seeke to get one foot out of the graue of sinne and securitie And he had Here S. Iohn describeth him by his parts and the properties of euery part In his right hand seuen starres that is seuen Angels seuen Ministers of the seuen churches of Asia The Ministers are compared to starres first because as starres send out light to men on earth so the Ministers ought to giue light to men euen spirituall light by doctrine taught by them and by conuersatiō of life among them Secondly they be compared to stars because as the stars haue their continuall abode in heauen neuer descend downe so the Ministers of the word especially should haue their conuersation in heauen It is the dutie of all but more specially of the Ministers in regard of their callings first by seeking their owne saluation secondly by seeking the saluation of others by which two they must haue their conuersation in heauē though they haue their bodies in earth thirdly because they shall be honoured of God in heauen as the starres for Dan. 12. they which do their dutie they shall shine like starres in the firmament They be in Christs right hand that is all regiment and gouernement in matters of the Church belongs to Christ he alone hath the whole disposition and ordering of the ministery seeing he alone is head of the Church and the Ministers they be in his right hand he rules and raignes in his church he careth for it and looketh to it Seeing these starres be in Christs right hand this shewes that the choosing furnishing of the ministers of the word belongs to Christ Eph. 4. he giueth them their gifts and places then we ought in this last age to pray the Lord to send out laborers into his haruest that so his children might be gathered and an end made of these miserable dayes He holds these seuen starres in his right hand Whereby we see he giueth them defence and protection so long as they be faithful in their callings He carieth them in his right hand though they haue sundry discouragements yet seeing Christ he ordereth their ministery and disposeth of it if they be faithfull nothing should hinder their course nothing should cut them off from their duty neither the want of obediēce in them to whom they preach and labour not seeing that fruit they should nor the iniuries of the enemies of their profession nor any thing else Seeing they be in his right hand this sheweth the excellency of this calling of the ministery Idle men esteeme it most base accept of it as of a meane calling and so discourage many but in the sight of God it is an high and holy calling he carieth them in his right hand defends them and protects them Now what greater glory can there be then that they should be so honored to be borne and caried in the right hand of the King of heauen and earth though wicked men dishonour them esteeme so basely of thē This should stir those who haue good gifts to get this high and holy calling thus to be honoured of Christ. They must be vnblameable for seeing Christ carieth them in his right hand he will hold nothing but that which is holy and pure as he is but if it be defiled sinfull and wicked he will take it out of his right hand put it vnder his brazen foote and grind it to peeces and the more he had honoured them the more will he dishonour them By the same reason the hearers are bound to profit else they must drinke of the same cup for if the ministers be punished for not preaching then they for not hearing And out of his mouth c. In these words he describes him by the two last parts of his body his mouth and his face And in his mouth was a two edged sword c. By this two edged sword is meant the doctrine of the law and the Gospel vttered and propounded by the Prophets and Apostles and this two edged sword is described Heb. 4. 12. It is mightie in operation c. The doctrine of the law and the Gospell is compared to a two edged sword because as a sword with a double edge enters not onely into the flesh but to the bones yea euen to the marrow so the word preached it enters into the heart deepely to the diuiding of the spirits yea it enters to the very bottome of the heart it searcheth euery nooke and corner which is most secret The word hath a double operation one in the wicked another in the godly In the wicked this sharpe two edged sword of the word it wounds them at the heart with a deadly wound and so by the same wound brings them to eternall death Esa. 11. 4. He shall with his breath that is the sword of his word slay the wicked This is that sword that hath and will kill Antichrist Ob. But how cometh it that the word of God should wound or kill any how should it slay a wicked and vnrepentant sinner Answ. We must know there be three degrees of spirituall death The first is the separation of bodie and soule when the bodie is laid in the graue the soule conueyed to the place of torments The second is when a sinner in this life by the word is wounded and smitten and so receiueth in his heart a deadly wound The third degree is at the end of this life at the last iudgement whē soule and bodie shall go into hell fire for euen a sinner receiueth his deadly wound in this life which is the first steppe to hell and eternall death in the life to come In the inflicting and giuing of this wound there be three actions of Christ required which he worketh in the hearts of the wicked by the doctrine of the law and the Gospell The first is to reueale to them their sinnes all their pride rebellion hypocrisie the damnable corruptions of their hearts and all their sinnes against the first and second Table 1. Cor. 14. 24. 25. If in the Church all prophecie there come in one which beleeueth not he is rebuked of all because they iudge him an hypocrite and so the secrets and corruptions of his heart are laid open and discouered by the word preached The second action of Christ is this he after reuealeth to them the wrath and curse of God against sinne his indignation against the breakers of the law and for this cause the law is called the killing law because it sheweth iudgement without mercie for the transgressions of the law Thirdly Christ by the word preached sharpeneth the sting of conscience maketh it awake and terrifieth a man when he heareth or remembreth the word and the curse denounced against sinners So Felix when Paul preached to him of iustice and temperancie he fainted and trembled the word was a two edged sword of the spirit to wound his conscience with terrour and feare So Dan. 5. Beltashar seeing but an hand writing he
