A GODLY AND LEARned Exposition or Commentarie vpon the three first Chapters of the Reuelation PREACHED IN CAMBRIDGE BY that reuerend and judicious Diuine maister WILLIAM PERKINS Ann. Dom. 1595. First published for the benefit of Gods Church by ROBERT HILL Bachelor of Diuinitie The second Edition reuised and enlarged after a more perfect copie at the request of M. PERKINS executors by THOMAS PIERSON Preacher of Gods word Hereunto is prefixed an Analysis of the Vision in these three Chapters And a twofold Table added one of places of Scripture the other of speciall points to bee obserued PROV 13.9 and PROV 4.18 The light of the righteous reioyceth by encrease shining more and more vnto the perfect day But the candle of the wicked shall be put out LONDON Printed by Adam Jslip for Cuthbert Burbie and are to be sold at his shop in Paules Churchyard at the signe of the Swan 1606. TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVLL AND VERTVOVS Ladie the Ladie ELIZABETH MONTAGV of Hemington in Northamptonshire Grace and Peace IVST cause there was Right worshipfull as well in respect of the reuerend Author whose rest is now in glory as also of the godly Reader whose good herein claimes speciall stroke that some refining hand should recommend vnto the Church of God a more perfect coppie of this godly Exposition than the first edition hereof did affoord and yet no cause I find why your worthie children who no doubt for the Authors sake did more gratefully accept the former dedication should by me be depriued of their right Nay rather as they in heart I am persuaded did highly honour the Author for his double labor in Christs vineyard so do I reioyce this recompence is returned for their loue That with this worke their memorie with posteritie shall long endure And sith my paines herein yeelds me this right to make choyce of some to whom I also may commend the patronage hereof I presume to present the same vnto your Ladiship If this bee any kindnesse on my behalfe I confesse it is farre short of your desert and of my desire some others I know may challenge me herein as vnmindfull of their loue yet because God may offer me opportunitie hereafter to giue them good content this way I will intreat their patience for this time that I may ioyne the mother with the children in this worke of loue to affoord tuition to these godly labours of the dead It fits you best good Madam in many respects for neither will your children complaine of your admission into the society of their right nor you esteeme the lesser hereof because of their claime hereto by former possession They are your owne and you theirs this comes vnto you all as vnto one accounting your vnited loue for greater safetie and looke what grace it finds by your protection like grace it yeelds by many a good instruction Salomon saith Good vnderstanding maketh acceptable meaning to such as feare God for fooles hate knowledge how welcome then will this be vnto you who haue sayd vnto Wisedom thou art my sister and do esteeme the words of her mouth The ioy and reioycing of your heart sith herein you shall find on euery leafe some pleasant fruit of the tree of life a tast whereof I will here set before you that you may iudge the better of the store When the Disciples harts were full of greefe for Christs departure then at hand Philip sayd vnto him in the name of all Shew vs the father and it sufficeth Loe here behold and you shall see not the father alone but with the father the spirit of grace and with them both the Son of God so liuely described to your view that you may truly say of this knowledge God sanctifying the same vnto your soule It is eternall life When Christ would harten his Disciples for the great worke of their ministerie hee doth it by the promise of his presence saying Be hold I am with you alway The euidence and fruit whereof you shall hereby so well perceiue that hereupon I trust both you and many moe will learne to say with Dauid in temptation I haue set the Lord before me alway for he is at my right hand therefore I shall not slide And with Ieremie in affliction The Lord is with me like a mightie Gyant therefore my persecutors shall be ouerthrowne and shall not preuaile What shall I say more It would be too long to speake of the dignitie of Christs Church and ministerie here handled at large and to instance in particulars through the seuen Epistles to these seuen Churches of Asia onely this in the Preface of each Epistle learne what Christ is in himselfe and to his Church In the Matter behold the state of euery Church and see what Christ approueth and what his soule detesteth In the Conclusion see his bountie towards his children and the dutie of all to him againe The handling of these things will much delight your Christian heart for beside the Plaine euidence of the spirit in opening the text which is best pleasing vnto God and most profitable to his Church wherein this godly Author had a speciall grace the application is so fit and pertinent to our times that I had welnigh sayd He did foresee what we now behold and hath foretold what we for our lukewarmenesse and decay in loue may iustly feare Consider what I say and the Lord giue you vnderstanding in all things Hold fast that which you haue bee faithfull vnto death and the Lord will giue you the crowne of life For God is not vnrighteous that he should forget your workes and labor of loue which you haue shewed towards his name in that you haue ministred vnto the saints and yet do minister Now the God of hope fill you with all ioy and peace in beleeuing and increase your ioy by the constant walking of your children in the truth Yea the same Lord make all grace so to abound towards you all that alwayes hauing all sufficiencie in all things you may abound in euery good worke which is by Iesus Christ vnto the praise and glorie of God vnto whose gracious protection both now and euer I humbly commend your Ladiship with your godly familie London December 10. 1606. Your Ladiships to commaund Thomas Pierson TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPfull Sir Edward Montagu Sir Walter Montagu Sir Henry Montagu and Sir Charles Montagu Knights M. Iames Montagu Doctor of Diuinitie Deane of his Maiesties Chappell and M. Sidney Montagu Esquire the Ladie Susan Sandys and the Ladie Theodosia Capel children of that right worthie and religious Sir Edward Montagu of Bowghton in the Countie of North-hampton Knight and of the Ladie Elizabeth his worthie wife sister to the right Honourable Sir Iohn Harington Baron of Exton and father to the vertuous Ladie the Countesse of Bedford Grace and Peace RIght Worshipfull as the Patriarch Iacob had twelue
shew mercie exercise iudgement keepe courts assises begin end and continue warre according to his commaundements And so in euery thing the direction of Christ should be their guide as it was to Dauid Thy lawes O Lord haue beene my counsellours Psal. 119.24 Fourthly if Christ bee soueraigne king then all earthly princes are bound to plant and establish in their kingdomes the religion of Christ else how can they shew themselues his loyall subiects Many imagine That earthly princes may admit vnto their subiects any religion for the peace of the ciuile state but this is against the equitie of Gods word in this place for wherein can earthly princes doe homage vnto Christ if they maintaine not his religion And their dutie in this behalfe is signified plainely in the parable of the mariage For when they that were bidden did not come the king sent forth his seruants which may be vnderstood of Christian magistrats to compell men to come to the mariage for that is the magistrates dutie in respect of the outward profession of true religion Fiftly seeing Christ alone is prince of the kings of the earth hence we learne that kings on earth in their dominions are soueraigne gouernours ouer all persons and in all causes next vnder Christ he is king of kings absolutely and they are vnder him alone and haue no other head but him Whereby wee see the presumption and arrogancie of the Pope and Sea of Rome in claiming supremacie aboue all kings and princes in the whole church vpoÌ„ earth This is a deuice of the diuell and high treason against Christ for hereby hee is robbed of this royall prerogatiue to be the only prince of the kings of the earth Lastly seeing Christ is king of all kings we must not be discouraged when we be called to suffer any affliction for his truth let the tyrants of the earth rage and bend their force to hurt vs yet wee haue a king aboue them al for whom we suffer he is their king hee can stay and bridle them and if hee please confound and bruise them in peeces They cannot do any thing but that which he permits for hee rules in the middest of all his enemies Psal. 110.2 he can breake them in pieces like a potters vessell Thus much of the offices of Christ. The second part of Christs description is by the execution of his offices which consists in foure works The first contained in these words Vnto him which loued vs the second in these Which