is plaine in the old new Testament But how can these signifie thoughts and affections seeing thoughts be in the braine affections in the heart neither of them in the reines Ans. By resemblance for as the reines be in the most secret and inward parts of the bodie so thoughts be in the most hidden part of man namely his soule So thoughts are said to be in the heart because they haue operation in the heart though they be placed in the brain Search that is with such circumspection and diligence as bringeth the finding out of that we seek By this is signified that Christ seeth not onely the outward actions but the inward affections and motions nothing the most secret is hidden from him We see by this Christ is not onely man but very God for he which hath the true propertie of God is very God Christ hath ergo He which is God alone can search the heart the thoughts motions and inclinations of the heart but Christ can therefore he is true God one person consisting of two natures the Godhead and manhood Againe seeing Christ discerneth the heart we must in all things take heed of hypocrisie especially in matters of religion when we seeme to be that outwardly which indeed we are not inwardly but we must looke that we be that in truth and in heart which we would seeme to the world to be draw nigh to God with our souls as we do with our bodies lips words and actions For Christ is very God seeth and searcheth our hearts thoughts and affections he looketh not so much to the outward as the inward seruing of him we must worship him in spirit seeing he is a Spirit Besides we must suspect our selues for vnknowne sins for such is the depth of our corruption that we cannot sound the bottome of it neither can we thorougly see the pronenesse of our nature to sinne and corruption Therefore we must suspect our selues euen of all sinnes which we know not and not excuse any sinnes So did Dauid Psalm 19. after earnest search as though he had said Lord I haue searched my heart but I cannot sufficiently know mine owne corruptions therefore O Lord forgiue me all mine vnknowne sinnes And if we could thus suspect our selues we would better practise repentance and liue with greater care but ignorant persons not able to search their corrupt hearts they blesse themselues and excuse themselues nay say they can keepe the whole law Now Christ hauing cut off the first corrupt cōceipt preuenteth the second wherby they might hinder and auoid his iudgement for they might say though the Lord send iudgments yet we shall be safe they shall not come nigh vs. Thus they and euery sinfull man doth say Esa. 28. They in common iudgement make a league with hell saying Gods iudgements shall not come nigh them This is a naturall corruption of our hearts that in common iudgement we shall escape and euery man liketh this Now Christ to cut off this corrupt conceipt saith And will giue as if he had said you may flatter your selues thinke when I send iudgement you shall escape but I will giue to euery one none excepted according to his workes therefore flatter your selues no more I will giue That is I will reward partly in this life and partly at the day of iudgement for it is meant especially of the last iudgement Rom. 2. Reu. 20. Hence the Papists gather that men must be saued not onely by faith but workes seeing God will reward good workes Ans. 1. Their reason standeth thus by that we are iudged by the very same thing we are saued but we are iudged by workes therfore saued by works The flat maior is false for we must distinguish betweene iudgement and iustification To iudge is to declare one iust by his signes as his workes to iustifie is to make a man iust in which we consider nothing but Christ and our faith applying him to vs. So then we are iudged by workes but not iustified neither saued by workes Answ. 2. Christ saith not I will giue for their workes but I will giue them according to their works as their workes be not for them where he maketh workes an outward signe and rule according to which he wil frame his iudgement to declare men iust Seeing euery man must be iudged that is saued or condemned by his workes then good workes are necessarie to saluation for we must be iudged by our workes and saued according to our workes therefore they be necessarie not as causes either efficient or helping any waies but as fruites effects and signes of our faith and markes in the way to heauen which must direct vs to eternall life Seeing we shall be iudged in this life but especially in the last day by our workes we must labour to abound in good workes not to winne heauen by them but to assure our selues we belong to Christ and shall be truly vnited to him Now all good works are either the works or duties of the morall law of God or else they be those workes of our calling both generall as we be Christians or particular in that calling God placeth vs done in faith and loue to Gods glorie the good of others and in obedience to God These be good works to God though the calling be neuer so base for which we shall be rewarded and according to which we shall be iudged and saued Now contrarily euil works they be euident signes of condēnation look how many euil works we do they be so many brands and markes of our soules