quaketh for feare the word of God came into his mind and made his conscience accuse him and his knees smote together for feare So then by this we see how Christ killeth the wicked by reuealing their sinnes shewing the wrath and anger of God against sinne and sinners which repent not and the curse of the law and also by sharpning the sting of conscience to wound them and strike them at the heart and so they by this haue the first wound of eternall death Though the Lord may in mercie recouer them of this wound yet of themselues they be in the estate of death and vnlesse they repent they are in the first step to eternall death For those horrors and feares which come into a mans heart in regard of Gods wrath and iudgements seuered from grace are no grace but the first wound to eternall death vnlesse the Lord giue grace Seeing Christ carieth the two edged sword of the Spirit in his mouth whereby he woundeth his enemies with a deadly wound at the heart then when we see any which cometh to heare the word and after rebelleth stormeth and rageth against the same being wounded in conscience therewith we must not be displeased with it but pitie his case seeing he is wounded at the heart with a deadly wound and he in this case is in the first steppe to eternall death vnlesse the Lord recouer him of this wound In those Churches and places where the word hath bene long preached and the people remaine in blindnesse and ignorance and vnreformed we must in these take pitie on them seeing this is a heauie iudgement of God on them for these are wounded with a deadly wound by the sword of the spirit because the word hath bene long and often preached to them without profit and the word it neuer returneth emptie but either saueth or destroyeth woundeth or healeth them So that though men may liue ciuilly before men making a faire shew yet if they be vnreformed and liue in ignorance these are but dead men in the sight of God the word hath giuen them the first deadly wound therefore we must pitie their estate If we come into the field see an hundred men lye wounded and gushing out bloud some in the head some in the sides and some in the feet we cannot but be exceedingly moued so in the church of God many are vnreformed in obedience and repentance and though we cannot see their bloudie wounds with bodily eyes yet we may see them lye wallowing in the bloud of ignorance and securitie of impenitencie and wickednesse therefore we must pitie their estate for they be dead men indeed seeing they be not reuiued by the word in reformation of life and obedience for the word either quickeneth or killeth Seeing the word without grace killeth we must not content our selues with it but seeke to feele the worke of the Spirit peace of conscience and reformation of life by the word Let vs then by a liuely faith labour to apply Christ by the word to lay hold on him and his righteousnesse so that we can say we liue not but Christ in vs. But this word hath another action in the elect children of God which though it be manifold yet all tend to further and procure their saluation The first work of it in these is to wound deepely and to kill the corruptioâ— of mans nature in his heart with a deadly wound that it neuer recouer againe Yet though it wound a man it killeth not the person as in the wicked but onely the corruption of his heart and quickeneth the person to Christ killeth him in regard of rebellion and vnbeleefe We are sacrifices to be offered to God therefore we must be killed not in our bodies and soules but in our corruptions affections and rebellions That we may be killed the two edged sword of the Spirit is required which giueth our corruption the deadly wound and cutteth vp the root Since the second action after our conuersion change is this the word of God must cut and pare the remnants of our corruption by lessening and weakening of it daily Ioh. 15. As the husbandman cutteth loppeth and pareth off all branches that beare no fruite so the word of God cutteth and pareth away the remnants of corruptions in our hearts that so our hearts may bring foorth more fruite Thirdly the word of God serueth to keepe his people and children in awe and subiection and therefore Christ holdeth the scepter of the word in his mouth that though the wicked will not be kept in awe yet his elect may tremble and feare at the lifting vp of the same Amongst men if many be fighting let the Magistrate but hold vp the sword of Iustice euery man yeeldeth and putteth his sword into his sheath and shall not we much more cease from sinne and feare when Christ the King of heauen and earth holdeth out the scepter of his word And if any refuse to be subiect and to obey the Magistrate he is counted a rebell if men refuse to obey the scepter of Christ shall they not be so accounted So then by these actions we see the power of the word it killeth corruptions in our hearts pareth it and the remnants of it and it keepeth men in awe and subiection Yet it differeth in the wicked and in the godly in the wicked it maketh them feare and woundeth them to death destroying both soule and bodie in the godly it woundeth them indeed not in their persons but in the corruptions of their hearts It maketh vs fit to encounter with the diuell and to vanquish him in all his temptations if it be vsed with knowledge Seeing the word of God serueth to kill our corruptions we when we heare the word must receiue and beleeue the same not onely when it is deliuered in generall but applyed in particular though it touch vs and wound our hearts we must suffer it and reioyce in it for that is the first steppe to health to haue our corruptions ripped vp and touched When the sword of the spirit entreth to our hearts it will ransacke euery nooke and secret corner then we must reioyce in this blessing of God suffer it gladly seeing it is the onely meanes to come to life If one be sicke of a Fistula he will suffer the Chirurgeon to rippe and launce him to search euery part of the wound and shall not we suffer the Phisition of the word to display to lay open to ransacke and search the corruption of our hearts seeing that is the onely way to recouer health For we cannot liue to God till we die to our selues and to our sinnes we cannot pâ—ssibly die to our sinnes till our corruptions be destroyed and all our sinnes killed and wounded to death In his mouth Other Kings carie their scepter in their hands but he in his mouth to shew that no doctrine must be receiued of vs vnlesse it proceed from his mouth for he receiued his