none excepted shall come and stand before the tribunall seate of Christ. This is a comfort to Gods children in that they being dead rotten in their graues shall rise and receiue their life and motiō and see Christ their Sauiour and Iudge of all men If a man should lie downe to sleepe and be told that when he rose he should see his dead father and mother or his dearest friends this would be a notable comfort to him that so he should inioy them againe but this should be a farre greater comfort to vs that we which lie dead and rotten in the graue shall be raised and enioy not our parents and friends but Christ Iesus the sonne of God which is our frind aboue all friends who shall giue vs 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 the last iudgement It shall be a terror to the wicked to all impenitent sinners who shall wil they nil they be brought to the barre of Christs iudgement seate and then looke on him who is their Iudge whom they had in their life contemned And this consideration may serue to moue vs to repentance which haue not begun to repent and to labor to becom the members of Christ. We think when we die all is done there is no harme to follow but though we lie rotting in our graues a thousand or two thousand yeares yet we shall rise and if we repented not we shall heare the sentence of condemnation and looke vpon our Iudge with our owne eyes Then it is best for vs now in the time of grace while we liue here to prepare that we need not feare to come to appeare and behold this Iudge No doubt if we were perswaded that we should thus appeare it would moue vs to repent Euery eye shall see him Then here we see that all men with their owne eyes shall looke on him and those who wanted them in this life shall haue them restored It is graunted of all Diuines that the elect haue all their senses and other defects restored and it is to be added that the wicked too they shal haue all their powers senses and faculties of soule and body restored the deafe shall heare the blind shall see this Iudge but this can be no glory to them seeing it is to increase their punishment for the more senses they haue they haue the more punishment because we iudge of things by sense Euen of those which pierced him This is added first to shew that we shal be freed No power or wisedom of any man or monarch can free vs from appearing for if any could escape then the Iewes and Gentiles who preuailed most against Christ in that they put him to death but none of these can escape his iudgement for euen they which pierced him they shall see this Iudge be 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 barre 2 To shew the case of all wicked men namely that such wo and misery befals them as they neuer dreamed of The Iewes and Gentiles they crucified Christ and put him to a temporall death but they neuer dreamed he should condemne them to eternall death 3 To shew the rufull and wofull estate of all impenitent sinners for these men shall haue their greatest enemy to be their iudge who will shew rigour vpon them and iustice without all mercy and this is meant not only of the Iew which pierced him but of all impenitent sinners because all such do by their sins as swords and speares wound him at the heart as the souldiers did These be as bad as the Iewes which pierced Christ as Iudas which betrayed Christ as the souldiers which goared his sides Out of these words some gather that the body of Christ hath still the wounds and scarres which here he had giuen him the print of the nailes in his hands and in his feete and that these shall be seene in Christ at the last day and say that it is no infirmitie to Christ to haue these but rather an increase of his glory but this cannot be gathered hence for though it be said They shall see him whom they pierced yet not as he was pierced And because they shall see him shall they see his wounds Many shall see Kings and Queenes whom they crowned in this world ergo as Kings and Queenes So we shall see our fathers mothers therefore as fathers and mothers so many shall see Christ therefore as he was wounded and pierced It is no good collection nor opinion And all the tribes of the earth shall waile for him That is before or ouer him Here is the fruit and effect of his comming especially in the wicked All the tribes of the earth S. Iohn he speakes here of the world as it was in the condition and diuision of the land of Canaan for before that time it was not diuided into tribes So Math. 25. setteth out the iudgement of the whole world by the separation of the sheep from the goates noting that they which repented not of what tribe soeuer of what estate or condition shall waile and mourne And he addes a reason of this for him before him or ouer him that is they shal waile and lament with exceeding lamentation because they beleeued