sonne of God which is the friend of friends who shall giue them not onely life and motion but eternall life with his owne maiestie This was Iobs comfort that though he died yet he beleeued he should see his redeemer with his eyes And this should be our comfort against the feare of death and last iudgement Secondly this is a terror to the wicked and to all impenitent sinners that they shall will they nill they be brought to the barre of Christs iudgement seate there looke on him who is their iudge whom they have in their life contemned and despised And this consideration may serue to moue them to repentance which haue noâ— begunne to repent and to labour to become the members of Christ aâ— also to increase and further repentance in them who haue by Gods grace begun the same It may be some do thinke when they die all is done and there is no further account to follow but though we lie rotten in our graues a thousand or two thousand yeares yet we shall rise and looke vpon our iudge with our owne eyes And if we haue not in our life time repented we shall heare him with our owne eares giuing the dreadfull sentence against vs Go ye cursed into euerlasting fire And therefore it is best for vs in this day of grace to preuent this danger and now repent and beleeue in Christ that then we may rise with ioy and stand with holâ—nesse before Christ Iesus No doubt if we were persuaded that we should thus appeare it would moue vs to repent Thirdly Euerie eye shall see him that is all men with their owne eyes shall looke on him Hence it may bee gathered that those who wanted their fight in this life shall haue it then restored It is granted of all Diuines that the elect shall haue all their senses and other defects restored wherein they were wanting in this life And it may also bee added that the wicked shall then haue some of their senses restored if they wanted the same in this life as hearing and seeing at the least for the deafe shall heare the blind shall see this Iudge And this can be no glorie to them seeing it is to increase their miserie for the more senses they haue the more punishment they shall feele because by sense we apprehend miserie Euen thâ—se which peirced him Here is added a further euidence of Christs manifestation of his comming and that for three causes First to shewe that no power or wisedome in the world can free any one from his appearance For if any could escape in all likelihod it would be those Iewes and Gentiles who preuailed most against Christ and put him to death But none of those can escape his iudgement for euen they which peirced him they shall see this Iudge and bee summoned before his maiestie For though they had power to kill him yet none of them shall haue power to absent themselues from before his bar of iudgement at the last day Secondly to shew the case of all wicked men namely that such woe and miserie shall befall them as they neuer once thought of The Iewes and Gentiles which crucified Christ neuer dreamed of this that he whom they then put to a temporall death should one day be their Iudge and condemne them to eternall death vnlesse they had repented Thirdly to shew the rufull and wofull estate of all impenitent sinners they shall rise to iudgement and haue the greatest enemie their Iudge who will shew rigor vpon them and iustice without all mercie for this peircing of Christ is meant not onely of the Iew which put him to death but of all vngodly personâ— because all such do by their sinnes as with swords and speares wound him at the heart as the souldiers did Impenitent sinners be as the Iewes which crucified Christ as Iudas which betrayed him and as the soldiers which goarâ—â— his side and vnlesse they now repent they shall one day be iudged as his enemies Euen they which peirced him Out of these words some gather that the body of Christ hath still the wounds and scarres which were giuen him at his death the print of the nailes in his hands and his feete and that these shall be seene in him at the last day adding withall that it is no blemish to Christ to haue these but rather an increase of his glorie But this cannot be gathered hence for though it be sayd They shall see him whom they peirced yet it followeth not that they shall see him as he was peirced what though they see the person whom they wounded shal they therefore see his wounds Manie shall see kings and queenes whom they crowned in this world but it followeth not that therefore they shall weare their crownes So we shall see our fathers and mothers but not as fathers and mothers IV. point The fruite and effect of his comming especially in the wicked in these words And all tribes of the earth shall waile before him Where S. Iohn speakes of the whole world according to the condition of the land of Canaan for only that part of the world was diuided into tribes As in like case our Sauiour Christ setteth out the iudgement of the whole world according to the state and manner of iudging the visible Church Math. 25. So that his meaning is that they which repented not of what nation soeuer of what state or condition soeuer they haue bene shall wayle and mourne at that day And hee addes a reason of this their mourning in these words for him before him or ouer him That is they shall wayle and lament with exceeding lamentation because they beleeued not his word but contemned him and his doctrine and therefore now they want all help to free them from the punishmeÌ„t of their vnbeleefe and contempt of the gospell for this life is the only time