truth indeed but yet in such sort as it may appeare they seeke thēselues and not Gods glory respecting little the edification of the simple so themselues may bee famous for wit eloquence and learning But these men make marchandise of the word like to huxters that by starching blowing and spicing set a glosse vpon their ware to make it seeme that which it is not which is a greeuous sinne and such as will banish the Gospell out of our land vnlesse it be reformed Secondly this title of Christ That faithfull witnesse doth discouer vnto vs the damnable practise of men in the sinne of vnbeleefe for Christ this faithfull witnesse hath giuen testimonie to his word which is preached that the same is true And therefore they that beleeue it not doe make Christ a false witnesse and a lyar than which what can be more horrible yet this is the common sinne of this age For when the law is applied who is afraid and when the gospell is preached yet who beleeueth our report Gods ministers may say with the little children Wee haue piped vnto you but you haue not daunced we haue mourned vnto you but you haue not wept This deadnesse of heart whereby men are not mooued with the word preached vnto them is an euident argument of this fearfull vnbeleefe whereby they make Christ a false witnesse This therefore should moue vs to consider in our selues the heinousnesse of this sinne that so we may striue against it and labour to giue free passage to the word into our hearts trembling at the law and reioycing in the Gospell that so each part thereof may haue his perfect worke in vs for which end also wee may consider That amongst those which shall haue their portion in the burning lake vnbeleeuers are set in the first ranke Reuel 21. vers 8. Thirdly seeing Christ Iesus is that faithfull witnesse which giueth testimonie to mens consciences in particular of their saluation we learne That euery one which professeth himselfe to repent is bound in conscience to beleeue that the promises of the Gospell and the benefits thereof as Election Redemption Iustification Sanctification and Saluation belong to him particularly And though this be against all humane sence and reason yet seeing we haue a faithfull witnesse auouching the same wee must submit our selues vnto his testimonie for by vnbeleefe we greatly dishonour our witnesse bearer by denying truth vnto his record Here then wee see it it no presumption as the Papists say to beleeue our election and saluation in particular nay it is an horrible sinne in euery one that repenteth not to beleeue it seeing Christ a most faithfull witnesse testifies the same to our consciences by his holy spirit Hereto also serue the sacraments instituted by God to seale vp vnto euery worthy receiuer Christ and all his benefits The ministers giuing of the bread and wine to them that truly repent is as much as if Christ should say Beleeue thou and life eternall belongs to thee And the first begotten of the dead In these words is contained the second office of Christ namely his Priesthood the principall actions whereof stand in dying in rising againe from the dead and making intercession for vs. And here S. Iohn alludeth to the estate of the families amōg the Iewes comparing Christ to the first borne for as among them hee which was first borne and eldest of the familie had many priuiledges and preheminences aboue his brethren as Lordship right of the Priesthood and double portion c. so Christ he hath his priuiledges yea euen Christ crucified hee hath his prerogatiues among the dead aboue all that are dead So Paule expounding this title calleth him The first borne and beginning of the dead that hee might in all things haue the preheminence Coloss. 1. vers 18. The priuiledges of Christ dead and buried among all the dead are two first That he was the first that euer rose from death to life and so to glorie Some indeed haue risen before Christ from naturall death to naturall life as Lazarus but it was to die againe And Moyses and Elias assumed their bodies in the Mount with Christ in his transfiguration but yet they laid them downe againe to the former miserie of corruption for a time But Christ Iesus ros◠from death to life eternall neuer to die againe And his resurrection was the first steppe into his glorie Secondly that by his owne power he raised vp
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
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
sonne of God which is the friend of friends who shall giue them not onely life and motion but eternall life with his owne maiestie This was Iobs comfort that though he died yet he beleeued he should see his redeemer with his eyes And this should be our comfort against the feare of death and last iudgement Secondly this is a terror to the wicked and to all impenitent sinners that they shall will they nill they be brought to the barre of Christs iudgement seate there looke on him who is their iudge whom they have in their life contemned and despised And this consideration may serue to moue them to repentance which haue noâ— begunne to repent and to labour to become the members of Christ aâ— also to increase and further repentance in them who haue by Gods grace begun the same It may be some do thinke when they die all is done and there is no further account to follow but though we lie rotten in our graues a thousand or two thousand yeares yet we shall rise and looke vpon our iudge with our owne eyes And if we haue not in our life time repented we shall heare him with our owne eares giuing the dreadfull sentence against vs Go ye cursed into euerlasting fire And therefore it is best for vs in this day of grace to preuent this danger and now repent and beleeue in Christ that then we may rise with ioy and stand with holâ—nesse before Christ Iesus No doubt if we were persuaded that we should thus appeare it would moue vs to repent Thirdly Euerie eye shall see him that is all men with their owne eyes shall looke on him Hence it may bee gathered that those who wanted their fight in this life shall haue it then restored It is granted of all Diuines that the elect shall haue all their senses and other defects restored wherein they were wanting in this life And it may also bee added that the wicked shall then haue some of their senses restored if they wanted the same in this life as hearing and seeing at the least for the deafe shall heare the blind shall see this Iudge And this can be no glorie to them seeing it is to increase their miserie for the more senses they haue the more punishment they shall feele because by sense we apprehend miserie Euen thâ—se which peirced him Here is added a further euidence of Christs manifestation of his comming and that for three causes First to shewe that no power or wisedome in the world can free any one from his appearance For if any could escape in all likelihod it would be those Iewes and Gentiles who preuailed most against Christ and put him to death But none of those can escape his iudgement for euen they which peirced him they shall see this Iudge and bee summoned before his maiestie For though they had power to kill him yet none of them shall haue power to absent themselues from before his bar of iudgement at the last day Secondly to shew the case of all wicked men namely that such woe and miserie shall befall them as they neuer once thought of The Iewes and Gentiles which crucified Christ neuer dreamed of this that he whom they then put to a temporall death should one day be their Iudge and condemne them to eternall death vnlesse they had repented Thirdly to shew the rufull and wofull estate of all impenitent sinners they shall rise to iudgement and haue the greatest enemie their Iudge who will shew rigor vpon them and iustice without all mercie for this peircing of Christ is meant not onely of the Iew which put him to death but of all vngodly personâ— because all such do by their sinnes as with swords and speares wound him at the heart as the souldiers did Impenitent sinners be as the Iewes which crucified Christ as Iudas which betrayed him and as the soldiers which goarâ—â— his side and vnlesse they now repent they shall one day be iudged as his enemies Euen they which peirced him Out of these words some gather that the body of Christ hath still the wounds and scarres which were giuen him at his death the print of the nailes in his hands and his feete and that these shall be seene in him at the last day adding withall that it is no blemish to Christ to haue these but rather an increase of his glorie But this cannot be gathered hence for though it be sayd They shall see him whom they peirced yet it followeth not that they shall see him as he was peirced what though they see the person whom they wounded shal they therefore see his wounds Manie shall see kings and queenes whom they crowned in this world but it followeth not that therefore they shall weare their crownes So we shall see our fathers and mothers but not as fathers and mothers IV. point The fruite and effect of his comming especially in the wicked in these words And all tribes of the earth shall waile before him Where S. Iohn speakes of the whole world according to the condition of the land of Canaan for only that part of the world was diuided into tribes As in like case our Sauiour Christ setteth out the iudgement of the whole world according to the state and manner of iudging the visible Church Math. 25. So that his meaning is that they which repented not of what nation soeuer of what state or condition soeuer they haue bene shall wayle and mourne at that day And hee addes a reason of this their mourning in these words for him before him or ouer him That is they shall wayle and lament with exceeding lamentation because they beleeued not his word but contemned him and his doctrine and therefore now they want all help to free them from the punishmeÌ„t of their vnbeleefe and contempt of the gospell for this life is the only time of grace and mercie afterward there is no worke nor inuention that can alter mans estate Hence then we are admonished first that in this world we labour aboue all things to be reconciled to God in Christ to get our sinnes pardoned to beleeue and imbrace his holy word and vnlesse we attaine hereunto in this life we shall wayle eternallie for when the last day is coâ—e there is no hope of help no way to escape no time of grace to repeâ—â— Remember the foolish virgins that sought for oyle when it was too late and knocked when the doores were shut Math. 25. But if by Gods mercie we can in this life get his loue and fauour in Christ then shall we enioy the same eternally yea at this dreadfull day to all the wicked we shall lift vp our heads and our harts when wee shall see Christ comming to our full redemption all teares shall bee wiped from our eyes when the wicked shall crie and houle woe and alas for euermore The diuell knowing the worth of this admonition will labour by all meanes to keepe it from our hearts
of the Preface of this booke containing the title and inscription thereof Now from this ninth verse to the end of the third chapter is contained one of those seuen visions which were shewed vnto Iohn and are set downe in this booke In this first vision two things are to bee noted first the circumstances secondly the parts thereof The circumstances in the ninth and tenth verses the parts from thence to the end of the third chapter The circumstances of this vision are foure first the person to whom this vision was shewed namely Iohn The second the place where at Paâ—mos The third the manner how it is propounded It was deliuered to him being 〈…〉 the spirit The fourth the time when on the Lords day For the first Iohn is the person to whom this vision befell who doth therfore name himselfe to shew that it was giuen him of the Lord for as the Lord hath his visions and reâ—elations as hath beene sayd so the diuell hath his but they may bee distinguished by the persons to whom they be giuen God giueth his visions not to all men but vnto those which are most â—it for them such as bee most holy men for life endued with exceeding gifts of God aâ—knowledge wisdome constancie zeale pietie and religion So in the old testament hee deliuered not them to all 〈…〉 his seruants the Prophets men of singular gifts and graces and of exceeding holinesse pietie Indeed the Lord reuealed some particular things by wicked men as by Balaam and Cayphaâ— but they neuer knew what those things meant which were shewed vnto them It is a propertie belonging to the seruants of God to receiue a vision and to know the same to their comfort And for both these was Iohn throughly qualified he was a man of exceeding holinesse of life for Christ loued him and of singular and rare gifts full of zeale loue and pietie and also had the knowledge of this vision made knowne vnto him But the diuel maketh no such choise his visions befall men which are Heretickes wicked notorious sinners who haue no such rare and speciall gifts as the other haue so that wee must esteeme of this as a singular gift of God to his owne Apostle S. Iohn Now Iohn hauing named himselfe to bee the receiuer of this vision for the greater credit hereof he describes himselfe by two modest tearmes First A brother secondly A companion First hee cals himselfe their brother that is of them who by faith were all members of the mysticall bodie of Christ. For the Church of God is a familie whereof God the father is head and house-holder Iesus Christ is the â—lder brother and all beleeuers are fellow brethren in and by Christ being by faith the adopted sonnes of God members of that familie and brethren 〈◊〉 to other By this title your brother first hee setteth out his humility and great modesty For hee was a man at that time aboue all men which liueâ— in regâ—rd of his gifts and holinesse of life hee was the last Apostle and had Apostolicall authoritie bâ—ing a most zeâ—lous and constant professour yet hee calleth himselfe a brother to 〈…〉 himselfe but equall with them though they were farre inferior to him And so should we esteeme better of our brethren than of our selues and make our selues inferiour to them Secondly by this title we see he had his heart full of brotherly loue to all the members of the church of Christ he loued them as brethren So we are bound to loue all men euen our enemies as they be of the same flesh with vs but those that bee of the same faith and religion with vs to these especially should wee shew our loue and affection So Paule sayth to the christian Romans He affectioned to loue one another with brotherly loue Rom. 12.10 And great reason for beleeuers are linked each to other with the neerest bond they haue the same father which is God the same redeemer the same faith hope baptisme and the same benefit by Iesus Christ his death and obedience But this dutie is not practised there be that call themselues brethren who as Isay saith hate them that tremble at the word and mocke them euen for the profession of the same religion whereby they thinke to be saued If any seeme to make more conscience of their wayes than others they are reuiled and hated for the name of Christ which ought not to bee for among all true Christians should bee brotherly loue The second title Companion or copartner in three things in tribulations in the kingdome and in the patience of Christ. He cals himselfe Copartner with 〈◊〉 in tribulations for two causus First because at that time when hee wrote this vision the whole church was in persecution and tribulation vnder that cruell tyrant Domâ—â—ian about fourescore or an hundred years after Christâ— who banished him into 〈◊〉 where he was not vnmindful of the afflictions of the church whereof he was a member and therefore cals himselfe a partner with them in affliction By which he shews what is that state of Gods church in this world namely to be vnder the crosse and the members thereof must not bee companions of peace and ease but copartners in affliction and tribulation And therefore Christ teacheth those which will bee his Disciples these lessons First to deny themselues to take vp his crosse daily and to follow him And because of this estate the church in this world is called The Militant Church being in continuall fight against the diuell and his instruments The consideration whereof is of speciall vse For we in this land haue had peace and quietnes for many yeares without persecution which wee must acknowledge for a speciall blessing vouchsafed to vs for this end that now in the time of peace wee might prepare our selues against the day of triall For seeing the estate of the church is to bee vnder afflictions wee are all in duty bound to waite continually when God will call vs out to suffer for his sake No man can define the time or the manner of our triall but yet that it will come we must resolue because of the vsuall estate of the church God hath for a long time sent foorth labourers into his haruest whereby no doubt many sheaues are gathered into the Lords barne Now after this long gathering there will come a day of â—â—â—â—ing The Lord will take into his hand the 〈◊〉 of affliction and put it into his corne and thereby try the chaffe from the wheat It stands vs therfore in hand to prepare our selues in this time of peacâ— that wee may bee found good corne in the Lords sieue and not chaffe which must be cast into vnquenchable fire Secondly he cals himselfe their copartner in afflictions because his pitifull heart was moued with the bowels of compassion towards all his fellow members when he remembred their persecution and affliction vnder the cruell tyrant Domitian And the same affection should
