But this shall bee our wisedome betime to sue for grace and so shall wee defeat Sathan and preuent eternall wailing Secondly here see what an euill conscience is It lieth asleep here while a man liues and neuer troubleth him and so it may do in death also but in the last day when he shall see his Iudge with his eies then it will stirre it will torment him it will attach accuse and condemne him it will lay to his charge all his sinnes his contempt of Christ and his word his vnbeleefe in the time of grace and then it will breake his heart being as good as a thousand witnesses to condemne him This should cause all men to labour to get a good conscience washed and purged in the bloud of Christ which will not suffer vs to lie in any one sinne and vpon our repentance will assure vs we be in the fauour of God Which if it do in this life then will it neuer make vs to waile at the last day but it will excuse vs and make vs looke vp to our redeemer and to reioyce in him But take heed when thy conscience lieth asleepe and accuseth not for thy sinnes no not at death that is an euill conscience which will awake at the day of iudgement to torment and condemne thee V. point The meanes whereby hee confirmeth the certaintie of the second comming of Christ that is by a double note of asseueration Euen so Amen One of these is taken from the Greeks Euen so the second from the Hebrews Amen being both as much as Amen Amen or verily verily In which phrase Saint Iohn teacheth vs how to confirme the things we auouch There bee three wayes wherby a thing may be auouched First by a simple and bare affirmation or negation Secondly by an earnest asseueration Thirdly by an oath Now S. Iohn vseth these two notes of assuring in this weightie matter of Christs second comming saying He commeth euen so Amen that is certainly and without all doubt it is so Hereby teaching vs first that an asseueration must not be vsed but only when the matter in hand is of great weight and moment Here then we see that wretched is their practise who vse to bind euerie word with an oath which is a degree aboue this asseueration Yea they also are here iustly reprooued who in their ordinarie communication haue euer in their mouth some weightie asseueration Our sauiour often vseth these words of asseueration yet onely in matters of weight and moment and when the hearers were to be moued to greater attention and their hearts were to bee more fully setled in some truth of great importance Secondly by these asseuerations Iohn would teach vs to hold against the practise of Atheists that the comming of Christ is most certaine and vndoubted Which thing we should more seriously obserue because in our corrupt nature there is bred this false persuasion That either wee shall not bee summoned to iudgement or else that Christs comming is farre off like to the euill seruant who saith My maister deferres his comming which euill seruant by nature is euerie one of vs. Thirdly hereby Iohn giues vs to vnderstand one speciall note and marke of the child of God namely to desire and long after vnfainedly the second comming of Christ to iudgement for as these words be an asseueration so withall they containe a most earnest desire Euen so Amen as if he should say by way of answer to the proclaiming of his comming Lord grant it be so yea Lord let it be so Hence it is that Saint Paule describes all those who must receiue the crowne of righteousnesse by this propertie that they loue his appearing 2. Tim. 4.8 As for the vngodly it is not so with them they being not iustified nor sanctified and so not reconciled to God in Christ cannot loue this appearing Nay they could wish with all their heart there were no hell nor last iudgement And by this one note we may well iudge of our estates for if from our hearts we desire and long for this second comming to iudgement and wish he would come quickly then it is a certaine token and signe we bee reconciled to God in Christ and shall receiue the crowne of righteousnesse But if as yet wee feele not this longing and hungering desire in vs then we must suspect our selues and labour euery day to feele it for it is the desire of the saints to say How long Lord. And with Iohn Euen so Amen Verse 8. I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end sayth the Lord which iâ— which was and which is to come euen the Almightie After Saint Iohn had described Christ at large in the former verses he bringeth him in speaking of himselfe by a figure as may appeare by this clause saith the Lord. The end and scope of these words in this verse is to confirme that which was before spoken of Christ being a proofe and reason thereof after this manner to be conceiued He which is the beginning and the end of all c. he is sufficient to be a king priest and prophet to the Church and is both able and willing to bestow on them all blessings which serue for their good The first part of this argument is omitted the second part is contained in this eight verse But I am the beginning and the end and therefore I am sufficient c. In this eight verse are three points concerning Christ. First he is the beginning and the end Secondly he is was and is to come Thirdly he is Almightie For the first that Christ is the beginning and the end Saint Iohn expresseth by a comparison taken from the Greeke alphabet and it standeth thus As in the A B C of the Grecians Alpha is the first letter and therefore the beginning of all the letters and Omega is the last and therefore the end of all the letters So saith Christ am I the beginning of all things that are and the end of all things The first part of this similitude is in these words I am Alpha and Omega that is I am as Alpha and Omega The second part in these words The beginning and the end From this and such like manner of speaking the Papists gather that it is lawfull to worshippe God in a strange language And that the Scriptures are to be read and deliuered to the people in an vnknowne tongue But their collection is friuolous For though the vnlearned English man know not what Alpha and Omega is yet the Churches to whome this booke was written being Grecians knew generally what was meant hereby Againe though the spirit of God vseth here and there a strange word or phrase yet we may not follow that practise in the whole seruice and worship of God whereby neither the word nor prayer should be vnderstood of the people as the Papists do I am the beginning Christ is sayd to bee the beginning for two causes First because he
of hart and profanenesse of life that they were at their first hearing of the word these must know that Gods iudgement is on them and if they would bee saued they must labour to come out of this estate endeuour so to heare with their hearts that they may be turned vnto God both in mind heart and life II. point The dutie commaunded namely to heare Hearing in Scripture is not onely to listen with the bodily eare but to be atteÌ„tiue to that which is taught and with attention to bring faith conuersion and obedience euery way Eph. 4.21 22 the hearing of Christ is notably described It is not so much to conceiue the doctrine of Christ in our mindâ— and to be able to vtter it as to die vnto sinne and to the lusts of the flesh and to ris◠〈◊〉 newâ—â—sse of life And indeed a man doth heare and learne no more of Gods word than hee doth beleeue and practise From whence we are again to be admonished that we so heare with attention that by hearing we suffer our selues to be changed and that with our change we ioyne â—are to beleeue and conscience to obey This iâ— that sauing hearing which bringeth eternall life all other hearing doth increase our sinnes to our further condemnation Whereby also appeareth the fearefull state of many who lend onely the outward bodily eare to hâ—â—re the word but then hearts bee not mooued nor their liues changed thereby III. point What is to be heard namely That which the spirit saith â—nto 〈◊〉 Churches Which words must bee referred to that which went beâ—ore not to that which followeth for thiâ— commaundement belongs to the matter of the Epistle which went before The promise following rather concerne the persons themselues than the matter The things then that are to bee heard are these Christ his sharpe reproofe for sin his threatnings of punishment a remedie prescribed motiues to practise the same especially repentance for of all these Christ spake before From this that Christ bids them heare these things which coÌ„cerned their estate in sinnes amendment by repentance we learne two things First that it is a most necessarie thing for euerie church of God and euerie member thereof to know and consider their own wants and sinnes and also the iudgements of God that hang ouer them for the same Secondly that after any man or any church hath considered of theri sinnes and of Gods iudgements it is a most necessary thing to turne vnto God by true repentance if they haue not repented and if they haue repented to renew the same daily do it more that so Gods iudgements both priuat and common may be auoided We therefore must hereby be moued to search into our own wayes to find out our owne sinnes and to consider of Gods iudgements thereby deserued that by true repentance wee may turne vnto God and so escape his fearefull iudgementâ— Further these words What the spirit saith vnto the Churches containe 〈◊〉 reasons to moue euerie man to heare I. Because they are spoken 〈◊〉 the spirit that is the holy ghost II because they 〈◊〉 spoken to one man oâ— one church alone but to all churcheâ— For the firstâ— It may 〈◊〉 demanded seeinâ— Christ spâ—ke thâ—se wordâ— How 〈…〉 be sayd that the spirit speaketh theâ— Ans. Both may stand first because all the outward 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 person in 〈◊〉 are common to the 〈…〉 to â—each the church is an outward action of Christ and therefore it agreeth to the father and to the holy ghost As when the father created thingâ— in the beginning the sonne also created and the holy ghost created them So herâ— when the sonne â—eacheth the father teacheth and the holy ghost teacheth For as the three persons are one in nature so must they be ioyned in all outward actions Secondly Christ saith the spirit speaketh because he now sitting at the right hand of the father doth not teach his church in bodily presence but hy his spirit which after his ascention hee sent to be their comforter and instructor Here then obserue that the holy ghost speaketh to the church in Scripture The church of Rome appoints a Iudge to speake vnto men in al matters of controuersie which is the church because say they A iudge must speake and Christ is absent from his church and the word is a dumbe letter and cannot speake Therefore the church must needes bee iudge But they erre grosly The church cannot be iudge It is but Christs minister to put in execution that which hee commandeth Christ therefore must bee iudge vnto his church by Scripture which is not a dumbe iudge for therein his spirit speaketh plainely and sufficiently for the resoluing of any point in controuersie that is needfull in Gods church The second reason to attention is because these things are spoken to all Churches Where we see that things spoken to one church agree to all From whence we must learne this speciall dutie in reading and hearing Gods holy word namely to read and heare with applicacation We must not rest in a flourishing knowledge of the storie but apply euery precept and example vnto our selues If it be an example of vertue wee must apply it to our selues for imitation if it be an example of vice we must apply it to our selues to moue vs to eschew and auoid the like For God would haue all to learne that which hee speaketh vnto one And thus much of the commandement To him that ouercommeth will I giue to eate of the tree of life which is in the middest of the paradise of God These words containe the second part of this conclusion to wit a most excellent promise wherein consider two points First to whom it is made Secondly what is promised For the first The promise is made to him that ouercommeth That is to him that in fighting preuaileth against all the spirituall enemies of his saluation sinne sathan hell and condemnation There bee three things requisit to make a man able to ouercome these enemies First he must be borne anew in Christ of water and of the spirit 1. Ioh. 5.4 He that is borne of God ouercommeth the world so by regeneratioÌ„ he is freed from the bondage of hell death sinne and Sathan Secondly hee must haue true faith by vertue whereof hee must denie and renounce himselfe and bee whatsoeuer he is in the death passion obedieÌ„ce of Christ. Therfore S. Iohn saith in the same place This is the â—ictorie which ouercommeth the world euen your faith For when a man is in Christ by faith hee is made partaker of Christ his victorie vpon the crosse and by it receiueth power to subdue his owne corruptions the world and the diuell Thirdly hee that would ouercome must keepe faith that is true religion and a good conscience standing out in life and death against all aduersarie power whatsoeuer In this that life euerlasting is promised to them that ouercome First we obserue that
of the church For the time is at hand Here is a reason of the former benediction for seeing the time of the accomplishing of this prophecie is at hand must shortly be fulfilled therefore those be blessed which reade and keepe the same in memorie And it is an answere to a secret obiection for they might haue said we need not to reade or remember this prophecie seeing it shall not be fulfilled in our dayes but he addeth The time is at hand wherein they must be fulfilled and therefore it must bee marked These wordes for substance were in the first verse where it is said The Reuelation was of things that must shortly be done And here they be repeated againe Whereby hee would teach vs That these prophecies containe weightie matter to be deepely considered and earnestly thought on And S. Iohn repeates the same for two causes first to awake the members of the church out of the sleepe of security and make them stand vpon their watch continually for though they cannot fall into the dead sleepe of sinne yet the slumber of securitie may ouertake theÌ„ the wise virgines slumber as well as the foolish Matth. 25.5 And the spouse of Christ the true Church confesseth That shee sleepeth though her heart waketh Cant. 5.2 Secondly to confirme and hearten the church and all true members of Christ against the afflictions to come for herein is the common saying true He that is forewarned is fore-armed Now in these words The time is at hand Christ would teach vs to obserue That whatsoeuer thing may befall the members of Christ in this life whether afflictions temptations death or the last iudgement it selfe all will come shortly This consideration ought to take place in our hearts being of great vse in our liues as to stay vs from many sinnes so to mooue vs to doe all things with good conscience And the want hereof is the cause of much euill The bad seruant beates his fellowes because hee thinkes his maister doth deferre his comming Matth. 24.48.49 The old world went on in sinne neuer regarding Noahs prophecie and so knew nothing till the flood came and swept them all away Matth. 24.39 We should lay these to our harts and alwayes thinke with Paule the Lord is at â—and The rather because wee haue had the Gospell and peace with all temporall blessings these eight and thirtie yeares now the state of the church is interchangeable one while peace and then trouble so as it is like this peaceable state will not long continue but we must bee tried And the time of ouâ— triall is at hand for whatsoeuer must befall the Church will come shortly We must therefore prepare for trouble and so wee shall finde it the lesse greeuous Vers. 4. Iohn to the seuen Churches which are in Asia Grace be with you and Peace from him which is and which was and which is to come and from the seuen spirits which are before his throne Here beginneth the second part of the Preface to wit the inscription of this vision and it hath two branches First a dedication in these words Iohn to the seueÌ„ Churches which are in Asia Secondly a salutation in the next words Grace be with you and peace c. to the ninth verse In the dedication obserue first the penman that dedicates this booke secondly the parties to whom it is sent For the first the penman is Iohn who here againe repeats his name to shew and certifie euery reader of this booke that he was without al doubt the true penman of the holy ghost in writing this Reuelation But though he repeat his name yet he doth not adde any titles of honour or commendation as hee did in the first verse Wherein he giues vs a true patterne of modestie and humilitie which is neuer to speake in our owne cause to our owne praise but onely in cases of necessitie when Gods glory may bee aduaunced and the credit of our particular callings maintained This Paule practised who often humbles himselfe and cals himself the least of all the Apostles yea the chiefe of all sinners yet when the credit of his Apostleship came into question then he sets out himselfe shewing he was a true Apostle one of the chiefe and aboue those which did falsely call themselues so as wee may find in both of his Epistles to the Corinthians Secondly the persons to whom hee wrote were the seuen Churches in Asia concerning them note two things first hee writes to churches secondly to the churches in Asia For the first why writes he to the churches rather thaÌ„ to the church seeing there is but one only Catholicke church Ans. The church may be considered diuers waies first as it is the whole companie of the elect so it is but one secondly as the same is parted into seuerall branches and companies one part being in one countrey and another part in some other Wherein also euery seuerall congregation professing the gospell is a particular Church And so there may bee many Churches all of them beeing members of one Catholicke Church As the sea is onely one yet it consisteth of many parts which taking their names of the countreyes whereto they adioyne are called so many particular Seas as the English Sea the Spanish sea French Italian Scottish Seas c. And of particular Churches must Iohn bee vnderstood in this place Now Iohn chuseth rather to write to Churches than to particular men First because the matter of this booke concerneth the Church being a Propheticall hystorie touching the state of the Church to the end Secondly because particular Churches which bee true members of the Catholicke Church are the pillars and ground of truth 1. Timoth 3.15 And the Church is so called not that her authority is aboue the word but first because it is the treasure house wherein the Scriptures are preserued from age to age against the rage of Gods enemies Secondly because the Church giues testimonie to the truth of Gods word And thirdly because it publisheth the truth of God word by vertue of that ordinary ministery which God hath ordained therein Secondly in the dedication of this booke among all particular Churches God directs him to make choise of those seuen in Asia no doubt for speciall cause First because they were then most famous Churches as the chapters following and the histories of the Church doe plainely shew Secondly that the calling of the Gentiles to the light of the Gospell which long before had beene foretold might bee more euident for here the Iewes are passed by and the Gentiles sent vnto Lastly we may here obserue That S. Iohn knew no prerogatiue of the church of Rome aboue other churches for if it were the mother church whereon alâ— other churches should depend as the Papists would haue it I would know of them why Iohn passed by it in the dedication of this booke which containeth matter needfull for al churches to know Grace be with
of God So Christ bids vs first to seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse for when we are in Gods kingdome of grace reconciled to him in Christ then all things needfull shall bee ministred to vs Matth. 6.33 This discouers the bad practise of most men euery where who in seeking the blessings of God begin at the wrong end They will toyle themselues in their callings to get wealth honour pleasures and preferments but the fauour of God in Christ is not regarded which notwithstanding is the true and right foundation of all outward welfare Here some will say if God giue mee wealth honour and reputation then hee loues me for these be signes thereof I answere These be no sure tokens of his fauour in Christ for those that bee his enemies may enioy them all as Iob. 21.7 to the 14. This Dauid perceiued how the wicked might flourish in their outward prosperitie hauing more than heart could wish Psalm 73.3.7 And yet they stood but in slipperie places And therefore let no man herewith deceiue himselfe hee that wanteth Gods fauour in Christ is but a cursed wretch and a firebrand of hell though he had all the world for outward things at his commaund For all earthly things seuered from Gods speciall grace are but an heape of miseries The wicked mans peace is no peace sayth the Lord Isay 48.22 And the man that hath Gods grace in Christ though hee want all wordly benefits yet hee hath more than all the world without it for hereby alone hee is truly blessed and happie From him which is and which was and which is to come and from the seuen spirits which are before his throne Here is set down the first cause and author of these two Grace and Peace to wit God himselfe distinguished into three persons the father son and holy ghost The Father is noted in these words Which is and which was and which is to come The holy ghost in these And from the seuen spirits which are before his throne The Sonne in the fift verse And from Iesus Christ which is a faithfull witnesse and first begotten of the dead and Lord ouer the kings of the earth vnto him that loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his owne bloud c. S. Iohn in the first place describes the father by a distribution which expresseth the true nature of God in these words Which is was and is to come In which he alludes to that Exod. 3.14 15. where Moyses demaunds of God If the people should aske who sent him what he should answere The Lord bids him say Ehich Iehouah hath sent me which two names serue to one end namely to expresse the nature of God They are translated I am and the Lord but these English words doe not fully expresse their signification Yet S. Iohn expounds theÌ„ here making Ehich to signifie him which is which was and is to come Which words of Iohn also in the originall be more full in sence than our English tongue can well expresse And yet they may be thus explaned Grace and Peace be from him which is in himselfe and of himselfe a most perfect and absolute substance which was a most perfect substance and which is to come a most absolute perfect simple substance and essence In these words are touched sundry weightie points First touching the nature of God namely That God is a most absolute perfect substance and essence which hath his being in himselfe of himselfe and from none other Paule sayth An idoll is nothing 1. Cor. 8.4 that is nothing subsisting in nature but a meere fond deuice of mans braine But the true God is an essence subsisting and that of himselfe alone perfectly and herein differeth from all Idols and false Gods Secondly hereby we see a difference betweene God and all his creatures Euery creature is a substance as Angels and Men likewise mans bodie and soule are substances yet none of these haue being of themselues but from God and of God And yet wee must not conceiue that the creatures are parts of God though they haue their substances and being of him for then each creature should be God for the communication of the diuine substance cannot be without the diuine nature But Gods substance is indiuisible and incommunicable to the creature My meaning then is that God made the creatures out of himselfe of that matter which he created by his word and preserueth them beeing made Which by the way should teach vs to returne our bodies and soules by obedience vnto God in lieu of thankfulnesse endeuouring his glory all the daies of our life Thirdly hence wee learne that the Lord is Eternall euery way without beginning or ending for it is hee which is which was and which is to come Angels and the soules of men they bee eternall but not euery way though they be eternall in that they shall neuer die yet had they a beginning Secondly they are eternall not absolutely but by participation for God made them eternall but the Lord is most absolutely of himselfe eternall Fourthly note he sayth not from him which shall bee but from him which is to come that is to iudgement to giue vs to vnderstand That this eternall God is also a iudge of all his creatures especially men and Angels A point of speciall vse to moue vs to well before God with all good conscience If any shall flatter himselfe thinking hee shall bee dead before that day come I answere iâ— may be so What then thinkest thâ—u thereby to escape his iudgement No verily for this God commeth to iudge thee particularly by death and thereby to reserue thee to the iudgement of the great day Oâ— that wee could seriously thinke on this it would be a meanes to mooue vs to repentance by breaking of the course of sinne and endeuouring â—o keepe a good conscience in all things Acts 24.16 And so shall we be readie to meete him at his comming whether by death or iudgement And from the seuen spirits which 〈◊〉 before his throne These words commonly are expounded of seuen Angels of God which stand before the thronâ— and minister vnto him But it cannot be meant of them for two cause a first because 〈◊〉 and Peace is here said to proceed from these seuen spirits but it cannot come from the holy Angels which attend to minister before the Lord. Secondly in this verse which is a benediction or a salutation of 〈◊〉 to the Church the seuen spirits are set before Iesus Christ the second person of the Trinitie but there is no reason nor respect for which the Angels should bee placed before Christ. The words are rather thus to be expouÌ„ded And from the seuen spirits c. that is from the holy ghost This exposition is most agreeable to all the circumstances of the text and the holy ghost may be called by the name of the seuen spirits for two causes First because though he be onely one in substance
write that he put into them by the holy ghost The matter and the style and phrase of the Scripture all came from Christ. Nay when any particular man comes to vnderstand the Scriptures this is by the working of Christ he opens his eyes Hee gaue the disciples vnderstanding as they went vnto Emaus to vnderstand the Scriptures The second dutie of Christs propheticall office is to certifie men in conscience of the truth of his fathers will This certificate is two fold generall or particular generall when he certifieth men in conscience That the word written or spoken by man is the word of God neither nature nor learning can doe this but it is proper to Christs propheticall office And for this he sayth to his disciples He will send them the comforter which shall lead them into all truth that is reueale Gods will vnto them and assure their heart that the same is true Vnto this assurance two things are required The outward meanes which is the word it selfe and an inward cause which is the principall to wit the operation of the holy spirit By this doctrine three points are resolued First this demaund of the Papists How a man can come to know that the Scriptures read and taught be the word of God Answ. Wee must here haue recourse to this faithfull witnesse and desire of him his spirit whereby the mind must bee enlightened and made able to discerne the things of God for naturall man can doe it of himselfe Secondly wee must haue Christ his testimonie of Scripture in the Scriptures themselues for in them he setteth downe his testimonie of the Scriptures But some will say if Christs testimonie of scripture bee set downe in the scriptures why doe not alâ— men know this testimonie and receiue it I answere The shining of the sunne before a mans face is not sufficient to cause him to see vnlesse he haue in his eyes the gift and sence of seeing Euen so it is not ynough for a man to haue in Gods word the testimonie of Christ that scripture is scripture but withall hee must haue in himselfe the light of the spirit reuealing that testimonie to his conscience and then in reading or hearing the scripture in marking the manner and style the maiestie and power thereof he shall bee able to see in euery sentence the testimonie of Christ assuring his conscience that the same is vndoubtedly the word of God A second doubt resolued by this doctrine is this How can a man know the true religion seeing the Turke Papist Iew and Protestant haue their seuerall religions and die in them I answere Wee must haue recourse to Christ this faithful witnesse and looke whereto hee giues his testimonie that we must hold for true religion Now the scriptures be as a letter sent from heauen to the Church wherein Christ hath set downe his owne testimonie of the true religion which in triall shall be found to bee the religion of the Protestant and not the religion of Iew Turke or Papist A third doubt to be resolued by this doctrine is How to know the particular truth in matters of religion when as sundry men professing the same religion bee of diuers opinions Answ. Still wee must haue recourse to this faithfull witnesse and Prophet of the Church he is the Iudge of all controuersies in religion and in the scriptures if we marke them we shall see his iudgement Quest. But if there be diuers opinions about scripture it selfe and euery one giue a seuerall sence vnto it who must then be Iudge Answ. In this diuersitie of opinions yea of the scriptures themselues we must still haue recourse to Christ and that in the scriptures alone for though there were a thousand diuerse expositions of one place yet by the scope and circumstances thereof conferring it with other like places of scripture a man shall bee able to find out the true sence for Christ in the scripture expoundeth himselfe The particular certificate of Christ belongeth also to his propheticall office and that is to assure men in their consciences that the promises of the Gospell with all the benefits therein contained as Iustification Sanctification and life eternall which in the word be generally expounded doe belong vnto them particularly as to Peter to Iohn c. And this assurance as the former is principally wrought by the word not barely read but preached for therein by the inward worke of the spirit the generall promises be particularly applied This Paule imports saying Yee haue the spirit of adoption which testifies with our spirit we be the sonnes of God Rom. 8.15 16. Hence we learne that the doctrine of the Church of Rome and of all others which hold That men cannot bee assured of their saluation by faith is wicked and damnable for hereby they cut off a part of Christs propheticall office wherein the dignitie thereof doth consist that is to assure a man particularly of the truth of Gods promises vnto himselfe And in this he differs from all other Prophets and Apostles which bee witnesses for they can witnesse onely outwardly to the eare but he can speake and testifie to the conscience Neither can any of them certifie any man particularly though their ministerie tend to that end Secondly obserue Christ is not only a witnesse but a faithfull witnesse and so he is for these causes First because hee testifies not his owne will but his which sent him namely his fathers Iohn 8.26 Secondly he testifies all his fathers wil neither adding thereto nor detracting from it Iohn 17.4 Thirdly because he teacheth his fathers will sincerely in the same maner which hee receiued it not altering changing or deprauing any part therof As my father taught me so I speake these things Iohn 8.28 Thirdly Christ is called that faithfull witnesse to distinguish him from all other witnesses The Lord hath sundry faithfull witnesses as the Prophets Apostles the Church nay the Sun and Moone Psalm 89.37 but Christ alone is that faithfull witnesse First because his witnesse is authenticall sufficient of it selfe and needs no other confirmation The testimonie of the Apostles and Prophets is not of it selfe authenticall and certaine but as it consents with Christs witnesse and proceedeth from his spirit Secondly hee is that witnesse because hee is the Lord of that house whereto he giues witnesse namely the Church but the Apostles and Prophets are but seruants there Hebr. 5.5 6. Thirdly Christ his witnesse is inward it speakes directly to the conscience and there giues vndoubted assurance but the witnesse of men as of the Prophets and Apostles is outward only it comes to the ears it neuer binds and assures the conscience of it selfe And thus wee see why he is called here that faithfull witnesse First whereas Christ the Doctor and Prophet of the church is called that faithfull witnesse we learne That all ministers of the Gospell ought to be faithfull witnesses for euery minister of the
cast off all dulnesse of flesh and spirit and with all might stirre vp our selues to attentiue hearing so shall the word be blessed vnto vs otherwise our hearing shall turne to our deeper condemnation Verse 11. Saying I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last and that which thou seest write in a booke and send it vnto the seuen Churches which are in Asia vnto Ephesus and vnto Smyrna and vnto Pergamus and vnto Thyatira and vnto Sardai and vnto Philadelphia and vnto Laodicea These words containe the third description of this voice whereby Iohns heart was prepared touching the substance and matter which was vttered which consisteth in two things The first is a testimonie in these words I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last The second a commaundement in the wordes following That which thou seest write and send c. I. Touching the testimonie the substance thereof is set downe in the eight verse where the words were handled and the meaning shewed They do serue directly to proue the Godhead and eternitie of Christ which Christ himselfe doth here auouch to giue vnto Iohn and vnto the Church full assurance that the things now vttered and deliuered were from God for saying I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last it is as much as if he had said I which speake vnto thee am God and therefore the things I deliuer are from God In this testimonie note Gods speciall care in regard of his truth hee doth not content himselfe with reuealing his will vnto his Church but more specially his care is to certifie the Church of the truth thereof that it is indeed from God This hath beene Gods care from the beginning When Peter receiued a vision from God withall Gods spirit assured him that the things reuealed therein were certen sure And so when Christ preached the will of his father among men hee did withall worke strange miracles to confirme and seale vp the truth of his doctrine that it was from God This speciall care of God ouer his Church doth first confute the Papists opinion touching Scripture They hold the Scripture to bee certen in it selfe but not vnto men till the Church giue testimonie thereunto But this is false for God euer had this care ouer his Church not onely to reueale his will vnto them but also to vse meanes for the assurance of their consciences that that which was reuealed was his vndoubted and perfect will And therefore the word of God is certen and euer was not onely in it selfe bâ—t to the consciences of beleeuers and that without the testimonie of the church and so should bee through the testimonie of the church should neuer come thereunto Secondly hereby are confuted many carnall men who will be of no religion because say they there is no certainetie in the matters of religion mens opinions therein are so diuers that so many men so many minds almost and no man can tell who speakes the truth Answ. It may be that men in sundry matters hold sundry priuat opinions yet in the church of God all the true members of Christ hold the same opinions touching the foundation of religion But let it bee graunted That all men on earth were of diuers opinions touching matters of religion should religion therefore bee vncertaine God forbid For religion is certaine vnto men by the meanes that God hath appointed to certifie the conscience of the truth thereof and thereby might men come to the truth and certainetiâ— of religion taught by the Prophets and Apostles though all men in the world were of diuers opinions touching the same Thus much of the Testimonie II. point The commaundement giuen to Iohn is in these words That which thou seest write in a booke and send it to the seuen Churches which are in Asia This commaundement hath two parts First To write the things seene in a booke secondly to send the booke to the seuen churches here named And both these must Iohn do being now disabled by his exile to preach these things vnto them personally for these causes First that these churches might be edified in the faith and strengthened in these most grieuous times of persecution Secondly that they might become keepers of this booke for the good of others for the church of God is the pillar of truth not onely for that it publisheth Gods truth but also because it keepeth it and giueth testimonie therunto In this commaundement note sundry things First that the word of God written and penned by the hand of man is a notable helpe to the church of God and a worthy meanes to edifie the same els Christ would neuer haue commaunded Iohn to haue written these visions and sent them to the Churches Which serueth to confute the blind Papists which say the word written is but an inkie letter and a nose of waxe because the sence thereof may be turned euery way as man will This also confuteth the Anabaptists which so much magnifie their Reuelations and make no account of the word written If the Lord had thought it best hee would haue taught these churches by reuelations but they must learne by the word written Secondly that the reading of Gods word either publickly or priuately is an ordinance of God for the Lord commaunding Iohn to write this booke and send it to the churches hereby implieth that they must reade the same as they did other bookes of Scripture The preaching of the word is indeede the most worthy instrument for the founding and confirming of Gods Church whereby ordinarily iustifying faith is wrought in the heart and yet reading must haue his due reuerence as a meanes to confirme and encrease true knowledge faith and repentance where it is begun Thirdly here note that a man may be vnder the crosse and in persecution and yet remaine in the speciall fauor of God for this banishment into such a desart place was vnto Iohn a grieuous crosse and yet the Lord vouchsafed there to reueale himselfe vnto him and to make him the penman of this booke Which honour hee vouchsafeth not to all but to them that are most dear vnto him Which thing each one should carefully obserue for our nature is so corrupt that when wee are vnder the crosse it would persuade vs we are cast out of the loue and fauour of God In the end of the verse the seauen Churches Ephesus Smyrna and the rest are named Which seuen places were seuen famous cities in Asia wherein were planted the most famous churches that were in those parts and for their excellencie are they named And thus much for the meanes of Iohns preparation Now follow the parts thereof which are two first is hearing folded vp with the former meanes And I heard a voyce Second is Turning of himselfe to see the partie that spake vnto him in these words Verse 12. Then I turned backe to see the voice which spake with me and when I was turned I saw seuen