to allow of those bookes for canonical which are not and to make them as pure Scripture which are onely Apocrypha And thou hast suffered In the former words were the first part namely of her seueritie for which Christ commended the church of Ephesus now followeth the second part which is after their discouery to oppose her self against false apostles how it will appeare in the particulars First of the words Thou hast suffered or as well thou hast borne as a burthen for the word signifieth to be pressed down vnder a great burden These burdens were troubles which these false apostles caused after they were discouered first open iniuries and persecutions secondly the spreading of damnable and hereticall doctrines The Ecclesiasticall histories report that these false apostles were such as Cerinthus Ebeon Marcion and such like Now in these words we note it is the will of God that euen the best church shall be troubled by false Apostles teaching hereticall doctrine and persecuting the church of God and so become great burdens to the church and that the Lord suffers for weightie causes first these false apostles must be that the beleeuers and true imbracers of the Gospel might be stirred vp more to embrace and loue the same as Iude exhorts the true beleeuers To fight for their common faith and the more religion is oppressed the more we should labour to maintaine it Secondly that professors might be proued and tried whether they be true and sound or not 1. Cor. 11. 19. There must be heresies c. Thirdly that God may exercise his indgements on the wicked and hypocrites for they be giuen vp to beleeue lies to receiue their false doctrine 2. Thess. 2. 11. Seeing the Lord suffereth his best churches to be troubled with false Apostles and that for most weightie causes we must not be offended because we see dissensions and scismes in the church which proceed not by reason of the Gospell but from wicked erronious and hereticall men for the Lord will haue such to liue in his church to make his owne seruants to loue him more to trie who be sound professors and to bring iudgement on the wicked these should not make vs discouraged but more to loue and embrace the Gospell Now after the dealing of these false apostles is set downe the dealing of the church of Ephesus against them in all things opposing her selfe against them Thou hast suffered and hast patience That is thou hast borne a burden by manifold troubles and persecutions and hast patience to beare them Obiect But how can troubles persecutions and patience stand together for troubles are against mens nature and makes them fret and be impatient against God man Ans. These stand together not by nature but by grace Rom. 5. 4. Tribulation brings patience And they stand thus together to him which truly beleeueth in Christ God giueth the spirit of meeknes sheds his loue in his heart so in the midst of trouble giues him a speciall tast of his mercie And thus in the time of trouble they which be most troubled are withal most patient so trouble and patience may be together And hast patience Here is the first way by which the church of Ephesus opposed her self against false apostles and their dealings which were double first iniuries and persecutions secondly false doctrines heretical and damnable teaching Now by patience she opposed her selfe to both these So the onely way to oppose our selues against persecutors such as iniury or wrong vs is patience whereby we stop their mouthes and if it be possible ouercome and winne them to Christ. This should be our meanes to oppose our selues against wicked men as well in life and maners as in iudgement and doctrine not to returne iniury for iniurie and wrong for wrong but to haue patience not that we should beare their sinnes but their wrongs And for my names sake hast laboured Here is the second meanes how she opposed her selfe against their spreading of damnable and hereticall doctrine which is the second way how they were a burden to her Hast laboured that is taken much paines for my name that is my glory and the Gospell of Christ for maintaining my glory and true Religon thou hast taken as great paines as they did to broach heresies and so thou hast opposed thy selfe against them Here then is our second way to oppose our selues against damnable heresies of wicked men we must labour to haue the true word of God to maintaine the glory of God and true Religion Is this so Then euery man shall labour for the name and Religion of Christ both minister and people for this labour is double partly of the minister partly of the people Concerning ministers the ministers first labour must be by studying and reading the word to furnish himselfe with sufficient knowledge in the foundation and substance of the Gospel of Christ. And for this cause S. Iohn Reuelation 11. must eate the booke that is by study meditation haue it in his hart and mind to digest it wel Psal. 2. 