washed vs in his bloud the other two in the two verses which follow viz. 6 and 7. For the first which loued vs that is Iohn and the churches of Asia by proportion all other churches being parts of the true church The loue of Christ hath three degrees the first is a generall loue wherby he loues all his creatures approuing the same to be good as they be his by creation The second is the loue of mankind in that he was content to become a redeemer for mankind after their fall and not â—or any other creature no not for the Angels which fell as well as man who therefore remaine without all hope of saluation The third and principall is that wherby he loues his elect and chosen children which is that speciall sauour whereby he accepts of them to life euerlasting This third degree hath two parts First it is taken for his purpose to loue as when he saith I haue loued Iacob and hated Esau Rom. 9.13 Secondly for the act of louing which is the declaration of his purpose by spirituall benefits 1. Iohn 3.1 Behold what singular loue God hath shewed vnto vs that wee should be called the sonnes of God noting the declaration of his loue in the gift of adoption So in this verse by the loue of Christ vnto his church is meant the actuall declaration of his speciall fauour in accepting them for his children and bestowing many singular blessings vpon them Whereas S. Iohn placeth this in the first place of all the benefites of Christ That he loued vs hee would teach vs That this speciall loue is the very ground of mans redemption which excludeth all foreseene faith and workes from being motiues of mans election in Gods eternall councell and so proportionally all foreseene sinnes from being motiues in God of mans reprobation It may be obiected The loue of God as also of man respects a thing as it is good First the thing must be good and then it is loued and so in mans redemption God first foresees their goodnesse and therefore chuseth them Ans. There is great difference betweene the loue of the creature and of the creator The loue of the creature followes the goodnesse of a thing because he seeth it is good therefore he loues it But God the creator first loues the creature before it bee good and hence it comes that it is good because he loues it Secondly whereas Saint Iohn and all the churches of Asia as other true churches do beleeue and are assured that Christ loues them for that Saint Iohn taketh for granted this should moue all men to haue this care to labour aboue all things to be rooted and grounded in the loue of God seeing hee placeth that in the first place This is the principall thing wherein the Apostle would haue the Ephesians rooted and grounded and therefore prayeth That with all Saints they may be able to comprehend what is the breadth and length deapth and height thâ—â—of Ephes. 2. vers 17 18 19. This we doe when we are assured in heart and conscience by the working of Gods spirit that he loues vs in Christ. So that he which denies vnto vs the assurance of Gods loue in Christ takes away the very ground of our saluation Now that we may haue this assurance of Gods loue wee must in all good duties to God and man draw neere to God with our hearts keeping a good conscience in all things and then will God draw neere to vs. If any man loue me saith Christ he will keepe my word and then my father will loue him and we will come in vnto him and dwell with him Iohn 14.23 meaning by the holy ghost which shall shed this loue into our hearts Rom. 5. vers 5. causing vs to increase in the feeling thereof as wee grow in faith and obedience towards him And hath washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud Here is the second benefit and action of Christ to his church Where first of all the very phrase hath washed vs doth import that the sinnes of men are as filthie spots in their soules and that himselfe and this church of God were touched with a serious consideration of their vilenesse by reason of their sinnes for washing presupposeth former filthinesse and pollution Thus did Dauid most sensibly feele his owne filthinesse and see his miserable estate when he desired the Lord to wash him throughly confessing thereby that his soule and body were so foulely stained and
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
is the cheapest and the chiefest marchandize that euer was sett to sale which we may buy without monie and yet it will make vs rich for euer Many labour in tafficke and take great paines and yet often loose thereby but make this bargaine once and then thou shalt neuer loose it nor any thing thereby but continue for euer rich in God Verse 19. As many as I loue I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and amend Because our Sauiour Christ had so sharply rebuked this Church they might thereby take occasion to distrust and despaire of his fauour and mercie heere therefore it pleaseth him to take away all occasion of doubting after this sort If I vse to rebuke chasten all those whom I loue then you are not to despaire of my mercie by reason of my sharpe reproofe whereby I haue threatned to spew you out of my mouth for your sinne of luke-warmnesse But thus I vse to deale with all those whom I loue and therefore in this regard you need not to doubt of my loue and fauour The meaning As many as I loue Christ loues the creatures two wayes as hee is Creator and as he is Redeemer As he is the Creator hee loueth all his creatures with a common generall loue whether they be liuing or dead reasonable or vnreasonable As he is Redeemer he loues his creatures with a speciall and a peculiar loue which is not common to all but proper to that part of man-kinde which is chosen to saluation before the world was And of this peculiar loue hee speaketh here I rebuke The word in the originall which is translated Rebuke is more significant than can fitly bee expressed in any one English worde thus much is meant thereby as if Christ had said First I will conuince them of their sins and after reprooue admonish and check them for the same And chasten This must bee vnderstood of a kinde of correction which a father vseth on his child called nurturing which is correction to breake the childe of his fault and bad manners and to teach him his dutie This then is the meaning All those whom I beare speciall fauour vnto doe I conuince of their particular faults and then checke and reprooue them and nurture them as a father doth his Child to make them leaue their particular vices and to walke in obedieÌ„ce And to assure vs that this is the true meaning read Pro. 3.12 whence the words are taken Heb. 12.5 where they are more fully explained Heere then Christ sets downe his ordinary dealing with them whom he taketh and chooseth to bee his disciples and members namely hee conuinceth them of their faults he reproueth and chasteneth them for this very end to breake them of their sins and to bring them to reformation And this dealing of Christ belongeth to euery seruant and member of Christ without exception yea Christ layeth rebukes and chastisments on all his children that in diuers measure according to the nature of their sinnes and the disposition of the parties Such as are hardly broken of their sins hee layeth on them more heauie iudgementes and chastisments that they may bee brought 〈…〉 humiliation and so 〈◊〉 true 〈◊〉 And therefore euery one that would bee a Disciplâ— and member of Christ must looke to goe vnder his correction and his sharpe and seuere rebuke according as they are in heart disposed vnto sinnes either more or lesse Hee must passe vnder the rodde that would come into the bond of the Couenant Ezech. 20.37 The vse of this doctrine is two-fold set downe Prov. 3.12 The first thus My 〈◊〉 despise noâ— the correction of the Lord for the Lord correcteth whom hee loueth his chastycements are tokens of his loue That is whensoeuer the Lord either in the ministerie of his word reproueth thy sins or by any affliction chasteneth thee despise it not neither set light by it but make good vse thereof vnto thine owne soule The second vse is Faint not when thou art corrected that is let not the greatnesse of it daunt thee but arme thy selfe with patience because he vseth to correct all those whom hee loueth making his chastisments tokens of his loue Secondly Christ heere setteth before all gouernours an example to followe especially to fathers and masters his example is this On euery child that hee loueth hee layeth corrections for this â—nd to breake them of their sinnes 〈◊〉 answerably Gouernours must shew tokens of loue towards those that are vnder them by due reproofe and correction that â—o they may be broken of their misdemeanor and brought vnto obedience to God It were to bee wished that both Parents and Masters would followe Christ in this example and so seeke the reformation of those that are vnder them but more lamentable is the 〈◊〉 Parents and Masters doe thinke it sufficient for them if they prouide for their children and seruanteâ— food and rayment and necessaries for the bodie and so altogether neglect the good