but the deadly wounds of Christs enemies And 〈◊〉 much for the worke of the Word vpon the wicked The second worke of this two edged sword is in Gods elect in them it hath sundry workes all which â—end to their subiection First it woundeth to the quicke the corruption of their nature This is one speciall cause why it is called a two edged sword because it entereth deeply into the heart of Gods children and giueth their corruption such a deadly blow as it shall neuer recouer againe It killeth not the person as it doth in the wicked but quicâ—ening the soule it woundeth his corruption Paule ministred the Gospell that the offering vp of the Gentiles might be acceptable Where reseÌ„bling Gods church to a sacrifice hee giueth vs to vnderstand that euery true Christian must be slaine though not in body and soule yet in regard of sinfull motions corrupt affections and rebellious actions by this two edged sword of the spirit And this is his conuersion whereby the roote of corruption is stocked vp Secondly after conuersion this two edged sword serueth to cut off and pare away the remnants of vnbeleefe doubting impietie anger and other sins that be in the elect Euery branch saith Christ that bringeth forth fruit in mee my father the husbandman gruneth to make it bring foâ—rth more fruit Thirdly it serueth to keepe Gods children in awe and subiection vnto him In this vision Christ standeth in his church holding vp the scepter of his kingdome which hee beareth in his mouth for this end that though his enemies will not bee brought in subiection vnto him yet his owne children might hereby be kept in awe of him He therefore that will not at the lifting vp of this two edged sword tremble and feare before Christ is but a rebellious subiect If there bee brawling in humane societies let the magistrate but shew himselfe with the sword of iustice and straightway euery one is quiet if any resist he is taken for a rebell Now shall this be effected in ciuile policie and not bee true in Christs spirituall gouernment vnlesse therefore wee will shew our selues rebels against Christ let vs cease from sinne and tremble before him seeing hee holdeth out vnto vs the scepter of his word Fourthly this sword serueth notably for our defence and victory in all temptations Ephes 6. â—â— This sword of the â—pirit the word of God is one piece of the complete armour of a Christian. Herewith did Christ vanquish Sathan Matth. 4 And thus wee see how the word of God is a two edged sword in regard of the elect Hence we are taught that when wee haue the doctrine of the Law and of the Gospell preached vnto vs we must with all reuerence heare and receiue the same Men will heare it while it is taught generally but if it once touch their particular faults then they cannot brooke it But wee must suffer it to ransacke our hearts and be glad thereof for by this meanes our corruption is wounded and sinne slaine in vs our soules are conuerted vnto God and shall bee saued If any man were diseased with a fistula or any other dangerous sore he would willingly suffer the surgeon to search and pierce into the fame Shall wee doe this for our bodily health and shall wee not suffer the word of God to enter into our hearts to rip vp our sinnes that they being wounded and subdued wee may bee healed and so our soules liue for euer wee cannot liue vnto God till wee die vnto sinne and wee can neuer die vnto sinne till the same bee wounded in vs by this two edged sword Away therefore with all nicenesse in disliking the word when it crosseth our humour and if wee loue eternall life Let vs then embrace it most willingly Saint Iohn sayth fâ—â—ther of this two edged sword that it came out of Christs mouth Other kings carry their swords and scepters in their hands but Christ beareth his in his mouth to teach vs this speciall point That wee must receiue no doctrine from any man which hee hath not receiued from thâ— mouth of Christ. For first God reuealeth his will vnto his son Christ deliuereth it vnto his Prophetâ— and Apostles by the spirit and to his ministers in their writings They therefore must deliuer nothing vnto Gods people but that which they haue from Christ if they deliuer ought els they hold noâ— forth Christs sword neither can it haue that powerfull effect either in the godly or in the wicked And his face 〈…〉 the Sunne shineth iâ— his brightnesse Here is the last braunch of this description of Christ his face is compared to the shining of the Sunne and that in his strength because Christ is vnto his churchâ— as the Sunne is to the world And looke what duties the Sunne performeth vnto the world the same duties Christ performes vnto his church in a more excellent manner as their resemblance will euidently declare First the Sunne in the world dispelleth night and darkenesse and maketh the day by bringing light so Christ the sonne of righteousnesse Malach. 4.2 sendeth downe the bright beames of knowledge and grace into his church wherby blindnesse and ignorance is taken away 2. Corinth 4.6 And hereby euery one of what sort or place soeuer is taught first to labour for knowledge of the will of God A great shame it is for any to bee ignorant herâ—in when the day commeth we set open our windowes to let in the light of the Sunne for our comfort behold Christ Iesus is euer a shining light in his church Why then should wee not open our hearts that the beames of light and knowledge which descend from him may enter into vs and giue vs light Secondly wee must hereby learne in our whole conuersation among men to walke by this light We are here but pilgrims trauelling towards heauen and the way of this miserable word is full of darkenesse yet Christ Iesus is in the middest of his church shining as the Sunne in his strength to giue the light of knowledge whereby wee may see the right way thither Without him there is nothing but darkenesse and wandering his word is the light and himselfe the day starre We therefore must attend vnto him in all our affaires of this life and in the particular duties of our lawfull callings take direction from the light which shineth from his face Secondly the Sunne serueth most excellently to comfort and reuiue cold and dead starued bodies as experience in the spring time teacheth So Christ Iesus by the worke of his spirit conueyeth spirituall life and heat â—nto the dead and frozen heart of man he is of power to comfort them that mourne to giue life to the broken hearted and to reuiue the spirit of the humble Isay. 57.15 and for this most excellent worke may well bee called the Sunne of Righteousnessâ— In regard wherof wee must labour aboue all things to bee partakers of this life and ioy which commeth
For the first I know thy workes many doe expound this of workes of mercie and liberalitie but that wil not so well stand for he saith to euerie church I know thy workes and yet some of them are blamed for want of these good workes By works then is meant the wayes that is the practises and dealings of the whole church as well of ministers as people in all their affaires Also by knowledge here we must vnderstand a knowledge that goeth with application as may appeare by comparing this with the fourth verse whither it hath relation for thus they must go I know thy workes and approue of them and yet I haue somthing against thee So that his meaning is I know thy workes that is all thy wayes and dealings in thy life and conuersation are manifest vnto me and I do generally approue of them Here first in this testimonie of his knowledge Christ ministreth a remedie against secret sinnes and offences The theefe the murtherer and adulterer wait for the night wherein to attempt their shamefull practises The tradesman in secret falsifyeth his weights and mingleth his wares among most men fraud oppression and iniustice do abound and all because they thinke that if men see not all is well as Dauid saith the wicked man saith God shall not see he will not regard But if men could thinke and bee persuaded of this that Christ seeth and knoweth all their wayes it would cause them to make conscience not onely of grosse sinnes but euen of their hidden and secret offences Secondly whereas this knowledge is ioyned with approbation it may be demanded how this can stand with the iustice of God to approue of that which is not answerable to the tenour of his law as the best workes of the most righteous man are not beeing stained with some corruption Isay. 64 6. Answ. The Gospell which is another part of Gods wil reuealeth more vnto vs than euer the law could do namely that if a man bee in Christ to him there is no condemnation and that God will accept his true desire and endeuour to please him for the deed it selfe 2. Cor. 8.12 And thus according to the tenour of the Gospell Christ approueth of their workes in this place though they were not able to abide the â—igor of his law But a Papist will here reason thus If a righteous mans workes bee approued of God then they are no sinnes for God will not approue of any thing that is sinfull and if his workes be no sinnes then he may fulfill the law and so bee iustified by his workes Answ. That which Christ approueth simply hath no sinne in it but here he onely approueth of their workes in part namely so farre foorth as they came from the work of his spirit in them but as they proceed from the will of the worker which is in part corrupt they are not free from the staine of sinne and so he approueth them not Againe workes of grace are approued of Christ with the pardon of sinne for accepting of the person he remitteth the faults that be in his good workes and so onely approueth his own worke in him And so here we must conceiue of his approbation of their workes to wit as proceeding from his spirit and hauing the faults thereof remitted in his owne merit The speciall commendation of this church is for particular actions The first whereof is diligent labour which is an excellent worke especally in a minister of Gods word to be painefull in his particular calling for the faithfull instruction and godly regiment of his particular charge Hence Paule saith 1. Tim. 5.17 He that laboureth in the word and doctrine is principally worthy double honor And herein Paul matcheth yea preferreth himselfe before other Apostles That hee laboured more abundantly in the ministery of the Gospell than they all 1. Cor. 15.10 Hence we learne that the worke of the ministerie if it be done as it ought is a worke full of great paines and labour contrary to the common opinion of men who thinke that the life of the minister is full of ease and his calling a matter of nothing such as may be done with the turning of the hand but here the iudgement of Christ is other wayes who vseth not thus to approue a light or idle worke Secondly this commendation of diligence in the minister must admonish all christians that desire to be approoued of Christ to giue all diligence to learne and know the will of God that they may do the same And here a common fault is to be reproued many will heare but where is their labour to grow in knowledge in grace that is wanting which iâ— the cause of such fruitlesse hearing as is common in the world For earthly things men refuse no paines but Gods heauenly knowledge and graces are not regarded What a shame is this that men should bestow their strength and wit about base and transitorie things and yet neglect the main good which concernes their soules for euer Thirdly the ministers diligence in teaching must prouoke conscience of obedience in the hearers that is the end of his worke without this hee spends his strength in vaine and therefore with the Apostle they must indeuour in all things to keepe a good conscience before God and all men Act. 24.16 The second thing which Christ here commends is patienâ—e in bearing the crosse which doth vsually accompanie the Gospell of Christ. And this indeed is praise worthy in the angel of this church for herin he goeth before sundry worthy prophets Ieremie was maruellous impatient for the mockings of the people And though Ionas had beene schooled in the whales belly yet when all things went not according to his mind in the destruction of Niniuie he became exceeding discontent Herein must all the ministers of the Gospell become followers of the Angell of this church While they labour in the Gospell of God they must possesse their soules with patience and make knowne to all men their meeke and mild spirit Yea euerie christian in the profession of religion must learne to practise this duty Luk. 8.16 The good ground receiueth the seed and bringeth forth fruit but how with patience Neither can wee possibly attaine to eternall life vnlesse we arme our selues with patience to beare the crosse for whosoeuer will liue godly must suffer affliction 2. Tim. 3.12 Through many tribulations we must enter into heauen Act. 14.22 II. Againe here obserue how Christ ioyneth labour and patience together this he doth for two causes First to let vs see the fruit of sinne which God hath set on the labour of man Before the fall the labour of mans calling was practised without all trouble or paines but since mans fall the best callings haue their crosses and vexations which are the punishments of mans transgression Socondly to shew vs the malice of Sathan against the good progresse of the Gospell Paul saith to the Thessalonians
Iewes though their teachers and rulers were both heretickes and hypocrits and yet wee must remember that liuing among them and beholding their wicked conuersation wee must not approoue of their vngodlinesse but bee grieued for the same as righteous Lot was for the abhominations of Sodome 2. Pet. 2.7 Further if it fall out by the negligence of the gouernours that euill men bee admitted to the Sacraments we must not for their companie refuse to communicate for our sauior Christ liuing among the Iews communicated with them in their Sacraments and seruice of the Temple though many of them were notorious both for wicked life and false doctrine The reason is for that another mans euill conscience doth not defile our good conscience but wee may keepe a good conscience in that action wherein the wicked is defiled Now though wee may thus conuerse with euill men yet these two caueats must be obserued I. To haue no priuat companie with knowne and open euill persons This Paule expressely forbiddeth saying I haue written vnto you that you companie not together that is in priuate and familiar manner II. Wee must not shew speciall familiaritâ—â— to euill persons God will not take the wicked by the hand Iob. 8.20 and we should be followers of God Therefore S. Iohn sayth If any man come vnto you and bring not this doâ—trine receiue him not into house neither bid him God speed 2. Iohn 9. Which must bee vnderstood of speciall familiaritie for thereby we doe not onely performe outward dutie to the person but also giue countenance to their sinnes which in any case wee must not doe And thus wee see how to conuerse with euill men Hereby all those are iustly blamed which fit themselues for the humors and dispositions of al companies This ought not to be If any be knowne to be openly wicked either for life or opinions wee must not keepe priuate companie with them or affoord them our speciall familiaritie but by withdrawing our selues from them case vs of such burdens Our Sauiour Christ hauing commended this church for her seueritie against the wicked in that she could not endure them doth prooue the same to bee true by two arguments The first whereof is contained in these words And hast examined them c. to the end of the third verse The second in the sixt verse For the first it is taken from the sharpe and round dealing of this church against euill men and it hath two parts First her discouerie of false Apostles And hast examined them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them liers Secondly her opposing her selfe against them being discouered in the third verse Thou hast suffered and hast patience c. In their discouerie of these false Apostles note two speciall points first that God hath giuen to particular churches the spirit of wisedome that is the spirit of discerning This appeareth by sundry testimonies of Scripture 1. Cor. 2.15 The spirituall man that is bee which is endued with Gods holy spirit discerneth all things And Paule assumeth That the faithfull Corinthians did discerne the Lords bodie that is see and put a great difference betweene the bread and wine in that sacrament and other common bread wine which none that want the spirit of God can doe Againe he biddeth them proue themselues whether they be in the faith or not to giue vs to vnderstand that they had a gift of discerning whereby they did know their owne estate whether they were vnder the curse or vnder grace And S. Iohn biddeth the Church to trie the spirits that is those doctrines which men pretending the gifts of the spirit did teach And in this place this churches discouering of false Apostles declareth plainely that shee hath a gift to discerne who bee sent of God to teach his church and who not And hence the godly learned in the church are sayd to haue their sences exercised to discerne both good and euill Heb. 5.14 And in this regard the churches of God differ from all other companies of men For vnlesse men be of Gods church they want this gift of discerning spirituall things that differ as true Apostles and false good and bad truth and falshood c. Hence we may gather that the church of God hath a gift to discerne which is a true church and which is not for the church can discerne whether a man bee a true Apostle or not and by the same gift it may discerne the state of any particular church Whence also it followeth that wee may easily see whether the church of England bee a true church or not It pleaseth some to call it into question as it now standeth and they auouch That it is no church of God that there are no true Ministers no true preaching or right administration of the Sacraments in it and that these things with vs are illusions of Sathan and our church his synagogue But that ours is a true church of God is thus prooued The churches of Germanie Fraunce Scotland and Italie that haue receiued the Gospell are the churches of God and they haue the gift of discerning which is a true church of God and which is not Now they giue the right hands of fellowship vnto vs and reuerence our church as the church of God To whose testimonie we must rather cleaue than to the opinion of a few priuate men and so resolue our selues that wee are the true church of God Secondly hence we may gather that the church of God hath a gift to discerne scripture from that which is no scripture The papists say the church indeed hath this gift but it is by counsell and commission froÌ„ the church of Rome which is a meere forgerie For the church of Ephesus which could discerne of false Apostles could no doubt by the same gift discerne of the bookeâ— of God and that without counsell from the church of Rome for at this time when Iohn writ it was a more famous church than the church of Rome and therefore went not thither for counsell II. point In what things this discerning of false Apostles doth consist it is a iudiciall action of the church consisting in two things here noted First in examination of false doctrine and false teachers secondly in condemnation afterward The examination of them is set downe in these words And hast examined them that say they are Apostles and are not Their condemning or sentence giuing in the words following And hast found them liers For the first examination is a gift of God to his church and was here vsed for the triall of false Apostles Que. How may any church trie a false teacher Answ. This is a point of large discourse but the heads of true examination are these First that church or that man that would rightly examine a false teacher must prepare himselfe thereunto after this manner he must looke that he haue a meeke spirit and an humble heart for God
hated namely Idolatrie and Adulterie which are ioyned together in these Nicolaitans Adulterie is the punishment of Idolatrie and Idolatrie the punishment of Adulterie Spirituall Adulterie is punished with bodily adulterie This was verified in the old Iewes when they fell a whoring after strange gods God gaue them vp to vncleane lust And it is palpable in the Church of Rome they being fallen to idolatrie doe abound in all vncleanenesse for they tollerate stewes for fornication and adulterie and Sodomic are common among them Againe sundry men may here be well admonished who will bee of no Religion because there are many sects and schismes among the professours thereof These men should consider That in the best Churches planted by the Apostles there were sects and heresies euen in the Apostles times as here in Ephesus And therefore no maruell if there bee sects and schismes among vs at this day This offence should not mooue any to dislike the gospell but rather cause them more firmely to cleaue vnto the truth Which I also doe hate This Christ addeth to encourage them to goe forward in the vertue for which hee commended them in hating euill workes for what could more prouoke them to zeale and constancie therein than to know they did that which Christ himselfe did And here wee see that Christ would haue euery member of his Church to be like minded and like affected vnto him as he was man Wee must loue those things which Christ loueth and hate those things which Christ hateth reioyce wherein Christ reioyceth and mourne for those things for which Christ mourned And great reason it should be so for wee professe our selues to be members of Christ bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh for out of his bloud sprung the Church and there must bee consent and conformitie betweene the head and the members Quest. If Christ hated these wicked men why did hee suffer them to liue and not cut them off from troubling his Church Answ. Because hereby hee would manifest his loue to his Church and his iustice vpon the wicked for hee can bring light out of darkenesse and good not onely out of good but out of euill Verse 7. Let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit sayth vnto the Churches To him that ouercommeth will I giue to eat of the tree of life which is in the middest of the paradise of God These words containe the conclusion of this Epistle the scope whereof is to excite this Church to the more carefull performance of the duties before prescribed This conclusion hath two parts a commaundement and a promise The commaundement in the beginning of the verse Let him that hath aâ—â—are he arâ— what the spirit sayth vnto the Churches In this commaundement note three points I. who are commaunded These which haue eares II. The dutie commaunded They must heare III. What they must heare namely What the spirit sayth vnto the Churches I. point The parties commanded are thus set forth He which hath an eare who these bee Christ doth more fully expound Matth. 13.9 when hee saith Let him that hath an eare to heare heare Where he maketh this distinction of hearers that some are deafe hearers some hearing hearers The deafe hearers are those that bring with them to the ministerie of the word their outward eares only but their hearts are not affected with it neither do they care to learne to beleeue or obey that which is taught them The hearing hearers are all such as beside their bodily eares haue eares piâ—â—ced in their hearts by the spirit of grace whereby they doe not onely heare the word outwardly but their hearts are also affected with it and made pliable vnto it so as they beleeue it and bring forth obedience vnto it This hearing eare is set foorth by Dauid when he saith Sacrifice and burnt offeringâ— thou wouldest not haue but mine â—ares hast thou opened and preparâ—d and then I sayd Loâ— I come Hereof Isay saith Thou openedst mine eares and I was noâ— rebellious And this hearing eare 〈…〉 giuen her when God opened her heart whereby she became attentiue to the word of God preached by Paule By this distinction of hearers which Christ maketh we may learne that Gods grace vnto saluation is not vniuersal that is God giueth not vnto al men such measure of grace whereby if they will themselues they may beleeue repent and be saued For in Christs time and euer since there haue bene in the church these two kind of hearers whereof the deafe hearer doth not receiue nor beleeue the gospell vnto saluation Neither is it true that God giueth grace sufficient vnto all whereby they might be saued if they by their malice and sinne did not abolish the same For though he admit all sorts into his church yet not all but some onely haue eares pierced by the spirit of grace that they can heare And therefore when the Disciples asked Christ Why hee spake in parables he answered thus To you it is giuen to know the will of God and the secrets of his kingdom but to others it is not giuen Shewing plainly that the gift of hearing to saluation is not giuen to all and in some made void by their own wilfulnesse but to some it is giuen and they haue hearing eares and to some it is not giuen and their eares are deafe Secondly seeing this commaundement is directed to the hearing hearers we must hereby be admonished to vse all good meanes to become good hearers of Gods word bringing with vs not onely the bodily eares which we haue by creation but the spirituall eares of the heart which we haue by regeneration For it is not sufficient to our saluation to receiue the word into the outward bodily eares vnlesse the inward eares of the heart bee opened that our soule may bee affected with the word and fitted to receiue to beleeue and obey the same Thus did good king Iâ—sias heare the law read the text saith His heart 〈◊〉 within him And thus did Dauid heare when the Lord sayd to the church Seeke â—ee my face his heart answered I seeke thy face O Lord. And as we must bee carefull to get spirituall eares so wee must take heede of deafe eares Which is when a man commeth heareth the word of God but yet hath no care in his heart to learne beleeue or obey the same This deafe eare is a fearefull iudgement of God whereof we may read Isay. 6.9 where the Prophet is sent To make their eares heauie and their harts fat that they might not beare nor beleeue lest they should turne and be saued And this the rather we must looke vnto because it is a iudgement of God vpon many among vs at this day The greatest part of hearers are deafe hearers which appeareth by this that after long teaching they neitheir increase in knowledge nor in faith nor in obedience but remaine the same for blindnesse of mind hardnesse
III. Those that for a time shew forth many good things as care to get knowledge and to keepe faith and a good conscience but after suffer themselues to be intangled and drawne away with the profites and pleasures of the world or els to bee driuen backe by trials and persecutions And of these three sorts be most men generally whose case is fearefull and dangerous for they shall neuer haue the crowne of life if they continue thus vnfaithfull To induce men to fidelitie Christ addeth a most forcible reason promising thereunto The crowne of eternall life Hence the Papists conclude that Martyrs by suffering martyrdome doe merite the kingdome of heauen because it is called a crowne therefore say they it is a reward Whereto I answere two wayes I. The kingdome of heauen is called a crowne onely in resemblance because as with men after the race is run they receiue the garland euen so after men haue fought the good fight of faith and kept good conscience in this life then in the life to come they receiue the crowne of glorie For the keeping of faith good conscience is not the cause but the antecedent of eternall life Secondly the reward is promised not to the martyrdome but to the martyr and yet not for his sufferings but because hee is a member of Christ and by suffring death hath shewed his faith in Christ for whose merit alone hee is so rewarded And so must this and all other promises of like sort be vnderstood for the Papists do foulely erre when they apply the promises vnto the workes which are made vnto the workers By this promise wee all that haue made our vow to God in baptisme must learne to become faithfull in keeping the same vnto the end It is a shame for a man to be vnfaithfull vnto men much more with God And the more fearefull is this sinne because onely the faithfull shall inherite eternall life Secondly all such as haue made a shew of good things heretofore and now doe suffer the same to decay must call to mind from whence they are fallen and become faithfull keepers of the graces of God holding fast true religion and good conscience and walke constantly in obedience and then shall they haue the crowne of life though not for their deserts but only for the merits of Christ. Verse 11. Let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirit sayth vnto the Churches he that ouercommeth shall not bee hurt of the second death These words containe the last part of this Epistle namely the Conclusion Wherein obserue generally as also in the two next verses that Christ repeateth the same things which he spake before in this and the former chapters yea in the very same words This must bee considered because it is done by Christ who is the doctor of his church whose example both for matter and manner of teaching must bee our rule and precept The like did the Apostles It grieued not Paule to write the same things Phil. 3.1 And Peter sayth vnto the dispersed Church That he will often put them in mind of the same things before his departing wherein they had knowledge and were established Hereby all the Ministers of the gospell in their Ministerie haue warrant often to teach and repeat the same points of doctrine euen in the same words Yea Gods faithfull Minister may preach the same Sermon oftentimes if hee doe it not for ease to himselfe but for the benefit of the people And therefore if any hearer of Gods word shall at any time marke the Minister to deliuer the same things often he is not curiously to find fault with his Ministerie for by that reason they may find fault with Christ who seuen times repeateth the same things vnto these churches This Conclusion hath two parts a Commaundement and a Promise The words of this commaundement haue beene expounded in the seuenth verse with the doctrines and vses thereof yet here is to bee obserued what the spirit commendeth thus seriously to our hearing The things are three which were handled in the former verses First touching Gods prouidence that hee seeth and regardeth the tribulations of his church The second touching triall that Gods church and people ought before-hand to consider of the day of visitation and thereby arme themselues with courage against all afflictions that they suffer not themselues to bee ouermuch daunted with any feare The third touching faithfulnesse Gods people must consider what promises they haue made to God in baptisme namely to keepe faith true religion and good conscience vnto the end and these they must performe vnto death These things being so carefully commended vnto vs by Christ wee must labour to haue them engrauen in our hearts that we may practise them in our liues And to incite vs hereunto wee must marke the two reasons contained in the words First because the Spirit of Christ speaketh to vs. Secondly because they concerne all Churches though principally they were spoken to the church of Smyrna and therefore none may seeke excuse to exempt himselfe from learning and obeying these things The Promise Hee that ouercommeth shall not be hurt of the second death Of the meanes of ouercomming we haue spoken in the seuenth verse By second death is meant the condemnation of the soule and bodie for euer and euer For there be two kinds of death mentioned in Scripture The first is the separation of bodie and soule asunder at the end of this life The second is when soule and bodie both are sâ—â—ered for euer from Gods comfortable presence Reu. 21.8 This second death is expounded to bee an abode in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone The meaning therefore of the promise is this that they which ouercome thogh they may suffer the first death yet they shall neuer suffer damnation their soule and bodie may be seuered one from the other for a time but neither soule nor bodie shall euer be seuered from God to goe into that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Which is a most gracious and happy promise Here first marke to whome this promise is made namely To them that ouercome Where learne that it is not sufficient for a man to professe and approoue or to teach the doctrine of the gospell but withall he must ioyne a fight against himselfe against sinne the world the deuill and against all the enemies of his saluation and not suffer them to raigne ouer him but so fight as by Gods grace hee may ouercome and then shall the second death neuer hurt him It is nothing to professe if we still liue in sinne and therefore wee must not content our selues with knowledge but labour to feele in our hearts such power of grace as will make vs truly to say we are conquerours ouer our spirituall enemies This is that blessed state of all those vnto whom life euerlasting belongeth who shall neuer taste of the second death Secondly here is answered a great question which
is not called the morning star because hee shineth to al the world in al time as the morning star doth but because he shineth vnto men in the last age of the world It is further sayd I will giue him it Where is promised fellowship and participation with Christ aâ— hee is this day-starre And herein are two benefits comprised First perfect illumination wherby ignorance shall be wholly taken away after this life when as men shall know God fully so farre foorth as a creature can know the creator Secondly the light of perfect glory for by fellowship with Christ wee shall bee made to shine as the starres as Daniel speaketh yea wee shall become Saints in light â—s the Apostle sayth Whereas Christ compares himselfe to the morning starre First wee see the grosse errour of many among vs who liue in blindnesse of mind and ignorance walking in their wicked lusts and pleasures without care of keeping faith or good conscience and yet persuade themselues that they haue part in Christ and shall bee partakers of his light and glorie But they are deceiued for all such as liue in blind ignorance and in sinne are meere darkenesse and so can haue no fellowship with Christ who is that bright morning starre for what fellowship can bee betweene light and darkenesse This bright morning starre serueth onely for them that receiue the light thereof and walke by it but those that walke in the darkenes of their sinnes haue no benefit by it Secondly seeing Christ is this morning starre wee must haue care to learne Peters instructionâ— namely Labour that this bright starre may rise and shine in our hearts This wee shall feele when we vse those meanes wherby the beames of this starre may shine vpon vs not onely for the enlightening of our minds but also for the heating and reuiuing of our frozen and dead hearts For as the Sunne in the Spring time quickeneth by it warme beames some things that lye dead all Winter so Christ Iesus this morning starre by the beames of his grace doth enlighten our minds and reuiue our dead and frozen hearts And till such time as wee feele these things wrought in vs we cannot say that this morning starre is risen vnto vs or hath shone into our hearts Thirdly whereas Christ appeareth in the morning when darkenesse is past wee are hereby taught to lead our liues in godlinesse righteousnesse sobrietie and in all manner of vpright and godly conuersation For the night is past and the day is come wherein wee may see to walke vprightly And therefore wee must cast off the vnprofitable workes of darkenesse as the Apostle exhorteth vs Rom. 13.12 And know this That those who in this light doe not walke accordingly but delight in sinnes the workes of darkenesse shall one day haue their fill Hee that loueth the darke for the hiding of his talent must bee cast for his reward into vtter darkenesse Let him that hath an eare to heare heare what the spirit sayth vnto the Churches Here is Christs commaundement the second part of this conclusion But hereof we haue spoken before Motiues to proceed Prou. 15.32 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his owne soule Luk. 9.62 No man that putteth his hand to the plough and looketh backe is apt to the kingdome of God Gal. 6.9 Let vs not be wearie of well doing for in due time wee shall reape if wee faint not 1. Cor. 12.31 Desire you the best gifts and I will shew you a more excellent way THE THIRD CHAPTER Verse 1. And write vnto the Angel of the Church that is at Sardis These things saith hee that hath the seuen Spirites of God and the seuen Starres I know thy workes for thou hast a name that thou liuest but thou art dead THese words containe the fift particular Commandement of our Sauiour Christ vnto Iohn wherein he is inioyned to write send a speciall Epistle to the Church of God in Sardis of this commandement we haue spoken before The Epistle it self is contained in the sixe first Verses it hath three parts A Preface the matter of the Epistle the ConclusioÌ„ The Preface in these words These things saith he which hath the seuen Spirits of God and the seuen Starres In this Preface first is set downe in whose name this Epistle is written to procure authoritie vnto it it is in Christs name whose soueraigntie is described by two royalties that is by two prerogatiues or priuiledges belonging to him as he is a soveraigne king of his Church the first is The hauing of the seuen spirits of God The second his hauing of the seuen Starres For the first royaltie In the first Chap. vers 4. I shewed that by seuen spirits were meant the holy Ghost from whom proceed all the gifts and graces that any men enioy and therefore whereas Christ is said to haue the seuen spirits of God the meaning is that he hath the holy ghost And this is a royaltie of Christ as he is the King and head of his Church If it be said that other seruants of God as Dauid Peter and Paul had the holy Ghost Answ. It is true but not in the same manner with Christ for he hath the holy Ghost two wayes in regard of his diuine nature of his manhood as Christ is God hee is the beginning of the holy Ghost for the holy Ghost is a person in the Trinitie proceeding from the sonne as well as from the Father in regard of which proceeding Christ is sayd to send the holy Ghost and to doe whatsoeuer hee doth by the holy Ghost as to ouercome death by the eternall spirite and to rise from death to life Secondly as Christ is man he hath the holy Ghost because the holy Ghost powred into him the perfection of all graces and giftes whatsoeuer And for this cause he is said to be anoynted with the oyle of gladnesse aboue his fellowes and to be inriched with the perfection of all graces and that two wayes both for number and degrees For number with men some haue some graces and some men others but Christ hee hath the graces of all men and all Angels nay moe graces in number then all men and all Angels haue And as they are in number perfect so they are perfect in degree for in measure they exceed the graces of all creatures men or Angels and therefore the Father is said to haue giuen the spirit vnto his son without measure thus much is meant by this first royaltie of Christ. Now the end why Christ is said to haue the holy Ghost is to shewe that hee is a most liuely head of his Church who is filled with plentie of all store of graces whereby he is able to inrich his Church and to reuiue the members thereof who are dead in their sinnes and such indeed was the speciall state of this Church First hence we learne no man can haue true fellowship with the
is plaine in the Minister of this Church and might also bee shewed by manifold examples of such men in all ages but to come to our times In the dayes of Queene Marie when Religion was in banishing this our famous Schoole of the Prophets had many learned men in it yet not one of them stood out for the defence of the Gospell when as a poore secular Priest not three miles off who was far behind them in gifts of learning and knowledg yet hauing the truth reuealed vnto him did stand out for the maintenance of the same euen to the sealing of it with his blood And at this day many men of smaller gifts in the ministrie doe more further the Gospell by the encrease of the knowledge of Christ crucified and true obedience than those that are inriched with far greater gifts of knowledge both in tongues and arts so as though they be many hundred degrees short in regard of schoole-learning yet they go as farre before them in benefiting Gods Church If this be so will some say then it is needlesse for men to bee brought vp so much in the schooles of learning Ans. Not so for as much as may be Gods Ministers ought to haue knowledge of Schoole-learning both in Artes and tongues And yet for all this it oft commeth to passe by Gods prouidence that the greatest Clerks for learning are lesse profitable to the church thaÌ„ men of smaller gifts This God doth to humble the learned that they be not proud in themselues And to magnifie the worke of his spirite in the weaker instruments Further these words must also be vnderstood of the whole Church And then they beare this sence I haue set before thee an open dore That is I haue vouchsafed vnto thee a speciall priuiledge euen libertie to enter into the kingdome of heauen From whence we obserue That libertie to life euerlasting is a speciall priuâ—ledge belonging not to all men but onely to the Church of God and the true members of Christ. This point hath sundrie vses I. to confute this erronious opinion That Christ did effectually redeeme all and euerie man Which is â—â—at against Gods word and this text for those that are effectually redeemed haue libertie to enter into the kingdome of heauen but all men haue not that libertie for then it were no priuiledge of Gods Church alone to haue heauen opened vnto them II. Seeing this is a priuiledge which God vouchsafeth vnto his church to haue heauen gate opened vnto them Hereby we are taught to take the benefite of this libertie while the dore is open and in time to striue to enter therein For as Christ telleth Nathaniell the church of the new Testament shall by faith see heauen open We must not therefore neglect this oportunitie But it is our common shame that wee be slacke in seeking the kingdome of God and the righteousnes thereof suffering our selues so to bee clogged with heapes of sins and worldly lusts that we can neither walke in that straight way nor enter into that dore that leadeth vnto life for sinne is â—n heauie burden like a great packe that will not suffer a man to enter into so strait a dore We must therefore cast off all sinne that hee may so enter in and walke in the way of life And no man can shut it Here is the continuance of the former benefite against all aduersarie power whatsoeuer And this againe confuteth another opinion of the same kinde with the former to wit That Christ dyed for euerie man but yet some are not saued because they wil not they shut heauen dore against themselus But this opinion cannot stand for none can shut heauen dore against them to whome Christ hath set it open effectually neither sinne Satan nor the world no not man himselfe nor all their power together For herein is the will of man ruled by the will of God and looke whome God will haue to enter into heauen them doth hee encline to will their owne saluation and also make vnwilling euer to shut this dore against themselus For thou hast a little strength and hast kept my word c. That is Thou art indued with some measure of grace as of faith hope and righteousnesse and according to that measure thou hast maintained my word and not denyed my name Hence we learn that a man indued with a small measure of Gods grace may doe workes pleasing vnto God by the same grace come to life â—uerlasting Christ saith to his Disciples If your faith were as much as a grain of mustard seed by it should you bee able to remooue mountaines Now that which is here sayd of the faith of miracles may in like sort be said of all faith and so of iustifying faith if a man haue neuer so small a measure therof yet thereby hee shall doe workes acceptable to God for as Paul teacheth Gods children receiue not the tenths but the first fruits of the spirit that is a small measure of grace in this life which is onely a pledge of that which they shall fully receiue in the world to come for this cause is Rahab commended for her faith although it was but small and weake as wee shall see if wee read the whole Historie Ioshâ— 2 For God accepteth of man according to that hee hath receiued It is not so much the measure of grace that saueth a man as the truth of grace before God This serueth notably for the comfort of those that haue care to keepe faith and good conscience Such are most dismaied by reason of their wants corruptions but they must know that God approoueth of their grace though it bee but small if so be they haue care to increase in grace and doe striue to please God in all things according to the measure of grace receiued II. Hereby euerie one must be encoraged to embrace and obey true Religion Many bee dismayed herein by reason of the great measure of obedience which they thinke God requireth and therefore they leaue of all obedience But this ought not to bee so for God approoueth of a man in Christ according to that grace which hee hath be it more or lesse and not according to that which by the law he ought to haue And yet none of all this must make vs slacke and negligent in vsing those means which God hath vouchsafed vnto vs for the increase of grace that so wee may also increase in true obedience And hast kept my word and hast not denyed my name Here hee setteth downe two workes for the which he commendeth this church First their faithfull keeping of the word of Christ. Secondly the profession of his name in the time of persecutioÌ„ This behauior of this church must be a paterne and a looking glasse for vs to square our conuersation by For these works Thou hast kept my word and hast not denyed my name though the words be few yet they continue much in