to shew we be the children of Satan Here we see there are degrees of glorie in heauen and of punishment in hell for he will reward euery one according to his works Then they which haue abounded in good workes they shall haue greater measure of glorie the fewer works the lesser glorie so they which haue committed greatest sinnes they shall haue greatest measure of punishment they which lesse lesse punishment in hell fire And vnto you I say In this foure and twentieth verse he cometh to the second part of his counsell to the Church and Angell of Thyatira that is the better sort of the Church But before the counsell he setteth a preface in which preface note first who speaketh secondly to whom For the first who speaketh namely I. Where Christ as doctor of the church challengeth to himselfe all supremacie and sufficient authoritie ouer the Church for all his Ministers come in his name not in their owne The Lord saith or Christ saith But Christ he comes in his owne name I say Noting he is the head Doctor and teacher of the Church the fountaine and head of all doctrine deliuered to it This Christ saith to smite a reuerence in their harts seeing this counsell is not deliuered to them by any man or Angell but by Christ himselfe who deliuered it to Iohn For the second to whom he giueth counsell namely you that
of great superstition S. Iohn would not haue left all companie of men but that he was compelled to leaue thē then the life of those which voluntarily leaue all companie of men liuing in cloisters and secret places cannot be a life of perfection but of all imperfection man is borne to do good to others Seeing S. Iohn was banished and here receiued his visions we see that those which honour God he will honour them For S. Iohn was banished then which what could they do more to hurt him Yet then because it was for Gods cause God doth most honour him in reuealing to him these visions So when Ioseph was sold of his brethren and most dishonoured of them then God exalted him The same may be said of Daniel who when he was most dishonoured of men then the Lord exalted him aboue all other men and the same is true of all Gods children they which honor him he will honour them 2 The cause for which he came into this Isle For the word of God that is because he was by calling a publisher and preacher of the word of God for which cause he was banished By which we may note that all naturall men as Domitian and the Romaines were and all men are by nature hate all that professe God hate his word they cannot abide it For S. Iohn a most worthie Apostle a famous man for gifts a singular preacher of the word of God yet for this very cause is hunted nay banished not for his owne cause but for the word of God This hath bene seene in all heathen Emperours yea and all men by nature hate the word yet though they hate it in their hearts the same word it winneth them and hath taken place in them to conuert them and to make them to loue it which sheweth that the word taught by the Prophets and Apostles is indeed the true word of God not the inuention of man For if the word which is hated of all men by nature had not some diuine power in it it could neuer make such mē to loue it by grace which hate it by nature For no word of man can make a man which hateth the same to loue it but onely the word of God Seeing Iohn was banished for Gods word all Ministers are to cast their accompts to make a reckoning that they may and must suffer persecution nay banishment for the word of God For that which the principall founders and chiefe builders of the Church haue suffered that cannot be auoyded of them which are ordinarie Ministers Christ he acquainted his disciples with this and telleth them that they are euen accursed when all men speake well of them Luk. 6. 26. They must not seeke to haue all thinke well of them but rather feare if all men like of them they are accursed And witnesse bearing That is for the testimonie of the history and doctrine of the Gospell the summe whereof is that Iesus Christ the sonne of Mary is our Redeemer to procure to vs righteousnesse and life euerlasting Now he addeth after the other this of the Gospell as a doctrine how to come to life euerlasting and righteousnesse in Iesus Christ to shew for what part of the word we are most hated and persecuted not so much for the law as for the Gospell because the law is partly natural the Gospell is aboue nature as to beleeue that God made his couenant with our first parents that the seed of the womā shold bruise the serpents head Now the Gospell is the glad tidings in which there is declared that the promised seed is come and therefore the diuell he hateth this part most of all and laboureth man to hinder the course of the Gospell rather then of the law So three hundred yeares after Christ he laboured by might and maine to extinguish the Gospell to keepe men in ignorance of the Messiah but when he could not preuaile by force might he vsed sophistrie and deceipt and brought in heresies to obscure the truth of the Gospell and to ouerthrow the natures offices and benefites of Christ. Then we are bound to do the contrarie seeing he laboureth to extinguish it we must labour to maintaine and defend it we must labour as much to