not his word but contemned his doctrine and therefore now they want all helpe to free them from the punishment of their vnbeleefe and contempt of the Gospell If they shall mourne because they did not beleeue and receiue the doctrine of Christ and for that haue no way to escape then it is our dutie to labour aboue all things to be reconciled to God in Christ to get our sinnes pardoned to beleeue and embrace the word of God for vnlesse we beleeue and be reconciled when the last day comes there is no hope of helpe no way to escape no time of grace to repent If the doore be once shut we must stand without there is nothing then but horror of conscience for vs it will be a day to vs to make our eyes start out of our heads a day of all woe and misery Then it is great wisdome so to spend the time of grace in this life especially that we may get the pardon of our sins reconciliation with God in Christ to receiue and beleeue his will and word which if we do we shall haue no cause at all to waile and mourne but be glad and reioyce Then we must take heed the Diuell steale not out of our hearts this one lesson which is most necessary which he wil most labour for to do See what an euill conscience is it lieth asleepe here while a man liues it neuer troubleth him but in
man from euill actions and affections to renued affections and renued actions By this we see that the common description of repentance is not good in that they say it standeth in contrition which is sorrow and remorce for sinne which is no part of repentance but may be a cause of repentance godly sorrow indeed causeth repentance but is nothing of the nature of it 2. Cor. 7. 9. 10. Or else That is if you will not practise that remedie to wit renew your former loue and repentance I will come against thee or as the words be in the originall I will come to thee shortly The Lord cometh to a people two waies in mercie or iudgement in mercie he cometh when he testifieth his presence to them by shewing mercie as when Christ in spirit came to the old world and preached to them as Peter saith an hundred and twentie yeares Secondly he cometh in iudgement when he testifieth his presence in iudgement So in the second Commaundement I will visite the sinnes of the fathers that is I will come and inquire of the fathers sinnes whether they be in their children and will punish them So here if the Church of Ephesus repent not he will come to her to testifie his presence in iudgement not mercie Out of this first generall threatning we may learne this one thing when any people or Church liue in any one sinne or decay in loue to God his word and religion he then prepareth himselfe to come to them in iudgement Amos 4. 12. he will punish them because they returned not to the Lord but lay in their sinnes therefore he biddeth them prepare themselues to meete him This we must apply to our selues our Church and people for the sinnes of the Church of Ephesus be our sinnes we haue decayed in our first loue since we heard the word first we for the most part want loue to God and to man and besides these sinnes we lye in many fearefull sinnes Atheisme now abounds in iudgement and in practise contempt of the worship of God neglect and contempt of true religion crueltie oppression and want of mercie yet for all this what man is it that prepareth to meete the Lord So that he may iustly say we do decay in loue that it is most true of vs that the Lord hath bene long coming to vs for these sinnes in iudgement in plagues and punishments and so is he coming at this day it hangeth ouer our heads and if we continue still in sinne he will surely come Thus then seeing the Lord hath bene long coming to vs he would haue vs to repent if we will not no doubt he will come and that shortly and remoue his Gospell he will come in iudgements and punishments to destroy vs. The second threatning is more particular I will remoue thy candlesticke Here he sheweth in what particular iudgement he wil come to thē namely to remoue her candlesticke In the former Chapter he compareth the Church to a candlesticke then when he saith he will remoue the candlesticke he meaneth his word and Gospell take the ministerie of the word from her and so make her become of a Church no Church and hauing remoued the Gospell will in stead of it send ignorance and blindnesse If thou repent not that is if thou continue stil in thy sin In this second threatning note three things first concerning the minister secondly the Church and people thirdly euery priuat man First concerning the minister if he decay in loue to God his word and religion if he continue and lie in his sinnes or any one sinne that is a meanes to depriue him of his office and calling and of his gifts for this is especially directed to the Angell Ier. 15. end The Prophet failing in his dutie partly by feare partly by want of patience then the Lord he becomes a Prophet to Ieremy tels him that vnlesse he returne to the Lord and repent the Lord would make him no Prophet so that in him he speakes to all Ministers that if they would haue their callings and gifts to remaine they must not liue in any one sin decay in loue to God or religion for then their callings and gifts shall be taken from them As repentance is necessary for all men so especially for Ministers they must especially renew it seeing that is the onely meanes to continue their callings and gifts The second thing is concerning a church or people if any church or people decay in loue to God or his word or lie in any one sin they then procure the Lord to remoue his candlesticke to take from them his word the Gospel and true religion Ose. 9. 