of grace and mercie afterward there is no worke nor inuention that can alter mans estate Hence then we are admonished first that in this world we labour aboue all things to be reconciled to God in Christ to get our sinnes pardoned to beleeue and imbrace his holy word and vnlesse we attaine hereunto in this life we shall wayle eternallie for when the last day is coâ—e there is no hope of help no way to escape no time of grace to repeâ—â— Remember the foolish virgins that sought for oyle when it was too late and knocked when the doores were shut Math. 25. But if by Gods mercie we can in this life get his loue and fauour in Christ then shall we enioy the same eternally yea at this dreadfull day to all the wicked we shall lift vp our heads and our harts when wee shall see Christ comming to our full redemption all teares shall bee wiped from our eyes when the wicked shall crie and houle woe and alas for euermore The diuell knowing the worth of this admonition will labour by all meanes to keepe it from our hearts
He must begin to repent when he is receiued to mercie he must renew that repentance for his daily offences If God therefore haue giuen â—s grace to repent we must not content our selues with that good beginning but adde more repentance daily vnto it For no man liueth that hath receiued grace to repent but hee seeth in himselfe continuall cause of renewing the same by reason of his daily sâ—ilâ— and wants for euery sinne decayeth grace which must be repaired by a new practise of repentance This dutie must needs be practised It is the most dangerous case that can bee for any man to lie in sinne for sinne makes a man liable to all Gods iudgements And it is not so much the act of sinne as the lying in sinne that bringeth damnation For this cause Paule 2. Corin. 5.20 speaking to those that were reconciled to God doth still most â—arnestly beseech them to be reconciled vnto him saying We beseech you in Christs steed as though God did beseech you through vs that ye be reconciled to God Intending thereby to prouoke them to the daily renewing of their repentance that thereby they might get a more full assurance of their reconciliation V. point For what must they repent namely for the decay of their loue not for the want thereof but for that they suffered it to waxe lesser both towards God and his word and towards their brethren The same thing is spoken to vs dayly in the ministerie of the word that whereas our first loue is gone many hauing fallen from it and moe hauing none at all wee would vnfainedly repent of this our decay and want that if wee haue had loue and now waxe cold wee may renew it and if we neuer had it we may labour for it that so we may be answerable to his blessed desire And here obserue that Christ enioyneth vs a strait repentance It is not ynough for men to repent them of grosse sinnes as whoredome theft drunkennesse and such like but they must repent them of their wantâ— of grace as of the knowledge and feare and loue of God and of brotherly loue and of decay in any grace bee it neuer so little Wee haue many iusticiaries in conceit that bee Pharisaically minded thinking too well of themselues that they need no repentance because they liue ciuilely and are not tainted with grosse sinnes But these consider little what God doth here require euen repentance for our secret wants and decayes And great reason it should bee so for els to what end should we examine our selues of our secret wants vnlesse wee should repent vs of them hauing found them in vs Againe if this church must repent for her wants then what great cause haue we to repent in this last age of Atheisme a grosse and common sinne of outward pride in apparrell a sinne flat against Gods word and for contempt of the gospell a sinne that enlargeth it selfe more and more among vs. And for crueltie and want of mercy and compassion all which are rife in our church and may more easily remooue the candlesticke from vs then want of loue could remooue the candlesticke from this church And thus much for the second part of this remedie The third part of this remedie is to do their first workes that is shewe the like zeale and feruencie of loue to God to his word and to their brethren that they did at the first time of their conuersion This duty Christ addeth to the former because true repentance neuer perisheth in the heart but alwaies breaketh out into action in the life Here then is an excellent lesson for vs to learne and put in practise wee must search our own harts and see what good things haue bene in vs what good motions and desires or good affections We must also call to mind our former wayes and see what good things wee haue done and if in heart or life we find decay we must recouer our losse and seeke to do our first workes and striue to continue so doing to our liues end that so wee may escape this heauie charge of decay in grace Thus much of the parts of this remedie If not I will come against thee shortly and remooue thy candlesticke out of his place except thou amend In these words Christ layes downe a reason to persuade the church of Ephesus to the practise of the former remedy especially for repentance This reason containeth three parts I. A generall commination in these words If not I wil come against thee shortly II. A particular threatning of a particular iudgement And remoue thy candlesticke out of his place III. The condition of them both except thou amend I. point If not I will come against thee shortly that is if thou do not practise this