know it as he doth to keepe vs in ignorance that so we may obey and beleeue it And I was rauished on the Lords day c. In this tenth verse are two circumstances the first which is the third in number is the maner of receiuing this vision and giuing of it to Iohn namely in a traunce the second or fourth the time on that Lords day or that day of the Lord. I was in the spirit Here we see he receiued this vision in a trance I was in the spirit that is I was by the mightie and extraordinarie worke of the spirit of God cast into a traunce This appeareth by comparing this Prophecie with other as with that of Ezechiel who when he receiued any vision was cast into a traunce by Gods spirit To vnderstand this consider two things first what a trance is secondly the end of it A trance is an extraordinarie worke or action of Gods spirit ergo not of the constellation and temperature of the starres nor from the constitution of mans bodie or imaginations of men but wrought by the holy Ghost Secondly it is not euery worke but an extraordinarie work aboue the order of nature a powerfull and mightie work of the holy Ghost wherein the whole man both in bodie and mind is altered and for that cause S. Iohn saith I was in the spirit This action consisteth in two actions one of the mind and the other of the bodie In procuring a trance the spirit of God casteth a man into a dead sleepe whereby all the senses both inward and outward are benummed So Gen. 15. 12. when God renewed the couenant with Abraham he cast him into a trance that is into a dead sleepe the senses all were benummed onely the mind and soule working The other action of the holy Ghost is on the mind to draw it from fellowship with the bodie and all the senses to haue fellowship with God that so the spirit of God may enlighten it with light and knowledge of things which are to reuealed to it And so we see in other extasies and traunces as that of Peter his mind was drawne from the fellowship with the bodie and was in fellowship with God Then a trance is a mightie and powerfull worke of the holy Ghost both in bodie and mind whereby both the mind is drawne from fellowship with the bodie and vnto the fellowship of God and also enlightened with light and knowledge of God to vnderstand things to be reuealed Now followeth the end of a trance The cause why men are cast into trances in receiuing any visions is that as S. Iohn here they might know that the things deliuered were not inuented of themselues but
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
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
of their pride that it was not small but great therefore the word is doubled to shew the strength of their conceipt and the greatnesse of their pride Now what is the cause why they were not onely puft vp but giuen to such an high degree of pride Answ. Knowledge was the cause for no doubt but the Angell of that Church had great knowledge and was a learned man and the people were well instructed Now knowledge puffeth vp it maketh mens hearts to swell with pride therfore it is true that where much knowledge is there is much pride if men want the grace of humiliation and griefe for sinne And haue need of nothing Here is a further marke and token of their pride when a man thinkes thus that he needs no help for his saluation if he stands in no need of Christs blood for the saluation of his soule this is a notable signe of abundant pride in the heart This serueth further to conuince our congregration of this pride for if we be neuer so litle sicke straight we seeke to the Phisitians but though our soules be neuer so sicke none seeke to the Ministers sicknesses we feele but not sins therefore the Phisitian is in request but the Minister is not thought of till the pangs of death be felt This shewes that we abound in spirituall pride therfore marke this you must labour to feele what need you haue of Christ for til you do so there is no grace in the heart If you would haue grace learne this that you want the bloud of Christ and till you feele this neuer thinke your case good but wretched and damnable It is a daungerous case for a man to say he wanteth nothing And knowest not Here he setteth downe the cause of their pride that is ignorance as if he should say Thou knowest not thine owne naturall estate as thou wert borne of Adam thy state out of Christ. Thus we see that ignorance is the cause of pride and pride of lukewarmenesse By this he sheweth what they are ignorant of Hence it may be gathered that pride was not the first sinne nor the roote of all other sinnes as the Papists and some other thinke Indeed it is a great sinne and a mother sinne yet it hath a more inward cause that is ignorance Whereof euen of a mans owne estate before God so much Christ here signifieth The cause why any thinke wel of themselues and swell in pride is the ignorance of their owne estate and because they are ignorant of that therefore they are puft vp with pride By this we must all be admonished to haue care to learne to know our owne estate in which we are by nature without Christ. Euery person that will come to saluation must be throughly acquainted with his owne estate and know his owne sinnes and the curse due to them and therefore it is that