7. The Prophet is a foole the man of spirits is mad a heauy iudgement whereof comes this He saith for the sins of the people the Prophet is ignorant and becometh mad If this be so then we haue all cause to feare that our sinnes haue deserued the Gospell should be taken from vs for in most men there is great decay in loue seeing religion is hated and contemned of most men Therfore we must needs feare and the Lord for this must needs remoue his word take his Gospell away if we meet him not with repentance for he in iustice giues men to beleeue lies when as they will not receiue his truth and Gospell being so long among them Our dutie then is to seeke to preuent this iudgement by hearty and true repentance The third point concernes euery priuate man euery priuat Christian now a daies decayeth in loue to God and man lieth in some one sinne or other c. Now these are the meanes to depriue him of the light of the Gospell and his particular gifts For as a mans loue decayeth his knowledge decayeth and so the Gospell and the loue to it wax cold In a clock if the watch stand all the wheeles stand if it go softly or swiftly the rest of the wheeles go accordingly so if our loue be increased our knowledge is so if our loue decay our knowledge our vnderstanding in religion decayeth And this is the cause of so litle knowledge especially in auncient folke because they loose their loue Heb. 4. 12. First we are deceiued by sin secondly our heart is hardened thirdly we call into question religion 4. we set our selues against religion and so fal from it so that decay in grace is the first cause of apostacy Then if we would increase in knowledge and religion we must seeke to be cleansed from sinne not liue and die in any one sinne neither decay in loue knowledge or affection to religion Some gather hence that a man may fall finally and wholly for if a whole church may much more one man but the reason is not good for there is great difference between one man and a whole church for a church stands of a mixt company good and bad sheepe and goates corne and chaffe wheat and tares Now in the Church the wicked may
were excellent mē the seruants of Christ. Hence arise two questions first why some men be rather the seruants of Christ then other some secondly whether the seruants of Christ can be seduced For the first some say God would haue euery man in the world his seruant doth what he can to make them so he calleth them redeemeth them giueth them grace to be his children reconcileth thē to himself so that they may if they will be saued now some will not for all this receiue Gods grace but contemne his mercy though he call them redeeme them and giue them grace But this is against common sense to make Gods will in subiection mans will to rule to disgrace God and set man aloft to make Gods will to be ordered by mans will But the reason why some are the seruants of God not al is Gods good pleasure in electing some and reiecting others for he electeth not all to grace and glory but some onely and these be his seruants by reason of his owne good will and pleasure Act. 13. 48. As many as were ordained to life that is elected and redeemed of Gods free will and pleasure they beleeued The second question is whether a seruant of God can be seduced Answ. Seruants be of two sorts some are only in appearance some in deed and truth Those be onely in appearance which receiue the word and outward seales but not the inward fruite and these be in our Churches the greatest part these may fall away finally and wholly as did the Galathians and many other But those which be in truth the seruants of Christ though they may fall in part yet they cannot fall wholy or finally Mat. 16. the gates of hel shal striue shew their strength against that rocke of faith but shall not preuaile So we pray Leade vs not into temptation that is let vs neuer be wholly vnder the power of Satan Now what we pray for that we haue a promise in the worde for it and true faith and a constant purpose to liue in any on sinne cannot stand together for faith purifieth the heart and preserueth it in life and death ergo a true beleeuer cannot fall wholly or finally To come to the meanes of discerning them it is by committing fornicatiō and eating things offered to idols She made the seruants of God to sinne by these two sinnes and meanes which shewes she was a maintainer of the sect of the Nicolaitanes of whom I spake before And I gaue her space to repent Christ reproued the Church of Thyatira before for suffering her here he reproueth her for her obstinacy and hardnes of heart that she would not repent of her sinnes Time to repent That is though her sinnes deserued present death yet God suffered her to liue in the world a space of time to see if she would repent Now in her example he teacheth vs how to vse time whilest we liue in the world namely seeing it is giuen vs of God to repent in and so to come to saluation we must vse it so repēt while we haue time For that cause he lets some liue twenty or forty yeares for there is no repentance before we come into this world or after we go out therefore while we liue in it we must repent then we must thinke of it earnestly that we vse it to repent in that so we may be reconciled to God receiued to mercy and haue the kingdome of heauen Then damnable is the practise of our daies when men liue in eating drinking sporting carding dicing in spending their strength and wit in getting riches neuer thinking of the true end why they liue which is to repent and come to saluatiō but spend their time he giues them to repent other wayes The Lord might cut them off as soone as they be borne yet he suffereth them to liue to