may be acceptable in the sight of God And anoint thine eyes with eye salve This is opposed to their fourth evil of blindnes Eye salve Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which physitians call the dregges wherout an oyntment is strayned helping the blearednesse of the eyes He commands them to aske of God the illumination of his spirit by which their darke harts may be inlightned and stirred up unto the true knowledge and love of God through faith that so seeing their owne miserie and Christs benefits they might cease to be blinde 19 As many as I love I rebuke This fift part of the narration or exhortation to repentance is mixed with comfort least that heavy foregoing sentence I will spue thee out of my mouth might have occasioned them to cast of all hope of pardon as thinking that now there was no more remedie for them But Christ teacheth them that this sharpe reproofe proceeds not from any hatred but from his love towards them and to the end that they might repent hee beeing herein like unto a father who more severely punisheth that childe whom he best loveth The words are taken out of Prov. 3.12 and againe repeated Heb. 12.5 where we have given the meaning of them Whom I love I rebuke As if he should say for thy good I rebuke thy hypocrisy and indeed there is great need thou shouldest be sharpely reproved that so I may shew how greatly I love thee And chasten For stubborne children must be kept downe by the rod. And therfore thou mayest not thinke by hypocrisy or lukewarmnes to escape the crosse Here we may note the difference between the afflictions of the godlie and of the wicked The godlie are chastised like children but the wicked are judged and condemned to hell This is the first reason of the following exhortation beeing as it were a token of his love towards them Be Zealous therefore and repent Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza be fervent he requireth fervencie and zeale of faith and sincerity in signe of true repentance for their former hypocrisie and lukewarmnes For he is said to be truely zealous who is fervent in that which is good Gal. 4.18 It may also be understood transitively that is be a Zealous follower of thy fellow teachers of Philadelphia Smyrna and others who walke faithfully before me Moreover seeing lukewarme hypocrites are here called upon to repent we are taught that no true repentance comes ever to late 20 Behold J stand at th◠doore and knock The other reason of his exhortation is taken from the effects of his love namely pardon and grace to all that repent before he recompared himself to a Marchant and Phisitian freely selling the marchandises and salves of salvation Here he likens himself to a rich way faring man entring in to them that open unto him and vouchsaving to feast with them By which allegory he testifyeth his philantropy as using al maner of wayes meanes for our salvation And this is the last part of the narration beeing a promise of pardon and grace directed not onely to these of Laodicea but unto all that hearken unto the heavenly vocation Behold this particle is added to stirre up our eares and hearts unto the more attention He saith not I come or I sit but I stand at the door hereby signifying his continuall presence and daylie care for our salvation I stand at the door like as a stranger who doth not presently goe away but if the door be not opened at his first knocking yet still standeth and knocketh untill the same be opened unto him The door here signifyes our heart which by nature is shut hard and stonie excluding God and Christ but in v. 8. it is taken in another signification as we have there shewed Now Christ knocketh and bids us open unto him diverse wayes 1. He knocketh outwardly by the preaching of the law threatning destructiō if we open not 2. By the preaching of the Gospel promising pardon of sin and all kind of heavenly blessing unto them that open unto him 3. By laying the crosse of afflictions on them that delay And lastly he knocks inwardlie by his spirit illuminating our blinde hearts and minds making us in some measure to see and know him who is life eternall and so openeth the door of our hearts by making us willing to receive and entertaine him Thus he opened the understanding of the Apostles Luk. 24.45 Act. 16 14 that they might understand the scriptures and the heart of Lydia that shee attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul If any man hear my voyce and open Having shewed by what means he outwardlie works our repentance and salvation he now comes to that which is to be don by us that is to hear and hearken unto his knock or call to open the door that he may enter in Outwardly we hear Christs knocking when we attend upon the word preached by his ministers and inwardlie when by faith we embrace the same We open unto him when we savingly applie the promises of the Gospel for then Christ with all his benefits enters into our hearts and dwelleth in us when by true obedience we