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
from Christ. In Winter time men vse to stand in the sunne to comfort and warme themselues with the heat thereof Behold Christ Iesus is the sunne of righteousnesse to his church which giueth heat and life to all the true members thereof Wee therefore must seeke aboue all things to haue his blessed beames of grace to shine vpon our cold and frozen hearts that by his spirituall heat we may be reuiued vnto euerlasting life In this world nothing is so much regarded as riches honours and pleasures Who will shew vs any good is the worldlings song But with godly Dauid wee must say Psal. 4.4 Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs quicken thou vs with thy spirituall life and comfort vs with the beames of mercy Quest. How may I get the gracious beames of grace and life to come from this Sunne of righteousnesse into my heart Answ. Before a man can liue by Christ hee must bee killed in himselfe Men doe not kill those whom they would restore to temporall life but the Lord taketh that course Thou therefore must suffer his two edged sword to enter into thee yea to bee thrust vp to the hilts into thy heart that so thy vile sinnes and corruptions may be ripped vp and the wrath of God deserued thereby made knowne vnto thee that in thy selfe thou mayest bee out of hope and then and not before art thou fit to receiue comfort and life by Christ as a man that is cold in bodie is most fit to receiue heat by cloathes and other meanes of warmenesse Now being thus humbled in thy selfe thou must vse the meanes which God hath ordained to wit the hearing reading and meditating in his word with earnest prayer for grace and mercie and thâ—â— shalt thou perceiue the ioyfull beames of life shining into thy soule If a man had all the world and wanted this grace of life and comfort by Christ it were but a curse vnto him but though a man want all things els yet by this life of grace in Christ he is blessed for euer and therefore aboue all other things men should labour for it Thirdly the sunne serueth to discouer all things In the night nothing is discerned but al things appear in one form but when the same commeth forth all things are made manifest euen the â—â—all motes in the aire Euen so Christ Iesus the sonne of righteousnesse he seeth all things and can discouer the most hidden secrets of men nothing is hid from the light of his countenance so infinit is his diuine wisdome and knowledge In regard whereof we must bee moued to looke vnto all our wayes both thoughts words and actions that they bee such as Christ approueth for though we may deceiue the world by a false glosse yet all that wee do speake or thinke is naked and bare before him he knoweth the same can and will reueale it If this were beleeued and remembred it would be a meanes to suppresse much fraud and iniustice and many grieuous sinnes which is rise in the world Men thinke if they can bleare the eyes of the world all is well they may do what they will but we must thinke vpon the shining face of Christ which discerneth and discouereth all secrets and labour thereupon to make conscience of all our wayes yea of our secret thoughts that God may approoue the same Vers. 17. And when I saw him I fell at his feete as dead then hee laid his right hand on me saying Feare not I am the first and the last Verse 18. And I am aliue but I was dead And behold I am alive for euermore Amen And I haue the keyes of hell and of the earth Here Saint Iohn describeth Christ further by other Arguments namely by sundry actions of his The first whereof is a confirmation of Iohn being sore afraid set downe in this the next verse In which action note two things First the occasion therof Secondly the meanâ— of his confirmation The occasion was Iohns exceeding feare set downe in these words And when I saw him I fell at his feete as dead The meanes of confirmation as in the words following Then hee layed his handâ— vpon me c. For the occasion Iohns feare was exceeding great and that of death as appeareth by Christ his confirmation wherein he telleth Iohn That be liueth and hath power ouer death In this his feare note sundry points The cause the effect and the kind of this feare For the first The cause was Christ his appearancen gloâ—ry and maiestie vnto Iohn set downe in these words When I saw him Where we learne that sinfull men since Adams fall cannot abide the presence of God Adam before his fall talked face to face with God without feare but so soone as he had sinned bee fled away at the hearing of his voyce and hid himselfe among the trees of the garden This feare commeth by reason of mans guiltinesse before God Hence Manoah sayd vnto his wife Wee shall surely die because wee haue 〈◊〉 seene God First by this That no sinfull man can abide the presence of God we are taught to labour to become new creatures to haue the image of sinne defaced in vs and the image of God restored in righteousnesse and true holinesse True happinesse consisteth in fellowship with God but wee can neuer haue true fellowship with him while wee liue in our sinnes 1. Iohn 1.6 If wee say we haue fellowship with him and walke in darkenesse we lie We therefore must labour to bee purged from our sinnes and so his presence shall bee our ioy Secondly this feare of Iohn at Christs presence in glory teacheth vs. That the sight and presence of Gods maiestie is a most excellent meanes to humble a man and to make him know himselfe to bee nothing in himselfe When Abraham talked with God the more hee beheld the maiestie of God the more hee humbled himselfe confessing at last that he was but dust and ashes Gen. 18.27 And Peter by a great draught of fishes seeing but a glimmering of diuine maiesty in Christ could not abide it but cried out Depart from me for I am a sinfull man Luk. 5.8 And so the holy Angels when they stand before the maiestie of God are sayd to couer their faces and their fâ—ete with theâ—â— wings to signifie that they are nothing in regard of the exceeding Maiestie of God and in themselues vnable to behould his glorie Thirdly hereby wee are taught to acknowledge Gods great goodnesse towards vs in the ministerie of the word wherein hee vouchsafeth to speake vnto vs not in his owne person as hee did in mount Sâ—rra which would bee so terrible 〈◊〉 none could abide it but fauorably familiarly by the ministerie of men that are like vnto our selues Many abuse this mercy of God and despise the word because of the messenger but wee must learne by this bountie of God to receiue the word with all
First he giueth him the signe of his presence Laying his hand vpon him to assure him of protection froÌ„ al danger of death TheÌ„ he giueth him his wrod bidding him not to feare Hence we may learne that the assurance of Gods presence and protection is a souerigne remedie against all feare when Moses feared the great calling he was sent about to take away that feare the Lord saith I will be with thee Hence Dauid saith He will not feare though he walke through the valley of the shadow of death because God is his stay and comfort Wherefore it concerneth vs to labour to be assured not onely of Gods presence but of his prouidence and speciall protection And so in all dangers both of life and death wee shall haue stay and comfort for our soules The Lord hauing vsed these two meanes to confirme Iohn both a signe his word doth yet further condescend vnto Iohns weaknesse and establisheth his owne word by two reasons The first in these words I am the first and the last Christ is the first Because nothing was or could bee before him The last because nothing is or can bee after him These two titles are giuen vnto Christ to expresse his Godhead and eternitie as before wee haue heard verse 8. Now here they are againe set downe to giue vs to vnderstand that hee hath in his owne power the beginning and end of all things and therefore is able to protect his seruants from all dangers and from death and will make good vnto them all his promises vnto eternall life Verse 18. And Am he that liueth but I was dead and behold I am aliue for euermore Amen And I haue the keyes of hell and of death These words conteine the second reason to confirme Iohn And it may thus be framed by way of a distinction Although I was dead yet I am he that liueth for so the words are and behold I am aliue for euermore Amen Yea I haue power ouer death and hell This distinction containeth three parts First Though I was once dead yet I am he that liueth Secondly Though I was once dead yet I liue for euermore Thirdly Though I was once dead yet I haue the keyes of death and of hell Of these in order I. part And Am he that liueth though I was dead Here life is ascribed to Christ in a speciall manner For Christ liueth in a peculiar sort differeÌ„t froÌ„ the life of other creatures For first hee hath sufficient life in himselfe and from himselfe Secondly he giueth life to others For the first that wee may better conceiue it wee must know that life is twofold vncreated and created Vncreated life is the life of God whereby God liueth This life is eternall and infinit in it selfe from it selfe Now as Christ is God he liueth this vncreated life which is all one with the godhead Againe created is twofold The first is naturall preserued by means of meat and drinke The second is spirituall both begunne and continued by meanes of the immediat operation of Gods spirit whereby wee haue fellowship with God And this spirituall life is more perfect than the naturall Now Christ liueth not the naturall life but as he is God liueth the vncreated life as he is man he liueth the spirituall life his body and soule hauing al their subsisting and sustentation in the second person in Trinitie and therefore he hath in himselfe most absolut and perfect life and so liueth of himselfe Secondly Christ is here said to liue because he giueth life vnto men that two wayes First as he is God and so he giueth life to all good and bad For in him euery thing liueth moueth and hath his beeing Act. 17.28 Secondly as he is mediator God and man and so he giueth spiritual life vnto his church and people Hence he saith to his Disciples Because I liue yee shall liue also Iohn 14.19 For looke as Christ died not for himselfe but for vs that we might not die eternally So hee liueth now in heauen the spirituall life not for himselfe alone but for vs that we might liue that spirituall life in and by him eternally And therefore our life is sayd To be hid with God in Christ. And for this cause in the Sacrament we doe eate the body and drinke the bloud of Christ really by the mouth of faith that wee might know that our life is to be fetched from him For as we receiue grace from his grace so wee receiue life from his life Hereby wee are taught to seeke for this spirituall life at Christ hands that we may say with Paul I liue not now but Christ liâ—eth in me Gal. â— 21 and that Our life 〈◊〉 â—id in Christ as in a head and roote For he liueth in heauen that wee might liue by him our care must not be so much for our temporall life which is but a vapour and like a fleeting shadow as for this spirituall life which is eternall But the practise of this duty is rare to bee found though the omission of it bee a grieuous sinne Mens whole care is for temporall life few thinke on this how to procure to themselues this spirituall life by Christ though he haue said I liue that you may liue in me This appeareth by their common practise They will goe ten twenty yea an hundred miles to prouide means for their bodily preseruation and yet will scarce go one or two miles for the meanes of their saluation for euer The cause thereof is the hardnesse of mens hearts which are not touched for their sinnes nor feele the smart weight thereof This we may see plainly in the woman of Samariah For when Christ sate at the well of Iacob talking with her and telling her that he was the well of life of whose water whosoeuer dranke should neuer thirst She did nothing but cauill with him But when he layd to her heart her principall sinnes then she left off cauelling and in reuerence and some beginning of faith Acknowledged him to be the Messias Euen so let the minister say vnto his people hee can bring them to the water of life they will nothing regard but cauill at the doctrine of the Gospell till their sinnes bee touched and their soules humbled by the sight thereof Wherefore if wee would haue our hearts fit to receiue spirituall life by Christ we must first labor to haue a sense of our sinnes and to feare Gods wrath due vnto vs for the same Hereby we shal be weined from the dangerous loue of earthly things and our soules shall bee rauished with desire of Christ Iesus He is the well of life and if once we could feele a parching heat in our soules by reason of our sinnes then would we thirst neuer be at rest till we had drunke our fill and dined our selues in his sauing merits This naturall life is but vanishing and therefore we must labour for this spirituall
He would haue come to them but Sathan did binder him He seeketh the trouble and sorrow of the minister not onely by stirring vp persecution but by keepinh his people from profiting by his ministerie and therefore euerie minister had need to take paines with patience in his calling And as Christ ioyneth together labour and patience in the worke of the ministerie so should euery christian after this direction ioyne patience with his paines in the duties of his particular calling whether it be in church common-wealth or familie For looke what is the estate of the minister in his place such shall be the estate of euerie child of God in his This therefore they must doe first seeke to know the duties of their particular calling and therein labour and take paines with all good conscience Then considering the crosse doth accompany godly diligence they must labour to ioyne patience with their diligence for their continuance in weldoing euen vnder the crosse And for attaining of this patience they must set before them the promises of Gods blessing and protection while they so continue not suffering themselues to be dismayed by any affliction And if we shal thus walke in the duties of our particular places painefully and with patience wee shall haue our commendation of Christ Iesus and his blessed reward which farre surpasseth the praise of men and their rewards But on contrarie if we walke in our callings negligently or else forsake them because of afflictions or be impatient in our labour we shall loose our reward and vndergo the rebuke of Christ which is worse than all outward euils that can befall vs. The third speciall worke for which Christ commendeth this church is seueritie shewed against wicked men in these words And how thou canst not beare them which are euill By euill men Hee meaneth such as liued offensiuely and maintained manifest errors and heresies These she could not beare but iudged them as burdens and therefore sought to disburden her selfe of them Hence we may gather that it is a necessary thing for euery church to be purged of euill men The church of God in all ages hath put in practise this worke So soone as Cain had slaine his brother Abel God cast him out from his face as appeareth by his owne complaint to wit from that particular place where Adam and his familie worshipped God When false prophets and Idolaters did arise among the Israelits the Lord commandeth That they should be killed and taken from among them And therefore hee saith to Ieremie If thou turne and repent I wil bring thee againe and if thou take away the pretious from the vile thou shalt be according to my word 1. Cor. 5.4 5 Paul commandeth in the name of Christ that the incestuous maÌ„ be deliuered vnto Sathan the church purged of that old leauen and that wicked man put from among them verse 13. Besides the euidence of these testimonies some reasons may be added to prooue the necessitie of this separation First God will be worshipped in an holy manner and they that worship God must be purged and sanctified but euill men defile Gods worship and therefore they ought to be seuered from the church Secondly lest the whole church be infected with the contagion of their doctrine or the infection of their life for as leauâ—n sowreth the whole lumpe so will euill men defile the whole church Thirdly they are burdens to the church and therefore must be cast out For the church should be eased of euery burden This doctrine is the truth of God ought to be practised of Gods church Whereby we may see a common fault in the most coÌ„gregations among vs wherin all that will are admitted not onely to the hearing of the word but also vnto the Lords table hand ouer head without restraint as though euerie man were a good sound christian Whereas experience sheweth that many be ignorant many contemners of the Gospell many Saboath breakers drunkards and blasphemers all which ought to bee barred from the sacraments and in that respect seuered from the church as burdens Secondly hence we may gather that Christ hath giuen to his church a power iudiciall to suspend euill men from the sacraments and to excommunicate them from the outward fellowship of the church for els he would not haue commended this minister with his church for the execution of this power The reasons alledged to the contrarie are of no force I. Say they the parable Matth. 