see if they will repent then if they runne on in sin they increase their damnation and do as a man should euery day cary a faggot for ten yeares to one heape and be burned himselfe with them at the end I gaue her Namely Christ gaue her time to repent no creature no man or Angel can dispose of the time of repentance but only Christ Iesus it is in his power alone when one must repent or not Then seeing it is not in our power it is best for vs to repent without delay while it is called to day The yong man takes his swinge because he is yong as though he could repēt in old age or when he list but he robs Christ of his honor for he alone can dispose of the time of repentance Then take the present who knoweth when the Lord will cut him off and then his estate is miserable We thinke a man may repent at the last gaspe but it is not good for a man to deferre seeing he may die quietly by reason of the sicknesse yet may die out of Gods fauour But to whom gaue Christ this time To her that is Iesabel a wicked woman Here we see the endles mercy of God in Christ Iesus he offereth mercy to Iesabel a leud wicked fornicator idolater a blasphemous wretch fathering her sinnes on the spirit of God yet she hath mercy offered So the Lord dealeth not in iustice to cut men off but giueth grieuous sinners time to repent So did he to Manaesses a wisard and idolater who humbling himselfe was receiued to mercy Salomon an idolater yet repenting was receiued to mercy for he was a pen-man of the Scripture ergo an holy man 2. Pet. 1. 20. Isay 1. The Iewes a sinfull people as ill as they which were in hel The Sodomites and Gomorrheans they had mercy offered if they would repent and though their sins were as red as crimson yet God would wash them as white as snow We may not hence take occasion to sinne but they which be grieuous sinners must not despaire if they can repent they shall haue mercy Of her fornication She had sundry sinnes especially idolatry which cannot want company for no sinne goeth alone Christ calleth her to repent for that one sinne of fornication because that was the most principall sin the head sinne of that woman teaching vs that when we repent we must begin with our greatest sins which most clog our conscience and by which we offend most Againe he which can repent truly of one great sin he repents of all if he hate the greater he will hate the lesser Then we in repentance must begin at the greater sin and repent in particular for it for confused repentance is not true as to say I am a sinner c. but repentance in particular for particular sinnes beginning at the head sinne which most troubleth vs that is true repentance Seeing Christ saith he gaue her time to repent hence the Papists gather free will namely to do good and to repent for else this admonition were in vaine But it followes not for God gaue
sends these iudgements as for other sins so for fornication Sodom was destroyed for this sin And euen in our time we haue plagues famin sword many sicknesses and that for this sin among the rest 1. Cor. 11. many were dead for this sin lest they shold come defiled to the Lords table Now followes the exception Except they repent Here we see all Gods iudgements and threatnings be with exception in the matter of saluation And seeing Christ ads this exception vnlesse they repent we see men of yeares condemned in the Church not so much for sin as liuing in sin without repentance Indeed the least sin makes a man subiect to condemnation but lying in sin that brings actual condemnation the wrath of God vpon vs so that if man commit sinne and lie in it he casts his soule away To commit sinne is not that which killeth vs but to lye in sinne for if a man sinne and after repent he shall haue mercie at Gods hands Secondly it is propounded in the midst of the threates for they go before this exception and come after Where we see God mingleth his mercie with iudgement he sheweth not all iudgement nor all mercie but tempereth them together Now in that the Lord will bring iudgement on them vnlesse they repent we see that repentance preuenteth temporall iudgement We haue had long peace and haue abused it to commit sinne now we must looke for Gods iudgements and we see the Spaniard as a weapon of God now the Lord may iustly bring him on vs. The best way to preuent this and al Gods iudgements is for high and low and all estates to repent and so the Lord will turne him away Of thy workes namely fornication idolatrie So we if we wil repent we must cease from our particular sins as the drunkard from his drunkennesse and to liue soberly c. For to say I am sorie and in generall to repent as many men do is but to make shew of repentance but men must leaue each sinne and do the contrarie vertue In the three and twentieth verse is the third part of this threatening I will kill her child with death that is such as be of her familie and her children in fornication not them which follow her doctrine but properly for they are reproued before I will kill It had bene sufficient to say so but he addeth I will kill with death for the certaintie largenesse and fulnesse of it not sparing them But the mother sinned shall the child be punished for her sake Ans. In temporall and bodily punishments it may be so not in eternall punishments Among men if the father be a traitor the Son is punished and beareth the shame then shall it not be equitie with God to punish the sonne for the fathers sinne in bodily punishment And though there were no reason to vs yet we should thinke it good with God But there is reason sufficient why the Lord should destroy cities and commonwealths and families which be linked together