yet they will not take paines to reade the same at least in such a constant course as they ought to doe Thirdly the Lords Sabbath is broken for though most men at set times will come into the congregation yet there is not that priuate sanctifying of the Sabbath after the congregations are dissolued which Gods word requireth but men betake themselues to their own affaires and to outward delights to omit those that haue no care at all of sanctifying the Sabbath in any sort Now these persons must needs want both knowledge obedience and all sound grace that will not set apart some time wherein they should employ themselues in Gods word and by these signes it is euident that there is a greeuous disease of negligence in the duties of Religion that infects our congregations Now where this negligence is though coldnesse be not there cannot be zeale and so luke-warmnesse must needs abound II. Signe of luke-warmenesse The Religion of most men is this In the generall calling of a Christian they shew Religion but in the affaires of their particular callings where is religion In the Church they are good Christians but in practise of the duties of their particular callings who sheweth his religion for when as men should practise their callings according to Gods word and true godlynesse they follow the desires of their owne hearts Little conscience is made of lying and oppression that loue and plaine dealing which ought to be between man and man is wanting which prooueth them plainely to bee luke-warme Gospellers III. Signe There bee many that professe themselues to bee luke-warme neither hot nor cold For though all generally come to the hearing of the word and the receiuing of the sacraments yet many when they see some make conscience to become answerable in some measure to the word which they heare and the Sacraments which they receiue doe take vp in their mouthes this slaunder of precizenesse against them mocking them for doing that which in the word sacraments theÌ„selus profes shuld be don These men will not be enemies to the Religion of Christ and they professe themselues not to bee zealous by reproaching zeale in others Therefore they doe more than these Laodiceans did euen professe themselues to bee luke-warme For hee that reproacheth another for zeale in Religion brandeth himselfe with this sinne of Luke-warmenesse And who knowes not how many of this â—ort are euerie where I dare with good conscience say our congregations generally consist of such Now marke what followeth hereupon First that our common professors of religion are in worser case than heathen men Iewes and Turkes that knowe not Christ. This Christ teacheth in preferring cold persons before the luke-warm as if hee should say I had rather thou werest a Pagan than a Professor without zeale And Saint Peter to this purpose speaking of such saith It had beene better they had neuer knowne the way of truth than after they haue known it not to obey the commaundements of God So that vnlesse there be further matter in vs than knowledge and bare profession our case is worse than the case of Iewes and Turkes Religion knowne will not make thee better than them but it is zeale and obedience that must preferre thee before them Secondly from the consideration of our estate I gather that wee are in danger to be spewed out of the mouth of Christ as luke-warme water out of the stomacke This is the punishment heere threatned which was written for our instruction that we might know where luke-warmenesse takes place there this punishment will follow Wee may flatter our selues as the men in the old world did thinke all is well neuer regarding till the iudgement come but the truth is that in regard of this sinne we are in danger to bee cut off from the Church and from true societie with Christ God can doe this sundrie wayes either by bereauing vs of his Gospell and making vs as the heathen or by sending the enemie among vs to destroy and root vs out of this land and euen in our neighbor-countreys and townes hee sets spectacles before vs that by them wee may see how hee can spew vs ouâ— cut vs off from being a people And thus much of the first fault namely luke-warmenesse Vers. 17. For thou sayst I am rich and made rich and haue need of nothing and knowest not how thou art wretched and miserable and poore blinde and naked Here is the second sin of this Church namely spirituall pride The wordes depend vpon the former as a reason thereof before he charged theÌ„ with deadnes in religion and here he painteth out the cause thereof namely spirituall pride of hart As if hee should say thou thinkest thus within thy selfe I am rich for it is the manner of the scripture to expresse the thoughts of men by their speeches because the thoughts of men are as euident to Christ as any mans speeches can bee to another In that Christ doth expresse mens secret thoughts and propound the same in this Booke wee may hence gather that it is a part of Canonicall scripture for it is a priuiledge of the scriptures to set down the thoughts of Countreys of Churches of particular men euen as they coÌ„ceiue them This can no man doe in any booke of his owne deuising And hence wee may gather an argumeÌ„t against Athiests That scriptures are the word of God because they reueale mens secret thoughts Nowe followeth the thought it selfe of the Angell and people of this Church I am rich that is I haue many excellent gifts and graces of Gods spirite by this effect he expresseth their spirituall pride in ouerweening their estate before God This is a common sinne in the world and euer hath been Christ sayd He came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance by righteous meaning such as think themselues righteous And the proud Pharisie in his prayer which hee conceiued in his heart thought himselfe farre better than the poore Publican or other men And Paul bringeth in the Corinthians thinking proudly of themselues saying We are full and made rich c. This sinne takes place in the Papists at this day who perswade themselus that they can satisfie Gods iustice by temporall works and fulfill the law of God and merite for themselues and for others To come to our selues this same proud thought hath place among vs. First wee think we are rich in regard of knowledg both yong and old scorne to be catechized because they would not seeme to be ignorant some sticke not to professe this pride by bragging thus that they know as much for substance as any man can teach them when as indeed they know nothing but that wich nature wil teach a man Secondly men plead that they haue a most firme saith so as they neuer doubted of Gods mercie which is nothing but the presumption of a proude heart for true faith is troubled with doubting
counsell vnto his Church The principale counseller is Christ so he saith in the person of Wisedom Pro. 8.14 Counsell is mine And Isay saith To vs a Childe is borne and he shall call his name wonderfull COVNSELLER the mightie God the euerlasting Father the Prince of peace yea he is both King Counseller to his Church This office Christ challengeth to himselfe for these causes first because he aduiseth his Church touching the way whereby they must escape euerlasting death and come to eternall life Secondly because he teacheth them how they may practise euery busines so as it may please God Thirdly because hee teacheth them how they may in grieuous dangers and distresses find a good issue or else bee able with patience to beare them These things he worketh dayly in his Church not by extraordinary means but ordinarily by his word and spirit and therefore may iustly challenge this honour to bee called the Counseller of his Church From this office of Christ wee learne two things First to doe all the honour and reuerence we can vnto his Maiestie for he is our professed Counseller who imployes himselfe for the good of his Church Counsellers of the State and of the Law are highly honoured and respected of all sorts euen for their counsell in worldly matters though often it fayle how much more ought wee to honour Christ our heauenly Counseller whose counsell leadeth vnto glorie and is stable and sure for euer Looke how much his counsell excelleth theirs so much ought he to be honoured aboue them all Secondly in all distresses and grieuous temptations and dangers either of soule or body wee must take counsell and aduise from Christ Iesus for to this end doth hee reueale himselfe to bee a counseller that men in distresse comming to him by his aduise might bee comforted and eased When Moab Ammon and Mount Seir banded themselues against Iuda the people were in great distresse and danger but marke what good king Iehosophat did he betooke himselfe to the Lord his counseller saying Lord we know not what to doe but our eyes are towards thee 2. Chron. 20.12 that is direct thou vs in this danger for of our selues we know not how to escape This pratise ought to bee followed of all men especially in time of any danger such as these dayes are by reason of sinne The counsell of Wizards Sorcerers and Astrologians ought not to bee sought after but by prayer wee ought to humble our selues and call only and continually on this our onely true counseller II. Point The remedie it selfe which hath relation to the former Verse for there hee set downe the Miserie of this Church in three parts which were all great Miseries And heere hee so propoundeth his remedie that it is answerable to their Miserie in the seuerall parts thereof For first heere is gold to make them rich answerable to their pouertie Secondly raiment to hide their nakednesse Thirdly oyntment to take away their blindnesse For the first by gold according to the Analogie of the Scripture we are to vnderstand the graces of Gods spirit as true faith repentance the feare of God loue of God and the true loue of man 1. Pet. 1.7 Faith is compared to gold in the tryall thereof and so may all other gifts of the spirit be hereby vnderstood Secondly by gold wee are to vnderstand Christs merits yea Christ himselfe as the fountaine of all grace This gold is further said to be tryed by the fire that is most pure and precious gold purged from all drosse as fine as can be made by the art of man This is added to expresse the propertie of Gods graces and gifts namely that they are more precious vnto God then gold Yea than gold tryed by the fire as Peter saith By this euery person is taught how to beautifie themselues both in soule body It is the common blind opinion of the world that forraigne attyre and rich Iewels do adorne the body and indeede in some cases the body may bee adorned with pearles and Iewels but the right way to adorne any person indeed is to furnish the soule with these graces of the spirit which vnto God be more precious than fine gold Our bodyes and soules ought to be the dwelling places of the Holy Ghost therefore we must adorne them and make them fit for so worthy a Guest which must be done by the good graces of the spirit and not by strange and forraigne attyre which no good man could euer abide Secondly these graces haue a further effect than to beautifie and that is to make rich Heere then see the common folly yea the spirituall madnesse of men in the world who spend all their time wit and strength to furnish their houses with treasure to enrich their bodies and in the meane time leaue their soules vngarnished What a madnesse is this that men should neglect the true riches and follow after that which is nothing els but counterfeit copper Seeing therefore Gods graces bee the true treasure which fadeth not let vs seeke after them as Wisedome counselleth Pro. 8.10 11 receiue mine instruction and not siluer and knowledge rather than fine gold For wisedome is better then precious stones The second part of this remedie is a white garment that is Christ himselfe and his righteousnesse imputed So Paul saith All that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ There Christ is made a garment whom euery one that beleeueth in him doth put on Againe the fruites of the spirit are a garment therefore we are commanded to put on tender mercie kindnesse humblenesse of minde meekenesse and long suffering Further Christ sheweth the end of this garment namely to couer the nakednesse of our soules lest the filthynesse thereof which we by our sins haue brought vpon vs doe appeare The third part of this remedie is anoynting with eye-salue where by eye-salue wee must vnderstand the spirit of Illumination and knowledge wrought in the mind by the Holy Ghost whereby men know themselues and their estate for as eye-salue sharpens the eyes and cleeres the sight where it was by some occasion dimned so doth Christ by the illumination of the spirit make a man know God in Christ and to discerne betweene good and euill and betweene things temporall and blessings eternall Thus wee haue the meaning of the words whereby wee may see that by all these three wee can vnderstand nothing else but Christ himselfe and his merits Now one and the same thing in Christ is signified by diuers tearmes to shew that there is in Christ the fulnesse of all grace and plentifull redemption yea store of supplyes for all our wants The Laodiceans were poore but Christ was their riches they were naked Christ was their garment and lastly they were blinde but Christ was their eye-salue So that what wants soeuer be in vs there is store of supply thereof in Christ. This must the more diligently be marked
A GODLY AND LEARned Exposition or Commentarie vpon the three first Chapters of the Reuelation PREACHED IN CAMBRIDGE BY that reuerend and judicious Diuine maister WILLIAM PERKINS Ann. Dom. 1595. First published for the benefit of Gods Church by ROBERT HILL Bachelor of Diuinitie The second Edition reuised and enlarged after a more perfect copie at the request of M. PERKINS executors by THOMAS PIERSON Preacher of Gods word Hereunto is prefixed an Analysis of the Vision in these three Chapters And a twofold Table added one of places of Scripture the other of speciall points to bee obserued PROV 13.9 and PROV 4.18 The light of the righteous reioyceth by encrease shining more and more vnto the perfect day But the candle of the wicked shall be put out LONDON Printed by Adam Jslip for Cuthbert Burbie and are to be sold at his shop in Paules Churchyard at the signe of the Swan 1606. TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVLL AND VERTVOVS Ladie the Ladie ELIZABETH MONTAGV of Hemington in Northamptonshire Grace and Peace IVST cause there was Right worshipfull as well in respect of the reuerend Author whose rest is now in glory as also of the godly Reader whose good herein claimes speciall stroke that some refining hand should recommend vnto the Church of God a more perfect coppie of this godly Exposition than the first edition hereof did affoord and yet no cause I find why your worthie children who no doubt for the Authors sake did more gratefully accept the former dedication should by me be depriued of their right Nay rather as they in heart I am persuaded did highly honour the Author for his double labor in Christs vineyard so do I reioyce this recompence is returned for their loue That with this worke their memorie with posteritie shall long endure And sith my paines herein yeelds me this right to make choyce of some to whom I also may commend the patronage hereof I presume to present the same vnto your Ladiship If this bee any kindnesse on my behalfe I confesse it is farre short of your desert and of my desire some others I know may challenge me herein as vnmindfull of their loue yet because God may offer me opportunitie hereafter to giue them good content this way I will intreat their patience for this time that I may ioyne the mother with the children in this worke of loue to affoord tuition to these godly labours of the dead It fits you best good Madam in many respects for neither will your children complaine of your admission into the society of their right nor you esteeme the lesser hereof because of their claime hereto by former possession They are your owne and you theirs this comes vnto you all as vnto one accounting your vnited loue for greater safetie and looke what grace it finds by your protection like grace it yeelds by many a good instruction Salomon saith Good vnderstanding maketh acceptable meaning to such as feare God for fooles hate knowledge how welcome then will this be vnto you who haue sayd vnto Wisedom thou art my sister and do esteeme the words of her mouth The ioy and reioycing of your heart sith herein you shall find on euery leafe some pleasant fruit of the tree of life a tast whereof I will here set before you that you may iudge the better of the store When the Disciples harts were full of greefe for Christs departure then at hand Philip sayd vnto him in the name of all Shew vs the father and it sufficeth Loe here behold and you shall see not the father alone but with the father the spirit of grace and with them both the Son of God so liuely described to your view that you may truly say of this knowledge God sanctifying the same vnto your soule It is eternall life When Christ would harten his Disciples for the great worke of their ministerie hee doth it by the promise of his presence saying Be hold I am with you alway The euidence and fruit whereof you shall hereby so well perceiue that hereupon I trust both you and many moe will learne to say with Dauid in temptation I haue set the Lord before me alway for he is at my right hand therefore I shall not slide And with Ieremie in affliction The Lord is with me like a mightie Gyant therefore my persecutors shall be ouerthrowne and shall not preuaile What shall I say more It would be too long to speake of the dignitie of Christs Church and ministerie here handled at large and to instance in particulars through the seuen Epistles to these seuen Churches of Asia onely this in the Preface of each Epistle learne what Christ is in himselfe and to his Church In the Matter behold the state of euery Church and see what Christ approueth and what his soule detesteth In the Conclusion see his bountie towards his children and the dutie of all to him againe The handling of these things will much delight your Christian heart for beside the Plaine euidence of the spirit in opening the text which is best pleasing vnto God and most profitable to his Church wherein this godly Author had a speciall grace the application is so fit and pertinent to our times that I had welnigh sayd He did foresee what we now behold and hath foretold what we for our lukewarmenesse and decay in loue may iustly feare Consider what I say and the Lord giue you vnderstanding in all things Hold fast that which you haue bee faithfull vnto death and the Lord will giue you the crowne of life For God is not vnrighteous that he should forget your workes and labor of loue which you haue shewed towards his name in that you haue ministred vnto the saints and yet do minister Now the God of hope fill you with all ioy and peace in beleeuing and increase your ioy by the constant walking of your children in the truth Yea the same Lord make all grace so to abound towards you all that alwayes hauing all sufficiencie in all things you may abound in euery good worke which is by Iesus Christ vnto the praise and glorie of God vnto whose gracious protection both now and euer I humbly commend your Ladiship with your godly familie London December 10. 1606. Your Ladiships to commaund Thomas Pierson TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPfull Sir Edward Montagu Sir Walter Montagu Sir Henry Montagu and Sir Charles Montagu Knights M. Iames Montagu Doctor of Diuinitie Deane of his Maiesties Chappell and M. Sidney Montagu Esquire the Ladie Susan Sandys and the Ladie Theodosia Capel children of that right worthie and religious Sir Edward Montagu of Bowghton in the Countie of North-hampton Knight and of the Ladie Elizabeth his worthie wife sister to the right Honourable Sir Iohn Harington Baron of Exton and father to the vertuous Ladie the Countesse of Bedford Grace and Peace RIght Worshipfull as the Patriarch Iacob had twelue
giueth entrance to grace accesse to God in prayer made the Elders well reported of and each Christian to stand to the profession of Christ. It is that hand by which wee must apprehend Christ that shield by which wee resist all the fierie darts of the diuell and that meanes by which we do good to others By faith we receiue the spirit are members of Christ we are risen with him he dwelleth in our hearts we feed on him continually resist Sathan are the children of God and the word which we heare becommeth profitable And what shall I say faith is of such a qualitie that it vniteth vs to Christ maketh vs certaine of our saluation bold in our profession ministreth true ioy giueth temporall blessings sanctifieth our gifts and maketh vs refuse the pleasures of this present world In a word no sinne can condemne him who hath this true faith and no vertue can saue him who wanteth it To come to the second which is Christ the obiect of faith The most comely garment that euer we can weare it is to be couered with the robes of Christs righteousnesse Iacob was blessed by Esaus garments and we are blessed by Christs garments What wee see through a greene glasse seemeth all to be greene and what God seeth through Christ it is all amiable We must put on this apparell not as the Church in the Canticles I haue put off my clothes how shall I put them on againe or as a gowne that wee cast off when we come to our home but we must so put him on that we neuer put him off againe Wee must put him on by imputation imitation infusion and profession by imputation of his righteousnesse imitation of his vertues infusion of his spirit and profession of his name Thus we must labour to get Christ for what though a man could command the earth with Alexander the sea with Moses the fire with Eliah and the Sunne with Iosuah What though he were as rich as Salomon as wise as Achitophel as strong as Sampson as swift as Ahimaaz as beautifull as Absolon as fortunate as Metellus and descended as Paul was of the bloud royall of Princes yet hauing not Christ hee hath nothing Yea say a man had the abstinence of Aristydes the innocencie of Phocion the holinesse of Socrates the almes deedes of Cimon the moderation of Camillus the honestie iustice and faithfulnesse of both Catoes all these out of Christ were but splendida peccata and to be esteemed as dung in regard of Christ. For haue him and haue all things want him and want all things he is in at and after death aduantage I come to the last it is profitable to repent for if we turne to the Lord he will turne to vs and that wee may turne consider his mercies in forgiuing his benefits in giuing his patience in forbearing and his iudgements in punishing The word preached sinnes committed and that few shall be saued the shortnesse of life the vncertaintie of life and the certaintie of death the ioyes of heauen the torments of hell the comfort of the elect and that else wee can haue no comfort in death pray wee cannot vnlesse wee repent and perish wee shall vnlesse we repent but blessed shall we be if we do repent But manum de tabula Magister adest this discourse following will teach vs these things and it am I bold to present to your worships Iohn sent his Reuelation to manie Churches and I present his Epistles to manie worthie personages and to whom may I better present them then to you Iohn was a Disciple full of loue and you are brethren full of loue The Preacher of these Lectures was well knowne to manie but to none better than to many of you especially to those who were in my time worthie members of that most worthie Colledge with him And the rather I do it that times to come may reioyce in the Lord that from one honourable roote haue issued so manie profitable branches to the Church You are six brethren as pillars of your house there were three sisters as fruitfull vines of the same one is not but is with the Lord and her I knew a Ladie of admirable vertues the other two are and long may they be so You are all brethren by nature of one venter nation of one country grace of one spirit affection of one heart fortune in great fauor and of one hope by your holy behauiour And concerning brotherly loue I need not to write vnto you for you are taught of God to loue one another Your Scilurus at his death need not to teach you concord by giuing to each of you a sheafe of arrowes which cannot well bee broken whilst they are conioyned for you by your amitie make your selues inuincible If Chilo the Lacedemonian died for ioy to see one sonne crowned at Olympus and Diagoras Rhodius did the like when his three children got the garland at a wrestling and Iacob so reioyced to heare of his sonne Ioseph to bee aduanced greatly in the kingdome of Aegypt how might that happie father of yours reioyce to see at one time one son sitting as high Sheriffe of the shire another preaching before the Iudges of Assize and the third pleading as Councellor at the barre and all the rest of great expectation in the kingdome Thus wise sons are a ioy to their parents and all may behold how good and comely a thing it is for brethren to dwel together in vnitie Aristotle could say that parents were not blessed vnlesse they were after their death blessed in their children And surely it is no small part of a fathers blessednesse to see his children like to flourish when he is gone Nay of all monuments that parents can leaue behind them there is none as one saith like to a vertuous son But all parents are not to be blessed Adams two sonnes could not agree in one field Abrahams in one house Isaaks in one wombe Dauids in one pallace nor two brethren in the diuision of an inheritance And though concord amongst brethren especially such as deuide the inheritance be very rare yet do you euen in this most comfortably agree You are not as Simeon Leui Romulus and Remus Eteocles and Polynices Atreus Thyestes Aeta and Perseus but as Castor and Pollux Dauid and Ionathan Ioseph and Beniamin and as a true friend is described to be one soule in two bodies It seemeth that as Agrippa the brother of Augustus was beholding to Salust for that one sentence Small things increase by concord but perish through discord so you haue all learned the same lesson as being
written which word imports that by diligent obseruation wee should lay them vp in our hearts This is a weightie dutie and seriously commended vnto vs of God Bind vp the testimonie seale vp the law among my disciples Isay. 8.16 And Marie is therefore commended because she kept in her heart the words of Iesus Luke 2.19 â—1 It was Dauids practise I haue â—id thy saying in my heart Psal. 119. â—â— And hereto â—endeth Christs encouragement pronouncing them rather blessed which heare the word and keepe it than those which bare Christ and gaue him sucke Luk. 1â— 27.28 And Iames calleth it the ingraffed word Iames 1.21 because it should abide in our hearts like a syence in a stock and neuer be remooued but there grow and fructifie vnto life eternall Now because this is a point of great difficultie and the want hereof the cause of so little profiting after much hearing and reading I will therefore shew how by Gods grace in hearing and reading the word of God a man may keepe the same in memorie First a man must learne the grounds or elements of religion commonly called the Catechisme for they are the fouÌ„dation of all knowledge without which a man shall neuer vnderstand the Scripture to his comfort nor keepe the same in memorie The Apostle sayth the Hebrewes were dull of hearing the deepe things of God in Christ because they had not well learned the first principles of the word Hebr. 5.11.12 This all ignorant persons should well obserue specially the aged that they may find in themselues the cause of their ignorance and dulnesse euen want of knowledge in the Catechisme They thinke it a disgrace to bee brought vnto it now they are old but if they would not be euer learning and neuer come to the knowledge of the truth they must lay in themselues this good beginning and learne the principles of religion Secondly wee must not rush vpon Gods holy ordinance but before we either come to heare or reade with reuerence prepare our selues thereto Most men at this day vse to prepare theÌ„selues before they come to the Lords table and so they ought to doe before they come to heare the word for God ordained both for this end to bee meanes to bring men to true happinesse they differ onely in this that the Sacraments are the visible and the Scriptures the audible word of God At the giuing of the law The people that must â—eare it were sanctified three dayes before Exod. 19. And when they did offer sacrifice or eat the Passeouer both priests and people must bee sanctified and the same thing for substance must we perform before we come to heare the word of God This preparation stands in two thingâ— First wee must put out of our hearts al by thoghts all delights and cares of wordly affairs and set our hearts as Ezra did to seeke the law of the Lord Ezra 7.10 Secondly we must make our earnest prayers to God that he would open our eyes that wee may see his will soften our hearts and make our eares attentiue as Lâ—diaes were and also giue vs grace to embrace his word and keepe it for Christ is the onely doctor of the heart by his spirit without whose inward teaching wee can neuer learne vnto saluation Thirdly when we are about the holy exercise of Gods word the frame of our heart should be thus disposed I. It must bee an humble heart for the Lord resists the proud and giues grace to the humble Iam. 4.6 Them that be meeke will he guide in iudgement and teach the humble his way Psal. 25.9 A proud heart is so stuffed with selfe loue that there is no room for the word of God to lodge in But the heart that is lowly in it selfe through the conscience of sinne that is the heart in which the Lord by his graces will take vp his abode Isay 57.15 II. It must be an honest heart such as hath no manner of purpose to liue in any one sinne whatsoeuer but though it feele corruption in it selfe is resolued to please God in all the wayes of his commandements and that continually such an heart haue the good hearers resembled by the good ground Luke 8.15 As on the contrarie that is a wicked heart which resolueth to cherish though it be but any one sinne whatsoeuer III. It must bee a beleeuing heart The old Iewes heard the word but it profited them not because they mingled it not with faith 〈◊〉 their hearts Hebrew 4.2 where he compares the heart to a vessell in which there must bee both the word and faith these two must be mingled together and then it will be a word of power of life and saluation Therefore when we heare the threatenings of the law or the promises of the Gospell we must labour to resolue our hearts of the truth thereof But incredulitie wherby men except against the word as not pertaining vnto them is the mother of forgeâ—fulnesse The old world knew nothing of the flood because they did not beleeue Matth. 24.39 IV. It must bee an hearing heart such as is pliable to the word Sacrifice and burnt offerings sayth Dauid thou wouldest not but mine eares hast thou prepared Psal. 40.6 As if hee should say beside those bodily cares which thou hast giuen me by creation thou hast bored new cares in my heart so as I can by thy grace attend and listen to thy word And when God saith Seeke ye my face this hearing heart will answere I seeke thy face O Lord Psal. 27. vers 8.9 Fourthly after we haue heard or read the word we must become doers of the same euen in the duties of our vocation We see euery man more skilfull in the works of his owne trade by reason of his dayly exercise therein euen so the constant practise of Gods word will make vs expert in it and cause vs to keepe it in perfect memorie And these are the right meanes to become good hearers and readers of the word of God Thirdly this benediction pronouÌ„ced vpon them that heare read keepe the prophecies of this booke serues to induce euery child of God as much as in him lieth to keep in memory the whole word of God but specially these prophecies of things to come that concerne the state of the Church for therefore did God reueale them that they might bee remembred When the Angell had told Daniel the state of the church from his time to the comming of Christ hee bids him Shut vp the wordes and seale the booke till the end of the time Dan. 12.4 meaning that he for his own comfort should hide them in his heart And Christ sayth to his disciples When ye see the abhomination of desolation spoken of by Daniell the Prophet let him that readeth consider it Matth. 24.15 Behold I haue told you before meaning things to come verse 25. shewing That hee would haue his children to marke and remember those weightie things that are foretold concerning the state
yet he is seuen that is manifold in regard of gifts and operations which proceed from him Secondly saint Iohn here speaketh of the Father Sonne and Holy ghost as hee saw them in vision for here he setteth downe one vision which he saw now he beheld the holy ghost in forme of seuen lights in a vision Reuel 4.5 Which are before his throne This he speaks by comparison takeÌ„ from earthly kings which sitting in their thrones doe there shew their glorie and maiestie So S. Iohn saw in vision God the father sitting in his throne and Christ at his right hand and before the throne the holy ghost Which manner of appearance proueth not that the holy ghost is inferiour to the father and to the sonne but hereby is expressed the office of the holy ghost which iâ— to be sent from the father and from the sonne to the church to enlighten the members thereof This theÌ„ is the meaning of the words And from the seuen spirits which are before his throne that is Grace and Peace bee with you from the Holy ghost the spirit of the father and of the sonne who from them both is sent vnto the Church to enlighten to sanctifie and to gouern the members thereof First hence we learne that the holy ghost is God for looke from whome commeth grace and peace that same is very God but here grace peace proceed from the holy ghost and therefore he is very God Secondly wee learne that wee may and ought to direct our prayers to the holy ghost for by whome grace and peace is giuen to him we may direct our prayers but grace and peace are giuen by the holy ghost therefore wee may pray to him for them This is the rather to be obserued because there bee some which doubt whether wee may pray to the holy ghost bâ—t they may as well doubt whether he be God They say we haue no example hereof in scripture Ans. It is not true for in this benediction Iohn prayeth to the holy ghost saying Grace be wiâ—h you and Peace from God the father c. For in substance it is as much â—s if he had said thus Thy grace and peace O father and thy grace and peace O holy ghost and thine O sonne be with thy Church Thirdly in this description of the holy ghost by standing before the throne of the father we may obserue That the holy ghost is a person subsisting and not a qualitie Some hereticks that acknowledged the godhead of the father denied the godhead of the sonne and of the holy ghost and concerning the holy ghost haue held That he is nothing but the vertue and qualitie of the father But this is most false for aâ— the father is a substance fitting vpon the throne so here we see the holy ghost is a substance standing before the throne Fourthly here we learne that the holy ghost is a distinct person from the father and from the sonne for hee sitteth not in the throne as doth the father nor sitteth at the fathers right hand as doth the sonne but standeth before the throne apart from them both Verse 5. And from Iesus Christ which is a faithfull witnesse and first begotten of the dead and Lord ouer the kings of the earth vnto him that loued vs and washed vs from our sonnes in his owne bloud That is grace and peace from Iesus Christ. Where Christ Iesus is ioyned with the father and the holy ghost in bestowing grace and peace on his Church Here some may aske Why is Christ the second person of the Trinitie placed after the holy ghost the third personâ— Answer For 〈◊〉 causes First in regard of his office for Christ is to be considered two wayes first as he is the sonne of the father secondly as he is the mediator of the Church As he is the sonne of the father he is the second person in Trinitie and so before the holy ghost in order But as he is mediatour so he is after the holy ghost Isay 61.1 The spirit of the Lord is vpon me he hath sent me to preach Where Christ confesseth himselfe to be senâ— by the holy ghost as he is mediatour and in that respect he is set after him Secondly hee is placed after the holy ghost for the fitter progresse of the hystorie for the manner of them which pen the scriptures is to set them in the last place of whoÌ„ they mean to speak most as Matth. 1. the Euangelist setting downe the genealogie of Christ from Abraham thogh among them all was none so excellent as Christ yet placeth him the last because he intended to goe on with the hystorie of his life and death So Iohn placeth Christ the last because hee purposed to make a large description of the person and office of Christ which hee could not so fitly haue brought in if he had placed him before the holy ghost From this fift verse till the ninth hee describes Christ at large First by his offices secondly by the execution therof His offices are three First his propheticall office in these words which is that faithfull witnesse Secondly his priestly office The first begotten of the dead Thirdly his kingly office And that prince of the kings of the earth The execution of all his offices is particularly set downe in the words following To him that loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes and so forth to the ninth verse Touching his offices In his Propheticall office wee may note three things First he is a witnesse Secondly A faithfull witnesse Thirdly that faithfull witnesse First he is a witnesse Isay. 55.4 I gaue him to be a witnesse to the nations By his witnesse â—earing is signified two duties of his Propheticall office First to reueale the will of his father to his Church secondly to certifie the Church of the certaintie of the same in these two stand his whole office propheticall For the first to reueale his fathers will to the Church immediately is his office as he is a Prophet for none hath seen God but he which came from the bosome of the father and he hath declared him Iohn 1.18 Now Christ declares the father by making knowne his will and that he hath done not onely in his owne person while he liued on earth but from the beginning by all the Prophets and so will do to the end by all true preachers for in the Church the father doth all things by the sonne When the Lord rained fire on Sodome Gen. 19.24 there Iehouah the father rained downe by Iehouah the sonne So when the couenant was made to our first parents it was made in Christ the promised seed It was renued to Noah Abraham and the patriarkes from the father by the sonne for that Iehouah which appeared to Moses in the bush Exod. 3. is by S. Paule called Christ. 1. Cor. 10. The Prophets and the Apostles wrote as they were inspired by Christ they were but his instruments to speake and
himselfe and by the vertue of his godhead quickened his manhood The most godly man that is or euer was cannot doe so but all the saints of God are raised from death by vertue of Christs resurrection through that mysticall vnion which is between Christ the head and all his members by meane whereof the power of Christ his godhead which raised vp his manhood is conueyed to all his members in their resurrection froÌ„ death to life And therefore is Christ called The first fruits of them that sleepe because as the first fruits of corne which was offered vnto God did sanctifie the whole crop so Christ his resurrection did make acceptable vnto God the resurrection of all his members In this title is comprised a notable comfort for all Gods children against the immoderate feare of death If Iohn had said Christ is the first borne among the liuing it had beene a great comfort for then had he shewed that the liuing saintâ— on earth were children in Gods familie hauing Christ for their eldest brother but calling him the first begotten of the dead here is a further comfort the Lord sheweth hereby what speciall regard he hath to the faithfull that be dead for euen then when they be dead they continue members of his familie and haue Christ Iesus dead and buried reckoned among them for their eldest brother In regard whereof Christ hath a double right among the dead first of a King secondly of a Priest The right of a king hee hath to commaund his members to rise againe and to enter into glorie after him The right of a priest whereby hee offered vp himselfe in death a sacrifice acceptable to God for the sanctifying of the death of all his members for by his death he tooke away the sting of death and hath made it vnto them a sweet sleep in the graue as in a bed of downe out of which they shall one day rise to eternall life and glorie And Prince of the kings of the earth Here is the third title giuen to Christ wherein his kingly office is expressed He is called a Prince of the kings of the earth in two respects First as he is God the sonne of God equall with the father and so is king together with the father and the holy ghost gouerning all things with them by the same diuine power in heauen in earth and in hell Secondly as hee is Mediatour and Redeemer God and Man in two natures In this respect hee sayth of himselfe All power is giuen to me in heauen and in earth Matth. 28.18 And Paule sayth God gaue him a name aboue euery name at which euery knee should bow euen as he is Mediatour And in this second respect he is called A Prince of the kings of the earth in this place Now Christ being a king must needes haue a kingdome which is not of this world standing in the might and policie of man as earthly kingdomes doe but it is spirituall directly concerning the hearts and consciences of men where he ruleth by his lawes And this is his priuiledge which cannot be giuen to any creature man or Angell to rule and raigne spiritually in the heart and conscience This spirituall kingdome of Christ is exercised not by dint of sword or force of armes but by his holy word through the worke of the spirit for hee is as a king which carrieth his scepter in his mouth euen his word Isay. 11.4 That is the râ—d of his power by which hee rules the heart and conscience euen in the middest of his enemies Psal. 110. vers 2. Now Christ is here entituled Prince of the kings of the earth in two respects First because he and he alone as Mediator can giue lawes to bind the consciences of men yea of the greatest Monarch in the world Secondly because he hath soueraigne power ouer all kings and potentates as well as ouer others to saue and to destroy for not onely hath hee power to make a law to bind their consciences but also if they keepe it to saue them if they breake his law hee hath power to destroy them bee they what they may bee Hee hath the keyes of heauen and of hell to open and to shut at his pleasure Reuel 3.7 He can if he will lead them to life and saue them or els leaue them to their owne mind and so destroy them Hence arise sundry instructions First seeing our Sauiour Christ is a prince of the greatest Monarchs of the world and is farre aboue them we must then with all feare and trembling reuerence his high maiestie Great is that reuerence which men yeeld to earthly princes Oh then what reuerence should we performe to him which is prince and Lord of all the kings of the earth We cannot conceiue what honour wee owe vnto him which is aduaunced in the throne of all maiestie And this our reuerence wee must shew by hearing his word with trembling and beleeuing hearts as Isay sayth cap. 66.2 We must not dare to thinke or speake of Christ without great reuerence At his name euery knee must bow that is at the consideration of the great maiestie whereto hee is now exalted euery heart euen of the greatest Monarchs should be touched with submission awe and reuerence If this tooke place in mens hearts the name of Christ would not bee so prophaned and blasphemed as it is in â—easting sports in cursing and swearing whereby men tosse it like a ball without all reuerence to so great a prince as is the king of kings Secondly seeing he is king of kings wee must giue him absolute obedience Princes on earth must be obeyed so far as they commaund in Christ but he must be obeyed without exception not onely absolutly and perpetually in all his commaundements but most willingly and freely as it is said his people come freely in the day of assembling Psal. 110.3 Men will say they beleeue in Christ as he is their Sauior but that is not ynough they must obey him also as he is the king of princes Many persuade themselues they haue a good faith in Christ their sauiour which little regard obedience to him as their King and Lord. But they deceiue themselues for none can haue Christ for their Sauiour which haue him not for their Lord master neither doth that man beleeue in Christ which will not striue to doe his will And this our obedience must bee shewed in performing those duties which we heare and learne out of his holy word Thirdly seeing Christ is king of kings all princes must doe him seruice for they be all inferiour and subiect to him Psal. 72.11 This is the counsell of the holy ghost Be wise now O yee kings be learned yee Iudges of the earth kisse the Sonne c. that is inwardly reuerence and outwardly obey him This their homage must bee shewed in all the affaires of their kingdomes They must frame their lawes after the lawes of Christ Iesus they must