7. the Priests lips must preserue knowledge and the people must seeke it at his mouth Secondly he must deliuer the whole counsell of God concerning the matter of saluation to the people and the whole doctrine of the Gospell contained in the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles So did Paul Act. 20. He kept nothing backe but deliuered the whole counsell of God Thirdly he must be able to discouer and labour to discerne false teachers to the people not onely to know them but make the church to know them Tit. 1. he must conuince false teachers and then discerne and discouer them which he shall do by two things first by conuincing and discrying their erronious doctrine secondly by reprouing their wicked life So Christ noteth the erronious doctrine of the Scribes and Pharises in their misinterpreting the law secondly their hypocriticall life So Paul in all his Epistles noteth wicked mens errours and then their bad life Fourthly he must labour that the doctrine deliuered out of the Gospell may edifie and take fruite in mens hearts which is the end of all preaching and teaching 1. Cor. 14. Fifthly he must labour to be a patterne and president in his owne person of that doctrine which he teacheth that so they may haue his example to follow which is an excellent meanes to make them obey the word and the neglect of it is the cause why many contemne the word Sixthly he must make petition to God that his particular church may hold receiue obey that doctrine he deliuereth So Paul in all his Epistles praies for them that they may receiue his doctrine Now as the minister so the people also must labour for the name of Christ euery true member of the church must labour to know vnderstand that doctrine which is deliuered out of the word Christ bids vs beleeue the Gospel and repent therfore we must first know
is generally after he expoundeth this you namely to the rest of the Church of Thyatira to the whole bodie and Angell of that Church except Iesabel and her companie Where note Christ speaking to them distinguisheth betweene persons namely the Church and her Angell and Iesabel and her companie so sutably he giueth his doctrine to them Now he being the Doctor of the Church teacheth his Ministers what to do namely to distinguish betweene man and man doctrine and doctrine not to deliuer euery part of the word to all men but to deuide it aright to giue to euery person that which may be fit for him But how must the word be deliuered to mixt congregations where there be both weake and strong Papists and Protestants despairing and impenitent auditors Ans. We must imitate Christ we must distinguish betweene persons and sutably direct our doctrine to them Impenitent and hard hearted sinners must haue threatnings with exception of the penitent hard hearted must haue no comfort but iudgement with limitation to them which despaire these cōforts with limitation of them which be impenitent Now what is meant by this rest of them Christ sheweth And to as many as receiue not this learning Where he giueth two notes to know these rest by The first they which had not this learning which maintained not the doctrine of Iesabel and her companie The second note they which haue not knowne the deepnesse of Satan as they call it that is which haue not approued liked withstood nor giuen their consent to that depth of Satan that is that doctrine of Iesabel which they call and esteeme to be deepe and profound learning which these though they know it yet do not with knowledge approue it which Iesabel and her companie iudged profound learning beyond the doctrine of the Prophets Apostles Of the first note I haue spoken before In the second note we may marke a wicked practise of Iesabel and her followers they esteemed their owne learning highly profound but the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles that was no such matter an high conceipt of her owne false doctrine but a base opinion of true Apostolicall doctrine and this opinion hath bene in many heretikes So the Iewes hold that God gaue Moses two doctrines the first was the written law which was for the common people the second was a more secret doctrine which Moses had by reuelation and so conueyed it to the Iewes which they kept still in the Cabbala So the Papists thinke the written word but an inkie letter a dead letter or nose of waxe but the common consent in the heart of all Chatholikes that they take to be the true word of God contemning the written word in the Prophets Apostles So the Anabaptists they make the word of God written to be milke for euery nouice but the consent of the heart among themselues that is the strong meate Nay this opinion is in our Church for we preferre the writings of men before the word of God For if a man expound a text by the word gather doctrines according to the lawes of reason this we call simple preaching but if any bring in the authoritie of men as Saint Ambrose Augustine with Latine or Greeke this we take to be a learned kind of preaching which is nothing else but to magnifie the writings of men to thinke highly of them but to disgrace the word of God thinke basely of it Here Christ saith I grant it is a profound learning not of God but of the diuell Where we see Christ alleaging this saying of Iesabel doth it with a disgrace he saith it is deepnesse and profoundnesse but of the diuell yea Christ saith not it is profound indeed but that it is Iesabels speech as they say Hence I gather that Christian men cannot safely play stage playes and Comedies of heathen and prophane men for these be full of prophane and blasphemous oathes and wicked sayings against God and the morall law Now if Christ alleaging but one word of a wicked woman did it not without disgrace of her how can Christian men not onely speake but by iesture act heathen and prophane Comedies As they speake He addeth these words first to shew that the words he alleaged before were not his owne but Iesabels and her scholers Secondly to shew the proud and presumptuous mind of them in that they call their owne hereticall opinions profound learning which is a note of a false teacher to vse swelling words and great bragges to make a faire shew Iude vers 16. 