the Prophets so often call vpon the people to search and fanne themselues that they might be acquainted with their owne estate Till you know this you shall be but proud peacocks neuer haue grace although you haue otherwise very great gifts of knowledge and grace to conceiue a prayer be able to teach yet you shall neuer haue any grace to turne and repent truly till the ignorance of your state be remoued and then cometh grace true obedience and humiliation and other graces needfull for Gods seruice therefore labour for it If there be any blemish in your face you will see it O then labour to see the spots of your soules Now in that Christ doth thus strike at the roote of their pride and bewray their ignorance he sheweth the state of euery man by nature so that here cometh to be handled the naturall estate and miserie of man The miserie of this Church is propounded two waies first generally secondly particularly Generally in two words wretched and miserable Wretched that is one subiect to misery griefe and calamities so much is signified by the first word That we may know what this miserie is I will enter into a description of mans wretchednesse Where two things must be considered first the roote and fountaine of it namely originall sinne which hath two branches first that very particular offence and trespasse whereby Adam sinned which is not onely the sinne of his person but of mans nature and of euery one that cometh of Adam Christ excepted Secondly from that sinne as a part of it and yet withall as a punishment of it followeth the corruption of mans heart and defacing of Gods image whereby the heart hath got a pronenesse and disposition or inclination to all sinne In these two stand mans miserie for from these do spring al our miseries both in and after this life So much for the first part what mans miserie is Againe we must conceiue it vnder the forme of a punishment All miserie of what kind soeuer is a punishment laid vpon man for that first sinne Now the punishment of sinne must be considered diuerse waies according to the diuerse times of mans being either in this world or departed hence All punishment is either in this life or in the end of it or after and so is miserie in this life in the end of it or after it Againe some miseries concerne the whole man and they are two principally First a subiection to Gods wrath whereby a man is in daunger thereof euery day made a child of wrath This is a miserie of all miseries and so much the more grieuous as a man cannot without some grace see it Secondly bondage to the diuell the Scripture speaketh of it oftentimes You may conceiue it thus The man regenerate saith I sin but I would not sinne the naturall man saith I sinne and I will sinne it is my nature to sinne and my pleasure and in sinne will I liue And these are the two miseries concerning the whole man Now there be miseries which concerne not the whole man but the bodie or soule goods or calling in this life Miseries concerning the soule are these First in the mind and vnderstanding there is blindnesse and ignorance of Gods will Secondly in diuerse persons madnesse and foolishnesse All these are miseries curses and punishments inflicted on mans soule for sin And further that nothing can be learned without paines and difficultie Further in the mind there is a conscience and there is accusation secret feares and terrors and so many accusations so many miseries In the will there is rebellion and in the affections peruersenesse which is not onely a sinne but a plague and punishment And as the soule so the bodie is subiect to his miseries to many paines aches and diseases Yea the diseases of mans bodie are so many that all Physicke bookes cannot record them Besides diseases there is mortalitie that is a subiection to death so as all the art and skill in the world cannot preuent it In our goods the want of necessaries is a miserie and by
is called that Counseller He is both King of and Counsellor to his Church And surely this title of right belōgeth to him for first by his office he aduiseth men how they shall escape eternall death and be saued secondly he teacheth how a man may please God in all his actions thirdly how he may flie sinne These three he doth daily in his church and children and that not by extraordinarie but euen by ordinarie meanes as by his word and spirit and therefore may well be called our Counseller neither can any either Angell or man thus counsell vs but onely Christ. Now in that Christ is such a person by office and profession therefore we must acknowledge him to be our Counsellor yea the Counseller of the Catholike Church and euery part therof Therefore we learne to do him all the honour we can Counsellors of the common law are feed reuerenced and honoured for their counsell though it be but for worldly matters and it oftentimes faileth Much more is Christ to be honoured whose counsell concerneth the things of God and cannot faile but shall stand Nay as his counsell is infinitely more excellent then the counsell of any other creature so much more is he to be honoured Further in all dangers and temptations one must resort to Christ for counsell for to this end is he a Counseller He told them they were miserable and therefore gaue