subsisting These words proue the Godhead and eternitie of Christ the second person The end why Christ alleadgeth them is to certifie him that these things he was about to shew him came from God and therefore he bringeth his owne testimonie namely I which speake vnto thee am God therefore the things I deliuer vnto thee are from God euen from Iesus Christ the second person in the Trinitie which am God equall to my Father In this testimonie of Christ note a singular care of God in respect of his Church he is carefull not onely to reueale his will to his Church but withal to certifie his Church of the truth of the same As here he telleth Iohn that they come from God to certifie his soule and conscience in the truth of the same so he reuealeth not onely his will but withall assureth men of the truth thereof Act. 10. Peter hath a vision and withall the Lord assureth him of the truth of that visioÌ„ And when Christ preached his Fathers will he wrought many miracles which were as sâ—ales to confirme the same that it came from God Seeing the Lord he doth not only declare his will but withall assureth men of the certainetie and truth of his will this first confuteth the Papists who teach that the word of God is certaine in it selfe but to vs it is not certaine till we heare the testimonie of the Church which maketh the Scripture which is vncertaine to vs though certaine in it selfe to be certaine to vs. But we must here know and learne that the Lord doth not onely reueale his will to his children but withall vseth meanes to certifie mens hearts of the truth thereof and so the word of God is most sure not only in it self but euen to men though the testimonie of the Church shold neuer speake word of the same â— This confutes all carnall men There be many which will be of no Religion because there is as they thinke no certaintie in Religion seeing mens opinions in matters of Religion be so diuers that one cannot tell who speakes the truth Indeed we differ in many points of religion and so many men so many diuers opinions yet the true members of Christ they differ not in the fundamentall points of Religion And though all the world should differ in opinion yet it followes not there should be no Religion but the doctrine taught by the Prophets and Apostles should stand sure and be the true Religion of God for euer and the Lord can make men out of it to learne his will and assure them of the certainty of Religion Now followeth the commaundement That which thou seest write in a book c. This hath two parts first S. Iohn must write the things he receiueth secondly he must send them to the seuen famous Churches of Asia Now the Lord commaunds Iohn to write these things in a booke and he must set downe that which he receiued of God to send it to the seuen Churches of Asia because he being now in banishment and could not come to them and be present with them to instruct them therfore he must write these in a booke that so they might be holpen by them Secondly he must not only write them in a booke but send them to these seuen Churches first that they might be confirmed and strengthened in the matters of faith now in the cruell time of their persecution secondly that they might keepe these books for the Church of God which is the pillar ground of truth first because it publisheth the word secondly because she keepeth the same from time to time and also giues testimony of the truth of the same So then that these Churches might keepe publish and giue testimony of these things he must send them written to them Hence we learne that the word of God written is an excellent help for the church of God to edifie the same else he would neuer haue commaunded Iohn to send this booke to the seuen Churches in Asia This confutes first the Papists who hold that the writteÌ„ word is but a dead inky letter a nose of waxe to be turned any way secondly the Anabaptists who looke for reuelations contemne the written word but seeing the Lord bids him send it to the seuen Churches in Asia he sheweth it is an excellent meanes to edifie the Church We may learne that the reading of this booke as of other Scripture is Gods ordinance whether it be publike or priuate and that they must be so vsed as Gods ordinance with reuerence and good conscience Indeed the word preached is the ordinary meanes to begin faith and to worke repentance but the reading of them publikely and priuatly hath his proper vse to confirme our faith yea to increase knowledge faith and repentance in vs. Write and send it to the seuen Churches c. Here is the third point namely that a man in the crosse and persecution may be the deare child of God S. Iohn a famous Apostle and deare seruant of God yet he is in banishment and continues a long time from all company of men yet God reuealeth his wil to him and maketh him the pen-man of this book which he giueth to none but them which be his seruants Then a man may be and continue in banishment yet be the deare seruant of God We reason if a man be in the crosse and persecution and continue in the same he is surely out of Gods fauour but we see the contrary in Iohn In the end of the verse he setteth downe the names of these seuen Churches in particular and these seuen places were seuen most famous cities in Asia in which were planted seuen most excellent Churches of all those parts of the world and for that cause here are named one by one Then I turned backe Here is his preparation or entrance into the vision When I heard a voice behind me being loud and great I turned to see him which deliuered it to me In the preparation we must consider first the meanes to moue Iohn to attention namely a voice secondly the end to make him attentiue and to inioyne him his dutie namely to write and to send it to the Churches Now followeth the second part of his preparation which is that he turned backe when he heard this loud and great voice to see who it was which gaue the voice By this practise of S. Iohn we may learne our duty for as he dealeth with the man which giues the voice so must we deale with God S. Iohn heareth a voice and then he turnes backe to see who it is so must we do with the Lord we are all by nature ready to turne from God and runne from him as fast as we can by our sinnes Now when the Lord speaketh to vs by the preaching of the word when we are running on in another way we must turne to him turne our hearts to his wayes confesse our sinnes to him that so