13.30 alloweth the growing together of tares and wheate till haruest and therefore euill men must bee suffered in the church without seperation Answ. In that parable Christ speaketh not of any particular purging of the church by Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction but of the vniuersall purging of his whole church by his holy Angels in the end of the world for there the field doth not signifie any particular church but the whole world and the seruants are not mâ—n but Angels that must gather together all both good and bad in the end of the world to the last iudgement Againe they alledge Luk 14.23 Compell them in the high wayes to come into the supper Here say they all must bee brought in but none must bee excluded the society of the church Ans. Christ speaketh not of compelling men vnto the sacraments but vnto the ministerie of the word wherto men must be caused to subiect themselues which hindereth nothing why the vngodly should not be debarred from the sacraments which are the seale of Gods mercy in Christ ordained onely for such as repent and beleeue Qu. Seeing this separation must be made how farre forth may wee conuerse with those that are openly euill offensiue either for life or doctrine Ans. Euill men must be considered diuers waies first as they be members of some commonwealth of some citie or incorporation secondly as they are members of some particular church by tolleration In the first regard it is lawfull for vs to conuerse with theÌ„ I. for outward dealings and ciuile affairs as bargaining buying and selling c. II. we may maintaine outward ciuile peace with them So Paule commandeth the Romans to haue peace with al men so much as in them lay that is so far as it would stand with faith good conscience III. In this ciuile conuersing with the wicked we must perform all duties of outward courtesie and loue vnto them so far forth as it doth not dishonor God or hinder the good of the church And therefore Paule commaundeth vs to be soft and courteous shewing all meekenesse vnto all men euen to euill men as the reason following sheweth For wee our selues were in time past vnwise disobedient deceiued c. and then were we euill Secondly consider them as dwellers in the church and members by permission and so we may liue with them in it for we may not make a separation from the church because wicked men are permitted therein Christ liued among the
his loue into their hearts whereby they are enabled to suffer any thing for his name euen with ioy And hast patience This is the first means whereby this church opposed her selfe against the false Apostles they troubled her two wayes by persecution and by false doctrine Now by patience this church opposeth her selfe against their persecutions And indeed that is the most excellent meanes for any man or any church to oppose theÌ„selues against their enemies and to vanquish them for hereby they shall stop their mouths and if it bee possible win them to their faith and religion In this their practise wee haue an example for our direction how to oppose our selues against wicked men with whom we liue or any enemie that shall trouble vs either by oppression or hereticall doctrines We must not render taunt for taunt and abuse for abuse but labour for patience not in bearing with their sinnes that may not bee but in a meeke enduring of their iniuries and wrongs whereby they trouble vs. Thus shall we stoppe their mouths and soonest ouercome them And for my names sake hast laboured Here Christ setteth downe the second meanes whereby this church opposeth her selfe against the spreading of false doctrine by these false Apostles which was the second way wherby they became a burden vnto her The meaning of the words is this that they had taken much paines to maintaine the glory of God and the true doctrine of Christ Iesus labouring therein as much as the false Apostles did to broach their damnable heresies Here wee are taught a second duty how we are to oppose our selues against all hereticall and scismaticall teachers namely as they labour to publish their false doctrine so must wee endeuor to maintaine the glorie of God and his true religion Hereunto a twofold labour is required partly of the minister and partly of the people The labour of the minister stands in these things principally I. He must endeuour by reading and studie to furnish himselfe with the true knowledge of the foundation and substance of the Gospel true religion that hee may be able soundly and plainly to teach the same For this cause S. Iohn is commanded to eat the little booke Re. 10.9 10 which was as it were by studie and meditation to haue the same digested and setled in his heart Hence Malachie saith The priests lippes should preserue wisedome and thither should the people come for instruction And euerie scribe taught of God must haue store in the treasury of his harâ— like a good housholder Matth. 〈…〉 he must deliuer the whole will and counsell of God concerning saluation truly and distinctly vnto his people as it is propounded in the bookeâ— of the Prophets and Apostles This Paul commendeth by his owne example Act. 20.27 testifying vnto this Church that He had taught them all the will of God and kept backâ— nothing which he was commanded to deliuer vnto them III. Hee must labour to discerne and bee able to discouer false teachers vnto the people that hee may not onely know them himselfe but also cause the church to take notice of them Tit. 19. Paul requireth that the teacher in the church Be able to conuince the gainsaiers to his truth In this discouerie he must do two things First detect their hereticall doctrins Secondly their wicked maners Thus dealt our Sauiour Christ in his owne person liuing in the church of the Iewes with the Scribes and Pharises he did detect vnto the people their false interpretations of the law Mat. 5.21 to the end And also their wicked liues and damnâ—ble hypocrisie Mat. 23.3 4. c. to the end And Saint Paul in all his Epistles laboureth to discouer the wicked liues and to confute the hereticall opinions of the false Apostles IV. Hee must endeuour that the doctrine of the gospell thus published may edifie This is the end of all teaching as Paule sheweth 1. Cor. 14. throughout the whole chapter Now it doth edifie when it is so applied to the hearers that thereby they are wonne to Christ suffering themselues to be reformed by it in heart and life so made fit for the kingdome of God V. He must be careful in his own person to become a patterne of the doctrine of the Gospell which hee teacheth that so the people may haue a double light to follow This is a notable meanes in the minister to make men loue the Gospell and the neglect hereof causeth many to contemne and despise the same VI. Lastly he must bee diligent in praying for his owne and other particular churches of God that they may know beleeue and obey the same doctrine which is taught them out of Gods word Thus did Paul as wee may see in his particular Epistles pray for euery church that by the blessing of the spirit they might embrace and obey the Gospell of Christ Phil. 1.4.9 10. Col. 1.9 10 11. The people also for the name of Christ and his religion must vndergo a threefold labour I. Euery one must see that himselfe know and beleeue the true and sincere doctrine of the Gospell This Christ inioyneth to all in this commandement Repent and beleeue which none can do vnlesse they first know and vnderstand the doctrine thereof and therfore euery one must do as Mary did for which Christ so commends her namely lay aside matters of lesser moment giue our selues to heare and learne the doctrine of Christ Luke 10.39.42 II. Euery one must vse all good meanes that knowledge of religion which himselfe hath receiued bee conueyed to others And indeed if we truly beleeue we cannot containe our selues but must needs teach others For as Christ saith He that drinketh of the water of life out of his belly shall flow riuers of water of life streaming out for the good of others Que. How should priuat men conuey their knowledge vnto others Answ. I. All maisters and gouernours of families are bound in conscience to teach those that are vnder them the maine points and grounds of true religion his place requireth gifts and God lookes for increase For euery christian family should be a little church as it is sayd of the house of Aquila and Priscilla 1. Corinth 16.19 II Euerie man in his place must labour to conuey that knowledge he hath vnto his neighbour yea to his enemies The Iewes would compasse sea and land to make a man a prosâ—lite And Idolaters at this day will trauell farre and neere to make a man of their profession Much more therefore must all true christians labour to conuey their knowledge to others so to winne them vnto Christ. III. Euerie man is to edifie those that bee members of the same church in these three things faith hope and loue as Iude notably exhorteth in the end of his Epistle Edifie one another in your most holie faith verse 20. Haue compassion of some in putting difference and others saue with feare in pulling them out of the fire
of God sinneth not that is with full consent and with all his hart Sinne doth not raigne in him for the regenerate man consisteth of two parts flesh and spirit he sinneth not as hee is spirit that is regenerate but as hee is flesh and sinfull His will sinneth not as it is spirituall but as it is carnall The papists say Indeed he sinneth not so long as he continueth to be borne of God But this shift is cut off by the wordes of the text Neither can be sinne because the seede of grace euen the word of God abideth in him This place plainely proueth euen in the iudgement of the Papists that the child of God cannot wholly or finally fall from grace They say it is a hard place and indeed they cannot answere to it VIII Reason If a man may finally fall from grace then may hee bee wholly cut off from Christ for grace is neuer wholly lost till a man bee quite cut off from Christ. But it cannot bee that a member of Christ can be quite cut off for then it should follow that one and the same man must bee often ioyned to Christ namely so often as hee falleth by sinne if he would be saued Whereupon this would also follow that one and the same man must be often baptized for Baptisme is the Sacrament of incision the meanes of admission into the church and the seale of our vnion with Christ. But Rebaptization may not bee admitted The church of God denieth it vpon this ground because a man is onely once borne of God IX Reason Christ teacheth vs to pray thus Leade vs not into temptation that is suffer not Sathan and sinne wholly to preuaile against vs and finally to vanquish vs. This petition being taught by Christ must needes be lawfull and according to Gods will and therefore hereunto as to euery lawfull petition belong these two things First Gods commaund to make it Secondly his promise to assure vs it shall bee graunted Whereby this is euident That there is in Gods word a promise assuring euery child of God that hee shall neuer wholly be conquered of the deuill and therefore he can neuer wholly or finally fall from grace for if hee might then were he wholly ouercome in temptation The contrarie arguments be of three sorts places of scripture Examples and Reasons for the first Exod. 32 32. When the Israelits had sinned that great sinne of Idolatrie Moses prayeth God to forgiue them If not sayth he blot mee out of thy booke Hence they gather that a child of God may bee blotted out of Gods booke of life and so finally perish Answ. That place must be vnderstood with this condition If is be possible as in the like prayer it is expressed by Christ Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me This condition must needs be added for els wee must say that Moses prayed for that which he knew was impossible namely that one priuate man should suffer eternall punishments for the sinnes of others though in temporall punishments such a thing may be yet in eternall it is impossible Againe Moses in this prayer doth principally shew his exceeding affection and zeale for Gods glorie and for the safetie of his brethren both which hee preferred before his owne life as if hee should say Lord pardon them and rather than thy name should loose glorie blot me out of thy booke The like affection was in Paule when hee sayd He could wish himselfe to be separate from Christ for the loue of his brethren the Iewes They further vrge the Lords answere to Moyses vers 33. Whosoeuer hath sinned against mee I will put him out of my booke But as the Lord therein answereth to Moses prayer so must it bee vnderstood with the like exception II. Obiect Ezek. 18.24 If the righteous man turne away from his righteousnesse and commit iniquitie and doe according to all the abhominations that the wicked man doth shall hee liue All his righteousnesse that hee hath done shall not be mentioned but hee shall die in his sinne Here say they it is plaine that a man may fall from grace Answ. Righteousnesse is twofold of the outward action and of the person So Paule distinguisheth when he desireth to be sound not in his owne righteousnesse which is of the law that is such as was in him while hee was a Pharisee but in the righteousnesse of Christ. The righteousnesse of the action is when a man for outward actions keeps the law of God The righteousnesse of the person is that whereby a man is accepted righteous before God And answerable hereunto there be two kinds of righteous men one that is outwardly righteous before men thogh not indeed The other that is truly righteous before God Now of the former of these two must that place be vnderstood for the Lord there pleadeth with such as did esteeme and auow themselues to be righteous saying Their fathers had eaten soure grapes that is had sinned and they were punished for their fathers offences though they were righteous And the Holy ghost speaking according to their own conceit and opinion of themselues calleth them righteous and of such it is true they may turn from their righteousnesse III. Obiect Luk. 8.13 Some beleeue for a time and in time of temptation goe away Answ. There be three kinds of faith Historicall Temporarie and sauing faith In Histoâ—icall faith is knowledge of the word of God with assent vnto it In temporary faith are three things knowledge of the Word Assent and Approbation also with some ioy In sauing faith there are foure things Knowledge Assent Approbation and Apprehension that is an applying of the promises of God vnto a mans selfe whence proceedeth some ioy And answerably there are three kinds of beleeuers I. such as know the word of God but yet haue no loue thereof II. such as know it assent vnto it and reioyce in it also for a time The third are such as apprehend the promises and apply them to themselues Now the two first kinds of faith may bee left and the two first kinds of beleeuers may fall away whereof Saint Luke speaketh But hence it followeth not that sauing faith may be lost for he that is endued therewith can neuer fall away But faith say they is onely one Ephes. 4.5 There is but one faith one God one hope and one Baptisme Answ. By one faith is there meant one religion and doctrine of saluation as elsewhere is vsuall by the name of faith 1. Tim. 1.19 Their second kind of arguments are Examples which are chiefely two one of Adam the other of Dauid For Adam they say he was created righteous and yet hee fell wholly from grace and therefore any beleeuer now may much more fall away who haue farre lesse grace than he had Answ. This Argument is not good for though Adam had a greater measure of grace than we now haue yet our grace hath a greater priuiledge than his