2. Pet. 2. But the doctrine of God is in humilitie both of spirit and maner of teaching The Lord teacheth his will to the contrite and humble man Psalm 25. 14. Now followeth Christs counsell Though I lay no other burden on you yet I will haue you hold that still which I gaue you to the end This distinction cōtaineth two parts Though I lay no other c. in the foure and twentieth verse yet I will c. in the fiue and twentieth verse In the first part Christ saith Though I haue punished Iesabel left her on a bed punished her children and familie yet I will lay no burthen on thee but onely that I reproue thee for the suffering of Iesabel This Christ speaketh to comfort them and all such as giue themselues to maintaine sinceritie of life and of doctrine for these shall be saued from common iudgements and haue the Lords protection in commō afflictions though I punish Iesabel and her company yet when wicked men be punished in common destruction you which study to maintaine sinceritie of doctrine and life shall haue Gods protection in common iudgements Then it stands vs in hand to imitate thē to labor to maintaine sinceritie in doctrine to defend truth in life and conuersation to make conscience of all sin If we labour to obey the Lord in all things to keepe sincere hearts then in common iudgements though Iesabel and her company yea all wicked persons be punished it shall not touch vs we shall find Gods mercie and protection our punishment shall be onely reproofe for some defectiō in vs. But if we maintaine falshood in doctrine liue loosely not making conscience of sin then Gods iudgements shall take hold of vs and afflict vs. But that which you haue alreadie hold fast till I come After the preface followes the summe of the counsell of Christ to the Angell and Church of Thyatira which stands in a distinction though I will lay no burden on thee yet I wil haue you hold fast c. the first part is in the 24. verse the second part in these words as before I said That which you haue receiued That is that which my Apostles and Prophets haue taught you that doctrine of saluation they haue deliuered you hold that fast with both hands till I come to iudgement at the last day Before Christ commended this Church for not approuing the false doctrine of Iesabel but
surely there is cause why if one looke and view the bodie of our people as Osea saith there is no knowledge of God in the land euery man seeketh to follow his owne waies none cleaueth to the Lord seeketh to know and obey him Besides they are altogether carnall fleshly dead and drowned with the cares of this life none affecting things belonging to eternall life but all mens hearts are possessed with pleasures profits and preferments of this world Nay all men in generall lye in a dead sleep there is no sense or feeling in them a spirituall slumber hath wrapped all mens hearts in securitie and ignorance neuer thinking or considering of the iudgement to come neuer dreaming of the euill day though God preach daily by his iudgement to them Againe the contempt of the word and Gospell the prophanation of the Sabbath want of mercie and loue the cruelty which aboundeth in all men oppression whoredomes fornications these be the sinnes of the people now in our daies rife in euery place these are common sinnes calling for vengeance which will come vndoubtedly vnlesse we repent so that Christ cannot speake to vs as to this Church but in a contrarie voice But though this be the common estate of most men yet Christ he hath a remnant who lament and mourne for the sins of the land who are grieued with the abhominations of the world and these need not feare but they must take to them Christian fortitude courage lay aside al feare of danger of al that man can do and boldly vndergo all crosses and afflictions euen to death to maintaine faith and a good conscience to the end That they may do this let them first consider that they which feare distrustfully must haue a miserable portion in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Reu. 21. 8. therefore for feare of this reward let vs go on fearing nothing 2 They must consider Gods presence he is by them readie to protect and defend them his Angels pitch their tents about them Psalm 34. 12. 2. King 6. Elishahs seruant seeing in Dothan an huge armie which beset him and his maister he saith Be not affraid for they which be with vs be more then these against vs. He was fully perswaded of Gods presence and protection and that Gods Angels would defend and guard him so should al men in danger they must beleeue and perswade themselues God is present he hath his Angels pitching their tents to defend and protect his children 3 Gods children must consider in perill that it is an honorable thing to suffer for Christs sake and it is a happie thing to suffer for the Gospell of Christ. Paul he accounted it his chiefe honour nay he reioyced in nothing so much as in his sufferings for Christs sake Then if suffering the crosse for Christs sake be such an honourable thing we must lay aside all feare and by Gods grace arme our selues with Christian fortitude and courage to vndergo all crosses afflictions whatsoeuer But those which are not touched with the present day of miserie nor haue not this perfect fortitude they must lament and howle lest the euill day take them vnprouided The next part of Christs counsell is a prediction or prophecie of the afflictions