of their soules which is the cause of many sinnes and so of many iudgements both which ought to mooue them to put in practise this dutie Thirdly the very order of Christs worde doth minister vnto vs a necessary instruction â—â—â—ching his manner of correcting his seruants For first hee propounds a direct end of all his corrections vpon them to wit their nurturing and reformation then that hee may attaine thereto hee proceedeth thus First hee doth conuince their conscience of their sinnes then by reproofes he rebukes and checks them and lastly correcteth them by laying chastisments on them A most excellent and blessed order in vsing correction for the good of the partie chastised which ought to bee followed of all Gouernours parents and masters especially First they must propound a good end of their correction euen the amendement and saluation of the partie and that they may then proceed 〈◊〉 they must first conuince their conscience of the 〈◊〉 then reprooue checke and admonish them and if that take not place they must proceed vnto meete and conuenient bodily correction all which must bee done not for reuenge but to bring theÌ„ to amendement and to make them obedient to the will of God Whereby wee see how farre many Parents and Gouernours ouer shoote themselues when as they make their corrections matters of reuenge and choller wherein they sâ—eldome intend the reformation of the offender which is a fault flat against the word of God and therefore to be considered of euery good christian Be zealous therefore and repent In the former Verse hee propounded a remedie against their Spirituall pride In 〈◊〉 wordes hee doth directly propound a remedie against their Luke-warmnesse But first obserue the coherence of these words with the former Christ hath said Whom I loue I rebuke and correct according as their fault is therefore sayth hee to this Church because I haue rebuked and corrected thee by seuere threatnings for thy Luke-warmnesse therefore now become zealous and amend
sonnes so Christ the Messiah had twelue disciples but as Ioseph was beloued aboue all those sonnes so Iohn was beloued aboue all the disciples Ioseph was apparrelled better than the rest and Iohn was inspired farre better than the rest Had it not been for Ioseph Egypt had wanted her food temporall and had it not been for Iohn the Church had wanted her food eternall The future state of Egypt was reuealed to Ioseph and the future state of the Church was reuealed to Iohn The one was exiled because his father loued him and the other exiled because his maister loued him The place of his exile was into the Island of Pathmos being before by Traian put into a vessell of scalding oyle But that God who shewed his visions to Abraham in the mount to Iacob in the field to Ioseph in the stockes to Moses in Midian to Ieremie in the prison to Daniel in Babylon and to the Apostle Peter in the house of a Tanner euen he sheweth his visions to Iohn in his exile He is not bound to persons he can aduance whome he list he is not bounden to place he can reueale where hee list For persons hee can preferre Abel before Cain Iacob before Esau Dauid before Eliab Matthias before Iudas He can make Moses a Courtier Iob a Potentate Samuel a Iudge Dauid a King Salomon a Soueraigne Elysha a plowman Amos a Neat heard Ieremie a Priest Daniel a Prince Isaiah of the bloud Royall Matthew a Publicane Peter a Fisher and Paule a Tent-maker to be penners and preachers of the word of God For place as no time can prescribe against the King of a nation so no place can prescribe against this King of all nations The wind bloweth where it listeth and the Spirit worketh where it listeth It pleased Christ who is called in this Reuelation that faithfull witnesse that first begotten of the dead that Prince of the kings of the earth Alpha and Omega the first and last he that hath the keyes of hell and of death which hath that sharpe sword his eyes like fire his feet like brasse the seuen Spirits of God the seuen Starres in his hand the key of Dauid who is called here Amen the beginning of the creatures of God and in Daniel hee that reuealeth secrets it pleased this Christ to reueale secrets to Iohn Not by dreame as to Iacob or apparition as to Moses or by voice as to Adam but partly by vision and partly by voice as he did when he turned Saule into Paule This Iohn was Legatus à Latere that embassadour who leaned on his Lords breast He writeth Christs historie there he sheweth his loue to Christ hee writeth the Churches historie there Christ sheweth his loue to him especially in this that he will doe nothing which he doth not reueale to his seruant this Prophet For the Church in his time wee may see how it stood in the three first Chapters and what condition it should haue for the time to come it is plainely set downe in the rest of this booke If we respect the generall estate of the Church after Iohn had described the authors of this Reuelation which are God the Father chap. 4. and Christ his Sonne chap. 5. hee commeth to the workes of God which are predictions chap. 6. obsignations chap. 7. indignations chap. 8 9. Predictions of things to come obsignations of such as must be saued and indignation on things to be destroyed And for the more particular estate of the Church hauing chap. 10. shewed his warrant to write he commeth to her actions first in her Prophets secondly in her bodie In her Prophets their fighting falling rising chap. 11. In her bodie comparing her to a woman clothed with the Sunne chap. 12. and describing her by her combats conquests triumphs her combats defensiue chap. 13. and offensiue in Christ by words chap. 14. threatnings chap. 15. and iudgements chap. 16. her victories gotten against that whore chap. 17. and 18. the Beast chap. 19. and the Dragon chap. 20. And all that glorie which shee shall haue in the kingdome of God is vnder the type of Ierusalem most comfortably set downe chap. 21.22 The things in this booke were I grant very darke to them that liued in the dayes of Iohn as the Prophecie of Daniel was to them who liued in the time of Daniel But as that Prophecie being fulfilled wee can now tell what was foretold in it so many things being fulfilled which were foretold in this booke we may easily see what is meant by it and the posteritie to come shall better vnderstand this booke than wee doe because it may bee all things are not yet fulfilled Neither is this booke like the cities of the Anakims or the tree of knowledge which may not be reached to for blessed is hee that readeth the words of this booke But to come to these three Chapters written by Iohn surnamed the Diuine and expounded by one a most worthie Diuine The first Chapter is a Proeme or Preface to the booke the two latter are Epistles dedicating this booke The dedication is made to seuen seuerall Churches and by name to the Ministers which are called Angels In the word of God Ministers haue many excellent titles giuen them though now they are scarcely graced with titles they are called Prophets Seers Remembrancers Trumpets Watchmen Husbandmen Stewards Maydens Fishers Leaders Elders Salt Starres Angels and Shepheards Prophets to teach Seers to foretell Remembrancers to put in mind Trumpets to sound Watchmen to admonish Husbandmen to plow vp Stewards to distribute Maidens to keepe pure the doctrine of truth Fishers to catch men Leaders to goe before Elders to gouerne Salt to season Starres to giue light Angels to declare and Shepheards to feed to feed I say soundly by doctrine liberally by charitie and religiously by life By doctrine for Sacerdos sine doctrina est nauis sine velis a Priest without knowledge is a ship without sailes By liberalitie for Nihil habet homo adeò diuinum quà m benefacere Man is in nothing more like God than in doing good By life for cuius vita despicitur eius oratio contemnitur his words are not esteemed whose life is not approoued And that it may be said of them as it was of Origen Quale habuit verbum talem habuit vitam as his words were so were his workes They must not be barren like mount Gilboah but weaned as Samuel was before they be offered vnto the Lord They must be pure water if they will cleanse others and more than whetstones if they will sharpen others They must bee in