vnto a field wherein are good corne and tares and like vnto a barne floore wherein is wheat and chaffe mingled together and yet all are reputed beleeuers because they professe the Gospell outwardly Now by reason of this mixture it may come to passe that a particular visible Church may fall away and become no Church either when the godly are taken away and hypocrites and dissemblers made manifest or els when true beleeuers waxing few are not able to maintaine the publicke profession of the truth against the might and multitude of the enemies which may dayly encrease But the case is not so with a particular member of Christ he cannot finally fall away as hath beene shewed at large vers 4. And thus much for the second part of this reason The third part of this reason is the condition of both the former threatenings in these words Except thâ—â— amend that is I will come in iudgement vnto thee and take my gospell from thee vnlesse thou preuent my comming by true repentance Here note that all the threatenings of the old and new Testament are conditionall 〈◊〉 commeth to Niniue and crieth yet fortie dayes and Niniue shall bee destroyed He sayd no more but yet that threatening must bee vnderstood with this exception vnlesse they repent Why wil some say are the threatenings in Gods word propounded conditionally Answ. Gods whole will and pleasure is one alone in itselfe and yet it may bee thus distinguished to bee partly secret and partly reuealed Gods secret will is touching those things which hee hath not made manifest vnto men His reuealed will is touching those things which are manifested in Scripture or doe fall out euery day Now Gods secret will is without condition for as euery thing commeth to passe so God willed it when good things come to passe them he willeth simply when euill things fall out them he permitteth to be done And to make Gods secret will conditionall is to bring Gods will vnder the power of man and to subiect the Creator vnto the creature But Gods reuealed will is conditionall because it containeth the matter of mans saluation and this manner of propounding it is a most effectuall way to bring the same to passe for it keepeth men more in awfull obedience than if it were absolute In this condition note this thing that Christ repeateth it twice both in the beginning of this reason If not and in the end Except thou amend Hereby hee would giue vs to vnderstand That when men commit sinne and lye therein or when they decay in any grace then haue they most necessarie cause to repent if they would escape Gods fearefull iudgements And seeing our estate is like to the state of this Church or els worser by much for wee lye in sinne and thereby cause God to come to vs in iudgement as we tender our owne good both in this life and after death let vs turne from our sinnes and repent euery man apart euery familie apart and the whole church publickely for repentance is most needfull els would not the Lord haue doubled this condition Verse 6. But this thou haâ—â— that thou 〈◊〉 the workes of the Nicolaitans which I also hate These words are a second reason to prooue that which was set downe in the second verse namely That this Church could not abide them that were euill In the second verse this was made manifest by their discouery of the false Apostles and here he prooueth it by their affection of hatred towards the workes of the Nicolaitans These Nicolaitans were certaine heretickes in the primitiue Church that held these two opinions First that adulterie and fornication were no sins Secondly that men might communicate with the sacrifices of idolaters in their Idoll temples and according to their opinions were their practises These heretickes as it is thought came of one Nicholas one of the seuen deacons mentioned Acts 6. who though for a while hee did faithfully discharge his dutie outwardly yet after fell away and became the head of this hereticall sect But this thou hast This Particle But hath reference to the former verse As if hee should say Though this be thy fault that thou failest in thy first loue yet for this I commend thee that thou hatest the workes of the Nicolaitans This practise of Christ discouereth the common sinne of this age which is to set out in their colours mens faults and infirmities to their greatest disgrace and yet by silence and obliuion to burie all their vertues which are prayse worthie This ought not to bee so wee must follow Christs example who with iust reproofe adioyneth due deserued praise If our friend or our foe haue a fault when we are called thereunto wee may speake of it and wee must reprooue them but yet withall we must commend the good things that be in them Secondly Christ here teacheth vs That it is not sufficient to anymans good estate before God that hee haue good things in him for that a man may haue and yet bee in danger to bee cut off from Christ. Saule had good things in him at the first entrance into his kingdome but what was hee afterward Iohn was verie zealous for Gods glorie in killing all the idolatrous priests but he would not depart from the sinnes of Ieroboam And Iudas no doubt had many good gifts while he was with Christ but his end was most fearefull And this church had many good things in her yet iâ— she in danger of being cut off from Christ And so many among vs haue excellâ—â—t gifts some for knowledge some for 〈◊〉 and conceiuing of prayer yet for all these they may be cut off from Christ. Therefore wee must not content our selues with these but labour for the principall which is true hearty and vnfained repentance which wee must dayly renew for our continuall fals And this will keepe vs in Gods fauour and from his iudgements More particularly Christ here commendeth this Church for hating the errours of the Nicolaitans Whereby hee would teach vs our dutie if wee bee Christians namely to take knowledge of the sinnes and errours of our times and to hate the same vnfainedly Yet note he commendeth them for hating their workes not their persons giuing vs direction how to temper our hatred in the world We must set it against the sinne not against the person of any man Some will say the Prophets prayed against the persons of the wicked And Dauid professed hatred of the men Psalm 139.21 Doe not I hate them that hate thee Answ. Dauid was an extraordinarie Prophet and no doubt had this reuealed vnto him that those his enemies were obstinate and would not repent Againe imprecations of the prophets in Scripture must bee vnderstood as prophecies of Gods iudgement to come vpon those against whome they prayed But wee which want that extraordinarie spirit must keepe our selues to our ordinarie rule Hate the sinnes and loue the persons Further obserue the workes here
of hart and profanenesse of life that they were at their first hearing of the word these must know that Gods iudgement is on them and if they would bee saued they must labour to come out of this estate endeuour so to heare with their hearts that they may be turned vnto God both in mind heart and life II. point The dutie commaunded namely to heare Hearing in Scripture is not onely to listen with the bodily eare but to be atteÌ„tiue to that which is taught and with attention to bring faith conuersion and obedience euery way Eph. 4.21 22 the hearing of Christ is notably described It is not so much to conceiue the doctrine of Christ in our mindâ— and to be able to vtter it as to die vnto sinne and to the lusts of the flesh and to ris◠〈◊〉 newâ—â—sse of life And indeed a man doth heare and learne no more of Gods word than hee doth beleeue and practise From whence we are again to be admonished that we so heare with attention that by hearing we suffer our selues to be changed and that with our change we ioyne â—are to beleeue and conscience to obey This iâ— that sauing hearing which bringeth eternall life all other hearing doth increase our sinnes to our further condemnation Whereby also appeareth the fearefull state of many who lend onely the outward bodily eare to hâ—â—re the word but then hearts bee not mooued nor their liues changed thereby III. point What is to be heard namely That which the spirit saith â—nto 〈◊〉 Churches Which words must bee referred to that which went beâ—ore not to that which followeth for thiâ— commaundement belongs to the matter of the Epistle which went before The promise following rather concerne the persons themselues than the matter The things then that are to bee heard are these Christ his sharpe reproofe for sin his threatnings of punishment a remedie prescribed motiues to practise the same especially repentance for of all these Christ spake before From this that Christ bids them heare these things which coÌ„cerned their estate in sinnes amendment by repentance we learne two things First that it is a most necessarie thing for euerie church of God and euerie member thereof to know and consider their own wants and sinnes and also the iudgements of God that hang ouer them for the same Secondly that after any man or any church hath considered of theri sinnes and of Gods iudgements it is a most necessary thing to turne vnto God by true repentance if they haue not repented and if they haue repented to renew the same daily do it more that so Gods iudgements both priuat and common may be auoided We therefore must hereby be moued to search into our own wayes to find out our owne sinnes and to consider of Gods iudgements thereby deserued that by true repentance wee may turne vnto God and so escape his fearefull iudgementâ— Further these words What the spirit saith vnto the Churches containe 〈◊〉 reasons to moue euerie man to heare I. Because they are spoken 〈◊〉 the spirit that is the holy ghost II because they 〈◊〉 spoken to one man oâ— one church alone but to all churcheâ— For the firstâ— It may 〈◊〉 demanded seeinâ— Christ spâ—ke thâ—se wordâ— How 〈…〉 be sayd that the spirit speaketh theâ— Ans. Both may stand first because all the outward 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 person in 〈◊〉 are common to the 〈…〉 to â—each the church is an outward action of Christ and therefore it agreeth to the father and to the holy ghost As when the father created thingâ— in the beginning the sonne also created and the holy ghost created them So herâ— when the sonne â—eacheth the father teacheth and the holy ghost teacheth For as the three persons are one in nature so must they be ioyned in all outward actions Secondly Christ saith the spirit speaketh because he now sitting at the right hand of the father doth not teach his church in bodily presence but hy his spirit which after his ascention hee sent to be their comforter and instructor Here then obserue that the holy ghost speaketh to the church in Scripture The church of Rome appoints a Iudge to speake vnto men in al matters of controuersie which is the church because say they A iudge must speake and Christ is absent from his church and the word is a dumbe letter and cannot speake Therefore the church must needes bee iudge But they erre grosly The church cannot be iudge It is but Christs minister to put in execution that which hee commandeth Christ therefore must bee iudge vnto his church by Scripture which is not a dumbe iudge for therein his spirit speaketh plainely and sufficiently for the resoluing of any point in controuersie that is needfull in Gods church The second reason to attention is because these things are spoken to all Churches Where we see that things spoken to one church agree to all From whence we must learne this speciall dutie in reading and hearing Gods holy word namely to read and heare with applicacation We must not rest in a flourishing knowledge of the storie but apply euery precept and example vnto our selues If it be an example of vertue wee must apply it to our selues for imitation if it be an example of vice we must apply it to our selues to moue vs to eschew and auoid the like For God would haue all to learne that which hee speaketh vnto one And thus much of the commandement To him that ouercommeth will I giue to eate of the tree of life which is in the middest of the paradise of God These words containe the second part of this conclusion to wit a most excellent promise wherein consider two points First to whom it is made Secondly what is promised For the first The promise is made to him that ouercommeth That is to him that in fighting preuaileth against all the spirituall enemies of his saluation sinne sathan hell and condemnation There bee three things requisit to make a man able to ouercome these enemies First he must be borne anew in Christ of water and of the spirit 1. Ioh. 5.4 He that is borne of God ouercommeth the world so by regeneratioÌ„ he is freed from the bondage of hell death sinne and Sathan Secondly hee must haue true faith by vertue whereof hee must denie and renounce himselfe and bee whatsoeuer he is in the death passion obedieÌ„ce of Christ. Therfore S. Iohn saith in the same place This is the â—ictorie which ouercommeth the world euen your faith For when a man is in Christ by faith hee is made partaker of Christ his victorie vpon the crosse and by it receiueth power to subdue his owne corruptions the world and the diuell Thirdly hee that would ouercome must keepe faith that is true religion and a good conscience standing out in life and death against all aduersarie power whatsoeuer In this that life euerlasting is promised to them that ouercome First we obserue that
Apostles that were extraordinarie men of moâ—e â—xcellent gifts might doe nothing without warrant Of the parts of this commaundement we spake in the first verse of this chapter The Epistle it selfe followeth containing thrâ—e parts a Preface a Proposition and a Conclusion The Preface containeth a preparation to the matter of the Epistle in these words These things sayth â—e that is the first to 〈◊〉 last which was dead and is aliue In this Preface he sheweth in whose name this Epistle was written vnto this Church namely in Christs name which he setteth downe for two causes First to stir vp the people in this church to a religious attention and a reuerent care of receiuing the things therin written as the pure words of Christ Iesus Secondly because no commaundement in the matter of Gods worship and religion is to be receiued from any creature but from Christ alone And therefore this Epistle concerning the true worship and religion of God is propounded in his name alone In this Preface Christ is described by two notable Arguments First To be the first and the last second that he was dead but is aliue The meaning of them both was shewed in the 17 and 18 verses of the former chapter whence they are borrowed By the first Christ would signifie that he is euerliuing God without beginning or ending before all creatures and after them By the second that hee is true man and assumed mans nature to suffer death for our sinnes and rose againe to liue for euer and to giue to man eternall life In this description two points of doctrine are expressed I. That Christ is a person consisting of two natures Godhead and Manhood He is the first and the last and therefore God He was dead and is aliue and therefore is true man If any aske how one person can consist of two natures Answ. As bodie and soule concurre to make one man so the Godhead and Manhood of Christ concurre to make one Christ and therefore are vnited II. Doctr. Here is the foundation of all true comfort vnto Gods Church and people in any miserie or afflictioÌ„ Which standeth in two points first that Christ is able to helpe them in any miserie either by freeing them quite from it or easing them in it seeing hee is God the first and last Secondly that as he is able so he is willing and readie to helpe them for he is man who tooke on him our nature died for vs and rose againe vnto life to giue to vs eternall life This is the very scope and end for which Christ thus describeth himselfe to this church that was in affliction Here then wee haue direction where and whence to seeke for true comfort 〈…〉 tribulation of this life namely wee must haue recourse to Christ and in him â—onsider both his abilitie and his willingnesse to â—ase all 〈◊〉 children in affliction And by these wee must arme our selues against dâ—spairâ— and against immoderate griefâ— and sorrow vnder the crosse Verse 9. I knâ—â— thy workes and â—â—ibulation and 〈◊〉 but thâ—â— ar◠〈◊〉 and I know the blasphemie of them which say they are Iewes 〈…〉 but are the Synagogue of Satan Here beginneth the Proposition of this Epistle containing the matter and substance of the whole Epistlâ— This Proposition hath two parts a commendation of this Church and counsell how to behaue 〈◊〉 selfe in the time to come The commendation is in this ninth verse wherewithall are mingled some comfortâ— vnto this Church being in affliction I knâ—w thy workâ—â— These wordâ— were handled in the former Epistle The meaning breefely is this I know all thy dealings thy waies I know the whole tenor of thy life and I doe withall well like and approoue of them Here Christ setteth downe an excellent propertie touching himselfe namely that he seeth and knoweth all things whatsoeuer nothing is hid from him and that this Church might bee resolued hereof hee repeateth this vnto them I know thy workes Neither is it any vaine repetition being indeed the ground of all true pietie and syncere obedience Wee therefore in a our affaires are here taught to labour to bee fully resolued in our consciences that Christ is with vs and seeth vs and knoweth the whole tenour of our wayes in thoughts words and â—â—eds Dauid had learned this when as he sayd Thou knowest my sitting and my rising thou vnderstandest my thoughts a farre off Thou compassest my paths and my lying downe and art accustomed vnto all my wayes there is not a word in my toung but thou knowest it wholly This persuasion is very necessarie for it will moue a man to make conscience of euery thought word and action and of his whole behauiour but where this persuasion is wanting there is no religion in the heart nor good behauior in the life When this takes place Religion beginneth and encreaseth with it so doth good conscience and true obedience for hee that hath the Lord alwayes before him will not greatly fall Psal. 16.8 And tribulation Marke here how workes that is a godly conuersation and tribulation goe together Hence we learne that God will haue tribulations ioyned with his grace where hee bestowes his graces there also hee layeth tribulation and that for weightie causes as to humble them for their sinnes past to make triall of their faith and other graces and to preuent in them sinnes to come The consideration wherof must mooue all Gods children in this our Church to looke for some tribulation for God hath bestowed among vs plentie of his graces with long peace and many outward blessings and his will is that trouble and affliction should accompanie the same Further Christ saying I know thy tribulations would hereby comfort this Church as if hee should say True it is thou art in great trouble but it commeth not by chaunce but by the speciall prouidence of my father and I do know and regard the same Psal. 113.6 7 The raising vp of the poore and needie is made a fruit of Gods beholding the things that are done vpon the earth This is an excellent comfort for any church or people that be in affliction for when they shall know that beside the hand of God therein Christ Iesus regardeth their sorrowes this must needes arme them with long suffering and ioyfulnesse We in this Church as hath beene shewed may persuade our selues that God will send tribulations among vs now when they come what shall we doe Shall wee sinke vnder them No but wee must now forecast to vse the meanes whereby we may stay our hearts vnder the smart and burden of them that is by setling our hearts in this persuasion that Christ seeth our affliction and withall hath speciall care to comfort or deliuer vs as hee seeth most for his glory and the good of our souleâ— In the next words Christ setteth downe two kinds of tribulations in this church Pouertie and Reproâ—h By Pouertie he meaneth want of temporall things to maintaine this