which this Church must suffer But before he propoundeth the afflictions he setteth a word of attention Behold By which he teacheth them and in them vs that it is our dutie often to thinke and consider of the time of affliction before hand to meditate of Gods iudgements and corrections before they come lest we perish in them For Christ Luk. 19. he came to Ierusalem and wept ouer it and foretold the iudgements to come and the cause was because she knew not the day of her visitation because she would not think of her iudgement and affliction to come therefore Christ forotels and shewes her final destruction Let vs take heed lest it fall out with vs as it did with them It shall come to passe By this Christ shewes he is true God For he which can foretell all future things in particular though they be contingent he is God for that is proper to God but Christ foretels their particular affliction to come ergo he is God Ob. But the Phisitian can foretell the death of his patient the Astronomer the eclipse of the Moone to come Answ. They do so but by meanes the Phisitian foretels by the causes and signes he seeth in the partie by which death is in â—ort present so the Astronomer by the naturall course of the heauens can foretel an eclipse by the courses and signes of it in which the eclipse is present but without these signes and causes they cannot simply but Christ without any signe or cause simply foretels this affliction in particular to come to the Church of Smyrna Christ describes the affliction first by the cause namely the diuel secondly the persons some of you thirdly the kind imprisonment fourthly the end to trie you fifthly the time ten dayes For the first the cause it is the diuel Ob. But how can he afflict them seeing he is a spirit and dealeth not with the bodies of men Ans. He is indeed a spirit and ruleth in the aire he is the god of this world he ruleth in the hearts of wicked men he ruleth guideth and gouerneth in them directs their thoughts wils affections so as he stirres them vp moues and caries them to persecute the children of God to cast them in prison Now in that the diuell is the author of persecution we see of what spirit those be which persecute the Church namely men inspired by the diuel moued and ruled by him notorious wicked wretches which haue Satan for their king and ruler For this cause Paul saith he was the chiefe of sinners seeing he was caried by him to persecute the church of God Let then all men take heed of this for he which persecutes the Church for religion in word or action he in that action is the vassall of Satan led and ruled by the diuell and the diuell in that action vseth him as his instrument Satan is the chiefe and principall agent he is his slaue to do his will and is as a souldier vnder his band Againe learne we to take pitie on all such persons seeing they be possessed by the diuell led and moued by him yea euen to pray for our persecutors Furthermore the weapons we must haue to defend our selues in persecution are not temporall but spirituall seeing our enemy is a spirit we must vse inuocation and praier fasting and humbling our selues by which we shew our faith repentance and obedience to God By this weapon of prayer Elias is called the chariot and horsemen of Israel this is a most excellent weapon And if the Lord should send a forreine enemy among vs then is indeed the souldier to be vsed but our principall weapon must be prayer that must be our chariot and horsemen the
owne kind as if he should say You are a people exercised in buying and selling and are delighted with nothing more therefore come I haue wares for you of sundrie sorts gold garments and eye-salue buy of me Then the word buy must not be vnderstood properly for so we can buy nothing of Christ but all is giuen vs. This is said onely by way of resemblance and I will shew wherin it standeth The principal things in bargaining are these first a man that is to buy seeth his want desireth to haue it supplied secondly he cometh to the place where it may be had calleth for it looketh on it and liketh it thirdly he maketh the price and value of it he cheapeneth it fourthly he giueth money for it or moneys worth and so buyeth it fiftly if it be a great summe he giueth earnest in hand So by a certaine proportion and resemblance there is a kind of bargaining between vs and Christ. For a man must feele himselfe to stand in need of Christ and of his merits and so see his owne want and miserie For because men see want of bread meate drinke and cloth in their houses therefore they go to buy of the baker brewer butcher and draper c. Well then looke how sensibly a man feeleth the want of these things so euidently should we feele our want of Christ and his merits And as the feeling of our want is the beginning and occasion of our going to buy so it should be in this our merchandise Againe we should hunger and long after Christ. As a buyer taketh liking of and longing for that he wanteth and is thereby stirred vp to buy so besides the sense of our want we should hunger and thirst after Christ. Besides we must prize Christ at so high a rate that we count all things else as drosse and doung as Paule counted most excellent things no better we must value him aboue ten thousand worlds Lastly we must make an exchange How seeing we can giue him nothing but his owne therefore he saith Come buy without money Simon Magus would haue bought him for money and was deceiued Yet there must be an exchange we must giue him all our sinnes and receiue his righteousnesse See here a most blessed exchange for our shame and confusion we haue Christs righteousnesse and his merits How Thus when we begin to humble our selues and pray for remission and reconciliation then this change is made Though we