seruants in the generall calling of a Christian but in our particular callings For S. Iohn was his seruant not onely in beleeuing in him and obeying him generally but in beleeuing and obeying him in the particular calling of an Apostle So Paule he was the seruant of Christ not only generally but in the speciall calling of the Gospell in preaching the same This example of his and the Apostles must be our direction we must not content our selues with the generall calling of Christians but serue Christ in our particular callings It is not inough to professe Christ in publike assemblies to heare the word receiue the Sacraments but in our particular callings we must serue him at home as the magistrate not onely in his generall calling of Christianitie but in his particular calling as he is a magistrate the Minister as he is a Minister the maister of a familie as he is a maister and so all men in their particular callings must obey Christ. And if the maister of a familie come to the assembly heare the word receiue the Sacraments yet in his familie faile and performe not the duties of a maister he is but an hypocrite he is no true Christian though men accept so of him because he must be obedient to Christ both in generall and particular calling Now followeth the second argument by which Iohn is described namely the effect that he bare record of the word of God Which Iohn bare this record partly by preaching partly by penning the Gospell of Christ. And because the word of God hath two parts the Law and the Gospell he shewes in the next words that he meanes especially the Gospell of Christ adding Of things done and sayd by Christ. And lest any man should call his testimonie into question he saith he testifies that whereof he was an eye witnesse he saw it and therefore could not be deceiued and therefore his testimonie was true The end why he alleageth these words is to shew that he is a faithfull pen-man of this booke that so it might haue more reuerence for he which was faithfull in penning the Gospell of Christ the same also is faithfull in penning this Prophecie of the Church By these words we may gather that to testifie the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles to be the truth of God is a true note of a true Prophet And by these we may distinguish betweene a true Prophet and a false if they bring the doctrine of the Apostles and the Prophets it is true Deut. 13. If they worke wonders and their doctrine be to draw men from the true God they are false Prophets and must be put to death And our Sauiour Christ being asked of his authoritie he alledges Luk. 10. 1. Iohns testimonie and confirmeth Iohns testimonie to be true asking them this question The baptisme of Iohn was it from heauen or of men shewing that Iohn was a true Prophet seeing his Baptisme that is his doctrine was from heauen Hereby we see the difference of a true Prophet and false alledged by the Papists is no true difference for they say If one can worke miracles he is a true Prophet whereas Deut. 13. false Prophets may do that But the true marke of a true Prophet is the doctrine deliuered by the Prophets and Apostles and he which brings this though he can not worke a miracle is a true Prophet Now followeth the sixth argument by which this reuelation is described which is in the manner of propounding and deliuering of it to the Church And this maner and forme of deliuerie of it stands in foure degrees First God the Father giueth it to Christ the Mediator Secondly Christ the Mediatour and head of the Church giueth it to an Angell Thirdly the Angell conueyes it to Iohn the Apostle Fourthly Iohn directed and assisted by the holie Ghost deliuereth it to the Churches Now as this particular booke was so no doubt all the whole Scriptures were conueyed to the Church Now in that the Lord hath so conueyed his Scriptures to man we see his perpetuall care and loue of man and of the members of his Church Also we see the great excellencie and dignitie as also the perfection of these bookes seeing they were deliuered to man by God and by him he deliuers his will to his Church This shewes the blasphemie and sin of the Church of Rome who call the written word of God a dead letter a dumbe iudge they hold that generall Councels be equall to the word that the vniuersall consent of the Church is aboue the Scriptures it giues life and sense to them which otherwise they say of themselues be but an inkie and dumbe word But we see they be farre aboue all these for they be most absolute and perfect and also most excellent seeing they being giuen of God the Father to Christ the mediator and head of the Church and by him conueyed to an Angell who deliuers them to Iohn and he published them to the Church these degrees of the deliuerie of thē shew they be most excellent and perfect Blessed are they which heare c. Here is the seuenth and last argument of this description of the Reuelation which is by the fruite effect and the profite which comes of it being heard or read and ioyned