be in euerie one of vs towards the poore afflicted seruants of Christ seeing they bee our fellow members wee should haue a fellow-feeling with them weeping with them that weepe and shew our compassion in pittying them If the foote be pricked the head stoopes the eye beholds and lookes on it the finger puls it out the hand applies the plaister the other foote is readie to runne for helpe the tongue to aske for counsell all the members are readie to affoord their mutuall helpe in piâ—tie and fellow-feeling so when any members of the church suffer affliction be pricked with persecution for Christs cause then should we as members of the same body be readie to do all the helpe wee can to them especially in shewing our fellow-feeling with them The second thing wherein he is this copartner is in the kingdome of Christ that is the kingdome of heauen Where obserue that he placeth fellowship in affliction before companion in the kingdome to giue vs to vnderstand that through afflictions crosses for Christs sake is the readie way to the kingdome It is that way which is beaten and troden by the Prophets Apostles and the Saints of God as the Apostle saith thâ—ough manifold tribulations we must enter into heauen And this momentarie affliction causeth to vs an infâ—â—it weight of glorie not by deseruing it but by shewing the plain way thither Wherby we are taught not to thinke it hard when trials do befal vs but rather to count it a good thing yea exceeding great gladnesse when any affliction doth befall vs for Christs sake for herby we are brought like wandring sheep into that beateÌ„ path which leadeth to heauen Nay we must rather maruell when we professe the Gospell and haue no affliction then we may feare wee be out of the way seeing the Lord afflicts euerie child which is his Thirdly hee is Copartner in patience which he addeth because it is a most worthie vertue whereby wee are made able to perseuer in affliction till we come to heauen Afflictions are the beaten way heauen is our ioyfull end patience is the meanes to make vs go on till wee come thither Whatsoeuer things are written are written for our learning that we through patience comfort in the Scriptures might haue hope Rom. 15.4 Where true hope to come to heauen is obtained by patience which maketh a beleeuer to go on in suffering till he come to life eternall There is much fruit in the good ground but not broght forth without patieÌ„ce the true beleeuer is saued by hope in this world yet caÌ„not come to heaueÌ„ without patieÌ„ce Ia. 5. for therby he must possesse his sâ—ule Now because men will say patience is an hard matter and so are discouraged from seeking for it therefore to set an edge on ther desire he addes It is the patience of Christ and it is so called either because he commands it or because it is his gift and commeth from the spirit of Christ or chiefly because hee himselfe suffereth in his members and as their miserie and suffering is his so is their patience The consideration whereof is a singular motiue to enduce euery child of God to patience in bearing the crosse for Christ his sake for they haue Christ their fellow sufferer he takes part with them and puts vnder his shoulder Who would not then be content to suffer with patience And thus much of the branches of his fellowship seuerally Now consider them ioyntly and they containe a notable description of the communion of saints which is a speciall article of our faith standing in three things In tribulation In the kingdome of heauen And in patience And marke well that this communion begins in tribulation therein we must be partners and that with patience before wee come to haue fellowship in the kingdome of heauen That man therefore that hath afflictions layd on him must beare them patiently and when the members of Christ are vnder the crosse hee must in tender compassion be touched with their miseries and when he doth truly feele in his heart this Christian patience and compassion then may he assure himselfe he is entred into this communion and shall vndoubtedly with all saints be partaker of the ioyes of heauen But if patience and compassion bee wanting wee persuade our selues in vaine of this communion and therefore let vs striue against impatience and against the deadnesse and hardnesse of our hearts that we may neither murmur against God in our owne afflictions nor yeâ— want compassion towards our brethren that any where suffer affliction for the name of Christ. Thus much for the circumstance of the person Was in the Isle called Patmos In these words is the second circumstance namely the place where this vision 〈◊〉 giuen to Iohn This Patmos is one of those Islands which the Geographerâ— call Sporades lying in the West part of 〈◊〉 the lesse neere to the churches to whom Iohn writ and by the sea commonly called the Egâ—â—n sea This Island was a small base and poore Island little or neuer a whit inhabited Saint Iohn had his vision not at Ierusalem at Antioch or Rome but in Patmos a base poore and little inhabited Island By this we see that in the new Testament there is no respect of one place aboue another in regard of Gods presence and our fellowship with him hee doth as well manifest himselfe to Iohn by this vision in Patmos as to other his Prophets and Apostles in Ierusalem the holy citie In the old Testament there was difference of places in regard of Gods solemne worship and presence as the Lord shewed his presence and tied his worship especially to his Tabernacle and Temple at Ierusalem This Daniell sheweth by his gesture in prayer for being in captiuity when he prayed in his chamber He opened the window which was towards the Temple at Ierusalem and turned his face thitherward But now in the new Testament that difference of place is abolished in respect of Gods worship And therefore Paule willeth That men pray euery where lifting vp pure hands vnto God and so for all the duties of religion wee must thinke the like I. Then away with Popish pilgrimage to churches and chappels of Saints or to their reliques This is meere superstition for God is present euery where and a man that will worship God in spirit and truth may haue fellowship with him in one place as well as another II. Also this may serue to correct a false conceit which many haue of our churches and chappels for when they come to a dwelling house they thinke it not their dutie there to humble themselues to kneele downe and call vpon God but if they come into a church or chappell neuer so often vpon ordinarie affaires they fall downe to prayer The reason is because they thinke these places bee more holy and God more present there and they shall sooner be heard in them than in
ministerie will soone bee tainted with the filthie puddles of mens inuentions Againe in this dealing of God with Iohn we may obserue the truth of Christs saying to him that hath it shall be giuen For though Iohn was endued with rare knowledge and singular gifts yet the Lord addeth more knowledge to his former The Lord found him faithfull in the duties of an Apostle and therefore reuealeth the knowledge of many secrets vnto him in most full manner euen so it is in Gods church at this day all that haue care to know the will of God and doe it though their knowledge be small at the first yet the Lord will helpe them and adde dayly to their knowledge And the cause why many heare the word of God and profit not but wax worse or stand at a stay is because they labour not to haue their knowledge encreased by putting in practise that which they know for if they did then to him which hath should more bee added and hee should haue abundance As on the contrarie when we be negligent to heare or know and to obey the will of God wee haue a spirit indeed sent vpon vs yet not Gods spirit but the spirit of slumber of blindnesse ignorance so that we see and see not heare and vnderstand not Isay. 6.9 On the Lords day In these words is the fourth circumstance namely the time when this vision was shewed to S. Iohn This day which here is called the Lords day among the Iewes was the first day of the weeke called by vs Sunday It is called the Lords day for two causes First because on this day Christ rose from death to life for Christ was buried the euen of the Iewes Sabboath which is our Friday and hee rested in the graue their whole Saboath which is our saturday and rose the first day of the weeke early in the morning which is our Sonday Secondly this first day of the weeke according to the Iewes account came in stead of the Iewes Saboath and was ordained a day of rest for the New testament and sanctified for the solemne worship of the Lord. And for this cause especially it is called the Lords day the manifestation whereof as some thinke Iohn chiefly intended in this title And touching this time for our better vnderstanding let vs consider three points First who changed the Iewes Saboath secondly for what cause thirdly whether the Church hath now in the New testament power to change the Saboath day we now celebrate to any other day of the weeke For the first it is commonly thought that the Iewes Saboath was changed into this Lords day by christian emperours long after the ascention of Christ. But it is more consonant to the tenour of the New testament to hold that Christ himselfe was the author of this change My reasons are these First that which the Apostles deliuered and enioyned the Church that they receiued from Christ either by voyce or instinct for they deliuered nothing of their owne head But the Apostles deliuered and inioyned this Saboath to the Church as to be kept a day of holy rest to the Lord as appeareth 1. Cor. 16.1 Where Paule ordained in the churches of Galatia and Corinth that the collection for the poore should be on the first day in the weeke This hee left not to the choise of the church but appointed it by authoritie Apostolicall from Christ. Now the day of collecting for the poore as appeareth in the histories of the church was the Saboath day when the people were assembled for Gods seruice For this was the custome of the church for many yeares after Christ First to haue the word preached and the Sacraments administred then to gather for the poore and for this cause in the writings of the church the Lords supper is called a sacrifice an oblation and the masse not a reall sacrifice as the papists vse it but spirituall because therewith was ioined collection for the poore which was a spirituall oblation not to the Lord but to the church for the releefe of the poore and it was called the masse because the collected releefe therat was sent to the poore saints abroad A second reason is this The Apostles theÌ„selues kept this day for the Saboath of the New testament Act. 20.7 And it cannot bee proued that they obserued any other day for an holy rest to the Lord after Christs assention saue onely in one case when they came into the assemblies of the Iewes who would keepe none other but the old Saboath of the law A third reason is Iohn 20.19.26 The same day whereâ—n Christ rose from death being the first day of the weeke â—e appeared to his disciples being gathered together and taught them many things which concerned the gouernement of his Church And eight dayes after being the first day of the weeke hee appeared vnto them for the same end Now it is more than likely that Christ in his own person gaue them an example to celebrate and keepe that day wherein he rose againe for a Saboath of the New testamenâ— II. point The Saboath of the Iewes was changed for two causes First to maintaine the libertie of the church of the New testament whereof this was a great part thaâ— they were freed from the ceremonies of the Iewes For when this day was changed the church was no more tied to the Iewes Saboath neither had any such regard of dayes and times Secondly that there might be a more fit time for the memorie of the worke of mans redemption For as God in the Old testament appointed the seuenth day to be a day of rest to remember the first creation So in the New testament it stands with reason there should be a day to celebrate this worke of redemption which is a wonderfull creation wherein as Isay saith are made a new heauen a new earth Chap. 66. And wherby men become new creatures 2. Cor. 5.17 Nay this redemption is a more glorious worke than the creation for in that creation Adam was the head but in this redemption Christ Iesus is our head By the first creation wee receiued a temporall life but by redemption wee receiue life eternall In the creation Adam was espoused to Eue but in the worke of redemption euery christian is espoused to Christ Iesus By creation Adam had an earthly Paradise In this redemption we haue an heauenly kingdome In the creation Gods power and wisedom did principally appeare In this redemption with power and wisedome he shewed mercie and iustice Iustice in Christs passion and mercie in our forgiuenesse By creation he made man of nothing but by redemption hee made him of worse then nothing and better then he was Therefore seeing this worke of our redemption is farre passing the creation it was meete a day should be set a apart for the memorie thereof Now no day could be more fit then the first day of the weeke in which Christ rose againe whereby he confirmed
the worke of our redemption for he died for oâ—r sinnes and rose againe for our iustification Rom. 4.25 III. point Whether may the church of the New testament chaunge this Saboath day to any other day of the week as to tewsday wednesday c. Ans. The church hath no such power for time is the Lords and the disposing thereof is in his hands Therefore Christ saith to his Disciples It is not for you to know the times and seasons which the father hath kept in his owne hands Act. 1.6 As if hee should say The father hath kept times and seasons in hiâ— owne power and therefore it is not for you to knowe them Now if that were a good reason as no doubt it was then is this also sound and good If God haue the disposing of times in his hands then it belongeth not to the church to dispose of them but God hath the disposing of all times in his hands ergo And it may be otherwise henâ—e gathered thus If that which is lesse belong not to the church then that which is more doth not But the knowledge of time and seasons which God hath in his power belongeth not to the church which is lesse than the disposing of times and seasons And therefore the church hath not power to dispose of them and so by consequent may not alter the Saboath day Obiect In the Old testament the Iewes appointed festiuall dayes as the feast of Dedication which Christ kept holy Ioh. 10.22 instituted by the Machabees in token of thankfulnesse for their deliuerance and for restoring of religion and the temple which Antiochus had pulled downe And also Mordichay instituted the feast Purim which was celebrated of the Iewes afterwards Now if they had power to make holidayes then they might alter the Saboath day and so may the church in the New testament Ans. These feasts of the Iewes were no Saboaths set wholly apart for the solemne worship of God but were onely daies of the solemnitie appointed by the church in token of ioy and thankfulnesse for the repairing of the temple deliuerance of Gods people And were onely celebrated as they serued to put the people in mind of these outward benefits So that whereas some hold that the church hath power to alter the Saboath day or to make two more Saboath dayes in a weeke if it were conuenient it hath no ground in Gods word For that authoritie which doth alter this day must not bee lesse than Apostolicall And thus wee see why this day was called the Lords day Now if the first day of the weeke bee the Lords day set apart for his honor in the memorie of so great redemption then here are three sorts of men reprooued First those that make the Lords day a day of vaine pleasure and delight This is the manner of all sorts of men but especially of the yonger sort and seruants who spend this day in carnall reioycing in riot gaming and wantonnesse neuer thinking of the worship of God which is then to bee performed But these sin greatly against the Lord for hereby they peruert the end of the Lords day It should be kept holy and glorious to the Lord but they turne it to the worship and seruice of the diuell The second sort here reprooued are those which liue more ciuilltie than the former but yet they thinke they may do what they will on the Lords day as to take their iourneys thereon and imploy themselues in their ordinarie affaires perswading themselues they may serue God with as good an heart when they are alone about their busines as they do who go to the church But these men sinne grieuously against the fourth commandement for hereby they make that their owne day which is the Lords A third sort here reprooued though not so bad as the former are those who thinke it needfull to serue God at those ordinarie times of the Saboath which the lawes of the land inioyne vnto men and therefore they will come duly to morning and euening prayer thinking that they are not bound besides to heare the word of God preached and that all the rest of the day they may doe what they will pertaining either to their profit or pleasure Of this sort are our ignorant people and a great number euerie where But they sinne grieuously against God for the Saboath day is called the Lords day because it is wholly consecrated to his worship but they part stakes with the Lord and giue him but a part of his owne day and that the lesser taking the rest vnto themselues which thee mispend vpon their lusts Now as these vices must be abhorred so on the contrarie wee must with all conscience keepe the Lords Saboath holy according to thâ— fourth commandement And therefore we must thereon cease from all workes of sinne and from the workes of our callings and sanctifie this day wholly by applying it all to the honour and worship of God And here we must remember that there is a double sanctification of the Saboath publike and priuate Publicke when men assemble themselues together publickly to heare Gods word for the increase of faith and knowledge and to call on Gods name for further graces as also to giue him thankes for his mercies and to receiue his Sacramens Priuate when men in their priuat places imploy themselues in holy duties of prayer reading and meditation vpon Gods word works whereby God is honoured and their souls edified and both these must bee performed to the Lord euerie Saboath day of euery man For wee may not abridge God of that timâ— wherein glorie should be giuen to his name If the officers should take our seruants in the weeke day from our priuat businesse imploy them in publicke affaires wee would thinke much at it though it were for the common good And shall we not thinke that God will take himselfe dishonored of vs when we shall take either whole or part of his holiday and imploy it in our businesse A maine cause why many profit little by the publicke mininisterie is want of priuat sanctification of this day Therefore we must learne to sanctifie the Saboath of the Lord for else we shal neuer increase in faith knowledge or obedience as wee should for the begetting and increase whereof this day hath beene set apart and sanctified from the beginning Obiect 2. Why did the Lord shew this vision vnto Iohn rather on this day then any other Answ. Though Iohn were absent from the church in regard of bodily presence yet hee was present in spirit withall the faithfull and therefore no doubt on this day hee gaue himselfe to prayer and other duties which he could performe for the glorie of God in that solitarie place Now it is the Lords manner when his seruants are thus humbled then to come and reueale himselfe vnto them in speciall manner So he did vnto Daniel Dan. 9. and to Cornelius Act. 10. and to Peter praying
alone on the house toppe Act. 10.11 And so doubtlesse finding Iohn thus imployed this Lords day he reuealed his will vnto him touching the state of the church to the end of the world Hence we learne sundry instructions First whereas Iohn being in a sollitarie Island kept the Saboath wee may obserue that all persons who are seuered from the assemblies of the church as the prisoners and those which are sicke of a dead paluesie or other great diseases As mariners though they bee in the middest of the sea should keepe holie the Lords Saboath by performing such duties as God requireth as prayer confession of sins and thanksgiuing whereby God may be glorified though they cannot come to the publicke ministerie of the word Secondly in that Iohn receiued his vision on the Lords day when hee gaue himselfe to prayer and holie duties Hence ariseth a consolation to Gods church that God draweth neere vnto them that draw neere to him as Iames 4.8 And so let vs humble our selues and draw neere to the Lord by prayer and thanksgiuing and the Lord in mercie will shew himselfe sundry wayes and draw neere vnto vs. The cause why men haue so little tast of Gods mercie and loue towards them is because they do not draw neere vnto him by doing those duties which he requireth at their hands For when men draw backe from God is it not good reason hee should draw backe from them This therfore must stirre vp our harts and moue vs to come often to God by prayer and thanksgiuing for by vse in these duties shall wee get acquaintance with the Lord. Thus much of the circumstances of this vision And I heard behind me a great voyce as it had bene a trumpet First here followeth the parts of this vision which are two The beginning or entrance into it in this verse and part of the twelft Secondly the matter and substance thereof from the twelft verse to the end of the third chapter The entrance into the vision is a preparation whereby the Lord maketh Iohn more fit to apprehend and receiue the things reuealed In which preparation we must obserue first the meanes secondly the parts thereof The meanes whereby God prepareth him is a voyce And I heard a voyce The like manner of preparation hath God vsed in former times when hee intended to make with Adam the couenant of reconciliation in the seed of the woman First he prepared him by a voyce speaking vnto him before he appeared and by this voyce caused him to slie for feare Then hauing rebuked him for his sinnes he made with him this couenant of grace Genes 3. And in mount Synai before the Lord gaue the law hee first came downe in thundering and lightning and with the sound of a trumpet to terrifie the people and then hee vttered his law to Moyses and to his people So when the Lord would instruct Samuel touching the house of Elie he awoke him by a voyce again and againe and then spake plainely vnto him And in all visions vsually and generally the Lord vseth to prepare his seruants by voyces by signes and words that they might bee more fit to receiue such things as hee reuealed This dealing of God with Iohn in preparing him to the worthy receiuing of this vision teacheth vs that wee much more should bee prepared to heare and receiue the will of God for wee come farre short of those excellent gifts of God which were in Iohn who yet must be prepared Our comming to heare Gods word is to learne the same for the increase of knowledge faith and obedience Now the word of God is hard and we dull to learne wee must therefore by all good meanes prepare our selues that our minds and harts may be fit to receiue the same with profit The cause of so little profit after long hearing is want of preparation but hereof we haue entreated alreadie vpon the third verse This voyce is here set out vnto vs three wayes First by the place whence it came Secondly by the qualitie of it Thirdly by the matter and substance which it contained For the place it was vttered from behind him which the Lord obserued to stirre vp â—â—re attention in Iohn for vsually men doe more carefully marke those things which come on a sudden behind them than those which are spoken or done directly before their face Secondly for the qualitie of it this voyce was great as is expressed further by a similitude Like the sound of a trumpet that is full of power and maiestie Which also God added vnto it to further attention in Iohn For if it had beene an ordinarie voyce or small hee would not so much haue regarded it but being so sudden so great and full of maiestie it could not but make him verie attentiue Now seeing Christ is so carefull to prepare Iohns mind with attention and diligence to receiue the things which should bee told him This teacheth vs that when we come to heare Gods word we must vse all meanes of attention for if it were needfull to Iohn then is it farre more necessarie for vs who are farre inferiour to him in all gifts of vnderstanding and memorie And here also is another cause of small profit and little liking of Gods word namely want of attention in the heart Wee must therefore like godly Lydia Act. 16. stirre vp our dull and heauie spirits and with all diligence marke the things wee heare And here we must take heed of two enemies to attention the first are by-thoughts as when the body indeed is present but the mind wandereth from the word and is wholly possessed with thoughts of pleasure or other worldly affaires For these bee thornes in the ground of our hearts which choke the good seede of the word Many will complaine they cannot marke and remember that which is taught now the cause is in themselues their wandering thoughts which hinder both vnderstanding and memorie for the mind conceiuing other matters cannot obserue how one point dependeth on another much lesse remember them afterward The second enemie to attention is dulnesse and heauinesse in body soule a common fault in many hearers which sheweth it selfe by drowsinesse and sleepinesse in the time of preaching when they ought to stirre vp their bodies and hearts to all attention If a man should bee dull and heauie when his prince is speaking vnto him of some weightie matter that is for his good it would bee taken for a part of contempt and disloyaltie towards his maiestie What disloyaltie then is this vnto the king of kings that we should bee dull and heauy when himselfe vouchsafeth to speake vnto vs out of his word the mysteries of our saluation And surely among other things this drowsinesse is one cause of small profit by the ministerie of the word And therefore if wee would encrease in knowledge and in the gifts of grace vnto saluation we must prepare our selues before we come and in hearing
golden candlestickes That is so soone as I heard this sudden and mightie voice I turned my selfe to see who it was that vttered the same In this behauiour of Iohn we are to learne our dutie so to dispose our hearts towards God in the receiuing of his word as Iohn disposeth himselfe towards Christ in the receiuing of this vision So soone as the voice spake Iohn hearkened and because the sound thereof came behind him he turned himselfe to looke on him that vttered it Euen so must we doe we are by nature strangers with God slow to heare when hee speaketh and readie to turne our hearts from God when we heare Therefore when God speaketh vnto vs in the ministerie of his word we must hearken And though we bee going another way yet wee must turne our selues from our euill wayes and encline our hearts to his voice that we may haue fellowship with him Saint Iohn had not seene this maruellous vision vnlesse hee had turned himselfe to behold him that spoke No more shall wee at any time feele true fellowship with the Lord vnlesse we turne our hearts vnto his word and that betimes while he speaketh vnto vs in the ministerie thereof Thus much for the first part of the vision viz. the entrance thereunto The second part it the matter and substance of the vision containing a most worthie representation of Christ in his maiestie as he is the Prophet King and Priest of his church set downe at large by a description of Christ continuing from this twelfth verse vnto the end of the third chapter wherein Iohn sheweth what hee receiued of Christ partly by hearing and partly by seeing And first he beginneth his description of Christ as hee saw him represented in vision and so describeth him by two arguments First by the place where he saw him Secondly by his forme and figure wherein he appeared I. For the place Iohn saw him in the middest of the seuen golden candlesticks These seuen candlestickes here seene are the seuen Churches of Asia the particular churches of God being compared to candlesticks as Christ expoundeth himselfe vers 20. Now the particular congregations of Gods church bee called candlestickes for that resemblance which is between them For as the candlesticks serue to bear vp and hold forth the light that is set therein so the particular churches of God on earth they beare vp and shew forth the light of the gospell vnto the whole world partly in the ministerie of the world and partly in the profession of the faith of Christ. From hence sundry things are to bee learned first obserue that the churches are rather called candlestickes than candles To giue vs to vnderstand that they haue no light of themselues or from themselues but onely are Gods instruments to beare vp and hold forth the light in the ministerie of the word and profession of the faith for Christ Iesus is the onely true lampe and candle that giueth light to the heart and conscience by his holy spirit in the word Secondly hence euery one that professeth himselfe to be a true member of Gods church must learne his duty which is earnestly to labour to become a shining and burning candle Indeed this principally concernes the ministers of the church and therefore Iohn Baptist is called a burning and shining light Iohn 5. vers 35. but yet it must also bee verefied of euery member thereof as Saint Paule commaundeth Shine sayth hee as lights in the world in the middest of a naughtie and câ—â—oked nation holding forth the doctrine of life that is the gospell Quest. How shall euery member of the church become a burning light Answ. First hee must haue his mind enlightened in the knowledge of Gods will and word and then as a candlesticke hold out and send forth the beaâ—es thereof to others partly by teaching within the compasse of his calling and partly by example of an honest and blamelesse life and conuersation Thus we should doe if wee would be answerable to our profession And to induce vs hereunto let vs obserue the reasons following First it is Gods commandement Shine as lights sayth S. Paule in the world Philip 2.15 And walke as children of the light Ephes. 5.8 Secondly consider the fruit hereof which is wonderfull great For by godly instruction in our places and by answerable obedience in our liues we win many to the Lord shewing forth such lights whereby others may walke in this darke world to the kingdome of heauen which is a most blessed light In the Winter season men thinke they doe others great pleasure if in the night they hang forth a light to guide passengers a little way in an earthly walke What a blessed thing then is this that a man should alwayes hold forth that light which shall guide a sinfull wicked wretch to leaue the wayes of death and to walke in the pathes of righteousnesse to eternall life But on the contrarie when men liue in Gods church like candles put out by reason of the blindnesse of their minds and the badnesse of their liues hence commeth great hurt and danger to others with whom they liue for they lead others that depend vpon them to the pit of destruction especially they who know the will of God and yet make not conscience to shew forth the same by good example of a godly life For as in an hauen towne if any man in the night time doe remooue the sea-marke which guideth the ships in the right channell he doth as much as in him lieth cast away all the ships that are comming neere the shore by causing them to run on rockes and sands euen so they that should giue light in the church if they giue either no light or false light to such as depend vpon them who are sayling in the sea of this sinfull world hereby they lead and direct them to a wrong hauen and instead of heauen bring their soules to eternall perdition which must terrifie vs from ignorance and euill workes and make vs labour to shine as lights in this world by good instruction and godly conuersation Third reason Consider the fearefull iudgments of God against such as liue in his church as members thereof and yet giue no light they doe incurre the fearefull wrath of Christ. In the Temple the keeping of the lampes and lights belonged to the priest and therefore he had his snuffers and other instruments to trim the same which notably figured the dutie of Christ in the Church of the new Testament for hee is our high priest who looketh to euery light in the Sanctuarie that is to euery member of his church who ought to shine as a lampe and when they burne but dimly and darke he hath his snuffers to trim them and make them giue a better light both by godly life and good instruction But when hee hath snuffed them againe and againe if still they burne darke and dim and giue either no light or else a false light
yet so long as Christ is present their commission must cease and it is as great pride and greater for any to presume to be head of all churches in Christs presence than for a man to sit vicegerent in the presence of the prince Secondly seeing Christ is alwayes present with his church wee are taught to walke with God and before God as Enoch did Genes 5.22 Which duty stands in these points First whatsoeuer we say or take in hand wee must do it as in the presence of Christ. Secondly we must continually depend vpon Christs providence who is euer present with his church prouiding all things for the good of his church and of euery member therof Thirdly we must do all our actions as looking for approbation at the hands of Christ for which end wee must take direction for the same out of his word The practise of this dutie is most excellent for by walking with God we shall be enabled to many good duties as namely liue vnblameably in this wicked world making conscience of all sinne and approuing our selues both to God and man in hart and life And thus much for the place where Iohn saw Christ. The second argument wherby Iohn describeth Christ is his figure or forme in these words One like the sonne of man Some thinke that these words are a description of some Angell not of Christ because he is sayd to be like the sonne of man not the sonne of man himselfe but they are deceiued For he which is here described is before called the first and the last it is he which was dead and is aliue which cannot agree to any but to Christ. Now the words may more significantly bee translated thus One like to a sonne of man for if it be translated that sonne of man then Christ must needs bee the resemblance for so hee is called Act. 7.56 But here Christ is sayd to be like to a sonne of man by the vsuall phrase of the Old testament whereby is meant that he is like vnto a man And Christ is not here called a man but is sayd to bee like vnto a man because hee appeared vnto Iohn not in his true manhood which was then in heauen but in the likenesse of his manhood And note this that as Christ here appeared to Iohn in this vision so did he alwayes appeare after his ascention Steuen indeed saw his true manhood Act. 7. but it was in heauen and Paul heard his voice when he was conuerted Acts. 9.5 and saw the Lord 1. Cor. 9.1 But no man can prooue that Chrst appeared vnto him in his true manhood vnlesse it were in heauen And in all these visions Iohn saw not his true manhood but a resemblance thereof Now Christ appeared thus for speciall consideration For man is too much addicted to his bodily presence this was the fault of his owne friends and Disciples Therefore Christ would hereby teach vs not to seeke for his bodily presence but rather to lift vp our hearts to heauen and therefore seeke to haue fellowship with him by faith For this cause he sayd to Marie after his resurrection Touch me not I am not yet ascended to my father Iohn 20.17 This Paule had learned Though we had knowne Christ saith he after the flesh yet henceforth know we him no more 2. Cor. 5.15 Now if Christ after his ascention neuer appeared in his true manhood i◠teacheth vs that the defence of Christs reall presence in the Sacrament is needlesse For if Gods church haue spirituall fellowship with Christ by faith it is sufficient Againe whereas Christ appeareth in the shape and forme of man after his ascention the Papists gather that wee may make images of Christ and so answerably of the father and of the holy ghost in those formes wherin they appeared as of the holy Ghost in the forme of a doue and of the father in the likenesse of an old man Ans. It is not vnlawfull to make or to haue an image of Christs manhood so that it be out of religious vse though it bee doubtfull whether any now haue a true picture therof but if it bee to represent whole Christ God and man or bee vsed to remember Christ thereby or to worship Christ therein it is an idoll As for the formes of an old man or of a doue they may bee made for the manifestation of the hystori◠of the Bible when it is painted or pictured but then wee must conceiue that these formes are no images of the father sonne or holy ghost but onely representations of such visible appearances as sometimes were signes and pledges of the presence of those persons But now to abstract those formes apart from the hystorie and to make them images of any person in Trinitie is flat against the second commaundement which doth generally forbid all images of God not excepting those very shapes in which himselfe tooke libertie to testifie his presence for some time And there being no exception against Gods cōmaundement it is in vaine to seeke shifts excuses for a thing forbidden specially considering wee may not meddle with God beyond our commission from God Clothed with a garment downe to his feete Here Christ is further described by his attire The first part whereof is A long garment reaching to his feete The causes why he so appeared may be these First to signifie that hee is the high priest of the new Testament and so continueth doing the offices of the high priest for his Church after his ascention in presenting the merit of his one onely sacrifice and making intercession to God the father for them For the long garment was one of those wherewith the high priest was cloathed in his ministration vnder the law Secondly to signifie that hee is The Prince of peace for the long garment not onely in the Church of God but among the Heathen hath beene alwayes a note of peace and so Christ is called Isa. 9.6 Thirdly to shew that he had in his breast the treasures of the wisedome of the father and the spirit of counsell For this long robe alwayes pertained to them that excelled in counsell and wisedome and so Christ is described Isay 11.2 Now in this example of Christ we may learne a dutie touching our attire namely that the outward garment of the body should be sutable to the good things that ought to be in the heart as to our wisedome knowledge feare of Gods name to our sobrietie modestie temperance humilitie and all other vertues whatsoeuer Wee must not onely in speech and action as in hearing Gods word and receiuing the Sacraments shew our selues to bee burning lights but euen by the gesture and attire of our body both for matter and forme shew forth the grace of our harts But miserable are these times wherein mens attire is sutable not to the graces of God that should bee in their hearts but to the common corruptions of the times For such it is