remedie and the duties therein prescribed especially the dutie of repentance then will I come against thee shortly The words may as well bee read thus If not then will I come to thee shortly For so they are in the originall and doe containe in them sufficient and profitable instruction God is said to come to any people two wayes in mercie and in iudgement In mercie when he testifieth his presence by workes of mercie As when Christ in spirit went vnto the old world and preached vnto them in the person of Noe an hundred and twentie yeares before the floud 1. Pet. 3.19 20. Secondly God commeth in iudgement when hee testifieth his presence by iudgements In the second commandement God saith He wil visite the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children that is he will make inquirie among the children for the fathers sinnes and if hee find them to liue in the same sinnes that their fathers did then will hee punish them this is properly to visit So in this place If thou repent not I will come vnto thee and testifie my presence not in mercie but in iudgement In this generall threatening we may obserue that when a church or people decay in loue to God to his word or to their brethren or els lye in any sinne then God prepareth himselfe to come vnto them in iudgement Amoâ— 4.12 Because I will doe thus and thus vnto thee for thy sinnes therefore prepare to meete thy God Oh Israell meaning that because they lay still in their sinnes therefore he would make knowne his presence by more fearefull iudgements This doctrine according to Christs direction is to bee applied to vs and to our church for the sinnes that were in the church of Ephesus are the sinnes of our church and people They decayed in loue to God to his word and to the brethren so doe we Nay generally there is no loue at all in vs as hath been shewed and besides these wants there be many other grosse sinnes wherein our church and people doe lye as in Atheisme both in iudgement and practise in contempt and neglect of Gods worship and true religion in crueltie oppression and want of mercie and that which is
by the name of counsell First â—ere note that Christ commendeth this church and giueth her counsell but doth not at all rebuke her for her faults as he did the church of Ephesus Hence the Papists gather that Gods church and so the members thereof may liue without sinne and fulâ—ill the law But they are deceiued Christ therfore abstaineth from reproofe of this church not for that he had not any thing against them but for these two causes especially First because this church of Smyrna did truely repent and beleeue and did not decay in grace as the church of Ephesus did and therefore had the pardon of her sinnes and was in Gods loue and fauour Secondly this church did indeuour to obey Christ and to testifie her faith and loue thereby Now God accepteth the desire and will of obedience in his children as obedience it selfe and therefore did not reproâ—ue them for any fault that was among them Seeing this church being in affliction is so farre forth accepted that Christ reproueth nothing in her wee are taught it is profitable for Gods church and people sometime to bee in affliction for thereby are the gifts and graces of God preserued as Faith and Repentance and many greeuous sinnes preuented which otherwise Gods children might fall into The counsell it selfe containeth three parts A precept A prophesie And a precept againe The first precept is in these words Feare none of those things which thou shalt suffer This precept may seeme to be against other places of Scripture as Phil. 2.12 Worke out your saluation in feare and trembling And Rom. 11.20 â—e not high minded but feare Answ. There bee three kinds of feare I. naturall feare II. feare proceeding from grace III. a distrustfull fearefull proceeding from vnbeleefe I. The naturall feare is a declining and eschewing of death and those things that tend thereto this feare is in all men in as much as euerie thing desireth to preserue it selfe this was in Christ who in his agonie feared death as it was a separation of soule and bodie asunder yet this was no sinne in him but onely an infirmitie without sinne The second kind of feare is that which commeth from grace Mal. 1.6 If I be a maister where is mine â—onor If I be a father where is my feare This feare is a reuerent awe towards God in regard of his mercie and iudgements and this is a vertue and no sinne The third is distrustfull feare when men for affliction forsake religion and obedience to God standing more in feare of men than of God and this is that feare which Christ in this place forbiddeth being a sin that draweth men from God vnto perdition In this commaundement Christ doth two things First he giueth them and vs to vnderstand what is the sinne in which euerie man is conceiued and the seed whereof remaineth stil in the children of God namely distrustfull vnbeleefe whereby men feare the authoritie of the creature more than the glorious maiesty of the eternall God which proceedeth from this that men consider not of God as he extendeth his prouidence ouer all things and as he is a mightie iudge taking reuenge vpon all sin and wickednesse Secondly here Christ describeth the meanes wherby Gods people may arme themselues against all perils and troubles whatsoeuer to wit Christian fortitude which is a gift of God proceeding froÌ„ true faith inabling a man to lay aside all feare and with courage to vndergo al dangers whatsoeuer that he may in life and death maintaine