consecrate our selves as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto him And in deed happie are they that thus worke out their owne salvation for Christ will not leave them but perfect that which he hath begun to their eternal comfort as here he promiseth I will come in to him and sup with him Now he sheweth what he will doe for them that hear his knocke to the end we might open the more willingly and readily unto him Three excellent mercies are here promised 1 He will come in to us 2 sup with us and 3 receive us to sup with him First he saith I will come in to him that is he will with the Father and holy Ghost dwell in our hearts by faith Io. 14.23 as it is written Jf any man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him Serm. 144. de Temp. A dignitie far greater then if an earthly king should be pleased to dwel with us and make our house his pallace Jt is more saith Austin to have Christ in the hart then in the house for our hart is nearer to us then our house Hence we are called the temples of God and of the holie Ghost and of Christ who by his spirit dwelleth in us XXV Argument of Chr. Deity and wee in him Which againe clearely proveth the Godhead of Christ And I will sup with him This is a second benefit Christ sups with us when by faith he makes us partakers of the word and sacraments takes away our sins covers our infirmities and meekly stoopes to our weake capasitie As when some great monarch comes into the cottage of a poor man How Christ is said to sup with us not disdaining to sup with him
from Hel and Satan and therfore ought to be opposed and utterly extirpated I will put upon you none other burthen The meaning is however the deceivers doe again bring in and impose upon you the burthen of the ceremonial law a yoke which neither yee nor the Fathers were able to beare Act. 15.10 notwithstanding I doe not subject you unto it forasmuch I have once freed you from the same for it is sufficient to salvation to maintain the doctrine faithfully delivered unto you by the Apostles Some by burthen understand punishment as if he should say this shall be the heaviest of Iudgements that I will inflict upon you but if it be taken in this sence then the words should import a threatning where as indeed they are a milde admonition and therfore the first exposition is more agreable to the nature of the words Hence it appeareth that humane traditions are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a burthen imposed upon the Church not by Christ but by the instruments of Satan and here we see what to thinke of the manifold traditions of the Prelates to wit that they are burthens not required by Christ but by the fonne of perdition wherfore neyther the Church nor any of the faithfull ought to submit to them nor to hearken unto the voyce of that Antichristian parasite affirming that the yoke which is imposed by the holy sea Gratianus distin 19. is to be borne howsoever it may seem to be intollerable Vntil I come To wit bodily descending from heaven in the cloudes to judgment according to our Christian beliefe confirmed by the scriptures confession of the primitive Church And therfore for men to believe as necessarie to salvation that Christ being come in the flesh is present in or under the sacrament of the Altar or that his humane nature is in all places and filleth all things is a most false doctrine and a burthen not imposed by Christ our Lord. He which overcommeth keepeth The fift part of the narration is a promise with the former conclusion 1. Io. 5.4 he that overcommeth see v. 7. now the victorie by which we overcom the world is our faith and they are conquerours who keep faith and a good conscience Io. 5.36 10.36 14 11. Io. 6.29 My workes Not miracles which generally are called the workes of Christ by which also he proved himself to be God but that worke of faith required Joh. 6.29 To beleeve on him whom God hath sent as also all other workes of pietie and faithfulnesse according to our place and vocation hence as the workes of infidelity Io. 8.41 are called the workes of the Devill so the workes of faith and love are said to be the workes of Christ and hee that persevereth herein unto the end he is that conquerour to whom the present promise is made by Christ Jesus Vnto the end To wit of the warfare or fight for the full victorie is not obtained nor the crowne given before the fight be perfectlie ended And keepeth The worde here used in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to keep Io. 8.57.14.23 15.10.20 c. is often used by Iohn in his Gospel So that this phrase of speech argueth Iohn the Euangelist to be the writer of the Revelation To him wil I give power over the nations A double reward is promised to the conquerour power over the nations and the morning starre Some curiouslie inquire whither or no these things are given in this life But we are to know that so long as w◠remaine here the fight dureth For no man as yet is a conquerour neither is the