persuaded that as the members of a body being once dismembred they cannot possibly be ioyned againe so if naturall brethren be once vnnaturally disioyned no glue will conioyne them fast againe It were infinit to shew examples of brotherly loue and hatred and otheâ—s haue eased me of this paines Now that good God who hath brought you from one roote placed you in one countrey aduanced you to like credit and giuen you one heart giue you also one inheritance in the kingdome of heauen Thus right worshipfull I am bold to speake vnto you and the world knoweth I speake the truth and the Lord knoweth I desire not to flatter Go on therefore I beseech you continue in loue bee setled in the truth and labour to honour him who thus honoreth you Be not caried away with the shew of this world but thinke religion the best nobilitie and that as Prudentius sayd Generosa Christi secta nobilitat viros Cui quisquis seruit ille verè est nobilis He noble is that comes of Christ his race Who serues this Lord he surely is not base And this made Theodosius more to thanke God that he was a Christian than a king considering that hee must lose the one hee could not lose the other Now as to one of you I am bounden in parcicular and by him being a Minister the despised ministerie is not a little graced â—o for him I pray that hee may be an Abraham to our Abimelech a Nathan to our Dauid a Iehoida to our Ioash an Ebedmelech to Ieremiah an Elisha to the widow of this Prophet deceased a light in the Court a trumpet in the Church and that Ahashuerosh may long hold out his golden Scepter vnto him that by his meanes great men may not want such as will tell them the truth no earthly Alexander accounted a sonne of Iupiter and that no man may be more respected than a good Pastor and that he may euer remember that saying of wise Salomon He that loueth purenesse of heart for the grace of his lips the King shall be his friend His Cyrus will not be spoken to verbis bissinis in silken words to his Alexander he needeth not speake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either sweet words or no words For if one Antiochus might bee surnamed holy and another good Prince called the Good King much more may he whose religious knowledge surpasseth all the Princes that haue beene of this nation and whose humilitie is such that hee will haue his sonne to remember that hee differeth not in stuffe but in vse from the rest of his people and that by Gods ordinance I am the bolder for that one to make choyce of all in the dedication of this booke no man knew loued conuersed with and respected this Author more than he He resorted to him in his health visited him in sicknesse and preached a learned Sermon for him at his death Concerning this author as he sayd of Carthage I had rather bee silent then say little and his worthie labours doe speake enough for him by name that his Posthume dedicated to his excellent Maiestie by an excellent Diuine In a word therefore whatsoeuer this man did he desired to profit others by it he thought as it is written of Bernard in his life that hee was not his owne man but deputed to the seruice of others He was neuer idle but as Hierome reporteth of Ambrose and Bernard of himselfe he did either reade or meditate or pray or conferre or counsel or comfort or write or preach And thus as the Embleme is of a faithfull Teacher he like a waxe candle in giuing light to others in a short time extinguished himselfe Yet in this short time of his what art was he not maister of what vertue was hee not endued with He was a complet Diuine and hath his blessings in the Church that no mans writings are read of all sorts and in all countries with greater grace and profit than his Hee was peaceable in the Church patient of wrongs and free from ambition For as Ierome sayd of Nepotian Aurum calcans schedulâ—s consectabatur hee regarded not his purse but followed his booke and as Bernard sayd he liued in terra auri sine auro in a kingdome of gold without gold An excellent gift he had to define properly diuide exactly dispute subtilly answere directly speake pithily and write iudicially and how hee preached if these Sermons doe giue a testimonie what witnesse had they who often heard him themselues I haue published of his now two Discourses and I onely did it that these his labours might not perish I haue no benefit by them but exceeding great paines And since I vnderstand that his other labours are in the hands of his friends to make benefit for his children I will ease my selfe of the like labour and be a meanes that they may haue the benefit of the future impressions of this booke the which how faithfully I haue published I appeale to the godly and indifferent Reader and I hope no honest minded man will be hired to calumniate it Thus as one desirous to be seruiceable in my calling profitable to the Church not forgetfull of my friend and to testifie the happinesse of your house which was in your fathers time and is now as it is sayd of Aurelian the Emperours Refertapiâ—s Ecclesia Dei replenished with the godly and a Church of God and withall to leaue a monument of my duty to you all I haue as you see published this exposition of seuen Epistles vnder your eight names nothing doubting but it will bee as welcome to you as by your countenance it may bee profitable to the Church The God of heauen giue you all that blessing of blessings which if Ierome say true few men haue that you may transire à deliciis ad dilicias go on from grace to grace and be a long time happie in this life and euer for happie in the life to come London Saint Martins in the fields from my worshipfull friend Maister Oldisworths house by which familie as Paul was by the house of Onesiphorus in the time of this late and I wish I may say the last visitation I haue receiued no small refreshing March 12. 1604. Your Worships to command Robert Hill Fellow of S. Iohns Colledge in Cambridge To the Godly and Christian Reader Grace and Peace I Am not ignorant good Reader how vngratefull a thing it is to deale by way of Censure or reformation in those things wherin others haue gone before and many times for the smart that followeth do men beshrow their owne fingers Yet the warrant of a good calling will breed peace in his conscience that herein shall endeuour the obseruance of these rules of Loue to wit Iudge the best of that which is done and referre his owne paines to the glorie
written which word imports that by diligent obseruation wee should lay them vp in our hearts This is a weightie dutie and seriously commended vnto vs of God Bind vp the testimonie seale vp the law among my disciples Isay. 8.16 And Marie is therefore commended because she kept in her heart the words of Iesus Luke 2.19 â—1 It was Dauids practise I haue â—id thy saying in my heart Psal. 119. â—â— And hereto â—endeth Christs encouragement pronouncing them rather blessed which heare the word and keepe it than those which bare Christ and gaue him sucke Luk. 1â— 27.28 And Iames calleth it the ingraffed word Iames 1.21 because it should abide in our hearts like a syence in a stock and neuer be remooued but there grow and fructifie vnto life eternall Now because this is a point of great difficultie and the want hereof the cause of so little profiting after much hearing and reading I will therefore shew how by Gods grace in hearing and reading the word of God a man may keepe the same in memorie First a man must learne the grounds or elements of religion commonly called the Catechisme for they are the fouÌ„dation of all knowledge without which a man shall neuer vnderstand the Scripture to his comfort nor keepe the same in memorie The Apostle sayth the Hebrewes were dull of hearing the deepe things of God in Christ because they had not well learned the first principles of the word Hebr. 5.11.12 This all ignorant persons should well obserue specially the aged that they may find in themselues the cause of their ignorance and dulnesse euen want of knowledge in the Catechisme They thinke it a disgrace to bee brought vnto it now they are old but if they would not be euer learning and neuer come to the knowledge of the truth they must lay in themselues this good beginning and learne the principles of religion Secondly wee must not rush vpon Gods holy ordinance but before we either come to heare or reade with reuerence prepare our selues thereto Most men at this day vse to prepare theÌ„selues before they come to the Lords table and so they ought to doe before they come to heare the word for God ordained both for this end to bee meanes to bring men to true happinesse they differ onely in this that the Sacraments are the visible and the Scriptures the audible word of God At the giuing of the law The people that must â—eare it were sanctified three dayes before Exod. 19. And when they did offer sacrifice or eat the Passeouer both priests and people must bee sanctified and the same thing for substance must we perform before we come to heare the word of God This preparation stands in two thingâ— First wee must put out of our hearts al by thoghts all delights and cares of wordly affairs and set our hearts as Ezra did to seeke the law of the Lord Ezra 7.10 Secondly we must make our earnest prayers to God that he would open our eyes that wee may see his will soften our hearts and make our eares attentiue as Lâ—diaes were and also giue vs grace to embrace his word and keepe it for Christ is the onely doctor of the heart by his spirit without whose inward teaching wee can neuer learne vnto saluation Thirdly when we are about the holy exercise of Gods word the frame of our heart should be thus disposed I. It must bee an humble heart for the Lord resists the proud and giues grace to the humble Iam. 4.6 Them that be meeke will he guide in iudgement and teach the humble his way Psal. 25.9 A proud heart is so stuffed with selfe loue that there is no room for the word of God to lodge in But the heart that is lowly in it selfe through the conscience of sinne that is the heart in which the Lord by his graces will take vp his abode Isay 57.15 II. It must be an honest heart such as hath no manner of purpose to liue in any one sinne whatsoeuer but though it feele corruption in it selfe is resolued to please God in all the wayes of his commandements and that continually such an heart haue the good hearers resembled by the good ground Luke 8.15 As on the contrarie that is a wicked heart which resolueth to cherish though it be but any one sinne whatsoeuer III. It must bee a beleeuing heart The old Iewes heard the word but it profited them not because they mingled it not with faith 〈◊〉 their hearts Hebrew 4.2 where he compares the heart to a vessell in which there must bee both the word and faith these two must be mingled together and then it will be a word of power of life and saluation Therefore when we heare the threatenings of the law or the promises of the Gospell we must labour to resolue our hearts of the truth thereof But incredulitie wherby men except against the word as not pertaining vnto them is the mother of forgeâ—fulnesse The old world knew nothing of the flood because they did not beleeue Matth. 