them counsell declaring that he is at hand in all our miseries and distresse And therefore we must resort to Christ for his counsell and rest vpon it and order our selues according to it The good king Iehosaphat when the Moabites and Ammonites banded together was in great distresse but what did he We said he know not Lord what to do but our eyes are toward thee That is we looke to thee for counsel and direction we must rest rely vpon thee for wholesome counsel good direction So should all men do in distresse and daunger as we are now by reason of our sinnes and the professed malice of our enemies for by all likelihood these dayes are the time of our chastisement and correction therefore we must say as he said Therefore in all distresse whether it be sicknesse or pang of death forsake all ill counsell go not to wizards and Astrologians for helpe but humble your selues and pray for his counsell So much for the first part that is the maner of prescribing this remedie Now of the remedie it selfe As the miserie had three parts and those great miseries all so Christ propoundeth his remedie in such sort that it is answerable to the three branches of the miserie first gold that thou mayest be rich secondly rayment thirdly eye salue By gold according to the analogie of the Scripture we are to vnderstand the graces of Gods spirit as true faith repentance feare and loue of God man All these are called gold as the triall of our faith is said to be more precious then gold We may likewise vnderstand al other gifts of the spirit yea all Christs merits Christ himself the fountaine of all Purged by the fire That is precious and fine gold of speciall account that is purged from all drosse by the art of man This sheweth what is the propertie of his gifts and graces they are as precious as fine pure gold as 1. Pet. 1. 5. This is worth the marking that the gifts of Gods spirit are of great price and value and that before Gold Psal. 119. 72. Math. 13. 4. This teacheth all how to beautifie themselues in soule and bodie The blind and false opinion of the world is that strange attire and forreine fashions beautifie and adorne the bodie and it is commonly thought that Iewels and precious stones adorne vs and indeed it is true in some persons such as be great personages but strange fashions and outlandish attire disgraceth the bodie The right way to beautifie the bodie indeed and to make it truly glorious and to adorne the soule also i◠to get these graces for these are as precious as fine gold Our bodies shold be the temples of the holy Ghost the houses of a worthie guest therefore we should the rather labour for the best ornaments And if you will adorne your selues as you ought you must do it with the graces of Gods spirit and abhorre these fond and absurd fashions which no wise man can like of That thou maist be rich c. These graces haue a further effect and serue not onely to adorne and beautifie but also to make men rich Here then see the common folly nay madnesse of men which spend all their time wit and strength to enrich their bodies and leaue their soules vnfurnished What a madnesse is this that so many should neglect true riches and studie for nothing more then that which is nothing lesse then riches euen counterfeit riches By this text it is more then manifest that such are more then mad and that this folly is very great Therefore seeing true riches be the graces of Gods spirit seeke for these So much for the first part of the remedie White garments That is Christ himselfe and his righteousnesse imputed As Gal. 3. 27. euen as a garment is put on the bodie so is Christ and his righteousnesse and the fruite thereof that is sanctification all this is meant by garments here Now the end is to couer the nakednesse of the soule which is deformed and defiled with sinne Eye salue That is the spirit of illumination knowledge wrought in the mind by the spirit of God For as eye-salue doth cleare the eye sight and sharpen the same where it was by some occasion hindred so doth Christ by illumination make a man know and vnderstand God in Christ and discerne betweene good and euill of things temporall and eternall Thus you haue the meaning of these words Now by the exposition you may see that by all these we can vnderstand nothing but Christ himselfe and his merits One and the same thing is signified by three words to shew that there is in Christ the fulnesse of grace and that he hath remedies for all our wants The Laodiceans were poore in spirituall goods and Christ was their riches naked and he their garment blind and he their eye-salue So that looke how many sinnes there be in men so many contrarie remedies there be in Christ. What wants soeuer be in vs he hath a supply of them all The Papists make him an insufficient Sauiour in that they patch our merits to his and so they disgrace Christ but we are to count Christ a most perfect and absolute Mediator and Redeemer in himselfe without vs. To buy The meanes how these worthie gifts of God are gotten Christ saith by buying and bargaining he saith not receiue but buy This is an allusion to the state of that citie which was rich and consisted most of Merchants which liued by buying and trafficke therefore he speaketh to them in their