with marking and attention it brings happinesse Blessed That is blessednesse which stands in the fellowship of God and life euerlasting belongs to them which heare and reade this booke and marke it keepe it in memorie remember the things contained in it being a prophecie of the estate of the Church partly present partly to come Blessed is he which reades Here the holy Ghost setteth downe the proper end of the Scriptures of this booke particularly For the ende of this booke and so of all other bookes of the Scriptures is to bring men to happinesse and felicitie and life euerlasting Ioh. 20. last the Scriptures be to make vs beleeue in Christ that so beleeuing we might haue eternall life 1. Ioh. 1. ◠He declared to them the word of Christ that by it they might haue fellowship with God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost which fellowship is true happinesse it selfe Ioh. 5. 39. Search the scriptures for in them you thinke to haue eternall life And in this they differ from all other books and writings of men For mens writings being penned either by the light of nature and so be thence erronious and misse of the end of happinesse and euerlasting life or else they be penned by them which haue light by by the word and so as they agree with the word they be grounded on the word and haue all their truth from it Seeing the end of this booke as of the other bookes of scripture is to bring men to happinesse we see the opinion and practise of the Church of Rome is damnable who barre the people of God from reading and hearing the Scriptures in their vulgar tongue for in barring them of
not only pronounce sinne to be forgiuen as the reformed churches hold and which they denie but properly to forgiue sinne Seeing Christ hath power ouer hell and death we must reuerence him do him all honour and obedience we can if we haue not done this already yet now to begin if we haue then to do it more Seeing he hath the key of death he can shut open saue and destroy But if we dishonour and disobey him then he will not shut but open the doore to death and hell to plague vs. We thinke all is well Christ he is a Sauiour and all shall be well he is mercifull and so make him our packehorse of our sinnes but we must know he is not onely a Sauiour but a Iudge he can destroy and saue open and shut he hath the key of heauen and hel and of death This is a comfort to the godly which cleaue to Christ that he can keep them frō hell death so as they cannot hurt them and this consideration might comfort vs in time of persecution in the time of sicknesse or any calamitie Write these things In these words he describeth Christ by a second action for after he had comforted S. Iohn now he giueth him a commandement which commandement was giuen in the eleuenth verse before and here repeated to Iohn againe First because Christ intended by this to shew Iohn his especiall care of his Church that he is now still a prouident and carefull head of his Church and therefore sayth not once Write these things but the second time that the Church of God might vnderstand in al ages to come that it is necessary mē should know the estate of the Church for else he would not haue repeated it againe if it had not bene very necessary It is necessary for men to know that the estate of the church is to be in troubles that they might the better prepare thēselues to beare thē Thirdly he doth it that S. Iohn might be more assured certainly of his calling to write and pen this booke Fourthly that the Church in all ages might be fully assured without doubt that this booke is a booke of God and part of holy Scripture not inuented by man but reuealed by God to Iohn for the good of the Church Obiect But though Christ reuealed his wil aright Iohn might mistake it and erre in penning Answ. S. Iohn penned this booke both for matter and maner as Christ gaue it to him for this we must know that there is a difference betweene Apostles and Prophets in the old and new Testament and Ministers of the Gospell for they were called immediatly by God and Christ and had speciall assistance of the spirit of God which appeareth by those promises they haue made to thē by God as Christ saith He which receiueth you receiueth me c. Luke 10. 16. And It is not you which speake but the spirit of my Father therfore feare not And Iohn 14. The holy Ghost shall leade you into all truth which though some apply it to all Ministers yet if we mark the place it can agree to none but the Apostles And they meeting at Ierusalem concluded as it seemed good to the holy Ghost to them so that we see they could not erre though they were but men But it is not so with the Ministers of the word they may and do erre often Now S. Iohn being a faithfull Apostle he receiued this of Christ without errour and so penned it In this commaundement of Christ is a plaine diuision of this whole booke Write the things thou hast seene that is this vision I haue offered to thee the things thou sawest In the secōd place he sets downe the present estate of the church Thirdly the things to come that is the future estate of the church to the end of the world So that this booke containeth two things in it first the estate of the church in time present secondly in time to come to the end of the world the words of Christ make this diuision plainly If it be lawfull to vse diuisions then it is lawfull to set downe rules for direction of diuiding aright but the first is lawfull ergo the second Therefore the art of reasoning and diuiding as also Rhetoricke is not vnlawfull as some would haue it The mystery of the seuen starres Here is the third action of Christ which is the interpretation of the vision which he had shewed to Iohn and he onely