by the bond of societie and be members of the same familie Now if one member sinne the other may be punished as in the bodie if the stomacke be sicke the head feeleth it so when the father sinneth the sonne may be punished when the husband the wife when the Maister the seruant when the subiect the magistrate because of the mutuall relation and nigh bond of societie betweene members of the same familie citie or kingdome Is this so then parents had need to take heed how they sinne for they sinning may bring iudgments and death on their familie or their children Then are they cruell parents which liue in sinne not caring for their children but by their sinnes bring Gods iudgements on them and on their families Let then euery man in the societie where he liueth be carefull he sinne not for then he may bring Gods iudgement on the place especially if he be a speciall member as Ahab on himselfe and his children and Dauid on the whole people Then all such as will not looke to themselues but liue in sinne should be banished out of all societies vnlesse they will repent and be new men seeing they do what they can to bring Gods iudgements on that place where they liue Vers. 24. That all Churches may know that I am he which searcheth the heart and reines Christ hauing propounded his threatning here he goeth about to make it take place in them in Iesabell and her company by remouing of two carnall conceipts whereby they might thinke to illude and auoid Christs threatnings For first they might haue said Our practises and sinnes be secret not knowne to men therefore though God threaten we shall escape the iudgements of God but we are without the reach of them they cannot take hold of vs. But Christ in the first words cutteth off this first conception Thogh you may perswade your selues you shall escape iudgement seeing your sinnes be secret yet I search the heart and I will discouer them to all Churches they shall know that I search the heart that is I see and know the most hidden and secret thoughts and affections of the heart That all Churches Christ will discouer their sins not to all the world but to all Churches and this he speaketh to the end to terrifie Iesabel and her companie For as it is a great honour to be approued and esteemed of all Churches so it is a great disgrace and dishonor to be euill thought of by the Churches of God Mat. 18. That which is bound in earth by the church of God is bound in heauen by God himselfe so by proportion those which be euill thought of in Gods church and in disgrace of it they be in disgrace with God in heauen Seeing Christ speaketh this to terrifie Iesabel and her companie we must labour in all things to be approued and esteemed of the Church though we must approue our selues as much as we can to all yet especially to the Church of God and auoide all things which may bring any disgrace or dishonour to the Church for as it is a great honor to be well esteemed of the Church so it is a great dishonor to be il esteemed Ro. 16. 1. Cor. 1. the last verse Paule saith All the Churches salute you not that all Churches send commendations by word of mouth but to confirme and comfort them he saith all true Churches planted by him did approue of them Act. 16. Paul approued of Timothy and receiued him to him because he was commended and had the approbation of the Churches and brethren at Lyconium and Lystra So must we haue the approbation of Gods Church which is the approbation of God himselfe But what would Christ haue all Churches to know namely that I search the heart c. In which words by heart and reines is meant the same thing namely by reines is meant the thoughts and affections of men and by heart is meant so much as it
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
like a stocke I wil giue thē and make thē come therfore a man being effectually called he cannot either come or not come at his pleasure as though God did for his part offer man grace and will him to come yet he may refuse it and not come but if God call man cannot but come else Christ would not haue said I will giue him and make him come But they say Matth. 23. Christ saith to Ierusalem How oft would I c. but you would not Answ. He spake that not as he was God but as he was a Prophet or the Minister of circumcision to the Iewes Againe say they Act. 27. they resisted the holy Ghost Ans. That is the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets which was indicted by the holy Ghost not the spirit of God himselfe for no inferior power can resist a superior To come to the next Who be conuerted Namely a certaine synagogue of the Iewes at Philadelphia which said they were worshippers of Christ yet indeed were the synagogue of Satan and bond-slaues of the diuell Here we see not onely small but great and old sinners may repent and be saued Christ he died for all kinds of sinners great rebellious and obstinate if they can repent they may be conuerted and come to Christ. 2. Thess. 2. 