can giue him no earnest yet he giueth vs earnest What is that It is some portion of Gods spirit some small measure of his grace that is our earnest that we shall haue the kingdome of heauen And thus heauen is bought and sold betweene Christ and vs. When the heart mourneth for sin and praieth for pardon and purposeth to sin no more this is the worke of Gods spirit in vs and the earnest of our eternall saluation in heauen Be our graces neuer so few or small it is a sufficient earnest as a penie is for a bargaine of a hundred pound Seeing all these things concurre to the receiuing of Christ therefore he calleth it bargaining So this point is plaine how this spirituall bargaine is made and why it pleaseth Christ to terme it so Now we see that we are commaunded this dutie but how stands the case with vs Surely though many come to Church few make that bargaine which is mentioned we are like passengers by sea which see many goodly buildings fruitfull lands soiles and sumptuous cities but they make no purchase of them so we come and heare the word but where is the partie that makes this bargaine with Christ Come to particulars I appeale to all your consciences who almost feeleth or seeth his owne want and miserie Men can soone see the want of necessaries in their houses but this they cannot see And as for the desire of Christ and longing for him there is none When you are drie or hungrie you can say you are drie and hungrie but who saith I thirst for Christ If we looke to our estimation of Christ we are plaine Gadarens and of Esawes mind we set more by a messe of red pottage and esteeme the basest things aboue Christ and his merits nay we are loth to part with our sins and to take his righteousnesse we will rather keep them stil then change for the better Who taketh Christs righteousnesse and declareth it by fruites We can be content to loade Christ with our sins but we wil not be loden with his righteousnes Is this a good change No it is not Euery man can say he must rise betimes which shall go beyond him in base and earthly bargaines but who hath regard of this excellent and heauenly bargaine Then to conclude I pray you al make this bargaine with Christ and do it presently let it be your first worke You are carefull to put your children to good trades and you do wel but be as carefull that they may make this bargaine and you shall do much better This is the cheapest and the best bargaine that euer was made it will make you and yours rich for euer as for other bargaines many cannot get them and many loose them when they haue gotten them this onely is durable Verse 19. As many as I loue c. We haue heard a sharp reproofe and as sharp a threatning by which because they might take occasion to doubt and despaire of Gods mercie and fauour in Christ Iesus therefore now he takes away all occasion in the 19. and 20. verses First thus If I vse to rebuke and chasten all that I loue then you need not doubt of my mercie albeit I rebuke and threaten you so This I take it is the proper occasion of these words Now see the meaning I loue Christ loueth the creatures two wayes first as a Creator secondly as a redeemer As he is a Creator he loueth them with a generall and common loue whether the creatures be reasonable or vnreasonable As Redeemer he loueth them with a speciall and peculiar loue not cōmon to all but to that part of mankind onely which is elected and chosen to saluation And of this last loue he speaketh here as if he should say As many as I loue communicating with them my righteousnes and life eternall I rebuke The word hath a larger extent and signification first to conuince one of a fault and then to checke or reproue the person and it cannot well be rendred in one English word And chastice that is with such a kind of correction which a father vseth to his child which is called nurture to breake a child of his fault and to teach him obedience and so it is vsed Prouer. 3. 12. whence this text is borrowed The meaning then briefly is this All those persons whom I loue I conuince of their particular faults and rebuke them and like a louing father I chastise them and nurture them to breake them of their vices
and bring them to amendment Now for the vse of these words Christ sets downe his ordinarie dealing with his seruants which is by reproofe and chastisement and diuers visitations for this very end that he might conuince them and correct them Euery member of Christ must come vnder his rod therefore looke for it yea marke further Christ layeth vpon all his seruants afflictions in diuers sorts according to the diuers dispositions of mens natures such as will hardly be broken of their faults he laieth vpon them more sharp punishments where men are easier to be amended there he vseth milder correction The vse of this is two-fold Prouerb 3. 12. the first is despise not the Lords chastisemēt for it is a token of his loue whēsoeuer he reprooueth or afflicteth thee by visitations and crosses make not light account but make profit of it The second is faint not arme thy self with patiēce because it is the Lords maner to chastise those that he loueth and so many chastisements so many pledges and pawnes of his loue towards his seruants By this Christ is an example to all parents and gouernours they must giue tokens of loue in necessarie corrections that their children and seruants may be brought from their misdemeanure for this end chastisement should be vsed It were to be wished that all parents and maisters did vse to giue correction thus but our case is lamentable in this respect Men thinke it enough to prouide foode and raiment for their houshold all their care is for the bodie only and they neuer seeke to reforme their misdemeanours in life This negligence brings many sinnes with