interprets the principall parts of it Now Christ expounds this visiō to Iohn namely because he was to shew himselfe to be an holy man of God namely a Prophet Now the principall thing in a Prophet is to be able to expound visions either his owne or any others as we see in Daniel Now that he might shew himselfe to be an absolute Prophet in this booke Christ doth not onely shew him the vision but the intertation of it he expounds it that Iohn might be incouraged in penning and receiuing the things in this booke Now Christ expounds not the whole vision but the two principall parts what is meant by the seuen starres and seuen candlestickes namely by the seuen starres seuen Angels of the seuen churches by the candlestickes we shewed before In this verse note why Christ expounds the two principall parts leaues the rest vnexpounded The reason is first because Christ hath giuen his church power to expound visions and scripture Now if he had expounded euery part and circumstance then there had bene no matter left to the church to exercise her power Secondly to stir vp to diligence study of the scripture both Ministers all mēbers of the church for if all were plaine then men wold be idle neuer take paines to interpret the word therefore Christ expounds the chiefe and leaues the circumstances and appurtenances for the church to interpret Thirdly that men might dayly grow in knowledge of the Scripture for if all were knowne at first they would not study to increase in knowledge fourthly to stir vp inuocatiō for grace to vnderstand Scripture Now these Ministers are called Angels which be the Pastors and Ministers of the church Mat. 11. 10. Iohn Baptist is called Christs Angel or messenger or Ambassadour By this we haue direction to expound another place of Scripture where it is said Women must be couered because of the Angels that is because of the Ministers for the couering of the head in the church of Corinth was a signe of subiection and inferioritie contrary to our vse Now the women when they come into the congregation before the Ministers they must be couered to shew their subiection and submission to the Gospell and doctrine deliuered to them Seeing Ministers be called Angels that is messengers and Ambassadors they must behaue themselues as Ambassadors they must haue speciall care first of the matter of the ambassage secondly of the maner that they deliuer nothing but their Lords
any openly wicked in life or doctrine we must not keepe any priuate companie with him shew him no speciall familiaritie but withdraw our selues from such as burdens to vs. And hast examined them This sharpe dealing of the Church of Ephesus hath 2 parts the first is examination the second cōdemnation of the false Apostles The first part is the discouerie of these false Apostles The second the opposing of her selfe against them being discouered The discouerie of the false Apostles teacheth two points first that God hath giuen to his Church and to the Ministers and members of it speciall grace and wisedome an excellent gift of discerning 1. Cor. 2. 15. 1. Cor. 11. Spirituall men endued with the Spirit of God can discerne of the Lords bodie and bloud betweene bread and wine in the Sacrament and common bread and wine 2. Cor. 13. Proue your selues shewing that the Church and the members thereof haue power and the gift of wisedome to try whether they haue faith or not 1. Ioh. 5. Trie the spirits And here she hath power to discerne of false Apostles and by this gift the Church of God differeth from all other societies of men no societie saue the Church of God hath this gift to iudge betweene good and bad truth and error true Apostles and false Apostles Secondly we gather hence that the Church of God can iudge whether a Church be a true Church or not Some men it pleaseth to call this to question nay to deny that there is any Church in England but call it the synagogue of Satan and say there is no ministerie in it no word no Sacraments Now seeing the Church of God can iudge of vs in England and the churches in Germanie in Scotland other Euangelicall and reformed Churches iudge the Church of England a true Church it is so though they deny it For we must rather stand to the iudgement of one or many particular true churches then of any one priuate or of many men Yea seeing the church of God can iudge of false Apostles it hath also power to iudge of Scriptures to iudge which books be canonicall which are not And that which the church of Rome saith is false that the Church indeed can iudge but as it hath authoritie from their Church This Church of Ephesus had this power long before Rome was in such name nay it was in this time of Iohn of farre greater name then Rome and more famous and excellent The second point in what things this discouerie of false Apostles consisteth in what this iudiciall action standeth which God hath giuen to the Church It standeth in two things first examination of false doctrine and false teachers Secondly condemnation of thē after examination For the first he saith And hast examined for the second and found them lyers To come to this examination the Church of Ephesus had a gift of examination and did examine false Apostles and their doctrine But how may a particular Church examine a false Apostle and his doctrine To do this the man or Church which would do it must first prepare themselues and make them fit to examine and in this preparation must haue an humble heart and lowly spirit for God reuealeth not his will to proud men such as haue high minds in their conceit And in this humbling of himselfe he must cleane renounce his owne wit and reason and in regard of himselfe become a foole in his owne reason if he will be wise in the word of God After this preparation he must make prayers to God in his spirit that the Lord would reueale the thing to him and that he would open his eyes by the meanes vsed to iudge of truth falshood Luk. 11. Iam. 1. 