24.39 IV. It must bee an hearing heart such as is pliable to the word Sacrifice and burnt offerings sayth Dauid thou wouldest not but mine eares hast thou prepared Psal. 40.6 As if hee should say beside those bodily cares which thou hast giuen me by creation thou hast bored new cares in my heart so as I can by thy grace attend and listen to thy word And when God saith Seeke ye my face this hearing heart will answere I seeke thy face O Lord Psal. 27. vers 8.9 Fourthly after we haue heard or read the word we must become doers of the same euen in the duties of our vocation We see euery man more skilfull in the works of his owne trade by reason of his dayly exercise therein euen so the constant practise of Gods word will make vs expert in it and cause vs to keepe it in perfect memorie And these are the right meanes to become good hearers and readers of the word of God Thirdly this benediction pronouÌ„ced vpon them that heare read keepe the prophecies of this booke serues to induce euery child of God as much as in him lieth to keep in memory the whole word of God but specially these prophecies of things to come that concerne the state of the Church for therefore did God reueale them that they might bee remembred When the Angell had told Daniel the state of the church from his time to the comming of Christ hee bids him Shut vp the wordes and seale the booke till the end of the time Dan. 12.4 meaning that he for his own comfort should hide them in his heart And Christ sayth to his disciples When ye see the abhomination of desolation spoken of by Daniell the Prophet let him that readeth consider it Matth. 24.15 Behold I haue told you before meaning things to come verse 25. shewing That hee would haue his children to marke and remember those weightie things that are foretold concerning the state
you and Peace from him which is and which was and which is to come and from the seuē spirits which are before his throne Here begins Iohns salutation of the seuen churches Salutations be of two sorts Ciuill and Religious Ciuill is that which men vse ordinarily one to another wishing health welfare and such like Religious is that which is peculiar and proper vnto the church comprehending in it a benediction also And such is this here vsed by S. Iohn It may also be called Apostolicall because it is so vsuall with them in their Epistles And they vsed it the rather because it is so correspondent to their ministerie which stood in two things first in preaching which is the ministerie of grace and reconciliation the things here desired secondly in prayer whereto belonged the dutie of benediction to pronounce a blessing vpon the people as did the priests in their ministration vnder the law Num. 6.23 and our sauior Christ with his Apostles when they preached the gospell and as euery minister should doe to his whole congregation before they depart And this is also included in this salutation for hereby they blessed those churches to whom they did write But to come to the words which bee most excellent and containe in them the summe of the gospell Grace in scripture signifieth two things first Gods fauor secondly some gift of God freely bestowed Now here by Grace is meant not any particular gift of God but the gracious fauor and good will of God whereby he accepts of some in Christ for his owne for it is here opposed to peace a gift of grace and therefore cannot signifie the same thing Now marke S. Iohn in thi◠salutation begins with grace because it is the foundation of all happinesse and of all Gods blessings whatsoeuer wee are and all that wee haue is of grace our election redemption vocation iustification and sanctification our faith and repentance our perseuerance in thē both proceed from this fountain of Gods free grace It is the beginning and the end of all yea it is all in all in the matter of our saluation first we must haue this and then we may looke for all other blessings And Peace Peace is taken sundry wayes in the scripture first for welfare good successe in things of this world by Gods blessing Exod. 18.7 Moyses and Iethroe saluting aske each other of their peace that is of his welfare and so it is partly taken in this place Secondly for that vnitie and blessed concord which is in the kingdom of God among Gods children and so it is especially taken here And in this sence it hath six parts euery one wherof is a most worthie blessing The first is peace with God which is when we stand in the fauour of God reconciled to him in Christ Iesus Rom. 5.1 Secondly peace with Gods Angels for they guard such as be in Gods fauour and carrie them as a nurse doth her child in her armes That they hurt not their feete at any stone Psal. 91.11 and they reioyce at our good estate The third is peace with a mans selfe when his conscience will not accuse him but excuse and cleare him being washed in the bloud of Christ This is that peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding Philip. 4.7 The fourth is Peace with Gods Church notably prefigured by the peaceable habitation of wild beasts and tame together as the Lyon and the Calfe the Wolfe and the Lambe the child and the Cockatrice c. Isay 11 6. And plainely to be seene among the beleeuers Acts. 4.32 Who were all of one mind and heart The fift is Peace with the enemies of Gods Church so farre as it is for the good of the Church and the glorie of God So Ioseph had peace in Pharaohs court so Daniell had peace in the court of Nabuchadnezzar for when the three children were cast into the ouen wee must not thinke that hee did reuolt vnto idolatrie or hide himselfe but being in fauour in the Court obtained priuiledge to bee excused The sixt is Peace with all the creatures of God with the beasts of the field foules of the aire and fishes of the sea This the Lord promiseth in the couenant that he will make for them with all his creatures Hosea 2. vers 18. yea The child of God shall tread vpon the Lyon and the Serpent and they shall not hurt him Psalm 91. Vers. 13. And this his peace stands herein That by Gods blessed prouidence hee shall find helpe and comfort from all Gods creatures In this place whether we take peace for outward welfare or for the concord of Gods church yet it is placed after grace because it followeth as a fruit thereof First a man must bee in Gods fauour and then come all the blessings of peace vnto him This then is the meaning Grace be with you and peace That is I wish you the fauor of God in Christ with peace the blessed fruit thereof euen all outward welfare and especially the concord of Gods church hauing peace with God with his holy Angels with his church with your owne hearts with your enemies as farre as may bee for Gods glorie and with all his creatures Whereas S. Iohn wisheth grace vnto the churches in the first place he would teach vs That the fauour of God is to be sought for aboue all things for the Apostles practise must be our precept So did Dauid Many say who will shewe vs any good But Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon me Psal. 4.6 As if hee should say Let the most of the world seeke what they will as riches pleasure c. yet my desire is of thy loue and fauour aboue all And oftentimes hee calleth God his portion his rocke and castle of defence the thing that be longeth for to shewe that all his ioy was in Gods fauour And so it should bee with vs but wee little practise this because we bring from our cradles natural presumption which persuades vs that we bee in the fauour and loue of God But wee must cast off this false persuasion and take a new course and labour first to see that we be out of Gods fauour lost sheepe prodigall childrē in our selues yea the very firebrands of hell and this to see our owne want of grace is the first step to grace Secondly feeling this want and miserie in our selues we must earnestly desire and in our soules hunger and thirst after the loue and fauour of God in Christ aboue all earthly things Thirdly we must by the hand of true faith lay hold vpon the grace and mercie of God in Christ propounded in the promises of the Gospell and apply them to our selues particularly Secondly after grace he wisheth vnto them Peace where note the true order of seeking for the blessings of this life we must not begin with welfare and prosperitie but our first and chiefest care must be to obtaine the grace and fauour