it and pulleth many iudgements vpon vs. So much for the second point Amend Againe marke the order of the words Rebuke and chasten Here we haue a necessary instruction seeing Christ first propounds a direct end of his chastisement that is their amendment which that he may the better effect first he conuinceth them secondly he reprehendeth and thirdly chasteneth them and all these tend to our amendment A worthie and excellent order and to be followed of all gouernors they must propound a good end of all chastisements first the good of the partie chastised then they must vse this order first a conuiction of the conscience by the word of God secondly reprehension thirdly correction if the two former wil not serue Which being so you see how they ouershoote themselues that make correction serue for nothing but a meanes of reuenge an action of choller and rage without any purpose to better the partie Whereas this order vsed would reforme the person and stop many vices and nip them euen in the head to some it is as good as meate and drinke to be fighting and brawling Be zealous Here is a remedie for luke-warmnesse In the eight verse they had a remedie for pride now he maketh a plaister for luke-warmnesse Here first marke how these words depend on the former Christ had said Whom I loue I vse to chastise according as their faults be greater or lesser therefore seeing I haue corrected thee repent Where we are taught the vse of all reproofes admonitions and visitations the speciall end of them is to driue vs to amend As oft as the Lord doth either by word reproue or by deed correct vs it is to shew that we must repent and amend therefore whensoeuer you are visited say the Lord summons you to repent take an occasion by the visitation of further reformation yea know it that so many afflictions are so many sermons of Repentance to make you grow and increase in faith repentance and obedience Now that we may the better vnderstand what this commandement Be zealous meaneth diuers points are to be handled first what zeale is Zeale is an affection that is compounded of two affections loue and indignation or sorow therefore first we must loue Christ aboue all things if we will be zealous secondly we must be grieued and angred when Christ is dishonoured Loue of religion and griefe for the want of good successe therof will make men zealous We haue an example in Christ Ioh. 2. 17. where thus much is signified that his loue to his father was so great that the heate of his indignation had almost consumed him he preferred the accomplishment of his Fathers will before all In the second place note the diuerse kinds of zeale good that is true or bad that is counterfeit To a good zeale there is required first true faith secondly repentance thirdly knowledge As for faith it is the very root of good zeale for as Paule saith Loue is from faith vnfained 1. Tim. 1. 5. Now zeale is an affection compounded of loue and faith And as for repentance we see that zeale and it are conioyned in this place Iehu indeed was zealous but because he repented not but liued in the sins of his predecessors it was no good zeale And for the last we must know that zeale without knowledge is but rashnesse And thus you see how to distinguish true zeale from counterfeit euen by the companions of it Now further by the fruites it may be discerned First it compelleth a man to please God in all things it will enforce one ouer-rule and maister him 2. Cor. 5. 13. Whether we be out of our wit we are in it vnto God c. The very loue of Christ and his Gospell inforced him that he could not but preach So wheresoeuer this true zeale is in any measure it will make a man that he cannot but do his dutie It will burst foorth and find an issue like a flame as Elihu said he could not containe his belly would burst Secondly It will make a man indeuor to obey God with all his heart strength power Example Good king Iosia turned with all his heart Dauid prayed with grones vnspeakable according to the multitude of thy mercies c. and so goeth on maruellous earnestly and feruently he prayed not slackly and coldly but with all his force and power from the heart for pardon and reconciliation And so when he gaue thankes he saith My soule praise the Lord and all that is within me c. Psal. 103. 1. Thus you see what be the fruites of zeale and what it is to be zealous In a word then it is this to haue our hearts enflamed with a loue of Christ and his word aboue all things and to be exceeding angrie when it is disobeyed enforcing vs to do our dutie with all the strength we haue Now to end this point we heard before that lukewarmenesse in religion is our sinne generally throughout the land our zeale is cold and our profession but formall How shall we reforme this Become zealous beare a feruent loue to religion loue Christ aboue all and be grieued when you see him dishonored or his word disobeyed and false worship established Away with this slacknesse in religion otherwise it had bene better you had bene of no religion then to be neither