5. In the next place he must labour throughly to know and well to conceiue of their false doctrines he must seek to vnderstand them their grounds the differences betweene them and the truth For it is a fowle fault to propound a mans error and not in that meaning he propounded it or gaue it They must further proue and trie whether the doctrine be of God or men To do this he must come to the word of God which must be iudge in the matter not a dumme letter as the Papists hold but the true iudge in all matters and most sufficient Esa. 8. 19. 20. Ioh. 5. Search the Scriptures Only the Lord must be iudge in his owne matters he must giue sentence and no Angell Saint or man Now this he doth in the written word therefore they must search whether such doctrines be contained in the Scriptures or can by necessarie consequence be collected out of them They must after all this looke to their liues for it is not possible that a false Apostle should lead a good life We must looke on his faith and repentance and the fruites of them for though he may bleare the eyes of the world yet if his life be well sifted it will appeare by his faith and repentance he is but an hypocrite and therefore Mat. 7. Christ biddeth vs trie them by their fruites A bad tree cannot bring good fruite but if a man trie and tast them though they appeare beautifull to the eye yet we shall find them to be but hypocriticall and this is a iudgement of God vpon such that they shal be descryed by this one marke by their liues and conuersations If they teach false doctrine they haue liues answerable they cannot but liue accordingly There was neuer any which was a famous hereticke in the Church but his life was stained with monstrous sinnes as the historie of the Church declareth The second part of the discouerie is condemnation or sentence against them for after she had examined them finding them not that they seemed to be she pronounced them to be false Apostles and lyers Note she calleth them lyers vseth sharp speeches and yet sinneth not seeing Christ commendeth her so Ministers to shew their hatred against vice may vse sharpe speeches not to raile or taunt but only to shew our hatred and misliking of sinne So Iohn Baptist calleth them a generation of vipers Christ called Herod a Foxe Paul the Galatians fooles In that she calleth them lyers it sheweth three things first that they spake falsely and deliuered that which was vntrue secondly that they sinned of knowledge thirdly that they did it of malice to hurt and deceiue the Church for these three be the properties of a liar Againe here we see that which Paul Act. 20. foretold by the spirit of Prophecie to be fulfilled that among the Ephesians should arise lyars on them which professed the Gospell with them Againe if men in the daies of the Apostles they being yet aliue durst so take on thē Apostolical authoritie to cal thēselues Apostles and were none no maruell if the Pope of Rome durst sixe hundred yeares after them take this vpon him and say he is Peters successor to take on him Apostolicall power
and reading the writings of men contemning the word of God And yet the writings of men be sinfull and erronious euery way imperfect the writings of God holy certain and euery way absolute being giuen to the Sonne as he is king priest and Prophet To shew to his seruants cōcerning this testament shortly to be done In these words be 3. arguments for the description of this Reuelatiō First the end vz. to shew it secondly the persons his seruants thirdly the matter of it vz. things shortly to be reuealed The end of this reuelation was to manifest declare to his seruants to wit the Church of God his seruants and children to publish to them those things which should shortly be fulfilled and this is the maine drift of this Reuelation Hence then we note that the Papists erre who say that lay men should not haue the word but barre them the reading of the Scriptures but the holy Ghost saith this reuelation was to reueale things to come not onely to the Clergie nor to the doctors of the Church but to his seruants if so then to the lay man as well as the Clergie vnlesse they will say he is none of his seruants Then this I gather if that this booke being most hard must be learned of the lay man then those bookes which be not so hard must be learned and read and much more those which be more easie as the historie of the Gospell the Epistles c. Secondly the persons are the seruants of Christ this booke then of Reuelation belongs not to all men indifferently but it is written for the seruants of Christ that is such as repent of their sinnes beleeue truly in Christ and shew their faith by the fruites thereof in their liues And so the Lord saith he will reueale his secrets to his seruants the Prophets and the Lord will not keepe backe but reueale to Abraham the things he was to bring vpon Sodome and Gomorrha Then seeing those to whō the Lord shewes his will to whom he declares this book and others they must be his seruants we must not content our selues only to heare the word and receiue the Sacraments but we must seeke to be his seruants we must repent truly beleeue in Christ and shew this faith in obedience and then the Lord will more and more daily acquaint vs with his will And the cause why we heare the word daily and neuer profit but be as ignorant and blind as before the cause is because we be not his seruants we be bare hearers neuer practise that we heare in faith and obedience we repent not neither liue a new life by repentance in new