faith and a good conscience This vertue God prescribed to the Prophets when they were to enter into their calling and our Sauiour Christ to his Apostles and to this church of Smyrna And it were to be wished that all the ministers of the gospell might speake vnto their people as Christ speaketh vnto this church Feare not But the truth is if they deale faithfully they must change their note and say with Ioell Waile and houle ye priests and people lying in sackcloth and ashes because the day of the Lords vengeance is at hand For it is lamentable to see the state of the whole body of our people of whom wee may generally say with the Prophet There is no knowledge of God in the land And where knowledge is there is litle conscience to liue therafter Consider also how the most are carnall minded dead in sin they sauour not thâ— things that pertaine to Gods kingdome but their hearts are wholly possessed with earthly desires delights and spirituall things affect them not Yea in all places wee shall see that as naturall sleepe wrappeth vp the senses of the body so a spiritual slumber benummeth their minds and hearts For though God preach daily vnto vs by his iudgements yet like the old world wee know nothing of the euill day we neuer cal to mind the iudgement to come And if herunto we ioyne the common crying sinnes of this land as swearing cursing oppression Saboath breaking drunkennesse whordome and all vncleannesse yea Atheisme it selfe the ground of all How can we say with Christ Feare not yea rather wee must call men to repentance in sackcloth and ashes For God is iealous of his glorie neither will hee alway be chiding nor winke at our iniquities he hath whet his sword and bent his bow and vnlesse wee repent the day of hauocke will come shortly wherein hee will take vengeance vpon all our iniquities And although this be the common state of our land yet Christ hath his remnant among vs who mourne for the sinnes and abhominations of the times and doe endeuour to keepe faith and a good conscience in all things and to these it may be sayd Feare not but take to your selues christian courage arme your selues therewith lay aside all distrustfull feare and glorifie God in your hearts striue to keepe the faith in a pure conscience vnto the end and so shall Christ appeare to your ioy when the wicked shall be ashamed And to moue Gods children to this christian fortitude First let them consider what a iudgement of God is due vnto them that are distrustfully fearfull when they should suffer any thing for the name of Christ Reuel 21.8 They must haue their reward in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone among the damned Secondly let them obserue the Lords presence and his gracious promise of protection in distresse He will cause his Angels to pitch their tents about them that no perill shall hurt them 2. King 6. When a mightie armie came against Elisha his seruant was fore afraid but marke how he comforteth him Feare not saith he for they that be with vs are more than they that be with them And so it is with Gods children Thirdly let them consider that it is a most honourable estate to suffer any thing for the name of Christ. And therefore the Apostles reioyced exceedingly when they had bene beaten That they were counted worthie to suffer any
day for some certaine time carrieth a faggot for his own burning in the end Secondly from this end of life all that haue not repented must learne not to deferre their repentance but now begin while it is called to day and in the exercise thereof spend the whole time of their life The end of all our endeauours while wee liue should be this to get a roome in the kingdome of God which wee can neuer haue without repentance Next consider who it is that giues this time of repentance neither man nor Angell hath this time in his hands but the power of appointing it belongs vnto Christ alone Hereby then all persons whatsoeuer are to bee admonished without delay to repent The young man will take his pleasure in his youth and repent when he is old but hereby he robbeth Christ of his honour who onely hath power to point out the time of repentance Vse therefore the time present while thou hast it and deferre not repentance for how knowest thou that thou shalt liue to bee old And though thou doest yet how canst thou tell whether God will giue thee repentance considering thou diddest refuse while he called for it Men thinke that if they die quietly and peaceably all is well they goe to heauen straight but herewith many are deceiued for vnlesse they haue truely repented they goe straight to the deuill let their manner of dying be what it will A quiet death is a comfortable thing but no sure signe of grace because it may come by reason of some easie lingering sickenesse Considering therefore wee haue no title vnto this grace of repentance to clayme it at our pleasure it being the rare gift of God nor any leaâ—â— of our life but bee meere tenants at will let vs seeke to turne to God with full purpose of heart while 〈◊〉 is called to day and if we haue begun let vs dayly renew this grace to the end of our life Thirdly consider to whome God giues space of repentance namely to a wicked woman as wicked as Iezabell Wherein behold the endlesse mercie of God that vnto such a wicked person who blasphemed God in fathering her sinnes vpon the spirit of grace and dishonoured God by seducing his seruants doth yet vouchsafe a time of repentance This hath beene and is the dealing of God with most grieuous sinners Manasses