bee an inducement vnto all those that are indued with gifts fit for this calling to affect the same Lastly euery minister of the gospell must hereby learne to bee faithfull in his calling and holy in his conversation for by vertue of his calling hee is placed in Christs right hand Now shall we thinke that Christ wil long bear in his right haÌ„d any that are vnfaithfull or prophane Nay he will take them out of his right hand and put them vnder his feete of brasse and there grind them to powder For as they are honoured aboue others by their place so shall their confusion be the greater vnlesse they be faithfull This wee may see in Nadab and Abihu Leuit. 10.1 and Hophâ—â—â— and Phineas 1. Sam. 3.13 And in the same respect ought all the people of God to be carefull to their wayes for by their calling of christianitie they be members of Christ. Now if they be not faithfull and answerable to their profession hee will surely deale with them as with vnfaithfull ministers put them vnder his feet of brasse confound them for euer They must therefore make conscience of all sin and become not hearers onely but doers of his will so shall Christ protect them in this life and saue them eternally And out of his mouth went a sharpe two edged sword This sword that came out of his mouth is nothing else but the doctrine of the Law and the Gospell vttered and propounded in the writings and ministerie of the Prophets and Apostles Heb. 4.12 The word of God is liuely mightie in operation and sharper than any two edged sword And it is thereto compared because as a sword with a double edge entreth sharply into the flesh and pierceth deeply into the bones euen to the very marrow So the doctrine of the Law and the Gospell entreth sharply and pierceth deepely into the very marrow of the heart of euery man to the diuiding of the thought and the spirit This two edged sword the word of God hath a twofold operation One vpon the wicked Another in the elect It woundeth the wicked at the very heart with a deadly wound and thereby brings them to eternall death Isay. 11.4 Christ shall slay the wicked with the breath of his lippes that is with his word which is this two edged sword Herewith shall he consume Antichrist 2. Thes. 2.8 visit Leuiathan and slay the dragon that is the greatest enemies of his church Isay. 27. vers 1. Here consider how the word of God should kill an impenitent sinner There be three degrees of spirituall death First in this life where an impenitent sinner receiueth his deadly wound The second at the end of this life when the bodie is laid in the graue but the soule goeth to the torments of the damned The third at the end of the world when bodie and soule together go to hell eternally Now a sinner receiueth in this life his deadly wound after this manner Christ in the giuing thereof hath a threefold worke in his heart by the ministerie of his word which is this two edged sword First hereby he reuealeth vnto him his sinnes as hypocrisie pride and rebellion of heart with all other his horrible and damnable transgressions against the first and second table 1. Cor. 14.24.25 When all Prophesie and there commeth in one vnlearned he is reproued of all the Prophets by the word iudge him and thereby lay open vnto him the secret sinnes of his heart with the sinnes of his life Secondly Christ hereby reueâ—leth vnto him his indignation and wrath which is the curse of the law due vnto him In which regard the law is called a killing letter shewing no mercy but onely thundreth out the fierce wrath of God vpon transgressors Thirdly hereby Christ awaketh his guiltie conscience sharpneth the sting thereof and terrifieth him at the hearing of his word Thus wicked Felix trembled when hee heard Paul preach of temperance righteousnesse and the â—udgement to come So when king Belshazzer saw the palme of the hand writing things against him vpon the â—all his countenance was changed his thoughts troubled him his ioynts were loosed and his knees stood one against another And al these are wrought in the wicked without apprehension of mercy or reformation of life It may please God to recouer one that â—s 〈◊〉 wounded but while he is 〈◊〉 this estate hee hath receiued a deadly wound and without vnfamed repentance is alreadie in thâ— first step towardâ— eternal death for these horrorâ— oâ— conscience seuered from the apprehension of Gods mercie in Christ are no grace but the flashes of hell fire and the beginning of eternall woe And thus we see how Christ by this sword woundeth his enemies Hence we are to learne sundry duties First how to earne our selues towards them that after they haue heard the word preached vnto them will rage and storme against it and the preachers therof because it touched them We must not despise or maligne them but rather be mooued with compassion towards them For this their behauiour is a token they are wounded with the sword of Christ at the verie heart and these their ragings are nothing but struglings before death eternall vnlesse the Lord in mercy recouer them of this deadly wound II. Hereby wee are let to see and know the lamentable state of the greatest number in those congregations where the word hath long bene preached for we shall find by lamentable experience that in those placeâ— few come to true knowledge repentance and obedience but most remaine ignorant and impenitent now this their condition is most fearefull A terrible iudgement of God is vpon them for when men haue long heard Gods word and are not thereby bettered for knowledge in mind and obedience of life they are thereby wounded vnto death This two edged sword hath alwayes his worke it either cureth vnto life by working repentance and other graces of saluation or woundeth vnto death them that receiue it not We must therefore lament the case of such persons as remainâ— ignorant and impenitent vnder the ministerie of the word for they are as yet dead men for ought wee know how soeuer they may make a faire shew by their â—â—ill honestie If any man should come into a field and there behold many thousands slaughtered and 〈◊〉 ouâ— bloâ—d some in the â—ead some in the side c. this sight would make his heart to bleed Wel this 〈…〉 God 's church though it be not seene with bodily eyes the most men are wounded with this sword of Gods word and lye 〈◊〉 wallowing in the bloâ—d of their soules 〈◊〉 they continue in ignorance in seâ—uritie and want of repentaâ—ce III. This mâ—st admonish vs all to labour earnestly to haue further things wrought in vs than a knowledge of our sinnes an apprehension of wrath oâ— horrour of conscience namely 〈◊〉 faith and repentance and sound reformation of life for without this wee haue nothing in vs
euerlasting life which Christ there keepeth in store for vs and for this cause principally doth Christ here say Behold I liue for euer 3. This also must mooue vs to put all our affiance in him and to place all our ioy and reioicing in him Men haue most regard to that part of their bodie by which the whole body and euery member liueth Well wee professe our selues to bee members of Christ and in him is hid our spirituall life wee therefore must set our hearts and affections on him especially The third part of the distinction is this Though I was dead yeâ— I haue the keyes of death and of hell Here we must not imagine that hell is a bodily place kept with locke and key and dores as mens dwelling houses are that cannot bee proued by any place of Gods word Neither yet that the torments thereof are bodily such as bee inflicted in this world but rather they are spirituall being the apprehension and feeling of Gods wrath and vengeance whose iealousie burnes like fire But Christ in this phrase borroweth a comparison from stewards of great houses who at their installing into their stewardships haue the keyes of all things giuen vnto them Which giuing of the keyes is a token of regiment and authoritie bestowed vpon them And the meaning is this That Iesus Christ thogh he once died yet by his death did vanquish hell and death and hath obtained full power dominion ouer them both for euermore Hence arise sundry instructions first that power and authoritie to forgiue sinnes properly belongeth onely vnto Christ. No meere creature hath this power for hee that can forgiue sinnes must bee able to take away the punishments of sinne namely hell and death which none can doe but Christ alone who onely hath the keyes thereof And to say that a man can properly forgiue sinnes is to say that a man hath power in himselfe ouer hell and death And therefore the priesthood of the church of Rome is full of blasphemie who take vpon them properly to pronounce vnto men the pardon of their sinnes of themselues and they deride the custome of reformed churches who from God pronounce the pardon of sinnes vnto them that repent Secondly hereby wee are taught to reuerence Christ and to performe vnto him all due honor and loyall obedience If wee neuer haue done this heretofore wee must now begin and if wee haue done it we must endeuour to do it more For Christ hath the keyes of hell and death hee can open the gates thereof at his pleasure and cast thither whom hee will Many deceiue themselues through their false conceit of Christ they thinke not of him as of a Iudge but as a Sauior onely they make him all of mercie and pitie and thereby they take occasion to goe on in sinne But wee must consider that Christ is likewise a righteous iudge who hath the power of hell and death in his hands and therefore we must not flatter our selues in our euill wayes but striue to please him continually with fear and trembling least by our sinnes we stir vp his wrath against vs and cause him to cast vs into hell whence is no redemption Thirdly this is a matter of great comfort vnto all those in Gods church that in this life vnfainedly cleaue vnto Christ and especially in time of affliction and temptation and at the houre of death for Christ hauing the keyes of hell death is able to keepe them from hell and from the sting of death And this hee will doe because they trust in him for he hath promised it If this were alwayes sounding in our eares it would minister endlesse ioy vnto our soules against the seruile feare of hell and death Vers. 19. Write the things which thou hast seene and the things which are and the things which shall come hereafter Here S. Iohn propoundeth a second action of Christ. For hauing confirmed Iohn against his great feare hee giueth him a commaundement to write the things which he had seene c. This commaundement was giuen to Iohn in the eleuenth verse and is here againe repeated for these causes First that Iohn might see the special care of Christ ouer his church that he still continueth a prouident head thereof for their good estate after his ascention Secondly that Gods church in all ages may vnderstand that it is necessarie men should know the estate of the church to bee subiect vnto troubles that thereby they may better arm themselues against the euils to come Thirdly that Iohn might be fully assured of his calling to write and publish this booke Fourthly that Gods church in all ages might be out of doubt that this booke is no deuice of man but a booke of God and part of holy Scripture reuealed from Christ to Iohn for the good of his church If it be sayd though Christ did faithfully reueale his will yet Iohn might erre in publishing it Answ. As Christ deliuered this to Iohn so hee receiued and published it faithfully without all fault either in matter or manner for we must make a difference betweene the Prophets and Apostles and all other teachers As the Prophets in former times so the Apostles in the New Testament were called immediately by Christ and had such speciall assistance of Gods spirit that they could not erre when they propounded by preaching or writing any doctrine of Christ vnto the church of God this appeareth by the promises of Christ made vnto them Luk. 10.16 He which heareth you heareth me and be which refuseth you refuseth me and â—e which refuseth me refuseth him that sent me Againe Matth. 10.20 It is not you which speake but the spirit of your father speaking in you Ioh. 14.26 hee promiseth to send his spirit to be their comforter which shall teach them all things yea to lead them into all truth Iohn 16 1â— Which promise some apply 〈◊〉 al Gods ministers but if we marke the circumstances therof we shall see that properly it agreeth to the Apostles for though in others the certaintie hereof cannot be affirmed yet in them it may for which cause in the counsell at Ierusalem thus they write vnto the churches It seemed good to the holy ghost and to vs as being assured of the certaine direction of the holy ghost which no ministers euer since could say being subiect to errour both in speaking and writing This distinction must bee held for the certainetie of our faith in the points of Religion and for our assurance of the faithfull penning and publishing of this booke And thus much of the causes of this repetition In the words of this commandement is contained the diuision of this whole booke Write the words which thou hast seene that is set downe what I haue shewed thee in this vision And which are that is all things which I reueale vnto thee touching the present estate of the church And which are to come hereafter that is those things which concerne the
seuen Churches of Asia and to send vnto them seuen letters or Epistles The first of which commandements is expressed in the beginning of this first verse Vnto the Angell of the Church of Ephesus write Then after followeth the Epistle These things saith hee c. continuing to the eight verse First for the commaundement The partie to whom Iohn must write is the Angell which word may bee expounded two wayes either to signifie the minister or pastor of the particular church of Ephesus and so it is commonly taken of the most or els it may be token the company of the ministers teachers and gouernours of the church of Ephesus for therein were many pastors and gouernours as appeareth Act. 20.28 where Paule calleth together the Bishops as the word signifieth and giueth them charge ouer their particular flockes Now in Scripture the name of one person taken collectiuely oftentimes signifieth the whole multitude as Exod. 4.22 Israell is my sonne euen my first borne Where the whole body of the people of Israel is called by the name of one man And so though Antichrist bee not one particular man but a state and company of men in the succession of Popes yet is that whole estate noted by the speciall name of one manâ— as that Antichrist that man of sinne and sonne of perdition Thus we see how the word Angell may bee taken and whether wee vnderstand it of one man or of the whole company of elders it is not much materiall In this particular commaundement note two points First that Christ his intent is to write to the whole church of Ephesus as appeareth Chap. 1.11 where Iohn is commaunded to write in a boohe and send it to the Churches as also by the conclusion of this Epistle where it is sayd Let him that hath an eare to heare heare what the spirit saith vnto the Churches and yet he directeth his Epistle not to the whole church but particularly to the Angel or pastor therof This he doth for two causes First to intimate vnto this minister his duty which stood in two things In teaching the contents of this Epistle vnto the whole church in becomming a patterne and example to them all of doing the things therin required Secondly because either much good or much euill comes to euery particular church by the ministers thereof such is the efficacie of his place and calling If he be faithfull he bringeth great good to the church if vnfaithfull exceeding great hurt as might easily be proued by many examples in all ages Now Christ writeth to the Angell of this church that he might be a meanes of much good vnto them al by exciting them to the practise of all good duties required in this Epistle II. point Among all the churches of Asia Christ writeth first to the church of Ephesus not for that this church had authoritie ouer the rest for they were all candlestickes and all of gold but because Ephesus was the mother citie farre exceeding the rest in riches and estimation Whereby Christ giueth vs to vnderstand that his will is that those people towns and cities which excell others in estimation and wealth should also go before them in knowledge obedience and other graces of God And so answerably should it bee with particular persons They which excell others for outward reputation and temporal blessings ought to go before them in spiritual graces as godlinesse and religion Those which shall faile herein and suffer others that are far their inferiours for outward things to go before them in spiritual graces shall find it true to their shame before men but especially at the tribunall seat of Iesus Christ. Thus much for the commandement Now followeth the example it selfe which containeth three parts as all ordinarie Epistles doe A pereface A proposition and the conclusion The preface is in these words These things saith he that holdeth the seuen starres in his right hand and walketh in the middest of the seuen golden candlestickes The proposition and conclusion in the verses following The preface is borrowed from the former chapter verse 16. and 13. Where also it was handled The intent of Christ herein is to draw this church to a reuerent adoration of his person and to cause in them a greater care to embrace and obey his admonition This appeareth by that twofold action which he auoucheth of himselfe to wit his holding the seuen starres in his right hand and his walking in the midst of the seuen golden candlestickes by the first whereof is signified his power in protecting and gouerning his ministers And by the second is noted his presence in the middest of his church guiding and blessing his ministers with all the members thereof As if he had sayd If I be he that haue power to protect and gouerne that am present also to blesse and direct both ministers and people then my admonitions are to be reuerenced and obeyed In this preface note two special points First that Christ here againe repeateth that which was before deliuered touching his presence in his church and his mightie power and prouidence ouer the same in protecting guiding and blessing both minister and people By which reputation hee would giue vs to vnderstand the specall weight and moment of this point to wit that it ought to be ingrauen in the harts of euery one in Gods church And indeed till we be persuaded thereof wee shall neuer learne religion soundly The ground of true religion is this To take the true God for our God And Christ Iesus for our redemer and it consisteth not in a swimming notion hereof in the braine but in the sure persuasion of the heart which we neuer haue till we be resolued both of Christs presence with vs and of his prouidence ouer vs for our blessing and defence II. point In this preface also note that the persuasion of Christs presence and speciall prouidence in his church is a notable meanes to draw vs on to all good duties for thereby Christ would persuade both the ministers and people of Ephesus to receiue and embrace this his Epistle And no doubt he that is indeed persuaded hereof cannot but bee moued to walke before God in all holinesse and obedience as did Enoch Abraham and all the godly patriarkes Thus much for the preface Verse 2. I know thy workes and thy labour and thy patience and how thou canst not forbeare them which are euill and hast examined them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them liers Here beginneth the second part of this Epistle to wit the proposition containing the substance and matter of the whole Epistle This proposition hath two points First a commendation of this church in the second and third verses Secondly a rebuke and reprehension in the fourth verse The commenâ—ation is first generall in these words I know thy workes Then more particular for special duties actions in the words following and thy labour and patience c.
reuealeth his will not to the proud but to the meeke and lowly and as Isay sayth to them that are of a contrite spirit Isay. 57.15 And in this humbling of himselfe a man must renounce his owne naturall wit and reason and become nothing in himselfe but euen a foole in respect of his owne conceit Also he must vnfainedly pray to God that hee would reueale vnto him his truth Aske sayth Christ and it shall be giuen you euen the holy ghost vnto them that desire of the father And S. Iames sayth If any man lack wisdome let him aske of God which giueth to all men liberally Secondly after preparation hee must labour to know throughly what the false teachers are and what be theiâ— opinions with the grounds and foundations thereof wherein they agree and wherein they differ from the truth of God maintained by the church for it is a foule ouersight to misconceiue the state of the aduersaries question by propounding it otherwise than they hold as it falleth out with many in the handling of controuersies Thirdly due proofe must bee made whether the aduersaries doctrine bee of men or of God This is Gods commandement 1. Iohn 4.1 Proue the spirits whether they be of God or not And for triall hereof we must haue recourse vnto the word of God it must be Iudge in this cause Isa. 8. vers 20 To the law and to the testimonies if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Iohn 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them yee looke to haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of mee Who is so fit to iudge in the matters of God as God himselfe and so hee doth in his written word of all doctrine and opinions in religion The Scriptures shew whether the doctrine examined be directly gathered thence and by iust consequent or not Fourthly serious consideration must bee had of the faith and liues of the teachers examined for a false teacher by Gods iust iudgement is vsually a wicked liuer And therefore Christ sayth yee shall know them by their fruits if they bee throughly examined such they will appeare howsoeuer for a time they may bleare the eyes of men as the hystories of the church in many famous heretickes doe plainely declare The second braunch of this discouerie is sentence giuing in these wordes And hast found them liers The church here giueth out a sharpe and seuere sentence against them shee calleth them false Apostles and liers and yet she sinneth not for Christ commendeth her for it Though to raile or taunt cannot beseem any yet magistrats and ministers in their places may giue ouâ— seuere speeches against offendors in token of detestation to their sinnes and not offend Thus Iohn called the Scribes and Pharisees a generation of vipers Matth. 3.7 and our Sauiour Christ called Herod a foxe Luk. 13.32 and Paule called the Galathians fooles Gal. 3.1 And in this place the church calleth these false teachers lyers which is very much for therein shee accuseth them of three things First of teaching that which was false indeed secondly that they know it to be false and so sinned of knowledge Thirdly that they did it of malice with intent to blind the eyes of the Church and to deceiue the people In this discouerie wee may obserue the iust accomplishment of Paules prophecie Acts. 20.29 30. namely that there should rise vp among the Ephesians grieuous wolues and men speaking peruerse things and such were these false Apostles who after examination were found liers Againe seeing in the dayes of this Apostle Iohn men durst presume to claim Apostolicke authoritie and call themselues Apostles when they were not no maruell if the Pope of Rome sixe hundred yeares after did challenge to himselfe to be Peters successour and to haue Apostolicke authoritie and that they dare now auouch some bookes to bee scripture which are not as also bring in their traditions vnwritten verities to bee receiued and obeyed equally with Gods word Verse 3. Thou hast suffered and hast patience and for my names sake hast laboured Here our Sauiour Christ declareth how this Minister and church of Ephesus opposed themselues against false teachers after their discouerie The manner we shall see in handling the points particularly as they lie in order Thou hast suffered or Thou hast borne a burden for the word signifieth to be pressed downe vnder a great burden This burden was the troubles which false Apostles brought vpon them after they were discouered partly by open affliction and persecution partly by the spreading of their hereticall and schismaticall doctrine These false teachers were Ebion Cerinthus Marcion and such like who in the dayes of Iohn troubled this church as hystories do shew Here wee may obserue that it is Gods will that the best churches should be troubled by wicked men and hereticall teachers who both by false doctrine and persecution become grieuous burdens This the Lord permits for weighty causes I. That true beleeuers may bee excited more constantly to embrace the syncere doctrine of the Gospell and therefore Iude most worthily exhorts the Christians in his time to fight for the common faith II. That professors may be tried whether they soundly hold the doctrine of the Gospell or not 1. Cor. 11.19 It is â—ette sayth Paule that there should bee heresies in the Church that they which are sound in the faith and approoued may â—ee knowne III. That God may execute his iudgements vpon wicked men and hypocrites that haue not loued his truth reuealed vnto them 2. Thess. 2.10 11. God gaue them vp to strange illusions to beleeue lies because they haue not loued his truth For many know the word that loue it not This must teach vs to take heed of a common scandale in the world which is to be offended at religion because there be in the church schismes and heresies which come not from the Gospell but from the malice of Sathan who soweth his tares among the Lords wheate Wee must consider that it is the will of God there should be such euils in his church and therefore should labour to bee so farre from offence that hereby wee bee rather prouoked with more cheerefulnesse and courage to loue and embrace religion And hast patience and for my name hast suffered c. Here is set downe the dealing of this church against these false Apostles in all their persecutions But first note the coherence of this vertue with the former Thou hast suffered trouble and hast had patience Quest. How can these stand together It is against mans nature in trouble to be patient for troubles and afflictions make men discontent and to fret against God and man Answ. They stand not by nature but by grace Rom. 5. vers 4. Tribulation bringeth forth patience namely to all those that haue receiued to beleeue in Christ for to them God giueth the spirit of meekenesse in their troubles shedding
his loue into their hearts whereby they are enabled to suffer any thing for his name euen with ioy And hast patience This is the first means whereby this church opposed her selfe against the false Apostles they troubled her two wayes by persecution and by false doctrine Now by patience this church opposeth her selfe against their persecutions And indeed that is the most excellent meanes for any man or any church to oppose theÌ„selues against their enemies and to vanquish them for hereby they shall stop their mouths and if it bee possible win them to their faith and religion In this their practise wee haue an example for our direction how to oppose our selues against wicked men with whom we liue or any enemie that shall trouble vs either by oppression or hereticall doctrines We must not render taunt for taunt and abuse for abuse but labour for patience not in bearing with their sinnes that may not bee but in a meeke enduring of their iniuries and wrongs whereby they trouble vs. Thus shall we stoppe their mouths and soonest ouercome them And for my names sake hast laboured Here Christ setteth downe the second meanes whereby this church opposeth her selfe against the spreading of false doctrine by these false Apostles which was the second way wherby they became a burden vnto her The meaning of the words is this that they had taken much paines to maintaine the glory of God and the true doctrine of Christ Iesus labouring therein as much as the false Apostles did to broach their damnable heresies Here wee are taught a second duty how we are to oppose our selues against all hereticall and scismaticall teachers namely as they labour to publish their false doctrine so must wee endeuor to maintaine the glorie of God and his true religion Hereunto a twofold labour is required partly of the minister and partly of the people The labour of the minister stands in these things principally I. He must endeuour by reading and studie to furnish himselfe with the true knowledge of the foundation and substance of the Gospel true religion that hee may be able soundly and plainly to teach the same For this cause S. Iohn is commanded to eat the little booke Re. 10.9 10 which was as it were by studie and meditation to haue the same digested and setled in his heart Hence Malachie saith The priests lippes should preserue wisedome and thither should the people come for instruction And euerie scribe taught of God must haue store in the treasury of his harâ— like a good housholder Matth. 〈…〉 he must deliuer the whole will and counsell of God concerning saluation truly and distinctly vnto his people as it is propounded in the bookeâ— of the Prophets and Apostles This Paul commendeth by his owne example Act. 20.27 testifying vnto this Church that He had taught them all the will of God and kept backâ— nothing which he was commanded to deliuer vnto them III. Hee must labour to discerne and bee able to discouer false teachers vnto the people that hee may not onely know them himselfe but also cause the church to take notice of them Tit. 19. Paul requireth that the teacher in the church Be able to conuince the gainsaiers to his truth In this discouerie he must do two things First detect their hereticall doctrins Secondly their wicked maners Thus dealt our Sauiour Christ in his owne person liuing in the church of the Iewes with the Scribes and Pharises he did detect vnto the people their false interpretations of the law Mat. 5.21 to the end And also their wicked liues and damnâ—ble hypocrisie Mat. 23.3 4. c. to the end And Saint Paul in all his Epistles laboureth to discouer the wicked liues and to confute the hereticall opinions of the false Apostles IV. Hee must endeuour that the doctrine of the gospell thus published may edifie This is the end of all teaching as Paule sheweth 1. Cor. 14. throughout the whole chapter Now it doth edifie when it is so applied to the hearers that thereby they are wonne to Christ suffering themselues to be reformed by it in heart and life so made fit for the kingdome of God V. He must be careful in his own person to become a patterne of the doctrine of the Gospell which hee teacheth that so the people may haue a double light to follow This is a notable meanes in the minister to make men loue the Gospell and the neglect hereof causeth many to contemne and despise the same VI. Lastly he must bee diligent in praying for his owne and other particular churches of God that they may know beleeue and obey the same doctrine which is taught them out of Gods word Thus did Paul as wee may see in his particular Epistles pray for euery church that by the blessing of the spirit they might embrace and obey the Gospell of Christ Phil. 1.4.9 10. Col. 1.9 10 11. The people also for the name of Christ and his religion must vndergo a threefold labour I. Euery one must see that himselfe know and beleeue the true and sincere doctrine of the Gospell This Christ inioyneth to all in this commandement Repent and beleeue which none can do vnlesse they first know and vnderstand the doctrine thereof and therfore euery one must do as Mary did for which Christ so commends her namely lay aside matters of lesser moment giue our selues to heare and learne the doctrine of Christ Luke 10.39.42 II. Euery one must vse all good meanes that knowledge of religion which himselfe hath receiued bee conueyed to others And indeed if we truly beleeue we cannot containe our selues but must needs teach others For as Christ saith He that drinketh of the water of life out of his belly shall flow riuers of water of life streaming out for the good of others Que. How should priuat men conuey their knowledge vnto others Answ. I. All maisters and gouernours of families are bound in conscience to teach those that are vnder them the maine points and grounds of true religion his place requireth gifts and God lookes for increase For euery christian family should be a little church as it is sayd of the house of Aquila and Priscilla 1. Corinth 16.19 II Euerie man in his place must labour to conuey that knowledge he hath vnto his neighbour yea to his enemies The Iewes would compasse sea and land to make a man a prosâ—lite And Idolaters at this day will trauell farre and neere to make a man of their profession Much more therefore must all true christians labour to conuey their knowledge to others so to winne them vnto Christ. III. Euerie man is to edifie those that bee members of the same church in these three things faith hope and loue as Iude notably exhorteth in the end of his Epistle Edifie one another in your most holie faith verse 20. Haue compassion of some in putting difference and others saue with feare in pulling them out of the fire
of God sinneth not that is with full consent and with all his hart Sinne doth not raigne in him for the regenerate man consisteth of two parts flesh and spirit he sinneth not as hee is spirit that is regenerate but as hee is flesh and sinfull His will sinneth not as it is spirituall but as it is carnall The papists say Indeed he sinneth not so long as he continueth to be borne of God But this shift is cut off by the wordes of the text Neither can be sinne because the seede of grace euen the word of God abideth in him This place plainely proueth euen in the iudgement of the Papists that the child of God cannot wholly or finally fall from grace They say it is a hard place and indeed they cannot answere to it VIII Reason If a man may finally fall from grace then may hee bee wholly cut off from Christ for grace is neuer wholly lost till a man bee quite cut off from Christ. But it cannot bee that a member of Christ can be quite cut off for then it should follow that one and the same man must bee often ioyned to Christ namely so often as hee falleth by sinne if he would be saued Whereupon this would also follow that one and the same man must be often baptized for Baptisme is the Sacrament of incision the meanes of admission into the church and the seale of our vnion with Christ. But Rebaptization may not bee admitted The church of God denieth it vpon this ground because a man is onely once borne of God IX Reason Christ teacheth vs to pray thus Leade vs not into temptation that is suffer not Sathan and sinne wholly to preuaile against vs and finally to vanquish vs. This petition being taught by Christ must needes be lawfull and according to Gods will and therefore hereunto as to euery lawfull petition belong these two things First Gods commaund to make it Secondly his promise to assure vs it shall bee graunted Whereby this is euident That there is in Gods word a promise assuring euery child of God that hee shall neuer wholly be conquered of the deuill and therefore he can neuer wholly or finally fall from grace for if hee might then were he wholly ouercome in temptation The contrarie arguments be of three sorts places of scripture Examples and Reasons for the first Exod. 32 32. When the Israelits had sinned that great sinne of Idolatrie Moses prayeth God to forgiue them If not sayth he blot mee out of thy booke Hence they gather that a child of God may bee blotted out of Gods booke of life and so finally perish Answ. That place must be vnderstood with this condition If is be possible as in the like prayer it is expressed by Christ Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me This condition must needs be added for els wee must say that Moses prayed for that which he knew was impossible namely that one priuate man should suffer eternall punishments for the sinnes of others though in temporall punishments such a thing may be yet in eternall it is impossible Againe Moses in this prayer doth principally shew his exceeding affection and zeale for Gods glorie and for the safetie of his brethren both which hee preferred before his owne life as if hee should say Lord pardon them and rather than thy name should loose glorie blot me out of thy booke The like affection was in Paule when hee sayd He could wish himselfe to be separate from Christ for the loue of his brethren the Iewes They further vrge the Lords answere to Moyses vers 33. Whosoeuer hath sinned against mee I will put him out of my booke But as the Lord therein answereth to Moses prayer so must it bee vnderstood with the like exception II. Obiect Ezek. 18.24 If the righteous man turne away from his righteousnesse and commit iniquitie and doe according to all the abhominations that the wicked man doth shall hee liue All his righteousnesse that hee hath done shall not be mentioned but hee shall die in his sinne Here say they it is plaine that a man may fall from grace Answ. Righteousnesse is twofold of the outward action and of the person So Paule distinguisheth when he desireth to be sound not in his owne righteousnesse which is of the law that is such as was in him while hee was a Pharisee but in the righteousnesse of Christ. The righteousnesse of the action is when a man for outward actions keeps the law of God The righteousnesse of the person is that whereby a man is accepted righteous before God And answerable hereunto there be two kinds of righteous men one that is outwardly righteous before men thogh not indeed The other that is truly righteous before God Now of the former of these two must that place be vnderstood for the Lord there pleadeth with such as did esteeme and auow themselues to be righteous saying Their fathers had eaten soure grapes that is had sinned and they were punished for their fathers offences though they were righteous And the Holy ghost speaking according to their own conceit and opinion of themselues calleth them righteous and of such it is true they may turn from their righteousnesse III. Obiect Luk. 8.13 Some beleeue for a time and in time of temptation goe away Answ. There be three kinds of faith Historicall Temporarie and sauing faith In Histoâ—icall faith is knowledge of the word of God with assent vnto it In temporary faith are three things knowledge of the Word Assent and Approbation also with some ioy In sauing faith there are foure things Knowledge Assent Approbation and Apprehension that is an applying of the promises of God vnto a mans selfe whence proceedeth some ioy And answerably there are three kinds of beleeuers I. such as know the word of God but yet haue no loue thereof II. such as know it assent vnto it and reioyce in it also for a time The third are such as apprehend the promises and apply them to themselues Now the two first kinds of faith may bee left and the two first kinds of beleeuers may fall away whereof Saint Luke speaketh But hence it followeth not that sauing faith may be lost for he that is endued therewith can neuer fall away But faith say they is onely one Ephes. 4.5 There is but one faith one God one hope and one Baptisme Answ. By one faith is there meant one religion and doctrine of saluation as elsewhere is vsuall by the name of faith 1. Tim. 1.19 Their second kind of arguments are Examples which are chiefely two one of Adam the other of Dauid For Adam they say he was created righteous and yet hee fell wholly from grace and therefore any beleeuer now may much more fall away who haue farre lesse grace than he had Answ. This Argument is not good for though Adam had a greater measure of grace than we now haue yet our grace hath a greater priuiledge than his
and some reformed actions Hereby appeareth that their description of repentance is not so fit proper which say it standeth in these three contrition faith and new obedience For contrition is not a part of repentance but a cause thereof and so is faith as Christ teacheth in his well-knowne Sermon Repent and beleeue the Gospel where they are plainly distinct And indeed a man must first beleeue in Christ and then followeth repentance and for new obedience it is not a part of repentance but a fruit thereof Others make regeneration and repentance all one but that cannot so well stand for regeneration goeth before and repentance followeth after as a fruit thereof for godly sorrow which is a part of regeneration causeth repentance The minde therefore must first be renewed then it turneth it selfe vnto God and withall turneth the whole man And thus wee see what true repentance is II. Point How must repentance be practised The practise of it standeth in two things in true humiliation and true reformation In humiliation a man humbleth himselfe vnder the hand of God making true confession of al his sinnes from a sorrowfull heart condemning himselfe for the same and earnestly crauing pardon for them at the hands of God in Christ. Reformation is a change of all bad actions into good and if case require a making of satisfaction vnto others for iniuries done vnto them example hereof wee haue in Dauid who hauing committed those two great sinnes of whoredome and murder when he was reproued by Nathan repented confessing his sins and made the one and fiftie Psalme and as it is thought the 32 Psalme therein notably shewing both his humiliation in heart and reformation of life So Manasses when he was conuerted he repented humbling himselfe before God and praying for the pardon of his sinnes God heard him And thus came the prodigall child vnto his father saying Father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee I am not worthie to be called thy sonne make me one of thine hired seruants And so in all the Psalmes of repentance wee shall see these duties of humiliation and reformation ioyntlie practised as Psal. 6. and 38. and 77. and 130.143 Here then consider the fearefull practise of the church of Rome in their doctrine of repentance receiued generally for many hundred yeares Repentance with them standeth in three things In contrition in confession of all his sinnes to the Priests and in satisfaction to God by good works But all these things may a wicked man doe For Iudas was greeued for betraying his maister he confessed his sinnes and also gaue againe the money wherwith he was hired A second abuse is that they make contrition a part of the practise of repentance by contrition we must vnderstand remorse of conscience for sinne which is no grace of it selfe though it may bee an occasion thereto in Gods elect A third abuse is that they prescribe a confession of all a mans sinnes vnto men which iâ— a gibbet for any mans conscience wherein they require more than God doth A fourth abuse is that they require satisfaction to Gods iustice by mans good workes whereby they ouerthrow satisfaction by Christ and exact that of men which none is able to performe We therefore must reiect their wicked doctrine brought by the diuell into Gods church and embrace that sauing repentance which standeth in true humiliation and reformation III. point Who is it that commandeth repentance vnto this church namely Iesus Christ. Many not onely Papists but Protestants gather vpon this such like commandements That God giueth to euerie man sufficient grace to repent if he will For else say they hee should but mocke them in bidding them repent considering that without his grace it is as impossible for any man to repent as for a man to rise and walke that is fast bound hand and foote Ans. This collection is vnsound For the manifestation whereof I wil first lay down the grounds of the true answere and then apply the same First this commaundement to Repent is not giuen to euerie man but only to the church of God or to that people which is to be a church and God giueth it to them for this end that hee may gather among them his elect In Gods church there be two sorts of men Elect and Reprobat both which are mingled in this life Now when the commaundement to beleeue and repent is giuen out in Gods church it is directed properly to the elect and to the other whom God hath refused only by consequent because they are mingled with the elect Againe these commandements bee giuen to the elect for two causes I. To teach them not what they are able to doe of themselues but what they ought to doe II. To â—e an outward meanes to bring them to repent and beleeue For with the commandement Christ is present by his spirit to worke in the elect grace to repent and beleeue Phil. 2.12 Worke out your saluation in feare and trembling rendring this reason in the next words For God worketh in you both the wil and the deed In the church there be some reprobates who haue the same commandement giuen vnto them but for other vses as I. to keepe them in outward order II. to teach them their owne impotencie III. and principally that God in his iustice may make them void of all excuse at the last day From hence I answer thus This proposition is not true to wit If God command men to repent then he giueth them grace to repent vnlesse it be thus qualified That God command them to repent for this end that they may practise repentance For God giueth out his commandements for diuerse ends Some that they may be practised others to take from men al excuse in their disobedieÌ„ce Thus he commaunded Pharaoh to let the people go that by his disobedience his heart might be more hardned and God more iustly manifest his glorie in his destruction So hee commaunded Isay to go preach vnto the people not for their conuersion but to blind their eyes and to harden their harts And so he commands the reprobate to repent but neither directly as hee doth his children in whom he intends the practise of repentance but by consequent because they liue among his children nor yet with intent they should obey but rather to harden them and to make them inexcusable because of their sinnes And therefore in them his commandement cannot import anie abilitie to obey IV. point Who bee commanded to repent namely The Church of Ephesus that is the minister with the whole body of the church This may seeme strange that he should command them to repent seeing they had alreadie repented at their conuersion Here therefore wee must learne that there bee two degreeâ— in the practise of repentance First the beginning of repentance Secondly the renewing of the same And in those two consisteth the whole state of a christian mans life