he vsed meanes to enter when they had barred him out Marke the vnspeakeable mercie of Christ they by their sinnes stopt Christ from entring yet he pursueth them with mercie and offereth mercie to them that refused it and contented themselues to lie and liue in their sinnes When Adam had sinned and fled from God the Lord sought him out and made a couenant of grace with him So Esay 65. the Lord saith he was found of them that neuer sought him they that neuer dreamed of mercie sound mercie In the parable of the lost sheep that sheep which was left as a prey to the wild beasts Christ sought it vp and brought it home All these places tend to one end to shew the infinite mercie of Christ. This is true in all churches yea in this of ours If we haue mercie we haue it before we seeke it nay when we refuse it as much as in vs lieth This should be an occasion to stirre vp our hearts to magnifie Christ for his mercie we should not let passe such considerations as these but rather breake out into praise of Gods loue and mercie which is a bottomlesse sea Quest. It may be demaunded how he knockes Answ. The words precedent shew the sense for these words haue relation to them He said before he would spue them out then he giueth them counsell Now by so sharpe a rebuke they might haue despaired therefore he shewes that by this threatning and rebuke and counsell he knockes that they might perceiue they were not tokens of wrath but of mercie So then this knocking is nothing else but the reproofe threatning and counsell vsed before He knocketh when it pleaseth him to make men see their sinne by such things Here then we are to marke the state of al people which haue the ministerie of the word they haue Christ among them and he standeth at the doore and knocketh at euery mans heart All threatnings of the law reproofes of sin exhortations admonitions and promises they are so many knockes of Christ. A great vnspeakeable mercie that the King of heauen and earth should do this Now then doth Christ knocke thus by preaching promises and threatnings c. then we must not be so dull dead and backward but shew more zeale If any man of great place and calling knocke at your doores what stirring is there that you may receiue him as is meete Then what a shame is this when Christ vouchsafeth to deale thus mercifully with vs Againe in that Christ cometh by the ministery of the Gospell to work our conuersion it serueth to admonish vs to turne with all speed for we know not how long he will stand and reach forth the hand of his ministerie to beate vpon our hearts Marke further this knocking is not a light and soft kind of knocking but it goeth with crying he both knocketh and crieth it is an earnest knocking of one that would faine enter Seeing then Christ standing at the doore of mens hearts knocketh so earnestly to saue mens soules we againe ought to be earnest to receiue and embrace the Gospell He knocketh in good earnest and we must accordingly by Gods grace be as earnest So much for the first token of Christs loue his desire of their conuersion which he sheweth by two signes first his waiting secondly his knocking and that ioyned with crying If any man c. Now followeth the second token namely a promise of fellowship with them after their conuersion These words haue bene much abused therefore I wil stand a litle to set downe the meaning Marke the forme of speech it is such as seemeth to giue a man an action in his owne conuersion whereby he comes and receiues Christ. So it attributes to mans will an action as if he should say I for my part stand and knocke if therefore any man heare c. This may seeme strange that such an action should be attributed to a mā that is dead in sin But this speech is vsed for iust cause for in the conuersion of a sinner there be three agents first the holy Ghost secondly the word thirdly mans will The principal agent and worker is the holy Ghost which changeth the mind and will from euill to good the will by nature willing nothing but that which is against the will of God Secondly the word which is an instrument of the holy Ghost for he works not now ordinarily by reuelation or speciall instinct and inspiration but when a man is reading or hearing the word and applying it to his heart then the holy Ghost workes in and by the word that being the power of God to saluation frō faith to faith Thirdly the wil though it be dead by nature can do nothing of it self yet when the holy Ghost begins to moue it it moues it self and striues to be altered whē God moues it We must not think mās wil is like a peece of wax which hath no actiō but only passiuely receiues and impression but the will being disposed moues and stirres it selfe Euen as fire so soone as it is kindled it burnes and as soone as it burnes is fire so when God hath once giuen grace the will moueth the mind seeth and acknowledgeth sin and the will inclined by the holy Ghost begins a strife against sin and makes a man endeuour to please God so much as he can So the will in the very first conuersion hath his action though not by nature but by grace Now considering these three actions concurre in the conuersion of a sinner hence it is that actions are ascribed to sinners which are to be conuerted as here and in manie other places not that they can do any thing of themselues without Christ but when they are wrought vpon by the holy Ghost Thus a man hath a free will in his first conuersiō by grace as fire hath some effects of fire so soone as euer it is kindled therefore it is said Repent and beleeue to impenitent persons not because they can do it of themselues but because when it shall please the holy Ghost to worke it in their hearts by the word they can turne and vse good meanes This is the cause why the holy Ghost ascribes an action to such persons when God giues grace to receiue Christ then it receiueth Christ when God opens the heart by that grace it is enabled to receiue Christ. This being the true meaning of these words let vs see how this text hath bene abused first by Papists which gather hereupō that a man hath free will in his conuersion by nature that he hath and that is the faith which sets open the heart wide to receiue Christ. Thus if you shall humble your selues and acknowledge your vnworthinesse and lay hold on Christ with true faith and testifie it by feruent loue to Christ and his members then shall your hearts be open indeed and you shall receiue Christ. Thus much for the true meaning of the condition It followeth I