was one that sold himselfe to worke wickednesse giuing himselfe to sorcerie and idolatrie and yet vpon his heartie repentance God receiued him to mercie And Salomon fell most fearefully but yet before his death wee may persuade our selues hee repented and was receiued to mercie for hee was a penman of Scripture all which were holy men of God as Peter sayth 2. Pet. 1.20 The Israelites were a people of Sodome and of Gomorrha as bad as those who are condemned in hell and yet mercie is offered vnto them vpon their true repentance and conuersion Hereby no man must take occasion to liue in his sinnes but those that feele themselues laden with the huge burden of their transgressions haue here a comfort to keepe them from despaire for if they can humble themselues and turne vnto Christ and pray for the pardon of their sinnes there is yet with the Lord mercie in store that they may bee saued Lastly Christ saith He gaue her space to repent of her fornication No doubt she had many other sinnes whereof shee was to repent for no sinne goeth alone but euery capitall sinne draweth many with it Christ his meaning therefore is not that she should let passe other sins without repentance but he nameth this one sin of fornication because it was a principall sinne in her for she both practised it in her owne bodie and so made her selfe the stable of the diuell who should haue bene the temple of Gods holy spirit and also maintained this sinne and so drew others thereto Now speciall and principall repentance must be of principall sinnes Here then is a patterne for all sinners how to practise repentance They must beginne with their capitall sinnes which burden their conscience and whereto they are most addicted and repent of them For the man that truly repenteth of one sinne repenteth of all for true repentance maketh the heart alike affected to all sinnes And that heart which is brought to hate his speciall sinnes will neuer approue of pettie sinnes This lesson ought carefully to be learned put in practise For the repentance of most men is onely in generall to say wee are all sinners Lord haue mercie vpon me or God forgiue me But this confused repentance is not good it stands with a purpose to sinne againe In particular therefore we must search our consciences and see wherein we haue most dishonored God and what sinne hath neerest plunged our soules to the pit of hell and with that we must beginne to bring our soules to heauen by repenting truly for the same and turning from it with all our hearts Hence the Papists gather that man hath free will to doe that which is truly good before God as namely to repent for say they God gaue Iesabell space of time to repent and therefore shee had power to repent or else the giuing of that time vnto her had bene in vaine Answ. Their reason is nought it followeth not because God gaue her time to repent therefore she had power of her selfe to repent as will easily appeare if wee consider the ends for which God giues men space time of repentance and commandement so to do The ends are two I. That in that time of repentance which hee allotteth to men hee may giue his children grace whereby they may be enabled to obey his commandement and to repent for the Lord vseth the commandements and threatnings of the law and the promises of the gospell as outward meanes of giuing grace vnto men by the worke of his spirit II. He giueth commaundement and time to repent that men may see what they should doe not what they can doe and that the wicked may bee without excuse at the day of iudgement and be ashamed of their slauerie bondage vnto sinne in this life And shee repented not Here the sinne of Iezabell is expressed namely her impenitencie and hardnesse of heart Whereby without remorse shee liued in her fornication and idolatrie For the vnderstanding of this her sinne two points are to bee considered I. Where this sinne of impenitencie is forbidden in Gods word II. What is the greatnesse of this sinne for the first there bee two parts of Gods word the Law and the Gospell which must not be confounded but distinguished or else wee shall ouerturne manie points of Christian religion The law giues commandements touching things that were by nature in Adam before his fall forbidding those things which are contrarie to those vertues which were in his perfect nature But the gospell commands forbids things that are aboue nature and in that part of Gods word is this
that no man can haue fellowship with God but by Christ wee must not looke to haue immediate fellowship with God of our selues or by any other but by Christ God heares not God helpes not God saues not but by Christ nay God is no God vnto vs out of Christ. For first he is a God vnto Christ and then in him and by him vnto vs. Therefore if wee would call vpon God wee must call on him through Christ if wee would giue him thankes it must bee in and by Christ for in him onely are wee heard If we would know God it must bee by Christ for hee is the very engrauen Image of his Father in whom is manifeâ—â—ed the wisedome iustice and mercie of God in him dwelleth the fulnesse of the God-head and to conceiue of God out of Christ is to make God an idoll in the braine Lastly if we would receiue any temporall blessing from God it must bee in and by Christ as meate drinke and clothing For if wee receiue them from God out of Christ wee are but vsurpers of them and the vse thereof shall turne to our further condemnation Fourthly he saith I will write on him the name of the cittie of my God