naturall life Where obserue sundry things I. That true religion and pietie will not free any from outward pouertie The religion of this church was excellent and yet they were in want and therefore let no man think because he is godly he shall bee rich or not fall into pouertie If it be sayd Godlinesse hath the promise not onely of the life to come but also of this life that is of earthly blessings and riches I answere it is true but yet with difference Eternall blessings onely are promised absolutely and temporall blessings with restraint namely if they serue for Gods glory and the good of his children otherwise they must want as this Church did II. The Lord would comfort this Church in her pouertie by saying that hee knew it and regarded it Where wee see a meanes to comfort all those that be in want of outward blessings They must consider that Christ seeth obserueth their want whatsoeuer and if they be his seruants he will free them from it so it bee for his glory and the good of their soules or els arme them with patience to beare it if they pray vnto him III. Christ here approueth of works where he acknowledgeth pouertie so that good workes and pouertie may stand together And therefore good workes doe not consist onely in large aâ—mes as the Church of Rome would haue it though these haue due reward and prayse in their place But euery worke of a mans lawfull calling done in obedience to God with an honest heart from a good conscience and for Gods glory is a good worke bee the calling neuer so base Thus may the shepheard please God in his calling as well as the magistrate or minister For it is not the matter of the worke that commends it vnto God but the manner of doing But thou art rich Here Christ intendeth both to prayse and to comfort this church as if hee should say Notwithstanding thy outward pouertie yet thou art rich in God 〈◊〉 Luke 12.21 Men are rich in God in two respects I. when they are reconciled to God in the merites of Christ 2 Cor. 8 9. Christ became poore for our sakes that we through his pouertie might be made rich that is that wee might haue the pardon of sinne and bee receiued into Gods fauour Hereupon Dauid cals the Lord his portion and his cup. And durable riches and righteousnesse are with wisedome Proverb 8.18 II. When they receiue his grace whereby they are enabled to bring forth good works both in duties to God and man Of this Paule speaketh when he exhorteth rich men to be rich in good works and to lay vp for themselues a good foundation against the time to come 1. Tim. 6.16 In this commendation sundry duties are to be learned I. poore men are here taught seeing God denieth vnto them earthly riches and wealth to labour to be rich in God to bee reconciled vnto him in Christ and to get such grace that they may doe good duties both vnto God and man in faith and with a good conscience II. Rich men on whom God bestoweth outward wealth must hereby be admonished to embrace Paules charge 1. Tim. 6.17 18 Aboue all things seeke for true riches in the liuing God and not suffer these outward blessings to puffe vp their minds but vse them as meanes to make theÌ„ rich in God by getting Gods grace doing good workes and distributing to the poore This admonition is most necessarie for though the promises of Gods grace be not denied vnto the rich yet sure it is riches doe choke the seede of grace in the heart and hinder the care men ought to haue for spirituall riches And hence it commeth that moe of the poorer sort receiue and obey the gospell than of the rich III. Herein behold the madnesse of the world For the most mens greatest labour and care is after worldly wealth and honour neuer regarding the true treasures of Gods grace which will commend them vnto God when the other must perish and the wicked owners thereof Let vs therefore iudge as Christ doth of true riches and accordingly labour to be rich in his â—ighâ— The second part of their tribulation is the reproch and blasphemie of their enemies in these words I knâ—w the blasphemie of them which say they are Iewes and are not c. that is I know the greeuous slaunders and reuilings which thine enemies fasten vpon thee For Blasphemie signifieth not onely speeches of disgrace against God but also against men As Naâ—â—â—b was accused 1. King 21.10 to 〈◊〉 blasphemed God and the king And of this Paule sayth When wee are reâ—â—led wee blesseâ— when wee are blasphemed wee pray 1. Cor. 4.12 13. Hence wee learne that all churches and men that desire truely to serue God and to keepe good consciences must looke for slaunders and reuilings Neither must this seeme strange vnto them for Christ hath sayd it must bee so Nay rather they might maruell if they should suffer no reproches for Christs sake seeing hee hath sayd Cursed are you when all men speake well of you Luke 6.26 It is indeed a greeuous thing to bee so euill rewarded for well doing but this must bee their comfort and ground of patience That Christ heareth and knoweth euery reproch and will in his good time remedie the same The persons which blaspheme this Church are thus described Which say they be Iewes and are not but are of the Synagogue of Sathan As in other famous cities so in Smyrna dwelt some of the Iewes who had their Synagogues that is such places of assemblies where they serued God after their manner and though they denied Christ yet they thought themselues to be the onely true worshippers of God in all the world and therefore did blaspheme and raile vpon the Christians that beleeued in Christ. And of these Christ sayth though by birth they were Iewes yet indeed they were not the Israell of God nor his true worshippers as they accounted themselues Whereby in generall we may see from whom come railings and reproches on Gods seruants namely from those which say they are true worshippers of God and are not For he is not a Iew that is 〈◊〉 outwardpunc Rom. 2.28 He therefore that slandereth the truth and the professors thereof is an enemie to Christ as well as to his seruants for no friend of Christ can possibly speake euill of his gospell and religion This should be considered for the comfort of the godly because they that endeuour to serue God in synceritie are of all men most subiect to reproch Hee that refraineth from euill maketh himselfe a prey Isay 59 1â— Touching these Iewes two points are to bee considered I. What they are in their owne opinion II. What they are in the iudgement of Christ. For the first because they were Iewes by birth descending from Abraham Isaac and Iacob Gods auntient seruants therefore they thought themselues the onely true worshippers of God as their forefathers were And
notable meanes to draw men to loue and embrace faith and true religion 1. Pet. 3.1 III. That God may shew on the godly tokens of his speciall loue and fauour which he doth when hee sendeth iudgements vpon the wicked and spareth his children Hence it was that when the Lord would bring a common iudgement vpon the Iewes he causeth those that mourned for their owne sinnes and for the abhominations of the people To bee marked in the forehead that they might bespared So that if any godly person dwell among such as hate religion and bee profane he must content himselfe knowing it is Gods will his church should be vexed and troubled by the societies of the wicked and vngodly Sixtly hence it appeareth that Gods people may lawfully dwell among wicked and vngodly men alwayes remembring that they communicate not with them in their sins and rebellions against God For so Lâ—t dwelt in Sodome and this church of Pergamus where the diuell had his throne 1. Cor. 7.2 This question is answered a maister is a heathen man and his seruant is conuerted to the faith whereupon hee thinketh that he is free from seruing his maister but Paule telleth him he must doe externall seruice still so farre forth as he keepe good conscience and bee not constrained to renounce true religion Lastly hence wee haue direction to aunswere a question much vrged against vs by the Papists to wit Where our church was fourescore yeares ago when Luther first beganne to preach they intend hereby to proue our church to be but of fourscore yeares continuance and so our religion to be new We aunswere by the like Where was the church of Pergamus when the diuels throne was in that citie Surely it was there where the diuell had his throne And so when Antichrist that man of sin had spread poperie ouer all Europe at that verie same time was Gods church in Europe where poperie was professed mingled with the Papists which to bee true appeareth by this that in all ages there haue bene some who openly haue oppugned poperie more or lesse partly by writing and partly by speaking as the records of all ages do testifie make manifest so that though iniquitie had the vpper hand yet our church had his being in the middest of poperie And thou keepest my name That is though thou dwell in a place where the diuell hath his throne yet thou holdest fast my name so as neither force nor fraud of the aduersarie can take my name from thee so much the words import By Christs name we must vnderstand the doctrine of the gospell so Paul is sayd to bee A chosen vessell to carrie Christs name among the Gentiles That is to publish among them the doctrine of the Gospell Here this church of Pergamus is particularly commended for her constancie in holding fast true religion against all aduersary power whatsoeuer Hence wee learne that it is not sufficient to teach or know and beleeue the doctrine of the gospell in time of peace but we must be constant in holding it fast against all gainsayers and not be turned about with euery wind of doctrine but in life and death keepe sure the truth that neither fraud nor forcâ— of any aduersary power draw it from vs or vs from it Mat. 13. The kingdome of heauen 〈◊〉 compared to a treasure hid in the field which when a man sâ—â—deth bee goeth and selleth all hee hath to buy the field The scope of that parâ—ble is this If any man should come into any of our fields by searching find a gold mine he would not make it knowne to any but couer it close and go his way and sell all that he had to buy that field that thereby he might enrich himselfe euen so hauing found this that the gospell reuealeth the way to life euerlasting though we must not conceale the same from others yet we must be like this man herein that we could be content to part with all that we haue that so we might make the gospell ours 1. Tim. 3.9 Deacons must haue this propertie To haue the ministerie of faith in a pure conscience There a good conscience is compared to a sure treasure house which cannot bee robbed by any aduersaries power and faith that is true religion is the treasure that is there safely layd vp such a store-house must wee get for the preseruation of the faith Any thing else we may leese but if we part with true religion saluation is gone and all is lost And therefore in life and death we must keepe fast the faith Further Christ amplifieth the praise of their conscience by two arguments First that they held Christs name without deniall Secondly that they kept the faith in the time of bloudie persecution For the first in these words And hast not denied my faith This is an excellent commendation for many will hold the doctrine of the gospell for a time and yet after deny the same by apostacie but this Church held fast true religion without any reuolt at all Their practise must we follow and so hold fast true religion that therein we neuer make reuolt for if wee shall once deny religion wee know not whether God will giue vs the grace of repentance that wâ—e may professe it againe which if he do not we perish eternally Consider Esauâ— example who sold his birth right for a messe of red broth and after lost the blessing which when he wold haue recouered he was reiected And found no place to repentance though be sought it with teares Therfore to preuent the fearefull danger of not repenting after reuoult we must still hold fast true religion without deniall Here in this place the faith of Christ is all one with Christs name that is with the true doctrine of the gospel And it is called Christs faith first because Christ with the father and the spirit is the author thereof Secondly because Christ reuealeth the same from the bosome of his father for God reuealeth his Gospell vnto men by his sonne Christ Iesus Thirdly because Christ is the substance and matter of the gospell for indeed Christ Iesus is the principal subiect of the whole Bible being the end of the law the substance of the gospell The second argument of their praise for conscience is taken from the circumstance of time they hold fast true religion in the time of bloudy persecution Euen in those dayes saith Christ when Antipas my faithful martyr was slaine among you where Sathan dwelleth Who this Antipas was is not knowne neither certainely recorded in any historie it is thought hee was the minister of this church vnto opposed himselfe against idolatrie and gentilisme in this citie of Pergamus In this argument note two points I. That Christ commends Antipas calling him his faithfull martyr Whereby wee see that in Gods church it is lawfull to honor saints and martyrs For that which Christ doth his church may doe This their honour must stand