alone on the house toppe Act. 10.11 And so doubtlesse finding Iohn thus imployed this Lords day he reuealed his will vnto him touching the state of the church to the end of the world Hence we learne sundry instructions First whereas Iohn being in a sollitarie Island kept the Saboath wee may obserue that all persons who are seuered from the assemblies of the church as the prisoners and those which are sicke of a dead paluesie or other great diseases As mariners though they bee in the middest of the sea should keepe holie the Lords Saboath by performing such duties as God requireth as prayer confession of sins and thanksgiuing whereby God may be glorified though they cannot come to the publicke ministerie of the word Secondly in that Iohn receiued his vision on the Lords day when hee gaue himselfe to prayer and holie duties Hence ariseth a consolation to Gods church that God draweth neere vnto them that draw neere to him as Iames 4.8 And so let vs humble our selues and draw neere to the Lord by prayer and thanksgiuing and the Lord in mercie will shew himselfe sundry wayes and draw neere vnto vs. The cause why men haue so little tast of Gods mercie and loue towards them is because they do not draw neere vnto him by doing those duties which he requireth at their hands For when men draw backe from God is it not good reason hee should draw backe from them This therfore must stirre vp our harts and moue vs to come often to God by prayer and thanksgiuing for by vse in these duties shall wee get acquaintance with the Lord. Thus much of the circumstances of this vision And I heard behind me a great voyce as it had bene a trumpet First here followeth the parts of this vision which are two The beginning or entrance into it in this verse and part of the twelft Secondly the matter and substance thereof from the twelft verse to the end of the third chapter The entrance into the vision is a preparation whereby the Lord maketh Iohn more fit to apprehend and receiue the things reuealed In which preparation we must obserue first the meanes secondly the parts thereof The meanes whereby God prepareth him is a voyce And I heard a voyce The like manner of preparation hath God vsed in former times when hee intended to make with Adam the couenant of reconciliation in the seed of the woman First he prepared him by a voyce speaking vnto him before he appeared and by this voyce caused him to slie for feare Then hauing rebuked him for his sinnes he made with him this couenant of grace Genes 3. And in mount Synai before the Lord gaue the law hee first came downe in thundering and lightning and with the sound of a trumpet to terrifie the people and then hee vttered his law to Moyses and to his people So when the Lord would instruct Samuel touching the house of Elie he awoke him by a voyce again and againe and then spake plainely vnto him And in all visions vsually and generally the Lord vseth to prepare his seruants by voyces by signes and words that they might bee more fit to receiue such things as hee reuealed This dealing of God with Iohn in preparing him to the worthy receiuing of this vision teacheth vs that wee much more should bee prepared to heare and receiue the will of God for wee come farre short of those excellent gifts of God which were in Iohn who yet must be prepared Our comming to heare Gods word is to learne the same for the increase of knowledge faith and obedience Now the word of God is hard and we dull to learne wee must therefore by all good meanes prepare our selues that our minds and harts may be fit to receiue the same with profit The cause of so little profit after long hearing is want of preparation but hereof we haue entreated alreadie vpon the third verse This voyce is here set out vnto vs three wayes First by the place whence it came Secondly by the qualitie of it Thirdly by the matter and substance which it contained For the place it was vttered from behind him which the Lord obserued to stirre vp â—â—re attention in Iohn for vsually men doe more carefully marke those things which come on a sudden behind them than those which are spoken or done directly before their face Secondly for the qualitie of it this voyce was great as is expressed further by a similitude Like the sound of a trumpet that is full of power and maiestie Which also God added vnto it to further attention in Iohn For if it had beene an ordinarie voyce or small hee would not so much haue regarded it but being so sudden so great and full of maiestie it could not but make him verie attentiue Now seeing Christ is so carefull to prepare Iohns mind with attention and diligence to receiue the things which should bee told him This teacheth vs that when we come to heare Gods word we must vse all meanes of attention for if it were needfull to Iohn then is it farre more necessarie for vs who are farre inferiour to him in all gifts of vnderstanding and memorie And here also is another cause of small profit and little liking of Gods word namely want of attention in the heart Wee must therefore like godly Lydia Act. 16. stirre vp our dull and heauie spirits and with all diligence marke the things wee heare And here we must take heed of two enemies to attention the first are by-thoughts as when the body indeed is present but the mind wandereth from the word and is wholly possessed with thoughts of pleasure or other worldly affaires For these bee thornes in the ground of our hearts which choke the good seede of the word Many will complaine they cannot marke and remember that which is taught now the cause is in themselues their wandering thoughts which hinder both vnderstanding and memorie for the mind conceiuing other matters cannot obserue how one point dependeth on another much lesse remember them afterward The second enemie to attention is dulnesse and heauinesse in body soule a common fault in many hearers which sheweth it selfe by drowsinesse and sleepinesse in the time of preaching when they ought to stirre vp their bodies and hearts to all attention If a man should bee dull and heauie when his prince is speaking vnto him of some weightie matter that is for his good it would bee taken for a part of contempt and disloyaltie towards his maiestie What disloyaltie then is this vnto the king of kings that we should bee dull and heauy when himselfe vouchsafeth to speake vnto vs out of his word the mysteries of our saluation And surely among other things this drowsinesse is one cause of small profit by the ministerie of the word And therefore if wee would encrease in knowledge and in the gifts of grace vnto saluation we must prepare our selues before we come and in hearing
reuealeth his will not to the proud but to the meeke and lowly and as Isay sayth to them that are of a contrite spirit Isay. 57.15 And in this humbling of himselfe a man must renounce his owne naturall wit and reason and become nothing in himselfe but euen a foole in respect of his owne conceit Also he must vnfainedly pray to God that hee would reueale vnto him his truth Aske sayth Christ and it shall be giuen you euen the holy ghost vnto them that desire of the father And S. Iames sayth If any man lack wisdome let him aske of God which giueth to all men liberally Secondly after preparation hee must labour to know throughly what the false teachers are and what be theiâ— opinions with the grounds and foundations thereof wherein they agree and wherein they differ from the truth of God maintained by the church for it is a foule ouersight to misconceiue the state of the aduersaries question by propounding it otherwise than they hold as it falleth out with many in the handling of controuersies Thirdly due proofe must bee made whether the aduersaries doctrine bee of men or of God This is Gods commandement 1. Iohn 4.1 Proue the spirits whether they be of God or not And for triall hereof we must haue recourse vnto the word of God it must be Iudge in this cause Isa. 8. vers 20 To the law and to the testimonies if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Iohn 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them yee looke to haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of mee Who is so fit to iudge in the matters of God as God himselfe and so hee doth in his written word of all doctrine and opinions in religion The Scriptures shew whether the doctrine examined be directly gathered thence and by iust consequent or not Fourthly serious consideration must bee had of the faith and liues of the teachers examined for a false teacher by Gods iust iudgement is vsually a wicked liuer And therefore Christ sayth yee shall know them by their fruits if they bee throughly examined such they will appeare howsoeuer for a time they may bleare the eyes of men as the hystories of the church in many famous heretickes doe plainely declare The second braunch of this discouerie is sentence giuing in these wordes And hast found them liers The church here giueth out a sharpe and seuere sentence against them shee calleth them false Apostles and liers and yet she sinneth not for Christ commendeth her for it Though to raile or taunt cannot beseem any yet magistrats and ministers in their places may giue ouâ— seuere speeches against offendors in token of detestation to their sinnes and not offend Thus Iohn called the Scribes and Pharisees a generation of vipers Matth. 