more though God summon men to repent by his dayly iudgements yet few or none by true humilitie prepare to meete God and to preuent his iudgements Securitie spreads it selfe ouer the whole bodie of our people And this being our case and state it must needes bee that God hath beene long since in comming to vs by his iudgements and a◠this day he is still comming because we still decay in loue and other graces and more and more goe on in sinne So that if we thus continue the truth is hee will come shortly vnto vs and that by most fearefull iudgements For this was written to the church of Ephesus to be a direction not onely vnto them but to all churches to the end of the world that be in the like or worser case What shall wee then doe Our dutie is taught vs in these words If not that is if thou repent not Wee must preuent the Lords comming in iudgement by vnfained repentance euery man and euery familie apart must repent priuately and the whole Church openly and publickely no way else wee haue to stay the Lords comming against vs by his fearefull iudgements The second part of this reason is a more particular threatening than the former And will remooue thy candlesticke out of his place Where hee sheweth with what particular iudgement hee will punish this church namely by remoouing away the candlesticke The meaning whereof may bee gathered out of the former chapter where particular churches were called candlestickes therefore here hee threateneth to remooue his church from the citie of Ephesus to take away the Ministerie of his Gospell and the profession thereof and in his iust iudgement to send among them Ignorance Apostacie and Heresie in steed of the knowledge of his truth This particular iudgement must be referred to the first words If not that is if thou repent not this will I doe I will make thee to be no Church and take my Gospell from thee In this particular threatening three points are to bee obserued one concerning the Minister the second concerning the whole body of the church the third concerning euery priuat man Touching the Minister note this If he shall decay in loue to God to his word or to his brethren or if hee lye in any one sinne knowne to himselfe it is a meanes to depriue him either of his calling or of Gods gifts bestowed on him for this threatening is here directed especially vnto the Angell of this Church of Ephesus When Ieremie had beene wanting in deliuering the Lord◠will vnto the people partly for feare partly through impatience then the Lord becomes a Prophet vnto him saying If thou returne I will bring thee againe and thou shalt stand before me Whereby hee would giue him to vnderstand That if hee returned not he should cease to be a Prophet vnto him The same thing is true of all Gods Ministers if they decay in loue faile in their dutie or lye in any sinne they must speedily renew themselues by repentance or els God will depriue them either of their calling or of the gifts thereof True repentance and the renewing thereof is needfull vnto all Christians but especially to Gods Ministers if they would continue in his fauour and stand before him becomming his mouth vnto the people The second point concerneth the whole bodie of a Church to wit if a Church or people decay in loue to God to religion and to their brethren or doe lye in any common sinne they procure hereby the remoouing of the gospell from them and the abolishing of true religion The Prophet is a 〈◊〉 sayth the Lord and the man of the spirit i◠mad This was a great and fearefull iudgement but mark◠the cause All is 〈◊〉 thine iniquitie that is for the sinne of the whole church doth God send foolish Ministers If this bee so then wee haue iust cause in our Church to feare the remoouing of the gospell from vs for there is a generall decay of loue in many and in the most no loue at all Many scorne and contemn true religion and hate the professours thereof In regard whereof wee may wonder at the great patience of God that yet continueth his gospell among vs For God giueth men vp to strong delusion to beleeue lyes because they loue not his truth Wherefore being in this danger our dutie is to vse all good meanes to preuent this iudgement of God which can no other way bee done than by true and vnfained repentance by the whole Church in generall and by euery man apart and euery familie apart For when God shall speake suddenly against a nation or kingdome to root it vp and to destroy it if that people repent of their wickednesse the Lord will repent of the plague and iudgement which hee thought to bring vpon them Ierem. 18. vers 7 8. The third point concerneth euery priuate man and it is this If any man decay in loue or want loue to God and to his brethren or lye in any sin knowne to himselfe This is a meanes to remooue the candlesticke from him to depriue him of his knowledge and other graces of God The affection of loue in the heart is like the watch of the clocke if the watch stand the wheeles stand as the watch goeth fast or softly so goe the wheeles answerably And so it is in man if his loue to God and to his gospell doe encrease then doth his knowledge and other graces of God encrease in his heart but if his loue decay then other graces decay and if loue be gone then farewell all pietie and true religion If we would know the cause of such palpable ignorance as is in many that haue long heard the gospell preached it is nothing but want of loue Heb. 3.12 13. The Holy ghost sheweth by what degrees men come to fall away from God First sinne deceiues them by drawing them to commit it then their hearts are hardened by custome of sinning Thence followes vnbeleefe in maine points of Religion and so they make Apostacie from God and set themselues against his truth Take heed therefore of lying in any sinne for that is the high way to finall Apostacie rather striue to encrease in loue vnto God and vnto his word and so shall all his good graces encrease in thine heart Out of this particular threatening some gather That a man may bee cut off frō Christ fall away finally from true faith and repentance For say they if a whole Church may bee cut off from Christ and become no Church then may any one member of the Church be cut off and become no member But a whole church may bee cut off as here we see and therefore may any one man Answ. This reason is not good there is great difference betweene the state of a whole Church and of one man that is a true member of Christ. For a particular Church is a mixt companie of true professors and dissemblers like
thing for Christs sake Gal. 5.14 The crosse of Christ i◠〈◊〉 whole reioycing And if hee would â—ost of any thing it should bee herein 2. Cor. 1â— 9 10. Thus were Gods seruants affected and therefore they that repent and beleeue need not to feare what flesh can do vnto them The second part of Christs counsell is his prophesie which is a prediction of that particular afflictions which this church of Smirna should suffer and first he prefixeth this note of attention behold then he setteth downe the prophesie it selfe The diuell shall cast some of you into prison Behold hereby he would teach vs an excellent lesson that wee must often consider before â—and of the day of our visitation wherein God will try vâ— lest we perish therin our Sauior Christ comming towards Ierusalem wept ouer it and when he came to it hee foretold the finall destruction of that citie which therefore came vpon them because they considered not the day of their visitation neither the things therein foretold that did concerne their peace And the like destruction wil come vpon vs in this land if we consider not the dayes of our visitation let vs therefore now in the dayes of peace forecast what is to come and prepare our selues against the day of the Lords triall and so shall wee escape the fearefull and finall destruction that shall come vpon the wicked It shall come to passe that the diuell shall cast some of you into prison that ye may bee tried and yee shall haue tribulation ten dayes These words containe Christs prophesie wherin he sheweth himselfe to be true God for as Isay in many places sheweth it is a propertie of God alone to foretell a particular affliction that is contingent But some wil say others can foretel certaine things to come as the Physition the sicke mans death and the Astronomer the time of the eclips how then is this proper to God Answ. The Physition foretelleth the sicke mans death onely by vertue of causes present in which the future death is to him apparant And the Astronomers foretelleth the eclips by the consideration of the naturall and ordinarie course of the heauens in present and by that can come to foretell it in time to come So that simply none can foretell a thing contingent except he see it present in the causes but Christ foretelleth things to come simply of himself though no cause be present as appeareth in this place In this prophesie Christ describeth this affliction by sundry arguments First by the cause thereof which is the diuell Secondly by the parties that were to be afflicted Some of you of the Church of Smyrna Thirdly by the kind of punishment Imprisonment Fourthly by the end thereof their triall And fiftly by the time of it continuance for ten dayes I. Argument The cause of their affliction is the diuell Quest. How can that be for being a spirit he cannot offer violence to mens bodies to cast them into prison Answ. True but he is the God of the world that ruleth in the hearts of the wicked he inclineth their wils to hate Gods children hee stirreth them vp to persecute and maketh them hiâ— instruments to cast Godâ— seruants into prison In this that the diuell causeth the affliction of Gods church we learne sundry points I. What manner of men those be that persecute the church of God namely wicked men such as arâ— inspired by Sathan and wholly guided in mind will and in affection by him this made Paule say He was the head of all sinners because in persecuting the church of God he was guided by the diuell and made his minister which must teach vs to take heed how we persecute the church of God or any membeâ— thereof either in word or deed for he that doth so is the vassall of Sathan in that action and while he holdeth that course he sheweth himselfe to be no better than one that is wholly guided by the diuell for the diuell is the principal agent in persecutions and wicked men be his instruments II. Hereby wee are taught to take pittie vpon all persecutors be they kings or monarks or whatsoeuer Yea wee must pray for them though they be our enemies because they are possessed and guided by the diuell and in their persecutions do his will and become his seruants and vassals III. Hence wee learne with what weapons we are to defend our selues in time of persecution namely with spirituall weapons of prayers inuocation wherin we must shew our faith in Christ our repentance true obedience for our principall aduersary is a spirit and hereby we shall best defend our selues against him and get the chiefest victorie Eliaâ— for his prayer is called The chariot and horsemen of Israell Nothing doth so much preuaile in troubles and persecutions as prayer froÌ„ a penitent beleeuing heart And if God should send a forrain nation against vs howsoeuer the weapons of the souldier must bee vsed yet our principall weapons must bee prayer and fasting for thereby we shall soonest foyle our principal aduersary Sathan who â—easeth not the speare nor sword and yet will flie before these spirituall weapons II. Argument The parties that must be afflicted were some of the church of Smyrna not all III. Argument The kind of their affliction was imprisonment IV. Argument The end of their affliction was the triall of their faith hope loue and patience with other graces of God and the manifestation of the same first to their owne conscience and then vnto the world In these three arguments note first a speciall point touching Gods prouidence to wit that it is the first cause of all aboue all causes ruling and disposing them all God in gouerning the world by his prouidence vseth instruments of two sorts good or euill The good instruments are good Angels and regenerat men by whome commeth no disorder for God worketh both in them and by them Wicked instruments are the diuell and wicked men and though God vse them well yet from them is much disorder and sinne for he worketh not in them but onely by them permitting their sinnes and disorders that therby he may shew forth his iustice mercie and power which herein doe notably appeare in vsing these instrumeÌ„ts which be euill in themselues that notwithstanding their malice he causeth wonderfull order for first by his prouidence hee restraineth their furie and rage so as they cannot shew it to the full as they desire See this in the diuels persecution against this church he cannot kill the members hereof but onely cast them into prison hee cannot imprison them all but some onely neither can he keepe them in prison alwaies but for a short time Secondly by his prouidence hee turneth all that they doe to the good of the church the diuell afflicteth the church for the destruction and damnation of their soules but God turneth it to their good to make their faith manifest and to preuent many
in the word of God and receiuing the Sacraments for the increase of faith and renewing of their repentance All which will rather make a man fearefull and carefull than secure For with the meanes is certainty of saluation both atteined and preserued so that our doctrine is not a doctrine of offences but a true doctrine that beateth out the plaine way that â—eadeth vnto life Secondly Christ his detestation of this doctrine of Balaam must admonish vs to be so carefull of our behauiour euerie way that we giue no offence vnto anie for if wee do wee are Balaams schollers This is a point of speciall obseruation wee must looke to our communication that it be void of railing bad speeches and to our conuersation that it bee holy and vnblameable In euerie thing we must haue care not to hinder others in the way of life Woe bee to them saith Christ that giue offences it were better that a huge milstone such as an asse can but turne about as the word imports were tied about his necke and that he were cast into the sea The reason is because when a man by any means giueth his brother an offence he doth as much as in him lieth to plunge his brothers soule into the pit of destruction and therefore we must flie offences as hell it selfe yea rather on the contrary we must helpe our brethren forward in the way of saluation and remooue from them all stumbling blockes that cause them to fall If this duty were practised our church would abound with grace and godlines but this duty is wanting and hence it comes that we haue so small increase after long labour in preaching for example and euill counsell do quench the graces of the spirit in mens hearts Thirdly hereby wee must learne to haue speciall care against offences giuen by euill counsell or bad example For if it be the propertie of a false prophet to cast stumbling blocks before others then is it a dangerous thing to fall vpon them when they are laid before vs. While we liue in this world wee shall see many offences giuen but we must take heed we take them not And therfore Christ biddeth vs If thy foote offend thee or thine haâ—d cut it off or thine eye plucke it out Teaching vs to forgo the dearest thing that can be vnto vs if it would cause vs to sin against God And to mooue vs hereto marke the Israelits example in the wildernesse while they kept a good conscience and obserued the true worship of God all Balaams curses were turned into blessings but when they fell to idolatrie fornication with the Moabitish women then was Gods wrath kindled against them and his plague seized vpon them Euen so if our church be carefull to keep it selfe to the true religion which by Gods mercie we enioy and withall haue care to keepe good conscience in becomming a penitent and obedient people vnto God then may Balaam curse and al our enemies spit their venome yet we shall be safe But if we let go true religion and good conscience and fall to sinne then we must looke for â—ods heauie iudgements to fall vpon vs in his wrath as they did vpon his owne people Fourthly when Balaams cursing would not preuaile then did faire women and banqueting draw them to idolatrie and fornication Hence we learne that temptations on the right hand that is taken from profits pleasures and preferments are most dangerous and soonest preuaile to draw men from God The state of a christian is like a besieged citie when a huge armie cannot sacke it than siluer and gold will open the gates hereof euen so when aduersitie cannot make a man to forsake religion good conscience then by prosperitie ease and pleasure hath the diuell stollen away his heart Those therefore that haue ease pleasures and outward blessings at will are in a farre more dangerous case in respect of sinne than others vnlesse God vouchsafe vnto them speciall grace to watch against these pleasing temptations This made godly Iob To sanctifie his children euerie day when they feasted each other at their houses lest any one then should haue blasphemed God in his hart Because he knew the diuell by pleasures would soonest wind himselfe into their hearts Lastly note the order of these sinnes First they are drawn to sit at idols feasts and then to commit adulterie where we see that these two sinnes goe together Spirituall adulterie that is idolatry and bodily adultery one is the plague punishment of the other that people which giue themselues to idolatrie will God giue vp to bodily adultery As this was true in these Israeliâ—s so is it to be seene among the Turkes and with the Papists at this day who maintaine fornication in tollerating stewes and further it much by their vow of single life wherewith they bind the conscience though the partie want the gift of continence Verse 15. Euen so hast thou them that maintaine the doctrine of the Nicholaitans which thing I haâ—e Here followeth the second part of the comparison where Christ setteth downe two things First what the Nicolaitans were Secondly how hee was affected towards them What they were is expressed in the first words Euen so which is a note of resemblance or comparison hauing reference to the words going before They may be thus described The Nicolaitans were a seâ—t in the church of Pergamus that maintained two damnable opinioÌ„s according to the doctrine of Balaam I. That it was lawfull to eate things offered to idols in the honor of idols sitting in the idols teÌ„ple Iâ— that fornication was no sin but that a man might lawfully commit it It may seeme strange that in the dayes of the Apostles there should bee men professing the name of Christ and yet hold such damnable opinions but the truth is hereby euident that there were such in this church And that we do not conceiue a liking of their wicked opinions let vs examine their reasons whereupon they might seeme to be grounded For the eating of things sacrificed to idols they would pleade thus I. From the doctrine of christian libertie Things indifferent may â—e lawfully vsed Things offered to idols are things indifferent as meates and drinkes and therfore may lawfully be vsed Ans. Meats and drinkes if they bee considered in themselues are things indifferent and may lawfully be vsed yea after they haue bene offered to idols if they be sold in the market they may bee lawfully bought and eaten in priuat houses if it be done without offence of the weake as Paul teacheth at large 1. Cor. 10.25.29 But if these meats be considered as they are offered to idols and eaten in the idols temple in the honor of idols they be vnlawfull And yet the Nicolaitans held this to be lawfull II. Reason An idoll is nothing 1. Cor. 8.4 and therefore we sinne not in eating meates offered vnto them Ans. An idoll is nothing that is in nature subsisting nothing
Prophet giuing comforts to whom comfort belongeth and threatning iudgements to whom iudgement is due and making difference of iudgements according to the state of the persons against whome they are threatened For the heauie iudgements of God must not be threatened against all persons but against the impenitent And because there be degrees of iudgements temporall and eternall therefore temporall iudgements must be threatened to those to whom they belong eternall iudgements denounced against those to whom they belong obseruing the circumstances of time place and persons according to Christs example in this place and else where So likewise the benefites of the Gospell are not to bee propounded to euery person hand ouer head without difference but with restraint to some onely as Gods Prophets haue done It is often a great offence in the Church when the benefits of the Gospell are propounded to all and the threatening of the law denounced against all without limitation or restraint The conditions therefore of repentance impenitencie of faith and vnbeleefe and also the degrees of them all must carefully bee obserued in the dispensation of the Law and the Gospell Fourthly the end of Christs fighting must be considered for first hee intends to reclaime them from their euill wayes but if they will not be reclaimed then to cause the same word to be an occasion of their deeper condemnation This must be deepely weighed of vs all who haue had by Gods mercie for many yeares the plentifull preaching of the gospell by which God hath continually rebuked checked the sinnes that bee among vs as ignorance blaspemie and filthinesse crueltie and all iniquities whatsoeuer and the same thing the Lord yet continues to doe vnto vs. Wee therefore must thinke that all this while the Lord is fighting against vs when ignorance is reprooued in the ministerie of the word the ignorant person must thinke the Lord is fighting against him and so all Atheists blasphemers adulterers oppressers and cruell persons when their sinnes are reprooued they must know that the Lord stands face to face against them with the sword of his mouth seeking to reclaime them from these iniquities as hee did to Balaam in his way And when any mans sinnes be thus touched hee must not rebell but humble himselfe as Balaam fell before the Angell considering it is the Lord that wageth battell against him When wee heare that forraine nations shake their swords against vs how are wee mooued both high and low Shall wee feare the sword of mortall man and shall we not tremble when we heare that the sword of the euerliuing God is shaken against vs Those therefore whose hearts are guiltie of any one sinne must humble themselues by true and speedie repentance there is no withstanding of the Lord if his sword doe not cure vs it will cut vs in pieces if his word doe not conuert vs from our sinnes it will bee an occasion to cast our soules deeper into hell Thus he dealt with Balaam when he would not be restrained from giuing bad counsell he was slaine among the Midianites Few thinke on these things from whence commeth such great contempt of Gods ordinance in the ministerie of the word as we see at this day but they must know that either death or life come by the stroke of this sword and therfore they must repent Fiftly note the title giuen to Gods word it is called The sword of Christs mouth not onely because it was once deliuered by himselfe from his own mouth but because it doth dayly proceed from his mouth for the Ministers of the gospell which bee truely called are the very mouth of Christ from which Gods people receiue his word If thou shalt returne sayth the Lord to Ieremie and shalt separate the precious from the vile then shalt thou stand before me and be according to my word 2. Cor. 5.19 Wee are the embassadors of Christ beseeching you in his steed which is an high and wonderfull honour The consideration whereof is a ground of sundry duties First all students that are in the way of preparation to higher callings must hereby learne to conceiue a good opinion of the Ministerie of the gospell and to affect the same aboue other callings For though the blind world count it a base calling yet Christ wee see maketh the minister his owne mouth which honour is not giuen either to the Lawyer or to the Physition Secondly hereby euery Minister of the Gospell is taught to deliuer nothing in his publicke Ministerie but the pure word of God so farre foorth as Christ shall enable him and that also in so pure a manner as in the persuasion of his owne conscience hee thinkes Christ would speake if he were there present like vnto faithfull embassadours who speake onely the will of their lord and prince and in that manner which their lord and prince doth best approoue If this were well weighed wee should not haue such preaching as is commonly vsed consisting of a mixture of testimonies partly diuine and partly humane considering that neither Christ nor his Apostles preached so Thirdly the people also are hence taught their dutie when they heare a sinfull man like vnto themselues speake vnto them in the Ministerie of the word they must not despise Gods ordinance because it is deliuered by man but receiue the same as from the mouth of Christ and as the pure word of God so far forth as it consenteth with holy scripture In this behalfe Paule blessed God for the Thessalonians That they receiued the word from him not as the word of man but as it is indeed the word of God 1. Thess. 2. vers 13. Sixtly where Christ sayth I will fight against them with the sword of my mouth We may obserue that the kingdom of Christ is spirituall and not of this world for if it were worldly then a ciuile sword wielded by the hand of man should belong vnto him But he hath no such sword he gouernes his church and people by the sword of his mouth his holy word Wherby appeareth that the primacie of the sea of Rome is from hell not from heauen for the Pope sayth he is Christs vicar and yet he will be armed with both swords when as Christ dealeth not with the ciuill sword but onely vseth the sword of his mouth Verse 17. Let him that hath an eare heare what the spirt saith vnto the Churches To him that ouercommeth will I giue to eate of the Manna which is hid and will giue him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth sauing he that receiueth it These words are the conclusion of this Epistle which containeth two parts a commaundement and a promise The commaundement in these words Let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit saith vnto the Churches The promise in the words following To him that ouercommeth c. The commandement serueth to stir vp Gods church to attention in marking that which
regard of sexe is inferiour may haue more excellent gifts and so likewise may exercise authoritie and rule and wee find by good experience that the gouernment of a woman is a haâ—pie gouernment no records of time can shew a more happie regiment for blessings temporall and spirituall vnder any man than wee haue long enioyed vnder our noble queene The second fault of this Church is that they suffered a woman to seduce and teach false doctrine and thereby to seduce Gods people That this is a fault Christs reproofe sheweth euidently and therefore I will not stand to prooue it Hence wee may gather that euery man is not to bee left to his owne conscience to teach and hold what doctrine he will but all such men or women as â—each erronious doctrines by the gouernors of the Church are to bee restrained It is a grieuous fault in any Church not to restraine the authours and maintainers of sects and false doctrines and of opinions which stand not with the truth of Gods word and on the contrarie it is a vertue and a good gift in any church when they restraine the authours and fauourers of sects and false doctrine And in this regard our Church is to bee commended and approoued and the commonwealth likewise for making lawes to restraine both Popish recusants and some Protestants who depart from this our Church as being no Church of God but a member of Antichrist and of Babylon Now that Christ might aggrauate these their offences hee doth describe both the woman and her teaching Hee describeth the woman first by her propertie in this name Iâ—zabell that is one like Iezabell secondly by her action Which calleth her selfe a Prophetesse her teaching is described in the end of the verse Touching her propertie Christ calleth her Iezabell for two causes First for that she was like to Iezabell and in her person reuiued the manners and opinions of Iezabell For as Iezabell brought among the Israelites the false worship of the Idoll Baal so this woman laboured to bring into this Church of Thyatira Idolatrie and other sinnes Againe Iezabell was giuen to fornication as the Scripture recordeth of her by the mouth of Iehu 2. Kings 9.22 and so was this woman giuen to fornication Thirdly Iezabell was a woman of authoritie and by her place and dignitie did countenance and maintaine Idolatrie and her wicked sinnes so it is likâ— that this woman was of some place and authoritie and did therâ—by countenance her wicked opinions and damnable sinnes In this reason of her name note first a notable practise of Sathan for the furtherance of his kingdome which is this In succeeding ages hee laboureth to reuiue the erronious opinions and wicked vices of vngodly persons of former times This wee see plaine in this place for long after â—â—zabelâ— death the wife of Ahab a wicked woman â—uen in the Apostles time he raised vp â—nother woman like Iezabell both for wicked life and doctrine And the like practise hee vseth at this day In all such as follow the rules and counsell of Machiauell is reuiued the craft of Achitophell in the Papists are reuiued the opinions and manners of the wicked Scribes and Pharisees in the recusant Protestants is reuiued the sect of the Donatists and the sect called Audiani The familie of Loue reuiues the opinions and manners of the Valentinians and the Montanists and many other damnable errours Now this the deuill doth because hee knowes by experience the great hurt that these opinions and sinnes haue formerly done vnto Gods Church Secondly Christ calleth this woman Iezabell that he may prouoke this church to a greater detestation of her in regard of her damnable wayes and that shee might be in as great disgrace with them as was Iezabell in the old Testament to the people of God that so they might better eschew her wicked seducement And herein we haue a good direction for our profitable reading of the bookes of the old and new Testament namely that when we meet with examples of wicked men and wicked women we must thereby take occasion to be vnlike them And if we find our selues like them any way either in wicked opinion or in practise wee must thereupon grow to a dislike with our selues Againe finding the examples of good men or good women wee must labour to conforme our selues thereto and become like them and in this regard approoue our selues when wee see our selues conformable vnto the godly in any vertue and grace The second argument wherby Christ describeth this woman is her action Shee calleth her selfe a Prophetesse that is shee chalengeth her selfe to bee one that doth teach Gods will by the instinct of his spirit And herein shee became a notable patrone of the damnable sect of the Nicolaitans for she held the lawfulnesse of fornication and of eating things sacrificed to Idols And for the maintenance hereof shee sayth shee is a Prophetesse one that speaketh nothing but as shee is taught by Gods spirit This is the practise of heretickes vnder pretence of the spirit to maintaine their damnable deuices as might easily bee prooued by induction of particular heretickes in former ages First hence then we are taught to labour to haue the spirit of discerning whereby we may trie the spirits whether they be of God or not Many will bee of no religion because there bee so many false teachers and such diuersitie of opinions in religion But herein they bewray their prophanesse they ought the rather to labour for this gift of discerning whereby to know what is from God and what is not Secondly hence wee are taught that when wee are vniustly slaundered disgraced or iniured wee ought not to fret and fume but by patience to content our selues for wee see that wicked men to maintaine their wicked opinions and manners will not sticke to abuse God himselfe and make his blessed spirit the author and patrone of their errours and sinnes Wee by our sinnes deserue disgrace and reproch but the spirit of God hath done nothing amisse And therfore wee must bee patient being in the same condemnation as Luke 23.40 41. and rather reioyce in as much as wee are partakers of the sufferings of the spirit 1. Pet. 4 vers 13. Againe here obserue how shee prooueth her selfe to be a Prophetesse namely by her owne testimonie onely She calleth her selfe so Where we may see the note and marke of a false Prophet to wiâ— their owne bare word and testimonie A true Prophet or Prophetesse hath sundry testimonies besides their owne words to proue the lawfulnesse of their calling as in the primitiue Church they had the gift of speaking diuers languages without studie and of working miracles they had also puritie of doctrine ioyned with integritie of life lastly many excellent gifts of God as zeale courage and constancie to maintaine the same Christ hauing described this woman for her further disgrace as also to aggrauate the fault of this Church in suffering
it is the learning of the deuill wherein you may see his profound craft and pollicie Where note that when Christ will alleadge the speech of Iezabell and her followers hee doth it with disgrace vnto them for they counted their doctrine deepe learning but Christ repeating their opinion calleth it the deepenesse of Sathan Hence I gather that Christians cannot safely act and play the Comedies of heathen men for they are full of many blasphemous speeches and oathes flat against the word of God which they ought not to repeat but with disgrace vnto them For Christs practise must bee a patterne for our imitation hee would not repeat so much as one word of a wicked woman without some note of disgrace If it bee sayd they repeat these speeches with disgrace and dislike I answere it is not so for if they did that would take away the whole Comedie being full of such bad speeches And this I take to bee the equitie of Gods word thus to reason from Christs example As they speake These words Christ addeth First to shew that the words going before were not his owne but the words of Iezabels followers touching her doctrine Secondly to shew the proud and presumptuous minds of heretickes in maintaining their wicked opinions Thus haue false teachers vpheld their errours by proud and swelling words as Iude the 16. and 2. Pet. 2.18 The pure word of God is not so maintained but in the humilitie and lowlinesse of spirit and in the practise of pietie from an humble heart for God teacheth the lowly his wayes and giueth grace to the humble Psal. 25.14 And therefore this is a note of false doctrin by swelling words to maintaine the same Hitherto we haue spoken of the Preface before Christs counsell now followeth the counsell it selfe in this sentence Though I lay no other burden vpon you yet I would haue you to hold fast that which you haue alreadie till I come This sentence is a distinction containing two parts First in these words I will lay no other burden vpon you than that which you haue alreadie that is howsoeuer I threaten my iudgements vnto Iezabell and her followers yet I will lay none other punishment vpon you but my reproofe onely for suffering Iezabell among you with her false doctrine and followers This braunch of this distinction containeth a most comfortable instruction namely that all those that giue themselues to maintaine puritie of doctrine and synceritie of life shall be safely preserued in the time of common iudgements vnder the blessed protection of God so farre forth as is for Gods glorie and their good And considering this mercie is offered to the godly wee must hereby learne to become followers of this Church of Thyatira that is we must endeuour to maintaine the pure truth of Gods holy word and withall haue care to shew foorth synceritie of manners in making conscience of euery sinne and endeuoring our selues to walke in all the wayes of Gods commaundements with cheerefulnesse Hereby we shall get protection from common iudgements when they are layed vpon the wicked but if wee partake with the wicked in their sinnes wee shall receiue part in their plagues The second part of this distinction is in these words But that which you haue alreadie hold fast till I come that is mine Apostles haue deliuered vnto you the pure and sound doctrine of saluation now I charge you that you hold that fast and maintaine it vntill I come to iudgement Here is a plaine and most excellent commaundement containing speciall instruction meeâ— for this Church of Thyatira and all Churches Before our Sauiour Christ had commended this Church for not approouing the doctrine of Iezabell and her companie but here hee giueth them another commaundement To hold fast the true doctrine of Christ taught them by his Apostles Wherby he would teach them and in them all Churches to content themselues with the pure doctrin of the Apostles and not to affect or approoue any other doctrine besides whatsoeuer According as Paule biddeth the Galatians though wee or an Angell from heauen preach vnto you any other doctrine than that which we haue preached vnto you let him be accursed By the light of this commaundement wee are directed in sundry duties First not to regard vnwritten traditions which the church of Rome doth so highly magnifie for it cannot bee prooued that the Apostles euer taught them Secondly not to regard the doctrines of men which some bring vnto vs vnder colour of Reuelation from God since the Apostles times Thirdly hereby wee learne what to thinke and iudge of the three great religions of the Turkes the Iewes and Papists at this day The Turkish religion is not to bee regarded for it had it beginning sixe hundred yeares after the Apostles time with whose doctrine onely we must content our selues Also the Iewish religion wee must not regard for they reiect the doctrine of the Apostles And the religion of the Papists we must renounce because it is not of the Apostles teaching but had it beginning by little and little long after their times If this commaundement were safely kept which is laid on this Church men would not bee of so many religions but all would bee of one religion cleauing fast to the doctrine of the Apostles and contenting themselues with it which is the true rule for reformation of life and the right way to attaine saluation Lastly here is a rule and direction for those which will bee of no religion because of the diuersitie of opinions touching the same They must haue recourse to the doctrine of the Apostles and content themselues therewith nothing regarding new doctrines bee they neuer so glorious Till I come Here Christ sheweth how long the doctrine of the Apostles must bee held fast namely not for a short time but till his second comming to iudgement Whereby wee learne that it is the dutie of Gods Church to preserue and maintaine the puritie of true religion vnto the end of the world This is no small matter but a most needfull dutie enioyned vnto vs by speciall commaundement and withall a matter of great consequence for the puritie of religion is the foundation and marke of the Church and the right way to direct mens soules to eternall life For this cause Paule chargeth Timothie To keepe the true patterne of wholesome words and to continue in the things which hee had learned And in regard of this dutie the Church is called The pillar and ground of truth And Christ for this cause gaue to his Church both Pastors and Teachers Pastors to instruct in righteousnesse for the maintenance of puritie in manners and Teachers to maintaine the puritie of doctrine in soundnesse of iudgement This therefore must admonish vs that we haue care not onely to learne religion in our owne persons but also to convey the same to ages following that the puritie thereof may bee preserued to the comming of Christ.