crowne bestowed we must therfore first persevere in our course unto the end before we can enioy the promised reward not as if we were altogether now deprived of it but because we posses it in hope onely and not in verie deed Now we are the Sons of God 2. Io. 3.2 Rom. 8.34 but it is not manifested what we shall bee we are saved by hope Neverthelesse one and the same thing is signifyed by both rewards here mentioned to wit that glorie and power whereof the faithfull shall partake in the heavens with Christ Power over the nations He alludes to Psa 2.8 where God the Father saith unto the Sonne I wil give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost part of the earth for thy possession thou shalt breake them with a rod of Iron thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potters vessel This power which Christ the head hath received frō the Father he promiseth to communicate unto us his members And as he hath receyved it for himself and for us so he will exercise the same in his owne and our name for the saintes also with Christ shal judge the Angels and the world or wicked men that is the nations here spoken of Even as I receyved This we have expounded v. 23. and there shewed after what manner Christ receiveth it from the Father and how it no way derogateth from his divinitie And I will give him the morning starre That is I will trulie communicate my self unto him and make him conformable unto my glorie so far as it consisteth with the proportion and measure of a member for he saith J wil that they also whom thou hast given me bee with me where J am that they may behold my glorie which thou hast given me c. The morning starre Called in Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the day starre being the brightest of all the starres and when it followeth the Sun going downe is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the evening starre Hence Aristotle commending the vertue of Iustice saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is neither the evening nor the day starre is so glorious To this starre Christ is compared for his heavenly brightnesse and glorie 2. Pet. 1.19 Rev. 22.16 see there the sence of this place The Argument parts and Analysis of Chapter III. THis Chapter containes the three latter Epistles unto the Angels of the Church in Sardis Philadelphia and Laodicea in which again John doth declare in general what he had seen to wit the majestie of Christ commanding him to write what was eyther good or evil in everie one of them and what was to come to wit what good or evil they were to expect from Christ The bishop in Sardis he reproveth for his hypocrisie and negligence yet comforteth some few that were upright in that Church by promises of reward and stirs up the Pastor himself by threatning to diligence The teacher in Philadelphia is commended for his care praeadmonished of his combats with the Jewes and victorie over them and also is provoked by promises of reward to perseverance The Bishop of Laodicea is sharpelie taxed as an hypocrite being neyther hot nor cold and however he is by others much esteemed of for his worth and holinesse yet Christ threatneth to root him out except he doe repent The fift
accounts him to be neyther hot nor cold but lukewarme who neyther is a professed enemy of the Gospel nor yet a faithfull professor thereof but an hypocrite that is one as it were betwixt both And it may be referred eyther to their life or doctrine As for the mixture of heathenish and Iewish rites in the service of God it began first to increase immediately upon the cessation of the persecution of the Romane Emperors and when the Christian Church began to enjoye ease and tranquillity And therefore I judge that these Laodiceans were not as yet guiltie of this evill but they were lukewarme as concerning faith and manners in complying with the gentiles to the end that beeing the lesse offensive unto them they might quietly enjoy their trade in that noble mart-towne which abounded with all sorts of merchants for however they desired to be accounted good Christians yet did they not forsake their former frande and luxurie The summe of all is this They mingled Christ and the world togither and made use of religion no otherwise then might stand with their profit and trade Thus they were neither open enemies to Christ nor yet his true friends but as it were lukewarme and neutrals that is fained and lying hypocrites and soo worse in Christs esteem then his professed enemies I would thou wert eyther hot or cold He wisheth they were hot that is truely zealous in faith and godlinesse for the law requireth that men should love the Lord with all their hart and with all their soul c. Thus we see that to be hot is to be upright in hart ful of love to God and our neighbour Now Christ wisheth they were cold that is altogither without faith and godlinesse not absolutely but comparatively in asmuch as they who are cold seem to be more excusable then such as are lukewarme