people doe not repent the Lord will come vnto them to execute his iudgements vpon them Yea though they haue before repented if for particular sinnes and wants they doe not renew their repentance hee will surely come to punish them This might be proued at large by testimonies of the Prophets Apostles but it is so euident in this text that I omit all further proofe onely I will applie it to this our Church of which this may bee truely sayd Thou doest not repent nor renew thy repentance for thy dayly sinnes For albeit there bee some among vs that by Gods grace repent and set themselues dayly to the exercise thereof yet take the greater part of our congregations and they are so far from renewing their repentance that they doe not repent at all for either they haue no knowledge of Gods will or if they haue knowledge yet they want care and conscience to put the same in practise This being our case and condition what man may not bee a Prophet against our churches and congregations being thus directed by this portion of Scripture to say and that truly That God will come vnto vs in iudgments to plague and punish vs for our sinnes and iniquities Wee may sooth our selues in hope of mercie still but the state of our Church continuing as it is nothing can bee expected but iudgements from the Lord. This then must be a motiue to persuade vs to repent euery person apart and euery family congregation apart we must humble our selues in dust and ashes for our sinnes past entreating the Lord to be reconciled vnto vs and purpose fully in our hearts and striue in our liues to obey God in all his commaundements yea though we can say wee haue repented yet for our dayly wants and sinnes wee must renew our repentance Thus doing we shall stay the Lord when he is comming against vs. But if we goe on in blindnesse ignorance and rebellion following the lusts of our own hearts then nothing but vengeance and iudgements are to bee expected for this conclusion must stand with all churches and people If they repent not God will come in iudgement against them The second threatening or commination is directed vnto the Nicolaitans in these words And will fight against them with the sword of my mouth that is I will bee at emnitie with them and testifie the same by waging battell against those among you that maintaine the lawfulnesse of eating things sacrificed to Idols and of fornication Thus I say will I fight against theÌ„ with the sword of my mouth that is with the preaching of my word the law and the gospell In this commination Christ alludeth still to the storie of Balaam for when hee was sent for by Balac to curse the people of God the Lord stood against him in the way with a naked sword to keepe him from going and when his eyes were opened that hee saw the Angell of the Lord withstand him in that sort hee fell downe and adored the Angell for it was the Lord yet because he ceased not from his wicked couetousnesse but gaue bad counsell against the Israelites when he could not curse them to cause them to sinne therefore hee was slaine with the edge of the sword among the Midianites by the children of Israel Num. 31.8 Euen so Christ dealeth with the Nicolaitans because they goe on in their bad counsel persuading the lawfulnesse of eating things sacrificed to Idols also of fornication therfore first he will fight against them with the sword of his mouth the ministery of his word therby to reclaime them from their wicked wayes if it bee possible but if that will not serue hee will still fight against them and with the same sword destroy them for euer First here marke Christ sayth not I will kill them but fight against them for hee intended not at the first to destroy these Nicolaitans but his purpose was to withdraw them from their wicked wayes yet so as afterward if they would not be reclaimed by his word he would therewith destroy them Wherein wee may behold the exceeding patience of Christ Iesus towards leaud and grieuous sinnerâ— that maintained the lawfulnesse of idolatrie and fornication and gaue themselues thereunto So the Lord in spirit stroâ—e with the old world and spared them 120 yeares to withdraw them from their wickednesse by the preaching of Noe. So likewise hee spared the Ammonites till their sinnes were come to the full and the Egyptians also for many hundred yeares though they were most cruell persecutors of his owne people And though the Iews most maliciously crucified the Lord of life yet he spared them fiftie yeares before hee cut them off from being a people Yea dayly experience teacheth vs this his long suffering we may heare most bloudie and bitter oathes from blasphemers whereby they dayly crucifie Christ with their tongues The like may be said of the adulterers and all cruell persons and yet he forbeares the same yea in our owne selues we dayly tast of this his patience for so soone as we were borne we deserued to be cast into hell and yet in mercie he vouchsafeth vnto vs to some twentie to some thirty and to some moe years for a time of repentance when as euery day hee might in iustice condemne vs. This therefore must admonish vs in the feare of God not to abuse this his long suffering any longer but now while the day of mercie lasteth to humble our selues and turne vnto him by true repentance These are the dayes of grace but how long they will last God onely knoweth For when death once commeth he sheweth no more mercie The old world because they abused the long suffering of God were destroyed and are now in hell in prison for it as Peter teacheth And vndoubtedly the same prison will be our portion if wee take the same course that they did Secondly in this threatening we may obserue that all irrepentant sinners haue God for their enemie to fight against them with a drawn sword For this cause sinne in Scripture is called rebellion and euery sinner is a rebell against God A fearefull thing it is to haue God for an enemie and yet this is the condition not onely of such as did neuer repent but of all those that hold the name of Christ in profession and yet continue in any one sinne without renewing their repeÌ„tance This also must serue to induce euery man that hath not repented now to begin and if they haue begun to repent more dayly renewing the same for their daily slips and so shal they be the friends of Christ as Abraham was and aâ— his disciples were Ioâ— 15.15 Thirdly in these two threateningâ— Christ sheweth himselfe to bee the true Doctor of his Church for he will fight against these Nicolaitans when as hee will onely come vnto his Church Where wee see hee deuideth his word aright wherein consisteth the principall wisedome of a true
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
it meaneth for meat and drinke is neuer knowne till a man be hungrie Yea to many that liue in the church this Manna is hidden for though men heare the doctrine of Christ yet not one of an hundred feele in themselues any want of Christ let the conscience speake and this will prooue true Ignorant people blesse themselues and say all is well Christ is a sauiour when as indeed to them Christ is hidden Nay which is yet more lamentable to many which teach and preach Christ Christ is hidden Manna for many of them neuer felt in their hearts and conscience that they had need of Christ for the pardon of their sinnes and the saluation of their soules It is not the knowledge in the brain that maketh Christ known to man but knowledge in the cōscience when a man feeles in his heart and soule that hee stands in need of the bloud of Christ and all the benefits of his passion for his redemption saluation And seeing this is the condition of the world wee on the contrarie must labor to feele in our selues our owne pouertie to see in our selues that we stand in need of Christ and of all the benefits of his passiō to free our souls from the gulfe of hell and the wrath of God Away with bare mentall knowledge for till we haue this true sense of our owne wants wee can neuer get into our hearts any sound grace Secondly is Christs hidden bread not reuealed to all Then calling effectuall to saluation so as if hee will euery man may be saued is not vniuersall for then should Christ not be hidden but reuealed to all which is not so Election therefore and effectuall vocation is definite particular And thus much of the first branch of this gift The second gift is a white stone Here Christ borroweth a comparison from the custome and manner of the gentiles to whom these Epistles are directed A white stone was of great vse among thē For first the iudge in giuing sentence vsed white stones and blacke stones the giuing of a white stone was a token of absolution the giuing of a blacke stone a signe of condemnation Here then the giuing of a white stone may signifie Absolution from Christ of all a mans sins and trespasses Againe when the gentiles would know which were luckie dayes as they spake and which were vnluckie they vsed to cast lots with white and blacke stones and that day which light on a white stone was iudged to be a lucky day that which light on a blacke stone was iudged to be vnlucky This practise they vsed as might be shewed by sufficient records And though this practise haue no warrant yet may Christ allude vnto it to signifie vnto them that hee will giue them good successe in all their actions yea happie dayes and a blessed life full of all ioyes and pleasures Others doe expound it of giuing victorie whereof the giuing of a white stone was a signe but this is not so fit neither can it bee shewed by true record that they had such a practise I rather take it Christ alludeth to the first and here promiseth to him that ouercommeth the true remission of all his sinnes and full absolution not in regard of ciuill punishment but in respect of guilt and punishment before God which is eternall damnation Here note one infallible token of the pardon of sinne namely to ouercome that is to renounce our selues and by faith relie wholly on Christ testifying this faith by maintaining good conscience and true religion vnto the end And therefore if anie desire to know whether God haue absolued him of his sinnes let him labour thus to ouercome and then shall this assurance be sealed vp vnto him The third gift is a new name written in the stone What this new name should be S. Iohn expresseth in his first Epistle chapter 3. vers 1. saying Behold what loue the father hath shewed to vs that we should be called the sonnes of God This new name therefore is to bee the sonne and heire of God in Christ. And because it is giuen of God himselfe therefore wee must not thinke it is an idle name or a bare title onely but withall God giueth him a new condition whereof this name is a token and title God changed Abrams name called him Abraham but it was when he had changed his estate and made him the father of the faithfull And there was a change in Iacob when God called him Israell This new name then signifieth the giuing of a new estate to a man or womā which they had not before namely their regeneration whereby they are made to die vnto sinne and to liue vnto God for therewith goeth the blessing of adoption whereby they become the sonnes of God and heires with Christ and so haue heauen and earth for their possession and all miseries and crosses yea sinne it selfe turning to their good they haue also the protection of Gods holy Angels in this life and at the last gaspe death to bee no death but a strait passage to eternall life Further this new name is sayd to bee written in the white stone that is in the pledge of absolution which sheweth the vnion of these two Absolution and Regeneration So that whom the Lord of his mercie absolues from their sinnes them in his bountie hee brings to a new estate and condition He that is in Christ is a new creature 2. Cor. 5.17 A point to be obserued as yeelding speciall aduice to reforme the grosse and common abuse of Christ. Men persuade themselues that Christ is their Sauiour and will pardon their sinnes for he is mercifull and thereupon they take occasion to liue as they list But let no man herewith deceiue himselfe for they that haue absolution haue regeneration also a new condition of life goes with the fruition of Gods mercie in Christ they that go on in sinne haue not the pardon of sinne the corruption of sinne must bee abolished where the guilt of sinne is absolued and their liues are reformed that haue their sinnes remitted Here some man may say Why are not those called by this new name to whom Christ giues it for vsually men are called after their names The answere is made in the end of the verse Because no man knoweth that name saue he that receiueth it that is in that manner and certainetie as hee that receiueth it And therefore the children of God must not be much offended when they are reuiled for their profession because the world knowes not their estate Here we may obserue diuerse points First that hee which is the child of God and hath this new name giuē him knows that hee is Gods child iustified and sanctified Neither is this knowledge by probable coniecture onely and good hope as the Papists would haue it but certaine and infallible for else others should know it as well as hee that receiueth it which is here denied Each one is bound in
seekes anothers good Goe through townes markets and fayres and rare it is to find a man that in his affaires seeketh the common good as well as his owne For this is the common rule May I not make of mine owne what I will But he that hath the grace of loue Seeketh not his owne onely but the good of others also 1. Corinth 13.5 Here then wee must learne to practise this vertue that wee may haue Christs commendations with this church Euery man in the generall calling of a christian will make great shew of loue as when he comes to the Lords table in praier But in their particular affaires few shew forth true loue nay many by lying oppression crueltie Flea the skinne from the flesh and the flesh from the bone of the poore and breake the bones within the flesh and chop them as for the pot as the Prophet speaketh These little consider this rule or that account which the Lord will take of them who hath sworne neuer to forget these works Amos. 8.7 Learne therefore in thy particular calling to shew forth loue and imploy thy commodities not for thy selfe alone but for the good of those with whom thou liuest herein is loue and hereby shalt thou be known to be the seruant of Christ Iohn 13.35 and the child of God Translated from death to life 1. Iohn 3. vers 14. The secoÌ„d thing for which this church is coÌ„mended is seruice To omit the diuers significations of the word here it betokeneth a worke of loue whereby a man within the compasse of his calling becomes a seruant vnto euerie man for that mans good Read Heb. 6.10 where this is both commended and described Gal. 5.13 Do seruice one to another in loue 1. Cor. 13.5 Loue seeketh not her owne but maketh her selfe seruant to all to do them good And Christs commaundement is Let him that would be chiefe among you bee as the seruant Luke 22.26 Now the principall part of this seruice is when a man is readie with hâ—s goods according to his abilitie to helpe the poore especially those that be godly This is a fruit of loue and therefore it is here set after it as also in the places before named Hebr. 6. vers 10. Gal. 5.13 It were to be wished that our church and people might haue the like praise for this vertue But the richer sort spend their substance and wealth vpon haukes and hounds buls and beares vpon costly attire and banqueting so as when the poore that are in need come for releefe they haue nothing to spare and if any thing bee giuen it is drawne as hardly from them as a ribbe out of their side Men wil giue frankly to delight themselues with playes and pastimes and such like vanities but the poore that be their owne flesh may die in the streetes for want of that which men giue to their dogges But if we respect the commendation of Christ Iesus let vs abandon these vanities which hinder vs in the practise of this vertue of seruice for the good of our brethren And to induce all men hereto let them consider I. how the church of the Old testament was charged with giuing the first fruites of their wine corne and oyle and likewise with many sacrifices and ceremonies which belonged to the temple these things indeed be ceased and yet wee may not mispend these good which hereby are spared for in the New testament the poore are in steed of the altar and they must haue that which the altar had among the Iewes Againe Isay. 58.18 He that powreth foorth his soule to the hungrie that is he that seeing the poore in miserie hath the bowels of compassion mooued towards them and from his pitifull hart releeueth their wants according to his abilitie his light shall neuer bee put out but shall spring out of the darknesse and his darknesse shall bee as the noone day This is pure religion and vndefiled before God to visit the fatherlesse and the widdow in their aduersitie Remember this He that hath mercie vpon the poore lendeth vnto the Lord Prou. 19.17 So that when the poore come for releefe God commeth to borrow of vs some of that which he hath giuen vs. The poore are the Lords collectors now when the Lord would borrow of vs shall we make deniall send him emptie away Thirdly consider that Christ himself comes in the persoÌ„ of the poore that is hungrie sicke naked or in any want and therefore if wee would escape the fearefull sentence of condemnation at the last day Away from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire for I was an hungred and ye gaue me no meate c. then we must haue regard vnto the poore and shew our bountie in their releefe who are our owne flesh so shall wee make God our debtor and bee commended with this church by Christ himselfe in this world and at the day of iudgement heare that blessed voyce of his approbation Come ye blessed Math. 25.34 The third vertue for which this church is commended is their faith By faith here we are to vnderstand Fidelitie which is a vertue whereby a man is faithfull to God in keeping that vow and promise which hee made to him in his baptisme which was to renounce and denie himselfe and wholly to giue vp himselfe to acknowledge one God in three persons and accordingly to beleeue in to worship and obey the same God all his life long In this sence is faith taken of Paule when he sayth That younger widdowes haue damnation because they haue forsaken their first faith And in the former Epistles of Christ vnto these churches where hee commaunds them to be faithfull It were to bee wished that our churches and congregations might in like manner be commended for their fidelitie to God but that cannot truly be done of vs generally It is a common thing for men to sweare by their faith but it is a rare thing to find a man to keepe his faith as will appeare by this short suruey of our people For first the greatest part in all places are ignorant of God of his word and of their vow to him in baptisme and also voide of care to attaine hereto Now all these are vnfaithfull vnto God Others though they haue knowledge yet they haue no loue nor care of good things which concerne the kingdome of heauen but all their delight is in eating drinking gaming and in pastimes and pleasures Herein they spend their time and strength and these also haue denied their first faith their case is dangerous for as yet their belly and their pleasure is their god and their end will be damnation A third sort are termed the wise men of the world but if we regard their fidelitie to God there is nothing in them they are worldly persons and earthly minded such as spend both wit and strength to get wealth like vnto the mole who is alwayes in the earth These also