obedience For else if the Lord see any which is his true seruant he approues of him he likes of him and acquaints him daily with his will and word increaseth his knowledge and obedience Secondly seeing that this reuelation is written for the seruants of Iesus Christ I obserue that Christ is true God the reason is because they be called his seruants that is Christs The reason stands thus he which is Lord of the Church the members thereof and also of Angels as it followeth after he is true God but Christ is Lord of men and Angels ergo he is true God His seruants not to all men to the whole world and euery singular man but to his seruants Hereby we see the opinion of those which hold God would haue all to be saued and cals all men is false For if he called all effectually then he would offer al the meanes to wit the word of God that so they might be called but he writes it not to all but to his seruants now that which is true of this booke is true of the whole Scripture The Lord shewed his word to Iacob not to all the world not to all nations as to him Psal. 147. 19. 20. he shewed to Iacob that is his true members his seruants and true Christians Now followeth the matter which is the fourth argument of the description of this reuelation vz. Things which shortly must come to passe and in this the matter of this booke is distinguished from all other bookes of the Scripture which speake generally of things either present or now past but this speakes of things to come The matter of this booke is described by two arguments first these things be necessarie they must be done Secondly by the circumstance of time shortly or quickly First the matter is things to come which must be done so speakes the holy Ghost in many places of the word As Christ saith shewing the necessitie Offences must come so Paule saith There must be heresies Act. 14. We must through manie tribulations enter into heauen c. So to Timothy they which be godly must suffer afflictions Shewing in all these places that things which are to come must necessarily come to passe But this doctrine agrees not with mans reason though it be the will of God for men will say If all things come to passe necessarily then it takes away mans free will for necessitie and free will can not stand together Answer They may Indeed constraint and mans will can not stand but mans will and vnchangeable necessitie may stand both together As I shew thus In God there is absolute free will yet he doth many things of necessitie as he willeth that which is good necessarily for he can not possibly will that which is euill but willes that which is good most freely So Christ he died necessarily he could not but die for he died in regard of Gods counsell and yet he died most willingly and gaue himselfe most freely to die when he suffered death ergo these two mans free will and vnchangeable necessitie though not constraint may stand together Men will obiect againe If things come to passe by necessitie then it is in vaine to vse anie meanes as to heare the word receiue the sacraments for Gods will must come to passe do we what we will do Answer These men must consider that as God hath appointed what things must come to passe so he hath appointed the meanes how they must come to passe Then seeing the Lord hath appointed as well the meanes as the ende we should by this necessitie rather be induced to vse the meanes then not to vse them To make this more plaine we must know there is a double necessitie one is absolute another is but in part I call that absolute necessitie which can not be otherwise possibly As that God liues it cannot be otherwise he is omnipotent he cannot but be so There is a necessitie which is not absolute but in part as when anie thing done is necessarie because it depends on necessarie causes As fire to burne this is not absolutely necessarie but in part because it depends on that order which God set in things in the creation It is not absolute for if God should change that order in the creation
secret counsell The second question is Whether one can be put out of this booke Ans. A man is written in this booke two wayes first in the iudgement of God truly secondly in the iudgement of men Now if a man be truly written in the counsell of God then he cannot be put out but if he be onely in the iudgement of men he may be blotted out For the first they cannot because Gods counsell is vnchangeable and Rom. 8. whom he predestinates he calleth iustifieth and sanctifieth This golden chaine cannot be broken but whom he predestinateth he glorifieth ergo they cannot fall finally As for the other being onely in the iudgement of men as all be liuing in the church professing Christ these may be put out Psal. 69. Let them be blotted out of the booke of life he prayeth that they might be manifested that they were neuer indeed in the booke of life Hence first we see the number of the elect is certaine for their names are in Gods bill they cannot be put out but remaine for euer This then is no vniuersall election for what neede God a bill or booke to write in some if all were elected Seeing some men being in this booke onely in the iudgement of men may be blotted out and manifested to men to be but hypocrites then we must take heed of all sin and make conscience of euery sinne for so often as we sin we reach vp a pen to heauen to crosse our names to blot them out as much as in vs lieth Let vs then looke to haue our consciences assured that we be in that booke which we may if we find our consciences free from all sin and from all appearance of sin But some godlesse person will hence gather I will liue as I list for if I be in the booke of life I shall be saued if not damned liue how I can But these