3.7 and our Sauiour Christ called Herod a foxe Luk. 13.32 and Paule called the Galathians fooles Gal. 3.1 And in this place the church calleth these false teachers lyers which is very much for therein shee accuseth them of three things First of teaching that which was false indeed secondly that they know it to be false and so sinned of knowledge Thirdly that they did it of malice with intent to blind the eyes of the Church and to deceiue the people In this discouerie wee may obserue the iust accomplishment of Paules prophecie Acts. 20.29 30. namely that there should rise vp among the Ephesians grieuous wolues and men speaking peruerse things and such were these false Apostles who after examination were found liers Againe seeing in the dayes of this Apostle Iohn men durst presume to claim Apostolicke authoritie and call themselues Apostles when they were not no maruell if the Pope of Rome sixe hundred yeares after did challenge to himselfe to be Peters successour and to haue Apostolicke authoritie and that they dare now auouch some bookes to bee scripture which are not as also bring in their traditions vnwritten verities to bee receiued and obeyed equally with Gods word Verse 3. Thou hast suffered and hast patience and for my names sake hast laboured Here our Sauiour Christ declareth how this Minister and church of Ephesus opposed themselues against false teachers after their discouerie The manner we shall see in handling the points particularly as they lie in order Thou hast suffered or Thou hast borne a burden for the word signifieth to be pressed downe vnder a great burden This burden was the troubles which false Apostles brought vpon them after they were discouered partly by open affliction and persecution partly by the spreading of their hereticall and schismaticall doctrine These false teachers were Ebion Cerinthus Marcion and such like who in the dayes of Iohn troubled this church as hystories do shew Here wee may obserue that it is Gods will that the best churches should be troubled by wicked men and hereticall teachers who both by false doctrine and persecution become grieuous burdens This the Lord permits for weighty causes I. That true beleeuers may bee excited more constantly to embrace the syncere doctrine of the Gospell and therefore Iude most worthily exhorts the Christians in his time to fight for the common faith II. That professors may be tried whether they soundly hold the doctrine of the Gospell or not 1. Cor. 11.19 It is â—ette sayth Paule that there should bee heresies in the Church that they which are sound in the faith and approoued may â—ee knowne III. That God may execute his iudgements vpon wicked men and hypocrites that haue not loued his truth reuealed vnto them 2. Thess. 2.10 11. God gaue them vp to strange illusions to beleeue lies because they haue not loued his truth For many know the word that loue it not This must teach vs to take heed of a common scandale in the world which is to be offended at religion because there be in the church schismes and heresies which come not from the Gospell but from the malice of Sathan who soweth his tares among the Lords wheate Wee must consider that it is the will of God there should be such euils in his church and therefore should labour to bee so farre from offence that hereby wee bee rather prouoked with more cheerefulnesse and courage to loue and embrace religion And hast patience and for my name hast suffered c. Here is set downe the dealing of this church against these false Apostles in all their persecutions But first note the coherence of this vertue with the former Thou hast suffered trouble and hast had patience Quest. How can these stand together It is against mans nature in trouble to be patient for troubles and afflictions make men discontent and to fret against God and man Answ. They stand not by nature but by grace Rom. 5. vers 4. Tribulation bringeth forth patience namely to all those that haue receiued to beleeue in Christ for to them God giueth the spirit of meekenesse in their troubles shedding
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
had his grace came by creation ours is by redemption and regeneration Adam had the first grace to bee able to obey but he wanted the second to be sure to perseuere because God would permit his fall to make a way both to manifest his iustice and mercie in our redemption by Christ. But the child of God after his conuersion wherein hee hath the first grace to repent and beleeue hath also an infallible promise That he shall receiue the second grace to abide in that faith And therefore Paule sayth I am persuaded that hee which hath begun this good worke in you will performe it vntill the day of the Lord Iesus Christ. And againe The Lord is faithfull who will stablish you and keepe you from euill Secondly Dauid say they by his two grieuous sinnes fell wholly from grace Answ He fell indeed grieuously but not wholly for after his fall hee contemned not Gods word he hated not God nor despaired of mercie which hee must haue done if he had fallen wholly And therefore he had remorse for his sinne so soone as the Prophet Nathan come vnto him But say they hee prayeth God to create a new heart in him therefore hee had then no grace For creation is a making of that which hath no being Answ. Dauid then speeketh not as he was before God but as hee was in his owne sence and feeling for by his sinnes Gods graces were sore decayed But say they hee repented not for the space of one whole yeare Now where there is no repentance there is no faith and consequently no grace nor pardon Answ. In repentance there be two things the gift of repentance and the act and practise thereof The gift of repentance was in the heart of Dauid when he yet lay in his sinnes but the act thereof lay hid and he wanted the renewing thereof all that time Againe Dauid had the pardon of his sinnes past though hee had not the pardon of those two sinnes till hee repented of them Neither was his repentance lost but decayed onely hee wanted not the power of it simply but the practise of it onely in that act Their third kind of arguments are drawne from equitie and reason I. Hee that is a member of an harlot and of the deuill ceaseth wholly to bee a member of Christ but a child of God truly beleeuing may become the member of an harlot and of Sathan as Dauid did Answ. There be three kinds of members dead decaied and liuing members a dead member is that which is onely in shew a member as a legge of wood or of brasse in a mans bodie A decayed member is a true member though weak as is a legge or arme that is taken with a palsie or sore wounded But a liuely member is that which doth moue and do all it functions perfectly So in the church there be some members dead and onely in shew others feeble and weake that by reason of some grieuous sinnes are not able to doe their duties And there bee liuely members which serue God with an vpright and perfect heart Now though a member of an harlot cannot be a liuely member of Christ because by his sinnes hee weakeneth and woundeth the graces of God for euery adulterer and fornicator doth as much as in him lieth cut himselfe off from Christ yet hee may bee a decayed member of Christ. And this may the rather stand because a man is made the member of Christ one way namely spiritually and the member of an harlot another way namely bodily II. Reason If a man cannot fall from grace then preaching prayer the sacraments and all means of perseuerance are needlesse Answ. Nothing lesse for they haue all their good and necessarie vse vnto them which haue grace euen to make them constant in grace For where the Scripture teacheth the certaintie of saluation it implieth the vse of the meanes of perseuerance Paul in his iourney to Rome was certaine they should come all safe to land by the promise of God yet when the marines would haue gone out of the ship Hee telleth the Captaine vnlesse these stay in we cannot be saued because they were the meanes to bring them to land So when Isay had told Ezekias from the Lord that he should liue fifteene yeares longer he was thereby assured of recouerie and yet hee vsed a bunch of figges as a meanes