holy Ghost but by Christ it is manifest that none can haue fellowship with the Father but by Christ. And here the same is verified touching fellowship with the holy ghost especially for the obtaining of those graces that concerne eternall life This serueth for our speciall instruction for among the Papists there are many that haue worthy and excellent gifts of God as knowledge memorie c. And yet in them be wanting the special giftes of the spirit as faith which iustifieth regeneration for touching assurance of these in themselues they professe themselues to be ignorant And whence coÌ„meth this but onely from their want of Christ for the Christ of the Papists as they teach him is an idoll Christ and therefore wee are not to maruell though wee see the most learned among them to scoffe and mock at our doctrin of assurance of Faith certainty of electioÌ„ Secondly we haue many among vs that will say they looke to be saued by Christ to haue their sins pardoned by him and yet you shall perceiue in them no grace of knowledge or conscience of true obedience But these things caÌ„not stand together to wit loosnes of life and forgiuenes of sins therfore these men deceiue themselues for if they had Christ they should haue his spirit and the graces thereof purging their hearts for Christ and his spirit are neuer seuered he that hath the spirit of Christ working in him faith good conscience hath an infallible token that Iesus Christ is his This must admonish vs to labour for 〈◊〉 vnion with Christ Iesus our head to become flesh of his flesh bone of his bone that in him we may haue fellowship with the father and with the holy Ghost for till we be vnited vnto Christ we shall neuer haue the graces of saluation wrought effectually in our hearts The second royaltie of Christ is that he hath the seuen starres that is the seuen Pastors of the seuen Churches of Asia they are called starres because in their ministerie they inlighten men in the way that leadeth vnto life And Christ is said to haue them because hee is a soueraigne Lord ouer them they bee his seruants For he â—ppointeth that person that shall be his minister among men hee giueth him gifts meet for his calling he prescribeth also vnto him his office and duties But the Pastors of Churches will some say are made by the Church Answ. The right of ordaining Pastors belongs to Christ as his royaltie the office of the Church is to testifie ratifie according to the word of God to approoue of them whom Christ maketh and indueth with gifts and for that cause is the Church said to call and ordaine Ministers The end why Christ is said to haue soveraigntie ouer the Ministers is to strike the heart of the minister of this Church of Sardis with conscience of his former negligence to stir him vp to diligence and carefulnes in his place And indeede the consideration of Christs soueraigntie ouer them is an excellent motiue to stir vp all Ministers to bee diligent in their place and so likewise all Christians For considering that they are Christs and the gifts they haue come from him this must mooue them to make conscience of all good duties for being Christs they must giue themselues wholy to do the will of Christ whose they are If he would haue vs liue we must be thankefull because he is Lord of life if our death will glorifie him we must be content because wee are his Thus much of the Preface The matter of this Epistle containeth two parts A reproofe of a vice with the remedie thereof Vers. 1.2.3 And a praise or commendation vers 4. The reproofe in these words I know thy works that is I know all thy workes they are all manifest vnto me and I mislike of them So must these wordes be vnderstood in this place as may appeare by the reason of this reproofe in the wordes following Thou hast a name that thou liuest but thou art dead Wherein is set downe the fault of this Church namely Hypocrisie for that they pretended christian religion in outward profession but yet wanted the life of christianitie the power of godlines for the meaning of the reason is this Thou hast a name that thou liuest that is Churches round about thee iudge and speak of thee as of a church that is borne anew in Christ and is guided by his spirit for by life we must vnderstand spirituall life not corporall but yet for all this thou art dead that is thou wantest true spirituall life by regeneration and art indeed dead in thy sinnes this is a great and a sharpe reproofe That which is here said of this Church of Sardis may be truly verified of diuers churches in this age As first of the great church of Rome who are guided by the Pope as by their head That church hath a name to be aliue in their owne pretence it is the only true church of God in the world but in truth and before God it is dead Some say it is as a body full of diseases and whose throat is cut but yet the heart panteth life remaineth therin But we may say it hath no manner of spirituall life but lyeth starke dead as a carkasse in the graue The reasons that some alledge for it are of small moment first they say it hath the SacrameÌ„t of baptisme which is a note of a true Church and therefore it hath some life Ans. First Baptisme is not alwayes a note of a true church for circumcision in whose stead commeth baptisme was a sacrament vsed of the Samaritans when they were no people of God and so no church of God Againe Baptisme without the true preaching of the Gospel is no infallible signe of a church it is but a seale pulled from the writing or set to a bare paper to no vse and further outward Baptisme without inward Baptisme is no note of a church but such is baptisme in the church of Rome it hath not inward baptisme ioyned vnto it neither the true preaching of the word for the doctrine which they teach is a quite ouerturning of Christ and his Gospel and therefore outward baptisme may bee where there is no church Secondly I answer that baptisme in the church of Rome is a Sacrament not to their synagogue but to the hiddeÌ„ church of God among them For God had his Church among them euen in the midst of Poperie There were alwayes some among them that renounced their religion whom God called home vnto himself by the meanes which were among them as the vse of this Sacrament the Apostles Creed and of other books of holy Scripture For as God said to Elias in Ahabs time I haue reserued seuen thousand that neuer bowed the knee to Baal So may it bee sayd of many among the Papists God hath there his secret Church who neuer yeelded to the Popes gouernment
vnto our selues and to make conscience of euerie sinne and to avoide and shunne the verie occasions thereof For so long as wee professe the Gospell and obey the same our names bee in the booke of life but when wee commit any sinne we doe as much as in vs lyeth make a penne and reach it vp to heauen to blot our names out of that booke and they that keepe a course in sinning doe plainely shewe that they were neuer truely written therein Secondly considering that the number of the elect is certaine it must bee a motiue to cause vs to labour for some aâ—â—â—rance of election that wee maye truely say wee haue our names written in Gods booke But here some bad person will saye seeing the number of the Elect is vnchangeable I will liue as I list for if my name bee in the booke of GOD it shall neuer bee blotted out and if it bee not in it can neuer be added Ans. These men deceiue their owne soules for they that haue their names written in the booke of life shall liue as these few did in this Church of Sardis in true faith and holy obedience For he that is ordained to glorification is ordained to iustification and sanctification and it is impossible for him that shall be saued to liue alway in sin and therefore these men must rather labour to repent and beleeue and to get some signes of their Election that they may know that their names are written in the booke of life The third benefite is this I will confesse his name before my Father and before his Angels That is in the day of iudgement I will acknowledge and professe him to be mine one of mine Elect that keepeth faith and good conscience vnto the end I will take him from the companie of the wicked world and set him on my right hand and aduance him to glory pronouncing vpon him the blessed voyce of absolution Come Thou blessed of my father Mat. 25.34 The end why this benefit is thus propounded is to draw this church to professe the name of Christ in this world for if they would professe Christ before men hee will acknowledge them for his owne at the last day This same reason here propounded must induce vs to make a true confession of Christ against the world all Christs enemies which to doe is a very hard matter and man of himself cannot stand out but yet the consideration of this that Christ will confesse him at the last day will be a notable motiue and means to inable him thereto If an earthly Prince should come to a man among a great company and call him by his name speaking kindly vnto him hee would esteeme it a great honour vnto him and for that he would not sticke to die in the Princes cause Oh then what honour is this that Christ Iesus will in the last day vouchsafe to all those that in this life doe sincerely confesse him and ouercome he will confesse them to bee his and receiue them to his owne glorie But on the contrary those that will not confesse him heere but disgrace him either by false doctrine or profanesse of life will Christ at the day of iudgement vtterly disgrace by denying them to be his and there pronounce vpon them the fearefull sentence of condemnation Goe ye cursed c. Which if we would then escape and also procure vnto vs the ioyfull voyce of absolution we must here labour to hold the truth of Christs doctrine also keep a good conscience vnto the end But if we only professe him in iudgement and not in the practise of a holy life surely Christ will professe that he knows vs not and then giue vs our portion with the diuell and his angels The commandement followeth vers 6. Let him c of which wee haue spoken Verse 7. And vnto the Angell of the Church which is of Philadelphia write These things saith he which is holy and true which hâ—th the key of Dauid which openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth Here beginneth the sixt particular Epistle of our Sauiour Christ from this verse to the 14. And before it as to the rest is prefixed a speciall Commandement vnto Iohn whereby he is enioyned to write this Epistle vnto the Church of Philadelphia the end of which commandement is to warrant the calling of Iohn to write this Epistle but of this we haue spoken before The Epistle it selfe containeth three parts a Preface the matter of the Epistle and the Conclusion The Preface in this verse These things saith hee c. wherein is set downe in whose name this Epistle is sent namely in Christs where as in the former Epistles he is excellently described for the winning of more credite vnto this Epistle And that first by his properties Holynesse and truth Secondly by his kingly office in the words following For his properties First Christ is sayd to be holy Quest. How can Christ be said to be holy as he is man considering hee descended from Adam who câ—â—ueyed his sinne and the guilt thereof to all his posteritie The common answere is this That indeed Christ descended from Adam as hee is man but his substance was sanctified by the holy Ghost in the wombe of the Virgin and thereby hee was freed from Adams sinne This answere is true but not sufficient for men besides the corruption originall take from Adam the guiltinesse of that sinne which Adam committed Now sanctification taketh away the corruption of sin but not the guilt thereof therefore a more full answere is this That all which come of Adam by naturall generation doe receiue by that order which God set in nature at the creation saying increase multiply both the nature of Adam and the sin guilt thereof But God for the preuenting of this in the Incarnation of Christ ordained that Christ should not come of Adam by naturall generation but by a miraculous Conception of the holy Ghost whereby hee tooke the nature of man with the infirmities thereof without the sinne of mans nature or the the guiltinesse thereof And thus is Christ free from sinne as he is man Further Christ is holy two wayes In himselfe and in regard of his Church In himselfe hee is holy sundry wayes first in regard of his Godhead for his diuine nature is holinesse it selfe Secondly as hee is man for his man-hood was not only freed from all manner of sinne by reason of his miraculous conception but it was also inriched and filled with holinesse and that in greater measure than all men and Angels for he receiued the gifts of the holy Ghost without measure And againe as he is man Christ is holy in regard of his obedience and actions for liuing on earth he did actually as our suertie fulfill the Law for vs. Secondly Christ is holy in regard of his Church First because hee is the authour of that holynesse which is in euery member of his Church
come vpon all the world to trie them that dwell vpon the earth These words containe the second promise of Christ vnto this Church concerning their preseruation in time of most bloodie persecution for this Epistle vnto this Church as also this Booke was written by Iohn after the Ascention of Christ in the daies of Domitian the Emperour of Rome after whome succeeded Traâ—anus who when hee was seated in his Empire raysed vp greeuous persecution against GODS Church in all places of his Dominion wherein he put to death innumerable thousandes of Christians for the space of foureteene yeares Of this persecution our Sauiour Christ fore-tels this Church calling it The houre of temptation and withall he promiseth to preserue this Church in the time of this bloodie persecution adding a reason thereof Because they had constantly and syncerely professed his Gospell In this promise of preseruation note sundry points I. the occasion thereof The keeping of the word of his patience II. The thing promised deliuerance vnder Traianus III. A prâ—diction of this persecution That it shall come vpon the world for this end to trie them I. point The word of Christs patience some expound to be Christs commandement of patience but that exposition is too strait here it signifieth the whole Doctrine of saluation by Christ which is called the word of patience first because it teacheth patience Secondly because it is the instrument of patience for when a man knowes saluation by Christ and also belâ—eues the same to belong to him that will make him patient in all the miseries of this life Thirdly because it cannot bee professed and holden vnto death without patience but as it is sayd of the good ground It bringeth forth fruit with patience so must euerie one doe that professeth this Gospell In this occasion of Gods promise obserue that Gods grace well vsed is rewarded with increase Those which haue receiued but small measure of grace at the first by becomming faithfull therein haue receiued increase which serues to mooue vs to bee faithfull in the vse of those tallents which wee haue receiued For heereby wee shall receiue increase when as those which hauing receiued good gifts from God as knowledge and such like because they haue not beene faithfull in the vse thereof haue beene depriued of the same Wherefore whosoeuer hath begun to know the will of God to beleeue and to repent let the same parties proceed to vse those giftes still to Gods glorie and the good of his Church and people among whom they liue and they shall see the Lord will double and treble and greatly increase the same vnto them Againe note the doctrine of the Gospell is a Doctrine of patience This sheweth how good and meete it is for euerie one to learne the Gospell in the dayes of peace for euerie one in times of tryall wold wish for strength and