This dutie especially concernes the preachers of the Gospell they should teach the truth and confute errours and beat downe false doctrines which poyson the truth of God If in the night season a man set vp a false light in the hauen all the ships that are comming to land are in danger of shipwrack So in Gods Church if the bright light of pure religion bee not set vp and aduaunced the soules of men are cast into the gulfe of hell The want of care in performing this dutie is the cause why God sends heresies and Apostacies into his Church Thus came in the Apostacie of Antichrist 2. Thess. 2.10 11 Because men loued not the truth And I no doubt will the Lord deale with vs if we haue not care to maintaine the puritie of Apostolicall doctrine Verse 26. For hee that ouercommeth and keepeth my workes vnto the end to him will I giue power ouer nations 27. And he shall rule them with a rod of yron and as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken 28. Euen as I receiued of my father so will I giue him the morning starre 29. Let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit sayth to the Churches Here is the conclusion of this Epistle which containeth two parts First a promise vers 26 27 28. Secondly a commaundement vers 29. In the promise note two things the parties to whom it is made and the benefit promised The parties to whom are euery one that ouercommeth whom Christ describeth by a propertie of syncere obedience To keepe his workes vnto the end Here then we haue a description of true obedience First the forme thereof consisteth in obseruing the workes of Christ which we must not vnderstand of doing them according to the rigor of the law but of a purpose and indeuour to keepe them For this is a priuiledge belonging to all that are in Christ that God accepteth their wils and indeuours of obedience for perfect obedience it selfe This we must know and hold for truth for many haue but little knowledge and thereupon are driuen to despaire yet they must know for their comfort that if they haue care to get more knowledge and make conscience to obey that which they know then they are keepers of the workes of Christ and shall haue the reward promised Secondly obedience is here described by the obiect or matter thereof to wit the workes of Christ that is all such workes as Christ hath ordained in his word and those whereof he is the author by his spirit in his members Hereby we learne first that he that will obey God in Christ Iesus must not thinke his owne thoughts speake his owne words nor do his owne deeds but he must thinke speake do that which Christ would haue him Secondly that no worke is or can bee acceptable to Christ but that which is ordained by him Isay complaineth of them that would teach the feare of God by mens commandements so that there is no true feare of God but that which is taught by Gods commaundements and the like may bee sayd of all other our obedience This rule ouerthroweth all other religions besides the true religion as of the Iewes Turkes and Papists For almost all their workes are of mens inuenting and were neuer ordained by Christ such are most points in poperie as saying of masse going on pilgrimage fastings vowing and praying to saints c. Thirdly whereas he â—aith my workes meaning not one or two but all his workes we learne that true obedience consisteth in doing all the workes of Christ For Christ and the diuel will neuer part stakes God must either haue all our workes or none And therefore Dauid saith I shall not be confounded because I haue respect vnto all thy commandements And good king Iosiaâ— is commâ—nded For that he turned to the Lord according to all the law of Moses This point must be learned of al For many thinke if they doe many good things with Herod all is well and for this cause many a man abhors couetousnesse and pride and yet is a contemner of the Gospell But true obedience must bee in all things Vnto the end Here is the fourth branch of true obedience it is constant That obedience which Christ will reward must not be for a day or a yeare but from time to time through the whole course of our life to the end of our dayes And thus wee must iudge of obedience not by some particular actions but by the whole tenour of a mans life Put case a man hath made conscience of all his wayes through the whole course of his life and yet in sicknesse by reason of the extremitie thereof is distracted and raueth blaspheming God and so dieth What must wee iudge of this man Surely we must not censure him by his behauiour in his sicknesse but consider what hath beene thâ—â—enour of his life if that haue beene vpright then his obedience was good and shall bee rewarded II. Point The benefits promised and they are two The first is power to rule verse 27. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron And as the vessels of a potter shall they bee broken euen as I receiued of my father The second is the morning starre verse 28. where note by the way that these words Euen as I haue receiued of my father are referred amisse in our English translation to the giuing of the morning starre when as they properly belong to the former words in this sence As I haue receiued power ouer nation of my father so will I giue to him that ouercommeth power to rule with the rod of Iron c. Now come to the benefits First here is promised by Christ A power to rule ouer nations Christâ— power as he is mediator is very great and here it is set foorth by three arguments borrowed from the second Psalme verse 8.9 First by the largenesse of it iâ— reacheth not to one countrie alone but to all countries and to all men in all nations Secondly by the Soueraigntie of it Christs power is absolute in ruling and ouerruling And this his Soueraigntie consisteth in two things First in making lawes vnto the consciences of men so as if they be not kept hee may iustly condemne them and in ouerruling the wils of all men conforming them to his will will they nill they which is signified by this He shall rule rule them with a rod of iron Secondly in that hee hath this absolute power in himselfe to saue and to destroy and therefore is sayd to haue The keyes of heauen and hell Which is signified in the next words And as the vessell of a potter shall they be broken Thirdly by the fountaine of it Christ receiueth this power from his father Indeed as Christ is God he is equall with his father and hath this power of himselfe But as he is mediator his power is giuen him of his father Mat. 28.18 For the better
holy Ghost but by Christ it is manifest that none can haue fellowship with the Father but by Christ. And here the same is verified touching fellowship with the holy ghost especially for the obtaining of those graces that concerne eternall life This serueth for our speciall instruction for among the Papists there are many that haue worthy and excellent gifts of God as knowledge memorie c. And yet in them be wanting the special giftes of the spirit as faith which iustifieth regeneration for touching assurance of these in themselues they professe themselues to be ignorant And whence coÌ„meth this but onely from their want of Christ for the Christ of the Papists as they teach him is an idoll Christ and therefore wee are not to maruell though wee see the most learned among them to scoffe and mock at our doctrin of assurance of Faith certainty of electioÌ„ Secondly we haue many among vs that will say they looke to be saued by Christ to haue their sins pardoned by him and yet you shall perceiue in them no grace of knowledge or conscience of true obedience But these things caÌ„not stand together to wit loosnes of life and forgiuenes of sins therfore these men deceiue themselues for if they had Christ they should haue his spirit and the graces thereof purging their hearts for Christ and his spirit are neuer seuered he that hath the spirit of Christ working in him faith good conscience hath an infallible token that Iesus Christ is his This must admonish vs to labour for 〈◊〉 vnion with Christ Iesus our head to become flesh of his flesh bone of his bone that in him we may haue fellowship with the father and with the holy Ghost for till we be vnited vnto Christ we shall neuer haue the graces of saluation wrought effectually in our hearts The second royaltie of Christ is that he hath the seuen starres that is the seuen Pastors of the seuen Churches of Asia they are called starres because in their ministerie they inlighten men in the way that leadeth vnto life And Christ is said to haue them because hee is a soueraigne Lord ouer them they bee his seruants For he â—ppointeth that person that shall be his minister among men hee giueth him gifts meet for his calling he prescribeth also vnto him his office and duties But the Pastors of Churches will some say are made by the Church Answ. The right of ordaining Pastors belongs to Christ as his royaltie the office of the Church is to testifie ratifie according to the word of God to approoue of them whom Christ maketh and indueth with gifts and for that cause is the Church said to call and ordaine Ministers The end why Christ is said to haue soveraigntie ouer the Ministers is to strike the heart of the minister of this Church of Sardis with conscience of his former negligence to stir him vp to diligence and carefulnes in his place And indeede the consideration of Christs soueraigntie ouer them is an excellent motiue to stir vp all Ministers to bee diligent in their place and so likewise all Christians For considering that they are Christs and the gifts they haue come from him this must mooue them to make conscience of all good duties for being Christs they must giue themselues wholy to do the will of Christ whose they are If he would haue vs liue we must be thankefull because he is Lord of life if our death will glorifie him we must be content because wee are his Thus much of the Preface The matter of this Epistle containeth two parts A reproofe of a vice with the remedie thereof Vers. 1.2.3 And a praise or commendation vers 4. The reproofe in these words I know thy works that is I know all thy workes they are all manifest vnto me and I mislike of them So must these wordes be vnderstood in this place as may appeare by the reason of this reproofe in the wordes following Thou hast a name that thou liuest but thou art dead Wherein is set downe the fault of this Church namely Hypocrisie for that they pretended christian religion in outward profession but yet wanted the life of christianitie the power of godlines for the meaning of the reason is this Thou hast a name that thou liuest that is Churches round about thee iudge and speak of thee as of a church that is borne anew in Christ and is guided by his spirit for by life we must vnderstand spirituall life not corporall but yet for all this thou art dead that is thou wantest true spirituall life by regeneration and art indeed dead in thy sinnes this is a great and a sharpe reproofe That which is here said of this Church of Sardis may be truly verified of diuers churches in this age As first of the great church of Rome who are guided by the Pope as by their head That church hath a name to be aliue in their owne pretence it is the only true church of God in the world but in truth and before God it is dead Some say it is as a body full of diseases and whose throat is cut but yet the heart panteth life remaineth therin But we may say it hath no manner of spirituall life but lyeth starke dead as a carkasse in the graue The reasons that some alledge for it are of small moment first they say it hath the SacrameÌ„t of baptisme which is a note of a true Church and therefore it hath some life Ans. First Baptisme is not alwayes a note of a true church for circumcision in whose stead commeth baptisme was a sacrament vsed of the Samaritans when they were no people of God and so no church of God Againe Baptisme without the true preaching of the Gospel is no infallible signe of a church it is but a seale pulled from the writing or set to a bare paper to no vse and further outward Baptisme without inward Baptisme is no note of a church but such is baptisme in the church of Rome it hath not inward baptisme ioyned vnto it neither the true preaching of the word for the doctrine which they teach is a quite ouerturning of Christ and his Gospel and therefore outward baptisme may bee where there is no church Secondly I answer that baptisme in the church of Rome is a Sacrament not to their synagogue but to the hiddeÌ„ church of God among them For God had his Church among them euen in the midst of Poperie There were alwayes some among them that renounced their religion whom God called home vnto himself by the meanes which were among them as the vse of this Sacrament the Apostles Creed and of other books of holy Scripture For as God said to Elias in Ahabs time I haue reserued seuen thousand that neuer bowed the knee to Baal So may it bee sayd of many among the Papists God hath there his secret Church who neuer yeelded to the Popes gouernment
Yea hee is holy in regard of men in a further respect namely as the roote of all mans holinesse as he is Mediator For looke as from Adam is actually conueyed originall sinne to euery one of his posteritie that commeth by naturall generation so from Christ is righteousnesse and holinesse conueyed to all that beleeue in him and for this cause hee is called our righteousnesse and sanctification and in this sence especially is Christ said to be holy in this place Whereas Christ is said to bee holy not only in himselfe but for vs here we must marke what is the principall thing in Christian Religion namely to haue care to bee ingraffed into Christ that from him wee may receiue grace to become new creatures and feele in vs his power to kill our corruptions and dayly to renew his owne Image in vs in righteousnesse and true holinesse and that as truely as wee feele in vs Adams corruption It is not sufficient for vs to plead that Christ will bee our Sauiour and will free vs from all sinnes but wee must labour to haue Christ conuay holinesse into vs and that as sensibly as wee see the roote conuay sappe into the branches and this holinesse wee must make to appeare in our liues as the branches by their fruit and leaues doe shew they receiue sappe from the roote Secondly here note Christ propounds himselfe vnto vs and to all Churches as a notable patterne to be followed giuing vs to vnderstand that all that beleeue in him and looke to be saued by him must bee holy as hee is holy making conscience of euery euill way for Christ is holy to make vs holy Let vs therefore behold Christ and see wherein hee expresseth himselfe to be holy and therein let vs follow him So Iohn saith Hee that hath this hope purifyeth himselfe as hee is holy that is vseth all good meanes to conforme himselfe to Christs holinesse Thirdly hereby wee learne that the common title giuen to the Pope whereby hee is called Holinesse is a blasphemous title for to be holy is here made a propertie of Christ. And yet more is giuen to the Pope than to Christ in this place for he is called Holinesse which is a title of God alone The second propertie whereby Christ is described is Truth Christ is sayd to bee true in three regards First because hee is without all error or ignorance knowing euery thing as it is Truth is in Christ properly and in the creatures onely by meanes of him Secondly because whatsoeuer hee willeth and decreeth he doth it seriously without fraude deceit change or contradiction as the whole tenure of Scriptures doe shewe wherein euery part is sutable and agreeable to another because hee maketh good euery promise made in his word for in him all the promises of God are yea and Amen 2. Cor. 1.20 Whereas Christ is sayd to bee true yea Truth it selfe First Wee learne a full difference betweene him and all false wicked spirites for they are spirites of error and falshood for the diuell is the father of lyes and the author thereof Againe whereas Christ is true in all his wayes we ought without all doubting to beleeue his word and all the promises made therein that concerne our saluation If Christ could erre or lye and men bee deceiued by him then they might iustly doubt of the truth of his word but seeing hee is true in all his promises wee must beleeue in him and in all our distresses either of bodie or mind depend vpon him for he hath made a promise to helpe and he will neuer faile them that rest on him Thirdly in this Propertie hee propounds himselfe an example to be followed of his Church and of vs that as Christ is serious in his decrees and constant in his promises so must wee purpose euery good thing seriously and also make good whatsoeuer good thing wee promise For Lyers must bee destroyed Psalm 5. Vers. 6. They that loue or make Lyes must neuer come into Heauen but â—e shut out thence and cast into the burning Lake of fire and brimstone Reuel 22.15 But it is a note of a man that is a good member of Gods Church in this world and that shall bee inheritour of Christs Kingdome in Heauen to speake the trueth from his heart Psal. 15. Verse 22. And Lying is a note of the childe of the diuell Ioh. 8.44 Secondly Christ is described by his kingly office Which hath the key of Dauid which openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth VVhere first let vs see the meaning of the words For which purpose wee must haue recourse to Esay 22. vers 22 whence these wordes are borrowed being there sayd of Eliachim The circumstances of that Text will easily shew the meaning of the wordes in this place Shebna who had been an ancient Steward to many of the Kings of Israel was Treasurer also vnto King Hezekias And because hee was an hinderer of Reformation intended by Hezekias the Lord threatned to cast him out of his office and further the Lord signifieth that Eliachim shall come in his roome and haue the same office now to expresse this thing the Lord sayth The Key of the house of Dauid shall bee layd vpon his shoulders That is Eliachim shall bee made a Steward of the house of Dauid euen of the Kingdome of Dauid whereof Hezekias was Gouernour for so the House of Iuda and the House of Israel are often put for the whole Kingdome of Iuda and Israel And the giuing of a Key was an ancient token of placing and inuesting men in chiefe rule and authoritie so that the meaning of this place is this that God hath giuen vnto Christ soueraigne power and authoritie of gouerning his Church Quest. But why is Christ sayd to haue the Key of Dauid for Dauids kingdom was a temporall kingdome but Christs Kingdome is not of this world Iohn 18.36 And yet it is said The Lord God shall giue vnto him the Throne of his father Dauid and hee shall raigne ouer the house of Iacob Luk. 1.32.33 Answ. Christ may bee sayd to haue the Keyes of Dauid two wayes First Properly for when hee was borne of the blessed Virgin Marie he was borne King of the Iewes by right descent from his father Dauid as his Genealogie plainely sheweth Luk. 3. And also the question of the wise men at Ierusalem saying Where is the king of the Iewes that is borne Mat. 2.2 And therefore when the Publicans asked tribute of him he pleaded the priuiledge of a Kings sonne albeit to auoyd offence he was content to yeeld of his right to pay tribute Thereby shâ—wing that he had right to the Kingdome of Israel though he would not take it vpon him therfore came in such a time when the Kingdome was taken of the Romane Emperour Secondly he may bee sayd to haue the key of Dauids kingdome Tipically for Dauids kingdome was a figure of Christs kingdome and
Dauid himselfe a type of Christ as it is most excellently dysciphered in the Prophets Ier. 23.5.6 Hosea 3.5 where Christ is plainly called Dauid by the name of him that was his type signe figure Quest. Why were not as well the Kingdomes of Nebuchadnezzar and Pharaoh types of Christs kingdome as Dauids Answ. Because Dauids kingdome was a kingdom of light and pietie but theirs were kingdomes of sinne and iniquitie And he is said to haue the key of Dauids kingdom because his kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof was figured by the pietie in Dauids kingdome And this kinde of speaking is iustifiable by Gods word So Mat. 2.23 Christ is called a Nazarite which place hath relation to that which is said properly of Sāpson who was a most excellent figure of Christ and did most notably represent him in his death wherein hee killed more than in his life Now Christ is called an Nazarite not because he obserued their rites and orders for that he did not he dranke wine so did not the Nazarites but because he was the truth and substance of that order for in him was fully accomplished that holinesse which was figured by that order for he was perfectly seuered from all sinne and pollution And so here he is said to haue the key of Dauid because hee had the soueraigntie which was figured by Dauids Kingdome Which shutteth and no man openeth and openeth and no man shutteth Here Christs kingdome is compared to a house which can bee opened and shut by none but Christ whereby is signified that none hath power aboue Christ in his Kingdome and that his power therein is soueraigne and absolute So that hereby is meant that Christ Iesus sitting in heauen hath soueraigne power and authoritie ouer the whole Church of God to gouerne the same That we may the better vnderstand this soueraigne power of Christ we must know it hath three parts I. To prescribe II. To iudge III. To saue or destroy In Prescribing Christ hath absolute power and that in sundry things as first in prescribing doctrines of Faith and Religion vnto his Church to bee beleeued and obeyed and that on paine of damnation This power he puts in execution when in the bookes of the old and new Testament hee prescribeth the doctrine of the Law the Gospel to be obeyed and beleeued And none but he can make an Article of Faith or a law to binde the conscience and therefore Paul saith Whosoeuer shal teach any other Doctrine then that which ye haue receiued of vs let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 Secondly for regiment he hath absolute power to prescribe how he will haue his Church gouerned and by whom and therefore Moses when he was to make the Tabernacle did all things according to the patterne that the Lord gaue vnto him So Dauid gaue to Salomon patternes of all things that were in him by the spirit touching the building of the house of God 1. Chron. 28.12 Thirdly hee hath absolute power to appoint the time of keeping his Sabbath for as the ordaining of a Sabbath belongs to Christ so doeth the changing thereof hee that prescribeth worship must prescribe the ordinary set time thereunto which is to continue to the end And therfore it is but an opinion of men to hold that the church may make two or moe Sabbath dayes in a week if they wil. Fourthly In prescribing the Sacramēts and therefore Paul saith What I haue receiued of the Lord that deliuer I vnto you speaking of the Lords Supper For hee that giues grace must also appoint the signes and seales of grace The second part of Christs soueraigne power is power of Iudgement which is a soueraigne power to determine on his owne wil without the consent of others or submission to men or Angels And in determining Christ hath two priuiledges First to expound scripture the absolute power of expounding the Law belongeth to the Law-giuer and his exposition is Authenticall Secondly to determine of all Questions and Controuersies in Scripture And therefore it is a wicked opinion of the church of Rome which hold that the principall Iudge of interpreting Scripture and decyding controuersies is the Church The third part of Christs soueraigne power is to saue and destroy This is expressed in these words Hee openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth and for this cause he is sayd to haue the keyes of hell and of death Whereby is signified first that hee hath power to forgiue sins for that hee procureth at his Fathers hands Secondly that hee hath power to condemne for when men beleeue not his word hee hath power to hold them in their sins for which he can cast them into hell The ground of this three-fold power of Christ i◠this because hee is soueraigne Lorde ouer his Church and the members thereof The Church of Rome saith that this key of Dauid hath more in it then soueraigntie ouer his church to wit a power to make and depose Kings that bee in his Church This they teach that they might proue the Pope to haue title in ordayning and deposing of kings by vertue of the keyes But they erre grosly for though Christ as he is Mediatour bee aboue all kings yet in that regard hee neither maketh nor deposeth any kings and therefore he saith plainly My kingdō is not of this world This caused him to refuse to take vpon him the office of an earthly Iudge or prince to deuide an inheritance betweene two brethren Hence it was that he refused to giue sentence of the adulterous woman And yet as Christ is God hee maketh or deposeth earthly kings so the wise mail speaketh of him in the person of wisdō by me kings raign For the further cleering of this we must handle another point which is deriued hence concerning the power of the keyes which is a power whereby the power of the keyes of Dauid is put in execution This power of the Keyes is mentioned Mat. 16.19 when Christ saith vnto Peter I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt bind vpon earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen This power of the keyes is a ministery granted to Gods church to open and shut the kingdome of heauen First I call it a Ministerie that is a seruice because whatsoeuer the church doth in Christs name is nothing but the duetie of seruantes vnto their Lord from whence it is that the most worthy members and officers that euer were in the Church as the Prophets and Apostles were but the Ministers of Christ. That this is a seruice I shew more plainely thus When Adam fell in his sinne all mankinde fell with him and thereby were all barred from the kingdome of heauen Now since that fall Christ became man and in his manhood satisfied the iustice of God for mans sinnes And this
them signifying that this Church had speciall care of keeping Gods word in euerie Commaundement both legall and euangelicall Happie were our Church if the same might truely be said of vs that we had care of obedience vnto God and of the true profession of his name But generally we faile in practise though in outward profession we make some shew thereof Thus much of the praise of this Church Vers. 9. Behold I will make them of the Synagog of Satan which call themselues Iewes and are not but doe lye behold I will make them that they shall come and worship before thy feete and shall know that I haue loued thee Heere followes the second part of this Epistle namely the Promises of Christ which are two First concerning the conuersion of certaine Iewes vers 9. Secondly concerning the deliuerance of these Philadelphians in the time of temptation vers 10. For the first of these promises In all likelyhood there was in this Citie of Philadelphia a Synagog of the Iewes which bare an outward shewe that they were the true worshippers of God albeit they denyed the name of Christ and persecuted his Church Yet Christ here promiseth that he will conuert them and make them members of his Church and cause them to worship him in the congregation before this Church of Philadelphia In this promise note three points touching the conuersion of these Iewes The Author thereof The parties conuerted and the fruit of their conuersion For the first I saith Christ behold I will make them The wordes are verie significant being doubled and they make Christ the whole and sole author of their conuersion Hence we learne that in the conuersision of a sinner God hath the whole and sole worke true it is that a man willeth his conuersion in the act thereof but yet it is God that worketh that will in him it is not of himselfe This confuteth the erronious Doctrine of free-will in the Church of Rome whereby they teach that a man can dispose himselfe to worke out his saluation being onely helped by Gods grace Like vnto a sicke man who though he bee weake yet being holden vp by another can goe of himselfe Ans. But Saint Paul teacheth vs That a man by nature is not sick or weak with sinne but starke dead in sinne and can no more mooue himselfe in the worke of his conuersion thaÌ„ a dead man in the graue in the worke of his resurrection But they say by this wee make a man like vnto a blocke Answ. Not so for though hee cannot turne himselfe vnto God yet hee hath his will and vnderstanding free to vse in ciuile and outward actions and besides theâ—e is a possibilitie in his nature to bee conuerted by grace which is not in a blocke Again wheras Christ sayth I will make them come and they shall come Heere is plainly confuted the Doctrine and opinion of some which hold That a man being effectually called may come vnto Christ or not come at his pleasure when God hath giuen grace man may receiue it or refuse it if hee will This is flat against this text for God will make them come and mans will must bee plyable to Gods will in this matter But they alleage Mat. 23.37 Oh Ierusalem Ierusalem how oft would I haue gathered thee as a hen c. but thou woldest not Answ. Christ there speaketh not of the wil of his good pleasure for that cannot be resisted But of his signified will in the ministerie of his Prophets and by himselfe as hee was a Prophet and the Minister of circumcision vnto the Iewes for so he might will their conuersion and yet they will it not Obiect 2. Act. 7.51 Ye stiffe-necked Iewes ye haue alwayes resisted the holy Ghost Answ. That must be vnderstood of the ministerie of the Prophets and Apostles who spake by the spirit of God and not of the spirit himselfe II. point The parties conuerted namely Them of the Synagog of Satan Such as called themselues the onely true worshippers of God and yet indeed and in truth were no better than the slaues of Satan This is to be obserued for hereby we may see that not onely sinners which commit small sinnes are conuerted vnto God but euen grieuous and ancient sinners such as haue long concâ—â—ued the slaues of Satan Christ died not for painted sinners but for grieuous sinners and therefore Paul chargeth Timothy and the Ministers with him To waite for the conuersion and repentance of them that were taken in the snare of the Diuell and that according to the Diuels owne will Rom. 1.28 Paul speaketh of some Gentils that were giuen vp to a reprobate sence which was a fearefull case and yet no doubt many of them were after turned to beleeue the Gospell for such are they that are taken in the snare of the Diuell and yet there is repentance to be wayted for of them This Doctrine must not bee abused to libertie in sinning for that is the right way to cast our soules into the pit of destruction But yet seeing Christ will bring home into his kingdome most greeuous sinners we must hereby take occasion not to be discouraged either by the greatnesse or multitude of our sins from comming vnto Christ. For marke Christ only raysed three that were dead to life Iayrus daughter that was newe dead the widowes Sonne that lay on the herste and Lazarus that lay stinking in the graue This is a notable figure of the conuersion of sinners hee will not onely call to repentance small and young sinners but euen great and old sinners that lye rotting and stinking in the graue of sinne as Lazarus did in the graue of death Hee came to call sinners to repentance and to saue the lost sheepe which are readie to bee deuoured by Woolues and wilde beasts Wee must all blesse the name of Christ for this his large mercie and in time lay hold vpon it and repent III. point The fruite of their conuersion in these wordes They shall come and worshippe before thy foote and shall knowe that I haue loued thee These wordes may bee fitly expounded by another place of scripture 1. Corinth 14.24.25 If all prophesie and there come in one that beleeueth not or one vnlearned he is rebuked of all men and iudged of all so as the secrets of his heart are disclosed and he will fall downe on his face and worship God and say plainly God is in you indeed so that the meaning of these words is this I will cause theÌ„ to come to the coÌ„gregation of Gods people at their feet to fall downe and worship the true God Heere are set downe twoo notable fruits of the conuersion of a sinner First concerning God The second concerning the Church The fruit of conuersion that respecteth God is The true worship of God noted in these words I will make them come and worship that is In spirite and truth with bodie and soule to adore the true
God This fruite no man can bring forth till hee bee conuerted For the wicked and naturall man cals not vpon God True it is they will acknowledge there is a God and that the same God is to bee worshipped and therefore they will come outwardly and heare the word and receiue the elements of the sacraments but the true worship of God is in spirite and truth from the heart which a naturall man cannot perfourme vnto God This is the fruit of true coÌ„uersion which when a man receiueth hee doth heare the word of God with reuerence tremble at Gods iudgements and mingle the Doctrine of the Gospell with faith in his heart and in calling vpon God hee feeles his sinnes and therefore by prayer doth earnestly desire the supply of grace and the remission of his sins hauing his hart also beleeuing that he shall receiue mercie And in thankesgiuing his heart is filled with ioy and the grace of thankefulnesse so as being conuerted all his worship vnto God is in spirit and truth In the worship of these Iewes are noted three properties required in Godâ— seruice First it must bee willing and cherefull so did these Iewes worshippe GOD For they are sayd not onely to worship GOD but to come and worship GOD and thus doe all Gods children worship him Isay. 56.7 Those whom God bringeth to his mountaine hee maketh ioyfull in his house of prayer Psal. 110.3 They shal come willingly in the day of assemblies By this propertie wee may see a great number at this daye euerie where come farre short in the true worship of GOD for most men neuer regard the preaching of the word but content themselues with morning and euening prayer which they frequent to auoide the penaltie of the lawes of the Magistrate and the shame of the world But these are miserable worshippers of God his worship ought to bee free and willing The second propertie The worship of God must bee expressed with seemely meet and conuenient gesture The word translated Worship signifieth doing of reuerence with bowing of the body and knee and therfore it is not an indifferent thing but necessarie to vse conuenient gesture in Gods worship that thereby the grace and humilitie of the heart may bee expressed The Angels that stand before the throne of God haue two winges to couer their feete and two to couer their faces therby testifying their reuerence to Gods Maiestie In this point also many come short for as the common complaint is the maner of many is to lie snorting and sleeping vnder mens elbows at sermons and in the time of prayer to sit vnreuerently with their heads couered These things ought not to be for God is Lord of body and soule and ought to be worshipped with both The third propertie All that will truly worship GOD must first bee humbled for their sinnes and haue the pride of their hearts brought downe and bee stroken with a feare of GODS glorious Maiestie So these Iewes did prostrate their bodies at the feete of the congregation when they came to worship GOD. The Iaylor that imprisoned Paul and Silas ouer-night and put their feete in the stockes would then haue verie little regarded Paules Doctrine beeing so cruell and rigorous to their persons Yet when he was about to haue killed himselfe with his sword supposing the prisoners had beene gone because hee sawe the dores open hee was glad and ioyfull to heare the voice of Paul who called vnto him that hee should doe himselfe no harme for they were all there then being humbled by that strange and woonderfull worke of GOD he comes in vnto them humbles himselfe and fals downe before them crauing them to tell him what hee must doe to bee saued In like manner so long as men haue not their proud hearts beaten downe they will neuer worship God in spirit and truth Would wee therefore know why the most part worshippe God formally Surely it is because they haue not beene humbled with a feare of Gods maiestie and a terrour of hell Neither can it bee hoped that we shall euer worship God sincerely till our hearts bee thus broken within vs and we touched with the feare of Gods iudgements The want hereof is the cause why men and women content themselues with a bare mumbling ouer of the words of the Lords prayer the Creede and ten Commaundements neuer seeking in the sinceritie of their heart cheerefully and willingly both with soule and bodie to doe worship vnto God The second fruite of true conuersion concerneth man and that is A reuerence of the true worshippers of God noted in these words Before thy feete These Iewes when they were conuerted did not think themselues worthy to bee members of this congregation but submitted themselues to be foot-stooles vnto them This reuerence shewes it selfe in this one thing which is the ground thereof namely a base opinion which euery true conuerted person hath of himselfe by reason of his owne vnworthinesse This was in Paul causing him to call himselfe the cheefe of all sinners And the same ought to be in euerie one of vs for this is true grace and a note of true repentance when a man or woman can truely abase themselues beneath all Gods people so as if the question were who is the vilest person in the Church the conscience of euerie man should answere I my selfe The proude and pharesaicall heart is farre from true conuersion but the humble hart is pleasing to God And shall know that I haue loued thee These words contain a reason of the former submisse behauiour of these Iewes for it might bee asked why shall these Iewes come to ioyne themselues with Gods people and bee content to make themselues foote-stooles vnto them The answere is because Christ will make them know that hee hath loued his Church Here marke and see the ground of all true reuerence Gods loue and fauour Sundrie peâ—sons both in Church and Common wealth haue reuerence due vnto them as Maisters from their seruants parents from their Children and all superiours from their inferiours Now if these men would attaine to true reuerence indeede first they must seeke to be in the loue and fauour of God and of his children and so shall they procure vnto themselues true reuerence for when men set their hearts to feare God then will God turne the harts of men to reuerence them This ought to be thought vpon of those that be great in birth and wealth They must not stand on these things but look to the foundation of true reuerence namely the fauour of God which they must seek for and getting that God will get them reuerence euen of wicked men The cause why many in high place as Magistrate Maisters c. want due reuerence is for that they care not for the fauour of God the ground thereof Vers. 10. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience therefore will I deliuer thee from the houre of temptation which will