deceiue themselues for if their names be in it they cannot liue in sin but in faith and obedience in newnesse of life and repentance for he which is predestinated is iustified and must liue in repentance and faith and as surely as he shall be saued he shall liue in faith and repentance 3. I will confesse him in the kingdom of heauen That is at the last day I wil take him for mine he which thus ouercometh and liueth in faith a good conscience I wil confesse him to belong to me to be my mēber I wil separate him from al the world and take him to my selfe and pronounce to him the sentence of absolution Come thou blessed of my Father Math. 25. The end why Christ propounds this third blessing is to moue euery person in the church of Sardis to confesse Christ in this world for he reasons thus If thou shalt confesse me before men I wil confesse thee before my Father if not I will deny thee euen before my Father And so to vs if we will haue Christ confesse vs before God we must confesse him before men and let no creature make vs deny him but stand out against all his enemies euen against the gates of hel and the diuel which is indeed a hard matter for flesh blood yet Christ perswades vs to do it to take paines to professe him before all men for he will confesse vs before God If a King should come in company and choose out one and come to salute him familiarly call him by his name and take him by the hand that would be a great credit but what a happinesse is it to haue Christ Iesus King of all kings to come and call vs by our names take vs by the hands confesse vs to be his friends and pronounce the sentence of absolution before God his Angels the diuel and all men euen our enemies Vers. 7. And write vnto the Church of Philadelpha Here beginneth the sixth particular Epistle reaching to the fourteenth verse And as before euery particular Epistle was set downe a particular commandement to write so here Christ giueth Iohn a particular commandement to write the end of which commādement is to warrant Iohns calling as before often I haue shewed The Epistle hath three parts first the Preface secondly the matter thirdly the conclusion The Preface is in the seuenth verse and it sheweth in whose name this Epistle was written to wit in the name of Christ. And as in other Epistles Christ was described to get credit to the Epistle so is he here by two properties first of holinesse secondly of truth besides he is desscribed by his kingly office which hath the keyes of Dauid The 1 propertie of Christ is he is holy But how can Christ be holy seeing he cometh of Adam as he is man To this many answer that Christ tooke his substance indeed from Adam yet so sanctified as that it is free from all sinne This though it be true yet is not sufficient for as we take from Adam the corruption of nature so we haue from him the guilt of sin Now though sanctification taketh away corruption of nature yet it taketh not away the guilt of sinne Then the true answer is this All which come of Adam by naturall generation and that commaundement which God gaue in the creation Increase and multiply they take from Adam both corruption of nature aud guilt of sin for both be equally conueyed to vs from Adam But God to preuent this ordained that Christ should be borne not by naturall generation but by a miraculous conception and so though he take of man mans nature yet he taketh not mans sinne which he should as well haue had if he had come by ordinarie and naturall generation Now in that it is said Christ is holy note that he is so first in regard of himselfe secondly of vs his church In regard of himselfe first as he is God his Godhead is holy nay his diuine nature is holinesse it selfe there is no difference betweene Christ as he is God and his holinesse Secondly in regard of his humane nature it was not onely free from all sin but filled with all holinesse aboue all men and Angels he had the holy Ghost without measure Thirdly in his actions he was holy as in his actuall obedience and fulfilling the law Secondly Christ is holy in regard of his Church euen of vs his members because he is the author of all holinesse in vs we haue all our holinesse from him nay he is the very roote of holinesse not as the Father or the holy Ghost but in a more speciall maner because from Christ as the roote springeth holinesse in all his members And as from Adam being the root in whom all mankind stood was conueyed sin and corruption to all which came of him so from Christ being the roote is conueyed holinesse to all his members in him he is our sanctification because we fetch our righteousnesse from him as a branch doth sappe from the root for the humane nature of Christ is the very
to allow of those bookes for canonical which are not and to make them as pure Scripture which are onely Apocrypha And thou hast suffered In the former words were the first part namely of her seueritie for which Christ commended the church of Ephesus now followeth the second part which is after their discouery to oppose her self against false apostles how it will appeare in the particulars First of the words Thou hast suffered or as well thou hast borne as a burthen for the word signifieth to be pressed down vnder a great burden These burdens were troubles which these false apostles caused after they were discouered first open iniuries and persecutions secondly the spreading of damnable and hereticall doctrines The Ecclesiasticall histories report that these false apostles were such as Cerinthus Ebeon Marcion and such like Now in these words we note it is the will of God that euen the best church shall be troubled by false Apostles teaching hereticall doctrine and persecuting the church of God and so become great burdens to the church and that the Lord suffers for weightie causes first these false apostles must be that the beleeuers and true imbracers of the Gospel might be stirred vp more to embrace and loue the same as Iude exhorts the true beleeuers To fight for their common faith and the more religion is oppressed the more we should labour to maintaine it Secondly that professors might be proued and tried whether they be true and sound or not 1. Cor. 11. 