patience and wee know not how long these dayes of peace will last Againe each man in his calling is subiect to many crosses and miseries for in the sweat of our face must wee eat our bread And who is free from paines and diseases yea who can scape death it selfe Now in all these and in all other troubles wee haue neede of patience And therefore in the time of health and ease let vs hide in our hearts the seedes of this grace to wit the Doctrine of the Gospell and then in due time wee shall reape the fruit of patience which will make vs contented in all distresses both of life and death And if wee would know why most men are so impatient in afflictions it is because they haue so little knowledge and faith in the Gospell of his grace Secondly seeing the Gospell is the word of patience heereby all persons that looke to bee saued by the Gospell must learne to put on patience keeping a moderation in all their thoughts wils and affections for when wee be impatienâ— any way wee are not sutable to the Doctrine of our saluation Thirdly this word of patience is called Christs The word of my patience because Christ is the author of it This is added to beat downe the pride of this Church for when God doth praise them for their obedience their hearts might haue beene puffâ—d vp with pride But to preuent this euill in this Church whom he now praised hee calleth it his patience that they might not thinke this good thing was of themselues And the same consideration must checke the proude thoughts that rise in our hearts namely to remember that no good thing wee haue is our owne but Christs What hast thou which thou hast not receiued Why then shouldest thou boast 1. Corinth 4.7 II. point The thing promised is preseruation and deliuerance in the bloodie persecution vnder Traianuâ— in which for the space of fourteene yeares innumerable Christians were put to death I will deliuer thee from the houre of temptation Here first obserue that God hath appointed certaine set houres and times for the triall of his Church as well for the giftâ— of his grace as of their wickednesse and hypocrisie Thus he led the Israelites fortie yeares in the wildernesse to see whether they would obey him and hee sent false Prophets amonge them to trie whether they would turne from the true God or no. And as God thus dealeth with his Church so hee bath appointed particular times and houres wherein hee will trie particular persons God bid Abraham kill his Sonne and that was his tryall And Hezekias was left vnto himselfe That the Lord might see all that was in his heart And so for euerie Christian God hath a set time of triall wherin he will either make manifest his grace or disclose their hypocrisie This point ought to bee well weighed for herein the Lord dealeth like the worthie founders of great Schooles who haue appointed certaine set times of posing for the tryall of their Schollers to see what euerie ones proceeding is that they may be accordingly rewarded And as it is a shame for one to haue been long in a good Schoole and to haue made no proceedings in learning so it is for any one that hath liued long in the Schoole of Christ and hath not profited in grace This therefore must teach vs these duties First to try our selus and that staightly concerning our progresse in knowledge faith repentance and obedience for God himselfe will trie vs whose eyes wee can neuer blinde though wee may deceiue men He will lay open our hearts and make knowne what is in vs whether it bee true grace or false hypocrisie Let vs not couer our selues with figge leaues for God will strip vs naked but rather let vs search our selus touching our sins and Gods graces and neuer rest contented till wee haue found in our soules the good gifts of grace which will abide his tryall Secondly hereby we are admonished as neere as we can to conforme our harts and liues vnto the word and wil
Here see the proper â—nd of all reprofes and corrections namely the reformation and amendement of mens faults misdemeanors whatsoeuer that so they may bee more carefull of their wayes and more zealous in good duties then euer they were Whensoeuer therefore wee are reprooued by the word of God or when the Lord shall visite vs in body minde or goods by any kind of crosse wee must remember to take occasion thereby to repent and amend knowing that by all these as by so many Sermons the Lorde calles vs to amendement Nowe come to the remedie of their Luke-warmnesse Be zealous That wee may vnderstand this Commandement we are to handle some points touching Zeale First what is zeale Zeale is a burning affection in regard of Christian Religion and the true worship of God This Zeale is compounded of two affections of loue and anger or indignation so that in this Commandement are two duties enioyned vnto this Church First that they should loue Christ and his Religion aboue all things Secondly that they should be greiued especially for this that Christ was dishonoured his worship prophaned and his doctrine not embraced but insteed thereof false worship and false doctrine entertayned when both these concurre then zeale is in the heart A most notable Example hereof wee haue in Christ Psalm 69.9 where the Prophet Dauid in his person saith The zeale of Gods house had eaten him vp Whereby thus much is signified that the heat of his loue for the maintaining of his Fathers glorie had euen consumed him and that his indignation was so great because his Fathers Name was dishonoured and his worship prophaned that it did euen care him vp This wee shall see to bee true in Christ if wee read the Hystorie of his life Iohn 2.17 Yea hee professeth of himselfe that it was meate and drinke vnto him to doe his Fathers will Ioh. 4.34 That thing he preferred before his owne life or safetie nay for the accomplishment thereof hee was content to suffer the pangs of hell The like zeale was in Elias when all Israel was fallen to Idolatrie his heart was zealous for the Lord of Hosts 1. King 19.14 II. point The kinds of zeale Zeale is either good or bad In good zeale are these things required I. True faith as the roote thereof 1. Tim. 1. vers 5. The end of the commandement is loue 〈◊〉 of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith vnfained Now one apart of zeale is loue and therefore 〈…〉 proceedâ— from true faith so must true zeale 〈◊〉 and that which is not grounded on faith is rather rashnesse and fiercenesse of nature than true zeale II. Repentance 2. Cor. 7.11 There are seuen 〈◊〉 of repentance recyted whereof zeale is one that is good zeale Euen a burning loue of true Religion and a godly indignation when false religion is embraced There may bee zeale in a man that hath no repentance as was in Iehu 2. King 10.16 Come with mee sayth hee and see the zeale that I haue for the Lord. Yet he wanted repentance for Vers. 29.31 It is said Iehu regarded not to walke in the Law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart for hee departed not from the sinnes of Ieroboam which made Israel to sinne and therefore he had not in him the true zeale that is heere commanded III. Zeale must come from knowledge for without knowledge it is but rashnesse and bold-hardinesse such as the Iewes had Rom. 10.2 whose Zeale was without knowledge And such as Paul had before his conuersion Phil. 3. vers 6. In Zeale hee persecuted Gods Church Knowledge therefore in Gods word must bee the guide and conductor of our zeale III. point The fruites of zeale must be considered for the better discerning of true zeale First true zeale constraineth a man in euery thing to seeke to please God Whether we be out of 〈◊〉 wits we are it vnto God or whether we bee in our right mind we are it vnto you For the loue of Christ constrayneth vs. So wheresoeuer this true zeale is in any measure it offereth violence to the heart so as a man cannot but endeuour to doe his dutie for the loue he beareth vnto Christ. Elihu sayd The grace of God was in his heart as new wine in a vessell which must needs vent out Iob. 32.18.19 Secondly true zeale makes a man indeuour to serue and please God with all his heart power and strength So good king Iosiah hearing the words of the Law read hee turned not slackely or negligently but with all his heart and all his soule and with all his might according to all the Law of Moses so as like him was no King before neither after him arose there any like him Psal. 51 Dauid humbling himselfe for his sinnes prayes for the pardon of them with such maruellous zeale as no tongue can vtter desiring God to remember him according to the multitude of his mercies often repeating the same thing in diuers tearmes that in some sort hee might expresse the earnest desire of his heart And in giuing God thankes for his benefits he putteth all the strength of his heart thereto crying out My soule prayse thou the Lord and all that is within mee Psa. 103.1 And thus we see what a thing it is to be zealous whence true zeale ariseth and what it worketh in mans heart Seeing wee as hath beene shewed are tainted with this sinne of Lukewarmnesse and coldnesse in religion let vs here learne how to redresse this vice Wee must become zealous hauing in our heart a feruent loue of true religion and a vehement indignation when the same is disgraced and false worship takes place Let Religion therefore take place in our hearts and let vs bee feruent and shew that same in our liues by zealous obedience Away with all slacknesse and lukewarmnesse it were better to bee Iewes and Turkes and to hold no Religion then to be luke-warme in the true profession And thus much for zeale The second part of this remedie is to Repent or amend This they are also enioyned because zeale without repentaÌ„ce is nothing but rashnes Iehues zeale was no true zeale because hee wanted repentance euen then when hee was zealous But wherefore was this Church inioyned to repent Namely for Lukewarmnes not for that she had committed any horrible sinne but because she was slacke in good duties Here then we haue a good Lesson for the ignorant sort that challenge Gods mercie vnto themselues because they are no notorious malefactors as murtherers adulterers they hate no man but do good vnto all but heere they are taught to reforme this their blindnesse and ignorance For repentance must be for want of good duties yea for slacknesse therein therefore let no man sooth himselfe in his ignorance with a false perswasion that all is wel if he liue not in grosse sinnes This is the enchantment of the deuill whereby he rocks many asleepe in
their sinnes till hee carry their soules to hell A good meaning will not serue the turne God requires true zeale in well-doing Vers. 20. Behold I stand at the doore and knocke If any man heare my voyce and open the doore I will come in vnto him and will suppe with him and hee with me Heere Christ to keepe his Church from despaire ministers vnto them the signes and tokens of his loue and fauour and before the same sets downe this note of attention Beholde hereby intending to make them more attentiuely to marke the tokens of his loue that plainly seeing the same they might not doubt thereof Heereby in generall wee are taught that if wee would arme our selues against desperation and distrust in any distresse wee must both often and seriously consider and marke the tokens of Gods loue vnto vs and that will fortifie our faith Read Psal. 23 In euery Verse saue the last hee sets downe tokens of Gods loue and fauour towards him and then in the last concludeth thus Without doubt kindesse mercie shall follow mee all the dayes of my life and I shall remaine a long season in the house of the Lord. Our hearts are naturally filled with doubting which will bewray it selfe in any distresse But to preuent and cut off all hurt that may come therby let vs marke the good dealing of our God towards vs and obserue the tokens of his loue and mercie in his ordinarie prouidence and these will notably strengthen vs against distrust And surely no person is so full of despaire but if hee could looke backe into the mercies of God from the beginning of his dayes and lay them to his heart they would minister comfort vnto him in regard of his loue and fauour at that instant More particularly Christ ministring comfort vnto this Church doth expresse his meaning by a borrowed speach comparing euery man vnto an house his heart vnto a doore whereby entrance is made and himselfe vnto a guest or stranger desiring to come and enter in not so much to find courtesie as to shew fauour and kindnesse In the words of this verse there bee two signes of his loue set downe First a heartie desire of their conuersion which hee earnestly seeketh Secondly a promise of mutuall fellowship after their conuersion The first in these wordes Behold I stand at the doore and knock In this desire Christ expresseth two things First that this Church if wee regard the greatest part thereof had no true fellowship with Christ nor Christ with them for hee stands at the doore of their hearts which were closed vp against him This may seeme strange but the case is euident for though they had in them many good things as knowledge of Gods will and did professe the Gospel and were partakers of the signes and seales of the Couenant of grace yet they were tainted with this notorious sinne of Luke-warmnesse which closed vp the doore of their heart against Christ and barred him out Here then we are carefully to obserue that a man may haue in him many good things and yet by liuing in one sin we be quite cut off from all true fellowship with Christ. Iudas had many excellent gifts he forsooke all and folowed Christ he preached the Gospel and administred the Sacraments and yet by couetousnes the doore of his heart was quite barred against Christ. So Herode reuerenced Iohn and heard him gladly and did many things at his instruction Mark 6.20 yet by the sinne of Incest his heart was so closed that he had no fellowship with Christ. And so it is with vs It is good that wee know the will of God and approue the same and professe the Gospel and also receiue the Seales of the Couenant But yet for all these our case may be such as wee shall haue no true fellowshippe with Christ. For if wee nourish though but one sinne and liue therein that will make a separation betweene Christ and vs bee the sinne what it will as couetousnesse adulterie prophanenesse or such like Heereby then all that desire to haue true fellowshippe with Christ are to be warned to purge their liues from all sinne so as their hearts bee not taynted with nourishing any one sinne for euen one sinne wâ—â—â—â—soeuer it bee is a strong barre 〈◊〉 will keepe Christ from comming into vs. Secondly whereas hee saith I haue stood at the doore for so the wordes are Heere hee speaketh to this Church as hee vsed to speake by his old Prophets As by Ieremie I haue sent vnto you all my Prophets rysing early euery day and sending them And by Esay I haue spread out my handes all the day vnto a rebellious people which walked in a way that was not good euen after their owne imaginations So heere I haue stood at the doore That is long euen till night as the word supping importeth Hereby Christ would signifie his great pacience in waiting for the conuersion of this people of Loadicea In iustice hee might long agone haue cast them to the pit of destruction for their sinnes and yet in mercie he waiteth for their conuersion and complaines that he hath waited long Here then we haue iust occasion to take a view of Gods patience in wayting for the conuersion of a sinner And that which hee saith to this Church hee may as iustly say vnto vs for hee hath stood very long at our doores euen 36. yeares and vpward and yet still continueth knocking so as he may iustly complaine of his long waiting Let vs then here learne to know the day of our visitation which is then to any people when Christ stands at their doores and knockes and vnto vs this day is present Wee haue the ministerie of the Gospell and therefore we must be perswaded that this is the time of our visitation and hereupon learne the dutie which Christ teacheth the Iewes namely Acknowledg the day of our visitation which if we doe not wee must looke for like vengeance which fell vpon the Iewes because they regarded not when God sent his owne Sonne from his bosome to knocke at the dore of their hearts And knocke Heere is a further signification of his desire of their conuersion Wherein we may behold his great vnspeakable mercie towards this Church and in them towards all other his Children This Church had bard out Christ by their sinnes and yet he pursues them he knockes hee vseth meanes to enter for 〈◊〉 good and vouchsafes them mercy 〈◊〉 then when they refuse it Thus when Adam had sinned and fled and hid himselfe did the Lord seek him in the garden make with him the couenant of grace And therefore it is truely sayd in Isay The Lord is found of them that neuer sought him Luk. 15.4.5 Christ fetcheth the lost sheepe that was gone astray All which shew and set out vnto vs the vnspeakable greatnesse of Gods mercie in Christ vnto miserable man who then shewes mercie vnto him when he