thereof as also food and rayment to preserue his life afterward III. Reason This doctrine of certaine perseuerance maintaineth men in securitie Answ. Securitie is twofold carnall and spirituall carnall when a man regardeth not at all the means of his saluation but giueth himselfe wholly to the profits and pleasures of this world Spirituall when a man relieth on God for his saluation by beleeuing his promises and this securitie it maintaineth but not the carnall securitie For it teacheth the vse of the meanes of perseuerance as prayer hearing and reading of the word and receiuing the Sacraments And thus I conclude this question That the true child of God who truly beleeueth when he sinneth doth neither wholly nor finally fall away neither can doe Lastly if this were true of this famous Church of Ephesus which was founded and preserued by the Apostles that shee suffered her first loue to decay then how can it bee otherwise with vs but that wee should suffer our first loue as well towards God as man to lessen and diminish and that this is so our consciences will tell vs if wee looke to that loue and zeale we had at our first calling and though wee haue not felt this decay yet we must know wee bee in danger of it continually And therefore we must take heed that we suffer not our good affections in religion to diminish Water that hath beene once hot will afterward be most cold and freese the hardest euen so when our hearts haue beene once heated with the fire of the Lords altar as true loue and other graces of the spirit if we suffer them to decay we shall become more frozen in iniquitie than any others The hawke while shee is quicke to take her prey is set vpon the hand of kings and nobles but if shee wax weake and die she is cast off to the dunghill Euen so while we are hote and cheerefull in loue towards God and his church wee are carried as it were on Gods owne hand but if wee faint and decay in loue we shall be cast lower than if wee had neuer beene so exalted This loue of God in vs is like a little flame of fire for the maintaining whereof wee must doe three things First take heed of all manner of sinne which quencheth loue and other graces of the spirit as water quencheth fire In the old Testament the priests kept fire burning vpon the altar day and night to be alwayes readie to sacrifice vnto the Lord and so must we keep the flame of loue other graces continually burning in our hearts
more though God summon men to repent by his dayly iudgements yet few or none by true humilitie prepare to meete God and to preuent his iudgements Securitie spreads it selfe ouer the whole bodie of our people And this being our case and state it must needes bee that God hath beene long since in comming to vs by his iudgements and a◠this day he is still comming because we still decay in loue and other graces and more and more goe on in sinne So that if we thus continue the truth is hee will come shortly vnto vs and that by most fearefull iudgements For this was written to the church of Ephesus to be a direction not onely vnto them but to all churches to the end of the world that be in the like or worser case What shall wee then doe Our dutie is taught vs in these words If not that is if thou repent not Wee must preuent the Lords comming in iudgement by vnfained repentance euery man and euery familie apart must repent priuately and the whole Church openly and publickely no way else wee haue to stay the Lords comming against vs by his fearefull iudgements The second part of this reason is a more particular threatening than the former And will remooue thy candlesticke out of his place Where hee sheweth with what particular iudgement hee will punish this church namely by remoouing away the candlesticke The meaning whereof may bee gathered out of the former chapter where particular churches were called candlestickes therefore here hee threateneth to remooue his church from the citie of Ephesus to take away the Ministerie of his Gospell and the profession thereof and in his iust iudgement to send among them Ignorance Apostacie and Heresie in steed of the knowledge of his truth This particular iudgement must be referred to the first words If not that is if thou repent not this will I doe I will make thee to be no Church and take my Gospell from thee In this particular threatening three points are to bee obserued one concerning the Minister the second concerning the whole body of the church the third concerning euery priuat man Touching the Minister note this If he shall decay in loue to God to his word or to his brethren or if hee lye in any one sinne knowne to himselfe it is a meanes to depriue him either of his calling or of Gods gifts bestowed on him for this threatening is here directed especially vnto the Angell of this Church of Ephesus When Ieremie had beene wanting in deliuering the Lord◠will vnto the people partly for feare partly through impatience then the Lord becomes a Prophet vnto him saying If thou returne I will bring thee againe and thou shalt stand before me Whereby hee would giue him to vnderstand That if hee returned not he should cease to be a Prophet vnto him The same thing is true of all Gods Ministers if they decay in loue faile in their dutie or lye in any sinne they must speedily renew themselues by repentance or els God will depriue them either of their calling or of the gifts thereof True repentance and the renewing thereof is needfull vnto all Christians but especially to Gods Ministers if they would continue in his fauour and stand before him becomming his mouth vnto the people The second point concerneth the whole bodie of a Church to wit if a Church or people decay in loue to God to religion and to their brethren or doe lye in any common sinne they procure hereby the remoouing of the gospell from them and the abolishing of true religion The Prophet is a 〈◊〉 sayth the Lord and the man of the spirit i◠mad This was a great and fearefull iudgement but mark◠the cause All is 〈◊〉 thine iniquitie that is for the sinne of the whole church doth God send foolish Ministers If this bee so then wee haue iust cause in our Church to feare the remoouing of the gospell from vs for there is a generall decay of loue in many and in the most no loue at all Many scorne and contemn true religion and hate the professours thereof In regard whereof wee may wonder at the great patience of God that yet continueth his gospell among vs For God giueth men vp to strong delusion to beleeue lyes because they loue not his truth Wherefore being in this danger our dutie is to vse all good meanes to preuent this iudgement of God which can no other way bee done than by true and vnfained repentance by the whole Church in generall and by euery man apart and euery familie apart For when God shall speake suddenly against a nation or kingdome to root it vp and to destroy it if that people repent of their wickednesse the Lord will repent of the plague and iudgement which hee thought to bring vpon them Ierem. 18. vers 7 8. The third point concerneth euery priuate man and it is this If any man decay in loue or want loue to God and to his brethren or lye in any sin knowne to himselfe This is a meanes to remooue the candlesticke from him to depriue him of his knowledge and other graces of God The affection of loue in the heart is like the watch of the clocke if the watch stand the wheeles stand as the watch goeth fast or softly so goe the wheeles answerably And so it is in man if his loue to God and to his gospell doe encrease then doth his knowledge and other graces of God encrease in his heart but if his loue decay then other graces decay and if loue be gone then farewell all pietie and true religion If we would know the cause of such palpable ignorance as is in many that haue long heard the gospell preached it is nothing but want of loue Heb. 3.12 13. The Holy ghost sheweth by what degrees men come to fall away from God First sinne deceiues them by drawing them to commit it then their hearts are hardened by custome of sinning Thence followes vnbeleefe in maine points of Religion and so they make Apostacie from God and set themselues against his truth Take heed therefore of lying in any sinne for that is the high way to finall Apostacie rather striue to encrease in loue vnto God and vnto his word and so shall all his good graces encrease in thine heart Out of this particular threatening some gather That a man may bee cut off frō Christ fall away finally from true faith and repentance For say they if a whole Church may bee cut off from Christ and become no Church then may any one member of the Church be cut off and become no member But a whole church may bee cut off as here we see and therefore may any one man Answ. This reason is not good there is great difference betweene the state of a whole Church and of one man that is a true member of Christ. For a particular Church is a mixt companie of true professors and dissemblers like
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
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