26. they must waite for the repentance of those which were taken in the diuels snares so as he would wish them no surer Rom. 1. some were giuen ouer to a reprobate sense yet it is likely that some of them repented Then we see great grieuous and notorious sins may be forgiuen yet we must not abuse the grace of God to liue in sinne but gather comfort hence that though we be great sinners yet if we can repent there is mercie with the Lord no sin can hinder vs from Christ. We reade that Christ healed three sorts of dead men some when they went to the graue some buried and some which lay foure dayes and stanke as Lazarus did So Christ healeth all kind of persons he calleth men of all sorts euen them which lie stinking in sinnes and are almost rotten in them Then take the benefite of Christs exceeding mercie when he calleth thee to repent come and cast away thy sinne though thou be a vassal of Satan a man rotten in sin yet Christ hath mercy infinit he can heale and help thee and he came to call not those which think they be righteous but such as are penitent sinners to take them out of the Lions paw and to saue the lost sheepe of Israel Then abuse not this exceeding mercie but blesse his Maiestie for it and vse it as a meanes to repent to bring thee to newnesse of life to breake off thy sin and to make thee a liuely member in Iesus Christ. I will make them come and worship Now followeth the third point in the conuersion of a sinner namely the good fruites of their repentance and conuersion I will make them worship These words are expounded 1. Cor. 14. 25. where the children of God prophecying there cometh in an vnlearned man he falleth downe and worshippeth so here he will cause these wicked Iewes to come and fall downe and worship and adore the true God in the congregation of Gods church and people In these words note two fruites of conuersion the first concernes God the second the church of God and the members of the same For the first to worship God it is a true fruite of a conuerted sinner which no man can truly performe as he ought till he be conuerted to wit to worship and adore God in the companie of his saints people The natural man knoweth that there is a God that this God must be worshipped but to worship him as he ought it is a worke that none but he which is truly conuerted can performe Another may performe outward worship heare the word receiue the sacraments but true worship which is in the heart and spirit for God is a spirit that he cannot performe Now for the worship of God three properties are to be noted in these words first They shall come and worship not worship simply but come signifying that the true worship of God must be voluntary willing and cheerefull not of constraint or compulsion but as though there were no law or iudgment for them if they did not Psa. 110. they came freely not by compulsion Then we see how most men come short for men are not touched with loue of the word neuer or seldome come to heare it onely come to morning or euening Prayer because if they do not the law wil compell them These are no true worshippers of God for he cannot abide any worshippers but willing and voluntary And worship That is reuerence God with bowing the body or knee and this is the second property we must expresse our reuerence in conuenient and seemely bowing of the body or the knee Then we see this is not a thing indifferent but necessary to vse meete and conuenient gesture of the bodie in the seruice of God to bow downe and prostrate our selues our soule and bodie Esay 6. the Angels in the presence of God couer their feete with three wings and their face with other three testifying their reuerence and adoration in the worship of God So must Gods people worship him in soule and bodie c. But we come short in this dutie for whereas we should vse seemely and conuenient gesture of the bodie to shew our reuerence and humilitie we see many lie snorting and leaning on their elbowes others vnreuerently with their heads couered which ought to be bare for God is a God of soule and bodie therefore we must reuerence him with both Before thy feet This is the third propertie namely in the congregation of Gods people they shall prostrate themselues at their feet in hearing the word or prayer they must be humbled the pride of their hearts beaten downe be smitten with feare of Gods Maiestie and of their owne sinnes Act. 16. 29. The Iaylor ouer night put Paule into prison but in the morning finding all the prison doores open and thinking all the prisoners to be gone he would haue killed himself Now being thus astonished and affraid Paule preacheth the Gospell to him which before he contemned but now being smitten with feare of the Maiestie of God he heareth Paule willingly with trembling and cometh kneeling and crowching to him saying What shall I do c. And vntill a man be smitten downe with feare of Gods glorious Maiestie with sense of his iudgements for his sinnes and so come to humble himselfe he cannot be a true beleeuer of Gods will and word The cause why there be so few true professors and that all serue God with formall worship is because they were neuer cast downe they were neuer smitten with feare of Gods Maiestie neuer confounded for their owne sinnes for till these be in vs in some sort we cannot worship God we cannot
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
the affection of Christ which things I also hate that is not their persons but their errors Which thing I hate First he teacheth vs to auoide and dislike the least honour or approbation which can be giuen to idols for these Nicolaitanes did not honour idols or offer to them but came into their temples and inuited by their friends did eate of the meate offered to them yet Christ hateth their dealing shewing he wold haue vs to do the like This also condemneth the practise of the Church of Rome who say they worship not idols yet they kneele downe to the images of Christ and Saints adore them light candles and tapers to them offer to them hang costly iewels about their neckes cloth them with costly apparell and so do indeed farre more then the Nicolaitanes did therefore hath Christ cause to hate them much more This also teacheth men which trauell to take heed that they trauell not without any calling to see newes out of the limits of the Church as to Spaine and Italie