foorth the power of obedience or else God will take it from vs. And we know not how neere this iudgement is seeing other particular iudgements haue not brought vs to repent And what else meane the rumors of warres are they not Gods warnings bidding vs holde fast his Gospel or else it will bee taken from vs Although therefore wee loose all other things as honour riches lands or life it selfe yet let vs holde fast our crowne When the Arke of God is gone no glorie is left 1. Sam. 4.21 Vers. 12. Him that ouercommeth will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God he shall goe no more out and I will write vpon him the Name of my God and the Name of the Citie of my God which is the new Ierusalem which commeth downe out of heauen from my God and I will write vpon him my new Name Vers. 13. Let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirit saith vnto the Churches These wordes are the conclusion of this Epistle which containeth two parts First a promise in the twelfth vers Secondly a commandement in the 13. for the promise In it wee are to obserue two points The partie to whom it is made and the thing promised The partie is he that ouercommeth of whom we haue spoken before for this promise hath beene propounded sixe times for substance the same though in other tearmes Yet here the very word Ouercommeth doth giue vs to vnderstand that he that would haue his seruice pleasing to God must dispose himselfe to a battell or combate for ouercomming presupposeth a fight The enemies which he is to fight against are spirituall to wit his owne corrupt nature the wicked world and the deuill and in this spirituall combate a man must be a good souldier before hee can bee a good Christian for all these enemies will seeke to draw him backe and hinder him so soone as he shall any way endeuour to please God Indeed God could haue freed his seruants from all temptations but hee will not it is Gods pleasure by temptations to haue his seruants tryed Whereby it is manifest that they are deceiued that imagine the state of a Christian to be a freedome from all miseries and temptations or a state of ease wherein is no strife or trouble to disquiet the mind nay it is a souldiers condition in which he that would ouercome must wage a-perpetuall battell against all his enemies both within him and without him and that vnto death The thing promised will I make a pillar in the house of my God and hee shall goe no more out Heere Christ doth most notably expresse the state and condition of eternall life In the description whereof he doth allude to the custome practise of men who minding to perserue the memorie of their names after their death vsed to errect durable Pillars of wood or stone in some towne valley or mountain with their name engrauen or written thereon This practise is common in humane hystories and Absolon wanting issue set vp a Pillar with his owne name vpon it in the Kings dale thereby to continue his remembrance with posteritie The meaning then is as if Christ had said Others for the continuing of their memorie after their death doe in some speciall place errect some durable pillar of wood or stone with their owne names written or engrauen thereon But to him that ouercommeth I will not set vp such a pillar but euen make him a pillar durable and euerlasting whose memorie shall alwayes continue He addeth further he shall bee a pillar in the Temple of my God as if hee should say others set vp their pillars in valleyes and mountaines or such places where some notable exployt hath bin wrought but the place which I will choose saith Christ is the temple of my God that is the Church tryumphant which was figured by the Temple in Ierusalem and by the Tabernacle as we may see Heb. 9.9 and Reuel 21.3 for those were two places where Gods people worshipped him where God testified his presence in a speciall manner vnto his people And so in the true Temple the kingdome of heauen Gods saints and angels doe worship him immediately where God is present with them in most glorious comfortable maner This then is Christs meaning he shall not onely be a part of that Temple but an excellent part euen a pillar in the triumphant Church in heauen And to shew what is meant by this temple Christ calleth it the temple of his God therby noting the highest heauen Where obserue that God is called Christes God which argueth inferioritie and therefore it must be vnderstood of Christ as hee is man and as he is mediator in which respect he receiueth from his Father all his offices and power to execute the same But as Christ is God he is equall with his Father and receiueth nothing from him And to instruct is yet further heerein Christ saith Hee shall goe no more out When men erected pillars for their memoriall in processe of time they would weare away and therefore they caused them to be renewed or els their remembrance thereby would not continue but he that is once made a mēber of the tryumphant Church shall there remaine for euer and euer and no time shall euer come wherein he shall cease to bee a pillar in the same Further in the pillars erected by men their names were written or engrauen And to this practise Christ alludeth saying that hee that is made a pillar in the triumphant Church shall haue names written on him these names are three I. The Name of my God that is I will make it manifest that this man is indeed the sonne of God and that God is all in all vnto him The second Name is The Name of the Cittie of my God By Cittie he meaneth not the tryumphant Church but the place where the tryumphant Church shall be to wit the highest heauen as it is taken Reuel 21.10 So that hereby Christ would teach vs thus much that hee which ouercommeth shall bee knowne to be a Cittizen of heauen and that the priuiledges of that kingdom belong vnto him And lest any should doubt what is meant by the Cittie of God Christ here described it first by the resemblance thereof calling it Ierusalem because that Cittie in regard of the Temple especially was a figure of the kingdome of heauen Secondly he calleth it the new Ierusalem that is the place of the tryumphant Church euen the highest heauen Which is not called new in respect of being for it was from the beginning but in respect of the manner of reuealing and manifesting it for in the old Testament the New Ierusalem was reuealed to the Iewes onely and that obscurely but vnder the kingdome of Christ it is more fully reuealed not only to the Iewes but to all the world Thirdly he addeth that it doth now descend out of heauen from his God Therein answering to an obiection for it might
nor hot I would thou werest cold or hot Vers. 16. Therefore because thou art luke-warme and neither cold nor hot it will come to passe that I shall spew thee out of my mouth In these words and so forward to the 21. vers is contayned the substance or matter of this Epistle and it hath two parts A dispraise vers 15.16 17. And Counsell vers 18.19.20 They are dispraised for two vices first luke-warmenesse vers 15.16 Secondly for their pride vers 17. I know thy workes This is a generall reproofe signifying thus much All thy workes are knowne vnto mee and I vtterly dislike them Then followeth the reason of this dislike Thou art neither cold nor hot which is a comparison borrowed from waters wherof there be three sorts hot cold and luke-warme Now hot and cold waters doe not so much annoy the stomacke as luke-warme water doth they are sometimes comfortable to the stomacke but luke-warme water doth disquiet it till it bee cast vp and to these three kindes of waters hee compareth three sorts of men By cold water he vnderstanding such as are enemies to Reliligion as at this day are the Iewes and Turkes and other barbarous people By hot water he vnderstandeth men that are earnest and zealous of the truth So that when hee sayth of this Church Thou art neitheir cold nor hot his meaning is thou art neither an open enemie nor truely zealous of my Gospell I would thou werest cold or hot Christ wisheth not simply that they were enemies vnto him but onely in respect of that estate of luke-warmnes in which they were as if hee should say I had leâ—er thou werest either cold or hot than thus luke-warme as thou art For if we should vnderstand it simply wee should make Christ to desire that men should bee his enemies By luke-warme men he vnderstandeth a people who are in shew Gods Church but in truth wante the power of godlynesse and the zeale of the spirit Because thou art such saith Christ to this Church therefore I will spew thee out of my mouth that is looke as hee that hath drunke luke-warme water cannot abide it on his stomacke but must needs spew it vp againe so am I wearie of this thy securite I cannot abide it and therefore will I cast thee off from all fellowship with mee and make of thee which art a Church in shew to be no Church Thus we see their fault namely luke-warmenesse the greatnesse whereof hee aggrauates first by comparing it with the extreames cold and hot both which he preferreth before it as may appeare by his wish and desire And secondly by the punishment thereof namely vtter reiection Hereby wee must examine our selues whither this fault may not iustly be charged vpon vs after due triall it will appeare that wee are guiltie of this sinne The which that it may the better appear I will note the seuerall kindes of luke-warme Christians The first luke-warme Professor is the Papist as the tenour of his Religion and the manner of his worship of God doth plainely shewe for hee doth part stakes with Christ in the matter of saluation affirming that he receiueth froÌ„ Christ to work out his owne saluation and so assumeth part of Christs glorie to himselfe Secondly all time-seruers are luke-warme Gospellers that is all such as alter their Religion with time and state and of this sort are the bodie of our people who professe themselues to be of the same Religion the Prince is of which sheweth euidently what they will doe in time to come namely turne with the time as their Forefathers haue done The Third sort are the followers of Nicodemus who came to Christ by night onely that is such as say and thinke that they may goe to masse with their bodies if they keep their hearts vnto God these halt betweene two opinions and neither serue God nor Baâ—ll Fourthly all Mediators such as will make pacification between the Religion of the Protestant and the Papists so holding our Religion as not caring â—o embrace theirs also because they think they differ not in substance but in circumstances onely Let these pretend what they will they are in heart Laoditians Fiftly all Worldlings which as Christ sayth Luk. 16.13 Serue God and Mammon God and the world by setting their heart vpon riches These men abound euerie where for though they heare God in the ministrie of his word and as it were touch him in the Sacrament yet their hearts are farre from him running after their couetousnesse Ezech. 33.31 and who are such their consciences will witnesse yea their behauiour proclaimes it to the world for though they wil heare the word yet their wit and strength is spent vpon the world and the thinges thereof Sixtly those that professe Christs Reliligion in outward actions of his worship but yet in their liues giue themselues to the common sinnes of the time some to drunkennesse to fornication to couetousnesse or crueltie some to this sinne and some to that To this sort we must referre those that in word approoue Religion and yet their hearts delight is in garnishing themselues with the monstrous brutish and irreligious formes of strange and forraine attire These spend their time and wit in the decking of their bodies and so suffer their soules to goe to wracke when as apparell should bee an occasion to put vs in minde of a shame through sinne and by modest attire we should expresse the vertues of the heart but these hereby professe the vanitie of their minde Now though we be not intangled with these grosse sinnes yet we cannot excuse our selues from this sinne of luke-warmenesse For the want of zeale of Gods glorie of loue to his truth of care to obey his commaundements and to keepe good conscience the want of hatred of sinne what argue all these but luke-warmenes Herein wee must lay our hand vpon our mouth with Iob for wee cannot plead with God no not for this common sinne But that we may be out of all doubt that this sinne of luke-warmenesse hath infected our congregations as it did this Church of Laodicea I will make it plaine by the signes thereof which are common amonge vs that so wee may the better know our fearefull estate The first signe is Negligence in the duties of that true Religion which we professe this appeareth sundrie waies for first howsoeuer wee come to the assemblies where the word is preached yet fewe doe profite there by increase in the knowledge of that Religion which is taught and in the amendment of life This may any man see to be true that hath halfe an eye to looke into the state of our assemblies and mens owne consciences will heerein witnesse against them Againe where Gods word is ordinarily heard there are verie fewe that spend any time in searching out and trying whether the thinges bee so or not which are taught them Nay men wil not be at cost to buy a Bible and if they haue one
And so accordingly is misery to be considered Now of the punishments in this life some concerne the whole man some the parts of man some his estate PunishmeÌ„ts concerning the whole man bee of two sorts The first is subiection to the wrath of GOD whereby a man since Adams fall is made the child of wrath a misery of all miseries yet the more greeuous because without some grace a man cannot discern see the same The second is a Bondage vnder the Diuell wherby a man in his mind will affections is subiect euery way to the will of the Diuell which though we cannot describe yet wee may thus conceiue of it The regenerate man saith I sin but I would not sin The naturall man saith I sin and I will sin It is my nature to sin and my delight and this was the state of this Church Punishments concerning the parts of man bee either miseries of his soule or of his body the miseries of his soule be these First in the vnderstanding Ignorance of Gods will And in sundry madnesse and foolishnesse and in all men pain and difficulty both to learn remember whatsoeuer is good which was not in man by creation In the conscience also be accusations secret feares and terrours In the will is rebellion to Gods will In all affections peruersnesse All which are miseries of the soule The body also hath these miseries First it is subiect to all infirmities sicknesses diseases and aches which are so many as all the bookes of Phisitians neither doe nor can record the same Secondly mans body is mortal subiect to teÌ„poral deth which no man can possibly auoid or preuent by all the art and skill in the world Punishments of mans estate concerne either his goods or calling In goods there bee these miseries want of things necessary for by reason of sin it is a punishment in it owne nature a curse and all the hurts that come by the creatures for their enmity towards man towards one another as also their subiection to vanitie all these be miseries and the punishments of mans sinne In mans calling there is miserie for therein man is subiect to trouble to losses and sorow which come as a punishment of mans first sinne And all these be the miseries of man in this life At the end of this life comes bodily death the separation of soule and bodie asunder which in it selfe is a most fearfull curse for so it is the verie gate of Hell But after this life is the accomplishmeÌ„t of all miseries that is eternal destruction and condemnation in hell fire which to be the end of all misery appeares by this because it is a separation of mans person from the societie presence of God and an enduring of Gods wrath in the whole person euen in the place of the Diuell and damned soules that not for a time but for euer and euer eternally And thus we see what punishment is and answerably what misery is wherby we may see what it is to be wretched namely in a word to be subiect to al miseries whether we consider theÌ„ in the râ—ot thereof originall sin or vnder the forme of punishment in this life in the whole person and in soule body seuerally in goods and calling at the end of this life and in the world to come The proper end that moues Christ to say to this Church She knew not that shee was wretched is this to teach this Church and in them vs and all Churches to learne to knowe their owne miseries to feele the same and to be touched in conscience for them We therfore must learne not to â—â—atter our selus with hope of our good state but labor to see our miserie both in sin the punishment thereof And seeing it striue to be touched with it that we may crie with the Iewes What shal we do to be saued for till such time as this in some measure be wrought in vs we shal be but luke-warme professors hauing a shew of godlines but wanting the power thereof The true sight of our miserie is the gift and grace of God but yet we must vse all good means that we may come to see the same to be touched with it that so we may haue hearts hereby fit to receiue the Gospell which containes the remedie of this our miserie And miserable that is worthy to be pitied this is added not to set downe another thing but to expres the greatnes of their misery as if he should say Thy misery is not small but so great and so greeuous as indeed thou art in that regard to be pitied of all men Hence we learne that we must not despise parties miserable by reason of their sins or scorne and contemne them But contrariwise lament pity them When Dauid saw men sin and so pull heapes of miseries vpon them he shed riuers of tears The Lord makes it a good mans property to mourne for the abhominations of the people Ieremie for the sins of the people wished his head were full of water And iust Lot greeued his righteous hart for the abhominations of Sodome It was the fault of the Corinthians which Paul reprooueth that when the incestuous man had sinned that greeuous sinne They were not humbled but puffed with contempt against the partie And it is a fault in sundry men at this daye that they are not humbled in themselues when they see other men sin We must not do so but shew the grace we haue aboue others in being greeued for the miseries which men without grace by their sins pull dayly vpon them Thus much of their miserie in generall The partes of their miserie are three which Christ noteth particularly that if it were possible he might cause this church to lay aside this damnable pride for these in all men are maine miseries The First is pouertie And poore that is properly one that hath not a rag to his back nor bread to his mouth vnlesse hee begge the same of others But here it is taken for one that is spiritually poore which pouerty wee shall better conceiue if we do vnderstand what be true spirituall riches True riches be Gods grace and sauor in Christ as the pardon of sinne and life euerlasting The poore man therefore is hee that wanteth Gods fauour for the remission of his sins and the gift of eternall life hath in him no good thing that is acceptable to God but in regard of his soule is as silly and poore as any beggar in regard of his bodie The end why Christ calleth this church poore is to beat downe the proud conceit of her owne good estate and to cause her to feele her spirituall pouertie and so become poore in spirit And we in them are likewise taught to labour to feele our owne pouertie how by nature there is no goodnesse in vs but wee are vtterly destitute of the grace and
fauor of God that so we may goe out of our selues and in regard of our selues euen despaire of our saluation for till this pouertie of spirit be wrought in vs wee may make a shew in profession heare the word and receiue the Sacraments but we shall neuer haâ—e sound grace And blessed were our estate if wee could lay aside that diuelish pride which puffeth vp our hearts and become poore in spirite then were wee in the right way to receiue the Gospell and the graces thereof but till we be beggars in our selues wee neuer begin to be rich in Christ. Howe can Christ truely charge this Church with pouertie for the Laodiceans were a rich people and had great store of wealth Answ. True it is they were rich in wealth as histories shew and yet poore to God For all honour and wealth in the world is nothing without the grace and fauor of God in Christ. Paul saith Wee are compleat in Christ forth of him therfore we haue nothing To the Corinthians hee saith All thinges are yours and you Christs and Christ is Gods But nothing is ours till we haue Christ and Christ vs. As it was with this Church so it is with all other Euerie person and all people are but poore and beggarly if they want Christ and therefore if God haue giuen any man riches and wealth hee must lay this good foundation vse them as helps to further his saluation For by them hee may attaine to the meanes of saluation and also shew forth the fruits of faith But they that haue wealth and vse it otherwise shall finde it turne to their deeper condemnation The second part of their misery is blindnesse Quest. How can they be sayd to be blinde for they had a learned teacher no doubt that both was able and did teach the will of God and the people likewise knew the points of Religion and beleeued the Gospell Answ. They had knowledge indeed but yet they were blinde first because they knew not their owne estate If a man had all skill in all Arts and sciences great knowledge in the word yet if he know not himselfe in some measure he is but a blinde man Secondly because they did not knowe God in Christ They knewe no doubt that there was a God and that Christ was a Sauiour but they could not apply it to themselues to be able to say God is my God Christ my Redeemer and the holy Ghost my Sanctifier Thirdly because they could not discerne of things that did differ as between good and euill between euill and euill and between temporall things and eternall blessings This spirituall discerning is a gift of Gods grace In that Christ saith They were blinde though they had knowledge wee may learne that al knowledge is but meere ignoraÌ„ce before God to those persons that know not themselus and God to be their God in Christ For want hereof Christ calleth the angell of this church blind thogh otherwise hee were a verie learned man Which must teach vs not to rest content with any humane learning no not with the literall knowledge of the Gospel but we must labor further to know our selues and to know God in Christ Christ our redeemer and be able in some good sort to discern between things that differ Dauid a most worthy Prophet intituleth the 32. Psalme his Learning What learning sheweth he there Answ. Surely nothing but the knowledge of the pardon of his sins And indeede that is it which seasoneth all our learning and therfore aboue all things we must labour for it The third part of their misery is Nakednes Nakednes is two-fold To the eie of man to God Nakednes to the eie of man is bodily that is also two-fold either that which was before the fall in the bodies of our first parents whereby their bodies being vncouered appeared very glorious without shame or that which is after the fall wherby the bodie being naked bare appears full of shame which is so excessiue by reason of mans sin that if necessity would permit the whole body both face hands should all be couered Nakednes before God is when any man lies before God a deformed sinner In this case Moses sawe the Israelites when they had made a golden Calfe For thereby they depriued themselues of Gods Image and were guilty of that most greeuous sin of Idolatry This is a misery of all miseries the greatest nakednes that can be And this is the nakednes of this Church in this place Qu. Why doth Christ call them naked Ans. To mooue them and in their persons all professors to haue care not to flye from God and to hide their sins with Adam but to bring themselues into his presence and there lay open their sinnes that they may obtain a couering for them by Christ. It is the practise of the world to hide their sins froÌ„ men but neuer to care how bare naked they be in the sight of God who yet seeth them all as plainly as we see the sores of any poore lazer that shews the same to moue our pity towards him which if we could see we shuld be ashamed not to seeke to couer our sins before God We must therfore labor in our owne consciences to see the nakednesse of our soules before God and seeke to be touched and humbled for the same that so we may earnestly intreate for the righteousnesse of Christ to be a couering to cloath our soules This was Dauids practise for when hee saith Blessed are they whose sinnes are couered Psal. 32.1 he would giue vs to vnderstand that hee vsed to vncouer his sinnes and lay them open before God that at his handes in Christ he might get a couer for them These are the particular partes of a mans miserie which euery man must labour to feele in himselfe if he would bee partaker of the righteousnesse of Christ for thus hath Christ both in generall and in particular set downe the miserie of this Church that he might prepare them to receiue the blessed comfort which followeth in the next Verse Vers. 18. I counsell thee to buy of me gold tryed by the fire that thou mayest bee made rich and white rayment that thou mayst be clothed and that thy filthy nakednesse doe not appeare and annoint thy eye with eye-salue that thou mayest see Heere beginneth the counsell of Christ vnto this Church Wherein first he propoundeth a notable remedie for her miserie before noted In this remedie wee are to consider three things the manner of prescribing it the remedie it selfe and the meanes whereby it is obtained For the first this remedie is propounded not in any sharpe commandement but by a milde and gentle aduise I counsell thee And herein Christ doth take to himselfe the office of the Counseller of his Church For as God hath his Church and people so he hath his counsellers by whom in mercie hee hath reuealed his
110. c. 2. 5 11.12 10 c. 1 137. c. 2.  14 76. c. 2. 6 10 135. c. 1. 8 5 178 c. 2. 9 7 169 c. 2.  9 194 c. 2. 10 36 136 c. 2.  37 6 c. 2. 11 3 57. c 1.  22 145 c. 2.  24 25 26 195 c. â— 174 c. 1.  31 185 c. 1. 12 2 195 c. 2.  8 38 c 1.  17 114. c. c. 1. Iames. 1 2 38. c. 1. 107 c. 1.  5 77. c. 1.  21 10. c. 1.  27 135. c. 2. 2 23 125 c. 1. 4 6 10. c. 2.  8 45 c. 2. 5 7 38. c. 1. 1. Peter 1 7 208. c. 1. 3 1 113. c. 1.  15 80. c. 1.  19.20 90 c. 2. 125. c. 1.  21 108 c. 1. 4 23 27. c. 2. 140. c. 2. 2. Peter 1 12 109. c. 1.  19 155. c. 2.  20 143. c. 1. 2 3 6. c. 1.  7 75. c. 2.  8 205. c. 2.  18 151. c. 1.  21 202. c 1. 3 8 6. c. 1. 191. c. 1. 1. Ioh. 1 3 9. c. 1.  6 62. c. 2.  10 83. c. 1. 2 13 54. c. 2.  19 174. c. 2.  27 26. c. 1. 3 1 23. c. 1. 131. c. 1.  2 232. c. 1.  3 176. c. 2.  9 83 c. 1.  14 135. c. 1.  16 134. c. 1 4 1 76. c. 1. 77. c. 1.  6 127. c. 1.  21 134. c. 1. 5 4 97 c. 1.  10 198. c. 2.  11 66. c. 2.  18 27. c. 1. 2. Ioh. 0 10 75 c. 2. 116. c. 1. Iude.  3 78. c. 1.  16 151. c. â— Â 20.22 80. c. 1. Reuelation 3 7 21. c. 2. 4 5 16. c. 2. 6 10 34. c. 1 7 9 118. c. 2. â—0 9.19 79 c. 1. 19 9 129. c. 2. 20 12 148. c. 2. 21 3 194. c. 2.  6 129. c. 2.  8 20. c. 1. 105. c. 1. 109. c. 2.  10 194. c. 2. 22 15 177. c. 1.  16 155. c. 1.  20 34. c. 1 ⧠A Table of the speciall points to be obserued in this Exposition The first number notes the Page The second the Colume Bâ— Notes the beginning of the Colume M the middle and E the end A ABsolution belonging to the Church 181.1 m. Adam and Christ opposed 97.2 m. Adulterie spirituall and bodily 〈◊〉 punishments each of other· 94.1 m. and 120.1 c. Affections of the soule worke strongly vpon the body 63 â— c. Wee ought to bee like affâ—cted to Christ. 94.2 b. Afflictioâ—â— the ordinarie state of beleeuers 38.1 b they are profitable 203 â— c. they discouer 〈◊〉 state of mens hearts 192.1 m Christ tempers them according to the disposition of offenders 211.1 How grieuous afflictions seeme short â—â—â—â— 1 c. Grounds of true comfort in affect 〈◊〉 48.2 m. 99.1 〈…〉 m. â—07 2. m. 11◠〈…〉 15â— 2 c. 1â—5 â— m. Aged men honoured 54.2 b. There dutie thereupon ibid. Amen a title giuen to Christ. 197 â— m Angels the good angels are 〈◊〉 for Gods Church â— 1 b. Application of the word needfull 96. â— c. The right maner of it 〈…〉 The true â—round thereof ibid. â— Approoue We must seeke to approue ourselues to Gods Church 147. â— m. but chiefly to Christ. 166.1 b. Assâ—â—erations when to be vsed 33.2 b. Assurance of saluation by faith â—8 2 b Attyreâ— A rule for it 53.2 b. B How to beautâ—fie soule body 208. â— m Beleeuers be 〈…〉 25.21 b. when ibid. 2. 〈◊〉 Their dutie in regard 〈…〉 and 27. â— Consolations thence â—8 1 m. Blessing 〈◊〉 how to bee sought 14.1 c. Blind spiritually who 206.1 m. Booke of life 17.4.1 m. How a man may be blâ—â—ed out of it ibid. c. Buye To buy of Christ how what 209.1 m. Fewe bargainâ— with him â—10 1 b. C Callings A man should haue a good calliâ—g for euery action 6. â— m. In our particular Callings wee should 〈…〉 Christ. 7.2 m. Best 〈…〉 haue their 〈◊〉 â—4 1 b. 〈◊〉 Law of 〈…〉 vnclean 171.2 m. Childreâ—â— how punished 〈…〉 fathers offences 〈…〉 m. Christ is 〈◊〉 Godpunc 〈…〉 1. m. God of himself 〈…〉 34.2 m. All seeing 99 〈…〉 â—33 â— m. 〈…〉 with the Father 35. ◠〈…〉 35.2 m. His power for his Church â—6 1 b. and 133.2 b. and 153. â— c. Ouer his church three-fold 178. â— c. Christ true man 99. â— m. Goâ—â—e aâ—an 99. â— â— 14â— â— m. Christâ— officies 〈…〉 office 2.2 m. 21.1 m. His kingdome â—â— 1 c. and 2.6 Christs propheticall office in two duties 17.1 m. and â— â— 1 â— Christâ— priest-hood and the actionâ— thereof 20.1 〈…〉 our high-priest 5â— 1 m. He hath 〈◊〉 holy Ghost 1â—3 â— c. His 〈◊〉 of his church 2. â— c. 64. â— b. Christ the Sonne of the â—ather â—nd how 132.2 m. 〈…〉 of his Father 3. â— m. His holinesse as man 175. 〈◊〉 176.1 His 〈◊〉 presence not â—o bee regarded 52.2 m. He is spirituall foode 128.2 â— Hidden foode 130.1 b. 〈◊〉 Catholike onely one 12.1 â— Church Tryumphant 19â— 2 m. Church 〈…〉 the crosse 37.1 c Church hath power to appoint 〈…〉 13â— 1. m. Seuerall congregationâ— bee particular Churche◠〈…〉 b. â—â—1 â— b. They be Candlestickes 49.2 Of gold â—1 1 m. The 〈…〉 truth â— â— b. 1â— 2 m. It hath the spirit of discerning 76.2 c. It should be purged of euil meÌ„ 74.2 b It should be seuere against theÌ„ 138.1 c. and 139.1 c. When a Church becomes no church 102.2 c. Whence Gods Church is gathered 112.1 c. wher our church was before Luther 113.2 b. Materiall Churches no more holy than other houses 39.1 c. 196.1 c. CommandemeÌ„ts their vse in the church 89.1 Comedies vnlawfull â—50 2 c. Communion of Saints 38.2 m. Communicants vngratefull 217.2 c. Confession of Christ. 175.1 c. Conscience euil 33.1 m. Good conscience a sure treasurie 114.1 b. Consideration of a mans sinnes 115.2 Constancie for the truth 113.2 c. Signes of it 114.1 m. Controuersies in Religion how to know truth therein 18.1 c. Conuersing with euill men 75.1 c. 2. Conuerting of soules a great priueledge 183.2 c. Of the conuersion of a sinner 186.1 b. 215.2 c. Fruits of true conuersion 187.1.188.1 Corrections should be for reformation 211.1 and 212. Corruption of nature helpes against it 60.1 b. Corruptions in a Church do not presently make it no church 165.2 c. Chiefe Counsellor Christ. 207.1 c. D Damnation how escaped 110.1 b. Dauids fall 85.1 b. Dead Christs priueledges among the dead 20.2 b. and 21.1 b. Death two-fold 109.2 b. Spirituall death hath 3. degrees 58.2 c. Comforts against death 20.2 c. 56.1 c. Decay in loue and grace 86.1.89.2 c. 90.2 c. 92.1 m. Degrees in glorie 149.1 c. Despaire helpes against it 213.2 c. Diligence in a Minister 73.1 m. Disgraâ—ing of others 93.2 m. Distrust in Gods prouidence 104.1 c. Doctour of the Church
is Christ. 125.2 b. 149.2 m. How to iudge of Doctrine 117.2 m. The doctrine of Christ must only be receiued 60.2 c E Election two-fold 102.2 b. How a man may fall from Election ibid. The number of the Elect certen 174.2 m. Election knowne by sanctification 175.1 b. England a true Church 103.1 b. Enemies of the Church God restraines their rage turnes it good 39.2 m. Estate ech one should coÌ„sider know his owne estate 87.1 m. 96.1 c. 206.1 c ExaminatioÌ„ of false teachers 77.1 2. They that â—â—â—ell in temporall giftes should bee answerable in spirituall 7â— 2 b. Excommunicaâ—ion 75.1 b. and 180.2 b. To expound scripture Christs royaltie 4.1 b. A dutie of the Church froÌ„ Christâ— 69.2 m. F Fall away whether a true beleeuer may quite fall away 82.83.84.85.92.2 b 141.2 m. 186.1 m. 192.2 c. 168.1 b. Faith put for the doctriâ—e of the Gospel 114.1 c. For fidelitie 198.1 b. Faith dâ—stinguished 84.2 b. Faithfull to God 107.2 c. 108. Families irreligious Sathans thrones 111.2 m. and holdes 115.1 b. Fauour of God the ground of all blessings 14.1 b. Feare three-fold 104.1 b. Groundes of Gods feare 21.2 m. 68.1 m. 11.1 1. b. Signes of it 21.2 c. Remedie against feare 64.2 m. Fellowship with Christ 166.2.217.1 m Fidelitie to God 135.2 c. Rare 136.1 b Fight against sinne 109.2 c. 193.2 c. Flight in presecution 115.1 m. To fore-tell a propertie of God alone 105.2 b. 191.2 m. Forgiue sinnes 67.2 c. Fornication 121 122 145.2 c. Free-will by nature confâ—ted 143.2 m. 144.1 c. 186 1. b. 199.2 b. Free wil by grace 216.1 c. Of flexible free-will 216.1 c. G God put for excellencie or greatnesse 98.1 c. Gods nature described 15.1 m. When God imports the first person 3.1 b. Godly dwell with the wicked 113.1 Gospell preached hath deuine power 112.2 c. It is most hated 41.1 b. The summe of the Gospell 41.1 b. Remoued for decay in graceâ—â—1 2 c Grace distinguisheâ—â— 82.2 m. 13.1 c. Difference betweene the grace of Adam and of beleeuers 84.2 e Grace well vsed doth increase 189.1 m. Grace like purified Gold 208.1 b. By a small measure of grace a man may please God 185.1 b. Great townes most assaulted by Sathan 112.1 b. H Hatred How to temperate 94.1 b. Head coueâ—ed noted subiectioÌ„ 70.1 b. Hearing Gods word 169 2. c. 127 1. m. The art of hearing 10.1 2. Christs hearing 95 2. c. Preparation to hearing 46.2 b Attention 46.2 c. Reuerence 133.1 b. â—26 2 m. Hearers distinguished 95.1 b. Hell place and torments 67.2 â— Heretiques pretend the spirit 140.1 c. They may bee in the best churches 78.1 c. how they must be withstood 78.2 m. 79.1 m. Holy Ghost is God 16.1 â— Person subsisting 16.1 b. Called seuen spirits 15.2 c. speakes in scripture 96.2 m. Holines grounded on Christ 176.2 b. Hold fast pure doctrine 151.2 m. Meanes to humble a manâ— 62.2 m. Hunger after Christ 129.1 m. Hyphocrisie in religioÌ„ auoyded 148.1 c. two degrees of it 166.1 c. I Idolatrie of Papists 122.1 b. Idolothits 122.2 m. Hate honour giuen to Idoles 121. â— c. Iesabels properties 139.2 m. Ignorance the ground of prid 203.2 b The fearefull state of the ignorant 59.2 b. 155.2 b. Their dutie 50.2 c. Images of Christ of the trinity 35.1 b Impenitencie 144.1 the danger therof ibid. 125 1. c. 170.1 c. 58.2 c. 59.2 m. Imprecations 94.1 b. Increase in godlines 137.1 c. 167.1 c. Ioy chiefly in Christ. 67.2 m. Iudgement day ceâ—ten 30.2 b. 33.2 m The â—anner of it 31.1.32 â— The vses of it 30.1 b 31.1 c. 192.2 b 33.2 c. Iudgements particular to the impenitent 124.1 b. Iudging â—ashly of otheâ—s 131.2 c. K Key of Dauid 177.1 c. Of hell death 67.2 Giuing of a key notes inâ—â—sting into an office 177.2 b. Power of the keyes handled 179. â— m. 180. 1. Abuses of that power 181.1 c. Kings soueraigne gouerâ—ours next Christ 22.2 b. Their dutie for Religion 22.1 m. c. Christs kingdome spirituall 126.2 c. Knocke. How Christ knockes at our harts 215.1 c. Knowledge without grace puffes vp 203.1 m. knowledge for approbation 99.2 c. Knowledge of a mans owne saluation 130.2 b. L Law must be preached yet with the Gospell 86.2 b. Whether any man fulfill the Law 103.2 m. Laye-people ought not to be debarred from the Scripture 4.2 b. 9.1 m. Lights Each Christian a light 49.2 m. reasons thereof 50.1.2 Logicke Art lawfull 69.1 m. Loose Liuers admonished 133.2 m. They want remission of sins 164.1 b. Loue Christs loue with the degreâ—â— thereof 22.2 c. 199.1 c 210. 2. m. Gods speciall loue the ground of mans redemption 23.1 m. First loue lost among vs 81.1 m. Signes thereof danger ib. 2. We must labour to increase in â—oue 81.1 c. meâ—nes 86.1 c. Loue to men handled 134.1 b. What it is the propertie and practise of it ib. 2. Lukeâ—warme persons who 200.1 m. 〈◊〉 kinds of Luke-warme Christians ibid. c. 2. Signes of Luke-warmnesse three 201.1 m. 〈◊〉 of Luke-warme Christians ibid. 2. â— Life kinds thereof 65.1 m. Howe Christ liueth 65.1 m. c. 66.1 m. and why 66.2 b. Life eternall here 〈◊〉 67.2 m. 196.1 m. Wherein 〈…〉 98.1 b. See it largely descâ—â—bed and the reasons thereof 195. 1. c. Libertie hereto the preuiledge of Godâ— Church 184.1 c. Life-time on earth a space of repentance 142.1 m. why God giues it 143.2 c. M Madnesse of meâ— shewed 110.1 m. 129.2 m. Magistrates may giue out seuere speeches against offenders 77.2 m. Mannah what it is and what it did â—epresent 128.2 m. Martyrs Whether they can merit 108.2 b. Means needfull to perseuerance 85.2 m Mediatioâ— Christ a Mediator euer ready 53.2 m. 169.1 b. MeÌ„bers of Christ distinguished 85.1 c. Ministery a painfull worke 73.1 c. The end thereof to the wicked 125.2 c Ministery of the Church wholy gouerned by Christ. 57.2 c. the vses thereof 58.1 It brings heauen among â—en 197.1 b. Ministers belong to Chrâ—st 164.1 m. Ministers should be faithfull wâ—tnesses 19.1 m. and shew it foure waâ—es 19.1 2 5â— 1 c. Ministers should forecast for troubles 4.2 c. How to oppose theâ—selues against Heretiques 79.1 m. 2 Ministers called Starres and why 57.2 m. Angels or messengers 70.1 b m. Christs mouth to his people 126.2 b. Ministers bring much good or much hurt to the people 71.1 c. Ministers loose their gifts through decay in Loue. 91.2 b They ought to haue good warrant for euery doctrine they teach 98.2 c 126.2 b. Wherein their wisedom and fidelitie consists 125.2 b. Ministers of meane gifts doe often much profit the Church 18â— 1 b. Miserie of man dâ—scribed 204. by the fountaine of it originall sinne 20â— 1 m. and vnder the forme of punishment ib. c. Munkish life disalowed 4.1 m N Naâ—mans fact 121.1 b. Nâ—bals to Christ many â—16 2 c. The name of one person collectiuely betokens a multitude 71.1 m. Naturall men are
you and Peace from him which is and which was and which is to come and from the seuē spirits which are before his throne Here begins Iohns salutation of the seuen churches Salutations be of two sorts Ciuill and Religious Ciuill is that which men vse ordinarily one to another wishing health welfare and such like Religious is that which is peculiar and proper vnto the church comprehending in it a benediction also And such is this here vsed by S. Iohn It may also be called Apostolicall because it is so vsuall with them in their Epistles And they vsed it the rather because it is so correspondent to their ministerie which stood in two things first in preaching which is the ministerie of grace and reconciliation the things here desired secondly in prayer whereto belonged the dutie of benediction to pronounce a blessing vpon the people as did the priests in their ministration vnder the law Num. 6.23 and our sauior Christ with his Apostles when they preached the gospell and as euery minister should doe to his whole congregation before they depart And this is also included in this salutation for hereby they blessed those churches to whom they did write But to come to the words which bee most excellent and containe in them the summe of the gospell Grace in scripture signifieth two things first Gods fauor secondly some gift of God freely bestowed Now here by Grace is meant not any particular gift of God but the gracious fauor and good will of God whereby he accepts of some in Christ for his owne for it is here opposed to peace a gift of grace and therefore cannot signifie the same thing Now marke S. Iohn in thi◠salutation begins with grace because it is the foundation of all happinesse and of all Gods blessings whatsoeuer wee are and all that wee haue is of grace our election redemption vocation iustification and sanctification our faith and repentance our perseuerance in thē both proceed from this fountain of Gods free grace It is the beginning and the end of all yea it is all in all in the matter of our saluation first we must haue this and then we may looke for all other blessings And Peace Peace is taken sundry wayes in the scripture first for welfare good successe in things of this world by Gods blessing Exod. 18.7 Moyses and Iethroe saluting aske each other of their peace that is of his welfare and so it is partly taken in this place Secondly for that vnitie and blessed concord which is in the kingdom of God among Gods children and so it is especially taken here And in this sence it hath six parts euery one wherof is a most worthie blessing The first is peace with God which is when we stand in the fauour of God reconciled to him in Christ Iesus Rom. 5.1 Secondly peace with Gods Angels for they guard such as be in Gods fauour and carrie them as a nurse doth her child in her armes That they hurt not their feete at any stone Psal. 91.11 and they reioyce at our good estate The third is peace with a mans selfe when his conscience will not accuse him but excuse and cleare him being washed in the bloud of Christ This is that peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding Philip. 4.7 The fourth is Peace with Gods Church notably prefigured by the peaceable habitation of wild beasts and tame together as the Lyon and the Calfe the Wolfe and the Lambe the child and the Cockatrice c. Isay 11 6. And plainely to be seene among the beleeuers Acts. 4.32 Who were all of one mind and heart The fift is Peace with the enemies of Gods Church so farre as it is for the good of the Church and the glorie of God So Ioseph had peace in Pharaohs court so Daniell had peace in the court of Nabuchadnezzar for when the three children were cast into the ouen wee must not thinke that hee did reuolt vnto idolatrie or hide himselfe but being in fauour in the Court obtained priuiledge to bee excused The sixt is Peace with all the creatures of God with the beasts of the field foules of the aire and fishes of the sea This the Lord promiseth in the couenant that he will make for them with all his creatures Hosea 2. vers 18. yea The child of God shall tread vpon the Lyon and the Serpent and they shall not hurt him Psalm 91. Vers. 13. And this his peace stands herein That by Gods blessed prouidence hee shall find helpe and comfort from all Gods creatures In this place whether we take peace for outward welfare or for the concord of Gods church yet it is placed after grace because it followeth as a fruit thereof First a man must bee in Gods fauour and then come all the blessings of peace vnto him This then is the meaning Grace be with you and peace That is I wish you the fauor of God in Christ with peace the blessed fruit thereof euen all outward welfare and especially the concord of Gods church hauing peace with God with his holy Angels with his church with your owne hearts with your enemies as farre as may bee for Gods glorie and with all his creatures Whereas S. Iohn wisheth grace vnto the churches in the first place he would teach vs That the fauour of God is to be sought for aboue all things for the Apostles practise must be our precept So did Dauid Many say who will shewe vs any good But Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon me Psal. 4.6 As if hee should say Let the most of the world seeke what they will as riches pleasure c. yet my desire is of thy loue and fauour aboue all And oftentimes hee calleth God his portion his rocke and castle of defence the thing that be longeth for to shewe that all his ioy was in Gods fauour And so it should bee with vs but wee little practise this because we bring from our cradles natural presumption which persuades vs that we bee in the fauour and loue of God But wee must cast off this false persuasion and take a new course and labour first to see that we be out of Gods fauour lost sheepe prodigall childrē in our selues yea the very firebrands of hell and this to see our owne want of grace is the first step to grace Secondly feeling this want and miserie in our selues we must earnestly desire and in our soules hunger and thirst after the loue and fauour of God in Christ aboue all earthly things Thirdly we must by the hand of true faith lay hold vpon the grace and mercie of God in Christ propounded in the promises of the Gospell and apply them to our selues particularly Secondly after grace he wisheth vnto them Peace where note the true order of seeking for the blessings of this life we must not begin with welfare and prosperitie but our first and chiefest care must be to obtaine the grace and fauour