and more easily to be reformed better avoyded then others and in this respect are lesse hurtfull then they For the sin of hypocrites is greater then theirs who are open enemies because it is a worse thing not to follow the truth in sincerity which we know then to be ignorant altogether thereof for such are more easily wrought upon by the means and sooner brought to the truth wheras hypocrites having faith onely in shew doe imagine they see but are blinde and mantaine their false opinions hating persecuting in the mean time the truth of God For example the Lutherans who beeing wedded to their false opinions are the more hardlie drawen from them For they hate and persecute the orthodoxe doctrine concerning our spirituall communion with Christ more then the blinde Papists Againe a Iew who is a professed enemie of Christ will easier be brought to embrace christian religion then an hypocriticall Iesuite drowned in Antichristian superstitions And therefore with great reason Christ wisheth that this Church were rather cold then lukewarme not that it is good to be cold but because a lukewarme condition is more dangerous and hurtfull then the other We see also in natural things from whence the metaphor is taken that hot or cold things are more approved then those things that are lukewarme Hot meats in cold weather and cold drinkes in hot seasons agree best with the stomack but that which is lukewarme is lothsome and disposeth to vomit Hence Christ desired that the Pharisees had been blinde rather then hypocrites who are uncapable of reproofe Ioh. 9.41 1 King 18.21 If saith he yee were blinde ye should have no sinne but now yee say wee see therefore your sinne remaineth And the like Elias said unto the hypocriticall and idolatrous Israelites why halt ye betweene two opinions If Jehovah be God follow him but if Baal follow him Not as if he approved the worship of Baal but sheweth that there is such a contrariety betweene it the true worship of God as that they cannot possibly bee joyned togither And hence we are taught whom we are to esteem in these our dayes to be lukewarme not such as are weak in the faith whom the scripture commandeth us to receive with all meeknesse but those who labour to joyne Christ and Belial together in faith ceremonies and manners Such also who though they glory as if they were come out of Babylon and would faine be accounted good protestants neverthelesse strive tooth and naile to uphold the superstitions of Antichrist his tittles orders garments surplices miters crucifixes images and the like Babylonish stuff brought by him into the worship of God But let us here take notice what Christ judgeth of such men 16 So then because thou art lukewarme The second part of the narration containes a threatning with a repetition of the cause thereof because thou art luke-warme I will spue thee out of my mouth Hee goes foreward in the metaphor comparing hypocrites to lukewarme water which is so lothsome to the stomack as it cannot retaine it but casts it forth with lothsomnesse and paine Even so hypocrites are abominable to Christ for he spues them out of his mouth that is he rejects them as strangers unto him I will spue thee out of my mouth Here we se the lenity and patience of Christ in bearing a long time with hypocrites yea inviting of them unto repentance preadmonishing them of their punishment before he spues them out for their obstinacie Gods threatnings therfore are to be understood conditionally I will spue thee out viz. If thou repent not Out of my mouth Here it will not follow that such as are cold are in Christs mouth or that any of the faithfull may fall from grace As Ribera subtilly disputeth For Christ threatens this not against the cold but the lukewarme who by profession and appearance are in his mouth that is in the Church of Christ but indeed are hypocrites having a forme of godlines but denie the power thereof But hence we ought rather to observe that there are allwayes many hypocrites in the bosome of the Church and especially among the Clergie this mixture therfore should not offend us for the divell wil alwayes sow tares among the wheat neyther ought we to be moved with the loftie titles of hie-priests cardinals arch-bishops bishops prelates and the like rabble of Antichrist 17 For thou sayest I am rich The third part is a confutation of the vaine boasting of this Church in which were manie rich merchants fallen into securitie and riot for riches doe often times befoole the owners thereof occasioning in them pride and luxurie And this seems to be the reason why they thus boasted to weet because they were rich and having need of nothing But it may also be rightly understood that they gloried as if they had been rich in spirituall things for hypocrites imagine that they are just and holy and need not grace and remission of sins as other men Thus these gloried of their faith but it was dead and voyd of sinceritie and love as is the faith of all hypocrites and so not