that is he shal haue the priuiledges of the kingdom of heauen We do all desire and looke for the inheritance of Gods kingdome after this life therefore heere wee must liue as citizens of Gods kingdome conforming our selues to Gods commandements abandoning all sin and so liuing in faith and a good conscience vnto the end that after this life we may assuredly perswade our selues we shall be made partakers of the priuiledges of this kingdoÌ„ Fiftly it is said this Citie of God is the new Ierusalem which commeth downe out of heauen from God that is by the preaching of the Gospel Hereby we are taught more carefully to seeke to attaine to the kingdome of God for behold Gods endlesse mercie herein our sinnes shut heauen gates against vs but by the blood of Christ he hath opened them and by the Ministery of the Gospell hee makes heauen come downe vnto men God therefore would not see vs damned hee hath made open away euen a new and liuing way whereby wee may come to heauen and escape hell God hath brought downe heauen among men wee must therfore with the people in Iohn Baptists time violently enter into this kingdom and striue to take it by force Matt. 11.12 Lastly hee saith I will write my new name on him that is I wil make him pertaker of that glorie and digniâ—ie wherewith I my selfe am glorified since my death and resurrection Marke this all that after this life must haue Christs new name must in this life become new creatures So Paul saith If any man bee in Christ he is a new creature And againe Neither circumcision nor vncircumcision auayleth any thing but a new creation Would we then partake with Christ in his glorie we must heere bee partaker of his grace herein standeth true Religion to become new creatures and not in bare knowledge and profession We must therefore put of the old man which is corrupt with sinne and be renued in the spirit of our mâ—â—ds putting on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse But if we content our selues with the Image of the olde man wherein wee were borne wee shall neuer partake of Christs glorie for this new name must be giuen to the new creature the old man and it cannot agree together Vers. 13. Let him that hath an eare heare what the spirite sayth vnto the Churches This conclusion hath been handled in in the former Epistles Vers. 14. And vnto the Angell of the Church of the Laodiceans write These things saith Amen that fathfull and true witnesse that beginning of the creatures of God Heere followeth the seuenth and last Epistle to the Church of the Laodiceans whereto is prefixed a commaundement vnto Iohn whereby hee is authorised to pen the same in these words And vnto the Angell of the Church of the Laodiceans write which hath beene handled before The Epistle it selfe hath three parts A Preface the substance or matter of the Epistle and the conclusion The Preface is this 14. verse wherein is set downe in whose name this Epistle is written to wit Christs who is heere described by two arguments I. hee is called Amen which is that faithfull and true witnesse II. He is the begining of the creatures of God For the first Amen is an Hebrew Aduerbe of asseueration signifying as much as verily truely or certainely This title is giuen to Christ the reason thereof is expressed in the wordes following which are a full exposition of the same Amen is that faithfull and true witnesse So that Christ is called Amen to testifie that hee is a witnesse a faithfull witnesse and a true witnesse which title was giuen to Christ in the 5. verse of the first Chapter where it was expounded and reasons rendred why hee is so called Vnto which title is heere added that hee is a true witnesse because hee speakes the truth according as euerie thing is in it selfe without errour deceit or falshood for that which hee receiueth from his Father is the will of his Father which is the Rule of all truth That we may come to the right vse of this Argument we must first search out the ends for which Christ is here called Amen that a faithfull and true witnesse which by the contents of the Epistle we may easily gesse to be these First to set forth himselfe vnto the Angell of this Church an example and patern of fidelitie in his Ministrie in the duties wherof hee had been slacke and negligent Christ therefore by his owne example would teach him without respect of persons to instruct the Church of God truely and faithfully How this dutie is to bee performed hath beene shewed before Chap. 1.5 And not onely to the Angell of this Church of Laodicea but also to all the Church and to all them that professe themselues to be his members doth Christ propound himselfe an example of two most worthy vertues Faith and Truth For the first Faith is a vertue whereby a man makes good all his lawful words promises oths leagues compacts and bargaines whatsoeuer so as his word is as sure as an obligation as we vse to speake Truth is another vertue whereby a man without fraude lye or deceit speaketh the truth from his heart that is necessarie to be knowne for his owne good the glorie of God and the good of others Wee therefore must set before our eyes this president of our Sauiour Christ As he is a witnesse yea a faithfull and true witnesse without any faming or falshood so let vs labour to shew our selues faithfull in all lawfull promises and true in all our speeches that so by these vertues we may be knowne to be like vnto Christ through our whole liues and conuersations Secondly
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