for then they being out of the bounds of the true Church offer themselues to occasions which may bring them to idolatrie though they hate images for being in idolatrous places they must come into their temples and do as their maner is offer to idols and kneele downe to them which they cannot without some approbation whereas they should hate the least approbation or liking of them Then it is good for men which trauell to trauell within the Church and not out but by some speciall calling and necessitie Further by this Christ would haue vs to hate all familiar societie with idolaters A man may I graunt liue with Idolaters in a ciuill course of peace but not to haue a speciall kind of familiaritie and amitie with them Now as Christ hated their idolatry so did he their fornicatiō giuing vs example to hate fornication first because our bodies are not our owne but the bodie of a faithfull man or woman is the bodie of Christ he hath bought it therefore we must consecrate and dedicate them to honour him not Satan his enemy Our bodie and soule is the member of Christ at least by profession then we must not take the member of Christ and make it the member of an harlot Our bodie and soule is the house and temple of the holy Ghost therefore we must keepe them faire pure and cleane fit to entertaine such a guest but they which pollute themselues with fornication make them sties and stables for the diuell Repent quickely Hauing laid downe the fault of the Church of Pergamus and the errors of the Nicolaitanes here he sheweth the remedie to escape and after the remedie addeth two reasons to moue thē to practise the remedie the first cōcerning the whole Church of Pergamus the second the Nicolaitans In the remedie note first what repentance is secondly why it is so often prescribed by Christ to his Church thirdly to whom To repent properly is to change the mind from euill to good from sinne to God thus when by Gods grace a man hath this purpose in his heart not to sin as before but in all things wholly to do the will of God for euer But here repentance as commonly in the Scripture is taken more largely for all the duties which go with or are in repentance as first humiliation confession of our sinnes condemning our selues for them secondly inuocation for pardon of them thirdly reformation of life when a man purposeth and indeuoreth in his life to do the will of God But why doth Christ so often repeate and prescribe repentance to his Church Ans. Not because it is a meanes to procure or demerit saluation and reconciliation with God for onely the death and passion of Christ and his merits alone can do that but he calleth them often to this dutie because it is the most excellent fruite of faith Repentance of it selfe procureth not Gods fauour but it is a token of Gods fauour procured in Christ. Secondly because it is a path way wherein all men must walke which must haue pardon of their sinnes and life euerlasting But to whom doth Christ prescribe repentance Ans. First to the whole church of Pergamus secondly to the Nicolaitanes As for the Church of Pergamus the Ministers and people thereof Christ before had commended them for worthie graces they had repentance before yet Christ bids them repent still Now in that he prescribeth repentance still to a repentant people it sheweth vs that the whole life of a Christian is a continuall practise of repentance a daily and perpetuall repentance When one hath begunne and repented once that is not enough but as euery day addeth to our age so euery day for our new sinnes we must haue new repentance 1. Cor. 5. Paule desired them to labour to be reconciled to God Now 1. Cor. 6. they were reconciled alreadie and had true repentance noting that they must labour to haue their reconciliation more increased in regard of the certaintie of it and their daily offences and sinnes Now we must thinke that what Christ spake to the Church of Pergamus is spoken to vs and if we be in the like sin we must learne to performe the same dutie which they are commanded here Christ moreouer prescribeth this not onely to the Church of Pergamus but to the Nicolaitanes which held two damnable errors and as they held them no doubt they liued accordingly yet Christ biddeth them repent Then great and grieuous sinners are not barred from Gods mercie if they will repent Excellent is that of Esay Our God is much exceeding much in mercie Psalm 130. God is much in mercie plenteous in redemption no man which is a grieuous sinner but God offereth him mercie if he will repent and lay hold on it Among vs in this Church are many ignorant and euill people yet if these will repent the Lord offereth his mercie though they be as wicked as the Nicolaitanes as Iudas or Herode were yet Christ offereth his mercie and merite if they will lay hold on it Then let all such wicked men breake off their sins by repentance of their idolatrie blasphemie fornication and humble themselues with Iob in dust and ashes and they shall find mercie But we must not abuse Gods mercie to presumption but be sure that though thy sinnes be as scarlet or crimson or as scarlet which can take no other colour yet there is mercie in store to helpe thee if thou repent This doctrine may be taught to malefactors not to imbolden them in sinne but to assure them that if they repent at any time the Lord will heare them yea though a man fall often into the same sinne which is dangerous yet if he haue grace to repent Gods fountaine of mercie is not drawne dry but still he hath in store onely they must repent for if they looke to haue the merit of Christ Christ looketh to haue their repentance Else I will come against thee