19. There must be heresies c. Thirdly that God may exercise his indgements on the wicked and hypocrites for they be giuen vp to beleeue lies to receiue their false doctrine 2. Thess. 2. 11. Seeing the Lord suffereth his best churches to be troubled with false Apostles and that for most weightie causes we must not be offended because we see dissensions and scismes in the church which proceed not by reason of the Gospell but from wicked erronious and hereticall men for the Lord will haue such to liue in his church to make his owne seruants to loue him more to trie who be sound professors and to bring iudgement on the wicked these should not make vs discouraged but more to loue and embrace the Gospell Now after the dealing of these false apostles is set downe the dealing of the church of Ephesus against them in all things opposing her selfe against them Thou hast suffered and hast patience That is thou hast borne a burden by manifold troubles and persecutions and hast patience to beare them Obiect But how can troubles persecutions and patience stand together for troubles are against mens nature and makes them fret and be impatient against God man Ans. These stand together not by nature but by grace Rom. 5. 4. Tribulation brings patience And they stand thus together to him which truly beleeueth in Christ God giueth the spirit of meeknes sheds his loue in his heart so in the midst of trouble giues him a speciall tast of his mercie And thus in the time of trouble they which be most troubled are withal most patient so trouble and patience may be together And hast patience Here is the first way by which the church of Ephesus opposed her self against false apostles and their dealings which were double first iniuries and persecutions secondly false doctrines heretical and damnable teaching Now by patience she opposed her selfe to both these So the onely way to oppose our selues against persecutors such as iniury or wrong vs is patience whereby we stop their mouthes and if it be possible ouercome and winne them to Christ. This should be our meanes to oppose our selues against wicked men as well in life and maners as in iudgement and doctrine not to returne iniury for iniurie and wrong for wrong but to haue patience not that we should beare their sinnes but their wrongs And for my names sake hast laboured Here is the second meanes how she opposed her selfe against their spreading of damnable and hereticall doctrine which is the second way how they were a burden to her Hast laboured that is taken much paines for my name that is my glory and the Gospell of Christ for maintaining my glory and true Religon thou hast taken as great paines as they did to broach heresies and so thou hast opposed thy selfe against them Here then is our second way to oppose our selues against damnable heresies of wicked men we must labour to haue the true word of God to maintaine the glory of God and true Religion Is this so Then euery man shall labour for the name and Religion of Christ both minister and people for this labour is double partly of the minister partly of the people Concerning ministers the ministers first labour must be by studying and reading the word to furnish himselfe with sufficient knowledge in the foundation and substance of the Gospel of Christ. And for this cause S. Iohn Reuelation 11. must eate the booke that is by study meditation haue it in his hart and mind to digest it wel Psal. 2. 7. the Priests lips must preserue knowledge and the people must seeke it at his mouth Secondly he must deliuer the whole counsell of God concerning the matter of saluation to the people and the whole doctrine of the Gospell contained in the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles So did Paul Act. 20. He kept nothing backe but deliuered the whole counsell of God Thirdly he must be able to discouer and labour to discerne false teachers to the people not onely to know them but make the church to know them Tit. 1. he must conuince false teachers and then discerne and discouer them which he shall do by two things first by conuincing and discrying their erronious doctrine secondly by reprouing their wicked life So Christ noteth the erronious doctrine of the Scribes and Pharises in their misinterpreting the law secondly their hypocriticall life So Paul in all his Epistles noteth wicked mens errours and then their bad life Fourthly he must labour that the doctrine deliuered out of the Gospell may edifie and take fruite in mens hearts which is the end of all preaching and teaching 1. Cor. 14. Fifthly he must labour to be a patterne and president in his owne person of that doctrine which he teacheth that so they may haue his example to follow which is an excellent meanes to make them obey the word and the neglect of it is the cause why many contemne the word Sixthly he must make petition to God that his particular church may hold receiue obey that doctrine he deliuereth So Paul in all his Epistles praies for them that they may receiue his doctrine Now as the minister so the people also must labour for the name of Christ euery true member of the church must labour to know vnderstand that doctrine which is deliuered out of the word Christ bids vs beleeue the Gospel and repent therfore we must first know